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dell.sdr in C:\
I have searched Google and the Dell community forums for this and there doesn't seem to be much explanation for this file. I have seen theories that it is linked to MSN internet service but that's a bunch of rubbish because the file is created prior to the system arriving at your doorstep. So my running theory is that it's the output log file for some sort of automated unattended windows install system that Dell programmed in house. Probably even installs all of the unwanted software that you get when you first bootup your brand new Dell computer (desktop or portable). Just a theory though.
Further examining the file and sifting through the output you can see that the first few lines of it identify your service tag with the variable HW snum and the specifications of assembled hardware which might indicate what drivers for the unattended installer to copy to the hard drive before the install begins. There are dozens of references to a script named "titan" in DOS comment lines that indicate at which stage the script would be at. Titan being the batch file or DOS program being executed. This would seem to make a lot of sense given the volume of dell computers shipped every day. It is also interesting that they use REM as it's been shown numerous times to have detrimental effects on batch execution times when the intent of the script would probably have been to make Windows installs more efficient across many new machines at the same time. This of course assuming my theory is correct.
Does anyone here know exactly what the file is for? Obviously its existence will not kill me or cause me any harm but I and others tend to like to know exactly what is on their computer and why. Oh and for posterities sake--do not forget that the surest sign of a conspiracy is that there is no sign of the conspiracy. :)
Further examining the file and sifting through the output you can see that the first few lines of it identify your service tag with the variable HW snum and the specifications of assembled hardware which might indicate what drivers for the unattended installer to copy to the hard drive before the install begins. There are dozens of references to a script named "titan" in DOS comment lines that indicate at which stage the script would be at. Titan being the batch file or DOS program being executed. This would seem to make a lot of sense given the volume of dell computers shipped every day. It is also interesting that they use REM as it's been shown numerous times to have detrimental effects on batch execution times when the intent of the script would probably have been to make Windows installs more efficient across many new machines at the same time. This of course assuming my theory is correct.
Does anyone here know exactly what the file is for? Obviously its existence will not kill me or cause me any harm but I and others tend to like to know exactly what is on their computer and why. Oh and for posterities sake--do not forget that the surest sign of a conspiracy is that there is no sign of the conspiracy. :)
- *Shameless bump again*Best as I can tell, this file, Dell.sdr , serves no purpose whatsoever. I'm going to delete it. Dell has not bothered to reply on various threads in these forums for years, which indicates that the file is not important, and/or nobody knows or cares. The fact it that file is nothing more than a simple short text file, and probably a simple log file from the original Dell Image factory installation of the o/s. Google search info is low. One Microsoft KB did mention the file, "The C:\Dell.sdr file indicates a Dell-installed version of Windows Server 2003.".
Fitness4Lyfe
1 Message
13156
0
Posted April 10th, 2012 05:00
Dell computers shipped with Windows Server 2003 already installed have a dell.SDR file in the C:\ root directory. This file is a marker indicating the Windows Server 2003 software was factory-installed. It is not an important file and can be deleted or renamed.
mydearcosmo
20 Posts
13156
0
Posted April 10th, 2012 06:00
How can it be done actually? Does deleting it affects any registry files from your system?
