Dell De-Crapifier (Bloatware removal)

I saw this mentioned in a couple of dusty corners in the forums (maybe I missed something), but I thought it was worthy of a thread of its own. We've all complained about the massive amounts of bloatware included on a new Dell system--this little program takes care of it for you.

In the interest of full-disclosure, I've got to say that I've never used it. I cleaned off my last purchase manually, but I've got another laptop heading my way and I plan to use this.

Here's what the website says it uninstalls:
QuickBooks Trial
NetZero Installers
Earthlink Setup Files
Corel Photo Album 6
Tiscali Internet
Wanadoo Europe Installer
Get High Speed Internet!
Internet Service Offers Launcher
Dell Search Assistant
Norton Ghost 10.0
Symantec Live Update
MS Plus Photo Story 2LE
MS Plus Digital Media Installer
McAffee
Norton Internet Security
Google Desktop
AOL US
AOL UK
MusicMatch Jukebox
MusicMatch Music Services
Unnecessary Run Registry Entries
Corel WordPerfect
Roxio RecordNow
Sonic DLA
Sonic Update Manager
Sonic RecordNow Audio
Sonic RecordNow Copy
Roxio MyDVD LE

http://www.yorkspace.com/pc-de-crapifier/

Anybody used it? Let me know what you think.

 

I just reformatted using the excellent guide available here. It went very easily and I now know how to reformat should I ever need to in the future.

 

I just went thorugh it my self, because I wanted to keep Macaffee, the sonic stuff, and Roxio. You actually need Roxio because you need a program to burn DVD's so you can create menu's and stuff. You cant do that with WMP.

 

i just formatted it with the xp install disk, reinstalled xp, put the drivers off the dell website onto it after burning them with my desktop, i prefer different programs to mcaffee sonic and roxio

 

Just for laughs does the reinstall help all issues? I have been plagued by problems with an E1705. I just replaced it should arrive today from another manufacturer. I do however want to sell this one or use it for other things if it is fixable. No I have not tried formatting but that is what it is going to take. I like streather prefer other programs to the ones that came with this chunk of junk. By that I do not mean the hardware but the bloatware and other junk I paid for but did not want. It would be nice if an option existed for no software or just windows XP nothing else.

 

Isn't removing that a bit overzealous? Does the author of this software think that everyone has a copy of Nero lying around? And what is wrong with WordPerfect? Not everyone has or wants to use MS Office or OpenOffice.

 

To answer that from my point school requires MS Office. Roxio Bites and Sonic is ok but I prefer Nero!!! So overzealous maybe needed yes. I just gave up my XPS like a non thinking person and have been horrified with my experience since February.

 

You can select what you want and don't want to remove.

 

Can anyone give me a link to this? Is it easy? What is my best bet for removing bloatware from a Vista Premium Hp Pavilion dv6000t

 

The best de-constipator of Dell is to just re-format the machine as soon as you drag the unopened box into your home.

 

I've actually suggested this to users, and have had them try it. Majority of them, while it was only a few, said it didn't work. They ended up having to reformat after all. It ended up not removing any of the software.

 

It did not remobe AOL, nor did it remove nortin for me.

 

Does anyone have a link to the guide on how to reformat? Is this a difficult task?

 

I just got a Vista Home Premium Inspiron 6400, and have noticed a lot of this crap on my laptop, but was afraid to delete in case they were necessary. Are you saying I'm good to enter the Control Panel and get rid?

 

ya it shouldnt' mess anything up removing from the Add/Remove prog list

 

And BTw the problem with formatting is that when you reinstall it puts all the crap back on.

 

If you've got XP, here's the guide: http://forum.notebookreview.com/showthread.php?t=88032

 

If you use the Windows CD (if one shipped with your computer) to reformat it doesn't reinstall the bloatware. But if you use the restore partition it does. If only they didn't put the Media Direct partition between the two...