Create an OS Image by Using Image Configuration Editor (Standard 8)
7/8/2014
Learn how to use Image Configuration Editor (ICE) to create a Windows Embedded 8 Standard (Standard 8) configuration file, then deploy an image to your device based on that configuration file.
Introduction
Image Configuration Editor (ICE) is one of two primary tools that are used to develop a Windows Embedded 8 Standard (Standard 8) image that you can then install on your device. The other is Image Builder Wizard (IBW).
ICE runs on your development computer, and you use it to create a configuration file. A configuration file is an XML-based file that contains definitions and values. IBW, as one of its functions, uses the configuration file to install an OS on your device.
You use ICE to create a configuration file which specifies the features, drivers, and languages you want in your OS image. A configuration file also stores setup options such as how to partition disks and the product key to apply when the OS image is installed. ICE provides the most flexibility and control when configuring a Standard 8 image.
Lab Exercise Purpose
This lab demonstrates the end-to-end process of using ICE to create a Standard 8 configuration file that specifies which features to include in your OS, and then deploy an OS to your device by using IBW.
Overview of Steps
You will create a Standard 8 OS that has Internet Explorer 10, Windows Embedded branding, and a language pack. You will then deploy the OS to your device.
- Step 1: Create a New Configuration File
Create a configuration file by using ICE.
- Step 2: Add Features to Your OS Image
Add Internet Explorer 10, Windows Embedded branding, and the English language pack to your configuration file.
- Step 3: Add Drivers Required by Your Device
Add drivers required by your device to your configuration file.
- Step 4: Add a Product Key to the Configuration File
Provide the product key for the image when you deploy it.
- Step 5: (Optional) Change the Home Page for Internet Explorer 10
Customize your OS image by changing the Internet Explorer home page.
- Step 6: Add Dependencies and Save Your Configuration File
Add dependent modules that support the functionality that you have selected.
- Step 7: Start Image Builder Wizard on Your Device
Start IBW on your device.
- Step 8: To Deploy a Configuration File on Your Device
Use IBW to deploy your configuration file on your device.
Prerequisites
To perform the steps in this lab exercise, the following are required:
Required Hardware
Your development computer and your device must meet the minimum hardware requirements:
Required Software
The following software is required:
- ICE must be installed on your development computer.
- If your device can start from a DVD drive: The Standard 8 Bootable IBW disk appropriate for the architecture (x86 or x64) of your device.
- If your device cannot start from a DVD drive you will need a 8 gigabyte (GB) minimum USB flash drive that you prepared in Step 2: (Optional) Create USB Boot Media for Your Device of the Get Started with Windows Embedded 8 Standard lab exercise.
Required Lab Exercises or Knowledge
The following lab exercises must be completed before you begin this lab exercise:
Knowledge of the following is recommended before you begin this lab exercise:
Step 1: Create a New Configuration File
In this step, you will use ICE to create a new configuration file. A configuration file stores the choices you make about what functionality to include in your OS image.
To create a new configuration file
On the Start menu, click All Programs, click Windows Embedded 8 Standard, and then click **ICE **
On the File menu, click New Configuration File. In the New Configuration File dialog box, do the following:
- Enter a name for your configuration file.
- Select the OS architecture of your device.
- Select the version of the OS that you want to install on your device.
Click Create. A new configuration file that contains the Embedded Core package becomes visible in the Configuration File pane.
Step 2: Add Features to Your OS Image
In this step, you will add Internet Explorer 10, Windows Embedded branding, and a language pack to the configuration file.
To add features to your OS image
In the Catalog pane located at the far left, expand Features, and then expand User Applications.
Right-click Internet Explorer 10 and select Add to Configuration file.
Under Features, expand the Branding node.
Right-click Branded Screens and select Add to Configuration file.
Under Features, expand Language modules, and then expand the Languages node.
Right-click English and select Add to Configuration file.
Step 3: Add Drivers Required by your Device
You need to install drivers to run your OS image on your device. You use Target Analyzer Probe (TAP) to detect which drivers your device needs and create a driver description file. You then add the driver description file to your configuration file.
To run the TAP tool
To start IBW on your device, either:
Run setup.exe from the version of the Standard 8 IBW DVD (x86 or x64) that matches the architecture of your device.
If your device cannot start from a DVD, start your device by using the USB flash drive that you prepared in Get Started with Standard 8
Tip
To start from a USB flash drive, you may have to adjust the BIOS settings on your device to start from a USB device.
In IBW, in Windows Setup, click Launch WinPE Command Prompt. A Command Prompt window appears.
Prepare a location where you can save the .PMQ file. If you booted using the Standard 8 IBW DVD, prepare a network location or insert a USB flash drive to store the .PMQ file on.
From the command prompt, run the TAP tool by using the following command:
\sources\Tap.exe /o <PMQDrive>:\devices.pmqThe list of devices that TAP discovers on your device will be stored in the devices.pmq file at the location specified by the /o parameter in the command above.
To import the device description file into ICE
On your development computer, on the ICE main menu, click File, click Import, and then click Import PMQ.
