Dell Vista Laptop Reformat and Bloatware Removal Guide

Sounds like you will need to re-format again. But you can easily back-up your data partition with acronis, or if you've got CompletePC Back-up which is available on the higher end versions of Vista.

 

hrmm ok thanks for the tip and prompt reply! i have acronis but how do i create a partition that MD3 will not wipe when i run the install cd? I have Vista Home Premium, so I dont have complete pc-backup

EDIT: are talking about the Acronis Secure Zone feature of Acronis® True Image 11 Home?

 

I was talking about using Acronis True Image 11. I would just make a mirror copy of the data partition and burn it to a couple of DVDs. Then restore the data once you've re-formatted.

 

roger that, thanks mate

 

So, I got my xps M1530 today and followed all of the steps here to remove bloatware. Unfortunately, once I reached step 11 I ran into some issues. I put in the driver cd and ran the resource application, but I never got an option to extract all that are checked. In fact, the only thing that is checked is "Marvell Ethernet Controller." Now I don't know what to do. How do install the proper drivers? Vista isn't even recognizing my wireless card so I can't get on the internet with it. And I don't even see it as a driver option that could be checked. Anybody else run into this?

 

Hello Izaak. If you click on any 1 of the drivers on the Dell drivers cd and click the install or extract button, does it not extract the driver files to a directory and automatically start the installation?

If you are completely unable to install drivers from the disc for some reason, do you have another PC that connects to the internet? If so, you can download the necessary drivers using the links in this post:

http://forum.notebookreview.com/showpost.php?p=3106106&postcount=866

 

This guide would be even 100% better if it told us how to image the MD partition so we can restore it back to default settings without having to force repartition (thus losing our OS & DATA partitions).

I tried using TrueImage, and it can see the hidden partition. But when I restored it, switched off and pressed my MD button, it just boots into windows normal.

Next am gonna try to unhide the MD partition and image it using DriveImageXML via BartPE... (after going through the force repartitioning). Will let you know results.

 

Yes, it will extract and install. But, I don't seem to have the proper drivers listed on the cd. Is it possible that they sent me the wrong cd? For instance, the only video driver listed is for the "nVidia GeForce 8400m Rev:AOO." I have the 8600m. I also have the Dell Wireless 1395 802.11g Mini Card, but don't see a driver anywhere for that. I do have another computer that is connected, so if this doesn't work I can try the link you posted. Thanks so much for your help!

 

Dell's network drivers are located here:
http://support.dell.com/support/dow...etag=&SystemID=XPS_M1530&hidos=WLH&hidlang=en

Save to a flashdrive or other means, ext and install. Other than that the only drives you should need from the disk are audio, fingerprint reader suite, touchpad, quickset, etc. Follow Darthsat's guide you'll be fine.

 

i created 2 partition during my fresh install of vista, (100gb, and 150gb) but after install, only one is showing up in vista. is there a way to fix?

 

Be sure that the 2nd partition has been allocated a drive letter and is not just 'unallocated space.'

 

I did the reformat and everything went really smoothly. I have only one question. I tried re-installing Dell Dock (Dell's ObjectDock) but I get this message:

I tried searching the forum, but Google Forum Search was never good for this.

I had Dell Dock when I got the laptop and now wish to reinstall it. I have backed-up the whole Recovery partition in case. Any help, tips, tricks?

 

yes, that's true. You can check it it has been assigned a letter by going to control panel, administrative tools, computer management, storage, disk management. That'll list all the partitions you have on your hard-drive and any unallocated space I believe.

 

cron, sounds like you're trying to install the wrong version of the program or is it a driver. try looking for maybe an older version of the Dock and see if that can be installed. Are you trying to re-install from a Dell CD?

 

I don't have it on my driver CDs. I got it from the Dell Support website through the Service Tag. You got me thinking Stoy and searched for another file. I found a similar file on the Website that can apply to my system. It actually goes to the installer now.

What I had: DELL_DOCK-APPLICATION_A03_R192718.EXE
What I found: STARDOCK_DELL-DOCK-APPLICATI_A03_R186613.EXE

 

try installing the earlier version, then getting rid of it and installing the new one. because that's what the new version wanted.

