How to Find Out Windows Version of Mounted Image with DISM or PowerShell commands

Learn how to find out the Windows version of a mounted image using DISM or PowerShell commands. This article will show you the steps and explain the benefits of this method.

If you have a Windows image file (WIM) or a virtual hard disk file (VHD or VHDX), you might want to know what version of Windows it contains before you use it. For example, you might want to check if the image has the latest updates, or if it is compatible with your hardware or software.

One way to find out the Windows version of a mounted image is to use the Deployment Image Servicing and Management (DISM) tool or PowerShell commands. These tools can access the registry of the mounted image and extract the information you need. In this article, we will show you how to use these tools and why they are useful for finding out the Windows version of a mounted image.

What is Mounted Image?

A mounted image is an image file that is attached to a folder on your computer, so that you can access its contents as if it were a drive. You can mount an image file using the DISM tool or PowerShell commands, or using third-party software such as 7-Zip or WinMount.

Mounting an image file allows you to perform various operations on it, such as adding or removing drivers, features, or updates, or modifying the configuration settings. You can also browse the files and folders of the mounted image, or run programs from it.

However, mounting an image file does not mean that you can boot from it or run it as an operating system. To do that, you need to apply the image file to a partition on your hard disk, or to a virtual machine.

How to Use DISM to Find Out Windows Version of Mounted Image

DISM is a command-line tool that comes with Windows and can be used to service and manage Windows images. You can use DISM to mount or unmount an image file, and to get information about the mounted image. Here are the steps to use DISM to find out the Windows version of a mounted image:

1. Open a command prompt as an administrator. You can do this by typing “cmd” in the search box, right-clicking on the Command Prompt app, and selecting “Run as administrator”.
2. To mount an image file, use the following command:

   dism /mount-image /imagefile:<path to the image file> /index:<index number> /mountdir:<path to the empty folder>

   Replace the placeholders with the actual values. For example:

   dism /mount-image /imagefile:C:\images\install.wim /index:1 /mountdir:C:\mount

   This command will mount the first image in the install.wim file to the C:\mount folder. You can use the /get-wiminfo option to see the available images and indexes in a WIM file.

3. To get the Windows version of the mounted image, use the following command:

   dism /get-mountedimageinfo /mountdir:<path to the mount folder>

   Replace the placeholder with the actual value. For example:

   dism /get-mountedimageinfo /mountdir:C:\mount

   This command will display the information about the mounted image, such as the image name, description, size, architecture, edition, and version. You can also see the product name, which is the friendly name of the Windows version, such as Windows 10 Pro or Windows 11 Home.

4. To unmount the image file, use the following command:

   dism /unmount-image /mountdir:<path to the mount folder> /commit

   Replace the placeholder with the actual value. For example:

   dism /unmount-image /mountdir:C:\mount /commit

   This command will unmount the image file and save any changes you made to it. If you do not want to save the changes, use the /discard option instead of the /commit option.

How to Use PowerShell to Find Out Windows Version of Mounted Image

PowerShell is a scripting and automation tool that comes with Windows and can be used to perform various tasks on Windows images. You can use PowerShell to mount or unmount an image file, and to get information about the mounted image. Here are the steps to use PowerShell to find out the Windows version of a mounted image:

1. Open PowerShell as an administrator. You can do this by typing “powershell” in the search box, right-clicking on the Windows PowerShell app, and selecting “Run as administrator”.
2. To mount an image file, use the following command:

   Mount-WindowsImage -ImagePath <path to the image file> -Index <index number> -Path <path to the empty folder>

   Replace the placeholders with the actual values. For example:

   Mount-WindowsImage -ImagePath C:\images\install.wim -Index 1 -Path C:\mount

   This command will mount the first image in the install.wim file to the C:\mount folder. You can use the Get-WindowsImage command to see the available images and indexes in a WIM file.

3. To get the Windows version of the mounted image, use the following command:

   Get-ItemProperty -Path <path to the mount folder>\Windows\System32\Config\SOFTWARE -Name "ProductName"

   Replace the placeholder with the actual value. For example:

   Get-ItemProperty -Path C:\mount\Windows\System32\Config\SOFTWARE -Name "ProductName"

   This command will display the product name of the mounted image, which is the friendly name of the Windows version, such as Windows 10 Pro or Windows 11 Home.

4. To unmount the image file, use the following command:

   Dismount-WindowsImage -Path <path to the mount folder> -Save

   Replace the placeholder with the actual value. For example:

   Dismount-WindowsImage -Path C:\mount -Save

   This command will unmount the image file and save any changes you made to it. If you do not want to save the changes, use the -Discard option instead of the -Save option.

Why Use DISM or PowerShell to Find Out Windows Version of Mounted Image?

There are several benefits of using DISM or PowerShell to find out the Windows version of a mounted image, such as:

• You do not need to install or run any third-party software, as DISM and PowerShell are built-in tools in Windows.
• You do not need to extract or apply the image file, which can take a long time and consume disk space.
• You can access the registry of the mounted image, which contains the most accurate and detailed information about the Windows version.
• You can also perform other operations on the mounted image, such as adding or removing features, drivers, or updates, or modifying the configuration settings.

FAQs

Question: How can I find out the Windows version of an unmounted image file?

Answer: You can use the /get-wiminfo option in DISM or the Get-WindowsImage command in PowerShell to get the basic information about an unmounted image file, such as the image name, description, size, architecture, edition, and version. However, this information may not be as accurate or detailed as the information from the registry of the mounted image.

Question: How can I find out the Windows version of a bootable USB drive or a DVD?

Answer: You can use the same methods as described above to find out the Windows version of a bootable USB drive or a DVD, as long as they contain an image file (WIM or VHD). You just need to specify the drive letter or the path to the image file in the commands.

Question: How can I find out the Windows version of a running system?

Answer: You can use the winver command or the System Information app to find out the Windows version of a running system. You can also use the Settings app or the Control Panel to see the Windows edition, version, and build number.

Summary

In this article, we have shown you how to find out the Windows version of a mounted image using DISM or PowerShell commands. We have also explained what a mounted image is and why it is useful to use these tools to get the Windows version of a mounted image. We hope you have found this article helpful and informative.

Disclaimer: This article is for informational purposes only and does not constitute professional advice. We are not responsible for any damages or losses that may result from using the information or commands in this article. Always backup your data and test the commands on a non-critical system before applying them to a production system.