How to get rid of HP bloat?

  • Thread starter Thread starter Ritter197
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Ritter197

I would like to know how to get rid of all the stuff that HP puts on a new computer.(HPa1610n, 4400+) It is running windows xp SP2, AMD dual core 64, 1 GHZ RAM.

It does slow down start up a lot
 
I would like to know how to get rid of all the stuff that HP puts on a new
computer.(HPa1610n, 4400+) It is running windows xp SP2, AMD dual core 64, 1
GHZ RAM.

It does slow down start up a lot.

Start\Control Panel\Add & Delete.
It`s easy really %> }.
HTH.
 
Ritter197 said:
*I would like to know how to get rid of all the stuff that HP puts on a
new computer.(HPa1610n, 4400+) It is running windows xp SP2, AMD dual
core 64, 1 GHZ RAM.*
**
*It does slow down start up a lot*
Click to expand...

fdisk, or format c:? Then install linux? :-)
 
I would like to know how to get rid of all the stuff that HP puts on a new
computer.(HPa1610n, 4400+) It is running windows xp SP2, AMD dual core 64, 1 GHZ RAM.

It does slow down start up a lot
Click to expand...

The best way in my opinion is to wipe it all out and put a full retail
version on......But, that'll cost ya extra money plus if you're
dependant on any of the pre-installed crap that comes with the HP
that'll also cost ya to shell out for the software.

Another negative, seems like a fairly new machine, is that once you wipe
off HP's crap your tech support goes out the window and your key cannot
be used by borrowing an other than OEM install of the OS. I mean you
don't have ta tell HP if you call them but wiping out the machine also
wipes the maintanence partitions. But before you wipe anything out make
sure you create the full restore CD/s that should be available for you
to make.

Yes, OEM installs will accept your key, just validate it by phone
because internet activation may not work.......This of course being if
you can borrow an OEM version & install it..........I've only done that
on XP Home addition so I'm not sure what yer running as ya only
mentioned XP SP2.

But the easier solution is to just uninstall all the offending programs
that are running in the background or just do an msconfig & prevent
thenm from starting up..........Or find each offending programs options
and stop them from there.
 
Make sure you have created a set of recovery CD's or DVD's in case you ever
want to get back to the factory setup. Backup your data. Obtain a copy of
whatever OS you want to install. If it's Windows you'll have to purchase it.
Install your desired OS. During the install delete all the partitions on the
hard drive and create new ones. Install your programs. Restore your data.

It's alost impossible to get rid of all the crap HP installs by any other
method. I have spent hours trying to remove it all with only partial
success.
 
Kerry: Why isn't Add or Remove Programs sufficient? It may not remove
every last file and registry entry, but what's left doesn't really
matter and the programs are effectively uninstalled. At least, that's
what worked on my Dell system.

Admittedly, some things aren't uninstall-able from Add or Remove, like
customizations made to Help and Support. But I was able to find clear
instructions on removing that.

It just seems like blowing everything away and starting from scratch is
overkill.
 
Well, I have read all your helpful suggestions:

1. I do not want to format and install Linux
2. I would like very much to just un-install the HP "crap"
3. I already have gone a number of times to Msconfig and have hardly
anything in the Startup folder (I think only NOD32, my AntiVirus SW)
4. I understand that buying or maybe using the Windows XP edition from MS
(which I have and used before on the desktop now replaced by the HP machine)
will probably work, but means installing all programs all over again.
5. My much preferred way is to find and get rid of the HP stuff. But there I
have not been too successful, to even find it under "explore"

I appreciate your replies
 
It would be possible to remove most and possibly all of the unwanted crap
but when something goes wrong and you need to reinstall Windows a repair
install cannot be done from the restore media and using the restore media
would put all the crap back on. You would have to go through the whole
process again. I wasn't able to remove everything from a new HP system after
several hours of labour. I spent more time trying to cleanup a brand new
system than it takes to clean most spyware infected systems. I came to the
conclusion that it was much cheaper and better in the long run to purchase
Windows and do a clean install. This is only with large OEM consumer
products. Their products aimed at the business/enterprise market don't have
all this crap installed from the factory. Note this is not particular to
HP/Compaq. Most consumer (low priced) systems from large OEMs have the same
problem. Some like Dell and Gateway will supply Windows media if requested
so you don't have to purchase a full retail version of Windows to do this.
HP/Compaq, eMachines, and others will not supply Windows media only restore
media. There is a reason some pc's are cheaper than others. They collect
royalites/spiffs/kickbacks from other companies, some of them known spyware,
for installing this stuff on new pc's. They want to make sure it's hard to
uninstall.
 
"They collect royalites/spiffs/kickbacks from other companies...for
installing this stuff on new pc's."

That much I knew.

"They want to make sure it's hard to uninstall."

That I didn't know. Can't wait 'til I buy my next PC. <sardonic laugh>
Thanks for the warning.
 
START -> SETTINGS -> CONTROL PANEL (open) -> ADD or REMOVE PROGRAMS

Highlight program you want to remove. Click on REMOVE.
 
Ritter197 here,
I would like to know how to get rid of all the stuff that
HP puts on a new computer.(HPa1610n, 4400+) It is
running windows xp SP2, AMD dual core 64,
1 GHZ RAM. It does slow down start up a lot.
Click to expand...

If it were my computer I would either install an oem
version of xp64 not the 32 bit version or waite until
vista comes out with the 64 bit version of that. Since
xp64 has its' own set of problems (it is getting better)
I would probably just clean the computer for now
and get the 64 bit version of vista when it comes out
in a few months. Actually I would probably wipe it
and install Ubuntu 6.10 Desktop AMD64 version
but that's another discussion.

later,
charles.....
 
Thanks for a very good explanation.

Of course, now I am torn between a removal of obvious HP stuff and
re-installing a MSWindowsXP, but then going through the pain of 2 days
installing various programs.
 
Thanks for a very good explanation.

Of course, now I am torn between a removal of obvious HP stuff and
re-installing a MSWindowsXP, but then going through the pain of 2 days
installing various programs.
Click to expand...

Go through the pain, it's worth it in the end run.........Learn what &
how to use imaging software and you'll never ever have to do a clean
install again on the same machine.
 
Kerry Brown said:
Make sure you have created a set of recovery CD's or DVD's in case you
ever want to get back to the factory setup. Backup your data. Obtain a
copy of whatever OS you want to install. If it's Windows you'll have to
purchase it. Install your desired OS. During the install delete all the
partitions on the hard drive and create new ones. Install your programs.
Restore your data.
Click to expand...
What would be the best way to creat a set of recovery DVD's?

Dave C.
 
"Dave C." said:
What would be the best way to creat a set of recovery DVD's?

Dave C.
Click to expand...

I of course don't have the original install on my HP but from what I
remember the option is in the start menu programs to create a full
recovery CD..........
 
TweakUI from microsoft will be able to get rid of the horrible purple
internet explorer, and do a net search for Norton uninstaller. I got rid of
a lot of the extraneous crap off a mate's PC, took a while to get it all
though. IIRC, there was a lot of faffing about in the registry.
 
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