Slimdown11 – turn Windows 11 or LTSC 2024 into classic/legacy Windows

The error I get is the classic 'A media driver your computer needs is missing' (missing media driver) right at the beginning of the setup screen.

As for the version, I am using the script to compile a Windows 11 PRO and Enterprise 25H2 (Build 27686 / 8737) ISO image.

To recap: the exact same compiled ISO installs flawlessly with Rufus, but fails with this driver error specifically when booted via Ventoy."

 

Which version of the script you used to create the modified ISO? What is the version number?

 

I used version 16.6

 

Replace 2xH2_Creator_16.6.cmd with the attached file and give it another try. If you have any errors let me know.

 

Use the original iso image.
Replace ''install.wim'' with the newly created ''install.wim''.

 

Hi everyone,

Thanks for the suggestions!

Regarding the updated script (2xH2_Creator_16.6.cmd): I checked the code, and it seems the only change made was removing the resetbase parameter/naming. I have actually already tested that specific modification before, and unfortunately, it doesn't change the behavior or fix the Ventoy 'missing media driver' error at all.

As for using the original ISO and simply replacing the install.wim with the newly created one: Yes, that method works perfectly! That is exactly how I am successfully installing the system right now via Rufus.

However, my main goal in digging into the code, testing different methods, and checking case-sensitivity wasn't just to get a working installation for myself—it was to help fix the script's integrity as a whole, so it could compile a universally compatible ISO that works out-of-the-box on both Rufus and Ventoy for everybody.

Since the install.wim itself is absolutely perfect, I will keep using the hybrid method for my own setup while we wait for a structural solution regarding Ventoy's path emulation. Thanks again for the support!

 

Have you tested it?
If you have the time and free hardware, please test it...

 

Hi, @SunLion

I was reviewing the script components regarding Edge and WebView2 telemetry blockers, and I wanted to ask your opinion on a specific behavior that might have been accidentally overlooked.

In the script, I noticed these three parts:

1. The DISM component removal:

Code:

"%DISM11%" /english /image:%MT% /Remove-Capability /CapabilityName:Edge.Webview2.Platform~~~~

2. The IFEO block (which is commented out):

Code:

:: reg add "HKLM\TK_SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\Image File Execution Options\MicrosoftEdgeUpdate.exe" /v "Debugger" /t REG_SZ /d "Blocked" /f

3. The Group Policy block (which is active):

Code:

set "EdgeSettings=%EdgeSettings%,InstallDefault,Install{56EB18F8-B008-4CBD-B6D2-8C97FE7E9062},Install{F3017226-FE2A-4295-8BDF-00C3A9A7E4C5},Install{F3C4FE00-EFD5-403B-9569-398A20F1BA4A}"

Even though the second line (IFEO) is commented out with ::, the first and third lines remain fully active. Specifically, the third line injects the Group Policy restrictions (Install{F3017226-...} is the GUID for WebView2) which forces a "Group Policy has been applied" error whenever a user tries to manually install WebView2 post-installation.

I personally have a crucial dependency on WebView2 because I use advanced Excel dashboards that pull live data from the web, and they completely break without it.

I have already commented out all three lines in my local copy, and it perfectly allows post-install WebView2 deployment without breaking the clean OS experience.

Do you think these active blocks were accidentally left enabled while trying to make it optional, or was it an intentional design? Would you consider recommending users to comment them out if they need WebView2 capabilities?

Best regards,

 

This is especially important for your case.

You wrote:

The WebView2 and the Microsoft.MicrosoftEdge.Stable platform are critical dependencies because you use advanced Excel dashboards that retrieve real-time data from the web.
This is perfectly logical.

Modern Excel (Microsoft 365) increasingly uses WebView2 for:
custom dashboards (Task Pane Add-ins);
Office Add-ins;
Power Query;
web components;
authentication through Microsoft;
rendering HTML/JavaScript within Excel.
TikTok

If you remove the platform, things like this may indeed stop working.

