Software Tool for Small Windows XP and Vista Installs

[leukos]

I came across these tools which can be used to create install CDs for Windows XP and Vista that result in an operating system install using less then 1 GB.

Windows XP: Nlite, nLite - Deployment Tool for the bootable Unattended Windows ...
Windows Vista: Vlite, vLite - Windows Vista configuration tool

As part of the process of building your Windows box you can slipstream in all of the Windows updates that have been released. You will need to download these updates, the tool Windows Update Downloader can do this. Another tool is called HFSLIP.

The web forum MSFN (http://www.msfn.org/) has forums dedicated to these projects.

[Diamndzngunz]

So this is like Windows without a CD key? So you can do a fresh install using this and will still be able to update?

[leukos]

So this is like Windows without a CD key? So you can do a fresh install using this and will still be able to update?

No, you still need a Windows CD key (and you still need a license for whatever version of Windows you are using), and yes, you will still be able to update your operating system as updates come out.

[Djarid]

You beat me to is leukos (did you see it on codeproject.com?)

It also allows you to remove a lot of the bloat from the OSs so you can have a more efficient environment.

[leukos]

No. I originally came across nLite while researching another project. I think I found it at the mp3car forums. They have done some interesting things with small Windows installs over there. I am revisiting the software to help build small Windows XP installs for clone machines.