Installing Drivers After Clean Installation Of Windows Vista

My Dell Inspiron 1520 will be arriving tomorrow morning. I plan to re-format the main partition and do a clean installation of Windows Vista Home Premium. I just want to make sure I know everything inside out before I go ahead and perform the task.

After the installation of the operating system is complete, I will be looking to install the drivers. I plan to install the drivers from the CD entitled "Drivers And Utilities" that will come with my notebook. If I install my drivers from that CD, will I be able to go to the Dell Support website and update my drivers just like that or will I have to uninstall the old ones first?

 

Yes, in fact...the installation method i describe below will work if you have MediaDirect as well. The disk is pretty much straight forward on reinstalling driver but beware, they dont always pop out at you

For example, when I rebuilt my system I kept getting a device error that said the biometric coprocessor was not working. I was lost ...and panicking. turns out it was the fingerprint reader.

You can go to the dell site in sepport/drivers and enter your service tag which will bring you to the drivers you need. There will be some that arent on your disk; there usually are.

Dont be afraid to check out my guide below.

 

So wait...

I can just update the drivers from the Internet? I don't have to uninstall the ones I installed from the CD?

 

That is correct with the exception of soundblaster, Roxio, and your webcam programs. They have to be installed off DVD.

 

Correct. And in my book, even recommended. You get the latest versions, and you avoid the "drivers and utilities" disc which has potential for a lot of other crap. For other manufacturer-specific stuff, the latest drivers will be available at their website/s as well.

The installation dvd is enough to get you running. The rest you install to taste, or whatever you need to run your specific hardware.

Regards,
P

 

Okay, you guys completely misunderstood me.

My plan was to install the drivers from the disc. After doing so, I would go online and update those drivers.

 

Drivers usually install one at a time, which means you either use the one on the cd or the one from the site. In any case, installing a driver usually includes the (automated) removal of the old one, so whether you get them from the site, or from the disc then the site, is fine either way.

 

That's exactly what I wanted to hear. Thank you very much. I figure I will install the drivers from the disc as temporary ones. I will use these drivers while I install all the software I need. Only after that is all done will I connect to the Internet and update everything, including drivers.