After some further thought on this, I guess the real question for Dell is, how I can retain or reinstall the Alienware apps? I presume I can download the drivers after a clean install of Windows 10 Pro - which it isn't clear would or would not remove them.
But the apps are clearly going to be deleted. Which would leave me with a lot of dark LEDs, or at least no longer any way to control them.
I did get the USB stick recovery media, so in theory I can wipe the computer and reset it back to Windows 8.1 factory state and run the Windows 10 Pro update on that. Sure, but unlike the Windows Update technique for updating to Windows 10 that removes all the apps.
If these apps are not downloadable or otherwise installable, then the only alternative is to either go with wiping them out and trying to live with that (Ugh!) or waiting for the Windows 10 Pro upgrade offering. I probably will see if Microsoft has a different answer, but my guess is they do not.
Honestly, this sounds like a question you need to ask Microsoft. Not sure what their requirements are for Windows 10 Pro, but I would assume that as for drivers, apps, etc., that it would still utilize the same hardware drivers as Home, which would be available on our support pages.
I would also assume, as long as your system has been upgraded to Windows 10 and activated, that you can then do a clean install of Windows 10 Pro from MSDN. Just like the clean install of Windows 10 Home I would think it would read the activation code off the system. Again, this is just my guess and I would recommend contacting Microsoft directly regarding these questions.
After some further thought on this, I guess the real question for Dell is, how I can retain or reinstall the Alienware apps? I presume I can download the drivers after a clean install of Windows 10 Pro - which it isn't clear would or would not remove them.
If these apps are not downloadable or otherwise installable, then the only alternative is to either go with wiping them out and trying to live with that (Ugh!) or waiting for the Windows 10 Pro upgrade offering. I probably will see if Microsoft has a different answer, but my guess is they do not.
HI,
If you go to the Drivers & Downloads page for the Alienware 13 (make sure to set the operating system filter to Windows 10), Command Center 4.0 and the Alienware External Graphic Amplifier Software are both available under the Applications tab already. Again I'm assuming that other than the general differences like ability to log into a domain, etc., that fundamentally most apps will work in both Win10 Home and Win10 Pro, so I would think those would be available to you.
As another follow up here, I am sitting on the phone for Dell support and a message comes along with the music-on-hold that says you can download the software that was originally shipped with the computer from the Dell web site. It is something like http://downloadstore.dell.com/media.
This is evidently something that has existed for some time. The phone message says this is for computers shipped since 2009!! Hardly a new thing.
That is what I was asking originally! Isn't music-on-hold with sales messages wonderful (cough, cough).
Unfortunately, the Dell download page offers only UPDATED software, not the original software shipped with the system. So there is no way of knowing what you got when the system shipped from this page. If it has not been updated, then it isn't available.
It has come to my attention that with the proper clicking around you can indeed find the upgrade for Windows 10 Pro in the Microsoft Store. It appears that it cannot be searched for in any reasonable manner, but if you click in the right places, you will be taken there. It is $99 to purchase this upgrade. Previously I had seen references saying it was not available yet - it is now.
The dell downloads are for Power DVD and other software. They are not and NEVER have been for the OS or XP Vista 7 8 10. Nor the Resource DVD with Drivers. Only pre installed apps.
Unfortunately, the Dell download page offers only UPDATED software, not the original software shipped with the system. So there is no way of knowing what you got when the system shipped from this page. If it has not been updated, then it isn't available.
It has come to my attention that with the proper clicking around you can indeed find the upgrade for Windows 10 Pro in the Microsoft Store. It appears that it cannot be searched for in any reasonable manner, but if you click in the right places, you will be taken there. It is $99 to purchase this upgrade. Previously I had seen references saying it was not available yet - it is now.
Hello,
The downloads page is going to include the software that we can legally put up for download. If you have licensed software, such as MS Office, then the software would either be available on media included with the original shipment or via download from the licensee's site. You can click on the System Configuration link (if you input your service tag to get to the support pages) to see the software included with the original image.
I understand that you can't put separately licensed software out there for just anyone to download. That's not the question.
