Solved HP Bloatware, or useful system utilities?

[x BlueRobot]

Have found a few remaining HP programs, which I'm not sure are bloatware or useful system utilities which add to the functionality of my system?

I believe that the HP Support Assistant, gave me a BIOS update at one point; well, that's what it said anyway

Any help would be appreciated.



Thanks,

Harry

 

[Ztruker]

Other than Documentation, definitely Bloatware.

 

[AddRAM]

If you use it and you think it`s good, well then it`s just that. The choice is yours
Some of the apps are useful, some are garbage.

 

[indianacarnie]

Didn't see anything I'd want on my machine.

 

[AddRAM]

That HP Support assistant is a must

 

[Kari]

As a long term HP user, both laptops and desktops as well as servers, I have my opinion of those.

HP QuickWeb is for me a must. It is a Linux based lightweight mini-OS on supported HP models that starts in a second or two when you are busy and do not want to boot all the way to Windows.

Another HP tool I always keep on laptops is HP 3D DriveGuard. It protects HDD for drops, vibrations etc.

HP CoolSense really makes a big difference on supporting laptops, keeping them cooler.

Everything else is rubbish, whatever you hear. Quick Launch is the biggest problem, it can totally screw the keyboard mapping regarding special keys. Support Assistance comes in second place in useless, heavy applications of HP.

Kari

 

[gregrocker]

It's great to hear other's conception of these programs. Win7 doesn't need any of them to run of course, but if there is an OEM feature that truly provides better monitoring or utility than Win7 native features then this is valuable information for users.

I will link this thread to Clean Reinstall - Factory OEM Windows 7
and Clean Up Factory Bloatware so owners have more information to help decide.

 

[Kari]

Win7 doesn't need any of them to run of course, but if there is an OEM feature that truly provides better monitoring or utility than Win7 native features then this is valuable information for users.

+1. Very true.

I would like to recommend to do a clean install on a new HP. I do it always. Get a naked (= not HP's with bloatware) Windows ISO or DVD and do a clean install, alternatively on newer models use the HP Factory Recovery selecting Windows Only (the latest HP models allow user to select factory recovery to complete HP Setup (Windows & Bloatware) or Windows Only which according to my experience and notions is as close to real, fresh and clean install as possible).

Later do not install HP tools you think you need from any media delivered with your PC. Instead, go to HP Support & Drivers, select correct country and language and using the product number from COA sticker search Drivers and Software for the tools for your model. Notice that if the tool is not listed there it's not supported by your model.

Something not recommended by HP but wholeheartedly recommended by a user (me) who sets up at least a few HPs every year: Let Windows take care of your general device drivers. Last few years now since Windows 7 every HP PC I have set up, the Windows installation has found all the drivers itself. I do not remember when I have last time needed to download and install drivers from HP. If you feel you must have Catalyst Control Center or controls for Beats Audio or whatnot get them from respective device manufactures site, not from HP.

Another thing is the special drivers for system enhancements not needed for Windows to function, not shown as missing drivers in Device Manager because although the device exists it is only shown when device (or rather enhancement) driver is installed as Windows works perfectly also without it. I get two of this type drivers always from HP's Support page for respective models if they are supported: Intel RapidStorage and Intel TurboBoost.

Bloatware and crapware are a bit too general terms. One man's crap is other man's gold. For me the three tools I mentioned in my previous post are if not gold but copper at least .

Kari

 

[grits]

Does this just pertain to HP PC's or also to HP printers on an eMachine PC?

Thanks.

 

[gregrocker]

With HP printer you need to ask yourself if you want to scan from the printer. If so then you may need the full software package to do this from the printer, otherwise with only the driver you'll need to use the Windows 7 Scan utility from Startrb:button>Devices and Printers, when you right click on the Printer.

If you only want to print then you can use only the driver Windows will load when you plug in the printer, or after enabling Automatically get recommended drivers and updates for your hardware (Step 3). In some cases you'll need to import the driver from the HP Support Downloads webpage for the model, but I'd stay away from the full software package unless you need to scan from the printer - and then I'd Custom install only the core program, OCR for editing scanned documents, but not Updater, Customer Improvement or any Pictures program bloatware you don't need.

If an HP printer's full software package causes problems when set to start with Windows, then what I'd do is disable it in msconfig>Startup and initiate scans using HP Solutions Center link on Desktop. Or uninstall it all except for the driver and use Windows Scan utility.

