Clean Install

[303]

Well after purchasing my Alienware I was a little disappointed since everyone told me to do a "clean install" before I did anything. I chose not to and immediately noticed problems, sound card would only work sometimes, IE errors and crashes, and recently a blue screen so it seems its time to do the clean install.

I am wondering what the best way to go about this is, I've been told different ways and it's been a while since I did one so I'm sure their are some new tricks out there.

I will be backing up my files soon. It should be said that I have two hard drives and one of which is a SSD drive. One thing I've always wondered is if Dell installed the OS on the SSD and let me use the other hard drive for other things, or if its the other way around. The computer does start rather quickly.

Operating System: Windows 7 Professional 64-bit (6.1, Build 7601) Service Pack 1 (7601.win7sp1_gdr.130801-1533)
Processor: Intel(R) Core(TM) i7-3720QM CPU @ 2.60GHz (8 CPUs), ~2.6GHz
Memory: 16384MB RAM
Card name: Intel(R) HD Graphics 4000
^ I wish I could change this so it would show the Nvidia card instead.
GPU: Nvidia gtx 675m
Sound Card: Well it isn't listed since at the moment its not working.

Also I was wondering if someone could tell me how to list my server stats in my signature.

 

[FireHazard772]

As far as the stats-in-signature issue:

--Click the Player Rankings button to the left of the forums (or use this link: http://edge-gamers.com/forums/cmps_index.php?pageid=stats ) -

Then click whichever game it is you play. Once done, look for a search button, click it, and type in your name and do a search.

I've taken the liberty of doing that part for you, just thought I'd mention what-to-do for those of whom also have this problem. I'm assuming this is your Stats profile: http://edgegamers.gameme.com/playerinfo/659163

-- Look around the page and you'll find a area labeled Forum Signature. Copy the link.

--Now back here on the forums, there's a tab near the top labeled My Account with a 'drop-down' arrow next to it. Click the arrow, and click Edit Signature. paste the copied text from your stats profile into the textbox, and click Save Signature (Or if you want to be sure it's working properly before saving it, you can click Preview Signature)



The only part you really need is the IMG embedded section. IE [img|]URLHERE[/|img]. The URL embedding is for if you want the image to redirect back to your stats profile when you, or anyone, click on it.

Your stats signature w/o the URL redirect below:

 

[pillar]

Ok I dont understand something Hale. You say that your system has both integrated graphics as well as a gtx 675m in the alienware laptop. If this is indeed true, then you do not have a legit alienware laptop because ive never heard of them putting in integrated graphics into their laptops. Thats why you pay the pretty penny extra for the graphics card.

However, if it is indeed legit, then have you downloaded the latest driver for the gtx 675m? If you have, then once you do a clean install, the laptop should recognize the built in graphics card and ask for a driver, in which case you either insert a flash drive or cd & go from there. Also make sure that you have all the necessary drivers for everything (sound, graphics, etc).

I hope this helps.

 

[303]

Ok I dont understand something Hale. You say that your system has both integrated graphics as well as a gtx 675m in the alienware laptop. If this is indeed true, then you do not have a legit alienware laptop because ive never heard of them putting in integrated graphics into their laptops. Thats why you pay the pretty penny extra for the graphics card.

However, if it is indeed legit, then have you downloaded the latest driver for the gtx 675m? If you have, then once you do a clean install, the laptop should recognize the built in graphics card and ask for a driver, in which case you either insert a flash drive or cd & go from there. Also make sure that you have all the necessary drivers for everything (sound, graphics, etc).

I hope this helps.

The integrated graphics is part of the motherboard I think. I ordered my alienware directly through dell, I should say this is a laptop.

System Manufacturer: Alienware
System Model: M17xR4

When I first got the laptop it was set so that every game or program used the Integrated graphics.

