Grope For Luna

The /m option seems to muck things up on R2 but if you don't use it you can't remove anything so it's kind of pointless. I'm going to try removing stuff from the installed system with dism. Is there any point to removing packages from R2? Even if I remove a bunch of packages, my installation is about the same size as before. The WAIK tools don't really remove anything. The smallest I ever got my installation DVD was ~1.75GB. I tried to use peimg.exe /prep but that failed with an error. The best you can probably do is enable stuff that can be removed with Vlite like QWAVE, InkSupport/Handwritingrecognition, etc.

If you already use an antivirus, get rid of it.

Has anyone used DISM to remove packages from an installed system (as opposed to a mounted WIM)?

You can delete the WinPE folder and get rid of 95% of the installed size.

I did a comparison of available features before and after attempting to enable NetFx3 (post registry tweak) and it actuallly removes the following features: Feature Name : RightsManagementServices Feature Name : RMS-Federation Feature Name : RightsManagementServices-AdminTools Feature Name : DirectoryServices-DomainController Feature Name : DirectoryServices-AdministrativeCenter Feature Name : DirectoryServices-ADAM Feature Name : ActiveDirectory-PowerShell Feature Name : NetFx3 Feature Name : WCF-HTTP-Activation Feature Name : WCF-NonHTTP-Activation Feature Name : CertificateServicesManagementTools Feature Name : CertificateServices Feature Name : WebEnrollmentServices Feature Name : CertificateEnrollmentPolicyServer Feature Name : CertificateEnrollmentServer

I'm definitely not removing it by mistake. Applying the registry tweak on a fresh WIM of 2008 Server R2: C:\Program Files\Windows AIK\Tools\x86\Servicing>install_wim_tweak /m ------------------------------------------- ------Pre-install registry Tweak Tool------ ---------------for Windows 6.x------------- ------------------------------------------- Type path to mounted install.wim : e:\mount Creating BKP of registry file... OK Mounting registry file... OK Enabilng taking ownership... OK Editing 'Packages' subkeys 391/391 OK Editing 'PackagesPending' subkeys 377/377OK Modyfing registry completed sucessfully. -------------------Ending------------------ Unmounting key... OK Removing BKP file... OK Get NetFx3 feature info C:\Program Files\Windows AIK\Tools\x86\Servicing>dism.exe /Image:e:\mount /Get-FeatureInfo /FeatureName:NetFx3 Deployment Image Servicing and Management tool Version: 6.1.7000.0 Image Version: 6.1.7000.0 Feature Information: Feature Name : NetFx3 Display Name : Microsoft .NET Framework 3.5.1 Description : Microsoft .NET Framework 3.5.1 Restart Required : Possible State : Disabled The operation completed successfully. Enable the feature: C:\Program Files\Windows AIK\Tools\x86\Servicing>dism.exe /Image:e:\mount /Enable-Feature /FeatureName:NetFx3 Deployment Image Servicing and Management tool Version: 6.1.7000.0 Image Version: 6.1.7000.0 Enabling feature(s) [==========================100.0%==========================] Error: 0x800f080c DISM failed. No operation was performed. For more information, review the log file. No worky! Now if I get feature info... C:\Program Files\Windows AIK\Tools\x86\Servicing>dism.exe /Image:e:\mount /Get-FeatureInfo /FeatureName:NetFx3 Deployment Image Servicing and Management tool Version: 6.1.7000.0 Image Version: 6.1.7000.0 Error: 0x800f080c Feature name NetFx3 is unknown. A Windows feature name was not recognized. Use the /Get-Features option to find the name of the feature in the image and try the command again. Feature is unknown! This happens to other features as well, if the reg tweak is applied before enabling ... A fresh WIM without applying the tweak Get NetFx3feature Info: C:\Program Files\Windows AIK\Tools\x86\Servicing>dism.exe /Image:e:\mount /Get-FeatureInfo /FeatureName:NetFx3 Deployment Image Servicing and Management tool Version: 6.1.7000.0 Image Version: 6.1.7000.0 Feature Information: Feature Name : NetFx3 Display Name : Microsoft .NET Framework 3.5.1 Description : Microsoft .NET Framework 3.5.1 Restart Required : Possible State : Disabled The operation completed successfully. Enable the feature C:\Program Files\Windows AIK\Tools\x86\Servicing>dism.exe /Image:e:\mount /Enable-Feature /FeatureName:NetFx3 Deployment Image Servicing and Management tool Version: 6.1.7000.0 Image Version: 6.1.7000.0 Enabling feature(s) [===========================98.8%========================= ] Error: 1603 Fatal error during installation. Error 1603. The feature is not removed, however. Other features like DesktopExperience install fine Is anyone else using WAIK on 2008 Server R2 ??? Edit: If I use the /m option on the registry tweak (removing owner keys in packages pending), then it will remove netfx3 as well as the features listed in the post below. If i don't use the /m option, it will fail but the features will not be removed.

