Bundled software with computer (Dimension)

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sheila4typing wrote:

My mother who is 70 years old has a dell computer that she bought about 3 years ago, (P4 200GHz) however the computer is in desperate need of a format.  There are so many CDs that came with this computer that I am not exactly sure which CDs to us and was wondering if you could help.  Below is the list of CDs that she received with her computer.

 

Operating system - Reinstallation CD Microsoft Windows XP home - I am assuming this is the first CD I would use to reinstall windows and format?

 

Correct.  Boot from the XP CD, reformat the HD and reinstall Windows.

 

Drivers & Utilities - Dell Dimension Resource CD for reinstalling Device Drivers and Using Diagnostics, Utilities, and Online Documentation

 

These are all the hardware drivers.  Start with the Chipset driver first, then the others.

 

Displays by Dell - P792 Color Monitor Quick setup - This is for the monitor but dosen't windows have the drivers?

 

Yeah, this is optional as the monitor is plug and play.

 

Drivers & Utilities - For reinstalling V.92 (Capable)/56K Telephony Data/FAX/Voice Modem Software for Microsoft Windows - if this if for a 56K modem then she will not need this

 

Correct, that is for the modem.

 

Application - Backup: Dell-Installed Programs. - I think this is all the programs that came with the computer

Cyberlink Power DVD

Sound Blaster Live Digital 1024 Software

Video Wave Dell Edition

Application - For installing/reinstalling Roxio Easy CD Creator 5.1 Basic - This is probably optional

 

You can install just the applications you want.

 

Once connected to the internet, make sure you update Windows and your Antivirus software.  If you do install Roxio, check for any updates on the Roxio site.  Even if your mom doesn't burn CD's you might want it available for you to backup her files now and then.

 

Dave

Been there, done that, mom is 75. :smileywink:

 

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sheila4typing wrote:

My mother who is 70 years old has a dell computer that she bought about 3 years ago, (P4 200GHz) however the computer is in desperate need of a format.  There are so many CDs that came with this computer that I am not exactly sure which CDs to us and was wondering if you could help.  Below is the list of CDs that she received with her computer.

 

Operating system - Reinstallation CD Microsoft Windows XP home - I am assuming this is the first CD I would use to reinstall windows and format?

Drivers & Utilities - Dell Dimension Resource CD for reinstalling Device Drivers and Using Diagnostics, Utilities, and Online Documentation

Displays by Dell - P792 Color Monitor Quick setup - This is for the monitor but dosen't windows have the drivers?

Drivers & Utilities - For reinstalling V.92 (Capable)/56K Telephony Data/FAX/Voice Modem Software for Microsoft Windows - if this if for a 56K modem then she will not need this

Application - Backup: Dell-Installed Programs. - I think this is all the programs that came with the computer

Cyberlink Power DVD

Sound Blaster Live Digital 1024 Software

Video Wave Dell Edition

Application - For installing/reinstalling Roxio Easy CD Creator 5.1 Basic - This is probably optional

 

Could you please tell me what all these are for and which ones I use for formatting?  I was going to call technical support; however I cannot find the phone number on the website.

 

Thank you

Sheila 

 

On the off chance that your mother's computer is less than 3 years old and was purchased since 7/15/04, simply reboot and hit CTRL F11 to make it "as shipped".  If the utility isn't installed nothing will happen, if it is you'll save 1/2 day work.  Given that you have CDs it likely is not installed, but it's worth a try.

 

FYI, the applications CD is NOT all the programs.  If she has Microsoft Office or Works, those would be on other CDs.  What's on the application CD is likely an obsolete antivirus program.  There should be a list on the CD.

I believe I have to hit F2 to get into bios to change the boot sequence?

F2 or F12.  F12 should bring up the boot menu without having to change the setup.

I am assuming there are many of drivers on this CD correct and I have to install them all?  I did finally get a hold of someone at Dell; however the accent was so think I could not understand. But he did say on this CD all I needed was to install the network drivers which is Intel pro/100 Ethernet adapter.  I am assuming he was incorrect?

You'll need more than the network drivers.  The CD should have a tool that tells you what you need to install.  And there may be other drivers not on the disk, like printer, seperate audio card, etc.

Thanks Dave,  I'll have to go buy or download the utilities I use on my computer; which are Norton Systemsworks, Ad-Aware, Spybot, PC Bug Doctor and Reg Scrub.  I have used them for a few years and never have a problem.  It does take time to use these but they seem to work.  Do you have other programs that might benefit? The reason for formatting is she has some spyware or virus on her computer because the popups never stop it it run extremely so like a 56K and she does not have 56K.

