A few months ago we saw that Microsoft has released a kind of Service Pack 2 for Windows 7, that is a cumulative package that includes all the updates and patches released in recent years. While, however, you can download the ISO of Windows 7 SP1 from the Microsoft site, you cannot instead install the most updated ISO with all the patches already installed without having to go and download some GB of data.
By following this guide, however, you can create an updated Windows 7 ISO so that, every time you install Windows 7, in the future, you won't have to wait to download several years of patches and updates.
The guide lists some commands to be executed via DOS command prompt, which you can copy and paste while being careful with the paths and names of the files which, depending on the computer in use, can also be different.
Phase one
First of all you need to get a Windows 7 disc or ISO file with integrated Service Pack 1.
As we know you can download the Windows 7 disk from Microsoft which also already includes the SP1.
Obviously pay attention to the version, 32 bit or 64 bit.
In addition to this, download Windows AIK for Windows 7 and install the program that also works on Windows 8 or 10.
Microsoft makes the download available as an ISO file, so you need to mount the ISO on a virtual CD to open the installation file or burn the ISO image to a DVD.
Download Windows 7 Service pack 2, including the maintenance stack update for Windows 7 .
Now open the ISO of Windows 7 SP1 (you can simply use a program like 7ZIP), extract the files as you would with a ZIP or RAR archive and copy them to a folder that we call WIN7SP1ISO, to put on the C disk.
Finally copy the installation files of Service Pack 2 and the maintenance stack update to a folder that we call C: \ updates
Phase 2
At this point, open a command prompt window as an administrator.
Open the Start menu, write and search for " Command Prompt ", right click on it and press " Run as administrator ".
From the DOS command prompt run the following command using the folder path as in our example ( C: \ WIN7SP1ISO ):
Dism / Get-WIMInfo /WimFile:C:\Win7SP1ISO\sources\install.wim
This command will tell us the name of the version of Windows 7 in the ISO image and we have to mark it.
Below, create a new folder:
mkdir C: \ Win7SP1ISO \ offline
Then unzip the files so that you can work the files with the DISM command:
Dism / Mount-WIM /WimFile:C:\Win7SP1ISO\sources\install.wim / Name: "Windows 7 Ultimate" / MountDir: C: \ Win7SP1ISO \ offline
Instead of the name Windows 7 Ultimate, write the name of the Windows version that we found with the previous command.
Now, to add updates to the installation files of Windows 7 SP1 we execute another command that changes depending on whether you are using the Windows 7 32 bit 64 bit version.
To integrate the 64-bit package:
Dism / Image: C: \ Win7SP1ISO \ offline / Add-Package /PackagePath:C:\updates\Windows6.1-KB3020369-x64.msu
To integrate the 32-bit package:
Dism / Image: C: \ Win7SP1ISO \ offline / Add-Package /PackagePath:C:\updates\Windows6.1-KB3020369-x86.msu
Next, add the cumulative update of Service Pack 2.
Again the two commands are, for the 64 bit version:
Dism / Image: C: \ Win7SP1ISO \ offline / Add-Package /PackagePath:C:\updates\windows6.1-kb3125574-v4-x64_2dafb1d203c8964239af3048b5dd4b1264cd93b9.msu
For the 32 bit version:
Dism / Image: C: \ Win7SP1ISO \ offline / Add-Package /PackagePath:C:\updates\windows6.1-kb3125574-v4-x86_ba1ff5537312561795cc04db0b02fbb0a74b2cbd.msu
Finally unmount the image:
Dism / Unmount-WIM / MountDir: C: \ Win7SP1ISO \ offline / Commit
Phase three
To create the updated Windows 7 ISO file, just run another command, always started as an administrator.
The command goes to run a tool included in Windows AIK that we previously installed.
Then go to the Start menu > Programs> Microsoft Windows AIK, right-click on the command of the development tools ( Deployment Tools Command Prompt ) and right-click on it to run it as administrator.
At this prompt run the command:
oscdimg -m -u2 -bC: \ Win7SP1ISO \ boot \ etfsboot.com C: \ Win7SP1ISO \ C: \ Windows7Updated.iso
The ISO is now ready and you can burn it to a DVD or, better, create a USB stick to install Windows 7 .
