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How to reset Dimension 4600 drives to original factory settings?
So, after hours of working out how to manually reset my aging Dimension 4600 to its original factory setting, I am at the point where I must install Dell drivers and utilities. And I am stuck.
The instructions given in Step 5 on this Dell page say that I can install my drivers from the Resource CD. It further says that it is "imperative" that I install the Desktop System Software (DSS) first. But I have gone through this disk throughly, and the DSS is not listed on it.
Dell's other option is to go to its Drivers and Downloads page to get the DSS drive. This seems to be a useless suggestion, since (I think) I need my drivers to get my computer an internet connection.
So what do I do? How can I install the DSS, if it's not on my disk? And how can I download it if I can't get an internet connection?
I really don't know how I'm supposed to download anything from this Resource CD, for that matter. It just lists a bunch of drivers, utilities, guides and diagnostics, some of them with checkmarks next to them. No instructions on how to download (do I just check on the drive that I want?). Indeed, when I click on "Help," It says that "You do not need this CD to set up your computer," and calls it "a valuable source for documentation about your computer system." Does that mean that the disk does not, in fact, have the drives I need?
fireberd
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October 17th, 2010 04:00
There is no Desktop System Software for the 4600, that is for newer PC's. The Dell manual instructions are not specific for any one PC.
However, the key to a successful installation is after installing Windows the first thing that must be installed is the Intel motherboard chipset drviers. After the chipset drivers the Device Drivers can be installed including video, sound, ethernet, etc.
If you don't have these they can be downloaded from the Dell downloads. 4600 downloads DO NOT use the Dell Download manager - just download each needed driver individually. You can download them to a different PC and either copy them to a USB flash drive or discs and then use that on the 4600.
rdunnill
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October 17th, 2010 11:00
I suggest using a PC with an Internet connection and downloading the Intel chipset installation utility to a thumb drive. I think that will have most of the drivers you need.
Budo Cat
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October 17th, 2010 11:00
Thank you both for the quick answers. (And on a Sunday, no less!) The chipset drive was on my Resource CD, as were the video, NIC and audio drives:
Just wondering about all of those other files on the 4600 downloads page, though. There were only four drives on my Resource CD (see below). But that 4600 downloads page has 50 or 60 optional, recommended or "urgent" files. Which of those do I need? The computer (I think) is now working fine, and I have internet connection. Do I even need any of those other files?
I'm also wondering where my MS software went. The Resource CD reinstalled Windows, but my computer originally came preloaded with Word, Excell and Powerpoint. Are those applicatons now lost?
**The four drives that I unzipped from my Recourse CD, by the way, are:
- (Controller Driver) Intel Chipset Software Installatoin Utility Rev A13-00
- (Video Driver) NVidia 128 mb DDR Nvidia GeForce FX5200 Rev: A04-00
- (Network NIC Driver) Intel 10/100 LOM Rev: A06-00
- (Audio Driver) Analog Devices ADI 198x Integrated Audio Rev: A12-00
Thanks agian for your help