WinRE & WinPE for Windows 10 – won’t create WIMs

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WinRE & WinPE for Windows 10 – won’t create WIMs

Windows 10 21H2 build 19044 1645;   HP Laptop 14-dq2035cl

Bbearen, I hav lost some of my former Windows acumen.  I do not know how to get my Image For Windows 3.53 to create either WinRE or WinPE — WIMs not found nor created.

"Take care of thy backups and thy restores shall take care of thee." Ben Franklin, revisted

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WindowsRE should provide everything you need to get it working.  It’s a step-by-step tutorial to get WinRE.wim and put it where you want it.  Once you get that, use the Utilities button on the Image For Windows welcome screen.

Always create a fresh drive image before making system changes/Windows updates; you may need to start over!

We all have our own reasons for doing the things that we do with our systems; we don't need anyone's approval, and we don't all have to do the same things.

We were all once "Average Users".

Computer Specs

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After clicking Utilities, which is a new button for me   – I click on Create/update tbWinRE.

The following screen disappears so fast that the only thing I see is a green bar going across the screen…I do not know where to go from there.

"Take care of thy backups and thy restores shall take care of thee." Ben Franklin, revisted

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Did you click on the link in post #2472202 above?  IFW cannot find your WinRE.wim, which means you need to follow the tutorial I linked in order to extract WinRE.wim and enable it.  Once enabled, IFW will be able to find it easily and complete the setup of installing IFW in the Windows Recovery Environment.

IFW does not create WinRE.wim, it simply finds it, mounts it, installs IFW in it, then unmounts it and puts it back in service.

Always create a fresh drive image before making system changes/Windows updates; you may need to start over!

We all have our own reasons for doing the things that we do with our systems; we don't need anyone's approval, and we don't all have to do the same things.

We were all once "Average Users".

Computer Specs

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The only link I can see is the image of Image For Windows.  I am unable to see the tutorial link.

"Take care of thy backups and thy restores shall take care of thee." Ben Franklin, revisted

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Here it is again: WindowsRE

Click on that.  It will open in a new tab.

Always create a fresh drive image before making system changes/Windows updates; you may need to start over!

We all have our own reasons for doing the things that we do with our systems; we don't need anyone's approval, and we don't all have to do the same things.

We were all once "Average Users".

Computer Specs

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Ok, I worked with the things I knew of.  I found and downloaded ADK for Windows 10.

Using IfW, I think I had it create winre.wim – which I found buried in a IfW subdirectory.

Using IfW, I think I had it create winpe.win – which I found an old copy in an MR subdirectory and buried inside a Windows Kit subdirectory.

What I do not know:  the keystrokes to make IfW into the boot menu just like Macrium Reflect is in the boot menu.

https://www.askwoody.com/forums/topic/create-an-image-for-windows-rescue-drive/

The above link is related?  It sure appears to be!   

 

 

 

 

 

"Take care of thy backups and thy restores shall take care of thee." Ben Franklin, revisted

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WSRolandJS wrote:

Using IfW, I think I had it create winre.wim

The utility does not create winre.wim.  It simply finds it (which is the problem you’re having — it can’t find it), mounts it, adds IFW to it, then unmounts it.

If it can’t find winre.wim, then you have to supply it following the tutorial I linked.

WindowsRE

Always create a fresh drive image before making system changes/Windows updates; you may need to start over!

We all have our own reasons for doing the things that we do with our systems; we don't need anyone's approval, and we don't all have to do the same things.

We were all once "Average Users".

Computer Specs

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After a full backup, I will resize “C partition”, shrink it by 500MB.  Move the unallocated 500MB to in front of C partition, and just behind the two current Windows 10 system partitions – which will remain untouched.  Your WinRE article will be followed to the letter.

"Take care of thy backups and thy restores shall take care of thee." Ben Franklin, revisted

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WSRolandJS wrote:

I will resize “C partition”, shrink it by 500MB. Move the unallocated 500MB to in front of C partition, and just behind the two current Windows 10 system partitions – which will remain untouched.

“C partition” is always the booted Windows partition.  By “two current Windows 10 system partitions” do you mean the EFI partition and the MSR partition?

If that is what you are saying, then what you plan will work.  I advise downloading a fresh copy of Windows 10 ISO to use.  Don’t hesitate to ask for help if you need it.

Always create a fresh drive image before making system changes/Windows updates; you may need to start over!

We all have our own reasons for doing the things that we do with our systems; we don't need anyone's approval, and we don't all have to do the same things.

We were all once "Average Users".

Computer Specs

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I have Windows 10 Professional, is there an ISO for that?

Windows 10 21H2 build 19044 1645

I’m fighting a slight head cold,  not at my best.  What is the best URL for that ISO?

