How do I open up my computer to get inside? It's a Dell basic entry level PC.....?
603512
Dells do not have a standard ATX case design. If you go to dell.com and then to "Get Support", "Customer service & support". Or here is a link http://support.dell.com/\nenter your service tag # or the model # there will be links to troubleshooting that will give you step by step directions on how to open the case.
391806
STOP!!!!! Don't do anything else on that computer.\n\nFirst you need to decide if there is information on that computer you want to save? If no then go ahead and put the CD that came with your Dell in and it will walk you through setting up your computer again.\n\nIf you do want to save the information on your computer then anything else you do on that computer right now could permanently erase your data. You're lucky because in this case deleting doesn't necessarily mean your data is gone.\n\nSince it's a dell, I recommend you call them and tell them your harddrive crashed. They will send you a new harddrive as part of your support aggreement with them. If you don't have an agreement, I'll describe that below.\n\nWhen the new drive comes, Dell will ask you to send back the old one. Before you do this, install the new one using the instructions they give you and then install the windows software using the CDs that came with your computer. \n\nGood so far, I hope so. Now you need to go on the internet and buy a file restoring program. I've used the one from www.recovermyfiles.com but there are a lot of them out there. Install that software. A lot of those programs let you download a trial version. The trial version will first tell you if it can help you, and then if you want to use it you have to buy it.\n\nOkay, now for the first hard part. You need to hook your old harddrive up to your computer as a second harddrive or a slave. There are a lot of resources on the web that will give you step by step instructions on how to do this. Hopefully your hardware isn't too old, because that can complicate things sometimes.\n\nNow you ready. Start up your computer, it should find the second harddrive. If it asks you if it can format that drive tell it no. Start up the file recovery program and tell it to scan that drive. Depending on how bit the drive is it may take many hours. After the scan it will tell you what it can recover. Recover whatever is important to you, and then send the old drive back to Dell. If you don't have a dell support contract go to the store and buy a new harddrive. Now you have two.\n\nThere are a lot of different ways to do this, but this will give you an overview. Depending on how savvy you are you can search around for free ways to do this but they require a lot of work. \n\nGood luck.\nbrian
94933
When you first login to your computer, a Windows Interactive Tutorial should pop-up. Just use that tutorial to learn Windows.\n\n\nNote: If the tutorial doesn't pop-up, go to Start>All Programs>Accessories>Tour Windows XP.
933763
this is very similar to my case, i owned a HP desktop running a HP XP home version(original) and i later custom built the desktop. I was trying to have the computer boot up but it wouldn't allow it to.\n\nmy solution was to get a new hard drive and use my Dell XP home operating system on my HP, and without any problems it work great\n\nConcusion: get a new hard drive( or wipe out the old operating system) and reboot your HP with the Dell operating disk\n\nremember to backup all your files\n\nright as you turn on your computer (after the files are backed up and you either have a new harddrive or wiped the old OS) put the genuine disk into the computer
153224
Nowadays, it is fairly straightforward to build a computer from scratch provided that you do a little bit of preparation first.  To build a PC (which can be done very inexpensively if your hardware demands are low), you should consider the following components:\n\na) a processor; b) a motherboard; c) memory chips, d) a case with power supply; e) a DVD-ROM drive; f) a hard drive; g) a simple network card; h) a modem; i) a video card; j) a monitor; k) a keyboard; l) a mouse; and m) operating system software.\n\nThe following items you have to consider: a) what processors and RAM chips the motherboard supports as well as well as what types of "adapter card" slots are available; b) the type of slots determine which network, video and modem cards you purchase; c) the types of I/O connectors to determine whether you get a PS/2 or USB keyboard and mouse.\n\nProcessors can usually be an AMD or Intel variety (if you're looking at a PC) and they have different packaging (shape and pins for the processor chips) that will determine which motherboard you need.  Once you've decided on your processor and motherboard, consult the motherboard manufacturer for the RAM chips that your motherboard accepts.  Buy enough RAM to at least accomodate the Operating System requirements.\n\nMotherboards have specific slots (such as EISA, PCI, AGP) that will determine which of the other hardware you need to get next.\n\nAfter putting together all of the pieces (the motherboard requiring perhaps a few wires to connect to the case for visual feedback) as well plugging in the data interface cables for the hard drive and DVD-ROM drive as well as their power, the next step is to make sure it boots up and you can see the BIOS startup screen.\n\nIf you get that far, the next step is to install your operating system then install any required drivers for your hardware that come with the hardware.  Follow the directions in the manual with regards to driver installation.
51666
you flash the bios\nput the newest version of bios for your motherboard\non a bootable device and start the pc from that device.\nfollow the intructions given on the specific website or on the program itself.\ntry it will work
1167113
can you get to the internet when you log in?  Have you try a terminal service into the server? and see if that works.  You can imz me i am a system admin too.\n\nAlso try loggin in as your user too you should have created yourself as a admin too.  See if you can bring the desktop that way once again if you still can't let me know and I will try to help yo solve this problem
152010
make sure you have all the drivers.... you probably have a driver cd from dell. just put a windows cd in the drive and when the pc boots hit f2 for bios, and go to boot order, make the cd rom first in the list. then the cd will boot before the HD, and it will give you the option to reformat
909061
U want options... okay, first its windows lock down, just start the computer after the first beep hit F8 and get the Windows Advance menu, choose safe mode and see if you can get the Administrator Account to load, if you can go to Control Panel and get into User Accounts, you can change the password there, now if you can not get to the Admin I will advise a full Windows Install, CLEAN... if you can neither do that, open the system get the motherboard model lookit up in the internet for the diagram of the Systemboard and get the password jumpter to unlock the system then perform the windows installation... any other questions? Let us know!
