this post was submitted on 13 Feb 2026

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The most common bloatware we found on laptops and how to get rid of them (www.which.co.uk)

submitted 1 week ago by Beep@lemmus.org to c/technology@lemmy.world

32 comments fedilink hide all child comments

Unwanted pre-installed software, known as bloatware, is the bane of new computer buyers. We give the lowdown on the worst offenders and how to get rid of ones you don’t need.

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[–] MonkderVierte@lemmy.zip 53 points 1 week ago (1 children)

Unwanted pre-installed software

Windows...

[–] nkat2112@sh.itjust.works 12 points 1 week ago

Exactly, thank you. It's interesting how the great culprit was omitted from the title.

[–] anothermember@feddit.uk 25 points 1 week ago (1 children)

Never a good idea to use a computer with the preinstalled operating system.

[+] dukemirage@lemmy.world -11 points 1 week ago (3 children)

So most people shouldn't be using PCs anymore, or...??

[–] magic_smoke@lemmy.blahaj.zone 21 points 1 week ago* (last edited 1 week ago) (2 children)

No you should install your own OS.

Even if you're using windows you should at least be using a cracked version of LTSC so you can stay away from win 11 while still catching sw updates.

[–] Alb@sh.itjust.works 2 points 1 week ago (2 children)

Any link to find a safe cracked version of LTSC ?

[–] magic_smoke@lemmy.blahaj.zone 4 points 1 week ago* (last edited 1 week ago) (1 children)

Sure.

You can verify windows ISO's with file hashes from here if you're paranoid.

[–] wizardbeard@lemmy.dbzer0.com 7 points 1 week ago (1 children)

To be a bit more direct, you shouldn't download "pre-cracked" isos. Just download the real install media and use mas-grave to spoof activation/licensing.

[–] magic_smoke@lemmy.blahaj.zone 4 points 1 week ago

Yes but enterprise LTSC (and others) isos can be harder to obtain legally.

Massgrave has mirrors of retail and OEM isos, and the other site I provided has checksums to verify their integrity.

[–] Imgonnatrythis@sh.itjust.works 1 points 1 week ago

Try https://zerobytes.monster/post/5225009

[–] dukemirage@lemmy.world -2 points 1 week ago (1 children)

Most people can't.

[–] magic_smoke@lemmy.blahaj.zone 12 points 1 week ago* (last edited 1 week ago) (1 children)

*won't

I very seriously doubt most people are physically or mentally incapable of taking an hour or two once to teach themselves how to preform a basic maintenance task on a machine they use daily.

Just as car owners should know how to put on a spare tire or replace a headlight, you should understand basic computer maintenance if you're an adult who relies on one.

[–] klymilark@herbicide.fallcounty.omg.lol 2 points 1 week ago (1 children)

I mean, most people should, yeah, but most don't. Hell, most people I know can't change a flat on their car, either, and I personally couldn't change my car's headlight. Probably would've figured it out, since I could change the spark plugs, but still. I think it also comes from a different source, though. It's always been anxiety over ruining things for tech, or sending all of your money to a Nigerian prince. Nowadays it's because tech has become more of a black box (like cars) for capitalism reasons, so most people just... Don't look into it. They don't fix their own cars, they don't fix their own computers, they take them to the dealership, or to GeekSquad.

I honestly don't even know if I would've learned half of what I know if I grew up with today's tech. It's a lot more locked down now, so you can't just curiously fuck around with it and see what you can do without breaking it

[–] in_my_honest_opinion@piefed.social 2 points 1 week ago

It’s a lot more locked down now, so you can’t just curiously fuck around with it and see what you can do without breaking it

All the more reason to learn more cool shit

https://github.com/HACKE-RC/awesome-reversing

[–] Fecundpossum@lemmy.world 8 points 1 week ago

No, they should be installing Linux on them after reformatting the provided SSD.

