Dell computers: will a Clean-Install effect the "BIOS Recovery Tool"?

Hi Everyone,

I'm about to Clean-Install Windows 11 onto my laptop. I'd like to know whether this will effect the BIOS Recovery Tool currently installed on my laptop—mine uses the "BIOS Recovery 3" version in that link there. I actually just spoke with Dell about this over the phone and they did actually tell me that it would NOT effect it; though their English wasn't very good so I came away not overly-assured by them. So I came here just to see if anyone else has any insight into this. I'm confident now that it does not effect it, but some elaboration on the matter would help a bit, if possible.

The picture below shows my current "BIOS recovery" settings, if that helps to add detail to my question.

The forum has been refreshingly welcoming, friendly and helpful so far, which I'm grateful for.

If the driive where the recovery file is located is reformatted (as in a reinstall), you do lose the recovery file which is stored in the efi partition. However, on a computer with this feature, once you flash the bios with the same version or different version, it is re-created on the hard drive or usb drive, whichever you use to store the bios recovery image.

For systems with this feature, you can create a bios recovery usb at any time.
It's all fairly well explaied here. How to Recover the BIOS on a Dell Computer or Tablet | Dell US

It appears there is a brand new bios version released today(12 Mar 24)

glasskuter said:

is reformatted (as in a reinstall)

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Is "reinstall" equal to a "Clean-Install" of the OS?

glasskuter said:

on a computer with this feature

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Do you mean Dell's "BIOS Recovery Tool"?

glasskuter said:

flash the bios

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Sorry, what does that mean?

glasskuter said:

with the same version or different version

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Of the BIOS or the OS?

glasskuter said:

on the hard drive or usb drive, whichever you use to store the bios recovery image.

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Well that would be whichever Dell has put it on, I wouldn't think to tamper with that myself—so the Hard-Drive I presume.

glasskuter said:

For systems with this feature

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Which feature, sorry? Do you mean again Dell's "BIOS Recovery Tool"?

glasskuter said:

It's all fairly well explaied here. How to Recover the BIOS on a Dell Computer or Tablet | Dell US

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You actually linked the same exact page that I did in the OP.

Just what it says, Not all Dell Systems have the bios recovery tool. For those that do, when a bios update applies, it stores a copy in the UEFI partition on the system drive. Bios goes thru it's self check during POST. If it sees any corruption it looks to see if this file is in the UEFI partition. If it finds it, it will go into its recovery of the file. If it doesn't find it, it looks to see if a usb drive is present.
Rather than me write a book about it, read the Frequently asked Questions section in the Dell article. It answers most of what you are asking.

If one clean installs Windows, one deletes all partitions resulting in the loss of this saved copy of the bios on the hard drive. Once another (or the same) bios is flashed (applied), the backup is once again created in the UEFI partition.

The bios Recovery tool is what the system uses for automatic recovery of the current version of the bios but it is not the end-all method of recovery.
One can also flash (or re-flash) the bios using the f12 boot menu. How to Recover the BIOS on a Dell Computer or Tablet | Dell UK

One can downgrade a system bios using this method. Dell BIOS Downgrade Step-by-Step Guide for System Rollback | Dell US

One can flash the bios outside of windows using the f12 boot menu method Flashing the BIOS from the F12 One-Time Boot Menu | Dell US

_william said:

Is "reinstall" equal to a "Clean-Install" of the OS?


Do you mean Dell's "BIOS Recovery Tool"?

Sorry, what does that mean?


Of the BIOS or the OS?


Well that would be whichever Dell has put it on, I wouldn't think to tamper with that myself—so the Hard-Drive I presume.

Which feature, sorry? Do you mean again Dell's "BIOS Recovery Tool"?

You actually linked the same exact page that I did in the OP.

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If you're asking all these questions maybe you aren't quite ready to be doing what you want to do yet.

_william said:

I'm about to Clean-Install Windows 11 onto my laptop. I'd like to know whether this will effect the BIOS Recovery Tool currently installed on my laptop

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Installing Windows 11 doesn’t touch your BIOS. If the backup is removed during the installation, back it up again after the installation.

