Tweaks in virtual maschines cannot be translated to real, physical machines in terms of hardware performance. Emulation is not the real thing for many reasons. But, as I stated before, all those tweaks need demonstration of being useful at all! Why is this so difficult to understand?
The problem is that many people don't know how the Windows OS works. They just assume that turning off something means better performance. Again, turning off something already turned off when not in use is 0% improvement. The only thing you can maybe achieve is couple of hundreds MBs less memory usage which helps only if you're close to the limit.
There are many more stuff Windows does in the background to make the system perform as fast as possible.
There is certainly a space for improvement. But the improvement is going to be in coding, not just a simple service disabling and shit.

 

Great video... the guy says he found win 10 1709 build the easiest to make the most tweaks because things like onedrive and edge weren't "baked in" back then.
I'm in the same boat as OP, want a stripped down windows 10 with no internet. Now thinking of getting 1709 build via rufus for that purpose.

 

Where to find the original version?

 

Last edited: May 5, 2023

I like GhostSpectre, as it's pretty 'mainstream'.
GhostSpectre does an all-in-one with options with/without Defender and so many of the tweaks I like to do. It would be neat if GhostSpectre had "online/offline" setup that disabled any overhead from internet services for those who won't use them.

I use "Windows Firewall Control", which has a total lockdown mode.
From there of course, internet and other services can be disabled with tweaks.

With GhostSpectre , updates are paused for a few years, but can be enabled and then paused for a few years again, using GhostSpectre utility ("C:\Ghost Toolbox" folder).
I like to enable updates during first setup because the drivers windows update finds work the best for a couple of hardware items I have, but i like knowing that it can't happen until i am ready and that I can disable it again for a few years so easily.
GhostSpectre includes "Startisback" but i use OpenShell. Easy to change that.

I have GhostSpectre (22h2) installed on my other drive where I have a more minimal DAW setup.
That's what I consider as my "Last of Win10" basic setups, with a 'Pre-DAW software' backup (15.3G) & my favorite basic DAW backups (a few levels of installed DAW stuff maxing out at 21.7 G backup size so far...47 Gig actually used on the drive).

I expect in a couple of months I will end up not loading up this OS drive much.
It's got most of the popular DAWs and hundreds of synths I never get around to using...
But i will keep it for when i want to dive into learning some of those other synths and other DAWs without installing them on my optimized and sleek setup

 

Here and here

Every Windows Version sorted by Version and then by Language:
https://files.rg-adguard.net/version/f0bd8307-d897-ef77-dbd6-216fefbe94c5

Deskmodder:
https://www.deskmodder.de/blog/2017/10/03/16299-iso-esd-deutsch-english/

Also there are TinyOS10 or TinyOS11 which are already Debloated. (Lightweight Versions of Win10 and 11, you can find them on the Internet Archive. TinyOS 10 2303 only takes 5,2 GB after fresh Installation.

 

Last edited: May 5, 2023

..here my batch shared to inspire some people here:

Code:

@echo off

:: Start batch if bluescreen. Devices get re-activated
SCHTASKS /change /TN \Eigene\XenoAudioBatch /enable

:: Audio Workstation Profile
powercfg -s eda7426e-a8b6-45ee-b6cd-4b50f976e02a

:: Kills processes and services
pskill.exe RestartOnCrash.exe
pskill.exe procexp64.exe
pskill.exe fancontrol.exe
start /min E:\Cloud\Audio\Doks\Windows\kill_apps.bat

:: Deactivate devices
:: Realtek High Defnition Audio onboard sound
::pnputil /disable-device "HDAUDIO\FUNC_01&VEN_10EC&DEV_0298&SUBSYS_17AA224D&REV_1001\4&311BCC33&0&0001"
:: Microsoft ACPI-Kontrollmethodenkompatibler Akku
::pnputil /disable-device "ACPI\PNP0C0A\0"

:: Mute system sound
"E:\Cloud\Tools\Windows\NirSoft\SoundVolume\SoundVolumeView.exe" /Switch "{0.0.0.00000000}.{bc4b4eb6-1575-4b0a-8cf5-604065ecd181}|#%b{A9EF3FD9-4240-455E-A4D5-F2B3301887B2}|1%b#"

start "Bitwig" /wait /b "C:\Audio\Programme\Bitwig 4\Bitwig Studio.exe"

