Dell 9200 re-install or remove programs manually?

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jwp - 28 Jul 2007 04:39 GMT

I bought a 9200 (2 days after I ordered it), but I have a couple of
problems.

#1 - Is it better to just remove the junk programs (AOL, Earthlink,
etc) through the control center, or is it better to a clean install?
I would like to do a clean install, but I'm afraid that I will choose
the wrong drivers. In the Dell Resource CD (the Dell Resource
program) that came with the PC, only two things where checked. They
were the audio drivers and the video drivers. I'm sure there are more
that I would need to reinstall (SATA drivers, chipsets). I done know
if I would pick the correct one.

#2 - I read that Dell puts a hidden partition on the C: drive to
restore the PC to its original factory configuration, but if I clean
install, could I still use the hidden partition to restore. Also, in
the Disk Management in the administative tools, it show three
partitions. 55 MB (restore partition?), the C: drive, and then a 3 GB
FAT 32 unknown partition.

Can I combine the 3 gb with the C: drive (using partition magic). Or
is the 3 gb used for something.

Either way (clean install or removing), I would like to split the disk
into two drives. I guess that I can do that?

jwp

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Kevin - 28 Jul 2007 05:50 GMT

>I bought a 9200 (2 days after I ordered it), but I have a couple of
> problems.
[quoted text clipped - 7 lines]
> that I would need to reinstall (SATA drivers, chipsets). I done know
> if I would pick the correct one.

A clean install is the best way to go. As far as drivers are concerned, you
need to know what hardware is in your unit. Your build sheet, which should
have been included with the unit and may also have been emailed to you,
would list the particular hardware. Or download Belarc Advisor and run it.
It will tell you what hardware you have. You could also use Device Manager
to see what your hardware configuration is. With that knowledge, you can
then select the proper drivers from the Dell Resource CD.

Install the chipset driver first. Then the video driver. After that, you
can install them in any order you want.

> #2 - I read that Dell puts a hidden partition on the C: drive to
> restore the PC to its original factory configuration, but if I clean
> install, could I still use the hidden partition to restore. Also, in
> the Disk Management in the administative tools, it show three
> partitions. 55 MB (restore partition?), the C: drive, and then a 3 GB
> FAT 32 unknown partition.

When you do a clean install, you will be able to leave the restore
partition, the 3GB one, intact. Or you can wipe the entire drive. You will
have options. The 55MB partition is the Dell Diagnostics partition.

> Can I combine the 3 gb with the C: drive (using partition magic). Or
> is the 3 gb used for something.
>
> Either way (clean install or removing), I would like to split the disk
> into two drives. I guess that I can do that?

Yes. You will have many options available to you. During the clean
install, you will be shown the entire drive, with all the partitions. You
can do anything you want at this point. There are very good instructions on
the Dell Support web site for all of this.

> jwp

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Bob Levine - 28 Jul 2007 14:17 GMT

> A clean install is the best way to go.

Strongly seconded. Whenever I get a new machine, I plug it in, boot it
up and make sure it's working. After that...a clean install of Windows.

Shouldn't take much longer than actually cleaning up all the crap on the
machine and you get a CLEAN install, not an image.

Bob

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Christopher Muto - 28 Jul 2007 17:37 GMT

I also agree, but reinstallation in my opinion takes more time than most
people are willing to dedicate to the task. And it is very tedious. Dell
has step by step direction on their site if you visit support.dell.com and
start the help dialog... another thing that is popular is this pc
"decrapifier" program. And it is free for personal use!
http://pcdecrapifier.com/

>> A clean install is the best way to go.
>
[quoted text clipped - 5 lines]
>
> Bob

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Christopher Muto - 28 Jul 2007 17:42 GMT

ps. i would not split the drive into two partitions. i don't know why
people do this other than to create headaches further down the road when one
of the drive begins to run out of space. it seems to be a throwback to when
file systems had certain limitations with large disk support. there is
nothing that partitioning can do for you that creating a folder on the same
drive can't.

>I also agree, but reinstallation in my opinion takes more time than most
>people are willing to dedicate to the task. And it is very tedious. Dell
[quoted text clipped - 12 lines]
>>
>> Bob

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Brian K - 30 Jul 2007 10:47 GMT

I disagree Chris, but partitioning choices are personal. I like the OS on
the outside of the HD, maybe it's faster. I like my data separated from the
OS so I can image the OS partition and backup my data as two distinct items.
Restoring an OS image is naturally much faster if it's an image of a smaller
partition and doesn't include your data. Most images are restored for
software reasons rather than for HD failure so most images are restored to
the same partition from which they were created. I also like to have another
partition for a second WinXP (hidden) so that I can test software before
committing it to my main OS. So my minimum is three partitions. Any more
does start to look like extra folders as you mentioned.

> ps. i would not split the drive into two partitions. i don't know why
> people do this other than to create headaches further down the road when
> one of the drive begins to run out of space. it seems to be a throwback
> to when file systems had certain limitations with large disk support.
> there is nothing that partitioning can do for you that creating a folder
> on the same drive can't.

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