Acronis Backup Cloud: how to create a WinPE-based bootable media.

Why WinPE bootable media is needed?

Bootable media ISO-image downloaded for Acronis Backup Cloud contains a Linux-based bootable image with tool necessary to perform a recovery from existing backups. This image contains common freeware drivers that cover most of the regular recovery scenarios on different devices.

The ISO-image is being updated along with other Acronis software, however new devices and drivers might be released which the media won't be able to cover at some point in time. In addition to that some manufacturers develop proprietary drivers that can't be inserted in the free ISO for legal reasons. Not only those drivers are not present in the media, some of the devices simply don't have any drivers for Linux at all.

Some known examples of such cases include:

• Dell PERC RAID Controllers
• HP Smart Array SATA RAID
• Broadcom RAID

If the bootable media image doesn't detect disks, network adapters, USB controllers and other devices the drivers need to be loaded manually. WinPE-based media provides an option to inject the drivers while creating the ISO-image as well as loading the drivers from the .inf files on the go.

Creating the WinPE media

The article describes how to build a WinPE-based bootable media. You might need to use a WinPE-based media to boot machines with specific hardware. For example, in case a Linux-based bootable media does not detect RAID arrays because RAID controllers use proprietary drivers and these cannot be integrated into a Linux-based bootable media.

Currently, Acronis Backup Cloud does not have the Bootable Media Builder component; it will be included in one of the next product versions. Meanwhile, use Acronis Backup 12 Bootable Media Builder.

To build a WinPE-based bootable media:

1. Download Acronis Backup installer here (Japanese locale: here ) and run it on a machine without an Acronis Backup Cloud Agent installed.
2. Bootable Media Builder is part of Acronis Agent installation. Select Install a backup agent :
   
3. Click Customize installation settings :
   
4. Manually select components by clicking Change next to What to install :
   
5. Select Bootable Media Builder only:
   
6. Start installation.
7. Start Bootable Media Builder. It is located in C:\Program Files\Common Files\Acronis\MediaBuilder\MediaBuilder.exe
8. Click Next :
   
9. Leave the first option selected and click Next :
   
10. Select Windows ADK to install. We recommend using the latest version: click download Windows Assessment and Deployment Kit (ADK) for Windows 10 (6.5GB) :
    
11. Run Windows ADK and close Bootable Media Builder:
    
12. Select where to install Windows ADK and click Next :
    
13. Make sure Deployment Tools and Windows Preinstallation Environment (Windows PE) are selected and click Install :
    
14. Once the installation is completed, start Bootable Media Builder once again.
15. In the Select the bootable media type to create step, select Create WinPE automatically :
    
16. Optionally, add drivers for specific hardware. Add drivers for the hardware which is not detected by the Linux-based bootable media:
    
17. Select the media output:
    
18. Review all the options you have specified and click Proceed .