Errr while writing this I realized why I have the integrated graphics. When I ordered the laptop I ordered the "Diablo 3" edition, it came with the game as well. When I started playing the game I noticed the Nvidia GTX 675m was not being used while playing D3, I switched over and the game would barely run. It seems Dell tried to pull a fast one and gave the integrated graphics card so I could run D3, apparently there is no driver for the 675m for Diablo 3.

 

[Hav0k]

Thank you for the signature tutorial. Always wondered how that worked.

 

[Salvation12]

Ok I dont understand something Hale. You say that your system has both integrated graphics as well as a gtx 675m in the alienware laptop. If this is indeed true, then you do not have a legit alienware laptop because ive never heard of them putting in integrated graphics into their laptops. Thats why you pay the pretty penny extra for the graphics card.

However, if it is indeed legit, then have you downloaded the latest driver for the gtx 675m? If you have, then once you do a clean install, the laptop should recognize the built in graphics card and ask for a driver, in which case you either insert a flash drive or cd & go from there. Also make sure that you have all the necessary drivers for everything (sound, graphics, etc).

I hope this helps.

Not so. Alienware's Mobile gaming systems 90% of the time will have two integrated GPU's. The primary being an Nvidia Chipset (Pretty sure they have a contract, don't recall seeing too many with ATI chipsets) or w/e, and then the backup intel chipset incase something happens or if you wanna run low power while on a trip or something.


----Edit-----

I have an area 51 M lying around somewhere, and I found out through messing with the buttons on the keyboard there was a keystroke you could use to switch on or off the GPU's.

Mine was FN +F11.

Mine also was running a 8800M and a Core 2 Duo (thats how old it was)

Came stock with the Intel Centrino and a 6700M.
Got too expensive to keep updating that laptop, so it's at home somewhere, probably hasn't been turned on in years.

 

[Grimmaz]

I'm confused by Pillar's post. The integrated graphics doesn't mean something isn't legit. That said all the OP has to do is go into the BIOS and select the primary graphics of his choice. In this case he would change it to the nVIDIA card since it is currently using the integrated graphics. Sometimes there are laptops with a power saving mode and a gaming mode so the power saving mode would use the intel chip and the gaming mode would use the nVIDIA chip. Usually this is turned on and off by a button somewhere near the keyboard of the laptop. Not all gaming laptops are like that but I have worked on a few that are like that. These are some reasons why you would have two video options.

In response to the OP, you should NOT have to do a fresh install the moment you get a new computer. The only reason I would see this being necessary is if there is a bunch of bloatware you cannot manually remove and you have an OEM install disk for your operating system. I would check device manager to be sure that all of the drivers required for your hardware are installed since you are having some issues. If all of the drivers are installed, I would make sure you have the operating system completely up to date but skip any drivers that Microsoft offers you to download in the critical and optional update section. If you need drivers you should be getting them from the manufacturer's website for your exact model computer & hardware.

If you absolutely must do a fresh OS install, be sure to have a legit OEM OS disk for Windows 7 which should have come with the computer. If it didn't it is possible there is a hidden partition that has a factory install but then you're going back to square one and putting it back to how you received it which is what you said you were trying to avoid. Either way it's possible to repair what you're dealing with and not install the OS over again. I have mixed feelings on this current situation you're in. I don't think the OS needs to be reinstalled based on the information you've provided.

Edit - The SSD should be for the OS (your C:\ drive) and the secondary hard drive is for storage. The SSD has the OS installed so it has the best possible performance and most of the time if the builder knows what they are doing, they will set the OS up so that your library files (documents, pictures, videos, etc.) are setup to point to the other hard drive (D:\) unless this is a RAID setup. I doubt it is a RAID setup. Anyway I would recommend either setting up a time when someone that knows what they are truly doing to remote into your computer and help you over ventrilo or if you want to spend some money, take it to someone you trust that does this for a living. I can be available tonight if you want me to take a look at your computer over teamviewer. Let me know, I'll check back later.