Hacked Windows, what are they and how are they born: Build your own stripped down version of Windows

In the 10 Great Windows that are not of Microsoft blood stream article, I exhibited 10 great hacked versions of windows, but how are they different?

They are:

• stripped down. The hackers got rid of bloated components of windows, things you never use yet preserved compatibility to the fullest extent


• unattended. You don't have to key in serial number, click "agree to" this and that


• automatic software installation. They either install softwares automatically for you or have software installers bundled in the discs. (Most of the softwares don't have copyrights though. Your call.)


• tweaked. All kinds of tweaks are applied to improve performance. More TCP/IP connection, no annoying send error report notifications etc.


• more pretty. Every little detailed is paid attention to and you have no idea how much work that is.

You may wonder how they are built and might even want to build one on your own.

If you want your own simple unattended, mildly trimed windows version, you can use the free software nlite (for Windows 2000, XP, 2003).

You'll be able to:

• integrate service packs, hotfixes, update packs


• integrate drivers


• remove components


• make unattended setups with your license information


• do a decent amount of tweaks


• integrate Windows Media Player 11 and Internet Explorer 7


• integrate softwares

There's a really good guide at their site and a faq that you should go over. You should also test your system with VMware(paid) or Virtual PC(free from Microsoft) before you forge ahead, format and install your newly made system.

Here's the link to nlite. Tell me how you did.

But the editions mentioned in my 10 Great Windows that are not of Microsoft blood stream is generally more complicated than that. It involves a lot of replacement of Windows files, pre-install, post-install scripts, boot-up settings. With computer related work, marginal effort required to make little improvements grow exponentially. So it's kind of amazing how much work they did.

To make Windows XP that small and generally run without having problems will require a good knowledge of what everything does in Windows XP. Even though I basically know what are useful to me and what are not in Windows XP, I don't know them down to the last detail. So I think I should try to find a good article on that or to interview some hackers so that everyone can DIY. Any suggestions or thoughts?

What I do know is that if you are more ambitious, Easyboot will allow multiple systems like win98 and winxp on the same disc but involves much more work. The Windows XPs mentioned in the 10... article doesn't involve that but the monster 50 in 1 DVD must involve something at least similar.

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