E1705 Clean Install - Any Issues?

I expect to receive an E1705 next week. I know there is a long sticky thread on this forum related to Clean Install procedures.

I was wondering if any E1705 owners have done a clean install and run into any E1705-specific issues?

I ordered my E1705 with the Windows XP Pro backup CD. I understand I should also download the latest set of Dell drivers from the Dell website (copying them to a USB Flash storage device or CD) in advance of the clean install.

Thanks!

--Rob

 

me too me too...

wondering the same thing...

anyone?

 

So I'm completing the clean install on my E1705, but have 3 items flagged YELLOW in the Device mamanger under "Other Devices" listed as "Base System Device".

Apparently I must have not downloaded all the necessary drivers. Any insights into how to figure out what I'm missing?


Thanks!

--Rob

 

Compare your list to Dell's Support page and try to figure out whats missing on your end.

 

Base system will probably be chipset or bios.

Also make sure to download Notebook System Software under Configuration Utilities. This will resolve any hardware conflicts.

 

One thing I learned here is that there are three partions: One for the Dell System Restore, one for the MediaDirect feature (i.e., play a DVD without booting the OS), and one for the OS (Windows XP Pro in my case).

I deleted all three partition with my clean install. I probably did not want to do this for the 1308 Mbyte MediaDirect partition, as I did care about this feature.

So to get the MediaDirect capabilty back I apaprently need to (1) Reisntall Windows XP to a partiton that that leaves at least 1308 Mbyte of the disk unpartitioned (for MediaDirect to use), and then reisntall the MediaDirect software.

Unfortunately the MediaDirect Resintallation CD does not ship with the E1705, and I had to request Dell ship this to me. In addition I did not have the Cyberlink PowerDVD software, need to view DVDs within Windows XP. I also requested this from Dell (not sure if this is a separate disc from the MediaDirect Reinstallation CD or not).

So, if you are interested in the MediaDirect feature on the E1705, don't blow away that 1308 MB partition. Also it seems you need to request additional software CDs when you order the PC than I did (I requested the Windows XP Pro Reinstallation CD, but nothing else (like the PowerDVD software). So I received green Windows XP Pro Reinstalltion CD (selected when building the system), the blue Dell Driver CD (everyone gets this), the McAfee reinstallation CD, and MS-Works DVD-ROM (as I ordered this application suite)

Regarding my 3 yellow "Base System Device" items in the System Manager, these seems to appear after I install the SIGMATEL audo device driver download. Wihtout installing this driver download, the system sees no audio device. This remains an open issue.

-Rob

 

Regarding the suggestion to install the Dell Notebook System Software, I did install this, although I'm not sure what this does. Should there be an application somewhere?

Upon rebooting after the install, I notice no new software applications or system tray icons. The three "yellow" devices persist.

Per my previous note, these 3 devices were discovered by the system after installing the audio driver via the Dell SIGMATEL audio driver download file.

 

Hey Rob,

I've been waiting for more details on a fresh build on the 9400 so appreciate you posting your comments especially about the MediaDirect partition. Please post again when you figure out the sound issue and then if possible, could you just list the drivers/software from Dell that we need to download (no bloat of course)???

I was wondering about the "display device" drivers and the huge list of models. This is for the lcd screen? I didn't think a driver was required for the screen? (i realize the video driver is separate - don't use the dell one it sucks).

 

I thought I read somewhere that the sound driver was incorrect at the dell site and there was a link to proper one posted somewhere in these forums. Where i saw the link is another question. Does this ring a bell to anyone??

 

The drivers are going to be different for every person. It is dependent on your setup, not what machine you order. The display device is for external monitors.

No, there shouldn't be. It runs one time and fixes any conflicts.

Have you installed the remaining drivers? You should have downloaded a driver from each category except for display devices, diagnostics utilities, removable storage, and applications. There are two drivers under chipset that you need -- one for your chipset and one for SD card reader.

 

>Have you installed the remaining drivers?

To the best of my knowlege.

I did not install anything related to the "display devices" category, as I believe this is referring to an externally connected monitor. I did not install the anything under the Removable Media Storage Devices, as this seems to relate to a Dell USB Memory Key (nothing I have)

I installed the Intel Mobie Chipset driver, as well as the wireless and Integrated Eithernet network drivers. Audio (one choice) and video driver were installed.

Still a mystery.

--Rob

 

Did you get a bluetooth card?

