Creating a Win7RescuePE

This tutorial is a guide to create a Win7RescuePE,WinBuilder.exe and choosing Run As Administrator.
bootable as either a CD/DVD or as a UFD (USB FlashWith the Win7RescuePE item highlighted in the left
Drive). Win7RescuePE is a project that can bepane, click on the Source button at the top. The Paths
downloaded and run within the WinBuilder utility toconfiguration screen will now be visible as shown
create boot disks based on WinPE 3.0, while alsobelow:
providing a user-friendly Windows environment toThe key item on this screen is the Source directory,
work from.which tells Win7RescuePE where to find the source
Requirements:for building the boot disk. The Target directory and ISO
Build source: Building a Win7RescuePE boot disk willfile items can be left as they are by default.
require a Microsoft Windows7 DVD (32 bit only). 64 bitIf using a Windows7 DVD as the source, insert the
Windows7 DVDs are currently not supported.DVD in a drive, and use the browse button in the
You can use free available Windows7-RC1.Source directory dialog to select the drive letter for the
Installed Windows Advanced Installation Kit (WindowsVista DVD. In the screenshot above, the F:\ drive is the
AIK).Windows7 DVD. For convenience and a somewhat
Windows AIK is available from Microsoft for free, andfaster build, you can also copy the contents of the
can be downloaded, burned to a DVD, and thenWindows7 DVD to a drive/folder of your choice on
installed in Windows from the DVD. It is available forthe hard drive, and then specify that location in the
download when you type "WAIK" on Google.Source directory dialog. For example, if you copy the
Build environment: A Windows XP or later operatingcontents of the DVD to the folder D:\Windows7, then
system (32 or 64 bit) is recommended.that location should be specified in the Source directory
Build utility: WinBuilder is the program that actually buildsdialog.
the boot disk. From within WinBuilder, Win7RescuePENext, select the Script button at the top, and then
itself can be downloaded. It is necessary that you useselect Configuration in the left pane. This brings up the
WinBuilder 077 RC 2 or above. The WinBuilderConfiguration screen for Win7RescuePE as shown
download page can be found by typing "WinBuilder" atbelow:
Google as well.The settings shown above are recommended for the
Hard drive space: Approximately 2 GB of free spacefirst build.
is required during the Win7RescuePE build process.Next, expand the Build section in the left pane, and
Installing Windows AIK requires up to 1.5 GB of freehighlight the 0 - PreConfig item.
space.If you installed Windows AIK to a location other than
Memory (RAM): The target system requires athe default of "C:\Program Files\Windows AIK", then
minimum of 256 MB, with 512 MB or moreuse the browse button to select the folder where it is
recommended.installed. The screenshot below reflects the default
As a further clarification, the Win7RescuePE boot diskinstallation location.
can be built from a Windows 64 bit OS, but it cannotStep 5: Build the Win7RescuePE boot disk (the ISO
be built using a 64 bit Windows7 DVD as the source.file)
The remainder of this tutorial covers the steps requiredThis step will build the boot disk and create the
to create a bootable Win7RescuePE CD/DVD orWin7RescuePE ISO file, which will be created (by
UFD. The procedure was written while usingdefault) in the ISO folder under WinBuilder, and will be
WinBuilder 077 RC 2 and Win7RescuePE, and wasnamed Win7RescuePE.iso. Please note that creating
tested on both Windows XP SP3 and Windows7-RC1Win7RescuePE on a USB flash drive will require some
as the build environment.additional steps after this one. Those steps will be
Step 1: Download and install WinBuildercovered in Step 8 below.
Download WinBuilder from the link below. Version (077Highlight the Win7RescuePE item at the top of the left
RC 2 as of this writing) is recommended.pane, and select the Play button at the top-right of the
The WinBuilder download page will look similar to thescreen to start the build. The Win7RescuePE main
the screenshot below:screen is shown below as a reference:
The WinBuilder download will be in the form of a zipThe screenshot below shows the build in progress:
file containing one file (WinBuilder.exe). Extract this fileWhen the build completes, a Build Successful message
to the folder where you want to run WinBuilder from. Itbox will be shown:
is recommended that you create a new folder in theClick OK to complete the build. If you are creating a
root of a drive, such as C:\WinBuilder, D:\WinBuilder,UFD rather than a CD/DVD, you can move on to Step
etc., and extract WinBuilder.exe there. It is also8 at this point. Otherwise, continue below to create the
recommended that the path to the folder and folderCD/DVD.
name itself do NOT contain any spaces, as this canThe file Win7RescuePE.iso will be created in the ISO
cause problems under some circumstances.folder as shown below. The actual size of the file will
Step 2: Start WinBuilder and downloaddepend on the configuration options chosen, as well as
Win7RescuePEthe source (Windows7 DVD).
