Wpeutil Command-Line Options

Applies To: Windows 8, Windows 8.1, Windows Server 2012, Windows Server 2012 R2

The Windows® PE utility (Wpeutil) is a command-line tool that enables you to run commands during a Windows PE session. For example, you can shut down or restart Windows PE, enable or disable a firewall, set language settings, and initialize a network.

Wpeutil Command-Line Options

Wpeutil uses the following conventions.

Wpeutil{command} [argument]

For example:

Wpeutil Shutdown
Wpeutil Enablefirewall
Wpeutil SetMuiLanguage de-DE

Note

Wpeutil can only accept one command per line.

Command Description

CreatePageFile [/path=<path>] [/size=<size>]

Creates a page file to a specified path and size. The default path is C:\pagefile.sys and default size is 64 megabytes. At least one option must be specified. For example:

Wpeutil CreatePageFile /path=C:\pagefile.sys

-or-

Wpeutil CreatePageFile /path=C:\pagefile.sys /size=128
Important
If a page file exists, the /CreatePageFile option must be set equal to or greater than the current size of the page file or the command will fail.

DisableExtendedCharactersForVolume <path_on_target_volume>

Disables extended character support for DOS-compatible file names (8.3 format) for the volume that contains path on target volume. This command only applies to NTFS volumes. The path on target volume must specify the root of the volume. For example:

Wpeutil DisableExtendedCharactersForVolume C:\

If disabled, all files that have been created with extended characters will be converted to a short file name.

DisableFirewall

Disables a firewall. For example:

Wpeutil DisableFirewall

EnableExtendedCharactersForVolume <path_on_target_volume>

Allows 8.3 format file names to contain extended characters on the volume that contains path on target volume. This command only applies to NTFS volumes. The path on target volume must specify the root of the volume. For example:

Wpeutil EnableExtendedCharactersForVolume C:\

Note

If you are installing an operating system in a language that has extended characters that are enabled by default, such as ja-JP or ko-KR, or using a copy of Windows PE in a language that doesn't have extended characters enabled, such as en-US, the installation will cause a Chkdsk error during first boot. Enabling this option before you install to that volume will prevent Chkdsk command from running.

EnableFirewall

Enables a firewall. For example:

Wpeutil EnableFirewall

InitializeNetwork

Initializes network components and drivers, and sets the computer name to a randomly-chosen value. For example:

Wpeutil InitializeNetwork

ListKeyboardLayouts<LCID>

Lists the supported keyboard layouts (Name and ID) for a given Locale ID (LCID) value. The keyboard layouts will also be updated in the registry under the key: HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE \SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\WinPE\KeyboardLayouts. For example:

Wpeutil ListKeyboardLayouts 0x0409

-or-

Wpeutil ListKeyboardLayouts 1033

For a list of valid Locale IDs, see Locale ID (LCID) Chart.

Reboot

Restarts the current Windows PE session. For example:

Wpeutil Reboot

SaveProfile

Stops logging and saves the custom profile to the location the user specified earlier with the Dism /enable-profiling command. For more information about the /enable-profiling command-line option, see DISM Windows PE Servicing Command-Line Options. For example:

Wpeutil SaveProfile profile_file_name "short description"

SetKeyboardLayout<keyboard_layout_ID>

Sets the keyboard layout in the current Windows PE session. This will take effect for processes after the command succeeds. To obtain a list of supported keyboard layouts, enter:

ListKeyboardLayouts LCID

To set the keyboard for en-US, for example:

Wpeutil SetKeyboardLayout 0409:00000409

SetMuiLanguage<language-name>[;<language-name>]

Sets the language. <language-name> uses the international language code format (for example, en-US for the U.S. English language). You can specify multiple languages in priority order, by separating them with a semicolon. For example:

Wpeutil SetMuiLanguage de-DE;en-US

SetUserLocale<language-name>[;<language-name>]

Sets the user locale. <language-name> uses the international language code format (for example, en-US for the U.S. English language). You can specify multiple languages in priority order, by separating them with a semicolon. For example:

Wpeutil SetUserLocale de-DE;en-US

Shutdown

Shuts down the current Windows PE session. For example:

Wpeutil Shutdown

Note

You can also do the following in the Command Prompt window:

  • Click the Close button

  • Type EXIT

UpdateBootInfo

Updates information about the method used to boot Windows PE. Information is stored in the registry in the key HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control. The results of this operation might change after loading additional driver support.

Note

Wpeutil UpdateBootInfo populates the registry with information about how Windows PE boots. To determine where Windows PE is booted from, examine the following:

  • PEBootType (Error, Flat, Remote, Ramdisk:SourceIdentified Ramdisk:SourceUnidentified, Ramdisk:OpticalDrive)

  • PEBootTypeErrorCode HRESULT code

  • PEBootServerName Windows Deployment Services server name

  • PEBootServerAddr Windows Deployment Services server IP address

  • PEBootRamdiskSourceDrive Source drive letter, if available


If you are not booting Windows Deployment Services, the best way to determine where Windows PE booted from is to first check for PEBootRamdiskSourceDrive registry key. If it is not present, scan the drives of the correct PEBootType and look for some kind of tag file that identifies the boot drive.

WaitForNetwork

Waits for the network card to be initialized. Use this command when creating scripts to make sure that the network card has been fully initialized before continuing.

WaitForRemovableStorage

During the Windows PE startup sequence, this command will block startup until the removable storage devices, such as USB hard drives, are initialized. For example:

Wpeutil WaitForRemovableStorage

Note

This spelling of WaitForRemovableStorage is correct.

See Also

Tasks

WinPE: Mount and Customize

Reference

DISM Windows PE Servicing Command-Line Options

Other Resources

WinPE for Windows 8: Windows PE 5.0