Zitat von kirm im Beitrag #90

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The problem is that after I've modified one of the boot sections the other one isn't visible.

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Zitat

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Do I have to close down NTLite completely and then open it again and add the folder over?

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No, you have not to exit NTLite, but just to finalize NTLite's work on the current image. After having done that, you can click onto "Source" on the left hand side, get accees to all the images, which are within the INSTALL.WIM and BOOT.WIM of your NTLite-Work folder, and can start processing the next image (e.g. "Win10 Home").

Off topic:

Zitat von kirm im Beitrag #92

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I must have a hobbled version of NTLite because it's not showing me anything but the two areas I modified after the modification.

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@kirm:
I don't see any NTLite bug.
You should not compare the "Image History" with the "Mounted Image".
The Image History shows, what you have done, and that seems to be absolutely correct.
What you have to do, if you want to process the other Windows images, which are within the source ISO file, is to click onto "Add" and load the complete source again.
You obviously had finished the NTLite work completely, when you took the second screenshot.

@100PIER:
Thanks for your tip. I agree with you, that the start post of this thread should contain a remark regarding the ability of NTLite to customize a WinPE image.
Meanwile I have tried to follow your advise without risking to additionally blow up my guide.
Please have a look into the updated start post and tell me, if it is ok for you.
I will not write an extra guide for the customization of a WinPE image (incl. screenshots), because only advanced NTLite users like you will use this option.

Zitat von 100PIER im Beitrag #101

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However, in the current Red "Start change log" nor the updated part I don't see nowhere the "WinPE" or "WinRE" reference.

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@ all:
Due to the release of the new NTLite v1.3 Beta, which makes the similar customisation of mutiple OS Image Editions much easier, I have totally revised the start of this thread.
NTLite users, who prefer to use the stable NTLite v1.2, can find my "old" guide for a while within the next post.

Update of the Start Post
Changelog:

• Updated: the complete guide
• New: all inserted screenshots

@ all users, who want to install Win7, Win8.1 or Win10:

Introduction:
When you are going to do a fresh OS install, it is a good idea to customize the original OS image by integrating the things you need or like to use (special drivers, additional hotfixes, features etc). This way you will save time and may avoid some troubles (see below) while doing all this later, that means once the OS is already up and running.
The easiest and safest way to customize an OS image from Win7 up is to use a special tool. My favorite one is NTLite (>LINK<), which has been developed by our Forum member and nLite maker nuhi. The free version of NTLite is able to do all the needed operations for this guide, including the removal and addition of special mass storage drivers like the Intel RST ones.

Special problem for users of an Intel RAID system (up to 7-Series Chipsets) running Win8/10:
All MS Operating Systems from Win8 up do contain a new generic Intel RST(e) RAID driver v12.0.1.1019 (Win8) resp. v13.2.0.1022 (Win10) named iaStorAV.sys, which is used by the OS as the DEFAULT Intel RAID driver for all Intel platforms from ICH8R up.
Users with an Intel RAID system may run into severe problems, when they try to "downgrade" the already running in-box Intel RAID driver or any other previously installed Intel RST(e) RAID driver from v11.5 up (named iaStorA.sys) to a "classical" Intel RST RAID driver named iaStor.sys (latest version: v11.2.0.1006). According to my own experience you may get an unbootable and unrepairable system after having done such Intel RAID driver "downgrade".
Solution:
Together with nuhi I have recently found a very safe method to prevent the just mentioned Intel RAID driver "downgrade" problems by using NTLite. Since Version 1.0.0 build 2420 beta the free tool version is able
a) to remove the generic Win8/10 Intel RAID driver named iaStorAV.sys and
b) to integrate the desired Intel RAID driver version instead.

Here is a guide about how to to do it:

1. the latest NTLite 1.2 version (you can get it >here<)
   Note: This guide applies to any NTLite version, but it is recommended to choose the tool architecture (32/64bit) to be the one of your host Windows OS (which you are currently running).
2. the OS image you want to customize (either as ISO file or as content of a bootable OS DVD/USB Flash drive, the "Sources" folder should contain a boot.wim and an install.wim file) and
3. the desired AHCI/RAID drivers and other device drivers you want to integrate into the OS image (usually available >here< or >here<).

• Create a new folder outside the OS partition and give it any name (e.g. D:\NTLite-Work).
• Copy the content of the bootable OS DVD/USB Flash drive resp. extract the related ISO file (by using a tool like 7-Zip or WinRAR) into the just created folder.
• Install NTLite onto your computer.

