Clean install question

it's a clean install of windows, as if you went to your local computer store and bought a boxed copy of windows and installed that. well, it's like that with one exception, it's an OEM version.. but that really doesn't make any difference. i would recommend calling dell for the discs before you get your computer.

Just so you know... The DVD you'll receive does NOT include any of the drivers required to finish your reinstallation.

Make a run thru the Dell download area to pick up what you'll need. Another option would be to ask for the Dell Resource CD. IF you get the right one [Dell part number XF088], it will get you a good jump on all of what you'll need. It's VERY hard to get the correct media. There are MANY folks [including myself] that end up getting a Resource CD for other systems [e.g. Dell part number G3714].

If you end up with just the downloads, be thinking ahead about how you'll get them onto your hard drive [e.g. your own CD, or a flash drive]

That said I noted a couple of interesting 'things' wrt the downloads and the CD...

Things on the Resource disk but not in the 'normal' download area...

R96600 Modem Helper App v3.01
R81340 JAVA Runtime Environment A02

In 'normal' download area but NOT on CD......

R113309 Broadcomm Diagnostic A12
R113310 Broadcomm Controller A14
R113511 Sonic DLA v5.2
R90851 Digital Line Detect A01

Now that was for my particular E1505... Yours might be slightly different.

Just so you know ahead of time....

Towards the end of your XP MCE install you'll go thru one of the many reboots but, unlike the others, this time you'll be presented with a big time, Flashing 'Warning' message advising... "Wait... Installing Applications... Do NOT press any keys..."

You will need to wait at this point while the DVD installs Microsoft dotNet Framework and several Microsoft updates to Windows Media Center operating system [KB900325]. You won't be seeing anything that tells you that, but 'trust me', that's what it's doing....

This is not 'bloatware', but needed Microsoft updates. So don't let the Dell 'blurb' get you to thinking otherwise and you end up trying to kill that portion of the installation. It's been done....

Not that you asked, but I'll give my recommendation wrt MediaDirect....

During the resintallation of Windows, the specialized Dell boot code needed for MediaDirect is overwritten by Microsoft code. This will 'break' MediaDirect functionality. You'll need to run Dell MediaDirect 2.0 Repair utility to get the Dell code reloaded. This is on the Resource CD I mentioned, or can also be downloaded from Dell. Do not confuse this with the MediaDirect Reinstallation CD. If you ever get around to replacing your hard drive, the Reinstallation CD will be something you'll need, but not now...

The Dell boot code is VERY particular about the organization of the hard drive's Partition Table. Long story short.... When you reinstall XP you'll have the option to configure your partitions. Do yourself a favor and leave the Dell Utility partition [a small, approx 40MB partition] alone. Adjust your 'system' partition size to whatever you like; delete the Dell Restore partition [that will be a partition approx 4.5GB] if you want, but leave the Utility partition alone.

Once you get the OS install done, then you can go back and get the MediaDirect repair finished....

hth

Mark

this gets asked all the time, they should make a sticky of one of these so new people stop asking (:

ok, bout to order new laptop within the hour, when i call up and as dell for the 'windows cd" and :resource c", what do they ask me, and do i have to pay for these at all? as if you ring up dell and ask for windows, they wont' send it out to you for freE?

they don't really ask any questions. just tell them you want the restore discs, they're 100% free.

Well... I think they will ask you the service tag of your computer because witjout this information, everyone who doens't have a Dell computer can order a Windows XP re-installation CD that cost arruond 230 $ CDN...

i guess what i meant to say was "they don't pry".

true true, thanks guys

Mark,
I paid the $10 for the discs with mine, but I got the G3714. What's the difference with the other one?

Little question here :

I ordered my Windows XP MCE Re-Installation CD.

Does it will come with the applications CD ( CD with Dell's application in it ) and with the Dell MediaDirect CD and all the things or only with the WinXP MCE ?

Thank you !

it comes with:
operating system reinstallation DVD
powerdvd CD
sonic myDVD + recordnow CD
dell tools CD (antivirus, support, multimedia, internet software, i don't know the specifics)
drivers CD

Thank you very much for your anwser !

I cannot have a more precise anwer than this !

Thank you !

For my E1505 the G3714 did not include much of anything that was applicable for my hardware. It did not properly detect my model laptop and just provide a generic list to choose from [MXc051, Inspiron 600m/700m/710m/9300/6000, MXG051 and ME051]. Bottom line.. it wasn't the correct one. Mark

Just so you know... my experience was different. I only got XP MCE reinstall disk, WordPerfect [for some reason], and a Dell Resource CD. After my laptop arrived, I had to ask for everything else.... Hope you have better luck Mark

those were the discs that came with my laptop, the ones i listed were the ones they sent me when i requested the XP disc.

So you mean you called them after you got your notebook and gave your service tag? And would you be kind to tell us how did you ask them? I mean in detail, thanks,

My new E1505 arrived Friday. I purchased the MCE re-installation disks with the system. I got a Dell XP MCE disk, a drivers disk (the wrong one) and the Word Perfect disk, that's it. I reloaded XP this weekend and found out Media Center won't play a DVD any longer because I don't have PowerDVD to reinstall.

I don't want all Dell's bloatware, which is why I did a clean reinstall of XP, but I have to wonder what else I'm missing that could be useful, like PowerDVD. I did manage to do the Media Direct repair successfully, thanks to what I've read here on this forum.

If you were wanting to burn data DVDs or author video DVDs, then you may want to be asking for the Roxio/Sonic RecordNow 'Suite' [aka Sonic Digital Media LE V7] and/or MyDVD LE Microsoft Windows/WMP supports burning data/audio CDs, so you're covered there if you want to skip the Roxio/Sonice software. Can't think of much else except maybe for the Corel Paint Shop... hth Mark

The Sonic DLA is downloadable from the Drivers/Downloads for the 1505 site at Dell.