This is an interesting article on Crapware from Ars Machina.
I’d probably pay $40-$50 to keep all the crap of a new computer I buy. Frankly if I wasn’t worried about breaking something with the drivers I’d do a fresh install as soon as I got the computer. I wonder if the OS CDs come with the crapware on them, never tried that. Anyway, it’s a waste of an hour or two deleting all the crap that comes pre-installed – even just getting it out of the start menu.
All the big OEMs only include “repair” CD/DVD media that will repair or refresh a copy of Windows already factory pre-installed on the HD. If you wipe the disk or lose the drive completely, you are hosed.