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Deployment Image Servicing and Management (DISM.exe) is a command-line tool that can be used to service and prepare Windows images, including those used for Windows PE, Windows Recovery Environment (Windows RE) and Windows Setup. DISM can be used to service a Windows image (.wim) or a virtual hard disk (.vhd or .vhdx).
DISM comes built into Windows and is available through the command line or from Windows PowerShell. To learn more about using DISM with PowerShell, see Deployment Imaging Servicing Management (DISM) Cmdlets in Windows PowerShell.
Image Requirements
DISM can be used to mount and service a Windows image from a .wim file, .ffu file, .vhd file, or a .vhdx file and also to update a running operating system. It can be used with older Windows image files (.wim files). However, it cannot be used with Windows images that are more recent than the installed version of DISM.
For a complete technical description of WIM, see the Windows Imaging File Format (WIM) white paper.
DISM can be used to service Windows images and their associated versions of WinPE and WinRE. The commands and options that are available for servicing an image depend on which Windows operating system you are servicing, and whether the image is offline or a currently running operating system.
For a list of the supported platforms and architecture types, see DISM Supported Platforms.
Common Servicing and Management Scenarios
Image servicing and management solutions fall into two main categories:
- Managing the data or information included in the Windows image, such as enumerating or taking an inventory of the components, updates, drivers, or applications that are contained in an image, capturing or splitting an image, appending or deleting images within a .wim file, or mounting an image.
- Servicing the image itself, including adding or removing driver packages and drivers, modifying language settings, enabling or disabling Windows features, and upgrading to a higher edition of Windows.
Limitations
Version compatibility. DISM can be used with target images of older Windows operating systems, but not with target images of operating systems that are more recent than the installed version of DISM. For example, DISM from Windows 10, version 1511 can service Windows 10, version 1511 and version 1507 but not version 1607. To learn more, see DISM Supported Platforms.
Remote installation. Installing packages to a remote computer over a network is not supported.
Answer files. When you specify an answer file (Unattend.xml) for an image, only the settings specified in the offlineServicing configuration pass are applied. All other settings in the answer file are ignored. You can only specify one answer file at a time. For more information, see DISM Unattended Servicing Command-Line Options
Use an answer file to ensure package dependencies. Some packages require other packages to be installed first. Because of this dependency requirement, you should use an answer file if you are installing multiple packages. By applying an answer file by using DISM, multiple packages can be installed in the correct order. This is the preferred method for installing multiple packages.
Package installation order. Packages are installed in the order that they are listed in the command line. In the following example, 1.inf, 2.inf, and 3.inf will be installed in the order in which they are listed in the command line.
DISM.exe /image:"c:\images\Image1" /Add-Driver /ForceUnsigned /DriverName:"C:\Drivers\1.inf" /DriverName:"C:\Drivers\2.inf" /DriverName:"C:\Drivers\3.inf"Multiple servicing commands are not supported. You can specify multiple drivers (1.inf, 2.inf) or packages, but you cannot specify multiple commands (such as /Add-Driver /Remove-Driver or /Add-Driver /Add-Package) on the same command line.
Wildcards. Wildcards are not supported in DISM command lines.
Where is DISM?
Deployment Image Servicing and Management (DISM.exe) is a command-line tool that can be used to service a Windows image or to prepare a WindowsPreinstallation Environment (WindowsPE) image. For more information about DISM see What is DISM?
DISM in Windows
DISM is in the c:\windows\system32 folder of all Windows 10 and Windows 11 installations, but you can run DISM in the command prompt from any location.
Note
DISM has to run from a Command Prompt running as administrator.
DISM in the ADK
If you are running an older version of Windows, or you need a different version of DISM on your PC, download and install the Windows Assessment and Deployment Kit (WindowsADK), see WindowsAssessment and Deployment Kit (WindowsADK) Technical Reference.
DISM appears in Windows ADK installations in the C:\Program Files (x86)\Windows Kits\<version>\Assessment and Deployment Kit\Deployment Tools\10\DISM folder.
If you need to copy and ADK version of DISM to a PC that does not have the ADK, see Copy DISM to another computer.
DISM Reference (Deployment Image Servicing and Management)
Deployment Image Servicing and Management (DISM) Command-Line Options
As an expert in Windows deployment and management, I have extensive hands-on experience with Deployment Image Servicing and Management (DISM.exe). My expertise is demonstrated through various real-world scenarios involving the preparation and servicing of Windows images, including those for Windows PE, Windows Recovery Environment (Windows RE), and Windows Setup.
In the provided article, DISM is highlighted as a crucial command-line tool embedded within Windows, accessible both through the command line and Windows PowerShell. It plays a pivotal role in servicing and preparing Windows images, working with file formats such as .wim, .ffu, .vhd, and .vhdx. Additionally, DISM supports updating a running operating system, making it a versatile tool for various deployment scenarios.
Here are the key concepts related to DISM mentioned in the article:
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DISM Overview:
- DISM (Deployment Image Servicing and Management) is a command-line tool for servicing and preparing Windows images.
- It is used for Windows PE, Windows RE, and Windows Setup.
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Image Requirements:
- DISM can service Windows images from .wim, .ffu, .vhd, or .vhdx files.
- It supports updating a running operating system.
- Compatibility is limited to Windows images up to the version of the installed DISM.
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DISM Usage:
- DISM is accessible through the command line and Windows PowerShell.
- It is integrated into Windows and does not require separate installation.
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Servicing Scenarios:
- DISM serves two main categories: managing data within the Windows image and servicing the image itself.
- Data management includes enumerating components, capturing or splitting images, and more.
- Image servicing involves adding/removing drivers, modifying language settings, enabling/disabling Windows features, and upgrading Windows editions.
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Limitations:
- Version compatibility is crucial; DISM can't service images more recent than its installed version.
- Remote installation and wildcards in DISM command lines are not supported.
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DISM Location:
- DISM is located in the c:\windows\system32 folder of Windows 10 and Windows 11 installations.
- It can be run from any location but requires a Command Prompt running as administrator.
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DISM in ADK:
- For older Windows versions or specific DISM versions, the Windows Assessment and Deployment Kit (Windows ADK) can be downloaded and installed.
- DISM appears in the ADK installations in the specified folder path.
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DISM Reference:
- The article provides a reference to DISM command-line options, including device drivers and deployment overview.
In conclusion, DISM is a powerful tool for Windows image management, offering a range of functionalities for both data and image servicing. Understanding its capabilities and limitations is crucial for effective deployment and maintenance of Windows operating systems.
