I have a OS Deployment task sequence that is advertised to clients. During the Apply Operating System
step in the sequence a WIM image file is downloaded from winPE then applied. Is it possible to have this image retrieved locally, such as from another connected hard drive or partition that has the image preloaded?
I don't think it is possible to do this they way you like. What you could however do is "Offline Media", which lets you create DVD's or USB Sticks pre-loaded:
http://blogs.technet.com/b/configurationmgr/archive/2011/05/05/how-to-create-offline-or-standalone-usb-media-for-os-deployment-in-configmgr-2007.aspx
The nearest you can get is offline task sequences, I think. Task sequence media is created by going to the "Operating System Deployment" section > "Task Sequences" > select your OSD task sequence and click "Create Task Sequence Media".
From Technet - how to create task sequence bootable media
An answer was found here:
http://blogs.technet.com/b/anilm/archive/2012/01/21/using-sccm-r3-pre-stage-media-feature-to-prestage-os-deployments.aspx
After I upgraded to R3 I was able to use the pre-stage media functionality to deploy a locally stored wim.
If you are asking once you have used imagex or whatever to apply an image within a .wim to a partition, can you get a replacement image in .wim format from the installed destination?
Simple answer I dont think so but you maybe be able to sysprep the target machine with oobe and generalize and recapture the image with imagex from winPE.
Sorry if i'm completely off the direction you are going for lol.
I read somewhere this can be done using imagex.
Give this a read maybe
http://windowsdevcenter.com/pub/a/windows/2007/04/03/pc-deployment-with-imagex.html
in this article , you will find commands that if run in winPE you can access wim file in the remote shared PC or any network shared folder and can use them to install your desired Windows.
windows 7 image capture demonstration
Deploying Windows with a Customized Windows RE
step 1: commands for create and manage desired partitions
step 2: commands for imaging and make image from Windows 2008 or 2012 or 7 or 8
note that imagex and dism are useful commands for creating and mounting images. these works are very easy and may possible if you use imagex COMMAND switches. for more information please type: imagex /? ...
step 3: commands for define map network drive from shared folders (DFS or other FileServers)
step 4: commands for coping