SAFE SERVICES
What can you disable without risking the
integrity of your system? Given the large
number of Windows 10 services, the safe
list is surprisingly short, but it can make a
big difference to system efficiency. You can
safely set Print Spooler to disabled if you
don’t intend to use a printer, or IP Helper
if you’ll be sticking to IPv4 and don’t mind
dropping IPv6 compatibility. If you don’t
use workgroups, TCP/IP NetBIOS Helper is
safe to drop, and if you’re not networking
at all, the Distributed Link Tracking Client
can be disabled. Note that using NTLite for
this (as an example) doesn’t remove these
services, it just switches them off. You can
perform the same actions on a running
system through the Administrative Tools
section of Control panel.
Other things that won’t cause
problems when disabled are: the trio
of Connected User Experiences and
Telemetry, Diagnostic Policy Service, and
Diagnostic Tracking Service (if you drop
one, drop all three); Downloaded Maps
Manager (because you probably don’t
use Microsoft’s own Maps app); Program
Compatibility Assistant Service (you’ll
get hassled a lot less without this one);
Remote Registry (disabling this is a good
thing in terms of security); Secondary
Logon; Touch Keyboard and Handwriting
Panel Service (unless you’re installing
on a tablet); Windows Defender Service
(depending on if you’re running your ownAV solution); Windows Error Reporting
Service; Windows Image Acquisition (WIA)
(only relevant if you use a scanner or AIO
printer); and Windows Search (drop this
only if you know your way around your
hard drive and are meticulously neat).you’d prefer something more personal. Besides, when was
the last time you used Windows’ built in Tips app? You’ll notice
some older naming conventions used here—ZuneMusic in place
of the Groove Music rebrand, for example—but we’re confident
you’ll be able to muddle your way through. Pay special attention
to the “Notes” and “Dependencies” columns on the right, which
let you know when two apps or features are inextricably linked.
Get rid of one, and the other will no longer function; with just
about everything in the “Components” section, as soon as you’ve
unchecked it and created your new ISO, that decision is final.
Head down and look at “System Apps.” There are a few things
here that you may not have thought of removing: You could slice
out File Explorer, if you’re a masochist, but we’re more thinking
XboxGameCallableUI (the Game Bar), Windows Defender (the
antivirus and antimalware components of Windows Security
Center), Parental Controls, and other features you might never
use or may have an alternative in hand. Again, no guarantees
about what combinations are going to work smoothly or not.INLINE TWEAKS
Wading through NTLite’s “Configure” section, specifically
“Features” and “Settings,” reveals another reason you might
want to create your own installer: You can get it just so without the
tedious practice of aligning your visual preferences every time
you hit that new desktop, or you could automatically switch on
those features you know you’re going to need, and disable those
you don’t. Admittedly, checking through every minute option to
make sure you’ve got everything can take a while, but two or three
installations down the line, it’ll prove to be worth the effort. We’d
treat the “Services” and “Extra Services” sections with extreme
kid gloves, though, particularly with regards to disabling whatcould be crucial system components. If you’re running on older
hardware, this could be one of the sections that makes the biggest
difference on Windows load times, but it’s also a sure-fire way to
break everything if you’re clumsy. Check out the “Safe Services”
box below to find out what’s definitely OK to block.
Next comes the “Integrate” section. Head to “Updates,” click
the “Add” button, and select “Latest online updates.” NTLite goes
hunting on Microsoft’s servers for the most recent incremental
upgrades to the specific version of Windows 10 that you’re
currently working on—click “Enqueue” to get them downloading
and added to the integration queue, ready to be mixed in with the
re s t of W indow s 10 at the final s t age. If you have specific har d w are
drivers you’d like to build into your ISO, you can point to them by
clicking the “Add” button within the “Drivers” section.
NTLite’s automation section is the place for real time-savers:
If you choose to turn on unattended installation by clicking the
“Enable” radio button, you can make all the choices you would
usually have to laboriously click through before you reach the
desktop for the first time. Just double-click an option to set it, and
right-click it and select “Reset value” should you make a mistake.
“Post-setup” lets you select software you want to install upon
first boot; gather together the installer executables you’re likely
to use (or, even better, download a big package of them with a
fully automated installer from http://ninite.com), and add them
in here. You can also use it to run through command-line tweaks,
either by using the couple that are built in or configuring your own.BUILD IT
The “Apply” section, at the bottom of NTLite’s left-hand list, is
where the real magic happens, or at least where you turn the
options you’ve clicked into a real ISO. We recommend selectingcustom Windows installer
48 MAXIMUMPC JUN 2019 maximumpc.com