Claude 0df5eb8e4b Update CLAUDE.md with repository information

2026-01-13 18:00:05 -05:00

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CLAUDE.md

This file provides guidance to Claude Code (claude.ai/code) when working with code in this repository.

Repository Information

Git Repository: https://git.farmtowntech.com/setonc/build-pe-script-launcher
Branch: master
Status: Active development

# Clone the repository
git clone https://git.farmtowntech.com/setonc/build-pe-script-launcher.git

Project Overview

Build PE Script Launcher - A production-grade Windows PE builder that creates bootable images with PowerShell 7, custom modules, and automatic script launching from external media. The PE image remains static; rebuilds are only needed for PowerShell 7 or module updates.

Quick Start

# Clone and build
.\Build-PE.ps1

# Update PowerShell modules (optional)
.\Update-Modules.ps1

# Test the ISO in a VM
# Boot WinPE.iso with external media containing .scripts folder

Architecture

Core Components

Build-PE.ps1 - Main orchestrator

Validates dependencies (auto-installs Windows ADK if missing)
Downloads PowerShell 7 if needed
Mounts WinPE image via DISM
Integrates PowerShell 7 and modules
Injects launcher scripts
Creates bootable ISO

config.json - Configuration

PowerShell modules list
Target script name
Scripts folder name
PowerShell 7 version and download URL

lib/ - Build modules

Dependencies.psm1 - ADK validation and auto-installation
WinPEBuilder.psm1 - DISM operations (mount, unmount, add packages)
PowerShell7.psm1 - PS7 extraction and integration
ModuleManager.psm1 - Module copying to WinPE image

resources/ - Runtime scripts

Invoke-ScriptLauncher.ps1 - Runs on PE boot, scans for external media
Invoke-ScriptMenu.ps1 - Fallback menu for local .scripts folder

modules/ - PowerShell modules

Pre-downloaded modules from PSGallery
Committed to repository for offline builds
Updated via Update-Modules.ps1

Boot Flow

WinPE Boot
    ↓
startnet.cmd (modified)
    ↓
Console window maximizes automatically
    ↓
Invoke-ScriptLauncher.ps1 (PowerShell 7)
    ↓
Scans all drives for .scripts folder
    ↓
    ├─ Found on external media?
    │   ↓
    │   Execute configured target script
    │   (e.g., user's custom Invoke-ScriptMenu.ps1)
    │
    └─ Not found?
        ↓
        Check for local X:\.scripts
        ↓
        ├─ Found? → Launch Invoke-ScriptMenu.ps1
        └─ Not found? → Show instructions, drop to PowerShell 7 prompt

Console Features:

PowerShell 7 by default - All scripts and the command prompt use PS7
Maximized window - Console automatically maximizes on boot for full-screen experience
Elevated privileges - Everything runs as SYSTEM (no UAC in WinPE)
Classic UI - WinPE uses legacy console rendering (no modern W10/W11 decorations available)

Build Process Workflow

Dependency Check - Validates admin rights, ADK installation, PS7 availability
Workspace Init - Creates work directory using ADK's copype.cmd
Mount Image - Mounts boot.wim for modification
Add Components - Installs WinPE optional components (WMI, NetFX, PowerShell, etc.)
Install PS7 - Extracts PowerShell 7 to Program Files\PowerShell\7
Copy Modules - Copies modules from repository to image
Inject Scripts - Copies launcher and menu scripts to System32
Configure Startup - Modifies startnet.cmd to run launcher
Unmount - Commits changes and unmounts image
Create ISO - Generates bootable ISO using MakeWinPEMedia

Configuration

config.json Structure

{
  "powershellModules": ["ModuleName1", "ModuleName2"],
  "targetScript": "Invoke-ScriptMenu.ps1",
  "scriptsFolder": ".scripts",
  "startupScript": "Invoke-ScriptLauncher.ps1",
  "fallbackScript": "Invoke-ScriptMenu.ps1",
  "consoleColors": {
    "backgroundColor": "Black",
    "foregroundColor": "Gray"
  },
  "powershell7Version": "7.4.13",
  "powershell7ZipUrl": "https://github.com/PowerShell/PowerShell/releases/..."
}

Configuration Options:

powershellModules - Array of module names to include in WinPE (from PSGallery) targetScript - Script name to execute from external media .scripts folder scriptsFolder - Name of folder to search for on external media (default: ".scripts") startupScript - Script that runs first on boot (default: "Invoke-ScriptLauncher.ps1")

Must exist in resources/ folder
This is the entry point for your WinPE environment fallbackScript - Script embedded in image for offline/local use (default: "Invoke-ScriptMenu.ps1")
Must exist in resources/ folder
Runs when no external media is found but X:.scripts exists consoleColors - Customize PowerShell console appearance
backgroundColor: Console background color (Black, DarkBlue, DarkGreen, etc.)
foregroundColor: Console text color (Gray, White, Cyan, etc.) powershell7Version - Version of PowerShell 7 to integrate powershell7ZipUrl - Direct download URL for PS7 zip archive

Commands

Build WinPE Image

.\Build-PE.ps1

First run downloads Windows ADK (~4GB, 20-30 min), subsequent builds are faster (~10 min).

