Can I use nlite on an existing install?

**omehegan** · 07-04-2005, 01:45 PM

I just got done installing Windows XP, FrodoPlayer, and iGuidance on my new car PC. Then I went to use nlite on it, and I discovered that apparently it can ONLY take an install CD and strip stuff out of that to make a new lightweight install. In other words, I would need to nlite a base install, and then start all over with my PC (reformat and reinstall). Is that really the case? I can't just modify the install I have already? I don't want to go through all this work again!

**Gobby** · 07-04-2005, 02:02 PM

Nope, sorry, nLite is designed to strip installation media only. The only way to strip an already installed system is to buy XPLite.

**Cheekz185** · 07-04-2005, 02:03 PM

No, nlite liek you said, makes an imgage file of windows and burns it to a cd. It makes an image file with the components u select then it is like a regular Windows cd just with the stuff you want installed.

**omehegan** · 07-04-2005, 02:22 PM

OK I just looked at XPLite. I can get a copy of that, but does anyone have experience with it? Is it worth using, or should I just start over with an nlite install instead?

**RoyN** · 07-06-2005, 07:54 AM

I'm wondering the same thing... we get a ton of problems with nlite installations in that we disable too much, then it doesnt work or doesnt support what we need once it is installed, I wonder if with XPLite it would be easier to disable and re-enable stuff to check for compatibility?

I'm wondering about any xplite experiences.... I may just get a license and have a play

**evandude** · 07-06-2005, 08:05 AM

I have never created even one successful nLite install... (including the one where I didn't even remove any components, just did the auto-installation stuff)

but XPlite has worked pretty well. it's not going to cut down your windows install to some tiny size like nLite will, but it can remove a ton of unnecessary stuff from windows. and a few times I have disabled some stuff and found I needed it, and then re-enabled it again, and it seemed to work OK. and if you're like me, and can't get ANY results from nLite, it is a good option. especially if you can find a *cough* free *cough* version. not that i'm suggesting that or anything

**RoyN** · 07-06-2005, 08:09 AM

Hmm... what kind of stuff will it remove? what effect did it have on your machine?

Did boot time imporve, what about responjse time?

**omehegan** · 07-06-2005, 08:15 AM

Yes, the only reason I want to do this is to try to improve boot time. I have plenty of disk space so if this isn't going to speed up my system much, I'm not even going to bother. I'd like to hear some other reports from people who have used nlite or xplite.

**Gobby** · 07-06-2005, 08:19 AM

Best boot time mod you can do is the minlogon stuff as found by SFiorito.

Works perfectly here :-)

Also disable any unused services

**RoyN** · 07-06-2005, 08:23 AM

yeah, minlogon improves boot time a LOT.... about 5-7secs in my case... however I lost all BT, and lost Networking.... is this common? (I think I could access the web, but no more files on the lan)