Solved Is my winre.wim the latest?

SIW2 · Sep 24, 2024

Because I booted the standard MS supplied winre.wim from usb stick.

Winpeshl.exe loads recenv.exe because the system32\winpeshl.ini file tells it to

In my own custom winre.wim I crl+shift+r for recenv then ctrl+shift+e to return to the main screen. I added the hotkeys.

It went directly to the setup program and shift+f10 was the only thing that one can do.

If you want to shift+f10 for cmd prompt you could then just type x:\sources\recovery\recenv.exe

Almighty1 · Sep 24, 2024

That makes sense now as I thought there was some other way to get to the WinRE using the Windows ISO, guess I should add WinRE.wim to Ventoy as well so I have another option.

SIW2 · Sep 24, 2024

In the regular iso winre.wim is tucked away inside install.wim

the basic recovery options are in the standard boot.wim as well ( but not the rejuv files which are needed for reset )

However even if you boot winre.wim from usb stick it wont offer the reset or refresh . It only does that if booted off disk.

Boot.wim has the setup files but not the rejuv files

Winre.wim has the rejuv files but not the setup files.

You could cobble them into one ( I have done it ) but it is a large wim. That is probably why ms doesnt do it.

Almighty1 · Sep 24, 2024

For what I need and that's usually just file management operations as in copying, moving, deleting files and probably regedit in case I messed something up. In the old days when I had another machine, I could just boot from 3.5" 1.44MB Floppy Disks even with WinXP and physical mount the drive to the machine and then load the hives for the registry, etc but as I have still yet unpacked, I have like 200 25kg moving boxes and planning on a rennovation so will not even have new machines until after that is done as I will not be able to use it for the almost 2 years when the rennovation happens.

I think I understand how the Recovery partitions are created, new ones are always in front of the existing ones because it basically uses the end of the C: partition to create it so it will always be the partition immediately after C: so it's really as easy as deleting the other recovery partitions after disable, resize C: to use the space again which will probably move the recovery partition so it uses the last 1.xGB right after C:

Almighty1 · Oct 13, 2024

After Windows Updating to the latest Beta Insiders Build, it appears to be updating the WinRE.

hsehestedt · Oct 13, 2024

Here is what I am showing direct from various ISO images:

On 24H2 26100.2152 ISO image, WinRE is 26100.2003
On 23H2 22621.4037 ISO image, WinRE is 22621.4037
On 23H2 22621.4317 ISO image, WinRE is 22621.4305

So that agrees with what you show.

SIW2 · Oct 13, 2024

On 23H2 22621.4317 ISO image

what is that? as far as I know the most recent is

en-us_windows_11_consumer_editions_version_23h2_updated_sep_2024_x64_dvd_edcefbe4.iso
Windows 11, version 23H2 [22631.4169] (Updated September 2024)

there will probably be another one in a week or so

hsehestedt · Oct 13, 2024

SIW2 said:
On 23H2 22621.4317 ISO image

what is that? as far as I know the most recent is

en-us_windows_11_consumer_editions_version_23h2_updated_sep_2024_x64_dvd_edcefbe4.iso
Windows 11, version 23H2 [22631.4169] (Updated September 2024)

there will probably be another one in a week or so

The pace of change is dizzying, isn't it?

Almighty1 · Oct 13, 2024

hsehestedt said:
Here is what I am showing direct from various ISO images:

On 24H2 26100.2152 ISO image, WinRE is 26100.2003
On 23H2 22621.4037 ISO image, WinRE is 22621.4037
On 23H2 22621.4317 ISO image, WinRE is 22621.4305

So that agrees with what you show.

That's interesting. My ISO image for WinRE 22621.4305 is actually 22635.4367 which was 22635.4300 before that but 22635.4300 was on my system for a short period this AM before I updated to the later and I didn't check the WinRE version as I was more curious if it updated after I did the Windows in-place repair install on September 23, 2024 when it didn't update before as seen earlier in the thread.

Almighty1 · Oct 14, 2024

Just for the record, I did a in-place repair install of Windows 11 Beta Insiders 23H2 Build 22635.4367 and the WinRE is no longer 22621.4305 which was also from 22635.4367 via Windows Update but instead 10.0.22621.4367:

Almighty1 · Oct 27, 2024

I wonder though, it seems when I updated via Windows Update to 22635.4371 and even 22635.4435, it still says 22621.4367 but this is only a theory and I will update this later but when one updates using in-place repair upgrade, it seems like the version will match the OS Build, maybe when Windows Update does the update, they are not always up to date with the current version for WinRE.

hsehestedt · Oct 28, 2024

Almighty1 said:
I wonder though, it seems when I updated via Windows Update to 22635.4371 and even 22635.4435, it still says 22621.4367 but this is only a theory and I will update this later but when one updates using in-place repair upgrade, it seems like the version will match the OS Build, maybe when Windows Update does the update, they are not always up to date with the current version for WinRE.

