Is ICE the recommended approach for Image Management

Question

I'm fairly new to WES7 image management and was looking for some advice about best practices.

I've worked with Windows XPe and used Target Designer to customise the image components; principally to remove redundancy and reduce the impact on the memory footprint.

There seems to be two types of approach to creating/developing WES7 images:

1. Use the OEM image and then tailor it to your requirements; basic configuration (locale, etc) and base components (Silverlight, etc). Then scrape that image off to use as the reference build.
2. Use the IBW and ICE tools to create and manage the components within the image. The scrape the image off as before for a reference build.

Are both approaches valid, or is there a preference or best practice recommended by Microsoft for creating reference builds/images?

Thanks.

Answer 1

ICE is much better and gives you more control over the image.

-Sean

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www.sjjmicro.com / www.seanliming.com / www.annabooks.com, Book Author - Pro Guide to WES 7, XP Embedded Advanced, Pro Guide to POS for .NET

Answer 2

Thanks Sean,

I was wondering if there's a statement from Microsoft with regards justifying this approach?

Answer 3

If sean writes it, there is no need to justifying it. ;)

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Windows Embedded Developer and Scripting Guy //Germany (Preparing a blog about Windows Embedded Standard)

Answer 4

@KNARZ - LOL!!!!! I wish!

From my experience and seeing otheres going down the full Windows 7 paths. ICE is much better.

-Sean

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www.sjjmicro.com / www.seanliming.com / www.annabooks.com, Book Author - Pro Guide to WES 7, XP Embedded Advanced, Pro Guide to POS for .NET

Answer 5

Thanks, it certainly adds to our case when specialists in this field say ICE is the best way forward. What are non-IT people have asked is whether Microsoft make any such statement, it's just so we can back up our approach.

Answer 6

I just started working with WES7 for my new employer (parent company begins with a P). So while looking around I saw this message and the SL answer. If he says that's the way to go, I'm going that way!

I guess I need to buy the SL book on 7, his previous one for XPE was left behind at my previous employer.

I'm still waiting for the test board for the big project. Supposedly able to boot at -20'c ^^;

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=^x^=