restoring computer off reinstallation cd

It would help us to help you if you would tell us what the model of the computer is and what operating system you are trying to install.

Some general comments:  Dell doesn't make DVD/CD drives.  These items are purchased from various vendors such as Samsung and Toshiba.  Do you mean that the installation DVD/CD does not have a Dell label?

In order to begin installing an operating system you must boot from the DVD/CD.  On most Dells you can do this in one of two ways.  First, start the computer and press F12 while the Dell logo is on the screen.  When you do this a menu should appear in the upper right corner of the display listing possible boot devices.  Place the DVD/CD in the drive and select that option from the menu.  You should then get a message to press any key to boot from DVD/CD.  If you do not press a key within about ten seconds, the message will disappear and the computer will boot from the hard drive instead.

The second method requires you to press F2 during the Dell logo after starting the computer.  This will take you to the System Setup page.  Find the entries for the boot order and follow the on-screen directions to make your DVD/CD drive number 1 in that order.  Again, place the DVD/CD in the drive, and leave the System Setup page making certain that you select the option to save changes.  Again, watch the display for a message instructing you to press a key to boot from DVD/CD.

Once you have successfully booted the DVD/CD, follow the on-screen directions to install your operating system.  If you would like to have a guide to installing Windows on a Dell computer, follow the third link given on this page:  Restoring or Reinstalling Windows on a Dell.

I forgot to put in that it's windows XP pro. I haven't had the computer that long and it was working great until just after the warrenty was up.  I can get online but if I try 2 do a disc clean up or anything else it wants me 2 open with something.  I had my nieces over for the weekend and after theu left it wasn't running right.  Plus I can only use internet explorer now when Ivce been running firefox up until 2day

Ive tried both those ways all I need 2 know is what 2 write 2 get set up started.  I don't know what #'s u need but these are all the #'s except for product key.   0T7570      X10-60256         00045-573-476-200   My friend did it for me before and I forgot what he typed in but he went to start menu hit run and the typed in something.   The browse don't work after you hit run.  System restore from the start menu DON'T work it wants to know what I want to open it with.

You don't need to type anything.  While you "can" start the install from within Windows, there is no reason to.  (Although typing D:\setup.exe at the "Run..." prompt should start it, IF D: is the letter of your CD drive).  Do as js has advised and BOOT to your CD to start the install.

What happens when you try the F12 method to boot from the CD?  Perhaps if we had a bit more information we could suggest a solution.  I still don't know which computer you are using.

Booting from the CD is an imperative on a Dell as the Windows Setup on a Dell disk must be able to check for a signature in the BIOS in order to activate.  If you are using a non-Dell installation disk you must use the product code that accompanied the disk to achieve activation.  I won't say it is impossible to run setup from within Windows, but everyone I've ever helped who started the installation in this way has complained that the new installation wanted a valid product code within thirty days to continue working.  Dell installation disks check a code in the Dell BIOS so that the installation is automatically activated, and that code checking can't happen if you autorun or use "Run" to start the installation.  The product code from the side of the computer cannot be used with a commercially purchased disk for purposes of activation.

I have the dell disc w/ code that came with the computer.  For some reason it's not booting from the cd and every time I try 2 do system restore from the system tools it say open with. When I hit f12 it shows cd 1st but still not working n when I go into f8 it tells me to hit f1 to continue or f2 for set up and neither gets me anywhere

ok I got more info the computer is a dell opiplex gx280 series w/ dell factory cd xp pro.  when I just start it it sayspxe-e01 unsuported pci device then says  

drive 1 not found: serial ata, sata-2

drive 3 not found: pRALLEL ATA, PATA-1 (pri ide slave)

strike f1 to continue

f2 to run setup utility

I hit f1 it goes to the desktop

I hit f2 goes 2 boot up menu

my boot sequence is

1.  onboard or usb cd-rom drive

2.  onboard sata hard drive

3.  onboard network controller

onboard ide hard drive not present

onboard or usb floppy drive not present

usb device not present

It seems I can get any other disc to run but not the operating system

I hope this is enough information but if not if u tell me what would help u help me I can get it.  I can get online with on ie but everything else I try to do opens as note pad

Do you have more than one DVD/CD drive?  Your computer uses parallel ATA/IDE drives for the DVD/CD drive and only the master port supports booting.  If you have more than one of these drives, try booting from the second drive.

Also, have you replaced the CMOS back-up battery recently?  The listing of various ports having no drives attached to them is unusual and is an indication that your CMOS battery has failed.  Replacing that may help a lot.

It's a desk top and I only have 1 drive and I really don't understand the terms I do have a computer background but I learned on a unix system lol. I have tried everything and nothing seems 2 be working.  I have restored this before as some people don't know what sites 2 stay off.  Disc is clean no scratches been in sleeve since Ive got.  It's 2 bad not a bad computer and haven't had long and I'm going 2 go crazy with limited internet can't download anything keeps asking what I want 2 open with it.  Thank you 4 trying 2 help me.  Ive done all everyone has said and nothing has changed.

I suggest beginning with replacement of the CMOS battery.  I attach a graphic of the mini-tower motherboard here (if you have a small outline or desktop machine the graphic may be different, so let me know):

System Board Components

Look at the upper right of this graphic and find the small circular component with a line to the number 9 radiating from it.  This is a CR 2032 Lithium battery used to keep the CMOS (also called Non-Volatile Random Access Memory, NVRAM for short) alive when the computer is off.  This special memory stores configuration information for the computer, such as what hard drives you have installed, what DVD/CD drives you have, the memory configuration, and a few other things.  That should be enough to give you the picture.  When I stated that your computer is complaining about unusual things, it is because normally the CMOS would remember that no drive was attached to SATA 1 or to PATA 3.  It forgets these things, however, if the CMOS battery has died.  Unfortunately, other symptoms can also be caused by low voltage from the CMOS battery.

Therefore, the first thing you need to do is replace that battery.  They can last anywhere from three years to seven years, depending on how much the computer is powered on.  To help, you can take a look in this guide:  Dell Optiplex GX 280 System User's Guide.  Find the correct guide for your computer, and look in the section titled "Adding and Removing Parts."  Once you've replaced the battery we will continue further.  By the way, I'm sure that this is stated in the manuals, but remember that computers are sensitive to static electricity.  Don't touch parts inside the computer before taking precautions to discharge static electricity first.

EDIT:  Sorry, I overlooked the fact that you stated that you had a desktop computer.  The graphic for that board is here:

System Board Components

thank you, I will try this

I had the exact same problem after my hard disk got an error in the "system" file. I replaced the hard drive but couldn't get the internal DVD drive to recognize the Re-installation CD.  Solution:  The CD worked just fine in an external DVD drive connected via USB.  BTW, if the date and time in setup were correct, the battery had not failed.

See this thread for more info:  en.community.dell.com/.../19409495.aspx

Good Luck