Install win 8 without bloatware?

New Acer laptop with Win 8.1 which has what I consider crapware installed.
I have removed some of it but was wondering if it would be worthwhile doing
a clean reinstall using the image provided he
http://windows.microsoft.com/en-us/w...-refresh-media
The intention would be to then update OS and drivers, install any programs I
want and make a usable image of it to replace Acer's factory reset.
Main worry is that I would run into problems with Windows activation or that
Acer BIOS would somehow stop me from doing it.
Advice appreciated, especially from anyone who has done this.

Kenny Cargill

Kenny wrote on 4/26/2015 5:14 AM:
New Acer laptop with Win 8.1 which has what I consider crapware installed. I have removed some of it but was wondering
if it would be worthwhile doing a clean reinstall using the image provided he
http://windows.microsoft.com/en-us/w...-refresh-media
The intention would be to then update OS and drivers, install any programs I want and make a usable image of it to
replace Acer's factory reset.
Main worry is that I would run into problems with Windows activation or that Acer BIOS would somehow stop me from doing it.
Advice appreciated, especially from anyone who has done this.

Kenny Cargill

You could try pulling the current product key with one of those keyfinder programs. And sometimes there is a label with
a key on the bottom of OEM machines. Both answers may not work. I've heard that isn't a real solution. I have a
Dell, and I was lucky enough to get a DVD with win7 on it but it was matched to the bios properly so I didn't have to
activate. And no bloat ware, that all came on a 2nd CD. Kind of a rare instance in my view. And I have win8
installed now, but that came with a key when I bought that $39.99 initial sale period.

If you have a good image of your system, a reload from that link you posted wouldn't hurt, just take up your time, and
if those keys don't work, then put the image back. That or a spare drive if you had one? Is it time to get a larger
HD or an SSD? A 2nd drive if easy to replace makes it simpler to try a reload and put the old one back.

You're idea is great though. I did that for the win8 install I have. Virgin load, I have all my software on a USB and
loaded all my apps, configured and tweaked etc then a few updates and then an image. It's my go to startup now. 20
minutes an I have a working machine, and I've got a small backup utility that picks out small config items like ini
files etc and registry tweaks that reset preferences. I can have my laptop reset in an hour.

Kenny wrote:
New Acer laptop with Win 8.1 which has what I consider crapware
installed. I have removed some of it but was wondering if it would be
worthwhile doing a clean reinstall using the image provided he
http://windows.microsoft.com/en-us/w...-refresh-media
The intention would be to then update OS and drivers, install any
programs I want and make a usable image of it to replace Acer's
factory reset. Main worry is that I would run into problems with Windows
activation
or that Acer BIOS would somehow stop me from doing it.
Advice appreciated, especially from anyone who has done this.

I used the image you linked to upgrade Win8 to 8.1 two days ago. After
doing so, I saw no advantage to 8.1 and put back an image of Win8. While
8.1 lived, it wanted to be activated; no idea if there would be a problem in
doing so, I didn't bother to try.

I had the win8.1 update on a bootable DVD and my Acer BIOS would not let me
boot from it. In BIOS, I had to assign a password for "supervisor", doing
that allowed me access to what I needed to change to boot the DVD.

--

dadiOH
____________________________

Winters getting colder? Tired of the rat race?
Taxes out of hand? Maybe just ready for a change?
Check it out... http://www.floridaloghouse.net

dadiOH wrote on 4/26/2015 9:32 AM:
Kenny wrote:
New Acer laptop with Win 8.1 which has what I consider crapware
installed. I have removed some of it but was wondering if it would be
worthwhile doing a clean reinstall using the image provided he
http://windows.microsoft.com/en-us/w...-refresh-media
The intention would be to then update OS and drivers, install any
programs I want and make a usable image of it to replace Acer's
factory reset. Main worry is that I would run into problems with Windows
activation
or that Acer BIOS would somehow stop me from doing it.
Advice appreciated, especially from anyone who has done this.

I used the image you linked to upgrade Win8 to 8.1 two days ago. After
doing so, I saw no advantage to 8.1 and put back an image of Win8. While
8.1 lived, it wanted to be activated; no idea if there would be a problem in
doing so, I didn't bother to try.

