How are you listening?

The-10-Pen · Unread post by **The-10-Pen** » 10 May 2025, 18:49

Instead of a "what are you listening to", how about a "HOW are you listening" post?

I have a twelve year old 4th-gen i7 and I used to think that the only way to squeeze every drop of performance out of this twelve year old PC was to run XP.

BIGGEST MISTAKE I EVER MADE !!! Believing that MYTH on how awesome XP "is".
I ditched XP only just last year. I now run 2016's Win10. A tweaked and debloated self-created version using freebie tools available to ALL OF US.

I use "GridMove" and have one of my monitors set up to watch SEVEN videos ALL AT THE SAME TIME.
Another monitor reading/replying to emails.
Another monitor browsing and typing this post.

Dead serious. I watch SEVEN videos all at the same time! No stuttering, no lag, no buffering delays. All seven working flawlessly!
And mouse around over custom transparent "hover" controls to pause or mute to control which "one" I am listening to.
All while watching ALL of them.
Move to a different video when one of them is on commercial break. I don't need a remote to bounce around during commercials.

I could never do that on XP !!! No new hardware, just finally ditched XP and learned how to tweak 10!

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Unread post by **Duke** » 11 May 2025, 18:49

The-10-Pen wrote: ↑10 May 2025, 18:49 I have a twelve year old 4th-gen i7

Yep, this serie of CPU still kick ass, especially the i7-4790.

The-10-Pen wrote: ↑10 May 2025, 18:49 I now run 2016's Win10. A tweaked and debloated self-created version using freebie tools available to ALL OF US.

And what are these tools ? And the tweaks ?

The-10-Pen · Unread post by **The-10-Pen** » 11 May 2025, 19:31

I run the -i7-4770, so not quite as good as the 4790.

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Tools - all that is needed is a program called WinReducer EX-100.
Do NOT, under any circumstance, download anything called "Tiny10", you'll waste your time thinking it to be "tiny".
Apologies to anyone here that might be using it, just stating my observation, Tiny10 is BLOATWARE.

I should point out that my job used to be from home, so I have an LTSB branch of Win10.
But I have very similar results with the non-LTSB, it just took a different config and there was a lot more bloat to get rid of.
And also, I intentionally run an OLDER version of Win10. "Success" DECREASES with each and every new release of 10.

WIN10 IS THE BEST OS I HAVE EVER RAN. ONCE YOU GET RID OF THE CRAPWARE THAT MS ADDS.
ANYBODY (and everybody, imo) that claims otherwise is just too lazy to remove the crapware.
Or something like that, I'm sure I'm over-stating, lol.

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The-10-Pen · Unread post by **The-10-Pen** » 11 May 2025, 19:53

I'm pretty sure this is my most recent WinReducer EX-100 file.

I was doing a crapload of trial-and-error and you can get Win10 EVEN SMALLER if you don't use things like Task Manager's "Resource Monitor" (just one example that comes to mind that I didn't intend to remove during one of my trial-and-errors and had to undo).

I currently use TWO PASSES.
But that's because my trial-and-error had an NTLite middle stage pass that I no longer need. So it used to take THREE PASSES.
If I remember correctly, it was when I was learning how to remove some "print to PDF" embedded feature that I do not use.
It can very likely be done all in ONE PASS now that I don't use NTLite as a middle stage.

Unread post by **Duke** » 12 May 2025, 22:41

The-10-Pen wrote: ↑11 May 2025, 19:31 Tools - all that is needed is a program called WinReducer EX-100.

Thanks for the info

I've also found these ones:
https://github.com/builtbybel/Crapfixer
https://github.com/builtbybel/Bloatynosy

The-10-Pen wrote: ↑11 May 2025, 19:53 I currently use TWO PASSES.

I had a quick look at your TXT files and some actions seem to be a bit extreme to me.
I hope we can choose what we want to remove or not.

The-10-Pen · Unread post by **The-10-Pen** » 12 May 2025, 23:05

Duke wrote: ↑12 May 2025, 22:41 I hope we can choose what we want to remove or not.

You can!
I wanted "extreme", you can always go "less extreme".
Just trust me on this - do the work yourself and you will not be disappointed.
Speaking solely for myself and my direct observations, I was HEAVILY disappointed with "Tiny10".
To each their own, of course.

The-10-Pen · Unread post by **The-10-Pen** » 16 May 2025, 09:40

The-10-Pen wrote: ↑11 May 2025, 19:53 I'm pretty sure this is my most recent WinReducer EX-100 file.

Pretty high download count for no follow-up replies.
Has any of these downloaders tried WinReducer EX-100 yet?

