Now you understand why having the original operating system disks are so valuable -- Â you can wipe out all the bloat-ware, freeware, malware, crap-ware and vendor specific garbage overhead by doing a complete install. If that approach doesn't appeal to you, buy a second hard drive (they're still cheap) and clean install the operating system. You'll be amazed by what changes.
If you have been using your system for a while, I recommend the second hard drive approach. But if it is new, before you load on stuff you'd regret losing, refresh the operating system with a clean install.
You'll never miss the crap. But if you truly suffer withdrawal symptoms or your co-workers make you think you've thrown the remote out with the trash, you can download from the vendor or the OEM.
Remember, it was advertising from the beginning.
-Rick
This is yet another reason why I build my own pc and install the software myself. Microsoft sells OS to OEMs, which in turn puts bloatware on it to try and take even more money from the customer. Now, Microsoft wants to take even more money by removing the software that was designed to take money... I'm liking Linux more and more each day.
-Anonymous
This never made sense to me. In the past I saw PCs sold with small amounts of RAM, and literally 20 or so startup items from third-party crapware. Usually from manufacturers like HP or Sony. Holy crapware, Batman! Why do they sell PCs that can't even handle the software they ship on it? System using more than double the installed RAM out of the box? Oye!
Now it isn't so bad today since most new PCs are a lot faster and with more memory. The crapware is still there but at least most machines can boot up within five minutes.
-Chris