A bootable Windows 7 install that consumes a mere 69MB of disk space has been shared online. Veteran Windows Insider and code sleuth Xeno is behind this feat of Windows system file configuration and pruning. However, those interested in this OS release are warned to file this achievement under “fun proof of concept rather than something usable,” as work will need to be done for it to support most Windows software packages. Intriguingly, Xeno hints they might actually follow through on this.
I have released a 69.0MB version of Windows 7 x86. You will need to provide your own system files to get even some of the most basic programs running. File list: https://t.co/xAqTob4uPxDownload: https://t.co/v5CdxtRZre pic.twitter.com/8GcQjRDcjnOctober 29, 2025
Above, you can see proof of the working Windows 7 system by way of a desktop screenshot. You can also expand the embedded Tweet to find a link to download the installer (a 7zip compressed 40.4MB file hosted by Archive.org). Inside the downloaded archive, there is a small VMware virtual disk and an accompanying configuration file.
Windows 69?
Xeno is upfront with telling people, “you will need to provide your own system files to get even some of the most basic programs running,” using the 69MB Windows 7 release, as it stands.
Despite the severely sharp scissors used to create this release, Xeno wryly notes that “at least the genuine check is still intact,” alongside a screenshot showing Microsoft’s OS bellyaching that “This copy of Windows is not genuine.”
Useful version on the way?
While we aren’t sniffy about software or hardware tinkerers doing things that are impractical, or even silly, Xeno has been prompted by another Twitterer to tweak ‘Windows 69’ and to develop a more usable release.
Currently, “virtually nothing can run due to critical missing files such as common dialog boxes and common controls,” admits Xeno. However, they went on to hint that an adjusted version of the OS, with enough core system files to appeal to users wanting to run older games and apps, might be on the way. “There seems to be genuine interest in this,” notes Xeno, likely inspired by the response to this release.
On casual inspection of the 295 files in the installation, we noticed a dozen or more of these look like log files, which could easily be discarded. Xeno also mentions in the Tweet thread that “there is definitely a ton of room you can save,” with further pruning efforts.
Judicial tinkering, given time, might or might not be enough to balance the addition of the necessary files to make this a more practical Windows 7 release. Who knows, it might even be able to stick roughly at the same size. Stay tuned, we’ll see if we get a number of Tiny11-style Tiny7 releases.
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