Battling the bloatware blight

Globe ^ | March 04, 2015 | Hiawatha Bray

[george76]

Many new devices are cluttered with programs that you never installed, never requested, and many not want.

There’s nothing like the fresh, clean feeling of unboxing a brand-new computer or smartphone. Too bad the feeling usually comes to an end the moment you hit the power button.

...

Bloatware isn’t all bad — you might end up buying that antivirus program. But it can also slow down your machine and waste valuable storage space.

And every now and then, these unwanted programs will even threaten your privacy.

Late last month, the Chinese computer maker Lenovo admitted that a bit of bloatware preinstalled on its machines could have helped hackers steal users’ sensitive data.

For several months, new Lenovo laptops came with a program called Superfish, which would display advertisements inside the users’ Web browsers. But Superfish also broke the browser’s encryption system, which lets us safely pay our bills and do our banking online. Criminals could have set up fake websites masquerading as, say, Bank of America, and Lenovo users would never have known the difference, till their passwords were stolen and their bank accounts drained.

It has been a fiasco for Lenovo, but we may all benefit in the end.

...

If you’ve recently bought a computer stuffed with annoying little programs, it’s not too difficult to clean it up, using Windows’ uninstall feature.

Better yet: Check out Should I Remove It? That is a free program that looks at all your PC’s applications, tells you what they do, and helps you pick off the useless stragglers.

[george76]

How to Remove Preloaded Apps From Your PC.

http://gadgets.ndtv.com/apps/features/how-to-remove-preloaded-apps-from-your-pc-644172

[WIBamian]

Bloatware is kind of like the liberal and RINO political agendas, huh?

[headstamp 2]

These websites that take 3 hours to load with all the crap are getting really tedious. They rival TV with the 10 minute commercial breaks.

[NewHampshireDuo]

I have a number of computers that I’ve purchased used/refurbished via ebay and the ones that came with Windows operating systems were completely clear of bloatware.

A friend got a new desktop a few weeks ago and it was loaded with crap. We spent well over an hour cleaning up the mess. The system, as received, was crippled as it was almost impossible to do a task without something popping up.

One would naively expect that the ebay stuff would have the crapware and the new ones would be clean but the opposite seems to be true.

We’ve only purchased two new computers over the past decade and both were direct from Dell and both were clean.

[ShadowAce]

[ShadowAce]

I use this to remove all bloatware from my computers. Works like a charm.

[central_va]

When I get a new PC I boot once to download device drivers from the manufacturer. Then I format/reinstall the OS from CD. Only way to get a clean system.

[Salgak]

I don’t have this problem. I build my own desktops, and use a work-provided laptop, which has our standard corporate image blown onto it.

If you HAVE to buy a laptop, buy a business model: they don’t load them down with crapware. .

[ctdonath2]

One more reason to get a Mac.

[george76]

Thanks

[wally_bert]

I would get a mac for final cut pro to learn it.

[TomGuy]

GeekUninstaller is a neat program with a single .exe file, so it is not actually installed on the computer.

I like it because it also searches the registry and other directories for files linked to the one being uninstalled. Other uninstallers can miss those linked files.

http://geekuninstaller.com/

[mmichaels1970]

Then I format/reinstall the OS from CD. Only way to get a clean system.

Most new computers don't come with an individual OS CD any more. Unless you are purchasing another copy?

All the computers I buy don't come with any CD's, but have a "reset to factory defaults" option in the repair-boot options that resets your computer. Performing the reset, reinstalls the bloatware.

That said, Dell has cut back a bit on the bloatware. Not too bad, but there are a couple Dell utilities that come preinstalled. I also have to remove McAfee 30 day trial and Microsoft Office 2013 trial software.

HP traditionally always came with the WORST bloatware I've seen. This includes printers. Buy an HP Printer, put the CD in your computer to install the drivers, end up with 15 different document imaging utilities, HP supply order applications, image editors, etc. Installing an HP inkjet printer normally means you'll be getting 10 annoying little nag bubbles every time you boot, print, run out of ink, or look at your screen in a threatening manner.

[Grampa Dave]

Desktop PCs, we buy from any retail suppliers, are loaded with never dying bloatware.

I suspect that many MS and IE updates are loaded with even more bloatware.

I have a three year old Windows 7 pro and with the IE loaded last year takes forever to load Comcast and is slower than Obama or Hill to apologize.

We have a younger relative, who is an expert with handling this bs. He suggested going to Chrome. Chrome loads up very quickly and is very stable. Each morning when fire up my desktop w/Chrome, in seconds I’m on Comcast with minimal bs re intrusive ads. Also, I have zero problems paying bills on our bank site. Amazon, Costco, Walmart and other sites which are shaky at best w/IE/MS crud.

HP direct desktop/tablet sales often are free from IE/MS bloatware.

However, that doesn’t free you from the constant pia updates.

So when my current desktop dies,
I will buy HP’s small footprint Chrome desktop or their dual android semi tablet. A friend has the dual Android and uses it as a tablet, at his office or home. The tablet section is a little big to replace the good smaller Android tablets.

[central_va]

You have to buy/download your own OS copy separately. Well worth the money. It’s the only way to be sure.

[mmichaels1970]

One more reason to get a Mac.

Couldn't one argue that Macs also come with their own versions of bloatware. What if you want Firefox instead of Safari? Wouldn't that make Safari bloatware? Same goes for all of the iApps. Apple has simply done a better job of convincing us that their apps are part and parcel with their OS.

I don't buy a lot of Apples beyond iPads and iPhones. But I don't think it's possible to pull one out of the box and turn it on only to see an OS with no preinstalled applications.

[mmichaels1970]

You have to buy/download your own OS copy separately.

Gotcha. That would indeed give you the best assurance of an absolutely "clean" OS. I don't think I could cost justify it here though.

[Utilizer]

The most downloaded one in use today, in five flavours.

I am currently testing version 14 on one machine, as it has lighter memory requirements.

[for-q-clinton]

Buy your machine from the Microsoft store and it gives without all the add on crap.