vlite - cutting Microsoft bloat out of Vista

[Guest alucardx]

vlite

Awhile ago I tried Nlite (I think its called - the XP version of vlite). Anyway I had no problem creating and burning the XP iso until I tried to install it. IT WOULDN'T!! After formating my drive and trying to install it conmplained about missing files... not sure which ones now...luckily, I had a Ghost backup to restore my system. You would think that a program designed to strip away files would also take care that Windows don't complain about them.

Nlite was history. I now have a XP Pro system and was thinking about upgrading to Vista. Got the DVD. Still got some hardware upgrading to do first, so I decided when I was ready I would rather install my own cutom version.

Came across vlite. Decided to give it a try. Downloaded it then I had to download and install the NET framework 2. OK, but when I tried to start it up it complained about WAIK or something. I was under the impression it was just a small virtual driver - ended up downloading a 130GB iso image. Burned it of installed the crap (1.09 GB) only have the program still complain about the same issue.

Then I found the answer to copy the wimgapi.dll from Program Files\Windows AIK\Tools\x86 to the vLite folder. Done. Then the program seemed to have worked OK. Until it asked for the Vista files. I had previously copied them to a folder on my hard drive but I kept getting the error about "error code 11".

So I pointed the program to use the files directly off the DVD instead. After copying the files directly from the DVD the program still sputtered out the "error code 11". It seems to be a common problem but surprisingly, NO SOLUTION.

So my solution was simple, uninstall vlite, the Windows Automation crap - frees up a GB of space, I'm keeping the Framework installed.

Hoping the people at XPlite (http://www.litepc.com/) develope a version of their program for Vista otherwise I'll be searching the internet for info on how to strip out this Microsoft BLOAT manually!

If I'm ever lucky enough to go to Windows 7, guess where I won't be coming to find out where to trim it down. The only joke bigger than Vista is vlite.

In response to some suggestions found elsewhere, including wasting money buying another version of Vista (NOT in this life time); creating a Virtual environment - I don't have the experience or the computer resources to do.

I'm trying to upgrade my hardware now but when the only two computer stores in town have packed up and left town, plus I don't have a credit card for online purchases.

And then their is always the argument about FREE products - YOU GET WHAT YOU PAY - I may have not invested money in vlite but the hours downloading, installing, burning (the automation pack), then searching the internet trying to get it to all work like it supposed to - MY TIME HAS TO BE WORTH SOMETHING!!!

I recently downloaded a bunch of scripts (batch files in most cases) from a company called eXperience that allows you to remove numerous WinXP components and services. Anybody know where I can get some Vista ones.

[Tomorrow]

What a joke .First off you complain that you have ton of downloading and installing to do.When it errors out you uninstall all(instead of coming here and doing search or asking help).Then you complain that you dont have the resources or experience needed to run Virtual machine(considering this i wonder if you could properly use even vlite).In the end you complain that you had waisted 2+ hours on this.Let me ask.Did anyone commanded you to try this,did you pay any money while doing this?.No.So its was your own risk.

[cluberti]

Awhile ago I tried Nlite (I think its called - the XP version of vlite). Anyway I had no problem creating and burning the XP iso until I tried to install it. IT WOULDN'T!! After formating my drive and trying to install it conmplained about missing files... not sure which ones now...luckily, I had a Ghost backup to restore my system. You would think that a program designed to strip away files would also take care that Windows don't complain about them.

This is why you test your ISO in a VM before you destroy a perfectly good install with one that might not work. nLite removes components that the installer may need, depending on what you're installing on, what hardware drivers get loaded during install for your hardware, etc. Considering nLite is actually *stripping* the components out of Windows, this can cause problems. Expecting it to always work no matter what you remove, slipstream, or add is silly. Always use a VM before you run the install on a machine you actually need.

Then I found the answer to copy the wimgapi.dll from Program Files\Windows AIK\Tools\x86 to the vLite folder. Done. Then the program seemed to have worked OK. Until it asked for the Vista files. I had previously copied them to a folder on my hard drive but I kept getting the error about "error code 11".

So I pointed the program to use the files directly off the DVD instead. After copying the files directly from the DVD the program still sputtered out the "error code 11". It seems to be a common problem but surprisingly, NO SOLUTION.

BS - Error code 11 means the WIM image the program is trying to access either isn't the correct bitness (using an x86 wimgapi to open an x64 WIM or the converse), or the WIM file itself is damaged in some way. I've had this error many times before, and it is ALWAYS the image file's problem that a redownload of the ISO from MSDN cures.

If I'm ever lucky enough to go to Windows 7, guess where I won't be coming to find out where to trim it down. The only joke bigger than Vista is vlite.

And honestly, with only one post that shows you as unable to search and nothing but a complainer, we won't miss you. Goodbye.

In response to some suggestions found elsewhere, including wasting money buying another version of Vista (NOT in this life time); creating a Virtual environment - I don't have the experience or the computer resources to do.

Then perhaps STRIPPING components out of Windows directly using nLite or vLite is also something you should be considering above your experience level. This is not Windows 101 here, for goodness' sakes.

And then their is always the argument about FREE products - YOU GET WHAT YOU PAY - I may have not invested money in vlite but the hours downloading, installing, burning (the automation pack), then searching the internet trying to get it to all work like it supposed to - MY TIME HAS TO BE WORTH SOMETHING!!!

And the developer's time and energy isn't? You got a free product even though it took someone a good long time to make a product that works just fine for most of us, and yet you're complaining about how it doesn't work and how YOUR time is worth something? The argument that you got what you paid for is perfectly valid here, and if you don't understand what the product does or how, or don't investigate the risks involved, and then complain about something bad happening when you've been warned it's possible, then don't use the product. Stop whining like a petulant child.

And since the rest of your post is also just a rant about things unrelated to vlite or nlite, I'm going to grant your wish.

Thread closed.