Bundled software on new laptop - PITA

GollumFreestyle

I have a new Medion laptop which has got loads of bundled software pre-loaded (demos).

I think that this will be slowing my computer down, has anybody encountered this with a new laptop, did you uninstall the stuff you didnt want, or leave it?

JJ_Egan

Thats normal .
Remove it all .

gunte

Remove it. PC Decrapifier


Clicky for download

esuhl

I got sick of that (and the fact that you no longer get clean-bog-standard installation CDs to perform a clean reinstallation), so from XP onwards I've resorted to building my own PCs and getting the OS separately.

Most of the stuff they pre-install is either completely useless. Just do a web search for each bit of junk to see what it does, and get rid of it if you don't need it.

I haven't used it myself, but the PC Decrapifier is supposed to help simplify this task:
http://www.pcdecrapifier.com/

(Gah! Beaten to it again! I'll have to learn to type faster!)

googler

For my last few builds, I've bought blank HDDs and installed the OS myself.

Jivesinger

esuhl wrote: »

I got sick of that (and the fact that you no longer get clean-bog-standard installation CDs to perform a clean reinstallation)

But (for Windows 8.1 at least) you can now download a clean installation ISO from Microsoft, and burn your own installation DVD or USB.
forums.moneysavingexpert.com/showthread.php?t=5109426

(Although as Nifty pointed out on the thread, I'm still not sure what happens if you have the 'With Bing' version of Windows 8.1)

John_Gray

googler wrote: »

For my last few builds, I've bought blank HDDs and installed the OS myself.

Presumably you would then have had to download all the specific hardware drivers from the manufacturer's website?

It's certainly tedious removing all the "helpful manufacturer-installed programs", but you should be left with all the right drivers for the hardware components in the computer.

Probably it's six of one, and half-a-dozen of the other...

esuhl

Jivesinger wrote: »

But (for Windows 8.1 at least) you can now download a clean installation ISO from Microsoft, and burn your own installation DVD or USB.
forums.moneysavingexpert.com/showthread.php?t=5109426

I never knew that! That's good to hear!

esuhl

John_Gray wrote: »

Presumably you would then have had to download all the specific hardware drivers from the manufacturer's website?

I've often found that half the drivers are out-of-date, so you'd have to download the latest ones from the manufacturer anyway.

Also, you can sometimes extract the executables and just use the .inf file to install the driver (which can prevent unnecessary "helper" programs from being installed alongside the drivers).

spud17

esuhl wrote: »

I never knew that! That's good to hear!

Did exactly that at the New Year.
I had one of the cheap Win 8 upgrade licences that were around at it's launch.
I've been running Win 10 preview, and thought if they do give it away to Win8/8.1 users I'm going to kick myself.
It detected my aged Canon i560 and installed all the drivers and with a bit of pointing in the right direction, it now runs my HP Laserjet 1320.
If you use it as an upgrade, I believe the overwritten licence is cancelled? I'm willing to be corrected.
By doing a clean install my Windows 7 Retail is still alive.
Tip; use one of the generic keys from the Microsoft website for the install, before changing to your key for activation.

[Deleted User]

JJ_Egan wrote: »

That's normal .
Remove it all .

Or you could just turn them off, so they don't run at startup.