Question for XP installation experts

**Dislocated Time** · July 7, 2009

I remember that someone once mentioned that all the windows files are compressed like 1394VDBG.SY_ instead of 1394VDBG.SYS and that windows could be made to install faster if the files weren't compressed.

I tried creating an installation DVD with the uncompressed versions and the installation routine is still looking only for the compressed files.

Is there a way to get windows to accept the uncompressed versions? Fred Vorck also cut his 2000 installation routine down by throwing out useless files and editing the layout or setup files. Is there someone that has already done that with XP as well that has some info on it?

**Kelsenellenelvian** · July 7, 2009

OK I did some extensive testing on the same idea you have year about 18 months ago.

Turns out they were wrong. The files are copied over and decompressed MUCH, MUCH quicker than being copied over uncompressed.

As for your last sentence -> Yup thousands do it all the time with nLite. (Found on this forum)

**Dislocated Time** · July 7, 2009

I just found nlite. Thanks, will try it out.

**fdv** · July 8, 2009

One of the ways I accomplished what I did was to remove all printer drivers (since in Win2k they are 10 years old now anyway) and copied over the file list from TXTSETUP to LAYOUT.

TXTSETUP and LAYOUT both copy files. nLite edits TXTSETUP and leaves LAYOUT alone, so you're still copying files that nLite removed from TXTSETUP (I hope that makes sense). As long as you run a global replace ",_x," to ",," then you can copy the file list from TXTSETUP into LAYOUT and the files nLite removed will not be copied at all, adding some speed.

I see in nLite that removing Printers also removes the files necessary for things like virtual PDF printers (or so the nLite warning says) so you might want to tread with caution there. Although my fileset does not have this complication, I really don't know what files to put into the "keep" box to retain virtual printer functionality and still drop all of those useless printer drivers which, in XP, are now 8 years old or so.

**Dislocated Time** · July 9, 2009

I haven't been in the forums for a while because I've moved half way across the universe... and well unfortunately a few of my harddisks didn't survive the long journey and I have to install everything except my laptop again anyway.

Wow.

I didn't expect such a great detailed answer.