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Microsoft Plans Version of Windows 10 For Devices With Limited Storage (engadget.com)

An anonymous reader shares a report: A smaller, more pared down version of Windows 10 was spotted in the latest Redstone 5 preview build. Microsoft is calling it Windows 10 Lean and it's 2GB smaller in size than standard editions of Windows 10 once installed. Missing from this version are the Registry Editor, Internet Explorer, wallpaper, Microsoft Management Console and drivers for CD and DVD drives, and Windows Central notes that the lighter Windows 10 might be designed to ensure tablets and laptops with little internal storage can install Windows 10 feature updates. Additionally, the Redstone 5 preview also features phone-related APIs that support functions like dialing, blocking withheld numbers, video calling, Bluetooth headset support and speakerphone mode, stoking those persistent Andromeda rumors.

7 of 142 comments (clear)

  1. Microsoft jettisons telemetry code to reduce size by olsmeister · · Score: 5, Interesting

    Just kidding! Get rid of the useless stuff first, like registry editor and DVD drivers.

  2. Wow by Waffle+Iron · · Score: 4, Insightful

    If they're jettisoning wallpaper, it seems like they're scraping the bottom of the barrel. Even Windows 95 had wallpaper.

    I would suggest to them that they could try getting rid of all of those spam applet tiles in the start menu. That would certainly free up more space than a couple of wallpaper jpegs.

  3. regedit.exe is 313K by pruss · · Score: 5, Insightful

    I feel a bit paranoid here: I doubt they removed regedit just to save 313K.

  4. Re:Microsoft jettisons telemetry code to reduce si by Opportunist · · Score: 4, Interesting

    I was already worried they might dump the telemetry code. I mean, I can live without DVD drivers, without the ability to fix Registry entries after their update shoots the system in the foot and being able to manage the system, but MS not knowing that I still diligently dig through the system to squelch Cortana, get rid of the Windows Shop (or whatever they call that iTunes Store and Steam spoof/mockup), remove their "cloud" connection (insert vaporware joke here) and get rid of all the other ridiculous bloatware they cram down my throat ... I mean, why do you think I spend my evenings after updates ripping that crap out if it doesn't piss off MS that I refuse to use more of their shit than I absolutely have to?

    --
    We used to have a Bill of Rights. Now, with the rights gone, all we have left is the bill.
  5. Re:Windows Reserved Space by Killall+-9+Bash · · Score: 5, Funny

    We are the Microsoft. Disabling updates is futile. Your telemetry and online identity will be added to our database. Your GUI will be adapted to service the Microsoft.

    --
    "Prediction: within 10 years, Windows will be a Linux distribution." Me, 7-6-2016
  6. Re:Microsoft jettisons telemetry code to reduce si by pecosdave · · Score: 4, Insightful

    Seriously? How big is a DVD driver?

    Back in the day when I worked on lots of DOS systems I used to have to load the Mitsumi driver on floppy disk, usually after having booted to said floppy disk. The Mitsumi driver took up so little room on the floppy I didn't even consider it in my "space budget" when figuring out what I was going to put on a floppy and what I was going to leave out.

    FLOPPY

    I'm going to go out on a limb without actually testing it, and assume that if I were to boot to DOS from a floppy on a modern system with legacy support on (because honestly how are you going to boot to a floppy otherwise?) I could likely use the latest SATA Mitsumi driver to access data on a CDROM in the latest BluRay drive as long as the BIOS is setup with ATAPI support on SATA, which it usually is. I'm not going to go so far as to guess I could access a DVD or BluRay simply because I don't trust the huge file system to be accessible on such an old OS.

    I would guess optical drive access overall would be kernel level these days.

    Anyone want to test this?

    Removing IE was a good idea, the registry editor, meh, MMC - hey as long as we're remove lots of stuff tablet users not on a domain won't need sure. I've got an idea to save space - how about NOT installing Candy Crush, Adobe Photoshop Express, Duolingo, Translator, and a host of other things while I'm not looking and wait for user request? I'm sure even the smallest of these programs far outweighs a DVD driver.

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  7. Re:There goes mobile ... by UnknowingFool · · Score: 5, Informative

    I can't believe you FOSS tards still think "bloat" is the problem (as you browse the internets using an i386 compatible kernel).

    Bloat is a huge problem for Windows. Unlike Windows, you can customize Linux to work on different devices with varying amounts of resources. For example, you can run RedHat Enterprise 2.3 requires only 4GB of disk space. That's server software. Ubuntu with all the bells and whistles need 25GB but that can be cut down to 5GB. Windows 10 at a minimum currently requires 16GB. That doesn't include all the additional libraries like .NET that you might need to make things work.

    --
    Well, there's spam egg sausage and spam, that's not got much spam in it.