I had the win8.1 update on a bootable DVD and my Acer BIOS would not let me
boot from it. In BIOS, I had to assign a password for "supervisor", doing
that allowed me access to what I needed to change to boot the DVD.

Really, you're still on 8.0? 8.1 has so many fixes and is way so much better than 8.0
I'm pretty sure that the ISO for 8.1 is just the initial 8.1 update and has none of the later patches/fixes, but I like
it so much better, once I put a 3rd party start menu on it and got off the metro screen. :-)

On Sun, 26 Apr 2015 10:14:39 +0100, Kenny wrote:

New Acer laptop with Win 8.1 which has what I consider crapware
installed. I have removed some of it but was wondering if it would be
worthwhile doing a clean reinstall using the image provided he
http://windows.microsoft.com/en-us/w...-refresh-media
The intention would be to then update OS and drivers, install any
programs I want and make a usable image of it to replace Acer's factory
reset.
Main worry is that I would run into problems with Windows activation or
that Acer BIOS would somehow stop me from doing it.
Advice appreciated, especially from anyone who has done this.

Kenny Cargill

What's wrong with just removing the unwanted stuff using either windows
remove programs or ccleaner.
As far as I know, the recovery partition on my Dell contains an image of
the machine as supplied. I did get a set of dvd's with my laptop, nothing
with a later desktop.

Reading a bit further I believe that before you can download that ISO your
PC is checked for a valid Windows 8, you can only dl the same version, it
should be pre-activated and only work on that PC.

Kenny

"Dave" wrote in message ...

On Sun, 26 Apr 2015 10:14:39 +0100, Kenny wrote:

New Acer laptop with Win 8.1 which has what I consider crapware
installed. I have removed some of it but was wondering if it would be
worthwhile doing a clean reinstall using the image provided he
http://windows.microsoft.com/en-us/w...-refresh-media
The intention would be to then update OS and drivers, install any
programs I want and make a usable image of it to replace Acer's factory
reset.
Main worry is that I would run into problems with Windows activation or
that Acer BIOS would somehow stop me from doing it.
Advice appreciated, especially from anyone who has done this.

Kenny Cargill

What's wrong with just removing the unwanted stuff using either windows
remove programs or ccleaner.
As far as I know, the recovery partition on my Dell contains an image of
the machine as supplied. I did get a set of dvd's with my laptop, nothing
with a later desktop.

On Sun, 26 Apr 2015 10:14:39 +0100, Kenny wrote:

New Acer laptop with Win 8.1 which has what I consider crapware installed.

PC Decrapifier
http://www.pcdecrapifier.com/download

--
s|b

On 04/26/2015 09:49 AM, Dave wrote:
On Sun, 26 Apr 2015 10:14:39 +0100, Kenny wrote:

New Acer laptop with Win 8.1 which has what I consider crapware
installed. I have removed some of it but was wondering if it would be
worthwhile doing a clean reinstall using the image provided he
http://windows.microsoft.com/en-us/w...-refresh-media
The intention would be to then update OS and drivers, install any
programs I want and make a usable image of it to replace Acer's factory
reset.
Main worry is that I would run into problems with Windows activation or
that Acer BIOS would somehow stop me from doing it.
Advice appreciated, especially from anyone who has done this.

Kenny Cargill

What's wrong with just removing the unwanted stuff using either windows
remove programs or ccleaner.
As far as I know, the recovery partition on my Dell contains an image of
the machine as supplied. I did get a set of dvd's with my laptop, nothing
with a later desktop.




Though it could take as long as an hour or so to remove all the
"crapware" it would certainly take less time than a total re-install.

Per Dave:
What's wrong with just removing the unwanted stuff using either windows
remove programs or ccleaner.
As far as I know, the recovery partition on my Dell contains an image of
the machine as supplied. I did get a set of dvd's with my laptop, nothing
with a later desktop.

My SOP is to do that: us Programs and Features to uninstall the junk and
then use the imaging app of choice to create a "Good" system image,
leaving the recovery partition untouched and as my last-ditch backup.

