nano11 🔬

A PowerShell script to build a heavily trimmed-down Windows 11 image.

Introduction

Welcome to nano11, the next step in creating ultra-lightweight Windows 11 builds. This project provides a flexible and powerful PowerShell solution for creating custom, minimal installation images.

You can now use this script on ANY Windows 11 release, regardless of build, language, or architecture. This is made possible thanks to the improved scripting capabilities of PowerShell.

The goal of nano11 is to automate the build of a streamlined Windows 11 image. The script uses only built-in DISM capabilities and the official oscdimg.exe (downloaded automatically) to create a bootable ISO with no external binaries. An included unattended answer file helps bypass the Microsoft Account requirement during setup and enables compact installation by default. It's open-source, so feel free to modify and adapt it to your needs!

☢️ Script Philosophy: The Core Builder

This repository contains a single, powerful script: nano11.ps1. This is an extreme experimental script designed for creating a quick and dirty development testbed. It removes everything possible to get the smallest footprint, including the Windows Component Store (WinSxS), core services, and much more.

The resulting OS is not serviceable. This means you cannot add languages, drivers, or features, and you will not receive Windows Updates. It is intended only for testing, development, or embedded use in VMs where a minimal, static environment is required.

What is removed?

The nano11.ps1 script is extremely aggressive. It removes:

• All Bloatware Apps: Clipchamp, News, Weather, Xbox, Office Hub, Solitaire, etc.
• Core System Components:
  • ⛔ Windows Component Store (WinSxS)
  • ⛔ Windows Update (and its services)
  • ⛔ Windows Defender (and its services)
  • ⛔ Most Drivers (keeps VGA, Net, Storage only)
  • ⛔ All IMEs (Asian languages)
  • ⛔ Search, BitLocker, Biometrics, and Accessibility features
  • ⛔ Most system services (including Audio)
• Other Components:
  • Microsoft Edge & OneDrive
  • Internet Explorer & Tablet PC Math

⚠️ Important: You cannot add back features or languages in an image created with this script!

Instructions

1. Download Windows 11 from the Microsoft website.

2. Mount the downloaded ISO image by right-clicking it and selecting "Mount". Note the drive letter.

3. Open PowerShell as Administrator.

4. Set the execution policy for the current session by running this command:
   Set-ExecutionPolicy Bypass -Scope Process

5. Navigate to the script's folder and start it:
   C:\path\to\your\nano11\nano11.ps1

6. Follow the prompts: The script will ask for the drive letter of the mounted image and the edition (SKU) you want to base your image on.

7. Sit back and relax! When completed, the new ISO will be in the same folder as the script.

Known Issues & Troubleshooting

• Stuck on Boot: If your ISO hangs on the boot screen, a critical service or component was removed. The most likely culprits are the Audio services or the aggressive WinSxS trim. You may need to edit the script to be less aggressive for your specific hardware or Windows build.
• Installer Errors: An error like 'autorun.dll' could not be loaded means a critical setup file was removed. This can happen with the aggressive sources folder cleanup. Add the missing file to the $dependencies list in the boot.wim section and rebuild.
• Remnants: Although Edge is removed, some links may remain in the Settings app.
• Post-install Apps: Outlook and Dev Home might try to reinstall themselves over time. The script attempts to block this, but it's an ongoing battle.

Future Features

• Improved language and architecture detection.
• More flexibility in what to keep and what to delete, possibly via a config file.
• A GUI to make the process even easier.

And that's pretty much it for now! Thanks for trying nano11 and let me know how you like it!