Any HIDDEN crap come installed on an ACER?

Hi,

I was just wonder if there are anythings that are hidden that are impossible/extremely difficult to remove when you first get your laptop.
I know things like AOL etc if that is included, theres also the empowering technology applications, Acer Arcade etc etc.

But are there things that are hidden that are really not needed but hard to remove?? I'm debating whether to buy XP and do a clean installation from my own disc or just restore to factory settings and remove any crap???

Thanks,
Dan

 

Yes, I would always expect some amount of Bloatware. Best thing to do is to reformat your computer as soon as you get it, before you start actively using it.

 

I found something from Symantec - i think it was for the Norton Antivirus and deinstalled it. There was a trial version of Norton installed. Wow it got faster!

 

Theres a hidden partition that has all the Acer software on it. I deleted it without any problems with partition software and reformatted. After reformating there was a dual boot option for the old Acer XP home. I deleted the dual option in boot.ini. In the BIOS theres a restore setting for Acer that you can turn off.

 

Is there a way to edit the modify the hidden partition, because when I format or use restore to factory defaults, all the bloatware is installed and theres a lot of it.

Is it possible to download a windows media center version without bloatware and use the cd key that came with the notebook and have it work?

 

There is a slight amount of stuff pre installed, Virus scanning softare, and around 70+ process's loaded on startup. Even when you remove all the Acer Software and a few others, there is still a fair amount of process's running at startup.

I did not reformat myself, I simply disabled services and applications from starting up that I knew I would never use. And also Googled a few process's that were unfamiliar and disabled them also.

Things are ideal now. I would list everything I disabled / uninstalled .. etc, but its to much to bother atm, perhaps later..

 

Yeah .... I've started looking at this bloatware situation and have just inspected startup stuff using msconfig. There are "loads" of startup items far too many IMO. Just disabled quicktime, and adobe reader (use foxit instead) for now!! Probably stop the orbicam stuff as well.

Jules

 

Acer Arcade
Norton
NTI CD/DVD Maker
NTI Backup Now! 4

Are pretty much the only programs that came on mine, then I needed to remove a lot from starting up and also a few services. You have to keep things such as Launch manager running and anything that controls the Synaptics pointer.

I didn't bother to uninstall any of the Empowering Technology programs since they don't really take up much space and don't constantly run. (eSettings, ePresentation Manager etc etc). My laptop did not come with ePowerManagement but I would have removed that.
I kept ePerformanceManagement because it clears out RAM that some programs sometimes forget to do when they close, but disabled all other tools in there.

 

Yeah, my acer came with 60-70 processes on bootup from the default factory settings. After googling and disabling a lot of processes, I now have 30-33 processes during boot up. That's with a firewall, anti-virus, e-power management. nhc, launch manager, and this symatec process for the touchpad.

 

yeah I think the touchpad uses 2 processes at startup. One of them is to actually make the pad work, the other is to open the tray Icon which controls some advanced features such as scrolling (If you notebook supports it).

About 30 is what I have. Once you Install office and some other things It can also add a few processes at startup which are fine to disable. Dell's are the worst, they come with their own management for EVERYTHING. The Dell network assistant etc which disables a lot of network management options that are part of windows and uses their own instead.
It took me an hour on the last 2 Dell notebooks that I setup just to remove all the junk on there and that didn't include time spend disabling startup programs and services!

 

syntpenh is the process for the touchpad. Actually, the touchpad mouse and the 2 buttons work with this disbaled, it's just the 4 up down left right buttons that don't work when it's disabled, which isn't a requirement, but I don't mind leaving it on. 30-35 processes is a good goal to aim for if you want the least amount of processes that are necessary or wanted.

 

I get mine down to 25-28 processes usually after cleaning out all the crap. Some processes are unavoidable, like diskeeper and SpySweeper processes that are always loaded.

 

using msconfig, after every boot, windows (Vista Home Premium), tells me startup has blocked some programs. I know that, I blocked them from starting. XP had an option to not show msconfig at startup, but I can't seem to find it in Vista.
BTW, I bought a 5610z at Best Buy about a month ago. This has been a great machine. Just getting frustrated learning Vista.

 

NTI CD/DVD Maker
Cyber Power Producer (for making DVD movies)
Lauch Manager
Acer Empowerment

These are the main Extras that came loaded on my Acer 5102. My Acer laptop before that also had Acer Arcade.

