UWFMgr Technical Reference (Standard 8)

  • Article

7/8/2014

Review the technical reference for Unified Writer Filter manager (UWFMgr) in Windows Embedded 8 Standard (Standard 8).

This command-line tool configures and retrieves settings for Unified Write Filter (UWF).

Important

Users with an account can use commands that retrieve information, but only users who have administrator accounts can use commands that change the configuration settings.

Syntax

uwfmgr.exe
    Help | ?
    Get-Config
    Filter
        Help | ?
        Enable
        Disable
        Enable-HORM
        Disable-HORM
        Reset-Settings
    Volume
        Help | ?
        Get-Config {<volume> | all}
        Protect {<volume> | all}
        Unprotect <volume>
    File
        Help | ?
        Get-Exclusions {<volume> | all}
        Add-Exclusion <file>
        Remove-Exclusion <file>
        Commit <file>
    Registry
        Help | ?
        Get-Exclusions
        Add-Exclusion <key>
        Remove-Exclusion <key>
        Commit <key> <value>
    Overlay
        Help | ?
        Get-Config
        Get-AvailableSpace
        Get-Consumption
        Get-Files {<drive> | <volume>}
        Set-Size <size>
        Set-Type {RAM | DISK}
        Set-WarningThreshold <size>
        Set-CriticalThreshold <size>
    Servicing
        Enable
        Disable
        Update-Windows
        Get-Config
        Help

Where to Find Uwfmgr

Uwfmgr can be found under the %WINDIR%\System32\ folder.

Command-Line Options and Parameters

Help | ?

Displays command-line help for basic parameters for UWFMGR.EXE.

Get-Config

Displays UWF configuration settings for the current and next session.

Filter

Configures basic UWF settings.

  • Enable
    Enables UWF protection for the next session after a system restart.
  • Disable
    Disables UWF protection for the next session after a system restart.
  • Enable-HORM
    Enables Hibernate Once/Resume Many (HORM) immediately.
  • Disable-HORM
    Disables HORM immediately.
  • Reset-Settings
    Restores UWF settings to the original state that was captured at install time.

Volume

Configures settings for volumes protected by UWF.

  • Help | ?
    Displays command-line help for the uwfmgr.exe volume command.
  • Get-Config {<volume> | all}
    Displays configuration settings and file exclusions for the specified volume, or all volumes if all is specified. Displays information for both the current and the next session.
  • Protect {<volume> | all}
    Adds the specified volume to the list of volumes that are protected by UWF. UWF starts protecting the volume after the next system restart where UWF filtering is enabled.
  • Unprotect<volume>
    Removes the specified volume from the list of volumes that are protected by UWF. UWF stops protecting the volume after the next system restart.

You can specify the <volume> argument in any of the following formats.

Format

Example

Drive letter

uwfmgr.exe volume protect C:

All

uwfmgr.exe volume get-config all

File

Configures file exclusion settings for UWF.

  • Help | ?
    Displays command-line help for the uwfmgr.exe file command.
  • Get-Exclusions {<volume> | all}
    Displays all files and directories in the exclusion list for the specified volume, or all volumes if all is specified. Displays information for both the current and the next session.
  • Add-Exclusion<file>
    Adds the specified file to the file exclusion list of the volume protected by UWF. UWF starts excluding the file from filtering after the next system restart.
  • Remove-Exclusion<file>
    Removes the specified file from the file exclusion list of the volume protected by UWF. UWF stops excluding the file from filtering after the next system restart.

  • Commit<file>
    Commits changes to a specified file to overlay for a UWF-protected volume.

    Administrator-level permissions are required to use this command.

    Note

    The uwfmgr.exe file commit command fails after HORM is disabled.

The <file> parameter must be fully qualified, including the volume and path. UWFMGR.EXE uses the volume specified in the <file> parameter to determine which volume contains the file exclusion list for the file.

Registry

Configures registry key exclusion settings for UWF.

  • Help | ?
    Displays command-line help for the uwfmgr.exe registry command.
  • Get-Exclusions
    Displays all registry keys in the registry exclusion list. Displays information for both the current and the next session.
  • Add-Exclusion<key>
    Adds the specified registry key to the registry exclusion list for UWF. UWF starts excluding the registry key from filtering after the next system restart.
  • Remove-Exclusion<key>
    Removes the specified registry key from the registry exclusion list for UWF. UWF stops excluding the registry key from filtering after the next system restart.

  • Commit<key> <value>
    Commits changes to the specified key and value.

    Administrator-level permissions are required to use this command.

    Note

    The uwfmgr.exe registry commit command fails after HORM is disabled.

Overlay

Configures settings for the UWF overlay.

  • Help | ?
    Displays command-line help for the uwfmgr.exe overlay command.
  • Get-Config
    Displays configuration settings for the UWF overlay. Displays information for both the current and the next session.
  • Get-AvailableSpace
    Displays the amount of space remaining that is available for the UWF overlay.
  • Get-Consumption
    Displays the amount of space currently used by the UWF overlay.

  • Get-Files{<drive> | <volume>}
    Returns a list of files of a volume that were cached in UWF overlay.

    The volume can be specified by either drive letter or volume name.

    Administrator-level permissions are required to use this command.

    Note

    This command is intended to be used as a diagnostic tool. For more information about specific limitations and conditions when using the uwfmgr.exe overlay get-files command, see the Remarks section in the equivalent GetOverlayFiles method topic in the UWF WMI Provider technical reference.

  • Set-Size<size>
    Sets the maximum size of the UWF overlay, in MB, for the next session after a system restart.
  • Set-Type{RAM | DISK}
    Sets the type of the overlay storage to RAM-based or disk-based. UWF must be disabled in the current session to set the overlay type to disk-based.
  • Set-WarningThreshold<size>
    Sets the overlay size, in MB, at which the driver issues warning notifications for the current session.
  • Set-CriticalThreshold<size>
    Sets the overlay size, in MB, at which the driver issues critical notifications for the current session.

Servicing

Configures settings for UWF servicing mode.

  • Enable
    Enables servicing mode in the next session after a restart.

    Administrator-level permissions are required to use this command.

  • Disable
    Disables UWF servicing mode in the next session after a restart.

    Administrator-level permissions are required to use this command.

  • Update-Windows
    Stand-alone command to apply Windows updates to a device. Called by the master servicing script that is called by the uwfmgr.exe servicing enable command. We recommend that you use the uwfmgr.exe servicing enable command to service your UWF–protected device whenever possible.

    Administrator-level permissions are required to use this command.

  • Get-Config
    Displays UWF servicing mode information for the current session and the next session.
  • Help
    Displays usage and help information for UWF servicing mode.

See Also

Concepts

Unified Write Filter Reference
Unified Write Filter (UWF) Overview