Difference between the Microsoft Windows PE and Microsoft Windows Setu

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  1. Posts : 307
    Windows 10
       #1

    Difference between the Microsoft Windows PE and Microsoft Windows Setu


    Hi

    Could someone explain, in clear and precise manner, the difference between the Microsoft Windows PE and Microsoft Windows Setup volume images of the boot.wim file in Windows PE 10.x?

    Thanks

    Bye
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  2. Posts : 18,424
    Windows 11 Pro
       #2

    Plain Windows PE will just load Windows PE and stop. Microsoft Windows Setup boot.wim will load Windows PE and then run setup.exe.
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  3. Posts : 307
    Windows 10
    Thread Starter
       #3

    NavyLCDR said:
    Plain Windows PE will just load Windows PE and stop. Microsoft Windows Setup boot.wim will load Windows PE and then run setup.exe.
    The setup.exe file is the one included in Microsoft Windows Media or not?

    Thanks

    Bye
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  4. Posts : 18,424
    Windows 11 Pro
       #4

    balubeto said:
    The setup.exe file is the one included in Microsoft Windows Media or not?

    Thanks

    Bye
    If you look at your standard Windows 10 installation media - in the root folder you will find Setup.exe. In the sources folder you will find boot.wim and install.wim. When the standard Windows 10 installation media boots, it loads boot.wim - which is Windows PE. That particular build of Windows PE will then run setup.exe from the root folder. The setup.exe program than uses the Windows 10 images contained in install.wim to install Windows 10 to the target hard drive/SSD.

    If you download Kyhi's recovery drive from this forum, you will find a boot.wim file in the sources directory. The build of Windows PE just loads his custom built Windows PE which just loads to the desktop and stops.

    If you make a Macrium Reflect Free rescue disk, you will find a boot.wim file in the sources directory. That is a build of Windows PE customized by Macrium when run Macrium Reflect free after it loads.

    It all depends on how the user customizes the Windows PE that they build and then compile into the boot.wim file.
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  5. Posts : 307
    Windows 10
    Thread Starter
       #5

    NavyLCDR said:
    If you look at your standard Windows 10 installation media - in the root folder you will find Setup.exe. In the sources folder you will find boot.wim and install.wim. When the standard Windows 10 installation media boots, it loads boot.wim - which is Windows PE. That particular build of Windows PE will then run setup.exe from the root folder. The setup.exe program than uses the Windows 10 images contained in install.wim to install Windows 10 to the target hard drive/SSD.

    If you download Kyhi's recovery drive from this forum, you will find a boot.wim file in the sources directory. The build of Windows PE just loads his custom built Windows PE which just loads to the desktop and stops.

    If you make a Macrium Reflect Free rescue disk, you will find a boot.wim file in the sources directory. That is a build of Windows PE customized by Macrium when run Macrium Reflect free after it loads.

    It all depends on how the user customizes the Windows PE that they build and then compile into the boot.wim file.
    In a standard Windows 10 installation:

    The Microsoft Windows Setup volume image (having the boot flag) of the boot.wim file contains files that are used to start the Microsoft Windows PE volume image.

    The Microsoft Windows PE volume image of the boot.wim file contains files that are used to start the setup.exe file of the Windows Setup Media files (on the physical media or LAN) that it starts Windows Setup Wizard that allows to start a full installation of Windows or an upgrade to an existing Windows system.

    Right?

    Thanks

    Bye
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  6. Posts : 18,424
    Windows 11 Pro
       #6

    Yes
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  7. Posts : 307
    Windows 10
    Thread Starter
       #7

    A curiosity:

    I noticed that, in iso of Windows PE 10.x and its boot.wim, there are no executable files.

    So, how does Windows PE to display a command prompt after its boot?

    The only volume image of the boot.wim file has the boot flag? If so, how do I display it?

    Thanks

    Bye
    Last edited by balubeto; 05 May 2016 at 05:26.
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  8. Posts : 18,424
    Windows 11 Pro
       #8
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  9. Posts : 4,131
    Windows 3.1 to Windows 11
       #9

    The Microsoft Windows Setup volume image (having the boot flag) of the boot.wim file contains files that are used to start the Microsoft Windows PE volume image.
    Windows PE Image Boots and then Loads the Setup Image..
    If the Setup image is not present - You just get a Command Prompt...

    Since you are using the boot.wim from the setup media - both images are loaded first and flagged as booting into setup..

    Took a little while for me to figure out what you where actually asking in several different forums since the Windows Vista days
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  10. Posts : 307
    Windows 10
    Thread Starter
       #10

    I have the feeling that you made a mistake to answer.

    Thanks

    Bye
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