Help? is an unanswerable question

This computer is unbelievable. Maybe all you super gaming people need all the bells and whistles that end up causing all the problems i have read about on this forum. I am just an average user with a little knowledge who has a total mess now. I have no idea where to go or what to do to get back to some normalcy. The command center has never worked, so I installed and reinstalled and come up with the door issue and warning box about the thermal sensors that I have seen in other posts.  I bought the computer used..the other guy had it new in 2009 and was frustrated too. It had bios A04, so I looked and found updates to take it up to A011 which I just reinstalled. Maybe they were not for my model. Then I made the uptra stupid mistake of lowering the wait time when booting. Now I cannot get into bios to fix. won't boot from cd or hd. The power switch works sometimes pulling the plug and dissipating power did not work. This a total mess now. I have had computers for years but this is just way way over the top in what people should have to do to get systems to work. The system is long out of warranty and I have no hope but here. I will be selling shortly when I get it up predictably. Help!
mrtonycal726

The Bios files was correct for this model. You can try Clear CMOS -
* Remove the Remove the left side-panel
* Locate the 3-pin CMOS reset jumper on the system board by the coin cell battery
* Remove the jumper plug from the CMOS reset jumper pins 2 and 3
* Place the jumper plug on the CMOS reset jumper pins 1 and 2 and wait approximately five seconds
* Remove the jumper plug and replace it on the CMOS reset jumper pins 2 and 3
* Replace the left side-panel
* Connect the PC and devices to electrical outlets and turn them on

Help? is an unanswerable question

Exactly

Their original post (in another thread) was the same way. It was hard to find the question embedded in all the complaining.

Sounds like a failed BIOS update. You should have done it from bootable Flash Drive instead of from Windows:

en.community.dell.com/.../19946447.aspx

The Wait Time setting in BIOS is only for Optical Drive spin-up time. It doesn't affect the BIOS screen appearing.

If your machine isn't displaying the initial BIOS screen, be sure your monitor is connected to DVI-1 port (not HDMI or DisplayPort). Disconnect anything extra (USB devices, etc).

If you still can't get BIOS screen the video card or monitor is bad ...or... the motherboard is not operating properly. Troubleshoot it like any other computer. If you are not "up to it" any reputable computer shop or friend that knows computers can help you.

You bought a used computer that had existing issues. You would have had to buy the system from Dell to be an unhappy Dell customer. As it is, you are an unhappy second hand Dell system with pre-existing issues owner. There is actually a difference.

The good news is you are in an excellent place to receive guidance. The community here seems very knowledgeable and extremely helpful. I would imagine your experience here and with your computer will go much smoother if you take a deep breath and treat others as you want to be treated.

I have the same rig as you from what I can tell. There is an order things need to be installed to keep from having issues. Once you are able to get into your bios it wouldn't be a bad idea to reset everything to factory specs. A clean reload of Windows did my system wonders (thanks again Chris for your help). Tesla listed the correct order for re-installing drivers on another thread. You want to install Windows, then go to the Dell Support site and load the drivers for your Service Tag. Do the Intel Chipset drivers first, then the video drivers for your card, Audio drivers, Ethernet, eSata (SIL-Silicon Image)and then Microsoft .net Framework through 4.0. After that you can install Command Center from the Dell Support Site. Do not use the resource discs that came with your system.

^^^ what he said. +1

I have noticed and am sure, from communicating with a poster here, not this one ( but who knows, labels cost nothing ), that some people ( posters ) are buying cheap on EBAY or such sites " Alienware products " with troubles, posting here for CHEAP resolutions to the problems they have to turn a quick  profit. This is a fact!!!

Good Luck.

I did this procedure but goofed it up when re-installing the clip.....i put it back on 1-2 and powered it up.

now power goes on but on off switch does not light nor work.  fans work...power  is out to everything else.

you are the most helpful with no criticism....thanks.....

very specific help....but I screwed it up!

This does not pertain to my request and does nothing to help solve my problem.

thanks for taking up space!

thanks for the info...you are one of the few with good insight