How exactly do i perform a clean install on a 1520?

Dell sent a rather large amount of cds with the laptop, and i'm trying to figure out which ones i'll need to do a complete reinstall of vista, which is vital to getting maximum speed, is it not? I'm thinking i only need the driver and windows vista cd but there's also something called Dell Media Direct that has something to do with the hdd.

 

Someone should know :_

 

If you want to install Dell Media Direct, you have to leave 1308 MB unpartitioned for your mediadirect install.

http://forum.notebookreview.com/showthread.php?t=54366

To reinstall Vista, just boot from the Vista DVD (or cd) and follow the instructions.

 

If that isn't enough info, let me know and I'll post more

 

does reinstalling vista also imply reformatting the hdd or do i just have to put the dvd in my drive and follow the instrucutions etc. and all the bloatware be gone and my system be 10% (or sth.) faster ?

 

Reformatting is the best way to get it all gone.
Installing vista over your old copy of vista will not allow the bloatware to do anything, but it will still be on the hard drive.
It will still be there, just not written into the registry so it wouldn't show up in the all programs menu or run automatically or anything.

 

I'm going to be doing this as well. I'd also like to to blast away the 10gig partition and make it usable for other stuff. Anyone recommend against doing this?

 

In the vista set up you can reformat your hdd right? Cause I remember you could do it in the Windows XP installation

 

Can I take out the harddrive out of my new Inspiron and insert a better one (7200rpm) and then use the Dell Vista cd on it? And the install dual boot with Windows Xp?

Can i use this guide on my new inserted HD?
http://apcmag.com/5485/dualbooting_vista_and_xp

(Waiting for my Inspiron with 5400rpm HD)

 

Indeed.

I think you can switch the hard drive (not sure)
I know that the vista install disk would work on any hard drive, and that guide works on any hard drive as well.