Need help de-crapifying my new PC...

utopiomania · Post by **utopiomania** » Sat Oct 28, 2006 12:25 am

I got my new PC a few hours ago and have spent the time since trying to de-crapify it, and I'm beginning
to wonder what they think about..

None of the programs that came with it had an entry in Add/Remove programs, or an uninstall procedure in the
menus for that matter.

The programs was things like Norton Anti this and that, Sonic RecordNow, a stupid email checker, a NEC keyboard
utility for a keyboard I don't use, a Packard Bell 'register customer' program that insisted on using a non -
existant dial-up modem to register, and remind me every seven days with no option to turn it off etc..

What I am trying to do is to get rid of the 'extras', fix the registry and create a recovery dvd using Acronis.

But what do I use to fix the registry? Any good freeware utilities you know of?

edit:removed large pic

Shannara · Post by **Shannara** » Sat Oct 28, 2006 12:42 am

Some pc venders allow you to order a pc with the os-free option. This way, all you have to do is pop in your os install cd and you dont have to worry about crap junk.

For those that dont. Just format it, and use a real os- install cd (and not the crap that comes with computers). Fastest and safest way too..

Thalius · Post by **Thalius** » Sat Oct 28, 2006 12:53 am

But what do I use to fix the registry? Any good freeware utilities you know of?

Format c:

- reboot
- insert favorite linux bootable cd / dvd
- install
- install pb
- cheer !

utopiomania · Post by **utopiomania** » Sat Oct 28, 2006 12:59 am

Shannara, I've already paid for it, and it came with XP, and a lot of crap which is already archived in my toilet.

What I asked for was a way to clean up my registry which has nearly 400 errors in it after the un-crapping.

I know Registry Mechanic but would like to know if there are some free alternatives aout there. I've searced
for it, but some seems to be malicious..

mskuma · Post by **mskuma** » Sat Oct 28, 2006 1:08 am

Try CCleaner http://www.ccleaner.com/
It is highly regarded - yes the 'C' stands for what you think it is..

I see it has a reg cleaner part to it.

There is another freeware reg cleaner tool whose name escapes me, I'll try to find it..

PB · Post by PB » Sat Oct 28, 2006 1:16 am

> What I asked for was a way to clean up my registry which has nearly 400
> errors in it after the un-crapping

But Shannara's right. The only way to properly get rid 100% of all the errors
is to just format and re-install from scratch. It's what I would recommend, too.
You can either spend 60 mins formatting and re-installing, and install only the
software you want, or you can spend the next few days (or week) trying to get
rid of all the crap manually. Your choice.

mskuma · Post by **mskuma** » Sat Oct 28, 2006 1:17 am

The other one worth trying (was free, see below) is jv16 powertools but it's commercial ware now - there are a bunch of other reg-related tools there also http://www.macecraft.com/

There is a link to the last known free one on this page
http://www.321download.com/LastFreeware/index.html

It might be sufficient especially coupled with CCleaner.

Seems like jv16 is worth the modest price from what I've read. Anyway good luck with the cleanup.

utopiomania · Post by **utopiomania** » Sat Oct 28, 2006 1:28 am

@mskuma, thanks for the link. After I ran CCleaner, Registry Mechanic free still reported 240 errors?? Maybe
I should stop acting like a relative of Uncle Scrooge and just pay for it..

@PB, Packard Bell gives me the option to create a 'restore-crap' dvd from a hidden partition on the HDD, so
to reinstall isn't an option. There no CD's to restore from. I need to fix it manually, I'm afraid.

After that, I'll create my own recovery dvd using Acronis, but I don't wan't to do that until the registry
is ship-shape.

@mskuma, I'll check it out.

Intrigued · Post by **Intrigued** » Sat Oct 28, 2006 2:03 am

Before you get to far it sounds like you may want to format from the hidden partition and then properly uninstall the software you do not want. Check in the Add/Remove Programs section, the All Programs fly-out menus, then move to the On Startup tab in MSCONFIG (START button, RUN prompt, type MSCONFIG). And uncheck everything you do not need. (make a mistake? Just re-check such again and reboot again).

I also do several other things to systems to "clean" them up. But, I own my own business and build, repair systems, program, etc. etc. I don't know it all, but I have found some ways to help optimize Windows XP without corrupting the Registry (or messing with it directly).

Best of luck in any event.

(ps. Ironic, but I just bought a lightup keyboard like you have there from one of my distributors and will be building another gaming rig with that as the keyboard (moderately priced gaming rig at that, nothing into the 3,000 to 5,000 dollar range).

utopiomania · Post by **utopiomania** » Sat Oct 28, 2006 2:03 am

Well, I just registered Registry Mechanic. It's a one year subscription for $29.95, and it just managed to
squish the rest of the 237 bugs in there, so I guess I'll just install Acronis tomorrow and copy the system
to a dvd.

Hope it'll work out ok though, from what I've heard Acronis is 'made in Russia', and I don't need a core
meltdown right now

utopiomania · Post by **utopiomania** » Sat Oct 28, 2006 2:08 am

and then properly uninstall the software you do not want

As I said, most of the crap couldn't be uninstalled the proper way.

No entries in 'Add/Remove' programs.. No uninstall entries in the Start/programs menu entries etc.

I had to download an exe from the net to get rid of Norton, and get rid of the rest manually.

utopiomania · Post by **utopiomania** » Sat Oct 28, 2006 2:14 am

Thalius wrote:

- insert favorite linux bootable cd / dvd

The dvd Acronis creates does just that. It creates a bootable dvd based on Linux and can restore the snapshot
in a few minutes even if the system can't boot from the HDD

PB · Post by PB » Sat Oct 28, 2006 2:41 am

> There no CD's to restore from

Oh, okay. That makes it a bit harder then. Now I see what you mean.

Tipperton · Post by **Tipperton** » Sat Oct 28, 2006 3:20 am

utopiomania wrote:Packard Bell gives me the option to create a 'restore-crap' dvd from a hidden partition on the HDD, so to reinstall isn't an option. There no CD's to restore from. I need to fix it manually, I'm afraid.

Unfortunately this appears to be a trend in PC market, my dad just bought an HP machine and instead of giving him a recovery DVD, they put the recovery data on a second partition.

To me this is really a dumb idea, if you ever have have a hard drive failure, your only means of recovery just went bye-bye along with the hard drive.

utopiomania wrote:No entries in 'Add/Remove' programs.. No uninstall entries in the Start/programs menu entries etc.

One place you may have missed is to look in each program's installation directory, even if there are no shortcuts or Add/Remove entries, many programs will have an uninstaller program included with the rest of their files.

I'd have also looked in HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Microsoft\Windows\Current Version\Uninstall, all the Add/Remove entries may have been there, just marked as hidden.

PS: Couldn't you have reduced the size of that image a bit? It's a bit oversized don't you think?

PB · Post by PB » Sat Oct 28, 2006 3:26 am

Don't they have to give you an OS CD anyway? Surely it's illegal not too if
they sold you a Windows PC? Even if it's just an OEM version or something.
But as they didn't, feel free to download an ISO from somewhere as you
won't be committing piracy by doing so, since you bought the PC legit.