just ordered new xps with i7, should i do a clean install at DVinfo.net

Dave Morgan · March 17th, 2010, 10:58 PM

just ordered new dell xps with i7, when i get it i thought about just formatting the drive to get rid of all the crap programs that usually come with PCs

it comes with win7 home premium 64 and i have win 7 64 pro i could put on it.

any thoughts?

Perrone Ford · March 17th, 2010, 11:00 PM

I do a clean install of every computer I get. Fortunately, as IT staff, I get the machines with no OS usually. My editing machines do come with OS's on them, and they are immediately scrubbed, re-partitioned, patched, and have only my few programs on them. It's amazing how fast they are without the junk on them. And how much more disk space you have available!

Noa Put · March 18th, 2010, 04:20 AM

I always format the harddrives on my dell pc's once I get them, I also replace the start up disk with one of my own (have some raptor disks from WD) and then I use the original start up disk as data or back-up disk. I know that Dell did partitions their startup disk as NTFS and a small part fat32 for diagnostic purposes but I actually never cared about that, just wiped it clean from the start and reinstalled the OS. In that way you have much better control on what is active on your pc.

Ervin Farkas · March 18th, 2010, 03:56 PM

Another vote for clean install, with a warning - don't call Dell if you get stuck...

In other words, do it only if you absolutely know what you're doing.

Greg Donovan · March 20th, 2010, 06:28 PM

Editing machine or not, I wipe every new computer I get.

Not just for speed, but it'll be much more stable too, so long as you don't screw anything up.

Greg

Allan Phan · March 22nd, 2010, 05:51 AM

Clean install all the way baby. I have a habit of doing a clean install, get all the latest patches and uninstall not needed software that part of the OS like games, window mail or outlook express etc..and make an image of it for safe keeping. I then load all the software such NLE, add on and tweak to my liking such as setting and make a second image out of that. Once a year, after a wedding season, I wipe my PC clean and re-image it. In 10 minutes or so I'll have my PC ready for action again.

Noa Put · March 22nd, 2010, 07:52 AM

Allan, you are exactly describing my workflow when preparing a new pc, that is by far the most safest and productive way to prepare yourself for every new weddingseason.

Fitz Townsend · June 24th, 2010, 08:18 AM

Before you wipe and clean install,

May I suggest you make an image (an IMAGE, not copy) of the HDD that came with the system, immediately, without doing anything. It might be full of bloatware or whatever, but it's OEM and will help you if you ever need to deal with warranty stuff.

Paul Cascio · June 24th, 2010, 09:41 AM

I agree with Fitz, good to keep a restorable image. If you ever sell the computer, you can bring it back to its original state.

Douglas Call · June 25th, 2010, 04:27 AM

I did a similar thing but got a new Latitude i7 with a 250GB SSD first time I had this type of storage. the thing does boot really fast. it came with 1920x1080 screen and all the connectors you could imagine! I've already plugged it into my 30 dell monitor 2560x1600 through display port and it had no problem driving that resolution graphics. I'm put my Adobe PP CS5 and Photoshop CS5 on it. for sort of a portable edit machine. this time I got a 15" screen because I wanted the weight of the unit to be less than 6 lbs. I also using windows 7 pro 32-bit but can go to 64-bit. I have 64 bit windows 7 pro on my optiplex 780 and XPS M170 (17" screen).

March 17th, 2010, 10:58 PM	#1
Dave Morgan Major Player Join Date: Feb 2006 Posts: 293	just ordered new xps with i7, should i do a clean install just ordered new dell xps with i7, when i get it i thought about just formatting the drive to get rid of all the crap programs that usually come with PCs it comes with win7 home premium 64 and i have win 7 64 pro i could put on it. any thoughts?