"Take care of thy backups and thy restores shall take care of thee." Ben Franklin, revisted

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WSRolandJS wrote:

What is the best URL for that ISO?

https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/software-download/windows10

Click the “Download Now” button, launch the Media Creation Tool, then follow the prompts to download the ISO.  The MCT will recognize that you have Pro, and offer that version for download.  Once you have the ISO, follow my tutorial to extract winre.wim.

Always create a fresh drive image before making system changes/Windows updates; you may need to start over!

We all have our own reasons for doing the things that we do with our systems; we don't need anyone's approval, and we don't all have to do the same things.

We were all once "Average Users".

Computer Specs

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Win10_21H2_English_x64.iso — that’s the file I got from TenForums suggested website: https://tb.rg-adguard.net/public.php

After I burn an original and a backup DVD, how do I use it to create a proper winRE and winPE WIMs?

"Take care of thy backups and thy restores shall take care of thee." Ben Franklin, revisted

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WSRolandJS wrote:

After I burn an original and a backup DVD, how do I use it to create a proper winRE and winPE WIMs?

There is no need to create both WinRE and WinPE.  If your desire is to incorporate IFW into the Windows Recovery Environment, then WinRE is what you want to create using the Utilities button on the IFW welcome screen.  This is the environment one reboots into from “All Settings > Update & Security > Recovery > Restart.”  There is no need (or benefit) in having the Recovery Environment in the boot menu.

Do not conflate my tutorial with any other tutorial.  Either follow mine, or follow another.  Don’t try to mix and match.  I suggest that if you want to follow my tutorial, print it out (my web site is printer friendly) and read it through carefully before you begin.

The questions you’re asking suggest that you haven’t read it through, since the answers to your questions are in the tutorial.

Always create a fresh drive image before making system changes/Windows updates; you may need to start over!

We all have our own reasons for doing the things that we do with our systems; we don't need anyone's approval, and we don't all have to do the same things.

We were all once "Average Users".

Computer Specs

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Will be following your tutorial, will report results after full backup, after adding partition, after adding material, and testing…

"Take care of thy backups and thy restores shall take care of thee." Ben Franklin, revisted

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Bbearen, I created an 800MB partition, which is presently Unallocated and Un-named.

I have your tutorial; however, I have no idea what my next step is.  Even though I can read and understand English, I cannot extract what my next step is.

"Take care of thy backups and thy restores shall take care of thee." Ben Franklin, revisted

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WSRolandJS wrote:

Bbearen, I created an 800MB partition, which is presently Unallocated and Un-named. I have your tutorial; however, I have no idea what my next step is. Even though I can read and understand English, I cannot extract what my next step is.

Format the partition NTFS.  You can name it Recovery.  That will be the target for your WinRE.wim.  For the moment, give it drive letter Z:.  That brings you to this place in the tutorial on the second page:

“You should already have installation media, either an ISO you can mount, a DVD you can open, or a USB thumb drive you can plug in.

Then you need a place to put the various parts. I put a folder named WIM on the root of G: drive. Then in File Explorer navigated to my installation thumb drive, then to \Sources and found install.esd, right-clicked and copied it, then pasted it into my G:\WIM folder.

Next I opened an elevated Command Prompt, and navigated to G:\WIM. This eliminates having to type in long paths for the files; everything is in the folder your working from. I typed …”

You don’t have to have a “G:” drive.  You can put a WIM folder on your data drive, whatever letter that is.  From that point it is step-by-step.  When you get to page three, you can skip the following part, because you will have already done this if you’re following this post:

“When the unmount finishes, in that elevated Command Prompt launch diskpart (that is, type “diskpart” without the quotes and hit enter), and at the DISKPART prompt type

list vol

and hit Enter. Look for your MSR partition and note its number. You need to assign it a drive letter so it can be a target for xcopy. Type

sel vol (your MSR volume #)

and hit Enter. That volume will now have focus. Now type

assign letter=z

and hit Enter. Z is far enough down the alphabet that it shouldn’t interfere with any drive letters actually in use. (If you’re using Z, choose a different, unused letter). Once that is complete, exit DISKPART, but don’t exit the elevated Command Prompt. It helps (me, anyway) to label my partitions/logical drives. So I typed

label Z:Recovery”

Pick back up with the tutorial with “We’ll be using reagentc to set the path for the Recovery Environment, …”

Always create a fresh drive image before making system changes/Windows updates; you may need to start over!

We all have our own reasons for doing the things that we do with our systems; we don't need anyone's approval, and we don't all have to do the same things.

We were all once "Average Users".

Computer Specs

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I just had to chime in here. After lurking around the forums as a newbie, then just further exploring the clues from this topic:

• Have relied on TeraByte’s IFW for many years, just have not deep dived into their documentation and just went with the easy method of creating a boot USB – knowing that I’d not be in the Windows environment.
• But implementing IFW into the Recovery Part is the best thing since sliced bread… very cool!!

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bbearren

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