This is Why I Hate PCs that Come with Windows
I have been running Linux both on my desktop and on my laptop for a couple of years already, and it just works. Recently I decided to sell my laptop to get on a better one, though, so I figured I would need to load a fresh Windows install on it (after all the probability of finding another Linux user to buy it is pretty low).
So I just loaded the OEM Windows copy, installed it, and once I was done BAM! All those bad memories came back suddenly. How much preinstalled crap do they manage to put on those things?
I know that this is not Microsoft’s fault. PC manufacturers are bloating the installs to make some money from the software vendors. I find this annoying nonetheless. And if you think there is not enough crap on that install, just consider that it came both with Norton AntiVirus and Norton Internet Security 
.
Daniel Scocco on May 13, 2008 
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PC Decrapifier, haha! It’s called load your own OS you lazy SOB. It’s called Add/Remove programs, it’s in your control panel. It’s called run promt msconfig.
Sad…
You got be kidding that right after I buy a PC I need to run prompt msconfig?
I want something clean and working right out of the box!
You used the package that comes with a new pc or laptop. This version is bloated with all sorts of crap. Standard Windows (atleast XP) doesn’t come with Adobe Reader, Norton, or any demos.
Long live the Penguin!
lulz. There are very clean, small, and simple programs like CCleaner that help with this very thing; cleaning up bloated brand-name Windows installs. If you were dumb enough to blow extra money on a brand-name PC then “you’re doing it wrong”. It’s cheaper to build something with similar specs and generic hardware and just find an ISO for Windows XP Pro Student edition (unlimited activations, no bloatware).
wow, so your windows disc comes with FIFA 2006
It’s called don’t use an OEM install….
This is one of the ways they keep PC prices down. Those software vendors are PAYING to get their crapware on your pc. Just bite the bullet and reinstall the OS ASAP.
Oh, and werk, you’re a mongoloid.
Well, if you want a pc that works out of the box, don’t buy it from big retailers. I always buy PCs from small companies and they always comes clean. You can also ask them not to install windows at all (they give you the version you bought)
Major retailers like best buy and futureshop makes a lot of $$ by including 3rd party apps and they don’t care that your new PC is slowed by those apps.
Exactly what Justin said. Windows Install CD’s from computer manufactures usually always have software pre-packaged with them.
@HHH, with the Demo, yes.
@Justin, I know, in fact I didn’t say I hate Windows per se
.
@Mark, I bought this laptop 2 years ago because it was a very good deal. Regardless it pisses me off
.
That is not Windows bloatware. That is from your PC manufacturer. If you’re such a l337 Linux user, why don’t you find a way to load the drivers without the extra bloat?
I don’t see to much “bloatware” installed there. And your WTF at the sys tray … there are more general laptop icons in there then there are application icons. There are 12 icons there and 8 of them are sys tray icons to access hardware settings for the system ( ie touch pad, battery, wireless, lan, speaker, etc). All of those are a simple right click and off. Bloatware will hit the Linux distros once they become more mainstream. You’ll see icons for WebApps as apposed to installed apps i figure though (ie flickr, gmail, other web services). Give it time, it will become the same.
Step 1) Buy a clue.
@Ron, this is a bloated Windows install. Notice I did not say I hate Windows, I said I hate those new pcs that come with those bloated installs.
Just the fact that is comes with the almighty Norton Antivirus and Norton Internet Security should be enough to call it a bloated install.
You’re complaining about THAT? That’s downright tasteful, compared to the last computer i bought with an OS already on it. (In fairness, this was back in the ’90s so things may have changed.) It had four or five full rows of what amounted to spamware on it, a good half of which was not uninstallable.
Hell, it could be worse than even i had it:
http://www.shamusyoung.com/twentysidedtale/?p=252
1. the version of xp that comes with the computer is not a clean copy, it’s usually a mass produced image. To get a clean copy from the manufacturer, you may need to *buy* it (or download a copy from a torrent site and use the license key - but that carries its own risks).
