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Advantages of Windows XP Pro fresh install?

post #1 of 9
6/9/05 at 12:28am
Thread Starter 
Total Noob here...

...but I'm curious, what are the advantages, as well as any disadvantages, of doing a format and clean install of Windows XP Pro versus leaving the original Dell version on your laptop?

Also, which is better, speed/performance wise, XP Home or XP Pro? Which will make my laptop faster?

Thanks
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post #2 of 9
6/9/05 at 12:57am
A easier answer would be "DO IT! [period]"

but since you ask for details, ok if you are a total noob with computers and dont really care about getting the maximum performance out of your system then leave it in there. Also if you like the junk they put in, then keep the original dell windows. I sometimes like the progs they put in there. But what you have to accept with that is tons of spyware and 20 different isps and stuff that you really dont need. If you do a clean install, you might have hardware detection issue. I dont know if dell gives you a driver CD or not since i'm getting my shipment on the 10th. But yea, as long as you can get the internet setup, you can probably download all the drivers online so no bigggie. Hopefully that helps...
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post #3 of 9
6/9/05 at 8:16am
Quote:
Originally Posted by benjamonous
Total Noob here...

...but I'm curious, what are the advantages, as well as any disadvantages, of doing a format and clean install of Windows XP Pro versus leaving the original Dell version on your laptop?

Also, which is better, speed/performance wise, XP Home or XP Pro? Which will make my laptop faster?

Thanks
The "Dell version" is Microsoft XP - just like the retail version. What Dell does is install a ton of extra stuff that you didn't ask for and most likely don't want.

Reinstalling the OS gives you the option to create addition drive partitions - instead of just having the C: drive. Reformatting the hard drive and reinstalling the OS is the easiest way to clean up the hard drive.

XP Home vs XP Pro (here is a link) - basically, if you need to log onto a domain or you need IIS installed then you would want XP Pro, otherwise XP Home is all you need. One is not faster than the other.
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post #4 of 9
6/9/05 at 9:53am
Quote:
Originally Posted by V.B.
Reinstalling the OS gives you the option to create addition drive partitions - instead of just having the C: drive. Reformatting the hard drive and reinstalling the OS is the easiest way to clean up the hard drive.

you can also make drive paritions with other programs.. partition magic maybe?
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post #5 of 9
6/9/05 at 10:09am
cleans up the registry too....even when you delete all those unwanted programs, i bet they still leave a lot of registry entries behind
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post #6 of 9
6/9/05 at 10:16am
Quote:
Originally Posted by k25anova51
you can also make drive paritions with other programs.. partition magic maybe?
Duh. But that wasn't part of their inquiry. If one is going to reinstall the OS, the OS install CD has the option to delete existing partition(s) and recreate them - no additional software is needed to do it.
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post #7 of 9
6/9/05 at 10:19am
Quote:
Originally Posted by V.B.
Duh.
wow.. is this 1990 something.. i'm just saying that because creating a partition shouldn't be considered a benefit of formatting because you dont HAVE to format to do it
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post #8 of 9
6/9/05 at 3:34pm
TBH you probably won't see any difference between a format/reinstall and just going through add/remove programs. Thats what I did on the 600m and will do when my 6000 gets here. IMO it is more work to format, reinstall, find all the drivers/software/bullshit that may or may not be available for download.

Either way, make sure to either backup your recovery partition or just don't touch it at all, should you ever want to restore it to factory defaults.
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post #9 of 9
6/9/05 at 8:12pm
less corruption
more stability
cleaner
no more worries about missing dll files, etc.
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