Run commands during a Windows Preinstallation Environment (WinPE) session. To get Windows PE, install the ADK and choose the Deployment Tools and Windows Preinstallation Environment options.
Syntax Wpeutil CreatePageFile [/path=path] [/size=size] Wpeutil DisableExtendedCharactersForVolume path_on_target_volume Wpeutil Disablefirewall Wpeutil EnableExtendedCharactersForVolume path_on_target_volume Wpeutil Enablefirewall Wpeutil InitializeNetwork Wpeutil ListKeyboardLayouts LCID Wpeutil Reboot Wpeutil SaveProfile Wpeutil SetKeyboardLayout keyboard_layout_ID Run ListKeyboardLayouts to get a list of supported keyboard layouts Wpeutil SetMuiLanguage language-name[;language-name] Specify multiple languages in priority order, separating them with a semicolon. For example: Wpeutil SetMuiLanguage de-DE;en-US Wpeutil SetUserLocale language-name[;language-name] Wpeutil Shutdown Wpeutil UpdateBootInfo Wpeutil WaitForNetwork (Waits for the network card to be initialized.) Wpeutil WaitForRemovableStorage (block startup until removable devices, e.g. USB drives, are initialized.) Wpeutil can only accept one command per line.
A common method to initiate an unattended Setup is to boot the computer using Windows PE, and then launch Setup with an answer file from a distribution folder on the network.
Reboot from a WinPE session:
Wpeutil Reboot
Enable the firewall, set the language and then wait for the network to initialise:
Wpeutil Enablefirewall
Wpeutil SetMuiLanguage en-US
Wpeutil WaitForNetwork
“Since the day of my birth, my death began its walk. It is walking toward me, without hurrying” ~Jean Cocteau
Wpeutil - Microsoft help page.
BCDBOOT - Create or repair a system partition.
BCDEDIT - Manage Boot Configuration Data.
BOOTREC - Repair or replace a partition boot sector (WinRE).
WinPE Intro - Microsoft help page.
Recovery /Reset options in Windows - Microsoft support.