Suggestion box (vLite)

[nuhi]

Since there is a great number of components in the Vista left and I can't add them all at once since I pay attention to the dependencies and try to make them more user friendly, you can suggest few components (2-3) which you would like to be removed in the next update, also the tweaks you would like to see in the Tweaks page.

Note: things which are done and conversations around it will be deleted to keep it more readable in the future.

[Stead]

Hrm, just noticed something about the x64 edition of vista, running rc2...I've noticed that both 32bit and 64bit versions of the program files programs exist...i mean, take for example the windows sidebar, vista x64 uses the 64bit sidebar app, however, the files are also there for the 32bit version...

Could the 32 bit varients be removed using vlite? or would it be possible for each option that has both versions to remove either the 32bit or the 64 bit? or is that going a bit crazy?!

I'm also curious, if you remove the sidebar in x64 using vlite, does it also remove the 32bit version?

At a quick look things i've noticed have 32bit and 64bit versions are

Windows Sidebar

Windows Photo Gallery

Windows Media Player

Windows Mail

Windows Calendar

ok, its only around an additional 22mb of space for the 32 bit versions, but still

Things of interest i noticed, windows only installs the x64 games, no 32bit ones, there appear to be 3 32bit speech engines and only one for x64, the x64 is a x64 version of one of the 32bit ones.

I've only had a quick look at the folders to see what files are there, i've noticed some folders are in both folders, and noticed that some of the 32bit ones only have some files, i'm assuming for compatablity, but regarding the sidebar, I can't think of a reason why you would need both? just taking up extra space!

The reason i was wondering, was because at first i was curious to if you could merge the 2 program files foldger together, as i'm not a big fan of having extra folders for everything! I know its not essential, but i liked it with xp, there was just, documents and settings, program files, windows and recyled, everything else would be organised into one of those folders well and system volume information, I suppose i may be a bit of a fussy but for some reason i like the root folder to look neat! ... i think i need to get out more!

[Hanschke]

enable the super buildin admin please and maybe i can rename it too that will be a great feature for me

can u disable all the stuff from the "add program" i mean there are win features and will be great after installation that there will be no "x" in the checkbox. i have do deinstall this after a installation.

[edit]

can u please uncheck the index search mode for each hdd too? other tweaks like no restore point will be nice too!

Edited December 18, 2006 by Hanschke

[strotee76]

-- enable classic mode on first boot

-- "Games" Start menu folder is still listed even though I removed all games

-- "Default Programs" and "Windows Update" on Classic Start menu - remove them from on top of Programs

-- remove "Help and Support" from Start menu

-- remove "Documents"from Start menu

-- remove "Windows Live Messenger Download" link on Start/Programs

Thanks for vLite, I'm loving it and looking forward to its next release.

[Silver0066]

Are you thinking about the ability to insert Mass Storage Drivers into Vlite, ie, Silicon Image 3114 Raid 5 Controller Driver. I now have to do it with a floppy or USB stick.

After 5 years of development, Vista Enterprise, for some strange reason does not allow an Upgrade Install if you have a Mass Storage Raid system and have to install the drivers this way. This company is just amazing in their incompetence.

[Jeronimo]

I know this might be a bit difficult and it is not a big issue, but it would be nice to somehow see to what Vista version a presest is related to (as it is already stored in the preset) when you want to load/overwrite a preset.

Edited January 31, 2007 by Jeronimo

[finderz]

Thks nuhi for spending your time making our os less bloated with ms crap. Cheers!

I've compile a list of all the wanted features from other users in the coming vlite version for easy viewing.

Service

----------

Certificate Propagation - No Dependencies

IKE and AuthIP IPsec Keying Modules - No Dependencies

Messenger Sharing Folders USN Journal Reader service - No Dependencies

Problem Reports and Solutions Control Panel Support - No Dependencies

Remote Access Auto Connection Manager - No Dependencies

Smart Card Removal Policy - No Dependencies

Windows Connect Now - Config Registrar - No Dependencies

System Components

-----------------

Accessories (like paint, calculator, wordpad)

Disk Quota and/or Previous Versions Tab

Ease of Access Center

Games Explorer

Internet Explorer

Malicious Software Removal Tool

MSN Connection Center (cclitesetupui.exe)

Windows Contacts

Windows marketplace

Windows Meeting Space

Windows Media Player

Integration

-------------

Integrating other language packs

System Tweaks

-------------

Allow unsigned drivers

Disable creation of hibernate-file

Disable DEP

Disable Minimum Ram & Harddisk Requirement

Disable Windows Defender Reporting

Import of a Registry file to apply at first boot

Removeval of WLM download Link

Edited March 16, 2007 by finderz

[zedox]

Suggestions:

- Auto Eject at end of Disc burn

- When adding multiple folders (drivers) it comes up with list of drivers found, could shift/ctrl select be added to make it easier than selecting one by one.

- Minimize to system tray!!!