2. These inexpensive products are subsidized with crapware. Why do you think Dells are so insanely cheap?
3. For laptops, local shops aren’t likely going to build them for you. Laptops, unlike desktops, are almost 100% proprietary. And, manufacturer warranties have value. Yes, there will be a shmuck whose friend’s aunt’s cousin’s wife had a seizure trying to get their computer fixed under the warranty, but for every one of those experiences there’s (at least) one where it ended well. Try getting a laptop serviced at a local shop.
@Winter, that is far worsen indeed
.
PC Decrapifier! What a fantastic name.
Based on my first glance of the product, it looks like it will also help stop unnecessary programs from launching their “quick start” counterparts. That just might help remove all the junk that installs extra junk all in the name of “helping me.”
Guys, what’s with all these comments?
First, it’s a laptop. It’s not nearly as simple as custom-building a desktop. He could have bought or downloaded another version of Windows, but some people aren’t into piracy and he might not have wanted to spend the money.
Second, this isn’t a discussion on the quality of Windows, Linux, or Dan’s leet haxor skills. It’s about how much crap comes with a new laptop. I got a laptop with vista not too long ago, and I couldn’t believe how many programs HP had pre-installed! I used add-remove, but wish I would have known about that program- it would have made it a lot simpler and cleaner.
Also, Jay, I see 4 general windows icons in his taskbar, the rest are such common software that really don’t need to be running (no, you don’t need the ATI control panel running to use your ATI card- the only windows icons that I see are the touch pad, 2 for internet, and volume control). Besides, personally, I don’t know any computer that I’ve worked on where the user has ever clicked on Java, Adobe Reader, or most of their other desktop icons. (including Quicktime- why does it always give me a new icon when a new version comes out?!?)
Anyways, guys, I know this is the internet and you’re allowed to be jerks, but…. don’t be jerks.
The problem is not windows, but the manufacturer of the PC. If you just bought a copy of windows, and not the OEM install crap, then it wouldnt install all that stupid crap. That stupid crap is in there because the manufacturers of that laptop get money from the developers of that software, if they include temp software with their system.
Seriously, i can understand that you feel good about using other operating systems. But please do not confuse OEM start up CDs with the actual windows operating system. Its this kind of elitism crap that makes people sneer at mac and linux users.
Also, at its core, linux is what your looking for in an operating system anyways. Seeing as linux is basically component and extension based. Its not like windows where All its components are made by the same company. With linux you can just get the core system, and then install all the components yourself, making it completely customizable to the point that it only does exactly what you want it to. Both the Mac and Windows OS include software that is not used by everyone, because the are releasing an OS for everyone, not one specific person.
But again, please do not confuse OEM start up CD bloat ware with Windows. If you want just windows, then get a windows install CD, not an oem start up manufacturer CD.
Where did you get that wallpaper? That girl is so cute, I’d love to lick her bare feet while she merrily taps away on her laptop.
BLOATWARE IS DRAINING THE POWER PACK ON MY BLASTER!!! LooL361
http://www.cyberpowerpc.com/
Learn it, Live it, Love it.
-JD
*Hugs MacBook*
I switched to a Macbook last August after not using a Mac in over five years because I wanted a laptop and didn’t want Vista.
Take all that bloat-ware with a grain of salt though. My 13.3″ Macbook was $1100 from the refurb section of the Apple store. It came with a core2 duo 2.16ghz processor, a gig of ram and a DVD burner. There is no magic here anymore. All these pieces go into the same machine that runs your Linux box or Windows, in fact I have Windows XP running in VM Ware on my Mac now and can install Ubuntu or any other linux distro the same way. If the hardware is the same, why do Macs cost so much more than a Windows computer?
Apple has very strict hardware requirements to run their operating system pretty flawlessly, and lets be honest, it’s a $200 (at best) operating system in software.
Windows boxes cost, on average, half that of a Mac partially because the hardware vendors (Dell, HP, etc.) offset the hardware production costs and licensing issues from Microsoft with 3rd party apps, apps that Apple developed on their own so they could rely less on those 3rd party companies.
