Solved Choose windows 7 features with custom installation

[joanie]

I will be migrating to Windows 7 Pro 32 bit using Custom Installation. While running the Windows 7 installation DVD, on the "Which type of installation do you want?" page, I must select Custom(advanced) since I'll perform an in-place install on the laptop where Win XP now resides. On the same page, there is a line "Help me decide." Can I perform Custom install AND choose what components to install? There are several features in Windows 7 which I will not use; and therefore prefer to not install them rather than wait until post-installation and remove them. Also, do you know of a detailed listing of Windows 7 Pro features which includes references to dependencies e.g. recognition of features which cannot be removed due to other features which must remain?

 

[Indianatone]

Hi Joanie and welcome to Seven forums. If you are upgrading from XP your only choice is a clean install of Windows 7. You cannot migrate settings and programs. If you upgrade to Vista first you can do that as the first tutorial . Most people do not want to go through that.
Windows 7 components you do not want can be removed in add remove in Programs and Features in the control panel. You may need to decide on 64 bit or 32 bit Windows 7, see these tutorials.:

http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/131041-upgrade-install-xp-windows-7-a.html?ltr=U

Tutorial search - Windows 7 Help Forums

 

[joanie]

In a nutshell, I'm trying to be proactive in terms of what to install. I'm asking if the phrase, "help me decide" after selecting Custom is available for me to choose which components/features I want to install. The only documentation I've found refers to removing components After they're installed.

 

[gregrocker]

There isn't really much excess baggage. It's a nearly featherlight OS.

Focus on the steps that assure a perfect install which are the same as for Clean Reinstall - Factory OEM Windows 7 and compile everything that's worked best in tens of thousands of installs we've helped with here since beta.

 

[joanie]

Okay. "Baggage" is subjective. There are almost 50% of Win 7 features which I will not use. Thanks anyway - looks like I'll have to add the baggage and then drop it off.

 

[Ztruker]

Joanie, can you give some examples of the stuff you want to drop?

 

[gregrocker]

The reason I am not encouraging you is because coming off of the experiencing of editing the Vista and XP bloat we trialed editing the Win7 OS installer using Vlite and 7Lite early on. What we found is that there's almost nothing to be removed that doesn't cause unintended consequences - maybe languages and driver store for netbooks needing smaller file size but that was the only effective downsizing.

What happened since then was Win7's genius of setting all services not absolutely needed to start up (as they once did to bog down XP and Vista) to Manual with Fast Triggers developed for Win7 so that they start instantly when called. All that's really left of bloat then is whatever crap factory OEM's lard in which can all safely be turned off at startup, uninstalled or better yet convert to the best possible Clean Reinstall - Factory OEM Windows 7 .

IE and WMP are best turned off if not desired in Programs and Features. Net Frameworks can be needed with any program install and create mystery problems if not present. So having a better idea of what you don't want could help us help you better.