Can I use a .WIM image to install Windows 7?

Our company's IT department has a standardized installation for Windows 7 which is in a 17GB ".WIM" image file. How can I use that, on a USB stick, to install Windows 7 in Parallels Desktop for Mac v.7?

Nothing in the docs or the forums shows how to install from a wim image. Do I have to convert it to a VHD or ISO format? Can I do that with my existing Windows XP virtual machine?

Our IT guys said they might be able to convert it, but what should they convert it to?

Thanks
Darryl

 

.ISO

http://blog.coretech.dk/mip/create-iso-using-waik-and-oscdimg/

 

It only took 2 months to finally produce the .iso files!

However, they seem to be split up into 4GB chucks so there's four of the .iso files on the USB stick. Parallels 9 can't find an operating system in the ISO files.

Eh?

"No boot device is available, press enter to continue." Rinse, repeat, stuck.

I was able to mount the ISO image in Mac Finder, but I don't know where to go from here. This seems ot be some kind of Windows 7 migration image, not a real Windows 7 bootable image.

Any clues how I can actually use this?

Thanks
Darryl Z

 

http://pcsupport.about.com/od/termsi/g/isofile.htm

Easiest solution: Go to CD/DVD in the VM configuration, select image file instead of real DVD, and point to the .ISO you want.

 

Did that, but Parallels 9 can't find an operating system in the ISO files. I'm not sure if I have to somehow mung the 4 ISO files into one large one, or if these ISO images just aren't suitable for Windows 7 installation.

 

*shrug*
I can't help you any more than this. Each 4GB ISO should be the image of a DVD, bootable or not your IT dept. should be able to clarify the matter. Maybe only one of the images is actually bootable.

For reference: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Windows_Imaging_Format

 

An alternative I just used to get around a problematic Oracle client install. I have a Hyper-V Windows 7 VM created from our standard WIM image. I created the new machine, I installed the Parallels Transporter Agent for Windows utility on it and copied the image over the network. The Mac got it fine, the image booted up fine, and as a benefit I had I standard core image up & running, everything already configured the way we want and ready to go.