I highly doubt you would spend $1300 on a Macbook just to strip the OS and install Linux when you can essentially get a pre-loaded Windows computer for 25-50% less money and strip it.
Apples to apples, XP isn’t really the devil, very little of that fluff comes on an OEM Windows XP install disk, the devil is the hardware companies who want to bring consumers lower priced computers by offsetting costs and allowing shifty software companies to bloat down their computers.
I hear you. After switching to Ubuntu last fall, the idea of a bloated operating system leaves a bad taste in my mouth. I dual boot with XP for games, but my it’s stripped down the bare minimum, so it runs decently well. It’s always a bit satisfying to see my friends with Vista sit and wait for their computers to boot up and run applications.
Good article!
I’m a mongoloid? WTF does that mean Fool?
Don’t dance around it, say what you mean…I’m sure there is plenty of hilariously ignorant things you can spout if we provoke you a little.
Not knowing how to remove software or load a freash OS is like driving a car and not knowing where to add oil or what a spark plug does… It’s not the mfg fault you are an ignorant user.
@werk:
So you’re saying it’s not crap that you have to spend at least 2 hours getting crap off of your computer after you take it out of the box?
I love it when people who <3 linux and are so proud of themselves for being independent go buy their computers from Mega-Chain-Retailers.
And that includes Apple.
COGNITIVE DISSONANCE FTW!
No, it’s not crap.
A minor inconvenience, once, isn’t a big deal to me. Two hours? Really? …Really? You are a linux user and it takes you 2 hours to remove market-ware from your spanking new computer?
If it drives down new PC cost, and tricks some stupid users into using AOL or bonzai buddy or whatever they load on there, it’s really no problem for me.
It is insane, I agree. People can argue that you need to get a clean copy of an OS to compare it to Linux, but the consumer is generally only paying about $30 for an OEM install of Windows versus a $100+ for a clean install separate of the PC. Even if you were to get a bloated copy of Linux on a preinstalled system, you can easily obtain a free or cheap copy of the OS to get a clean install.
You should have at least dual booted the laptop.
message to ‘werk’
I find your triumphant explanation of how one should remove crapware from a pc somewhat disturbing.
You describe him as ’sad’ and I believe you mean what you say. However, the day someone gets condemned as ’sad’ by someone who nonchalantly mentions msconfig as a no-brainer way to remove crapware is the day that geeks and doofuses like you literally cease to be human beings.
otcpdx: that’s a strawman and you know it. have you ever met anyone that literally prides themselves on being independent for buying a mac or using linux (that doesn’t go to your highschool, you snotty teenager)? all the mac and linux users I know have various reasons for their choice but ‘prove to the masses i’m independent’ is pretty far from the priority list of the average adult.
“I have been running Linux both on my desktop and on my laptop for a couple of years already, and it just works.”
Well aren’t you just the lucky one…
I have tried about 10 different flavours of Linux at least once, and some I have kept coming back to every now and then. Usually with a new version release, to see if they ironed out the ‘deal-breaker’ I encountered that made me go back to XP last time!!
Each time it takes me several evenings hard work to get it to the stage of ‘working’, finding out how to tweak settings or install a certain driver, trying the instructions I find, failing, trying to find instructions that will actually work!!
This thing I would have sorted, clean and cruising with all my usual software/drivers in 30 mins or an hour tops.
This “bloatware” is simply an annoyance compared to the endurance trial Linux can be!
Hey… well first of all I love windows. I haven’t had much experience with linux… HOWEVER!!! Toshiba loads all of that crap on there. Not Microsoft so quit whining and get a dell… and unisntall the items you don’t want. and if its too hard to uninstall them why dont you just buy… the OS itself. Not with the computer
Dear Acer Computer Corporation,
I always thought Taiwan got a raw deal from the UN.
That is, until I made the mistake of purchasing a shiny new Acer 3680 notebook.
