Need Help With Clean Vista Install On 1537

Hi everyone, I have 2 new Studio 1537s on the way, one to be delivered on the 24th. I want to reformat my new laptops in order to do a clean install of Vista and I have read the entire thread started by Les but I still have a couple of questions as that thread seems to have died out. The first involves the AHCI driver issue. I understand how in the past this driver has installed either from a USB drive or from the Dell Drivers CD prior to the reinstallation of Vista. However when I look at the available drivers for the Studio 1537 on Dell's driver download area, under SATA drives there is only one driver/file listed and it's function is as follows: "The DE16 firmware corrects an audible clicking noise." There is no mention of the Intel Matrix Storage Driver under SATA drivers. I believe I read somewhere that when reinstalling Vista from a Vista SP1 disk, this driver is no longer necessary. Can someone please verify this? Oh and should I assume my new 1537 will already have this firmware update applied to the hard drives to fix the clicking issue?

My next question has to do with reinstalling Dell system software. I was looking at what I would need to download and reinstall under the System Utilities heading on Dell's support site and there are three listed, with one being "urgent" dated 12/18/2008. I can't tell what this Dell utility does but it says "If you are reinstalling the operating system it is important that this software be installed first." Now I'm not exactly a noob but I can't figure out what this means. Is this a firmware or BIOS update? Since my laptops are being built after 12/18/2008, has this update already been applied to my machines? Since I want to reformat and reinstall Vista, do I apply this update before I reformat? That seems counterproductive unless it's a firmware issue. Or is it like the AHCI driver where I extract the files to a USB drive and install the update after the reformat but before I reinstall Vista?

Lastly, does anyone have any advice on which order I should reinstall the drivers after I complete reinstalling Vista? I understand that the order in which the drivers are installed can be important.

Thanks in advance for any assistance I can get.
Bill : )

 

1. No longer needed with Vista SP1
2. Dell System Software is just another name for Windows Hotfixes. It is just a collection of fixes from MS that aren't publicly available (will be included in SP2)

 

Frazell, thank you for your reply to my question. I understand what you are saying that these are Windows hotfixes but what I don't quite follow is Dell's instructions "If you are reinstalling the operating system it is important that this software be installed first." Are they saying that the first thng I should do after reinstalling Vista is apply these updates? Is that before I instal any drivers? I guess I am somewhat confused about the order in which I should apply the updates and the OS.

EDIT: I think I found my answer here in this Dell Technical Support Article.... http://tinyurl.com/87ejc4


Thanks Again,
Bill : )

 

As far as the AHCI you can change it to ATA operation in the bios so you don't have any conflicts there, The notebook system software along with all the other drivers need to be installed in order as explained on the dell website that you found and need to be installed before anything else directly after installing the OS, the notebook system software is not windows hotfixes, it is the Dell system specific driver to identify the hardware and components installed in your system that is why it is installed first. As far as the the updated drivers go that you were talking about install the most recent ones you need even if the system came with it as it will be all erased as you re-format. Basically change the AHCI operation to ATA operation, boot to the disc, delete the OS partition (not the recovery partition), format the the new partition which installs the OS automatically afterwards, then as soon as you get back into windows after the OS Reinstall load the drivers in the specific order directed by the Dell site (restart after each driver install for the first 3 drivers). Then you should be good to go....

 

There is no need to go into the BIOS at all. No settings need to be changed. The Vista disc has everything that is needed.