[–] anothermember@feddit.uk 4 points 1 week ago (2 children)

Why would you say that. It's true that most users take a blase attitude to security these days, and it's normalised by articles like this. It's just basic good practice, whether buying a new or used PC, to do a clean install because even if you think you've removed the bloatware, you can't really trust there's no secret malware. Especially these days when so many companies want to spy on users it really isn't just paranoia.

[–] dukemirage@lemmy.world 3 points 1 week ago* (last edited 1 week ago) (2 children)

All true, but most users don't have the know-how or resources to change anything about their OS so they're stuck with that, bad idea or not. Their alternative would be using no PC at all.

[–] anothermember@feddit.uk 9 points 1 week ago (1 children)

This is often the pushback I get when making this point but I would argue that especially non tech-savvy users are vulnerable. The alternative is asking a trusted friend to do a clean install, which should be the advice of this article, that or a guide on how to do it. It's irresponsible to publish an article aimed at a naive user who has received a computer full of bloatware and tell them to "just remove all the bloatware".

[–] dukemirage@lemmy.world 0 points 1 week ago (1 children)

Ok I'm with you that only removing the bloatware is bad advice, but my point stands that many people don't have any of these options. And I'd argue that getting spied on by ad agencies is better than being left behind at the digital divide.

[–] anothermember@feddit.uk 6 points 1 week ago

The article could have literally been a beginner's guide to installing an operating system instead. But for some reason in the last 20 years or so there's been a complete allergy to teaching anyone even the most elementary computer skills and it's holding society back. I'm not sure it is worth being spied on by ad agencies for what it's worth, especially if you're not going to learn to become any more than a passive consumer.

[–] ToTheGraveMyLove@sh.itjust.works 2 points 1 week ago (1 children)

Most everyone buying a laptop has the resources. Know-how is incredibly easy to fix. Installing a fresh OS isn't difficult at all. If you can't figure that much out then no, you probably shouldn't be using a PC Stop giving people a pass to be willfully ignorant.

[–] dukemirage@lemmy.world -3 points 1 week ago (1 children)

no thank, I'm good

[–] ToTheGraveMyLove@sh.itjust.works 2 points 1 week ago (1 children)

Then enjoy your spyware.

[–] dukemirage@lemmy.world -1 points 1 week ago

I wasn't talking about myself. Empathy is not a techie's forte.

[–] MonkderVierte@lemmy.zip 2 points 1 week ago* (last edited 1 week ago)

Although there were also pre-installed bootkits already (sits in the bootloader, installs itself on the new OS). Lenovo, Dell, i think HP too? Always laptops. And some Galaxy phones with Computrace.

[–] inclementimmigrant@lemmy.world 18 points 1 week ago

wipe and install any flavor Linux.

There I fixed the entire article for this guy.

[–] in_my_honest_opinion@piefed.social 18 points 1 week ago

[–] phoenixz@lemmy.ca 9 points 1 week ago

Most common bloatware is windows as it comes with bloatware for its bloatware

Install Linux bad he done with it

[–] Smoogs@lemmy.world 9 points 1 week ago

Step 1: I just wiped entire laptop and did linux.

Just Seemed easier.

[–] AgentBoom@lemmy.world 8 points 1 week ago* (last edited 1 week ago)

The most annoying bloatware I found on a laptop is HP Analytics. Its only purpose is to get data from you and sell it. It works in the background and you only notice it because the laptop is slow for unknown reasons. To "delete it", you must disable its service. If you want, you can change its folders permissions so you can delete them as admin. But it will install itself again in a few weeks and you will have to remove it once more, unless you never update Windows and drivers. HP Analytics works like a malware, but antivirus won't detect it. And you can find this on every HP modern laptop, so it's very common.

[–] timestatic@feddit.org 6 points 1 week ago

Laughs in arch linux

[–] Imgonnatrythis@sh.itjust.works 4 points 1 week ago

This website is bloat