 

Booyah, it works... Thanks for the "flash", Stoy !

I basically installed the new file first, but it didn't load the Bar, and couldn't get it to show at all. So I then installed the original (the one through Dell Support) and that made it work.

 

awesome, glad I could help

 

Hey all. I just ordered and XPS1530 and will be reformatting it once I receive it. However, I have a question about step 4 and 5.

After I insert the vista CD, will it automatically restart my machine? Do I have to manually restart it? If so, what do I do to 'restart' my machine?

With the pictures provided by Bamaster, the 4th photo shows a screen that says "Strike any Key when ready". Is that how you restart once the Vista CD is in?

Also, I am a bit confused about "backing up" before reformatting. If my computer is brand new, and has nothing on it, what is there to back up?

 

Real simple my friend, MD3 will give you a statement around the lines of "insert Windows operating system disk, then press and key to restart". When you hit the key, it will shutdown and restart, when the Dell screen pops up, hit F12 to go to one time boot menu, scroll down to choice 2 - boot from CD/USB and, then that screen will follow with a black screen that says "press any key to load from CD". IF you dont hit any key then, the system just stays there in limbo, so hit any key when it says to...and thats it, just follow dir after that.

 

hey Monk, Thanks a lot for the help!

I just realized I ordered the EXACT same notebook as you! How are you enjoying it so far? Did this whole reformatting ordeal make a big difference in performance?

 

It did for me. You start cleanly (without any trial programs, Dell browser changes, Dell registry keys, etc.) and you take control of the whole hard drive that you paid for (without the 10GB Dell Recovery partition). I backed up the partition before formatting. Without going through the Vista Tweak Guide (I'm going to do it today), the system boots up 1-2 minutes faster already.

It does take time to reinstall the drivers & utilities and going through Windows Updates, but it's worth it.

 

how did you go about doing that?

 

I just copied the whole Recovery partition to my External HDD (750GB). Two updated drivers were there and one of the Dell Dock installation files, so it proved useful.

 

Please tell us which image program you used, or whether you just used Windows Explorer to copy?

 

Explorer to copy the Dell Recovery Partition to a folder on my external HDD.

I am going to image my current (clean) setup once I'm done with the drivers and utilities (I'm at work, so I can't do it now ). Acronis TrueImage has been recommended multiple times in this thread, so I'm going to give that a "go" later.

 

Hey, I was just wondering about the Vista DVD that comes with the Dell XPS noteboos.

Is it a "Windows" disc? Like full version, they way it would come in a windows box? or is it a "Dell Disc"?

 

Yes, it's a fully functional Vista Disc, it just says Dell on the front.

 

but if it's a "DELL" reinstall cd won't it just make it exactly like it was from the factory?

 

(sorry, accidental repost)

 

No, it will just load a fresh copy of Vista without any of the bloatware.

 

Stoy is right. I've used my disk several times to do just that.

 

I am skeptical about this, only because, how do we know what dell put on that CD?

 

lol It's just a Vista disk man. plus how would it make it worse if you've got bloatware on there already. Trust me, it's just a Vista disk, nothing more nothing less

 

You're right, I never thought about that before. There is probably tons of spyware on it for Dell to track our every move

Seriously man, you can believe us or not, but it's your loss if you don't.

In fact, if you're so worried about it, why don't you give them a call and see what they have to say about it!

 

The vista install disc is not where the bloatware is. The bloatware comes pre-installed on the laptop from the factory, and also will be re-installed onto the laptop if you use the recovery partition to restore your laptop to factory settings. The included vista disc is just a standard vista installation disc with no dell drivers or software whatsoever included in the install. It installs a fresh copy of Vista and nothing more.

 

Hi, i am getting this during the installation, please help...
"error code 0x80070017"

 

Is this during the Vista Installation? Which part specifically? and have you loaded the AHCI driver before the starting to install Vista?

