Over the past few decades, Microsoft has launched a million different versions of Windows for a variety of uses. Some of them are rather well-known, but others are still relatively unknown. Today, we’ll discuss Windows PE, one of these Windows variations. We will cover everything you need to know about Windows PE (commonly known as WinPE), including its background, current applications, and usefulness. We will also discuss how it differs from the standard Windows version.
Windows PE: What Is It and What Is It Used For? (2021)
We will explore Windows PE in-depth in this article and see how it functions. We will also go over further technical information on the software, such as its features, advantages, restrictions, hardware needs, and more. Finally, we will compare and contrast WinPE with the popular Windows distributions. So without further ado, let’s get started.
What is Windows PE (WinPE)?
A lightweight version of Windows called Windows Preinstallation Environment, sometimes referred to as Windows PE or WinPE, is used to deploy, deploy, and repair Windows and Windows Server instals on desktops, servers, and workstations. It’s useful for debugging Windows operating systems in offline settings as well. Having said that, one can consider Windows PE to be a stripped-down edition of Windows with restricted capability for installation and recovery. Based on Windows 10, Windows PE 10.0 / Image courtesy of Microsoft
WinPE may be started from USB flash drives, CD-ROMs, and hard drives. It was initially created as an alternative to MS-DOS boot discs. The first version of WinPE was designed for the XP environment, however the most recent version works with Windows Server and all consumer editions of Windows 10 (Home, Pro, Enterprise, and Education). Although Microsoft offers it for free, you cannot use it as your main operating system. Why, you inquire? That is due to the fact that it is missing key components of a complete desktop OS.
What is WinPE Used For?
While OEMs frequently used Windows PE to preinstall Windows client and server operating systems on PCs during production, major organisations have typically used it for deployment and troubleshooting purposes. Before installing Windows, Windows PE can be used to help set up your hard disc. You can also install Windows using programmes or scripts from the network or a local drive when using WinPE.
Windows PE (WinPE) can also be used to create and apply Windows images (ISOs), alter the OS when it’s not operating, set up automatic recovery tools, and retrieve data from non-bootable devices. You can also create your own unique shell or graphical user interface to automate these kinds of procedures.
What is Windows Recovery Environment (WinRE)?
Windows Recovery Environment (WinRE), a collection of tools based on Windows PE, is a replacement for the Windows Recovery Console. It assists in the diagnosis and repair of serious issues that may prevent Windows PCs from effectively booting up. Starting with Windows Vista, WinRE is incorporated into the operating system, and you may boot it from hard drives, optical media (CDs, etc.), and PXE (Preboot eXecution Environment).
Windows memory diagnostic tool, system restore, system image recovery, and other features are among WinRE’s features.
How Does Windows PE Work?
Depending on your system, you can choose between WinPE’s UEFI and classic BIOS boot modes. You may read more about the similarities and differences between UEFI and BIOS in our in-depth essay on the subject.
For WinPE, the boot sector is loaded first, and then the Bootmgr manages the boot setup. The boot process’s Winload.exe is the last one. The Hardware Abstraction Layer is loaded by wim (HAL). This facilitates the loading of the boot drivers and registry hive, clearing the way for the installation of WinPE.
Once WinPE is operational, SMSS (Session Manager) assumes control of the process after the Ntoskrnl.exe kernel file has been loaded. It creates a Winlogon for user access as its initial action. Any registry file may be loaded to configure the setup. The setup.exe file will then be launched by a command-line command, allowing the user to install Windows.
After that, Windows will execute winpeshl.exe to launch the standard startnet.cmd command, which launches Wpeinit.exe. Wpeinit completes the WinPE boot process by installing Plug and Play devices, processing Unattend.xml settings, and loading network resources.
Supported Windows Features
The DOS-based recovery options, which lacked support for several essential features in contemporary operating systems, have been significantly improved by WinPE. This contains the most recent file systems, 64-bit environments, current device drivers, and support for TCP/IP, among many other things. Windows PE supports the following Windows capabilities and executes the command-line environment:
- Dynamic volume creation, NTFS file systems, DiskPart and BCDBoot
- Native networking, including file sharing via TCP/IP and NetBIOS over TCP/IP via LAN
- Batch files and scripts, including support for Windows Script Host (WSH) and ActiveX Data Objects (ADO)
- Optional support for Windows PowerShell
- Win32 APIs and optional support for HTML Applications (HTA)
- 64-bit device drivers
- Image capturing and servicing, including Deployment Image Servicing and Management (DISM)
- Optional support for BitLocker and the Trusted Platform Module (TPM), Secure Boot, and other security tools
- Hyper-V virtualization environment
Hardware Requirements for Windows PE
With a few exceptions, Windows PE has the same prerequisites as the corresponding desktop Windows version. While utilising WinPE, keep the following in mind:
- You don t need a hard drive to run WinPE. You can run it entirely from RAM.
- The base version of WinPE requires only 512MB of memory. If you add drivers, packages, or apps, you will need more memory.
- While the 32-bit version of WinPE can boot 64-bit BIOS PCs in addition to 32-bit UEFI and BIOS computers, the 64-bit version can only boot 64-bit UEFI and BIOS devices.
WinPE Limitations
Windows PE is not a general-purpose operating system, whether it is used on PCs, as a thin client, or as an embedded OS, as was already stated. On the other hand, WinPE was never meant to be a substitute for Windows (client or server). It is only appropriate for massive Windows deployments and the restoration of Windows installations on workstations, servers, laptops, and desktop computers.
After 72 hours of continuous use, Windows PE automatically stops running the shell and restarts to prevent it from being used as a production operating system. The WinPE documentation from Microsoft states that this time frame cannot be adjusted.
Another drawback is that when WinPE reboots, by default, all changes are lost. This includes modifications to the Windows PE registry, drive letters, and drivers. The programme can, however, be customised to implement long-lasting modifications. Visit the official Microsoft website for additional information. Also take note that the FAT32 file format, which is only compatible with devices that can hold up to 32GB of storage, is used by default in the WinPE installation.
Microsoft adds that the following capabilities and functions are not supported by Windows PE:
- File server or Terminal Server use
- Joining a network domain
- Connecting to an IPv4 network from Windows PE on an IPv6 network
- Remote Desktop
- .MSI installation files
- Booting from a path that contains non-English characters
- Running 64-bit apps on the 32-bit version of Windows PE
- Adding bundled app packages through DISM (.appxbundle packages)
How Can You Download WinPE and Create Rescue Disks?
Microsoft is making WinPE available as a free add-on to the Windows Assessment and Deployment Kit starting with version 1809 of Windows 10. (ADK). To begin using the software, users can install the ADK and WinPE add-ons.
Install the ADK and select the Windows Preinstallation Environment and Deployment Tools options to obtain Windows PE. It is important to note that WinPE was already part of the ADK previous to Windows 10 version 1809, so you didn’t need to download it separately to get started. That’s not the situation anymore.
To construct a bootable WinPE USB drive or rescue CD to troubleshoot your Windows machine, refer to our comprehensive instructions.
Windows PE: The Windows Distribution You Didn t Know Existed!
You now know all there is to know about Windows PE. Even as a thin client, this Windows installation is not intended to function as a stand-alone operating system. But because WinPE is so good at what it does, it’s a useful tool for troubleshooting and recovering Windows machines that have serious issues. Have you ever had a need to use Windows PE at home or at the office? Tell us in the comments section below.
