i got a new laptop today (its an alienware but i picked it up for cheap, especially for it being new and a newer model). what is the best method for install drivers on a new laptop? any ideas?
Go to the website. In your case, Dell.com.
Enter your service tag, and the drivers specific for your laptop will be shown. download and install.
#1. get rid of any software you aren't going to use that came with the laptop. Such as trial anti-virus etc...
2. Download all the driver files and put them on the desktop
3. Clean boot your PC meaning go to msconfig, select services, tick hide all microsoft services, click disable all, then go to start up and disable anything else that starts with windows you don't need. Then shut down your fire wall and anti-virus. Then proceed with installs starting with the chipset if applicable. keep rebooting as directed by the driver downloads. after your done then reboot once more and go msconfig once more. click normal startup and turn on all the things you want to start with windows. reboot and then turn on antivirus and firewall.
Heh, drivers. That's Windows for you, making you download all of that crap.
Just go to your vendors' sites; if you have an Nvidia GPU onboard, then download the drivers from Nvidia, if you have an Intel NIC, get the drivers from Intel, and such.
"what is the best way to download drivers"
Through your package man... oh wait.