Molecule

maybe leave nLite as-is but include a zip of security presets for desktop and laptop noobs prepared by people who understand how to strip a 2K, XP, 03 system down but leave it running for the standard laptop or desktop user (yes, removing bloat is cool ... but focus is on stability security) thus user starts out with a system focused on security, then user nLites (as-is) to add junk in laptop and desktop users could have separate presets but gamers and other hard core are on their own minimal microsoft everything, OS essentials only, but all essentials needed for alternative everything -- mainly office, browser, email, media, player, etc. strip out all useless MS assumptions, nuisances popups and bubblegum -- such as MS security, MS search, Firewall, AV, EOL notices, phone home everything, automatic updates, etc. but leave essential services available as needed for non-MS programs. Even a preset if possible to prevent other programs from automatically updating themselves. Users can the run nLite as-is to add MS bugglegum back in. -- wish I could volunteer a preset but I wouldn't t know what I was doing (my hands are full fighting on other fronts ...) for users ilke me, it would be easier to start with a nLite preset for a stable core for an ordinary user (minimalist as in minimal MS bunglegum, not extreme minimalist as is full scale bleeding edge). User then nLites (as is) to tweak services up rather than down so nLite is actualy resetting a big mistake that MS made ... the MS assumption of open-wide and all-at-once hurt MS in the long run. Most users can't handle all their bugglegum, all swallowed down in one gigantic hairball, in one big gulp. Presets could be used to reset that big-MS assumption. It would actually help MS get their reputation back. Maybe I'm still in DOS 3.2-ville?

nLite is a Beautiful product! A tiny observation, and a product marketing suggestion, no insult intended The focus started with bypassing MS strongarming us with IE. That was good. But now, is there too much carry-over focus on just "getting smaller." (It's almost like .... I can name that tune in one note kind of thing.) As a noob, I'm of course interested in dropping annoying bubblegum and etc. But my main focus on using nLite is what I know least about, which is system security. As an aside, to me security comes by building the system correctly. I don't consider firewall or antivirus software to be security, and I have NEVER used them. I would have to be a fool to believe the NSA, Pentagon, Microsoft, Google, et al, engineers couldn't blow right through a homeowner maintained firewall and AV. If the price was right, a FW and AV builders might even open a back door just for them. It could mean a major refocus of nLite objectives, but it would be nice to have a tab-page or something, which would help a noob like me set up strong stable system as best as I can, where focus is on security, for laptop, desktop, media center, etc. Or maybe create a new page where nLite could review the preset selections, and make an analysis of security strengths and weaknesses. Maybe feed it a hardware list for the target computer on the system. I don't build regularly, so I have to go back and google what is PCMCIA and do I have it, etc every time.

Very nice project -- leaving .net 4 as post install option, and adding security is nice as well I have retail OEM XPproSP3 english. The disk is named GRTMPOEM_EN, and one of root files is WIN51IP.SP3 Is that enough to tell if I have XP pro N? K? or KN? thanks

from what I can make of it, it's a pretty deep hijack I shut down my system from Administrator and all was well. When I started it up, as I remember it, before logon but with blue logon screen, I was presented with two small message boxes, one after the other, which I unfortunately failed to photograph. One of them informed me that my administrator user files were corrupted (they were working fine when I shut down) and Windows had to do blah-blah. I pulled the internet connection and reset the motherboard. On next bootup, XP presented a logon as usual, and I logged on as usual. XP somehow (a.) allows me to signon as "administrator" using my old password, but I don't connect to that account (b.) someone created a new admin account name ("Administrator.8441F50924994FF" under Documents and Settings) with my old password (c.) the MyComputer icon was removed from the desktop (d.) the theme I was using was replaced with Luna (e.) half of the desktop icons were gone (f.) it kicked out my Firefox ESR and installed a new Firefox, which I don't like (it dumps advertisements all over the place) Has anyone had this experience before? Was I hijacked, or did I have a crash somehow, and this a genuine microsoft procedure. If there is a way to keep this system I'd probably prefer to do that. What should I do? When I logoff as Administrator.8441F50924994FF and try to logon as "administrator" XP just puts me back to the new administrator. Thanks