Q. What's Deployment Image Servicing and Management (DISM)?

John Savill

January 30, 2010

2 Min Read
ITPro Today logo in a gray background | ITPro Today

A. DISM is a new tool introduced with Windows 7 and Windows Server 2008 R2. It unifies functionality previously available in multiple other commands such as pkgmgr, PEimg and Intlcfg. DISM is included with Windows 7, Windows 2008 R2 and the Windows Automated Installation Kit (WAIK). While DISM also incorporates ImageX functionality that's used for WIM mounting and manipulation, ImageX is not being replaced by DISM and is still used for image capture and deployment.

DISM can be used for:

  • Enumerating and modifying packages and drivers

  • Enabling/disabling Windows roles and features

  • Configuring international settings

  • Upgrading a Windows image

  • Servicing versions of Windows online

  • Applying offline servicing components of Unattend.xml file

See the following for an example of viewing then mounting a WIM file with DISM. The bold text inidcates commands that I entered.

dism /Get-WimInfo /wimfile:d:tempinstall.wimDeployment Image Servicing and Management toolVersion: 6.1.7600.16385Details for image : d:tempinstall.wimIndex : 1Name : Windows 7 HOMEBASICDescription : Windows 7 HOMEBASICSize : 11,500,789,302 bytesIndex : 2Name : Windows 7 HOMEPREMIUMDescription : Windows 7 HOMEPREMIUMSize : 12,012,660,212 bytesIndex : 3Name : Windows 7 PROFESSIONALDescription : Windows 7 PROFESSIONALSize : 11,910,752,928 bytesIndex : 4Name : Windows 7 ULTIMATEDescription : Windows 7 ULTIMATESize : 12,070,211,908 bytesThe operation completed successfully.dism /mount-wim /wimfile:d:tempinstall.wim/index:4 /mountdir:d:tempmountDeployment Image Servicing and Management toolVersion: 6.1.7600.16385Mounting image[==========

27.0% ]dism /unmount-wim /discard /mountdir:d:tempmountDeployment Image Servicing and Management toolVersion: 6.1.7600.16385Image File : d:tempinstall.wimImage Index : 4Unmounting image[

= 11.0% ]

Related Reading:



Check out hundreds more useful Q&As like this in John Savill's FAQ for Windows. Also, watch instructional videos made by John at ITTV.net.

About the Author

Sign up for the ITPro Today newsletter
Stay on top of the IT universe with commentary, news analysis, how-to's, and tips delivered to your inbox daily.

You May Also Like