Windows 8.1 based PE boot disk loaded with many great utilities
Created on 2014/11/10.
Updated version of Win8.1PE Home forum TheOven.org – Cookin' with Codes version available here
This is my newly created customized Windows 8.1 PE x86 boot disk with windows 11 explorer shell and many great diagnostic and repair utilities. Shortcuts for each in the start menu or on the desktop. It includes the following open source free apps
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Internet Explorer 11 |
Ghost 11.5.1 |
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Paint |
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Calculator |
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Networking |
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| Notepad ++ | |
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Multi Res |
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Super Find XT |
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Ms Viewer |
Microsoft Recovery Program |
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IMDisk Virtual Disk |
Registry Editor |
VLC | Acronis True Image |
| Tera-Byte Windows Imager | Acronis Disk Director |
If you prefer to use the Portable Apps menu instead then run the Portable Apps Menu shortcut on your Desktop. The portable apps menu also allows you to download more apps by selecting the Apps>Get more apps. These freshly downloaded apps will only be available during the current session. These apps are included in the boot.wim. If you do not want some of these apps you can delete or add more of them from the folder PortableApps.
Screen Shots
WinPe8.1_x86apps.iso has many programs in the PE file. I have included all the portable apps in the Programs. It adds about 750 megabits more to the file. In the Program Files it includes these programs that can be deleted that have no registry entries without any effect on operation of the PE file or (boot.wim). Macrium Reflect, Aomei Backupper, TeraBit Image for Windows and Acronis True Image is a full functioning backup utility with the ability to backup single directories. Ghost 11.5.1 is a full functioning backup utility but will not work on Portable USB Hard Drives larger than 2 Tera-bits. Aomie Partition Pro is a full functioning utility. If you delete any programs in the boot.wim you will have to edit the Win8.1SE.cfg located in “Windows\Sytem32” in the boot.wim file after you open the file for editing. All shortcuts are located in “Win8.1SE.cfg”.
It’s a large download (about 1350 mb) so be patient it can take 60-75 minutes (depending on your internet speed) to download. After downloading burn the bootable WinPe8.1.ISO file to CD, USB or mount the iso.
Screen Shot
It’s a large download (about 325 mb) so be patient
it can take 25-40 minutes (depending on your internet speed) to
download. After downloading WinBuilder.81.7z unzip using 7-zip
WinBuilder.81.7z has one folder in it which is called Win8.1SE is a compressed WinBuilder Program that have been updated to work with the new Windows 8.1 with update 1. It was last updated 10-17-2014 by The Oven. The official page for the minimum download that doesn't have a application in it is http://win81se.cwcodes.net/Compressed/.
If you click on the Source button near the top of the page you will see that my source is E:\Dev8.1.1_x86 that is the Windows Enterprise version I use for the 32 bit programs. You copy the complete source Iso into that folder on any drive. I also uncompress and copy Win8.1SE to the same drive.
To Download 7-Zip for Windows the link is http://www.7-zip.org/download.html. I use this link for Windows 64 bit version http://dl.7-zip.org/7z934-x64.msi or http://dl.7-zip.org/7z934.msi for Windows 32 bit version. It is the program that created the WinPe8.1_x86.iso. May thanks to the programmers that created and worked on the new addition Win81SE. You will need to download the Windows 8.1 Enterprise Iso from Microsoft. I named mine Developer (E:\ Dev81.1_x86) for the 32 bit version and (E:\ Dev81.1_x64) for the 64 bit version. 7-Zip can open the ISO or in Windows 8 can open the ISO. The link where I got the Windows Enterprise is at http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/evalcenter/hh699156.aspx or check the text page at WinBuilder Win8.SE. I copied their official text list of the latest Microsoft iso, which is a direct download.
I used the x86 and the x64 copies. It is a 32 bit application DVD in Iso format for one and a 64 bit application DVD in Iso format.
To use the iso make a DVD to run the program. Once you have loaded the DVD you can create a USB from the Microsoft DVD to USB. If you want to manipulate the program it is done in the boot.wim file. Copy the boot.wim to a location on the hard drive such as C:\winpe8_X86\Media\Sources. You then will want to create a folder such as C:\winpe8_X86\Mount and C:\ISO_Image. I normally do the rest of the commands in the Operating System of the WinPe8.1_x86 that I boot up to from the newly created USB. The new operating system is Windows 8.1 which has newer files to be able to run all the commands without downloading any programs. Here are the commands that I use to uncompress and recompress the wim file. These commands are done in an elevated command prompt. Copy these commands and right click in the dos prompt to show the paste command. Before dismounting the wim file close any explorer programs so no errors will occur. You will need to export the wim file to recompress the file. After exporting the wim file you will need to delete the boot.wim and rename the WinPe8_x86.wim to boot.wim and copy it to the USB drive. I have highlighted the source folder in blue and the destination folder in red. The green highlight is not to be copied it is explanation. After you are satisfied with your bootable WinPE project you can use the last command to convert it to a bootable iso image.
dism /mount-wim /wimfile:c:\winpe8_X86\media\sources\boot.wim /index:1 /mountdir:c:\winpe8_X86\mount (Mounting wim file)
dism /unmount-wim /mountdir:c:\winpe8_X86\mount/commit (Unmounting wim file)
Dism /Export-Image/SourceImageFile:"C:\WinPE8_x86\media\sources\boot.wim" /SourceIndex:1/DestinationImageFile:"C:\WinPE8_x86\media\sources\WinPe8_x86.wim" (Exporting wim file)
oscdimg -lWinPe8.1_x86 -m -u2 -bR:\Boot\etfsboot.com R:\ C:\ISO_Images\WinPe8.1_x86.iso (Creating Bootable Iso from USB)
DISM /image:C:\winpe8_X86\mount /Add-Driver /driver:C:\winpe8_X86\drivers\SCSI /recurse /FORCEUNSIGNED (Adding Drivers to wim file)
dism /mount-wim /wimfile:c:\winpe8_X86\media\sources\install.wim /index:1 /mountdir:c:\mount (Adding Netframework to wim file) cont.
dism /Image:c:\mount /Enable-Feature /FeatureName:NetFx3 /Source:c:\sxs (copy sxs folder from source folder on Developer ISO) cont.
dism /unmount-wim /mountdir:c:\mount/commit (Unmounting wim file) cont.
Dism /Export-Image/SourceImageFile:"C:\WinPE8_x86\media\sources\install.wim" /SourceIndex:1/DestinationImageFile:"C:\WinPE8_x86\media\sources\instal.wim" (Exporting wim file delete the install wim and rename instal to install.wim and copy file back to the Developer source folder ie "e:\Dev81.1_x86")
A BIG THANKS to everyone over at theOven.org and the Win8.1PE SE Project for the great work they have done in helping me create this win8.1pe disk..