Building First Windows Embedded Image

This guide will show you how to build the simplest Windows Embedded image running on Microsoft Virtual PC. You must first download the Windows Embedded Evaluation version as well as Microsoft Virtual PC 2007

1. Create a Virtual PC running Windows XP or Windows Server 2003.
2. Copy C:Program FilesWindows Embeddedutilitiestap.exe to a folder on the Virtual PC
3. Run tap.exe (Target Analyser Probe). This will analyse the configuration of the hardware, in this case, the Virtual PC, and save it into a .pmq file.
4. Run Target Designer (insite Programs/Microsoft Windows Embedded Studio) and create a new .slx target file (File/New)
5. Import the .pmq configuration file we created ealier (File/Import). This may take a few minutes
6. Target Designer will then proceed to add all the components required to run Windows Embedded on the targeted hardware onto our image.
7. Now check if any required components are missing via Configuration/Check Dependencies
8. If any components are missing, Target Designer will flag them as error under Task List. Double click on each task and follow the on-screen instructions to add the required components
9. Repeat Step 7 and 8 until no more errors are flagged.
10. Now build the target image via Configuration/Build Target Image. The build output is by default located at C:Windows Embedded Images
11. Now create a new Virtual PC machine having a new virtual hard disk.
12. Use Drive Management available under Control Panel/Administrative Tools/Computer Management to format this the virtual hard disk of the newly created machine. Remember to mark the partition as primary and active.
13. Copy the build output of step 10 onto the formatted hard disk. This can either be done by attaching the virtual hard disk to another Virtual PC, or by using a tool such as WinImage
14. Start the Virtual PC we created in step 11. Windows Embedded will boot up with First Boot Agent doing all the installation process.
15. Done!