I burned a backup program iso to a DVD (2x burn speed, read verify).

When boot from DVD, it only produces a command window that says "winpeshl.ini present... no commands were successfully launched"  (see image for the window and below that, the contents of DVD root)

I cannot analyze this--don't know WinPE at all.  Anybody have an idea what's wrong?

Have a look at this : http://answers.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/forum/windows_8-windows_install/windows-8-bizarre-start-up-failurerestart/32312614-1276-4910-8b32-83744699650b

Don't believe that link really relates to what I am trying to do...I have the DVD created by using a command in a backup program to create a boot disk...by creating the iso and then burning it to DVD, which I have done.

What file is WinPE looking for to find commands to launch?

Is that winpeshl.ini?  Also, even though it says the file exists, I do not see it anywhere on the DVD, so why does the results window say it exists?  What file can I look at to see if commands are there?

What are the mandatory files that must be on the DVD for WinPE to boot?  In other words, does my disk look like it has the right structure that should boot?

• Edited by gladiator- 10 hours 35 minutes ago

Don't believe that link really relates to what I am trying to do...I have the DVD created by using a command in a backup program to create a boot disk...by creating the iso and then burning it to DVD, which I have done.

What file is WinPE looking for to find commands to launch?

Is that winpeshl.ini?  Also, even though it says the file exists, I do not see it anywhere on the DVD, so why does the results window say it exists?  What file can I look at to see if commands are there?

What are the mandatory files that must be on the DVD for WinPE to boot?  In other words, does my disk look like it has the right structure that should boot?

• Edited by gladiator- Monday, February 16, 2015 1:08 AM

Don't believe that link really relates to what I am trying to do...I have the DVD created by using a command in a backup program to create a boot disk...by creating the iso and then burning it to DVD, which I have done.

What file is WinPE looking for to find commands to launch?

Is that winpeshl.ini?  Also, even though it says the file exists, I do not see it anywhere on the DVD, so why does the results window say it exists?  What file can I look at to see if commands are there?

What are the mandatory files that must be on the DVD for WinPE to boot?  In other words, does my disk look like it has the right structure that should boot?

• Edited by gladiator- Monday, February 16, 2015 1:08 AM

Hi gladiator,

We wonder how you made this boot DVD, as we know in Windows 8.1 you could not creating a system repair disc CD/DVD in system since you could download free Windows 8.1 installation media by using media creating tool from Microsoft. So if you made this DVD by using third party software or burn a boot drive to a DVD directly, we could not make sure it works.

We suggest your make a boot drive by following this link

http://windows.microsoft.com/en-us/windows-8/create-usb-recovery-drive

Or download installation media from

http://windows.microsoft.com/en-us/windows-8/create-reset-refresh-media

Also if you need a Windows PE media you could create it by using Windows Assessment and Deployment Kit (Windows ADK).

https://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/dn293200.aspx

Regards

D. Wu

Hi gladiator,

We wonder how you made this boot DVD, as we know in Windows 8.1 you could not creating a system repair disc CD/DVD in system since you could download free Windows 8.1 installation media by using media creating tool from Microsoft.

Did you not read the very first line of my OP?...

"I burned a backup program iso to a DVD (2x burn speed, read verify)."

I believe that answers your "wondering."

Specifically, however, it was the boot disk created from the EaseUs ToDo Backup program.  The iso was produced by the program as an iso file which was then burned at 2x speed  to a blank DVD using burnCDCC.exe, set to finalize the disk, and to read verify.  During the program's making of the iso, it downloads WinPE from Microsoft.

• Edited by gladiator- 19 hours 3 minutes ago

From my understanding and experience, that error occurs when the ISO is improperly transferred to the bootable media. I haven't used a DVD in a long time for any ISO related stuff. I have had this issue however and I solved it by using the Windows USB/DVD tool. If you're not opposed, I would suggest creating the bootable media using this software; you can download it here. http://www.microsoft.com/en-us/download/windows-usb-dvd-download-tool

• Edited by Acreed02 18 hours 50 minutes ago

The problem with that is...

doing it that way, the backup program which provides the interface from which backups, and more importantly restores of image files, is done.

