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Thread: Dell computer question for computer builders

  1. #1
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    Dell computer question for computer builders

    I've built our computers from parts since the 90s. This past time, commercial ones had gotten so cheap that I bought a Dell. What a mistake. I can't do much with it without their fingers in it. Twice I've had to get the OS re-installed, which required me to reload all our personal stuff. Not only that, but I have to schedule a time that I can work with them to do anything, and that just doesn't work out for me.

    It's down again, for the third time in a year, and they want me to schedule an appointment. I'm not interested in paying them some monthly fee for an "upgraded" service. I just want to be done with them.

    Here's the question: Can I buy my own OS disk, and take over control of the computer, or will I also need to replace the Mother Board? Is the CPU something normal that I can use in another Mother Board?

    Thanks to those that understand what I'm asking.
    Last edited by Tom M King; 05-22-2016 at 2:24 PM.

  2. #2
    I can't do much with it without their fingers in it.
    Not sure what you mean here, but generally, it should be no different than a PC you build yourself. Especially if you remove all of the Dell software in the background.
    Yes, you should certainly be able to install a non-Dell branded OS, but you may need to get some of the drivers from Dell.

    While I do build my own high performance PC's, I've had good luck with Dell's over the years. My wife's on her 3rd one, we use 5 of them at work, and I just got picked up a refurbished i7 laptop for a great price, and added more memory and an SSD to it. Never really had any problems with any of them.
    Gerry

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  3. #3
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    They have so much stuff running in Task Manager that I can't get uninstalled. For instance, all the MacAfee stuff is impossible to delete, or even turn off. It also won't allow me to update the OS. It's running plain 8, and when it looked like I was able to do the update to 10, by the time the install was over, there is no sign of anything but 8 on there anywhere. For what should be an easy fix in the OS, they always want to wipe the whole hard drive, and do a fresh install. This is the third time in a year for that. I can't do much of anything with it without going through them.

  4. #4
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    Quote Originally Posted by Tom M King View Post
    They have so much stuff running in Task Manager that I can't get uninstalled. For instance, all the MacAfee stuff is impossible to delete, or even turn off. It also won't allow me to update the OS. It's running plain 8, and when it looked like I was able to do the update to 10, by the time the install was over, there is no sign of anything but 8 on there anywhere. For what should be an easy fix in the OS, they always want to wipe the whole hard drive, and do a fresh install. This is the third time in a year for that. I can't do much of anything with it without going through them.
    My suggestion is to wipe the entire drive and install linux of some version that you like. There should be no reason to have to mess with windows so much

  5. #5
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    I have owned 3 Dells to date and have not had problems with any of them. However, I hate MacAfee as it is really intrusive. Fortunately it didn't come on any of my computers. It does try to install from some third party software such as Java and Quicken. Our church computer inadvertantly got MacAfee installed and it caused a lot of grief. Once we had it uninstalled, we did some google searches on how to clear out the remaining bits and got rid of it.
    Lee Schierer
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  6. #6
    A lot of anti virus programs need special programs to remove them.
    Try this:
    https://service.mcafee.com/webcenter...3D15gjk6cnhx_4
    Last edited by Gerry Grzadzinski; 05-22-2016 at 5:55 PM.
    Gerry

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  7. #7
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    I think you are making some assumptions about the source of your problems that aren't necessarily true.

  8. #8
    Quote Originally Posted by Tom M King View Post
    They have so much stuff running in Task Manager that I can't get uninstalled. For instance, all the MacAfee stuff is impossible to delete, or even turn off. It also won't allow me to update the OS. It's running plain 8, and when it looked like I was able to do the update to 10, by the time the install was over, there is no sign of anything but 8 on there anywhere. For what should be an easy fix in the OS, they always want to wipe the whole hard drive, and do a fresh install. This is the third time in a year for that. I can't do much of anything with it without going through them.
    I haven't used tech support for a computer in a long while but back when I tried, that was the answer the tech people always gave you - reinstall from scratch. The reason is that they don't know much and the "recipes" they follow to "help" you always starts from a clean install.

    If the computer is worth it to you, buy a copy of the OS and install that your self as a clean install - that is, format the disk first. That will get rid of all their stuff.

    That still has you re-installing all your software but hopefully, it will be the last time.

    Mike
    Go into the world and do well. But more importantly, go into the world and do good.

  9. #9
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    Thanks. That's kind of what I was asking. I don't have an OS on a disk to use with this computer. It gets to the point that it runs so slow that I can't get anything done. They always do a clean install after wiping the hard drive remotely. This is after the third time in a year, and it already needs to be done again before I can get our personal stuff back on it. Their version of OS does not allow any upgrades, as far as I can tell.

    I was asking if this Mother board and CPU is worth taking over myself, or do I need to replace it. That's the question I would like to be answered.

    The rest of the hardware is decent stuff. I don't want something that requires I go through them, or to operate efficiently that I need to buy some monthly service from them. All I have been able to find online is problems with the BIOS for upgrades.

    This is the first commercial computer with a name on it that I've bought since an Osborne in the early mid '80s.
    Last edited by Tom M King; 05-22-2016 at 6:33 PM.

  10. #10
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    first I have had many Dell computers and never had any issues with them. As has been said, buy a copy of Windows, format the hard drive and install Windows yourself and Dell will be out of the loop. Problem solved. The mother board should be generic enough to run Windows native.
    George

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  11. #11
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    Thanks. I'll hold off on replacing the Mother board unless it won't work with 10. The possible problem with that is that a Windows 10 disk only allows install on one Mother board, from what I've read, which is not much yet. I think I'll contact Microsoft and ask some questions. I'd hate to drop the cost of the OS into a one time use that won't last. long.

  12. #12
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    I have always partitioned hard drives, and kept the OS in a separate partition. That greatly simplifies re-installing an OS without touching anything else. This one is 2TB, so there should be plenty of room. I'm just tired of messing with it through another party. I've wasted more time with this than any computer I've ever owned.

  13. #13
    I was asking if this Mother board and CPU is worth taking over myself, or do I need to replace it. That's the question I would like to be answered.
    What processor does it have, and how much memory?

    It gets to the point that it runs so slow that I can't get anything done.
    Dell uses notoriously slow hard drives. Before you install a new OS, spend $100 on an SSD and use that as your boot drive, and use the 2TB drive for storage.
    It will literally seem 20x faster, and it'll stay that way.
    Gerry

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  14. #14
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    SSD sounds like the ticket as the boot drive. It hasn't always run slowly, but has booted slowly. It was actually pretty decent for a while. The hard drive looks like a WD Black, so it should be okay. It didn't take me long to find out online that the BIOS is not upgradable, so I think I'll just replace the Motherboard. It came with 8 pre-installed, and I'm afraid it's stuck there. CPU looks like a decent I5 (I don't do any gaming), so I'll try that first.
    Last edited by Tom M King; 05-22-2016 at 7:11 PM.

  15. #15
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    Yes, you can buy your own copy/license for an OS. You can also make changes to things like your drives. As to replacing the motherboard, you may or may not be able to do that easily in a "name brand" computer; some use custom formats for their main boards. Some use standard configurations.
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