Windows all stuffed up?

[mhada]

I'm starting a new Windows 7 in my new Asus 1015PEM netbook. My Windows
7 isn't a candle to the Windows XP I was running in another machine,
which this one is supposed to replace. Namely, W7 here is *much* slower
and it's all muddled up with assorted software ads and reminders that
bang up on my screen when I'm trying to get the *xxx* thing just to
work. Is this frustrating circus natural to W7 or is it Asus just has
some bad ideas about what to put into one of their machines?

P.S. Those flat keys are no help at all keeping my hands in place for
the work. Used to be, keys were indented so you could feel where you
needed your hands to be. It would have cost Asus about $0 to get it
right, back when they were setting up production to make these machines.
So why did they blow it? ??

-- Martha Adams [2011 Jun 29]

 

[Char Jackson]

I'm starting a new Windows 7 in my new Asus 1015PEM netbook. My Windows
7 isn't a candle to the Windows XP I was running in another machine,
which this one is supposed to replace. Namely, W7 here is *much* slower
and it's all muddled up with assorted software ads and reminders that
bang up on my screen when I'm trying to get the *xxx* thing just to
work. Is this frustrating circus natural to W7 or is it Asus just has
some bad ideas about what to put into one of their machines?

It's hard to tell exactly what you're complaining about, but take a
look at PCDecrapifier and see if it'll do what you need. I think
you'll be pleasantly surprised.

<http://www.pcdecrapifier.com/home>

 

[VanguardLH]

I'm starting a new Windows 7 in my new Asus 1015PEM netbook. My
Windows 7 isn't a candle to the Windows XP I was running in another
machine, which this one is supposed to replace. Namely, W7 here is
*much* slower and it's all muddled up with assorted software ads and
reminders that bang up on my screen when I'm trying to get the *xxx*
thing just to work. Is this frustrating circus natural to W7 or is
it Asus just has some bad ideas about what to put into one of their
machines?

You were running Windows XP (unidentified edition) on "another machine"
but give no specifications for that host. You are now running Windows 7
(unidentified edition) on a *netbook*.

According to http://www.asus.com/Eee/Eee_PC/Eee_PC_1015PEM/, you have
the Starter (highly crippled) edition of Windows 7.

What's the max-rated clock speed on the netbook's installed system RAM
versus the "another machine"? All the above spec says is DDR3 but not
its speed. How about its CAS latency versus the "another machine"?

When you look at Task Manager under its Performance tab on both hosts,
how much uncommitted (free) system RAM is available?

There's 1GB of RAM that comes with the netbook. How much system memory
is installed in the "another machine"?

The netbook comes with a mobile-class CPU (Intel Atom N550). So what
does the "another machine" have for a CPU?

When you review the NT services, startup programs, and processes listed
in Task Manager, what do you have running on the netbook versus the
"another machine"?

How much free space is there for the netbook's hard disk versus the hard
disk(s) in the "another machine"?

The netbook is using on onboard video controller that has to steal
system RAM for its memory. What video does the "another machine" have?

The netbook is slower. Okay, but that doesn't tell us WHAT you are
trying to run on that netbook. With a robust desktop you can do video
editing that's impossible on a netbook.

You want us to diagnose a problem when you are comparing a known host to
an unknown host. Not likely without getting a bunch of wild guesses at
what might be the unknown host. Just figure it's a *NETBOOK*. It won't
be as robust, capable, or speed as a mediocre desktop or top-line
laptop. It's just a lil netbook.

 

[Gene E. Bloch]

You were running Windows XP (unidentified edition) on "another machine"
but give no specifications for that host. You are now running Windows 7
(unidentified edition) on a *netbook*.

According to http://www.asus.com/Eee/Eee_PC/Eee_PC_1015PEM/, you have
the Starter (highly crippled) edition of Windows 7.

What's the max-rated clock speed on the netbook's installed system RAM
versus the "another machine"? All the above spec says is DDR3 but not
its speed. How about its CAS latency versus the "another machine"?

When you look at Task Manager under its Performance tab on both hosts,
how much uncommitted (free) system RAM is available?

There's 1GB of RAM that comes with the netbook. How much system memory
is installed in the "another machine"?

