How to reformat/clean install Windows 7

I originally posted this on a different board, but no one replied, so I removed it and am trying here:

I received my new M11xR2 yesterday afternoon. After playing around with it for a day, I'm ready for a clean installation of Windows 7. However, I normally have a disc that automatically does the deletion or reformatting of whatever partitions. I've never done it with just the W7 reinstallation disc which is all I have.

When I start the computer from the disc, setup initially presents me with a list of partitions on which I need to choose to install the OS. From the factory, there are 3: #1 is ~40MB and labelled "OEM (Reserved)." #2 is ~15GB and labelled "Restore," I believe. #3 is ~220GB and labelled "Primary."

Which partitions of the above, if any, am I supposed to delete or format? My guess is that I'm supposed to format #3 then reinstall W7 on it. But I really don't know.

Thanks for reading, and please pardon my newbish ignorance. Again, never done this manually before. On any system.

 

Hey. Its no problem. Your on the second step to recovery as your asking for help...

And yes you would format partition number 3. The first partition is a random partition win7 makes to waste space. It says its reserved for system files but just my opinion. And the 2nd partition is when you want to recover your win7 install to factory default i.e. how you received.

Uhm, ja. Good luck with the format and everything.

 

Okay, thanks a lot for the quick response. So, just to clarify: I am supposed to format partition 3, not delete it?

 

^Correct. Formating is basically erasing, while deleting it would make it empty space incapable of being used until being made into a partition again (so it doesn't hurt anything but is simply a waste of time).

 

Roger that. Your responses are much appreciated. I actually have a technician coming to replace the display (dead pixel and embedded fiber) this evening, so I'll do the reformat after that. Thanks again!

 

Yep a clean install is always the best way to start, highly recommended. Gives you the opportunity to have the cleanest possible system which can run well for a number of months (I tend to reformat every 8 - 12 months or so).

 

Schoony..At some point I too want to get rid of the recovery drive after I have had this for more than a week LOL..I installed Win 7 Ult over Windows home and that is all good. I bought an 8GB USB stick which will boot into Win 7 U and would love a link to the installation of drivers and put that on the stick as well making it my recovery disk after I have loaded all I am going to load. Actually since I loaded the modded GPU drivers and Deleted the CC in favor of AlienFX lite an Image would likely be a better solution.

 

Well, I did it, and all is well. All I did was highlight partition 3 and click format. It took 5 seconds. Was it supposed to be that quick? The actual W7 reinstallation took ~30 minutes and subsequent driver reinstallations took a while, of course. I'm just shocked to find that the reformat part took <10 secs.

 

Yes thats normal. The partition wasnt completely formatted but rather what microsoft likes to call quick format. Im not sure exactly what it does but as far as I know it just rewrites the partition table. So all the data is still there but windows wouldnt know how to interpret or read it.

Btw does anyone know a program that you can use to make a install image with all the drivers etc so that when you format all the drivers install automatically? Just a thought.

 

I just reformatted my m11xr2 with the factory disc that came with it. I am now missing several drivers.

2x Base System Devices
1x Network Controller (for the wireless)
2x Unknown Devices

Anyone have any idea as to what drivers I need?

 

check in the dell drivers page! =)

 

I know for the wireless what I'm looking for, but not for the base system one's or the unknown one

 

in the dell website, go to the support section and then go to drivers, find alienware m11x and then you will find all the drivers that you need: apps, audio,bios,chipset,communications,hardrive, wireless, wired network, tools, mouse and video driver.

 

Yea, but what I'm saying is that I don't need all of those drivers, only a few that aren't clear as to what they exactly are

 

can't win 7 search and download those missing drivers?

 

How bout you tell me the HardwareID #s and I'll compare to my HardwareID #s to see which ones they are? =]

 

VEN_197B&DEV2382
VEN_197B&DEV2383
ACPI\SMO8800 (Freefall sensor?)
ACPI\CPL0002

 

ACPI\SMO8800 = Yes it's the free fall sensor. Here's the link:
Drivers and Downloads (Courtesy of idlehand)

ACPI\CPL0002 = It's the COMPAL Embedded System Control (which has to do with the battery meter). It should be located in a folder in your hard drive already: C:\Windows\System32\DriverStore\Filerepository\emsc.inf_AMD64_Neutral_....
If not then here's the download link: http://db.tt/YTHeBe

As for your VEN_197 drivers.. I have the R1 so I'm assuming it is different from my system and has to do with the processor or chipset. Go to Drivers & Downloads and look under Chipset and download your appropriate drivers. If someone with an R2 could help this guy out with which exact ones he needs, that would be koo =] Sorry I couldn't help more =[

 

Thanks man, you were a big help!

Can anyone confirm with the VEN_197 drivers?

 

No problemo! oh yea rep points are there for you to use if it was really helpful hehe =P Let me research more on those VEN_197 since no one seems to be helpin' you out >=[

 

yea +rep

I now have a problem where Windows boots to a black screen and all I can see is the mouse cursor. Eventually it starts up, but its like a boot time of 2-3min.

 

i had the same problem with missing drivers too, thanks and repped!