Edit the registry inside a WIM file

An oldie but a goodie – this came about again when creating Windows 7 WIM files for SCCM. It really does save a lot of time – otherwise you would need to deploy your image, make changes to the registry and then recapture. This process is much quicker! I use the DISM tool from the WAIK toolkit but you could also use imageX to mount the image.
Steps:
Mount the WIM
Open the Deployment Tools Command prompt and enter:
dism /mount-wim /wimfile:d:temptest.wim /index:1 /mountdir:c:mount

Result:

D:>dism /mount-wim /wimfile:d:temptest.wim /index:1 /mountdir:c:mount

Deployment Image Servicing and Management tool

Version: 6.1.7600.16385

Mounting image

[==========================100.0%==========================]

The operation completed successfully.

Load the registry hive
From a command prompt enter:
reg load HKLMtest c:mountwindowssystem32configsoftware
Result:
D:>reg load HKLMtest c:mountwindowssystem32configsoftware
The operation completed successfully.

Open regedit
You will then see the registry that is contained in the WIM file, in this case it is called test. Make your changes, then exit regedit.


Unload the registry hive
From a command prompt enter:
reg unload HKLMtest
Result:
D:>reg unload HKLMtest
The operation completed successfully.

Unmount the image
Open the Deployment Tools Command prompt and enter:
dism /unmount-wim /mountdir:c:mount /commit
Result:
D:>dism /unmount-wim /mountdir:c:mount /commit
Deployment Image Servicing and Management tool
Version: 6.1.7600.16385
Image File : d:temptest.wim
Image Index : 1
Saving image
[==========================100.0%==========================]
Unmounting image
[==========================100.0%==========================]
The operation completed successfully.