The corollary, of course, is to partition the hard drive into C:
(System) and D: (Data) and adopt the discipline of not saving data to
the System partition.... makes re-imaging much less painful...
--
Pete Cresswell

Kenny wrote:
New Acer laptop with Win 8.1 which has what I consider crapware
installed. I have removed some of it but was wondering if it would be
worthwhile doing a clean reinstall using the image provided he
http://windows.microsoft.com/en-us/w...-refresh-media
The intention would be to then update OS and drivers, install any
programs I want and make a usable image of it to replace Acer's factory
reset.
Main worry is that I would run into problems with Windows activation or
that Acer BIOS would somehow stop me from doing it.
Advice appreciated, especially from anyone who has done this.

Kenny Cargill


Windows 8 is different, when it comes to OEM PCs.

If you download media from Microsoft, and install a
version of OS that matches what is on the machine
now (Core versus Pro), then the license key is
stored in the BIOS. The Retail installation
will find the key and use it, automagically.

If the version of OS you got does not say "Pro", then
it is likely Core/Home type.

You can re-install using retail media if you want.

*******

This is the recipe for fetching the *custom* key
installed per Win8 OEM PC. This is different
than SLIC activation used with older OSes like
Windows 7.

"Extract license key from win8 OEM machine.

1- Download and create a Linux Live CD, Linux Mint or Ubuntu for example
2- launch it
3- open the console called Terminal
4- type:

ls /sys/firmware/acpi/tables

it will shows you if you have a MSDM table

5- then type: sudo hd /sys/firmware/acpi/tables/MSDM

[Hex Dump...]

the license will shows up on the right of the output."

You should not need to actually extract the key, as
the Windows 8 Retail media is going to sniff for
it and get it anyway. So on Win8 OEM, the BIOS has
MSDM rather than using the older SLIC method. And
SLIC doesn't have a custom key anyway, and is
more associated with bulk activation issues.

HTH,
Paul

dadiOH wrote:
Kenny wrote:
New Acer laptop with Win 8.1 which has what I consider crapware
installed. I have removed some of it but was wondering if it would be
worthwhile doing a clean reinstall using the image provided he
http://windows.microsoft.com/en-us/w...-refresh-media
The intention would be to then update OS and drivers, install any
programs I want and make a usable image of it to replace Acer's
factory reset. Main worry is that I would run into problems with Windows
activation
or that Acer BIOS would somehow stop me from doing it.
Advice appreciated, especially from anyone who has done this.

I used the image you linked to upgrade Win8 to 8.1 two days ago. After
doing so, I saw no advantage to 8.1 and put back an image of Win8. While
8.1 lived, it wanted to be activated; no idea if there would be a problem in
doing so, I didn't bother to try.

I had the win8.1 update on a bootable DVD and my Acer BIOS would not let me
boot from it. In BIOS, I had to assign a password for "supervisor", doing
that allowed me access to what I needed to change to boot the DVD.


You used the reset/refresh pc to upgrade from 8.0 to 8.1 ?

Fyi...8.0 is legacy ware, support ends Oct 2015, thereafter only *8.1
Update* (not 8.1 RTM) will receive program and security updates.


--
...winston
msft mvp consumer apps

Dave wrote:

Kenny wrote:

New Acer laptop with Win 8.1 which has what I consider crapware
installed.

What's wrong with just removing the unwanted stuff

I too have a new Acer (E3-112) and while it did come with the usual
games, browser shortcuts, trial anti-virus, trial office365, and
unnecessary utilities, I didn't find any of them left any traces behind
after un-installing.

Also replaced the Acer provided drivers with "vanilla" ones from the
relevant device manufacturers.

.. . .winston wrote:
dadiOH wrote:
Kenny wrote:
New Acer laptop with Win 8.1 which has what I consider crapware
installed. I have removed some of it but was wondering if it would
be worthwhile doing a clean reinstall using the image provided he
http://windows.microsoft.com/en-us/w...-refresh-media
The intention would be to then update OS and drivers, install any
programs I want and make a usable image of it to replace Acer's
factory reset. Main worry is that I would run into problems with
Windows activation
or that Acer BIOS would somehow stop me from doing it.
Advice appreciated, especially from anyone who has done this.