As someone else pointed out, evidently this page has only "applications" that were shipped with the machine, not the drivers. Used to be, a machine came with a disc containing the drivers that were needed for a clean installation of Windows. What I have is a thumb drive with Windows on it and probably has the necessary drivers included.
What the Downloads and Drivers page has is updated software, not all of the installations that would be required for a clean install of, say, Windows 10 Pro. Between the two download sites, apparently, there is no assurance that you have all of the drivers and applications that originally came with the machine or are even necessary for correct operation.
This makes a Windows 10 Pro clean install pretty much impossible. Looks like the only path to get what I want is the Windows 10 Pro Upgrade.
Thanks for the redirect on the web pages. I wouldn't expect OS media to be there, nor would I really expect to find "other" software that might have been purchased and installed on the machine to be included, such as Microsoft Office.
Unfortunately - for Dell - they have some real major web page hurt going on. You will find that you MUST access the "smartsource" page from a Dell computer you want to register - no option there. In the case of a machine with Windows 10 on it, neither Microsoft Edge (new browser with Windows 10) nor Chrome works with that page! I suppose I could try installing Firefox.
I spent an hour yesterday on the phone with Alienware (Dell) support because their sign-in for your account page doesn't work with Microsoft Edge. End result was support rep installed Chrome ... For a company saying their computers are ready for Windows 10, well, their web site sure isn't.
Both those sites http://downloadstore.dell.com/media web page (and http://downloadstore.dell.com web page) are replaced by smartsource.dell.com OS media aka Windows XP Vista 7 8 10 have never and will never be there. The same is true for DRIVERS aka Resource DVD's they were never there in the past and are not available for download.
and its not for all dells for the past 30 years its only for Recent Models from about 2009 onward.
PaulExChandler
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August 26th, 2015 14:00
After some further thought on this, I guess the real question for Dell is, how I can retain or reinstall the Alienware apps? I presume I can download the drivers after a clean install of Windows 10 Pro - which it isn't clear would or would not remove them.
But the apps are clearly going to be deleted. Which would leave me with a lot of dark LEDs, or at least no longer any way to control them.
I did get the USB stick recovery media, so in theory I can wipe the computer and reset it back to Windows 8.1 factory state and run the Windows 10 Pro update on that. Sure, but unlike the Windows Update technique for updating to Windows 10 that removes all the apps.
If these apps are not downloadable or otherwise installable, then the only alternative is to either go with wiping them out and trying to live with that (Ugh!) or waiting for the Windows 10 Pro upgrade offering. I probably will see if Microsoft has a different answer, but my guess is they do not.
DELL-Todd S
3 Apprentice
•
1.8K Posts
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August 26th, 2015 14:00
Hello,
Honestly, this sounds like a question you need to ask Microsoft. Not sure what their requirements are for Windows 10 Pro, but I would assume that as for drivers, apps, etc., that it would still utilize the same hardware drivers as Home, which would be available on our support pages.
I would also assume, as long as your system has been upgraded to Windows 10 and activated, that you can then do a clean install of Windows 10 Pro from MSDN. Just like the clean install of Windows 10 Home I would think it would read the activation code off the system. Again, this is just my guess and I would recommend contacting Microsoft directly regarding these questions.
Todd
DELL-Todd S
3 Apprentice
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1.8K Posts
0
August 27th, 2015 11:00
HI,
If you go to the Drivers & Downloads page for the Alienware 13 (make sure to set the operating system filter to Windows 10), Command Center 4.0 and the Alienware External Graphic Amplifier Software are both available under the Applications tab already. Again I'm assuming that other than the general differences like ability to log into a domain, etc., that fundamentally most apps will work in both Win10 Home and Win10 Pro, so I would think those would be available to you.
Todd
PaulExChandler
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August 27th, 2015 12:00
As another follow up here, I am sitting on the phone for Dell support and a message comes along with the music-on-hold that says you can download the software that was originally shipped with the computer from the Dell web site. It is something like http://downloadstore.dell.com/media.
This is evidently something that has existed for some time. The phone message says this is for computers shipped since 2009!! Hardly a new thing.
