Wpeutil Command-Line Options

05/02/2017 • 4 minutes to read

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Wpeutil Command-Line Options
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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:

Copy

Wpeutil Shutdown
Wpeutil Enablefirewall
Wpeutil SetMuiLanguage de-DE

Note
Wpeutil can only accept one command per line.

Command Description

CreatePageFile [/path=<path>] Creates a page file to a specified path and size. The default pat
[/size=<size>] C:\pagefile.sys and default size is 64 megabytes. At least one o
specified. For example:

Wpeutil CreatePageFile /path=C:\pagefile.sys

Command Description

-or-

Wpeutil CreatePageFile /path=C:\pagefile.sys /si

Important
If a page file exists, the /CreatePageFile
equal to or greater than the current size of the page
the command will fail.

DisableExtendedCharactersForVolume Disables extended character support for DOS-compatible file n

<path_on_target_volume> format) for the volume that contains path on target volume
only applies to NTFS volumes. The path on target volume
root of the volume. For example:

Wpeutil DisableExtendedCharactersForVolume C:</c

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

DisableFirewall Disables a firewall. For example:

Wpeutil DisableFirewall

EnableExtendedCharactersForVolume Allows 8.3 format file names to contain extended characters on

<path_on_target_volume> that contains path on target volume. This command only applie
volumes. The path on target volume must specify the root of th
example:

Wpeutil EnableExtendedCharactersForVolume C:</co

Command Description

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

EnableFirewall Enables a firewall. For example:

Wpeutil EnableFirewall

InitializeNetwork Initializes network components and drivers, and sets the comp
randomly-chosen value. For example:

Wpeutil InitializeNetwork

ListKeyboardLayouts <LCID> Lists the supported keyboard layouts (Name and ID) for a given
(LCID) value. The keyboard layouts will also be updated in the r
the key: HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE \SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Wi
NT\CurrentVersion\WinPE\KeyboardLayouts. For example:

Wpeutil ListKeyboardLayouts 0x0409

-or-
Command Description

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
earlier with the Dism /enable-profiling command. For more in
about the /enable-profiling command-line option, see
Servicing Command-Line Options. For example:

Wpeutil SaveProfile profile_file_name "short des

SetKeyboardLayout Sets the keyboard layout in the current Windows PE session. Th

<keyboard_layout_ID> effect for processes after the command succeeds. To obtain a l
supported keyboard layouts, enter:

ListKeyboardLayouts LCID

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

Wpeutil SetKeyboardLayout 0409:00000409

SetMuiLanguage <language-name> Sets the language. <language-name> uses the international la

[;<language-name>] format (for example, en-US for the U.S. English language). You
Command Description

multiple languages in priority order, by separating them with a

For example:

Wpeutil SetMuiLanguage de-DE;en-US

SetUserLocale <language-name> Sets the user locale. <language-name> uses the international l
[;<language-name>] format (for example, en-US for the U.S. English language). You
multiple languages in priority order, by separating them with a
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 Prom
window:

• Click the Close button

• Type EXIT

UpdateBootInfo Populates the registry with information about how Windows PE

After you run this command, query the registry. For example:
Command Description

wpeutil UpdateBootInfo
reg query HKLM\System\CurrentControlSet\Control

The results of this operation might change after loading additio

support.

To determine where Windows PE is booted from, examine the

• PEBootType: Error, Flat, Remote, Ramdisk:SourceIdentifi

Ramdisk:SourceUnidentified, Ramdisk:OpticalDrive
• PEBootTypeErrorCode: HRESULT code
• PEBootServerName: Windows Deployment Services ser
• PEBootServerAddr: Windows Deployment Services serv
• PEBootRamdiskSourceDrive: Source drive letter, if avai
• PEFirmwareType: Firmware boot mode: 0x1 for BIOS, 0x

If you are not booting Windows Deployment Services, the best

determine where Windows PE booted from is to first check for
PEBootRamdiskSourceDrive registry key. If it is not present, sca
the correct PEBootType and look for some kind of tag file that
boot drive.

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

WaitForRemovableStorage During the Windows PE startup sequence, this command will b

until the removable storage devices, such as USB hard drives, a
For example:

Wpeutil WaitForRemovableStorage

Note
This spelling of WaitForRemovableStorage
Related topics
WinPE for Windows 10

WinPE: Mount and Customize

DISM Windows PE Servicing Command-Line Options