Step by Step Guide to Clean XP Install

JSC,

The Dell restore disc will re-install all of that junkware. You can get the OS disc from Dell for free usually if you want to call and wait through everything.

The OS disc is available for purchase when you bought your computer for $10.

 

One thing that confuses / worries me though, in the reformatting guide it says that if we reformat then the restore partition won't work any more - is that right? Or is that just when we delete/modify the partitions?

Before I go ahead and re-format, can anyone put my mind at rest, will I still be able to use the System Restore facility?

 

"Microsoft® Windows® XP Media Center 2005 Edition backup CD [add $10]"

Thats the one i think i have... i believe it was an orange colored disk.

While trying to do a fresh install, i whacked the E: partition, another little 39MB partition, but then when i tried to whack the c: partition, it wouldn't let me... thats the 1st time ive ever seen that... I was forced to overwrite the c:\Windows folder, so ill try again after this thing is done installing.

 

youll be able to use the windows system restore... it basically takes a snap shot of your drive, and saves it as a restore point. However... before doing anything, take the time to do a search on it to learn exactly how to use it... I had thought i saved a restore point directly after an install, and i couldnt find it when i went to go roll back my system. there was a restore point though... just not the one i wanted.

 

You have the option of killing all the partitions and making one partition. You can still use the system restore once you do the fresh install (it will revert back to whatever place you saved AFTER the clean install).

Edit: JSC450 beat me

 

Uh oh... im getting a screen that now says "Installing applications..." Is it possible this is not the $10 disk i was supposed to get? or is this what that disk does?

 

Well...I didn't do a clean install. I can't remember what color the disc was. Well, we will just have to wait and find out.

 

funny stuff =] im about to blow out of here, so ill have to wait till i get home to continue investigating this mystery screen =]

 

that is talking about the restore partition, not the restore feature that XP has. Yes, it is correct. If you make any changes including formatting, or editing/deleting your partition in any way, the restore partition will not longer be of use.

SG

 

LOL, don't worry. You have the correct disk. Dell only sends OEM or retail XP disks, not restore disks. The disks are clean install and will contain no junkware.

The installing applications is just installing normal XP applications, not any junkware.

SG

 

Green is the XP Professional Disk lol

 

Ok, heres the deal with the disk... It was a red disk (MCE) but i couldnt format no matter how many times i hit F12>dvd drive. I had to change my boot order to cd drive 1st. hit F12 at the start up screen, then choose cd/dvd drive.

Im about to go through the walk through, but im getting stuck on the fact i cant get my mcafee antivirus index to update... keeps trying to install firewall plus then gets stuck. maybe after i update everything else it will finally update?

 

Have you installed your networking drivers yet? Do you have internet access?

 

Yes... I put the wireless drivers on a CD like you said. i'll figure out the mcafee thing sooner or later.

 

Hi SG, I did as instructed and now my RAM reads correct. Thank you
As for the hibernation option missing from the shut down window, enabling the hibernation in power options has not resolved it. Also after having done a clean XP MC install with no more then the addition of drivers, Power DVD, MyDVD & Mcafree I expected my running processes and PF Usage to drop right down. I currently have 50 running processes and a 260MB reading for PF usage even before I install all my required programs! Is this normal for XP Media Centre because XP home on my old laptop with all my applications installed only has 30 running processes and around 100MB of memory in use...

 

Its probably normal to begin with if you haven't made any adjustments to windows yet. In our dummy article forum, there is a guide in there on optimizing your laptop (author is bootleg, i believe). This will give you good suggestions on services that you can turn off, and going thru msconfig to turn off other programs.

I would suggest installing all of your software first, then going thru that guide. If you do this now, then add software, chances are some software will set itself to automatically start, so it is just better to do this at the very end.

I'm not sure how much MCE uses or what all processes it has going on. I know with XP Pro, I have around 50 processes also.

 

hi,
i did the clean install but i think i messed up when installing the drivers. First i installed them from dell's website and then i wasn't sure if i had themall so i installed them from the cd dell just send me. I know i probably messed up. Should I do the clean install again? How many times can you do it?
thanks for you help. It is greatly appreciated!

 

I would use the ones from the Dell site, they are usually the most updated. For the video card I would go with the aftermarket ones, you get better performance.

You don't need to do a clean install again, it should be fine.

