Dell 3446_Win7_Install_Quick

Win 7 Install on Dell 3446 Laptop
Get Windows 7 image if required from here
Make a USB key to install Windows 7 using USB drive..

Step 01- Format USB in NTFS partition
Step 02- Make USB drive partition active (Run->Cmd->diskpart->select volume f: (where f: is USB drive letter)->active-> exit)
Step 03- Transfer boot sector from Windows DVD to USB drive ( cmd -->d: (where d: is  DVD drive) --> cd boot--> bootsect.exe /NT60 f: (where f: is USB drive letter)
step 04- Copy all files from windows DVD to USB drive
... USB Key made

Grab drivers from your manufacturers site or OEM sites..
for dell 3446 -> http://www.dell.com/support/home/us/en/19/product-support/product/vostro-14-3446/drivers

download applicable drivers
============================
chip-set (if you are using intel see driver date, you should download latest intel chipset drivers from intel site, for me USB 3 drivers were missing so have to download USB 3 drivers from intel too)
audio (was a realtek chipset, generally i do not care about audio drivers much, you can check realtek site for more recent drivers if you wish)
video (Intel GMA from intel site and Nvidia 820m from Nvidia site since this is a hybrid display so both drivers are needed.)
network (i downloaded NIC drivers and WLAN-bluetooth combo drivers from Dell site..)
serial ata (more recent may be available at intel site, i downloaded from dell site)
mouse, keyboard, input devices (download synaptic bundled drivers from dell site you may find more recent drivers at synaptic site but using dell drivers is advisible)
BIOS (this is tricky if you have no issue upgrading BIOS is not advisable check fix log and decide if you wish to upgrade your BIOS)

I upgraded the Toshiba 500gb HDD to Corsair Force Series LX 256GB which i had from my previous laptop. The present cost is under 10K for this SSD you may find cheaper ADATA or Transdent SSD's
or stick to bundled HDD.

for installing HDD look at back of laptop there will be a hdd sign, remove panel and swap hdd. its rather simple

now plug in USB key and switch on your laptop press boot menu key mine was F12, for some its F10 or F11 just check your laptop manual for boot menu key
select boot from USB device, follow On screen instructions until windows is installed..
when you switch on your laptop boot key will be shown at startup for my laptop it was F2 for BIOS and F12 for boot menu

Once you have installed windows its time to install drivers..
I usually follow these steps
1) install chipset drivers
2) install audio drivers
3) install video drivers (for dell-3446 it was intel GMA first and then Nvidia 820m)
4) install network drivers
and reboot
5) install input devices and hdd drivers
and reboot once more

now right click on my computer and go to device manager check if any driver is missing.
missing / faulty drivers show up with a yellow dot.
if you have some unknown device.. select and go to properties now select details,
select hardware ids from drop down and copy paste that hardware id on Google and search for compatible drivers
or at least name of that hardware device once you know which device has its driver missing you can search for drivers on internet.

i also like to install antivirus early on
my recommendation is Eset-nod 32
and install direct x , visual c++ redistribution and enable windows updates
let windows updates finish, this takes a lot of time.
you can use your computer and install some utilities and software that will make life so much easier..

so check my list of must have utilities for windows install.