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  5. Langa: A New Way To Slim Down Windows XP, Including SP2: Page 4 of 6
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Langa: A New Way To Slim Down Windows XP, Including SP2: Page 4 of 6

Columnist Fred Langa describes the new XPlite Professional, which allows you to remove any of 120 separate XP components, removing possible security vulnerabilities.
November 08, 2004

XPlite will use System Restore, if you have it enabled; and will warn you if you don't. If you already have good backups of your system, you can disable System Restore and make Windows' footprint even smaller than otherwise. But if you prefer to leave System Restore enabled, XPlite will employ it to help ensure that all changes you make are fully reversible.

XPlite treads carefully, and will even use System Restore to try to make its operating system changes as safe and reversible as possible. But, as always, it's best to make a full disk image or backup before making any operating system changes.
(click image for larger view)		 XPlite treads carefully, and will even use System Restore to try to make its operating system changes as safe and reversible as possible. But, as always, it's best to make a full disk image or backup before making any operating system changes.

For my test, I selected all 120 items for removal, and let XPlite go to work. It took about half an hour of disk thrashing, plus a reboot, but when it was done, I ended up with a minimal XP installation less than half the size of the original--53% less, to be precise--or just under 850 Mbytes (that's 0.85 Gbytes).

Removing all the components that XPlite gives access to results in a minimal installation of XP that can be less than half the size of a normal setup. Re-running XPlite lets you selectively restore any removed functions that you change your mind about, or that you later discover you need. Removing all the components that XPlite gives access to results in a minimal installation of XP that can be less than half the size of a normal setup. Re-running XPlite lets you selectively restore any removed functions that you change your mind about, or that you later discover you need.
(click image for larger view)

My test setup booted fast and ran without a hitch. Of course, the features and functions I had removed were no longer available, but they could easily be restored, if I needed them, simply by re-running XPlite.

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