Using the Windows Automated Installation Kit

The Windows Automated Installation Kit (WAIK) is a group of tools you can use on the technician's computer to help with the deployment of Windows 7.

These tools include the following:

Deployment Tools Command Prompt: You can use this prompt to run commands such as dism, oscdimg, and imagex. When you launch it, the prompt temporarily modifies the path to include the path to these tools and starts in the C:\Program Files\Windows AIK\Tools\PETools folder.

Windows System Image Manager: You can use this tool to create answer files. This tool is explored in the section "Using Windows System Image Manager" later in this article.

Documentation Folder: The Documentation folder includes access to several links. It includes a link to an HTML file that includes step-by-step instructions, links to three separate help files, and an additional folder named SDK (Software Deployment Kit) for software developers.

VAMT 1.2 Folder: This folder includes Volume Activation Management Tool (VAMT) version 1.2 help files and tools, which you can use for managing activation. You can also download VAMT version 2.0 as a separate download.

You can use these tools to capture or deploy an image, and perform offline maintenance of images. Offline maintenance means that you aren't booted into the operating system; instead, you are modifying the contents of the WIM file. You can use the WAIK tools to expand the contents of a WIM file into files and folders on the technician's computer. You can modify the files and folders as desired, and then restore them into the image.

The WAIK is available as a free download from Microsoft. You can get it by going to Microsoft's download site (www.microsoft.com/downloads/) and entering WAIK in the Search All Download Center text box. The Windows AIK for Windows 7 download (KB3AIK_EN.iso) file should be listed on the first page. It's about 1.7 GB in size so will take a little time to download even with a high-bandwidth connection.

After you download the ISO image, you can burn it to a DVD using Windows 7's built-in feature. Simply place a writable DVD into your DVD burner, right-click the ISO file, and select Burn Disc Image.

Once you have the DVD, you can use the following steps to install it:

1. Place the DVD into your DVD drive. If Autoplay doesn't start automatically, use Windows Explorer to browse to the drive and double-click StartCD.exe. If prompted by User Account Control (UAC), click Yes to continue. You'll see a screen.
2. Click Windows AIK Setup.
3. When the welcome page appears, click Next.
4. Review the license terms and select I Agree. Click Next.
5. Accept the default installation folder of C:\Program Files\Windows AIK\ and click Next.
6. On the Confirm Installation page, click Next to start the installation.
7. When installation completes, click Close.
8. Click Start → All Programs → Microsoft Windows AIK. You'll see all the WAIK tools within this Start menu folder.