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Reducing OS footprint

wimlib-imagex wimlib-clc winsxs_reduce reduce os footprint

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#426 gbrao

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Posted 14 December 2020 - 03:25 AM

...

 

Our fellow wimb is working very hard re-coding his great programs, to do all required to automate as much as possible, the creation of Mini-WinOSs installed on VHDs with this new layout, to let non advanced users also make their own VHDs, capables to Ramboot from USB devices or internal HD, and according with his recent info they will be ready next week.

 

...

 

alacran

In the meanwhile, please provide instructions on how to 'install' g4d4u. Also mention BIOS settings & HDD partition scheme (only GPT ?).



#427 alacran

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Posted 14 December 2020 - 10:50 AM

This version is for UEFI only, on this post there is attached a Tutorial made by liuzhaoyzz that I translated to English:

 

http://reboot.pro/to...e-7#entry217354

 

Info in pictures is in Chinese but you can understand the idea of the subject.

 

alacran


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#428 wimb

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Posted 13 March 2021 - 08:55 AM

In Mini 10x64 then LibreOffice Writer Or Calc crashes when File Open Or Save As ... is used.

 

The FileSelector does not appear due to some missing files in SysWOW64 folder of Mini 10x64.

 

Is it known which SysWOW64 files are missing ?  

 

VHD_WIMBOOT.pdf Updated for using Portable Apps like LibreOffice with Mini 10x64 VHD



#429 wimb

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Posted 13 March 2021 - 01:18 PM

LibreOffice FileSect failure soved by adding 3 extra SysWOW64 files

\Windows\SysWOW64\Windows.UI.FileExplorer.dll
\Windows\SysWOW64\Windows.FileExplorer.Common.dll
\Windows\SysWOW64\wpdshext.dll

Download: Win_Reduce_Trusted-40

 

ProcMon shows SysWOW64 files used on FileSelect in LibreOfficeWriter

 

Attached File  ProcMon_FileSelect_LibreOffice_2021-03-13_145742.jpg   431.17KB   1 downloads


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#430 alacran

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Posted 06 May 2021 - 08:10 AM

Remote image capture and deploy by means of Mini10x64.vhd and TeamViewerPortable.

 

As many of us have a close friend or a relative that is not an advanced user, I have being running some tests to make a image or re-deploy it on a remote system:

 

Procedure:

  • The target machine needs an extra partition (or a fast and bootable USB device) with enough space to hold the secondary OS or VHD, the backup image(s) and some additional files/folders.
  • A secondary OS as Mini10x64.vhd (or Mini8 VHD or Mini7 VHD) running on the target machine.
  • TeamViewerPortable running from the VHD on the target machine.
  • TeamViewerPortable running on our machine.
  • Once remotely connected to the target PC, run (from a folder into it) Wimlib-clc or WinNTSetup to capture/deploy the image.

 

You can download TeamViewerPortable (free for personal use) almost at the bottom of this page: https://www.teamview...t=1620288482137

 

It is pretty obvious a WinPE could do the work too, but I'm assuming the user in troubles is not an advanced user, and especially if using WIFI, it will be hard for he/she to connect to internet.

 

So far I have tested this procedure by WIFI between 2 PCs at home, and it works flawlessly, so as long as the internet connection do not fail it should be safe.

 

Of course there is always the risk of a internet connection failure, so use it at your own risk.

 

This procedure works from 7 to 10 as I have already tested.

 

NOTE: Mini10x64.vhd requires:  \Windows\SysWOW64\Magnification.dll. it needs to be present in order to get connected to the target PC.

So it is better to edit keep_SysWOW64.txt into Win_Reduce_Trusted by wimb located on: Win_Reduce_Trusted\Win_reduce\File_List folder to include the \Windows\SysWOW64\Magnification.dll line, before making your VHD, or if already made just mount or run the VHD and add the mentioned .dll file.

 

NOTE-2: See additional info on post No. 436, If you are using Firewall App Blocker see info on post No. 439

 

 alacran


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#431 wimb

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Posted 06 May 2021 - 08:51 AM

 

Procedure:

  • The target machine needs an extra partition with enough space to hold the secondary OS or VHD, the backup image(s) and some additional files/folders.
  • A secondary OS as Mini10x64.vhd (or Mini8 VHD or Mini7 VHD) running on the target machine.
  • TeamViewerPortable running from the VHD on the target machine.
  • TeamViewerPortable running on our machine.
  • Once remotely connected to the target PC run (from a folder into it) Wimlib-clc or WinNTSetup to capture/deploy the image.

 

Good idea to investigate methods for Remote Capture and Apply of WIM files.

 

In the described case it is Not so easy on the remote target machine to create the needed extra partition and let it boot with Mini10x64 VHD

In my case the normal Win10x64 OS is already running in VHD and Multi-Boot of several VHD's is already available, so that Remote Capture and Apply is easy.

