Windows Preinstallation Environment

Windows Preinstallation Environment (also known as Windows PE and WinPE) is a lightweight version of Windows used for the deployment of PCs, workstations, and servers, or troubleshooting an operating system while it is offline. It is intended to replace MS-DOS boot disks and can be booted via USB flash drive, PXE, iPXE,[1] CD, DVD, or hard disk. Traditionally used by large corporations and OEMs (to preinstall Windows client operating systems on PCs during manufacturing), it is now widely available free of charge via Windows Assessment and Deployment Kit (WADK) (formerly Windows Automated Installation Kit (WAIK)).

Not to be confused with Portable Executable.

Windows Preinstallation Environment
Windows PE 10.0 (based on Windows 11), showing Windows Command Prompt, Registry Editor and Windows Task Manager
DeveloperMicrosoft
Source model
Released to
manufacturing		2002 (2002)
Latest release10.0.22621.1 / May 25, 2022 (2022-05-25)
Kernel typeHybrid
LicenseFreeware
Official websitedocs.microsoft.com

Overview

WinPE was originally intended to be used only as a pre-installation platform for deploying Microsoft Windows operating systems, specifically to replace MS-DOS in this respect. WinPE has the following uses:

  • Deployment of workstations and servers in large corporations as well as pre-installation by system builders of workstations and servers to be sold to end users.
  • Recovery platform to run 32-bit or 64-bit recovery tools such as Winternals ERD Commander or Windows Recovery Environment (Windows RE).
  • Platform for running third-party 32-bit or 64-bit disk cloning utilities.

The package can be used for developer testing or as a recovery CD/DVD for system administrators. Many customized WinPE boot CDs packaged with third-party applications for different uses are now available from volunteers via the Internet. The package can also be used as the base of a forensics investigation to either capture a disk image or run analysis tools without mounting any available disks and thus changing state.[2]

Version 2.0 introduced a number of improvements[3] and extended the availability of WinPE to all customers, not just corporate enterprise customers by downloading and installing Microsoft's Windows Automated Installation Kit (WAIK).

It was originally designed and built by a small team of engineers in Microsoft's Windows Deployment team, including Vijay Jayaseelan, Ryan Burkhardt, and Richard Bond.[4]

Versions

The following versions are known to exist:

VersionDescription
1.0The first release of Windows Preinstallation Environment, built from Windows XP RTM[5]
1.1Built from Windows XP Professional with Service Pack 1[5]
1.2Built from Windows Server 2003 RTM[5]
1.5Called Windows PE 2004; built from Windows XP Professional with Service Pack 2[5]
1.6Called Windows PE 2005; built from Windows Server 2003 with Service Pack 1[5]
2.0[6][7]Built from the first edition of Windows Vista. This version differs from the other versions since it doesn't need the disc to load all the files. This means that the download is now 992 MB in size instead of 60 MB from the previous versions. It's possible to modify the default startup disc to have access to a few plug-ins like Windows Management Instrumentation, Windows Scripting Host, additional drivers and other 32-bit applications (or 64-bit applications for 64-bit versions). Other new features include the capability for a rewritable RAM disk since WinPE version 1.x only has a recordable RAM disk.
2.1[8]Built from Windows Server 2008
2.2Built from Windows Server 2008 SP2[5]
3.0[9]Built from Windows 7 code base. It is included in WAIK 2.0.[5]
3.1[10]Built from Windows 7 SP1 code base. It is included in a WAIK supplementary update provided by Microsoft.
4.0[11]Built from Windows 8 code base. It is included in WADK for Windows 8.
5.0[12][13]Built from Windows 8.1 code base. It is included in Windows ADK for Windows 8.1.
5.1[14][13]It is an update for version 5.0 that is applied manually.[15]
10.0.10240.16384Built from Windows 10, version 1507 code base. It is included in Windows ADK for Windows 10, version 1507.[16][17]
10.0.10586.0Built from Windows 10, version 1511 code base. It is included in Windows ADK for Windows 10, version 1511.[18]
10.0.14393.0Built from Windows 10, version 1607 code base. It is included in Windows ADK for Windows 10, version 1607.[19]
10.0.15063.0 Built from Windows 10, version 1703 code base.
10.0.16299.15 Built from Windows 10, version 1709 code base.
10.0.17134.1 Built from Windows 10, version 1803 code base.
10.0.17763.0 Built from Windows 10, version 1809 code base.
10.0.18362.1 Built from Windows 10, version 1903 code base.
10.0.19041.1 Built from Windows 10, version 2004 code base.
10.0.20348.1 Built from Windows Server 2022 code base.
10.0.22000.1 Built from Windows 11, version 21H2 code base.
10.0.22621.1[20] Built from Windows 11, version 22H2 code base.
10.0.25398.1[21] Built from Windows 11, version 22H2 code base, and updated in September 2023.

