Thinkpad R61 bloatware

Hello!
I just bought my Thinkpad R61 a few hours ago.
So far I'm really happy with it (why wouldn't I be? it's a THINKPAD )

But there's a ton of software I don't need, and software that does stuff that Windows Vista can do too...
I'd like to uninstall or disable startup programs as much as I can, but I don't know if some of them are necessary for the laptop to work.
Right now I have 80 processes ...

Are there other solutions? If I re-install the OS, and just install the basic drivers (no other software), will every feature in my laptop work (such as the fn keys, the touchpad, trackpad, thinkvantage, etc) ?

I'd rather use my Vista license. And the guy from the shop told me that since my Thinkpad came with Vista Business, I can download Vista Home Premium and "downgrade" my OS. Is this true?

 

I had the same problem, but with my X61s. If you don't want to do a clean install, I would suggest clicking on the ThinkVantage button, and do a custom recovery. This will set your laptop back to factory, but it gives you the option to keep the programs you want.

 

Really? so it lets you NOT install software such as presentation director, client security solution, productivity center, etc?

I'll try soon I hope.

 

Yes. Just make sure you do a "custom" recovery.

 

Hey thanks, I formatted and I got to deselect quite a lot of optional software...

But my number of processes went from 82 to 70... still not enough

 

Yeah, but i think most of those services are idle. You'll notice quite a difference with the amount of hard drive space this will give you

 

screw thinkvantage, that bloatware POS

 

How many processes are you trying to get down to? I have 65 running after uninstalling a few apps from IBM. This is with the side bar running & norton etc. I wouldnt worry trying to get the number lower and lower...

 

Disable system restore, and yes thinkvantage is a POS

 

I would keep:

1) System update
2) Rescue and Recovery
3) Thinkvantage Power Manager
4) Active protection
5) Presentation Director, if you ever need to connect your laptop to a projector

 

Even by unchecking all software when I re-formatted with Thinkvantage, it kept rescue and recovery, power manager and active protection.

I've checked the task manager, and I have around 25 processes, which isn't bad. But when I click show all processes, more than 40 appear. Do these come from Vista? are they necessary for the OS to run?

 

thiru,

After removing all that stuff, are your function keys (volume, ThinkVantage, and other) still working?

 

I didn't actually remove anything. I just formatted and re-installed everything from the Thinkvantage partition. Then, I choose custom installation and removed everything (except Java and Diskeeper).

Everything works fine, from function keys to touchpad to wifi to batteries. As I said, even if you uncheck everything during installation, it still installs every driver plus software for the most important components (battery, fn keys, etc).

Though I think I'm gonna see if the drivers are available for XP, cuz Vista is slow as hell, I have 512mb of memory, dunno when I'll be able to upgrade, but the 10+GB of HDD space Vista uses is way too much...