The netbook comes with a mobile-class CPU (Intel Atom N550). So what
does the "another machine" have for a CPU?

When you review the NT services, startup programs, and processes listed
in Task Manager, what do you have running on the netbook versus the
"another machine"?

How much free space is there for the netbook's hard disk versus the hard
disk(s) in the "another machine"?

The netbook is using on onboard video controller that has to steal
system RAM for its memory. What video does the "another machine" have?

The netbook is slower. Okay, but that doesn't tell us WHAT you are
trying to run on that netbook. With a robust desktop you can do video
editing that's impossible on a netbook.

You want us to diagnose a problem when you are comparing a known host to
an unknown host. Not likely without getting a bunch of wild guesses at
what might be the unknown host. Just figure it's a *NETBOOK*. It won't
be as robust, capable, or speed as a mediocre desktop or top-line
laptop. It's just a lil netbook.

Actually, when I finally noticed it, I realized the OP said the netbook
was "supposed to replace" the other machine.

That elicited a spontaneous "oy weh" from me

 

[Martha Adams]

It's hard to tell exactly what you're complaining about, but take a
look at PCDecrapifier and see if it'll do what you need. I think
you'll be pleasantly surprised.

<http://www.pcdecrapifier.com/home>

================================================================

Hi, Char. Thanks for this pointer, which I'll followup shortly. I found
a Microsoft product, 'autoruns.exe,' which has basically got me out of
the mess I was in. This machine (Asus 1015 PEM) with a 4-cores
processor was totally clotted up, new startup with Cygwin and Avast!
added. The autoruns.exe (yes, an 's' in there) showed me a remarkable
list of softwares I knew nothing of and didn't want; I stopped the
Avast! and a few others from starting at boot and suddenly, I have a
usable machine. Over the longer run I've a lot of work to do to get out
of this machine the large amount of stuff in it I'll never use.

I think if people are selling Windows 7 machines so full of stuff adding
a little more kills the machine, that's something wrong with Windows 7.
*Seriously* wrong. Until I turned-off some of that stuff, I couldn't
send emails even.

Titeotwawki -- Martha Adams [2011 Jly 04]

 

[R. C. White]

Hi, Martha.

You are right. And wrong.

Windows 7 does not contain all the "stuff" that you are finding. Those are
"features" added on by the OEM, Asus in your case. When Win7 leaves
Microsoft, it is "clean". But each OEM has the option - and the duty - to
modify it to work well with their own hardware, which Microsoft cannot
control. This is part of the reason that the OEM's license from Microsoft
requires the OEM to assume all support obligation for the customized
Windows.

Many OEMs cannot resist the temptation to "add value" to their machines,
along with Windows. That's why many users buy machines with Windows Live
Mail already installed and think that it is a part of Windows; it is not.
And many OEMs like to load up their machines with other "features", like the
ones you've found. Antivirus software is one of their favorite "bundled"
applications. Games are other favorites of the OEMs. Anything that they
can get that lets them slap on a bright sticker advertising what a bargain
you are getting with all that "free" software. :>(

Alias, Char and Vanguard have given you good advice. Get rid of the crap in
one way or the other. (Autoruns is a good tool for this.) Get back to
plain, unadorned Windows 7 and you should have a clean-running machine.
Then add only the "features" that YOU choose.

And if you really are running the Starter Edition with only 1 GB RAM, then
you probably will never get it to perform as you would like. :>{

RC
--
R. C. White, CPA
San Marcos, TX
(e-mail address removed)
Microsoft Windows MVP (2002-2010)
Windows Live Mail 2011 (Build 15.4.3508.1109) in Win7 Ultimate x64 SP1


"Martha Adams" wrote in message

It's hard to tell exactly what you're complaining about, but take a
look at PCDecrapifier and see if it'll do what you need. I think
you'll be pleasantly surprised.

<http://www.pcdecrapifier.com/home>

================================================================

Hi, Char. Thanks for this pointer, which I'll followup shortly. I found
a Microsoft product, 'autoruns.exe,' which has basically got me out of
the mess I was in. This machine (Asus 1015 PEM) with a 4-cores
processor was totally clotted up, new startup with Cygwin and Avast!
added. The autoruns.exe (yes, an 's' in there) showed me a remarkable
list of softwares I knew nothing of and didn't want; I stopped the
Avast! and a few others from starting at boot and suddenly, I have a
usable machine. Over the longer run I've a lot of work to do to get out
of this machine the large amount of stuff in it I'll never use.