Thanks to your smarmy, jingoistic collusion with those pseudo-capitalist scumbags
at Microsoft, I can’t run anything BUT Vista on it. The best Linux and Mac hackers
I know have tried. Oh, you can INSTALL other OS’s, but you’re NOT gonna RUN much.
Gee, what a great business plan. It’s like selling millions of unwitting people
a new car that will ONLY run on ONE brand of gasoline–and CANNOT be altered to
run on anything else.
Well, OK, you’re smarter than me, and you’ve got my money in your pocket. But you
may rest assured that I will take EVERY opportunity to tell as MANY people as I
can just EXACTLY how I feel.
First, I went down and had custom bumper stickers made for both my wife’s car and
mine: “Acer Computers Are DEATH!” and “I Got SCREWED By Acer!”
For three months now, I’ve been answering every telephone call at my small business
with, “Good morning. Acer Computers Are Cheap Chinese CRAP! How can I help you?”
Our answering machine gives, “You have reached _______. You can leave a message at
the sound of the tone…..or, if you’ve recently purchased a crappy cheap Chinese
computer from Acer, you may wish to let us record the sound of the gunshot as you
blow your brains out.” Beeeeeep.
Oh, yeah, I almost forgot. Even though I have a lifelong hatred for Communists, I
intend to regularly write, call AND email my elected state and US representatives
and urge them to support the reunification of Taiwan with the mainland. OK, it’s
a longshot, but if CNN ever runs video of those jack-booted Red bastards turning
your beloved island into a huge outdoor concentration camp, I’ll be able to beat
off to something besides porn.
So blow me,
Dick C. Flatline
Free tool called DECRAPIFER that will take care of most of the pre-installed stuff.
Lenovo does not do this crap.
When you buy a laptop for $599 which is very close to what it costs to make, remember there will be some way they will make their money.
I bought a new PC 2 weeks ago with Vista. Don’t even think about trying to tell me there is no bloat, It came with so much crap that an AMD64×2 4400+ ran like a Penium3.There was one piece of crap called Super that wouldn’t even run at all. Vista lasted 6 days before I formatted it to oblivion with Hardy Heron.
Just make your own computer, seriously it’s cheaper, you get what you want and it doesn’t come with any pre-installed stuff.
Only way to get around this I have seen.
Buy a dell business laptop, not the home versions. You get no extra stuff, you can even get it without microsoft works.
Comes with a real windows cd. Separate driver cd, and a separate programs cd.
Cleanest oem install I have ever seen.
I think everyone is missing the point. Indeed, it would be easier to build your own computer and use a non-OEM Windows disk. But OEM installs shouldn’t have all this crap. It’s useless and no one needs it. That’s the problem here.
This is just sad….
If you were so content with Linux, then why did you install Windows? Why go through the hassle of installing the OEM and then whining that you got the OEM packaging from the OEM install? Also why would you post about said hassle if you KNEW it would be a hassle?
I’d be out of luck if I’d have to re-install Windows to sell my laptop. When I installed Linux, I totally leveled the hd, and Acer doesn’t have separate OEM-disks included. I also got rid of the license sticker on the bottom.
“satellite”. That would be Toshiba crapware . . not windows crapware . . and if you cant figure out how to use two mouse buttons and remove it in five minutes, or install a non-toshiba windows . . . go spend 500$ more and get a mac.
Am I tired of all the put downs of vista and the hype of linux and the
general atmosphere affecting my surfing mood? Are you? Are we all?
Who out there wishes ardently for a change of atmosphere, as much as a change of attitude by microsoft? Are we allowing the microsoft
debacle to spoil our party? Whos internet is this anyway? Is it being dominated by negative attitudes? Are we fighting like husbands and wives do? Is this a marriage of polar opposites? That’s an oxymoronic
terminology isn’t it? Are we free to use the internet without all the
fighting? obviously not. Will we ever be? HUH???—Doug Rosbury
Uninstall; scrub registry. Simple.
uninstall windows and install ubuntu 8.04 or some other linux distro.
Simple,Fast,and Fun