swm 

SWM File Extension

Have a problem opening a .SWM file? We collect information about file formats and can explain what SWM files are. Additionally we recommend software suitable for opening or converting such files.

What is the .SWM file type?

The .swm filename extension stands for the Split Windows Image (.swm) file type within the Windows Image (.wim) format used in the scope of Microsoft's Deployment Image Servicing and Management (DISM) framework.

Split Windows Image (.swm) files are created from a single WIM file by breaking it into several smaller parts. This is usually done if the WIM image would not fit onto an installation medium (e.g., a DVD disk). The resulting .swm files borrow the name of the original .wim file, appending a trailing numerical index. Microsoft defines "install.swm" as the only safe filename pattern to use when deploying directly from split images.



SWM images can be deployed with Microsoft's DISM tools or the standalone ImageX utility. Deployment from SWM images is not supported on Windows 8 and 8.1. If necessary, both WIM and SWM packages can be opened as regular archives. The SWM format is commonly used by laptop manufacturers for emergency recovery installation packages typically found on hidden partitions.


ArcGIS for Desktop, a major GIS system from Esri, uses the .swm extension in conjunction with its Spatial Weights Matrix (.swm) file format and type. Binary SWM files are used within the Spatial Statistics toolbox to define complex spatial relationships between neighboring objects within datasets. In ArcGIS, SWM files can be exported as tables (.dbf).



Software to open or convert SWM files

You can open SWM files with the following programs:
7-Zip
 
7-Zip
7-Zip by Igor Pavlov
 
WinZip
WinZip by Winzipper Pvt Ltd.
 
PowerArchiver
PowerArchiver by ConeXware, Inc.
 


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