202 replies to this topic

[alacran]

And I was wrong, I attached the W10x64_LZX.vhd (MinWin), to copy from Documents the Utilities folder and I noticed I still had there the installers for Classic Shell, 7-zip, etc.  Just took a look to its properties, and noticed that after delete those files, the used space is now 1.03 GB, plese see attached photo.

 

alacran

Attached Thumbnails

• 

[wimb]

Forgot to mention I also made some little changes in the Clean*.cmd files, standard desktop links and TI desktop links are still the same.

 

Attached new Utilities-v3.0.7z   Password = alacran

 

 

I am a bit confused about numbering ....

 

Previous version was 4.0 . Is the Attachment correct ?

[alacran]

I am a bit confused about numbering ....

 

Previous version was 4.0 . Is the Attachment correct ?

 

 

The info into the 7-zip is right (the very last), please rename it to v5.0, the number is wrong I will fix that post, sorry for the confusion.

 

EDIT: Done, the attachment in that post has now the right v5.0 number.

 

Wrong

 

alacran

[antonino61]

alacran and wimb, don't get confused, I did take ur modded stuff, but I can tell u that u would be better off zerobyting all that stuff, as I already have done. I do not know about logs though, but I'll check and tell u. my used space size is 1.1gb now. ur nls's of the other day can be gotten rid off ok. I am still on win11. we r getting better and better! for the time being, though we'll have to put up with juggling between miniwin and winreduce. and, how about windebloat? i am still using it.

[alacran]

Forgot to mention I also made some little changes in the Clean*.cmd files, standard desktop links and TI desktop links are still the same.

 

Attached new Utilities-v5.0.7z   Password = alacran

 

alacran

 

 

After re-checking very carefully the info was not right, please download it again I just upload the right info.

 

alacran

[alacran]

@ antonino61

 

I have very clear that the folder I junctioned should not be erased or replaced with a 0 bytes file.

 

Junctioned folder: MKLINK /J C:\Windows\System32\Logfiles F:\VHD\Logfiles

 

Especially the content of \Windows\System32\LogFiles\WMI\RtBackup   >>>   Criticall for boot

 

EDIT: I edited the previous post related to this, to let the users know that it is criticall during booting.

 

But after booting all the content can be safely errased without any issue, it is required only during booting.

 

And nothing you can say will make me change this concept.

 

When I tested this some time ago, the VHD didn't boot fine, then tried creating a Ramdisk made with ImDisk Toolkit and the Welcome screen remained VERY, VERY long time but the VHD finally boot.  It seems the file with the content of the Ramdisk, was not loaded to Ram yet when the OS arrived to the Wellcome Screen, so it was a timing issue.

 

About using Win_Debloat in a MinWin, it is not possible, MinWin lacks PowerShell and .NET Framework, so it will not run.

 

alacran

[antonino61]

powershell u might as well not delete it, check the files in remove, it must be one of those. btw, what does ur lista.txt apply to? Syswow64?

[alacran]

As said Win_Debloat requires PowerShell and PowerShell requires .NET Framework, so is not that simple as you think.

 

And after all that was removed, What the hell are you planning to remove with Win_Debloat that was not already removed?

 

Any way it doesn't make any sense to add 70+ MB of .NET framework (as a bare minimum) + about 5 MB of PowerShell, to remove WHAT?

 

In MinWin, stop thinking in what elso to remove, I think wimb and I already took care of the very few things that mainly are events after first boot that acumulate garbage.

 

It seems only things pending to remove are the mouse, the keyboard, or the monitor.

And for that you don't need Win_Debloat + PowerShell + .Net framework, you can just turn off the PC and unplug them.

 

alacran

[alacran]

JFYI

 

By means of serviwin.exe from NirSoft, lauched from System_Info by wimb, I took a quick look to the services and I dissabled DiagTrack and Sysmain.

 

I wasn't able to check if DiagTrack was in fact working acumulating used MBs of telemetry, to store its info or it was just the service that was active, AFAIK its collected info is stored mainly into System Volume Information folder, but I always replace mine with a 0 bytes file (with the exception of Wimboot installations, because there is stored the info [and path] to the linked WIM), so I have no way to know. But in any case I don't see a good reason to keep it enabled.

 

EDIT: Just verified the removal lists and in Windows.txt list, \Windows\DiagTrack folder is selected for removal, and in fact that folder doesn't exists into our MinWin, then it was just the service that was active.

 

But I was able to check Sysmain that was known as Prefetch in old times and Superfetch latter, is in fact consuming some space as in a just installed MinWin the folder \Windows\Prefetch was about 1.5 MB and in an older previous MinWin installation that was used during some time its size grow up to 5.5 MB, of course it depends of user preferences dissable SysMain or not.

 

alacran

Edited by alacran, 13 March 2022 - 09:03 AM.
Additional info

[antonino61]

There are other services whose absence is of no hindrance, unless proven otherwise. Would u like my disableservices.cmd to check and possibly comment upon. Here it has been used with no issue for the past few months. and i can confirm u can have powershell if u like - i have it even after miniwin - what I do not have is the portable version of powershell. I agree with wimb, it is useful and powerful. but that depends on personal taste as well. me, I need it for locating the temporary wallpaper for deletion.

