# Solved: Help Remove Bloatware



## TheShooter93 (Jul 10, 2008)

Hey TSG,

Hope everyone is having a great Christmas, and to those than can assist me, thank you.

I have received an HP laptop for Christmas, but unfortunately it has a lot of bloatware on it. Could someone please tell me what is "safe" to remove and what isn't?

Also, I have a fingerprint scanner installed, but I would like to remove the software for it. The reason being is that the fingerprint scanner has its own User Profile. Odd, I know, but it is annoying to someone who needs their PC to be "just so." If there's any known way to remove it without removing the software, I'm up for that too.

But anyway, I have the HijackThis log below of all the items in my Add or Remove Programs list. Specifications on the laptop are listed in the appropriate spot by clicking the computer icon next to me name.

Acrobat.com
ActiveCheck component for HP Active Support Library
Adobe AIR
Adobe AIR
Adobe Flash Player 10 ActiveX
Adobe Flash Player 10 Plugin
Adobe Reader 9.3 MUI
Adobe Shockwave Player 11.5
AIM 7
Apple Application Support
Apple Software Update
Bejeweled 2 Deluxe
Bing Bar
Bing Bar Platform
Blackhawk Striker 2
Build-a-lot 2
CamStudio
Chuzzle Deluxe
CinemaNow Media Manager
Cool Timer 3.7
CyberLink DVD Suite
CyberLink DVD Suite
D3DX10
Debut Video Capture Software
Diner Dash 2 Restaurant Rescue
Dora's Carnival Adventure
Download Updater (AOL LLC)
DVD Menu Pack for HP MediaSmart Video
DVD Menu Pack for HP MediaSmart Video
Electric Sheep 2.7b28
Energy Star Digital Logo
Escape Rosecliff Island
ESU for Microsoft Windows 7
FATE
Final Drive Nitro
FREE Hi-Q Recorder 1.92
Heroes of Hellas 2 - Olympia
HiJackThis
HP Advisor
HP Customer Experience Enhancements
HP Documentation
HP DVB-T TV Tuner 8.0.64.43
HP Game Console
HP Games
HP MediaSmart CinemaNow 2.0
HP MediaSmart DVD
HP MediaSmart DVD
HP MediaSmart Music
HP MediaSmart Music
HP MediaSmart Photo
HP MediaSmart Photo
HP MediaSmart Video
HP MediaSmart Video
HP MediaSmart Webcam
HP MediaSmart Webcam
HP MediaSmart/TouchSmart Netflix
HP Photo Creations
HP Power Manager
HP Quick Launch
HP Setup
HP Software Framework
HPAsset component for HP Active Support Library
IDT Audio
Intel(R) Control Center
Intel(R) Graphics Media Accelerator Driver
Intel(R) Management Engine Components
Intel(R) Rapid Storage Technology
Java(TM) 6 Update 22
Jewel Quest 3
Jewel Quest Solitaire 2
Junk Mail filter update
LabelPrint
LabelPrint
LightScribe System Software
Malwarebytes' Anti-Malware
ManyCam 2.6.25 (remove only)
Microsoft Default Manager
Microsoft Office 2010
Microsoft Search Enhancement Pack
Microsoft Silverlight
Microsoft SQL Server 2005 Compact Edition [ENU]
Microsoft Visual C++ 2005 ATL Update kb973923 - x86 8.0.50727.4053
Microsoft Visual C++ 2005 Redistributable
Microsoft Visual C++ 2008 Redistributable - x86 9.0.30729.17
Microsoft Visual C++ 2008 Redistributable - x86 9.0.30729.4148
Microsoft WSE 3.0 Runtime
Movie Theme Pack for HP MediaSmart Video
Movie Theme Pack for HP MediaSmart Video
Mozilla Firefox (3.6.12)
MSVCRT
MSVCRT_amd64
MSXML 4.0 SP2 (KB954430)
MSXML 4.0 SP2 (KB973688)
Penguins!
PhotoNow!
PhotoNow!
Plants vs. Zombies
Poker Superstars III
Polar Bowler
Polar Golfer
Power2Go
Power2Go
PowerDirector
PowerDirector
QuickTime
Ralink RT3090 802.11b/g/n WiFi Adapter
Realtek Ethernet Controller Driver For Windows 7
Realtek USB 2.0 Card Reader
Recovery Manager
Revo Uninstaller 1.90
RocketDock 1.3.5
Roxio CinemaNow 2.0
Security Update for Microsoft .NET Framework 4 Client Profile (KB2160841)
Skype Toolbars
Skype 5.0
TeamViewer 6
Times Reader
Times Reader
Update for Microsoft .NET Framework 4 Client Profile (KB2473228)
Virtual Families
Virtual Villagers - The Secret City
Wheel of Fortune 2
Windows Live Communications Platform
Windows Live Essentials
Windows Live Essentials
Windows Live Installer
Windows Live Mail
Windows Live Mail
Windows Live Messenger
Windows Live Messenger
Windows Live Movie Maker
Windows Live Movie Maker
Windows Live Photo Common
Windows Live Photo Common
Windows Live Photo Gallery
Windows Live Photo Gallery
Windows Live PIMT Platform
Windows Live SOXE
Windows Live SOXE Definitions
Windows Live Sync
Windows Live UX Platform
Windows Live UX Platform Language Pack
Windows Live Writer
Windows Live Writer
Windows Live Writer
Windows Live Writer Resources
Zuma Deluxe


