Slimming Down 8.1 (non vlite etc method)

Discussion in 'Windows 8' started by RanCorX2, Sep 12, 2015.

  1. RanCorX2

    RanCorX2 MDL Addicted

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    #1 RanCorX2, Sep 12, 2015
    Last edited by a moderator: Apr 20, 2017
  2. Mustafa Can

    Mustafa Can MDL Member

    Jul 6, 2011
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    You can use Code tag instead of quote tag. This way none of the code will turn into smileys.
     
  3. RanCorX2

    RanCorX2 MDL Addicted

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    ah, cheers man.
     
  4. spidernz

    spidernz MDL Senior Member

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    #4 spidernz, Sep 14, 2015
    Last edited: Sep 14, 2015
    Will be following this, as i'm looking to do the same.

    Portable apps are sooo good!
    Installs and Ready state is now an hour or 2 rather than a whole day. I only hope more and more apps continue moving to or add probability options

    A suggestion would b to have comments within your bat files for each section.
    As the scripts get larger, its easier to know what sections do what and remove what.
     
  5. kronflux

    kronflux MDL Member

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  6. BitsnBytes

    BitsnBytes MDL Novice

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    Great post, there is a tool called Win Toolkit v1.5.3.21, last updated in Feb 2015 that does this too some extent.[h=1][/h]
     
  7. RanCorX2

    RanCorX2 MDL Addicted

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    #7 RanCorX2, Sep 21, 2015
    Last edited: Sep 21, 2015
    (OP)
    yeah wintoolkit it good but doesn't do online removal does it? it's for making a small iso if i'm correct?

    i just cleaned my winsxs some more, got it down to 4.5gb

    will post my winsxs cleanup batch files soon, just creating some new batch files.
    i've labeled the sections, but folder/file names are pretty good at telling you what they are.

    removed a few more windows features;

    media foundation (if using mpc you only need mfplat.dll in the mpc folder(s) x86/x64)
    windows media format (i keep a copy of evr.dll x86/x64 in my mpc folder(s) and register it) though i use madvr, but having a alternative is handy.
    legacy components (i just put the dplay files in a folder with a dx9 redist and copy to system32/syswow64) or game directory

    windows help, never used it, think the last time i touch windows help was on xp...

    for the component removal batch files, most of the packages are self explanatory in their names.
    most of them i looked up via searches, the ones with odd names like Microsoft-Windows-Client-EEFContainer-Base-Package
    took a bit longer to find out what they might be, from what i could find was references to windows embedded, so i removed it, no bsods or errors, so i consider that a success :)

    what i've found annoying, terminal services is buried deep into the os, still haven't found out how to get rid of some files like;

    TSDDD.dll
    workerdd.dll

    which are display drivers for terminal services, you'd think with terminal services disabled they aren't required, but nope, you get a bsod about driver init failure on booting if you move them.
    i found their registery keys, tried changing tsddd.dll to basicdisplay for the hell of it and rebooted, no bsod but the other file is still in use....

    so given up on that for now, i managed to remove 98% of the terminal services / rdp files, a few files stop windows from booting though or cause a long login and then a blank desktop for a minute or two.


    i'll just say again, what i'm posting here is really only useful to those who don't require;

    metro apps
    metro search
    immersive control panel (i turn of all the metro stuff before removing the cpl)
    ie11
    wmp
    media centre
    media foundation
    windows media / streaming
    office
    windows mail
    remote desktop / remote assistance / terminal services
    IIS (web server)
    tablet features / mobility centre

    etc etc

    if you are just using a pc for;

    work, movies / tv, gaming you'll be fine. (assuming you are portable app user)
    if not, you'd need to tailor the batches to your needs.
     
  8. RanCorX2

    RanCorX2 MDL Addicted

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    #8 RanCorX2, Sep 22, 2015
    Last edited by a moderator: Apr 20, 2017
    (OP)
  9. RanCorX2

    RanCorX2 MDL Addicted

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    feel free to check the mediafire link, i've uploaded my first lot of batch files, the feature removal ones are revised with new stuff to remove.

    a 9th one will be added later.
     
  10. RanCorX2

    RanCorX2 MDL Addicted

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  11. RanCorX2

    RanCorX2 MDL Addicted

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    will be revising a few batches soon, removed something i wanted to keep.

    started on system32 & syswow64 cleanup, backed up around 500+ files so far totalling 280mb.

    also started driver cleanup, still testing.
     
