Bloatware

CarlTR6 said:

I promptly uninstalled all of the bloatware on my wife's netbook except for Acer management programs and MS Office trial. I added a free anti-virus. I also added a firewall since we use her netbook in public places.

Acer management programs are quite sensible if they are used for Power Plan Management, the graphic card and the eRecovery management! It's kind of handcuff around the laptop!!!

That's why i did created those 3 restore Dvds straight away, in case one program fail

Bill2 said:

Bloatware is a revenue stream for the OEMs and the companies that write that software so its unlikely its going away very soon. Those of us with the skills to configure the way we want, OK, but what about those who dont?

I also find it deplorable that most major manufacturers dont provide clean, reinstall disks. Only Dell and i think Gateway (before Acer acquired it) did. When one has paid for the OS, why is one not entitled to the disk? Nowadays, one just gets the bloatware filled recovery dvds. I once spent several days researching how to do an OS+drivers only install from recovery dvds. The trick apparently is to force a reboot the moment the crap starts to install but the process was so iffy, i gave up after a while. The ostensible reason for not giving out disks is that it helps tech support when they know what they are dealing with. But i think its that same old MS trying to harass pirates and ending up harassing legit users.

BTW, reinstalling from a generic disk (downloaded off the web, where else?) and installing drivers and apps really makes the machine run much smoother, IMO. But same problem, what about the average Joe?

My asus came with OEM re-install discs....I was quite suprised. I dont know if they are "clean" though. i am sure all of the "Bloat-ware" is installed during re-install as well.....

Thorsen said:

Bill2 said:

Bloatware is a revenue stream for the OEMs and the companies that write that software so its unlikely its going away very soon. Those of us with the skills to configure the way we want, OK, but what about those who dont?

I also find it deplorable that most major manufacturers dont provide clean, reinstall disks. Only Dell and i think Gateway (before Acer acquired it) did. When one has paid for the OS, why is one not entitled to the disk? Nowadays, one just gets the bloatware filled recovery dvds. I once spent several days researching how to do an OS+drivers only install from recovery dvds. The trick apparently is to force a reboot the moment the crap starts to install but the process was so iffy, i gave up after a while. The ostensible reason for not giving out disks is that it helps tech support when they know what they are dealing with. But i think its that same old MS trying to harass pirates and ending up harassing legit users.

BTW, reinstalling from a generic disk (downloaded off the web, where else?) and installing drivers and apps really makes the machine run much smoother, IMO. But same problem, what about the average Joe?

My asus came with OEM re-install discs....I was quite suprised. I dont know if they are "clean" though. i am sure all of the "Bloat-ware" is installed during re-install as well.....

They must be as they are provided directly...

On 3 restore Dvds I made, one is only bloatwares Apps and main drivers...so it will be up to me the day i reinstall.

But you should be able not install them in your case, as it might ask you after the system reinstall, if you do want reinstall Apps & Drivers...

Unfortunatly you'll only know it the day you'll....!

Got rid of all but the camera management software on this Toshiba.

Run PCDecrapifier once on a new or fairly new computer and it will work with a list of common bloatware apps to target and remove the ones you select. And of course Revo Uninstaller for other things.

While I agree with B, C and E, the rest can go. In my years of working with computers if you use it the way the vendor set it up you are guarantee that within 6 months to a year you will be having issues with the computer. Every computer I left loaded from the vendor had problems. When I get a computer I format the drive and do a fresh install of the OS and then the programs. (i.e. Anti-Virus, Office {Full or Trial}, Adobe Reader, CD Burning software - that is about it.). All the computers I have setup this way run for years without issues. I have several machines that have been running Windows XP for 7 years now without an issue. (Note: these are good users. Bad users mess them up no matter what you do.)