Creating WinPE-based rescue media

To create a WinPE-based rescue media, you need to purchase and install Acronis True Image Home 2011 Plus Pack.

Acronis Plug-in for WinPE can be added to WinPE distributions based on any of the following kernels:

• Windows Vista (PE 2.0) (also suitable for Windows XP SP2 with KB926044 or later)
• Windows Vista SP1 (PE 2.1) (also suitable for Windows XP SP2 with KB926044 or later)
• Windows 7 (PE 3.0)

To be able to create or modify PE 2.x and 3.0 images, you must have Windows Automated Installation Kit (AIK) installed.

If you do not have Windows AIK installed on your PC, prepare as follows:

1. Download and install Windows Automated Installation Kit.

   AIK for Windows Vista and Windows XP with Service Pack 2 or later (PE 2.0):

   http://www.microsoft.com/Downloads/details.aspx?familyid=C7D4BC6D-15F3-4284-9123-679830D629F2&displaylang=en

   AIK for Windows Vista SP1 (PE 2.1):

   http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?FamilyID=94bb6e34-d890-4932-81a5-5b50c657de08&DisplayLang=en

   AIK for Windows 7 (PE 3.0):

   http://www.microsoft.com/DOWNLOADS/details.aspx?familyid=696DD665-9F76-4177-A811-39C26D3B3B34&displaylang=en

2. [optional] Burn the Windows AIK to DVD or copy to a flash drive.
3. Install the Microsoft .NET Framework v.2.0 from this kit (NETFXx86 or NETFXx64, depending on your hardware).
4. Install Microsoft Core XML (MSXML) 6.0 Parser from this kit.
5. Install Windows AIK from this kit.

It is recommended that you familiarize yourself with the help documentation supplied with Windows AIK. A good starting point is the "Create an image" section of "Getting Started for IT Professionals" white paper. To access the document, select Microsoft Windows AIK ® Documentation ® Getting Started for IT Professionals from the Start menu.

For more information on customizing Windows PE, see the Windows Preinstallation Environment User’s Guide (Winpe.chm).

Integrating Acronis True Image Home 2011 with WinPE 2.x or 3.0 ISO

Acronis WinPE ISO Builder provides three methods of integrating Acronis True Image Home 2011 with WinPE 2.x and WinPE 3.0:

• Creating the PE 2 or PE 3 ISO with the plug-in from scratch.
• Adding the Acronis Plug-in to the existing PE 2 or PE 3 ISO. This comes in handy when you have to add the plug-in to the previously configured PE 2 or PE 3 ISO that is already in use.
• Adding the Acronis Plug-in to a WIM file for any future purpose (manual ISO building, adding other tools to the image and so on).

To be able to perform any of the above operations, Acronis True Image Home 2011 Plus Pack and Windows Automated Installation Kit (WAIK) must be installed on your PC. If you have not installed WAIK, install it as described earlier in this section.

Acronis WinPE ISO Builder supports only x86 WinPE 2.x and WinPE 3.0. This WnPE distribution can also work on x64 hardware.

A PE image based on Win PE 2.x or 3.0 requires at least 256MB RAM to work. The recommended memory size for PE 2.x or 3.0 is 512MB.