Windows LTSB/LTSC VirtualBox Optimization

windows.md

Steps

1. Update
2. Cleanup
3. Optimize

Update

1. Run Windows Update
   • Installng update requires 2 GB memory.
   • Still works even after removing packages using install_wim_tweak
   • 10 GB disk is enough (1.64 GB left)
2. Run O&O ShutUp

Cleanup

List Hidden Packages

> install_wim_tweak /o /l

Remove Cortana

> install_wim_tweak /o /c Microsoft-Windows-Cortana /r

/o use existing image (OS)
/c unhide specific page
/r remove package

Remove SearchUI.exe (ShellExperienceHost)

This will remove the Start Menu.

> install_wim_tweak /o /c Microsoft-Windows-ShellExperienceHost /r

To replace the Start Menu, use Open-Shell.

Remove Other Packages

> install_wim_tweak /o /c Adobe-Flash-For-Windows /r

Disable Services

• Workstation (if not mounting remote smb filesystem)
• Tile Data model server (start menu tiles) (required by the Settings app) key HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services\Tiledatamodelsvc set Start to 4
• Network Location Awareness (for switching between public/private network)
• Network Connection Broker
• IPsec Policy Agent
• OKE and AuthIP IPsec Keying Modules
• Distributed Link Tracking Client
• Diagnostics Tracking Service
• Device Setup Manager

Disable Scheduled Tasks

Optimize

Use virtio-net for network adapter

1. Change the network adapter type to virtio-net

Use virtio-scsi for storage controller

1. Add virtio-scsi controller
2. Start VM -> shutdown VM (this will load the virtio-scsi driver in Windows)
3. Remove previous virtio-scsi controller
4. Change existing controller from ACHI to virtio-scsi

Other

Install RAMDisk

1. Install imdisk-toolkit