Dell Computers

[Alan2273]

A friend has asked me to format and reinstall Windows (as it is full of spware and other crap) on his Dell computer.

As I have not done a Dell computer before, I need advice on the procedure, as I believe they only issue a recovery to factory condition CD.

Any advice is appreciated.

[Seshomaru Samma]

I have a Dell and it came with a Windows XP home install CD + a drivers CD + software CD.

If I need to install Windows I can just pop in the CD ,grab the drivers from the drivers CD and if I'm still not satisfied I can also install bloatware from another CD. It doesn't get more convenient than that.

[Alan2273]

Thanks for that reply, but just in case it does come with a restore CD is there anything I need to know?.

[MANEMAN]

Hi there, here are a couple of things I have found that may be useful to you. It is of course dependent on what Dell first sent out with the computer. As you can see from Seshomaru's reply, Dell done several different takes on what the customer got. Therefore what I've given you here below may not be relevant to your friends computer. If it is a Restore CD, just follow the onscreen instructions. Do back up all data first (Pics /Music /Documents / etc;) because it is going to delete all on the partition.

Click on this:>>> ] *** Inside the Dell PC Restore Partition ***

And this is something which I have copied and pasted from a site

Using Dell PC Restore by Symantec

Use Dell PC Restore by Symantec only as the last method to restore your operating system. PC

Restore restores your hard drive to the operating state it was in when you purchased the computer.

Any programs or files added since you received your computer—including data files—are

permanently deleted from the hard drive. Data files include documents, spreadsheets, e-mail

messages, digital photos, music files, and so on. If possible, back up all data before using PC Restore.

NOTICE: Using PC Restore permanently deletes all data on the hard drive and removes any applications or drivers installed after you received your computer. If possible, back up the data before using PC Restore.

To use PC Restore:

1 Turn on the computer.

During the boot process, a blue bar with www.dell.com appears at the top of the screen.

2 Immediately upon seeing the blue bar, press <Ctrl><F11>.

If you do not press <Ctrl><F11> in time, let the computer finish restarting, and then restart the computer again.

NOTICE: If you do not want to proceed with PC Restore, click Reboot in the following step.

3 On the next screen that appears, click Restore.

4 On the next screen, click Confirm.

The restore process takes approximately 6–10 minutes to complete.

5 When prompted, click Finish to reboot the computer.

NOTE: Do not manually shut down the computer. Click Finish and let the computer completely reboot.

6 When prompted, click Yes.

The computer restarts. Because the computer is restored to its original operating state, the

screens that appear, such as the End User License Agreement, are the same ones that

appeared the first time the computer was turned on.

7 Click Next.

The System Restore screen appears and the computer restarts.

8 After the computer restarts, click OK.

End of quote

The Symantec image file is stored in a hidden partition of a little over 3GB.

[MANEMAN]

Found something else. - New post rather than edit the other one.

*** Using a Dell Recovery CD to Install Windows XP ***

Hope it is XP we're talking about, you didn't say.

[Alan2273]

Thanks to you both for your answers, I am a little wiser now.

[Alan2273]

Well I got down to doing the Dell computer today, to start with F12 would not bring up the boot menu, but F2 gave me access to the BIOS, ( they certainly lock the BIOS down) to change the boot order.

It had a hidden partition on it, but as it was a full install disk I deleted the hidden partition and put a fresh install on.

Then came the fun as there was no disk for the motherboard drivers, so I had to install Everest home to find out what I needed, then of to the Dell site to download them. They certainly do not make there download site user friendly, with five different ethernet drivers, three graphics drivers and five audio drivers to choose from.

By reading what each driver was for I was able to download the correct drivers.

So now he has a clean install without the Dell bloatware.

After setting everthing up I took the side of as he wanted a graphics card installed only to find no AGP or PCI-E slot, only three PCI slots, so onboard graphics will have to do.

I find it astonishing that a computer that is only fifteen months old and cost £800 has a motherboard without a graphics card slot.

While the side was of I cleaned it out, ( it looked like a group of spiders had taken up residence in it )

It is now quieter and runs cooler, so my friend is happy.

[catgate]

You have confirmed what I have thought for some time.

Dell belong in the same box as H-P, Packard Bell, Tiny and another couple that are totally forgettable.

[deuces wild]

The lower end Dell models have sound cards built into the mother board. Not true with their middle and upper end models.

[ɹəuəllıʍ ʇɐb]

Not quite sure what the problem is/was with that particular DELL computer; normally you specify exactly what you want when you order the machine, including graphic card, network card, sound adapter etc. There are always default devices for any given model, but you can override them when you order.

You always get a CD-ROM or DVD with all device drivers for a particular model (it's called "DELL™ [model name] Resource CD for Reinstalling Device Drivers and Using Diagnostics, Utilities, and System Documentation"). You also get a printout with the exact specification of what you've ordered.

I think in this particular case it was not DELL that messed up, but your friend who didn't give you all the information / specifications / disks he had.