# Plan a PSImage Deployment

<p class="callout danger">**PSImage is not supported by FileWave Technical Support.** Use this material for educational purposes and do not open Technical Support tickets for PSImage. For setup or customization help, contact <professional.services@filewave.com>; existing unused Professional Services hours may be available for this work. Use the [FileWave Discord community](https://kb.filewave.com/books/community-engagement/page/filewave-discord-server "FileWave Discord Server") for peer discussion. For FileWave's supported Windows imaging workflow, use [Network Imaging / IVS](https://kb.filewave.com/books/network-imaging-ivs "Network Imaging / IVS").</p>

## Deployment workflow

A PSImage deployment has two required components: an SMB share named `psimage` and a bootable Windows PE image named `boot.wim`.

1. Prepare the `psimage` SMB share and its share and NTFS permissions.
2. Choose one or more ways to start `boot.wim` on target computers: 
    - Deploy it as a Fileset that loads into a RAM disk. This requires a working FileWave Client on the target.
    - Create a bootable USB drive. A single-partition drive starts network imaging and reads images and drivers from the `psimage` share. A dual-partition drive stores `boot.wim`, images, and drivers locally. The local method still needs network access after imaging so the FileWave Client can send its first inventory and create the Client record. See [Building Your Imaging Environment](https://kb.filewave.com/books/psimage-alternative-windows-imaging/page/building-your-imaging-environment-psimage "Building Your Imaging Environment").
    - Publish `boot.wim` through a PXE service such as Windows Deployment Services (WDS).
    - Create a bootable ISO. Use it to start a virtual machine for image capture or write it to optical media for older hardware. See [Building Your Imaging Environment](https://kb.filewave.com/books/psimage-alternative-windows-imaging/page/building-your-imaging-environment-psimage "Building Your Imaging Environment").
3. Prepare the physical reference computer or virtual machine with `prep_ref_vm.ps1`, which runs Sysprep.
4. Start the reference computer from the ISO, USB drive, or network and capture the master image.
5. Run `upload_driver_pack.ps1` on each computer model whose drivers PSImage must deploy.
6. Add the customized FileWave Client and any optional Kiosk customization.
7. Add a Wi-Fi profile for laptops that do not have a built-in Ethernet adapter.
8. Optionally use `image_mappings.txt` to preassign images, computer names, and Custom Field values. Without a mapping, the technician is prompted to choose an image and computer name.
9. Start the target computer from USB, PXE, or the Fileset-based RAM disk to restore the image.

## Prepare the psimage SMB share

1. Extract [PSImage\_v0.3.zip](https://kb.filewave.com/attachments/183) to a folder on the file server.
2. Share the folder with the name `psimage`.
3. Grant **Everyone: Full Control** at the share-permission layer.
4. Create a dedicated domain account, such as `fwadmin`, and grant that account **Modify** NTFS permission on the folder. NTFS permissions provide the effective access restriction for this configuration.
5. From another Windows computer, connect to the `psimage` share with the dedicated domain account and confirm that it can create, modify, and read a test file.