 

The reformat takes a lot of the crap out and the performance is killer. I suggest you get perfect disk and do a full defrag after you fresh install vista and load your programs. There is another thread about tweaks, listed on the front page, its great but if your not comfortable with the reformat yet, stay away from the tweaks. With bloatware my stock sys ran 72 processes, with fresh install i have it down to 49(of course some tweaking) but the reformat speaks for itself. Having bloatware is like buying a car or a bike with a facotory install govenor...its crap. Enjoy

 

I followed the directions to a "T" except for step 7 (AHCI driver) -luckily, with Vista, it does not seem necessary. AWESOME JOB !!!

 

well that statement about the AHCI could be wrong depending on your sys, but i just checked Dell's page and it looks like your M1210 doesnt need it..you got lucky, or running w/o AHCI and needing it could bring on our friend BSOD

 

Hi guys,
I am doing the reformat, and have run into a little snag. I have done the reformat once in the past, but did it without doing the install of the AHCI driver. So I decided to do it again, this time WITH the driver installation. I downloaded it from the dell website onto my USB drive, and everything was going well with the reformat until it got to the expanding files portion of the VISTA installation, where it has been stuck at 95% for about 45 minutes now.

I didn't have this problem the first time I reformatted, and the only thing I did differently was install the AHCI driver during VISTA installation.

I'm just wondering what I should do? Should I cancel this reformat and try it again? or should I try it again without installing the AHCI driver during the reformat, and instead wait until the reformat is finished before installing it?

Any help would be greatly appreciated!
Thanks...

 

I would try start over again. It was probably just a glitch.

 

Thanks for the quick reply!

I started over, and you were right, it must have been some sort of glitch, because it worked like a charm this time.

And for those perhaps wondering, my computer is much faster with the AHCI driver installation than without it.

 

Gd to know and yes AHCI improves hard-drive performance by about 15%

 

Right

Just reinstalled vista ultimate (without touching any other partition- so media direct and restore etc are as came from factory). Now was just lookthing to see if the restore still works......... it doesn't. There is no option for "repair" when booting using f8.

I thought this was meant to still work- and if not, how can I fix this so that the option appears again?!

Please don't just say it's better without it- that is not the point!

 

No system restore does not work and repair can be found after installing the os disk and choosing it. This was explained previously as a reformat gets rid of the Dell restore partition. If you followed the guide, you would have read that it is suggested that u do a backup in case you ever wanted to go back and use system restore to bring your laptop back to day one

You cannot fix it unless you made the backup, reinstall the backup and then restore the system.

For all contemplating this guide, please PLEASE read it or ask any questions before following it. It has tremendous success....but must be followed and understood correctly first.

 

I think you are misunderstanding me- the restore partition has not been altered in any way. It is still correct and present.

The problem is however that in reinstalling windows, the option to "repair" using the backup image is not available anymore when you use F8 at boot. Presumably because it was part of the windows install originally used by Dell.

Also, if I use a vista disc to boot into the repair menu- it cannot see this dell backup.... only the new backups I have made within vista itself.

Is there no way to restore the option within the F8 boot menu? Otherwise I presume I can reinstall using the dell discs I received with the lap[top?

 

Then you followed a system I definitely did not recommend and it is discussed much earlier. Even if you try to keep yr restore partition it is useless because it is activated through commands and pathways which have been changed/deleted in the new install.

And no...the Delldisks gont have the complete backup, only the basic os. If ou have made a backup, simply put the os disk in, go into repair mode, restore the backup.

 

Your post at the beginning of this thread mentions nothing about saving the dell backup partition. Your method of immediately installing mediadirect and thus repartitioning the hard drive wipes out the backup partition from the offset.... so by just installing windows (without touching the other partitions) I have not exactly deviated far from that guide. If I had of followed it I would have just ended up with no recovery partition at all!

Was there ever a way in which to keep the recovery partition functional then? Or a way in which to "relink" it to my new vista install?

Oh and also I take it I can reinstall windows (to the version that it shipped with) using the included dvd then? But it will not be exactly as was as I cannot access the backup anymore?

I guess my best option is to simpy reallocate the backup partition now and cut my losses...? Cheers