What is DISM?
DISM, which stands for Deployment Image Servicing and Management, is a command-line tool used to service and prepare Windows images for deployment. It can be used to install, uninstall, configure, and update Windows features, packages, drivers, and international settings in a .wim or .vhd file. DISM is an essential tool for IT administrators and advanced users who need to manage and customize Windows installations.
Common DISM Commands
DISM is often used to fix issues with the Windows component store and to manage Windows features. Here are some of the most common commands:
dism /online /cleanup-image /restorehealth: This is one of the most frequently used DISM commands. It scans for corruption in the Windows component store and automatically fixes any issues it finds. It's often run after or in conjunction with the System File Checker (SFC) command (sfc /scannow).
dism /online /get-features: This command lists all the available Windows features on the current system. You can see which features are enabled and which are disabled.
dism /online /enable-feature /featurename:<name>: This command enables a specific Windows feature. For example, dism /online /enable-feature /featurename:NetFx3 would enable the .NET Framework 3.5.
dism /online /disable-feature /featurename:<name>: This command disables a specific Windows feature.
dism /online /get-packages: This command lists all the packages (updates, hotfixes, etc.) that are installed on the system.
dism /image:C:\test\offline /get-drivers: This command gets information about drivers in an offline Windows image. The /image parameter allows you to work on an image file instead of the live system.
How to Use DISM
To use DISM, you must open Command Prompt or PowerShell as an administrator. Right-click the Start button and select "Command Prompt (Admin)" or "Windows PowerShell (Admin)". Then, type the DISM command you want to run and press Enter. The tool will provide progress updates as it works.