How to Fix 'Package Not Found' Error in WinPE Sergei Strelec

WinPE Sergei Strelec “Package Not Found” Error: Causes and Solutions

WinPE Sergei Strelec displays an error “package not found” due to ISO image mounting issues or incorrect boot methods. To resolve the problem, you need to use the imdisk mounting utility, run minstall or reload program shortcuts, and check the boot mode (UEFI/Legacy) and boot parameters. This error often occurs when using older boot methods or when there are version incompatibilities with your hardware.

Table of Contents

• Basic Causes of “Package Not Found” Error
• Step-by-Step Solutions
• Proper USB Flash Drive Preparation
• Alternative WinPE Boot Methods
• Version and Compatibility Checking
• Common Errors and Their Fixes

Basic Causes of “Package Not Found” Error

The “package not found” error in WinPE Sergei Strelec occurs due to several main reasons:

ISO Image Mounting Issues
WinPE Sergei Strelec has a specific feature - it reads programs directly from the disk, so if the ISO image is not mounted properly, the system cannot find the necessary program files. As users note on forums, when booting through Ventoy or other bootloaders, a common situation occurs where “the file is missing because the ISO is not mounted after OS boot” source.

Boot Mode Mismatch
Strelec WinPE builds are designed to work in both Legacy and UEFI modes, but may require different boot parameters. The error can occur if you try to boot a 64-bit version in 32-bit UEFI mode or vice versa source.

Program Shortcut Reloading Issues
After driver installation, the system should reload program shortcuts, but this process may not work correctly, especially when using a non-standard boot method source.

Step-by-Step Solutions

Method 1: Using the imdisk mounting utility

1. Boot into WinPE Sergei Strelec
2. Mount the ISO image using the imdisk utility
3. Run the minstall utility (minimal program set installer)
4. After installation, reload the program shortcuts

Important: As noted in Ventoy discussions, “when you are booted to the desktop, you will get error messages. Ignore them, open your Ventoy disk and go to the folder where all ISOs are stored. Mount the Strelec ISO using imdisk, then run the minstall utility or double-click ‘recreate program shortcuts’” source.

Method 2: Manual shortcut reloading

1. After booting WinPE, open File Explorer
2. Find the programs folder (usually Programs or similar)
3. Run the Reload Shortcuts or Recreate Shortcuts file
4. Wait for the process to complete

Method 3: Using the correct boot parameter

1. During boot, select the “Search and run winload.exe” option
2. This parameter allows the system to boot directly, bypassing the bootloader and BCD
3. This method is especially useful for modern UEFI systems source

Proper USB Flash Drive Preparation

Formatting and Writing

Correct File System:

• For Legacy mode: NTFS or FAT32
• For UEFI mode: FAT32 is mandatory
• The partition size should be sufficient to accommodate the ISO image

Writing Tools:

• Rufus (with correct settings)
• Ventoy (recommended for modern systems)
• UltraISO
• Win32DiskImager

Boot Settings

Disabling Secure Boot:

• As you have already done, Secure Boot should be disabled
• After working with WinPE, it can be re-enabled

Boot Mode:

• Verify that the boot mode (UEFI/Legacy) matches your hardware
• For older systems use Legacy, for newer ones use UEFI

Alternative WinPE Boot Methods

Using Ventoy

Ventoy allows you to boot ISO images directly from a USB drive without mounting:

1. Install Ventoy on your USB flash drive
2. Copy the Sergei Strelec ISO to the flash drive
3. When booting, select Ventoy and the desired ISO
4. Advantage: no manual mounting required source

Using GRUB

For advanced users, you can add Sergei Strelec to the GRUB bootloader:

menuentry "Sergei Strelec WinPE" {
    insmod part_gpt
    insmod fat
    set root='hd0,gpt4'
    chainloader /efi/boot/bootx64.efi
}

Source

Using agFM

For 32-bit UEFI booting, you can use agFM:

• “I can load the Strelec 2020 ISO using agFM and uefi32”
• This method is especially useful for systems with limited UEFI support source

Version and Compatibility Checking

Version Issues

The “package not found” error can occur due to:

Version Incompatibilities:

• Older WinPE versions may not work correctly with new hardware
• Some programs in the build may be “stubs” instead of real utilities
• As noted in the build description: “The SSTR/MInst/Portable/Antivirus folder contains stubs instead of SmartFix Tool. You need to download the latest version and replace the stubs” source

Updates and Patches:

• Use the latest build versions from the official website
• Install update patches for your version
• Password for archives: strelec

Hardware Compatibility

Modern Hardware Support:

• WinPE 11-10 Sergei Strelec is based on Microsoft WinPE 10 and WinPE 11
• Supports modern hardware and Windows filesystem features
• Includes UEFI boot mode and GPT partition support source

Common Errors and Their Fixes

Error with reboot after HP logo

Problem: “USB drive with Sergei Strelec boots fine on desktop but won’t boot on HP laptop. It loads files, HP logo appears, loading circle appears, then reboots back to Windows Boot Manager” source.

Solution:

• Try disabling Fast Boot in BIOS
• Check memory settings in BIOS
• Use an older WinPE version

Driver Issues

Problem: After installing drivers, the system cannot find programs.

Solution:

• Manually install drivers for your hardware
• Use universal drivers from WinPE
• Check driver compatibility with your WinPE version

Filesystem Issues

Problem: Flash drive is formatted as FAT32 but still doesn’t work.

Solution:

• For large ISO images (>4GB) use NTFS or exFAT
• Ensure the boot partition is correctly formatted
• Check ISO integrity after downloading

Sources

1. How to correctly run WinPE Sergei Strelec? — Habr Q&A
2. Boot WinPE needs to read from drive · Issue #40 · ventoy/Ventoy
3. Adding 32-bit options to Strelec WinPE — RMPrepUSB
4. Problems booting Strelec WinPE? — Easy2Boot Forum
5. WinPE 10-8 Sergei Strelec ? — Ventoy Forums
6. WinPE x64 Description » Sergei Strelec
7. WinPE 11-10 Sergei Strelec 2025.09.29 (x64) – FC Portables
8. Windows — Add Sergei Strelec’s WinPE to existing Usb boot UEFI for W10 setup — Super User
9. How can I add the latest Sergei Strelec iso as a boot option in Grub? — Ask Ubuntu
10. Sergei Strelec won’t boot on my shitty HP Laptop, any ideas why? — Reddit

Conclusion

The main causes of the “package not found” error in WinPE Sergei Strelec are related to improper ISO image mounting, boot mode mismatches, and program shortcut reloading issues. To resolve the problem, use the imdisk mounting utility and run minstall, check the boot mode (UEFI/Legacy) or use alternative boot methods through Ventoy. Always check version compatibility with your hardware and use the latest build updates. If the problem persists, try an older WinPE version or alternative bootloaders.