159911
Although this is not the appropriate forum for questions like this, I will take a stab at it. Hopefully you will continue to learn more about your laptop as you go along so there really is no 'finish'.\n\n1) Read the instruction manual. It will tell you how to turn your laptop on. When you turn it on, watch the screen while the laptop goes through what it needs to do to start up. This process can take seconds or minutes depending on what is set up on your laptop. If you do not have software already loaded into your laptop, you need more help than I am prepared to provide. Hopefully, you have at least the operating system loaded.\n\n2) When the start-up process is finished, you should see a relatively unchanging view of information. Exactly what you see depends on what operating system you have.\n\n3) All laptops have a keyboard, which includes some sort of "pointing device'. It could be a button like item in the middle of the keys or a ball next to the keys or an embedded flat space in front of the keys or - if it is really cheap - only four keys with arrows. For any but the last, manipulation will provide motion of an item on the screen. This item is the 'mouse cursor'. The four keys with arrows control the 'keyboard cursor'. The 'mouse cursor' is used in conjunction with 'mouse buttons' for 'right' and 'left' 'clicking'. The purpose of 'clicking' is to relocate the "keyboard cursor'. Practice is always needed to use the pointing device efficiently. 'Clicking' and 'double clicking' in different places on the screen activate applications.\n\n4) There are some keys you need to be particularly careful about. The first is the 'Delete' key. Be very sure when you use this key that you really do want what ever happens to be selected to disappear. You may have great difficulty getting back something which has been deleted. Another set of keys to be careful using are 'Ctrl' and 'Alt'. These can change the result of just about every other key. Sometimes pressing one of these by mistake changes the mode of an application so that typing text is a nightmare.\n\n5) At the end of the start-up process, most operating systems will provide a collection of small pictures with titles underneath called ‘icons’. Each ‘icon’ represents a application or file folder. The currently selected icon is highlighted. One can change the icon selected with the arrow keys or (in some operating systems) ‘left mouse clicking’ or (in some operating systems) navigating the ‘mouse cursor’ over the preferred icon. Depending on how your operating system is set up, you either ‘left mouse click’ or ‘double left mouse click’ (using your pointing device buttons) to invoke an icon (pressing “enter” works on a highlighted icon too). Whenever you open an application with which you are not familiar, investigate the 'menu' possibilities near the top of the 'window' usually starting with 'file'. This will give you some idea of what the application does and how to go about using the application.\n\n6) Another approach is to press the ‘F1’ function key at the top of the keyboard (also available in the ‘menu’ as ‘help’).  This is an excellent source of pertinent information about where your current ‘keyboard cursor’ is placed. This will take you to the ‘help file’ associated with the application. You need to investigate the nature of ‘help files’ available on your laptop. ‘Windows help files’ normally have three ways to access information: a ‘tree’ structure table of contents; a ‘keyword’ index; and a ‘text search’ option.\n\n7) You can get options displayed for the current location of the ‘mouse cursor’ by ‘right mouse click’ing.\n\nIt should take you a significant amount of time to explore and digest the above. Come back and ask specific questions when
658713
Firstly you will need a windows XP CD.\n\nOnce you have that simply start the computer and let it start in the normal windows environment.\n\nOnce windows has completed loading and the computer is usuable insert the windows XP cd and let it open. \n\nIf it doesnt open automatically, go to my computer and click the drive where the cd is placed and click setup.\n\nNow once the XP SETUP window opens follow the instructions and when you are asked for the following option\n\n1. FULL INSTALL\n2. UPGRADE\n\nSelect upgrade , in doing so the computer will upgrade itself from Windows ME to Windows XP, mostly there will not be any data loss. \n\nAs a precaution, if you have any important files please move them to the MY documents folder or to the harddisk drive directly.\n\nYou will also need the serial / product identification key which will be aksed for during the installation.\n\nAnd, during the installation the Setup will automatically check for drivers for the various devices.\n\nAlso during the installation you will be asked to set a PASSWORD FOR THE ADMINISTRATOR ACCOUNT. It is not necessary to do so as this is the safe mode account and I recommend leaving it without a password since this is your first time.\n\nLastly, after the installation some softwares may need to be re-installed. Probably Microsoft Office. I had to re-install it ( so make sure you have a copy of that )\n\nAfter the installation finishes you will be asked to create user accounts which is very easy and you just need to follow the steps as they go on.\n\nOverall its very easy with manly your requiring to click the next button.\n\n\nAll the best .
938553
I'm no expert on how to fix computers, but if your CD is still jammed in there, look for the manual release. There should be a tiny hole on or near your CD tray; stick a pin or something slender in there and your tray should open.
142024
Use the restore CD they gave you.  \n\nIf you have a friend that has the OS CD, you can do a fresh install using the CD key on your dell.
973009
should have a recovery partition and software where you can make a set. normally under the start menu all programs dell
224780
Ok, what you wanna do is restart your computer, then when the Dell logo appears press F2 repeatedly. You'll enter BIOS, and from then you will see how to set the boot sequence.
940514
put a pin in the small hole on the front and it sholud open.\n\ngood luck
197056
you can't. you need to access the open ports and the open ports only, otherwise you need physical access to the computer.