You can clean install as many times as you want...just depends on how many times you want to do it and how long you want to take making sure your computer is the way you want it.

 

its okay. You didn't mess up. You can actually install the drivers over and over again since most do uninstall the previous version. If you install an older version, I think a little message pops up asking if you want to install the older version (not 100% on that).

First thing, check the device manager to see if any hardware has yellow question marks beside it. If yes, then you just need to install the driver for that.

My theory is that as long as everything is working, you should be fine. You don't necessarily have to have the current updates. I just recommend it because the current drivers usually fix known problems.

 

In my device manager, under other devices, i have 3 items named base system device needing drivers, and an ethernet controller item. What drivers from dells site do i need for these?

 

Well for the ethernet controller, you need to get the broadcom 440x 10/100 integrated controller.

I'm not sure about the base system ones. I've never seen one like that. Have you installed the chipset and bios drivers?

 

heh, didnt think i would have to... i thought once it was installed at the factory, the chipset and bios would retain any thing that was installed... ill do that 1st thing! i installed something from broadcom, not sure if it was the 440x 10/100 though... was probably for the regular modem. thanks!

 

So, if I want to be able to sell it in 3 years time as 'Factory' setup - then I need to keep that...

When I am performing the clean install - if I leave that partition alone, and just format the other ones, will it be ok - or is it no good anyway?

What's the best option here - should I get hold of a copy of Norton Ghost and make a copy of the (Dell) restore partition on a DVD?

sorry to keep on about this ... but I reckon it's more likely to sell well on eBay in 3 years time if I am able to say that it's restored to the way it left Dell's factory.

thanks

Philip

 

That's going to be a tough situation. If you do the clean install or edit the partitions in any way, whether it is the restore parition or not, the restore partiton will no longer work. You might be able to burn a copy of the restore partition, but I'm not sure if that would work or not.

I'm at school right now, so I don't really have time to research the answer. I'll do it tonight, and should have a response for you tomorrow.
SG

 

HI,
Thanks for your help. I fixed the problem with the ethernet. I wanted to change my welcome screen features to show the different accounts but it starts as administrator and when I tried to change them, the computer says that client services from netware are preventing me from doing this and that i would have to uninstall this but I can't find where it is on my computer. Is there a way you could help me? Thanks.

 

First, i would try add/remove programs and see if they are there. If not, this was another solution I found on a website:

I don't know if that will work or not.

 

the Ricoh R5C832 drivers took care of the base system devices. The broadcom driver didnt do anything for the ethernet controller though.

 

That is just weird. That's the only ethernet driver there is for most of the inspiron systems including the M140, so it should correct it. Did the driver install, but it still shows a yellow mark by the ethernet? Or did the the driver not install?

Have you installed Notebook system software yet? Its located under system and configuration utilities.

 

any news or thoughts on this question?

So long as it plays games like Civ 4, C & C Generals, Age of Empires III, Warhammer and Total Rome I'll be very happy ...

I guess might have to just uninstall all the sodding Dell bloatware and use RegCleaner - if that works I'll leave it as it is...
I got Norton Ghost, so I can make a dvd of the factory state as soon as I get the 9400 anyway...

Philip

 

I think you can. I didn't take time to read it all, but here a site about it:
http://www.goodells.net/dellrestore/recover.htm

SG

 

Great guide

I totally forgot about it, so when I received my xp media center cd's, I tried to do a clean install...which didnt work. I cancelled the setup after boot...but it kept popping up in the os choices. I then remembered about the boot sequence...had to restart computer soooo many times during this process to figure everything out :/

What are all the boot keys and functions? Anybody know?

f8 is os choices right?

 

F12 is to do a 1 time boot change, and F2 is to go into BIOS.

 

"SouthernGirl"

I just received my dell m140 and it came with a cd that says "operating system'' "Already Installed on your computer" "Reinstallation CD Microsoft Windows XP Home Edition Service Pack 2" Also on this cd it says "The software is already installed on your computer. Only use this cd to reinstall the operating system on a Dell computer." "This CD is not for reinstallation of programs or drivers"

Is this the cd I would need to reformat my computer to new but without the bloatware?

Thanks

 

Yep, that should be the disk. All of the writing on it is just saying that it will give you a clean install, so you need to back up all of the data.

SG

 

Thanks for the quick reply.....

Do i need to back up anything if i havent added anything to this computer?

