Archived from groups: alt.sys.pc-clone.dell (
More info?)
"Mr John C McCulloch" <john@jcmcc1srp.freeserve.co.uk> wrote in message
news:cjlo34$om8$1@newsg1.svr.pol.co.uk...
>
> Might I ask one further question, and you should understand before you
> answer, that it is not just aimed at you, Why do people on here, delete
> the DELL partition so frequently?
>
> As far as I can see, it is only a small area of the harddrive, used to
> contain drivers and other useful utilities.
>
> I have watched and continually wondered why this practise is envoked, and
> more to the point what benefit are people expecting to gain from it. I
> have read that people don't like the bundled software and trial software,
> fine why not just uninstall it?
>
> As far as I can see, from reading various manuals on Windows XP Pro, and
> NTFS specifically this practice of deleting all and starting afresh, is
> just not required.
>
I'll chime in here. As for the DELL thing, others probably feel as I do.
It's a personalization thing... It's MY COMPUTER, so I want it done MY WAY.
I have owned several Dell's as well as Compaq, Sony, ETC. And the first
thing I've always done is wipe the drive and install MY OWN stuff. I have
about 4 copies of Windows XP (legal purchases). Since after 6 months you
can activate on a totally different PC without a problem, I rotate them and
have never had a problem with activation. In this case, though, I recently
got a GEN 3, and I've stuck with Dells copy of XP. Most vendors just supply
a complete restore option.
It's not just a matter of uninstalling the software they have preinstalled.
Some of the stuff that's preinstalled is hooked into the OS, and can't be
removed. Thankfully, DELL provides a complete OS reinstall disc, and all I
have to live with is the DELL Solution Center link, which I could remove
from the install process by creating a custom install disc, but it's not
bothering me.
In my case, I deleted the 2 extra partitions as they were simply not needed
by me. I do not and would not use any of the DELL jukebox, DELL Photo etc,
software, as they are crippled/branded versions of software I already own,
or I have better software than what was provided by DELL. I keep my own
partition on a separate drive, as well as frequent optical backups of
everything I need in case of disaster. I don't use Dell's drivers.
This stuff is good for those who just want a computer to email photos or
listen to music in general, and don't want to take the time, or don't have
the time to learn software, but I've invested a lot of time (and MUCH more
money!) in my computers over the past 15 or so years - to me it's more than
just a PC. Others may see their PC as merely an appliance, like a toaster -
it's there to serve a purpose. But for me, my PCs are like members of the
family, like a pet, if that sounds logical.
As I am aging, I'm losing more and more of what little patience I had. When
severe problems arise, it is far easier for me to pop the OS disc in and
reboot - reformat and reinstall everything, than to try and figure out how
to fix the problem. In the past, I have spent days, even weeks, trying to
troubleshoot some issues. I don't do that anymore. I just sit at the PC,
and spend 2 hours or so getting everything freshly installed and working.
It may not be NECESSARRY to do this, but it's a lot less aggravating to me.
But you're right about one thing - I AM a veteran Windows user, as far back
as Windows 3.1.
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