What to delete from hard drive?

The laptop is now 2 months old. I deleted all the games, but there is alot left over. After years of admin work on Win2k, and nothing comparable on Vista, I need advice on what I can safely delete and what I may, sooner or later, need.

Here is a list. Let me know what I can and should not delete. I know I have a factory default in a hidden partition. And note that once I delete something, further backups will be made without that software.

1) Welcome Center (Would be nice to get rid of for all users. But I am the only user on this system for the foreseeable future)

2) Windows Media Center - I may back up an audio CD or convert audio to WMA, I may make a back up of my DVDs, but I don't play CD's or DVDs.

3) Windows Photo Gallery. This is actually nice software, but the camera comes with its own, and I play any video CDs in my DVD player.

4) Extras and Upgrades - Anytime Upgrade, Marketplace, Windows Web Site. Beyond purchasing software, why would I use this?

5) Windows DVD maker - Does the Acer backup software use this? I'm still very happy with Nero, and this doesn't seem easy to use.

6) Windows Movie Maker - I don't have a video camera to make movies with, and no inclination to make any at all. I suffered through my father's home movies. - Never again.

7) Live Messenger Download. - I'm not an online chatterer. What else would I need this for? IS this needed by Live Meeting?

8) Windows Meeting Space - I would use this very rarely if at all, and certainly not in the foreseeable future. Live meeting would NOT need this as I understand.

9) Windows Sidebar - From what I read about it, it doesn't seem needed. Aren't shortcuts the same?

10) Table PC - This isn't a tablet PC. But I like the fact that the right side of the touch-pad acts as a scrolling device. Is Tablet PC needed for that?

 

The ACER erecovery at my system uses as Burning software the NTI one.

Be warned , that it uses this by default.

I would not advice to remove any software.
By removing about 100 megs ,nothing will change .

If you need space , buy a larger faster HDD .
And keep the current as is .

 

After so many years as admin , you need to know what the best way to get rid of bloatware ,is to make a clean install.

 

i deleted media center on an old pc and it took the cd/dvd drive with it.
all i do now is stop media center services as it does like to root around your HDD from time to time.
google its processes in task manager and disable them.

EDIT: make sure you leave the Lauch Manager alone

 

I'll start a new thread "Clean Install on new laptop" in the Acer forum.

 

I'm closing this thread. Thanks to all for your help.