Alienware 17 R3

Hi guys, been an eternity since I posted here. I could do with some help now so where else is better to ask?
I managed to mess up my laptop yesterday in a way that I had to revert to a new windows install from th partiton that holds a recovery image. Dont ask what I have done

My questions is, where do I get a COMPLETE set of drivers? I know I can download latest ones from the dell website by stating my service tag, but my laptop has so many components Im getting lost in all the descriptions.
Also, how do I get rid off the partition that has the factory copy of win10? There was a new update (ISO) I can use in the future rather than the old factory version. Does this new ISO has the updated drivers included?
Thanks for all advice in advance and please see below my config.


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When did you get your Alienware 17 R3 and what Win 10 build did it come with?

I don't know if i can answer all of your questions, but I can tell you what I've discovered thus far and maybe that might help you some.

I have an AW 17 R3 with Win 10 Pro build 1607 Anniversary edition) preinstalled.

If you go to Dell support and enter your support tag, you can download a copy of your pre-installed OS and create bootable USB recovery media from that. This is Windows 10 only with no drivers. And I think it is the build level that came preinstalled on your system (but I'm not 100% positive on that), so if you want the latest Build level, you'll have to download the install media ISO from Microsoft for your specific version of Windows 10 (Home/Pro/?). There are also several categories listed (Applications, various driver catagories, BIOS and "Additional software"), some with multiple file. You need ALL the drivers from each category. You can skip applications if you want. If you are unsure of the order, on the same page, right under the "refine your search" box, is some smaller print "View by: Category Importance Release date Installation order ". Click on installation order, that gives you all the drivers as a single category, applications as a single category and BIOS as a single category. but everything is the same. Every driver you need should be there. If it isn't, Windows 10 should install the correct driver for any other hardware you have that came with the 17 R3.

For me, I see 16 drivers, 6 applications, and 1 BIOS update. I only see the Operating system file if I view by category.

If you are OK with having the pre-loaded applications or feel comfortable removing them after the fact, you can use "Create USB Recovery" from the program list in the start menu. This will create a bootable USB drive install media that include all the original drivers and applications your laptop came pre-installed with (assuming you check the box that says something about system files). From what I can tell, this creates bootable install media from the recovery partition. When I made a USB Recovery drive this way, and then installed to a new SSD drive, it was just like it came from the factory, and while all the drivers and Dell apps were installed, NONE of the apps I'd installed previously before making the Recovery drive got installed or are on the recovery drive.

As far as deleting the recovery partition, there are actually two recovery partitions (at least on my laptop) one is under 1GB and the other was something like 10GB-20GB in size. The larger of the two is your Dell recovery partition, use to create the Recovery USB. (It may also be where a very stripped down version of AlienRespawn exists, but we don't need to get into that). I am not sure about the smaller partition ( EDIT: The smaller recovery partition is most likely the WinRE, or windows recovery partition. You'd boot into this if things go casters-up to go back to your last good save point, among other things. Probably best leave this one alone.). If you want to delete them, you cannot do it through the Disk management GUI, you need to start a command line dialog (start it as administrator) and use diskpart:

> diskpart
> select disk 0 (assuming you have only one drive installed)
> list partition
> select partition 4 (or whatever number the recovery partition is)
> delete partition (you may need to use the "override" parameter: "delete partition override")

Then you can go into the Disk Management GUI and change your primary partition size.

Good luck.

 

I bought my alienware on 20.5. I cant remeber the Win 10 build, but there was update on it since. Got it downloaded and ready to creaty a bootable USB key for the future.
With regards to the drivers, thanks for the explanation. Got the same quantity as you, 16 drivers, 6 applications, and 1 BIOS update. Im pretty clear now what I need to download and in which order to instal. The only driver I wont use from dell will be the nvidia driver which Im getting from the nvidia website.

As far as partition deletion, next time I need to format my drive ( my preferred way of fixing a corrupt windows ), I will the oportunity to relocate the space from the windows install menu. Will format all drives until I will see only hard drives and then choose the C ( SSD drive ) to install a fresh copy of win.
I always used this way with my previously custom made laptops. Owning my first alienware is however a new teritory for me. I have no dvd copy of win, I have no cd with drivers and no DVD drive.
Just hope this will go well next time I have to do this as once I delete the partition, there will be no way back.

Thank you for help, its much appreciated !

 

Even if you don't plan to do it, if it is still possible, use the "Create USB recovery" to create a Recovery USB thumb drive. Thumb drives are pretty cheap and while you may not want all the Alienware stuff that came preloaded, if you decide to sell the laptop in the future, you can do a fesh install just like it came from the factory.

I've now done a couple re-installs using the Windows only thumb drive and the Factory recovery thumb drive. I like having AlienFX and it is nice to have at least some level of the correct drivers installed when your system initially comes up. It saves some time. The only thing that didn't get restored by the recovery image was the desktop background. When I turned on my AW for the very first time, the desktop background was a silver/grey alien head on a bright white background. That background is the only thing missing from the factory recovery image. But, if you really want it, it is available on the web (just google "Alienware wallpaper"). I had to change it anyway because it was too bright. The screen on this thing is fantastic, I'm generally running it at 30-40% brightness at most.