Create a WinPE usb disk to install Windows 10+

This script creates an optional USB boot drive and/or an ISO image to perform a fresh Windows installation.

Prerequisite : Windows Kits with WinPE extention must be installed
Admin rights are requested

The proposed script sets the language as fr-FR; this can be change at the user's convenience.
The work directory by defaut is c:\WinPE, it can be changed.
The parameter arch specifies the WinPE architecture to create.
It is recommanded to have Explorer++ available.

The script formats the drive using a 1 GB fat32 partition assigning the drive letter "S" and the remaining space is formated as exFat.
Only the fat32 partition is requested.

Later, after booting on this drive, a powershell script displays a screen permitting the navigation on the pc's different devices to select the Windows installation ISO image or a folder with the content of the image (the ISO image or the installation folder can be located on the second partition of the disk).

If the ISO image or the installation folder are not located on the USB boot disk, this disk may be dismounted since the process is running in ram.

If the ISO image is selected, it is mounted on a virtual dvd drive.

The execution of setup.exe is then launched to start the Windows installation.

Remarks :
- This WinPE doesn't depend on the Windows release level you want to install.
- Only a fresh Windows installation may be performed.

Downloadlink : https://drive.google.com/file/d/1jeJkS5WFUAhVevAXfMTJHYnA0Ixt3fjI/view?usp=sharing

Spoiler

Code:

