Help? please? Dell Inspiron laptop needs to be restored to "factory settings"

macman

Hate to say I told you so, but...
You need to do some basic checks:
1) is the wireless function switched on?
2) if yes, can it see your wireless network?
3) if not, check your router is broadcasting properly, borrow another wireless laptop and try to connect using that. if you can, then the router is OK.
4) if you can't see your network, can you see others? Wander down the road with it if necessary.
5) check if you can connect by ethernet cable, if you can then your browser/firewall etc are OK and it's likely to be a wireless problem.
6)Since, you've done a reinstall, have you checked that when you set up the wireless encryption agin, you have used the correct encryption key?
7) have you run the Dell diagnostics program to check the functioning of the wireless card?

aloiseb

Thanks v much all - we think it is the laptop itself, not the Ehthernet router, as laptop wouldn't find any wireless network when they looked at it in PC World either. Router seems fine, all lights working etc, though we haven't access to another laptop to try out.

I agree about it not being fit for purpose, etc ....if only we could find the darned receipt, we would take it back at once. I suppose PC World must have some record that we bought it?

I will try the list above when I have time..also look for the receipt.....in between trying to deal with teenager rendered inconsolable by absence of her beloved I-Tunes......
(I bet they will try to say she has simply worn the thing out!)
I think she will have put in the correct encryption key.

Do you mean the Dell diagnostics program for the laptop? Would it be on one of the discs supplied, or do we have to download it? in which case Houston we have a problem.

Might try ringing PC World helpline..I'm getting that desperate!

MX5huggy

Try ringing the Dell helpline, I have always found them helpful but this was always for machines direct from dell.

asbokid

i recommend this to everyone... download a "live CD" of linux don't be put off my those who say linux is really hard to use... cos these days, it is not

popular live CDs are "ubuntu live" and "knoppix"... google for them..

these live CDs have loads of diagnostic tools on them, and they provide a useful means for testing whether your windows installation is somehow screwed up.

you just download the live cd image (usually a large .ISO file), burn it to a CD with Nero or similar.. Put it in the CD drive and boot from it. It doesn't commit anything to hard disk so it won't screw up Windows any more than it is already. And it should detect all your hardware, including your WLAN interface. if wireless works then it's Windows at fault, as usual..

missile

How did you pay for the laptop? Unless you paid cash you will be able to confirm payment to PC World, e.g. from bank account / credit card. This ought to be sufficient to prove when you bought it from them.

Lum

aloiseb wrote: »

Thanks v much all - we think it is the laptop itself, not the Ehthernet router, as laptop wouldn't find any wireless network when they looked at it in PC World either. Router seems fine, all lights working etc, though we haven't access to another laptop to try out.

Does the laptop have a wireless kill switch anywhere? typically this will be a tiny switch on the front or side of the case. It's there so you can use the laptop safely on planes and so on.

The number of times I've seen "faulty" wireless on laptops because the user has hit the kill switch is amazing.

macman

aloiseb wrote: »

Thanks v much all - we think it is the laptop itself, not the Ehthernet router, as laptop wouldn't find any wireless network when they looked at it in PC World either. Router seems fine, all lights working etc, though we haven't access to another laptop to try out.

I agree about it not being fit for purpose, etc ....if only we could find the darned receipt, we would take it back at once. I suppose PC World must have some record that we bought it?

I will try the list above when I have time..also look for the receipt.....in between trying to deal with teenager rendered inconsolable by absence of her beloved I-Tunes......
(I bet they will try to say she has simply worn the thing out!)

I think she will have put in the correct encryption key.

Do you mean the Dell diagnostics program for the laptop? Would it be on one of the discs supplied, or do we have to download it? in which case Houston we have a problem.

Might try ringing PC World helpline..I'm getting that desperate!

You have the service tag-why don't you just call Dell? You don't seem willing to do the basic checks necessary to resolve the problem, eg you have been asked by several people to confirm if the wireless mode has been toggled off in error? Or try connecting using the ethernet cable instead of wireless? These basic checks will take a few minutes.
If it's not seeing any wireless networks, have you looked in Device Manager to see if the wireless card is malfunctioning?
The diagnostics are preinstalled on the laptop, all you need to do is read the manual to explain this.
PS: you can download/access anything you want by just plugging in the ethernet cable-nothing you have said indicates that there is a problem with the wired connection.

aloiseb

No Macman, you were right, the ethernet cable makes the internet work. so it must be the wireless aspect which is not working.

This must seem so simple to all you techie people. I can only say, it's not simple to me. Surely we must all have been in a situation when someone said to you something like "oh well the problem must be in your flapatydoodah" (as if you must know what they meant) and you just didn't?!

I will try ringing the Dell helpline if we can't resolve the problem using the online support. Will have to wait for dd now as I don't know her password and can't seem to access any other accounts (ie mine!) from the screen which comes up when I switch on.

macman

OK, so you know it's the wireless side because a) you can connect via ethernet and b) your router is conecting OK with another computer wirelessly-yes?
Have you switched the wireless mode on? F2 or Fn+2.
Look in Device Manager to see if any malfunction is indicated in the wireless card.
Use the diagnostics procedure to troubleshoot the error.

martindow

Really this should be being sorted by PC World as they sold the machine to you. There is no reason why you should be chasing around phoning Dell or trying to mend it yourself.

I would go back to the shop with a credit card or bank statement as proof that you paid them (if you can't find the receipt) and either ask for a refund or get them to sort it.