Adding custom WIM files to a bootable thumb drive

Question

Hi, I have setup an WDS 2008 that works fine for deploying and capturing images over my network. I am trying to find a solution to create a bootable thumb, that would contain those custom images captured with WDS. So what I did until I got stuck: 
Created a bootable thumb drive from an Windows 7 Pro installation disk, using Se7en Lite. Mounted the custom image in a folder and used "imagex" to append it to the "install.wim" file on the thumb drive. Checked with "imagex /info"
and indeed the custom image showed with index 5 and description "Windows7_x64_patched". Booted a PC off the thumb drive and got to the screen that asks which version of Windows I would like to install. Here, only one option shows up "Professional",
which would be the untouched Windows 7 Pro version. So no Basic, Premium or Patched version would show up, even though I can see them and their indexes with "imagex /info".
Questions:1) Is there an easier/faster way of creating a bootable thumb with multiple custom WIMs? 
2) If "imagex /append" is a good solution and I'm on the right track, then what I should do so that the appended image would show as an option when installing off the thumb drive?
Thanks!

Answer 1

Thank you for your reply! So I edited the ei.cfg file (deleted "Professional" from  [EditionID]. Now it shows me the four untouched versions "Basic", "Home Premium", "Professional" and "Ultimate" but not the custom one. I can still scroll down one more
row, so there is something without a description available seems. But if i scroll down to the 5th row and press enter, then I get the error: "Windows could not display the image available for installation". Referring to the first question and answer now, if
I replace the original "install.wim" on the thumb with my custom WIM, then I only have one image, as the WIM container would only have my captured image. So what I was asking is there an easier way to stick MORE THAN ONE installation image on the same bootable
device, without using the huge time consuming "imagex /append" command?
Here's a copy of my "imagex /info" on the modified "install.wim" from thumb:
WIM Information:
Path:        e:\sources\install.wim
GUID:        {65caf905-5e50-4a42-900b-5e14084871e9}
Image Count: 5
Compression: LZX
Part Number: 1/1
Attributes:  0x8
             Relative path junction
Available Image Choices:
<WIM>
  <TOTALBYTES>5643506813</TOTALBYTES>
  <IMAGE INDEX="1">
    <DIRCOUNT>13365</DIRCOUNT>
    <FILECOUNT>64285</FILECOUNT>
    <TOTALBYTES>11710161360</TOTALBYTES>
    <CREATIONTIME>
      <HIGHPART>0x01CB8936</HIGHPART>
      <LOWPART>0x131F339A</LOWPART>
    </CREATIONTIME>
    <LASTMODIFICATIONTIME>
      <HIGHPART>0x01CBF8F0</HIGHPART>
      <LOWPART>0x0027D0DC</LOWPART>
    </LASTMODIFICATIONTIME>
    <WINDOWS>
      <ARCH>9</ARCH>
      <PRODUCTNAME>Microsoft® Windows® Operating System</PRODUCTNAME>
