While most here are looking for means to get Microsoft brand Windows 7 features working on Server 2008 R2, I'm looking for means to remove or prevent their installation; like WMP with Desktop Experience.

On Windows 7 you have the option to remove Windows Media Player and some of it's ancillary junk, but on Server 2008 R2 if you install Desktop Experience you're pretty much stuck with Windows Media Player and it's parade float of fluff, and can only change file associations.

Anyone 'in the know' here, know if it's possible to use Windows 7 .inf script (I don't have Windows 7 installed) to uninstall WMP or installer code from Windows 7 made work with Programs and Features to remove WMP?

Or using another approach, if there's a script that can be edited that's used by the Add Remove Features Wizard to prevent Windows Media Player from being installed with Desktop Experience? Or where these scripts are stashed on Server 2008 R2 so I can go digging?

Sorting this out might also make for a tidier approach to adding and removing other non-standard features from the Server 2008 R2 OS....

Try this:
1. Copy the following files from Windows 7 x64 to Windows Server 2008 R2 or extract them from the Windows 7 x64 dvd -> sources\install.wim using 7-Zip:2. Run the following command in Start -> Run:3. Navigate to Media Features, uncheck Windows Media Player and click OK to apply the software removal.

Hope this works, because I didn't test the actual removal as I want to keep Windows Media Player!

Wow, it works!
I just installed, uninstalled then installed again IE, WMP and some server roles using this tool and everything seems to work OK.

Great work Arris. I tried the same thing for Server 2008 32-bit using the same files from a 32-bit Vista installation and it works as well. The only exception is there is no option to remove WMP11. The option doesn't even exist on the Vista machine so its nothing I did wrong. Trying to find a way to get WMP12 on Server 2008 but i keep getting a "not a valid win32 error". I've tried this tutorial online that says to copy the "Wmploc.dll" file in system32 and then copy the Windows Media Player folder to Program Files. Oh well its not a big deal i can live with 11.

Arris <=== This Guy... Is just...



AsciiWolf <=== Is pretty swell too!

Thanks Guys!

Just a side note to this, for those that might like to use WMP, and other features on Server 2008 R2 -- if things go amok, i.e. something breaks with your Windows 'Feature'; removing and then adding it back in can be a fast and dirty way to fixing a lot more then just file associations.

I'm glad to hear this trick works! Thanks for the compliments

I'm curious what "rundll32.exe shell32.dll,Control_RunDLL appwiz.cpl,,2" is supposed to do exactly? Isn't this just another way of launching "OptionalFeatures.exe" (which can be launched directly or with a shortcut btw)?

Apparently it is, but I think they wanted to group all possible software and update actions/settings within one Control Panel item (.cpl). You can change for example the parameter "2" also into other values:Internally each parameter redirects to the corresponding dll's/executables.

Thanks, this is awesome.
Now just gotta work out how to remove the Search box in each explorer window.

1. Download Classic Shell here: http://classicshell.sourceforge.net

2. When you begin installation, on the Custom Setup page disable the "Start Menu" feature if you don't want the Classic Shell program to force the classic start menu look of how all the folders cascade out as in XP. If you want this feature go ahead and add it, its up to you.

3. Now once you have installed this program go to your Local Disk. (C: is mine). Navigate to Program Files > Classic Shell

Locate Explorer.ini and open it with Notepad.

At the top go to Edit > Find...

1. Type in UpIconDisabled=

Change the value to UpIconDisabled= 1 . The program adds and up arrow icon which allows you to go "up a level" or up the tree to the root of the folder. For example if you were in C:\Program Files\Classic Shell clicking the icon once would take you to C:\Program Files. Clicking it again would take you to C:\ (the root). If you don't want this icon added change the value to 1 to disable it.

2. Type in HideSearch=

Change the value to HideSearch= 1 to disable the search box in Windows Explorer.

If you disable both of these features I have listed above the end result will look what I have posted below: