WIMBoot: Identify if your PC is Configured to Boot from a WIM file

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Applies To: Windows 8.1

Here's how to tell if a PC is configured to boot to a .WIM file (WIMBoot).

To use WIMBoot, the PC must be manufactured with the WIMBoot configuration, which was introduced with Windows 8.1 and Windows RT 8.1 PCs with Windows 8.1 Update. The most common PCs configured with WIMBoot will be those with limited storage space, such as those with 32GB or less.

Method 1: From Disk Management

  1. From the Windows desktop, right-click the Start button and select Disk Management.

  2. Find the C drive. If your PC is configured to start from a .WIM file, it will have a WIMBoot identifier, as shown below:

Method 2: From the Command line

  1. From the Windows desktop, right-click the Start button and select Command prompt (Admin).

  2. Type this command:

    fsutil wim enumwims c:

    • If the output looks like this, the PC is configured to start from a WIM file:

      0 {32E66EF3-3CE0-4A04-8F17-25B2929407D1} 00000001 \\?\Volume{8f4fbaed-dc86-4f7d-803d-55611b59fe39}\windows images\install.wim:1

    • If the output looks like this, the PC is not configured to start from a WIM file:

      WofEnumEntries failed:

      Error:  Incorrect function

See Also

Concepts

Windows Image File Boot (WIMBoot) Overview

Other Resources

FSCTL_ENUM_OVERLAY control code