Windows Preinstallation Environment

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 (now known as Microsoft DaRT) 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.{{Cite web|url=http://praetorianprefect.com/archives/2010/04/winpe-3-0-forensics/|title=WinPE 3.0 & Forensics|website=Praetorian Prefect|date=2010-04-12|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100427082956/http://praetorianprefect.com/archives/2010/04/winpe-3-0-forensics|archive-date=2010-04-27|url-status=dead|access-date=2010-04-16}}

Version 2.0 introduced a number of improvements{{cite web | title=Adding XML Parser support into WinPE | url=http://capitalhead.com/articles/adding-xml-parser-support-into-winpe.aspx | access-date=2009-06-16 | date=2006-02-17 | archive-date=28 April 2006 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060428220128/http://capitalhead.com/articles/adding-xml-parser-support-into-winpe.aspx | url-status=dead }} 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.{{Cite patent|country=US|number=6993642|status=patent|title=Method and system for creating and employing an operating system having selected functionality|pubdate=2006-01-30|gdate=2006-01-31|fdate=2001-07-24|inventor=Burkhardt, Ryan; Harikrishnan, Seetharaman; Yaryan, Tom; Bond, Richard; Shetty, Vijesh; Jayaseelan, Vijayachandran|assign1=Microsoft Technology Licensing, LLC|url=http://patft.uspto.gov/netacgi/nph-Parser?Sect1=PTO1&Sect2=HITOFF&d=PALL&p=1&u=%2Fnetahtml%2FPTO%2Fsrchnum.htm&r=1&f=G&l=50&s1=6,993,642.PN.&OS=PN/6,993,642&RS=PN/6,993,642}}

The following versions are known to exist:

File:Windows_7_-_System_Recovery_Options.png]]

File:Windows 11 Recovery Environment (WinRE).png 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).{{cite web |author=Parveen |title=Introducing Windows Recovery Environment (Windows RE) |url=https://blogs.msdn.microsoft.com/winre/2006/09/18/introducing-windows-recovery-environment-windows-re/ |work=Windows RE Notes |publisher=Microsoft |date=18 September 2006 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171019011224/https://blogs.msdn.microsoft.com/winre/2006/09/18/introducing-windows-recovery-environment-windows-re/ |archive-date=19 October 2017 |access-date=18 December 2020 }} A copy of Windows RE is included in the installation media of the aforementioned operating systems. It is a successor to the Recovery Console.

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."{{cite web |url=https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/previous-versions/windows/it-pro/windows-vista/cc722188(v=ws.10) |title=How Windows RE Works |work=Windows Vista Technical Library |publisher=Microsoft |date=25 July 2008}} 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.{{cite web |first=Joseph |last=Conway |url=http://blogs.technet.com/b/joscon/archive/2009/07/14/the-coolest-new-dism-command-to-me-at-least.aspx |title=The coolest new DISM command (to me at least) |date=14 July 2009 |website=The Windows Servicing Guy |publisher=Microsoft }} 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.{{cite web |url=https://blogs.msdn.microsoft.com/b8/2012/01/04/refresh-and-reset-your-pc/ |title=Refresh and reset your PC |last=Lee |first=Desmond |date=4 January 2012 |editor-last=Sinofsky |editor-first=Steven |publisher=Microsoft |work=Building Windows 8 }}{{cite web |first=Peter |last=Bright |url=https://arstechnica.com/microsoft/news/2011/09/making-the-lives-of-it-easier-windows-8-refresh-reset-and-windows-to-go.ars |title=Making the lives of IT easier: Windows 8 Refresh, Reset, and Windows To Go |website=Ars Technica |publisher=Condé Nast|date=19 September 2011 }} 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. {{Citation needed span|Appears as Recover from the cloud on devices whose factory settings include Windows 10.|date=March 2019}}
• 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,{{cite web |url=http://blogs.msdn.com/winre/archive/2007/01/12/how-to-install-winre-on-the-hard-disk.aspx |work=MSDN|date=11 January 2007|publisher=Microsoft|access-date=2008-02-14 |title=How to install Windows RE on the hard disk}} and customized with additional tools such as a separate system recovery tool for restoring the computer back to its original state.{{cite web |url=http://technet2.microsoft.com/WindowsVista/en/library/f19ec108-1922-425a-8cd8-ee29029f4b901033.mspx?mfr=true |title=Customizing the Windows RE Experience |work=TechNet|publisher=Microsoft|access-date=2008-02-13|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070220061646/http://technet2.microsoft.com/WindowsVista/en/library/f19ec108-1922-425a-8cd8-ee29029f4b901033.mspx?mfr=true|archive-date=20 February 2007}} As of Windows Vista SP1, users can create their own bootable CD containing the recovery environment.

{{Infobox software

| name = REAgentC

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| developer = Microsoft

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| operating system = Microsoft Windows

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| genre = Command

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| website = {{URL|https://docs.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.{{Cite web |url=https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/windows-hardware/manufacture/desktop/reagentc-command-line-options |title=REAgentC command-line options {{!}} Microsoft Docs |access-date=5 August 2020 |archive-date=12 November 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201112020125/https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/windows-hardware/manufacture/desktop/reagentc-command-line-options |url-status=live }} The command requires administrator privileges.{{Cite web |url=https://www.windowscentral.com/how-enable-windows-recovery-environment-windows-10 |title=How to enable Windows Recovery Environment (WinRE) on Windows 10 {{!}} Windows Central |date=13 May 2020 |access-date=5 August 2020 |archive-date=12 June 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200612063831/https://www.windowscentral.com/how-enable-windows-recovery-environment-windows-10 |url-status=live }}

{{Main|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.

There is currently no Windows 11 version of Microsoft DaRT. It is currently unknown if there will be a DaRT11, or that DaRT will just stay on Windows 10.

• Live CD

• BartPE
• nLite and vLite
• WinBuilder
• Windows To Go

{{Reflist}}

• [https://docs.microsoft.com/windows-hardware/manufacture/desktop/winpe-intro Windows PE Technical Reference]
• [https://docs.microsoft.com/windows-hardware/manufacture/desktop/download-winpe--windows-pe Download Windows PE]

{{Microsoft Windows family}}

Category:Windows administration

Category:Microsoft software

Category:Operating system distributions bootable from read-only media

Category:Live USB

Category:Live CD

Preinstallation Environment