What can actually be removed:

EdgeUpdate
Edge Scheduled Tasks
Edge Services
shortcuts
Autostart
Browser

But keep the WebView2 and Microsoft.MicrosoftEdge.Stable platforms.

 

For such apps to work, all three components are usually required:

the SystemApps folder (or the location where the platform is located);
the corresponding AppX package registration;
registry entries related to the package and its registration.

What I would do
I would modify the Edge uninstaller so that it:

uninstalls the Edge browser and everything related to its launch;
blocks Edge Update;
removes shortcuts and autostart;
leaves the Microsoft.MicrosoftEdge.Stable AppX platform alone.
leave WebView2 alone.

This would be a good compromise:

the user won't see Edge as a browser;
the Microsoft Store will remain as compatible as possible;
new apps won't crash due to the missing platform.

 

Hi @sergey130270

I just wanted to drop a quick message to say a huge thank you for your insightful breakdown and guidance regarding the Microsoft Edge and WebView2 architecture. Your advice on finding a "good compromise" was exactly what I needed for my custom Windows 11 optimization project.

Following your exact philosophy, I modified my setup scripts (gorevler.cmd / registry tweaks) to achieve exactly what you described:

1. Kept the Platforms Alive: I carefully removed {F3C4FE00-EFD5-403B-9569-398A20F1BA4A} (WebView2 Runtime) and Microsoft.MicrosoftEdge.Stable from the aggressive removal lists and InboxApplications loops. The AppX platforms are untouched and completely functional.
   
   
2. Blocked the Bloat: I kept the restrictions on UpdateDefault, AutoUpdateCheckPeriodMinutes, and shortcuts active, completely blocking Edge Update from waking up in the background and eliminating unwanted browser shortcuts.
   
   
3. The Result: The hantallık (sluggishness) and the heavy browser interface are completely gone, yet my Excel dashboards and real-time financial tracking tools that rely heavily on WebView2 are running absolutely flawlessly with zero latency. No crashes, no missing platform errors.
   

Your article saved me from breaking critical system dependencies while allowing me to strip away the background noise. Pure engineering gold!

Thanks again for sharing your knowledge with the community

 

@otvertka
Don't forget to comment out this section of the script.

:: --- Explorer execution block: may break Edge/WebView2 recovery and reinstall ---
rem reg add "HKLM\TK_NTUSER\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\Explorer\DisallowRun" /v "2" /t REG_SZ /d "MicrosoftEdgeUpdate.exe" /f

:: --- Remove Microsoft Edge Stable from Appx Applications registry ---
rem for /f %%i in ('reg query "HKLM\TK_SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Appx\AppxAllUserStore\Applications" 2^>NUL ^| findstr /i /C:"Microsoft.MicrosoftEdge.Stable"') do (reg delete "%%i" /f >nul)

 

Hello SunLion. I can send you my script so you can analyze it.

 

First of all, congratulations on achieving full Ventoy compatibility! That’s a huge milestone for the flexibility of this image.

Regarding the Edge and WebView2 compromise, here are the exact modifications I made in the script to completely block the Edge browser while preserving the WebView2 Runtime and Microsoft.MicrosoftEdge.Stable platforms (which are vital for my Excel financial dashboards and real-time data feeds):

1. Stripping WebView2 and Stable Edge from the Restriction Array
I removed {F3C4FE00-EFD5-403B-9569-398A20F1BA4A} (WebView2) and {56EB18F8-B008-4CBD-B6D2-8C97FE7E9062} (Stable Edge) from the EdgeSettings blockage loops so that only Beta/Preview versions are restricted, and the main installation isn't completely blocked:

Code:

:: Kept general update/shortcut restrictions but removed WebView2 & Stable Edge GUIDs
set "EdgeSettings=CreateDesktopShortcutDefault,AutoUpdateCheckPeriodMinutes,UpdaterExperimentationAndConfigurationServiceControl"
set "EdgeSettings=%EdgeSettings%,EdgePreview{F3017226-FE2A-4295-8BDF-00C3A9A7E4C5}"
set "EdgeSettings=%EdgeSettings%,UpdateDefault,Update{F3017226-FE2A-4295-8BDF-00C3A9A7E4C5}"