 

btw, remember what I said of *.nls? well, I can confirm u do not seem to need any of them, but I certainly do need some of them, as I have to type á, í, ó, ú, ñ, Ñ, etc, when I write in spanish with my italian keyboard. Now I gotta find out which of the nls's I need. will let u know in a bit, for all intents and purposes.

[alacran]

I would like to see your disableservices.cmd, attach it to a post please, and I will take a look to it, maybe I can find something I can use.

 

alacran

[antonino61]

or also something I (or anyone else in the world, for that matter) should not use.

Attached Files

•  diasbleservices.cmd   8.63KB   230 downloads

[antonino61]

sorry about the mistyping. 

 

as for nls's, I have found out I do not need c_xxx.dll, but I do need all, some or one of them *.nls - I cannot make out which. it is to do with the ticking of the unicode utf 8 from changing locale (region) in the control panel, where I select italian (italy) and if i untick the utf8 box I will be able to type ur stressed vowels and stuff, otherwise it will not let me. in order to recreate tickability these nls's (i do not know which or how many yet) must be in windows\system32. most of them are 65k, while some are some +100k. keeping all of them until I find the deus ex machina.

[antonino61]

I opened some of them bigger ones in notepad, and only one of them showed spanish stressed vowels. then i googled "\windows\system32\*.nls which number to which language?" and found a few addresses dealing with the problem. I will do my search but I left the hint for anyone else who wants to cooperate, with the risk that what we will have found out would still certify the need to keep them all nls's for the tickability above to be guaranteed. good luck to anyone, including me.

[antonino61]

well, I found a table here

 

https://www.bullzip....cultureinfo.php

 

catcha later

[alacran]

JFYI

 

I just made a new experiment, I wanted to test if replacing the usual folders with a 0 bytes file can be done since the installation, previous to reboot the PC, and I can confirm it can be easily done.

 

To do this I created a 5 GB single partition NTFS, it was mounted in drive H, and made a MinWin installation to it.

 

I know WinNTSetup allows to run CMD or EXE files but I don't think it will run as TI as required in this case..

 

Then after the installation finished, with the VHD still mounted in H drive, ran following command as TI by means of PowerRun:

 

Safe-to-Replace.cmd

Spoiler

 

@echo off
;
; Following will delete some folders, to latter create a 0 bytes file with same name,
; to avoid the potential re-creation of the folder and this way send new ETL/LOG files to limbo,
; they will be deleted only if present
;
rmdir "H:\ProgramData\Microsoft\Windows\wfp" /s /q
rmdir "H:\ProgramData\USOShared\Logs" /s /q
rmdir "H:\Windows\Logs" /s /q
rmdir "H:\Windows\SoftwareDistribution" /s /q
rmdir "H:\Windows\System32\SleepStudy" /s /q
rmdir "H:\Windows\System32\WDI" /s /q
rmdir "H:\ProgramData\Microsoft\Network\Downloader" /s /q
rmdir "H:\Users\Default\AppData\Roaming\Microsoft\Windows\Recent" /s /q
rmdir "H:\Users\Default\AppData\Local\Microsoft\Windows\WebCache" /s /q
;
; Following files will be created only if there in not a folder or file with same name
;
fsutil file createnew "H:\ProgramData\Microsoft\Windows\wfp" 0
fsutil file createnew "H:\ProgramData\USOShared\Logs" 0
fsutil file createnew "H:\Windows\Logs" 0
fsutil file createnew "H:\Windows\SoftwareDistribution" 0
fsutil file createnew "H:\Windows\System32\SleepStudy" 0
fsutil file createnew "H:\Windows\System32\WDI" 0
fsutil file createnew "H:\ProgramData\Microsoft\Network\Downloader" 0
fsutil file createnew "H:\Users\Default\AppData\Roaming\Microsoft\Windows\Recent" 0
fsutil file createnew "H:\Users\Default\AppData\Local\Microsoft\Windows\WebCache" 0

Exit

 

All was successful except the two last lines in both sections.

 

The 0 bytes files were not created in:

 

H:\Users\Default\AppData\Roaming\Microsoft\Windows\Recent   >>>   the folder was still present.

H:\Users\Default\AppData\Local\Microsoft\Windows\WebCache   >>>   the folder didn't exists yet and the file also was not created.

 

Then manually deleted the folder and created the two 0 bytes files in both locations.

 

Rebooted, and all was fine, I'm writing this post from it.

 

Now since the very first boot avoided the creation of a lot of LOG and ETL files.  During first boot now they only use 48.4 MB not more than 100 MB as before, I deleted all the remaing from SwiftSearch TI, and also made the directory junction for C:\Windows\System32\Logfiles, and that's all.

