The file extension WIM is associated with Windows Imaging Format and WAP Wireless. Windows Imaging Format is created by Microsoft for the purpose of assisting with the installation of various versions of the Windows operating system. The format facilitates the installation of hardware, disk images on operating system partitions, and other tasks which are necessary for proper functioning of Windows.
WAP Wireless is a Wireless Application Protocol which sets a standard for methods that are used to connect wireless devices to the Internet. The devices include cell phones and radio transceivers which access the Internet using multiple WAP layers. The Wireless Application Protocol standard was created by Motorola, Nokia, Ericsson, and Phone.com to facilitate future interoperation of mobile device Internet connectivity.
If the file extension WIM is related to Windows Imaging Format, the file is categorized as a disk image file type which contains disk images that are file-based as opposed to sector-based. File-based disk images are capable of utilizing SIS (Single Instance Storage), which is a technology that allows duplicate file to be saved once.
Windows Imaging Format also allows the single disk image to be used with multiple components such as drivers, hardware, and updates without having to boot the image for the operating system. The disk image can be mounted to the operating system as a new volume or it can allow the PC to boot from the disk image itself.
WIM files which are associated with WAP Wireless are categorized as a web file type that contains data used for the security module in SIM cards. SIM stands for Subscriber Identity Module and is a card which is used with a cell phone to store data. The data is stored in a security module and includes personal information, network authorization, security keys, user identity, and other sensitive information. The file extension WIM uses the security module in a SIM card to protect information. Since the data requires authentication and an encryption key, SIM cards can be transferred to another cell phone without compromising data security.
How to Open WIM Files
If the WIM file extension is related to Windows Image Format, the file can be opened using Microsoft ImageX, which is a command-line application that provides OEMs (Original equipment Manufacturers) with a way to capture and modify disk images to facilitate fast deployment. The disk image can be created and modified without having to extract and recreate the image prior to deployment to the operating system environment. ImageX is available on the Microsoft Development Center website and is designed for use with the Windows operating system.
Windows Image Format WIM files can also be opened using WinMount, which is a software application that provides a way to compress and decompress disk images, mount CD/DVD images, and mount archives as a virtual folder. WinMount is available in a trial version on the WinMount International website and is compatible with the Windows operating system.
Windows Image Format WIM files are typically in a compressed format, which means you can open the file using other compression utility applications such as PeaZip. The PeaZip compression utility provides a way to open and extract RAR, ZIP, 7Z, ZIP, and ZIPX files. PeaZip is available as a free download on the PeaZip.org website and is compatible with Windows, Mac OS X, BSD, and the Linux operating system.
WIM files which are part of WAP Wireless must be opened using the SIM card the file is related to. There are a variety of SIM card manufacturers, and the file extension WIM is specific to the SIM card you have installed on your mobile device. Since this type of WIM file requires authentication, you must open the file using the code inserted in the SIM card encryption key.
