BootBuilder (Whitebox) — Build Custom USB/ISO

EasyDeploy.BootBuilder is a Windows workstation application for building custom USB/ISO WinPE media. The tool prepares resources in the .cache folder, integrates hardware drivers, and exports a bootable ISO image to be written to USB.

Note

Eligibility: BootBuilder is available for all tiers. Both Free and Advanced can build — the only difference is the number of profiles copied into the ISO. For details, see License Tiers.

Caution

Antivirus Warning: The EasyDeploy.BootBuilder.exe binary is not yet digitally signed. Some antivirus products may flag or block it on launch. Add the file to the exclusion list on your workstation. This is common for unsigned executables. Always download from the official link provided by CoreSystem.

1. Prerequisites

1. Download the toolkit containing EasyDeploy.BootBuilder.exe and the links.md guide (distributed by CoreSystem). Launch with administrator privileges (Run as administrator).
2. On first launch, the application automatically creates the .cache folder alongside the executable. It also initializes a configuration template (user-config.json) and 2 default profiles. You only need to add the required files to the correct subfolders inside .cache (see table below) — do not delete .cache.

Resource Inventory in the .cache Folder

Folder	Contents	Required
esd\	Windows 11 installation ESD file (*.esd format)	✅
apps\	Executables EasyDeploy.exe, EasyDeploy.exe.sig and configuration file system-config.json	✅
downloads\	Hardware drivers organized by vendor: dell\, hp\, intel\, intel-wifi\, lenovo\, others\	⭕
wallpaper\	Image wallpaper.jpg or winpe.jpg for WinPE background customization	⭕
usb\	USB payload: folder EASYDEPLOY\ (configurations, profiles), .lic license + Softwares\ (Portable rescue tools)	⭕

Caution

The tool operates fully offline and does not automatically download resources from the internet. You must download and place them in the correct folders in advance. Missing a required file → the UI shows a red warning; open links.md for download links. Missing an optional file → yellow warning, build will still succeed.

Caution

For security, BootBuilder verifies the signatures of EasyDeploy.exe and EasyDeploy.exe.sig to confirm they are authentic files supplied by CoreSystem before allowing the ISO build.

System Software Requirements (one-time setup on the workstation)

Component	Technical Notes
Windows ADK + WinPE add-on	Install the same ADK version, compatible with the Windows ESD version in use.
PowerShell 7.4+	Required for the build engine — standard edition is sufficient.

Note

The latest ADK is 24H2, which supports ESDs with build 26100 (24H2) and 26200 (25H2).

2. Pre-check

Launch the tool → click Refresh Precheck → Ensure all items show a green check (✓) before building the ISO:

Check Item	Required	Technical Meaning
PowerShell 7.4+	✅	Script build execution environment.
ADK + WinPE add-on	✅	Windows ADK development toolkit, must be compatible with the ESD file.
ESD (.cache\esd)	✅	Validates existence of the source OS installation file.
Apps (.cache\apps)	✅	Complete EasyDeploy binaries and system configuration file. BootBuilder verifies the YubiKey signature of EasyDeploy.exe to ensure the file has not been tampered with.
Drivers (.cache\downloads)	⭕	Required only when the target device needs specific network or storage drivers.
Wallpaper (.cache\wallpaper)	⭕	Background image. If missing, the default background is used.

Note

The Apps pre-check will report Signature verified (YubiKey signed by CoreSystem) when EasyDeploy.exe is intact. BootBuilder has the public key embedded to verify it — if EasyDeploy.exe fails signature validation, ISO building will be blocked. This safety gate prevents you from creating a USB from a repacked file.

3. Building the ISO (Build ISO)

1. When all pre-check conditions pass (green checks), click ⚙️ Build ISO to start.
2. Select license (if applicable): The EasyDeploy License dialog will prompt Do you have an EasyDeploy license to unlock all features?

   • Select Continue without license — build in Free mode: only the 2 default profiles (1.Tweaks, 2.TweaksApp) are copied into the ISO.