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## TerryNet (Mar 23, 2005)

Congratulations on being such a good boy that Santa brought you a very nice computer.  Wait, I meant to say young man. 

I think you can make many of those decisions yourself, and ask about specific ones you aren't sure about. Almost everything listed there is "safe" to uninstall--unless of course you use it.

Many people use PC Decrapifier for assistance on this task.

I don't know anything about the fingerprint scanners.


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## TheShooter93 (Jul 10, 2008)

Thanks for your help _TerryNet_. Yes, a lot of the things I could probably decide for myself, it was mostly the fingerprint scanner I was wondering about. Maybe someone else will have an idea.

As for tonight, I'm going to look over that list and uninstall whatever I'm fairly certain I don't need. Make the "final touches" to this thing that I've been working on all day. 

And as for being a "good young man for Santa", yes, I'm glad I got this as well.  I'm going to need it for college in the fall.


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## TheShooter93 (Jul 10, 2008)

I have attached the new log since I realized how ridiculously long they are. 

Wasn't able to remove as much as I had hoped I would be able to, but at least a lot of it is off.

I kept the *LightScribe System Software* because I'm interested to know if that will actually enable me to light-scribe onto CD's I own. If there is anyone familiar with this software that can tell me, please let me know.

Same goes for the fingerprint scanner software.


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## 1002richards (Jan 29, 2006)

Hi TheShooter93,

I'd be interested to know what HP progs you removed. My daughter has a new HP Netbook & there's a lot of HP stuff that runs on startup so your results will be of interest.

Thanks 
Richard


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## TheShooter93 (Jul 10, 2008)

I edited my last post in order to attach the Add or Remove Programs list. Apparently I forgot to attach it last time. 

The original list is the one I posted here, the attached is what I have left installed on the PC.


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## Ent (Apr 11, 2009)

Err, attachment?


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## TheShooter93 (Jul 10, 2008)

> Err, attachment?


It's now attached in post #4.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

There's probably some other things that I should uninstall, so if you spot any, please let me know.

But you can assume things like AIM, Skype, etc., I intend to use.


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## 1002richards (Jan 29, 2006)

Thanks for that update.


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## dustyjay (Jan 24, 2003)

A point to remember that if you ever have to do a Factory Restore, all the Bloatware (I call it Crapware) returns.


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## Ent (Apr 11, 2009)

dustyjay said:


> A point to remember that if you ever have to do a Factory Restore, all the Bloatware (I call it Crapware) returns.


By which logic the first thing you should do once to get rid of said bloatware is create a full disk image of your drive. Then it's gone for good.