 

But, I found an unexpected result, following additional 0 bytes files were created too:

 

Spoiler

 

C:\Windows\ServiceProfiles\NetworkService\AppData\Roaming\Microsoft\Windows\Recent
C:\Windows\ServiceProfiles\LocalService\AppData\Roaming\Microsoft\Windows\Recent
C:\Windows\ServiceProfiles\NetworkService\AppData\Local\Microsoft\Windows\WebCache
C:\Windows\ServiceProfiles\LocalService\AppData\Local\Microsoft\Windows\WebCache

 

So far I haven't noticed any issue, and all seems to work fine, but I will need to check this further.

 

alacran

[ericgl]

antonino61,
ctfmon.exe uses your locale NLS file.
On your main PC where you have both en-US and it-IT languages, use Process Explorer and see which NLS files ctfmon.exe is using.
Open Process Explorer search, and type: .nls
Sort by Process, and see which NLS files are used by ctfmon.exe. You will probably need all of them in your WinPE10.

Some of the NLS codes are listed here: https://docs.microso...upport-snanls-2

[antonino61]

@alacran
Ur findings r nothing other than what I have preached for the past few months

[antonino61]

@ ericgl,
Yes I have en-us for system language and en-us-less language locale with it-it as input language. I got rid of en-us input language and all kbd*.dll but kbdit.dll and kbdusa.dll. I was talking of vhd, not winpe. 'think I need them all just the same?

[ericgl]

@ ericgl,
... I was talking of vhd, not winpe. 'think I need them all just the same?

 

I think you do need the .NLS files in your VHD/WinPE10. In total, all of them are about ~9MB. So not very costly in terms of "added weight".
 

[antonino61]

Right u r. So what shall I check process explorer for?

[alacran]

@antonino61

 

I took the following info from Win10XPE and added to my proposed Remove_Files_SMALL.tx.

 

In Make_WinPE_Trusted-36\Make_WinPE\File_List\Remove_Files_SMALL.txt NLS Codes excluded in the list (so keeped) are:

 

C_850.NLS    OEM Code Page  
C_1252.NLS    ANSI Code Page
C_10000.NLS    MAC Code Page

 

It means 110 *.NLS files are deleted with a saving of 9 MB.

 

And it works very fine on the WIM PE for all European languages.

 

But when I tried to do the same in MinWin in one of my tests, it didn't work fine, so I was forced to keep all the *.NLS files.

 

Don't ask me why it didn't work as I still don't know.

 

alacran

[antonino61]

even one of them absent from its location causes immediate untickability! ain't that something?!

 

well, c_708.nls can safely be taken out - just done it,

 

(gonna try with a few more and let u know. the 11*.nls u were talking about all contain alt chars, so at least for the time being, i deem them the worst candidates for deletion)

 

and the same goes for c_10007.nls - just safely taken out,

 

c_10017.nls - safely taken out as well,

 

and c_10021.nls, c_10029.nls, c_1250.nls, c_1256.nls, c_20290.nls, c_20866.nls, c_21866.nls, c_737.nls, c_855.nls and c_866.nls along with them.

 

now I would not dare take any other one out, unless otherwise advised. 

[alacran]

@ wimb

 

I remember your Win_Debloat disabled or even deleted a lot of tasks and services and only remained a few working, my old HDD fail about 3 weeks ago and I lost that info, do you have a list of what was disabled?

 

Thanks in advance

 

alacran

[wimb]

I remember your Win_Debloat disabled or even deleted a lot of tasks and services and only remained a few working, my old HDD fail about 3 weeks ago and I lost that info, do you have a list of what was disabled?

 

 

This is the list of Services that are Disabled by Win_Debloat-41 by disable-services.ps1

$services = @(
    "diagnosticshub.standardcollector.service" # Microsoft (R) Diagnostics Hub Standard Collector Service
    "DiagTrack"                                # Diagnostics Tracking Service
    "dmwappushservice"                         # WAP Push Message Routing Service (see known issues)
    "lfsvc"                                    # Geolocation Service
    "MapsBroker"                               # Downloaded Maps Manager
    "NetTcpPortSharing"                        # Net.Tcp Port Sharing Service
    "RemoteAccess"                             # Routing and Remote Access
    "RemoteRegistry"                           # Remote Registry
    "SharedAccess"                             # Internet Connection Sharing (ICS)
    "TrkWks"                                   # Distributed Link Tracking Client
    "WbioSrvc"                                 # Windows Biometric Service (required for Fingerprint reader / facial detection)
    "WMPNetworkSvc"                            # Windows Media Player Network Sharing Service
    "WSearch"                                  # Windows Search
    "XblAuthManager"                           # Xbox Live Auth Manager
    "XblGameSave"                              # Xbox Live Game Save Service
    "XboxGipSvc"                               # This service manages connected Xbox Accessories
    "XboxNetApiSvc"                            # Xbox Live Networking Service
   # Extra Disable Windows Update Blocker Services
    "UsoSvc"                                   # Update Orchestrator-service
    "BITS"                                     # Background Intelligent Transfer Service
    "WerSvc"                                   # Windows Error Reporting Service
)

For Tasks have a look in Win_Debloat-41\Debloat_Scripts\scripts\disable-tasks.ps1

 

and in Debloat_Lists\List_TaskInfo.txt