Building Support Solutions with Windows PE Mark Myers Senior Program Manager Industry Engagement & Engineering

What Is Windows PE? Windows PE is a reduced version of Microsoft’s Windows Operating Systems ex. Windows XP, Windows Server 2003, and soon Windows codenamed “Longhorn” Windows PE is built using a command script to compile the correct binaries into a customized version of Windows PE Replacement to MS-DOS and 16-bit dependencies. Please be aware we are ending the availability of MS-DOS Licensing as of 12/31/05 Windows PE will become the base platform for a variety of Longhorn features and support solutions

What Is Windows PE There are 3 hardware-specific versions of Windows PE available as of Windows Server 2003 SP1: x86 32-bit x86 64-bit Itanium Windows PE was designed for a variety of support-based usage scenarios As a base platform for computer manufacturing tests, diagnostics, and OS deployments As a base platform for computer based recovery and support related solutions As a base platform for ISV and IHV retail support oriented solutions

Kerberos Distributed File Service STS.NET Framework MSMQTransaction Service ASP.NET Smart Card Windows Media Services IIS Active Directory PKIVPNRAS WMI 32/64-bit program support Mass storage device support Hardware (x64, x86, Itanium) API subset NTFS TCPIP Limited Drivers Customizable Boot Environment Directory/Security Services Network Access Services File/Print Services Web Services Media Services Application Services Programming Frameworks Integrated Development 16/32-bit program support Mass storage device support Full networking NTFS Full APIs Full Drivers Complete OS Solution Windows PE Windows XP Pro/2003 Windows Preinstallation Environment Windows PE is a scaled down copy of Windows XP or Server 2003 It replaces MS-DOS in deployment and diagnostic scenarios. Forced reboot Every 24 hours of uptime

Why Windows PE is Important Reduces both manufacturing and support related costs Eliminates dependencies on a variety of OS centric 3rd party tools (MS- DOS, Windows and others) thus reducing or eliminating development resources Performance increases with regard to manufacturing output (factory velocity) Provides for a Microsoft supported platform to build and ship PC’s and deployment tools within the industry Ensures a faster time to market due to synergy between existing 32/64 bit drivers and Windows software solutions (porting of Windows apps is simple) Synergy between factory tools and enterprise customer deployment support tools (build it once, ship it internal and external) Works with non-MS products for OS deployment Ex. 3rd party PXE servers, variety of OS type deployments supported, etc Reduced Longhorn tools transition time and cost for OEM’s, System Builders, and corporations Provides for a variety of 3rd party retail opportunities for ISV/IHVs to build and ship support or OS deployment solutions

Longhorn Version of Windows PE Feature parity with Windows Server 2003 SP1 Windows PE feature sets WMI support for access to multiple hardware based providers and classes Windows based driver injection and PnP boot support Inject in Windows based 32/64-bit device drivers within Windows PE for reliable test and diagnostic results Ability to flash the system BIOS and device ROM’s within Windows PE RAMDISK boot support for Hard Drive (HD), Compact Disc (CD), DVD, USB Flash Drive (UFD), and Pre-Boot eXecution Environment (PXE) Min 256MB required on boot machine Read only Ramdisk today Sub 30 second boot times possible using either network or USB Flash Drive (UFD) Internet Connection Firewall support Ensures Windows PE safe from viruses, worms, etc WinPE Boot support on USB Flash Devices Currently an OEM only feature in XP/Server 2003 Supports sub-30 second boot times on platforms supporting USB 2.0 in core BIOS (IBM, Dell, and Gateway) Formal documentation; Application debug and Win32/64-bit APIs NOT supported

Longhorn Version of Windows PE (con’t) Additional features currently being finalized: Support for PnP within Windows PE with faster driver PnP due to new inf. parsing design Ramdisk support for up to 32MB of Read/Write scratch space File-based Write Filter support for allowing writes (registry, drivers, etc.) even when booted on read-only media such as CD or DVD Implementing a boot manager on EFI just like x86 32 and x64 based systems (ex. boot.ini) Smaller default size (under 100MB) with faster boot times based on WIM boot support. Compressed Windows PE at 60MB New servicing infrastructure on par with Longhorn solution (CBS/CSI) Additional F6 media supported (CD/DVD, UFD, and network shares)

Partner Solutions Built on Windows PE

Brad Marrs, Chief Technology Officer Sharon Richards, President Eurosoft (US) Business Solution Demo Eurosoft QA+ Win32: Boot2Test Your Key to Testing Success!

How Eurosoft Diagnostics Work with Microsoft WinPE Developed internal WinPE build processes to include drivers, applications, etc. Gained technology knowledge: RIS RIS boot WinPE allows total centralization and distribution of test image Special-case test issues covered: Serial Port / Modem / Network / Video / WMI Read all about Eurosoft: get your flier at back of room Visit for information

Time is money. Reboots Take Time WinPE Saves Reboots! Time is money. Reboots Take Time WinPE Saves Reboots! UFD is your key to testing success! Test image centralization is not a requirement Fast with USB 2.0 core in the BIOS Eurosoft Boot2Test gives the best of both test worlds Initial Boot into Eurosoft Pc-Check Memory Test Quick Reboot (no POST) into WinPE to run QA+Win32 tests Results linked as series: can be centralized in PC Builder Read all about Eurosoft: get your flier at back of room Visit for informationwww.eurosoft-uk.com/windowspe

Steven Benton, Director of OEM Sales Grant Barry, Field Application Engineer Business Solution Demo Softthinks Windows PE Solutions

Unattended System Deployment in WinPE Windows 2003 RIS Server NotebookDesktop - PXE Boot on RIS Server - Win PE Download and Boot - Transmit Sales Order # or Model # - Create Recovery Partition - Download Software & Test Suite to Recovery Partition - Disconnect from Server and Deploy Software to User Partition - Reboot to Windows, Install S/W & run Manufacturing Test (Seal Image)

Hard Disk Defrag SoftThinks WinPE Tools Antivirus File Explorer LAN Internet Access LAN Access Data Backup Notebook Server Thumb Drive 2 nd HDD USB HDD Firewire CD/DVD Partitioning Tools Recovery Partition Creation System Recovery

Call to Action Migrate all DOS-based test, diagnostic and manufacturing toolsets to 32- or 64-bit, including 3 rd party vendors as soon as possible As an OEM or System builder, ensure your BIOS supports USB 2.0 booting as a core supported scenario If your interested in licensing Windows PE, please microsoft.com

Community Resources Windows Hardware & Driver Central (WHDC) Technical Communities Non-Microsoft Community Sites Microsoft Public Newsgroups Technical Chats and Webcasts Microsoft Blogs

Windows PE Resources General questions regarding the OPK: microsoft.com Technical Assistance during the Beta: microsoft.com Licensing information for Windows PE: microsoft.com Windows Pre-Installation Environment User’s Guide (Winpe.chm on the Windows PE CD or within the OPK) Preinstalling Microsoft Windows XP Using the OEM Preinstallation Kit Whitepapers are located at: Windows PE Overview Whitepaper Windows PE Datasheet Windows PE Technical Overview