Shrinking windows OS, not the partition size [resolved ]

[Exodus_life]

I posted this question about 4 years ago but can't find that thread so i have to ask again,

getting ready to ghost my 64 bit 7 pro os for back up ,before reinstalling linux [preferred os system ]

how do i shrink the size of it down? i know turning off system restore is a big factor,but there is another thing you turn off that should shrink it about 10gb if i remember right ? there is clearing cache,disk clean up also

i am at 26gb now with all the updates and a few additional programs

thanks for helping a victim of C.M.S.

[Habitual]

http://www.dedoimedo.com/computers/ulti ... ocId467639

[DAMIEN1307]

hi folks...dont take this serious but just a joke here about shrinking windows...to shrink windows properly...just insert USB iso for linux mint 18.1...install and overwrite entire system...this will "shrink" windows to the desirable size needed for a fully functional, optimized, trouble free operating system...DAMIEN

[Exodus_life]

http://www.dedoimedo.com/computers/ulti ... ocId467639

thats a good beginner link

[Exodus_life]

hi folks...dont take this serious but just a joke here about shrinking windows...to shrink windows properly...just insert USB iso for linux mint 18.1...install and overwrite entire system...this will "shrink" windows to the desirable size needed for a fully functional, optimized, trouble free operating system...DAMIEN

easier to to wash it in hot water

[Exodus_life]

seriously guys,the only reason i have anything windows is because of my schooling,some of the programs i need are windows proprietary and will not work in wine or vm

[Citizen229]

Just shrink the partition to 50gigs (or whatever is needed and dual boot.

https://help.ubuntu.com/community/Howto ... Partitions

from the article:

Windows Disk Management

The Windows Disk Management tool is also good at shrinking Windows. It's very fast and easy, if you don't count the time it takes to defrag first. If you want to use the Windows partition editor to resize Windows, here's how you can do that:

Administrative Tools --> Disk Management tool -> Shrink Volume

In Windows Vista and Windows 7, this may be located in: Settings -> Control Panel -> Administrative Tools -> Computer Management -> Storage -> Disk Management -> Shrink Volume

[Exodus_life]

Just shrink the partition to 50gigs (or whatever is needed and dual boot.

https://help.ubuntu.com/community/Howto ... Partitions

from the article:

Windows Disk Management

The Windows Disk Management tool is also good at shrinking Windows. It's very fast and easy, if you don't count the time it takes to defrag first. If you want to use the Windows partition editor to resize Windows, here's how you can do that:

Administrative Tools --> Disk Management tool -> Shrink Volume

In Windows Vista and Windows 7, this may be located in: Settings -> Control Panel -> Administrative Tools -> Computer Management -> Storage -> Disk Management -> Shrink Volume

thats what my search results produced ,but that is not what i am trying do.I want to shrink the actual os itself into the smallest size file possible for ghosting

[Citizen229]

RT se7en lite.

[gold_finger]

i am at 26gb now with all the updates and a few additional programs

If you've already paired it down to 26GB I don't know if there's much more you can do. I think the Windows OS itself is close to 20GB when freshly installed. If there is some super secret way to shrink it more than normal, maybe people on the Windows 7 Forum would be the ones to ask.

P.s.
If the answer you need is on the old thread you mentioned, just go to your user control panel once logged into Mint forum and look through your old posts there to find it. (Log into forum / click your username shown in upper-right after logged in / pick "User Control Panel" / look near bottom of page that brings you to and click on "Show your posts" to see all of the posts you've ever made here.)

[Pierre]

hi folks...dont take this serious but just a joke here about shrinking windows...to shrink windows properly...just insert USB iso for linux mint 18.1...install and overwrite entire system...this will "shrink" windows to the desirable size needed for a fully functional, optimized, trouble free operating system...DAMIEN

easier to to wash it in hot water

using a mug of Coffee is even better - - works a charm - - nukes everything.


But, seriously though, you should use the Windows Disk Management,
which is inbuilt into the Windows System, as per what Citizen229 has said.

&, it would seem that you've already managed to shrink it into the smallest possible size,
although - have you allowed for a little expansion of that system, as it is being used ?.
ie: don't shrink it down, too much, or that could cause it to crash.

[Citizen229]

rt se7en lite will do what he wants. I know because I tried it. It will let you strip functionality from win7.

[Exodus_life]

Well i guess my original post was not 100% crystal clear !!! i am trying to shrink the 7pro OS size.

NOT the partition size.partition size has absolutely nothing to do with what i trying to accomplish

[mr_raider]

Remove every program and accessory you don't need. Remove system restore points. Lower your trash size down to minimum percentage, or disable trash. Disable hibernation. Move your page file to another drive. If not, shrink your pagefile to manual set and down to as little as possible. I set my page file to 1gig and have 16 gigs of RAM. Remove windos update files from old updates.

[Citizen229]

Rt se7en lite will take your installation ISO and expand it so you can remove unwanted components. I KNOW you want to remove components of an already installed OS. This is impossible. WIndows gets its integration from installation. You need to filter things you do not need before it is installed.

Back up your data, use 7 lite to make a new ISO, and reinstall. Win7 is 20 gigs from base install with SP1(retail launch) and driver/updates bloats to 26 to 30 ish. The reason you are not getting what you want is because it cannot be done the way you want it. Which is exactly why people have been saying to shrink the partition and dual boot. the dual boot lets you use your School software with as little space as possible.

[Flemur]

that should shrink it about 10gb if i remember right ?

My win7 installation was about 10G, including additional programs, some non-trivial like photoshop.

IIRC, delete

Code: Select all

C:\System Volume Information\*
C:\pagefile.sys

The first requires some permissions fiddling,

[Exodus_life]

Remove every program and accessory you don't need. Remove system restore points. Lower your trash size down to minimum percentage, or disable trash. Disable hibernation. Move your page file to another drive. If not, shrink your pagefile to manual set and down to as little as possible. I set my page file to 1gig and have 16 gigs of RAM. Remove windos update files from old updates.

shrinking page file size,,seems that is what i forgot .how is it done manually ??

i've done everything else already

[JerryF]

Uninstall as many programs as you can.

[mr_raider]

Remove every program and accessory you don't need. Remove system restore points. Lower your trash size down to minimum percentage, or disable trash. Disable hibernation. Move your page file to another drive. If not, shrink your pagefile to manual set and down to as little as possible. I set my page file to 1gig and have 16 gigs of RAM. Remove windos update files from old updates.

shrinking page file size,,seems that is what i forgot .how is it done manually ??

i've done everything else already

It's in control panel, system advanced. Change from system managed to custom. Set max and min size to the same number.

[Exodus_life]

got what i wanted ,,final ghosted size is 10.2 Gb