Hi Shawn,

Welcome to Dell Community Forum.

We understand your anxiety and will try our best to help you resolve this issue at the earliest.

Click on this link for helpful information and steps: http://dell.to/1feon0Y

Run hardware diagnostics, click on this link: 
http://dell.to/Ohu88J

Please note: If you restore the system to factory settings, you may lose saved data.

Keep us posted on the results for further assistance.

Thanks and regards.
Babita S
#iworkfordell

To know more about Dell Product Support, Drivers & Downloads, Order & Dispatch status -> choose your region US Customers; UK Customers; India Customers. For Dell support videos click Here.

Well, now its booting normally to log-in screen, but I can already tell its going to be going tremendously slow, as its still trying to log on.

Now its passed the loading Welcome screen, but is dark and and the loading icon comes and goes and some apps are opening, slowly but surely. It was like this in safe mode, just a bit slower. Sorry for the play-by-play, but figured itd help assist.

Your hard drive is giving you its two-minute warning.  If you don't have a backup of your data, make one NOW.  You will need it very shortly.

I dont have time or know-how to try all those steps. I figured I supplied enough information to help narrow down the possibilities. I want to take advantage of the fact that the thing actually loaded properly, now I need to figure out why its bogged down so dramatically, so suddenly. Please help further

Hi Shawn,

Thank you for your reply.

The links have steps which are helpful in diagnosing issues with the computer. As mentioned by ejn63, it is recommended that you save important data on an external storage device to avoid data loss.

Try the steps mentioned and keep us posted on the results for further assistance, if required.

Thanks and regards.
Babita S
#iworkfordell

To know more about Dell Product Support, Drivers & Downloads, Order & Dispatch status -> choose your region US Customers; UK Customers; India Customers. For Dell support videos click Here.

Now it wont even detect wireless networks... sheesh!

Im really not concerned with saving data. The thing was collecting dust on their desk, and I started using it. Ill merely lose some files that I use on photoshop for my classes, but its nothing I cant recreate. It logs on everytime now, but its just too slow and boggy, almost unresponsive when I do the most menial tasks. Please, how do I fix this!

Error Code: 0146, then inside the message had this code:  Error Code: 2000-0146

That is not a software issue (just a coincidence that you installed the new software). Your hard drive has failed and must be replaced.

If you are in need of data perform the data recovery steps mentioned here using an external drive as quickly as possible:

http://dellwindowsreinstallationguide.com/data-recovery-using-fedora/

Next you need to replace the hard drive, I recommend a Crucial MX100 SSD:

http://uk.crucial.com/gbr/en/compatible-upgrade-for/Dell/inspiron-1545

See the Service Manual for instructions on drive replacement:

http://ftp.dell.com/Manuals/all-products/esuprt_laptop/esuprt_inspiron_laptop/inspiron-1545_service%20manual_en-us.pdf

After the drive is replaced you must reload Windows 7 see my instructions here to clean install Windows 7 using a Digital River .iso:

http://dellwindowsreinstallationguide.com/a-clean-install-of-windows/

Download Windows 7:

http://dellwindowsreinstallationguide.com/download-microsoft-windows-and-office/download-microsoft-windows/windows-7-sp1-iso-download/

ABR program:

http://dellwindowsreinstallationguide.com/a-clean-install-of-windows/microsoft-product-activation/the-activation-backup-and-recovery-program-windows-vista-7-version/

Clean install with the Digital River .iso (likely Home Premium) and skip product key entry during install. After install use the ABR program to activate.