So if I call Dell and buy a Windows 7 operating disk from them can I just install the blank 2nd drive in the computer and make a clean install of my own without the Dell partition crap ?  Or will any Dell provided disk of the operating system set up the partitioned operating system ?

Once I have that I could install Acronis and clone that perhaps to another new blank drive ? That allows the by pass of the entire Dell partition garbage but I would have it as a backup in the event of failure along with a backup version of a clean install that I did.

I know seems like a lot of drives and hassle but I know all too well the frustration of trying to recover and reinstall something once you have all your pics and docs on a machine. You only get one shot to capture new out of box settings so I want to get that done before I start using the machine and making changes. 

I made the Dell recovery discs but in my experience would prefer not to rely on them as when you really need them you find a nasty little surprise that somehow they were not done correctly or simply don't work.