Welcome Centre Unwanted Shortcuts

Hi...I have just got up and running on a new PC running Vista Small Buisness
and would like to know how to remove the shortcuts which appear on the
welcome centre page. I realise that the Welcome Centre can be switched off
but ideally I would like to rid anything on the PC that's of no use i.e Trail
software that was preloaded.
Thanks.

"youngstec" <> wrote in message
news:59F76519-7E82-4EFF-B43A-...
> Hi...I have just got up and running on a new PC running Vista Small
> Buisness
> and would like to know how to remove the shortcuts which appear on the
> welcome centre page. I realise that the Welcome Centre can be switched off
> but ideally I would like to rid anything on the PC that's of no use i.e
> Trail
> software that was preloaded.
> Thanks.

I'm assuming the shortcuts you wish to remove are to the trial software. I
would think, if you remove the trial software, the shortcuts would be gone
as well. Open Control Panel, open Programs and Features, find the trial
software in the list, select it and click Uninstall.
--
Michael Solomon
Backup is a PC user's best friend
DTS-L.Org: http://www.dts-l.org/

Michael, I had already removed/uninstalled trail s/ware for example Norton
but the link to this still appears on the Welcome Centre,
Steve Turner

"Michael Solomon" wrote:

>
>
> "youngstec" <> wrote in message
> news:59F76519-7E82-4EFF-B43A-...
> > Hi...I have just got up and running on a new PC running Vista Small
> > Buisness
> > and would like to know how to remove the shortcuts which appear on the
> > welcome centre page. I realise that the Welcome Centre can be switched off
> > but ideally I would like to rid anything on the PC that's of no use i.e
> > Trail
> > software that was preloaded.
> > Thanks.
>
> I'm assuming the shortcuts you wish to remove are to the trial software. I
> would think, if you remove the trial software, the shortcuts would be gone
> as well. Open Control Panel, open Programs and Features, find the trial
> software in the list, select it and click Uninstall.
> --
> Michael Solomon
> Backup is a PC user's best friend
> DTS-L.Org: http://www.dts-l.org/
>

"youngstec" <> wrote in message
news:6F99EF8C-39B4-490D-922F-...
> Michael, I had already removed/uninstalled trail s/ware for example Norton
> but the link to this still appears on the Welcome Centre,
> Steve Turner
>
> "Michael Solomon" wrote:
>
>>
>>
>> "youngstec" <> wrote in message
>> news:59F76519-7E82-4EFF-B43A-...
>> > Hi...I have just got up and running on a new PC running Vista Small
>> > Buisness
>> > and would like to know how to remove the shortcuts which appear on the
>> > welcome centre page. I realise that the Welcome Centre can be switched
>> > off
>> > but ideally I would like to rid anything on the PC that's of no use i.e
>> > Trail
>> > software that was preloaded.
>> > Thanks.
>>
>> I'm assuming the shortcuts you wish to remove are to the trial software.
>> I
>> would think, if you remove the trial software, the shortcuts would be
>> gone
>> as well. Open Control Panel, open Programs and Features, find the trial
>> software in the list, select it and click Uninstall.
>> --
>> Michael Solomon
>> Backup is a PC user's best friend
>> DTS-L.Org: http://www.dts-l.org/
>>
Okay, after a little research, here's what I've found. Those links are
hardwired though there may be a way to remove them using the registry. This
is paid space. Aside from being an area which provides quick access to
various parts of the OS it was specifically designed to be a paid billboard.
A place that won't clutter the desktop but also where users cannot easily
delete the references since third parties pay the OEMs for this access.

--
Michael Solomon
Backup is a PC user's best friend
DTS-L.Org: http://www.dts-l.org/

Thanks Michael...that opens a whole new can of worms. Not being that familiar
with interogating the registry and removing entries, I may see if the
recovery process offers me the option to just install basic vista
applications. May seem a little excessive but with this new m/c, space and
speed are at a premium.
Steve.