      <EDITIONID>HomeBasic</EDITIONID>
      <INSTALLATIONTYPE>Client</INSTALLATIONTYPE>
      <HAL>acpiapic</HAL>
      <PRODUCTTYPE>WinNT</PRODUCTTYPE>
      <PRODUCTSUITE>Terminal Server</PRODUCTSUITE>
      <LANGUAGES>
        <LANGUAGE>en-US</LANGUAGE>
        <DEFAULT>en-US</DEFAULT>
      </LANGUAGES>
      <VERSION>
        <MAJOR>6</MAJOR>
        <MINOR>1</MINOR>
        <BUILD>7601</BUILD>
        <SPBUILD>17514</SPBUILD>
        <SPLEVEL>1</SPLEVEL>
      </VERSION>
      <SYSTEMROOT>WINDOWS</SYSTEMROOT>
    </WINDOWS>
    <NAME>Windows 7 HOMEBASIC</NAME>
    <DESCRIPTION>Windows 7 HOMEBASIC</DESCRIPTION>
    <FLAGS>HomeBasic</FLAGS>
    <HARDLINKBYTES>4497873056</HARDLINKBYTES>
    <DISPLAYNAME>Windows 7 Home Basic</DISPLAYNAME>
    <DISPLAYDESCRIPTION>Windows 7 Home Basic</DISPLAYDESCRIPTION>
  </IMAGE>
  <IMAGE INDEX="2">
    <DIRCOUNT>13614</DIRCOUNT>
    <FILECOUNT>65339</FILECOUNT>
    <TOTALBYTES>12222587449</TOTALBYTES>
    <CREATIONTIME>
      <HIGHPART>0x01CB8936</HIGHPART>
      <LOWPART>0x131F339A</LOWPART>
    </CREATIONTIME>
    <LASTMODIFICATIONTIME>
      <HIGHPART>0x01CBF8F0</HIGHPART>
      <LOWPART>0x236D21C7</LOWPART>
    </LASTMODIFICATIONTIME>
    <WINDOWS>
      <ARCH>9</ARCH>
      <PRODUCTNAME>Microsoft® Windows® Operating System</PRODUCTNAME>
      <EDITIONID>HomePremium</EDITIONID>
      <INSTALLATIONTYPE>Client</INSTALLATIONTYPE>
      <HAL>acpiapic</HAL>
      <PRODUCTTYPE>WinNT</PRODUCTTYPE>
      <PRODUCTSUITE>Terminal Server</PRODUCTSUITE>
      <LANGUAGES>
        <LANGUAGE>en-US</LANGUAGE>
        <DEFAULT>en-US</DEFAULT>
      </LANGUAGES>
      <VERSION>
        <MAJOR>6</MAJOR>
        <MINOR>1</MINOR>
        <BUILD>7601</BUILD>
        <SPBUILD>17514</SPBUILD>
        <SPLEVEL>1</SPLEVEL>
      </VERSION>
      <SYSTEMROOT>WINDOWS</SYSTEMROOT>
    </WINDOWS>
    <NAME>Windows 7 HOMEPREMIUM</NAME>
    <DESCRIPTION>Windows 7 HOMEPREMIUM</DESCRIPTION>
    <FLAGS>HomePremium</FLAGS>
    <HARDLINKBYTES>4912986404</HARDLINKBYTES>
    <DISPLAYNAME>Windows 7 Home Premium</DISPLAYNAME>
    <DISPLAYDESCRIPTION>Windows 7 Home Premium</DISPLAYDESCRIPTION>
  </IMAGE>
  <IMAGE INDEX="3">
    <DIRCOUNT>13701</DIRCOUNT>
    <FILECOUNT>65851</FILECOUNT>
    <TOTALBYTES>12122886417</TOTALBYTES>
    <CREATIONTIME>
      <HIGHPART>0x01CB8936</HIGHPART>
      <LOWPART>0x131F339A</LOWPART>
    </CREATIONTIME>
    <LASTMODIFICATIONTIME>
      <HIGHPART>0x01CE98EE</HIGHPART>
      <LOWPART>0xCA54650A</LOWPART>
    </LASTMODIFICATIONTIME>
    <WINDOWS>
      <ARCH>9</ARCH>
      <PRODUCTNAME>Microsoft® Windows® Operating System</PRODUCTNAME>
      <EDITIONID>Professional</EDITIONID>
      <INSTALLATIONTYPE>Client</INSTALLATIONTYPE>
      <HAL>acpiapic</HAL>
      <PRODUCTTYPE>WinNT</PRODUCTTYPE>
      <PRODUCTSUITE>Terminal Server</PRODUCTSUITE>
      <LANGUAGES>
        <LANGUAGE>en-US</LANGUAGE>
        <DEFAULT>en-US</DEFAULT>
      </LANGUAGES>
