# Does every PC come with a bunch of crap loaded on it? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [May 25, 2016, 8:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-every-pc-come-with-a-bunch-of-crap-loaded-on-it/755690 "2016-05-25T20:14:42Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 17\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Maserschmidt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/maserschmidt/32/18829_2.png) [@Maserschmidt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Maserschmidt)\ **Post date:** [May 25, 2016, 8:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-every-pc-come-with-a-bunch-of-crap-loaded-on-it/755690/1 "2016-05-25T20:14:42Z")
I know that sounds like the start of a pitting, but it’s really a question. I’m helping my mother pick out a new desktop PC, but my own house is basically a collection of MacBooks and mobile devices, so it’s been a while since I shopped for something like this. I do however have this vague memory of Norton and a million other apps coming with PCs and making me crazy back in the day. (Before you ask why I don’t talk her into a MacBook, she’s 82 and likes the desktop tower, so get the heck off my lawn. 😉 ) Of course, maybe it’s not a problem anymore. Or maybe someone has a magical tool that scrapes all that crap away. Anyway, any info appreciated! **maserschmidt** ---
**Author:** ![boffking](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/858c86/32.png) [@boffking](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/boffking)\ **Post date:** [May 25, 2016, 8:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-every-pc-come-with-a-bunch-of-crap-loaded-on-it/755690/2 "2016-05-25T20:15:46Z")
Business grade computers don’t. I’m partial to Lenovos myself. ---
**Author:** ![zoid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/zoid/32/336_2.png) [@zoid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/zoid)\ **Post date:** [May 25, 2016, 8:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-every-pc-come-with-a-bunch-of-crap-loaded-on-it/755690/3 "2016-05-25T20:21:09Z")
If you have a Microsoft store near you they sell “Signature” pcs with no crap on them (online as well). I’ll either buy directly from Microsoft or a from someone who built a pc for me from now on. ---
**Author:** ![Macca26](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/13edae/32.png) [@Macca26](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Macca26)\ **Post date:** [May 25, 2016, 9:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-every-pc-come-with-a-bunch-of-crap-loaded-on-it/755690/4 "2016-05-25T21:03:54Z")
If you do get a machine filled with bloatware, the only surefire solution is to simply reformat and reinstall the operating system from scratch before you bother to do a single other thing with it. You will definitely get a clean installation then. Maybe a bit too clean, when it comes to drivers! ---
**Author:** ![lazybratsche](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/ba8739/32.png) [@lazybratsche](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lazybratsche)\ **Post date:** [May 25, 2016, 9:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-every-pc-come-with-a-bunch-of-crap-loaded-on-it/755690/5 "2016-05-25T21:15:45Z")
IME Windows is getting better and better about automatically installing drivers that Just Work. In the last few clean installs I’ve done, I’ve only hand to manually install drivers in a handful of cases: to get the latest graphics driver which has been optimized for a newly released game, or to enable some obscure function on an old motherboard. On a new PC even that may be unnecessary. ---
**Author:** ![running\_coach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/running_coach/32/15836_2.png) [@running\_coach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/running_coach)\ **Post date:** [May 25, 2016, 9:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-every-pc-come-with-a-bunch-of-crap-loaded-on-it/755690/6 "2016-05-25T21:19:10Z")
> [@Macca26](#): > > If you do get a machine filled with bloatware, the only surefire solution is to simply reformat and reinstall the operating system from scratch before you bother to do a single other thing with it. You will definitely get a clean installation then. Maybe a bit too clean, when it comes to drivers! To do that, you need a clean install disc and few PCs if any come with a Windows 7/8/10 disc. The restore partition is simply the original install including the bloatware. ---
**Author:** ![lazybratsche](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/ba8739/32.png) [@lazybratsche](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lazybratsche)\ **Post date:** [May 25, 2016, 9:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-every-pc-come-with-a-bunch-of-crap-loaded-on-it/755690/7 "2016-05-25T21:28:11Z")
You can download an official Windows installer for [Windows 8](http://windows.microsoft.com/en-us/windows-8/create-reset-refresh-media) and [Windows 10](https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/software-download/windows10/) easily enough. (Also for Windows 7, but last time I did that they had some extra hoops to jump through). Just need a 4 gb USB thumb drive. ---
**Author:** ![RandMcnally](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/b782af/32.png) [@RandMcnally](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RandMcnally)\ **Post date:** [May 25, 2016, 11:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-every-pc-come-with-a-bunch-of-crap-loaded-on-it/755690/8 "2016-05-25T23:52:06Z")
Build one for her? ---
**Author:** ![drachillix](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/48db29/32.png) [@drachillix](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/drachillix)\ **Post date:** [May 26, 2016, 3:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-every-pc-come-with-a-bunch-of-crap-loaded-on-it/755690/9 "2016-05-26T03:22:26Z")
> [@Maserschmidt](#): > > Anyway, any info appreciated! > > **maserschmidt** Any local PC shop can also do that for you ---
