You point the software to the Windows partition on your hard drive.
The software didn’t just mount the corrupted VHDX. It sensed the hardware mismatch. The original backup had been made on an old Dell PowerEdge with an LSI 9211-8i controller. The current server used a newer HP Smart Array P420i. Different chips. Different firmware. Different geometry.
It operates as a bootable ISO, meaning it does not require an existing Windows installation on the machine to function. Key Technical Insights Recovery Base Windows Preinstallation Environment (WinPE) Primary Use Case
The compact size of the ISO image (110MB) made it easy to store and transport the recovery CD.
