Need to re-image/wipe my new m17xr2 - software or tips?

Got a new to me M17x r2. It works pretty good, but has some software quirks that annoy me from the previous user (my brother). I just want to wipe it and be done and have a fresh start. I was hoping someone could provide me with a list of software (maybe) that I might need.

First, I have Windows 7, but do I need a specific alienware version?

Second, I got onto Dell.com and used the service tag to download available drivers, but not sure if that's all the drivers I need or just updated ones, as I do not see one for the Panasonic Blu-Ray drive.

If it is huge PITA to do what I am doing, I would even be okay with buying a recovery/driver disc for my specific setup, but thinking around $50 through Dell or Ebay maybe?

It is the version with crossfire 5870s and 2 SSD 256MB drives and the Panasonic Blu-Ray Rewitable drive

I really want it to work as-intended, and just have a clean start.

 

This shouldn't be to hard, I do a full clean install approximately ever 3-4 months.

There is no special Alienware version of Windows 7. Just make sure you install the 64 bit version for best performance.
The recovery disc is pointless imo, better to do a clean install yourself, you know exactly what you install on the system, with no bull apps and stuff preinstalled you don't want anyway.
I'd also suggest doing a 3dmark Vantage, or 3dmark 11 benchmark before the install, and one again once you're done with your new install.
Always nice to see what it did to your performance (go up, go down, stayed the same) to confirm everything is or isn't working as it should.

All the drivers you need are available on the dell site, everything will work. I suggest to install the AMD Catalyst drivers instead of the Dell drivers for your card, by the way.
In case you choose to upgrade to win 8, you will have 2-3 devices that will need some driver haunting, as the win7 drivers don't work (mainly card reader and stuff like that).

The only thing you will be missing are stuff like Alienware screensaver and wallpapers, user avatar etc. But you can download these separately also from the Dell site, or ask here on the forum, or make a backup of those now.

 

What's the best way to format the drives COMPLETELY before the install? Anything special I should know about SSD drives in that respect?

 

If you use a non-Alienware Windows 7 DVD you may need to look for the product key located on the bottom of your laptop to activate it.

Once you get to the partition selector (A window that asks you where you want to install the Operating System) you want to delete all the existing partitions, then from the unallocated space create a new partition and choose to install Windows 7 in it.

After the installation, you can download and install the drivers in the order they appear in the link below.

Alienware M17x R2: Initial Drivers Installation

After the drivers you'll be all set. Enjoy your new rig!

 

There isn't any special software in regards to wiping your SSDs. Just do a clean install.

Are you going to RAID them?

Sent from my HTC using Tapatalk 2

 

Just look in the R2 owners sticky

Clean install and AlienWare look and feel restorel