Which free tool can I use to remove unwanted components/languages from a Windows 7 install.wim ? I want a tool which actually physically removes the files so that the size of the install.wim is reduced and the installation footprint is also less. I am not interested in tools which are just a GUI wrapper for DISM and offer component removal. I think these tools use the official/standard dism commands to remove components which actually does not reduce the size of the installation footprint.
That tool is called brain. You need to export the wim after the component removal or it will be even larger than before
Which is better ? Component removal after integrating updates(simplix) or before integrating updating ?
Looks like NTLIte and Winreducer are the only tools which seem to have a large database of components that can be removed. NTLite works very well, however lot of components are disabled in the free version. Winreducer has an annoying popup in the free version. However it works only on offline windows(i.e mounting a install.wim) NTLite works on an online OS as for component removal.