The whole purpose of this boot disk is to have the ability to restore a previously  made partition or disk image file if Windows goes completely bonkers.

• Edited by gladiator- 18 hours 45 minutes ago

Hi gladiator,

We wonder how you made this boot DVD, as we know in Windows 8.1 you could not creating a system repair disc CD/DVD in system since you could download free Windows 8.1 installation media by using media creating tool from Microsoft.

Did you not read the very first line of my OP?...

"I burned a backup program iso to a DVD (2x burn speed, read verify)."

I believe that answers your "wondering."

Specifically, however, it was the boot disk created from the EaseUs ToDo Backup program.  The iso was produced by the program as an iso file which was then burned at 2x speed  to a blank DVD using burnCDCC.exe, set to finalize the disk, and to read verify.  During the program's making of the iso, it downloads WinPE from Microsoft.

• Edited by gladiator- Wednesday, February 18, 2015 4:41 PM

Hi gladiator,

We wonder how you made this boot DVD, as we know in Windows 8.1 you could not creating a system repair disc CD/DVD in system since you could download free Windows 8.1 installation media by using media creating tool from Microsoft.

Did you not read the very first line of my OP?...

"I burned a backup program iso to a DVD (2x burn speed, read verify)."

I believe that answers your "wondering."

Specifically, however, it was the boot disk created from the EaseUs ToDo Backup program.  The iso was produced by the program as an iso file which was then burned at 2x speed  to a blank DVD using burnCDCC.exe, set to finalize the disk, and to read verify.  During the program's making of the iso, it downloads WinPE from Microsoft.

• Edited by gladiator- Wednesday, February 18, 2015 4:41 PM

From my understanding and experience, that error occurs when the ISO is improperly transferred to the bootable media. I haven't used a DVD in a long time for any ISO related stuff. I have had this issue however and I solved it by using the Windows USB/DVD tool. If you're not opposed, I would suggest creating the bootable media using this software; you can download it here. http://www.microsoft.com/en-us/download/windows-usb-dvd-download-tool

• Edited by Acreed02 Wednesday, February 18, 2015 4:54 PM

From my understanding and experience, that error occurs when the ISO is improperly transferred to the bootable media. I haven't used a DVD in a long time for any ISO related stuff. I have had this issue however and I solved it by using the Windows USB/DVD tool. If you're not opposed, I would suggest creating the bootable media using this software; you can download it here. http://www.microsoft.com/en-us/download/windows-usb-dvd-download-tool

• Edited by Acreed02 Wednesday, February 18, 2015 4:54 PM

The problem with that is...

doing it that way, the backup program which provides the interface from which backups, and more importantly restores of image files, is done.

The whole purpose of this boot disk is to have the ability to restore a previously  made partition or disk image file if Windows goes completely bonkers.

• Edited by gladiator- Wednesday, February 18, 2015 4:59 PM

The problem with that is...

doing it that way, the backup program which provides the interface from which backups, and more importantly restores of image files, is done.

The whole purpose of this boot disk is to have the ability to restore a previously  made partition or disk image file if Windows goes completely bonkers.

• Edited by gladiator- Wednesday, February 18, 2015 4:59 PM

Hi gladiator,

We understand your consideration.

However, if you are willing to use any 3rd-party program here to create the bootable media, you should ask at their official website for further assistance.

From my side, the suggestion is either take use of Windows USB/DVD tool suggested by Acreed01, or follow the methods mentioned by D. Wu.

Regarding backups, you may consider take use of File history, or Windows image backup built-in Windows 8.1

Backup and Recovery of Windows 8 & Windows 8.1 - Tip-of-the-Day

Thank you for the understanding.

