How to Add an Update to Windows PE

Article
12/12/2012

Applies To: Windows 8, Windows Server 2008 R2, Windows Server 2012

You can add a Windows® Preinstallation Environment (Windows PE) update to an offline Windows PE image by using the Deployment Image Servicing and Management (DISM) tool. Most hotfixes from Windows Update do not apply to Windows PE for the following reasons:

Windows PE is a small subset of the Windows operating system.
Windows PE runs very few services.

To add an update

Use the DISM tool to mount the base image to a local Windows PE directory. For example:
```
Dism /mount-image /imagefile:C:\winpe_amd64\winpe.wim /index: 
    <1>
   /mountdir:C:\winpe_amd64\mount
```
where <1> is the number of the selected image on the .wim file.
Add an update to the base image by using the Dism command together with the /Add-Package option. In the following example, the update to be added is at C:\OptionalComponents\OptionalComponent.cab:
```
Dism /image:C:\winpe_amd64\mount /Add-Package /PackagePath:C:\packages\package.cab
```
Determine the name of the update by using the Dism command together with the /Get-Features option. For example:
```
Dism /image:C:\winpe_amd64\mount /Get-Features
```
Note

By default, the state of each optional component is set to "Enable Pending". This state indicates that the optional component is installed and enabled. For more information about the /Get-Feature option, see How to Enable or Disable Windows Features.
Repeat the previous steps for each additional update.
After you modify the image, unmount the image, and then commit changes to the image. For example:
```
Dism /unmount-image /mountdir:C:\winpe_amd64\mount /commit
```
Optional: After the image is prepared, copy the image to removable media or fixed storage. For more information, see Walkthrough: Install Windows PE to CD, USB Flash Drive, or USB Hard Drive or Walkthrough: Flat-Boot Windows PE.

Note

If you remove an optional component by using the Dism /Remove-Package command, the Windows PE image no longer includes the optional component functionality. However, the source file still persists in the image. The size of the image remains the same. To remove the file from the image, you must create a new image.

For more information about how to manage optional components, see Operating System Package Servicing Command-Line Options.

For more information about DISM commands, see Image Management Command-Line Options.

How to Add an Update to Windows PE

To add an update

See Also

Tasks

Additional resources