nLite is a software that allows you to customize your Windows XP, Windows 2000, or Windows 2003 installation. With this software, you can integrate Microsoft service packs and security patches directly into your Windows distribution files without re-downloading and reinstalling them whenever you need to reinstall Windows.

In addition, it offers the option to remove unwanted components from within Windows. Many applications are automatically included every time Windows is installed. Not everyone needs or even wants all these applications that Microsoft deems necessary. Removing these unwanted components allows you to free up space within your setup and ultimately save space on your hard drive after installation.

nLite also provides a way to customize your installation by allowing numerous adjustments to how Windows looks and works after it has been installed. You can even skip Microsoft's tedious hands-off setup instructions and do it the easy way.

To use this tool, you must run any 32-bit or 64-bit version of Windows. Windows 9x is not supported. You will need .NET Framework 2.0 installed. If you do not have it, you will be prompted to install it when starting the installer. Alternatively, you can download nuhi's "Alternative Runtimes" for nLite. You will also need to have the Windows installation CD for the original Windows installation files. If you do not have the CD, you will be unable to use nLite to customize your Windows installation.

You must create a folder on your hard drive to copy the Windows source files. Make sure there is enough space on your hard drive to store the files. Copy the entire contents of the distribution CD into this folder. Next, start nLite.

The welcome screen shows you which version of nLite you are running and allows you to choose an alternative language. To continue, click "Next."

On the next screen, select the folder where you have copied the Windows installation files and click "Next." You will then be shown a list of components that can be removed from your Windows installation. Select the parts you wish to remove and click "Next."

You can integrate Microsoft service packs and security patches directly into your Windows installation files on the next screen. Select the ones you want to integrate and click "Next."

On the next screen, you can select the drivers you wish to integrate into your Windows installation. This can be useful if you have specific hardware that needs drivers that are not included by default in Windows. Select the drivers you wish to integrate and click "Next."

On the next screen, you can adjust how Windows looks and works after installation. Make the desired adjustments and click "Next."

Finally, on the last screen, you can create a bootable ISO file to burn to CD or test on virtual machines. Click "Create ISO" to create the ISO file. Once created, you can burn the ISO file to a CD or use a program such as VirtualBox to test your custom Windows installation in a virtual machine.

It is important to note that nLite is discontinued software, and the latest version available is 1.4.9.3. This means that no further updates to the software will be released, and it may no longer be compatible with newer versions of Windows. However, it may still be helpful for those who wish to customize a Windows XP, Windows 2000, or Windows 2003 installation.