I think if people are selling Windows 7 machines so full of stuff adding
a little more kills the machine, that's something wrong with Windows 7.
*Seriously* wrong. Until I turned-off some of that stuff, I couldn't
send emails even.

Titeotwawki -- Martha Adams [2011 Jly 04]

 

[KCB]

It's hard to tell exactly what you're complaining about, but take a
look at PCDecrapifier and see if it'll do what you need. I think
you'll be pleasantly surprised.

<http://www.pcdecrapifier.com/home>

================================================================

Hi, Char. Thanks for this pointer, which I'll followup shortly. I found a
Microsoft product, 'autoruns.exe,' which has basically got me out of the
mess I was in. This machine (Asus 1015 PEM) with a 4-cores processor was
totally clotted up, new startup with Cygwin and Avast! added. The
autoruns.exe (yes, an 's' in there) showed me a remarkable list of
softwares I knew nothing of and didn't want; I stopped the Avast! and a
few others from starting at boot and suddenly, I have a usable machine.
Over the longer run I've a lot of work to do to get out of this machine
the large amount of stuff in it I'll never use.

I think if people are selling Windows 7 machines so full of stuff adding a
little more kills the machine, that's something wrong with Windows 7.
*Seriously* wrong. Until I turned-off some of that stuff, I couldn't send
emails even.

Titeotwawki -- Martha Adams [2011 Jly 04]

Perhaps you added something that wasn't compatible with all the bloatware
that was already pre-installed? When someone states that they had to
disable their antivirus from starting, just to have a usable machine, then I
think there are other, BIGGER, issues involved.

 

[Martha Adams]

Hi, Martha.

You are right. And wrong.

Windows 7 does not contain all the "stuff" that you are finding. Those
are "features" added on by the OEM, Asus in your case. When Win7 leaves
Microsoft, it is "clean". But each OEM has the option - and the duty -
to modify it to work well with their own hardware, which Microsoft
cannot control. This is part of the reason that the OEM's license from
Microsoft requires the OEM to assume all support obligation for the
customized Windows.

Many OEMs cannot resist the temptation to "add value" to their machines,
along with Windows. That's why many users buy machines with Windows Live
Mail already installed and think that it is a part of Windows; it is
not. And many OEMs like to load up their machines with other "features",
like the ones you've found. Antivirus software is one of their favorite
"bundled" applications. Games are other favorites of the OEMs. Anything
that they can get that lets them slap on a bright sticker advertising
what a bargain you are getting with all that "free" software. :>(

Alias, Char and Vanguard have given you good advice. Get rid of the crap
in one way or the other. (Autoruns is a good tool for this.) Get back to
plain, unadorned Windows 7 and you should have a clean-running machine.
Then add only the "features" that YOU choose.

And if you really are running the Starter Edition with only 1 GB RAM,
then you probably will never get it to perform as you would like. :>{

RC
--
R. C. White, CPA
San Marcos, TX
(e-mail address removed)
Microsoft Windows MVP (2002-2010)
Windows Live Mail 2011 (Build 15.4.3508.1109) in Win7 Ultimate x64 SP1


in message

It's hard to tell exactly what you're complaining about, but take a
look at PCDecrapifier and see if it'll do what you need. I think
you'll be pleasantly surprised.

<http://www.pcdecrapifier.com/home>

================================================================

Hi, Char. Thanks for this pointer, which I'll followup shortly. I found
a Microsoft product, 'autoruns.exe,' which has basically got me out of
the mess I was in. This machine (Asus 1015 PEM) with a 4-cores
processor was totally clotted up, new startup with Cygwin and Avast!
added. The autoruns.exe (yes, an 's' in there) showed me a remarkable
list of softwares I knew nothing of and didn't want; I stopped the
Avast! and a few others from starting at boot and suddenly, I have a
usable machine. Over the longer run I've a lot of work to do to get out
of this machine the large amount of stuff in it I'll never use.

