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We used PC Decrapifier successfully many times on XP. Just recently, we reloaded a Sony Vista machine, and we were very disappointed at how slow and ineffective it was. Also noted there is now a $20 version, so perhaps it's just a way to earn revenue.

Now bare in mind it was necessary to spend an hour or so with Sony tech to remove "their" toolbar full of nags for further purchases... (why do they do that?

Bottom line? Is there anything out there like Decrap, that does a good/better job?

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Not just the "crappy" software, but the nag stuff... Dell, for instance, had about 6 entries... Not in add/remove. We ended up de-selecting the stuff when reloading.

When we used add/remove on this Sony, they were removed from the list but that dang things were still in the device manager, cranking away at start up...

It's an "in-your-face" PITA, IMHO...

The old PC Decrapifier worked very well...

Edited by bozodog
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I really don't understand what the OP is trying to get at.

Use Add/Remove programs

Delete any orphaned startup entries using autoruns

Type services.msc into the search/run box and turn off any networking services, or services that relate to software that you don't want running. Basically just google the service and do some research on it.

The items in the device manager are drivers that correlate to hardware.

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I think he's saying there was a program he was satisfied with that automated the process with XP, but couldn't find a satisfactory substitute for Vista. I agree that, with enough sluething and work on your part, you can, eventually, get rid of the crappola.

Related note: I did all that with my new system but weeks later, when I clicked on a link somewhere, a browser window popped up that STILL had that "IE by Dell" crap in the title bar. Thought I'd gotten rid of it, but it's still in there somewhere. <_<

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I think he's saying there was a program he was satisfied with that automated the process with XP, but couldn't find a satisfactory substitute for Vista. I agree that, with enough sluething and work on your part, you can, eventually, get rid of the crappola.

Related note: I did all that with my new system but weeks later, when I clicked on a link somewhere, a browser window popped up that STILL had that "IE by Dell" crap in the title bar. Thought I'd gotten rid of it, but it's still in there somewhere. <_<

I still don't get what he means?

@related note

that is a registry entry that you can change, just google it, but why even use IE cancer when you can have firefox, it's far superior.

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I think he's saying there was a program he was satisfied with that automated the process with XP, but couldn't find a satisfactory substitute for Vista. I agree that, with enough sluething and work on your part, you can, eventually, get rid of the crappola.

That's it! We run a small computer service business and are trying to keep costs down for our customers. Sure we can dig around here and there to get rid of extraneous stuff, but it takes time, time we we can use making money with out raising our rates.

Now bare in mind it was necessary to spend an hour or so with Sony tech to remove "their" toolbar full of nags for further purchases...

Even a Sony Tech needed an hour remotely on the machine to clear it's OWN crap. Funny thing, it was for add-on sales, that if/when purchased, the nag toolbar would still be there...

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PC Decrapifier Version 2.0.0 works on Vista PCs. The commericial version just adds a couple of items and the $20 cost is per technician not PC.

Precisely.

A lot of applications which have freeware versions specify that they are for individuals in home use.

If you are a technician who gets paid for your services the EULA requires you to buy the license since you are making money off of their product.

The nice thing about PC Decrapifier is that it simplifies the cleanup. It automates the uninstall of the more common trial offers and bundled nagware which otherwise you could spend hours going through add/remove programs and deleting folders and shortcuts and scheduled tasks etc.

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You could read that EULA two ways Pete.

1. What you said: if you get paid, you can't benefit from it or use it.

2. The way I see it: If the machine you are using it on aids a business, you can't benefit from it.

I believe it can be used on personal machines, no matter what the person using it is getting paid. It's not the software the customer is paying for, it's the knowledge of that software and the knowledge of how to use that software that the customer is paying for.

How would you view this situation Pete?

Situation: Lisa pays John 20 bucks an hour to instruct her how to clean her machine. Lisa downloads PC Decrapifier onto her machine by the instruction of John. John instructs her how to use it and helps her clean her machine with it. John gets paid 60 bucks, Lisa has a clean machine. Lisa's machine is just her personal computer and isn't used for any business purpose. Was the EULA breached?

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PC Decrapifier Version 2.0.0 works on Vista PCs. The commericial version just adds a couple of items and the $20 cost is per technician not PC.

It just doesn't work as well as we remember. As I said, many things that were removed, remained

running at start up. This in turn made the machine extremely slow starting. It could just be a Vista thing, but we'll find out soon because a new HDD for my XP machine is in my future.

$20 for a new, start up business is a tough call. Effective advertising is costly and we're struggling to "get our name out there". Once we're paying the bills, purchasing software is next on our list...

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I'd say your time is worth the twenty bucks, but I don't know your situation of course. MY time would be worth it.

When you say it's not as effective, do you mean the latest version? I'm sure OEM's have come up with new ways to annoy customers who don't WANT to be hounded by useless junk, maybe the latest version's better or will soon be. At any rate, even if it gets rid of SOME of the junk, that's junk YOU don't have to ferret out wasting valuable time.

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