Supported host OS, DISM and target OS versions

[argonym]

Hi,
I am wondering about the supported combinations of host OS, DISM and target image.
In particular, I'd like to build Win10 (22H2) and Srv2022 images on Srv2012R2.

According to https://www.ntlite.com/features/ "you can edit images in all supported host combinations, for example editing Windows 10 image from a Windows 7 as a host is supported." (But where are the "supported host combinations" specified??)
But I highly doubt this is possible just like that.
Also garlin says here that the host OS must be the same or newer than the image to edit.

According to DISM Docs: Supported platforms, it seems indeed possible and supported (by MS) to service a newer target than your host OS by installing the required DISM version. But will NTLite use it??

 

[garlin]

Editing an image takes many forms:

1. Extracting ISO to a folder, and converting back to ISO. This is a file archive operation, and can happen on non-Windows platforms.
2. Changing WIM compression to none, LZX or ESD. Same thing.
3. Removing or appending images in a WIM. Same.
4. Mounting an image (using DISM) is OS-independent. It's a basic filesystem operation.
5. Editing files in the mounted folder is a normal file operation.

6. Adding Update packages or enabling Features on Demand for the image depends on DISM. DISM will operate on any image is that is equal or lower Windows version than the host. There are some slight exceptions as W10 versions after W10 2004 are considered the "same".

If you need to add updates or enable features -- then process images on a host equal or higher than the image. This is simply a DISM requirement.

7. Removing components also depends on DISM, but strangely it's not OS dependent. W7 can remove components from a W11 image.

8. Adding tweaks (registry changes) or importing reg files is not OS-dependent.
9. Creating Unattended answer files is the same thing.
10. Adding Post-Setup (Machine) or (User) commands is the same.

For your specific case:
- W10 22H2
- Server 2022 (W10 based)
- Server 2012 R2 (W8.1 based)

W8.1 cannot process W10 updates at all, and therefore you won't be able to use Server 2012. I'm assuming of course, anyone who needs Server is required to keep updated images. If you don't have an alternative, use a VM. For licensed NTLite copies, the activation is persistent inside a VM as long as you don't change or destroy the virtual machine itself.