Can nLite be used without an XP disc?

[2Turtles]

nLite sounds like it is exactly what I need to get rid of all the XP junk that is making me crazy trying to learn this new o/s, but this new machine I bought second hand, and did not build like my beloved win98 machine so I have no XP discs for it. It has a thing called "recovery partition" which I know nothing about how to work, on top of having zero XP experience. I find it so hard to navigate, everything is called something different and looks different and seems to take 20 steps now instead of 2. The new "search" function on XP makes me swear every day at least 10 times! What was wrong with Find files and folders?? One click and type in what you need and it's found - why on earth does anyone need a comical dog and 600 questions and choices to find a simple file??

I want to be rid of so much stuff on here, sorry for ranting like a madman - but I have 3 computers to set up for this house now and 1 is win2k which I'm no too scared of as it looks like win98, then is XP which hurts my brain and last is Vista and I'm getting an ulcer thinking how much harder it will be than XP...

If I can use nLite with a "recovery partition" can someone please point me to the instructions for how to do it? I would also appreciate any experienced XP users to tell me which are the best programs to get rid of immediately and good first tweaks for a quick system as this has only 512 ram.

This is a Gateway GT5244e tower with cd/dvd burner and no floppy drive. It has XP home on d: recovery partition.

I would be quite grateful for any help and good directions to links, or reading or even personal experience opinions please!

[Guest]

XP is a dumbed down version of Win2K. That's why they added that silly dog. To get rid of it import a reg file with the following content:

Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00

; Use Classic Search In Explorer
[HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\CabinetState] 
"Use Search Asst"="no

If there is a i386 folder in the recovery partition you may be able to nLite it. See if you can look at the content and see if it's there. I got a feeling you wont really be able to make anything usable from the recovery partition. Manufacturers tend to add all kinds of useless crap to the original install source.

[2Turtles]

Cheers for the reg hack -X-! I can't look at the partition right now as that machine is currently occupied wiping another hard-drive with issues - but when it's done I will look for the i386 folder. You certainly aren't kidding when you say there is all kinds of useless crap added by the manufacturer - I have never owned a brand name machine before and had no idea! The previous owner restored it to factory before I bought it and holy baloney I'm surprised there isn't a McDonald's advert and a 3-day sample of Viagra on here somewhere :rofl:

So what do people do if their hard drive disintegrates on one of the pre-fab boxes and they have no recovery partition? I don't know if I can manage this new o/s without being able to control the installation to my liking. Once you get it the way you want it can you make that the "factory default" or is it always going to stuff it's guts to overflowing when you need a fresh install?

[jaclaz]

You cannot use the Recovery partition.

But you can probably use the files in the Recovery partition to create a Source CD.

Read these:

http://www.msfn.org/board/do-make-bootable...er-t120423.html

http://www.msfn.org/board/need-recovery-di...ca-t130307.html

AND given links

jaclaz

[2Turtles]

You cannot use the Recovery partition.

Not only can I not use it - I cannot see it! It is 3GB and locked.

However, I was mistaken initially as the previous owner was kind enough to pass along the Gateway book and inside is the original XP disc. Well it is a Gateway disc, but it says XP Home Edition Operating System Disc. This one I can look at and it has the i386 and other files:

I think now (hope) this means I can use nLite? But, what is locked on the D: drive? why locked if the o/s disc is provided? Is this where all the extra programs that stuff up the system are hiding? Must also be where the hardware drivers are too since there are no more discs and I have not seen any folders for original component drivers and they have to restore from somewhere... If I delete that partition what will happen to the system?

I don't want to get off topic as this is nLite forum, but again, all parts of this pc (o/s, configuration style etc.) are new to me so I'm just making sure not to do damage that cannot be undone. Please direct me to the right forum and I will continue questions there and only discuss my nLite attempt here

[jaclaz]

Start a new thread here:

http://www.msfn.org/board/windows-xp-f34.html

Have a look here:

http://www.pcdecrapifier.com/

maybe it can help you remove some Gateway crap.

jaclaz