I don't have that build so I cannot tell you for a certainty, but WinRE does not get updated with every Windows update. It is only updated when a component specific to WinRE needs to be updated. Bottom line is that it is normal for the WinRE version to lag.

But, if you really, really want to know you have two options:

1) Allow me to check for you: I'll gladly check this in the morning. I'll download that build myself and check it for you. You will have to wait until morning because it is now 3:00 AM where I am and I'm simply not doing it now

Simply let me know that you would like me to check this and I'll get it done in the morning.

2) If you want to be able to do this yourself in the future: To do this, use UUP to get the 22635.4371 ISO image. Download my WIM Tools program from here:

hsehestedt - Overview

hsehestedt has 6 repositories available. Follow their code on GitHub.

github.com

Note that you will also need to install the Windows ADK. When installing, you need only select the option to install the "Deployment Tools". Everything else can be deselected.

Download and install the Windows ADK

Instructions on how to download and install the Windows ADK

learn.microsoft.com

IMPORTANT: I guarantee that my program contains no malware or viruses, but Windows Defender will sometimes flag this as a potential threat. My program is designed to manipulate Windows images so I assume that some of these capabilities can sometimes trigger a false warning. I suggest creating a folder to put the program in and to set an Anti-virus exception on that folder.

The program does not need to be installed - it is portable, meaning that you can simply run the executable.

On the first screen select option 10:

On the next screen, enter the full path to the ISO image of Windows:

On the next screen, answer "yes" when asked if you want to show boot.wim and winre.wim info:

That's it. You will now get your answer.

hsehestedt · Oct 28, 2024

Sigh. I really hate myself sometimes. Your question has me curious so I decided to get up and check this myself. I couldn't just leave it alone. Who needs sleep, right?

The only time consuming part of this is downloading that build with UUP. Bear with me. It is downloading right now so I'll get you the results as soon as I can.

hsehestedt · Oct 28, 2024

Okay, here are the results:

For build 22635.4435 the included version of WinRE is 4435.

Below are the full results. I put this in a code block only because it formats better that way making it easier to read:

Code:

File Name: 22635.4435.241016-1835.NI_RELEASE_SVC_BETAFLT_PROD1_CLIENTMULTI_X64FRE_EN-US.ISO
 
*****************************************************************************************************
* Below is the list of Windows editions and associated indicies available for the above named file. *
*****************************************************************************************************
 
***********************************************************************
* The Windows editions in this image have the following build number: *
* 10.0.22635.4435                                                     *
*                                                                     *
* Note: It is assumed that all editions have the same build number    *
***********************************************************************

Deployment Image Servicing and Management tool
Version: 10.0.26100.1

Details for image : H:\sources\install.wim

Index : 1
Name : Windows 11 Home
Description : Windows 11 Home
Size : 19,907,245,223 bytes

Index : 2
Name : Windows 11 Pro
Description : Windows 11 Pro
Size : 20,231,188,644 bytes

The operation completed successfully.
 
******************************************************
* The boot.wim image has the following build number: *
* 10.0.22621.4435                                    *
******************************************************
 
*******************************************************
* The winre.wim image has the following build number: *
* 10.0.22621.4435                                     *
*******************************************************

hsehestedt · Oct 28, 2024

Follow-up:

I just thought that it would be interesting to do a comparison with the latest released version of 24H2 (26100.2161). Note how WinRe lags in this build.

Code:

File Name: Win 11 24H2 PREVIEW [26100.2161].iso
 
*****************************************************************************************************
* Below is the list of Windows editions and associated indicies available for the above named file. *
*****************************************************************************************************
 
***********************************************************************
* The Windows editions in this image have the following build number: *
* 10.0.26100.2161                                                     *
*                                                                     *
* Note: It is assumed that all editions have the same build number    *
***********************************************************************

Deployment Image Servicing and Management tool
Version: 10.0.26100.1

Details for image : E:\sources\install.wim

Index : 1
Name : Windows 11 Home
Description : Windows 11 Home
Size : 20,212,650,730 bytes

Index : 2
Name : Windows 11 Home N
Description : Windows 11 Home N
Size : 19,666,794,855 bytes

Index : 3
Name : Windows 11 Home Single Language
Description : Windows 11 Home Single Language
Size : 20,211,699,896 bytes

Index : 4
Name : Windows 11 Education
Description : Windows 11 Education
Size : 20,905,419,681 bytes

Index : 5
Name : Windows 11 Education N
Description : Windows 11 Education N
Size : 20,362,324,782 bytes

Index : 6
Name : Windows 11 Pro
Description : Windows 11 Pro
Size : 20,907,901,243 bytes

Index : 7
Name : Windows 11 Pro N
Description : Windows 11 Pro N
Size : 20,362,434,752 bytes

Index : 8
Name : Windows 11 Pro Education
Description : Windows 11 Pro Education
Size : 20,907,055,716 bytes

Index : 9
Name : Windows 11 Pro Education N
Description : Windows 11 Pro Education N
Size : 20,363,325,690 bytes

Index : 10
Name : Windows 11 Pro for Workstations
Description : Windows 11 Pro for Workstations
Size : 20,905,025,428 bytes

Index : 11
Name : Windows 11 Pro N for Workstations
Description : Windows 11 Pro N for Workstations
Size : 20,363,380,002 bytes

The operation completed successfully.
 