The_Gribbler
1 Message
13156
0
Posted August 19th, 2014 07:00
Old thread but I was curious to this as well as I manage the deployment of PCs for our company. It is simply a file that may be used by Dell support programs (but most likely not required as I don't see this file on all Dell images) to gather details about the original build. Think of it as an advanced log file with all the original specs and software installs listed. Here's a paste of mine:
::-------------------------------------------------------
SDR Creating Date/Time 8/14/2013 10:33:54 PM UTC
Order Production Level: Production
::-------------------------------------------------------
HW snum 1000 - - NOT_SI
HW lang US US
HW destination US
SW odm_package IMAGEGROUP01 W72 ENG OSVERSION01
SW odm_image_name btoapp32804_04A001.img
BP WINDOWSOS 0/GW3X3
BP W72 0/GW3X3
BP TITAN 0/GW3X3
BP SP1 0/GW3X3
BP OSL-ENG 0/GW3X3
BP FIST 0/57154
BP CUSTDIAG 0/WD377
BP BUSINESS 0/GW3X3
BP 32BIT 0/GW3X3
rem titan DISKPREP
SI sw GW3X3 SRV,OS,W7P32SP1,ENG
rem titan PREPUP
rem titan EBTS
SI sw CT097 SRV,OS,FLASH,INSTALLER
SI sw X278C SRV,OS,DOTNET,INSTALLER
SI sw W728F SRV,OS,IE,INSTALLER
SI sw T2673 SRV,OS,OCA-MARKER
SI sw RX757 SRV,SW,PWR-MGMT,UTIL,755
SI sw 3TDT8 SRV,SW,VID,INTEL,XE
SI sw VJ6PP SRV,SW,HDF-AUD,ADI,XE
SI sw GWMH6 SRV,DRVR,BCOM,LOM,XE
SI sw Y5G45 SRV,HTML,BCOM,LOM,XE
SI sw 41VHV SRV,SW,IRST,DRVR,XE
SI sw KH2T7 SRV,SW,IRST,APPS,XE
SI sw 9PR8V SRV,DRVR,PWR,SER,OPTI,XE
SI sw WD377 SRV,SW,UP-DIAG,OPTI
rem titan BASE10
SI sw N2DPW SRV,SW,PDVD,9.5,DVD
SI sw 55V5G SRV,SW,WIN-LIVE,WAVE4,RLOB
SI sw GFGV0 SRV,SW,DCSU,APP
SI sw H3GFN SRV,SW,RXO,CRTR,STRT
SI sw 67NW8 SRV,SW,BROWSER-SEARCH,INSTAL
SI sw 57154 SRV,SW,FIST
HW model XE GRYFGEN IMDT OPTIPLEX
INFO 4564U INFO,SW,DEFAULT,FAT32
INFO 8564U INFO,SW,DEFAULT,NTFS
INFO MC800 INFO,INTRUSION SWITCH ON
INFO 0N356 INFO,WXP,32B,CLR
INFO 3K644 INFO,XP,APIC-CONTROLLER
INFO 58548 INFO,SW,UTILITY-PARTITION,10MB
INFO P2720 INFO,DX@V,90002
INFO X7081 INFO,PROVIDES 2 FH PCI
INFO F7670 INFO,NO-INTERNAL-SPEAKER
INFO 01295 INFO,FIRST CD ROM
INFO 8443R INFO,OPLX,DOC,GX1/2/3
INFO 00159 INFO,1ST BOOT,HARD DRIVE
INFO 2NP44 INFO,NO,PRDCT,SW,SMBBC
INFO RDW2W INFO,WINRE-ADDR,1,GB-PTN
INFO CHR3N INFO,RYLTY,SW,RXO,CRTR,STRT
INFO J96FC INFO,RYLTY,PDVD,9.5,DVD
INFO 9WV3G INFO,.NET@V,35000,SP1
INFO 253VN INFO,DX@V,110000
INFO 2XK0V INFO,WINRE-BASE,750,MB-PTN
INFO 9FJYM INFO,IE@V,80000
INFO JRR02 INFO,WIN7
INFO PJ289 INFO,VPEPR
INFO TM318 INFO,SLP2,ENABLE,WINDOWS
INFO W66R1 INFO,WMP@V,12000
INFO WRTX3 INFO,.NET@V,40000
INFO JX8N2 INFO,WINRE-ADDR,1600,MB-PTN
INFO Y40JJ INFO,BROWSER-SEARCH@V,FMSD
INFO 2NG73 INFO,QFE,WIN7SP1,DESKTOP
INFO JRR02 INFO,WIN7
INFO JW1M2 INFO,IE@V,100000
INFO N2Y9J INFO,.NET@V,45000
INFO 864KE INFO,PLACEHOLDER,PIECE-PART
INFO JR580 INFO,MGMT,VPRO/AMT/DASH,OPTI
Outvit
2 Intern
•
135 Posts
13156
0
Posted August 10th, 2006 05:00