Options:

-CleanBuild - Remove existing work directory
-SkipADKCheck - Skip ADK validation (not recommended)
-DefenderOptimization <Mode> - Optimize Windows Defender for faster builds (see Performance Optimization below)

Build with Performance Optimization

Windows Defender real-time scanning significantly impacts DISM performance. Use -DefenderOptimization for faster builds:

# Fastest: Temporarily disable real-time protection (50-70% improvement)
.\Build-PE.ps1 -DefenderOptimization DisableRealTime

# Balanced: Add build directories to exclusions (20-30% improvement)
.\Build-PE.ps1 -DefenderOptimization AddExclusions

# Default: No Defender changes (safest)
.\Build-PE.ps1 -DefenderOptimization None

Defender optimization modes:

None (default) - No changes to Defender, safest option
DisableRealTime - Temporarily disable real-time protection for build duration, restored automatically (fastest)
AddExclusions - Add build directories and ADK paths to Defender exclusions, removed after build (balanced)

Note: Defender settings are automatically restored when the build completes, even if it fails.

Update Modules

# Update all modules in config.json
.\Update-Modules.ps1

# Update specific module
.\Update-Modules.ps1 -ModuleName "PSWindowsUpdate"

# Force re-download
.\Update-Modules.ps1 -ModuleName "PSWindowsUpdate" -Force

Directory Structure

Build PE Script Launcher/
├── Build-PE.ps1              # Main build script
├── Update-Modules.ps1        # Module updater utility
├── config.json               # Build configuration
├── lib/                      # Build-time modules
│   ├── Dependencies.psm1
│   ├── WinPEBuilder.psm1
│   ├── PowerShell7.psm1
│   ├── ModuleManager.psm1
│   └── DefenderOptimization.psm1
├── resources/                # Runtime scripts
│   ├── Invoke-ScriptLauncher.ps1
│   └── Invoke-ScriptMenu.ps1
├── modules/                  # PowerShell modules (committed)
│   └── <ModuleName>/
├── work/                     # Build workspace (gitignored)
│   ├── mount/               # Mounted WinPE image
│   └── media/               # WinPE media files
└── output/                   # Build outputs (gitignored)
    ├── WinPE.iso
    └── build.log

Key Technical Details

Windows ADK Integration

Auto-installs via silent parameters: /quiet /norestart /features OptionId.DeploymentTools
Installs both ADK core and WinPE add-on
Uses copype.cmd to create initial WinPE workspace
Uses MakeWinPEMedia.cmd to create bootable ISO

PowerShell 7 Integration

Based on community method (not officially supported by Microsoft)
Extracts PS7 portable zip to X:\Program Files\PowerShell\7
Modifies startnet.cmd to add PS7 to PATH
Uses PowerShell 7 LTS (v7.4.13) for 3-year support

DISM Operations

All image modifications use DISM commands:

Mount: dism /Mount-Image /ImageFile:boot.wim /Index:1 /MountDir:mount
Add package: dism /Add-Package /Image:mount /PackagePath:package.cab
Unmount: dism /Unmount-Image /MountDir:mount /Commit

Module Management

Modules stored in modules/ using Save-Module structure
Copied to X:\Program Files\WindowsPowerShell\Modules\ in image
Dependencies automatically resolved by Update-Modules.ps1

Troubleshooting

Build fails with "Image is already mounted"

dism /Cleanup-Mountpoints

ADK installation fails

Check internet connection
Ensure sufficient disk space (~10GB)
Run as Administrator

Module not found during build

# Download missing module
.\Update-Modules.ps1 -ModuleName "ModuleName"

# Or verify config.json module names match PSGallery exactly

PowerShell 7 not in PATH when PE boots

Check startnet.cmd modification in mounted image
Verify PS7 extracted to correct path
Review build.log for errors

