nLite File Scrambling

[mraeryceos]

I ran only the tweaks section on nLite, made my changes, and analyzed the changes. I found nLite only added what is shown below (makes sense too). Wierd thing, is that it completely scrambled some files it didn't even need to touch. I think the content of those files stayed the same, but why scramble the files (as compared with the originals from the XP CD)??? What I mean by scrambling, is adding spaces, removing or adding lines, reordering lines, etc, without actually changing any functionality.

; ----- dosnet.inf completely scrambled... I believe may be the same

; ----- txtsetup.sif completely scrambled... I believe may be the same

; ----- defltwk.inf scrambled, but the same

; ----- hivesft.inf scrambled, but the same

; ----- hivedef.inf somewhat scrambled, but:

[AddReg]
HKCU,"SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\Streams","Settings",0x00000001,08,00,00,00,04,00,00,00,01,00,00,00,00,77,7e,13,73,35,cf,11,ae,69,08,00,2b,2e,12,62,
04,00,00,00,01,00,00,00,43,00,00,00
HKCU,"Control Panel\Accessibility\HighContrast","Flags",0x00000000,"122"
HKCU,"Control Panel\Accessibility\Keyboard Response","Flags",0x00000000,"122"
HKCU,"Control Panel\Accessibility\MouseKeys","Flags",0x00000000,"58"
HKCU,"Control Panel\Accessibility\StickyKeys","Flags",0x00000000,"506"
HKCU,"Control Panel\Accessibility\ToggleKeys","Flags",0x00000000,"58"
HKCU,"Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer","NoFileFolderConnection",0x00010001,1
HKCU,"SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\SmallIcons","SmallIcons",0x00000000,"yes"
HKCU,"SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Main","NotifyDownloadComplete",0x00000000,"no"
HKCU,"SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\New Windows","PlaySound",0x00010001,0
HKCU,"SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\SearchUrl\g","",0x00000000,"http://www.google.com/search?q=%s"
HKCU,"Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\URLSearchHooks","{CFBFAE00-17A6-11D0-99CB-00C04FD64497}",0x00000000,""
HKCU,"SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Main","Start Page",0x00000000,"http://www.google.com/"
HKCU,"SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Internet Settings","MaxConnectionsPer1_0Server",0x00010001,10
HKCU,"SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Internet Settings","MaxConnectionsPerServer",0x00010001,10
HKCU,"SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\Advanced","NoNetCrawling",0x00010001,1
HKCU,"SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\Advanced","FolderContentsInfoTip",0x00010001,0
HKCU,"SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\Advanced","ShowInfoTip",0x00010001,0
HKCU,"SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\Explorer","NoResolveTrack",0x00010001,1
HKCU,"SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\Explorer","LinkResolveIgnoreLinkInfo",0x00010001,1
HKCU,"SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\Explorer","NoResolveSearch",0x00010001,1
HKCU,"SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\Explorer","NoLowDiskSpaceChecks",0x00010001,1
HKCU,"SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\Advanced","DisableThumbnailCache",0x00010001,1
HKCU,"Control Panel\PowerCfg","CurrentPowerPolicy",0x00000000,4
HKCU,"SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\VisualEffects\WebView","DefaultApplied",0x00010001,0
HKCU,"SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\Advanced","WebView",0x00010001,0
HKCU,"SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\Explorer","ClearRecentDocsOnExit",0x00010001,1
HKCU,"SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\Explorer","NoSMConfigurePrograms",0x00010001,1
HKCU,"SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\VisualEffects\ComboBoxAnimation","DefaultApplied",0x00010001,0
HKCU,"SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\VisualEffects\CursorShadow","DefaultApplied",0x00010001,0
HKCU,"Control Panel\Mouse","MouseTrails",0x00000000,"0"
HKCU,"SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\VisualEffects\SelectionFade","DefaultApplied",0x00010001,0
HKCU,"SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\VisualEffects\SelectionFade","DefaultValue",0x00010001,0
HKCU,"SOFTWARE\Microsoft\MediaPlayer\Preferences","AcceptedPrivacyStatement",0x00010001,1
HKCU,"SOFTWARE\Microsoft\MediaPlayer\Preferences","FirstRun",0x00010001,0
HKCU,"SOFTWARE\Microsoft\MediaPlayer\Preferences","LaunchIndex",0x00010001,1
HKCU,"SOFTWARE\Microsoft\MediaPlayer\Preferences","AcceptedPrivacyStatement",0x00010001,1
HKCU,"SOFTWARE\Microsoft\MediaPlayer\Preferences","AutoAddMusicToLibrary",0x00010001,0
HKCU,"SOFTWARE\Microsoft\MediaPlayer\Preferences","MetadataRetrieval",0x00010001,0
HKCU,"SOFTWARE\Microsoft\MediaPlayer\Preferences","StartInMediaGuide",0x00010001,0
HKCU,"SOFTWARE\Microsoft\MediaPlayer\Preferences","StretchToFit",0x00010001,1
HKCU,"SOFTWARE\Microsoft\MediaPlayer\Preferences","SnapToVideo",0x00010001,0
HKCU,"SOFTWARE\Microsoft\MediaPlayer\Preferences","StretchToFit",0x00010001,1

