setting up new PC - why so many Dell components?

pseymour · Jul 12, 2026

glasskuter said:
When using Dell Command Update I have found no way to permanently exclude anything that DCU offers. If there is a way, someone please let me know.

Starting with version 5.7, you can block certain update IDs. Not exactly user-friendly, but it works.

How To Use Dell Command Update Blocklist Feature | Dell US

Mitch · Jul 12, 2026

Hi @glasskuter . Thanks for your help. I found that if I uninstall the Dell os plugin the os recovery tools offer disappears. I assume they're related. I'm sure that I uninstalled the plugin when I binned Supportassist and Remediation before and I'm pretty sure they were reinstalled in the background in 2 of our 3 Dells, which is a pain.
The Dell Update interface has no ability to configure anything so I'll probably have to keep uninstalling it. Thanks again Mitch.

neldog · Jul 12, 2026

I have had Dell computers going back to Windows 95, although back then they did not have all these programs that they do today. Years ago, I do not remember the year, I uninstalled all their stuff on one computer because it was throwing errors and having problems. After doing that, I had some big problems that I won't go into now.

Over the years I have learned it's better, (safer) just to go into Windows Services and change their startups to manual. Boom, problem(s) solved. None of the preinstalled Dell programs ever run on my system(s) anymore, and the computer runs much better. All those programs, running all the time can be problematic, plus they use a lot of system resources, and the updates to them are not written all that well and that can cause even more problems... that I don't need.

Sometimes when I update one of those programs, (and I do from time to time) that installation may start a few of those turned off Dell services. After the install I just set the startup back to manual startup.

Over here, life seems easier this way.

glasskuter · Jul 12, 2026

@pseymour I was on the Dell site with my service tag and browsed to that link you gave using another tab and I got this. Mine is a 7080 tower.
If I go straight to that link using another browser that has no service tag cookie I do not get that notice.

pseymour · Jul 12, 2026

Not sure why that is, @glasskuter. All four 7080s are supported in DCU 5.7.

hershey4 · Jul 12, 2026

Fun fact... where did Dell Support software originate from? This is my W7 system... Only 4 Dell branded items (altho maybe I deleted some. Not likely back then). Looks like perhaps the Doctor came in with a WIndows Update (altho no that doesn't make sense... not sure why/how)

TraderGary · Jul 12, 2026

glasskuter said:
Unlike @TraderGary I have no set schedule in running DCU. Usually once a month or so, whenever I think about running it.
----------------------------

I run Dell Command | Update as part of my daily morning routine because I want BIOS updates, firmware updates, and driver updates as soon as they're available. That's part of my security strategy.

cheaterslick · Jul 12, 2026

My opinions only, so don't take offense:

glasskuter said:
Dell Optimizer - Dell Optimizer is an artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning (ML) software application built exclusively for select Dell computers. It automatically analyzes your specific usage patterns and tailors system settings to improve application performance, battery life, audio quality, and network connectivity.

That can definitely go. Whooosh...

glasskuter said:
Dell Support Assist - a pre-installed software application on Dell computers that automatically monitors your PC's health, optimizes performance, and manages system updates. It features automated driver and BIOS updates, hardware diagnostic scans, and AI-driven predictive issue detection.

That can also go. Whooosh...

glasskuter said:
Dell Core Services - a pre-installed software package that acts as a foundational framework for Dell applications, providing foundational system management. It supports and unifies various Dell background tools and agents, ensuring they work together to maintain your system.

Looks like this stays out of necessity.

glasskuter said:
Dell Trusted Device - a security software and telemetry application that protects computers below the operating system. Formerly known as Dell BIOS Verification, it helps IT administrators secure hardware, detect BIOS tampering, and monitor for indicators of attack.

That can go to the junkpile, too. I'm not in an Enterprise environment. Whooosh...

glasskuter said:
Dell Command Update- Dell Command | Update is a standalone application that automatically downloads and installs critical updates—such as BIOS revisions, firmware, drivers, and application updates—specifically for Dell commercial client hardware. It simplifies maintenance and ensures your hardware runs optimally and securely. I do use this application. It will not run if you uninstall Dell Core Services. I also have disabled Dell Command Update from running at startup and use it only on demand to update my drivers and UEFI bios. Dell releases A LOT of bios updates.

Yeah, this is something I can use, although as time goes by and the machine gets older, I'm not sure how relevant it's gonna be. And yeah, it needs to be set to "On Demand" since I don't want this to be running in the background all the time. Like a lot of software out there, I'd want it to be dormant until I call on it.

How did you configure this? Did you go into services.msc and set the service to Manual?
Did you also untick it from msconfig as well?

TraderGary · Jul 12, 2026

Most people are overly concerned with background processes. Windows is an event driven operating system and no processes are running continuously using up any meaningful percentage of resources. I do absolutely no debloating or hacking of any kind and my CPU idle usage averages about 1% on my System One. You can see the apps I have loaded in my specs. I currently have 286 processes running.

Scannerman · 2026-08-05T00:28:47-0400

hershey4 said:
My W7 PC is17 years old still running and had no bios updates during that time. And no Windows or Dell updates in the past 10 (?) years. And no driver updates afaik. Everything works fine. Chrome has not had updates in the past 3-4 years and now occasionally showing its age.

