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Some of the common questions asked on the Dell Community Forum (and the answers) are here. (Click a question to be taken to the answer.) How does the Dell version of Windows XP differ from the retail version? Why does the System32 folder open when I start the computer? What is purpose of the 32MB partition on my hard disk? How do I transfer the information from my old computer to the new one? How can I make installed programs available to other users of the computer? What Windows Updates should be installed, and why didn't Dell install them? What security steps should I take to protect my system? What regular computer maintenance is required? Why isn't Microsoft Backup included in Windows XP Home Edition? Why doesn't "Show windows contents while dragging" stay selected? How do I reset the Administrator password and why is it important? Why can't I check spelling in Outlook Express? How do I format my hard disk to reinstall Windows XP? How do I update my computer's drivers? How do I monitor resources on my XP system? What do I do when my copy of XP fails Windows Genuine Advantage validation? How do I use the PC Restore by Symantec Utility?
How does the Dell version of Windows XP differ from the retail version? The version of Windows XP that is installed on the computer (and on the Reinstallation CD) is the same as the retail version. Unlike some computer makers, Dell does not provide a "Restore CD" which can be used to recreate the contents of the system to the exact state they were in when the computer was received. If a user wishes to restore a Dell to its "As received" condition the PC Restore feature (available on systems made after July 15, 2004) can be used. Otherwise the closest thing to a restore is reinstalling the operating system, drivers, and applications. Why does the System32 folder open when I start the computer? This is one of the most commonly asked questions on the Dell Community Forum. System32 opening on startup is caused by a line on the startup tab of msconfig. Go to Start|Run|type msconfig and click OK. On the startup tab, look for /L:ENG. If found, uncheck it. That entry is associated with the SB Audigy 2. To remove the entry from the Startup tab go to Start|All Programs|Creative|Sound Blaster|Audigy 2|Welcome Message. Check “Do not show this again.” In the event this problem is occurring and no Audigy sound card is installed, the procedures above will not be available. In that case, see if the information here is helpful. What is purpose of the 32MB partition on my hard disk? That is a FAT partition installed by Dell when the computer is built. It contains Dell diagnostics and can be accessed by pressing F12 during boot up. It is normally a hidden partition, not shown in Windows Explorer but visible in Disk Management (reached through Start|Control Panel|Administrative Tools|Computer Management). It is there as a convenience to the user. If desired, it can be removed and the diagnostics run from CD or downloaded from the Dell support site. How do I transfer the information from my old computer to the new one? There are several methods available. Windows XP has a Files and Settings transfer wizard which can move data between systems. Using it requires connecting the computers with a null modem serial cable (do not accept a standard serial cable from your local Radio Shack in spite of the salesman's assurance that it will work) or through a local network if both computers have Network Information Cards installed. Another method is to remove the hard disk from the old computer, install it in the new computer, and copy the files from one to the other. A final option (and a very slow one) is using Direct Cable Connection, if the old computer has that application available (it is a part of the Window 9X family of operating systems). How can I make installed programs available to other users of the computer? Applications installed by the System Administrator are available to all users. If an application is installed by any other user, its shortcut must be moved from that user's program listing to the All Users listing. The procedure for doing this is illustrated here with a printable description of the process here. What Windows Updates should be installed, and why didn't Dell install them? All Critical Updates should be installed, as they deal with system security. To find which updates are required for your computer open Internet Explorer and go to Tools|Windows Update. The system will be scanned and a list of applicable updates will appear. The Recommended Updates can be installed if they apply to the things the computer is used for. Driver updates are better downloaded from the manufacturer's Web site than from Windows Update. Dell, and other manufacturers, do not install all available critical updates before shipping a computer. It is not feasible to do so with the sheer number of computers which are built, in addition to which most of the Critical Updates are not tested before they are released. Major updates, such as SP1 to Windows XP, undergo beta testing before being released, and when those updates are available, they will be included