Submitted by “Windows Preinstallation Environment 2.0 is a slimed down version of Windows (hence all the MiniNT references) that used to be the exclusive domain of OEM’s providers. Microsoft has wisely chosen to offer this to the masses as part of the Windows AIK. USB keys can be found just about anywhere these days for next to nothing. Combine the capabilities of WinPE with the portability of a USB key and you just made a very powerful troubleshooting, imaging, and data recovery tool. Here is a quick step by step on how to do just that.”
Knoppix for free and have a “very powerful troubleshooting, imaging, and data recovery tool”
or if you really must use windows try BartPE with PE2USB.
Or we could stick with windows to run windows applications. Not everyone wants to use linux.
Or we could stick with windows to run windows applications. Not everyone wants to use linux.
True, true. It’s probably best to know both for when one is lacking, such as drivers for 3com cards in Windows, or as you mentioned running Windows apps.
My coworker recently used Knoppix to download 3com drivers to a freshly installed Windows machine. Stupid 3com…
or you could create a usb key that would dualboot a linux distro and windows PE.
I’d actually find that pretty useful.
or you could create a usb key that would dualboot a linux distro and windows PE.
I’d actually find that pretty useful.
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This has got to be one of the smartest things I’ve read on a message board in a loooong time.
it’s probably a spelling mistake in the article summary. But it’s still funny, seeing as we’re talking Windows here
Edited 2007-02-07 13:17
If I am not mistaken,BartPE is no longer being maintained………..still useable though.
Good read.
I created a couple of bartcd’s, but if its no longer being maintained what are people using in its place? The only other windows based cd I can think of is UBCD for windows.
You can always use ReaToGo (http://www.reatogo.de/), it seems quite active (see news page: http://www.reatogo.de/Reatogo_Project_News.htm) and I used it several times to create a PE disk.
Edited 2007-02-08 12:51
can be installed to and booted from a USB key.
to Bart’s PE at this point.
It’s basically Bart’s PE with a lot of enhancements.
http://www.ubcd4win.com/
It’s an essential tool for PC techs.
Microsoft has NOT “wisely offered this to the masses”.
If I’m not mistaken, according to the EULA, you cannot use Windows PE for any other purpose than its original purpose – which isn’t what is covered here.
When Bart originally used Microsoft’s PE for his boot CD, Microsoft got on his case about it and he had to modify what he was doing.
Technically, even UBCD4W is in violation of the Windows XP EULA. However, it’s such an essential tool for PC tech support that most people ignore that. After all, you’re not really running Windows XP per se. However, Microsoft probably does not see it that way.
Nonetheless, Microsoft has not to my knowledge made any particular fuss about it, since it obviously works to their benefit to have techs able to repair the POS more easily.
Do any of the Linux repair CDs out there reliably write to NTFS or allow you to connect to a remote registry file?
at least there are enough ways to edit the iso image and rewrite to a CD if there is no preboiled version for you.
http://www.ntfs-3g.org/index.html#download
comes to mind.