Unread post by **Duke** » 17 May 2025, 13:37

Not yet. I think I'll try it after updating to IoT Enterprise LTSC 2021 when I'll have enough time.

The-10-Pen · Unread post by **The-10-Pen** » 17 May 2025, 13:42

Duke wrote: ↑17 May 2025, 13:37 Not yet. I think I'll try it after updating to IoT Enterprise LTSC 2021 when I'll have enough time.

Results will NOT be as signfificant as with LTSB 2016.
I use a DIFFERENT config for LTSC.

The-10-Pen · Unread post by **The-10-Pen** » 17 May 2025, 14:15

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The-10-Pen · Unread post by **The-10-Pen** » 17 May 2025, 14:16

I run Win11 LTSC 24H2 on a Ryzen 5 8640HS.
Only runs 72 processes after startup.
Compared to 184 with the default Win11 and 140-160 (forget exactly) with bloatware "tiny11".

The-10-Pen · Unread post by **The-10-Pen** » 17 May 2025, 22:03

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The-10-Pen · Unread post by **The-10-Pen** » 17 May 2025, 22:05

That's Win10 LTSC 2021 installed in a VM with no internet access.
All six (?) of the install "sliders" set to "no" / non-default.
Not sure if I've ever WinReducerEX'd this version of Win10.
May over the weekend, not sure yet.

The-10-Pen · Unread post by **The-10-Pen** » 17 May 2025, 22:07

why in the F'in Hades does this forum log me out if i can't type a message in THIRTY SECONDS or so?
maybe it's just my browser settings ??? just d#mn annoying as H E LL...

Unread post by **Duke** » 17 May 2025, 22:16

The-10-Pen wrote: ↑17 May 2025, 22:07 this forum log me out if i can't type a message in THIRTY SECONDS or so?

It shouldn't be that short, I think the default inactivity value on phpBB is 5 minutes, IIRC.
Just use the Full Editor & Preview box and then click on the Preview button from time to time.

The-10-Pen · Unread post by **The-10-Pen** » 17 May 2025, 22:25

five minutes my ASS
i have to type and submit all before my clock increments ONE MINUTE

The-10-Pen · Unread post by **The-10-Pen** » 17 May 2025, 22:28

i have to log in a second or two into a minute and hit submit before a second hand on an analog watch makes ONE REVOLUTION

The-10-Pen · Unread post by **The-10-Pen** » 17 May 2025, 23:08

i think i found the culprit... a cache-clearing extension... resolved...

Unread post by **Duke** » 18 May 2025, 11:45

The-10-Pen wrote: ↑17 May 2025, 23:08 a cache-clearing extension

What for ? Just use the private mode if you don't want caching

The-10-Pen · Unread post by **The-10-Pen** » 18 May 2025, 12:00

Duke wrote: ↑18 May 2025, 11:45 What for ? Just use the private mode if you don't want caching

I prefer a "session-only" approach.

I prefer to log into a web site, close the tab, reopen the tab later, and STILL BE LOGGED IN.
Can't to do that with private/incognito.

I prefer that if I'm in the middle of a Wordle/Sedecordle/Crossword/Sudoku, that I can close the tab and reopen later and continue where I left off.
Can't do that with private/incognito.

But it also has to be "session-only".
If I am logged in or in the middle of a W/S/C/S and I exit my browser, then I lose all because I exited my session.
In Chrome, you can't do that because W/S/C/S is SAVED even if cache/history/cookies are cleared!
Chrome has some "storage" BS that requires manual removal - enter cache-clearing extension.

What works for you will not work for me.
What works for me will not work for you.

Unread post by **Duke** » 18 May 2025, 18:53

The-10-Pen wrote: ↑18 May 2025, 12:00 Chrome

Chrome! Enough said

The-10-Pen · Unread post by **The-10-Pen** » 18 May 2025, 19:17

Duke wrote: ↑18 May 2025, 18:53 Chrome! Enough said

Regardless. Mozilla-based is a POS for MY needs. To each their own.

Found my 2019 LTSC files and deployed them to 2021 LTSC.
Results are impressive within a VM.
While process-count (though not the "best" metric) is less than HALF that of a default installation, it's still roughly TWICE that of 2016 LTSB.
Newer isn't always better, in my book, so I'm not seeing why anybody would "need" 2021.
I'm not a "gamer", I just need to install CAD, video editing, and a browser and I can do all of that in 2016 LTSB.

