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  1. #1
    I Have The Clap Again
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    2 Questions.

    First Q-Does anyone know if there is a key stroke (at boot up) that restores Dells (all models) to factory settings? Mine is hold control and spam F11, and it will be like straight out of the box. My friends dell when I do the same it reads- Keyboard Failure, so question is (@ ask.com) it says for all Dells (bullshit obv unless it has to do with the keyboard, it is old as hell) I trust BG way fucking more , Thx in advanced.

    Second Q-Does anyone know if leaving your pc on all the time (I'm talking weeks at a time) does any significant damage because mine seems to run like ass if I turn it off and back on, Blue Screens etc. I have heard different answers and once again I trust the techs here way more. Thx in advanced once again.

  2. #2

    1) Idk
    2) I leave my computer on 24/7 with an occasional restart here and there. Typically, if your computer is on for a long time, stuff will get swapped from main memory into the page file which is on your hard drive and very slow. Leaving your computer on all the time doesnt do any damage and can actually be better than shutting your computer down frequently.

  3. #3
    I Have The Clap Again
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    ty for the quick reply if any one has info on #1 hit a brother up

  4. #4

    Doesn't your friend still have the factory manual? It should be in there. I don't think there is a universal key stroke that will do it. All the dell's in my house are different, I rebuilt mine so it's not a dell anymore but each mobo is different and so the keys are different. Now, I could be wrong, this is just from experience with the machines in my house; there is not one key that restores them to default that's the same.

    A suggestion might be if he can figure out the mobo brand, or model he could google it and see what you come up with.

  5. #5
    Relic Shield
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    Depends on the dell: Some shipped with the installation disc on a partition for a while, and then they went the CD route. Partitioned ones go back to factory settings with the keystroke you identified, others need the installation cds.

  6. #6
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    Quote Originally Posted by *Shinzon* View Post
    Doesn't your friend still have the factory manual?

    No. It is old as hell.

  7. #7
    Sea Torques
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    you checked if he actually has the restore partition installed? and it actually has files on it. some ppl format it to get that space, could be the culprit.

  8. #8
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    btw i called dell support and she tells me you can only restore your pc to factory settings one time.. I've done it at least 4 do they even know what the fuck..

  9. #9
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    what's the model?

  10. #10
    E. Body
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    Leaving your computer on for weeks can damage it if you don't take care of it. If it's left dusty and has a tendency to overheat, it can possibly get damaged if it's not allowed to cool down.

    A friend of mine, his computer would crash over time while playing FF and it was due to this.

  11. #11
    You wouldn't know that though because you've demonstrably never picked up a book nor educated yourself on the matter. Let me guess, overweight housewife?
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    I don't know if this will help BUT

    look up your dell's type with "color code" on google. Unless they've changed things, anytime something goes wrong there should be 4 lights on the back of the dell with the letters ABCD, which should be lit with different colors (when you turn it on).

    Those colors tell you whats wrong, and there are manuals online to show you how to fix the problem. I'll try to find the sites for you, but that's what I used to do whenever something went wrong with my Dell

    edit: here is one for the dimension 8200 (dunno what yours is and dunno if it's different for yours), but it's a start:

    http://support.dell.com/support/edoc...es.htm#1101572

  12. #12

    for Q #2, leaving your computer on 24/7 is fine if you're in a well ventilated area. Waste of electricity, but fine :D.

  13. #13
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    ^ yes that was kinda another question i had about leaving it on 24/7, even if it is logged off does it eat up alot of electricity say as much as a tv left on or more?

    edit: and ty Ksandra but my Dell is a Dimension model 3000 it is old as hell but it still always runs good thx to that keystroke factory restore thing.. if things start getting to jacked up, spyware etc. Do other pc models have the same thing (factory restore)? because I don't think i want one without it when I buy a new one for xiv

  14. #14

    Everything depends on what your computer is doing when your not on. IE do you leave torrents up to seed, having virus scanners that run every night at 4am, etc etc. If anything always turn off your monitor/close your laptop so the screen doesn't stay on if you want to save some money.

    And yes leaving your computer on all time with restarts here and there is better than shutting it down, and rebooting all the time. Double if you are using a laptop because of the way the battery works.

    Cleaning is important, but overheating won't be an issue unless you are leaving mult programs up (Like FFXI in the middle of whitegate, full settings, etc). This can kill your harddrive unless its soildstate.

  15. #15
    You wouldn't know that though because you've demonstrably never picked up a book nor educated yourself on the matter. Let me guess, overweight housewife?
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    Quote Originally Posted by Titanss View Post
    ^ yes that was kinda another question i had about leaving it on 24/7, even if it is logged off does it eat up alot of electricity say as much as a tv left on or more?

    edit: and ty Ksandra but my Dell is a Dimension model 3000 it is old as hell but it still always runs good thx to that keystroke factory restore thing.. if things start getting to jacked up, spyware etc. Do other pc models have the same thing (factory restore)? because I don't think i want one without it when I buy a new one for xiv
    All dells have the abcd code, even the old ones, here is the one for the 3000:

    http://support.dell.com/support/edoc...M/adtshoot.htm

    also listen to the beeps if it's giving you a series of them (also shown in the link above).

    I know this isn't what you want for a factory restore, but if you can't find that at least take a look at the code on the back of your computer, and see specifically what is wrong, so that gives you another way to fix things.


    Really, this is the thing I love about dell's the most is how easy it is to track down the problem.