Edge (Chromium) & two specific keyboard layouts not removed

SM03

SM03

Active Member
Using NTL latest version & latest UUPD Win10 Pro x64 21H1 Image. Found these two issues

1. These two following Keyboard layouts ain't removing even after checking in the PRESET

00030409 [United States-Dvorak for left hand]
00040409 [United States-Dvorak for right hand]

Upon a clean installation, on 1st boot, I checked & verify this issue from here
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\ControlSet001\Control\Keyboard Layouts

2. MS EDGE (chromium) is being installed in Windows 1st boot, clean installation, even though everything related that (EDGE) kept unchecked in PRESET

Anyone facing this same issue? Any solution?
 
possible causes for edge chromium
1) check scheduled tasks
2) check both startup folders for setup
3) check run and runonce commands
4) check program files microsoft locations for edge setups
for setup files etc just explore mounted files, for regedit and tasks you may add setupcomplete commands if you find them.

i also use abbodi's script and it contains entries like this
del /f /q "%AppData%\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Quick Launch\Microsoft Edge*.lnk" >NUL 2>&1
del /f /q "%SystemRoot%\System32\config\systemprofile\AppData\Roaming\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Quick Launch\Microsoft Edge*.lnk" >NUL 2>&1
reg add "HKLM\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\EdgeUpdate" /v DoNotUpdateToEdgeWithChromium /t REG_DWORD /d 1 /f >NUL 2>&1
reg add HKLM\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer /v DisableEdgeDesktopShortcutCreation /t REG_DWORD /d 1 /f
reg delete "HKCU\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Uninstall\Microsoft Edge" /v NoRemove /f >NUL 2>&1
reg delete "HKLM\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Uninstall\Microsoft Edge" /v NoRemove /f >NUL 2>&1
reg delete "HKLM\SOFTWARE\Wow6432Node\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Uninstall\Microsoft Edge" /v NoRemove /f >NUL 2>&1
 
Couldn't repro #1.

Fortunately, keyboard layouts are resource DLL's and only copied over. We don't need to image a machine to confirm NTLite's actions.

<Version>2.3.0.8333</Version>
Windows 10 Professional (21H1) x64 - 10.0.19043.928 (en-US)
kl-00030409 'United States-Dvorak for left hand'
kl-00040409 'United States-Dvorak for right hand'

Load your processed image into NTLite.

1. Open a shell to "AppData\Local\Temp\NLTmpMnt01\Windows\System32"

2. Look for KBDUSL.DLL, KBDUSR.DLL files (missing on my folder)
KBDUS.DLL
KBDUSA.DLL
KBDUSX.DLL
Cheat sheet on keyboard layouts

3. Open regedit to "HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\NLTmp....SYSTEM\ControlSet001\Control\Keyboard Layouts", export subkeys.

4. Search export file for KBDUSL.DLL, KBDUSR.DLL (missing from my registry)
"Layout File"="KBDUS.DLL"
"Layout File"="KBDUS.DLL"
"Layout File"="KBDUS.DLL"
"Layout File"="KBDUS.DLL"
"Layout File"="KBDUS.DLL"
"Layout File"="KBDUS.DLL"
"Layout File"="KBDUS.DLL"
"Layout File"="KBDUSX.DLL"
"Layout File"="KBDUSA.DLL"

This point NTLite looks correct to me. If your loaded copy doesn't match, we have something else happening. Any missing details?
 
SM03 said:
2. MS EDGE (chromium) is being installed in Windows 1st boot, clean installation, even though everything related that (EDGE) kept unchecked in PRESET
Click to expand...
Install Windows with the internet disconnected so that one of Microsoft's backdoors the beloved Windows Update doesn't undo NTLite's work.

And if you want to keep Edge removed please disable Windows Update with group policies before connecting to internet.
 
when you connect back to internet setup will work again with scheduled tasks.
+ if you disable windows update then you can't use windows update? we use it.
 
If you want to use Windows Update why not just keep Edge since it will be reinstalled anyway with every update?

So what does this have to do with NTLite?

NTLite does its job of removing all traces of Edge, it's Windows Update that puts it back.
 
Edge is released in three formats: MSI (Edge for Business), AppX (Microsoft Store) and now part of LCU.

GPO or reg key can block the Edge self-updating service.
Deprovisioning can block the Microsoft Store.
DoNotUpdateToEdgeWithChromium can block WU updating Edge as standalone package.

BleepingComputer

After applying the April Patch Tuesday, Microsoft Edge will replace the legacy Edge and become a mandatory component of the operating system in all supported versions of Windows 10. Microsoft has also confirmed that all your group policies and registry settings to block Chromium Edge will be ignored.
Click to expand...

Not clear if anything will block LCU. When we say "installing", there's two parts: component store and actual deployment to Program Files and your desktop. You can't block the component store part w/o abbodi-level magic. But deployment ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

This is the same game as W7 ESU CU, it reinserts the stupid EOS warning. We can mitigate it from being visible, but it's still there. If you want to run a script to clean it up, it must be run every time CU gets loaded. LCU/Edge puts us in the same boat.
 
garlin said:
We can mitigate it from being visible, but it's still there.
Click to expand...
which is what my ltsc defender killer does. not perfect but it does the job :)

garlin said:
If you want to run a script to clean it up, it must be run every time CU gets loaded.
Click to expand...
install ltsc then run defender killer, seconds work and a reboot, its 2nd nature now.
Defender isnt my nemesis anymore, its a minor annoyance now. Edge/WebView is only your nemesis if you let it be.
 
Last edited:
ege914 said:
can't i want windows update to update my pc and not to use edge?
Click to expand...
Ask for Microsoft :p

I'm just being pragmatic. Microsoft wants this on everyone's PC and there's nothing that can stop it in my view. If you want the freedom to do what you want with the OS you can only get that with Linux.

Rather than sticking to this cat and mouse game with Microsoft I think it's much simpler to accept the situation, just disable Edge's auto updates and leave it alone. After all why does he bother so much?
 
foolish to expect the next ltsc to be any different.
expect rain and when it comes you are not disappointed. expect rain and get sunshine its a pleasant bonus. pays to be a pessimist :p

once you are savvy with edge it will take less time to remove or cripple it than it does to install the CU.
sweet s--t i can cripple defender with my eyes closed one hand behind my back and half asleep now.
 
Last edited:
Just wait 3-4 years for the US states' anti-trust investigation of Google, Facebook, Amazon and MSFT. Maybe we'll be back to "browser less" edition as part of a settlement. I'm sure Clanger's enjoying that sweet N edition shipped w/o Skype.
 
Same reason you're complaining about a browser. MSFT didn't want to do it, except the EU forced them.
 
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