I think if people are selling Windows 7 machines so full of stuff adding
a little more kills the machine, that's something wrong with Windows 7.
*Seriously* wrong. Until I turned-off some of that stuff, I couldn't
send emails even.

Titeotwawki -- Martha Adams [2011 Jly 04]

=========================================================

Hi, R.C.

I'm doing better now, since I fetched in an autoruns.exe and turned-off
some of the autostart stuff. OK on your fill-in on how all that got
there. Someone suggested another resource up this thread, its name
sounded like same idea as autoruns.exe. I'm going to follow-up that
suggestion shortly.

Actually, when I was starting this machine, first thing I did was
replace its 1 Gig with a 2 Gigs board. Then I found a screen of auto
functions, and I turned off all I saw. Then I fetched in the Avast! and
my life started getting complicated. First, because the various things
in there that wanted to sell me something, kept popping up on my screen.
It was confusing. Second, because my laptop with its good speed
rating and *4 cores* not one, was *very* slow and having never used
Windows 7 before, I didn't have an idea what all that meant. So I lost
a lot of time, and I'm surprised such a rum machine ever came to market.

The Micrsoft Starter is fine for me. I've fetched in a Cygwin and I am
looking at unix utilities I can add to the W7; and hopefully one of
these days I can totally push out all the Microsoft stuff here and run a
Linux or a BSD, which are both better suited to serious work than
Windows. I'm reflecting my beginning decades ago with ITS, an OS
running at the time in a Dec 10 at MIT. For brisk movement thru the
work, nothing since is as simple, easy, and effective.

Titeotwawki -- Martha Adams [2011 Jly 05]

 

[Martha Adams]

I'm starting a new Windows 7 in my new Asus 1015PEM netbook. My Windows
7 isn't a candle to the Windows XP I was running in another machine,
which this one is supposed to replace. Namely, W7 here is *much* slower
and it's all muddled up with assorted software ads and reminders that
bang up on my screen when I'm trying to get the *xxx* thing just to
work. Is this frustrating circus natural to W7 or is it Asus just has
some bad ideas about what to put into one of their machines?

It's hard to tell exactly what you're complaining about, but take a
look at PCDecrapifier and see if it'll do what you need. I think
you'll be pleasantly surprised.

<http://www.pcdecrapifier.com/home>

================================================================

Hi, Char. Thanks for this pointer, which I'll followup shortly. I
found a Microsoft product, 'autoruns.exe,' which has basically got me
out of the mess I was in. This machine (Asus 1015 PEM) with a 4-cores
processor was totally clotted up, new startup with Cygwin and Avast!
added. The autoruns.exe (yes, an 's' in there) showed me a remarkable
list of softwares I knew nothing of and didn't want; I stopped the
Avast! and a few others from starting at boot and suddenly, I have a
usable machine. Over the longer run I've a lot of work to do to get
out of this machine the large amount of stuff in it I'll never use.

I think if people are selling Windows 7 machines so full of stuff
adding a little more kills the machine, that's something wrong with
Windows 7. *Seriously* wrong. Until I turned-off some of that stuff, I
couldn't send emails even.

Titeotwawki -- Martha Adams [2011 Jly 04]

Perhaps you added something that wasn't compatible with all the
bloatware that was already pre-installed? When someone states that they
had to disable their antivirus from starting, just to have a usable
machine, then I think there are other, BIGGER, issues involved.

======================================================================

Hi, KCB. This is a *very* interesting point, and to me, it rings true.
My difficulty is that while I do get into some techie issues, I'm
basically not that much a techie, nor do I feel at my age (80 now) I
want to spend a lot of time away from my work and digging into such
issues. But yes, there very likely are bigger and deeper issues, this
computer tech is full of them, and from the nature of it, they are
easily hidden there. I was thinking of going to the next DefCon, but at
my age, and with strong negative feelings about the TSA's submission and
humiliation treatment of travelers, I think I'll stay home from that.
But I think there surely is some message in it that adding a Cygwin and
an Avast to my new 4-cores machine, swamped it; and I'm trying to read
what that message is. Thanks for pointing that out.

Titeotwawki -- Martha Adams [2011 Jly 07]