Derivatives

Windows Recovery Environment
System Recovery Options in Windows 7
Windows 11 Recovery Environment, Advanced Options section screen, showing six of the seven available options (system image recovery is shown when the "See more recovery options" button is clicked.)

Windows Recovery Environment (WinRE) is a set of tools based on Windows PE to help diagnose and recover from serious errors which may be preventing Windows from booting successfully. Windows RE is installed alongside Windows Vista and later, and may be booted from hard disks, optical media (such as an operating system installation disc) and PXE (e.g. Windows Deployment Services).[22] A copy of Windows RE is included in the installation media of the aforementioned operating systems. It is a successor to the Recovery Console.

Features

Windows RE features include:

  • Automatic Repair: Automatically finds and fixes boot errors in the Windows Vista Startup Process caused by issues such as corruption of the following components: Boot Configuration Data, disk and file system metadata, Master Boot Record, or Windows Registry, and issues caused by missing or damaged boot and system files, incompatible drivers, or damaged hardware. Prior to Windows 8, this mode was known as "Startup Repair."[23] The executable image for Automatic Repair is startrep.exe
  • System Restore: Same as the System Restore that is included in Windows, it allows a system's settings to be restored to those of a previous state.
  • System Image Recovery: Same as the Backup and Restore component of Windows, it allows restoring a previously created disk image.
  • Windows Memory Diagnostic Tool: Analyses the computer memory (RAM) for defects (not available on Windows 8 and later). The program does not run inside WinRE, but instead reboots the system and executes memtest.exe instead of loading the operating system. memtest.exe cannot be run inside Windows.
  • Windows Command Prompt: Gives command-line access to the file system, volumes and files. It can be used to run System File Checker (sfc /scannow) against an offline Windows installation and repair missing or corrupt files. Tools like robocopy, diskpart and DISM can be used to perform various system tasks like recovering or backing up files, managing partitions, and fix servicing-related issues respectively.[24] In order to use the command prompt, the user must sign into an administrator account.

Starting with Windows Server 2012/Windows 8, the following additional options are added:

  • "Refresh" or "Reset": Both re-install Windows from a copy of the operating system on the hard drive. The "Refresh" operation maintains files, settings, and Windows Store apps (but not other programs), while "Reset" performs a factory reset of Windows, optionally formatting the hard drive and performing disk wiping.[25][26] The Reset function does not perform a full reinstall; it merely performs a factory reset from a WIM image inside a hidden recovery partition. It is possible to create a custom WIM image based on which a Reset is performed.
  • Startup Settings: Enforces a series of safe settings during the startup.

Windows 10 adds the following:

  • Restore factory settings: Allows users who upgraded to Windows 10 to revert to their original operating system. Appears as Recover from the cloud on devices whose factory settings include Windows 10.
  • Go back to the previous build: Windows 10 is an operating system for which Microsoft occasionally releases newer builds. In the event that installation of a new build of Windows 10 becomes problematic, this option allows the user to revert to the previous build. Only appears if the previous build's files are not deleted.

Volumes encrypted with Bitlocker can be mounted if a recovery key is available.

Windows Recovery Environment can also be installed to a hard drive partition by OEMs,[27] and customized with additional tools such as a separate system recovery tool for restoring the computer back to its original state.[28] As of Windows Vista SP1, users can create their own bootable CD containing the recovery environment.

REAgentC
REAgentC
Developer(s)Microsoft
Operating systemMicrosoft Windows
TypeCommand
Websitedocs.microsoft.com/en-us/windows-hardware/manufacture/desktop/reagentc-command-line-options

Windows includes the REAgentC command which is used to configure a Windows RE boot image and a push-button reset recovery image. It allows administration of recovery options and various customizations. The REAgentC tool can either be used on an offline Windows image or on a running Windows system.[29] The command requires administrator privileges.[30]

Microsoft DaRT
Main article: Microsoft Desktop Optimization Pack

Microsoft Diagnostics and Recovery Toolset (DaRT), sold as a part of Microsoft Desktop Optimization Pack, is yet another toolset based on Windows PE that performs diagnostic and recovery on an offline copy of Windows. It can manage files, edit Windows Registry, uninstall previously installed Windows updates, scan system for malware and restore deleted files.