<# : standard way of doing hybrid batch + powershell scripts
 @set "__ARGS__=%*" &powershell -noprofile "$ScriptPath='%~f0';iex((Get-Content('%~f0') -Raw))" &exit/b
#>
#************************************************************
#* Define parameters                                        *
#************************************************************
$lang="fr-FR"  
$target="c:\WinPE"
$make_iso=1  
$make_usb=0  
$arch="amd64"
$explorer="C:\Téléchargements\explorer++\x64\Explorer++.exe"
#************************************************************
$Host.UI.RawUI.BackgroundColor = "Blue"
$Host.UI.RawUI.ForegroundColor = "White"
Clear-Host
#
if($PSCommandPath){$ScriptPath=$PSCommandPath;$hybrid=$False}else{$hybrid=$True}
#
#(New-Object -ComObject shell.application).toggleDesktop()
$title="Winpe install disk"
$host.ui.rawui.windowtitle = $title
#   Test Administrator privileges
If (-NOT ([Security.Principal.WindowsPrincipal] [Security.Principal.WindowsIdentity]::GetCurrent()).IsInRole([Security.Principal.WindowsBuiltInRole] "Administrator"))
{
    $uac_error="Elevating UAC for Administrator Privileges failed"
    #   The following test is to avoid infinite looping if elevating UAC for Administrator Privileges failed
    if(!$hybrid){$Errorarg=$Args[0]}else{$errorarg=$env:__ARGS__}
    if ($errorarg -eq $uac_error) {
    read-host "$uac_error`r`nRight click on the script and select ""Run as administrator""`r`nPress Enter to exit...";exit}
#   Restart the script to get Administrator privileges and exit
    if(!$hybrid){
        Start-Process powershell -args "-file `"$scriptpath`" `"$uac_error`"" -Verb runAs}
    else {                                                                              
        Start-Process "$ScriptPath" "$uac_error" -Verb runAs}
    exit
}
#
Function info ($msg, $color){
    if(!$color){Write-Host $msg}
    Else {Write-Host $msg -ForeGroundColor $color}
    }
#
Function Pause ($msg){
    if (!$msg){$msg="Hit akey to resume..."}
    Write-Host $msg -NoNewLine
    [void][Console]::ReadKey("NoEcho,IncludeKeyDown")
}
#
Function terminate {
    Message "End of process..." "OKOnly,SystemModal,Information" "Closing"|Out-Null
    [Environment]::Exit(1)
}
#
Function REM ($msg,$fc){
    $strLine= "*" * $msg.length
    Write-Host "`r`n$strLine"
    if(!$fc){$fc="White"}
    Write-Host $msg -Foregroundcolor $FC
    Write-Host $strLine
}
#
Function Fatal-Error ($msg){
    rem $msg "RED"
    terminate
}
#
Add-Type -AssemblyName Microsoft.VisualBasic
Function Message ($msg, $button, $titre){
[Microsoft.VisualBasic.Interaction]::MsgBox($msg,$button,$titre)}
##
Function Update_bcd ($bcdstore,$lang)
{
& bcdedit /store "$($bcdstore)" /set '{bootmgr}' locale $lang |Out-Null
& bcdedit /store "$($bcdstore)" /set '{bootmgr}' displaybootmenu no
& bcdedit /store "$($bcdstore)" /deletevalue '{bootmgr}'  toolsdisplayorder
& bcdedit /store "$($bcdstore)" /set '{default}' bootmenupolicy Legacy |Out-Null
& bcdedit /store "$($bcdstore)" /set '{default}' locale $lang |Out-Null
& bcdedit /store "$($bcdstore)" /set '{default}' description "Windows Install Disk"|Out-Null
remove-item "$($bcdstore).*" -force
}
#
"Language                                 : $lang"
"Working directory                        : $target"
if($make_iso -eq 0){
"ISO image                                : Don't create ISO image"
}else{
"ISO image                                : Create ISO image"
}
if($make_usb -eq 0){
"Bootable USB device                      : Don't create bootable USB device"
}else{
"Bootable USB device                      : Create bootable USB device"
}
"Architecture (amd64 or  x86)             : $arch"
"Explorer++ (path or null)                : $explorer"
$msg= "Are the parameters correct?"
If((Message $msg "OKCancel,SystemModal,Information" "Parameters") -eq  "Cancel"){terminate}
#
$KitsRoot="${env:ProgramFiles(x86)}\Windows Kits\10"
if (!(Test-Path "$KitsRoot")){
    fatal-error "Windows Kits not installed - Aborting"}