**Author:** ![China\_Guy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/779978/32.png) [@China\_Guy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/China_Guy)\ **Post date:** [May 26, 2016, 5:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-every-pc-come-with-a-bunch-of-crap-loaded-on-it/755690/10 "2016-05-26T05:42:45Z")
> [@zoid](#): > > If you have a Microsoft store near you they sell “Signature” pcs with no crap on them (online as well). THIS! The Microsoft Signature image has no crapware, has been optimized, passes all sorts of technical tests, don’t give exceptions to the tests, etc. It’s a clean robust image on a tuned PC. I’ll never buy a PC outside of the store again. I’ve been told that there will be a new Signature program coming out where the PC passes the high standards but isn’t sold in the MS Store. I used to work at MSFT and have been involved in the Signature image process and heartily recommend it. ---
**Author:** ![Maserschmidt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/maserschmidt/32/18829_2.png) [@Maserschmidt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Maserschmidt)\ **Post date:** [June 17, 2016, 5:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-every-pc-come-with-a-bunch-of-crap-loaded-on-it/755690/11 "2016-06-17T17:24:14Z")
First, thanks to everyone for chiming in! (sorry it took so long to respond) > [@zoid](#): > > If you have a Microsoft store near you they sell “Signature” pcs with no crap on them (online as well). I’ll either buy directly from Microsoft or a from someone who built a pc for me from now on. This! Thanks for this, I found the one she wanted here for $60 less than what Best Buy wanted, and sent her the link! Of course, a couple of days later she bought it from Best Buy anyway saying she was ‘more comfortable’ with them, and my son and I went over to set it up. For the record, it has so far had less bloatware than I was expecting. (but it was still $60 more than she should have paid) ---
**Author:** ![jtur88](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/e9c0ed/32.png) [@jtur88](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jtur88)\ **Post date:** [June 17, 2016, 5:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-every-pc-come-with-a-bunch-of-crap-loaded-on-it/755690/12 "2016-06-17T17:57:56Z")
The last two I bought were refurb laptops, and both were clean. Dell Latitude. ---
**Author:** ![BigT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bigt/32/12044_2.png) [@BigT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BigT)\ **Post date:** [June 18, 2016, 4:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-every-pc-come-with-a-bunch-of-crap-loaded-on-it/755690/13 "2016-06-18T16:08:45Z")
It’s generally not too hard to uninstall the bloatware now. I’d take off anything like those free to play games and at least disable anything that starts up on boot. ---
**Author:** ![RealityChuck](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/realitychuck/32/195_2.png) [@RealityChuck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RealityChuck)\ **Post date:** [June 18, 2016, 7:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-every-pc-come-with-a-bunch-of-crap-loaded-on-it/755690/14 "2016-06-18T19:17:19Z")
It’s not hard to remove a program from a PC. I just uninstall and move on. Only takes a few minutes. ---
**Author:** ![ftg](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ftg/32/2801_2.png) [@ftg](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ftg)\ **Post date:** [June 18, 2016, 8:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-every-pc-come-with-a-bunch-of-crap-loaded-on-it/755690/15 "2016-06-18T20:59:33Z")
There’s add-ons and then there’s add-ons. Of course you want to get rid of the trial software like McAfee. But OEMs also instill there own “helper” software. These manage settings of the PCs, do updates of drivers, etc. Almost all of these [seem](https://it.slashdot.org/story/15/12/09/2253208/dell-toshiba-and-lenovo-utilities-expose-pcs-to-more-attacks) to be horribly [insecure](https://tech.slashdot.org/story/16/06/02/1653245/top-windows-oem-lenovo-urges-customers-to-uninstall-accelerator-application). Lenovo is particularly [bad](https://tech.slashdot.org/story/16/05/06/1917204/lenovo-patches-serious-flaw-in-pre-installed-support-tool) at [this](https://tech.slashdot.org/story/16/06/02/1653245/top-windows-oem-lenovo-urges-customers-to-uninstall-accelerator-application). What’s worse, one of theirs is integrated with the BIOS to re-install [itself](https://tech.slashdot.org/story/15/08/12/1427259/lenovo-installed-software-on-laptops-that-persisted-after-complete-wipes) even after a complete disk wipe. It is difficult for a regular user to tell the difference between OEM installed drivers, etc. and OEM “maintenance” programs. I’ve never had to worry about this. I build (rather, continuously upgrade) my own PCs. ---
**Author:** ![Hari\_Seldon](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hari_seldon/32/5173_2.png) [@Hari\_Seldon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hari_Seldon)\ **Post date:** [June 20, 2016, 1:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-every-pc-come-with-a-bunch-of-crap-loaded-on-it/755690/16 "2016-06-20T01:41:45Z")
Do these Microsoft stores sell any true laptops? A Surface is not a laptop because it doesn’t really go on your lap easily. The nearest MS store to me is 350 miles away. ---
**Author:** ![AHarris](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/bcef8e/32.png) [@AHarris](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AHarris)\ **Post date:** [June 20, 2016, 5:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-every-pc-come-with-a-bunch-of-crap-loaded-on-it/755690/17 "2016-06-20T05:44:09Z")
> [@Hari\_Seldon](#): > > Do these Microsoft stores sell any true laptops? A Surface is not a laptop because it doesn’t really go on your lap easily. The nearest MS store to me is 350 miles away. The online store has laptops ([https://www.microsoftstore.com](https://www.microsoftstore.com)). I can’t speak to what a given retail location would have.