pwlauncher.exe

File Path: C:\Windows\system32\pwlauncher.exe
Description: Windows To Go Startup Options Command Line Tool

Hashes

Type	Hash
MD5	`0B80CF2D0B14393D604E1B3F45B533D3`
SHA1	`5989C4F77687AB0D412C3B732E018E6B72D4EF94`
SHA256	`20BD575E31804C52D7EDC3A6298ABA504878D31DF549D3FC82FE7A99EE9A966E`
SHA384	`F540532EE9BD6E0377C2DFB6AF60441F890D2CCBDB62FB8AE25FD658D58A7FFBDA8D093A1C8721CEA695F8AE6913FF7F`
SHA512	`DA277637BDE52D14B6E37BD3B2C9C9B90C774CA7F9D08561249B3F1651CB670446759111015BF9D8AEA5D41B013D2B440C703AC83F309888AB7DE1BE3634A0A7`
SSDEEP	`768:3tosHsyociq2KK0Mqqvgz1QoL7JTHcs7z9JGBphb7idM8UOa5:dosHr3f7g+QoHx8s7z94Bzb7yNUO6`
IMP	`10E2E3C83FAD470F2219B3E8C8A1881E`
PESHA1	`4107D3F04AD8247594DC1696582A19DE23D283C4`
PE256	`7B5823CCE9EDE541ADA4A1881153D454CF6A0D45BD56C62F212B51CB88E53DCD`

Runtime Data

Usage (stdout):

pwlauncher.exe - Windows To Go startup options command-line tool.

The pwlauncher.exe command-line tool is used to query or change your Windows To
Go startup options.

pwlauncher [/enable | /disable]

    <<no parameter>>    Display the current state.

    /enable             Enable the startup option.

    /disable            Disable the startup option.

Loaded Modules:

Path
C:\Windows\System32\KERNEL32.DLL
C:\Windows\System32\KERNELBASE.dll
C:\Windows\SYSTEM32\ntdll.dll
C:\Windows\system32\pwlauncher.exe

Signature

Status: Signature verified.
Serial: 3300000266BD1580EFA75CD6D3000000000266
Thumbprint: A4341B9FD50FB9964283220A36A1EF6F6FAA7840
Issuer: CN=Microsoft Windows Production PCA 2011, O=Microsoft Corporation, L=Redmond, S=Washington, C=US
Subject: CN=Microsoft Windows, O=Microsoft Corporation, L=Redmond, S=Washington, C=US

File Metadata

Original Filename: pwlauncher.exe.mui
Product Name: Microsoft Windows Operating System
Company Name: Microsoft Corporation
File Version: 10.0.19041.1 (WinBuild.160101.0800)
Product Version: 10.0.19041.1
Language: English (United States)
Legal Copyright: Microsoft Corporation. All rights reserved.
Machine Type: 64-bit

File Scan

VirusTotal Detections: 0/73
VirusTotal Link: https://www.virustotal.com/gui/file/20bd575e31804c52d7edc3a6298aba504878d31df549d3fc82fe7a99ee9a966e/detection

Additional Info*

*The information below is copied from MicrosoftDocs, which is maintained by Microsoft. Available under CC BY 4.0 license.

pwlauncher

Enables or disables the Windows To Go Startup Options (pwlauncher). The pwlauncher command-line tool allows you to configure the computer to boot into a Windows To Go workspace automatically (assuming one is present), without requiring you to enter your firmware or change your startup options.

Windows To Go Startup Options allow a user to configure their computer to boot from USB from within Windows-without ever entering their firmware, as long as their firmware supports booting from USB. Enabling a system to always boot from USB first has implications that you should consider. For example, a USB device that includes malware could be booted inadvertently to compromise the system, or multiple USB drives could be plugged in to cause a boot conflict. For this reason, the default configuration has the Windows To Go Startup Options disabled by default. In addition, administrator privileges are required to configure Windows To Go Startup Options. If you enable the Windows To Go startup options using the pwlauncher command-line tool or the Change Windows To Go Startup Options app the computer will attempt to boot from any USB device that is inserted into the computer before it is started.

Syntax

pwlauncher {/enable | /disable}

Parameters

Parameter	Description
/enable	Enables Windows To Go startup options, so the computer will automatically boot from a USB device when present.
/disable	Disables Windows To Go startup options, so the computer can’t be booted from a USB device unless configured manually in the firmware.
/?	Displays help at the command prompt.

Examples

To enable boot from USB:

pwlauncher /enable

Additional References

Command-Line Syntax Key