      <VERSION>
        <MAJOR>6</MAJOR>
        <MINOR>1</MINOR>
        <BUILD>7601</BUILD>
        <SPBUILD>17514</SPBUILD>
        <SPLEVEL>1</SPLEVEL>
      </VERSION>
      <SYSTEMROOT>WINDOWS</SYSTEMROOT>
    </WINDOWS>
    <NAME>Windows 7 PROFESSIONAL</NAME>
    <DESCRIPTION>Windows 7 PROFESSIONAL</DESCRIPTION>
    <FLAGS>Professional</FLAGS>
    <HARDLINKBYTES>4786527097</HARDLINKBYTES>
    <DISPLAYNAME>Windows 7 Professional</DISPLAYNAME>
    <DISPLAYDESCRIPTION>Windows 7 Professional</DISPLAYDESCRIPTION>
  </IMAGE>
  <IMAGE INDEX="4">
    <DIRCOUNT>13737</DIRCOUNT>
    <FILECOUNT>66029</FILECOUNT>
    <TOTALBYTES>12285492779</TOTALBYTES>
    <CREATIONTIME>
      <HIGHPART>0x01CB8936</HIGHPART>
      <LOWPART>0x131F339A</LOWPART>
    </CREATIONTIME>
    <LASTMODIFICATIONTIME>
      <HIGHPART>0x01CBF8F0</HIGHPART>
      <LOWPART>0x6D7F6938</LOWPART>
    </LASTMODIFICATIONTIME>
    <WINDOWS>
      <ARCH>9</ARCH>
      <PRODUCTNAME>Microsoft® Windows® Operating System</PRODUCTNAME>
      <EDITIONID>Ultimate</EDITIONID>
      <INSTALLATIONTYPE>Client</INSTALLATIONTYPE>
      <HAL>acpiapic</HAL>
      <PRODUCTTYPE>WinNT</PRODUCTTYPE>
      <PRODUCTSUITE>Terminal Server</PRODUCTSUITE>
      <LANGUAGES>
        <LANGUAGE>en-US</LANGUAGE>
        <DEFAULT>en-US</DEFAULT>
      </LANGUAGES>
      <VERSION>
        <MAJOR>6</MAJOR>
        <MINOR>1</MINOR>
        <BUILD>7601</BUILD>
        <SPBUILD>17514</SPBUILD>
        <SPLEVEL>1</SPLEVEL>
      </VERSION>
      <SYSTEMROOT>WINDOWS</SYSTEMROOT>
    </WINDOWS>
    <NAME>Windows 7 ULTIMATE</NAME>
    <DESCRIPTION>Windows 7 ULTIMATE</DESCRIPTION>
    <FLAGS>Ultimate</FLAGS>
    <HARDLINKBYTES>4947144081</HARDLINKBYTES>
    <DISPLAYNAME>Windows 7 Ultimate</DISPLAYNAME>
    <DISPLAYDESCRIPTION>Windows 7 Ultimate</DISPLAYDESCRIPTION>
  </IMAGE>
  <IMAGE INDEX="5">
    <DIRCOUNT>16853</DIRCOUNT>
    <FILECOUNT>80207</FILECOUNT>
    <TOTALBYTES>17942171343</TOTALBYTES>
    <HARDLINKBYTES>4936766950</HARDLINKBYTES>
    <CREATIONTIME>
      <HIGHPART>0x01CE9935</HIGHPART>
      <LOWPART>0x5B788A49</LOWPART>
    </CREATIONTIME>
    <LASTMODIFICATIONTIME>
      <HIGHPART>0x01CE9935</HIGHPART>
      <LOWPART>0x6D5A05EC</LOWPART>
    </LASTMODIFICATIONTIME>
    <WINDOWS>
      <ARCH>9</ARCH>
      <PRODUCTNAME>Microsoft® Windows® Operating System</PRODUCTNAME>
      <EDITIONID>Professional</EDITIONID>
      <INSTALLATIONTYPE>Client</INSTALLATIONTYPE>
      <HAL>acpiapic</HAL>
      <PRODUCTTYPE>WinNT</PRODUCTTYPE>
      <PRODUCTSUITE>Terminal Server</PRODUCTSUITE>
      <LANGUAGES>
        <LANGUAGE>en-US</LANGUAGE>
        <DEFAULT>en-US</DEFAULT>
      </LANGUAGES>
      <VERSION>
        <MAJOR>6</MAJOR>
        <MINOR>1</MINOR>
        <BUILD>7601</BUILD>
        <SPBUILD>18015</SPBUILD>
        <SPLEVEL>1</SPLEVEL>
      </VERSION>
      <SYSTEMROOT>WINDOWS</SYSTEMROOT>
    </WINDOWS>
    <NAME>Win7Pro_x64_patched_nod</NAME>
  </IMAGE>
</WIM>