with new systems a short time after they become available. What security steps should I take to protect my system? VIRUSES--Your system came with an antivirus program installed. The antivirus programs should be run at all times and the virus signatures which it uses should be updated regularly. Most antivirus programs offer an automatic update feature which makes certain that the latest available information is used to prevent virus infections of the computer. If a new antivirus program is to be used it is important to uninstall the original antivirus program. AV programs do not coexist well on a computer. It is a good practice to run a full system scan with the antivirus program weekly, or after new signatures are downloaded. HACKERS--Windows XP has a built-in firewall which provides protection from invasion by outside sources. The firewall does not prevent programs on the computer from accessing external sources, however, it works only on inbound traffic. For a greater level of protection, other firewalls are available. One popular (and free) firewall is ZoneAlarm, which can be downloaded from here. Like antivirus programs, firewalls will interfere with one another if used on the same system, so if a new firewall is installed, the user should disable XP's Internet Connection Firewall. SPYWARE--Spyware/malware are programs which are installed without permission in the course of browsing the Internet. They vary in impact from a minor irritation (and not noticed) to causing major interruptions of normal computer use. A good reference for information about these programs is here. What regular computer maintenance is required? There are two maintenance programs available in Windows XP, Disk Cleanup and Disk Defragmenter. They can be started by clicking on them at Start|All Programs|Accessories|System Tools. The frequency with which they should be run depends on how the computer is used. A conservative estimate is to run Disk Cleanup weekly and Disk Defragmenter monthly. Disk Cleanup does not take long to run, but the defragmenter can take a very long time, particularly on a large hard disk which has badly fragmented information. When you open the defragmenter, it offers the capability of analyzing the hard disk and recommending when defragmenting is required. Checking the degree of fragmentation periodically will provide a feeling for how often the program should be run. For efficient Web browsing, it is useful to clear out Temporary Internet Files regularly, as when their number becomes very large they can interfere with the operation of the browser. One frequently noted symptom of this is an inability to download graphics in any format except bitmap (*.bmp). To clean out these files open Internet Explorer and go to Tools|Internet Options and on the General tab click "Delete files." Why isn't Microsoft Backup included in Windows XP Home Edition? Microsoft Backup is a part of Windows XP Home Edition, but it isn't installed by default, as it is in Windows XP Professional Edition. To install Microsoft Backup in XP Home, insert the XP Home Reinstallation CD in the CD-ROM drive. Open Windows Explorer and navigate to X:\VALUEADD\MSFT\NTBACKUP (replace X with the letter of the CD-ROM drive) and double-click Ntbackup.msi. This will start a wizard which will install the program. Why doesn't "Show windows contents while dragging" stay selected? You may find that when you check "Show window contents while dragging" on the Visual Effects tab which you reach by going to Start|Control Panel|System|Advanced tab and clicking "Settings" under the Performance section the selection is unchecked the next time you start the computer. This is due to a conflict with Dell Media Experience, an add-on of questionable utility. If you uninstall Dell Media Experience the problem will be resolved. Further information can be found here. How do I verify the Administrator password and why is it important? Every XP system includes a system administrator account. It is normally not displayed on the Welcome screen. The user name for this account is Administrator and the default password should be null (blank). However, when Sysprep is used to preinstall Windows on a computer (and Dell uses Sysprep) the default password may be corrupted. See the additional information here if interested. Since it will be needed if the user ever needs to run Recovery Console to correct a problem, it is important to be assured that the password is known. The password can be changed if any user in the administrator group can log on to the system, but normally when Recovery Console is required, no user is able to log on. Additionally, a blank password compromises computer security as it can allow anyone to access the system with administrator capabilities. To set the Administrator password to a known term go to Start|Run, type control userpasswords2 and click OK. On the dialog that opens Under Password for Administrator click "Reset password." On the screen that opens enter the new password desired in the appropriate block and again in the block to confirm the entry. (If the "Reset password" button is grayed out, check the entry at the top "Users must enter a user name