Dell Vista Laptop Reformat and Bloatware Removal Guide

[Albie1200]

Well everything is working, but I can not seem to locate the drivers for the Base System Device which I believe is the memory card reader on the driver disk or dell website. Anyone have any idea where they might be located?

[Monk]

Well everything is working, but I can not seem to locate the drivers for the Base System Device which I believe is the memory card reader on the driver disk or dell website. Anyone have any idea where they might be located?

try this thread:
Base system device?? e1505

[Albie1200]

try this thread:
Base system device?? e1505

Thankyou for saving me from my laziness!! You are the man!

[bboy1]

Can I just ask, what's the difference between reformatting the computer using this method and using the method in the media direct reinstallation booklet that comes with your dell laptop? I looked at it and it looks the same?

Also, why do you have to install the AHCI driver when it doesn't mention doing so in the booklet from dell?

Edit: Ok I reformatted and didn't need to install AHCI driver. However when I put in my driver resource cd, it's meant to detect my hardware and it should have a tick next to all the drivers i need to extract and install right? The thing is....it only shows 2 drivers that are ticked..both network drivers. What's the deal? Now how do I know what needs to be installed...?

[protomenace]

What steps do I omit/skip, and are there any other steps to take if I don't want to install MediaDirect when I do the clean install? Forgive me if this has been covered before as I don't really have the time to read through 162 pages of thread.

[darthsat]

Can I just ask, what's the difference between reformatting the computer using this method and using the method in the media direct reinstallation booklet that comes with your dell laptop? I looked at it and it looks the same?

Also, why do you have to install the AHCI driver when it doesn't mention doing so in the booklet from dell?

Edit: Ok I reformatted and didn't need to install AHCI driver. However when I put in my driver resource cd, it's meant to detect my hardware and it should have a tick next to all the drivers i need to extract and install right? The thing is....it only shows 2 drivers that are ticked..both network drivers. What's the deal? Now how do I know what needs to be installed...?

Hi bboy1. The drivers cd won't detect everything you need. You need to go through the list and pick out the drivers for all the laptop components that your machine has. You should install the AHCI driver(intel turbo matrix storage driver) from the disc as well.

What steps do I omit/skip, and are there any other steps to take if I don't want to install MediaDirect when I do the clean install? Forgive me if this has been covered before as I don't really have the time to read through 162 pages of thread.

If you do not want to install mediadirect when you do this procedure, just omit steps 1-4. Begin the procedure by inserting your vista installation disc and rebooting your computer and pressing F12 at boot screen. Additionally, when you enter the vista installation, you will be shown a screen that allows you to set partitions. Highlight the 3GB Mediadirect partition and click delete. This will create 3 GB of unallocated space. So this additional step takes place during step 7 of the procedure.

[bboy1]

Thanks dartsat. Before I reformatted, I saved the 'drivers' folder which had the drivers that were installed so that I'd know what to install. But I don't think they're all of them. Some of them are the same ones on the resource disc while some aren't on the resource disc. So I don't know what actually should be installed. For example, the multi memory card reader needs like 6 drivers for each type of memory card, These don't apper to be on the resource disc but they were in the driver folder i had saved. Makes me wonder how people are meant to know that they need these if they're not on the disc. Roughly how many drivers usually have to be installed?

[scottbenntt]

Ok so ive been putting it off ive had my new m1530 for about 3 weeks and i really want to do it i haven't put that much stuff on it yet, so i was just wondering is it really worth the trouble? will i still be able to install McAfee & get my Dell Red backgrounds?

thanks for any help

[bboy1]

Well I just did mine. I haven't done any of the tweaks yet with vista...only the reformat and even with some heavy background programs like spyware doctor my m1530 shuts down much faster than before. Startup isn't as quick (just me cause of spyware doctor) but with the vista tweaks I'm sure I'll be able to get it faster.

I didn't even bother activating my norton but if you have the cd can't you just reinstall mcafee after? The only things I noticed gone from reformatting was the dell wallpapers (just back them up though and put them in the wallpaper folder after...that's what I did), the dell internet explorer (its just normal IE now..not that there was any difference) and I don't have dell solution centre now....anyone know how to get that back?

[darthsat]

Nice to hear that you were able to complete it bboy. The Dell solution center software should be in the drivers cd.

scottbenntt, you can download all the special product red stuff in the .zip file in this site: http://www.askvg.com/windows-vista-p...amscene-video/