Missing WinPE optional components for selection while using Boot Disk Creator
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Missing WinPE optional components for selection while using Boot Disk Creator

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Article ID: 152836

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Updated On:

Products

Deployment Solution

Issue/Introduction

Creating a new WinPE boot disk using boot disk creator has missing WinPE packages (optional installable components) on STEP 7 of 12. Other symptoms may include the inability to add drivers.

*Note: This may cause the DAgent in WinPE automation fails to connect to the Deployment Server with the message,
                                 Unable to connect with DAgent for status updates

Missing packages.

Cause

  1. File corruption in the WinPE boot image.
    1. The file that was found to be corrupted in this particular case was "winpe.wim".
  2. peimg.exe unable to access C: drive. To verify this is the issue, follow these steps:
    1. (E: is an example, any hard drive may be used other than the boot drive for this test)
    2. Create the folder C:\Temp\WinPE
    3. Create the folder E:\Temp\WinPE (replace E: with a hard drive other than C:)
    4. Open a command-prompt window
    5. Change directory to the eXpress\WAIK\Tools folder
    6. Run X86\imagex.exe /mountrw PETools\X86\winpe.wim 1 C:\Temp\WinPE
    7. Run PETools\peimg.exe /list C:\Temp\WinPE
    8. If the last line of the output shows "PEIMG completed the operation successfully." then this is not the issue
    9. If the last line of the output shows an error "system cannot find the path specified" or some similar error, then this is likely the issue, proceed to Solution #2
  3. winpe.wim is mounted. To verify this is the issue follow these steps:
    1. Create the folder C:\Temp\WinPE (any drive letter may be used, adjust following steps accordingly)
    2. Open a command-prompt window "As Administrator"
    3. Change directory to the eXpress\WAIK\Tools folder (ie C:\Program Files (x86)\Altiris\eXpress\Deployment Server\WAIK\Tools)
    4. Run X86\imagex.exe /mountrw PETools\X86\winpe.wim 1 C:\Temp\WinPE
    5. If you don't get any error, and winpe.wim successfully mounts to the C:\Temp\WinPE, try the 64-bit image:
      1. Run X86\imagex.exe /unmount C:\Temp\WinPE
      2. Run X86\imagex.exe /mountrw PETools\amd64\winpe.wim 1 C:\Temp\WinPE
      3. If you don't get any error, and winpe.wim successfully mounts to the C:\Temp\WinPE, this is not the issue
      4. Run X86\imagex.exe /unmount C:\Temp\WinPE
    6. If you get an error that the file is mounted elsewhere, the error will tell you where that winpe.wim is mounted

Resolution

  1. Fix for file corruption
    1. Try closing the window and reload boot disk creator & restart ALL services
    2. Try reinstalling WinPE boot environment.
      Please use the following link to download latest WinPE installer files.
      http://www.symantec.com/business/products/trialware.jsp?pcid=pcat_infrastruct_op&pvid=deployment_sol_1
      WinPE Automation Environments for Deployment Solution 6.9 SP4 for 32-bit (x86)
    3. If reinstalling did not help, try enabling Bootwiz logging using the file bootwiz.ini
      For details review KB 180364  
      title: How to enable Bootwiz logging for Deployment Solution 6.9 and Ghost Solution Suite 3.x
      https://knowledge.broadcom.com/external/article?articleId=180364
    4. log file showed file read error.
      Another log file in folder C:\Program Files\Altiris\eXpress\Deployment Server\WAIK\ puts a comment about WinPE reinstall : skipping regenerating file winpe.wim in folder C:\Program Files\Altiris\eXpress\Deployment Server\WAIK\Tools\PETools\x86\
    5. Removed file C:\Program Files\Altiris\eXpress\Deployment Server\WAIK\Tools\PETools\x86\winpe.wim and reinstalled WinPE and this fixed the issue.
    6. Make sure the following policy is disabled:      MACHINE\System\CurrentControlSet\Control\FileSystem\NtfsDisable8dot3Name
  2. Fix for peimg.exe unable to access C: drive
    1. If possible, determine what may be preventing peimg.exe from accessing a wim mounted on the C: drive and report it to Symantec support
    2. Change the user's environment variable TMP to a drive other than C: (by default, TMP uses %USERPROFILE%\Local Settings\Temp - %USERPROFILE% is on the same drive as Windows, usually C:) - E:\Temp for example.
  3. Fix for winpe.wim already mounted
    1. Run X86\imagex.exe /unmount C:\Temp\WinPE (replace C:\Temp\WinPE with the path provided in the error message found during troubleshooting)