User`s guide

PE-based bootable media

PE-based bootable media contains a minimal Windows system called Windows Preinstallation

Environment (WinPE) and Acronis Plug-in for WinPE, that is, a modification of Acronis Disk Director

that can run in the preinstallation environment.

WinPE proved to be the most convenient bootable solution in large environments with

heterogeneous hardware.

Advantages:

 Using Acronis Disk Director in Windows Preinstallation Environment provides more functionality

than using Linux-based bootable media. Having booted PC-compatible hardware into WinPE, you

can use not only Acronis Disk Director, but also PE commands and scripts and other plug-ins

you've added to the PE.

 PE-based bootable media helps overcome some Linux-related bootable media issues such as

support for certain RAID controllers or certain levels of RAID arrays only. Media based on PE 2.x

or PE 3.0 allows for dynamic loading of the necessary device drivers.

8.1.1 How to create bootable media

To enable creating physical media, the machine must have a CD/DVD recording drive or allow a flash

drive to be attached. Bootable Media Builder can also create an ISO image of a bootable disk to burn

it later on a blank disk.

Linux-based bootable media

Start the Bootable Media Builder either from the management console, by selecting Tools > Create

Bootable Media or, as a separate component.

1. In the Bootable media type, choose Linux-based.

2. Select the way volumes and network resources will be handled—called the media style:

 A media with Linux-like style volume handling displays the volumes as, for example, hda1

and sdb2. It tries to reconstruct MD devices and logical (LVM) volumes before starting a

recovery.

 A media with Windows-like style volume handling displays the volumes as, for example, C:

and D:. It provides access to dynamic (LDM) volumes.

3. The wizard will guide you through the necessary operations. Please refer to Linux-based bootable

media (p. 65) for details.

PE-based bootable media

Acronis Plug-in for WinPE can be added to WinPE distributions based on any of the following kernels:

 Windows Vista (PE 2.0)

 Windows Vista SP1 and Windows Server 2008 (PE 2.1)

 Windows 7 (PE 3.0)

To be able to create or modify PE 2.x or 3.0 images, install Bootable Media Builder on a machine

where Windows Automated Installation Kit (AIK) is installed. The remaining operations are described

in the Adding the Acronis Plug-in to WinPE 2.x or 3.0 (p. 67) section.

If you do not have a machine with WAIK, prepare as follows:

1. Download and install Windows Automated Installation Kit (WAIK).