You have two core options when it comes to creating custom Windows 10 installations. Either start from scratch by manipulating a Windows 10 ISO image directly, or modify a running system instead. MSGM Toolkit falls in the former category, as it will modify a source image and not the running system.
Note: It is highly recommended that you create a backup of the system partition before you run the program. Note that you need a Windows 10 ISO image, or a Windows 10 DVD, as this is used as the base image for the custom version.
You may download MSMG Toolkit from My Digital Life but that requires an account. If you don’t have an account on the site, download the software program from Majorgeeks instead.
Create custom Windows 10 installations
Extract the package that is provided as a 7z archive file, and run the script in the root afterwards. The program displays an EULA on start which you need to accept to continue. Basically, what it says is that the author is not responsible for damages or issues. The application is a command line script for the most part.
MSGM Toolkit runs some scans once you hit the a-button for accept, for instance to detect the version of the operating system, and make sure the required tools are all available (stored in the MSMG Toolkit folder).
The program displays its main screen afterwards. The first thing that you need to do is select a source image or folder. You can copy the source folder of a Windows 10 installation image or DVD to the DVDsources folder of the MSGM Toolkit folder to have that picked up for instance.
Tap on the 1 to start the source folder selection process, and select one of the available options afterwards.
Once you have set the source, you may start the customization process. The main menu items that you will use during the process are (3) integrate, (4) remove, and (5) customize.
Integrate
Integrate allows you to add language packs, drivers, features, updates, and custom features to the Windows 10 installation.
- Language Packs — This enables you to add language packs — read support for additional languages — to the custom Windows 10 installation media.
- Drivers — Add drivers to the installation media, for instance for hardware that Windows does not support by default, or does not provide up to date drivers for.
- Windows Features — Enables you to add Windows components such as Microsoft Games, Microsoft .NET Framework 3.5, Windows Sidebar, or Windows Media Feature Pack to the installation. Some of these restore features that were removed previously (e.g. Microsoft Edge).
- Updates — Integrate Windows Updates directly so that they are installed during installation of Windows 10, and not installed afterwards.
- Windows Custom Features — Add custom system files, UxTheme patch, or a custom Windows Recovery Environment.
Remove
You may use the remove option to cut components from the Windows 10 installation.
- Remove default Metro apps — Lists all default applications, and provides you with the means to remove select Windows 10 applications, all applications, all except Windows Store, and all online apps.
- Remove Default Metro Apps Associations — This removes the file associations from Metro apps so that they are no longer launched when you open associated files on the Windows 10 machine.
- Remove Windows Components — Remove Windows 10 components such as Cortana, Telemetry Services, Home Group, Parental Controls, or Xbox & Gaming from the image. There is also an advanced option to remove things like Microsoft Edge, Adobe Flash, Windows Defender, or Windows System Restore.
- Remove Windows Components using Package List
Customize
Customize enables you to import or export default metro application associations from and to XML files.
Once you are done
When you are done making the changes, you need to use the apply menu to apply the changes to the selected source.
Once that is out of the way, you may use the target menu to create a new installation medium, for instance by making a custom Windows 10 DVD ISO image, burning the ISO image to a bootable Flash drive, or burning an ISO image to DVD.
It is recommended that you test the custom Windows 10 installation media, for instance in a virtual machine, before you install it on computer systems.
Closing Words
MGMT Toolkit is a handy script for Windows devices to create custom Windows 10 installations from a Windows 10 ISO image or sources folder.
It enables you to make basic modifications to the installation media, for instance by removing select Windows apps, but also more advanced modifications such as adding drivers to the Windows 10 image, or removing core components.
A comparable program is NTLite. It enables you to modify a live installation, or create new custom media.
Now You: Do you customize your Windows installations?
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