Dell responds to bloat claims

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Dan Warne25 July 2006, 6:28 AM

Dell has conceded customers are increasingly unhappy with the amount of preloaded software that comes preinstalled on their new PCs. One customer was so frustrated he made a program called PC-Decrapifier that targets Dell's preinstalled software for deletion.

Dell has conceded customers are increasingly unhappy with the amount of preloaded software that comes preinstalled on their new PCs.

The global PC giant says it is taking a number of steps to make it easier for users to remove unwanted software from their Windows installation.

APC reported yesterday in our article Antivirus: it's as bad as malware itself that we'd had extreme trouble removing an internet security package preinstalled on a Dell laptop. Ultimately we had to boot into safe mode in order to delete it.

That's not to say that Dell did anything intentional to make it difficult to uninstall, but it did highlight to us the problem of the copious number of preinstalled applications that come bundled with new brand-name machines.

One user was so maddened by the problem, he made a program called PC-Decrapifier which targets the software typically preinstalled on Dells and removes it without user intervention.

It can remove an extensive list of apps including Quickbooks Trial, Corel Photo Album, McAfee Internet Security Suite, Google Toolbar for IE, Internet Service Offers Launcher, Sonic RecordNow and more. It can also disable Dell's many pop-up software update reminders.

Dell says it is doing its bit and is now making a "limited software install" option available for purchasers of its high end XPS-700 gaming PC as well as its small business PCs. It has also reduced the number of desktop shortcuts shipping on new PCs from a staggering 21 to "less than 10".

However, it says on the whole, its lab testing has not supported the widespread belief that a lot of preinstalled applications makes the system run slowly.

However, our performance tests in the lab have not found significant improvements by removing software trials and other executables--most of our software sits quietly on the desktop until you launch it.

However, Dell admits some software does slow your PC down.

The two culprits we have highlighted in our labs include the OS and security applications--both critical to using and maintaining the integrity of your PC. However, we continue to streamline what we ship and provide more choice to our customers when they buy a new system.

Read Dell's full blog entry: No Bloatware, Please

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fire_all:

While I also don’t like buying new PCs with preinstalled software which are actually trials that you have to pay for, what I dislike most is the fact that my HP PC recently crashed. The Hard disk is totally mechanically dead. How can I recover my original Windows XP License / Installation now? The recover partition is gone and the warranty recently expired on my newish computer. How do I get my OEM Windows license back that I paid for originally? Any ideas anyone?

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Micro$oft:

haha!!!!

you can't!!!!

hehe!!!!

Microsoft just Pwned you.... and of course you'll have to rebuy that lisence.... anless of course you swith to Mac or Linux, which I could bet alot of money you won't....

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Chad:

You can get your license back by calloing HP support and paying around $50 to have recovery CD's dhipped to you for your model.

You also had the option to burn these CD's yourself prior to your hard drive crash and it is stated in the HP start guide fomr memory.

I only know this because I have been burnt before.

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fire_all:

Thanks, I will try to contact HP support to get the recovery CDs. If only they were included with the computer it would be heaps easier, why don't manufacturers supply these CDs with the computer when you buy it? And $50 for a CD or two is a rip off!

Will the recovery CDs work with a new hard drive?

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Will Penington:

But it is not one or two CDs, there are heaps of them, full of trail versions and programs that will instantly become redundant when you install the things you normally uses, i.e. works suite.

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halcon:

Sure, the problem is that many manufacturers don't include the disc(s) for later installation is that they want to save costs by themselves ignoring the need of the users who have paid a lot of money on a system that should come with the operating system in a disc!
Course Microsoft for being an arrogant company that want to maximize profits and putting the end users under disadvantage, today some people owns more than one computer, why not have a flexible licensing model?
If this goes like this, hope the downfall of the big monster some day, when other companies may offer better OS for the masses in an affordable price, performance and better licensing model.

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Stephen:

@fire_all:

Recovery CDs don't always work with a new hard drive. One Sony VAIO I had to repair reinstalled everything just fine with the recovery DVDs, while a different model absolutely refused to install with the new hard drive I put in it.

You can try downloading Knoppix and trying to fix your Windows install with that (as it can read NTFS.. and I hope FAT32, which is what your laptop might be formatted as). I'd recommend getting Norton Ghost/something similar and ghosting your computer when you reinstall the new operating system, just to ensure that you'll always be able to restore your OS on whatever hard drive you happen to install in that laptop. Best of luck!

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Rob:

When ordering Dell, you have a $10 option to receive system CDs in addition to the recovery volume on the drive.

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RannXerox:

Working in IT, I have not bought a computer with my own money in years. We throw away hundreds of those Dell OS recovery CDs every year, I can't believe that they want to charge you $10 for something that costs them pennys to burn. What a rip off.

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Anonymous:

I had to reinstall Windows after a hardware crash and when it told me the license (key) on my OS had exceeded it's install limit, I just called Microsoft, gave them my old product key, explained my situation, and they provided me with a new key, no cost. Just FYI.

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