Re: MinWin.
"Anyone else remember this idea?
It was floated around Redmond in the pre-vista days iirc that they could produce a modular OS that let users start with the core components and build up in the way they wanted to from there. (sound familiar?)"
Yep. Sounds familiar. You're describing Windows Embedded 7 Standard. Lets you create anything from a bare minimum OS without a GUI at ~400MB to a (mostly) full blown Windows 7 Ultimate equivalent, ouf of which you can still rip parts out that you don't want entirely (for example things like internet explorer, WinSxS support, windows defender (or the entire security center including windows update functionality), the entire network stack (for whatever reason), and tons of other bits)
Oh and did I mention that it also supports various write filters for NAND-Flash based media and a bootable USB stack (= booting windows from removable media like SD-Cards, USB HDDs etc.)...?
I'm running WES7 on my laptop which I take with me on service visits. Why? Simply because it works the way *I* want it to, doesn't contain features I never use and doesn't bug me with any of that Win10 "Upgrade" nag-/malware (simply because there is no "upgrade" path to Win10 for embedded editions :D)
PS: there's no windows activation like on "normal" windows editions either. The key used to install it decides wether it's a 180 day trial or a full version. No online activation or needing to re-activate due to hardware changes or anything like that.
Biting the hand that feeds IT
