You’re on the right track – if Ashampoo’s own creator complains and you had to grab the ADK, then missing/corrupted WinPE components is very likely.
Here are a few focused points to check while you install the WinPE add‑on and try again, plus what to do if it still fails.
1. Make sure ADK + WinPE are correctly installed
On current Windows versions, WinPE is a separate download from the ADK:
- Install the Windows ADK for your Windows version (or at least a compatible one – e.g. ADK for Windows 11 works fine on Windows 11, often OK on late Windows 10 too).
- Then install the Windows PE add-on for the ADK.
- During both setups, make sure these features are checked:
- Deployment Tools
- Windows Preinstallation Environment (Windows PE) (in the add-on installer)
- After both are installed, reboot Windows once to be safe, then start Ashampoo again as administrator and retry creating the rescue system.
If WinPE really was missing, this often fixes the internal Ashampoo rescue media creation.
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2. If Ashampoo still fails: get the exact error message
If, after installing ADK + WinPE:
- Ashampoo Backup Pro 25 still fails to create the rescue medium, and
- You get an error that mentions WinPE, ADK, or missing components
then please copy the
exact wording of the error or post a screenshot (with any personal info blurred). The exact text makes a big difference in knowing whether Ashampoo:
- Can’t find the ADK/WinPE at all
- Finds it but can’t build the image
- Is failing for some unrelated reason (permissions, path issues, etc.)
Also helpful:
- Your Windows version (e.g. Windows 10 22H2, Windows 11 23H2)
- Which ADK version you installed (e.g. “ADK for Windows 11, 22H2” if you know it)
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3. About the downloaded Ashampoo rescue ISO that won’t boot
This ISO from Ashampoo’s website
should be self-contained and not depend on your local ADK/WinPE. If that one doesn’t boot, possible causes:
- Corrupted download – try re-downloading the ISO.
- Secure Boot – some WinPE-based vendor ISOs are not signed for Secure Boot.
- Wrong boot mode – ISO is BIOS/Legacy only but system is pure UEFI, or vice versa.
A couple of quick checks:
- In Windows, right‑click → Mountthe ISO:
- If it mounts fine and you see typical WinPE structure (e.g. \sources\boot.wim, \boot, \EFI), it’s at least structurally valid.
- In BIOS/UEFI:
- Temporarily disable Secure Boot.
- Use the one‑time boot menu key and choose UEFI: <your USB name> if it appears.
If a Windows installation USB boots fine on that machine but the Ashampoo ISO never does (even after re‑download and Secure Boot off), that strongly points to ISO compatibility or a vendor bug.
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4. Try Ashampoo’s alternative rescue option (if available)
Ashampoo Backup Pro usually offers two rescue options:
- Windows‑based (WinPE) rescue system (needs ADK/WinPE)
- A Linux‑based rescue system (no ADK/WinPE needed)
If the WinPE-based route keeps failing even after ADK + WinPE are installed, look in Ashampoo’s
Rescue System section and see if there is an option to create a
Linux‑based rescue medium instead. That often bypasses all ADK/WinPE issues.
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5. Next useful info if it still doesn’t work
If after installing the WinPE add-on you still can’t create or boot the rescue medium, the most useful things to share would be:
- Exact error message from Ashampoo when creating the rescue system.
- Your Windows version.
- Whether you’re trying:
- Ashampoo’s Windows‑based rescue system
- Or any Linux‑based option they provide
- Whether you disabled Secure Boot when trying to boot the USB.
From there it should be possible to see if this is just a WinPE path/config issue or something that might require Ashampoo support (or a bug fix on their side).
For now, installing the WinPE add-on is the correct step. Once you’ve tried creating the rescue system again, post the outcome and any error text, and we can go from there.
