WinPE 11 – Extended Recovery Environment for Windows

This WinPE 11 is built from the recovery environment (winre.wim) of Windows 11, which includes some common rescue utilities for computers.

The original version was built by Win10XPE tool, thanks for all that makes such a great tool. I have modified and added some features for personal use, if you want to use this build, just download the file then drag and drop it into the AIO Boot NewGen tool.

Personally, I find this WinPE 11 performance and experience worse than the version of WinPE 10 that I built before. The only purpose I made this version is the new drivers on Windows 11.

Features

WinPE 11 version does not lack any of the features found in WinPE 10 version.

• Always log in with the Administrator account.
• The Administrator account’s user directory is located on the USB, so changes to the files in the directory and changes to the user’s Registry keys are saved.
• The changed settings like Country, Time Zone are saved.
• Icons on the Desktop and Pinned icons on the Taskbar that you and the applications create are saved.

The PETool tool is automatically run when the Administrator account is logged in, this tool provides the following small customizations:

• Get more Software:
  • Google Chrome v113.0.5672.127: uBlock Origin ad blocker extension is forced to install by policy.
  • ESET Online Scanner is downloaded with the latest version. Modules updated by the application will be saved.
  • Dism++.
  • Unikey is a Vietnamese typing program, don’t download if you don’t need it.
• Startup Apps.
• Virtual Memory.
• RamDisk:
  • Enter the percentage of free RAM that you want to use for creating a RamDisk Drive (B:). Default: 50%.
  • The drive size will not exceed the Maximum value and not be less than the Minimum value. The Maximum and Minimum values have no effect if the amount of RAM available is insufficient.
  • If the percentage value is 0 or the selected value is less than 512 MB, no RamDisk volume is created and the system uses X:\Temp as the temporary folder.
• Admin Account:
  • Rename the Administrator account to your name or whatever you like, Welcome Your Name.
  • The Administrator account is secured with the default password set by the tool. You should change this default password.
  • Password must be between 8 and 16 characters.
  • Restart the machine for the changes to take effect.
• Country and Region: here you can change Country setting, you should also change Time Zone and Region Format.
• Change Background: change the Desktop wallpaper.
• Change Resolution:
  • Pecmd gives a fixed list for all devices, PETool gives a list that includes only supported resolutions for the device.
  • Refresh List: use this if new drivers are installed.
• Sign out: log out of the account, enter the password on the lock screen to log back in.

Startup Apps

This function simply adds values to the Registry key as described here. Although it is simple, but in my opinion it is the beginning of a lot of customizations that we can do automatically.

How to use?

• Right click on an item to interact with it.
• Click the Add button to add a new item. The CommandLine can path to an EXE, BAT, CMD file… For example, if you want to run cmd.exe automatically when you log in, enter CMD in the Description field and enter cmd.exe in the CommandLine field.
• Don’t delete PETool.

Commands are started very early, possibly earlier before the commands in pecmd.ini have finished. In case the application needs a TEMP directory or a network connection, a BAT file should be used to delay the execution of commands.

Virtual Memory

This version requires at least 2 GB RAM, by default PETool initializes the PageFile file on machines with 2 GB RAM or less.

• The tool automatically selects a suitable drive to create the file.
• This file is not deleted on shutdown.
• This file should be deleted to free up disk space.
• Filename: ?:\winpe_pagefile.sys.
• The minimum file size is 128 MB. The maximum size you tell the tool or default is 4 GB.

Software included

This WinPE 11 includes some common rescue software, mainly for backup and recovery, partitioning tools and other utilities.

APFS for Windows, HFS+ for Windows, and LinuxFS for Windows software services are not automatically started. You need to run the software then click restart the service.

Is it possible to install additional software on this environment?

• First make sure the necessary components for the program are not missing (DLL files, registry keys, drivers…).
• Does the program provide the option “Install for this user only”? If so, the settings are written to HKEY_CURRENT_USER instead of HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE, so these settings are not lost when the machine is restarted. If not, does the program use the setting written in HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE? If so, these settings will be lost when the machine is restarted, which may result in the program not working properly. Likewise, does the program install files on the X: drive? All changes on this drive will be lost on shutdown.

There are many other useful software that can run on this WinPE environment. If you don’t want to use Google Chrome, you can download and use Firefox from PortableApps instead.

Download

This WinPE 11 is built specifically for AIO Boot NewGen, just download the 7z file below and then drag and drop it into the tool to integrate. Note that only booting in Legacy and UEFI x64 mode is supported.

If you are updating from an older version, you should delete the \AIO\PEx64\Users folder to get the new settings and recreate the Desktop shortcuts. Don’t forget to back up any important data in this folder.

Changelog

• 2023.05.25:
  • PETool:
    • Get more software: Dr.Web CureIt!
    • The tool automatically adjusts the volume level, volume status to the value in the previous session.
  • New: .NET Framework 4.8, PowerShell.
    • .NET Framework 4.8 and PowerShell are located on drive Y: (Y:\Program Files and Y:\Windows).
    • The file Y:\Components\System.7z is extracted to the X: drive when the user logs in, so please wait a few seconds before using applications that require .NET Framework 4.8 and PowerShell (including VC14 ).
  • Acronis True Image 2021 is replaced with Acronis Cyber Protect Home Office.
  • New: PotPlayer.
  • FastStone Capture now supports Screen Recording, only supports saving files in WMP format.
  • Updated Turkish translation, thanks Tayfun Akkoyun.
• 2023.05.20:
  • PETool:
    • Get more Software:
      • New: Dism++.
      • Update: Google Chrome v113.0.5672.127.
    • The Admin Name section is changed to Admin Account:
      • The Administrator account is secured with the default password set by the tool. You should change this default password.
      • Password must be between 8 and 16 characters.
      • Restart the machine for the changes to take effect.
    • Sign out: log out of the account, enter the password on the lock screen to log back in.
    • RamDisk:
      • Enter the percentage of free RAM that you want to use for creating a RamDisk Drive (B:). Default: 50%.
      • The drive size will not exceed the Maximum value and not be less than the Minimum value. The Maximum and Minimum values have no effect if the amount of RAM available is insufficient.
      • If the percentage value is 0 or the selected value is less than 512 MB, no RamDisk volume is created and the system uses X:\Temp as the temporary folder.
  • New:
    • UltraISO Premium 9.76.
    • Wise Data Recovery 6.1.3.
  • Updated:
    • StartAllBack v3.6.4.
    • FastStone Capture 10.
  • StartAllBack Config: you can customize the Taskbar and StartAllBack options according to your preferences. Changes are saved for the current session and for future login sessions.
  • If you are updating from an older version, you should delete the \AIO\PEx64\Users folder to get new Desktop icons and new settings.
• 2023.05.01:
  • Pecmd.ini:
    • Remove DISP command, resolution will be decided by system.
    • Completed stages are logged in Registry (HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Pecmd\Stages).
  • PETool: Change Resolution.
    • Pecmd gives a fixed list for all devices, PETool gives a list that includes only supported resolutions for the device.
    • Refresh List: use this if new drivers are installed.
  • HotSwap!.
  • Updated:
    • AOMEI Partition Assistant: Defrag feature works.
    • WinNTSetup v5.3.1: files in Tools\x64\DISM are pre-downloaded.
    • R-Drive Image 7.1 build 7106.
• 2023.04.24:
  • Python 3.11.3, pip command is available to use.
  • FlashBack Recorder and Player, functions based on .NET Framework do not work.
  • Startup Apps: Backspace are allowed.
  • Added Turkish translation for PETool, thanks Tayfun Akkoyun.
• 2023.04.22: Initial release.