Tip #4005 - The PC Decrapifier
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The
PC Decrapifier
I know that name sounds
a little funny, but make sure you keep reading, because I think you're
really going to like this one. Trust me!
Why, oh why do computer
manufactures load their new machines with so much garbage?
You know what I mean.
Thirty day trials of this, cut down versions of that, advertisements to
buy other programs, a whole host of utilities, nameless toolbars and who
knows what else. And that’s even before you’ve started putting
what you want on it!
Even more, the real
problem is that unless we are computer experts, we are terrified of removing
any of that junk ourselves, just in case it’s a vital component
of the system that we don't know about. Or, who knows, we could invalidate
a guarantee or something just as horrible.
Well, thankfully,
someone has recognized the problem and has given us a (free for private
use) simple solution!
It is ever so elegantly
called the Decrapifier.
Now, just two words
of warning before we begin this journey. First, this only works on Windows
XP and Vista systems and secondly, it is specially designed for new computers
and is not made to deal with the uninstallation process. (If you need
to do that, Windows has its own Add/Remove Programs utility under the
Control Panel).
Alright, allow me
to give you all a brief overview of the program and show you how to install
and use it.
To begin, go to this
Web site and find the download
page. It will look like this:
Click on the link
shown below:
Save it to wherever
you want it to be on your computer and then hit Run to
start the download.
Note:
A warning message may come up, like the one shown below, but this is nothing
to be worried about. Just continue on with the process.
That will then be
followed by this message:
Now, I'm not sure
why you would have gone to the trouble of downloading and installing the
program if you didn’t want to run it, but choose either Yes
or No for this part!
If all is well, you
will be greeted by this welcome screen:
Then you will see
this screen:
Please note the warning
message, that of which I have highlighted in red.
Sometimes you will
get free limited trial versions of standard programs (like the Microsoft
Office Suite, for example). On the other hand, you might have either paid
for or installed a full version. Either way, the Decrapifier program cannot
distinguish between the two, so be very careful, in this case, not
to delete a full version of a highlighted program.
Now, before we get
into running the program, Decrapifier gives you the option of setting
a Windows restore point. I suggest you do it if you value your sanity.
You know, just in case!
Hitting Next
will finally get you into running the program. It will come up
with a screen like, but probably not identical to, this one:
This is a list of
the programs that Decrapifier thinks might be what is called "bloatware."
You know, unnecessary and probably, unused programs.
Go carefully through
this list (remembering my earlier warnings) and checkmark what you want
to remove.
Once you’ve
done that, it’s just a case of clicking the Next button
and you'll then see this final screen:
Note the suggestion
that you should reboot your computer. It's recommend that you do this
so that any files that might be locked can be removed as well.
So, there you have
it. A new "lean and mean" machine ready to jump into action,
without all the unnecessary clutter that would normally slow it down.
And we owe it all to Decrapifier!
~ David Woodford
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