Windows reinstall tips

Linked from another thread, but placed here for easy reference for anyone else who is planning a reformat of Windows. This is by no means an exhaustive list of things to do. Instead, it's meant to be a list of some general tips for anyone who's planning a Windows reinstall/reformat.

1. Assemble a list of all the drivers you'll need. Check Dell's drivers page to see if all the drivers you'll need are available. If possible, download these to a flash drive in advance. Rename the files to something recognizable, as they usually come as executables named along the lines of R12389910a.exe Also, check if you have any driver CDs supplied by Dell - that would save you the hassle of downloading them.

2. Download all the applicable software you'll need from Dell's website. If there's anything came shipped with the computer that you want to keep, now's the time to download it / confirm that it came on a CD. A clean reinstall of Windows wipes all programs and files, so be sure you have all software ready to install again, along with the respective licence keys (if applicable). I recommend that you make a list of the software you need to reinstall for easy reference. It's good to be organized!

3. Back up all your data. None of your user-created files will exist after the reinstall, so be extra careful in ensuring that any files you care about are backed up onto an external medium (eg. flash drive, DVD, external HDD).

4. (Optional) Make a list of settings you need to adjust once the reinstall is complete. Remember that a clean install of Windows means you lose all data and settings that were previously on the machine. Things like your desktop wallpaper and other personalization settings need to be changed back, so you may want to make a list of these required changes for easy reference.