"Michael Solomon" wrote:

>
>
> "youngstec" <> wrote in message
> news:6F99EF8C-39B4-490D-922F-...
> > Michael, I had already removed/uninstalled trail s/ware for example Norton
> > but the link to this still appears on the Welcome Centre,
> > Steve Turner
> >
> > "Michael Solomon" wrote:
> >
> >>
> >>
> >> "youngstec" <> wrote in message
> >> news:59F76519-7E82-4EFF-B43A-...
> >> > Hi...I have just got up and running on a new PC running Vista Small
> >> > Buisness
> >> > and would like to know how to remove the shortcuts which appear on the
> >> > welcome centre page. I realise that the Welcome Centre can be switched
> >> > off
> >> > but ideally I would like to rid anything on the PC that's of no use i.e
> >> > Trail
> >> > software that was preloaded.
> >> > Thanks.
> >>
> >> I'm assuming the shortcuts you wish to remove are to the trial software.
> >> I
> >> would think, if you remove the trial software, the shortcuts would be
> >> gone
> >> as well. Open Control Panel, open Programs and Features, find the trial
> >> software in the list, select it and click Uninstall.
> >> --
> >> Michael Solomon
> >> Backup is a PC user's best friend
> >> DTS-L.Org: http://www.dts-l.org/
> >>
> Okay, after a little research, here's what I've found. Those links are
> hardwired though there may be a way to remove them using the registry. This
> is paid space. Aside from being an area which provides quick access to
> various parts of the OS it was specifically designed to be a paid billboard.
> A place that won't clutter the desktop but also where users cannot easily
> delete the references since third parties pay the OEMs for this access.
>
> --
> Michael Solomon
> Backup is a PC user's best friend
> DTS-L.Org: http://www.dts-l.org/
>

> Thanks Michael...that opens a whole new can of worms. Not being that
> familiar
> with interogating the registry and removing entries, I may see if the
> recovery process offers me the option to just install basic vista
> applications. May seem a little excessive but with this new m/c, space and
> speed are at a premium.


Just to cap off Mike Solomon's excellent advice ... Steve, what you're
seeing is referred to as "crapware":
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Crapware
OEMs etc load up new PCs with a whole lot of crap "trial" software, in the
hope of making you buy more. It's not really part of Windows, and it isn't
installed by Microsoft.

And yes ... it really is crap!

Hope you manage to get your machine cleaned up. FWIW it's usually harmless,
though annoying.

Cheers
Andrew
--
Andrew McLaren
amclar (at) optusnet dot com dot au

"youngstec" <> wrote in message
news:B4565E4D-3BB4-463E-9F71-...
> Thanks Michael...that opens a whole new can of worms. Not being that
> familiar
> with interogating the registry and removing entries, I may see if the
> recovery process offers me the option to just install basic vista
> applications. May seem a little excessive but with this new m/c, space and
> speed are at a premium.
> Steve.
>
> "Michael Solomon" wrote:
>
>>
>>
>> "youngstec" <> wrote in message
>> news:6F99EF8C-39B4-490D-922F-...
>> > Michael, I had already removed/uninstalled trail s/ware for example
>> > Norton
>> > but the link to this still appears on the Welcome Centre,
>> > Steve Turner
>> >
>> > "Michael Solomon" wrote:
>> >
>> >>
>> >>
>> >> "youngstec" <> wrote in message
>> >> news:59F76519-7E82-4EFF-B43A-...
>> >> > Hi...I have just got up and running on a new PC running Vista Small
>> >> > Buisness
>> >> > and would like to know how to remove the shortcuts which appear on
>> >> > the
>> >> > welcome centre page. I realise that the Welcome Centre can be
>> >> > switched
>> >> > off
>> >> > but ideally I would like to rid anything on the PC that's of no use
>> >> > i.e
>> >> > Trail
>> >> > software that was preloaded.
>> >> > Thanks.
>> >>
>> >> I'm assuming the shortcuts you wish to remove are to the trial
>> >> software.
>> >> I
>> >> would think, if you remove the trial software, the shortcuts would be
>> >> gone
>> >> as well. Open Control Panel, open Programs and Features, find the
>> >> trial
>> >> software in the list, select it and click Uninstall.
>> >> --
>> >> Michael Solomon
>> >> Backup is a PC user's best friend
>> >> DTS-L.Org: http://www.dts-l.org/
>> >>
>> Okay, after a little research, here's what I've found. Those links are
>> hardwired though there may be a way to remove them using the registry.
>> This
>> is paid space. Aside from being an area which provides quick access to
>> various parts of the OS it was specifically designed to be a paid
>> billboard.
>> A place that won't clutter the desktop but also where users cannot easily
>> delete the references since third parties pay the OEMs for this access.
>>
>> --
>> Michael Solomon
>> Backup is a PC user's best friend
>> DTS-L.Org: http://www.dts-l.org/
>>
You're welcome.

