Solved-(THANKS Fireberd and Spacealf) Dell WINDOWS 7 Software ???

First, there are no 3rd party drivers for CD/DVD drives, just the default built in Windows/Microsoft drivers. 

Since it won't boot to Windows, can you boot to Windows Safe Mode or one of the other options?  Press F8 BEFORE Windows starts to load and you will get a screen with several options.

If it gets to the point, you can reformat the hard drive and install Windows from a DVD.  But, you don't have to buy a copy of Windows.  If the PC came with Windows 7, you can download an iso (bootable) copy of Windows 7, burn it to an iso DVD and use that to install Windows 7.  Use the Dell Product Key and it will install.  I think I gave you the info and link on your other post.  If not, here is the link to download Win 7 (the same version as you have now from Dell): http://techdows.com/2011/07/download-windows-7-integrated-with-sp1-iso-official-direct-download-links.html

Windows will install a lot of the drivers.  You will need, at a minimum, the Dell provided sound driver.  www.support.dell.com  enter your sevice tag number to access the downloads for your specific system.  The "My Dell Downloads" will have some additional applications that you can download. 

In general the correct install for a Dell is (1) Install Windows (2) Install Dell Desktop System Software (3) Install Motherboard Chipset drivers (will probably be installed by the Win 7 install), (4) Install any needed device drivers including Dell sound driver.   

Well F8 did get it to pop up and let me go into Safe Mode

I downloaded the link you gave and all that went well

When I tried to load it it gave me an error, something about the internet not available
and then the monitors went to sleep.

I killed it, tried booting from the DVD we just made 
Windows start loading, made it to the Windows Home Premium lettering with a black back ground and went back to sleep again(Monitors)
The little light on the front by the card reader is flickering and fans are burning away like it processing/thinking/working-just cant see whats going on.

Is it normal for systems to sleep like this while loading software from the start? I hate that Im not a pro at this but it seems like it should be much easier than what Im seeing huh

It does do the same thing as far as sleeping if I plug the monitor into the DVI port off the MB as well so I dont think its a prob with the ATI5700

Weird, I really appreciate and thankful for your patients and help on this firebrd!!!  

So I guess Ill let it think with this DVD and see what we have unless you have any thoughts on something else.  Ill check back in a bit

Post your problem on the Dell desktop forum.  Although I used to do a lot of support there, I never did much with this particular model.  There are those there that can help you.

http://en.community.dell.com/support-forums/desktop/default.aspx

I posted on the special Dell "rockstar" forum section for my old buddies to try and help you.

Jack

fireberd


I see "speedstep" has responded to your Dell post.  I'm not sure what he is trying to tell you other than loading Linux would tell you if the motherboard and video are OK.

Speedstep can be very cryptic or off subject at times.

LOL  I see that.  Running another program off a flash drive and making sure things are out of CMOS is a little bit above my level.


It seems like a way to troubleshoot and see if the board is bad, but Im not sure and then I probably wouldnt be able to get it back if it did prove the board good.


Id hate to think these 3 new Hard drives I spent over $400 on are all junk. Really making me not want to buy anything else for this computer.  Im thinking there is some sort of way to diagnose to a point to decide whether I need a new system or not before spending more.  


I surely dont want to have to buy another computer with this one being 2 years old.


Did you see the new message that popped up on the screen for me I posted on the Dell Forum? That one came after running Dell Diagnostics and let it load the 2 updates.


Im really looking forward to seeing what others there might have to suggest

I read the Dell thread this morning.  Along with all the video issues I would recommend not installing McAfee, as it has known issues with Sonar, among other things.  Use the Free and popular (and highly rated) Microsoft Security Essentials for Antivirus. 

The last post on the Dell thread about running diagnostics "forever" and the video not going out hits it pretty squarely.  Some type of hardware problem, whether its the video card or the motherboard.   

You may have to get a different video card, to verify if that is the problem.  Unfortunately substitution with a known good card is the only way. 

I've been busy with other stuff. It may be that the video drivers are not right, and the monitor is not sleeping, the screen is going black because of the video drivers. You should start up with regular ol' VGA 640x480 resolution in Safe Mode with Networking so you can get on the Net. If you have the original drivers given with your video card when you bought it, then load that up on your computer if you keep the ATI video card in, or make sure that VGA is working with Microsoft drivers, but you may still have to install the ATI drivers even for VGA mode, and hopefully it still has that as a mode for your monitor. Safe Mode should boot into VGA anyway, and nothing should go to sleep even if the computer is whirring away, so it also could be the wrong drivers for video and when trying to change resolution (which it may be doing) the screen is going black when that takes place. It has been a common occurance with computer games for a long time. (and back when when video cards were not as good as nowadays.)

