Is there a guide somewhere on how to minimize the Windows Server 2008 R2 installation folder? I am talking specifically about all the features and roles that come with the Windows Server 2008 R2 during "Expanding Files…" in Installation Process.
Even a few extra gigabytes of space would really help me out on an already small SSD drive.
Long story short, after installing all the features and roles, how can I delete the "installation files directory" in Windows Server 2008 R2? (Good analogy here is the hidden folder MSOCache that holds installation files for Microsoft Office 2010 so every time you add/remove new Office feature it doesn't prompt you to insert a CD).
Seems there's a confusion about the role of the server. I need it for SharePoint Server 2010 + Visual Studio 2010 development. Am I better off with Windows 7 or Windows Server 2008 R2?
Best Answer
These days Microsoft is recommending that C:\ be no smaller than 32GB for R2 installs (the official word). Microsoft has gone to some lengths make installing new features Just Work without having to dig out install media. What's more, it keeps complete 'undo' history for system files, and Microsoft seems unimpressed by those of us who want to keep C:\Windows to be under 20GB in size. This is a far, far cry from when you could install Server 2003 on a 10GB drive. They really don't want us going back to that.