• A. Start NTLite

  1. First steps:
     • Run NTLite.
       Now you will see the NTLite GUI Interface similar to this picture:
       
  2. Choosing the target directory:
     • Click onto the "Add" button from the Toolbar, navigate to the folder, where you copied/extracted the original OS image files, and click "Select Folder".
     • After having expanded the "Boot/Setup" string (leads to the BOOT.WIM) on the right hand side, you will see a picture like this:
       
• B. Customization of the INSTALL.WIM
  
  General Info:
  The file named INSTALL.WIM (or INSTALL.ESD, if even more compressed and encrypted) is very voluminous, because it contains the complete OS data in compressed form. That is why this file has to be customized, if the user wants to use a special third party driver from scratch or want to avoid the usage of a special in-box driver. Since the INSTALL.WIM may contain more than 1 OS image (example: Win10 Home and Win10 Pro), you have to pay attention which of them you want to customize. If you want to customize more than 1 image, you have to repeat the procedure with the other one(s).

  1. Loading of the desired Windows installation image
     • If not already done, expand the NTLite processing folder part "Operating Systems | install.wim".
     • Right-click onto the Windows Image you want to customize (example: Windows 10 Pro x64 "Anniversary Update") and choose the option "Load".
     • After having finished the loading process, the line with the chosen Operating System will look like this:
       
  2. Integration of the desired drivers into the chosen Windows Image
     (here:Intel RST RAID driver v11.2.0.1006)
     • Click onto "Drivers" within the left NTLite window and then onto the "Add" button from the Toolbar.
     • Navigate to the folder, which contains your desired driver (e.g. an Intel RAID one), and click "Select Folder".
     • Now you will see the related driver and, after having expanded it, the associated INF files within the middle NTLite GUI window:
       
     • If you don't want to integrate all offered INF files (e.g. the iaAHCI.inf for the AHCI driver and the iaStor.inf for the RAID driver), you can remove the unwanted INF file by right clicking onto it and choosing "Remove".
     • This procedure can be repeated for other device drivers you want to get integrated into the Windows Image.
  3. Optional: Removal of unwanted in-box drivers from the chosen Windows INSTALL.WIM Image
     (here: Win10 in-box Intel RST(e) RAID driver v13.2.0.1022)
     
     Info: This step makes sure that your integrated and potentially older driver will replace Microsoft's default in-box driver.
     Warning: Be careful with component removals and read the page warning. By the way: Driver removals are a bit safer than other removals.

     • Click onto "Components" on the left side of the NTLite GUI Interface.
     • Expand (do not uncheck!) on the right hand side the section "Drivers", then the related sub-section (here: "Storage Controllers") and at last the sub-sub-section, where the related INF file is listed (here: "Intel Corporation | iaStorAV.inf").
     • Uncheck the listed INF file you want to remove (here: "Intel Corporation | iaStorAV.inf").
       Note: If the desired removal should fail due to a "LOCKED by the HOST machine" message (this is an NTLite feature to prevent the creation of an unbootable Windows LIVE medium), you should click onto the "Compatibility" button, which is shown within the Toolbar while working on the removal of "Components". Then uncheck the "Host Machine", which is listed within the section "Machine support (Hardware lists)" and click onto "OK".
     • After having done this, the right hand side should look like this:
       
  4. Optional: Using other NTLite features
     • At this point you have the possibility to add Windows hotfixes and Windows features (like .NET 3.5) into the chosen Windows image.
  5. Preparation of the Windows INSTALL.WIM image customization
     • Click onto "Apply" within the left NTLite window.
     • This is what you should see now (after having expanded the tasks you had chosen):
       
     • Optional: If you don't want to integrate/remove any so-called "textmode/F6 drivers" (= AHCI/RAID/NVMe/USB3 drivers), but need an ISO image as last step of the chosen tasks, you now should check the option "Create ISO image" in the middle of the Toolbar. For details look into the below chapter D.
  6. Execution of the Windows INSTALL.WIM image customization
     
     Tip: Before starting this task you should temporarily disable your currently running Antivirus Software to speed up NTLite's work.