$WinPERoot="$KitsRoot\Assessment and Deployment Kit\Windows Preinstallation Environment"
$DandIRoot="$KitsRoot\Assessment and Deployment Kit\Deployment Tools"
$FWFILES="$DandIRoot\$arch\Oscdimg"
#
If(Test-Path "$target"){
    remove-item "$target" -Recurse -force -ErrorAction SilentlyContinue
    Remove-item "$target" -Recurse -force -ErrorAction SilentlyContinue}
If(Test-Path "$target"){
    fatal-error "$target still present - Aborting process."}
New-Item "$target"  -ItemType "Directory"
New-Item "$target\mount"  -ItemType "Directory"
#
Copy-Item "$WinPERoot\$arch\media" "$target" -Recurse
#
Get-ChildItem "$target\media\" -Recurse -Directory |
Foreach-Object{if(($_.Name -match "^..-..$") -and ($_.Name -ne "en-us") -and ($_.Name -ne $lang)){
 Remove-Item $_.FullName -Recurse}}
#
New-Item "$target\media\sources"  -ItemType "Directory"
rem "Creating boot.wim"                                  
#
"Mount boot.wim"
Copy-Item "$WinPERoot\$arch\en-us\winpe.wim" "$target\boot.wim" -Force
Mount-WindowsImage -ImagePath "$target\boot.wim"  -Index 1 -Path "$target\mount"
if($lang -ne "en-US"){
"en-US language pack searching"
$langpkg=(Get-WindowsPackage -Path "$target\mount").PackageName[0]
"Add language pack"
Add-WindowsPackage -Path "$target\mount" -PackagePath "$WinPERoot\$arch\WinPE_OCs\$lang\lp.cab"
"Remove en-US language pack"
Remove-WindowsPackage -Path "$target\mount" -PackageName $langpkg
Dism  /Image:"$target\mount" /Set-AllIntl:$lang
}
rem "Add package to boot.wim"                            
ForEach ($pkg in ("WMI","NetFx","Scripting","PowerShell","DismCmdlets","StorageWMI","SecureStartup")){
"Add package $pkg"  
Add-WindowsPackage -Path "$target\mount" -PackagePath "$WinPERoot\$arch\WinPE_OCs\WINPE-$($pkg).cab"
Add-WindowsPackage -Path "$target\mount" -PackagePath "$WinPERoot\$arch\WinPE_OCs\$lang\WINPE-$($pkg)_$($lang).cab"
}
#
# Update startnet.cmd in order to start Windows installation with setup.exe
#
$system32="$target\mount\windows\system32"
Add-Content "$system32\startnet.cmd" '@powershell -exec bypass .\install_windows.ps1'
#************************************************************
@'
if(Test-Path "explorer++.exe") {
Start-Process explorer++.exe -WindowStyle Minimized } else {
$id=(Start-Process powershell -PassThru `
    -ArgumentList "-NoExit -WindowStyle Minimized Get-Volume").id
}
"A minimized window opened to make easier browsing on the different devices."
$fn=Read-Host "Paste the full path to the Windows installation directory or ISO here "
if(Test-Path "explorer++.exe") {Stop-Process -Name explorer++  -ErrorAction SilentlyContinue}
else {
if($id -ne $Null){Stop-Process -ID $id -ErrorAction SilentlyContinue}}
$fn=$fn.Replace('"','').replace("'","").Trim()
if($fn -NotMatch "\.iso$"){
    $installdir=$fn
    if($fn -Match "\\$"){$installdir=$fn.Substring(0,($fn.length-1))+"\"}
}else{
    $letter=(Mount-DiskImage "$fn" -PassThru|Get-Volume).DriveLetter
    if(!$letter){"Mount ISO image failed. Exiting...";pause;exit}
    $installdir="$($letter):"
}
$setup="$($installdir)\setup.exe"
if(!(Test-Path "$setup")){"Install file setup.exe not found. Aborting..."
    pause;exit}
Clear-Host
& $setup
'@|Out-File "$system32\install_windows.ps1"
#
# Put your personal stuff here if any
#
#************************************************************
if($explorer){
    Copy-Item $explorer "$system32\"
    Copy-Item ((Split-Path $explorer)+"\explorer++*.dll") "$system32\"
}
$msg="Make sure all explorer windows are closed"
$result=(Message $msg "OKCancel,SystemModal,Information" "Close explorer")
"Unmount image"
Dismount-WindowsImage -Path "$target\mount" -Save
#
Export-WindowsImage -SourceImagePath "$target\boot.wim" -SourceIndex 1 -DestinationImagePath "$target\media\sources\boot.wim"
Remove-Item  "$target\boot.wim"
Remove-Item  "$target\mount"
rem "Modify BCD"                                        
Update_bcd "$target\media\Boot\BCD" $lang