 

I would just burn a copy of your drivers. Besides that, you shouldn't need anything else. Any software that you want, you can request from Dell. You'll have to request Cyberlink PowerDVD and Sonic MyRecord unless you choose to use something else.

SG

 

I am thinking of giving my new I6000 a clean install of WinXP. So I am very glad that I found this article in time.

I have two questions:

1)There is a "Dell" folder and "Drivers" folder under c: drive. Do I make copies of both of the folders or just Dell folder?

2) I cant find a driver for my DVD burner. Do I need it? It is a TSSTcorp DVD+-RW TS-L532B.

Thanks!

 

Its probably your drivers folder. It should have several subfolders with numbers/letters.

Is the dvd burner the orginial one that came with your laptop? You should be able to find the driver on Dell's website (link in very first post).

SG

 

Under "Drivers & Downloads", I see the following devices, but not mine:

Removable Media Storage Devices
HLDS GCC-4243N Slim CDRW/DVDROM 24X GBAS
HLDS GCR-8240N slim 24X CD-ROM
M-Systems HS 128M and 64M USB Memory Key
M-Systems HS 256M USB Memory Key
NEC ND-5100A slim 4X DVD+RW
NEC ND-6500A Slim 8X DVD+/-RW
Philips SCB5265 slim 24x combo
Samsung SN-324S Slim CDRW/DVD ROM
Sony CRX830E 24/24/24X Slim Combo
Sony DW-D56A slim 8x DVD+/-RW
TEAC DV-28EC 8X Slim DVD
*********************************************
Mine is TSSTcorp DVD+-RW TS-L532B. Where is the driver? Thank you for your help!

Edit to add: yes, it is the original one came with my machine. And I just chatted with Dell Online Support, and got promised to have all the CDs shipped to me. Thank you all for the good advice! I will be getting them in two business days.

 

I couldn't find it either. My advice would be to use the driver that is on your disk. You should receive a disk with drivers on it with your XP disk, and the driver should be on there.

I'll keep looking to see if i can find a more updated one.

 

Thank you, SouthernGirl! You've been very kind! I plan to do that too. So now I will be waiting for my CDs to arrive!

 

Hi SouthernGirl,

I have successfully installed clean WinXP, but got some problems.

1) I have two partitions, but the drive number is weird. C: is the OS drive, D: is the CD/DVD drive, E: is my other drive used for all of my data.

My question is, can I change the drive letter somehow? It is very weird this way - D: being my CD/DVD drive.

2) Another problem, I noticed my wireless connection is very slow, comparing to clean installation before. What can I do?

 

1.) if you go to control panel-->administrative tools-->disk management--> right click on the drives you want to change.

2.) are you using XP or intel software to connect? Are you in the same location as before when you had higher speeds (you didn't change distances or move to a different room)?

 

Thank you so much, SG! The first problem is solved now! It is just what I wanted to do. The second problem still exists.

I didnt change a thing, still sitting in the same room as before the clean install. Something must be wrong. I am using XP software to configure. When I first got the machine, it was so easy to set up, and it ran fast.

 

hmm, I would download and reinstall the Intel drivers from Dell's website, and see if you get better results.

also, have you updated windows?

 

SG - Thanks a lot for your guide. I sucessfully used it to reinstall windows XP on my 9300 and it works beautifully.

Unfortunately my windows media player does not work - it shows an error when I try to play DVDs. It says I dont have the decoder. Are you familiar with this error, and do you know if it is caused by the reinstall? Any ideas on how to solve it?

 

Yes, I'm very familiar with that error. You need to call dell and request Cyberlink PowerDVD or you can download a free dvd decoder. WMP will play DVDs, but it doesn't decode it and XP doesn't have any other software to decode it, so you'll have to install a decoder.

 

I just did Windows Update, and uninstalled wireless card driver, and reinstalled it. Also tried to use Intel software to configure it, all failed. Now it cannot even be connected! So frustrated. Everything else is perfect.

Thank you for your help!
Do you know where I can get some more help?

 

Well I just posted the drivers and stuff I used for the card to work...it is listed in this thread, try downloading these drivers and see if it works.

http://forum.notebookreview.com/showthread.php?p=1253532#post1253532

 

I followed USAFdude02's suggestions, and it worked. It is the newer version driver on the Intel site. I downloaded the driver from Dell site, and it didn't work.

I also updated the Netgear Router firmware.