X-Git-Url: https://wimlib.net/git/?p=wimlib;a=blobdiff_plain;f=README.WINDOWS;h=321650dedd3b5577b6a283c8359aecf76d6e5ac7;hp=a0521f023e394f4245e3af38a8ab40fec3cf4562;hb=56ba8c06fa16282e9d89e0c8c88ec1d69c20d4d3;hpb=09301b8018e00f51ba96ba02adca676e817b8827 diff --git a/README.WINDOWS b/README.WINDOWS index a0521f02..321650de 100644 --- a/README.WINDOWS +++ b/README.WINDOWS @@ -1,41 +1,70 @@ -wimlib 1.3.0 has added experimental support for Windows builds. These builds -include both the "wimlib" library (built as a DLL) and the "imagex" executable. -The Windows builds use native Win32 calls when appropriate to handle alternate -data streams, security descriptors, and reparse points. + INTRODUCTION -Windows support currently has the following limitations: +wimlib is free and open source software that is available on both UNIX and +Windows. This file provides additional information specifically about the +Windows version of wimlib and the command line tool "wimlib-imagex" that is +distributed with it. It does not obsolete the generic README.txt, which you +should read too. -- It relies on the Cygwin UNIX-compatibility layer. You do not, however, need - to have the Cygwin distribution installed to run it, as I have posted a ZIP - file on SourceForge that contains the build of wimlib along with the DLLs - needed for it to run. Please note that these DLLs are free and open source - software; see http://www.cygwin.com/ for more details. + WINDOWS DISTRIBUTION -- Mounting WIM files is not supported. On Windows there is no equivalent of - FUSE, which I used to get mounting working on Linux and BSD, so I would have - to program a "Filesystem Filter" driver with Microsoft's eccentric API. +For the convenience of Windows users, the Windows distribution of wimlib is a +ZIP file containing the following items: -- wimlib's API is not compatible with Microsoft's WIMGAPI, although they offer - some of the same functionality. + * wimlib-imagex.exe, a command-line tool to deal with WIM (.wim) files that is + similar to Microsoft's ImageX. This is a ready-to-run executable and not an + installer. -So to be clear: + * The documentation, including this file, the generic README.txt, and + PDF documentation for wimlib-imagex in the 'doc' directory. -"imagex capture", "imagex append", and "imagex apply" will work on Windows and -have the added advantage of saving and restoring alternate data streams, -security descriptors, and reparse points. + * Various DLL (.dll) files, including the wimlib library itself, which are of + little concern to you if you are not a developer. -"imagex delete", "imagex dir", "imagex export", "imagex info", "imagex join", -"imagex optimize", and "imagex split" are all portable and should work the same -way on Windows as on UNIX. + * License files for all software included. These are all free software + licenses. -"imagex mount", "imagex mountrw", and "imagex unmount" will NOT work on Windows. + WIMLIB-IMAGEX -So on Windows, why would you want to use wimlib's ImageX instead of Microsoft's? -Well, here are a few reasons: +wimlib-imagex is intended to provide a usable Windows-native equivalent to +Microsoft's ImageX. The main limitations of wimlib-imagex compared to +Microsoft's ImageX are the following: -- wimlib can be freely distributed; there is no need to download a 1.8 gigabyte - "Windows Automated Installation Kit". -- wimlib offers fast multithreaded compression, so making WIM images can be much - faster. -- wimlib is free software, so you can modify and/or audit the source code. + * Mounting WIM files is not supported on Windows. + + * The LZX ("maximum") compression ratio is several percent worse that + Microsoft's implementation. + +However, wimlib-imagex provides a number of advantages compared to Microsoft's +ImageX: + + * wimlib-imagex provides "extract" and "update" commands that can be used to + work around the lack of mount support. These commands are very fast + compared to mounting and unmounting images with Microsoft's ImageX, so you + may prefer them anyway. + + * wimlib-imagex offers fast multithreaded compression, so making WIM images + can be much faster. + + * wimlib-imagex provides a better XPRESS ("fast", or default compression) + compression ratio than Microsoft's ImageX. + + * wimlib-imagex provides an easy-to-use "optimize" command to remove wasted + space from WIM files. + + * Whenever possible I have included improved documentation and informational + output compared to Microsoft's software. + + * wimlib can correctly save and restore some combinations of data that + Microsoft's ImageX runs into bugs on --- for example, uncompressed files in + compressed directories, or files with alternate data streams and multiple + hard links. + + * wimlib is free software, so you can modify and/or audit the source code. + + ADDITIONAL NOTES + +Currently there is no graphical user interface available for wimlib or +wimlib-imagex and I do not plan to make one. It's recommended to use +wimlib-imagex in scripts to avoid having to interactively enter commands.