     • Click onto the round "Process" button from the Toolbar and confirm it by hitting onto the "Yes" button.
     • Now NTLite will execute all the requested INSTALL.WIM customization tasks.
     • After having finished the processing of the chosen Windows image and expanded the different tasks, the GUI looks like this:
       
  7. Optional: Processing of other INSTALL.WIM Windows editions
     • If you want, you can now customize the other Windows images, which are supported by the INSTALL.WIM (shown by NTLite within the section "Operating Systems"). The steps are the same as written above.
• C. Customization of the BOOT.WIM (only recommended for AHCI/RAID/NVMe/USB3 drivers)
  Note: This guide is valid for the customization of a WinPE image as well (may require a special WinPE CD/DVD/ISO, for details look >here<)!
  
  General Info:
  The image file named BOOT.WIM contains just the data, which are required for the first part of the OS Setup. Contrary to the INSTALL.WIM the BOOT.WIM contains just the so-called "textmode/F6 drivers", which are required for the detection of the connected storage/USB disk drives resp. the management of the on-board AHCI/RAID/USB3 Controllers at this early stage of the OS Setup. That is why a driver customization of the BOOT.WIM file only makes sense, if the user wants either to boot off otherwise unsupported hardware or to force the usage of a better storage/USB driver from scratch. Since the storage/USB drivers are in both image files (INSTALL.WIM and BOOT.WIM), both of them have to be customized.

  1. Loading of the Windows Setup image (= BOOT.WIM)
     • Click onto the left hand "Source" field and then expand the NTLite "Image history" section and its sub-sections inclusive the "Boot-setup | boot.wim" one.
     • Right-click onto "Microsoft Windows Setup" resp. "Microsoft Windows Setup (x64)", which is listed within the "Boot-setup" section, and choose the "Load" option.
     • After having finished the loading process, the "Microsoft Windows Setup" line will look like this:
       
  2. Integration of the desired storage driver into the BOOT.WIM
     • Just repeat the same procedure as written above under for the INSTALL.WIM (see chapter B 2).
  3. Optional: Removal of unwanted in-box drivers from the BOOT.WIM
     
     Info: This step makes sure, that your desired and potentially older driver will replace Microsoft's default in-box driver even during the OS Setup (at the beginning of the OS installation).
     Warning: Be careful with component removals and read the page warning. By the way: Driver removals are a bit safer than other removals.

     • Just repeat the same procedure as written above for the INSTALL.WIM (see chapter B 3).
  4. Preparation of the BOOT.WIM image customization
     • Click onto "Apply" within the left NTLite window.
       This is what you should see now (here: removal of the in-box Intel RST(e) driver v13.2.0.1022):
       
     • Optional: If you want to get an ISO image as last step of the chosen tasks, you should now check the option "Create ISO image" in the middle of the Toolbar. For details look into the below "Annex" chapter.
  5. Execution of the Windows BOOT.WIM image customization
     
     Tip: Before starting this task you should temporarily disable your currently running Antivirus Software to speed up NTLite's work.

     • To execute and finalize the BOOT.WIM processing click the round "Process" button from the Toolbar and confirm it by hitting onto the "Yes" button.
       Now NTLite will execute all the requested BOOT.WIM customization tasks (and additionally the creation of the ISO file, if you had checked the option).
     • If everything worked fine, you will get this final success picture:
       
  6. Finalization
     • Provided, that you don't need an ISO file or got it already, you can now close the NTLite GUI.
     • You will find the unmounted customized OS image within the previously chosen NTLite processing folder (e.g. D:\NTLite-Work).
     • If you should need an ISO file with the customized OS image, look into chapter D.
• D. Optional: Creation of an ISO file

  • Automatic procedure:
    • If you have checked the "Create ISO image" option according Chapter B or C, that means before clicking onto the "Process" button, you will immediately get a popup window, where you can choose the storage destination, the name of the ISO file and its label.
      The ISO file generation itself will be automaticly done by NTLite as last step, that means after having finished all other tasks.
    • If everything worked fine, you will get the above shown final success picture.
  • Manual procedure:
    • If you should have forgotten to check the "Create ISO Image" option before having clicked onto the "Process" button, you can get the ISO file nevertheless.
      This is what you have to do after having completed the INSTALL.WIM and BOOT.WIM customization:
      • Click onto the left hand "Source" field and then expand the NTLite "Image history" section and its sub-sections inclusive the "Boot-setup | boot.wim" one.
        This is what you will see:
        
      • Now you can click onto the "Create ISO Image" option within the NTLite toolbar and will get the ISO file as written above.

1. You will find the customized ISO file within the storage folder you had chosen.
2. Now you can either burn a bootable DVD or create a bootable USB Flash Drive with a tool like Rufus.
3. Install the OS and enjoy the performance and stability of your system by having integrated the "best" drivers for your special system.