  12. n1hilist

    n1hilist MDL Novice

    Sep 18, 2012
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    RanCorX2, thanks for your hard work, love the work you're doing. I've been using Nlite, NTlite etc myself for quite a long time.. as well as doing my own modding. When I was searching online to find out some of the component names your batch files would remove I found this list, don't know if it's helpful to you at all?

    pastebin.com /uWXWVSN9

    (sorry, new here, been lurking for ages .. can't post links yet) heh!

    It'd be nice (if you're willing, have time of course) to comment some of the less obvious lines. I might be willing to help out with that too, ie: commenting what the components are, what they may break etc so users could tailor the batch files to their liking and know better what the risks are :)
     
  13. RanCorX2

    RanCorX2 MDL Addicted

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    #13 RanCorX2, Oct 3, 2015
    Last edited: Oct 4, 2015
    (OP)
    nice list, will come in handy, about commenting sections, i'll probably do that later, when i've finalised all the batches and tested as much as i can.

    i've been commenting the sections in the non dism batches like for winsxs;

    language files, ime etc.
     
  14. RanCorX2

    RanCorX2 MDL Addicted

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    #14 RanCorX2, Oct 8, 2015
    Last edited by a moderator: Apr 20, 2017
    (OP)
  15. Mustafa Can

    Mustafa Can MDL Member

    Jul 6, 2011
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    @RanCorX2

    Can you run windows update on the slimmed installation? Did it fail any updates?

    Did you remove Metro apps? You can do it with:
    Get a list of installed metro apps:
    dism /Image:mount /Get-ProvisionedAppxPackages

    Remove them with:
    dism /Image:mount /Remove-ProvisionedAppxPackage /PackageName:
     
  16. RanCorX2

    RanCorX2 MDL Addicted

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    yes, but obviously a load of updates won't apply due to the removed features.
     
  17. RanCorX2

    RanCorX2 MDL Addicted

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    making things easier for myself, downgraded to 8.1 N, slightly less to remove, i also used win8reducer to slim down my install and did a refresh install.

    seeing as all i use my pc for is;

    some photoshop
    watching videos
    listening to music
    some gaming but not a lot
    web browsing / email

    nothing else, no special activities like remote desktop, developing apps, networking etc...

    so i can get rid of loads of stuff.
     
  18. RanCorX2

    RanCorX2 MDL Addicted

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    will be revising the batch files for windows folder cleanup. don't use the ones i uploaded.

    currant cleanup total: 733mb, 2,919 files. C:\Windows and sub folders.

    categorizing the files now into the following;

    modern core
    ie11
    related to disabled features
    related to removed features (removed as in by wim tweak after a fresh install, also leftovers that win8reduce / ntlite did not remove)
    3rd party (like intel drivers etc)
    the rest (misc)

    made myself a slimmed down 8.1 install bootable from usb stick.

    i used win8reducer first to remove;

    services
    components
    features

    then i chose the options to cleanup winsxs and compress winsxs.

    i then opened the image in ntlite and removed stuff win8reducer didn't list further reducing the initial installation. tested. all good.
    i then integrated the latest hotfixes, had to sort them out as 50+ were now na.
    tested, all good.

    in place upgrade did not work when installing the updated iso, a fresh install had to be done.

    notable improvements;

    faster login, restart and shutdown.

    notes;

    windows firewall no longer works. no prob for me, router has built in firewall.
    but if you take your laptop out i suggest the following tiny apps;

    soft perfect personal firewall
    private firewall
    anti net cut
     
  19. RanCorX2

    RanCorX2 MDL Addicted

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    small update;

    Windows

    1,781 files moved (excluding system folders
    406mb
    24 folders, containg 145 folders

    System32

    22 folders moved - containing 147 folders - 462 files - 158mb
    876 files moved - 337mb

    SysWOW64

    18 folders moved - containing 69 folders - 154 files - 24.1mb
    639 files moved - 196mb

    Total Space Recovered - 1.43gb

    core functions still active

    audio
    video
    internet

    no problems to report. still testing.
     
  20. zylor

    zylor MDL Junior Member

    Feb 25, 2012
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    Looking forward for it :D

    Can't wait until everything is stable as it should be! Please update OP when you can with new batch's :D