Dell Vista Laptop Reformat and Bloatware Removal Guide

Nice overhaul of the guide! This is a great help to everybody that has a Dell

 

Ya started with your suggestion so...well...thanks for the few hours of work Crash!! lol

 

Ok, finally back up and running without the 14.99gb partition. I chose option 1 from the MD disc this time, although I tried option 2 first to see if it would let me size a bigger C: drive...it did not, limit was 132 and whatever was leftover was made into that 14.99gb partition.

But I guess I have my 14.99gb back after reinstalling and setting everything up the way I wanted it (again).

 

Thats great. Its been awhile but I remember someone mentioning that there may be a partition maximum size or something like that

 

Well the guide works!! is impressive and
love it.
Thanks for your work!
Jane

 

Haha no problem, flamenko

 

Hey Flamenko!

First of all, thanks for this great guide! Just finished reading all 656 entries (wheww!) and I've learnt heaps from it... Now, I'm feeling confident enough to do a fresh-install of the OS on my new Vostro 1500 (received last week)!

For peace of mind (and as you suggested many times), I'm going to backup the original config first. With Acronis, can you use it to do a full-volume image, i.e. with all the hidden partitions on it (including MD, Diagnostics, PCRestore and C:\), or is it just to create an image of C:\? I'd like to make sure I can reinstall the FULL original configuration later on if necessary...

Cheers!

 

You must have had a lot of time

As for Acronis, I believe it does back up hidden partitions, but I don't have it so I'm not 100% certain on this one.

 

All you need is the temporary trial version of Acronis and it will allow a complete backup of the system as it sits, every directory hidden or not. The diskset is bootable and the backup copy has no time stamp.

 

OK, thanks guys. I'll give Acronis a go in my spare time. And yes, it did take me a few days! ... all worth it I think!

EDIT: how on earth do you get your picture to show up below your name, on the left??!...

 

At the top of your window, click the "User CP" link.
Then on the left side click "Edit Avatar"
It's fairly self-explanatory from there

 

I'm testing something...just ignore this post.

 

hoorayy!!... thanks |crash|, I *knew* it was something easy... (And sorry for the wasted forum space... )

 

No problem

 

This has probably already been asked but can you just add/remove some of the bloatware? If so, which ones are safe to remove?

 

Bloatware changes from manufacturer to manufacturer. You can delete the garbage you see. It is more difficult, however to remove the manufacturers registry keys and software registry keys that slow your system.

Hope this helps. Most do the Clean install to create their own systems and are astonished at the performance differences.

 

I usually use a registry cleaner tool to clean the registry. I just thought it would be easier to remove the bloatware software and then run the registry cleaner. As far as the bloatware I'm thinking of it was mostly the Dell branded software with the exception of Quickset.

 

You can use those registry cleaners to do it like that, but it is typically always a sure bet to just do a clean install to be absolutely sure that what is on your new notebook is only what you want on it. It is not a difficult or terribly time consuming process, so it is well worth it for the satisfaction of knowing that it is running clean and bloat-less.

 

Be careful with registry cleaners. If you don't have your registry backed-up, they can cause irreversible problems. If you don't know how the registry works, then you shouldn't use a registry cleaner. You'd be better (and safer) off doing a clean install.

Just my .02

 

Dead on Crash... Even I have used a registry cleaner which has resulted in a post crash reinstall. Get it... post 'Crash' reinstall.

 

I don't get it...

just kidding

 

NOTE: On some systems, at one point the system may not reboot properly and you will get whats called a BSOD (Blue Screen of Death). Dont panic and dont try and read the bsod..its too quick in the reboot.

The reason for this is because your particular hard drive requires a driver. I have been successful in fixing the problem in two ways:

1. Dont hot restart. Turn it off for a few seconds and then reboot. It should go back to normal then and when you reinstall your drivers, you will reinstall a driver called the Intel Matrix Storage Manager. It is on your M1330 drivers disk and numbered R154198.

2. You can also reboot from the windows disk and click on repair when it gets to that point. It will come to a point where it gives you the option to install specific drivers. You would then insert the drivers disk and look specifically for the above driver.

A thread specific to this problem is very well written, can be utilized by 32 Bit and 64 Bit installations, and is located here:

The DoubleBack Response

Flamenko,

I have a 1530 that I am going to do a clean install of tonight when I get home from work. I have the Intel Storage Matrix Driver in my list of installed programs. Do I need to put this driver on a flash drive and install it while I am doing my clean install?

 

That is the only sure fire way of having it install correctly the first time.

You could put it on a DVD as well, but then comes the extra complication of removing and replacing the disks at the right time.

If you have a flash drive, install and extract it to that. When you are in the installation process where you elect how to partition the HD, seek the 'Install Drivers' button and then direct it to the flash drive and proper directory for the AHCI driver. It will automaticaly identify it.

 

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I have 4Gb and thats exactly what I am seeing. I run without a pagefile now but it was similar when I was running 600/1200.