March 17th, 2010, 11:00 PM	#2
Perrone Ford Inner Circle Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Tallahassee, FL Posts: 4,100	I do a clean install of every computer I get. Fortunately, as IT staff, I get the machines with no OS usually. My editing machines do come with OS's on them, and they are immediately scrubbed, re-partitioned, patched, and have only my few programs on them. It's amazing how fast they are without the junk on them. And how much more disk space you have available! __________________ DVX100, PMW-EX1, Canon 550D, FigRig, Dell Octocore, Avid MC4/5, MB Looks, RedCineX, Matrox MX02 mini, GTech RAID, Edirol R-4, Senn. G2 Evo, Countryman, Moles and Lowels.

March 18th, 2010, 03:56 PM	#4
Ervin Farkas Inner Circle Join Date: Aug 2005 Location: Atlanta/USA Posts: 2,515	Another vote for clean install, with a warning - don't call Dell if you get stuck... In other words, do it only if you absolutely know what you're doing. __________________ Ervin Farkas www.AtlantaLegalVideo.com

March 20th, 2010, 06:28 PM	#5
Greg Donovan Regular Crew Join Date: May 2009 Location: Sydney, NS, Canada Posts: 53	Editing machine or not, I wipe every new computer I get. Not just for speed, but it'll be much more stable too, so long as you don't screw anything up. Greg __________________ GL2 - Lowel DVcreator1 - Dell E6400 - CS4 Production Premium

March 22nd, 2010, 05:51 AM	#6
Allan Phan Regular Crew Join Date: Dec 2003 Location: Alexandria, VA Posts: 95	Clean install Clean install all the way baby. I have a habit of doing a clean install, get all the latest patches and uninstall not needed software that part of the OS like games, window mail or outlook express etc..and make an image of it for safe keeping. I then load all the software such NLE, add on and tweak to my liking such as setting and make a second image out of that. Once a year, after a wedding season, I wipe my PC clean and re-image it. In 10 minutes or so I'll have my PC ready for action again.

March 18th, 2010, 04:20 AM	#3
Noa Put Inner Circle Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: Belgium Posts: 9,509	I always format the harddrives on my dell pc's once I get them, I also replace the start up disk with one of my own (have some raptor disks from WD) and then I use the original start up disk as data or back-up disk. I know that Dell did partitions their startup disk as NTFS and a small part fat32 for diagnostic purposes but I actually never cared about that, just wiped it clean from the start and reinstalled the OS. In that way you have much better control on what is active on your pc.

March 22nd, 2010, 07:52 AM	#7
Noa Put Inner Circle Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: Belgium Posts: 9,509	Allan, you are exactly describing my workflow when preparing a new pc, that is by far the most safest and productive way to prepare yourself for every new weddingseason.

June 24th, 2010, 08:18 AM	#8
Fitz Townsend Regular Crew Join Date: Dec 2008 Location: NYC: Long Island City Posts: 51	Before you wipe and clean install, May I suggest you make an image (an IMAGE, not copy) of the HDD that came with the system, immediately, without doing anything. It might be full of bloatware or whatever, but it's OEM and will help you if you ever need to deal with warranty stuff.

June 24th, 2010, 09:41 AM	#9
Paul Cascio Trustee Join Date: Sep 2004 Location: Bristol, CT (Home of EPSN) Posts: 1,192	I agree with Fitz, good to keep a restorable image. If you ever sell the computer, you can bring it back to its original state. __________________ Paul Cascio www.pictureframingschool.com

June 25th, 2010, 04:27 AM	#10
Douglas Call Major Player Join Date: Dec 2003 Location: Hollywood, FL Posts: 302	I did a similar thing but got a new Latitude i7 with a 250GB SSD first time I had this type of storage. the thing does boot really fast. it came with 1920x1080 screen and all the connectors you could imagine! I've already plugged it into my 30 dell monitor 2560x1600 through display port and it had no problem driving that resolution graphics. I'm put my Adobe PP CS5 and Photoshop CS5 on it. for sort of a portable edit machine. this time I got a 15" screen because I wanted the weight of the unit to be less than 6 lbs. I also using windows 7 pro 32-bit but can go to 64-bit. I have 64 bit windows 7 pro on my optiplex 780 and XPS M170 (17" screen).