How Do You Deal With Windows PC Crapware? [We Ask You]

While I’m no Windows or Microsoft fanboy (believing fanboys of all persuasions to be as bad as one another) I do use Windows more than any other operating system. It has had its ups (XP, 7) and its downs (ME, Vista), and it’s set to be tested when Microsoft re-imagines it with the new Metro UI in Windows 8, but it’s still the Windows we know and love. Or hate, depending on your point of view.
One thing that annoys every Windows user is the crapware that comes pre-installed on new computers. This isn’t actually Microsoft’s fault, despite what some people think, but thanks to PC manufacturers bundling a load of software onto their machines before they get sold in stores, it’s a problem, regardless of who is to blame. Which leads us to this week’s ‘We Ask You‘ question.

PC manufacturers bundle pre-installed software with new computers for two reasons: to ensure some features work straight out the box without a need for the end user to search for a solution themselves, and to save money. Both are legitimate reasons; the first saves n00bs from getting frustrated, the second keeps the cost of buying a new PC down as low as it is.
However, that doesn’t stop it from being really annoying. Anyone who knows a little about computers would rather start with a clean slate and a fresh version of Windows. They can then fill it with their own crap in their own time. Inspired by Microsoft’s recently announced Signature program which sees the company remove all the detritus for you for $99, the timing seems ripe to ask what you do to combat Windows PC crapware?
Do you leave it all on your new PC and work around it? Do you sort through each added program in turn, deleting those you deem unnecessary? Do you use software designed to remove crapware with the minimum of fuss? If so, which software? Do you use a workaround to get a clean Windows install? Let us know in the comments section below.
All comments will be digested to form conclusions in a follow-up post next week where we will detail what ‘You Told Us’. One reader will be chosen for the coveted ‘Comment Of The Week’, having their name put up in lights for all to marvel over. What more motivation than that do you need to respond?
‘We Ask You‘ is a weekly column dedicated to finding out the opinions of MakeUseOf readers. The questions asked are usually open-ended and likely to start a conversation. Some are opinion-based, while others see you sharing tips and advice, or advocating tools and apps to fellow MakeUseOf readers. This column is nothing without you, as MakeUseOf is nothing without you.
Image Credit: A Florian

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Posted in: Crapware,Windows