MichaelZ
Can you use English WAIK as source (not Vista DVD)? Try use only Build and Finalize scripts (it's minimum)... theoretically you must have identica version on all systems, use "fc.exe /b" command for compare... if it's not working, try disable "New Hives for VistaPE" script, make 2 imagex and send it (images) to me (links in PM)... i have only english WinXP or Win2003 and use MUI if i need other language 
@ NightManNow I think I found some clues to find out what the problem is. I successfully ran a minimum VistaPE 008 Update 1 build on a German Windows XP host!
Configuration:
WinBuilder in C:\WinBuilder
ImageX F:\Verschiedenes\Windows AIK
Source WAIK German on F:\Verschiedenes\Windows AIK
As soon as I move WinBuilder to
I:\WinBuilder the created ISO has the problem that the system boots, but shows black screen with nouse cursor. Nothing else was changed in the configuration. Drive I: is no network drive or substituded drive, plain partition on physical drive.
I attach two log files. #5 running WinBuilder on C: and #6 running WinBuilder on I:. The log file shows an interesting difference. Not only the line with the WinBuilder path has changed, but also the iso byte count changed from 96168485 to 96169075.
Why doesn't WinBuilder like to be run from I: ? I'm pretty sure I ran VistaPE 008 builds with WinBuilder on drive I:. Could there be such an interaction betwenn VistaPE scripts/files and WinBuilder?
Many Greetings
Michael