bloatware removal

[foobarro]

So here I am with my new x300, WinXP. Love it!

That said, I don't love all the extra stuff that Lenovo puts on the drive. I've pruned things down quite a bit with Remove Programs, but I've still got a bunch of folders at the root level of my drive that I'd like to know what they are (i.e. can they be trashed, should I back them up first if they're important drivers, etc..):

drivers
Icons
Intel
SUPPORT
SWSHARE
SWTOOLS
VALUEADD

Also - if I choose to do a clean install of XP, where is the drivers, apps, etc.. that I might want to install afterwards? Presumably one of these folders above, right?

Thanks,
Dan

[SHoTTa35]

well the name says it as you would imagine. Drivers is exactly that. I would keep that folder. The rest of the stuff you can get from Lenovo.com and you probbaly want to also since that would be the updated versions.

[erik]

you can either download drivers from the following page or you can install thinkvantage system update and let it do the work for you.

http://www-307.ibm.com/pc/support/site. ... MIGR-69378

http://www-307.ibm.com/pc/support/site. ... PDATE.html

the drivers folder is only necessary when installing a system.   you may delete it if you want to save the space.

[akao]

FYI, the ThinkVantage System Update does not reliably install all the drivers. It definitely missed the GPS driver, and may miss others. It seems to be geared towards updating all the bloatware.

[foobarro]

Thanks for all of the replies!