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Step 2: Prepare WinPE

Build a Windows Preparation Environment image, used to deploy clients.

What you'll need

Uncompress ISO image​

Uncompress the Windows installation media, for example in C:\WinSource, you can use 7-zip or other unzip program.

Windows source

C:\WinSource will be used as the directory in the examples, replace it with the directory of your choice.

Launch WinPE Preparation Tool​

Launch HostProvisioningPreparationTool.exe with the mandatory parameters.

  • --WindowsSource Location of the install.wim uncompressed from the ISO file, usually found in the sources folder.
  • --WinPESource Location of the boot.wim uncompressed from the ISO file, usually found in the sources folder.
  • --DstFolder Destination folder where the Host Provisioning WinPE file will be created.

Example:

HostProvisioningWinPE.exe --WindowsSource C:\WinSource\sources\install.wim --WinPESource C:\WinSource\sources\boot.wim --DstFolder C:\DestinationFolder

Once completed, you can find a WinPE image hps_winpe.wim in the destination folder, ready to be imported in a deployment server like WDS, the Host Provisioning embedded PXE server, or other PXE based solutions.

Create a bootable ISO media (Optional)​

You can create a bootable ISO image to deploy clients from a CD-ROM or USB drive, you'll need to install Windows ADK from Microsoft, follow these steps.

  • Download Windows Assessment and Deployment Kit package. Check the version matrix.
  • Install Windows ADK launching adksetup.exe, select the Deployment Tools package, this is the only needed package.
  • Launch the HostProvisioningPreparationTool.exe with the additional parameter --CreateIsoPath and the folder where the Windows installation media was unzipped.
  • If you need a UEFI compatible ISO, add the parameter --IsoUEFISector

Example:

HostProvisioningWinPE.exe --WindowsSource C:\WinSource\sources\install.wim --WinPESource C:\WinSource\sources\boot.wim --DstFolder C:\DestinationFolder --CreateIsoPath C:\WinSource

Upload WinPE Image to Host Provisioning (Optional)​

Host Provisioning Server includes an embedded PXE server with TFTP and DHCP Proxy for network deployment. If you don't have a WDS or other PXE solution, or you want to quickly start deploying clients, you can upload the created WIM image to Host Provisioning.

  • Logon to the Host Provisioning console on a browser.
  • Go to Deployment and Windows PE.
  • Click on Upload WinPE and select the WIM image.
PXE options

Make sure the TFTP and DHCP Proxy options are enabled in the Servers menu.

Customize your WinPE (Optional)​

You can customize (keyboard layout, time zone, 802.1x support, etc), create the lightest deployment WinPE image, or add network drivers. Check this for more details.