Windows Preinstallation Environment: Difference between revisions
Added Usage section.
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'''Windows Preinstallation Environment''' (also called '''WinPE''' or '''Windows PE''') is a minimal version of Windows used to install, deploy and recover Windows versions. The first version of Windows PE was released along with [[Windows XP build 2600|Windows XP RTM]] and was designed to be a replacement for [[MS-DOS]] boot disks. It can be run from a CD, DVD, PXE boot, USB drive or hard disk, and it runs from within the device's physical memory (RAM). | '''Windows Preinstallation Environment''' (also called '''WinPE''' or '''Windows PE''') is a minimal version of Windows used to install, deploy and recover Windows versions. The first version of Windows PE was released along with [[Windows XP build 2600|Windows XP RTM]] and was designed to be a replacement for [[MS-DOS]] boot disks. Starting with [[Windows Longhorn build 4001]], it is used when booting off of a Windows installation media to install Windows from a pre-packed WIM image file. It can be run from a CD, DVD, PXE boot, USB drive or hard disk, and it runs from within the device's physical memory (RAM). WinPE is usually used by large companies and OEMs to preinstall Windows on their systems. It is now included with the Windows Assessment and Deployment Kit. | ||
== Usage == | |||
Windows PE is used for the following purposes: | |||
* To install Windows versions starting with [[Windows Vista]]. The user configures multiple aspects of the installation, such as what SKU of Windows the user would like to install, where Windows should be installed, and whether the user would like to perform an upgrade or clean installation. The install process works by deploying a pre-packed WIM image to the hard disk where Windows should be installed. The image index determines what SKU of Windows will be installed. From [[Windows 7]] onwards, the DISM command line tool is used to deploy the image to the location where Windows is installed. After the WIM image is applied, the installer creates boot files on the hard disk, and restarts the machine so that devices can be set up, and the OOBE can be run. | |||
* To pre-install Windows on corporate machines, including for servers. It is also used by system builders and OEMs to prepare new machines ready for sale. | |||
* To recover an existing Windows installation, using tools such as Command Prompt to recover any version of Windows, even if it is offline and cannot be started normally. | |||
* To create third-party recovery media based on WinPE. Such media often has recovery tools preinstalled, as well as a full desktop and Start menu added. | |||