\n\tIf you buy new PCs from OEMs, you are probably all too familiar with the plague known as “crapware”: the useless applications that come installed with Windows. Crapware wastes space, often ties up your RAM and CPU power, and can be a pain to get rid of. Here are five tools to help you deal with it.
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\n\tNote: You can read the full post in our Five Apps blog.
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\n\tPhoto credit: Copyright \u00a9 iStockphoto/LICreate
\n\tThe PC Decrapifier is a zero-install application that easily removes the most common pieces of junk that clutter up a new Windows PC. You can run it from a USB drive, which is especially useful for desktop support technicians. The PC Decrapifier has two low-priced purchase plans, one for commercial use and one for individuals.
\n\tSlimComputer removes crapware and performs basic performance tuning, such as disabling services and reordering startup items. It can also remove less intrusive items, like links to trial offers.
\n\tSlimComputer lets users give feedback on what applications should be included in the scans, and it uses a cloud-based system to get this crowdsourced data when you run a scan.
\n\tWinPatrol is available as a feature-limited free edition as well as a paid version. Read TechRepublic’s interview with WinPatrol’s author.
I am an all purpose IT person. If there's a generic job title in IT, I've probably had it, most likely more than once. Programmer, systems administrator, DBA, PC tech/repair, Help Desk, webmaster, web designer, web developer, applications developer, network engineering. Somehow I have managed to get my thumb stuck in each one of those pies!