Best regards

I asked here because the error is clearly a WinPE error.

May I at least ask some specific questions regarding WinPE...

Does the folder/file structure I posted appear to be missing anything? Or, asked a different way, what SHOULD a WinPE boot disk structure look like?

What file contains commands that WinPE would be trying to launch? (I assume that would be the commands to start the interface for the backup program.)  But what file does WinPE look for to run commands (such as the autoexec.bat of old days)?

Is there a "standard" set of commands that should be in such file for every WinPE boot situation?

Hi gladiator-

I made Windows PE by using ADK the screen shot is for your reference.

Please ignore the language folder.

About how Windows PE works

https://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/dd744556(v=ws.10).aspx

Regards

D. Wu

We are going a bit astray here.  I have no ability to learn ADK and how, after doing that, to get the backup program "into" a WinPE boot disk.

Let me restate. The backup program (Easeus ToDo backup) makes, from within the program, can creae a WinPE boot iso which contains a minimal version of the backup program to do a backup or restore.

I made that iso and burned it.  Now read the first post.

The disk somewhat boots but produces what is shown. 

a. I need to find out WHY and correct it.

b. What file is WinPE looking for to find commands to launch (see the image)?

c. And what commands would be in that file in a standard "OS only" WinPE boot disk?

Hi gladiator,

Unfortunately we could not provide any support to Windows PE made by third party software since we know nothing about the process and how these program works, Microsoft updates Windows PE version for system and for Security considerations, boot image made by third party software is out of our recommendation. If you really need to correct it, we suggest you refer to this program Manufacturer because you could get more useful advices there.

If you need backup your system and program, the system image back up will be the best option.

http://windows.microsoft.com/en-us/windows-8/what-happened-to-backup-restore

And for your reference about Windows PE

As I know, first control is passed to Bootmgr. Bootmgr extracts basic boot information from the Boot Configuration Data (BCD) by using bcdedit commands and passes control to winload.exe that is contained in Boot.wim.

About bcdedit command

https://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/cc766223(v=ws.10).aspx

If you need to know what options has been made by Windows PE, you could refer to log file during Windows PE

https://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/ee851579%28v=ws.10%29.aspx?f=255&MSPPError=-2147217396

Specifically in a Windows PE session (X:\Windows).

If you are interesting to how Windows PE works, these article for reference.

https://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/hh825110.aspx

https://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/cc721977%28v=ws.10%29.aspx?f=255&MSPPError=-2147217396

https://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/dd744556(v=ws.10).aspx

Regards

D. Wu

Hello Gladiator,

a. Could be different reasons why it's failing, hard to tell

b. Winpeshl.ini that is located in the \windows\system32 folder.  This is trying to  launch a program. Now if that file is corrupted or not properly formatted you may get the error, of if what it is trying to start is missing, corrupted, or at an different location you could see something like.  This file is used to load an alternate to cmd.exe. 

c: By default WinPE would load from this registry location HKLM\CCS001\Setup|CmdLine rather than use Winpeshl.ini

WinPEShl.ini is used to launch a custom shell (user experience) in WinPE. The backup software you are using is failing to successfully configure their custom environment in the WinPE media. You will need to seek support from the backup software provider.

Edit: A quick google search seems to indicate that EaseUS uses winpeshl.ini to call PELoader.exe, which is a component of the backup software.

Brandon
Windows Outreach Team- IT Pro
Windows for IT Pros on TechNet

• Edited by Brandon RecordsModerator Tuesday, March 03, 2015 9:00 PM Added EaseUS details.

...Edit: A quick google search seems to indicate that EaseUS uses winpeshl.ini to call PELoader.exe, which is a component of the backup software.

Yes, and your analysis is right on.  I tried to follow all that but could not detect what point was causing it to fail.

However the problem has been solved by someone giving me the "same" WinPE  iso but from a different version, and it boots fine, ending with the program interface displayed.