Windows 7 Package Removal Guide

Hi all,

These are some interim results of an experiment I’ve been running using Windows 7 & DISM.

Hopefully this will help someone somewhere configure their installation with a bit of insight.

These are the results from Windows 7 7600, X64 Professional.

Safe for removal
Virtualisation
Virtual PC / Virtual XP Back end files
Hyper V Packages (May possibly break the ability to boot from VHD…I don’t have the ability to test this at the moment)

Mobility
Tablet PC Components
MobilePC Client Sideshow
MobilePC Client Sensors
MobilePC Client Premium
MobilePC Client Basic

Printing
Printing XPS Package
Printing Premium Toola
Printing Local Printing Home
Printing Foundation (Printing still seemed to work, local & network, with this removed)
Printer Drivers (Removes all the built in drivers for printers. Users can still install drivers if they have the disk)

Desktop Applications / Utilities
Sticky Notes
Snipping Tools
Windows XPS Foundation (Doesn’t remove the entry for XPS services in Add/Remove Windows features)
Windows Gadget Platform

Media
WMP Network Sharing Service
WMP Troubleshooting Package
WMP Player Package – Removes DVD Maker
WMP Playback OC Package
WMP Codec Basic Encoder
WMP Codec Pack Basic
Windows Media Format Package (Removes thumbnails in explorer for .wmv files, installing codecs again doesn’t fix. Don’t remove if you want to use another player but still want thumbnails.)

Mindless Bloat
Windows Anytime Upgrade
Music Samples
Ringtone Samples
Windows Links

Not safe for removal
Parental Controls : Seems to cause funny behaviour in UAC & installation of some applications that require administrative privileges (Firefox)
Peer 2 Peer Network Packages : Seem to stop windows from setting network settings on first boot.
Windows Media DVD Registration Package : Causes a DISM exitcode – will look into.
Wndows Media Centre Package : Causes a DISM exitcode.

Current Installation Size : 8.04gb

Timbo.