RE: Acer 7535 repaired - new hardware - Next steps to Redo setup?

Well, my niece came over last nite and just for fun, I went into the BIOS and told the Acer to boot up from the CD/DVD drive and put in the 1st Acer Recovery Disk.

The entire laptop reloaded with everything that it originally came with.

Haven't done much else with it today though because we worked a little on my Dad's 8.1 issue and did pool time.

I can say that I did not connect the Acer to the internet, yet nor have I connected anything USB/cable-wise such as printers or mouse.

It has been patiently waiting for me in sleep mode but thankfully, I have seen no issues that were present before we sent it to the repair dude.

She shuts off, restarts and doesn't seem to be getting as warm as she did back in March when she really began throwing fits.

Perhaps, after reading through the info here and deciding what bloatware I want out and so on, might actually have her running as smooth as can be.

okay,
this is the control panel screen capture for what all is on the acer right now.

Other than attaching the flash drive to her to save the document and use it on the HP to plop here, I haven't done anything else to her yet.

Anyone see anything that they think is totally useless besides Mcafee yuck?

I can tell you that the 2007 Office that is on it will not be used because I am going to install Office 97 on it.

I have office 2010 on the HP but it is only a 1 license/machine and I'm not spending anymore money right now to get another copy and 97 works just fine for what I use (Excel, Word and sometimes PowerPoint)

I don't know what all the Norton online backup is linked to but I seem to remember wanting to uninstall it way back and something coming up about it being linked to something that I did use. So, not sure if I want to remove it but I'm pretty certain that I probably will never actually open that one up to run.

I am thinking of just running internet explorer on this one and not loading anything else like Mozilla firefox or anything else.

I'm thinking keep it simple - one way and one program to use the internet and no confusion caused?

Which makes me wonder, any thoughts as to which version of internet explorer to install? I think this one comes with 9 preinstalled and I seem to think that I could go up to either 10 or 11?? Not sure but if anyone knows and can tell me which version is best, that would be awesome.

I know this laptop will be running windows defender and malware bytes. I ended up getting the premium version of bytes to share with Dad's, our HP and the Acer.

Not sure what the SQL server or Visual C++ things are, but I am thinking they should stay?

Silverlight will probably be needed for something??

I think we will use the Acer for our Netflix and also I'm thinking I may use it when I'm on Facebook, which means I'll probably be playing Bejeweled or Candy Crush.

Those I think need an Adobe Flash but if I'm thinking correctly, doesn't that install a version if it is not there when you first open those games up?

Okay, that's my thoughts for the moment.


So, any thoughts, ideas, preferences or wise words of wisdom against anything, please let me know.

Thanks so much and have a great evening!

Uninstall MucAfee. While it is uninstalling type msconfig in Start Search box, click Startup tab, uncheck everything. On Services tab, tick the box to Hide all MS Services, uncheck everything. Reboot when prompted by MucAfee go-bye-bye.

Install MSE. Enable Automatically deliver drivers via Windows Update (Step 3), open Windows Update, set to Automatic and Deliver Recommended like Important. Check for Updates, install all IMportant and Optional Updates except Bing. Watch their progress.

While Updates install for 45 minutes or so, uninstall all Acer crapware, Google toolbar, ebay, eSobi, Office (unless you want to use it and pay the $250 bill it hands you 60 days later, Open Office is free and just as good), Office Compat Pack, Adobe Air, Welcome Center, Norton, Launch Manager, AmicoSingLun, NTI Backup, My Win Locker. Check NTI Media Maker by opening it from All Programs to see if its something you want.

But there's no rush to do these because you've already shut them all off from Starting with Windows.

Once done be sure to run CCleaner and defrag as given in tutorial. Other tips there will help you keep a perfect install, or the next best thing to a Clean Reinstall - Factory OEM Windows 7

Last night I removeed McAfee but I just went through the control panel, programs and uninstalled it that way.

Is that bad?

Also loaded some updates, and did the msconfig and set up the device and printers for updates.

Now I have some more questions.

Microsoft security essentials is one of the updates that is there this morning. Is that a good one to install? I already have Windows Defender up and running and the malware bytes.

Also wondering, as I go along and start using different programs, which I really haven't other than internet explorer, as I start using them will they end up automaticaly landing in the msconfig area and start trying to auto open when I start the laptop?

I know that's probably not the most technically correct way to word that but I think you'll understand what I'm trying to ask, I hope.

I haven't set up the printer yet - not really in a rush since the HP laptop is already connected and set up close to the printer.

Let's see, what else?

Oh, the C cleaner. I haven't installed it yet but when I do, since I'm not really famiiiar with that one, are there any things as far as setting it up that I need to know? Any particular boxes that need to be checked or left unchecked?