That is what I was asking originally! Isn't music-on-hold with sales messages wonderful (cough, cough).
speedstep
9 Legend
•
47K Posts
0
August 27th, 2015 12:00
No home version of windows xp / vista /7 / 8 / 10 can connect to a Domain. There are no upgrades from Home to Pro only reinstalls.
The Home and Pro retail kits are bootable usb 3 flash drives.
They cost $200.
PaulExChandler
1 Rookie
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6 Posts
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August 27th, 2015 12:00
Unfortunately, the Dell download page offers only UPDATED software, not the original software shipped with the system. So there is no way of knowing what you got when the system shipped from this page. If it has not been updated, then it isn't available.
It has come to my attention that with the proper clicking around you can indeed find the upgrade for Windows 10 Pro in the Microsoft Store. It appears that it cannot be searched for in any reasonable manner, but if you click in the right places, you will be taken there. It is $99 to purchase this upgrade. Previously I had seen references saying it was not available yet - it is now.
speedstep
9 Legend
•
47K Posts
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August 27th, 2015 18:00
The dell downloads are for Power DVD and other software. They are not and NEVER have been for the OS or XP Vista 7 8 10. Nor the Resource DVD with Drivers. Only pre installed apps.
https://smartsource.dell.com/Web/Welcome.aspx?ReturnUrl=/Web/Login.aspx
DELL-Todd S
3 Apprentice
•
1.8K Posts
0
August 28th, 2015 08:00
Hello,
The downloads page is going to include the software that we can legally put up for download. If you have licensed software, such as MS Office, then the software would either be available on media included with the original shipment or via download from the licensee's site. You can click on the System Configuration link (if you input your service tag to get to the support pages) to see the software included with the original image.
Todd
PaulExChandler
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6 Posts
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August 28th, 2015 09:00
I understand that you can't put separately licensed software out there for just anyone to download. That's not the question.
As someone else pointed out, evidently this page has only "applications" that were shipped with the machine, not the drivers. Used to be, a machine came with a disc containing the drivers that were needed for a clean installation of Windows. What I have is a thumb drive with Windows on it and probably has the necessary drivers included.
What the Downloads and Drivers page has is updated software, not all of the installations that would be required for a clean install of, say, Windows 10 Pro. Between the two download sites, apparently, there is no assurance that you have all of the drivers and applications that originally came with the machine or are even necessary for correct operation.
This makes a Windows 10 Pro clean install pretty much impossible. Looks like the only path to get what I want is the Windows 10 Pro Upgrade.
By the way, the http://downloadstore.dell.com/media web page (and http://downloadstore.dell.com web page) both fail. I think it is trying to say that the page isn't available. So much for that.
PaulExChandler
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6 Posts
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August 28th, 2015 10:00
Thanks for the redirect on the web pages. I wouldn't expect OS media to be there, nor would I really expect to find "other" software that might have been purchased and installed on the machine to be included, such as Microsoft Office.
Unfortunately - for Dell - they have some real major web page hurt going on. You will find that you MUST access the "smartsource" page from a Dell computer you want to register - no option there. In the case of a machine with Windows 10 on it, neither Microsoft Edge (new browser with Windows 10) nor Chrome works with that page! I suppose I could try installing Firefox.
I spent an hour yesterday on the phone with Alienware (Dell) support because their sign-in for your account page doesn't work with Microsoft Edge. End result was support rep installed Chrome ... For a company saying their computers are ready for Windows 10, well, their web site sure isn't.
speedstep
9 Legend
•
47K Posts
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August 28th, 2015 10:00
Both those sites http://downloadstore.dell.com/media web page (and http://downloadstore.dell.com web page) are replaced by smartsource.dell.com OS media aka Windows XP Vista 7 8 10 have never and will never be there. The same is true for DRIVERS aka Resource DVD's they were never there in the past and are not available for download.
and its not for all dells for the past 30 years its only for Recent Models from about 2009 onward.
https://smartsource.dell.com/Web/Welcome.aspx?ReturnUrl=/Web/Login.aspx