Comments for Shovelware: What do I do with all this extra software on my new machine?

Comment from Mike Bermingham on 2008-10-14

2008-10-14T21:33:50Z

For stubborn items you wish to remove, try Revo Uninstaller, a free programme for this purpose.

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A comment on: Shovelware: What do I do with all this extra software on my new machine?

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Comment from Kathy on 2006-08-23

2006-08-23T19:00:02Z

I want to uninstall McGafee that came preinstalled in my VAIO laptop along with the sony extras. I went to the add/remove programs list but it refuses to delete everything! I hate McGafee and want it out of my computer-what do I do?

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A comment on: Shovelware: What do I do with all this extra software on my new machine?

Tech Questions? Get Answers! - Ask Leo! ... by Leo Notenboom
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Comment from starvinmarvin on 2006-08-19

2006-08-19T18:38:31Z

Formatting the hard drive and reinstalling Windows to get rid of bundled software might not work, anyway.

This is because some major brands of computers provide a "Restore Disc" CD that includes both Windows and all that bundled software, and it all installs together!

Our Compaq laptop used this method, but our Dell desktop pc has WindowsXP on one CD and bundled software on other cDs.

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A comment on: Shovelware: What do I do with all this extra software on my new machine?

Tech Questions? Get Answers! - Ask Leo! ... by Leo Notenboom
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Comment from Barb Snyder on 2006-08-19

2006-08-19T16:47:44Z

I have no CD - how do I get at Windows XP setup?

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A comment on: Shovelware: What do I do with all this extra software on my new machine?

Tech Questions? Get Answers! - Ask Leo! ... by Leo Notenboom
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Comment from Barb Snyder on 2006-08-19

2006-08-19T15:56:45Z

A friend installed Corel Suite. I now want to uninstall this program. My friend lost the original CD of Corel Suite. I have tried uninstalling but it asks for the original CD. How do I get rid of this program now?

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A comment on: Shovelware: What do I do with all this extra software on my new machine?

Tech Questions? Get Answers! - Ask Leo! ... by Leo Notenboom
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Comment from Greg Bulmash on 2006-08-18

2006-08-18T23:50:05Z

My VAIO laptop came with a lot of shovelware on it, but what was really annoying is that a lot that loaded at start-up was Sony's DRM apps so I could use the Sony Music Store.

This laptop came with 512 megs of RAM, then sacrificed an unadjustable 128 megs to "shared video ram", then the shovelware being loaded at startup ate up around another 128 megs of memory, leaving me with an effective 256 megs of RAM for running Windows XP and the apps I wanted.

Shovelware that starts up at boot and sits there, eating up valuable system resources is pernicious. It can actually slow down your computer by forcing it into using virtual memory when you have just one or two applications open.

Shovelware that is just wasting diskspace... no biggie. But Sony, just like with their rootkit DRM on those CDs, show that they have absolutely no consideration for their customers. They would actually degrade the performance of their products rather than give consumers choice in the matter.

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A comment on: Shovelware: What do I do with all this extra software on my new machine?

Tech Questions? Get Answers! - Ask Leo! ... by Leo Notenboom
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Comment from Daniel Ullman on 2006-08-18

2006-08-18T16:01:09Z

A far number of my customers buy Dells. I found, and use, this Dell De-Cr**ifier. Wonder thing. It can be found at:
http://www.yorkspace.com/2006/04/38

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A comment on: Shovelware: What do I do with all this extra software on my new machine?

Tech Questions? Get Answers! - Ask Leo! ... by Leo Notenboom
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Comment from Michael Horowitz on 2006-08-17

2006-08-18T03:23:13Z

Much of the "shovelware" is set run automatically at startup time. So, while I agree with Leo about not uninstalling and about gettting it out of your face, I would add that it's worth some time to prevent programs from running automatically that you don't use.

Windows XP comes with the hidden "msconfig" command, but there is much better software for handling this. I am partial to Startup Control Panel from Mike Lin at mlin.net. If you're a techie, then look into Autoruns from sysinternals.com. Both are free.

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A comment on: Shovelware: What do I do with all this extra software on my new machine?

Tech Questions? Get Answers! - Ask Leo! ... by Leo Notenboom
Leo's Answers Newsletter - Ask Leo! in your inbox every week.