New
#111
The necessary drivers for a new installation of Windows should be supplied by Windows from the Windows installation disk itself.
But it's generally a good practice to go to the Dell support web site for your particular machine and download any Windows 7 drivers available there. Put them on a USB flash drive or a CD. I would be sure to download the Ethernet driver (NIC driver) because you cannot get on the Internet without it. Downloading this stuff from Dell is just a precaution in case Windows doesn't supply the drivers from the Windows disk. That's unlikely, but it has happened.
If you are installing 64-bit Windows, you need to be sure you download 64-bit drivers, not 32-bit.
If you can't do that, say so.
Other than that, disconnect any external devices before you begin the install---such as printers or external drives. All you want connected is monitor, mouse, and keyboard.
You will come to a screen in the install where you are asked "where do you want to install Windows". At that point, you would delete ALL, I mean ALL, partitions. Click them with the mouse and look for the "delete" icon. It's been a while since I've done it, but I think that's what you'll see. The worst thing that can happen is that you'll have to start over again.
When the smoke clears after the install, you should have 2 partitions: C and System Reserved.
Do you have any sort of Dell-supplied CD that came with the machine?
Do you have any way to post to this forum without using this Dell---some other working machine?