Thread: Windows Fundamentals for Legacy PCs

okay i read like one paragraph on the windows site and it looks like it is server client type software. Where the old pc turns into a terminal that will connect to a server will all the windows xp stuff. I dont think it is something we will be using here. Unless someone wants to put a slow computer for every seat in the car and have one main super server to manage it all.


edit: quote from microsoft

Windows Fundamentals for Legacy PCs is not a general-purpose operating system. It is designed to work with the Microsoft Remote Desktop Connection client or third-party clients, such as Citrix ICA. In addition, it allows for a limited number of workloads to be executed locally, including security software, management software, terminal emulation software, document viewers, and the .NET Framework.

Maybe it can run local programs too but more or less designed for terminal type aplications.

WinFLP can be installed as a stand-alone OS. It's basically a stripped down version of XP that can be run with much lower hardware requirements. The minimum requirements are 233 MHz Pentium class processor, 64 MB of RAM, 610 MB of HD space (this is for the windows install, actual disk space used) and 800x 600 video resolution.

I tried a build with it over the weekend and I was having some issues with my serial to usb devices and it not accepting the drivers. I haven't worked that issue out yet. But it made of a quick and responsive build of windows otherwise.

Someone else mentioned Windows Funamentals for Legacy PCs (WinFLP) so I asked work to obtain a copy for me. They duly did, and on an IBM T23 Laptop I recently aquired, did two installs; one a clean simple copy of Windows XP Professional SP2, the second a clean install of WinFLP. After the install, and configuring both to boot straight to desktop with no logon, I got the following boot-times:

WinXP Pro SP2: 34.1seconds to desktop
WinFLP: 38.5seconds to desktop

This is on an IDENTICAL machine - IBM T23 Thinkpad 1.13Ghz PIII, 512Mb ram, ATA133 2.5" Hitachi HDD, to a resolution of 1024x768. No additional drivers, updates or tweaks were made.

I suppose the next test would be to run benchmarking software, but I don't have the energy to reinstall XP Pro again on this machine! However, if someone wants to give me an nlite config I'll pack my own install and try that out as a comparison as well if need be.

I managed to get the bootup time (load to desktop, no hourglass icon) down to 28.5 seconds using Minlogon. Really simple to set up too, and that's from a cold boot. For a CarPC environment, I'm happy with that. No Hacks, no tweaks, no playing around disabling and enabling services.

imo the only way you are going to get a faster boot time is to modify xp enough. I'm actually in the process of doing that now. Right now my windows folder is at 250 megs versus the 1.12 gigs you get when xp is installed

Current Windows folder size after installing WinFLP is 517Mb

winflp is a great thing I just think you need to tweak xp a little bit more

Yeah, Im sure you can tweak XP right down to an amazingly tight fast system. However, for those of us who get overly confused with nlite and aren't comfortable fiddling around with the registry, I'll give WinFLP + minlogon a big thumbs up for small-footpring speedy startups, straight from installation.

you should never use nlite (or any other program for that matter) and you don't have to do registery hacks either..simply

- removing the services you don't need
- removing themes
- removing the majority of Accessories

empty your trash

then run a registry cleaner restart