Navigate to the location where you saved the devices.pmq that you created earlier in this section, select the devices.pmq file, and then click Open to import it into your configuration file.
A Driver node will appear in the Configuration File pane that contains the information about the devices that will be supported on the device.
Additional Information
Target Analyzer Probe (TAP) Technical Reference
Step 4: Add a Product Key to Your Configuration File
In this step, you will add a product key to your configuration file so that the deployed image can be installed on your device without prompting for a product key.
To add a product key
In the Configuration File pane, select the Products node.
Click the Settings tab, found to the right of the Configuration File pane.
In the Filter view by drop-down list, select 1 WindowsPE.
In the Settings pane, expand UserData, and then expand ProductKey.
Double-click the Key node. In the text box, enter your product key. Include the hyphens as part of the key, for example, xxxxx-xxxxx-xxxxx-xxxxx-xxxxx, and press Enter.
Double-click WillShowUI.
Click the WillShowUI drop-down list and select OnError. OnError instructs the installer to prompt for a product key only if there is an error using the one that you provided earlier in this section.
Additional Information
Step 5: (Optional) Change the Home Page for Internet Explorer 10
In this step, you will change the home page that Internet Explorer opens by default.
To change the home page
In the Configuration File pane, expand Features, expand User Applications, and then click Internet Explorer 10.
Click the Settings tab, found to the right of the Configuration File pane.
On the Settings pane, in the Filter view by list, select 4 Specialize.
In Settings pane, move to the Home Page node, and double-click it. A text box for the home page URL appears.
In the text box, enter https://www.microsoft.com/windowsembedded/en-us/windows-embedded.aspx and press Enter.
Additional Information
To learn about the home page for Internet Explorer, see Home_Page
Step 6: Add Dependencies and Save Your Configuration File
When you add a module to your OS design that requires the functionality of other modules to operate, you must bring those dependent modules into your configuration file. In this step, you will add the dependent modules.
To add dependencies and save your configuration file
On the ICE main menu, click Validate, and then click Add Required Modules. This command adds the required packages that are required to enable the basic functionality of the features that you selected in step 2.
In the Messages pane, click the Validation tab and check for validation errors. If there is an error message, double-click on the message and add any other required modules.
To save your configuration file, on the File menu, click Save Configuration File. Using the Save dialog box that appears, move to a location that you can access from your device, such as a USB flash drive or a network share. Enter **LabBaseConfig.xml ** as the file name, and then click Save.
Note
The LabBaseConfig.xml configuration file will be used in other labs.
Step 7: Start Image Builder Wizard on Your Device
In this step, you will start your device and start Image Builder Wizard (IBW).
To start IBW
To start IBW on your device, either:
Run setup.exe from the Standard 8 IBW DVD. Use the version of the DVD (x86 or x64) that matches the architecture of your device.
If your device cannot start from a DVD, start your device by using the USB flash drive that you prepared in “Step 2: (Optional) Create USB Boot Media for Your Device” of Get Started with Standard 8.
Tip
To start from a USB flash drive, you may have to adjust the BIOS settings on your device to start from a USB flash media.
Step 8: Deploy an OS Image to your Device
In this step, you will use IBW to deploy an OS image to your device, as specified by your configuration file.
To deploy an OS image
In IBW, in the Setup Wizard, click Deploy a Configuration File or WIM.
Browse to the location where you saved your configuration file in Step 6: Add Dependencies and Validate and Save Your Configuration File.
Select **LabBaseConfig.xml ** and then click Open. The setup process starts.
Accept the license terms by clicking I accept the license terms, and then click Next.
Select your language preferences, and then click Next.
The Where do you want to install windows page will list the available drives and partitions on your device. Click the drive/partition pair on which you want to install your OS image. Select a drive and partition that your device is configured to start from.
Warning
The following steps will format the selected drive. Before proceeding, make sure that there is no data on the partition that you want to keep.
To make sure that you have sufficient disk space available for your OS, click Drive Options (advanced), and then click Format.
Verify that you want to format the partition and then click OK to begin formatting the partition.
After the partition is formatted, click Next to install your OS image on the device. During the installation process (which will take several minutes), your device will restart. You will have to remove the USB flash drive before your device reboots to complete the installation process. If you forget to remove the USB flash drive, your device may start back into the IBW tool. If that occurs, exit IBW and remove the USB flash drive and restart the device.
When the Install Evaluation Copy Wizard appears, click Next and complete the Standard 8 setup wizard to configure your OS.
After the Standard 8 settings are completed, you can try the functionality available in your Standard 8 image.
Additional Information
Image Builder Wizard Technical Reference
Conclusion
In this lab you created a configuration file and added features to it, together with the functionality that those features depend on. You imported the list of drivers required by your device and customized aspects of your OS image, such as the default home page for Internet Explorer. You also deployed the customized OS you created to your device by using IBW.
Related Lab Exercises
The following lab exercises include related information:
Additional Information
For more information about the elements of a Standard 8 image, see Modules.