Whats the smallest you managed to shrink XP to?

[shorterxp]

Hi all,

I recently made a bootable XP installer for personal use, done with nlite. Many of the components were removed, as much as is permit-able to do basics like web and multimedia.

Regrettably, this was on a pen drive which I lost. Another backup on a HD failed and so now I have start again, namely the nlite process because I did manage to salvage some self extracting archives which came into play post-installation.

I remember running into problems before, i.e. accidentally removed MDAC which is required for some software and a few other essential dependencies needed for wireless (this was the main PITA), so in the end alot was remained but I think I got it in the ballpark 360MB.

The question is, what is the slimmest installation anyone has achieved that still permits web and audio?

I guess a second question is, is anyone willing to give me a copy of their barebones copy to save me going over the tedius process? I have XP Home FWIW.

Edited August 6, 2017 by shorterxp

[Destro]

Smallest I got it ever was running with less than 50MBs of memory and I shell swapped to a mini shell.

Edited August 6, 2017 by Destro

[shorterxp]

Hi,

What about the bootable ISO itself? was that SP3 and could it do wifi and sound? I mean there are alot of cross-connected dependencies, you remove one with nlite and one gets all sorts of warnings. It needs a real expert who understands windows in.out to get it bare as possible.

I'm curious to see the smallest anyone on here has managed regarding the ISO (the forum should do a competition).

Edited August 6, 2017 by shorterxp

[Destro]

Absolute smallest off an ISO is something like a tweaked bart PE, you can make bart pe run from a Flash or hdd as well.

[vinifera]

micro XP ISO is 99 MB
yet fully functional

[jaclaz]

The smallest BartPE ISO EVER was 14 Mb (obviously with a reduced set of functionalities).

http://reboot.pro/topic/15252-picoxp/

http://reboot.pro/files/file/27-picoxp/

A good compact build is around 60 Mb, this all in one builder is still available:

http://hooovahh.com/Navigation/Code Repository/Other/BartPE AIO.php

The smallest EVER XP (with a very reduced set of functionalilties, of course) is the XPCLI which can be as small as around 20 Mb (but you won't do much with it) while an installed size around 40-60 Mb already gives enough functionalities to be a very good and handy "second install" or "emergency recovery system".

JFYI:

http://reboot.pro/topic/3717-xpsp1-with-full-commandline-and-ntfs-below-10-mb/

which can now be easily replicated thanks to the excellent MiniXP project by Misty:

http://www.mistyprojects.co.uk/minixp/docs/files/index.html

http://www.mistyprojects.co.uk/minixp/docs/files/about.htm

jaclaz

[shorterxp]

Thanks!

 

I cannot believe I missed MicroXP from all those years ago? I must've started messing around with nlite in 2015 IIRC. I see its MXP is pro - I only have a home key, though usually I just re-armed the activation every 30 days (four times I believe) and then just re-installed everything to keep things fresh. It was pretty automatic, even installed Office 2003 with docx compatibility. I think installation took 15mins all in :P.

 

I guess I can use nlite to peep at the MicroXP i386 to see what remains and copy those settings over. When I told my dad, a  linux enthusiast, about my loss and having to do it again, his reply was, "It'll take not as long".

Edited August 18, 2017 by shorterxp