 

Problem might be that often UsedSize of C: drive on Remote Computer is huge when Pictures, Downloads, Documents, Music and Videos are located on C: drive ......

 

Also instead of Wimlib-clc or WinNTSetup it might be an advantage to use VHD_WIMBOOT

 

Injection of New Win10x64 OS in VHD on Remote Computer is always possible and the most easy way to Repair Remote Computer.

I have always for this purpose Captured WIM file of about 5 GB available containing Win10x64 + Office + Extra Programs + Latest Windows Update

 

I will modify Win_Reduce_Trusted so that Magnification.dll is part of Mini-10x64 VHD



#432 alacran

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Posted 06 May 2021 - 09:19 AM

Good idea to investigate methods for Remote Capture and Apply of WIM files.

 

In the described case it is Not so easy on the remote target machine to create the needed extra partition and let it boot with Mini10x64 VHD

In my case the normal Win10x64 OS is already running in VHD and Multi-Boot of several VHD's is already available, so that Remote Capture and Apply is easy.

 

Problem might be that UsedSize of C:\ drive on Remote Computer is huge when Pictures, Downloads, Documents, Music and Videos are located on C:\ drive ......

 

Also instead of Wimlib-clc or WinNTSetup it might be an advantage to use VHD_WIMBOOT

 

I will modify Win_Reduce_Trusted so that Magnification.dll is part of Mini-10x64 VHD

Just edited my previous post to:

 

 

Procedure:

  • The target machine needs an extra partition (or a fast and bootable USB device) with enough space to hold the secondary OS or VHD, the backup image(s) and some additional files/folders.
  • A secondary OS as Mini10x64.vhd (or Mini8 VHD or Mini7 VHD) running on the target machine.
  • TeamViewerPortable running from the VHD on the target machine.
  • TeamViewerPortable running on our machine.
  • Once remotely connected to the target PC, run (from a folder into it) Wimlib-clc or WinNTSetup to capture/deploy the image.

 

About your comment:

 

 

Problem might be that UsedSize of C:\ drive on Remote Computer is huge when Pictures, Downloads, Documents, Music and Videos are located on C:\ drive ......

 

Yes, you are right, but majority of this info could be copied to the USB device or uploaded to the cloud before capture, and latter deleted or not captured on the image just editing our WimbootCompress.ini as required.

 

EDIT: In my case all documents are on a separate partition available from all OSs, so I never have that problem.

 

alacran



#433 wimb

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Posted 06 May 2021 - 09:24 AM

Sure Remote booting from Portable USB SSD makes it much easier ....

Requires that the remote friend is capable to make such thing happpen ....



#434 wimb

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Posted 06 May 2021 - 09:32 AM

Also instead of Wimlib-clc or WinNTSetup it might be an advantage to use VHD_WIMBOOT

 

Injection of New Win10x64 OS in VHD on Remote Computer is always possible and the most easy way to Repair Remote Computer.

I have always for this purpose Captured WIM file of about 5 GB available containing Win10x64 + Office + Extra Programs + Latest Windows Update

 

 

This works always quite well as long as the remote computer can boot and run TeamViewer

 

After Injection of Win10x64 OS in VHD  I can connect the OS in VHD to existing folders with Pictures, Downloads, Documents, Music and Videos located on C: drive



#435 alacran

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Posted 06 May 2021 - 09:33 AM

Well my friend, as you know this is an experiment, and any comments about potential troubles and ideas to improve it are wellcome.

 

But at least now we have a way to start testing and improve this approach.

 

alacran


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#436 alacran

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Posted 06 May 2021 - 10:36 AM

I started to develop this idea because I had to bring my sister's desktop PC to my house to repair it.

 

In this case a partition to hold all documents was already created and it's in use since a previous repair, and just made a separate hidden partition (drive letter was removed after make all required into it) to hold a 2.3 GB Mini10x64 VHD, the backup WIM files and all required portables in prevention of future troubles.

 

After this, I tested this approach by remote connecting to this PC and captured the OS backup WIM.

 

So in fact we need to prepare the correct layout of the partitions before having the new future problem. This could be made from the current running OS, and by means of a remote connection.

 

And I think this approach should work as long as the VHD can boot.

