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Reformating - Page 2

Poll Results: When you get a new dell, do you:

 
  • 80% (75)
    reformat. I want a fresh slate
  • 19% (18)
    uninstall the crap and keep on going
93 Total Votes  
post #21 of 32
5/18/05 at 6:42pm
What's the easiest way to delete the Dell restore partitions from the hard drive ?

I know Partition Magic will do it, but I was wondering if there is an easier/cheaper way to do it.
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post #22 of 32
5/18/05 at 6:44pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by psxjunky
What's the easiest way to delete the Dell restore partitions from the hard drive ?

I know Partition Magic will do it, but I was wondering if there is an easier/cheaper way to do it.
Use the XP OS install disc.
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post #23 of 32
5/18/05 at 7:10pm
That's interesting ! So the XP OS install disc will work, but not the disc management console within XP. Go figure !

Thanks for the tip, by the way ! Will try that.
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post #24 of 32
5/18/05 at 11:36pm
The XP disc will delete the partitions (as well as the disc management console within XP, BTW) but you won't be able to resize your 'main' partition without deleting it as well. In other words, you'll have to do a clean install of XP.

Here's a freeware partition manager--never used it, though.....
http://www.ranish.com/part/
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post #25 of 32
5/19/05 at 4:04am
if you do a reformate/reinstall but you want to install *some* of the things Dell has installed, how do you get those applications back? Does the laptop come with a software CD that has everything you need?
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post #26 of 32
5/19/05 at 4:09am
Dell chipset drivers, and Dell Notebook System Software. Should have come standard with your laptop
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post #27 of 32
5/19/05 at 10:54am
Quote:
Originally Posted by AntiParadox
Dell chipset drivers, and Dell Notebook System Software. Should have come standard with your laptop
So, is that everything that is available for reinstallation that came with the laptop (I have not received mine yet)? What about things like Jukebox (bad example, since I know I can download it from the Internet, but you get the point...)
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post #28 of 32
5/19/05 at 11:30am
Are you kidding? Hee Hee. The bloat software adware that is behind nearly 50% of the active processes can't even be removed without fracturing another active process. You should reformat if you know what you are doing. For goodness sakes, it is only a computer with a vid card, sound, and a few odds and ends. My reformat took 15 minutes, by using the create'a disc dell provides, then I simply asked for the other software on disc. And that only took another 15 minutes to install. There is no doubt that my system is faster and more responsive then reg editing or uninstalling programs that may be connected to other dlls. It is like making a bloated seven layer burrito and trying to remove only the rice, some of the sour cream and cheese are taken out as well. Moreover, by simply reformatting you get to to reclaim nearly 5 gigs of used harddrive space that holds a copy of the very bloated version you started with.
Eric
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post #29 of 32
5/19/05 at 3:30pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by strawnman
Are you kidding? Hee Hee. The bloat software adware that is behind nearly 50% of the active processes can't even be removed without fracturing another active process. You should reformat if you know what you are doing. For goodness sakes, it is only a computer with a vid card, sound, and a few odds and ends. My reformat took 15 minutes, by using the create'a disc dell provides, then I simply asked for the other software on disc. And that only took another 15 minutes to install. There is no doubt that my system is faster and more responsive then reg editing or uninstalling programs that may be connected to other dlls. It is like making a bloated seven layer burrito and trying to remove only the rice, some of the sour cream and cheese are taken out as well. Moreover, by simply reformatting you get to to reclaim nearly 5 gigs of used harddrive space that holds a copy of the very bloated version you started with.
Eric
Correct - I don't want any bloat, but I want to make sure I have all my functionality, like powersaving mode (when off AC power). My question merely reflects my inexperience with laptops, but I am a "decently-powerful" power user of desktops - I've built several of them and have a legit-yet-without activation copy of XP Pro, so I am good to go otherwise.
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post #30 of 32
5/19/05 at 6:23pm
I just got done reformatting my toaster. Now I just need some blank bread slices.
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post #31 of 32
5/20/05 at 3:31pm
reformat no doubt you don't need half the stuff they load on the thing.
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post #32 of 32
5/20/05 at 5:44pm
Rule if thumb:
If you have to ask, then the answer is NO.

Works for reformatting question and most other things in life?

I am not a professional, but I might want to bungee jump off that bridge. I see other people doing it.
Should I jump?


(Of course, if you jump on reformating, you can always come back to NBF and someone will try to help untangle you. That is IF you can get your system to boot)
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