{"id":9225,"date":"2024-02-28T19:09:41","date_gmt":"2024-02-28T19:09:41","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/cheapwindowsvps.com\/blog\/how-to-craft-your-own-custom-windows-image-with-pre-installed-applications\/"},"modified":"2025-01-20T09:56:32","modified_gmt":"2025-01-20T09:56:32","slug":"how-to-craft-your-own-custom-windows-image-with-pre-installed-applications","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/cheapwindowsvps.com\/blog\/how-to-craft-your-own-custom-windows-image-with-pre-installed-applications\/","title":{"rendered":"How to Craft Your Own Custom Windows Image with Pre-Installed Applications"},"content":{"rendered":"

In this guide, we\u2019ll cover how to create a custom Windows 10\/11 installation image with pre-installed apps, necessary files, and other environment and application settings. Currently, many admins prefer to deploy a clean Windows image and then install all the required programs and tools on the computer: deploy software via GPO<\/a>, using the installation commands in AutoUnattend.xml<\/code> or in the %WINDIR%SetupScriptsSetupComplete.cmd<\/code> script (allow to install software during OOBE), GPO logon scripts<\/a>. or using other automation tools (SCCM, Intune, MDT, Ansible<\/a>). However, in some cases, business specifics require that a pre-built Windows image with all the necessary programs be deployed to end-user computers.<\/p>\n<\/p>\n

The process of creating your custom Windows installation image with pre-installed software can include the following steps:<\/p>\n<\/p>\n

    \n
  1. Deploy a clean Windows instance on a reference computer (virtual machine);<\/li>\n
  2. Boot Windows in audit mode, install the apps, configure the environment;<\/li>\n
  3. Boot the device into the WinPE environment and capture the WIM image of the installed Windows using DISM;<\/li>\n
  4. Replace the original install.wim on the installation USB flash drive (ISO image).<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

    If you are deploying Windows to computers on a corporate network, it is more convenient to use MDT, which allows you to add\/update programs during the installation process without having to modify the installation WIM image each time.<\/div>\n<\/p>\n

    Building a Reference Windows Image with Pre-installed Software<\/h2>\n<\/p>\n

    The first step is to create a reference image of Windows with all the programs, files, and settings you need. Perform a clean Windows installation on a virtual machine or computer.<\/p>\n<\/p>\n

    Download the original Windows 10\/11 installation image as an ISO file or burn it directly to a bootable USB flash drive using the Media Creation Tool or Rufus.<\/p>\n<\/p>\n

    Perform a manual Windows installation and press CTRL+SHIFT+F3<\/code> at the OOBE stage (when prompted to select regional settings). This will put the computer into Audit Mode, and you will be automatically logged in as the built-in Administrator<\/strong> account<\/a>.<\/p>\n<\/p>\n

    When the desktop appears, minimize the Sysprep window (don\u2019t close it!!). Then you can start installing programs and updates, and configuring the necessary Windows settings.<\/p>\n<\/p>\n

    I will use the WinGet <\/strong>package manager<\/a> to install various apps and tools on Windows:<\/p>\n<\/p>\n

    winget install --id=7zip.7zip -e ; winget install --id=Notepad++.Notepad++ -e ; winget install --id=VideoLAN.VLC -e ; winget install --id=WinDirStat.WinDirStat -e ; winget install --id=dotPDNLLC.paintdotnet -e ; winget install --id=IrfanSkiljan.IrfanView -e ; winget install --id=Microsoft.PowerToys -e<\/code><\/p>\n

    I also manually created directories and copied files for several business apps.<\/p>\n

    Customize desktop shortcuts, Start menu tiles, wallpapers, screensavers, color schemes, and more. Configure local Group Policy settings<\/a> using the gpedit.msc<\/code> editor. These settings will be applied to all computers that you deploy from this custom Windows image.<\/p>\n<\/p>\n

    Once the operating system and applications are installed, it is required to clean up Windows to minimize the end image size.<\/p>\n<\/p>\n

    Eliminate the existing shadow copies and restore points:<\/p>\n<\/p>\n

    vssadmin delete shadows \/All \/Quiet<\/code><\/p>\n<\/p>\n

    Purge unused components and update files in the WinSxS folder<\/a>:<\/p>\n<\/p>\n

    Dism.exe \/Online \/Cleanup-Image \/StartComponentCleanup \/ResetBase<\/code><\/p>\n<\/p>\n

    Remove the Windows Update cache files:<\/p>\n<\/p>\n

    del %windir%SoftwareDistributionDownload*.* \/f \/s \/q<\/code><\/p>\n<\/p>\n

    You can use this PowerShell script<\/a> to clean up the Temp, Downloads, and Cache folders in the user profile.<\/p>\n

    Perform a disk cleanup using the cleanmgr<\/a> tool:<\/p>\n

    Cleanmgr \/sagerun:1<\/code><\/p>\n

    Clear Event Viewer logs:<\/a><\/p>\n<\/p>\n

    for \/F \"tokens=*\" %1 in ('wevtutil.exe el') DO wevtutil.exe cl \"%1\"<\/code><\/p>\n<\/p>\n

    Empty the Recycle Bin in Windows:<\/p>\n<\/p>\n

    Clear-RecycleBin -Force<\/code><\/p>\n<\/p>\n

    To apply the existing user settings to the Default user, which serves as a model for creating new users in Windows, generate an unattend.xml<\/code> answer file within the C:WindowsSystem32Sysprep<\/code> directory.<\/p>\n<\/p>\n

    <\/p>
    <?xml version=\"1.0\" encoding=\"utf-8\"?><\/p>
    <unattend xmlns=\"urn:schemas-microsoft-com:unattend\"><\/p>
    <settings pass=\"specialize\"><\/p>
    <component name=\"Microsoft-Windows-Shell-Setup\" processorArchitecture=\"amd64\" publicKeyToken=\"31bf3856ad364e35\" language=\"neutral\" versionScope=\"nonSxS\" xmlns:wcm=\"http:\/\/schemas.microsoft.com\/WMIConfig\/2002\/State\" xmlns:xsi=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2001\/XMLSchema-instance\"><\/p>
    <CopyProfile>true<\/CopyProfile><\/p>
    <\/component><\/p>
    <\/settings><\/p>
    <\/unattend><\/p>
    <\/pre>\n<\/p>\n
    The last step is preparing your customized Windows image for deployment using the sysprep.exe tool. Open the Sysprep window and select the options mentioned below:<\/p>\n<\/p>\n