Racheya Posted September 14, 2010 Share Posted September 14, 2010 I got a laptop through today in the post, one sent by our insurance company as a replacement for a broken one and it's going to be mine. The actual laptop isn't the problem, it's got Windows 7 and 1Gb of RAM (derp? >.<) which I'm going to get upgraded to 4Gb asap. What I want advice on, though, is what to do with it. It's full of annoying Toshiba software, I mean like almost 20 programs, and I've heard that doing a complete re-install is good for clearing out all the crap they give you. I can go through and clear out every program, but I just want to know if it's a good idea to do a re-install? A big problem is that it didn't come with a Windows 7 disk, like most OEMs, it just come with a recovery partition. At least, I think it's a recovery partition. There's 2 hard drives with about 70Gb each that I can see from the Computer. One called Windows one called Data. It has a HDD recovery folder in it. I'm pretty sure there's a recovery partition knocking about anyway (there HAS to be, seeing as I've no disks). So just some general advice, really. I've not had a new laptop in a very long time :P (Also I have a habit of screwing up computers/laptops the first time I touch them. I managed to make it so we had no user accounts on our old computer, then somehow made the DVD drive on my old laptop disappear O_o. So I'm a BIT wary, really, of doing anything that might mess it up :P) I edit for the [Tip.It Times]. I rarely write in [My Blog]. I am an [Ex-Moderator]. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rosanante1 Posted September 14, 2010 Share Posted September 14, 2010 I got a laptop through today in the post, one sent by our insurance company as a replacement for a broken one and it's going to be mine. The actual laptop isn't the problem, it's got Windows 7 and 1Gb of RAM (derp? >.<) which I'm going to get upgraded to 4Gb asap. What I want advice on, though, is what to do with it. It's full of annoying Toshiba software, I mean like almost 20 programs, and I've heard that doing a complete re-install is good for clearing out all the crap they give you. I can go through and clear out every program, but I just want to know if it's a good idea to do a re-install? A big problem is that it didn't come with a Windows 7 disk, like most OEMs, it just come with a recovery partition. At least, I think it's a recovery partition. There's 2 hard drives with about 70Gb each that I can see from the Computer. One called Windows one called Data. It has a HDD recovery folder in it. I'm pretty sure there's a recovery partition knocking about anyway (there HAS to be, seeing as I've no disks). So just some general advice, really. I've not had a new laptop in a very long time :P (Also I have a habit of screwing up computers/laptops the first time I touch them. I managed to make it so we had no user accounts on our old computer, then somehow made the DVD drive on my old laptop disappear O_o. So I'm a BIT wary, really, of doing anything that might mess it up :P) What I would do: uninstall all unwanted programs. my computer>add/remove programs>uninstall. Quick and easy. Hard to screw up!What my tecky son would do: find the W7 code on the label from the underside of computer. Download latest version of W7. Use the code to reinstall W7. BIG chance of screwing up! (Unless you know what you're doing).(Which you don't?!). Still the proud owner of Quest Cape since 8th December 2007All skills used to be 70 or higher. (Dang you Dungeoneering. Oh wait, it's not a skill...)Drops: Whips 8, Black Mask 8, D/Skirt 1, D/Spear 1, D/Shield Left Half 1, D/Boots 12, G/Maul 4, Range Ammy 1, Hexcrest 1. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tim Posted September 14, 2010 Share Posted September 14, 2010 If you have the key, just borrow a friends Windows 7 disc and use that with your key. Trust me, it works. As for Toshiba, that's probably their drivers. One reason I hate HP/Compaq etc are their god forsaken effing drivers. Spent 4 hours yesterday trying to fix a Compaq that was screwing up due to the drivers. <_< Popoto.~<3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gandorf61 Posted September 14, 2010 Share Posted September 14, 2010 I'm not sure if it's the same in your laptop but there should be a program in the start menu to create your own recovery discs, although I was using Vista on mine so it might not be the same. However when I did a clean install on my laptop using the discs it also put HP's stupid software back on as well. If I were you, I'd just manually uninstall anything you don't need through the control panel for best results. Pyramid Plunder Guide Tip.it Forum Rules Adventurer's LogThanks to Cowboy14 for the awesome sig! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Racheya Posted September 14, 2010 Author Share Posted September 14, 2010 Yeah, I made a recovery disk already and I'm just working through the 20-odd Toshiba programs, deleting the ones I don't need (Meaning most of them). These are what I've got atm: Toshiba Disk creator, dvd player, extended tiles, face recognition, flash cards support, hardware setup, HDD alaert, manuals, online product information, photo service, recovery media creator, recovery media reminder, reeltime, SD memory utilities, service station, value added package, web camera application... Yeah :mellow: WTF is a Value Added Package anyway? >.< I edit for the [Tip.It Times]. I rarely write in [My Blog]. I am an [Ex-Moderator]. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
obfuscator Posted September 14, 2010 Share Posted September 14, 2010 Lol, you think Toshiba is bad? My brother's Asus laptop came with 40 different pieces of crapware. Just uninstalling it is probably your best bet, that's what I did. "It's not a rest for me, it's a rest for the weights." - Dom Mazzetti Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sbrideau Posted September 14, 2010 Share Posted September 14, 2010 Lol, you think Toshiba is bad? My brother's Asus laptop came with 40 different pieces of crapware. Just uninstalling it is probably your best bet, that's what I did. Wow they changed as much as that? My Asus laptop only came with 2 or 3 crapware programs. I also never had trouble with HP drivers, to whoever said that. Your problem might come from drivers, but you're not in the right place if the drivers you get from HP's website doesn't work. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
