The free vLite
application will help
you save time—and
gigabytes—by cutting
the bloat from your
Vista installation
process
VLite can be downloaded as either a
1.56MB installer or a leaner 1.43MB self-
extracting archive. You need administrator-
level access to run the application, so right-
click the executable and select the Run as
Administrator option—which is right below
the Open command.
When vLite opens, the program prompts
you to browse to the
folder containing the
Windows Vista instal-
lation fi les. Insert your
Windows Vista DVD,
click Browse, navigate
to the optical drive, and
click OK. Then click OK
again on the Copy Files
dialog and select a fold-
er for storing the Vista
installation fi les. Use
the Make New Folderbutton to create a new folder if necessary.
It takes about 10 minutes to copy the fi les
from the Vista DVD.
Next, select the Vista edition you want
to confi gure. VLite is a “world citizen,” so
it’s compatible with non-U.S. editions such
as Home BasicN, BusinessN, and Starter,
as well as Home Basic, Home Premium,
Business, and Ultimate. Once you’ve made
your selection, click OK. After you complete
the copy and selection process, the vLite
screen lists the location of the Vista fi les
and the version information.
Before continuing, use the Options
menu to check the location of the tempo-
rary fi les folder. The program displays a
message if there’s not enough space, so
you can select a folder on a different drive.
Click OK to close the Options menu; then
click Next to continue.T
ired of Vista installation bloat? Looking for an easy way to set up an unat-
tended install process? Wishing for a faster way to tweak your favorite set-
tings after Vista is installed? There’s an easy solution for all these scenarios,
thanks to a little program called vLite.
VLite allows you to create a customized Windows Vista installation disc that
contains only the features you need and leaves out all the drivers and compo-
nents you don’t use. The program also lets you perform an unattended install
and configure a variety of post-installation tweaks.
Maybe you want to make your next Vista installation faster and easier by
creating a one-button install disc. Maybe you want to put Vista on a diet.
Hands-down, vLite is a great customization program that belongs in any power
user’s arsenal. However, while the process is straightforward, we recommend
that you test your disc on a virtual machine, such as the free Virtual PC 2007
( http://www.microsoft.com ), before doing a full install.Streamline and Customize
Your Vista Installation
WHAT YOU NEED
vLITE
Free, http://www.vlite.net
WINDOWS VISTA DVD
UPGRADE OR FULL VERSION
$100-$400, http://www.microsoft.com
(you can’t use a restore DVD or
partition with vLite)1 Get Started with vLite
BY MARK EDWARD SOPERhow (^2) IMPROVING YOUR PC EXPERIENCE, ONE STEP AT A TIME
After vLite copies your Vista DVD’s contents,
it’s ready to customize the install files.
TIME HOURS:MINUTES
00:45
62 MAXIMUMPC | MAY 08 | http://www.maximumpc.com