and password to use this computer.") Click OK, then Apply. To set the password to the null (blank) value simply leave both password blocks blank. Why can't I check spelling in Outlook Express? Spell checking is enabled in Outlook Express by default only when the computer has Microsoft Word, Excel, or PowerPoint. If your computer came with a WordPerfect package you do not have spell checking capability. For such users, a freeware Outlook Express compatible spelling checker is available here. How do I format my hard disk to reinstall Windows XP? Unlike the Windows 9X family of operating systems, Windows XP includes formatting and partitioning as a part of a clean installation procedure. For more information on reinstalling Windows XP go here. How do I update my computer's drivers? Dell does not have a program which will scan your computer and identify which available updates apply, as Microsoft's Windows Update site does. Rather, users must visit the Downloads site and select the appropriate drivers. The drivers listed will not only be the ones for your computer, but rather for any computer of its model. If your Dimension could have been equipped with four different sound cards, the Downloads site will list drivers for all of them if available. Dell does not post drivers for download until they have been verified by Dell on the computers to which they apply so some drivers, particularly graphics adapter drivers, will be available from the manufacturer's Web site several weeks before they appear on the Dell support site. Users should install updated drivers if the new driver corrects a problem they are having with the old driver. If it does not, there is no great urgency to update. Flash BIOS updates should be done only if they correct a specific problem, as a power problem during installation will render the computer totally unusable. How do I monitor resources on my XP system? This is a common question asked by users who have moved to Windows XP from a Windows 9X system. Under Windows 9X (95, 98, ME) the system was limited to 64K of resources regardless of how much RAM was installed in the system. The architecture of Windows XP (and Windows 2000) makes all installed RAM available to applications. As a result, there is no value in Windows XP comparable to "resources." Since all installed memory is available, users can obtain an indication of how much memory is being used compared with what is available by looking at the Commit/Charge: value in Task Manager. To open Task Manager, press Ctrl-Alt-Delete and a window similar to this will open:
The numerator of this value (in this case 225M) indicates the amount of memory in use, 225 MB. The denominator (1248M) shows the total amount of memory available (1.248 GB). Both values include RAM and virtual memory. As long as the numerator is less than the denominator the system has memory available. If the numerator exceeds the amount of installed RAM, slower disk-based virtual memory is being used, which may result in slower system performance. What do I do when my copy of XP fails Windows Genuine Advantage validation? If your copy of Windows XP was preinstalled on your Dell it is a genuine Microsoft product. Recently, there have been numerous reports by users that they have received messages indicating that their copy is not valid. In order obtain assistance from Microsoft with this problem, go here and follow the directions. How do I use the PC Restore by Symantec Utility? STEP: Determine if data needs to be backed up. Unless the operating system is being reinstalled because the hard drive was just replaced, this process will erase all data on your system. Determine if there is any data that you wish to save before continuing. STEP: Remove all non-essential peripherals from the system. Remove all external peripherals that are not required to operate the system. This may include, but is not limited to:
If the mouse and/or keyboard is USB and a PS/2 keyboard or mouse is available, use the PS/2 device(s). STEP: Perform a PC Restore of the operating system. NOTICE: To help prevent further complications, it is important to disconnect the system's modem or network cable before starting the restore process. To perform a restore of the operating using PC Restore, perform the following steps: NOTE: Dell PC Restore by Symantec is available on Dimension and Inspiron systems that shipped on or after 7/16/2004 in the Americas and 8/30/2004 in Europe. 1. Power the computer on.
2. When the Dell screen appears press
and hold the <Ctrl> key on the keyboard, press the <F11> key, then release them
both at the same time. NOTE: Press the keys one time only. If you press them more than once, a keyboard error occurs and the process has to be initiated again.
3. Click the Restore button or press
the <Tab> key to highlight Restore and press the <Enter> key.
4/ Click the Confirm button or press
the <Tab> key to highlight Confirm and press the <Enter> key. 5/ Click the Finish button or press the <Tab> key to highlight Finish and press the <Enter> key. The computer will restart. Your software is now as it was when you first received your computer.
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