   • Select I have a license → choose the *.lic file (digitally signed, bound to USB-SN) → BootBuilder verifies it → saves to .cache\usb\EASYDEPLOY\ → build in Advanced mode: unlimited profiles are automatically copied into the ISO.

   • Driver Selection: 6 toggles for driver packages (Dell, HP, Intel Ethernet, Intel Wireless, Lenovo, Others) — default ON. Enable only the vendors matching your target hardware. Disabling a driver package only excludes it from the ISO and will not cause a build failure.

     • Others option: For devices not covered by the 5 groups above. Extract the driver package (containing *.inf files) into .cache\downloads\others\ (each subfolder = 1 driver package); the tool will automatically integrate it into the ISO.

Note

The Dell, HP, Intel, Lenovo + WinRE driver packs cover most office PCs. Others is only needed for specialized models (Acer, Asus, Japan/Korea/China domestic models). You must use WinPE 10/11 drivers, not regular Windows drivers, to avoid conflicts.

• CA2023: Also generate bootmedia_ca2023.iso — an ISO supporting Secure Boot with the CA 2023 certificate set (the updated certificates for newer firmware/machines). Default OFF — enable only when Secure Boot is enabled on the target machine.

3. Click OK — Start Build to package → Monitor progress and logs in the Console Log window:
   • First build: 22–25 minutes (system initializes structure and cache).
   • Subsequent builds: Approximately 12 minutes.
4. Output files: bootmedia.iso (and bootmedia_ca2023.iso if the CA2023 option is enabled). Select 📁 Output Folder to open the folder containing the ISO, or 💾 Save Log to export the build log.

Caution

Writing the ISO to USB: Use Rufus to write the ISO to a bootable USB. If you need to copy the .esd file (>4 GB) to the USB, the USB must be formatted as NTFS (FAT32 does not support single files >4 GB). Select NTFS in Rufus before writing.

4. USB Directory Structure After Packaging

[USB]:
├── bootmgr, bootmgr.efi
├── Boot\  EFI\  en-us\  sources\     ← WinPE boot partition (EasyDeploy.exe integrated in boot.wim)
├── EASYDEPLOY\
│   ├── user-config.json               ← Deployment configuration
│   ├── license.lic                    ← Offline license (place here, embedded into ISO)
│   ├── Profiles\                      ← Custom profiles (default 1.Tweaks and 2.TweaksApp)
│   └── OS\                            ← (Optional) Offline/hybrid OS installation source
└── Softwares\                         ← Portable rescue software and tools

5. Quick Customization

Goal	Action
Change WinPE wallpaper	Place an image named wallpaper.jpg or winpe.jpg in .cache\wallpaper\
Customize post-install Profile	Edit configuration or scripts in usb\EASYDEPLOY\Profiles\ — Free: 2 profiles, Advanced: unlimited (details bundled with Advanced .lic)
Add rescue tools	Copy Portable software into usb\Softwares\ (apps are not included in the release package — bring your own; keep the toolPaths folder structure or declare it in user-config.json; unlimited count — extras run via F6/F8/cmd)
Add drivers for other vendors (Others)	Extract the driver package containing *.inf into .cache\downloads\others\ (each subfolder = 1 driver package). Use the vendor’s WinPE 10/11 drivers.
Select driver packages	Use the toggle switches in the build settings UI

6. Safe Operation Recommendations

• Power: Disable automatic sleep during the build (especially the first build, ~22–25 minutes) to avoid interruption.
• Conflicts: Do not run 2 build processes simultaneously on the same .cache folder.
• Power loss: If interrupted, relaunch the tool — the system automatically cleans up temporary files and resumes normally.

7. Next Steps

After successfully exporting the ISO: Write the ISO to USB with Rufus → configure user-config.json for the customer (see Getting Started with EASYDEPLOY or Quick Start) → hand over the USB to the technician or customer.