; ----- sysoc.inf somewhat scrambled, but:

[Components]
nLite = ocgen.dll,OcEntry,nLite.inf,HIDE,7

The contents of nLite.inf included all the changes above (just from hivedef.inf, since the only one changed), in a section called [CT]. There are also other sections, like [T] for mostly HKLM entries, and [P] which had the entry. So in conclusion, you can save your changes just by saving the nLite.inf file and making it your own (specifically for the tweaks section).

Since nLite.inf is the only one you need, the other files are basically the same but scrambled. This could be a privacy implication!

ps. I have a bunch more changes I make to the registry, but I keep those in my own reg files.

ps2. nLite included ClearRecentDocsOnExit=1, which was not my choice!???

Edited April 22, 2009 by mraeryceos

[Guest]

Yes nlite modifies some files it doesn't need to but it has no effect. You could just copy over the originals if it bothers you.

How exactly is this a privacy concern?

[mraeryceos]

Mirosoft could use it to take statistics on who is using nLite (during windows update, if you do that sort of thing). You'll have to excuse me... I don't have any trust in MS. But nonetheless, it does create an "I used nLite" identifier on your system, so one could tell by taking an MD5 on a certain section of the file, or looking for a particular string pattern within the file.

Edited April 22, 2009 by mraeryceos

[Kelsenellenelvian]

nLite removes the dead space and reorganizes the dosnet, txtsetup files and so-on to speed up the installation. (Granted its not much of a speed-up but all the same a couple of minutes is faster to me.)

No you cannot simply replace the modified ones with untouched ones. These files tell the setup which all files to copy and where they go to. When you make a removal nLite removes the files entries AND the file. By onerwriting with untouched ones you will get a s***load of cannot copy errors.

If you truly are this paranoid the maybe nLite is not the app for you. Hell maybe Windows is not the app for you...

(Nlite has been around for over 5 years and no-one to date has gone to jail or been sued by MS for using it)

[mraeryceos]

No you cannot simply replace the modified ones with untouched ones.

I was talking about ONLY for the tweaks section. Not any component removal. I have my own list of reg tweaks, and I'll never have to dig through that section again the next time I revise my XP distro, because I can separate them out (they seem to all be in nLite.inf). Do you recommend a source for a list of registry tweaks, that have detailed descriptions about each one?

I do the same with modified files (keep them separate). I overwrite the ones in i386 with my own.

If you truly are this paranoid the maybe nLite is not the app for you.

Wow, thanks for the really deep advice! I should be so worthy!

nLite removes the dead space and reorganizes the dosnet, txtsetup files and so-on to speed up the installation. (Granted its not much of a speed-up but all the same a couple of minutes is faster to me.)

What are you smoking? I need to get some. Edited April 22, 2009 by mraeryceos

[Kelsenellenelvian]

It's true Siginets integrator (Or RVMi as most call it) does the same thing when it "Optimizes System Files".

Remove 1 little thing with nLite and then compare your txtsetup files (So nLite would only be removing 1 or 2 lines, just enough to kick it in). You'll find nLite's is smaller, organized and alphabetized.

Doesn't seem like it would do anything but Siginet and I did some real life testing and it does shave a little time on the installation process.

Edit: Plus MS really did a sloppy job on those files. Have you actually looked all the way through a txtsetup or dosnet file? Whats with all the dead space and disorganization?

Edit 2: Reg tweaks = http://www.kellys-korner-xp.com/xp_tweaks.htm heres a BUNCH of reg tweaks.

Plus I will upload a tool made here that has a large reg tweak database.

It wasn't updated for SP3 but almost all of the tweaks are still good.

http://www.wpiw.net/UARegistryTweakageDOTNET0.4.1.exe

Edited April 22, 2009 by Kelsenellenelvian

[mraeryceos]

Thanks for the links!