TGIF

As a beginner with computer repairs-sometimes I really feel like getting sick with all the costs but I am so thankful for the help I get from everyone on it  

Just FYIn'

Thats kind of the way you guys have me trained now LOL

Right now I am just attempting to get the desk top back to normal before I put anything on it.

I like that way of troubleshooting as well-one thin at a time until its correct

I really think its that MOBO or the ATI Card.

Id hate to say its the ATI cause when I have windows up and running, it looks and appears to work great. Its when Im outside of windows in like BIOS, or anything else and it will just crap out and throw me that "Monitor going to sleep" message.  I can tell the HDD is working cause the little light on the front is flickering or on solid.

Ive been on the Dell Support Driver sight with my Service tag plugged in researching the drivers and if I do what the downloads recommend for my service tag, its not a good thing when I reboot.  If I leave the drivers as is after throwing in and booting from the CDs I initially made, the monitor will work good unless I do the above trying to do a complete clean install back to factory or recover from any date.  Hard for me to explain.

So my next thought is-not having a spare video card to confirm that this one is good or bad, do I spend the money on a new system or keep on dumping more $$$ into this one.  It would be an easy call if I wasnt disabled and on a very fixed income-know what I mean.

Im kind of looking at this situation as

With Windows not letting me mess with any security type stuff such as Downloading and installing Security Essential, allowing or completing any windows updates, etc...
As long as it will run X1 good Ill keep playing the way I have until I can manage a new system.

With the 2 new Barracuds, do you think Ill be able to remove and be able to add them as extra drives on a new system or will they be messed up by having them in this computer?

So do you have any idea why MOBO beeps and does nothing if I remove the ATI card and have the monitor plugged into the MOBO?  Is there some setting I have to change for VGA once it is removed so the board will work properly without the card

Wouldnt that just eliminate the ATI card all together as a problem?

Guess ya didnt seee my post on the other site LOL

I found a spare NVIDIA GeForce 7800 OC laying around so I swapped them out and ran the Recovery again to make sure everything went well.

Long story short
The Video card was the hardware problem as far as Monitor Going to sleep.

What I didnt catch was McAfee was the installed antivirus software. It expired Dec4 shortly before the HDD crashed and needed replaced. 
I think after I replaced HDD, reloaded the software and put my password on the setup for the network, I got a wonderful virus and some malware keeping Windows from doing anything.

FUNNY thing is I got a phone call from Nevada and the guy said he was with Windows Support and went into a big long speel and went over the computer with me.  He started sounding like a salesman and got real pushy when I started talking about taking it to an expert to have everything cleaned up and reloaded.  
I asked for his phone number so I could call him back after he tried to sell me Software License Keys and other crap and he got real standoffish and kept on with his sales pitch.  In the mean time I reached down and yanked the power cord out of the wall.    As we were talking he asked if I got disconnected.  I told him nope it just DIED on me.  He got pushy and kept on asking to get it back up, so I kept on asking for a number to call him at.

Finally I just hung up.  Cant believe how fast he called back from a different number listed as unknown. I let that go to voice mail. Then he tried AGAIN.  No more since though.

To make along story short,  the HDD Crashed and Replaced it.  The video card crapped out and replaced it. All hardware issues are resolved I believe.

Now I just have a CORRUPTED computer.  Wonderful    Dang crooks/gangs

Gonna take it to town and let them try and get it cleaned up and running right before I do anything else.

Funny McAfee didnt throw up messages for me.  Maybe it happened when I wasnt down there watching.

Ive been looking at the exact setup today Space,

Microsoft has some free tools and so does McAfee that will run first then boot the system up and catch it all supposedly. Been trying to wrap my brain around it.  I believe the McAfee is burn to disc then boot from the disc at startup.

I did try your suggestion Jack on the malwarebytes but it didnt find anything. I suppose it might think its ok because it was there when I installed and ran it?

I seen another option to have an external dock for internal drives and run it as an external HDD and let another computer scan it just like anything else you would plug in USB wise into another computer. Then I get into buying more stuff that "might work" LOL

Im really starting to hate McAfee and believe once I get it all sorted out Im going to do like Fireberd suggested with Security Essentials and Malwarebyte 

OK  Im surrendering to the Software Pros at PC Direct in South Bend.  

fireberd


Glad to hear the hardware has been resolved.  From the symptoms, it had to be the video card.

The corruption?   Download and run Malwarebytes for the malware/spyware.  http://www.malwarebytes.org/

The Microsoft Security Essentials and Malwarebytes are my "Security Suite". 

I was comforted to hear when I took it in that these two are the ONLY things they will put on computers they work on.


NO MORE NORTON or McAfee for me.   Never ever never