It's the same thing, whether you use /FeatureName:WirelessNetworking or just /Enable-Feature:WirelessNetworking . The end result is that I get the Error: 0x800f080c and it's no longer visible in the image. Do you use the reg tweak before you enable features? I thought that was only necessary for removing features, not enabling them. The guide 7bingo7 posted said to apply the tweak before enabling packages, although that was for 2008 Server SP1, not R2. Have you enabled the NetFx3 feature in R2 ? BTW, why do you repeat the %ERRORLEVEL% 6 times? It will only have one value after an operation.

I noticed in the package list posted by7bingo7 that some of them have en-US versions as well. Is it necessary to remove both versions of the package? I notice in the Image Manager that the packages/features are duplicated in the language section so every package/feature probably has a en-US counterpart. Microsoft-Windows-FileServer-Package~31bf3856ad364e35~amd64~en-US~6.1.7000.0 Microsoft-Windows-FileServer-Package~31bf3856ad364e35~amd64~~6.1.7000.0 Microsoft-Windows-WMI-SNMP-Provider-Package~31bf3856ad364e35~amd64~en-US~6.1.7000.0 Microsoft-Windows-WMI-SNMP-Provider-Package~31bf3856ad364e35~amd64~~6.1.7000.0

I see: Error Reporting ; Error Reporting You need wer.dll

Is there any way to regenerate the catalog file without using the Image Manager? I have the 32 and 64bit versions installed on Vista 32 and 64 respectively and it usually fails with this error message. This is the new version with the new WAIK beta. The log created indicates it's a problem with the program, not the image. 20090115_3828.txt

With 2008 Server R2, I've noticed that if I use the Registry Tweak app posted by Wnuku, I can't install any features, and it appears to remove the features I'm trying to install. eg. I run the tweak: install_wim_tweak.exe (with or without the /m option) on a fresh WIM I run the install command: dism.exe /Image:e:\mount /Enable-Feature:WirelessNetworking /LogPath:install-log.txt It gives me an error: Deployment Image Servicing and Management tool Version: 6.1.7000.0 Image Version: 6.1.7000.0 Enabling feature(s) [==========================100.0%==========================] Error: 0x800f080c DISM failed. No operation was performed.For more information, review the log file. I then run a get-featureinfo command: dism.exe /Image:e:\mount /Get-FeatureInfo:WirelessNetworking and get the same error code [0x800f080c ( CBS_E_UNKNOWN_UPDATE named update not present in package )]: Deployment Image Servicing and Management tool Version: 6.1.7000.0 Image Version: 6.1.7000.0 Error: 0x800f080c Feature name WirelessNetworking is unknown. A Windows feature name was not recognized. Use the /Get-Features option to find the name of the feature in the image and try the command again. It doesn't actually remove any files, just the name in the catalog. If I install the features on a fresh WIM without running the tweak, everything installs fine, except for NetFx3 which won't pre-install under any circumstances. After pre-installing the features I want, I save the image and run the tweak, which then allows me to remove packages.

I still use the pkgmgr commands which call dism. I assume it works the same way. What do you use to regenerate the catalog? Image manager or dism? I usually get an error when I load the wim into the Image Manager: and sometimes I don't, but the install still doesn't work. Desktop Experience wasn't installed and it wasn't in the list of available features. I used the guide by 7bingo7 and the tool by wnuku and everything seemed to work fine with no reported errors. I did notice this in the logs however: 2009-01-14 23:40:10, Info CBS Appl: detect Parent, Package: Microsoft-Windows-MediaPlayer-Package~31bf3856ad364e35~amd64~en-US~6.1.7000.0, Parent: Microsoft-Windows-MediaPlayer-Package~31bf3856ad364e35~amd64~~6.1.7000.0, Disposition = Detect, VersionComp: EQ, ServiceComp: GE, BuildComp: GE, DistributionComp: GE, RevisionComp: GE, Exist: present 2009-01-14 23:40:10, Info CBS Appl: detectParent: package: Microsoft-Windows-MediaPlayer-Package~31bf3856ad364e35~amd64~en-US~6.1.7000.0, parent found: Microsoft-Windows-MediaPlayer-Package~31bf3856ad364e35~amd64~~6.1.7000.0, state: Absent 2009-01-14 23:40:10, Info CBS Appl: detect Parent, Package: Microsoft-Windows-MediaPlayer-Package~31bf3856ad364e35~amd64~en-US~6.1.7000.0, disposition state from detectParent: Absent 2009-01-14 23:40:10, Info CBS Appl: Evaluating package applicability for package Microsoft-Windows-MediaPlayer-Package~31bf3856ad364e35~amd64~en-US~6.1.7000.0, applicable state: Absent 2009-01-14 23:40:10, Info CBS Plan: Skipping package since its start state and target state are both absent for package: Microsoft-Windows-MediaPlayer-Package~31bf3856ad364e35~amd64~en-US~6.1.7000.0, current: Staged, pending: Staged, start: Absent, applicable: Absent, targeted: Absent, limit: Absent There were "skipping package" entries for all the features i was trying to preinstall. I just managed to load the WIM into Image Manager again and I can't see any of my "preinstalled" features in the list of features. It's almost as if the "preinstalling" process is actually removing them.

