Before you install another program on your computer, stop! There are apps and programs out there that look harmless.
They look even helpful, but the moment you install them, they quietly destroy your performance. They hijack your privacy, and they turn your computer into a lagging nightmare.
Harmful Software
I'm going to expose the worst offenders. The software you should never install. Some of these will shock you. In fact, you might even have some of these on your computer already.
Program #1: Norton
The original boss level bloatwear.
Norton started out fine back when everybody still used dial-up and flip phones. But today, Norton is a bloated resource hog that slows down your computer faster than a margin call on a Friday afternoon.
Turn on Norton, run a benchmark test.
Turn off Norton, run a benchmark test again.
You'll swear your PC suddenly got a gym membership and lost 40 pounds.
Scammers impersonate Norton in renewal emails because people already believe Norton is something they might have accidentally paid for.
Program #2: Most VPNs
A VPN is a virtual private network, and not all VPNs are terrible, but most of them are just glorified bandwidth anchors.
VPN companies realized that subscriptions were the new gold rush, and now they've got VPNs that:
- Lie about saying they don't keep logs
- Leak data
- Get hacked
- Slow your computer down
- Get throttled or blocked by internet service providers
You end up paying money to make your computer slower and less private. It's like buying a security system that invites burglars over for dinner.
If you truly need a VPN, research it thoroughly, but for most people, it's just unnecessary.
Program #3: Shopping Browser Extensions
Extensions like Honey, Capital One Shopping, and Rakuten.
I have a Capital One card, but their shopping browser extension is questionable at best.
These apps look cute, helpful, and they promise to save you money, but behind the scenes:
- They're tracking your browsing
- They're reading your checkout pages
- They're injecting popups
- They're slowing down your browser like it's running on a generator hooked to a hamster.
What's happening is you're trading your privacy for a couple of random coupon codes.
Search for discounts manually like everybody else does, and skip the spyware with a smiley face logo.
Program #4: PC Performance Boosters
Anything with a name like Turbo Ultra Optimizer Pro 9000 is lying straight to your face.
These programs claim they'll speed up your PC, but instead, they install background processors.
They eat ram, they run it startup, flood your registry, and they shove ads down your throat like you're being paid per pop-up.
One of my in-laws once installed three different PC boosters because each one of them claimed to fix what the last one broke.
Skip all performance boosters; Windows don't need help from these clowns.
Program #5: Driver Updater Software
Driver Booster, Driver Pack, and Driver Easy are all examples of driver updater software.
These should come with hazard signs.
They install the wrong drivers, break audio devices, break your GPU performance, and can break your will to live.
Windows will install almost every driver you need.
If you do need to install a driver manually, get it from Nvidia, AMD, Intel, or from your motherboard manufacturer. Not from supportdriverfixerpro.biz.ru.
Program #6: Free PDF Creators and Converters
Have you seen these: Cute PDF, PDF 24, Free PDF converter?
Most of these come bundled with adware, telemetry, browser hijackers, and virtual printers that get glued into your system, like super glue on carpet fibers.
Windows already has print to PDF built in. Don't install a bunch of random junk that pretends to help.
Program #7: Browser Toolbars
If you are installing toolbars in the year 2026, do you know I'm legally required to send you help?
Yahoo toolbar, Ask toolbar, Search helper.
They change your homepage, search engine, and your destiny for the worse.
They inject ads, track everything, and slow your browser down like it's filled with wet cement.
Zero reason to install these ever.
Program #8: Registry Cleaners
Ones like C Cleaner, Glary Utilities, and Auslogics Registry.
Registry Cleaners promise to fix your PC, but here's the truth: they don't fix anything, don't speed anything up, and sometimes delete things that Windows actually needs.
This leads to catastrophic failure, catastrophic errors, broken apps, and sometimes a full Windows reinstall.
Your registry maintains itself. Don't mess with it.
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Program #9: Fake Adobe and Java Updates
Adobe Flash is dead. No one uses it; it doesn't work anymore. Java rarely needs updating.
If you get any pop-up that says your Flash player needs updating, that is malware.
If you get a Java update pop-up and you weren't expecting it, guess what? That's also malware.
Close it. Do not click anything.
Program #10: Internet Accelerators
Anything claiming to boost your internet speed or optimize your ping is basically modern-day digital snake oil.
These programs mess with DNS routing, certificates, browser settings, and usually make everything worse.
Your router already optimizes your connection.
Program #11: Free Weather Apps and Desktop Widgets
Little weather icons, stock tickers, and widgets that show the moon phase.
Behind the scenes: they're tracking your location, eating your CPU cycles, and running nonstop. Sometimes they're mining crypto and slow everything down.
If you need to know the weather, just check your phone or look out the window. Skip the desktop parasites, please.
Program #12: Free Screen Recorders and Video Downloaders
OBS is fantastic. Most free screen recorders, not so much.
A shocking number of them come bundled with crypto miners or background spyware.
You install something to record your screen, and suddenly your video card is running at 99%, and your charts look like a PowerPoint presentation from 1997.
Avoid them.
Program #13: Adware Filled Torrent Clients
QBitorrent is the only one that may be trustworthy, but many others, like uTorrent, have a history of bundling adware, and at one point, secretly installing a crypto miner.
If the installer has ads, bundled offers, or recommended software, run in the opposite direction, get out of town.
Don't use them.
Program #14: Microsoft's OneDrive If You Don't Use It
If you use OneDrive across multiple devices. Go ahead and keep it.
But if you don't, OneDrive is constantly indexing your drive. It's syncing in the background, but what it's doing is slowing your storage performance.
Turn it off and don't use it, and your SSD will appreciate it.
Recommended Safe Software
There is one program that I do like, it's called Patch My PC, and it will update all of the software that's running on your computer with just one click.
Patch My PC is lightweight, clean, doesn't run constantly, doesn't install junk, doesn't break drivers, and updates apps smoothly.
It's one of the only utilities I actually recommend.
Avoiding Costly Mistakes
If you want to avoid mistakes when buying your next desktop computer or your next laptop computer for trading, make sure to download both of my Buyer’s Guides:
Download the Complete Guide to Trading Computers
Download the Complete Guide to Laptops for Traders
If you are ready to upgrade right now, I have put both a desktop trading computer and a laptop trading computer on sale now:
Check out the Special Desktop Trading Computer Sale
Check out the Special Laptop for Trading Sale
May the trend be with you.
