Many computers come with software demos pre-installed. Below are some tips that Friendly Computers found that should help you remove unwanted trials and speed up your system:
For years, the makers of Windows PCs have cluttered their products with junkware — unruly background programs, trial versions of software and applications that are little more than marketing come-ons.
Anyone who’s ever brought home a new, brand-name computer from the store knows what I’m talking about.
Here’s why they do it: Money. PC manufacturers aren’t just throwing those programs onto the hard drive out of the goodness of their hearts. They get paid to do so, and it’s part of the reason why Windows-based systems are relatively inexpensive.
But while a PC may be cheaper, it’s often at a cost of performance and usability.
In fact, it’s my contention that one of the reasons why Vista gets such a bad rap is the junkware that comes with many machines. A brand new computer with a virgin installation of Vista actually runs quite well.
Microsoft knows this, and has been urging PC makers to go easy on the software add-ons when Windows 7 is released later this year. Frankly, I’m not holding my breath. In a down economy, companies like HP, Sony, Dell and others aren’t likely to kick the junkware habit.
Fortunately, you are not defenseless. Junkware is software, and it’s almost always removable. It can seem overwhelming on some systems, but you can strip it off to the point that you have a pretty clean Windows setup if you take the right steps.
I’ve provided some basic tips for removing junkware in the past, but now I’d like to offer a strategy to make it easier. These instructions presume you’re using Vista, since that’s what’s on most PCs these days, but they should also work with Windows 7 when it comes out.
• Live with it for a while. Because there’s often so much junkware on a retail computer, it’s hard to tell what you should remove and what might actually be worthwhile. Take some time to get to know what’s on the machine by living with the junkware. If you can avoid it, don’t immediately install the programs you normally use, but instead work with what’s on the PC. After about a week, you should have a feel for what can stay and what can go.
• Take an inventory. When you are ready to begin removing software, make a list of every program that’s on the computer. You can do this by clicking the Start button, then All Programs. You can also see a list of software by going to the Control Panel, then launching the Programs and Features module, which can also be used to remove programs. Or, download the free Belarc Advisor (www.belarc.com), which provides a very detailed view of both the hardware and software on your computer.
Once you have your list, go through it and check the ones you know for sure you want to remove.
• Do some research. If you aren’t sure what a program is, do a Google search on its name. You can also explore startup items at www.sysinfo.org, but this is a fairly geeky site. If, after your due diligence, you still are unsure, leave the program in place.
• Temporarily turn off startup programs. Click the Start button, then enter msconfig in the search field and hit Enter. This brings up the Configuration Utility. Click the Startup tab, then uncheck programs that run at startup that you think you may want to uninstall. Restart your computer and see how it behaves. If you are happy with the results, you can uninstall the program in question. If you don’t like what you see, rerun the Configuration Utility, re-check the box next to the title in question and reboot the PC.
• Begin cleaning. Once you have a good grasp on what needs to go, begin uninstalling.
The Programs and Features module in the Control Panel is the place to do this, or you can check in the folders in All Programs to see if individual programs have their own uninstallers. Some programs may prompt you to restart the computer after you have removed them, but you generally can wait until you’ve cleaned them all out to do a reboot.
And once you do, I think you’ll see a remarkable improvement in the way your system runs. It will probably leave you shaking your head, wondering why the maker of your PC wouldn’t leave well enough alone.
Source: http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/tech/news/6440776.html
