Pre-built system modders, help me out.

I

idyllhands

New Member
I just recently purchased a Gateway SX2800. It is the first pre-built system I've bought (my old ones were self built). The amount of bloatware on there is impressive.
I have a few questions I was hoping you all could answer:
1) I just got my Win 7 Upgrade CD. Can I do a "custom" install and just wipe all the bloat ware that way? Or will that fry some of the drivers?
2) It appears that the HDD has a hidden partition on it. I am assuming this is the restore partition. Is it safe to delete once I have made backup discs?
3) Is there any actually useful Gateway bloatware that I might want to keep? (Most of it appears to be NetZero subscriptions, and ebay shortcuts, and CD burning software, none of which I need)

Lastly, the DVD-R that came with it is toast. The PC was actually a refurb. Should I contact Gateway, or the refurbing company? Do you think I can just send them the drive, or have to send the whole PC?

Thanks, sorry if the questions are dumb, I've never had to deal with a manufactured PC before...
 
1. Yes you can do a custom install and blow away whatever is on there. Windows 7 is pretty good with drivers, so I don't think you'll have to find too many of them. Of you do, Gateway should have them on their support website.

2. If you'll be installing Windows 7 on it, then the recovery partition is pointless unless you want to load on the default OS in future (it will have all the bloatware included). In short, yeah, you can delete it.

3. Unless you want some of the gateway bloatware, no.

And as far as the DVD-R, contact the company you bought it from. Depending on their warranty they may or may not replace it.
 
^+1

Also, if it's more than $25-30 to send it in, don't. You can get a new DVD/RW drive with lightscribe for that. You won't void the warranty, since you can just put the old one back in if you need to file a claim.
 
voyagerfan99 said:
2. If you'll be installing Windows 7 on it, then the recovery partition is pointless unless you want to load on the default OS in future (it will have all the bloatware included). In short, yeah, you can delete it.
Click to expand...
If I ever need to reinstall Windows 7, won't I need to reinstall Vista in order to upgrade it, since I have the Upgrade version?
Or am I mistaken?
 
idyllhands said:
If I ever need to reinstall Windows 7, won't I need to reinstall Vista in order to upgrade it, since I have the Upgrade version?
Or am I mistaken?
Click to expand...

I've done a clean install (booting from the CD) and installed Windows 7 without a problem. Then I put in the code and activate it. No issues.
 
Nice thanks a bunch. I got it installed, and deleted the recovery partition. Now the problem is that my primary partition is offset by 13GB (the size of the deleted partition.) How can I expand the partition into that space?
 
Start > Right click "Computer" > Manage > Continue/yes for the annoying popup > Double click "Storage" > Double click "Disk Management" > Click on your drive volume (normally C:\) > Right click your OS partition > Extend volume > Use all available space

If that doesn't work, make sure the other partition is deleted, not just formatted.
 
My only option is to Shrink Volume. It is showing 13GB as Unallocated at the beginning of the volume (before the System partition.) Apparently you can only expand the volume into unallocated space at the middle or end of the disk...
Is there any other way to try to move my system partition? I could try a Linux live disc, I hear that Gparted is pretty good for this kind of thing.
Are there any benefit/detriment to having a blank space at the beginning, like increasing seek times, etc?
 
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