FDV Fileset & nLite

[saugatak]

I tried nLite on FDV's fileset. When tried to install on VM, I got BSOD'd.

I think where both FDV and nLite try to affect the OS, there is going to be a problem.

FDV, your thoughts on this?

[Crash&Burn]

Doesn't FDV remove DotNet support, and a few other things. And doesn't VM require that? I haven't looked too closely into his set, I think I'm just gonna keep IE onboard, unused, so I can try to get Norton's speedDisk localized.

And I think its recommended to use NLITE on like TOmmyp's set (for removing features), if yer using FDV's I wouldn't remove any features w/ NLITE, though you might try some of its tweaks, or driver integration etc.

[tommyp]

I have a strong feeling that FDV won't support this, as he has not supported it in the past. His fileset is supposed to be used independantly (i.e. not run NLITE on it). However, can you post your error_report file? Perhaps we can work through a solution. BTW, can you confirm if your sourcess folder installs without a BSOD without using Nlite?

[saugatak]

Oh yeah, the SOURCESS file runs fine. I've never had a problem with FDV's fileset, works great.

I think the difference is that FDV leaves a lot of the source Win2kSP4 material in, and then uses INFs to not install things.

nLite seems to just remove the stuff altogether. I'm trying to do an nLite on FDV's fileset mainly removing drivers and various Western European languages, see how that goes. If it installs, I'll post the nLite txt file.

[tommyp]

Something to try... remove the three dl_'s from FDVFILES, run HFSLIP and then run NLITE. See if that works. Also, don't forget to NOT select IE from the removal when running NLITE. Post back your findings.

[saugatak]

@TommyP attached is a zip containing HFSLIP error report and nLite "Last Session" inf.

I used FDV's 10/11 fileset with the following modifications:

1. Remove Accessibility

2. Remove Windows built-in defrag

3. Remove Distributed Transaction Coordinator

4. Remove Windows built in Disk Cleaning Utility

5. Remove Wordpad

TommyP, I HFSLIP'd this before your request to try out \BIN and \GRE folders in C:\HFSLIP\WIN, but I'll try it later on tonight.

With nLite, I just tried to remove languages I don't use (I manually removed all languages from the language pack other than "Korean" and all of the Western European languagues, English (U.S.) is not removable), unneeded drivers and a few other things.

This setup worked fine and booted.

The following programs installed no problem:

1. Firefox (I presume Thunderbird will install but don't know for sure).

2. Acronis True Image 9

3. MS Office 2k3

4. Unclean 2

WordPerfect, which is my main wordprocessor, did not install. On the nLite boards, they said that WordPerfect requires Windows Scripting Host, which FDV's fileset takes out.

Unfortunately, Adobe Acrobat 7 would also not install because it requires "IE 5.5 or higher." Why this bloated beast of a program (requires over 600 MB on my drive) needs IE is unfathomable to me. I tried putting in the "redirect to Firefox" IExplorer.exe, but that didn't work either.

HFSLIPnLite.zip

[dirtwarrior]

Very interested in reducing the install size of 2k. With these files in place what is the typical install size of 2ksp4?

[fdv]

saugatak

1. Remove Accessibility

2. Remove Windows built-in defrag

3. Remove Distributed Transaction Coordinator

4. Remove Windows built in Disk Cleaning Utility

5. Remove Wordpad

will be removed in next version of fileset: 1,4,5

will probably not be removed in next version: 3

will be removed and appear in a separate inf installer: 2

dirtwarrior - you've seen the site. it's a little buried, but its there.

[saugatak]

Using FDV's fileset, I got it down to 225 MB taking out all languages other than Western Europe and Korean.

First time I tried nLite, I checked boxes for stuff that FDV had already gotten rid of except IE and OE. I also used nLite to get rid of all languages except Western Europe English languages (i.e., got rid of German, Spanish, Italian, etc.) and Korean and all printer, scanner drivers. That got it down to about 175 MB. Unfortunately, I got BSOD'd.

Second time I tried nLite, I only got rid of drivers and a few miscellaneous things. I also got rid of ALL Western European languages including the English languages (i.e., Korean was the only language surviving). There was no option for English (U.S.) so I assumed it was on by default and could not be removed. This nLited HFSLIP/FDV build was about 200 MB. This one booted fine and it's the one where I installed a bunch of programs.

