Fighting Bloat

[sbjoe]

Ever since I got my refurbished T42p I've been vaguely troubled that it didn't come with an install disk. Initially I created the set of rescue disks & put that concern aside. Since fairly recently having a none too salubrious experience with creating a backup with Rescue & Recovery that concern has resurfaced. I recently made myself an XP installation disk with SP3 slipstreamed and confirmed function with a spare - the original - hard drive.

My inclination is to build on this new install and eliminate a lot of the stuff that came preinstalled from IBM, stuff that I seldom or never access. First question: is this a horrible idea on its face? Second question, assuming a negative answer to the first: what is particularly worth including in the new installation from the IBM/Lenovo website?

Second, not altogether unrelated issue: Before deciding whether to proceed with my aforementioned plan I thought it might be worthwhile to just get rid of some of what I'm reasonably sure I've no further use for using add/remove programs. Of course, R&R was at the top of the list, however when I attempt to remove it I get, "Error 25012, accessing the R&R service partition," aborting my repeated attempts to uninstall. I've not been able to find any way around this issue; any clues?

[Temetka]

Fighting bloat is a worthwhile cause. Here is what I do with any machine whether it is a desktop or laptop.

1. Install OEM Windows (XP or 7)
2. Install drivers
3. Install Microsoft Security Essentials
4. Install Microsoft Office
5. Run Windows Update a few times until no updates are left

This gives me a clean install with anti-virus, office, drivers and is fully updated. Such a system will be far faster than using the restore discs for a machine. Manufacturers like to load machines with all manner of resource sucking detritus. If you want you can see how many processes you have running now and what your resource usage is. Then compare this information with a full list of running processes and resource usage from a HD using the method described above. I guarantee my setup will use far less resources and be a much leaner and more responsive system as opposed to performing a restore using the recovery discs.

To keep the system tuned I run a full defrag once a month and run CCleaner weekly to clean up temp files, manage startup programs and to clean up the system registry. This is the setup I am using right now on my T43 running Windows 7 and this machine is very responsive.

[sbjoe]

Thx! Pretty well confirmed what I'd expected. Unfortunately the hdd that was my guinea pig died so I'm currently stuck wating for a replacement for the T42p. I tried yesterday to make a rescue disk for the T60p, but it failed to complete and deleted the i386 file from that hdd so I'm left considering options there as well.

A little unsolicited advice from the thoroughly uninformed: guard that i386 file if it exists on your c drive & if you entertain any thoughts of making your own windows installation disk. The COA appears to be machine specific and tied to that folder uniquely. Hopefully I can still get a disk from IBM at less than what it would cost me elsewhere.