Windows Netbook Nightmare

[zongamin 10]

Aaaaargh!

 

I had the misfortune last night of setting up a brand new Windows Netbook, running XP. (Not my choice of OS, but not my netbook).

 

It took 4 whole hours and at least 12 restarts just to get it to a usable position to hand over to the user.

 

The main problem is removing all of the awful crapware and trailware they put on there. It came with time limited versions of McAfee, Office, about 15 rubbish 'games', and loads of rubbish 'utilities' that the idiot manufacturer had set to load on start up - garbage that you really don't want eating into to a modestly powered netbook.

 

The Windows updates themselves (there were 81) took nearly an hour, and counted for 3 of the reboots - this on a machine that is stamped on the bottom as having been built in October of this year.

Removing Macaffee took two, then installing the new security software took another two.

Even removing one of the GAMES took another reboot! - What??

 

It really is no wonder that people end up turning off updates and closing error messages, inevitably leaving themselves open to all manner of malware - it is annoying, confusing and time consuming, even for someone who knows what there are doing.

 

Windows is absolute rubbish- I'll be suggesting Ubuntu is installed as soon as possible.

[cbr6man 10]

You should just get yourself an OEM XP SP3 disk like I have, no messin. Install XP with all the usual Next, Next, UK language, no, really, UK!!, Finish. Then just do the ever growing heap of updates since SP3. Simple.

No crapware or AV to worry about, just bare Win XP, aaahh. Mind you, on a netbook, Win 7 all the way I'm affraid.

[tynan 10]

Was it a samsung

I agree with cbr6man 2 gig of ram and windows 7

[anywebsite 10]

linux does save a hell of a lot of headaches.

[Eric_Collins 11]

When i got mine it was on winxp and crammed with trialwear rubbish , so i formated it.

 

I'm on windows 7 on my netbook eeepc 904hd, 960htz cpu and 1gb DDR ram.

 

it's nice and quick, plays games and feels like a more powerful machine. From turn on to use is about 20 seconds, windows media center plays good on it.

 

The only issue i have is my T-Mobile dongle blue screens the pc if you boot with it in the USB port. I'm sure it's a driver fault and will be fixed soon, but i just boot with it out and the pc is fine.

[Greengeek 10]

and creates a whole lot more. You're telling me a new user would go through the hassle of changing all the PGP keys for the update process like I had to a month or two ago?

Or explain to the end user why everything they download won't work?

 

You just need to run PCDecrapify on the offending new computer and you can pick everthing to uninstall in an unattended fashion.

[zongamin 10]

Was it a samsung

I agree with cbr6man 2 gig of ram and windows 7

 

Yes it was! Never comes across so much cr*pware in my life

[DeathAxe 10]

Ok, you say windows XP is rubbish based on a modified version made by the maker of the laptop?

 

That same maker could make a modified install of ubuntu and put on their own useless software aswell, does that make ubuntu rubbish?

 

As you where installing the OS for a person that cannot do it themselvs, then linux would be the complete wrong choice for them.

 

Windows is easy to use for an average pc user, plenty of compatable software etc etc. With some of the most simple things in linux you need to learn the sudo command lines etc. Good for geeks that like to mess around, but not for an average user. (not saying being geeky is bad, I like to mess around with linux too)

 

Funny though, the op cannot be an advanced pc user as they did not install the OS from a real disc, and instead chose to make it harder for themselvs and used the recovery disc. No offence of course.