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Article ID: 892846 - Last Review: June 21, 2006 - Revision: 1.3

Windows PE 2004 and Windows PE 2005 assign drive letter X to the startup drive volume

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SYMPTOMS

You may find that the startup drive volume is assigned the drive letter "X" in Microsoft Windows Preinstallation Environment (Windows PE) 2004 and Microsoft Windows Preinstallation Environment (Windows PE) 2005. This behavior may affect custom scripts that you use with Windows PE 2004 or Windows PE 2005.
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CAUSE

This behavior occurs because of the addition of Windows Management Instrumentation (WMI) support in Windows PE 2004 and Windows PE 2005. WMI requires a hardcoded registry path and does not work if the startup drive volume is not assigned a fixed drive letter when you start Windows PE.
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WORKAROUND

To work around this behavior, use one of the following methods:
  • Use Windows PE version 1.2.
  • Rewrite the scripts to provide for drive letter X that is assigned to the startup drive volume.
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APPLIES TO
  • Microsoft Windows XP Service Pack 2, when used with:
    • Microsoft Windows XP Professional
  • Microsoft Windows Server 2003 Service Pack 1, when used with:
    • Microsoft Windows Server 2003, Enterprise Edition (32-bit x86)
    • Microsoft Windows Server 2003, Standard Edition (32-bit x86)
    • Microsoft Windows Server 2003, Datacenter Edition (32-bit x86)
    • Microsoft Windows Server 2003, Web Edition
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Keywords: 
kbtshoot KB892846
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