How do I bypass the New Windows Install and only have to Old Setup?

SIW2 · Jun 26, 2025

the winpeshl.ini method is the simplest

Winpeshl.ini is also easy to change or delete or whatever

I have been using it for years in my pe adventures, typically something like this so pecmd.exe can run my instructions in the pecmd.ini file

Code:

[LaunchApp]
AppPath="Pecmd.exe Main %SystemDrive%\Windows\System32\Pecmd.ini"

SIW2 · Jun 26, 2025

The instructions are in the help file

pseymour · Jun 26, 2025

SIW2 said:
the winpeshl.ini method is the simplest

I dunno, garlin's method is five lines.

SIW2 · Jun 27, 2025

winpeshl.ini is two lines drop it in with 7-zip. It is also very quick and easy to reverse

much easier than :

mounting the wim
loading the hive
making reg changes
unload hive
unmount and commit wim

pseymour · Jun 27, 2025

And yet your post is six miles long.

Rbcc · Saturday at 6:03 PM

SIW2: Now I have a file called Directories.cmd that I would like to run from winpeshl.ini can you show this?

pseymour: its almost 12 miles long :)

Rbcc · Sunday at 11:38 PM

When I mount the boot.wim image should the index be one or two on the dism line
dism /Mount-Wim /WimFile:S:\wimfiles\boot.wim /Index:2 /MountDir:M:\mount
winpeshl.ini

[LaunchApp]
AppPath="%SystemDrive%\sources\setup.exe"

Rbcc · Sunday at 11:59 PM

garlin said:
W11 24h2 and old installation setup

garlin is a miracle working Just do what he says and it Will Work !!!!

Rbcc · Wednesday at 6:27 PM

@hsehestedt @SIW2
: I would like to use

Winpeshl.ini file to run "diskpart /s disk.txt" and put both files in Windows\system32. do I put under [LauchApps] section of Winpeshl.ini

hsehestedt · Wednesday at 7:44 PM

Rbcc said:
@hsehestedt @SIW2
: I would like to use

Winpeshl.ini file to run "diskpart /s disk.txt" and put both files in Windows\system32. do I put under [LauchApps] section of Winpeshl.ini

Before I answer your question, let me ask one question. You may very well have answered this somewhere in this thread, I just don't have time to read it all now

Are you intending using an autounattend.xml along with the installation of Windows? It does not matter to me whether you plan to use the answer file to full install Windows or not.

Rbcc · Wednesday at 9:03 PM

I tried to do that, the setup didnt read the autounatted.xml. Also the disk partitioning in the autounattend wasn't done. In order for me to use the old setup, I can't. I am going to use a text file and winpeshl
In file to do the partitioning !

hsehestedt · Wednesday at 9:09 PM

Thanks for the info. The reason that I was asking was simply because it occurred to me that you are doing this the hard way, but I get that you may have no choice but to do it another way if you cannot get the answer file to work.

I'll post a more detailed response later, but I am 60 seconds from having dinner served now so I'll say "adios" for the moment.

SIW2 · Wednesday at 9:50 PM

you could do something like

%SYSTEMDRIVE%\Windows\System32\diskpart.exe, "/s %SYSTEMDRIVE%\Windows\System32\diskpart.txt"

I use pecmd for almost everything but I have a vague recollection you need the quotes in winpeshl.ini

or put it in a batch file and call it. You could add it to startnet.cmd and call that instead of making a different cmd file if you like

it doesn't mention quotes here

Winpeshl.ini Files

learn.microsoft.com

but more recent one does

Winpeshl.ini Reference: Launching an app when WinPE starts

learn.microsoft.com

Wpeinit and Startnet.cmd: Using WinPE Startup Scripts

learn.microsoft.com

Rbcc · Wednesday at 10:45 PM

Will

[LauchApps]
%SYSTEMSRIVE%\Windows\System32\diskpart /s %SYSTEMDRIVE%\Windows\System32\,Disk.txt
Work?

SIW2 · 2025-07-03T00:03:30-0400

doubt it but you can try
are you allergic to quotes ?

look at micorosoft example in the link I gave

Rbcc · 2025-07-03T17:02:24-0400

I am using it just as you said will test on VMware!

Rbcc · 2025-07-03T18:53:36-0400

[LaunchApp]
%SYSTEMDRIVE%\Windows\System32\diskpart.exe, "/s %SYSTEMDRIVE%\Windows\System32\diskpart.txt"
do I use the: [launchapp] ?

I packaged my winpeshl.ini, iso.cmd[a batch file to copy to a mount directory and diskpart.txt file. I am using the old setup and it still asks where i want to install it. Should it do that? Show these files go into the PE or Setup? [mine is setup] SHould I use strartnet.cmd?

SIW2 · 2025-07-03T19:36:24-0400

microsofts example

Winpeshl.ini Reference: Launching an app when WinPE starts

learn.microsoft.com

pay attention to

run in order of appearance, and don’t start until the previous app has terminated.

so presumably you want the shell %systemdrive%\sources\setup.exe to launch afterwards

they included the typo Wpeshl.ini

SIW2 · 2025-07-03T19:44:30-0400

I only use winpeshl.ini to start pecmd main. Then pecmd runs all the commands in pecmd.ini

If you are not using pecmd.exe, at a guess you could try something like this under

[LaunchApps]

microsoft example:

%SYSTEMDRIVE%\Fabrikam\app2.exe, /s "C:\Program Files\App3"

therefore:

%SYSTEMDRIVE%\Windows\System32\diskpart.exe, /s "%SYSTEMDRIVE%\Windows\System32\diskpart.txt"

you need to exit diskpart to do the MD commands. One way is put the MD comands in a batch file and run it after exiting diskpart

take all this stuff out of diskpart.txt and put it in a batchfile, named e.g. MyMD.cmd and call it from winpeshl.ini
Or if you want you can put them in startnet.cmd and call it from winpeshl.ini

MD " A:\Applications\Graphics"
MD " A:\Applications\Productivity"
MD " A:\Applications\Video"
MD " A:\Applications\DVD"
MD " A:\Applications\Multiplexor"
MD " A:\Applications\File Renamer"

etc

SIW2 · 2025-07-03T19:48:42-0400

maybe

[LaunchApps]
%SYSTEMDRIVE%\Windows\System32\diskpart.exe, /s "%SYSTEMDRIVE%\Windows\System32\diskpart.txt"
MyMD.cmd
%systemdrive%\sources\setup.exe

I can vaguely remember running something, possibly startnet.cmd and then the shell both under [LaunchApps]. Long time ago.

Iirc if done that way a separate [LaunchApp] section is not needed. It is assumed the last entry is the shell. Or it is de facto the shell because it will stay open until you close it.

Try it and see

How do I bypass the New Windows Install and only have to Old Setup?

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Winpeshl.ini file to run "diskpart /s disk.txt" and put both files in Windows\system32. do I put under [LauchApps] section of Winpeshl.ini​

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pseymour: its almost 12 miles long :)

Winpeshl.ini file to run "diskpart /s disk.txt" and put both files in Windows\system32. do I put under [LauchApps] section of Winpeshl.ini

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