I used the image you linked to upgrade Win8 to 8.1 two days ago. After
doing so, I saw no advantage to 8.1 and put back an image of
Win8. While 8.1 lived, it wanted to be activated; no idea if there would
be a
problem in doing so, I didn't bother to try.

I had the win8.1 update on a bootable DVD and my Acer BIOS would not
let me boot from it. In BIOS, I had to assign a password for
"supervisor", doing that allowed me access to what I needed to
change to boot the DVD.

You used the reset/refresh pc to upgrade from 8.0 to 8.1 ?

No, it was a 4GB +- DVD, the contents of which I had d/l from somewhere
months ago. Click "setup.exe" and an hour later I had Win 8.1 PRO instead
of Win 8 (plain).

Fyi...8.0 is legacy ware, support ends Oct 2015, thereafter only *8.1
Update* (not 8.1 RTM) will receive program and security updates.

NP, I don't update MS stuff anyway. I figure they have had 30+ years to get
things right and if they haven't (they haven't) they never will. I still
use XP on my desktop puter.

--

dadiOH
____________________________

Winters getting colder? Tired of the rat race?
Taxes out of hand? Maybe just ready for a change?
Check it out... http://www.floridaloghouse.net

On Mon, 27 Apr 2015 02:04:35 -0400, ". . .winston"
wrote:

dadiOH wrote:

I used the image you linked to upgrade Win8 to 8.1 two days ago. After
doing so, I saw no advantage to 8.1 and put back an image of Win8. While
8.1 lived, it wanted to be activated; no idea if there would be a problem in
doing so, I didn't bother to try.

I had the win8.1 update on a bootable DVD and my Acer BIOS would not let me
boot from it. In BIOS, I had to assign a password for "supervisor", doing
that allowed me access to what I needed to change to boot the DVD.


You used the reset/refresh pc to upgrade from 8.0 to 8.1 ?

Fyi...8.0 is legacy ware, support ends Oct 2015, thereafter only *8.1
Update* (not 8.1 RTM) will receive program and security updates.

What's the best way to ensure that we're on the version that will receive
program and security updates?

dadiOH wrote:
. . .winston wrote:
dadiOH wrote:
Kenny wrote:
New Acer laptop with Win 8.1 which has what I consider crapware
installed. I have removed some of it but was wondering if it would
be worthwhile doing a clean reinstall using the image provided he
http://windows.microsoft.com/en-us/w...-refresh-media
The intention would be to then update OS and drivers, install any
programs I want and make a usable image of it to replace Acer's
factory reset. Main worry is that I would run into problems with
Windows activation
or that Acer BIOS would somehow stop me from doing it.
Advice appreciated, especially from anyone who has done this.

I used the image you linked to upgrade Win8 to 8.1 two days ago. After
doing so, I saw no advantage to 8.1 and put back an image of
Win8. While 8.1 lived, it wanted to be activated; no idea if there would
be a
problem in doing so, I didn't bother to try.

I had the win8.1 update on a bootable DVD and my Acer BIOS would not
let me boot from it. In BIOS, I had to assign a password for
"supervisor", doing that allowed me access to what I needed to
change to boot the DVD.

You used the reset/refresh pc to upgrade from 8.0 to 8.1 ?

No, it was a 4GB +- DVD, the contents of which I had d/l from somewhere
months ago. Click "setup.exe" and an hour later I had Win 8.1 PRO instead
of Win 8 (plain).

Fyi...8.0 is legacy ware, support ends Oct 2015, thereafter only *8.1
Update* (not 8.1 RTM) will receive program and security updates.

NP, I don't update MS stuff anyway. I figure they have had 30+ years to get
things right and if they haven't (they haven't) they never will. I still
use XP on my desktop puter.


That DVD approach makes more sense since this didn't.

"I used the image you linked to upgrade Win8 to 8.1 two days ago"
The link -
http://windows.microsoft.com/en-us/w...-refresh-media


--
...winston
msft mvp consumer apps