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## dustyjay (Jan 24, 2003)

I agree with Ent, however I take it one step further, I get all the needed drivers from the manufacturers website, then do a clean install of Windows (not the OEM Version but a retail copy), then when the computer is up and running with all drivers and updates running properly I image the hard drive. Then after that I make periodic a separate Incremental image of the drive with up to date data.


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## TheShooter93 (Jul 10, 2008)

All of these are very good ideas. I'll definitely take them into consideration, and hope my better half (the half that isn't lazy) realizes I should take your advice. 

On another note though, unfortunately, this computer came with no System Recovery CD or OEM version of Windows 7. I assume I either have a Recovery Drive or can make a Recovery CD using an application on the computer.


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## Ent (Apr 11, 2009)

Is this what you're looking for? 
http://www.wikihow.com/Create-Recovery-Discs-for-Windows-Vista-in-HP-Recovery-Manager

While I've only used the Toshiba equivalent and don't know for sure, I understand that those disks will generally restore your system to how it was at the time of purchase, bloatware included.


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## TheShooter93 (Jul 10, 2008)

> I understand that those disks will generally restore your system to how it was at the time of purchase, bloatware included.


Yes, they will do just that. But if things get bad enough that I'd have to do a System Recovery, I wouldn't mind having to take an extra 20 minutes to uninstall some software.

But maybe that's just because I don't know how to "image the harddrive" other than by using System Restore.

Also, that "Recovery Manager" was just the thing I was looking for. Thanks for the link.


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## Ent (Apr 11, 2009)

> But maybe that's just because I don't know how to "image the harddrive" other than by using System Restore.


System Restore as in restore points isn't reimaging the drive, it focuses on directly reversing changes made to the system rather than copying over what the whole system used to look like.

The recovery partition or disks that you're dealing with here are images created by the manufacturer with their own inbuilt software to apply the image. If you want software for imaging the drive to create your own backup rather than using the image of the manufacturer, check out the featured TSG library article on Backup.


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## TheShooter93 (Jul 10, 2008)

Alright, well thanks everyone for all your help. 

I'm gonna go ahead and mark this as Solved, but of course, I love the discussion going on. Helps me learn.


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## Noyb (May 25, 2005)

In addition to Burning your HP System Recovery DVDs ...
Make sure you also make a W7 Repair CD .. See Here.

The HP recovery DVDs cannot perform a repair install.

Lightscribing a CD/DVD take a special CD/DVD .. I don't mess with it.

To "Image" a System takes an External Hard Drive .. Do you have an External HDD ??


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## Ent (Apr 11, 2009)

> Helps me learn.


Same here.


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## TheShooter93 (Jul 10, 2008)

> Make sure you also make a W7 Repair CD .. See Here.


Thank you very much, I'll be making both CD's ASAP.


> Lightscribing a CD/DVD take a special CD/DVD .. I don't mess with it.


Was not aware that it took a "special" CD. I will probably uninstall the software now, knowing that.


> Do you have an External HDD ??


I do, but it's not for standard backup. In the past I have used it to archive several hundred Youtube videos I have produced, but have stopped using it for that purpose. Mainly because it was a hassle, but I digress.

Anyway, I know it would take a large amount of space to "image" the HDD. My external harddrive was originally 250GB, subtract the amount of space occupied by the videos, it's probably well under 200GB. Not enough to backup both of my computers, but maybe one. 

Honestly, I'm not too interesting in knowing for myself, but perhaps having the ability to explain what to do to other users may come in handy. So how exactly would I go about "imaging" the harddrive on an external harddrive or another partition on an internal one? (Assuming I'm not running the type of RAID where it makes a mirror image of it).


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## Ent (Apr 11, 2009)

> Anyway, I know it would take a large amount of space to "image" the HDD.


A good imaging program will have a compression utility built in, and (especially if you have a large amount of free space on the computer you're imaging) the image should be smaller than the actual size of the hard disk. Given that you're talking about a new laptop I'd guess that you have a lot of free space.

I'm talking all theory here; until Christmas I didn't have an external hard disk so I haven't managed to image my own drive yet. If all goes well, that changes this week.


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## Noyb (May 25, 2005)

Windows 7 can Image a HDD .. But most of the Wizards I read .. Do not recommend using W7.
Here's a tutorial about W7s Imaging.