:: Re-activate devices
::pnputil /enable-device "HDAUDIO\FUNC_01&VEN_10EC&DEV_0298&SUBSYS_17AA224D&REV_1001\4&311BCC33&0&0001"
::pnputil /enable-device "ACPI\PNP0C0A\0"

:: Un-mute system sound
"E:\Cloud\Tools\Windows\NirSoft\SoundVolume\SoundVolumeView.exe" /Switch "{0.0.0.00000000}.{bc4b4eb6-1575-4b0a-8cf5-604065ecd181}|#%b{A9EF3FD9-4240-455E-A4D5-F2B3301887B2}|1%b#"

:: Balanced Energy Profile
powercfg -s SCHEME_BALANCED

:: Kill processes and services
pskill.exe WavesLocalServer.exe

:: Starts processes and services
psservice.exe start "Cloud Station Drive VSS Service x64"
psservice.exe start RtkAudioService
psservice.exe start "Realtek Audio Service"
psservice.exe start SynTPEnhService
psservice.exe start "Lenovo Instant On"

psservice.exe start "Cloud Station Drive VSS Service x64"

start "" /elevate "E:\Cloud\Tools\Windows\Restart on Crash\RestartOnCrash.exe"
::start "" "C:\Tools\Fancontrol\fancontrol.exe"
::start "" "E:\Cloud\Tools\Process Explorer\procexp64.exe" /t
::start "" "C:\Program Files (x86)\EasyJoin\EasyJoin.exe" --start-minimized
start "" "E:\Cloud\Audio\Doks\Windows\EarTrumpet.lnk"
start "" "C:\Windows\SysWOW64\EasyResume.exe"
start "" "C:\Program Files\Synaptics\SynTP\SynTPEnh.exe"
start "" "C:\Users\Cris\AppData\Local\CloudStation\CloudStation.app\bin\cloud-drive-ui.exe"
::start "" "C:\Tools\Lively Wallpaper\livelywpf.exe"
::start "" "C:\Optik\RoundedTB\RoundedTB.exe"
"C:\Program Files\WindowsApps\28017CharlesMilette.TranslucentTB_2021.5.0.0_x64__v826wp6bftszj\TranslucentTB.exe"
start "" "C:\Users\Cris\AppData\Local\Microsoft\WindowsApps\28017CharlesMilette.TranslucentTB_v826wp6bftszj\ttb.exe"


SCHTASKS /change /TN \Eigene\XenoAudioBatch /disable

::exit

:: Disable and enable network
:: netsh interface set interface "WORKGROUP" disable
:: netsh interface set interface "WORKGROUP" enable

 

It is best to just stop the critical services you don't want. Disabling them might result in errors or computer hanging.
Of course, obviously non-important services you can safely disable. I recommend using WiseCare 365 for that.
Here are the remaining services (the ones that I have not disabled), but I stop them (all at once) with ServiceComander:


Depending on what you are currently doing, some of them pop up now and then, but you can stop them again with a single keyboard shortcut whenever you want.
You can also kill some unneeded background processes or stop services with a batch file like this:
@echo off
net stop UsoSvc
net stop DsmSvc
taskkill /f /IM ApplicationFrameHost.exe
taskkill /f /IM dasHost.exe
taskkill /f /IM dllhost.exe
taskkill /f /IM RuntimeBroker.exe
taskkill /f /IM taskhostw.exe
taskkill /f /IM WUDFHost.exe
taskkill /f /IM WmiPrvSE.exe
rem taskkill /f /IM SilentCMD.exe

 

I was planning to use Rufus -- as per these instructions: How to download older ISO versions of Windows 10 - Pureinfotech
If I understand it correctly, Rufus keep a "repository" of old win releases.

I'll definitely be disabling windows update before install. Then once I have win 10 up and running, I can use WindowsUpdateMiniTool to just get driver updates or anything else that I actually need.

EDIT: Have now decided I can't realistically expect to be completely offline, but will use a firewall like Tinywall to only allow access when absolutely needed, for example when updates are needed, plus I'm pretty sure I have a handful of plugins that actually do need online activation.

 

Last edited: May 5, 2023

.

