I'm pretty sure that using this method will actually break the WinSxS component cache - it won't preserve hard links. It may appear to work, but you'll possibly

I'm pretty sure that using this method will actually break the WinSxS component cache - it won't preserve hard links. It may appear to work, but you'll possibly have issues applying updates and service packs later on. For Vista, imagex (part of the Windows Automated Installation Kit, what you use to make official WinPE images), is really what you want. It'll be loads faster too: https://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/cc749447(v=ws.10).aspx https://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/cc749447(v=ws.10...