How to reduce boot image file size?

Question

_{Friday, June 14, 2013 9:24 AM}

Hi there,

I'm currently working on a SCCM 2012 SP1 and first runs have been fine. However, as I've had some issues with my deployment I added support for console to the boot image and noticed afterwards its size increased to almost 4GB (x64)! As this is far to much for a boot image I tried deactivating this function, but the size keeps being huge around 1GB for x64 and 800MB for a x86. Even if I'll add a new one refering to the original boot image at OSD folder size will not go below that, although I didn't add anything to it.

Could someone please point me to the right direction what I am doing wrong?

Regards,
Thomas

All replies (15)

_{Monday, June 17, 2013 9:21 AM ✅Answered}

could you have accidentally included some 'extrafiles' when adding command line support that was in itself pointing to an operating system image WIM file, hence the 3.4 gb remarkably similar to an OS size

Step by Step Configuration Manager Guides > 2012 Guides | 2007 Guides | I'm on Twitter > ncbrady

_{Monday, June 17, 2013 12:03 PM ✅Answered}

So you enabled the "Include files for the prestart command" option? Does the directory just contain the vb script or are there other files or even subdirectories (what would *all* be added to the boot image)?

Torsten Meringer | http://www.mssccmfaq.de

_{Friday, June 14, 2013 10:32 AM}

Hi,

Have you added any drivers to the boot images? Could that be the reason for it being 1GB? Added any other features like Powershell support?

Regards,
Jörgen

-- My System Center blog ccmexec.com -- Twitter @ccmexec

_{Friday, June 14, 2013 11:23 AM}

Hi Jörgen,

That's exactly my problem. I did not add anything. As written I've even tried to add a new image based on the default boot.wim, but still get these sizes.

Regards,
Thomas

_{Friday, June 14, 2013 11:57 AM}

Hi Thomas,

Are you referring to the size as per Boot Image properties ? As that will typically show 800MB to 1 GB size whereas the physical size of the boot image would be only 120-150 MB.Please check the size of boot image from the source files.

Regards,

Manohar Pusala

_{Friday, June 14, 2013 12:04 PM}

Hi Manohar,

No I'm referring to the physical size.

Regards,
Thomas

_{Friday, June 14, 2013 12:18 PM}

Never seen that. Can you provide a screenshot please?

Torsten Meringer | http://www.mssccmfaq.de

_{Friday, June 14, 2013 12:29 PM}

Don't know why you need a screenshot for a file size, but here you go ...

_{Saturday, June 15, 2013 8:34 PM}

I concur with Torsten in that I've never seen that before. What is listed in the drivers tab of the boot image's property dialog?

Jason | http://blog.configmgrftw.com

_{Monday, June 17, 2013 8:27 AM}

No nothing. As said - even if I create a new image based on the original boot image it gets w/o console approx. 1.5GB and with console approx. 3.5 GB.

_{Monday, June 17, 2013 9:32 AM}

No nothing. The only thing I've added is below the "Customization" tab is a very small vbs file for setting the language of the installer. Anything else is in original state, boot image is linked to \mydomain\SMS_P01\osd\boot\x64\boot.wim

It seems to me as if CM itself is somehow building the image larger than it should be.

_{Tuesday, June 18, 2013 5:47 PM}

I'd suggest to mount the Image offline and run the DISM command to find out how many drivers and packages in the Image. Al least it will give you an idea of what's in the Image.

_{Wednesday, June 19, 2013 10:55 AM}

So you enabled the "Include files for the prestart command" option? Does the directory just contain the vb script or are there other files or even subdirectories (what would *all* be added to the boot image)?

Torsten Meringer | http://www.mssccmfaq.de

You're a genius :) That was my problem. After creating a separate directory for my script and changing the path the image is now 200M.

Thanks!!

_{Wednesday, June 19, 2013 11:40 AM}

which was i also pointed out and you said 'no' to...

"could you have accidentally included some 'extrafiles' when adding command line support"

glad it's working now..

cheers

niall

Step by Step Configuration Manager Guides > 2012 Guides | 2007 Guides | I'm on Twitter > ncbrady

_{Thursday, June 20, 2013 9:45 AM}

which was i also pointed out and you said 'no' to...

"could you have accidentally included some 'extrafiles' when adding command line support"

glad it's working now..

Sorry Niall, seems we've misunderstood each other.