New Computer User's Guide

You just received your new Dell.  There are a few things that you should do at the outset to avoid problems in the future and some things that may crop up which result in questions commonly asked on the Dell Community Forum.  This site will attempt to provide information which you may find useful, particularly if this is your first computer.

Upon Receipt of the Computer

After you have removed the parts of the computer from the package and set it up, check to make sure that you received everything you should have.  If the computer is equipped with Windows XP, make certain that you have the XP Reinstallation CDs, shown here:

Dell is shipping Dimension and Inspiron systems without this CD unless it is ordered with the computer, which would prevent the user from partitioning the hard drive and makes it impossible to recover in the event of a hard disk failure.  If you did not receive an XP Reinstallation CD and the procedure for creating one does not work, contact Dell Tech Support at one of the links in this post and request one.

Notice that the Certificate of Authenticity (COA), the 25-character identifier which is required in the event the operating system must be reinstalled, is not shown on these disks.  You can find it on a sticker on the case of the computer.  Its location is shown on links from  this Dell document.  It is a good idea to locate the number now and record it in an additional location for safekeeping.  

The computer came with some preinstalled software, one item of which is a productivity suite--Microsoft Office, Microsoft Works Suite,  WordPerfect Office, or WordPerfect Productivity Pack.  The CDs for those programs should be in the package and the COA for them will be on a located somewhere on the packaging of the CDs.  Be careful not to discard the packing without recording that number, as it will be required for reinstalling the software.

In fact, in order to make certain that you have a record of the Product ID for all of the items which came preinstalled on your system, download the Belarc Advisor from here and run it.  Print out a copy of its report and save it in a safe place.  It will show you the information you need should you ever have to reformat and reinstall everything that came on the system, as shown here:

The Product ID shown for Windows XP may differ from the one on the sticker on the computer's case.  This is because the ID shown by Belarc Advisor may be the volume licensing ID used by Dell to install Window XP.  The ID from the sticker should be used if a reinstallation of Windows prompts for it.

Note that you can also make copies of nearly all of the original CDs which came with the computer.  Store them in a location away from the originals so they will be available in case the originals are damaged.

Other CDs in the package will be a CD with copies of individual applications which were installed by Dell, such as an antivirus program, a music program, and others.  You should also find a CD with drivers for the system hardware.

It is important that you ensure that you have these CDs, as Dell warrants software for 21 days after the Invoice date.  Anything that is missing or damaged within that period will be replaced.  After 21 days, the user will have to purchase replacements from a retail outlet.

VERY IMPORTANT

If your system is running a version of Windows XP which predates Windows XP SP2, before you go online for the first time, enable the Internet Connection Firewall in Windows XP.   The Blaster virus, which crippled thousands of computers in the fall of 2003, is still around and can infect a computer within seconds of going online.  To enable the firewall, go to Start|Control Panel|Network Connections.  Right-click on your connection icon and select Properties from the context menu that appears.  On the Advanced tab check the item to protect your system:

Systems equipped with Windows XP SP2 have the firewall enabled by default. 

Once you have made certain that all the required components are present, proceed to answers for some common questions.

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