 

I'm kinda confused, shouldn't dell give give the drivers on discs, so you can just install them as soon as you have installed windows. Why would there be any specific issues for the machine you had. Surely dell must give the appropriate drivers that are relavent to the specific laptop you order. There seems to be a lot of problems with new dell laptops...my old inspiron 8100 is totally reliable. Nothing has gone wrong with it for 5 years! The new laptops are not convincing!

 

But every machine has different hardware setup. Like if you compared mine to USAF's 9300, you would see that i have a different video card, different screen, etc...

You have to download the drivers that are meant for your hardware. I can't download drivers meant for USAF's video card and hope that they work with mine.

Policies have changed since you've gotten your laptop. Dell doesn't send the disks anymore, so either you have to download them from the web or ask dell to send you a disk. Even if you do get a disk, it is going to have all of the drivers for the make of your laptop (i.e. one disk will have all of the drivers for the 9300). The disk is suppose to detect your hardware, and put little checkmarks next to the drivers that is for your system, but it always misses a few.

That's why you have to know your hardware setup. You can't rely on other people systems. Going back to USAF and my system. We could have ordered the exact same setup, and chances are we would have received different hardware -- Dell has Sony DVD drive and NEC dvd drive. I have NEC, but alot of our users have sony.

 

>Did you get a bluetooth card?

Yes, and I installed the Dell/Toshiba 350 BlueTooth driver.

Again, the system detected the three unknown devices as I installed the SIGMATEL audio driver. Would this not suggest they have something to do with audio functions?

Thanks!

--Rob

BWT, the E1705 came with the Dell Driver/Utility CD although using it to resolve the unknown hardware does not help.

 

It could be because of the Audio driver, but I've never seen that. You should have the same audio hardware that I have, so I don't know what would be causing it if it is caused by the Sigmatel.

Usually the disk doesn't work very well. I've notice before that it should have things checked off so i could download them, and it didn't. Plus the disk is usually outdated.

 

Finally got the 3 unknown base system devices to go away. It turns our there are two Chipset drivers that must be loaded on the E1705. The Intel and the Ricoh R5C832 (for the SD card reader slotslot). I only installed the Intel Chipset, as "knowing" that the system was based on an Intel chipset I didn't think the Ricoh applied. So much for thinking.

Also, the Dell recommend driver installation order is:

1. Chipset Driver (both the Intel and Ricoh), 2. Notebook System Software, , 3. Video Driver, 4. Sound Driver, 5. NIC Driver, 6. Intel Wireless, 7. Modem Driver, 8. Bluetooth / Other Drivers, 9 Touch Pad, 10. Dell QuickSet application.

Wow, what a royal pain in the #$%&.

 

ah okay.....thanks SG, you cleared up my doubts. I understand now. But a question about the drivers. When you want to reformat, what do you do with the downloaded drivers you download from the internet? Do you just put them in a folder on the main hard drive on your computer or do you run an install file.

 

Has anyone else had trouble repairing Dell MediaDirect partion? Mine made the main partition die and now I am using the Ghost DVD's I created to reinstall everything. Kinda PISSES ME OFF!

 

I'm waiting for Dell to send me the MediaDirect Reinstallation CD, so I can put this software back on the special partition (I believe Dell requires at least 1308 MB of unpartition space on the hard disk for this to be installed), which I unintentionally blew away.

I understand you were trying a Repair, and not a Reinstallation, correct?

 

Lil,

Regarding the downloaded drivers, I downloaded them prior to the reformating and placed them on a USB memory stick. Reformated the hard disk, copied the downloaded driver files from the USB memory stick (or CD is you chose to place the downloaded drivers on a CD) to a directory on the reformatted hard disk, and then executed each downloaded file (in the order listed above).

When executed, the drivers/applications uncompress and then install automatically. You may be requested to reboot after certain driver installs.

 

there is no mediadirect CD...its the Dell Tools and applications software disc they will give to u when u ask them for the OS disc....its in there, its the media experience tab and then delete thre experience and ur MediaDirect will then work thereafter..

 

For E1705/630 users, there is a MediaDirect CD. The software on the Dell tools and applications is a repair utility which causes problems apparently unless you have your partitions set right.

Most Inspiron users have MediaDirect 1.0 which can be downloaded off the web, but for dual core users and the XPS users, they have to get version 2.0.

 

i guess i downloaded 2.0 from that tools disc i gt it from the media experience and then deleted the experience...