Update_bcd "$target\media\EFI\Microsoft\Boot\BCD" $lang
#
if ($make_iso -ne 0){
#
rem "Create iso image"                                    
    $Oscdimg="$FWFILES\Oscdimg.exe"
    $ISOName="$target\winpe.iso"
    $ISOLabel = '-l"WinPE"'
    $etfsboot = "$FWFILES\etfsboot.com"
    $efisys   = "$FWFILES\efisys_noprompt.bin"
    $data     = '2#p0,e,b"{0}"#pEF,e,b"{1}"' -f $etfsboot, $efisys
    &$Oscdimg @("-m","-o","-u2","-bootdata:$data",'-u2','-udfver102',$ISOLabel,`
    "$target\media", "$ISOName")
}
#
if($make_usb -ne 0) {
#
rem "Create USB device"                                
#
Function Get-Driveletter {
    $letters="DEFGHIJKLMNOPQRSTUVWXYZ".ToCharArray()
    $assignedletters=@() # array of in use drive letters
#    get in use drive letters
    Foreach ($Volume in (Get-Volume)) {$assignedletters+=$volume.driveletter}
#   remove already assigned devices from the $letters list
    foreach ($assignedletter in $assignedletters){
        $letters=$letters| Where-Object {$_ -ne $assignedletter}}
    return $letters[0] # first available drive letter
}
Add-Type -AssemblyName System.Windows.Forms # Load the class System.Windows.Forms
#
$Form=New-Object System.Windows.Forms.Form # Create the screen form (window)
$Form.TopMost = $True
$Form.FormBorderStyle = "none"
$Form.Add_KeyDown({if ($_.KeyCode -eq "Enter"){$OKButton.PerformClick()}})         # Enter = click OK button
$Form.Add_KeyDown({if ($_.KeyCode -eq "Escape"){$CancelButton.PerformClick()}})    # Escape = click on Cancel button
# Set the title and size of the window:
$Form.Text=$Title
$Form.Font='Consolas,9'                
$Form.Width=420 ; $Form.Height=200
$Form.StartPosition = "CenterScreen"
$Form.SizeGripStyle = "Hide"
[System.Windows.Forms.Application]::EnableVisualStyles()
$form.ShowInTaskbar = $False
#
$USBDisk=New-Object System.Windows.Forms.Label # Put Selected USB Disk label on the form
$USBDisk.Location=New-Object System.Drawing.Point(20,20)
$USBDisk.Text="Selected USB Disk"
$USBDisk.Size=New-Object System.Drawing.Size(200,20)
$Form.Controls.Add($USBDisk)
#
$USBDiskList=New-Object System.Windows.Forms.ComboBox # Create a drop-down list and fill it
$USBDiskList.DropDownStyle=[System.Windows.Forms.ComboBoxStyle]::DropDownList;
$USBDiskList.Location=New-Object System.Drawing.Point(20,40)
$USBDiskList.Size=New-Object System.Drawing.Size(363,22)
$Form.Controls.Add($SelectUSBDiskList)
#
$CancelButton=New-Object System.Windows.Forms.Button # Put the Cancel button on the form
$CancelButton.Location=New-Object System.Drawing.Point(270,120)
$CancelButton.Text="Cancel"
$CancelButton.Size=New-Object System.Drawing.Size(115,26)
$Form.Controls.Add($CancelButton)
$CancelButton.DialogResult = [System.Windows.Forms.DialogResult]::Cancel
#
$OKButton=New-Object System.Windows.Forms.Button # Put the Create Disk button on the form
$OKButton.Location=New-Object System.Drawing.Point(20,120)
$OKButton.Text="OK"
$OKButton.Size=New-Object System.Drawing.Size(115,26)
$Form.Controls.Add($OKButton)
$OKButton.DialogResult = [System.Windows.Forms.DialogResult]::OK
#
$USB=$Null
$USBDisks=@() # array with USB disk number
#
$Disks=$Null;While (!$Disks){
    If(!($Disks=Get-Disk | Where-Object {($_.BusType -eq "USB") -and ($_.OperationalStatus -eq "Online")})){
        $msg="Plug in your USB disk first.`n`nClick OK when ready."
        if((Message $msg "OKCancel,SystemModal,Information" "Get Disk") -eq  "Cancel"){terminate}}}
#
Foreach ($USBDisk in $Disks) {
    $FriendlyName=($USBDisk.FriendlyName).PadRight(40," ").substring(0,39)
    $DiskNumber=$USBDisk.DiskNumber
    $USBDisks+="$DiskNumber|"
    $USBDiskList.Items.Add(("{0,-39}{1:n2} GB" -f $FriendlyName,($USBDisk.Size/1GB)))|out-null
    $Partitions = Get-Partition | Where-Object { $_.DiskNumber -eq $DiskNumber}
    If ($Partitions) {
        Foreach ($Partition in $Partitions) {
        $PartitionNumber=$Partition.PartitionNumber
        If(!$Partition.DriveLetter){$AccessPath="  "} Else {$AccessPath=$Partition.DriveLetter+":"}
