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Building Support Solutions with Windows PE

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”

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Building Support Solutions with Windows PE

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

  2. 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

  3. 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

  4. Windows Preinstallation Environment .NET Framework IIS ASP.NET MSMQ Transaction Service Windows Media Services Distributed File Service STS VPN RAS PKI Smart Card Active Directory WMI Kerberos Windows XP Pro/2003 Windows PE Complete OS Solution Customizable Boot Environment Full Drivers NTFS 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 Full APIs Full networking Mass storage device support 16/32-bit program support Integrated Development Programming Frameworks Application Services Limited Drivers NTFS Media Services API subset TCPIP Web Services Hardware (x64, x86, Itanium) File/Print Services Mass storage device support Network Access Services Directory/Security Services 32/64-bit program support

  5. 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

  6. 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

  7. 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)

  8. Partner Solutions Built on Windows PE

  9. Business Solution DemoEurosoft QA+ Win32: Boot2TestYour Key to Testing Success! Brad Marrs, Chief Technology Officer Sharon Richards, President Eurosoft (US)

  10. 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 www.eurosoft-uk.com/windowspe for information  

  11. Time is money. Reboots Take TimeWinPE 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 www.eurosoft-uk.com/windowspe for information

  12. Business Solution DemoSoftthinks Windows PE Solutions Steven Benton, Director of OEM Sales Grant Barry, Field Application Engineer

  13. Unattended System Deployment in WinPE Windows 2003 RIS Server Notebook Desktop - PXE Boot on RIS Server - Create Recovery Partition - Transmit Sales Order # or Model # - Win PE Download and Boot - 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)

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

  15. Call to Action • Migrate all DOS-based test, diagnostic and manufacturing toolsets to 32- or 64-bit, including 3rd 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 email Licwinpe @ microsoft.com

  16. Community Resources • Windows Hardware & Driver Central (WHDC) • www.microsoft.com/whdc/default.mspx • Technical Communities • www.microsoft.com/communities/products/default.mspx • Non-Microsoft Community Sites • www.microsoft.com/communities/related/default.mspx • Microsoft Public Newsgroups • www.microsoft.com/communities/newsgroups • Technical Chats and Webcasts • www.microsoft.com/communities/chats/default.mspx • www.microsoft.com/webcasts • Microsoft Blogs • www.microsoft.com/communities/blogs

  17. Windows PE Resources • General questions regarding the OPK: Askwdk @ microsoft.com • Technical Assistance during the Beta: Askwinpe @ microsoft.com • Licensing information for Windows PE: Licwinpe @ 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 www.microsoft.com/whdc/hwdev/platform/pcdesign/install/OPK.mspx • Whitepapers are located at: http://www.microsoft.com/whdc/system/winpreinst/default.mspx • Windows PE Overview Whitepaper • Windows PE Datasheet • Windows PE Technical Overview

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