I don't see any anti-virus software there.  If not, you can get AVG free (http://free.grisoft.com/doc/1).  Or check with her ISP.  Many are now offering free internet security packages for customers.  My mom has Frontier DSL and they give Computer Associates's Internet Security package free to users.

Dave

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sheila4typing wrote:

May Day May Day!!

 

I cant believe that I spent till midnight last night on the phone with Dell and just trying to get Windows installed and it still is not working.  This is where it stand right now.

I hit F2 and changed the boot order to boot from the CD first, put the XP CD in and it installed.  Then all of a sudden I can hear the modem dialing through the CPU.  I could not get the modem to stop dialing and neither could my ISP or Dell.  Since her ISP is Qwest and the service goes through the phone line that mean she could not use the phone.  It kept giving me some NT Authority error and then would reboot.  So I put the XP cd in again and deleted the partition, formatted and installed XP.  This time I did not hear the modem, but in add/remove program there was nothing listed and XP should have been listed and the only icon on the desktop was the trash bin.  It just didnt seem right so I called Dell again and of course they told me that all the Dell people I talked to told me everything correct and it was a hardware issue.  So he wanted to run Diagnostics and first had me reboot and F12 which brought up the boot menu and that is where the system is at.  I cannot press 1, 2, or 3 or enter.  When I turned off the computer and back on I was back at the same place.  HELP

 

The directions you were given, and confirmed back, were to format, hence no dialing was possible.  The first time you didn't do that. 

 

It was 100% correct that the only icon was the trash bin as you formatted the drive.  XP isn't a program, it's the Operating System, and therefore not listed in Add/Remove programs. 

 

Nothing is wrong, you need to install your drivers, etc.

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sheila4typing wrote:

Thanks and I have one more problem.  Got everything installed including norton, spybot, ad-aware and a bunch of windows updates.  I went back into window update to make sure I got all of them and there was one more Windows XP Service Pack 2. It started installing then all of a sudden a popup box from Service Pack 2 setup that said Access is denied then I said ok. Another popup box after that that said service pack 2 installations did not complete. Select ok to undo the changes that have been made. Selected ok and it did its thing. Then another popup box saying service pack 2 installations did not complete. Windows XP has been partially updated and may not work properly. And it was right.  I rebooted. Got a blue screen that said STOP 00000 (not sure how many zeros) the session manager initialization system process terminated unexpectedly with a status of 000 (don’t know how many zeros). The system has been shutdown. The computer now keeps rolling from the blue screen to windows logo, dell screen, blue screen etc. The desktop never loads. I pressed F2 to change the boot sequence because I remembered it was still set to CD; however that did not make a difference.

Have any ideas?

Yes, you should have waited to add all those programs until AFTER you updated XP and no updates were left.

Updates to SP2 can fail for many reasons including spyware (not likely since you formatted the computer), conflicting programs running, devices plugged into USB ports.

I suggest that you try booting to Safe Mode, F8 on Startup, and pick Last Known Good Configuration.  If that doesn't work, then I suggest you start over, making sure nothing is plugged into the computer except the monitor, keyboard, and mouse, and install XP, drivers including chipset first, then all the upgrades until none are left.  Once you get it working you can install software.

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sheila4typing wrote:

I had noting plugged in but the monitor, keyboard and moust when I installed XP.  Once that was done I hooked up to the internet to get updates.  The first updates was only 2 and one was for validation and the other would not install so I tried it again and it would not install; however as soon as I hooked up to the internet I had popups like crazy and a virus of some sort because it would not let me do a thing.  I unplugged the internet and installed Norton Systemworks (virus) and of course once that was installed I need the virus definition updates so I had to hook back up.  It got the updates and I was still getting popups constantly saying Norton had stopped a worm from entering.  However Norton could not finish scanning the computer because of the wormst thing which is what let me to install spybot, ad-aware etc.  Then after running them multiple times it finally did get rid of everything which is when I went back to Windows updats and got I believe about 80 with no problems.  Had to reboot and then the SP2 started.  So I am lost as to what to do.  I am not sure if I can get into Safe Mode or not but I will try that.  Can I remove SP2 in safe mode or is that not recommended.  I did find an article on  windows http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?kbid=875355&product=windowsxpsp2 not sure if I should do that.  It does say under references Method 1 to removed SP2; however not in safe mode.

 

Thank you

Sheila

 

It's very likely you didn't do a CLEAN install, which is when you delete all partitons so nothing is left, create a new one(s), format it, and install XP.  That process ensures nothing but XP (no worms, no viruses) are on the computer.  Then, turn on the XP firewall. 

 

If you then hookup to the internet to get updates from the Windows Update site, you'll get no popups and all will be well. 

 

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