Limitations

Windows PE has the following limitations:

• To reduce its size, Windows PE includes only a subset of the available Win32 APIs: I/O (disk and network) and core Win32 APIs.
• Windows PE doesn't fit on floppy disks, but you can write a custom Windows PE image to a bootable CD or DVD.
• Windows PE supports TCP/IP and NetBIOS over TCP/IP for network connectivity, but it doesn't support other protocols, such as Internetwork Packet Exchange/Sequenced Packet Exchange (IPX/SPX).
• The Windows on Windows 32 (WOW32) subsystem allows 16-bit applications to run on the 32-bit Windows platform. The WOW32 subsystem isn't available in Windows PE, so 16-bit applications won't run in 32-bit versions of Windows PE. Similarly, in the x64 version of Windows PE, the Windows on Windows 64 (WOW64) subsystem is not available, so applications must be fully 64-bit compliant.
• To install 64-bit Windows 7, you must use 64-bit Windows PE. Likewise, installing 32-bit Windows 7 requires 32-bit Windows PE.
• Drive letter assignments aren't persistent between sessions. After you restart Windows PE, the drive letter assignments will be in the default order.
• Changes to the registry aren't persistent between sessions. To make permanent changes to the registry, you must edit the registry offline by mounting the image with ImageX and then loading hive files into Registry Editor.
• Windows PE supports DFS name resolution to stand-alone DFS roots only.
• You can't access files or folders on a computer running Windows PE from another computer. Likewise, Windows PE can't act as a terminal server, so you can't connect to it by using Remote Desktop.
• Windows PE requires a VESA (Video Electronics Standards Association)-compatible display device and will use the highest screen resolution that it can determine is supported. If the operating system can't detect video settings, it uses a resolution of 640 by 480 pixels.
• Windows PE doesn't support the Microsoft .NET Framework or the Common Language Runtime (CLR).
• Windows PE does not support the installation of Windows Installer package (.msi) files.
• Windows PE does not support 802.1x.
• To prevent its use as a pirated operating system, Windows PE automatically reboots after 72 hours.