This article explains how you can add and remove Windows components before performing a fresh installation of Windows with that ISO image. It’s especially helpful for IT administrators who frequently upgrade their systems and software. We had previously discussed slipstreaming in one of our posts. Slipstreaming is a process to integrate update packages released by Microsoft to existing ISO images so that one does not need to download an entire ISO package again, and simply update their existing one and use it for deployment.
What is MSMG Toolkit Source Integrate Remove Customize Apply Target Tools How to add or remove Windows components from ISO images using MSMG Toolkit Selecting the source Integrate components Remove components Customize ISO image Apply changes Save to target Closing words
Whereas the MSMG Toolkit that we are going to be using here is used to customize the existing packages and components within an ISO image or to add more standalone components. Let’s talk about the MSMG Toolkit in more detail and its benefits.
What is MSMG Toolkit
MSMG Toolkit is a command-line utility used to manipulate ISO, WIM, and ESD image files in all sorts of ways. It can be used for conversion, adding and removing components, creating bootable devices, etc. Today, we are going to be using this handy utility to add and remove Windows components so it becomes lightweight and bloat-free. The MSMG Toolkit does not require you to learn any extra or complicated cmdlets. Rather, it is a system based on actions and their corresponding numbers. For example, simply select a number alongside the actions mentioned in the main menu in the image above. For example, if I want to select a source, I shall enter 1 and press Enter. There are several advantages of using MSMG Toolkit, especially for those that regularly need to install OS on a number of devices. First, the changes made to the image will be replicated across all devices the image is used on. Thus, you will no longer be required to perform the same actions after deploying the image on each individual machine, saving both time and additional unnecessary effort. You are also saving space on the system partition by removing bloatware (components that are not required) and simultaneously upgrading the ISO image by integrating additional add-ons such as feature packs, Windows updates, drivers, etc. Having said that, in comparison, there is no downside to using MSMG Toolkit, except for the fact that you may require to spend some time performing the task of adding and removing components. But in reality, you will be saving it by not performing the same tasks on each device you deploy the image on. Now let us discuss each item on the menu and what its function is. At this point, we would like you to understand that not only one item from the menu needs to be accessed to perform a task. For example, if we wish to optimize an ISO image, we first need to select the source (1), integrate (2) or remove (3) components, or maybe both. We must apply (5) the changes and then save the customized image to a target (6) location. Thus, most of the menus need to be accessed one after the other.
Source
From the Source menu, you need to select the image you want to work on. For that, the image or its extracted content needs to be pasted/moved to a dedicated folder. This will be discussed in detail further down the article while performing the task.
Integrate
You can integrate content into the image from the Integrate menu, as you can see in the image above. Each type of component first needs to be moved to its dedicated and respective location first, which will be discussed further down the article.
Remove
From the Remove menu, you can remove existing components from the image, such as Windows components and Windows applications.
Customize
From the Customize menu, you can enable or disable Windows features as well as import or export system registries and other settings. This way, you can pre-enabled or remove the settings that are not required by the end-user.
Apply
Once all of the customizations and changes are made, it is now time to apply the changes to the new image through the Apply menu. This will save any changes made and dismount the image.
Target
The Target menu is from where you can create an ISO image or a bootable device using the new customizations.
Tools
The Tools menu can be used to customize the MSMG CLI itself or customize the new image that has been created, such as change its name, convert it, or merge it with another image, etc. Now that you understand what each of the menus within MSMG Toolkit is for, let’s proceed to adding and removing Windows components.
How to add or remove Windows components from ISO images using MSMG Toolkit
To begin, you must initially have an ISO image you wish to customize. If you do not have one, refer to this guide to download any version of Windows 10. Note: We strongly suggest that you create a system restore point before proceeding further as any incorrect manipulation could turn fatal for your own device’s OS. Now follow the steps below to customize your ISO image as per your requirement.
Selecting the source
You must first select the source, which is the ISO image that you want to manipulate. Follow the steps below to initialize the process: You will now be back on the main menu. It is now time to proceed to manipulate the source using the guide provided for each element below.
Integrate components
Since there are several options in the Integrate menu, we will only be discussing one: Windows Updates. You can perform other operations using the same logic. You can now continue to integrate other components as well if you require using the same process as above.
Remove components
Opposite to integrating components, you can also remove them. Follow the steps below: This guide should help you remove any number of components from the image. It is important to note that they have not yet been deleted, but will be when you apply the changes, which will be done near the end of the process.
Customize ISO image
To customize the existing features in the image, follow the guide below. In this example, we will be making a few tweaks to the image. You have now successfully made the changes that were required. Remember that each sub-menu will have different options you can choose from, so choose wisely.
Apply changes
It is now time to apply all of the changes that you have made so far. The changes have been applied and saved. However, there is still work to do. You must now create a new image from this customized image. For that, proceed to the next step.
Save to target
It is now time to create a new ISO image, or directly a bootable device of this new customized ISO image. We will be creating a simple ISO image in the example below. The new image created can be found in the same ISO folder where you had initially pasted the original ISO file in.
Closing words
MSMG Toolkit is a great utility to have, especially for system administrators. If you do not have a Windows Deployment Server (WDS) in your organization, this toolkit might be the next best thing for you. You can use it to upgrade existing ISO images without having to download the latest ones and then deploy them with the required settings pre-configured.