        $driveletter=$Partition.DriveLetter
        $type=$Partition.Type  
        $Volumes=get-volume | Where-Object {$Partition.AccessPaths -contains  $_.path }
            Foreach ($Volume in $Volumes) {
                $USBDisks+="$DiskNumber|$PartitionNumber|$driveletter|$type| "
                $USBDiskList.Items.Add(("{0,0}({1,2}){2,-32}[{3:n2} GB]" -f " ",$AccessPath,$Volume.FileSystemLabel.PadRight(25," ").substring(0,25), ($Partition.Size/1GB)))|out-null
            }
        }
    }
}
$form.Controls.Add($USBDiskList)
$USBDiskList.SelectedIndex=0
#
if($form.ShowDialog() -eq "Cancel") {
    Message "The script was cancelled." "OK,SystemModal,Information" "Cancel";terminate}
#
$usb=$partition=$driveletter=$Null
$USB=$USBDisks[$USBDiskList.SelectedIndex].Split('|')[0]
$partition=$USBDisks[$USBDiskList.SelectedIndex].Split('|')[1]
$driveletter=$USBDisks[$USBDiskList.SelectedIndex].Split('|')[2]
#
if((!$partition) -or ($partition -eq "")){ # no partitions initialize disk
$msg="WARNING!`n`nYour USB disk will be converted to MBR scheme,repartitioned and reformatted." + `
     "`n`nAll partitions and data currently stored in the USB disk will be erased.`r`n" + `
    "Are you sure you want to continue?"
If((Message $msg "OKCancel,SystemModal,Information" "Disk clear") -eq  "Cancel"){terminate}
#    Clear the USB disk # Try with the Clear-Disk cmdlet; if failing, invoke diskpart
Try{Clear-Disk $USB -RemoveData -RemoveOEM -Confirm:$false -ErrorAction Stop}
Catch{"Select disk $USB`nSelect disk $USB`nclean`nrescan`nexit`n"|diskpart}
set-disk $usb -partitionstyle mbr
Stop-Service ShellHWDetection -erroraction silentlycontinue|out-null
#    Create partition(s)
$new_partition=(New-Partition -DiskNumber $usb -Size  1GB -AssignDriveLetter)
$driveletter=$new_partition.Driveletter
$partition=$new_partition.PartitionNumber
#    Create the NTFS partition
New-Partition -DiskNumber $usb -UseMaximumSize -AssignDriveLetter |
Format-Volume -FileSystem NTFS -NewFileSystemLabel "SETUP"
}else{ # partition exists
Stop-Service ShellHWDetection -erroraction silentlycontinue|out-null
if ((!$driveletter) -or ($driveletter -eq "")){$driveletter=Get-Driveletter}
#    Set-Partition -DiskNumber $usb -PartitionNumber $partition -NewDriveLetter $driveletter
}  # end partition(s) creation
@"
Select disk $USB
Select disk $USB
Select partition $partition
format quick fs=Fat32 label="BOOT"
assign letter="$driveletter"
active
exit
"@|diskpart
Start-Service ShellHWDetection -erroraction silentlycontinue|out-null  
& bootsect.exe /nt60 "$($driveletter):" /force /mbr
rem "Copying files to the USB disk."
Copy-Item "$target\media\*" "$($driveletter):\" -Recurse
}
terminate

 

I don't know Ghost. Only the film with Patrick Swayze, many, many years ago.
I suppose you refer to the Symantec imaging software.

 

Shoud not matter

 

An updated version is available (cf OP)

 

This script creates a bootable WinPE USB disk, no activation is needed when the disk is booted.
When booted, it executes a powershell script which asks you to select a Windows installation ISO image or a Windows installation directory (containing the content of the ISO). If a ISO is selected, it is mounted. Finally setup.exe is executed from the mounted ISO or the install directory to install Windows.
This script can only to be used for a fresh Windows installation, not for an upgrade or in-place installation; you don't need to create a USB windows installation disk because the script can load a ISO installation image.

 

An updated OP is available. Feel free to ask any question.

 

Download and execute (after reading the op).

 

To be clear, the windows installation iso image or the install directory are left untouched. The main purpose of the script is to create a bootable usb disk which can permit a fresh windows 10/11 installation using a windows installation iso image located anywhere on a device (disk or usb stick) of the pc,.