Things have changed a lot in the Windows world. There are desktops today that fit in your hand and are powerful enough to do basic tasks. These Windows PCs have surprisingly low price tags to match their tiny size. What’s more, these computers are full-featured. They come with the full version of Windows – but something we could only imagine when Microsoft first unveiled Windows 7 Starter a while ago. The Windows PC world has evolved except for one thing: shovel software.
You’re probably not familiar with the term shovel item, but you may have encountered it a lot. Unlike malware, shovel software cannot find itself on your computer through defective emails, flash drives or websites. Shovelware is what we call extras that PC manufacturers like Lenovo, Dell, and HP include in the devices they sell you. Shovelware are not useful utilities included to help you back up your PC. They are software and applications that are not essential for what you are doing with your PC.
Here are some tips for a cleaner Windows 8 PC without the shovel and other extras. Windows 8 computers without shovel software are usually ready to give you a quick start. Getting rid of those things also makes some room for the things you truly care about.
Uninstall Unnecessary Programs from Control Panel
First, let’s start with the basics. The path to a shovel-less cleaner Windows PC begins with searching for programs installed on the Windows 8 Desktop. Programs are the biggest annoyance because they are allowed to run in the background and perform tasks when not on the screen. They don’t need to ask for permission and are generally not that well managed by Windows. Problems with programs are one of the many reasons Microsoft hopes users adopt Windows Store apps.
Move your mouse cursor to the corner of your screen to pull up the Charms Bar.
Click Charm.
Click .
Click .
Click on it inside the Control Panel.
Do not immediately start uninstalling programs. Instead, scroll through the list and take a look at what you know is useful to you and what isn’t. If you don’t know what something is, search for its name on Google or Bing to determine if it’s useful.
You can uninstall a program by clicking its name in the list and then Uninstall from the menu. Our example has more than a few things listed for Intel. Do not remove these things if you see them. Be careful not to install hardware-specific programs such as your trackpad software. Review what you know.
Also Remove Unnecessary Windows Store Apps
By design, apps that live in Windows 8’s Start Screen experience aren’t as dangerous as programs installed on your Desktop. They’re kind of wired and directly responsible for Windows as a whole. Tell your Windows 8 PC that you don’t want to share location information in an app and it won’t. Tell your Windows 8 PC not to run a Windows Store app in the background and it won’t let it do that either. Often people uninstall programs because they are worried about their security. Uninstalling Windows Store apps is all about freeing up storage for something else you really care about.
Press on your keyboard to return to the Start Screen. Then click the arrow in the corner of your screen.
This is a list of all the applications installed on your Windows PC. in any and choose to ditch them and make room. Again, look for the names of unfamiliar applications and programs. At every opportunity, what will you get out of applications that you know you will not use for any reason.
There should be plenty of Windows Store apps for you to uninstall, many Windows PCs come with more than a few Windows Store apps that aren’t necessarily useful to buyers, but make money for them.
Use Ninite to Keep Your Machine Clean
Making your system as clean as possible should be your first priority. Keeping it clean is second. Tons of Windows PC users download new utilities to keep their machines handy every day. Some of these do not come with additional add-ons like what Microsoft offers directly, which installs themselves secretly and clogs your machine. Others have tons of toolbars and extra junk you don’t want, like anything you get directly from Download.com.
ninit it allows users to download dozens of the same software utilities that they would normally download, but without other trivia. It is free and very easy to use.
Beyond these tips, there are some practical things to have a clean Windows 8 PC. First, know what you’re uploading and whether you can trust where it’s coming from. Secondly, it never hurts to review anything that comes pre-installed on your device. If you’re not comfortable removing programs and apps yourself, be sure to look at how it’s installed on a device before you buy it. Microsoft’s Windows Signature Edition program lets shoppers buy dozens of Windows 8 PCs without trash.
Finally, don’t forget to keep your device up to date. Windows 8 PCs will notify you when a new update is available and will install them either by command or automatically if you let them. Once you have a clean PC, it doesn’t hurt to back it up in case something goes wrong down the road.
