Dell SupportAssist

Does anyone use SupportAssist?

I have a Precision 7760 that came with SupportAssist preinstalled.

I am debating on uninstalling since I am not sure if there is a benefit to it. Command Update checks for the updates (or download from Dell Support Site) and I am not sure if the other features are useful.

A few questions on it.

1. It has a feature called System Repair (under settings) that looks to be similar to Windows System Restore. With this Dell system Repair on, the Windows Restore is off. One thing is I cannot manually make a restore point (Like Windows Restore) and it has not automatically created one. Is this better than Windows?

2. Is this windows Dell SupportAssist App different than the Bios SupportAssist OS Recovery?

3. When I open SupportAssist I would get a popup that’s asks the below in bold. Several times I hit remind me later, but the last time I hit the X at the top right to close the window (not dismiss button next to remind me later) and now it does not pop up asking this anymore. Anyone know what this download would do? Pro Support could not answer.

"Dell SupportAssist

Windows OS repair and restore features are available for download

If your PC has trouble starting, OS Recovery can help you diagnose hardware issues, repair your computer, back up important Windows OS files, or reset your device to its factory state. If you want this solution to run automatically when needed, select Let’s Go.

Once these features are enabled, your PC will automatically switch to recovery mode if your PC has issues booting up normally. In recovery mode, you'll be able to scan your PC for errors, restore your PC to a previous working state, or completely erase and reinstall windows to its original state.

If you choose to restore your PC to a previous state, it will come from a dedicated partition on your hard drive where OS Recovery will periodically save files needed for recovery. Done worry, you'll be able to see and track the setup and process."

 

For me personally, no. I in fact hate it as it wastes my time for my production work but I operate in deployments so my use case is different from most I would imagine.

 

I reached out to Dell Pro Support and they cannot answer what the download is. I already turned off automatic scans since It is not clear what Clean Files, Tune Performance, or Optimize Networks will change or delete.

Dell SupportAssist System Repair is on but it is not creating any restore points. I think it is a bug from what I can find online. I am not sure how or if Dell System Repair is better or different that Windows System Restore. Right now Windows System Restore is off on the C Drive.

Under Windows System Restore, I see the C drive and "Dell".

Is the "Dell" just because I have a recovery partition or because of SupportAssist?

I have three SupportAssist programs listed under Programs and Features:

1. Dell SupportAssist 3.10.1.23
2. Dell SupportAssist OS Recovery Plugin for Dell Update 5.4.1.14954
3. Dell SupportAssist Remediation 5.4.3.15135

If I uninstall all of these, will there be any negative impact?

Does uninstalling any of these change the Bios SupportAssist or use of the Recovery Partition if needed in the future? Or the use of Windows Reset option that I believe will use the Factory Recovery Partition?

In the Bios I see:

SupportAssist OS Recovery

The SupportAssist OS Recovery option will enable or disable the boot flow for SupportAssist OS Recovery tool in the event of certain system errors. If the SupportAssist OS Recovery setup option is set to disabled then all automatic boot flow for SupportAssist OS Recovery tool will be disabled.

I do have on my OEM drive a 990MB Recovery Partition and a 1.38GB Recovery Partition.


Thanks.

 

http://forum.notebookreview.com/thr...ts-and-incidents.816109/page-33#post-11001793

 

I am going to uninstall SA. Is there any order I should remove these apps?

1. Dell SupportAssist 3.10.1.23
2. Dell SupportAssist OS Recovery Plugin for Dell Update 5.4.1.14954
3. Dell SupportAssist Remediation 5.4.3.15135

I am assuming this will have no impact on the Bios SupportAssist and the existing recovery partitions.

 

I have Support Assist on my Dell 7790. Once I clicked on it and it asked for my profile. I just clicked on the little X on the top right corner and it closed. Never tried it again. That was 3 years ago. Every once in awhile I get auto Dell updates, I suspect that those updates are caused by Support Assist. I just leave it alone.

 

By most accounts it's a pretty flaky piece of software that can potentially cause issues (many such reports on Dell/AW forums) and constitute a security risk.

 

I uninstalled all three items. Command Update still works. One thing is you cannot do a hardware scan on the web since that needs SupportAssist. There is a pre-boot diag, but reading this, SA may do more.

https://www.dell.com/support/kbdoc/...cs-supportassist-epsa-epsa-or-psa-error-codes

 

Yep. Have been cancer as long I can remember. Here is more fun https://www.reddit.com/r/Alienware/comments/ozt4fj/alienware_x17_r1_keyboard_stops_working_suddenly/

An older one from 2019 but equal disgusting http://forum.notebookreview.com/thr...ts-and-incidents.816109/page-22#post-10905868

My thread from 2015
Why launches Dell bloatware in Alien such as Dell Support Assist Agent Version and Dell data vault?

 

best to get rid of Dell Support Assist and their plugins

 

I don't use any of the dell software, I do use and recommend Dell Command Update, it is a manual update tool that the business computers all use. Support Assistant can be installed for use with Dell Support and then uninstalled once you have sorted out the issue you needed it for. Automatic updating can be detrimental to your notebook