And in the lower block that targets task schedules/services, I kept only the Beta GUID:

Code:

:: Only Edge Beta/Preview is restricted here
set "EdgeSettings={F3017226-FE2A-4295-8BDF-00C3A9A7E4C5}"

2. Preserving the Provisioned AppX Package
In the section where provisioned apps are uninstalled from the registry, I commented out the line that deprovisions the Stable platform:

Code:

:: rem reg add "HKLM\TK_SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Appx\AppxAllUserStore\Deprovisioned\Microsoft.MicrosoftEdge.Stable_8wekyb3d8bbwe" /f

3. Modifying the InboxApplications Loop
In the InboxApplications removal loop, I completely deleted the MicrosoftEdge.Stable line so the loop skips it while still cleaning out other bloatware like BingWeather, Solitaire, etc.:

Code:

for %%i in (
BingWeather
GetHelp
Getstarted
MicrosoftOfficeHub
MicrosoftSolitaireCollection
QuickAssist
WindowsFeedbackHub
) do ( ... )

4. Commenting Out the Fatal Cleanup & Policy Blocks
Following your excellent advice, I also made sure these two blocks are commented out (rem) to prevent the system from breaking the update policy and wiping the registered AppX entries:

Code:

:: --- Explorer execution block: commented out to avoid breaking background recovery ---
rem reg add "HKLM\TK_NTUSER\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\Explorer\DisallowRun" /v "2" /t REG_SZ /d "MicrosoftEdgeUpdate.exe" /f

:: --- Remove Microsoft Edge Stable from Appx Applications registry ---
rem for /f %%i in ('reg query "HKLM\TK_SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Appx\AppxAllUserStore\Applications" 2^>NUL ^| findstr /i /C:"Microsoft.MicrosoftEdge.Stable"') do (reg delete "%%i" /f >nul)

By separating these lines exactly as written, I believe the script will successfully remove the Edge browser’s interface, shortcuts, and annoying background behavior, while leaving the underlying WebView2 engine 100% intact and functional. By the way, @sergey130270 was very helpful—in fact, this is all his work. Thank you.



Quick Suggestion for the Script Workflow:

Since you mentioned making this an optional feature, do you think it would be possible to implement a dynamic user prompt (Yes/No choices) at the beginning of the script?

Something like:

• "Remove Microsoft Edge Browser Interface? [Y/N]" $\rightarrow$ If Yes, it kills the shortcuts, the main edge.exe app, and updates.
  
  
• "Remove WebView2 Runtime Platform? [Y/N]" $\rightarrow$ If No, it automatically skips the GUIDs and the AppX loops we discussed above, keeping the background engine alive for modern apps and Excel data feeds.
  

Having these two as separate toggle questions during the execution would make this script incredibly flexible for everyone—whether they want a 100% stripped-down OS or a performance build that still preserves app compatibility.

What do you think?

 

That sounds great! I’m really glad to hear we’re on the same page.
Once you’ve finished making your changes, I’m fully ready to test the new script. I’ve always preferred using Windows Enterprise editions for my installations, and I’d be happy to support you by conducting extensive testing on my own system.
My ideal setup will be a perfect testing environment for this new approach:
Microsoft Edge completely removed
WebView2 Platform untouched and active
Windows Defender left unmodified (I disable it using my own scripts)
I believe it will be a solid build with all your other great standard optimizations applied.
Once the script is ready, I’ll create the ISO file and install it via Ventoy, then run my live financial data feeds and Excel dashboards to verify 100% stability and compatibility.
I’m eagerly awaiting your update. When you’re ready, I’m ready too!
Best regards,

 

@SunLion
First time ive used the win 11script in a while, finding the uwp apps are not updating nor installing, I also don't see them in the script directories?
I chose modern calc though not installing?
See log