I probably won't install that one Wed. afternoon after work because I don't go back to work until Thursday afternoon to close and can stay up late and pay attention to what it does if it will take a long time to run through the 1st time through.

That's all I can think of for now and I won't really being do too much to her today since I have to be at work at 3, so other than some updates... that's all the love the Acer will get today.

Thanks so much everyone for all of your help!

Go ahead and run the MucAfee uninstall tool to see if it finds anything.

Yes you should use MSE and not Windows Defender which is only limited protection. It will turn it off during install.

Once you've uninstalled everything you don't want (I already gave you a list of what is not needed at all) then install CCleaner and click the Run Cleaner button, then click on Registry tab and Check for Issues, after it queues them up click Fix Issues. No need to save the backup file.

Then what I do is install Puran Defrag Download and do its Boot Time defrag with full Disk Check to get at System Files that would be running in any other defrag. Enable "Intelligent Optimizer" on the Additional Operations tab first.

Are you following Clean Up Factory Bloatware as all of these steps are already written out there?

The only thing I uninstalled so far was the McYuckafee. I'm going to sit down and look at all of the other stuff you listed and make sure that there really isn't a reason to keep them.

Security essetials is grabbing all of the updates but our internet connection is really slow today. Even on the HP, so I am assuming that is a Time Warner issue. Even last night the connection was much faster for the windows updates that I was installing.

As I've been going along I've been jotting down the steps and such into a notebook. Don't know if that will be useful later on but you never know.

I think I'm going to see how many more windows updates are available but probably won't install too many today unless the connection picks up speed.

I do want to get any security updates on the quickest, right?
Tomorrow nite I hope to be able to get all of the available updates up to that time installed and would like to do the C Cleaner and the Puran thing but am wondering about how long all of that will take.

Since I haven't installed any additional software on as of yet and don't plan to until all of the steps needed to clean her up are complete, it may not take a long time?

You said there wasn't a hurry to uninstall things as of yet, but I see an upcoming step to make the system backup image.

Should I make sure that I have eliminated all of the bloatware that I don't want before that step or does it matter much?

Oh, and I guess I should ask if I should decide what additional software I want installed on this one and if I should install it before making that image or does that matter?

Anything additional that I would add would be the Office 97 - which I have disk for

I may install our Kodak digital camera/recorder to this laptop and it comes with software that loads when you 1st connect the camera to the laptop.

The HP printer has software for it

I may install some of my scrapbook/print artist software - again that all has disks. If I install any of them at all, it won't be all of them. I think I have about 5 of them, LOL but they are all on the HP laptop.

oh, I will install my Sim City 3000 game on this one.

Will probably open up the wild tangent games on this one, which will initially open under the Acer games. If the bejeweled 3 game plays well enough on this one, I will keep it on. If it seems to encounter any play issues, would it be ok to uninstall that after giving it a trial run?

I think that's all of the questions I have for the moment.

Thanks for putting up with me, allowing me to ask questions as I think ahead and educating me on this.

I do feel a little more comfortable in working through the steps than I would have several months ago and I really thank you all for letting me sound stupid and hesitant while you share your knowledge and patience with me.

Hubby just asked before he left for work how many windows updates there were.
I'm like, seems like hundreds.
He asked how long windows 7 had been out and I replied not exactly sure.
His answer was well, since we both know it has been out for years, I imagine you're gonna be installing updates for quite some time. Then he laughed.
I know there were quite a few last night and today we started at there being 88 important ones and I think 9 optional.
Of course, there were a few to upgrade the internet explorer option but I'm skipping those.
And since many of them appear to have the must restart computer option, I know there's no way they're all gonna get installed before I leave for work today.

Sigh.,,

But, I guess if you're gonna do it, might as well do it slow and get it right the first time.

Thanks again for the help, you are all awesome!

Ah, thank you.
You made me feel good in regard as to what I was thinking.
Yes, with Office 97 I do a custom install because I know some of the stuff doesn't work with Win 7 and above and some of it, I have no need for. On my old desktop that is running either Windows 98 or 2000, I can't remember which, I have everything installed but since we got the laptops, I hardly ever use the desktop except for one of the old Print/Photo/Card maker programs once in awhile.

My goodness, there were a lot of Windows updates already that I installed and before I left for work there still about 77 important ones showing. And who knows if I go back in check for updates how many more will be there.

I figured I would hold off installing Office 97 until I was pretty sure that I had nearly all of the important windows updates installed and then begin adding the additional software.

Thanks for the input on the msconfig too. I guess I was thinking correctly to continue monitoring that as we get stuff added.

Oh, and the good news is, after I did the reinstall with my recovery disks, my keyboard is functioning just fine. None of that weird back skipping that it was doing.

So, I think things are looking really good for her becoming a stable and usable laptop again.

With your help and patience, I think we are going to be very happy campers. Can't thank you all enough, that's for sure.