Description: DISM, which stands for ‘Deployment Image Servicing and Management’, is a command-line tool designed for managing disk images of various operating systems. This utility allows system administrators and advanced users to perform a variety of tasks related to the deployment and maintenance of operating system images. DISM is particularly useful for working with disk images, as it allows users to mount, modify, and unmount installation images, as well as manage drivers and feature packages. Its main features include the ability to repair disk images, add or remove drivers, and apply updates to images. DISM can also be used to prepare images for deployment across multiple devices, making it an essential tool in enterprise and IT environments. Its integration with command-line interfaces allows users to execute DISM commands efficiently and automatically, thus facilitating image management and operating system deployment across various hardware configurations.
History: DISM was introduced by Microsoft in Windows 7 as a tool to replace the older ‘ImageX’ tool. Since its launch, it has evolved with each new version of various operating systems, incorporating improvements and new functionalities. In later versions, DISM has become even more robust, allowing for the management of images in more complex deployment environments.
Uses: DISM is primarily used for managing disk images, allowing administrators to perform tasks such as repairing images, adding or removing drivers, and applying updates. It is also useful for preparing images for deployment across multiple devices, thus facilitating work in enterprise environments.
Examples: A practical example of DISM is its use to repair a damaged image by running the command ‘DISM /Online /Cleanup-Image /RestoreHealth’. Another example is adding a driver to a mounted image using ‘DISM /Image:C:pathtoimage /Add-Driver /Driver:C:pathtodriver’.
