Create Bootable USB with WinPE 3.0

There are endless things you can do with WinPE, but first you must learn to hold it in stillness.

What you will need:

1. Download WAIK from Microsoft and install it on your computer
2. USB Drive (should be at least 512MB)
3. Computer with Windows 7

First, let's create the WinPE files.

1. Go to Start > All Programs > Microsoft Windows AIK - then right click on "Deployment Tools Command Prompt" and select "Run as administrator".

2. At the command line type the following:  "copype x86 c:\winpex86" without the quotes of course.  This will copy the WinPE files to the location c:\winpex86.   If you need to create a 64bit WinPE boot image, then type the following:  "copype amd64 c:\winpex64".

3. Now copy the following file: C:\winpex86\winpe.wim  to the following folder  C:\winpex86\ISO\sources.  After you copy the file in that folder, rename "winpe.wim" to "boot.wim".


Second, prepare your USB Drive.

1. Insert your USB drive into your computer.

2. Go to Start and type "cmd" in the search box.  Right click on the "cmd.exe" icon and select "Run as administrator".  I don't know if you have to run it as administrator to do it, I just always run it as administrator.

3. Type "diskpart" and hit enter.

4. Type "list disk" and hit enter.

5. Look through the available disks to find one that is the size of your USB drive.  In my case, I am using a 2 gig drive so mine shows up as 1937MB.

6. Type "select disk" and then enter the number of the disk that is your USB drive.  (for example: select disk 3 and hit enter)

7. Type "clean" and hit enter.

8. Type "create partition primary" and hit enter.

9. Type "select partition 1" and hit enter.

10.  Type "active" and hit enter.

11.  Type "format fs=fat32 quick" and hit enter.  (in my screenshot below, I forgot to add "quick")

The whole thing looks like this:

Finally, copy your WinPE files onto your USB drive.

Go to "C:\winpex86\ISO" and copy the contents of that folder onto the root of your USB drive.  Don't just right click on the ISO folder and copy it, copy the contents of that folder onto your boot drive.