 

alacran


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#437 wimb

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Posted 06 May 2021 - 11:24 AM

I will modify Win_Reduce_Trusted so that Magnification.dll is part of Mini-10x64 VHD

 

Done  :)


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#438 wimb

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Posted 06 May 2021 - 01:51 PM

 

You can download TeamViewerPortable (free for personal use) almost at the bottom of this page: https://www.teamview...t=1620288482137

 

 

Thanks for sharing the download Link for this Portable Version of TeamViewer  :)



#439 alacran

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Posted 06 May 2021 - 09:46 PM

I forgot to comment if you are using Firewall App Blocker, (on target PC VHD and on your PC), you need to allow on both of its white list the following paths:

 

Location drive\Portables folder\TeamViewerPortable\TeamViewer.exe
 

Location drive\Portables folder\TeamViewerPortable\tv_w32.exe

Location drive\Portables folder\TeamViewerPortable\tv_x64.exe

 

 

NOTE: I will edit post No. 430 to include a link to this info on it.

 

@ wimb

 

 

Thanks for sharing the download Link for this Portable Version of TeamViewer  :)

 

You are welcome my good friend, it is a pleasure to talk with people so educated as you.

 

alacran


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#440 alacran

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Posted 15 May 2021 - 07:05 AM

Testing a Win 10 x86 Installation on 5 GB VHD, running on a 2 GB Ram PC.

 

JFYI

 

PC Info: MB ECS BAT I2 J1800 V2.0, CPU Celeron J1800, Ram 2GB, 500 GB Sata III HDD but the MB is only Sata II capable.

 

ISO used: Win10_20H2_v2_Spanish(Mexico)_x32.iso

 

HD Lay Out: MBR formatted, First Primary Partition NTFS active, rest of HD is an extended partition, with several logical partitions (all NTFS just formated).

 

Installation: on a 15 GB VHD (expandable) located on second logical partition (hd0,5), installed on Compact mode 8K, by means of WinNTSetup (no tricks applied as it is not intended for Ramboot), just for testing purposes.

 

To my surprise, after booting from the OS (located into the VHD), I found a pagefile.sys of 1.12 GB was created on first logical partition (hd0,4).

 

Rebooted the OS and installed (downloaded from ECS page) the Chipset driver, after reboot again only the VGA driver was not recognized, just installed it (downloaded from ECS page too), it also installed the driver for HDMI audio (as this is the way it is connected to the screen), also installed the USB WIFI driver, and rebooted again. No more drivers were required.

 

Installed 7-zip and VLC Media player (into the VHD) on C: and FireFox on another drive (to save some space), also ran InSpectre to disable Meltdown and Spectre protections with the intention to improve a few the speed of the CPU, after this rebooted from a WinPE x64 and ran Win_Reduce_Trusted-40, only selecting WinSxS and Fonts.

 

By means of VHD_WIMBOOT made a WIM image and reaplied it (compact 8K) on a 5 GB VHD fixed size, final used space after boot is 3.13 GB and free space is 1.86 GB.

 

The OS from the VHD is filedisk booting very fine at a good speed (from the HDD) and using only 677 MB of Ram before run any program.

 

All my programs (portables) are LZX compressed on another partition (Y), including LibreOfficePortable.

 

Attached you will find My very basic unattends x64 & x86.7z (for 10) and My OEM.7z ($OEM$ file, valid from Vista to 10, x86 and x64), *.txt files with instructions to use them are also included.

 

alacran

Attached Files



#441 antonino61

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Posted 23 May 2021 - 10:10 AM

I would like to inform alacrán, wimb and other possible experts that I have found out that the \windows\inf and \windows\system32\driverstore\filerepository folders can be further "cleaned" by deleting all folders from the former and all folders that will delete ok after the takeown.reg but the nv_disp... one from the latter, of course with no hindrance to the system, as the hardware stays installed just the same. I do not know what happens if the video card is an amd one, nor do I know if one can delete anymore than I did. I know for sure that the nvidia info in file repository has to stay and the same goes for most root folders in \windows\inf, lest the booting should not make to the desktop. I have also found out that these two operations will stand u in good stead for further hardware updates, as one will have eliminated all the clogging in the two folders. I do not know if it is worth our while having it included in the win_reducer purging routine or as an option or would we be better off doing it manually. Oh, before I forget, the space gain would be around 1gb

#442 alacran

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Posted 23 May 2021 - 02:25 PM

That may work fine if using same machine all the time, but I'm almost sure doing it the Mini-10x64.vhd will lose portavility, and that is something I don't want to lose.

But thanks for the info anyway, it may be be useful for some users.

 

alacran


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#443 antonino61

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Posted 28 May 2021 - 06:34 PM

back to brute-force deletion, I can announce that also the eradication of all appreadiness files and subfolders will be of no hindrance to the system. the same can be said of sysmain.



#444 alacran

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Posted 04 December 2021 - 11:04 AM

JFYI

 

Just to keep all info easy available for future readers, I will add here links to some post on other topics, that are related to this topic:

 

From this post (No. 285) to this post (No. 293)

 

Also from this post (No. 672) to this post (No. 674)

 

alacran



#445 antonino61

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Posted 04 December 2021 - 08:04 PM

Wow!! I am delighted!!!



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