To be clear, I wasn't suggesting you go into the registry. I never
recommend that unless I know the exact location of an item in the registry
and the exact, time tested, entry to place there.

I probably should have worded it a little better.

I think you have a good idea. Yeas ago, I had a PC with a recovery disk but
it offered the means of deciding what would be installed, well, up to a
point and it meant you could prevent a lot of stuff from installing. It's
certainly worth investigating.

--
Michael Solomon
Backup is a PC user's best friend
DTS-L.Org: http://www.dts-l.org/

See this from James Finnigan [MSFT]

This is driven by the xml file in %SystemRoot%\system32\oem\info\...\oobe.xml . You should consider editing this file to be like editing the registry. The format is fairly
self-explanatory, however be careful not to change the xml namespaces.

Refer http://groups.google.com/group/micro...f23f490830afca

--
Regards,

Ramesh Srinivasan, Microsoft MVP [Windows Shell/User]
Windows® Troubleshooting http://www.winhelponline.com


"youngstec" <> wrote in message news:59F76519-7E82-4EFF-B43A-...
Hi...I have just got up and running on a new PC running Vista Small Buisness
and would like to know how to remove the shortcuts which appear on the
welcome centre page. I realise that the Welcome Centre can be switched off
but ideally I would like to rid anything on the PC that's of no use i.e Trail
software that was preloaded.
Thanks.

Thank You to all that have given me excellent advice in regards to this
matter....much appreciated, I may even contact Sony and request their support.
Steve.
"Ramesh, MS-MVP" wrote:

> See this from James Finnigan [MSFT]
>
> This is driven by the xml file in %SystemRoot%\system32\oem\info\...\oobe.xml . You should consider editing this file to be like editing the registry. The format is fairly
> self-explanatory, however be careful not to change the xml namespaces.
>
> Refer http://groups.google.com/group/micro...f23f490830afca
>
> --
> Regards,
>
> Ramesh Srinivasan, Microsoft MVP [Windows Shell/User]
> Windows® Troubleshooting http://www.winhelponline.com
>
>
> "youngstec" <> wrote in message news:59F76519-7E82-4EFF-B43A-...
> Hi...I have just got up and running on a new PC running Vista Small Buisness
> and would like to know how to remove the shortcuts which appear on the
> welcome centre page. I realise that the Welcome Centre can be switched off
> but ideally I would like to rid anything on the PC that's of no use i.e Trail
> software that was preloaded.
> Thanks.
>

youngstec <> wrote:

> Thanks Michael...that opens a whole new can of worms. Not being
> that familiar with interogating the registry and removing entries,
> I may see if the recovery process offers me the option to just
> install basic vista applications. May seem a little excessive but
> with this new m/c, space and speed are at a premium.

It probably won't. Here's my crapware solution that has worked for me
on several computers.

1. You're computer manufacturer offers a means of restoring the
computer to original specs, either with included CDs/DVD or with a
means to create such CDs/DVD. If you haven't the restore CDs/DVD,
create them, DO NOT SKIP THIS STEP, you may need these later!

2. Go to the vendor's website and check that all the drivers needed for
your system can be downloaded, this would be video, CD/DVD burner,
Toucnhpad (if a laptop), NIC, Modem, Sound and WiFi. Download them and
burn them to a CD/DVD.

3. Insert your OS CD/DVD, either a retail or OS OEM disk from the
manufacturer and reboot. Install from scratch, using the installation
options to format and partition your HD.

4. Install the drivers you downloaded in step 2, run Windows Update to
update everything, install the software YOU want and you've got a clean
computer.

You'll probably spend a day or so doing this but it's probably less
time than trying to de-crapify a new computer.



--
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The Usenet Improvement Project: http://blinkynet.net/comp/uip5.html