Removing Windows Features

Will removing Windows Media Center and Media Player gain storage back or would it just remove the ability to use them? If I can gain even 1GB, i would do it (i don't ever use them).

I thought about removing IE8, but I'm worried that as soon as I do, i will encounter a website that works better on IE then firefox.

 

You might gain some space back, but since quite a few applications require/look for/etc Media Player and IE8, the space gained probably wouldn't outweigh the huge pain in the backside.

 

Not to mention the fact that it may be difficult to remove and also that they are integrated in to the OS.

 

I would still keep IE 8 but you can access some sites that IE works better with with the IE tab extension for Firefox

 

Um, you do know that they are very easily removed from windows 7. Just go to the control panel, programs, and then go to "turn off/on windows feature".

 

I have Media Center and DVD Maker off but I honestly didn't check to see the space I had before to what I had after I did this. But if you don't need them, like I wouldn't need them on my Netbook, i'd say just take them off. Why have them enabled taking up processing/service space.

 

That wouldn't gain any space though would it, as it's just disabling it? Unless you are talking about RAM, in which case you would hardly see an improvement.

 

You do gain a little space. Not much.

Honestly, I don't think it's worth the effort. If 1GB is at a premium, you should just turn off the Recycling Bin and System Restore. Those are the biggest space hogs.

 

turning them off means making them inaccessible, but not removing them. how, else, could you turn them on later again?

if you need that 1gb of space, think about turning off hibernation, system restore, and possibly even making the pagefile smaller. all of these should be done only with knowing the consequences, obviously.

another thing: when reinstallation is an option, don't just delete all partitions and install on the free space, but create a single full size partition. your os else gets a hidden partition of about 200mb, i think, for security purposes (it has it's repair-tools in there if all else fails).

else, one would have to consider nlite.

then again, is that 1gb really needed? because, what if another 1gb will be needed, and then another? consider getting a bigger disk.


edit: yeah, and turn off the recycle bin is good, too. i always forget that, as i never used it yet so far.

 

I turned it off to have less services and process? I dont get it why i need wmp and media center when i have foobar,mpc or itunes,vlc ?

 

i would state it the other way round.. why having foobar, mpc, itunes, vlc, if you have wmp and mediacenter anyways? (and mediacenter is a different kind of software anyways).

and you don't gain any performance or ram by turning this stuff off. they are just apps, which you never start anyways.

 

Foobar lools better,is faster and got more features. As for movies i havent used wmp for ages as it always sucked.


And i dont need a program to sort my pictures?

And when i disable it, i have less services = better performance

 

less services != better performance. a typical myth that people like to spread because they don't know how services work. (hint, mostly event based => only active when needed).

i suggest you to re-evaluate wmp again, as it's quite a bit improved on win7. i suggest you to do this with every app and os everytime before trying to get back into the old habits. because all software progresses.

then again, i can't stand foobar anyways

 

I have to agree it has been improved a lot.

I am just wondering, is there any way to edit the shortcuts used by WMP?

I have a remote control with my laptop and I use KMP and not WMP because I can adjust the shortcuts in KMP and not in WMP.

 

would be better to find a tool to adjust the shortcuts of your remote.. because if they then work with wmp, they will work with about any software that can play/pause..

(greetings from my xperia to yours )

 

I will give it a try with wmp today..altough i dont get it why i should have this "big pograms" (wmp,media center) installed when a standalone .exe can do the same..and for music i wonr switch away from foobar.


What exactly does the media center?

 

they aren't "big programs", they are mostly just an exe, too..

media center is (designed to be) a fullscreen app that you can easily control with a remote while the tv is plugged into a tv-screen. then you can watch and record tv, watch movies (dvd, downloads), listen to your music library, all with the power of a full windows and the network behind (so in my case, i can watch movies and listen to the music stored on my windows home server).

it's essentially, uhm, a media center.. your tv, your radio, dvd player, everything gets suddenly useless as this replaces all of it..

at least, in theory (and for me, in practice, too)

 

btw, the big parts behind those apps are the libraries and codecs that get used by those apps to decode the movies and music. and those are shared libraries and codecs => they get used by about any app that plays some video or audio file.

 

Giving AutoHotkey a try in the evening.

P.S. My Xperia says 'thanks for the greetings'

 

less services starting at boot or runing in the backround.. thats what i meant.. and less fo these will for sure gain performance (not much).

how ever.. i always liked foobar.. as i said , the looks, the speed and also the plugins (lyrics,covers,blablabla it has so much and is still ing fast).. same goes for mpc.. i dont want to wait 10 seconds to finally open a .mp3 or a little clip.. just because the player itself needs years to load (like itunes). i havent tested wmp on win7 so i cannot tell how fast it is and how it feels.. and also how it runs... same for media center.. never started it i guess.

i will wait for davepermen to test some clip for me with the shark007 codecpack + wmp.. if that clip works fine and smooth with wmp i maybe give it a try and check it out.

I understand that it would be awesome to have only one player for everything (media center would be only for pictures?.. so not rly smth i need?). but if that one player lacks of features and speedwise i dont rly need it and prefer more programms (one for music, one for videos).

 

actually, you should test yourself if it works smooth on your system btw

media center is FOR EVERYTHING, it's a replacement for your whole tv, dvd, music, cd library, etc set.

first learn what something's for, and test it out, before judging it, please

and media player got hugely optimized in speed and such on win7 (not that it takes long at all on vista if you're on an ssd ).

 

i already disabled/turned off recycle bin, system restore, and hibernation. I will never use media player or media center, ever. I don't "need" the extra space, I just want it.

 

well, then you're on your own. people wanting stuff that is of no need don't get much support.

but just as a tip: EVERYTHING your os can do IS ON THE HDD. ALWAYS. you can just enable or disable stuff, not remove it. that's why people don't need a windows disk at hand at any time anymore.

 

I removed both media center and media player and got a few hundred MB. Not a lot, but since I never use them, good enoughh for me!

 

i have tried WMP12 and i it couldn't handle a AVI file with 1MBVbitrate it stutter when the movie starts panning, i wouldn't imagine if it were gonna handle MKV in HD. KMP works perfectly in RTM x64.

as for music mp3 is good on wmp but FLAC is another thing !! aimp2 got my back

 

Set codecs up correctly for WMP12 and all files will play with no stutters.

Search for shark007 codecs.