14 DAY TRIAL // With Windows 7 Service Pack 1 (SP1) RTM General Availability (GA) coming next week, customers might want a tad of help when it comes to automatizing the deployment of the operating system plus the upgrade. Microsoft already offers the right solution to get the job done, namely the Windows Automated Installation Kit (AIK) for Windows 7 SP1.
With the Windows 7 SP1 RTM bits already available to OEMs, MSDN and TechNet subscribers and Volume License customers, I suspect that there will be more than just a few IT professionals that will head over to the Download Center to grab the Windows 7 SP1 RTM Automated Installation Kit.
Of course, AIK is designed not only play nice with Windows 7 SP1 RTM, but also enable IT pros to install, customize, and deploy Windows Server 2008 R2 SP1 RTM.
“The Windows Automated Installation Kit (Windows AIK) is a set of tools and documentation that support the configuration and deployment of Windows operating systems,” Microsoft explained.
By using Windows AIK, you can automate Windows installations, capture Windows images with ImageX, configure and modify images using Deployment Imaging Servicing and Management (DISM), create Windows PE images, and migrate user profiles and data with the User State Migration Tool (USMT).
“Windows AIK also includes the Volume Activation Management Tool (VAMT), which enables IT professionals to automate and centrally manage the volume activation process using a Multiple Activation Key (MAK).”
In addition to Windows 7 SP1 RTM and Windows Server 2008 R2 SP1 RTM, the latest iteration of the Windows Automated Installation Kit continues to support older releases of Windows, such as Windows 7 RTM, Windows Server 2008 R2 RTM, Windows Vista SP1, Windows Server 2008, and Windows Server 2003 SP2.
“To install the Windows AIK, you must first download the ISO, Write the ISO file to a DVD using a third party tool, and then install the Windows AIK from the DVD. For installation on Windows prior to Windows 7, this download requires that you run genuine Microsoft Windows,” the software giant added.
Windows Automated Installation Kit (AIK) for Windows 7 SP1 is available for download here.