Clean up of NEW HP / Compaq Desktop PC (notebook, operating system, sounds)

[HDL]

I just bought a new desktop PC and I'm trying to get rid of things I don't want and/or need. The PC comes with a 60 day trial of Nortons Internet Security 2008 . When I finally decided to accept the trial offer, then changed my mind , it was like there was NO WAY of turning back . I finally had to reboot just to get rid of the darn thing . Of course, I didn't get rid of it for good .

Anyways, I'm looking for a program that does the same things, but does it better !! A FREE program would be GREAT !! I'm also looking for tips to get rid of some of the 'crap' that HP loads onto the system, but is basically useless and quite annoying .

Any tips (preferably helpful ones ) will be rewarded with REP cookies !!! TIA!

[mensaguy]

With Norton products, you have to unistall them, reboot, then uninstall the Live Registration and Live Update programs. You can find them in Add/Remove programs. Add/Remove programs is a good place to start uninstalling junk shipped on the hard disk. Without knowing what kind of security you want, I don't know what to recommend. AVG free virus scan is what I use. Windows has a firewall and Windows Defender offers some malware protection. Add Spybot Search & Destroy and AdAware, and most problems can be taken care of. I also like to make sure I have removed toolbars and desktop search stuff.

[NHDave]

Here's a good start to remove the bloatware Welcome | The PC Decrapifier
For anti malware I recommend Malwarebytes.org
AVG or Avast is a good freebie AV choice.

[Roselvr]

Originally Posted by HDL

I just bought a new desktop PC and I'm trying to get rid of things I don't want and/or need. The PC comes with a 60 day trial of Nortons Internet Security 2008 . When I finally decided to accept the trial offer, then changed my mind , it was like there was NO WAY of turning back . I finally had to reboot just to get rid of the darn thing . Of course, I didn't get rid of it for good .

Anyways, I'm looking for a program that does the same things, but does it better !! A FREE program would be GREAT !! I'm also looking for tips to get rid of some of the 'crap' that HP loads onto the system, but is basically useless and quite annoying .

Any tips (preferably helpful ones ) will be rewarded with REP cookies !!! TIA!

Can you post the model and if it's the compaq or HP?
There are usually detailed instructions on how to remove it.

I actually prefer Norton, I buy it from Newegg or using a sale from a PC store (best buy, staples)

My hubby likes Avast, if you download & install be sure to register so that you get updates. So far it's been working great on all of the computers here.

As for the bloat, again, the model/brand is helpful. Also I assume you have Vista?

Most of the compaq/HP programs load at startup, so going to msconfig and unchecking helps with start up time. Also add/remove programs.

What I used to do was get an OEM operating system CD, then do a clean install of what came with it using that. This does so without any of the extra stuff.

Before you move in to the new computer, be sure to make restore disks, especially if you don't have the option of OEM CD's.

[swagger]

When I bought my notebook (the only machine I've ever bought that came preloaded), I booted from my own XP disc and installed from scratch. I never bothered booting into the OS that came with it - I knew it had a bunch of crap I didn't want that would slow the system down or otherwise create unnecessary bloat. Other than a few drivers that I could obtain from Compaq's website, it didn't have anything I wanted other than the base operating system.

[NHDave]

I wouldn't wish norton or mcafee on my worst enemy... well maybe on an enemy

[Radek]

Avast Antivirus
ZoneAlarm firewall
both free

If you want to pay, I suggest Windows Live OneCare, 3 PCs are covered and the settings can be managed from any one of them.

Other than that, Norton should have an uninstall tool.

[NHDave]

Originally Posted by Radek

Avast Antivirus
ZoneAlarm firewall
both free

If you want to pay, I suggest Windows Live OneCare, 3 PCs are covered and the settings can be managed from any one of them.

Other than that, Norton should have an uninstall tool.

Which works properly only about 50% of the time

[mawipafl]

Don't feel badly HDL -- you're not unique because I also made the booboo of saying yes to Norton and regretting it. (also, same scenario with McAfee) It was a long nightmare to get rid of both, or at least, to get rid of enough of them to make them totally mute and invisible and unable to work.

I use free AVG and paid-version of AdAware. AVG has worked very well for me and hasn't gobbled up a ton of resources to slow things down. I have it set to do its updates and scans during the wee hours of the night. Only once did AVG fall down and let a virus slip in, but as it was happening and it was fighting the bug, all kinds of bells and whistles were going off during the battle, so I was totally aware of what was happening even though neither me nor AVG could stop it. However, it made the fix much easier for my guru since I could tell her what happened and when.

As for the paid-version of AdAware, the jury is still out. I had some problems with its realtime watching for malware/spyware, so at the moment it's disabled. When I was using the free version of AdAware, I had no problems, but I had to do manual scans to catch things after the fact.

[Radek]

Heh, if Avast notices a virus... it sounds klaxons like a nuclear missile launch. It is all sorts of intense.

It HAS woken me up before. And at that point, I promptly turned the sounds of it off and went back to bed.

But yes NHDave, the norton uninstall tool only works 50% of the time... but since its free and quick, its best to try that suggestion rather than go through the myriad of issues of uninstalling either one of those leeches by hand.