Install drivers during the installation of Windows 11

hsehestedt · Jun 2, 2025

Just in case anyone wants the manual procedure for adding drivers to Windows installation media, you can find a copy of my personal notes on the topic below. I already had this all written up so I thought that I would simply include it here.

Note that this document discusses both the addition of drivers to the main system image as well as to the boot.wim (for boot critical drivers).

Megahertz · Jun 2, 2025

Nine years ago I've created a tutorial under Sevenforums to add drivers to the Win 7 USB installation drive.
It is still the same process for all Windows.

Create a Windows 7 USB flash installation with new drives for new MB's - Windows 7 Help Forums

This tutorial is to help to install Windows 7 64 bits on new MB that has USB 3 and other drives that are not in Windows 7 installation disk. Id a hard time to install Windows 7 64 bits on my new Giga

www.sevenforums.com

Years latter, @SIW2 made a very good script to add drivers and updates to the Win 7 USB installation drive.

Update your Win 7 installation media - Windows 7 Help Forums

Here is how to get your installation media up to date: 1. Copy and paste your installation media to your hard drive 2. Run as admin on the the 7update.cmd 3. Browse to the folder containing your win 7

www.sevenforums.com

Today I would use Dism++ to add the drivers to an image

Sheikh · Jun 2, 2025

hsehestedt said:
Just in case anyone wants the manual procedure for adding drivers to Windows installation media, you can find a copy of my personal notes on the topic below. I already had this all written up so I thought that I would simply include it here.

Note that this document discusses both the addition of drivers to the main system image as well as to the boot.wim (for boot critical drivers).

Love the font and structure of this document. How did you write it? which typing software? which font?

hsehestedt · Jun 2, 2025

Sheikh said:
Love the font and structure of this document. How did you write it? which typing software? which font?

Thanks, I really appreciate the comment. I used Microsoft Word and the font is Courier New. I also created the bookmarks and hyperlinks within Word. But before posting it here I had Word save it as a PDF since not everyone has Word.

spapakons · Jun 2, 2025

A small shop may sell new or refurbished computers of a specific model that can get a competitive price, so it has stocked many units. In that case it makes sense to install Windows and drivers once and then clone the disk (restore backup) to the others. Much easier and faster than creating custom installation USBs. So you keep a backup for model A, one for B, one for C and so on and then you restore the appropriate backup for the model you want to sell.

SIW2 · Jun 2, 2025

If you are going to do some sort of prepared image and then restore/clone to other similar machines, you might need to install drivers into winre.wim

winntsetup looks like it can install drivers. Need to unpack .exe files first

I havent tried this function but presumably after applying the image and creating the boot critical files on the esp it then installs the drivers into the applied image.

spapakons · Jun 2, 2025

SIW2 said:
If you are going to do some sort of prepared image and then restore/clone to other similar machines, you might need to install drivers into winre.wim

winntsetup looks like it can do that for you. I havent tried that particular function

Why do that? It cannot get any simpler. Prepare the first computer with all the drivers and the applications you want, then clone the disk to the rest. No need to reinstall Windows, just clone and change the Windows key. Been there done that too.

SIW2 · Jun 2, 2025

Seems winntsetup only installs drivers into the applied image. Need to mount winre and add drivers separately. Easily done after winntsetup has finished. I am lazy so I would do that bit with dism++.

I always include winntsetup and dism++ among the tools in my pe builds. Even in the simple pe builds that take a minute to make.

hsehestedt · Jun 2, 2025

SIW2 said:
presumably after applying the image and creating the boot critical files on the esp it then installs the drivers into the applied image.

Correct. The drivers used by Windows after it is fully installed are added to the install.wim while the boot critical drivers are added to index #2 of the boot.wim (index #2 is setup, while index #1 is just generic Windows PE).

SIW2 · Jun 2, 2025

What are you referring to ? My post was about what winntsetup does.

Winntsetup does not use boot.wim it is irrelevant

SIW2 · Jun 2, 2025

I thought winntsetup could add drivers to winre and I have just remembered how

I just cobbled a simple pe with a menu to demonstrate

Click little blue button thing

Select Local windows installations

click on the installation you want it to work on then click the Drivers button at the bottom and this pops up

so the image could be applied neat and then add drivers to the applied image and winre.wim afterwards . All done from within the same pe session.

hsehestedt · Jun 2, 2025

SIW2 said:
Winntsetup does not use boot.wim it is irrelevant

I was simply pointing out where the drivers are injected. For Main Windows it is the install.wim, for boot critical drivers it is the boot.wim. If that program is going to inject boot critical drivers then they belong in the boot.wim, index #2. If it does not use the boot.wim, then it is incapable of injecting boot critical drivers.

EDIT: Rephrasing - it is incapable of injecting drivers for Windows Setup if not adding them to the boot.wim. WinRE is not used for installation.

Topgundcp · Jun 2, 2025

Here's another freeware: Releases · mikecel79/DISMGUI
Instead of typing long lines of DISM commands, The commands will be constructed and run based on what you want done.

Megahertz · Jun 2, 2025

As I already mentioned on my previous post, you can use Dism++ to mount the Install.wim and/or boot.wim and add drivers to the image.

Topgundcp · Jun 2, 2025

I use dism++ too. DismGUI does more than just add, export or delete drivers.

Berton · Jun 2, 2025

I once fancied getting into the System Builder program but am in a small town and market versus parts cost has the advantage going to OEMs.

Personally I've gotten into obtaining refurbished/renewed machines that carry the same warranty as new at 1/4-1/3 cost of new.

SIW2 · Jun 2, 2025

I made one years ago. Dism++ is better

Install drivers during the installation of Windows 11

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