Automated Windows Component Removal

[Elotemuygrande]

Does anyone know of a way to remove "core" windows components such as Outlook Express, MS Messenger, and MSN Explorer from a perlscript/batchfile/etc(hopefully silently) after windows is already installed? I've obtained/written scripts and reg files for most common tasks and settings that we do now, but this one has me....Many thanks for your enlightenment

[Asin]

Windows 2000 and Windows XP are very closely related, so this might work:

http://support.microsoft.com/?kbid=222444

[Elotemuygrande]

THANKS! About to try this, it looks like exactly what we need

[RyanVM]

Some components can be disabled via winnt.sif (see the MSFN Unattended Guide for more info on that). Otherwise, you'll probably have to use nLite to accomplish what you want to do.

[Asin]

Well, from what I can tell, Elotemuygrande wants to disable those components from the command line for computers that already have Windows XP set up.

Disabling components using winnt.sif suggests an unattended XP installation which doesn't sound like what Elotemuygrande is after.

[Elotemuygrande]

Yes, that's exactly what I'm trying to do, Asin. I'm primarily interested in removing Outlook Express, MS Messenger, and MSN Explorer, and probably the Zone games.

This is what I'm trying:

sysocmgr /i:C:\windows\inf\sysoc.inf /u:components.inf

;components.inf

[Components]

OEAccess = Off

pinball=off

zonegames=off

msnexplr=off

solitaire = off

spider = off

freecell = off

pinball = off

minesweeper = off

When I try this it prompts for the XP install CD. I'm trying different permutations now...

[Elotemuygrande]

Ughh, nothing in Add/Remove will continue until I can find the cinfo.xml file that it wants.

[RyanVM]

Ah, I see now. I was apparently confused since we're in the Unattended Windows forum, not the general Windows XP forum.

Anyway, there's always XPLite

Edited October 17, 2005 by RyanVM

[totoymola]

Anyway, there's always XPLite

Hahaha!!

[Oleg_II]

Elotemuygrande

You may have a look at this site and search for IE-removal INFs (there were some for removing IE and some more components AFTER install). For W2k, but you can modify it for your OS.