What is Windows Image Boot (WIMBoot)?

Overview

Windows Image Boot, or WIMBoot, is a new feature in Windows 8.1 that allows you to install and run the operating system from a compressed WIM file on your device. This can save space on your device and may speed up boot times. In this article, we'll explain what WIMBoot is, how it works, its pros and cons, and show you how to create a Wimboot installation on your device.

1. What is Windows Imaging and Configuration Designer (WIMBoot)?

WIMBoot is a technology that enables computers with limited storage to run an operating system. It achieves this by reading Windows Imaging Format (WIM) files from an existing disk rather than installing them onto new, blank media, thus saving original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) on distribution costs and time. Additionally, it speeds up upgrades or installations compared to traditional methods, as less data needs to be written for boot settings. The idea behind WIMBoot is that it allows devices with smaller storage to run a full version of the system while still having sufficient space for data or applications.

2. How does Wimboot work?

During a traditional Windows installation, all system files are written twice to the local disk: first as a compressed archive of the system image, and then again as an uncompressed archive of the system files. When the installation is complete, our local system disk stores a compressed version of the system image. All these system and backup files take up space on our local disk, which is why Windows 8.1 requires a minimum of 16 GB of disk space – with a fresh install actually taking up around 10 GB.

With WIMBoot, the new Windows system is installed to the local disk only once, as a compressed archive. The Windows partition then consists of a set of pointers to the corresponding files in the image partition. As the user writes new files, modern apps, and system updates, these are written to the Windows partition.

Also, a WIMBoot image can be applied as a system image to continue saving local disk space.

3. Benefits of WIMBoot

With WIMBoot, Windows can be installed on smaller partitions, reducing the amount of disk space required and helping to improve system performance.

The system files after WIMBOOT is actually an image boot, and disk performance under WIMBOOT mode is slightly better than in normal mode.

By streamlining the process and removing extra steps to download an operating system (such as Windows) onto the device, you can get started more quickly.

It allows for better compatibility between BIOS and UEFI boot environments, while using http instead of TFTP.

In short, WIMBOOT offers the following advantages:

Save disk space.

Reduces the time required to access system files.

Reinstalling the system is also much easier.

BIOS/UEFI compatibility.

4. Drawbacks of WIMBoot

One downside of using WIMBoot is that it's only applicable to UEFI-based computers, meaning any computer with a traditional BIOS won't be able to reap these benefits. Another issue could be compatibility problems if you have certain security software installed, as there might be incompatibilities between versions, leading to errors or similar issues. Additionally, loading the WIM image at boot takes slightly longer than in a regular setup.

The downside is that

• Slower startup time.

Applies only to UEFI-based computers.

• Software compatibility is not great.

How much space does WIMBoot require?

With WIMBoot, Windows takes up much less space on your hard drive, which means you'll have more room for personal files. But how much space does WIMBoot need?

WIMBoot requires about 4 GB of free disk space to compress the Windows system files. That's much less than the more than 20 GB that's typically required.

In addition, WIMBoot compresses the Windows files to take up less space. However, the amount of space you actually need depends on the size of the Windows system files. For example, if you have a lot of personal files, you might need more than 2 GB of free disk space to use WIMBoot.

All in all, WIMBoot is a great way to cut down on the storage space that Windows uses without sacrificing much in terms of performance.

How do I get WIMBoot?

If you buy one of the new “Windows 8.1 Update” machines, you'll get a version of Windows with WIMBoot baked in, taking up a small fraction of the disk. You can also download it from https://github.com/ipxe/wimboot/releases/latest/download/wimboot.

Before installation, you need to ensure that your device's hardware and software meet the installation requirements.

Operating System: Windows 8.1 Update

Hardware requirement: Solid State Drive (SSD), Embedded Multi Media Card (eMMC)

How to create a Wimboot install

If you're already familiar with WIMBoot and would like to try it out yourself, read on.

First, create a WIM file of your Windows installation.

Then, apply the WIM file to your WIMBoot optimized image.

Finally, configure the computer to boot from a WIMBoot-optimized image.

For detailed information on creating a Windows WIMBoot installation, see the documentation for your version of Windows.

Conclusions

WIMBoot is a new way of installing Windows 8.1, and its advantages are still very obvious, especially for devices with smaller storage capacity, as it can save a lot of space. Thus, it's quite practical for both manufacturers and users. After reading the introduction, are you interested in WIMBoot? If you want to learn more about WIMBoot, you can check the official Microsoft website.