Build WinPE

Windows ADK makes it easy to build your first boot image by following the examples from these Microsoft Learn docs linked below. This boot image will be used for most of the following articles, so having a clear understanding of how to easily create an ADK WinPE boot image is important.

Microsoft Docs

WinPE: Create bootable mediaMicrosoftLearn

WinPE: Adding Windows PowerShell support to Windows PEMicrosoftLearn

Building a Windows ADK WinPE

This simple script will allow you to create your first Windows ADK Boot Image with Windows PowerShell installed. Start the Deployment and Imaging Tools Environment as an administrator from the Start Menu or using the snippet below in Windows Terminal

C:\Windows\system32\cmd.exe /k "C:\Program Files (x86)\Windows Kits\10\Assessment and Deployment Kit\Deployment Tools\DandISetEnv.bat" 

Once you are in the Deployment and Imaging Tools Environment, copy the script below to build an ADK WinPE ISO

:: The following script should be run in ADK's Deployment and Imaging Tools Environment as an administrator
:: Create a working copy of the Windows PE files:
copype amd64 C:\WinPE_amd64_PS
:: Mount your WinPE image:
Dism /Mount-Image /ImageFile:"C:\WinPE_amd64_PS\media\sources\boot.wim" /Index:1 /MountDir:"C:\WinPE_amd64_PS\mount"
:: Add the required optional components to your image.
Dism /Add-Package /Image:"C:\WinPE_amd64_PS\mount" /PackagePath:"C:\Program Files (x86)\Windows Kits\10\Assessment and Deployment Kit\Windows Preinstallation Environment\amd64\WinPE_OCs\WinPE-WMI.cab"
Dism /Add-Package /Image:"C:\WinPE_amd64_PS\mount" /PackagePath:"C:\Program Files (x86)\Windows Kits\10\Assessment and Deployment Kit\Windows Preinstallation Environment\amd64\WinPE_OCs\en-us\WinPE-WMI_en-us.cab"
Dism /Add-Package /Image:"C:\WinPE_amd64_PS\mount" /PackagePath:"C:\Program Files (x86)\Windows Kits\10\Assessment and Deployment Kit\Windows Preinstallation Environment\amd64\WinPE_OCs\WinPE-NetFX.cab"
Dism /Add-Package /Image:"C:\WinPE_amd64_PS\mount" /PackagePath:"C:\Program Files (x86)\Windows Kits\10\Assessment and Deployment Kit\Windows Preinstallation Environment\amd64\WinPE_OCs\en-us\WinPE-NetFX_en-us.cab"
Dism /Add-Package /Image:"C:\WinPE_amd64_PS\mount" /PackagePath:"C:\Program Files (x86)\Windows Kits\10\Assessment and Deployment Kit\Windows Preinstallation Environment\amd64\WinPE_OCs\WinPE-Scripting.cab"
Dism /Add-Package /Image:"C:\WinPE_amd64_PS\mount" /PackagePath:"C:\Program Files (x86)\Windows Kits\10\Assessment and Deployment Kit\Windows Preinstallation Environment\amd64\WinPE_OCs\en-us\WinPE-Scripting_en-us.cab"
Dism /Add-Package /Image:"C:\WinPE_amd64_PS\mount" /PackagePath:"C:\Program Files (x86)\Windows Kits\10\Assessment and Deployment Kit\Windows Preinstallation Environment\amd64\WinPE_OCs\WinPE-PowerShell.cab"
Dism /Add-Package /Image:"C:\WinPE_amd64_PS\mount" /PackagePath:"C:\Program Files (x86)\Windows Kits\10\Assessment and Deployment Kit\Windows Preinstallation Environment\amd64\WinPE_OCs\en-us\WinPE-PowerShell_en-us.cab"
Dism /Add-Package /Image:"C:\WinPE_amd64_PS\mount" /PackagePath:"C:\Program Files (x86)\Windows Kits\10\Assessment and Deployment Kit\Windows Preinstallation Environment\amd64\WinPE_OCs\WinPE-StorageWMI.cab"
Dism /Add-Package /Image:"C:\WinPE_amd64_PS\mount" /PackagePath:"C:\Program Files (x86)\Windows Kits\10\Assessment and Deployment Kit\Windows Preinstallation Environment\amd64\WinPE_OCs\en-us\WinPE-StorageWMI_en-us.cab"
Dism /Add-Package /Image:"C:\WinPE_amd64_PS\mount" /PackagePath:"C:\Program Files (x86)\Windows Kits\10\Assessment and Deployment Kit\Windows Preinstallation Environment\amd64\WinPE_OCs\WinPE-DismCmdlets.cab"
Dism /Add-Package /Image:"C:\WinPE_amd64_PS\mount" /PackagePath:"C:\Program Files (x86)\Windows Kits\10\Assessment and Deployment Kit\Windows Preinstallation Environment\amd64\WinPE_OCs\en-us\WinPE-DismCmdlets_en-us.cab"
:: Unmount your image, committing changes:
Dism /Unmount-Image /MountDir:C:\WinPE_amd64_PS\mount /Commit
:: To create Windows UEFI 2011 CA signed Windows PE boot media:
MakeWinPEMedia /ISO C:\WinPE_amd64_PS C:\WinPE_amd64_PS\WinPE_amd64_PS.iso

When the script is complete, you should have a bootable ISO created at "C:\WinPE_amd64_PS C:\WinPE_amd64_PS\WinPE_amd64_PS.iso"

Test in a Virtual Machine

Use your Virtual Machine of choice and boot to the new WinPE ISO