When your computer gets cramped, dump the crapware

By Thomas Schoerner Oct 2, 2011, 3:06 GMT

Munich - Your computer is brand new, so why is it running so slow? One need only take a look at the automatic start-up routines and the programme folder to see why ... it's full of crapware.

Little, if any of it, was ever knowingly installed by you. Often it came as part of a 'giant software package' or as 'completely free' applications or promises of a system that could 'plug in and play.' All have become standard sales offers - along with lower prices - as merchants try to move their hardware.

But once the computer is home and booted up, reality sets in. A lot of the freebies are actually quite annoying and slow down the computer. In short, the computer is full of crapware, which means its time to resort to self-defence tactics.

'Mostly, it's toolbars for a browser, demo programmes, access software for internet providers and anti-virus software that, once the test phase is over, constantly pester you with demands to buy the full version,' says Markus Hermannsdofer from the German computer magazine Chip.

Crapware is so common because computer makers generally receive money from software manufacturers for including their products on new computers. Consumers pay the real costs.

'Crapware demands updates, customer information and a lot more, which means it can take a half hour before you even make it to the Windows desktop,' says Hermannsdorfer.

Even after everything is set up, the extra programmes can spoil the fun. They take up hard drive space, burn up resources in the central processing unit and memory, or just slow down the system with functions running in the background.

'In extreme cases, it's not possible to really get work done any more, since the user is constantly interrupted by queries about installations or purchases,' says Hermannsdorfer.

Other forms of crapware include pre-installed browser toolbars that force people to use a certain search engine or direct them to certain websites. On laptops, this can even cut down on a battery's lifespan, since the unwanted programmes require more system activity and take up more power.

Most crapware causes no direct problems, though some caution is needed with pre-packaged anti-virus software.

'Security systems like anti-virus programmes are usually pre-installed in their most basic versions, which don't offer the necessary safety and, thereby, create a false sense of security,' warns Norbert Pohlmann of the Institute for Internet Security at the University of Applied Sciences in Gelsenkirchen, Germany.

A lot of users also fail to notice when their anti-virus trial period expires, meaning their systems suddenly become open to attack.

But there's no reason a computer buyer has to live with a clogged system. There is freeware, such as PC Decrapifier, available that sidelines a lot of the crapware.

But since not all software can recognize every kind of crapware, Hermannsdorfer recommends using a combination of various programmes for cleaning up a system. For example, pair up AppRemover and Revo Uninstaller with Decrapifier. All are freeware.

'But it's impossible to guarantee 100-per-cent removal,' says Pohlmann. 'The safest thing is to completely reinstall the computer.' But a completely new installation is only possible for users who own a complete Windows license. They can format a PC's hard drive and install the operating system afresh.

'That is the fastest and safest way to get rid of crapware,' says Hermannsdorfer. But a new installation isn't possible with OEM or recovery versions of Windows.

Don't confuse a system reset with the work of a Windows recovery CD. The Recovery process uses a hidden partition in the hard drive to restore the computer to its state at purchase, meaning all the crapware that was there at the start will be back.

Advanced computer users have more options. They can access the hard drive and delete the hidden Recovery partition. For that job, Hermannsdofer recommends GParted freeware, which can be run off a bootable Live CD or Live USB stick.

With its integrated Partimage tool, GParted also offers the option of creating a system backup. In the future, users should only use that file for restoring a computer, not the recovery CD.

Crapware is generally a problem only for private computer users. Business devices are usually delivered clean of crapware, meaning a better operating system and usually better service, although at a higher price.

Anyone buying a computer should consider the tradeoff: A lower price versus the effort it will take to remove the extra crapware that comes with the lower price.