Windows 10: Which drivers to download for a clean install of Windows 10 (Dell)?

Just bought a new Dell Inspiron i5559-3349SLV with windows 10 pre-installed. I am planning on doing a clean install this weekend, but I'm not completely clear which drivers to download to complete the reinstall.

It has a 128GB SSD, so I know I need this driver. There is a newer and older version - does it matter which I use?

For the wifi drivers here (under network), there are two wifi options. How do I determine which driver is the right one? Also, for all the other drivers, do these need to be downloaded or will Windows 10 automatically download all of those again after the install?

Lastly, out of the drivers listed on Dell's driver reinstall guide, which are actually necessary?


Apologies for the noob questions. Thanks!

:)

 

Clean Install on a new hard drive

I have recently purchased a Dell laptop with a pre-installed copy of Windows 8.1 with no registration key - it is, apparently, installed in the motherboard (whatever that means). Dell are unable to provide details of this key.

I now want to upgrade the hard drive and, at the same time, do a
clean install of Windows 10, which I have downloaded to an installation DVD. I also have the Dell Windows 10 drivers ready for when needed.

Is this possible? What happens if I am asked for the key for my original Windows 8.1 installation?

 

Clean install of Windows 10, missing drivers for Wi-Fi, Ethernet and Audio

You can download Windows 10 1703 using the following:

download Windows 10 1703 from the following link:

https://tb.rg-adguard.net/index.php?sid=74a7cf5...

Choose the following:

- Windows Final

- Windows 10, version 1703

- Windows 10 Pro + Home

- English

- x64 (64 bit) x32 (32 bit)

 

Why do you need to do a Clean Install if the computer is new?
Dell's and other name brand computers come with a Recovery Partition if you need to reinstall for any reason. This will set the computer back to Factory Defaults. If you use the Recovery Partition, all drivers will be included.
If you don't use the Recovery Partition but your own install media, then after it is finished, go to Start/Search and type devmgmt.msc, Right click the devmgmt results and Run As Administrator. In the Elevated Device Manager, any devices with yellow flags will need drivers installed. There shouldn't be too many or none at all, as Windows 10 has most of the drivers.
You shouldn't need a driver for your SSD. The Rapid Storage Driver, if needed, may show up as an Unknown Device in the Device Manager, unless you use the Recovery Partition, and then it will load all Dell Drivers.

 

I did a clean install on my 1 year old Dell laptop which was supplied with Windows 8.1 and had some Windows issues. I just let Windows 10 install the drivers it chose. I then downloaded the laptop drivers from Dell's web site and updated the drivers from which were newer than the drivers installed by Windows 10. I also chose to install the Dell video, audio and touchpad drivers since these are configured by Dell for the laptop. I didn't install any Dell bloatware and just check manually every few months for driver updates.

 

You need to visit the Dell website and log in and then go to their driver section and enter your computers model.

 

Doing a clean install to get rid of the pre-installed bloatware.

Is there any automatic way to re-download all the Dell drivers or do they have to be done manually off their website after the os install is finished?

 

Go to Support | Dell Deutschland and put in your Service Tag number, usually a sticker on the bottom of the Notebook or maybe inside the battery compartment. The resultant page will give what you need if otherwise not available on the Notebook itself.

 

There is a way to automatically save all of the manufacturer's drivers currently on the computer. On an external USB flash drive or hard drive, and I like to have at least 8 GB free space, create a folder called Drivers (or whatever you want). If the external drive gets assigned E: drive, for example:

Open a command prompt (admin) - right click on the start icon and select Command Prompt (Admin). Run:

dism /online /export-driver /destination:E:\Drivers

The path in red will be to the external drive and folder you create.