Every now and then I'll log into my W7 and make a post here. What amazes me is how smooth and flawless it still runs. Takes me back to old times. I suppose it all depends on how one has things configured. I wouldn't want to give it any updates or upgrades. I wouldn't make any financial transactions with it. It's just a novelty now to remind me that newer isn't always better.

Kojack · 2026-08-05T07:10:08-0400

I have NO dell software on my systems, all buttons, etc all function properly. Dell's software is just spyware wrapped in their branding of "you need this for your pc to function properly". That's total BS. Do a clean install, remove all dell crap, and have a clean (well as clean as you can get with microsoft these days) install of windows.

Kojack · 2026-08-05T07:11:30-0400

TraderGary said:
Most people are overly concerned with background processes. Windows is an event driven operating system and no processes are running continuously using up any meaningful percentage of resources. I do absolutely no debloating or hacking of any kind and my CPU idle usage averages about 1% on my System One. You can see the apps I have loaded in my specs. I currently have 286 processes running.

I like you Gary, you are very knowledgeable but I have to disagree with windows 11 not having background processes running. Sorry, that's just not accurate.

Try3 · 2026-08-05T07:34:36-0400

Kojack said:
I have to disagree with windows 11 not having background processes running

But that's not what he said.

Denis

markw51 · 2026-08-05T08:03:55-0400

Kojack said:
I like you Gary, you are very knowledgeable but I have to disagree with windows 11 not having background processes running. Sorry, that's just not accurate.

He said about processes running CONTINUOUSLY using up any MEANINGFUL percentage of resources. He DID NOT say that there are no background processes running.

Kojack · 2026-08-05T09:35:14-0400

markw51 said:
He said about processes running CONTINUOUSLY using up any MEANINGFUL percentage of resources. He DID NOT say that there are no background processes running.

That's what I am disagreeing with. There are processing running continually. Also, Don't go by task manager etc. MS hides processes from the task manager. Hence the reason my laptop fan spins up and the system gets hot even though the task manager shows like 3 percent cpu activity. Don't take Microsoft's word on anything. They are as trustworthy as a kleptomaniac at this point.

markw51 · 2026-08-05T09:52:52-0400

Kojack said:
That's what I am disagreeing with. There are processing running continually. Also, Don't go by task manager etc. MS hides processes from the task manager. Hence the reason my laptop fan spins up and the system gets hot even though the task manager shows like 3 percent cpu activity. Don't take Microsoft's word on anything. They are as trustworthy as a kleptomaniac at this point.

Again, that's not what he said. Yes there are processes that run continuously but Gary is saying that there are no processes running continuously that take a meaningful percentage of CPU, not that no processes run continuously.

Kojack · 2026-08-05T10:01:14-0400

markw51 said:
Again, that's not what he said. Yes there are processes that run continuously but Gary is saying that there are no processes running continuously that take a meaningful percentage of CPU, not that no processes run continuously.

Again. I am rebuking his claims from personal experience. My laptop has crap running in the background constantly. Fans spin up, it gets hot, no other software running. look at the task manager, 3 percent cpu useage yet, my laptop is cooking. So...please, read what I said. I know what Gary said, and I am stating the opposite is true.

markw51 · 2026-08-05T10:09:45-0400

Kojack said:
Again. I am rebuking his claims from personal experience. My laptop has crap running in the background constantly. Fans spin up, it gets hot, no other software running. look at the task manager, 3 percent cpu useage yet, my laptop is cooking. So...please, read what I said. I know what Gary said, and I am stating the opposite is true.

Well, it must be your setup. I can be coding using VS Code on WSL with Edge open with multiple tabs, Outlook, Claude AI using around 80% of available RAM yet I have no spinning fans and the laptop is only slightly warm.

Kojack · 2026-08-05T10:10:52-0400

markw51 said:
Well, it must be your setup. I can be coding using VS Code on WSL with Edge open with multiple tabs, Outlook, Claude AI using around 80% of available RAM yet I have no spinning fans and the laptop is only slightly warm.

I can do all that as well with no fans spinning that's what I am getting at. there is crap going on behind the scenes at times with windows.

hershey4 · 2026-08-05T19:28:42-0400

W11 processes are ridiculous IMO. Sad to read there are more than the gazillions that show in Task Manager!! I have to reboot to clear stuff up about once a week. When I was doing the same exact things on my W7 for years, I did not have to reboot for performance reasons ever. The amount of processes/cpu/memory was fairly consistent no matter what I did. Occasionally, restartingchrome was prudent.

One thing I depend on for work is Chrome Remote Desktop to connect my personal PC to work laptop --- both W11. After a few days, the remote experience starts getting very laggy and freezes for very short spurts. Have to reboot and all's better. I keep looking for additional startup things to cancel. I think the clog is on the new PC because W7->W11 never had a problem, but I suppose it could be anything.

I've decided not to decommission my W7. Good to keep for a potential backup system. Just need to find another spot. I'm also going to restart my Macrium data backups too. I just have so little confidence in W11.

setting up new PC - why so many Dell components?

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