Normally you can just use the boot image supplied with SCCM (a WinPE 2.1 wim, taken from WAIK and placed in \\”SiteServer”\SMS_”SiteCode”\osd\boot\”architecture”\boot.wim), with out any further considerations. Well you might have to inject some NIC and Storage drivers, but that's properly it!
A problem you might run into though, is lacking functionality of that WinPE build, like no HTA, MDAC/ADO support etc, or you might need to ad a “Custom media hook” to run a script prior to starting the task sequence. If that's the case you will have to make a custom boot image.
Beneath is an 8 step guide on how to do that…
NOTE - Before you start please read the last two lines in this guide (describes the easy way to do this!!)
1. Use (WAIK) To create a WinPE 2.1 boot image
- Go to
and start Windows PE Tools Command Prompt - Type COPYPE X86 C:\WinPEx86 (this is for 32bit, for 64bit change x86 to amd64)
2. Mount the boot image to a temporary directory.
- imagex.exe /mountrw C:\WinPEx86\winpe.wim 1 C:\WinPEx86\mount
3. Install optional components (Scripting, WMI and XML are required to perform SCCM OS deployments – so they must be installed)
-peimg.exe /install=*Scripting* C:\WinPEx86\mount\windows (support for .vbs, .js and .wsf – mandatory for SCCM)
-peimg.exe /install=*WMI* C:\WinPEx86\mount\windows (support for WMI – mandatory for SCCM)
-peimg.exe /install=*XML* C:\WinPEx86\mount\windows (support for XML – mandatory for SCCM)
________________________________________optional components_________________________________
-peimg.exe /install=*HTA* C:\WinPEx86\mount\windows (support for HTA)
-peimg.exe /install=*MDAC* C:\WinPEx86\mount\windows (support for Database access – mandatory if using MDT DB)
-peimg.exe /install=*Fonts* C:\WinPEx86\mount\windows (support for ASIA font types)
4. Copy additional files to the Boot.wim. This step is optional and you could add any number of files and programs ex.Trace32.
- Copy Trace32 to C:\WinPEx86\mount\windows\system32 (tool for viewing LOG files – which is a must have)
5. Save a copy of your customised Boot.wim, as the boot.wim used by SCCM must be closed for updates! (PREPED)
- Imagex /unmount /commit C:\WinPEx86\mount
- Xcopy C:\WinPEx86\winpe.wim C:\WinPEx86\winpeORG.wim /y (this will be the image to use next time you want to customize)
6. Finalize the boot image using the following command:
- imagex.exe /mountrw C:\WinPEx86\winpe.wim 1 C:\WinPEx86\mount
- peimg.exe /prep C:\WinPEx86\mount\windows /f (this will make the Boot image ready for SCCM)
- Imagex /unmount /commit C:\WinPEx86\mount
7. Export the custom boot image. This step is necessary to reduce the image footprint (reduce the size)
- imagex.exe /export C:\WinPEx86\winpe.wim 1 C:\WinpeX86\ISO\sources\boot.wim
8. Import the boot.wim into Configuration Mgr.
- Right click Boot Images and choose Add Boot Image. Point to the newly created Boot.wim and follow the wizard..
That it.. You now haw a custom boot image or WinPE if you will.
Should you need to make further changes to the boot.wim, just rename C:\WinPEx86\winpeORG.wim to C:\WinPEx86\winpe.wim and start from step 2.
You could of cause integrate MDT with SCCM and the just use the “Create boot image using Microsoft Deployment” wizard found under