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I just bought a new PC laptop (Acer 3820T-6420) which came with Windows 7 home. I have a legal copy of Windows 7 ultimate which I plan to install. I plan on formatting my HD and installing windows 7 to get rid of the bloatware.

I find the default windows install, includes most default drivers. Do I need to install the drivers from the manufacturer? I find some the drivers have these annoying popups and dont seem necessary.

Edit: I am trying to install the minimum drivers. From past experience, there are drivers I must have and there are other drivers I may want to have and and then there are other drivers that I dont need at all. For example, if I install windows and the networking works, do I bother installing the 'Lan Atheros' driver listed below? Do I need the Intel Chipset driver? Will it actually give me any benefit? I know there are some drivers I definitely need like the wireless one.

If there are some drivers I should include which ones are they? The following is the list from the Acer website for my machine:

Chipset Intel   Chipset Driver  9.1.1.1025  2.3 MB  2010/03/17
AHCI    Intel   SATA AHCI Driver    9.5.6.1001  16.1 MB 2010/03/17
AMT Intel   Intel iAMT Driver   6.0.0.1179  5.3 MB  2010/03/17
Audio   Realtek Audio Driver    6.0.1.6029  77.4 MB 2010/03/17
Bluetooth   Atheros Bluetooth Driver (3.0)  7.01.000.18 57.3 MB 2010/10/19
Bluetooth   Atheros Bluetooth Driver    6.04.002    64.8 MB 2010/03/17
Bluetooth   Broadcom    Bluetooth Driver (3.0)  6.3.0.6000  59.0 MB 2010/10/19
Bluetooth   Broadcom    Bluetooth Driver    6.2.1.800   57.7 MB 2010/03/17
CardReader  Alcor   Card Reader Driver  1.0.12.50   6.7 MB  2010/03/17
Lan Atheros LAN Driver  1.0.0.23    4.6 MB  2010/03/17
Modem   liteon  Modem Driver    2.2.99.0    2.0 MB  2010/03/17
TouchPad    ALPS    Touchpad Driver 7.105.2015.1107 8.5 MB  2010/03/17
TouchPad    Synaptics   Touchpad Driver 14.0.6.0    29.2 MB 2010/03/17
Turbo Boost Intel   Turbo Boost Driver  1.0.1.1002  2.8 MB  2010/03/17
VGA Intel   VGA Driver  8.15.10.2104    37.1 MB 2010/09/16
Wireless LAN    Atheros Wireless LAN Driver 8.0.0.279   31.4 MB 2010/03/17
Wireless LAN    Broadcom    Wireless LAN Driver 5.60.48.35  20.5 MB 2010/03/17
Wireless LAN    Intel   Wireless LAN Driver 13.0.0.107  381.1 MB    2010/03/18
Wireless LAN    Intel   Wireless LAN Driver (INT6300H)  13.2.0.30   128.4 MB    2010/04/09
Wireless LAN    Intel   Wireless LAN Driver (6250)  13.2.1.5    128.5 MB    2010/09/28
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migrated from serverfault.com Feb 12 '11 at 18:03

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1 Answer

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Go to Acer's website now, before the format, and download the network and video card drivers for the laptop. To know which ones are correct, check your current Device Manager for comparative purposes.

Then do the format and reinstall, use the drivers you downloaded beforehand, and then get the rest from either Windows Update, or Acer's website.

Make sure you get the right ones: Acer has 32-bit and 64-bit drivers, depending on the version of Windows you install.

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I edited my question to be clearer. (I hope) I am trying to figure out what drivers I need vs. may want vs. should not bother install – Tihom Feb 12 '11 at 18:51
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Sure, but I said if you look in Device Manager, you'll be able to tell from that what you'll immediately. Most times, it's the network and video card. After Windows Updates runs a couple more times after the format, you'll see what's left and you'll then do that. It's usually things like webcam, modem and Bluetooth that doesn't always install off Windows Updates. – Randolph West Feb 12 '11 at 18:56
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Also try the component vendor website, sometimes it's newer than what's available from Windows update or Acer's – Martheen Cahya Paulo Feb 13 '11 at 3:59
For video cards, that's not a bad idea. – Randolph West Feb 13 '11 at 5:20
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