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The-10-Pen · Unread post by **The-10-Pen** » 18 May 2025, 19:19

And RAM consumption for an idle just-after-startup let-it-sit-a-little dropped from 1.2 GB to 0.7 GB.

The-10-Pen · Unread post by **The-10-Pen** » 18 May 2025, 20:01

Updated screencap from 2016 LTSB. First screencap did not show RAM.
I want the OS by itself, nothing yet loaded, to be as MINIMALISTIC as possible.
RAM at idle after startup is only 0.5 GB. I've ran on systems with only 1.0 GB of RAM (which is pushing it but is "doable").

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RedBeam · Unread post by **RedBeam** » 18 May 2025, 20:04

um.. this thread is getting a little off topic from what it was designed for as its turned from a music thread to a tips for windows thread thanks-RedBeam

The-10-Pen · Unread post by **The-10-Pen** » 18 May 2025, 20:14

RedBeam wrote: ↑18 May 2025, 20:04 um.. this thread is getting a little off topic from what it was designed for as its turned from a music thread to a tips for windows thread thanks-RedBeam

yeah, when the download count went "through the roof", i just kept posting based on what looked like "heavy interest"
i'm now thinking that the download count is "fake" or this forum is just scanned by bots
over 100 downloads on a forum with only 400 members (and i have to assume only 200 or so are active members)
something is clearly not adding up, lol
though i did just notice that you don't have to be logged in to download (not the case on other forums that i am a member)

xperceniol_sal · Unread post by **xperceniol_sal** » 18 May 2025, 21:13

The-10-Pen wrote: ↑18 May 2025, 20:14...or this forum is just scanned by bots...

I hope you don't think I'm a bot

I'm just an active user. I'm as genuine as the sun shining through the window. I was a long time member (since 1018) on MSFN but then they changed the log in policy to logging in with email and I haven't the slightest clue the email I used back then; so I'm locked out. I haven't even read over there is quite some time, but it looks pretty dead compare to when I was active there.

Unread post by **Duke** » 19 May 2025, 08:08

RedBeam wrote: ↑18 May 2025, 20:04 this thread is getting a little off topic from what it was designed for as its turned from a music thread to a tips for windows thread

You're right, so the thread has been split.
This one being about the last part of the discussion and the original "What are you listening to?" thread is still there:
https://board.eclipse.cx/viewtopic.php?t=485

The-10-Pen wrote: ↑18 May 2025, 20:14 i'm now thinking that the download count is "fake" or this forum is just scanned by bots
over 100 downloads on a forum with only 400 members (and i have to assume only 200 or so are active members)
something is clearly not adding up, lol
though i did just notice that you don't have to be logged in to download

The download count is not fake and yes the forum is scanned by bots like any other forum.
Guests can also download but they can't post.

The-10-Pen · Unread post by **The-10-Pen** » 22 May 2025, 20:45

Duke wrote: ↑18 May 2025, 11:45
The-10-Pen wrote: ↑17 May 2025, 23:08 a cache-clearing extension
What for ?

Turns out, I missed a Chrome setting and now "problem solved", no extension required.

chrome://settings/content/siteData

UCyborg · Unread post by **UCyborg** » 27 May 2025, 14:59

I learned 16 years after buying my current desktop computer that you're supposed to manually install AMD Processor Driver for Cool'n'Quiet to be functional on Windows XP. It's AMD's feature for automatically reducing voltage and frequency of the CPU when the load is low. The ASUS' instructions for Cool'n'Quiet omit the part about this specific driver (there is another related driver to install, which is more obvious since you have unknown device in Device Manager otherwise), neither did they provide it on their web site for my motherboard ASUS M3N78. The driver comes out of the box with newer Windows - amdppm.sys.

But only on XP, switching between power states causes massive lag spike. I tried playing patched Interstate '76 with baked in frame limiter that limits frame rate to 20 (because physics gets glitchy with higher rates and this is the easiest workaround) and sleeps if there's still enough time left for another frame to be started, it's practically unplayable. Of course the spikes wouldn't occur with busy waiting since it forces CPU to run at max speed all the time and doesn't release it.

The lag spikes are very noticeable during other tasks like web browsing, if you have music playing, sound will practically drop out all the time. I notice random drop outs even when CPU runs top speed constantly. Again, only on XP, it takes considerable load for sound to start to suffer under newer Windows.

Oh well, those 16 years would be more ridiculous if I was running XP all the time since, but at the start, I only daily drove it for the short time while waiting for Windows 7 to be released. XP's a dinosaur from another era and it shows.

If I still had that old PC with single-core 2 GHz Celeron, I'd probably set it up with Windows 7. It was usable with Vista.

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