14 DAY TRIAL // Microsoft updated the Windows Automated Installation Kit for Windows 7 Service Pack 1 RTM a few weeks ago, as it released the upgrade to MSDN and TechNet subscribers, as well as to Volume License customers. I told you that the refreshed version of the Windows 7 SP1 RTM Automated Installation Kit was available for download when the bits went live, and now it’s the time to also provide a few details on the release.
According to the Redmond company, the latest iteration of WAIK is designed to act as more of an upgrade to the existing release, rather than as an entirely new version.
What this means is that customers will need to have in place the original version of the WAIK provided for Windows 7 RTM in order to install the variant offered for Windows 7 SP1 RTM.
Scott McArthur, Senior Support Escalation Engineer Microsoft Enterprise Platforms Support explained that the Redmond company decided to integrate Windows Preinstallation Environment (Windows PE) 3.1 as a Windows AIK supplement for Windows 7 SP1 RTM.
Here is a list with what the WAIK update brings to the table, according to McArthur:
“- The number in the Version registry value is 3.1 to reflect the new Windows PE version.
- The Windows PE 3.1 base image contains Remote Network Driver Interface Specification (RNDIS) binaries. These binaries are also available for Windows PE 3.0 as a hotfix.
- Windows PE 3.1 includes 802.1x binaries as an optional component. The file name of this package is WinPE-Dot3Svc.cab. This optional component is also available for Windows PE 3.0 as a hotfix.
- The Windows PE 3.1 base image contains fixes that are related to 4k/512e drive support. These fixes are also available for Windows PE 3.0 as a hotfix.
- Windows PE 3.1 includes bug fixes that are related to the Windows PE version that is included with Windows 7 SP1.”
Windows Automated Installation Kit (AIK) for Windows 7 SP1 is available for download here.