Has anyone had success preinstalling packages to Server 2008 R2, specifically DesktopExperience? Everything seems to work, no errors, but when I install the image to VMWare, Desktop Experience (and the other packages I preinstalled) isn't installed and it isn't even in the list of features. I did a search for wmplayer in the VMWare system and the files are in WinSxS so they are stored in the image. I'm using the new beta WAIK for Win 7 and 2008 Server R2. <?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?> <unattend xmlns="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:unattend"> <servicing> <package action="configure" permanence="permanent"> <assemblyIdentity name="Microsoft-Windows-Foundation-Package" version="6.1.7000.0" processorArchitecture="amd64" publicKeyToken="31bf3856ad364e35" language="" /> <selection name="WirelessNetworking" state="true" /> <selection name="InkSupport" state="true" /> <selection name="HandwritingRecognition" state="true" /> <selection name="DesktopExperience" state="true" /> <selection name="SearchEngine-Server-Package" state="true" /> <selection name="WindowsServerBackup" state="true" /> <selection name="WindowsServerBackupCommandlet" state="true" /> <selection name="NetFx3" state="true" /> </package> </servicing> <cpi:offlineImage cpi:source="wim:E:/server08/sources/install.wim#Windows 7 SERVERSTANDARD" xmlns:cpi="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:cpi" /> </unattend>

Copy the following files to the following locations (assuming you have vlite installed to the Program Files directory.) %ProgramFiles%\vLite\wimgapi.dll %ProgramFiles%\vLite\wimfltr\x86\wimfltr.inf %ProgramFiles%\vLite\wimfltr\x86\wimfltr.sys The files should be in %ProgramFiles%\Windows Imaging. (That will be x64 if you are using 64bit.) If you plan on using the WAIK tools (pkgmgr, dism) to preinstall packages you may need to keep WAIK installed (Image Manager doesn't seem to regenerate catalog files without it installed) . However, if you aren't making custom WinPE images, you can get rid of the PETools folder, which is >90% of the installation size.

Edit: n/m I forgot to clear owners of PackagesPending.

[deleted] EDIT: I guess you wouldn't have gotten that far if you didn't have the driver. It seems to be trying to load the boot.wim.

Removing WMP has never given me much trouble, but you should at least keep the codecs. Removing this stuff gives you no increase in speed, minimal space savings and plenty of potential headaches. I think the idea is to strike a balance between saving space and building a trouble free system. It's not a zero sum game, but it does seem like it at times so careful considerations must be made with regard to the potential problems caused by removing deep rooted system components. The performance increase in VLited systems is largely a myth so I don't even consider that issue.

Thanks. Here's a direct link. http://www.fileden.com/files/2008/9/20/210...ak_bin_v1.1.rar

Another option is to add these to the "protect files" list instead of keeping WER: windows\system32\wer.dll windows\system32\faultrep.dll

Did your updates work with the last preset you posted? Like I said, removing stuff isn't going to help your gaming performance much. Disabling the services, tasks and other background processes manually will have the same effect and you can turn them on if you have problems. A good gaming platform is defined by stability, not disk space.

Check your PM. You shouldn't be removing so much stuff if you're actually going to use the system. Stick to removing the stuff that takes up a lot of diskspace and just manually disable the rest once you have it installed (especially services).

If you want to use Aero with Windows Web Server 2008, you also have to leave in Internet Information Services (IIS) or it will fail.

Is this a slipstreamed sp1 dvd you're using? If it's trying to install KB938371, download it and install it manually before you install any other updates . IIRC, that is likely the cause of the update loop, although a missing terminal services can cause problems with other updates. Make sure terminal Services is enabled, if it's there. If it's not, keep Remote Desktop and Assistance the next time you vlite. http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details...;displaylang=en That particular update has been troublesome for many people, so you may have to do some more fiddling to get it installed. Search for KB938371 loop for more info. Leave your services at default until you get it installed, then disable them using one of the various Vista service guides on the net. Don't bother removing stuff that only takes a few MB of space. It's not worth the potential headaches . Just delete the big stuff like languages, natural language, speech, media samples, etc. Hardly any of this is going to help your gaming anyway. Just make sure all unnecessary services are turned off and a default install will perform just as well.

That's useful. A lot of updates need Terminal Services which is removed if you remove Remote Desktop and Assistance. This will cause the update reboot loop.

If you don't have it enabled it shouldn't use any resources. There are a couple drivers that might be running but that should be negligible (you might be able to disable them).