Reducing Windows 7 installation size plus installing EWF (for SSD drives)
Hi,
For a couple of days I've been playing with my new small PC (Saphire Fusion White), in order to reduce the Windows 7 size (I was planning to install in a CompactFlash, but finally it was cheaper a 30GB SSD drive) , and protect the disk with EWF.
I've visit different forums, and the following is only a compilation of all process I've used to set up my Windows 7, with a size under 10GB (including Explorer, Chrome, Firefox, Xbmc and acrobat reader).
Here the full process, quite long, but easy to follow:
REDUCE THE WINDOWS 7 DISTRIBUTION SIZE.
Get one copy of Windows 7 (DVD or ISO) and install vLite
1 - Open notepad, paste this code below, save as C:\Program Files\vLite\presets\Last Session.ini.
------------------------- Start File
; vLite preset file
;
;#Environment:
; vLite v1.2
; Framework 2.0.50727.4927
; Microsoft Windows NT 6.1.7600.0 32-bit
;
;#Target:
; Windows 7 PROFESSIONAL 64-bit
; Version 6.1 Swedish (Sweden)
;
[Compatibility]
[CustomHide]
[Components]
;# Accessories #
Accessibility
Character Map
Disk Cleanup
Games-Inbox Games
Games-Premium Inbox Games
Mobility Center
Speech Support
System Information
Welcome Center
Windows Sidebar and Gadgets
Wordpad
;# Languages #
Arabic
Brazillian
Bulgarian
Croatian
Czech
Danish
Dutch
Estonian
Finnish
French
German
Greek
Hebrew
Hungarian
Italian
Japanese
Korean
Latvian
Lithuanian
Norwegian
Polish
Portuguese
Romanian
Russian
Serbian
Simplified Chinese
Slovak
Slovenian
Spanish
Table Driven Text Input Processor
Thai
Traditional Chinese
Turkish
Ukrainian
;# Multimedia #
Media Center
Music and Video samples
Sample Pictures
Screensavers
Shell event sounds
SideShow
Windows Media Codecs
Windows Media Player
;# Network #
Connect to a Network Projector
Distributed File System (DFS)
Internet Information Services (IIS)
RIP Listener
Simple TCPIP services
Telnet Client
Telnet Server
TFTP Client
Windows Collaboration
Windows Mail
;# Services #
Quality Windows Audio Video Experience
Remote Registry
WebDAV (WebClient)
;# System #
BitLocker Drive Encryption
Digital Rights Management (DRM)
Disk Quota
Help
IMAPIv2 Burning Support
Microsoft Client For NFS
Microsoft Message Queue (MSMQ)
Natural Language
Parental Controls
Run a legacy CPL elevated
Security Center
Subsystem for UNIX-based Applications (SUA)
Tablet PC
Windows Defender
Windows SAT (Performance Index)
Zip Folder
[Options]
DEP (Data Execution Prevention) = Enabled only for OS components (Optin)
User Account Control (UAC) = Disabled
AntiSpyware Realtime Protection = Default
AutoPlay = Enabled
Paging Executive = Enabled
Power scheme = Power saving
Power button = Shutdown
Sleep button = Do nothing
Control Panel - Classic View = Enabled
Show hidden files and folders = Yes
Show protected operating system files = Yes
Show extensions for known file types = Yes
IE Phishing Filter = Disabled
IE Phishing Verification Ballon Tips = Disabled
[Services]
AELOOKUPSVC = Automatic (Delayed Start)
AUDIOENDPOINTBUILDER = Automatic
AUDIOSRV = Automatic
BROWSER = Manual
CRYPTSVC = Automatic (Delayed Start)
DPS = Automatic (Delayed Start)
EVENTSYSTEM = Automatic (Delayed Start)
IKEEXT = Manual
KTMRM = Manual
LANMANSERVER = Automatic (Delayed Start)
MPSSVC = Manual
MSDTC = Manual
NLASVC = Automatic (Delayed Start)
NSI = Automatic (Delayed Start)
POLICYAGENT = Manual
SECLOGON = Automatic (Delayed Start)
SPOOLER = Manual
TERMSERVICE = Manual
THEMES = Automatic
WINMGMT = Automatic (Delayed Start)
WPDBUSENUM = Manual
WUAUSERV = Manual
[Protection]
windows\system32\browcli.dll
windows\sysWow64\browcli.dll
windows\system32\Magnification.dll
windows\system32\msdrm.dll
windows\system32\msoert2.dll
windows\system32\SystemPropertiesRemote.exe
windows\system32\tbs.dll
windows\system32\wer.dll
windows\system32\werconcpl.dll
windows\system32\wercplsupport.dll
windows\system32\werdiagcontroller.dll
windows\system32\winipsec.dll
windows\system32\wmdrmsdk.dll
windows\SysWow64\wmdrmsdk.dll
[Drivers]
[Unattended]
SpecRegional
AcceptEULA
SkipAutoActivation
[Hotfixes]
[LanguagePacks]
--------------------------------------------------End File
2 - Load it in vlite and have a look what [COMPONENTS] you want to keep = uncheck (specifically languages),
but don't remove anything else than what's already selected in my preset file or you might run into some serious trouble.
3 - Keep going through the steps in vlite and make an iso at the end.
