Drivers after recovery

Hi,

I want to recover my XPS 1645 i7 laptop to the factory image.
now my question is how do I know wich drivers I need to download from the drivers page in the dell website?

I mean I enter my laptop service tag at the "Drivers & Downloads" and then it gives me a list of categories(Application, Audio, Bios, etc..) are all the drivers there compatible with my laptop? like there are 2 BIOS drivers(regular and DOS version) how do I know which one I need? same for all other drivers?

Thanks for the help!
Jon

 

if you are doing a image recovery drivers are already installed as they are part of the Dell factory image.

newer drivers can be had from the Dell as you saw when u entered your service tag.

The drivers listed when using your service tag are compatible with your laptop all you choose the OS and go from there.

Drivers i suggest u update are

Chipset
Audio
Video
Wireless / LAN

BIOS updates can also be done if your comfortable doing so. there is always a small risk when doing BIOS updates that it can go bad and brick the motherboard. so if your not under warranty - you may want to hold off

 

I wish it were that simple. I wish Dell had an auto-detection utility, such as what Intel and Nvidia have on their web sites.

When I input my service tag at Dell downloads, a long list appears showing all possible downloads for my model, not for my specific configuration.{/b} For example, it shows downloads for multiple brands of DVD drive, and multiple brands of touchpad, not just the models installed in my laptop.

 

Dell does have a utility but it is very hit and miss in terms of installing and working on your computer.

When it does work it will identify the hardware in your laptop and help identify the drivers you need.

 

When on the Drivers & Downloads page, I am not even offered the option of using the utility. It seems only to be available for certain systems, or maybe just for certain countries.

 

you will find the tool when you log into Dell and then select your Service tag number and then System Config, the option will be there to select SCAN FOR THE CURRENT CONFIGURATION

 

Wow, they really hid that. You have to click the link System Configuration, then Current System Configuration, and then you see the link: May we scan your computer?

It used to be a magnifiying glass icon and an offer to scan the computer right on the Drivers and Downloads page. In fact, the help files still say that's how to find it, but it isn't there.

Thanks for that!
I'll try that to see if it accurately detects my equipment and then offers me a narrowed-down list of appropriate driver updates.

 

The Dell.com tool does identify the hardware in my laptop. It doesn't modify the Drivers & Downloads list though, so I still have to carefully read through that list to figure out which ones apply to my hardware and then figure out if those drivers/downloads are newer than what's already installed. In many cases what's on Dell's Drivers & Downloads is older than what came with my laptop.