Modifying the Project

Adding a New Module

Add module name to config.json powershellModules array
Run .\Update-Modules.ps1 -ModuleName "NewModule"
Rebuild: .\Build-PE.ps1

Changing Scripts

External Media Script (runs from USB/external drive):

Modify targetScript in config.json
Ensure your script exists in external media's .scripts folder
Rebuild: .\Build-PE.ps1

Startup Script (first script that runs on boot):

Create your custom script in resources/ folder
Update startupScript in config.json with your script name
Rebuild: .\Build-PE.ps1
Script must handle external media detection or call other scripts

Fallback Script (embedded for offline use):

Create your custom script in resources/ folder
Update fallbackScript in config.json with your script name
Rebuild: .\Build-PE.ps1
Script will be available at X:\Windows\System32\ when no external media found

Customizing Console Colors

Edit consoleColors in config.json
Choose from: Black, DarkBlue, DarkGreen, DarkCyan, DarkRed, DarkMagenta, DarkYellow, Gray, DarkGray, Blue, Green, Cyan, Red, Magenta, Yellow, White
Rebuild: .\Build-PE.ps1

Example - Dark blue theme:

"consoleColors": {
  "backgroundColor": "DarkBlue",
  "foregroundColor": "White"
}

Upgrading PowerShell 7

Update powershell7Version and powershell7ZipUrl in config.json
Delete old PowerShell zip file
Rebuild: .\Build-PE.ps1

Customizing Launcher Behavior

Edit resources/Invoke-ScriptLauncher.ps1:

Change drive scanning logic
Modify error messages
Add additional checks
Customize banner display

Use Cases

Driver Extraction from Offline Windows

User boots WinPE → Launcher finds .scripts on USB → Runs driver export script

System Recovery Scripts

Multiple recovery scripts on external media → Menu lets user choose → Script runs with PS7 and modules available

Automated Deployment

Pre-configured script on known media → Launcher auto-executes → Unattended deployment

External Media Setup

For End Users

Format USB drive
Create .scripts folder in root
Add target script (e.g., Invoke-ScriptMenu.ps1)
Add additional scripts
Boot WinPE image

Example .scripts Structure

USB:\
└── .scripts\
    ├── Invoke-ScriptMenu.ps1  # Entry point
    ├── Export-Drivers.ps1
    ├── Backup-System.ps1
    └── utilities\
        └── helpers.psm1

Performance Notes

Build Times (without optimization)

First build: 30-45 minutes (ADK download + install)
Subsequent builds: 5-10 minutes
ISO size: ~500MB
Module impact: ~10-50MB per module typically

Windows Defender Optimization

Windows Defender real-time scanning significantly impacts DISM and ADK performance. Use -DefenderOptimization for dramatic speed improvements:

Performance Impact by Mode:

Mode	First Build	Subsequent	Improvement	Risk Level
None (default)	30-45 min	5-10 min	Baseline	Safest
AddExclusions	24-32 min	4-7 min	20-30% faster	Low
DisableRealTime	15-20 min	2-4 min	50-70% faster	Low*

*DisableRealTime temporarily disables protection but automatically restores it when build completes (even on failure).

Which mode to use:

Development: Use DisableRealTime for fastest builds
CI/CD pipelines: Use AddExclusions for good performance with minimal risk
Production/Shared systems: Use None (default) for safety
Enterprise: Use AddExclusions with approval from security team

How it works:

DisableRealTime - Temporarily disables Windows Defender real-time protection during build, restores original state when done
AddExclusions - Adds work/, downloads/, output/, and ADK paths to Defender exclusions during build, removes them when done
None - No changes to Defender (default behavior)

All Defender changes are automatically reverted when the build completes, even if the build fails.

Security Considerations

Scripts run with SYSTEM privileges in WinPE
No execution policy restrictions
Only use trusted scripts
Validate all external media scripts before use
Consider signing scripts for enterprise deployment
Defender Optimization: When using -DefenderOptimization, Defender settings are automatically restored after build. Even if build fails, the finally block ensures restoration. Safe for development use.

Known Limitations

PowerShell 7 in WinPE is unofficial (works but unsupported)
Some cmdlets (Get-PhysicalDisk) may not work under PS7 in WinPE
UAC not present in WinPE (all scripts run elevated)
Network drivers may need manual addition for some hardware
UI Limitations:
- Console uses legacy Windows console rendering (no modern W10/W11 window decorations)
- WinPE lacks DWM (Desktop Window Manager) and modern shell components
- True borderless fullscreen not available; window maximization is the best alternative
- No Aero, Fluent Design, or modern theming support

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