How can I tell what’s bloatware and what’s important?

[Bastila Shan]

My msi laptop came with some bloatware, I’ve disabled the obvious programs but how do I know what’s important for the laptop like drivers that make the leds and track pad, etc work properly?

[Omega]

Reinstalling Windows would be the easy way to get rid of all the crap. They also quite often install custom drivers to increase battery life at the cost of performance and stuff like that. I just highly recommend reinstalling the OS.

Almost everything listed under Programs and Features is bloatware, including the touchpad and camera stuff.

[Bastila Shan]

How do I find my windows key if I reinstall?

[tacoshy]

You don't need it. It's saved on the MoBo. Just say you don't have a key and it reactivates itself when you're online.

[Bastila Shan]

I see, thanx

[Omega]

引用自 Hoboslayer：

How do I find my windows key if I reinstall?

You don't need to. Windows 10 stores it's key in BIOS. After reinstalling Windows it will reactivate itself again.

Download the Media creation tool from the Microsoft website. It can found here[www.microsoft.com]. Then use the media creation tool to download and mount the Windows 10 installation files on a flash drive. Then once the tool is done go in to the BIOS and boot from the flash drive.

To do a proper clean install delete all partitions from the OS drive on the "where do you want to install Windows?" screen before continuing with the installation.

If you have some important data on the PC and no external storage to temporarily store it on simply keep pressing next during the installation and all the way at the end it will ask if it should create a Windows.old. Windows.old is a folder which will be stored on C:/ and contains all data from the old Windows installation but it does take up a lot of space and will have to be manually removed with disk cleanup after your data has been copied from it.

[RGX12]

You don't need to go through the hassle of a reinstall. Download PC Decrap-ifier and it'll take care of the bulk of the bloatware.

https://www.pcdecrapifier.com/

[tacoshy]

wouldnt call a reinstall a hazzle. Then you know exactly what you have and only that what is really needed and with a fast SSD it is a thing of 15-20 minutes. Espacially if the PC is new and you have no stuff installed anyways.

However not a fan of installing unessary programs to get rid of unessary programs.

[End0fDayz]

Yep, format it and reinstall windows.. it'll most likely pick up 99% of the drivers you need when installing and then you can just install whatever you want/update whatever you want. Your windows key (at least on my alienware laptop) is tied to a windows account that you gotta enter when you format and install windows. The mobotherboard should have nothing to do with it th ese days like it used to w/ OEM stuff.

[tacoshy]

引用自 End0fDayz：

Yep, format it and reinstall windows.. it'll most likely pick up 99% of the drivers you need when installing and then you can just install whatever you want/update whatever you want. Your windows key (at least on my alienware laptop) is tied to a windows account that you gotta enter when you format and install windows. The mobotherboard should have nothing to do with it th ese days like it used to w/ OEM stuff.

it still does. The key is always saved on the MoBo making an online Windows account unecessary. Most ppl dont even use an online account. And its not just an OEM feature. Also retail license get stored on the motherboards

[Dr.Shadowds 🐉]

Two options.

A. Check each app that's install, and find out what it does, if not needed remove it, simple as that.

B. Reformat the system, install, and update the apps you need, or want.

引用自 Hoboslayer：

How do I find my windows key if I reinstall?

Should have a sticker on the laptop with the key on it. Or contact the manufacturer to get your key if you were not given a key.

[tacoshy]

引用自 Dr.Shadowds 🐉：

Two options.

A. Check each app that's install, and find out what it does, if not needed remove it, simple as that.

B. Reformat the system, install, and update the apps you need, or want.

引用自 Hoboslayer：

How do I find my windows key if I reinstall?

Should have a sticker on the laptop with the key on it. Or contact the manufacturer to get your key if you were not given a key.

With Windows 10, laptops not having a key on the license sticker anymore. The only key on stickers for Windows 10 are refurbished COA's (the brown one). Doesnt matetr anymore tho since a few years the license is sored on the motherboards and reactivates itself by default.

[Azza ☠]

Bloatware isn't a virus or anything malicious, you could just go under Start > Settings > Apps > Uninstall what you don't want. No need to reinstall the entire Operating System just for that. 5 minute job, rather than the entire day.

[tacoshy]

Find all bloatware first. Re-installing an OS of a new PC with nothing on is a loss of 15 minutes max.

[Azza ☠]

引用自 tacoshy：

Find all bloatware first. Re-installing an OS of a new PC with nothing on is a loss of 15 minutes max.

Well you don't actually reinstall Win 10, rather reset it.

Start > Settings > Updates & Security > Recovery > Reset this PC

That just does the OS itself, without touching anything around it. So you would need to uninstall the Bloatware you don't want first. That will remove any linkage in the OS itself however.

If you clean reinstall, then you must...

- Backup personal documents

- Media USB install an OS Build version > Then update all the patches back up to the latest build, as Win 10 is a service, not a product.

- Reinstall your motherboard drivers

- Reinstall all apps and games

- Restore personal documents

It's more than just 15 minutes in my books and you get around the same result.

[tacoshy]

引用自 Azza ☠：

引用自 tacoshy：

Find all bloatware first. Re-installing an OS of a new PC with nothing on is a loss of 15 minutes max.

Well you don't actually reinstall Win 10, rather reset it.

Start > Settings > Updates & Security > Recovery > Reset this PC

That just does the OS itself, without touching anything around it. So you would need to uninstall the Bloatware you don't want first. That will remove any linkage in the OS itself however.

If you clean reinstall, then you must...

- Backup personal documents

- Media USB install an OS Build version > Then update all the patches back up to the latest build, as Win 10 is a service, not a product.

- Reinstall your motherboard drivers

- Reinstall all apps and games

- Restore personal documents

It's more than just 15 minutes in my books and you get around the same result.

We talk about a fresh laptop where nothing has been stored so far...there is nothing to restore yet.