Create Windows PE Bootable Media Easily

Bootable media (either a CD/DVD or USB stick) allows your computer to boot up and run the CBackup program directly from that media.

By @PublicOwin
Last Updated January 21, 2026

What is CBackup Bootable Media and What is it Used for?

CBackup Bootable Media is a kind of rescue media like Windows recovery media. It contains a lightweight version of Windows (called Windows PE) and includes the CBackup. You can use it to restore the system backup created by CBackup especially when your windows system has crashed and cannot boot up correctly.

How to Create CBackup Bootable Media

CBackup allows you to create both Windows PE (WinPE) bootable media easily, to be used as rescue media for emergency usage. Before that, you need to download freeware CBackup Standard and install it on your computer.

Step 1: Connect CD/DVD/USB Stick to your PC.

Insert a blank CD-R/-RW, DVD-R/-RW disc or plug in an empty USB stick into your pc.

Step 2: Initiate Create Bootable Media Tool

Start CBackup, click Tools, select Create Bootable Media. You can create a WinPE bootable medium.

Windows PE-based bootable media: A more flexible, customizable (add custom drivers) rescue media. You can start the backup/restore/clone process within it.

Case 1: Create Windows PE Bootable Disc

Step 3: Choose the Type of Bootable Disc

Select the "Windows PE" option. After selecting "Windows PE", the "Download Windows Creating Environment from internet" option will be displayed. If the option is ticked, the Windows Creating Environment will be downloaded before making Window PE. When there is a network connection and it is detected that the system does not have a WinPE creating environment, this option will be ticked automatically. 

CBackup will check whether the system meets the corresponding requirements. If not, the Windows Creating Environment may need to be downloaded. Or, Windows AIK/ADK may need to be installed.

Step 4: Specify the Storage Media

Click Next to specify the storage media.

Normally, you can choose a USB flash drive or a CD/DVD to create the WinPE bootable disk.

You can also choose "Explore ISO File", which allows you to create an ISO image file, you can burn this ISO manually via a third-party burning tool. Learn More: How to burn ISO to Disc.

Tips: You can also click the "Add Driver" button to add the "inf" files of that driver you need on your computer.

Step 5: View Process and Finish

Wait for the process to complete and click "Finish".

Notes:

  • CBackup is unable to create bootable media on a GPT-type USB stick or external hard drive/SSD.
  • The created bootable media supports both UEFI and Legacy BIOS boot modes. But Bootable disks made by 32-bit systems only support the traditional legacy boot mode. If you need to support UEFI boot mode, please first tick the "Download Windows Creating Environment from internet" option and then recreate the bootable disk.
  • Some older computers may not support booting using a USB stick. In such cases, opt to create a disc instead. To cover all possibilities, it is advisable to create both types of media.
  • After you successfully create the bootable media, when do you need to use it? As mentioned initially, you need to make use of a bootable media when your current system fails to boot up.
  • When you use the bootable media to start the computer up, you can, on the one hand, back up the important data from the computer, or on the other hand, restore operating system back from a previously created system or disk image.CBackup is a professional and powerful system image creation and system recovery software. Besides that, it can also back up and restore files/folders, partitions, and hard disks as well as clone systems, hard drives, and partitions.

How to Boot a Crashed Computer Using the Bootable Media

Step 1: Insert Bootable Media and Enter BIOS with Hot Keys

Insert the bootable media (CD, DVD, or USB stick) into the computer, turn the computer on, and press the required key for your system to enter the BIOS/UEFI. NOTE: Different computers use different keys to achieve this. Typically, it will either be the Del key or the F2 key. Press this key repeatedly immediately after power-up until you see the BIOS/UEFI screen.

Step 2: Set CD/DVD/USB as 1st Boot Priority

Once in the BIOS/UEFI, locate the Boot menu and look for the "Boot Sequence" or something similarly named. Within this section, alter the boot priority/sequence to ensure the inserted CD/DVD or USB stick is at the top of the list. Save the changes (usually by pressing the F10 key and confirming), and the computer will automatically restart and will boot from the inserted bootable media.

If you haven’t got a bootable media when accidents happen, don’t worry, you can create one immediately on another healthy computer, no matter the type of PC, just as long as it has CBackup installed on it (The free version is sufficient).

Conclusion

When your computer is not booting and you need to copy important files from your computer or reinstall your system, you need to use a bootable disk to boot your computer into PE to copy files or reinstall your system. CBackup can help you to create a compatible bootable disk easily and quickly with this feature.

FAQs

Q: You received the message: “Failed to create the bootable USB device...” when you clicked "Tools" -> "Create Bootable Media" to create the bootable media.

A: In the "Select Bootable Media" dialog box, choose "Export ISO File" instead of "Burn To CD/DVD" or "USB Boot Device" to create an ampe.iso file, and then burn the ISO file to USB, CD, or DVD via third-party burning tools.

Q: When selecting to create a WinPE bootable CD, a window "Detects that there is not any writable disc, please insert a writable disc. Click "yes" to continue, or "no" prompts up.

A: Please just create a WinPE ISO with CBackup and then manually burn the ISO to the CD with a third-party burning program. Please check the instructions here.

Q: The creation of a bootable CD process is stuck at 99%.

A: We advise you to create a WinPE ISO (Third option: Export ISO File), then burn it to your CD manually via a third-party burning tool (Such as Ultraiso, Rufus, ISOtoUSB, and so on ).

Or, you can try to create a WinPE bootable USB via CBackup. There is no problem when creating a WinPE USB.

Q: The program exits abnormally during the creation of bootable media.

A: We advise you to directly run makedisc.exe under C:\Program Files (x86)\CBackup for Computer

Please also tick the "Download WinPE creating environment from internet" option when creating bootable media.