 

[Kari]

With HP printer you need to ask yourself if you want to scan from the printer. If so then you'll need the full software package to do this from the printer, otherwise with only the driver you'll need to use the Windows 7 Scan utility in Start>Devices and Printers when you right click on the Printer.

A good alternative to scan without HP software is to use printer as a network printer. Most HP printers today have either WiFi, Ethernet or both connections.

For example I have no HP printer and scanner software installed. To scan I simply connect to my printer using a web browser and select Webscan:

​

Kari

 

[FuturDreamz]

I use Windows Fax and Scan on my laptop. I don't want any stupid "uber convenience" suite bogging down my computer. And it took forever to stop ALL of the components and apps from running all the time

 

[gregrocker]

HP is the King of Bloatware. HP's only runs perfectly if you dodge all of it. The fact that it's not as buggy as it used to be isn't enough.

I have an HP 510 business laptop my uncle wouldn't use because it was so bogged down with bloatware. So I wiped it, upped the RAM to 1gb max and installed Win7. It's now nearly ten years old and runs great. Five other friends and relatives have HP's which run fine without any bloatware. I only got help calls from them until we rooted it all out.

 

[FuturDreamz]

And nowadays if you get a HP they don't even list the drivers for all their computers online anymore! instead they direct you to their SystemCare installer which installs the drivers along with other "complementary" software.

 

[AddRAM]

Uh Oh, that spammer is back.

 

[Tookeri]

I like the "HP ProtectTools Security Manager". Use it with One-Step-LogOn and Pre-boot for fingerprint validation instead of typing password.
"HP Software Framework" is also required for One-Step-LogOn to work. Just swipe my finger at boot and it will automatically log in to Windows.

Also the "HP SoftPaq Download Manager" is great for finding updates for your HP programs incl. drivers and BIOS updates. That program was not pre-installed. Downloaded from: Client Management Solutions - Drivers and BIOS | HP® Official Site

 

[gregrocker]

Thanks for the update, Tookeri. This info will help others decide.

Was this a http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/219487-clean-reinstall-factory-oem-windows-7-a.html#post1839164 with software you're recommending to add back?

Did you allow Win7 to provide the drivers it wants first via Windows Update? If so what other drivers or software did you find it necessary to reimport from HP and for what reasons?

Please mention your Elitebook model in reply so Google picks it up.

 

[Tookeri]

Pre-installed, no clean install. I've uninstalled many HP programs but I meant these are my favorites to keep. So I guess your other questions become irrelevant in this case, sorry.

Can't recall "HP SoftPaq Download Manager" have brought me drivers, only programs and BIOS updates. Last critical BIOS update was only a few months ago. Without the SoftPaq Manager(that was NOT pre-installed) I don't think I've been aware of any updates at all. Maybe I uninstalled some other pre-installed HP program that checked for updates. Don't remember.

HP Elitebook 8540p (but I'm sure Google's already picked that up from my specs in the page source)

 

[gregrocker]

Google doesn't really go into Specs just the thread text.

I do hope for you that someday you get to experience native perfect Win7 performance on your Elitebook which comes from doing a http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/219487-clean-reinstall-factory-oem-windows-7-a.html#post1839164, like a million others who have followed it without a single complaint.

HP's often have a Minimal Recovery option on http://h10025.www1.hp.com/ewfrf/wc/document?cc=us&lc=en&docname=c01867418#N452 that is nearly the same as clean. Just uninstall the HP Wireless manager bloatware which adds 30 seconds to start, default to Win7's superior wireless manager.

 

[Tookeri]

Thank your for the advice. I'll keep it for future PCs. I'm an advanced user so I've already uninstalled most "crap" and tweaked my system a lot and it runs perfectly. As good as other clean installed machines I think

Well, one thing I can mention here since it's HP related is that Sleep doesn't work with the latest version of the "HP Software Framework" which I need for the One-Step-LogOn, its service hangs and crashes and I couldn't find a fix from HP so I made a batch file that stops the service and uses psshutdown from Sysinternals to sleep the computer:

@echo off
sc query hpqWmiEx | find "STATE"
sc stop hpqWmiEx
timeout /T 3
sc query hpqWmiEx | find "STATE"
pause
psshutdown -d -t 00

The pause is just to verify that the service changed from running to stopped. Maybe this helps someone else too