How to Create Your Own Windows Based Operating System

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Last Updated: March 7, 2025

If you'd like to create a Windows-based operating system, this article will tell you all about doing just that. You need to know at least one programming language, such as C++. Or if you don't know any, just skip the coding part in this article. You also need to know file manipulation of system files, this will not be as easy though. If you concentrate on all the steps, you will get there with your own operating system.

Steps

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The requirements are listed under Things You'll Need below.
For example: x86 (32-bit), x64 (64-bit). Make sure your computer that you will target matches the CPU type you will specify later. Write down what processor architecture, you need to remember that.

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Decide what you want to use as storage (CD, DVD, USB, HDD).
- Note: If you choose a CD or DVD, your image file of your system must be smaller than 1G. We will talk about the image file later.
https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/download/details.aspx?id=5753
This allows us to do anything to the system files stored in the image file we are going to change.
The image file is 120MB. If you install it on a CD as a live filesystem, then you are not able to save anything. Type the following command in the Deployment Tools Command Prompt: copype _Your_Chosen_Processor_Architecture_ C:\PathWhereYouWantToStoreTheImageFile. Example: copype x64 X:\Data\MyWindowsOS
So you have created our image (if it has been done right) and now you need to mount it so that you can change its contents. Type the following: imagex /mountrw PathOfImage 1 PathOfImageFolder/mount. Example: imagex /mountrw X:\MWOS\winpe.wim 1 X:\MWOS\mount.
When you are done with modifying its contents, type imagex /unmount MountPointPath /commit. Example: imagex /unmount X:\MWOS\mount /commit
Type: oscdimg -n -bPathOfImageFolder\etfsboot.com PathOfImageFolder\ISO PathIfImageFolder\winpe_x86.iso

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Question

Can I do this on my main PC and on Windows 10?

Jackson Derryberry

Community Answer

If your PC is Windows 10, then yes. You can just go to Microsoft's website and search Windows ADK

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Tips

You do not need to edit the source code for all the objects we are going to use, you just need a tiny tool called ¨Resource Hacker¨.

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