Inside Windows Vista's New Image-Based Install

by Marco Chiappetta — Monday, December 04, 2006, 05:00 PM EDT

Microsoft's Windows Vista is only weeks away from public consumption, so it's time to start getting informed on all of the new features and intricacies of the new OS, if you haven't already done so that is. APC Magazine has an informative article on-line today dealing with Vista's new image-based installation process.

"Vista's installation process is dramatically different to any previous version of Windows: rather than being an 'installer', the install DVD is actually a preinstalled copy of Windows that simply gets decompressed onto your PC. So how does it adjust to your hardware? How do you slipstream updates and drivers into it? Can you also 'preinstall' your favourite apps into your Vista DVD? And most importantly, can you build a custom Vista install DVD that doesn't install all the 'free AOL trial' crap that typically comes bundled in with Windows?

From personal experience, I can say that installing Vista is easier than any other version of Windows to date. Getting around within the OS, however, will definitely take some getting used to.

Tags: Wind, Vista, Windows Vista, Windows, DOW, Win, install, Mag, sed, window, image, TAL, AG, WS, IM, id

Marco Chiappetta

Marco's interest in computing and technology dates all the way back to his early childhood. Even before being exposed to the Commodore P.E.T. and later the Commodore 64 in the early ‘80s, he was interested in electricity and electronics, and he still has the modded AFX cars and shop-worn soldering irons to prove it. Once he got his hands on his own Commodore 64, however, computing became Marco's passion. Throughout his academic and professional lives, Marco has worked with virtually every major platform from the TRS-80 and Amiga, to today's high end, multi-core servers. Over the years, he has worked in many fields related to technology and computing, including system design, assembly and sales, professional quality assurance testing, and technical writing. In addition to being the Managing Editor here at HotHardware for close to 15 years, Marco is also a freelance writer whose work has been published in a number of PC and technology related print publications and he is a regular fixture on HotHardware’s own Two and a Half Geeks webcast. - Contact: marco(at)hothardware(dot)com