 

I have 3GB installed. So you were getting around 35% RAM usage before you stopped using a pagefile?

Also, how do you backup the Dell Recovery Partition to a disc, for just in case purposes?

 

The only way to do it so it remains useable is to do a complete disk image. I use Vista Ultimate but, if you haven't got that, Acronis 15 Day Trial will work. The image you make is bootable and there is no limit; it is good forever.

 

I also have Vista Ultimate. You can create a bootable disc of the recovery partition using Ultimate? How?

Also, if you restore from the recovery partition do you lose MediaDirect functionality?

 

Go to backup and there is an option for completePCbackup. It will make a complete backup of your entire system to DVD or flash if you prefer.

When you restore...Mediadirect is restored along with recovery.

when you clean install by my method...mediadirect works fine without the recovery partition.

 

Hey flamenko, just a few questions about Media Direct. I just got my 1530 and was about to do a reformat when I realised I don't actually have a Media Direct CD (didn't come with one). So if I just did a clean install using only the OS CD (vista ultimate) would Media Direct be safe or install of the same CD?

EDIT: OK, scratch ALL of that. Found the Media Direct CD. Now I should probably go look for that remote that I thought they didn't include.

 

I want to clean install my m1330 during my reading week. How do and can I keep the Dell recovery image that is currently in the D drive?

 

The only way to keep the Recovery partition is to do a complete system backup disk set through Vista Ultimate or a program like Acronis where the backup has no time restrictions.

The instructions are at the top of this thread followed by the tweaking guide in my signature block.

 

One more question, how does your method different from just inserting the windows vista CD and reinstalling windows?

 

This method reinstalls mediaDirect and then Vista, not just Vista.

If you want to install just Vista, thats acceptable but you end up with a dead button on your nice XPS system.

 

Flamenko, great guide... If I follow these steps exactly as listed and set up a 3rd partition during the process, can I then install Windows XP and dual boot as listed in the dual boot thread and expect XP, Vista, and MD to all work properly?

 

Yes, there are guides that discuss that available here and on the net.

 

thanks I will think about trying it but I wish I can keep the recovery image just in case I screw up.

 

Get Acronis Disk Image from here:

http://www.download.com/Acronis-True-Image-Home/3000-2242_4-10168093.html

It allows you to make a bootable complete disk backup of your system as it is now. The program expires in 7 days but the backup lasts forever.

Make a mistake? Put the recovery disk back in and restore to where you started with everything including system restore. Then just initiate Dell system restore to make your system like the first time u turned it on.

 

I just did a backup using the Vista Ultimate complete backup. My question is, does it backup all the media direct files as well in case I need to replace my hard drive? I know that when I did an acronis Backup, it showed me the hidden partitions that I selected to backup as well.

I just want to have a backup that I can use when I have to replace my drive in a few yrs. If Vista Ultimate's image can be used when I get a new drive, I will just use that. I'm just worried about how it saves the media direct.

 

If you chose the second option...complete pc backup...everything is backed up. It is a complete mirror of your system. See below.

 

Do you perform the instructions to clean install and then use Acronis afterwards?

 

No.. Acronis before ...that way if something goes wrong you can restore with Acronis and even go all the way back to resetting it to when you first turned the system on.

 

Right so basically your restore is of the bloaty system.

I take it you can then replace the bloaty restore with a non-bloaty restore once you're happy with everything?

 

Yes, once you have set your system up properly, to your liking and how you like it, you can simply either do a backup or a new system recovery set with Acronis. I use Vista Ultimate so i simply make a system recovery diskset once a month with Vista Ultimate.

 

ah I'm on Home Premium.

Well cheers for the advice. Once I have a working screen, I'll get started on the stuff in the first post!

 

Why does it say "-Dead" in the thread title?

 

I don't know and I never did that. I will approach a Mod!!!

EDIT: Pm'd Andrew and Greg. Its strange as, I believe, only a Mod can do this.

 

Yea, I thought only mods can change thread titles. I've been trying to think of different ways that DEAD could be an acronym for something, but I can't figure it out.

Strange.

 

I changed the thread title back. It looks like our script that marks Deals threads has somehow run amok again.

 

Great post - I just received a 1530 xps today and was thinking of using your post. I was hoping just to get a quick answer so I didn't have to read all 70 pages of the thread.

Your instructions are all straightforward - I've done this lots of times in a former job, but on win2000 and xp, w/ no recovery partitions and no mediadirect. I understood what you said about mediadirect being its own OS, and needing its own partition (which btw why can't I see this partiion from vista?). But wasn't sure what you recommended on the recovery partition.

If I get rid of the recovery partition, and then follow your instructions, will the recovery partition be recreated? Do I care if it is or not? I don't even really know what it's used for.

If the recovery partition goes away then what harm is done?

And if it needs to stay, then how do I ensure that it stays when using your procedure?

Also - does the Dell CD contain everything? Intel Storage application? Fingerprint reader drivers, webcam, etc.?

Thanks.