 

Last edited: May 5, 2023

Installing "gaming" hack win10 versions like atlas, and ghostspectre usually leaves you with host OS that is broken or worse. That is to say, too much was removed, and not able to be replaced to be productive in an offline environment. I have found utilities like W10Privacy and Win10 TweakUI can give you mostly everything needed to head down a road to completion safely and quickly. There are still scheduled tasks and some other services that have to be dealt with but these give a great head start. tweakUI will install the MUCH needed "take ownership" context menu Power Shell script to be able to reclaim all those areas that have been permissioned off by the OEM allowing you to take back control of your own machine. Also get the KMS_VL_ALL Smart Activation ps-script for trouble free auto renewable OS activation.

to uninstall cortana forever, use this powershell command -
get-appxpackage -allusers *Microsoft.549981C3F5F10* | Remove-AppxPackage

I have found this site http://revertservice.com/10/ to be of invaluable use to know what ALL the services are and how they can be enabled/disabled. At some point you will need the "take ownership" power shell script because a great deal of the services are in an area that is locked out for the user to make changes.

 

Last edited: May 5, 2023

I don't know about Atlas, but Ghostspectre Windows 10 from 20H2 to 22H2, the ones I've used over the last years, work perfectly. And I use the superlite version, which I don't recommend unless you're an experienced user. As the creator site says.
And I've thrown at it complex stuff. Much easier than debloating and tweaking manually, which I've also done previously.

 

remember BV quit windows approximate 1809 when working

 

I tested Atlas in a VM and it was a disaster. it ripped out everything needed to maintain connectivity on a LAN. Printing was gone along with a LOT of other productive stuff. I read somewhere that GS was very similar to Atlas so I just assumed likeness... I'll have to put ghostspectre on a VM and see what it does. Certainly an pre-optimized ISO is much easier to implement than piece-mealing an OEM image - if GhostSpectre leaves a working OS I'll probably be using it from now on...

 

You know, it's true that with lite OS you'll have some problem in some way, and security is an issue for sure.

Pushed by curiosity, I installed Atlas "win to go" on external PATA usb, ALL drivers (Nvidia, chipset, BT, etc. + AV + COMODO firewall) and it ranked the lowest processes af all lite W10 I tested ON A 2011 Vaio laptop (76 all included).

That means that is perfect or at least good for offline gamers or even audio or video media editing.

However, when I tried to share a folder, it became a nightmare, so first start server service, then allow networking that didn't work and even if I succeded to share it, it was not reachable by any other PC.

So my opinionis that is not the everyday OS, only a specialized "sport race" OS.

 

Most Windows internal services that are linked to networking are very performant and you wouldn't notice any difference when disabled. It's mostly third party applications that make Windows bloated. Check the Startup Apps for example, chances are it's full of third party applications that want to run at startup, slowing things down. I usually disable these unless they are really necessary.

Same story for Services and Tasks: third party applications make their own services and tasks. Usually they don't take too much resources or runtime, but sometimes they do. I have recently found out for example that Autodesk services and tasks resulted in my audio going silent for about 5 seconds.

A clean standard Windows installation is quite performant really. I stopped manually 'tweaking' Windows a long time ago because it never resulted in any measurable improvements. The only thing I do is running O&O Shutup after an install to disable the annoying Windows stuff with one click and that's it (like ads, Cortana, Onedrive, etc...).

 

I mostly agree, I'll add there's more shit cortana-like, sometimes not even a service. The start menu is the classic example.
Also, the benefit in small disk usage for some of us with short budget and therefore small SSDs is important.

 

+1 for Ghost Spectre windows if you are willing to format your HD and re install the OS. Can't go wrong with that. There's even lite version without windows defender as users already mention before. Just DAWs , Drivers and rock it. No BS no spyware , bloatware and malware. F*** Micros*ft.

 

ATLAS might be good in/of itself for some applications but I move a LOT of data around from machine to machine on my backend lan - without that I am dead in the water. I also do a lot of network printing. Atlas removed all network connectivity, printing, file sharing, etc, and it was NOT able to be pieced back together (not easily). I'll have to say they did a good job of nuking out all the obtrusive garbage but they pulled out way too much productivity wise. Went to the ghostspectre site and read their itinerary of mod's and it seems that it might be better all around for just about everything. If what it says on paper is how it is in practice. Won't know for sure until I test it however.

I DL'ed this ghostspectre for test -
Win 10 AIO Version (22H2, 21H2, 21H1, 20H2, 20H1) (Stable Release) 64-Bit

 

Last edited: May 6, 2023

It seems perfect for an offline DAW

 

Last edited: May 7, 2023

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