Removing WMP: Components vs. Features

S

SoulRipper

Member
Hello, I'd like to remove WMP, but it seems it can be done either in the components or in the features sections.
Which method should be favored / gives the best results?
Thanks :)
 
Do you mean that you want to remove whole WMP components so that no any WMP related feature is shown in windows optional features menu as well as windir-servicing-packages too.
yes you can do so via ntlite on current installed os state .
I always remove everything making most minimal current installed image state in size as well as no any degradation in performance :

NTLite Research Presets

Fantabulous NTLite : Handlers decreased to most Minimum in numbers via controlling svchost processes to most minimum when system is idle as well as stable with everything loaded after a reboot. [ Here i removed spooler service & found awesome results ]
www.ntlite.com www.ntlite.com
 
Well, interesting approach, thanks for pointing this out.
Out of curiosity, do you know what differs from A:

<c>mediaplayer 'Windows Media Player'</c>
<c>mediaplayer32 'Windows Media Player - 32 bit'</c>
<c>mediaplayernetworksharing 'WMP Network Sharing Service'</c>
<c>mediaplayernetworksharing32 'WMP Network Sharing Service - 32 bit'</c>

To B:

<Feature name="WindowsMediaPlayer">false</Feature>
 
in A : you are removing component packages so that windows media player is completly removed but in B you are only disabling windows optional feature which will not remove any component package but will only disable this feature.
 
There seems to be a problem when I remove those components:

<c>mediaplayer 'Windows Media Player'</c>
<c>mediaplayer32 'Windows Media Player - 32 bit'</c>
<c>mediaplayernetworksharing 'WMP Network Sharing Service'</c>
<c>mediaplayernetworksharing32 'WMP Network Sharing Service - 32 bit'</c>

Windows installation is OK until post-setup (Hashtab, StartIsBack, themes, cursors), then it hangs just before the welcome screen. I have to power the computer off & on, then everything continues normally.

Seems quite strange, as those components aren't even critical... :oops:

If I use <Feature name="WindowsMediaPlayer">false</Feature>, no problem at all.

I spent hours beginning from scratch (clean ISO, new session...) and I'm sure it is related to Media Player components removal. Any idea?
 
Start by checking \Windows\Panther\setupact.log, and report the last command run by Post-Setup.
WMP includes codecs and DLL's, which some apps require.
 
Hello garlin, thank you for your reply. You were right.
After more tests, I can indeed confirm one of the Post-Setup applications was blocking the process.
I created an ISO based on the same preset + WMP components removed but no post-setup applications at all. It installed without any problem.
Then, I installed all my post-setup apps one by one... and discovered StartIsBack couldn't install (it just says "Installation failed").
So... StartIsBack needs one of the WMP components.
 
i am using StartisBack since 2+ years | i remove many component packages including all windows media packages from offline image using my own commandline tool but never had any issue regarding installation of startisback. i dont know what happened at your side which results in an SIB Installation Error. here in image you can see no any wmp feature means no any wmp related packages are there inside current installed OS state.
a.png
 
Wasn't able to trigger this error on a clean LTSC 2019 image (minus WMP & Network Sharing).

I don't know your setup parameters, but ran StartIsBackPlusPlus_setup.exe in elevated CMD (like Post-Setup does).
ProcMon64 was running to trace filesystem calls and reg queries. Nothing required from WMP.

There's probably something in your preset which isn't reported.
 
Thank you for your trials and report! Yes, there must be something else on my end, because the result is always the same.
<Feature name="WindowsMediaPlayer">false</Feature> doesn't break the install, so I will accommodate with that.
 
I'm another one that removes Windows Media Player and installs StartisBack using SetupComplete.cmd with no issues.

But I keep these files:

Keep WMASF.DLL and WMVCORE.DLL when removing Windows Media Player

These files are required for Sound Forge 9, Adobe Premiere CS6 and Adobe After Effects CS6. Maybe newer versions need it too (I haven't tested it). I protect these files in my preset: *\SysWOW64\WMASF.DLL *\SysWOW64\WMVCORE.DLL *\System32\WMASF.DLL *\System32\WMVCORE.DLL
www.ntlite.com www.ntlite.com

I think you have to detail every step of what you're doing so we can help you.

I use this command in Post-Setup (SetupComplete.cmd):

Code: 
StartIsBackPlusPlus_setup.exe /elevated /silent
 
Last edited:
AeonX said:
I'm another one that removes Windows Media Player and installs StartisBack using SetupComplete.cmd with no issues.

But I keep these files:

Keep WMASF.DLL and WMVCORE.DLL when removing Windows Media Player

These files are required for Sound Forge 9, Adobe Premiere CS6 and Adobe After Effects CS6. Maybe newer versions need it too (I haven't tested it). I protect these files in my preset: *\SysWOW64\WMASF.DLL *\SysWOW64\WMVCORE.DLL *\System32\WMASF.DLL *\System32\WMVCORE.DLL
www.ntlite.com www.ntlite.com

I think you have to detail every step of what you're doing so we can help you.

I use this command in Post-Setup (SetupComplete.cmd):

Code: 
StartIsBackPlusPlus_setup.exe /elevated /silent
Click to expand...
Thank you for the tip, I'll try and report!
 
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