Best way to make a minimum size boot.wim

Hi
I have tried Win10PESE and WinXPE. The smallest boot.wim (file size) I can make by stripping out most thing is approx 500MB.
I need x64 with WoW64 support and Explorer.
I don't need much else, not network, audio, graphics drivers, languages, etc,
I just need kbd/mouse/full USB drivers and WoW64 to run a 32-bit app.
Could you point me in the right direction please?
What PE Project would be best suited?
Can I strip out anything more from the PE boot.wim, either via WinBuilder app or afterwards. If so, how?
The x64 Win10PE just needs to boot to a Desktop (as fast as possible) and run one 32-bit VB6 app.
Thanks!

Hi Steve6375

One thing important and slightly new,
You need to ask same question to each project section or topic.

I have worked this out to my best ability. You will not get anything smaller using x64. Especially if using WOW64. Afaik wow64 adds 200+- MB on its own.

Hi

The Livesystempro Win10PE Project need only 365MB Boot.wim size.
The strengths of LivesSystempro are that it is minimalistic and fast.

These scripts are active
- Preconfig
- Basefiles
- Regconfig
- Wow64 Basic
- Explorer Shell
- Startisback
- Themes
- Wallpaper
- Preconfig
- CreateISO

Without "Wow64Basic" support only 305MB.

Kare
--

200 MB - with wow64 support - is completely real!
I did this.

yes! 222MB for WinPE10 with Wow64 
So how was it done? 

200 MB sounds really interesting for a Win10PE.

@Steve
Does it have to be based on Windows 10?
Win8PE are usually much smaller and already have USB3 support.

Yes, it needs to be win10 because I need access to the 2nd partition on removable flash drives.

- WinPESE10
- Windows 10 1809 March 2019 update
- Some few components added but no vb runtimes, no .Net, no directx

My current x86 boot.wim is about 340 MB without anything else except the system.
Current x64 boot.wim + WOW64 makes about 530 MB, without anything else except the system.

200 MB? this is not possible unless manually stripped down or recompressed (and still functional?)
(The smallest boot.wim's i've ever seen were created by russian friends : x86 = 294 MB/ x64 = 430 MB)
(i don't know how they did this but i'm trying to figure out)

Side Note : Difference between 1809 updates is insignificant, but when i updated my build with it instead of 1803, i noticed it added an extra 24 MB.
This makes me wonder if it will be the case everytime a new windows 10 build is out!

Thanks for the reply.
My x64 boot.wim with WoW64 was sent to me privately by a 'Russian friend' and is 207MB in size but he is very silent on how it was made
I would like to know because I would prefer an English version.
I am already using Win10PESE WinBuilder stripped down as much as possible but it complained if I use any version later than 1709. Also it does not like install.esd files which is a pain! It works OK with 1709, but still makes a large boot.wim.

Hi Steve6375,

I am already using Win10PESE WinBuilder stripped down as much as possible but it complained if I use any version later than 1709. Also it does not like install.esd files which is a pain! It works OK with 1709, but still makes a large boot.wim.

esd never officially supported by any SE or I guess none SE project. 
 ms always distribute final NT>5 releases with wim.
   
esd was only supported to give flexibility to Advanced users ! (testers)
 and Advanced user ! (testers) who test with esd accept any failure is about their testing with none supported source.
    As a result of doing things too good, It seems such support give impression to regular user esd is ok !

Any normal user who test any project with supported sources gets expected success and more detailed result.
eg. RXTech previous post.

- WinPESE10
- Windows 10 1809 March 2019 update
- Some few components added but no vb runtimes, no .Net, no directx

*
Sadly giving the flexibility to support esd give impression to none Advanced Users,
 None Testers feel esd supported and cause some posts like yours.
   ---> Complain about unsupported source ! instead of testing with supported source !


Interesting social experiment:
* most new users and regular users who read instructions quickly get latest official iso and build projects with success. (majority)
* some experienced users know everything more than new and regular users ! , they frequently get failures and complain about that. (mostly with unsupported source)
* new users who knows things ! use self modified source ..... !!!!


It is the same since Gena,
 people complain about the unsupported source, and we ask them to use the official source.

The interesting part of this "social experiment" is,
 how experienced users still do the same things to get the same failure and complain after some years !
  Mostly from people I know before 8 years is quite interesting !!!!

Anyway, I only post here to respond to your post related to Win10PESE.

As written on my reply 1 of current topic, you are on wrong section for things about Win10PESE

You need to ask same question to each project section or topic.

*
Hi RXTech,

since I post now, I feel comment on this too :

Side Note : Difference between 1809 updates is insignificant, but when i updated my build with it instead of 1803, i noticed it added an extra 24 MB.
This makes me wonder if it will be the case everytime a new windows 10 build is out!