obfuscator Posted September 14, 2010 Share Posted September 14, 2010 Lol, you think Toshiba is bad? My brother's Asus laptop came with 40 different pieces of crapware. Just uninstalling it is probably your best bet, that's what I did. Wow they changed as much as that? My Asus laptop only came with 2 or 3 crapware programs. I also never had trouble with HP drivers, to whoever said that. Your problem might come from drivers, but you're not in the right place if the drivers you get from HP's website doesn't work.Well I only had the experience with that one laptop, so I can't speak for all of them..but yeah, I was really surprised. "It's not a rest for me, it's a rest for the weights." - Dom Mazzetti Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jasignhagj Posted September 15, 2010 Share Posted September 15, 2010 Apparently Acer screwed Gateway up with a [cabbage] tonne of crapware when they bought them out, and stopped including clean install disks. Now Dell is the only manufacturer that I know of that doesn't do that, but Dells are so damn expensive. Moral of the story is - build your own computer or buy from a local custom build store. Guess that doesn't work for laptops though. Or you could just pay $99 for an OEM copy of 7, but that's kind of overkill. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Racheya Posted September 15, 2010 Author Share Posted September 15, 2010 I would have liked to have bought it myself, that way I wouldn't have ended up with 1Gb of RAM, but the insurance company just said "We're sending you this one" and I guess it could be work. I can actually play Portal on this laptop, it has an AMD Graphics card - not the Intel Chipsets a lot of laptops come with :D I'm just cleaning through the crapware now, but everything is a slow process until I can get my upgrade in 2 weeks. I edit for the [Tip.It Times]. I rarely write in [My Blog]. I am an [Ex-Moderator]. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sbrideau Posted September 15, 2010 Share Posted September 15, 2010 TheKingdomOfSpork HP computers prompt you to make the DVDs the first time you use it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
obfuscator Posted September 15, 2010 Share Posted September 15, 2010 I would have liked to have bought it myself, that way I wouldn't have ended up with 1Gb of RAM, but the insurance company just said "We're sending you this one" and I guess it could be work. I can actually play Portal on this laptop, it has an AMD Graphics card - not the Intel Chipsets a lot of laptops come with :D I'm just cleaning through the crapware now, but everything is a slow process until I can get my upgrade in 2 weeks.How many mobo ram slots do you have? I have some extra laptop RAM I'm looking to get rid of cheaply... "It's not a rest for me, it's a rest for the weights." - Dom Mazzetti Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Racheya Posted September 15, 2010 Author Share Posted September 15, 2010 I'm not really sure about that. Last time I got a ram upgrade I just took it to the local computer shop and he did it for me then and there... I wouldn't know how to do it myself or how to check. I edit for the [Tip.It Times]. I rarely write in [My Blog]. I am an [Ex-Moderator]. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
obfuscator Posted September 15, 2010 Share Posted September 15, 2010 It's quite easy, you literally just unscrew a little comparment in the back and count the clips. To put RAM in, you just clip it in, and release the clips to take it out. I assume you've got two slots (most laptops do) which means to upgrade to 4gb you'd need 2 2 gb sticks. I only have 1 gb sticks anyway... Edit: here's a picture "It's not a rest for me, it's a rest for the weights." - Dom Mazzetti Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Racheya Posted September 15, 2010 Author Share Posted September 15, 2010 I see, well I'll just wait and take it to the computer store. The guy there knows me from my old, rather disastrous, laptop :P He'll just charge me for the cost of RAM. I didn't know you had to get 2 sticks, so I guess it'll just be double what I paid for the 2Gb (Which was about £25, iirc). I might be able to use computers well, but I'm not really very well educated on the hardware of them :P I edit for the [Tip.It Times]. I rarely write in [My Blog]. I am an [Ex-Moderator]. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
obfuscator Posted September 15, 2010 Share Posted September 15, 2010 You don't necessarily HAVE to get two sticks - but most ram sticks are 2gb sized - therefore if you wanted to upgrade to 4gb you'd have to buy two. Or alternately, one, and add it to the 1gb you already have. You can buy them in bigger denominations(4gb for instance), but it tends to get more expensive. "It's not a rest for me, it's a rest for the weights." - Dom Mazzetti Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Laura Posted September 16, 2010 Share Posted September 16, 2010 Apparently Acer screwed Gateway up with a [cabbage] tonne of crapware when they bought them out, and stopped including clean install disks. Now Dell is the only manufacturer that I know of that doesn't do that, but Dells are so damn expensive. Moral of the story is - build your own computer or buy from a local custom build store. Guess that doesn't work for laptops though. Or you could just pay $99 for an OEM copy of 7, but that's kind of overkill.No, Dell does it too - unless you purchase a business machine. But even so, Dell usually comes in as the lowest bidder which is why the U.S. Military uses them. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sinkhan Posted September 16, 2010 Share Posted September 16, 2010 Consider getting a separate uninstalling utility like Revo Uninstaller or maybe CCleaner (not sure how good the cc uninstall utility is though) Something to fill my sig with until I find a replacement.Also check out my blug Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ouchy Posted September 16, 2010 Share Posted September 16, 2010 I'd also recommend PC Decrapifier. It removes all that kind of crap that comes with your machine: http://www.pcdecrapifier.com My relaxation method involves a bottle of lotion, beautiful women, and partial nudity. Yes I get massages. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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