Patching Multiple Images in a WIM File

Q: If a Windows Imaging Format (WIM) file contains multiple images and I need to apply a patch or driver, do I apply it to only one of the images?

A: Although a WIM file can contain multiple OS images (e.g., Windows Vista Business, Vista Ultimate), the reason for collecting images into one WIM file is to take advantage of Single Instance Storage (SIS). However, each image is separate; if you install an update into the Vista Business image, the update affects only that image and none of the other images. Thus, if there are seven images in a WIM file, you have to patch all seven individually.