Yes RXTech, size always gets bigger. 

Since First PE -> PE1 --> Gena Using WimBoot having Explorer Shell only ~ 30 MB wim file, requires minimum ~ 96+30=126 MB RAM

now latest smallest PE Steve6375 found is 207MB (size of max compressed wim or extracted files unknown)

with assumption 207 MB is max compressed wim file,

207 MB - 30 MB = 170 MB increase in ~ 10 years. (after PE1)
 It will naturally continue to increase .... 

after 1809 expected new mun files, not sure the effect to size.....
Better Test with WimBuilderUI since slore is ahead on supporting 1809 19H1 20H1 sources...
and better results on WimBuilderUI topic.... we are at Win10XPE section.... 

About wim size, I see 100MB Win10PEx64 for only install OS, and file system operation(backup files, delete bad files).

WIN10 PE is bigger than WIN8,7,XP PE naturally.

Boot(16 MB compressed),
Fonts(62MB compressed),
Drivers(37MB compressed),
DriveStore(30MB compressed),
imageres.dll(22MB),
shell32.dll(20MB)

They are just resource files. Of cause they can slim with functional. (Do you use 256x256 icons?)
There are also lots of new big files, eg. WinSxS, ExplorerFrame.dll,CatRoot2.

mspaint.exe.mun(5MB)

For WimBuilderUI, I'm working on a Ultra-Slim(experimental) option,
for now, I can build a 240MB functional Win10 19H1x64 PE(Chinese), English version will be smaller.
(I didn't deal with Drivers,DriveStore now)
imageres.dll,shell32.dll can be slim with old version, but for new mun files, I haven't try.

Lots work need to do.

My x64 boot.wim with WoW64 was sent to me privately by a 'Russian friend' and is 207MB in size but he is very silent on how it was made

Will this be able to share? With filelist, registry items, it is not hard to recreate an English version.

slore
I sent you a link in PM.

Oops! sorry! @Lancelot!
i didn't noticed this is an XPE section!!!
Thanks for the heads up! 

(i've read somewhere some good pe makers are using WinRE as source but this is not confirmed)
(i would have registred to russian forums to learn how they do to get those tiny wim's but the language barrier has stopped me, and google translator is not really helping)
(Just for infos : Russian friends have also some very good related programs but none translated to any other language)

Hi RxTech,

no problem, not your fault at all, I had tried current topic First Reply 
 Some people have ear problems ....

+

(i've read somewhere some good pe makers are using WinRE as source but this is not confirmed)

Confirm. 

(i would have registred to russian forums to learn how they do to get those tiny wim's but the language barrier has stopped me, and google translator is not really helping)

use Yandex Translator.
Google Translator also failed me on many cases ....

I am sure Yandex Translator will be much better when converting from Russian to English.
ps: Always convert to English 

(Just for infos : Russian friends have also some very good related programs but none translated to any other language)

Confirm. 
NIKZZZZ is one of the oldest good member active around if you need to ask a question.

If required, just open a topic here
http://theoven.org/index.php?board=18.0
or here
http://theoven.org/index.php?board=19.0
and pm NIKZZZZ to response so we can all learn. 

slore
I sent you a link in PM.

Hi, Doberman
Thanks for the mini wim.

I remove lots of "Network" drivers,dlls as the wim did.

Now I can build a 230MB Windows 10 PE(English version) with WimBuilderUI(Ultra-Slim option).

check the wim folder size, still bigger than it(I keep some files that I don't know what them are)

Windows\System32\DriverStore\FileRepository\
+16MB (wim)

Windows\System32\config
+6MB (wim)

Windows\System32\imageres.dll
+6MB (wim)

lots of dlls in System32 also can be remove with Mini Wim filelist, but I just remove the Network parts.

so could build a 200MB english version with WimBuilderUI.
I will release a preview version WimBuilderUI with Ultra-Slim option in Sunday.

LitePEx64(WinXShell.exe) 160MB

compare with win10x86_x64(200MB).wim:

Code: [Select]

config  +6MB
imageres.dll +5MB

=> x64 core could be <150MB.


LitePEx64(WinXShell.exe+MMC+WOW64) 277MB
SysWOW64(no slim) +50MB

=> 220MB?

LitePEx64(Explorer.exe+DWM+StartIsBack+MMC+WOW64)  312MB

after sliming SysWOW64/Explorer => 230MB?

I don't have much time on it.
I will release it tomorrow, and everyone can slim down(registy/resource dll/SysWOW64/Explorer) with filelist.

add del,rd command in:
za-Slim\main_Ultra.bat
za-SlimExtra\main.bat



PS: 7-zip_x64.exe is 32-bit ... 

http://theoven.org/index.php?topic=2390.msg32849#msg32849

tested with Windows 10 RS5 English ISO.