hey dobbelina, i got the Export-System-Packages.zip and i saved the pages of this topic, ran the tool on w7 x64. holy crap, this is just what i have been looking for. see, i use dismgui 4 and to remove packages from an iso it asks for a package cab file, i search the mounted iso and couldnt find them. i can find them now, as long as i create them 1st. HA! big thank you to you and anyone who contributed to this project.
in the Creators update removing certain packages breaks the Start menu - greyed out, unusable! Also some odd behavior running batch scripts with cmd window going crazy. I think it's one related to Cortana as it is integrated more deeply than previous releases. tested on Pro and Enterprise, reinstalled a few times = same result. removing all through MSMG toolkit = same result + lots of system hangs.
Now that's interesting. I thought ShellExperienceHost was required for system operation because in all my attempts to remove SEH from the system the result was any combination of it completely breaks right click menus, the taskbar, the Settings application, or Windows not completing the OOBE.
You either need a finish setup reg/cmd file or to remove the packages after install. The OOBE is just a few reg keys and creation of the username. Spoiler Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00 [HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Setup\State] "ImageState"="IMAGE_STATE_COMPLETE" [HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\Setup] "SetupPhase"=dword:00000000 "SetupType"=dword:00000000 "OOBEInProgress"=dword:00000000 [HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\Setup\Status\ChildCompletion] "oobeldr.exe"=dword:00000003 "SetupFinalTasks"=dword:00000003 [HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\Setup\Timers\OobeBootPerf] "StartLow"=dword:ee3f4a6f "StartHigh"=dword:01d16b34 "StopLow"=dword:aa04f836 "StopHigh"=dword:01d16b35 [HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\Setup\Timers\OobeCmdPerf] "StartLow"=dword:0841a3a7 "StartHigh"=dword:01d16b35 "StopLow"=dword:956f7fdf "StopHigh"=dword:01d16b35 [HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\Setup\Timers\OobeExePerf] "StartLow"=dword:0846686d "StartHigh"=dword:01d16b35 "StopLow"=dword:aa02967b "StopHigh"=dword:01d16b35 Spoiler net user defaultuser 1234 /add net localgroup administrators defaultuser /add reg import FinishSetup.reg netsh advfirewall reset shutdown /r /t 0 Shell experience host is needed for calendar, right click on taskbar and a couple of small things. You can live without the start menu but IMO the "other things" add up.
You are right - I didn't notice those effects until later, especially the Taskbar getting suck when I minimized running games. I'll edit the guide. I also re-installed Edge, but when it comes to re-installing these SystemApps, you cannot do it with PowerShell because the actual provisioned repository for user and all users gets destroyed if follow the guide. I had to make an image-backup of the current state of my OS with broken Start UI, re-load previous backup-image, and use SxSExpander to extract ShellExperienceHost package in CAB form and then restore the other (newest) backup-image and install those CAB files. I did not expect it to work, but it did! I also restored Edge that way because I watch Netflix and only Netflix App, Edge, and IE11 can play Netflix 1080p content at 1080p. I tried IE11 first, but it was kind of stuttery and Edge performed much better. When installing accidentally-removed components like Edge and ShellExperienceHost, be absolutely sure to have vital AppX Services enabled, including the AppXSVC, ClipSVC, License Manager, State Repository, Tile Data Model Server, Time Broker, Token Broker, and Update-related services enabled. Otherwise they won't register in the AppRepository SQL database. EDIT: I changed the guide to include ShellExperienceHost and CAB extraction information.
I already go without the native start menu because I nuke Cortana and its affiliated packages from orbit and install StartIsBack++. The other things, however, I need because I use right click menus and the taskbar regularly.
That is why you should first follow the guide to create a custom ISO with as much of that stuff removed and when you remove Cortana that way, it does not break the Start UI, and there are ways to remove it from currently installed image/OS without Start UI breaking - the NSudo + CBSEnum, but there is a small chance it will not work. The problem is not the Start UI, but the fact that it affects Taskbar and if you Alt+Tab in games wit a broken Taskhar, it can get stuck and literally require you to restart your PC to make it go away.
I mean I still had right click on the taskbar... just it was the gray unskinned menu: close and something else. Alt tab still worked. I had removed cortana and windows search but now I just remove cortana and leave the latter and shell experience host.
Hmm... I could very much right-click and see the proper menu with ShellExperienceHost removed, but again, the taskbar would get stuck when games ran in Borderless Window Mode AND no AppX, like Settings (Immersive Control Panel) would register/appear on taskbar when launched. I was just examining ShellExperienceHost.exe with the latest nightly of Process Hacker, as well as, checked how coupled it is with the rest of the OS using CBSEnum and there is really no way to prevent it from running without causing major UI damage.
What you need to do to get this back working, is to launch regedit as SYTEM/TRUSTEDINSTALLER and search the WHOLE registry for "ShellExperienceHost". Remove ALL references to it you find ANYWHERE in the registry (also from sub-keys which sometimes mention several components in a row, carefully edit those to remove only ShellExperienceHost from these too). Afterward, only the Start Menu + Calendar-Popup (double clicking on the time) is broken, everything else like taskbar and right clicking works just fine still. P.S.: Also make sure to search your whole C:\ drive for *ShellExperienceHost* and remove any files still there (especially in the "SystemApps" folder).
...and there I thought only I could take things this far! Thank you! One issue I have with this is that I gave myself a word I will only take things so far that DISM RestoreHealth and SFC ScanNow pass, but given that my upcoming nifty guide on how to eradicate everything that relates Game Mode and GameDVR involves removal of System files that SFC would restore, I will have to break my promise... At least I know those files can be restored! Will DISM and SFC ScanNow restore all related to ShellExperienceHost? What about other AppX's like Edge? Do they show up on taskbar after removal of all that ShellExperienceHost stuff? I need Edge for Netflix 1080p because the alternative, IE, sucks that much! I also keep AppXSvc disabled which deactivates ShellExperienceHost (still runs though) and makes Start UI grayed-out, but it can be fixed by closing ShellExperienceHost.exe process in Task Manager, which forces it to restart, be active, and then Start UI works.
Why not just uninstall it after removing the isInbox flag in the DB and then search for the reg files. I know I had SFC and health check completing but complaining about missing components it couldn't fix. Those want to restore anything you removed anyway, undoing your entire effort. Its actually good they can't.
It probably won't be able to uninstall it once you remove all the files and registry pertaining to it. I think its the most infused AppX out there and will break a bunch of things. Not to mention, PowerShell CANNOT remove System AppX's - it only deactivates them. You need DISM commands or WIM Tweak or CBSEnum to remove it and even those tools fail to do so. I think the only way to actually remove it properly is to edit Install.wim with MSMG Toolkit to have it removed before installing the OS. I am going to try at some point and let you know, but I spent so much time tweaking this PC to perfection that now I want to relax and play some games that run smoother than ever before!