As an addendum to the above, our policy is to reset all newly received computers and start - to the extend *practical* with a clean Windows installation. Any advice will be appreciated.

i looking for same a long time...

@info: If / when I get an answer, I'll post it here for the community. I'm hoping the process won't be entirely trial-and-error!

So far, Dell is mum, as the laptop hasn't been delivered, so I lack a Service Tag, and they won't provide support without one!

Rather than a reset why not a clean install which will only install Windows 10 and none of the programs that you do not want. Use the media creation tool available here. It will create a bootable Windows 10 installation flashdrive. Click on download tool. And this video will explain the procedure. As for drivers, you can manually install the drivers from the 7760 Dell support page. If you type in your service tag number here it will show only those drivers which are appropriate for the individual PC.

Thank you Indium - a clean install is what I had in mind, but my original question remains unanswered, and I'm getting less than helpful responses from Dell.

In my experience, there are often OEM drivers NECESSARY for the proper functioning of the laptop, and we were hoping to know which - without manual trial and error.

Hello,

Use a less problematic Windows 10.
There are on the Internet Windows 10 in which all the spy stuff, data theft has been removed.

All the stuff that slows down Windows 10, that serves no purpose can be removed by small software offered by the community. You should only use one, not all.

Take the Zip file - this small software is very light and not very restrictive.
https://github.com/Wohlstand/Destroy-Windows-10-Spying/releases

This one is on the higher level, I find it too restrictive : https://www.getblackbird.net

Otherwise, your computer is ready for Windows 11 which is free if you have a Windows 10 license it works with W11, so .......

Once you install your new Windows, you have a little software from Dell that takes care of the drivers, Dell Command Update : https://www.dell.com/support/kbdoc/en-us/000177325/dell-command-update

All drivers are on Dell website : https://www.dell.com/support/home/en-us?app=drivers 

If not, you have the lazy thing by excellence, DriverBooster, it updates everything and forces updates, just click a button and you have nothing more to do ; beware, it is a software under the legal status of the Chinese dictatorship, so it is better to uninstall it once used.
https://www.majorgeeks.com/files/details/iobit_driver_booster.html

It is better to use Dell Command Update first, then DriverBooster.

Take care of yourself.

So I assume something along this line found on the Dell support site here. I would not install the Dell software though if you want to keep the system as clean as possible.

This is in response to a "did we solve your problem" email sent from dellcommunity@dell.com. While we appreciate the effort people have taken to respond to our question, the answer is a definitive "No".

We still don't really know - if we perform a CLEAN INSTALL - whether the laptop will perform as envisioned by Microsoft, and if not, which drivers / utilities are necessary to make it so. At this point, we have several options, including:

  a) leave the laptop as is, which: i) goes against our IT policy, ii) potentially creates app-based conflicts, and iii) may exacerbate resource contention issues.

   b) attempt to remove specific drivers / utilities interfering with other apps and / or consuming significant resources (e.g., CPU, RAM) on a 1-off basis. For those which don't uninstall cleanly (e.g., leave residue behind in the Registry, or have no clear way to uninstall), we could utilize a 3rd party uninstaller, such as Revo Uninstaller Pro,

or

  c) undertake a potentially time-consuming trial-and-error process, whereby we perform the CLEAN INSTALL, then acceptance test functionality supplanted by Dell's OEM-based drivers. It's possible we may reinstall SupportAssist and see what get's flagged, but I fear this won't be productive, as Dell might just suggest the universe of drivers which came with the laptop to begin with.

We'll also speak with Dell, as we've purchased ProSupportPlus to assist with navigating issues with what we'd hoped would be the first in a fleet of 7760s. At this point, I'm not so sure Dell will be part of our longer term solution, based upon the above.

Thanks again to everyone who made suggestions above. As mentioned, we'll try to come back to this post at some point and document what we've learned, so others can benefit.

Hello And Ye Shall Find,

The problem is not Dell, but Windows 10 from Microsoft. It is the one that uses resources inappropriately. Windows 10 spies on everything and for this purpose installs a lot of useless stuff that uses resources and hardware.

On the Internet, on some specialized sites, there are Windows 10 cleaned of all the cr.@p that is in it. In some countries using Windows 10 is illegal, mainly the Anglo-Saxon countries ; in the European Union it is legal, because what is illegal in the European Union is spying and data theft.

You have a Windows 10 without any spyware, without any parasites : Windows 10 Arium, it's French-speaking people who are behind it, they have removed everything that is useless, that slows down, steals, spies.

It is not Dell software the problem in Windows 10, it is Windows 10, read the license, the user agreement. Windows 10 constantly connects to the Internet to send information about all your activity, your computer, what you do with it, it even sends documents in the folder : My Documents.

From then on, you have to use micrologies offered by the community that remove these spies. There are several programs, two of which I have suggested above.

For the necessary drivers the Dell Command Update software will fetch everything.
To be sure that your computer connects to the Internet, save the network card driver on an external medium, also save the driver :

https://www.dell.com/support/home/en-us/product-support/product/precision-17-7760-laptop/drivers

You also have software that saves all the drivers already installed on your computer, they then allow you to reinstall them in one click. So, before reinstalling a clean Windows 10, use one of these programs, make the backup on an external media (USB, CD-ROM, external disk, etc.). These programs are not free.

You install a clean Windows 10, you launch the driver backup software and you install the backup made, there is no more simple.

DriverBooster allows this, but I have a problem with a software under the legal status of a dictatorship, but the security experts do not say anything about this software. However, giving your bank details to China ....... so using the free part of the software : yes, but the paid part, I have doubts.

The solution would be to use Ubuntu, a free operating system from South Africa. One of the safest in the world, but you have to check if your softwares is compatible with it.

Kind regards.

Thanks Lucifer.