******************************************************
* The boot.wim image has the following build number: *
* 10.0.26100.2161                                    *
******************************************************
 
*******************************************************
* The winre.wim image has the following build number: *
* 10.0.26100.2003                                     *
*******************************************************

hsehestedt · Oct 28, 2024

If you want to update your Recovery Environment, see the article linked to below. You want the section called "Apply the update to a running PC".

Add an update to Windows RE

Add an update package to Windows RE.

learn.microsoft.com

Almighty1 · Oct 28, 2024

@hsehestedt - Thanks for taking the time to do it. Didn't see your posts until now. So what I was saying atleast for Beta is correct for the ISO. I think the time consuming part isn't the downloading of the ISO but rather running the uup_download_windows.cmd which appears to have taken atleast a few hours, I didn't time it but it took a few hours. What I was saying was KB5044377 Windows 11 Insider Beta build 22635.4435 (23H2) - Oct. 25 which comes in as a Cumulative Update on Windows Update might or might not include the WinRE update like the UUP ISO does for the same Windows Build. It is interesting that 26100.2161 has a older WinRE version though.

I looked at the article you mentioned but the problem is the "Apply the update to a running PC" section as where would one get the .msu or .cab file mentioned and how does one determine if this is a LCU or Safe OS Dynamic Update (DU).

I can see one way to manually generate the .msu is from post(s) #42 to #46 in this thread using UUPDump and some tools.

Are the instructions really the same as post #61 in this thread?

As for versions, under the "Check the WinRE image version", it does say the following:
"Make sure that the ServicePackBuild is greater than or equal to the UBR for the update that you added. For example, for Windows 11, version 22H2, the November security update would show 819 as the SerivcePack Build, since full version number for that update is 22621.819.

If the version reported is an earlier version, this indicates the Windows RE image is not up to date.
If the reported version is the same or a later version, no action is needed."

so using the ISO to update with a in-place repair install would put it at the up to date version which seems to be easier than using the update method as the last time I tried to do it as mentioned in this thread, my system was missing the WinRE image but using the Cumulative Update on Windows Update might not always touch the WinRE part of the system so the ServicePackBuild would not be greater than or equal to the UBR but instead ServicePackBuild would be less than the UBR.

I'll give your tool a try in a later build, thanks for providing it!

hsehestedt · Oct 28, 2024

Hmm, I need to think about this a bit more. For released versions of Windows you can go up to the Microsoft Update Catalog and download the latest SafeOS update (SafeOS = WinRE).

I had never considered doing this with any of the insider builds.

FYI, in a Windows ISO image file you will find in the \sources folder the install.wim file. Within the install.wim file is the WinRE.wim file. This is the recovery environment. Think of this like having a ZIP file within another ZIP file.

The article below has some good info about how Windows updates the Recovery Environment. The most important thing is that the Recovery partition has enough space to allow upgrading. I know that some people like to create the RE partition with a bit of extra space, say, 1GB total size. I take it even further by always making my RE partition 2GB. I do this because the size of this partition has gradually been increasing over time and I just want to be 100% sure I have enough space and because I have plenty of available disk space

.

Edit: Forgot to include the link to the article referenced above. Here it is:

Windows Recovery Environment (Windows RE)

learn.microsoft.com

Almighty1 · Oct 28, 2024

@hsehestedt - Thanks for your input. Yes, I know for released versions, one can go to MUC but for Insider builds, it seems like one needs to follow the instructions as I posted in comment #117 to generate the .MSU file.

In my case, as in my previous comments in the last 3-4 pages of this thread, my Recovery partition was the correct size but it didn't update until I manually did a Windows in-place upgrade/repair install from the ISO.

hdmi · Oct 28, 2024

Almighty1 said:
It is interesting that 26100.2161 has a older WinRE version though.

Yeah, I'm on 26100.2161, and, my WinRE version is 26100.2003. Currently the lastest DU for 24H2 (Release Channel) is KB5044612. From the ~~Summary~~ How to get this update section on that page: "After installing this update, the WinRE version installed on the device should be 10.0.26100.2003."

I added that one plus the LCU (KB5044384) to WinRE, but this didn't change the WinRE version. It's still 26100.2003 like before.

Solved Is my winre.wim the latest?

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