How to identify and troubleshoot potential OS Reinstall & Drivers issues on my Dell computer?

When your replace or upgrade your hard disk drive, you encounter a specific sequence of steps required to either re-install Windows, drivers and applications to your system or restore them from a backup image that has been stored in a separate location. The link below will assist you in replacing the drive and additional information in this article will assist you in the reinstallation of Windows or restoration of your backup to the new drive.

• This article lists and has links to all of our Hard Drive articles

Resource DVD or CDs are a legacy tool that allows you to install all the drivers for a system from single media that either shipped with the system or you download from our website. The downside of this shipped media is that the drivers are only as current as of the date of the media's creation. The preferred manner is to download the drivers for the system from the Dell Support Website.

• How to install Drivers using a Dell Resource CD/DVD
• Checking Hardware Configuration Driver Install
• Dell Media Recovery Options and the Request Backup Discs Form

Updating the system BIOS allows for updates to the system motherboard. Some are urgent, and highly recommended, others make changes that while not urgent in nature are recommended to improve performance and/or system usability. As a general rule, when updating drivers, check and see if the BIOS is the most current version and update as needed.

Windows 8, 8.1 & 10 driver installation processes are essentially the same. So articles describing installation of a Windows 8 driver will be generally the same process in Windows 10. In most instances, if a device driver is not available for Windows 10 but is available for Windows 8.1, the 8.1 driver will work for Windows 10. More information is available at the Dell Windows 10 Portal:

• How to use the Dell Support Site to identify and install the Drivers for your Dell PC
• Checking Hardware Configuration. Driver Install
• Dell Digital Delivery - Installing, Using, Troubleshooting and FAQ's
• How to resolve You are not connected to Dell Digital Delivery message
• Fingerprint Reader Installation Guide for Latitude E Series Systems
• Install Windows 8.1 drivers for computers upgrading to Windows 10

Ubuntu Linux installs all drivers as part of the operating system install. However you can update the driver packages as newer ones come out. The drivers will be classed as packages or applications:

• How to add / remove programs and applications on a Dell PC using the Ubuntu Operating System
• How to configure Ubuntu Linux after it's first installed on your Dell PC

If you are experiencing No Boot issues, please check these articles first:

• No Boot Device Available
• Resolve No Power, No POST, No Boot or No Video Issues With Your Dell Computer
• How to resolve a No Boot after a Microsoft Update hasn't installed properly in Windows 8 & 8.1
• How to resolve the "No Boot Device available" error with AMT
• Computer will not boot to Windows 10