See also

References
  1. "Network-booting Windows PE". Retrieved 18 September 2012.
  2. "WinPE 3.0 & Forensics". Praetorian Prefect. 12 April 2010. Archived from the original on 27 April 2010. Retrieved 16 April 2010.
  3. "Adding XML Parser support into WinPE". 17 February 2006. Archived from the original on 28 April 2006. Retrieved 16 June 2009.
  4. US patent 6993642, Burkhardt, Ryan; Harikrishnan, Seetharaman; Yaryan, Tom; Bond, Richard; Shetty, Vijesh; Jayaseelan, Vijayachandran, "Method and system for creating and employing an operating system having selected functionality", published 2006-01-30, issued 2006-01-31, assigned to Microsoft Technology Licensing, LLC
  5. "Windows PE Version Overview". TechNet Wiki. Microsoft. Retrieved 28 December 2017.
  6. "What is Windows PE?". Previous Versions Documentation. Microsoft Corporation. Retrieved 22 July 2018. Windows Preinstallation Environment (Windows PE) 2.0 is a minimal Win32 operating system with limited services, built on the Windows Vista kernel.
  7. "Windows Automated Installation Kit (AIK)". Download Center. Microsoft. Retrieved 15 September 2013.
  8. "Automated Installation Kit (AIK) for Windows Vista SP1 and Windows Server 2008". Download Center. Microsoft. Retrieved 15 September 2013.
  9. "What is Windows PE?". Previous Versions Documentation. Microsoft Corporation. Retrieved 22 July 2018. Windows® Preinstallation Environment (Windows PE) 3.0 is a minimal Win32® operating system with limited services, built on the Windows® 7 kernel.
  10. "The Windows® Automated Installation Kit (AIK) Supplement for Windows® 7 SP1". Download Center. Microsoft. Retrieved 15 September 2013.
  11. "Windows Assessment and Deployment Kit (ADK) for Windows® 8". Download Center. Microsoft. Retrieved 15 September 2013.
  12. "What is Windows PE?". Previous Versions Documentation. Microsoft Corporation. Retrieved 22 July 2018. (WinPE) Windows PE 5.0 (WinPE) is a small operating system used to install, deploy, and repair Windows 8, Windows Server 2012 R2, and other Windows operating systems.
  13. "Windows Assessment and Deployment Kit (Windows ADK) for Windows 8.1". Download Center. Microsoft. Retrieved 15 September 2013.
  14. "What is Windows PE?". Previous Versions Documentation. Microsoft Corporation. Retrieved 22 July 2018. WinPE for Windows 8.1: Windows PE 5.1
  15. "Update WinPE 5.0 to WinPE 5.1". TechNet Library. Microsoft. Retrieved 6 April 2014.
  16. Rhee, Yong (11 August 2015). "Download: Windows 10 Assessment and Deployment Kit (ADK)". Yong Rhee's Microsoft Technet Blog. Microsoft.
  17. "Windows PE (WinPE)". Hardware Dev Center. Microsoft. 2 October 2018.
  18. Rhee, Yong (1 December 2015). "Download: Windows 10 Nov. 2015 update (version 1511) Assessment and Deployment Kit (ADK)". Yong Rhee's Microsoft Technet Blog. Microsoft. Retrieved 11 January 2016.
  19. O'Shea, Mark (3 August 2016). "Windows ADK for Windows 10 version 1607 available for download". Microsoft Australia OEM Team. Microsoft. Archived from the original on 11 November 2016.
  20. windows-driver-content. "What's new in the ADK for Windows 11, version 22H2". docs.microsoft.com. Retrieved 25 May 2022.
  21. windows-driver-content. "What's new in the ADK for Windows 11, version 22H2 (updated September 2023)". docs.microsoft.com. Retrieved 10 October 2023.
  22. Parveen (18 September 2006). "Introducing Windows Recovery Environment (Windows RE)". Windows RE Notes. Microsoft. Archived from the original on 19 October 2017. Retrieved 18 December 2020.
  23. "How Windows RE Works". Windows Vista Technical Library. Microsoft. 25 July 2008.
  24. Conway, Joseph (14 July 2009). "The coolest new DISM command (to me at least)". The Windows Servicing Guy. Microsoft.
  25. Lee, Desmond (4 January 2012). Sinofsky, Steven (ed.). "Refresh and reset your PC". Building Windows 8. Microsoft.
  26. Bright, Peter (19 September 2011). "Making the lives of IT easier: Windows 8 Refresh, Reset, and Windows To Go". Ars Technica. Condé Nast.
  27. "How to install Windows RE on the hard disk". MSDN. Microsoft. 11 January 2007. Retrieved 14 February 2008.
  28. "Customizing the Windows RE Experience". TechNet. Microsoft. Archived from the original on 20 February 2007. Retrieved 13 February 2008.
  29. "REAgentC command-line options | Microsoft Docs". Archived from the original on 12 November 2020. Retrieved 5 August 2020.
  30. "How to enable Windows Recovery Environment (WinRE) on Windows 10 | Windows Central". 13 May 2020. Archived from the original on 12 June 2020. Retrieved 5 August 2020.
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