Do I need Windows Live?

I have this new HP computer running Windows 7 and it has programs I have never used before.

Windows Live
Hulu
Windows Media Center
Windows DVD Maker
DVD Videosoft
Cyberlink DVD Suite Deluxe
A bunch of HP stuff


I don't know if I need these or if maybe I don't need all of them. I don't have a smart phone or a camera on my computer.

I would like to keep this new computer running lean.
No duplicate programs or programs that I don't need.

I would like to have the option to watch tv on the computer. I do like to keep music on my computer and we like to play simple games....Mahjong...chess
like that.

Any advice?

You can always uninstall what you don't need...the problem is...we can't tell you what you need or not. Windows Live Essentials is a group of programs, including apps for photo, mail, IM, video, parental controls, etc. If you don't need any of those, you can remove them. If you do, they won't hurt anything to be left on the system.

If this is a recent computer, you won't be slowing it down by having a few dormant apps installed. More importantly, you'd want to stop things from running in the background that you aren't using with the help of something like msconfig.

In short, this is a typical type of question we get that really has no direct answer. We can't tell you what you need or don't need, because only you know exactly how you plan to use the computer and what apps you plan to use to perform those functions.

I'd probably leave Windows Media Center alone if it is already installed.

You can certainly avoid the others or find replacements for them that may better suit you. I'd personally avoid Windows Live Mail if at all possible.

The only reason those programs were pre-installed is because the PC supplier (HP?) received some sort of subsidy from the software developer for including them, which lets HP sell the PC at a lower price.

The HP stuff is unlikely to be necessary unless it relates directly to system recovery.

There are any number of free DVD and CD burning programs available.

When you identify some task you would like to do with the PC, do an independent investigation of the best programs for the job.

Thanks to all

My computer didn't come with the disk. I found this kind of upsetting. Especially when I had to restore my compuer after a crash.

Do you know how I can get one for free?

I doubt if you can get HP to give you a standard Windows 7 install disc for free.

But you should investigate how to make a "recovery disk" if you haven't already done so. Familiarize yourself with your recovery partition, which you likely have somewhere on your hard drive. It may be hidden?

You won't get one from the OEM for free, but they usually only charge enough for shipping. If not, find a friend who has a disc and they can make a copy for you. This is fine, because you have a license on your COA sticker on the computer.

HP's should have a utility to burn your own restore discs for that purpose, and you should make them right away and store them in a safe place...but you should also have a plain disc handy for a clean install or for repairing the system, just in case.