Question about if programs are needed...

Hi, I know that this question has been answered before, but I was hoping for a more personal, based on my system, response. I would like to know out of this list of things that I have on my computer (Windows XP Home Edition Service Pack 3 (build 2600)), what I truly need. Thank you for your help.


Adobe Acrobat 9 Extended – English, Francais, Deutche
Adobe Flash Player 10 ActiveX
Adobe Flash Player 10 Plugin
Advanced Spyware Remover Free Edition
AVG Free 8.5
Belarc Advisor 7.2
CCleaner (Remove Only)
Dell Resource CD
Google Toolbar for Internet Explorer
Intel(R) 537EP V9x DF PCI Modem
Intel PRO Network Connections Drivers
Malwarebytes’ Anti-Malware
Microsoft NET. Framework 1.1
Microsoft NET. Framework 1.1 Hotfix (KB928366)
Microsoft NET. Framework 2.0 Service Pack 2
Microsoft NET. Framework 3.0 Service Pack 3
Microsoft NET. Framework 3.5 SP1
Microsoft Compression Client Pack 1.0 for Windows XP
Microsoft Office Enterprise 2007
Microsoft User-Mode Driver Framework Feature Pack 1.7
Microsoft Visual C++ 2005 ATL Update kb973923 – x86 8.0.50727.4053
Microsoft Visual C++ 2005 Redistributable
Microsoft WinUsb 1.0
Mozilla Firefox (3.5.2)
MSXML 4.0 SP2 (KB954430)
Nero 8
NVDIA Windows 2000/XP Display Drivers
O&O Defrag 2000 Freeware Edition
Paint.NET v3.36
PC Tools Firewall Plus 5.0
Power DVD
project dogwaffle
Real Player
Sonic DLA
Sonic RecordNow!
Sonic Update Manager
SoundMAX
Spybot Search & Destroy
Winamp
Windows Internet Explorer 8
Windows Media Format 11 Runtime
Windows Media Player 11
Windows Search 4.0
Windows XP Service Pack 3
WinRAR archiver
Yahoo Messenger
Yahoo! Toolbar
Zune

Thank you again for your help. Be Well.

 

Well, you're asking you "truly need", and on this list, there are only a few things that you "truly need", and they're all primarily drivers and Microsoft components, but this is such a personally subjective thing, that there's no real way anyone can tell you what you need. But, you should keep these things: any drivers; all the Microsoft stuff except the old .NET Framework installs, just keep v3.5; Service Pack 3; Firefox if you use it; the Adobe stuff; WMP11; MalwareBytes; PCTools Firewall if you actually use it; Nero or Sonic depending on which one you actually use, and that's about it. The main thing to look at is if you ever use the things on the list. If you get right down to it, the only things you "truly need" are the drivers and SP3. Everything else is more-or-less fluff and isn't required for the PC to run normally. So, go to Add/Remove Programs and check the 'Last time used' date for a program. If you haven't used it in over 2-3 months, you can probably dump it.

 

*L Thank you dlb, hrlow2, I guess the question was pretty innane. Thank you for the suggestions, and I will check the dates and delete. Be Well