Create Windows recovery media with AOMEI Windows PE Builder

Martin Brinkmann
Oct 13, 2017
Software, Windows
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5

AOMEI Windows PE Builder is a free program for Microsoft Windows devices that you may use to create bootable recovery media.

Basically, what the program does is create a bootable Windows environment that is based Microsoft's Windows 10 operating system. It adds a couple of extra tools to it, and you may burn the solution to disc or USB Flash drive.

The program needs to be installed on the system before you can start using it. It lists what it does on the first screen when you run it afterwards.

aomei windows pe builder

The program needs to download a 32-bit or 64-bit version of Windows PE from Microsoft. The version is based on Windows 10. You are asked to select additional tools that you want added to the environment.

AOMEI PE Builder comes with a good dozen of them by default. You find 7-Zip, Everything, Sumatra PDF and Notepad 2 supported already, and may add files or drivers to the environment by sellecting those options.

This gives you options to add custom portable programs for Windows to the process that you use normally when it comes to recovering systems.

windows recovery boot

Note that you may add individual files or folders to the custom bootable media. You are informed that you may add up to 2 Gigabytes of extra files to the media.

The last configuration screen lists the options that you have to create the media. You may burn it to CD or DVD, copy it to USB drives, or create an ISO image instead.

create media

Note that you may download the Windows PE environment directly from the AOMEI website as well. This is useful if the download speed of the program is too slow. You need to copy the downloaded file to the program installation directory so that it gets picked up automatically during the creation process.

If you select to burn directly to disc or copy the files to a flash drive, you can start booting PCs directly using the media. The tools that you included during the process are available to you, and the media will boot into a Windows environment that will look familiar to you.

Closing Words

AOMEI Windows PE Builder is an easy to use program to create recovery media. It allows you to add custom programs, files and drivers to the recovery media which makes it that more useful as you may add your preferred troubleshooting and recovery applications to the media provided that the tools are available as portable versions.

Now You: How do you create recovery media? Which tools do you use?

Summary
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Author Rating
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4 based on 8 votes
Software Name
AOMEI Windows PE Builder
Operating System
Windows
Software Category
Administration
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Comments

  1. goldendays said on October 13, 2017 at 8:50 pm
    Reply

    Yes, that’s sort of what I am wondering. What is the usage of Aomei PE Builder without some type of image to restore–unless one is going to simply try addressing issues via CLI or some such thing. Backupper works well.

    And, this makes Macrium Reflect a lesser product because? Even with Vimage?

    I don’t understand the significance.

    1. Nebulus said on October 14, 2017 at 11:26 pm
      Reply

      @goldendays: This is not about Macrium vs. AOMEI, Martin found that AOMEI alows you to add other tools to their live DVD and this way you can create a custom recovery DVD. That doesn’t make Macrium a lesser product.

      I’m a Macrium Reflect user, BTW.

      1. goldendays said on October 16, 2017 at 11:02 pm
        Reply

        Yes, I think I understand the intent–make a Live CD with repair tools that are not available but needed for an attempt to rescue a PC from disaster. My only “What don’t I see here?” thought was if a PC is that far gone, it would mean booting into the Macrium Reflect mode [which one can make as a boot option] to recover an image or booting with Aomei Backuppeer. If all is lost, then it’s time for Linux and the copying of personal files and reinstalling. I guess. Attempts at repair are so fickle and short lived. Oh well . . .

  2. dwarf_t0ssn said on October 13, 2017 at 7:54 pm
    Reply

    Very cool. I know their Backupper software (also excellent) downloads WinPE and spits out a nice ISO for restoring backup images.

  3. TNT said on October 13, 2017 at 2:18 pm
    Reply

    Thanks for info!!!

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