You have options, read each tutorial and decide which way you want to go:



OR


But take note of this:

glasskuter said:

If one clean installs Windows, one deletes all partitions resulting in the loss of this saved copy of the bios on the hard drive. Once another (or the same) bios is flashed (applied), the backup is once again created in the UEFI partition.

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And also: I am not sure why you can’t save the BIOS again after the new installation, it’s done via flashing the BIOS isn’t it?

Also also: Is there a recovery partition set by your manufacturer to “Factory Reset” your laptop?
Have you investigated that?
Or have you since installed Windows yourself since buying the laptop. These days, you can download the Factory set installation from your manufacturer, using this should usually replaces everything that came with your laptop. Or should be able to. I always download it when I buy a new laptop. These days it’s a download, I think they stopped placing the Factory installs on recovery partitions on Laptops a while ago, I am not sure. But I have no idea how old your laptop is. Maybe yours has it?

Good luck.

Upon further inspection: This is from your manufacturer in regards to your laptop and on the condition that you haven’t installed an operating system yourself since buying the laptop.

Turn on or restart the computer. At the Dell logo, press the F12 key several times to access the One Time Boot Menu. NOTE: If the computer boots to the operating system, wait until you see the Windows laptop, restart the computer, and try again. Select SupportAssist OS Recovery, and then press Enter

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Scroll down to; Restore the Operating System on Dell Inspiron 14 5430

Dell Inspiron 14 5430 Usage and Troubleshooting Guide | Dell US

Sorry, I mistakenly gave you @glasskuters laptop info

I am assuming this is still relevant for you though.

@antspants He is overly concerned about a clean install removing the backup of his current bios that Dell Bios Recovery tool copies to the UEFI partition of his hard drive every time the bios is flashed. And it would remove the backup because with a clean install all partitions are removed. But this concern is unjustified since the first time the bios is updated/reflashed the backup is created again. Considering how often Dell updates bios, it wouldn't be for long.
The stars would have to be aligned in the proper position before the recovery tool and this backup would ever come into play. He is far more apt to receive a new bad bios update which would overwrite whatever is backed up. In that case, one can not use the tool anyway to go back to an older version of the bios. He can still recover no matter the scenario. He just can't use the tool to do it.
The f12 mthod can flash a new bios, go back to an old bios, or reflash the existing bios.
He's overthnking it.

glasskuter said:

He is overly concerned about a clean install removing the backup of his current bios that Dell Bios Recovery tool copies to the UEFI partition of his hard drive every time the bios is flashed. And it would remove the backup because with a clean install all partitions are removed. But this concern is unjustified since the first time the bios is updated/reflashed the backup is created again. Considering how often Dell updates bios, it wouldn't be for long.

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Agreed, and regardless, the OP could just re-flash with the current BIOS if so desired for peace of mind?

glasskuter said:

The f12 mthod can flash a new bios, go back to an old bios, or reflash the existing bios.

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Yes, agreed

glasskuter said:

@antspants He is overly concerned about a clean install removing the backup of his current bios that Dell Bios Recovery tool copies to the UEFI partition of his hard drive every time the bios is flashed. And it would remove the backup because with a clean install all partitions are removed. But this concern is unjustified since the first time the bios is updated/reflashed the backup is created again. Considering how often Dell updates bios, it wouldn't be for long.
The stars would have to be aligned in the proper position before the recovery tool and this backup would ever come into play. He is far more apt to receive a new bad bios update which would overwrite whatever is backed up. In that case, one can not use the tool anyway to go back to an older version of the bios. He can still recover no matter the scenario. He just can't use the tool to do it.
The f12 mthod can flash a new bios, go back to an old bios, or reflash the existing bios.
He's overthnking it.

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Hi,
Not always OEM partition is in front of C usually so one could avoid removing/ deleting it and just delete C and point to that space to install on.
Op has not uploaded a disk management screen shot though.

His question doesn't pertain to the OEM partition.