How to not have network loaded?

[rd30831]

Using WAIK 3, installed from KB3AIK_EN.iso, and using the help file "Windows Preinstallation Environment (Windows PE) User's Guide"; I followed the steps from the "Walkthrough: Boot Windows PE from CD-ROM" .

It booted, but loaded the network, I guess due to Wpeinit.exe, which "installs Plug and Play devices, processes Unattend.xml settings, and loads network resources."

How can I have it install PnP, but not load the network?

According to the help, that can be done later, via "Wpeutil InitializeNetwork".

So how to have the WinPE 3 CD boot, but not load the network automatically?

(Most of the guides I've seen are about how to make WinPE do more, not less.)

Edited 7-12-13, as yesterday's site maintenance seems to have deleted the responses.

When the command prompt is given, running ipconfig reports that both DHCP and Autoconfiguration are Enabled. I'd rather that networking not be enabled yet, no asking for an IP address via DHCP or APIPA.

I'm using WinPE for recovery/utility work, and would rather enable the network only when I need it.

Edited July 12, 2013 by rd30831

[rd30831]

I finally got around to testing the simplest idea: commenting out the wpeinit line in startnet.cmd.

At the prompt, ipconfig showed nothing done, and I was able to insert a USB thumb drive

[Tripredacus]

Oh yeah, sorry about this topic. I had crafted an awesome response to this but it was on a day that the database got rolled back and I forgot which topic it was.

I had suggested that you import a NIC configuration with netsh, and have the configuration be an invalid static IP address.