The Norton AV came on a Disc included in box, instead of already preinstalled. I never opened it. lol

Acer Empowerment is the ONLY extra I deleted. I like the NTI, Cyber & Launch Manager. The Acer Empowerment is just unnecessary.

Acer Laptops don't really have much Bloat compared to most Known compaines. HP is the worst when it comes to preinstalled bloated IMO.

 

Okay just been through the startup stuff and I thought you lot might want to see what I unchecked or left. Comments welcome!!

Startup programs using windowsstartup.com

igfxtray ....Quick access to the control panel via a System Tray icon for graphics based upon the Intel chipsets (ie, i810). These chipsets are often included on motherboards. Available via Start -> Settings -> Control Panel
ACTION : Uncheck

hkcmd ... Installed by the Intel 810 and 815 chipset graphic drivers. If you want the Ctrl+Alt+F12 or similar keypresses to access Intel's customised graphics properties, you need it, otherwise not. Can be disabled via the Display Properties in Control Panel
ACTION : Uncheck

igfxpers ... Associated with the Common User Interface module for Intel graphics cards
ACTION : UNCHECK [googled ]

rundll32 :This loads the System Tray icon used to change display settings, change the clock rate and memory speed for nVidia based graphics cards. This is unnecessary since you can easily configure these settings the way you want them in the Display Properties and not have to mess with them again
ACTION : LEAVE .. test later bluetooth is mentiond looks like Bluetooth tray icon

ehtray.exe is a process is the tray bar process for the Microsoft Media Center. It gives you easy access to the digital media manager. This is a non-essential process. Disabling or enabling it is down to user preference.
ACTION : UNCHECK

Alaunch : Acer Launch tool utility on laptops
ACTION : Leave (can be removed but keep)

rthdcpl.exe : Realtek HD Audio Sound Effect Manager
ACTION : LEAVE

skytel : Program related to the Realtek Voice Manager used by some of their audio chipsets.
ACTION : Leave

ALCMTR : Some kind of event monitor for RealTek .. regarded by some as spyware (not dangerous IMO)
ACTION : Leave - can be removed as part of realtek sound stuff

azmixersel : Related to realtek stuff
ACTION : Leave though can be remobed like above

syntpenh : Synaptics touchpad tray icon. Displays status and provides quick launch to touchpad features such as scrolling and tap zones. Required on IBM Thinkpads with UnltraNav (pointstick and touchpad combo) if you don't want to loose the advanced pointstick features such as scroll
ACTION : LEAVE I think it isimportant

ntimui ... something to do with cd/dvd burning???
ACTION: ???

admtray ...Related to Acer Inc. Destop tray
ACTION : Leave

IMJPMIG ... Part of MS Input Method Editor which is used to ease the input of Asian characters in MS Office (Chinese, Korean and this one is Japanese).
ACTION : Uncheck -not needed

ImScInst .... Part of Microsoft's Input Message Editor (IME) for translating Japanese/Chinese text in IE, Outlook and Word
ACTION ... uncheck not needed

TINTSETP : Part of Microsoft's Input Message Editor (IME) for translating Japanese/Chinese text in IE, Outlook and Word
ACTION : Uncheck not needed

nvmctray : System Tray icon used to manage settings for nVidia based graphics cards. May be required for some 3D applications to recognize your card correctly - such as the game "Everquest". Otherwise, settings can be changed manually via Display Properties
ACTION : Uncheck not required IMO

epower_dmc : ??? no clear explanation ... obviously part of acer power management utility
ACTION : Leave (probably can disable if I start using RMClock as my main power manager)

Acer ePower Management : Leave see above

LManager : It is used on Acer TravelMate laptops to acces internet and e-mail from buttons located next to the Shutdown button. It can also be used to enable or dislable Wireless Communication and Bluetooth Communication
ACTION : Leave (sounds essential to use media buttons on my Aspire)

Monitor : Part of Acer eRecovery
ACTION : Leave

LVCOMSX : It provides extra functionality for Logitech multimedia webcam devices. It is non-essential to the running of the system, but should not be terminated unless suspected to be causing problems, suggested elsewhere to be spyware???
ACTION : Leave for now ... test later to see if it affects camera or media buttons

edsloader : eData sec. (part of acer e software)
ACTION : Leave

CameraAssistant & InstallHelper : Acer Orbicam sw assume I can disable these and access manually
ACTION : Leave for now , Uncheck later and check webcam works manually

elkctrl : Related to Logitech Camera Service and provides additional configuration options for these devices. This program is non-essential process to the running of the system, but should not be terminated unless suspected to be causing problems.
ACTION : Uncheck later with above camera stuff