Edited March 20, 2007 by zedox

[DiSiLLUSiON]

I have a few small suggestions, based on my installation of Vista with nearly every option removed:

- Add the following registry tweak: When users have selected IME for removal, the Command Prompt still loads conime.exe (wich is not removed), wich searches for the ime files for a full 10 to 20 seconds before giving up. Thus, it slows down the opening of a Command Prompt instance considerably. Using the following registry tweak disables the loading of / searching for conime.exe, it's IME files and the IME input in the Command Prompt: HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Console\dword:LoadConIme:0x00000000(0). Of course, the tweak should be applied to the default user profile before a user profile is created.

- Make sure that, when the removal of IME is selected, all IME files are actually removed. There are a bunch of files still in system32\IME\shared, and as far as I know it is unnecassery when IME has been removed. Also, the earlier mentioned conime.exe is still present in system32.

- Some or all of the TableTextService files are still present in Program Files\Windows NT\TableTextService. I can't remember if there was an option to remove these, but if there's not, it's an easy fix to remove these files from the Vista installation. There are just 3 entries in the registry; one for the dll under CLASSES_ROOT\CLSID, and 2 for the text files under ehm.. Microsoft\Windows\IME\Locale (or something like it).

- An interesting option would be a little wizard-like tool, where the user would choose his/her enviroment (at home, corporate etc) and it would then disable some of the absolutely unneccasery services associated. For example, IPSec services aren't used when a user isn't in a corporate enviroment and/or doesn't use VPN. Or another example: In a corporate enviroment, the network mapping services (and non-pnp drivers) aren't really needed. A lot of services can be disabled this way. This idea isn't based on the concept of in-depth tweaking (for wich someone should have in-depth knowledge about vista's services), but more like a general assesement. I think users of vLite not only use it to make the disk space vista takes smaller, but especially the memory footprint.

- I don't remember if there was an option to remove the 'customer improvement program' stuff in vista, but it would be nice to have, even though the files and settings (and taskscheduler items) aren't that many... It's the idea that counts.

- There are certain registry classes and other items that are kept when certain components are checked for removal in vLite. For example, removing the games doesn't remove the GameExplorer links, folders and registry classes. I don't know if this behaviour is intended, but it seems a bit sloppy.

- Something I would like to see in vLite is the removal of the Component Cache items that have been deleted from Vista with vLite. It's not that hard, just check for the files each component has and check if vlite removes them. If so, then also remove the component from the component cache. However, if something like this were attempted, then there might be definate hurdles ahead... Such as wrecking Windows Update. I haven't tried it out, and I don't know if Windows Update verifies all components... but if it does, then things suddenly get much less easy. But on the other hand, not removing the components isn't ideal either, since Windows Update happily places files, directories and registry entries on your system dedicated to components you've selected for removal in vLite, whenever a new update is available. Atleast, that's what I suspect Windows Update of doing. I think I'll go deeper into this.

- The last option I would like to see -it's a biggie-, is the removal of Side-By-Side Assemblies aka. WinSxS. This is definately a though one, and not one I'd expect to see in vLite... but it would be nice. For me, WinSxS is not needed. I'd rather have the associated DLL versions redirected to the program's own folder when installing, so it can load them from there.. Or not at all. The idea behind WinSxS is noble: the removal of bugs and/or errors that crop up when outdated or newer versions of certain dll's are used in wich functions invariable are different then the version the programmer used. However, personally, I don't care. I'd like the newest version of my dll's and if a program hasn't updated for a while (and thus needs an old version of a DLL), I'll just search for another program with the same functionality. So to me, all that disk space that all those versions of all those dll's take is way too much. So yeah, it would be nice to have, but it wouldn't be an expected feature of vLite.

Other then these points, I love the program. I tried for the last month to remove stuff from a Vista installation myself to see what exactly has changed since XP, and I know how time-consuming something like that can be, especially with 'debugging' certain component removals. Some files are tied up in really strange ways, it's one big plate of italian spaghetti under the hood.

[max_carpenter]

Ok Now I have finnally managed to get Vlite to work I went through it but was a bit sad to find the following features not in it:

> Can't integrate software to install automaticly, like in Nlite did

> Run Once to run dos commands once xp is installed

> Have not got a feature to make all your user accounts in the unattended part

> Network Settings unattended

> The OEM folder to put your own stuff in to install

> And tweaking Windows Services,

I know its alot and prob can't get all done but I think my main quible would be the Unattended feature think it needs alot more too it and then its a fight between software intregration and run once I think they both draw second at importance.

Other then that great app another great job.

[Or Tsemah]

First of all, vLite is a Great product, i don't know how you managed to get rid of all these compenents with such a simple GUI.

Second, there are few features that can be tweaked for achieving additional performance gain.

1. The Location of the Program Files\Users Folder (Maybe on another drive)

2. Location of the Page\Hibernation File

3. Performance Effects setting

4. Other default location of files (Such as Restore Points)

Or.

[iuli_kyle]

Hi Nuhi, great prog m8 !

One suggestion, i just have read FireGeier's tutorial. Can you add a application intrations box. It will be awsome, as the driver one already exists. Thnx again !

[razormoon]

Has anyone suggested:

Restore previous folder windows at logon

Snap-To mouse tweak

[Hanschke]

removing the ms bluetooth stack. it sucks in vista too and i want to use my widcomm!

[r3al1ty]

Delete box for advanced users would be nice - just like in nLite, so we could remove additional files in vista. Please!!?