4 - Copy the ISO to DVD or to USB drive using Unetbootin,
----------
INSTALL Windows 7 using DVD or USB created after vLite.
----------
OPTIMIZE DISK SPACE used turning off some feature after installation is completed:
Hibernation (~1 GB+). If you've got lots of RAM - say 4GB - and turn on the hibernation function, your hibernation file will take up that amount (in this case 4GB).
Start > Control Panel > Power Options > "Hibernate" tab > Uncheck box.
Page File (~1.5 GB+). Same thing applies to your page file, as Windows, by default, sets your page file to be dynamically size between something like 1.5x your RAM to 2x your RAM. I wouldn't recommend putting it on an external drive.
Start > Control Panel > System > "Advanced" tab > "Performance Settings" button > "Advanced" tab > "Change" button > Enter size and press "Set."
Or simply disable Page File.
Start > Control Panel > System > "Advanced" tab > "Performance Settings" button > "Advanced" tab > "Change" button > With out page File
then reboot will be needed.
System Restore (~1.0 GB+). Windows has this feature called System Restore, that keeps track of any installations, in case you would like to roll-back before a bad driver or program installation. However, for dual-booters who are just installing games, it hardly seems necessary to keep 10-20% of your hard drive available to back up your system before a game installation. You can either decide to let this service take up less space, or disable it altogether. I've disabled it, since I'm pretty careful of what I begin installing on my machine.
Start > Control Panel > System > "System Restore" tab > Either uncheck "Turn off System Restore..." or set % of drive space to use.
------------
INSTALL AND CONFIGURE EWF:
First of all you need the files ewf.sys and ewfmgr.exe from Windows Embedded.
The 64-bit driver files are in the file Standard_7_RC_64bit_Bootable_IBW.iso , available for download at
https://connect.microsoft.com/windowsembedded/Downloads
You have to login and then search for the Windows 7 embedded image files.
Files can be found in
\DS\Packages\FeaturePack\amd64~winemb-enhanced-write-filter~~~~6.1.7600.16385~1.0\WinEmb-Enhanced-Write-Filter.cab
The 32-bit files can be found in Standard_7_RC_Toolkit.iso.
\DS\Packages\FeaturePack\x86~winemb-enhanced-write-filter~~~~6.1.7600.16385~1.0\WinEmb-Enhanced-Write-Filter.cab
01/15/2010 02:18 AM 56,680 ewf.sys
01/15/2010 02:18 AM 24,424 ewfmgr.exe
Just copy ewfmgr.exe to %windir%\system32\ (most likely C:\Windows\System32) and ewf.sys to %windir%\system32\drivers.
----------------------- Start File
Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00
[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Contro l\Class\{71A27CDD-812A-11D0-BEC7-08002BE2092F}]
"UpperFilters"="Ewf"
[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Servic es\ewf]
"ErrorControl"=dword:00000001
"Start"=dword:00000000
"Type"=dword:00000001
[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\servic es\Ewf\Parameters\Protected\Volume0]
"Type"=dword:00000001
"Enabled"=dword:00000001
"CompareBeforeAlloc"=dword:00000000
"DiskSignature"=dword:00000000
"PartitionOffset"=hex(b):00,00,00,00,00,00,00, 00
-------------------------End File
The last two will have to be replaced with your values.
1.DiskSignature can be found with DiskPart (built-in)
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/300415
First disk is 0 (use nn=0 below). In a DOS window run:
diskpart
select disk nn
detail disk
The DiskSignature is the Disk ID (in hex).
Maxtor 90432D2
Disk ID: F549D151
Type : IDE
2.PartitionOffset can be found with diskpar (available from Microsoft)
http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/l...EXCHG.80).aspx
First disk is 0 (use nn=0 below). In a DOS window run:
diskpar -i nn
---- Drive Partition 0 Infomation ----
StatringOffset = 32256
PartitionLength = 41094144
The PartitionOffset is the StatringOffset, in DEC (decimal)
In a DOS window run:
regedit
navigate to [HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\servic es\Ewf\Parameters\Protected\Volume0]
and change the two zero values (DiskSignature and PartitionOffset) to the correct ones. SELECT DEC ("Decimal") for the PartitionOffset key value when you paste it!
Force to ignore failures on C: when booting (from Cmd opened as administrator):
bcdedit /set {current} bootstatuspolicy ignoreallfailures
Activate EWF:
open "Cmd" as administrator and type "ewfmgr -enable c:"
And reboot
From now on, everytime you install/uninstall or change anything you will need to commit changes (from Cmd):
ewfmgr -commitanddisable -live c:
Then reactivate:
ewfmgr -enable c:
And reboot the system.
Monitoring EWF RAM status
Hi,
I have written a simple program to monitor the fraction of RAM used/remaining by EWFMGR. The application requires .NET 3.5(.1?) and was developed on my XP (SP3) netbook. Should I pluck up the courage I'll get EWF running on my Win7 lappy. But for now I would like to receive some feedback and 'hits' to my site where this program is 'hosted':
http://plppl.100webspace.net/
I hope to add quickly to this site and the EWF Monitor program is all that is there for now. I hope it is as much use to you as it is to me. So much faster than sequentially accessing a hard disk!
Should be fine on anything with EWFMGR.exe off of the XP for embedded SP 2 thingy/iso from the MS site. And .NET 3.5.
