vLite'd Img/Install/RAM usage

[btvinoz]

Hi Everyone, I'm a newbie here so go easy on me

I was looking to get an idea of what kind of RAM usage and Vista post installation sizes ppl were getting with their vLite configurations (also ISO sizes if ppl remember).

I noticed in the changelog for 0.8b that nuhi said he could RAM usage down by up to 600MB, but no mention of which ones were the biggest culprits.

I'm curious cos I've been fiddling with vLite to find the best configuration to make Vista run lite and fast. Would removing the big things like: 1) speech support, 2) MCE, 3) natural language, 4) foreign language, 5) Windows indexing, 6) system restore etc be the main things to remove to cut the RAM hogging bloat? Let's not get into removing SuperFetch since there's some debate about whether it releases RAM or not when needed, it probably does but what are the other offenders?

Thanks!

[FarCry3r]

After removing almost all from vLite (except Aero interface), Vista running smoothly @ 650mb ISO and memory usage of 512mb...

[nuhi]

Biggest is probably Search service, Defender, DWM, Remote Desktop and Assistance, Sidebar.

[rebelo]

yes, but if you remove DWN, you won't be able to use the Vista theme - even the Aero Basic - or any other theme, right? And Vista classic style looks like crap, really. Even worse than Win2000.

[btvinoz]

yeah i think getting rid of DWM does free up RAM but seems a lot of people like the aero look and effects

why would removing remote desktop and assistance free up memory??

judging from what it does and it implementation in XP, does it really take up that much??

[nuhi]

rebelo, basic will work, only glass effect will not.

And the question wasn't what is the biggest so that I may keep glass.

btvinoz, it has service(s) and plenty virtual drivers so that remote computer can operate yours like it's local.

[btvinoz]

OK well I've done a test run and here's the results -

vLited Vista ultimate 32bit, removed: sidebar, speech, foreign languages, auto updates, media centre, remote desktop and assistance, indexing, natural language, defender, system restore.

ISO size is ~1.2GB. Install size is ~4.2GB. RAM usage is ~350MB with superfetch and readyboost on and ~315MB with those two off. System seems very responsive and much faster than a default installation. Running Aero basic, not quite as snappy as XP but still very fast.

One thing tho, the install size is a bit of a puzzle, I thought I removed quite a lot and the vLite estimate of the space saved is quite a bit off - I know its only an estimate (~3.6GB) but post install I was expecting ~2.6GB as opposed to the 4.2GB currently. Any ideas? Printer drivers perhaps?

[nuhi]

Normal install size (just 32bit windows folder) is around 7GB. So the estimation was correct.

It could be mistaken with that byte/MB ratio, gonna check later, but that isn't 2GB error, more like few hundred MB.

Also see if you integrated any drivers.

[btvinoz]

Yeah I guess if the normal install size is 7GB, but take off 3.6GB and you're left with 3.4GB. Maybe the normal install size is a little over 7GB and there's the byte/MB ratio as you say which would explain the discrepancy.

Nonetheless, vLite works wonders, wouldn't install Vista without it now!