Nothing will open (programs, files, etc..)

Go to the Dell Support Downloads website, input your Tag number from the bottom of laptop, download the Wireless driver and rightclick to Extract it to your backup so you have it handy to install if Win7 starts up without the wireless driver.

Another method: Driver Install - Device Manager

Once you install the driver, click the Connection icon in the bottom right system tray to connect to your network.

If during install it asks for your network information then it already has the wireless driver and will be ready to connect to your network when it starts up.

gregrocker said:

Go to the Dell Support Downloads website, input your Tag number from the bottom of laptop, download the Wireless driver and rightclick to Extract it to your backup so you have it handy to install if Win7 starts up without the wireless driver.

Another method: Driver Install - Device Manager

Once you install the driver, click the Connection icon in the bottom right system tray to connect to your network.

If during install it asks for your network information then it already has the wireless driver and will be ready to connect to your network when it starts up.

I typed in my code but where is the wireless driver to download?

Under Driver Downloads.

Do you know if you had 32- or 64-bit? What does the Dell Reinstallation DVD say? If you have more than 4gb RAM I would reinstall with 64 bit.

Then download the wireless driver which should be listed under wireless LAN.

If you want to give us your tag number we can help you more.

You can also run Dell Windows 7 PC Restore which will start up with the drivers already installed, only requiring running all of your Important and Optional Windows Updates to get everything current.

gregrocker said:

Under Driver Downloads.

Do you know if you had 32- or 64-bit? What does the Dell Reinstallation DVD say? If you have more than 4gb RAM I would reinstall with 64 bit.

Then download the wireless driver which should be listed under wireless LAN.

If you want to give us your tag number we can help you more.

You can also run Dell Windows 7 PC Restore which will start up with the drivers already installed, only requiring running all of your Important and Optional Windows Updates to get everything current.

64-bit but like i still cant find the wireless driver.. ://

I asked you for the Tag # so we could look it up for you.

Last night I sat for four hours waiting for you to reply to my message offering to connect, back up your files for you and reintsall the OS. It would have been done by midnight last night. But you either didn't see the message, didn't have the courtesy to repsond, or can't keep up.

Now I'm off on a 50 mile bike ride and then gone tonight so you'll have to wait for someone else to help you, or finally figure it out since I always type out 2 or 3 different ways to get the same thing done.

gregrocker said:

I asked you for the Tag # so we could look it up for you.

Last night I sat for four hours waiting for you to reply to my message offering to connect, back up your files for you and reintsall the OS. It would have been done by midnight last night. But you either didn't see the message, didn't have the courtesy to repsond, or can't keep up.

Now I'm off on a 50 mile bike ride and then gone tonight so you'll have to wait for someone else to help you, or finally figure it out since I always type out 2 or 3 different ways to get the same thing done.

Ohh gosh Im sorry I didnt realize. I was out most of the night last night. Anyway I rebooted everything is all fine now. I set up norton for free from Xfinity. Is there something that will make sure the files I am about to download are virus free each time?

You ran Factory Recovery or Clean Reinstalled?

If not then I would run a full scan with your AV, Malwarebytes and SUPERAntiSpyware which digs into the registry to root out spyware lodged in the browser. Then run SFC /SCANNOW Command to check System Files for damage.

Your AV should scan the files being downlloaded, as well as your browser. If you download Torrents then rightclick their folder to scan with your AV and Malwarebytes. I would run regular Malwarebytes scans.

Norton can overwhelm Win7 so if you experience any performance problems I would uninstall it and use lightweight Microsoft Security Essentials.

gregrocker said:

You ran Factory Recovery or Clean Reinstalled?

If not then I would run a full scan with your AV, Malwarebytes and SUPERAntiSpyware which digs into the registry to root out spyware lodged in the browser. Then run SFC /SCANNOW Command to check System Files for damage.

Your AV should scan the files being downlloaded, as well as your browser. If you download Torrents then rightclick their folder to scan with your AV and Malwarebytes. I would run regular Malwarebytes scans.

Norton can overwhelm Win7 so if you experience any performance problems I would uninstall it and use lightweight Microsoft Security Essentials.

factory recovery, and okay I am about to do that

About to do what?

Have you already done Factory Recovery, running it from its partition using the F8 key as you did to back up your files to DVD?

If so I would Clean Up Factory Bloatware which will improve performance.

It isn't necessary to do all of those scans on a new install, but I'd have your A/V always standing guard and updated, run regular Malwarebytes and SuperAntiSpyware scans.