Start WinBuilder by executing WinBuilder.exe. If runningThe ISO file can be burned to CD/DVD by using a CD
from Windows Windows7, WinBuilder will need to beDVD burner application capable of burning ISO files.
run as administrator by right clicking WinBuilder.exe andStep 6 (optional): Create the Win7RescuePE boot disk
choosing Run As Administrator.as a USB Flash Drive (UFD)
Since no projects yet exist in the WinBuilder folder, itOnce you have completed Steps 1 through 7 above,
should go immediately to the Download Center screenyou are now ready to create a bootable UFD.
as shown below.Expand the Finalize section in the left pane, and then
Since Win7RescuePE is a new project, you must addhighlight the Copy to USB-Device item. On the right,
the download server to WinBuilder.select the Script button, which will bring you to screen
You can do that by selecting a available project, andshown below:
then pressing the Add a new web server button.Plug in the UFD (if not already plugged in) and
Name of new web server is: rescue.w07.net/Projectsdetermine its Windows drive letter. At the bottom of
See screenshot below.the screen above, use the browse button to select the
Select updates.boot-land.net and rescue.w07.netroot directory of the UFD (the example above has it
Projects in the bottom-right section. For the first try, it isset to G:\).
recommended that you leave "Recommended"To go ahead and create the UFD, select the "Make
selected in the drop down list, and leave all other itemsUSB boot device" item. After a short time, you will be
as they are by default. Select the Download button toprompted to format the USB drive. Click OK to
start downloading Win7RescuePE. The screenshotcontinue. The HP USB Storage Format Tool window
below shows the download in progress:will come up, as shown in the screenshot below.
If you get one or more messages stating that a fileIn the Device field, carefully select the target UFD
cannot be found or downloaded, acknowledge thedevice from the drop down list. Double check that you
message and let the download complete with theselect the correct device since all USB drives on the
missing file(s). Then select Download from the mainsystem will be listed.
WinBuilder screen, and choose Download again on theIn the File system field, select NTFS (recommended),
Download Center screen. Doing this should causeand then select Quick Format under Format options.
WinBuilder to download just the missing file(s) so thatCheck the settings carefully (especially the Device),
you now have a complete Win7RescuePE installation.and then select Start to format the drive. Before the
If you want to start the Win7RescuePE downloadformat actually starts, there will be a confirmation
over again from the beginning, close WinBuilder, deletescreen where you can cancel the format if necessary:
everything in the WinBuilder folder exceptWhen the format completes, a summary screen will
WinBuilder.exe, and then run WinBuilder again to startbe displayed as shown below:
over.Click OK, and then Close the format dialog to continue.
When finished with the Win7RescuePE download, theIf you use Grub4Dos as bootmanger, a screens as
main WinBuilder screen will look as shown below:shown below will be appear.
Step 3: Install Windows AIKAfter selecting your UFDD, and pressing Install, the
Windows AIK will be required to build theprocess of setting up the UFD to boot, and copying
Win7RescuePE boot disk.the required files to it will be continued.
Windows AIK can be downloaded from the MicrosoftDuring the file copy process, the screen below will be
web page.shown (shows file copying in progress):
The file downloaded from Microsoft will be an ISO file,At completion, there will be an All Done message as
approximately 1.3 GB in size. Once downloaded, burnshown below:
the ISO file to a DVD with a utility such as BurnCDCC.Click OK to finish. The UFD device is now ready to
This utility can be downloaded from Terabyte Unlimited.boot. You will need to set the UFD as the boot device
To start the install, insert the DVD and wait for thein order to boot from it. Typically this can be done by
Windows AIK welcome screen to appear. If the DVDeither by going into the BIOS setup and changing the
doesn't autorun when inserted, you can open the DVDboot order, or by selecting the UFD device from a
drive in an Explorer window, and the double clickmenu of boot devices that can be brought up (on
startcd.exe. Be sure to note the installationsome systems) at boot time by pressing a hot key.
requirements on the welcome screen, which specifyThe Win7RescuePE Desktop:
which versions of Windows (and Service Pack levels)Booting and initializing Win7RescuePE will typically take
are supported by Windows AIK.from 1 to a few minutes, depending on the system,
Select Windows AIK Setup from the welcome screenhow the boot disk was configured, and what type of
menu. After some initialization and the licensedevice it is booting from. A UFD will boot faster than a
agreement screen, the following dialog will come up:CD/DVD on most systems.
The defaults shown above will work fine withThe Win7RescuePE desktop will look similar to the
Win7RescuePE. Be sure to check the required diskscreenshot below, depending on the options selected in
space before proceeding by using the Disk Costthe Win7RescuePE configuration. The PENetwork
button. Clicking Next will start the install. At completion,utility (shown on desktop below) can be used to
the following screen will appear:configure the network and map network drives if
Windows AIK requires both the.NET Framework andneeded.
MSXML 6.0 to be installed. If they are not alreadyAdditional Information: Optimizing For Size
installed on the system, Windows AIK Setup will detectIf you would like to reduce the size of the boot disk to
this, and request that you install either/both of theseachieve a faster boot time, as well as require less
items first. Both are available to install from the sameRAM, some/all of the following configuration items can
DVD, and appear on the welcome screen menube considered:
as.NET Framework Setup and MSXML 6.0 Setup.In the NET section, uncheck all items except
Step 4: Configure Win7RescuePE before building thePENetwork. If you do not require PENetwork (for
boot diskmapping network shares), that can also be unchecked.
Start up WinBuilder to the initial screen, which shouldUncheck the entire APP section.
show the Win7RescuePE project available. Note againUncheck the entire Tweaks section.
that if running from Windows Windows7, WinBuilderUncheck the entire Addons section.
needs to be run as administrator by right clicking