Windows 10: WinRE.wim file missing

I tried to do Windows update from 1803 to 1809 and now my winre.wim file is gone. How do I recreate it?
Description of Problem:
Yesterday I wiped my SSD and reinitialized with GPT (mbr2gpt refused to run on that disk), then created the partitions using script from Microsoft article. I then restored my Boot partition (C drive) from Macrium Image and then used Macrium to fix boot problems. First time I've ever done this and my system booted into Windows OK!
In \Windows\System32\Recovery I found 3 files: winre.wim was there, hidden as a system file.
I was looking at the drive with AOMEI Partition Wizard and noticed that the Recovery partition had not been created. There was 469 MB of free space after the Boot partition, but it was not formatted at all. Strange, but I re-ran the parts of the Microsoft script that applied to it and was able to create the recovery partition.



I was not sure how I was supposed to populate the Recovery partition, so I left it empty.
Then tried to update from Windows 1803 to 1809 - it had failed before and that was one reason for this GPT conversion. Afterwards I see that my only copy of winre.wim, in \Windows\System32\Recovery is gone! And the update still fails, but that's not the topic here.

Questions

• How do I create winre.wim?
• What files should be found in Recovery partition?
• Why does partition #3 exist and why is it unallocated?

:)

 

Compacting a wim file?

Sorry, no idea where to put this. I just recently learned how to use dism. I use it to slipstream all hotfixes and ie10 ect into an AIO install disc. The problem is, it creates a huge install.wim after 8 index mounts and slipstreams. Considering all 8 images use the same darn wim and files, don't know why it has to increase the wim size by 1gig. Either I need to figure out how to use the same wim.install file for all indexes, or I need to compact the wim file which is now 4gbs with ie10 and all updates to April. Any way to do either?

 

Compacting a wim file?

Actually it turns out the answer is the dism that comes with Win8. Using the new Export-Image command, and a simple batch file, was able to compress my AIO wim by several hundred mbs.

 

Convert ESD file to WIM using DISM in Windows 10


I just needed to do it to grab the Winre from a newer ESD ISO(the official one from the release date, instead of the one I had the Friday before).

Just so others know, you need to do these steps if you wish to replace missing or corrupt Windows system files and libraries(.dll)(not so sure about replacing folders though).

*InfoIt must come from a Install .wim and not .esd