I've been struggling for the last three days to get Windows 11 installed over iPXE using WinPE, but my Intel I219 NIC just won't cooperate. I created the WinPE image using the Assessment and Deployment Kit (ADK) and injected the necessary drivers with Deployment Image Servicing and Management (DISM). Despite my efforts, I keep encountering the "Code 18 - CM_PROB_REINSTALL" error. I've tried every driver I could find, including WinPE driver packs from Dell and HP, multiple versions directly from Intel's website, and specific drivers for my notebook from the vendors' sites. I've read through various forums, but most suggested solutions seem to relate to missing drivers or incorrect index issues, which I don't think apply here since WinPE has only one index.
I apologize if I come off as frustrated; I'm just trying to learn and apply what I know. On a positive note, I did find a workaround: when I boot into WinPE and encounter the "Code 18 - CM_PROB_REINSTALL" error for the I219, running `drvload X:WindowsSystem32DriverStoreFileRepositorye1d.inf_amd64_644262a781e1a6da` manually loads the driver successfully. However, I am puzzled as to why it works when loaded this way but not automatically upon booting WinPE. To automate this for every PC, I asked ChatGPT to generate a loop that I can place inside *Startnet.cmd* to load the driver: `for /f %%i in ('dir /b X:WindowsSystem32DriverStoreFileRepository*') do drvload "X:WindowsSystem32DriverStoreFileRepository%%i`
3 Answers
It sounds like you still might not have the right drivers, or maybe the version of WinPE you're using isn't compatible with that Intel NIC. Drivers can definitely be a hassle with certain NICs during WinPE setups.
Are you sure the drivers you're using are signed? You might need to add a DISM flag to allow them to install properly. Sometimes unsigned drivers can cause these issues, even if they come from the vendor.
Lol, you'd think by 2026, Intel would have all their drivers signed!
Have you tried booting without adding any extra drivers? Windows 11 WinPE usually comes with a fair number of drivers pre-installed, and I had issues in the past when I added drivers that already existed.
I did try it without additional drivers, but I ended up with the same Code 18 error even with Microsoft's drivers. Some people mentioned that integrated drivers can result in very low bandwidth, so I'm wary about that. I also saw that the user miketerrill suggested using ADK version 10.1.26100.2454 for better results.
They are signed, coming directly from the vendor. I checked both with `dism /Get-Drivers` and `pnputil /enum-devices /drivers /problem 18`, and everything seems to check out.