EPGCLI~1 : Can find little on this ,, to do with wintv haugpage
ACTION : Leave but test at a later date

avgcc : avg control centre
ACTION : Leave

msmsgs : Only required if you are a regular user of MS Messenger
ACTION : Leave

ctfmon : CTFMon is involved with the language/alternative input services in Office XP. CTFMON.exe will continue to put itself back into MSConfig when you run the Office XP apps as long as the Text Services and Speech applets in the Control Panel are enabled. Not required if you don't need these features.
ACTION : uncheck ... seems u only need it if running office xp

Bluetooth : keep
ACTION : Leave

qttask : Quicktime
ACTION : Uncheck

Adobe speed launch : uneeded Ras I use FoxIt Reader
ACTION : uncheck

nvcpl : System Tray icon used to change display settings for nVidia based graphics cards. Unnecessary since you can easily configure these settings the way you want them in the Display Properties
ACTION : UNCHECK not needed IMO

nwiz : Setup for nvidia video chipset. nwiz.exe /install runs when you do the nview initial setup. If you have then it just exits. I believe that it stays in startup permanently in case any new users log onto the machine.
ACTION : Uncheck not needed IMO

RealPlay : System Tray icon for RealPlayer. If you subsequently start RealPlayer manually it adds itself back to the start-up list. You can stop this from happening by right-clicking on the tray icon and disabling StartCenter via Preferences
ACTION : UNCHECK not needed




Anyhow sorry for the long post [hence small text] but I thought some of you may find it useful. Anyone know any different about the above let me know.

Jules

Time to start on the processes!!!!

 

If you remove the empowering technology software does it mean that if the computer crashes and will not boot to windows that you can not do a Disc to Disc recovery?? (Alt+F10 I think???)

I do not really use the empowering technology software that much, except last time I restored my laptop to factory settings. I did this from inside windows and used eRecovery itself, not a disk created with eRecovery.

 

acer recovery does not uninstall, just the power management components. you'll be surprised how much system resources if frees up.

 

I may end up using RMClock for my power management so that would make the Acer Powermanagement redundant I suppose. Thanks delta another tip to bear in mind for my growing collection.
Jules

 

Just sorting out my services list and I am a bit stuck on AdminWorks Agent X6!
What the hell does this do ...

AdminWorks Agent X6 : ???? [D: Automatic] ... Dunno what to do with this?
(AWService) - Avocent Inc. - C:\Acer\Empowering Technology\admServ.exe

Seems to be something to do with Acer Empowering software!! ...

DELTA.... disabling this service might enable you to uninstall that Recovery software???

Jules

 

I feel like a dummy, but this is my first laptop ever. It's an Acer Aspire 5610z. and it seems my manual goes to all sorts of other laptops so i'm having trouble trying to figure out just exactly what mine has.. Like bluetooth?? I see a button but it doesn't seem to do anything.. I'm not a genius by no means... and sure would love for someone to give me some guidance!! thx.. Lostmymind

 

I found a review of the 5610z that should answer your questions.
http://marklangenfeld.com/2007/03/19/review-acer-aspire-5610z/

 

Ok help me now LOL I have the Acer TravelMate 5600, and I do NOT have a manual or anything actually to this notebook, but I have the same bluetooth button on the side of the keyboard here too, and it does not seem to do anything either, and I have looked in my control panel for bluetooth anything and there is nothing there. I have had this notebook since October, and the button has done nothing, but........ a couple of weeks ago i noticed the button glowing blue for almost a week, and then stopped. Can anyone help me figure this out.

And how do you get to the "startup" so that i can stop alllll these dang programs from starting on start up???

TIA
Holly

 

Holly -> Go to START -> RUN -> type in "msconfig" <HIT RETURN> then select startup tab and simply select / deselect the programs from the start up list. Take a look at my "long post" above for a list of the likely startup programs you will have and which ones you can uncheck or check.

HTH
Jools

 

NTI CD/DVD Maker / NTI Backup Now
Cyber Power DVD / Power Producer
Launch Manager
Acer Empowering Technology
Norton Antivirus

...on the 5630 series.

Compared with other manufacturers, Acer has very little bloatware, most of what they do include do have some utility, although tend to be redundant because windows can do most of that anyhow.