With the advent of Windows Vista, Microsoft also introduced the Windows Imaging (WIM) file format. According to the Redmodn company, the Windows Imaging format is designed as a file-based disk image specific to Vista, and is an alternative to sector-based image formats because of a range of benefits. First off, WIM is hardware agnostic, but the format also enables users to store multiple images in a single file, such as multi-SKUs packed into a single item. In addition, WIM is also synonymous with advanced compression and single instancing, meaning a reduced file size, which also allows administrators to service an image while offline. On top of these capabilities, WIM is not dependent on the size of the partition where the image must be deployed and permits non-destructive installation. Windows Vista even offers an application programming interface – dubbed WIMGAPI – for the management of WIM files. (more…)

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