Dell 435mt Upgrading to Windows 7- Driver Help

[Mit321]

Hi,

I'm going to upgrade from Windows Vista 64bit to Windows 7 64bit via Clean Install and was wondering what drivers need to be installed.
I have got the newest ATI graphics drivers (10.8 I think) and Realtek HD Audio Drivers ready to be installed.
However I'm unsure on what other drivers I need to install?
If I go on the Dell Website there are loads of driver updates for chipsets and ethernet adapters etc under Windows 64bit for my Dell, but when you select drivers for my model under windows 7 it only offers a BIOS update (which I already have) and a few more of Dells unnecessary bloatware stuff. Surely I need all the chipset drivers and ethernet adapter drivers? Or not?

Many Thanks

[.walls]

Probably not, the Win 7 install disk is packed full of drivers, so it will probably recognise everything by default. If it doesn't, then you can do get any additional drivers using the below popcess:

In device manager, right click on any devices showing up with yellow warnings, go to the details tab, select "hardware ids" from the drop down list.

Take the section "VEN_XXXX&DEV_YYYY" out of the larger strings and google it, that's the vendor id and the device id.

[Mit321]

Probably not, the Win 7 install disk is packed full of drivers, so it will probably recognise everything by default. If it doesn't, then you can do get any additional drivers using the below popcess:

In device manager, right click on any devices showing up with yellow warnings, go to the details tab, select "hardware ids" from the drop down list.

Take the section "VEN_XXXX&DEV_YYYY" out of the larger strings and google it, that's the vendor id and the device id.

Ok so you would say its safe just to go and do a clean install? Its says on the dell site its Windows 7 ready so should be ok? I've just read problems about people with my dell updating but not installing a chipset driver (only sound driver) and having no sound. But on the dell page for my computer it doesn't offer and chipset driver for Windows 7?!

EDIT: e.g. as found here:
http://social.technet.microsoft.com/...2-415d774b4df8

[.walls]

I would say so - I've installed Win 7 on three different machines for three different people and it has picked up all but one of the relevant drivers (the issue was with some weird usb video capture device for my father), but ethernet/chipset/etc have all just worked.

In the off chance that you do have a problem with your audio, then as long as you can get to the internet (ethernet/wireless or via another machine + usb drive), then you should be fine.

Although - I'll pop in the usual disclaimer: as with all major operations - make sure that you have a current backup before you start.

[redddraggon]

Windows 7 is pretty good on the drivers front. And if it doesn't find any, they'll likely be minor ones you can get at your leisure after the windows install.

[Mit321]

I'm at the "Where do you want to install Windows" screen on Windows 7 Installation where it shows your disk and the partitions. I have 3. One is about 70mb and is OEM (reserved) one is called Recovery and is 14GB and has type Primary and finally there is Partition 3: OS which is Type System. Now I'm guessing I can just click the Partition 3 and install over that for a clean install. But would there be an advantage/disadvantage to deleting all 3 partitions and starting a fresh. Or do I need the other 2 partitions for it to work?

EDIT: I've gone ahead and just installed over Partition 3 which contains Vista. I can always remove Recovery partition later on if needs be.