The most popular Freeware is Macruim ... Here's a Tutorial.
I use Acronis

Basically, to make an Image of you HDD .. you connect an external .. Put in a Boot CD ..
and tell it to make an image in the external.
this Image will be a file size about 60>70% of the Occupied space in the Partition(s) you're imaging.
A recovery is the reverse process.

This Image will be a picture of the HDD as it was when you made the Image .. Not as it came from the factory.

Your external must be formatted NTFS


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## dustyjay (Jan 24, 2003)

Actually, depending on the manufacturer of the hard drive in your computer, if it is either a Seagate or Western Digital you can download a version of Acronis TruImage for free that will allow you do do the imaging and restoring the image. And the image for my 500Gb hard drive is less than 30Gb in size.


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## Ent (Apr 11, 2009)

DustJay, How much of that 500Gb drive is used?


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## D-Berd (Dec 10, 2010)

That computer will have it's own recovery disc software on it. You just have to look for it. HP is not going to sell anyone a computer without a way to create recovery media....Not sure of the program but it's on there somewhere...Good luck. :up:


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## Noyb (May 25, 2005)

D-Berd said:


> ...Not sure of the program but it's on there somewhere...


It's in the fine print in addendum 432 of the 856 page instruction manual that you did not get ..
Did you not see it  .... It's Here


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## dustyjay (Jan 24, 2003)

With 7 Computers Image Files on it, there is 200Gb Free Space left. There are also back ups for Pictures and Music on it. I have 2 of these that I keep Clean System Images on kept in a firesafe for protection For my incremental Back ups I have 2 other 500 Gb drives. I do not use externals for any of this. I have hot swap bays in my two main computers and use Acronis TruImage that allows me to do the imaging over my network. However it would work as well with an external drive.


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## Davec (Jan 27, 2001)

dustyjay said:


> Actually, depending on the manufacturer of the hard drive in your computer, if it is either a Seagate or Western Digital you can download a version of Acronis TruImage for free that will allow you do do the imaging and restoring the image.


The WD version will work with a WD external drive as well regardless of what is inside your computer.


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## calvin-c (May 17, 2006)

A little late to see this thread but http://forum.notebookreview.com/ has an HP-specific forum with a sticky thread 'Out-of-the-Box-Guide 2.0 for Windows 7' that's specifically about removing bloatware & doing clean installs. There's an associated forum for desktops but the bloatware issues would undoubtedly be pretty much the same on both.


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## dustyjay (Jan 24, 2003)

Actually the requireents for both the WD Acronis and MaxBlast 5 (Seagate) is that there has to at least one of the Manufacturers drives involved irregardless of whether it is an external or internal.


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## Frank73 (Oct 8, 2012)

dustyjay said:


> I agree with Ent, however I take it one step further, I get all the needed drivers from the manufacturers website, then do a clean install of Windows (not the OEM Version but a retail copy), then when the computer is up and running with all drivers and updates running properly I image the hard drive. Then after that I make periodic a separate Incremental image of the drive with up to date data.


 I stumbled upon this website while searching for answers on whether or not it is safe to uninstall all HP MediaSmart products. Though I found my answer here, I would like to keep it off permanently by doing what you suggested (clean install of Windows, image hard drive and a seperate incremental image). I don't have a copy of Windows 7 (came preinstalled), so how would I go about a clean install? Also, I would like instructions on how to image/incremental image the hard drive. Do I need some kind of imaging software?

Thanks,

Frank


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## Noyb (May 25, 2005)

You should have made your own copy of the recovery CD/DVDs
I use Acronis  .. an older version.
But There's some good freeware Imaging software. .. Macrium is popular


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## Frank73 (Oct 8, 2012)

I clicked on Recovery Manager in All Programs, went ahead to the next page, but a dialogue box pops up saying that I have created a copy of my hard drive. I would say it's been about 2 years and since then they've been misplaced. Any other workarounds other than trying to locate them?


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## Noyb (May 25, 2005)

You'll have to order them from HP .. They will be about $20


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