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What’s adkwinpesetupc12876.exe (Windows Assessment and Deployment Kit Windows Preinstallation Environment Add-ons)? Is it safe or a virus?

adkwinpesetupc12876.exe is an installer for the Windows Preinstallation Environment (Windows PE) add-on, developed by Microsoft. It's part of the Windows Assessment and Deployment Kit (Windows ADK), which provides tools for customizing and deploying Windows operating systems.​

You might have this executable on your machine if you've installed the Windows ADK and then added the Windows PE component. Windows PE is a lightweight version of Windows used for deploying workstations, troubleshooting, or recovering systems. It's commonly utilized by IT professionals and system administrators during large-scale Windows deployments or system recovery processes. The Windows PE add-on is a separate download from the main ADK package and must be installed after the ADK itself.

Researched by Carl @ SpyShelter Labs

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More about adkwinpesetupc12876.exe on WINDOWS

Who makes adkwinpesetupc12876.exe (Windows Assessment and Deployment Kit Windows Preinstallation Environment Add-ons)?

We’ve found Microsoft Corporation should be the publisher of adkwinpesetupc12876.exe.

How do we know? Our SpyShelter cybersecurity labs focuses on monitoring different types of Windows PC executables and their behaviors for our popular SpyShelter Antispyware software. Learn more about us, and how our cybersecurity team studies Windows PC executables/processes.

What does it mean if someone is the publisher of a PC .exe (executable or process)?

The publisher of an executable is the entity responsible for its distribution and authenticity. Most processes/executables on your PC should be signed. The signature on the executable should have been verified through a third party whose job it is to make sure the entity is who it says it is. Find an unsigned executable? You should consider scanning any completely unsigned .exe on your PC.

Last updated: May 7, 2025

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Why should you trust us?

Our team at SpyShelter has been studying Windows PC executables for over 15 years, to help fight against spyware, malware, and other threats. SpyShelter has been featured in publications like The Register, PC Magazine, and many others. Now we’re working to share free, actionable, and easy to understand information about Windows executables (processes) with the world, to help as many people as possible keep their devices safe. Learn more about us on our "About SpyShelter” page.

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