Skip to content

Windows PE 3.0

Windows Preinstallation Environment (aka Windows PE, WinPE) is a lightweight version of Windows Vista, Windows 7, Windows Server 2008 or Windows Server 2008 R2 that is used for the deployment of workstations and servers.

It is intended as a 32-bit or 64-bit replacement for MS-DOS during the installation phase of Windows, and can be booted via PXE, CD-ROM, USB flash drive, or hard disk.

Traditionally used by large corporations and OEMs (to preinstall Windows client operating systems to PCs during manufacturing), it is now widely available free of charge via the Windows Automated Installation Kit (WAIK).

WinPE allows you to install any version of windows using a Windows Share (or SAMBA) of your Windows Installation files.

We have created an option for 3 different Windows PE 0,1,2. You can use them for custom PEs or for F1,F2,F3 from WAIK.

Open WAIK ISO file and extract winpe.cab
Open winpe.cab file with 7zip and extract \f1_winpe.wim to /tftpboot/er/0/winpe.wim
Open winpe.cab file with 7zip and extract \f2_winpe.wim to /tftpboot/er/1/winpe.wim
Open winpe.cab file with 7zip and extract \f3_winpe.wim to /tftpboot/er/2/winpe.wim

Add Custom WinPE 3.0

ERPXE currently uses tftpboot/er/0-9 to store wim files (3 Custom WIM, 4 ERD, Ghost, Paragon, ShadowProtect).

  • We used er/0-9 , you can add /tftpboot/er/a-z folders:

Copy bootmgr.exe to er\a\bt.exe and hex edit it:

Change the \Boot\BCD unicode text to \ER\A\BCD at: 0x 4F98C

Copy boot\pxeboot.0 to er\a\pxeboot.0 and hex edit it:

Change the bootmgr.exe to er\a\bt.exe at: 0x 5961

Copy boot\BCD to er\a\BCD and use BCDEDIT.EXE to change the osdevice and device entries to use:

[boot]\ER\A\WinPE.wim,{ramdiskoptions}

bcdedit /store BCD /set {dab9cfa0-d0a1-11dc-bb43-0003ff25b939} device ramdisk=[boot]\er\a\WinPE.wim,{ramdiskoptions}
bcdedit /store BCD /set {dab9cfa0-d0a1-11dc-bb43-0003ff25b939} osdevice ramdisk=[boot]\er\a\WinPE.wim,{ramdiskoptions}

Hex edit BCD file, change to er\a\boot.sdi at: 0x 1910, 0x 21C0, 0x 23F0

Calculate a new checksum on bt.exe , we used a tool called PE Explorer.

BCD has an integrity check, to override this run:

bcdedit -store BCD -set {bootmgr} nointegritychecks Yes
  • Add a new option in the menu file to point to the new location of pxeboot.0: (You can use er/plugins/wimpe1/wimpe1.menu)
LABEL WPE-CUSTOM-A
MENU LABEL Windows PE 3.0 - ^Custom A
KERNEL er/a/pxeboot.0