A few observations: I think nLite achieves most of its reduction in CD size (can be about 50MB) by taking out languages and drivers. If you only need English and have your own printer driver, I'd manually remove all languages out of SOURCESS\LANG file (removing Western Europe manually is not an option). Then I'd remove all the Western European languages (English (U.S.) not an option to be removed) and get rid of tons of drivers.

I didn't take out monitor drivers because I didn't want a situation where computer couldn't boot due to lack of monitor driver. If you have your monitor driver and install it into your base CD, it's possible to get rid of monitor drivers also, but then that CD is only good for that computer.

I had tried nLite before and it's a great program, but I thought FDV's fileset did a cleaner job of getting rid of things (particularly IE and OE). The nLited system I tried had weird error messages that I didn't get with FDV's fileset. I haven't tried the new nLite to see how it compares to FDV's fileset in getting rid of IE and OE. Maybe Nuhi updated it based on FDV's code as FDV is mentioned high up in the credits in nLite.

I also like being able to look through the code in FDV's fileset to tweak it for my needs and just dumping FDV's fileset for HFSLIP as opposed to jumping through nLite's 5 menus and then waiting half an hour.

[Crash&Burn]

Unfortunately, Adobe Acrobat 7 would also not install because it requires "IE 5.5 or higher." Why this bloated beast of a program (requires over 600 MB on my drive) needs IE is unfathomable to me. I tried putting in the "redirect to Firefox" IExplorer.exe, but that didn't work either.

That's not the program thats been indicated to try w/ this. From memory its called IEFixer, and you run it against the .exe that is claiming IE requirements. It will change data within the executable for checks for Browser changing the ID String from an IE compatible string to a Firefox one (which must be installed obviously)

the program you mention is something to add for those extrememly annoying programs that have compiled in opening Explorer for Help/Updates/etc.

of course you could just put a Junction in yer program files dir.

Make the Internet Explorer, directory, assuming D: and Programs as your program files dir:

junction D:\Programs\Internet Explorer\iexplore.exe D:\Programs\Firefox\firefox.exe

rename as needed. Junction is a sysinternals tool.

Similiar to linuxes symlinks, calls to iexplore.exe redirect/point to firefox.exe

Edited October 18, 2005 by Crash&Burn

[saugatak]

SWEEET!!!

I was resigned to making an HFSLIP with IE. I'm gonna give JUNCTION a shot. That Mark Ravinovich guy SysInternals has thought of everything.

[fdv]

all, i have recieved permission from jonathan howell to redistribute the 'dummy' iexplore.exe that loads whatever browser you choose. it will be in my next fileset.

Maybe Nuhi updated it based on FDV's code as FDV is mentioned high up in the credits in nLite.

not all related to internet explorer, really more to do with what you see in my posts, and other mundane things

nuhi did not want to get too heavily into eradication like i do. he prevents the ie files from installing, but nlite isn't meant to clear out the registry, keep urls from loading in explorer, or apply security fixes like closing ports, etc. its just not that kind of proggie. i am pleased that my fileset is working with nlite (it didn't used to in previous versions) but its aim was really always something different than nlite.

I also like being able to look through the code in FDV's fileset to tweak it for my needs and just dumping FDV's fileset for HFSLIP as opposed to jumping through nLite's 5 menus and then waiting half an hour.

to be honest i think that even though i link to nlite in several places, this is a key reason why my files remain very, very popular -- some prefer to do things in 5 clicks, and some very knowledgeable people like to get deep into windows and see everything up close.

[dirtwarrior]

Should your program be used before nlite or after? To me the logical choice would be use your app first then use nlite, but I dont know.

[fdv]

hey dirtwarrior, beforehand. then run hfslip and then nlite last of all.

we will make this clearer a little later when we work some things out. i don't want to put it into the documentation just yet, i have some things to figure out yet.

[Oleg_II]

fdv

Just to clarify: does the trick Crash&Burn with junction.exe do the same as Jonathan Howell's 'dummy' iexplore.exe - makes program think there is IE on the system?

Edited October 18, 2005 by Oleg_II