Updated Automated Installation Kit for Vista SP1 Available, XP SP3 Ignored

Microsoft delivered a revamped version of the Automated Installation Kit at the beginning of February 2008. The February build of AIK was tailored on Windows Vista Service Pack 1 and Windows Server 2008 SP1/RTM, following the release to manufacturing of the two milestone releases of the Windows server and client platforms. On April 9, 2008, the Redmond company re-released the Automated Installation Kit for Vista SP1 and for Windows Server 2008.

"The Windows Automated Installation Kit (Windows AIK) is designed to help corporate IT professionals customize and deploy the Windows Vista and Windows Server 2008 family of operation systems. By using Windows AIK, you can perform unattended Windows installations, capture Windows images with ImageX, and create Windows PE images," Microsoft stated in the description of the tool.

AIK is a download weighing in at 1,375.9 MB and is offered as an ISO file labeled 6001.18000.080118-1840-kb3aikl_en.iso. The tool is designed to integrate with Vista RTM and SP1, Windows Server 2008, Windows Server 2003 Service Pack 1 with KB926044, Windows Server 2003 SP2 and Windows XP SP2 with KB926044. Until this point in time, Microsoft has said nothing about support for the third and final service pack for Windows XP.

It is still unclear if the updated release date for AIK is synonymous with an update in terms of the actual functionality, features and capabilities delivered by the Kit. Also, Microsoft is focusing on Vista SP1 and Windows Server 2008 with no indications that XP SP3 will receive the same treatment.

"Windows Vista Service Pack 1 (SP1) must be installed on a running Windows installation. You can recreate custom Windows images with Windows Vista SP1 slipstream media or update existing Windows Vista RTM images online with the Windows Vista SP1 stand-alone package," Microsoft advised.

Windows Automated Installation Kit for Vista SP1 and Windows Server 2008 can be downloaded from here.

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