New dv5-1000us, need help with startup

I've never purchased my own laptop before, so I have some questions...

First, I know a lot of people say to get rid of the "bloatware" or "crapware", or just do a clean install. I don't know which to do (individually uninstall or do a clean install of Vista, never done that before either). I just don't know which software/programs are actually needed, and which aren't.

The laptop also has Windows Defender on it, although I've got my own AV software, so should I just leave Windows Defender on there?

Here's a list of all the programs I am unsure of, in case you need to know:

Lastly, when should I make my own recovery disks in this whole process?

 

As soon as you take your laptop out of the box and turn it on. The sooner the better.

 

Hey Cassidy!

Out of the following list, you should only remove the following:


HP Customer Experience Enchancements
HP Help and Support
HP Photosmart Essential 2.5
HP TCSetup
muvee autoProducer 6.1
My HP Games
Quickplay SlingPlayer 0.4.6
Slingbox Flash Tour
SingPlayer
Viewpoint Media Player

In addition, you can remove Microsoft Office applications. They are trials and usually annoying to deal with. Yahoo toolbar can also be removed.

Whether or not you leave Defender on there is up to you. I actually think Defender does a good job. I've used it during beta and it picked up more spy ware than SpyBot S&D, which of course is known everywhere.

And as for making your own recovery disks, sooner is always better. You never known when the operating system could become corrupt.

Lastly, don't stress over it. It's only a computer. If you ever have a problem we are always here to help out. We are the geeks of the internet (sarcasm).

 

Will I make the computer faster if I remove certain bloatware or do a clean install.. I don't know if there are any cons to doing a clean install.

 

If you do a clean install you'd have to search for all of the drivers manually.

 

No Cons to doing a clean install, i would recommend tho, that before you do a clean install of vista on the laptop that you back up the activation via a program called ABR, and then make sure you download the wireless and video drivers off of hp's website and put them onto a usb stick drive so you have them right after you do your fresh install.

 

What he ^^ said... That would work excellent.

 

If you are not familar with computers, get someone to help you with the clean install and follow the instruction to the letter in this thread: http://forum.notebookreview.com/showthread.php?t=120228 You will have to find the right copy of vista from someone or another computer you own.
If that is too much, just remove the programs above. They will still be on the recovery disk you make if you make a mistake. To get rid of most of the crap by using the following program: http://www.pcdecrapifier.com/download

good luck

 

I learned about CCleaner in another guide.. if I just run that after deleting bloatware through the control panel, is it just as effective as a clean install? Sounds a lot easier..

 

No it is not quite as effective but don't obsess about "clean install". Just deleting the bloatware is good enough for 99% of computer users (my statistic )

I know people who still have the "bloatware" on their computers 4 years after purchase, they just deleted the desktop shortcut icons pointing to it. And they feel their computers run perfectly (and indeed they do).

Be careful when running any registry cleaning program you follow the instructions for the safest cleaning techniques or follow someone elses proven guide. Cleaning the wrong items out of your registry can spell disaster (well at least a non-functioning notebook that has to have the factory data re-installed via the restore disks you should have made).

 

Jeez....calm down Cassidy.

You'll be fine. Once you uninstall most of that bloatware everything will be superb. A clean install is more of a hassle for a person new to doing things such as that.

 

Why should I remove HP TCSSetup or HP Help & Support?
And what about Serif Webplus, that shouldn't be removed?

 

Well, do you use them. HP help & support is basically an add-in to the regular windows help. Not really that useful. Of course keeping it installed wont hurt much either. The TCSSetup is the program which launched the initial HP setup when you first started the pc. Once completed not necessary at all. Webplus looks like website design software. Again unless you intend to use it, its not necessary.