New
#41
Will do. I might do 1 more thing before I reinstall - I found a posting on how to fix the CCC issue
Fix - Catalyst Control Center - CCC - will not open/install
I'm feeling adventurous! Thanks again everyone!
Will do. I might do 1 more thing before I reinstall - I found a posting on how to fix the CCC issue
Fix - Catalyst Control Center - CCC - will not open/install
I'm feeling adventurous! Thanks again everyone!
I like it - a brave and determined soul. Still, a clean install is your best bet for a stable system.
A few final thoughts after a clean install:
Don't be too anxious to update everything at first. Follow the Dell install driver order guidelines and only update from the Dell site what you need. It takes a bit of work, but the end result is worth the effort.
Don't download the Dell bloatware unless you use it - each mfgr has it's own set of utilities that don't add much and often use resources that your machine could better utilize.
Run your machine in the "native" state for a few days and determine if you actually need an update - if things run fine it's better to run back level than to recreate the conditions that brought you here. If you experience issues, you might need to update one thing or another. Take small steps - figure out or ask what is causing the issue and fix only that issue.
Be aware of current security holes in commonly used programs. These issues will be resolved, but until they are, keep your system safe.
Keep your machine free of questionable software - Reg cleaners and auto-updaters are notorious for corrupting systems. See these threads for good tools, but tread lightly.
- Firefox is going through some difficulties containing holes after FF 12
Recommend backlevel for FF- Java version 7 is also going through difficulties containing holes
Recommend no install or backlevel for Java. If your applications require Java, install version JRE 6.37 - select the correct Windows version(jre-6u37-windows-x64.exe for your system)- only select the x64 version if you run a 64 bit Browser (most folks don't) and tick the "I agree" radio button to download.
- FREE Great Programs for Windows 7 [2]
- Free Native 64-bit programs
I recommend only a few basic tools for your toolbox - note that you don't need all of these, but the tools are nice to have around. There are many more in the lists above.
I use and can recommend free applications for Graphics editing (Gimp), Audio editing (Audacity), and Office Suite (Open Office). Each of these have proven excellent alternatives to retail software.
- Required: Antivirus - there's a lot of opinions on which one to use.
Windows 7 consumer security software providers- list major providers
AV-Test Institute (AVTI) results - comparative tests
-> I use free versions from: current Avast! - previous AVG
What ever product you select - it is recommended to disable eMail scanning. This is considered a redundant feature and is known to cause problems with eMail clients. I chose not to install the real-time eMail, P2P, IM scanner features in Avast. That is a user's choice.- Highly Recommended: MalwareBytes - standalone scanner. This scanner detects and cleans more threats. It's a nice addition to any real-time scanner.
- Highly Recommended: Piriform - makes cCleaner & Speccy. both are very good (yeah, cCleaner has a registry tool, but it's use is seldom recommend here - the file cleanup feature is more often recommended). Still it's best to use native Windows tools whenever possible.
- Belarc Advisor- Detailed profile of your system HW & SW
- CPU-Z - another good system profiler
- GPU-Z is a lightweight utility designed to give you all information about your video card and GPU
Don't just restore things from your backup - get fresh apps and import data from the backups and only if you need the data on a regular basis. Windows Live Mail is a good example - WLM 2011 was buggy, WLM 2012 is much better.
Again - take it slow, keep changes to a minimum unless required.
Ok, I'll check back if i think of anything else, but that's enough for the moment
- good working with you.
Bill
.
Last edited by Slartybart; 23 Oct 2012 at 09:10. Reason: jre 32 / jre64
I totally crashed my machine trying to fix Catalyst but it came back after about 150 reboots and walking away in disgust. Now it's back. I already know about and use most of the sw you suggested in your last post. My system is getting very wobbly so I'm looking forward to a clean reinstall.
Being that I'm the neighborhood go-to person for computer probs this has been a great learning experience. I haven't really done much in the way of o/s analysis so now I have a lot of new insights, great tools and my crew of gurus!
Thanks so much everyone.
Marianne
You are now officially a guru!
I await to hear from you after the clean install. I can't stress enough that the best recovery is slow and careful.
See you on the flip side.
Bill
.
I reinstalled everything last week and my system is still pretty much the same. It hangs on start-up and must be restarted about 15 times via ctl-alt-del. It usually hangs on the Dell screen. There's still lots of start-up beeping. I've turned off every start-up service but MSE.
There is constant disk activity, yet I've turned off all indexing except for Outlook. Opening an app or loading a webpage can take 15 - 60 seconds. I keep reading that a lot of people are having problems with their Dell 1645 machines.
I suspect there is a hardware/firmware/driver issue. I've amended my complaint to the BBB of Austin to include this replacement unit. I just want my money back. My last laptop was a Toshiba from 2000 that still runs. It's just obsolete.
So - thanks for all your help. If you've any further thoughts I'd love to hear them.
Startup beeps provide audio POST self-test codes that can identify the problematic component (most common easy solutions include keyboard, mouse, and monitor)
If the beeping is before the Dell screen, that's POST trying to tell you something. The wiki page (or related links at the bottom) might help you figure out the cause.
If the beeping is after the Dell or Windows screen then it's something else.
Since you're pursuing recompensation, I'll let sleeping dogs lie.
Thanks for the update and good luck
Bill
.