Ok, so here's the deal. My workplace just upgraded their desktops with new ones and were going to trash the old ones (literally throw them in the trash) but i stopped that by telling them of the fine here in cali for trashing computers. Instead i got them to give them to me for free. Sweet. 4 free dell desktops (ew dell, but yay free).
I have run into a snag. I get one home (can only move 1 at a time) and plug it in, boots just fine (gives a bunch of connection errors to remote drives, but that's kinda expected). Problem: uber duber security settings. Cant access the hard drives, files, install or uninstall anything. Problem 2: no CD/floppy drives. Yes that's right, NO DRIVES
. I do own a USB CD drive that seems to run just fine, i don't have a my computer, so i have to manually go in to the Run program and Run the CD drive, but it works. I think i have a windows XP install CD around somewhere. I can also literally upgrade my computer step by step up from DOS (to 95, to 95+, to 98, to 2000, to XP) but they are all CDs. The BIOS wont let me boot from a USB CD drive (some sites say newer comps can).
They are decent computers for what i need them for, and would really love to get them to work. I think they can connect to the internet (haven't tried yet) but the lack of drives makes it hard for me to find a way to reformat (the only way i know to reset the security).
I have tried starting up in safe mode, but it asks me for an admin log in, and i don't think my workplace would be up for sharing their admin info with me.
Security is very tight, i can't even change the properties for the start menu. The security list i have found for files has the "Read & Execute", "List Folder Contents", and "Read" boxes checked for a regular user.
I have tried tearing into and old computer to get its CD drive out, plugged it in, connected it, and the computer never noticed it. BIOS didn't list it, computer wouldn't run it, didn't even get power to open the disk bay.
The computer info is:
Dell
Model number: DHP
looks to have an intel 2ghz processor, but i dont know which one.
256mb of ram don't know what type, but it only has 1 slot missing on the chip (the part where you plug it in)
40gig 7200rpm hard drive
Widows XP professional
Any help or advice? Like i said, i have 4 of them and they were free, if nothing can be done at all, i suppose i can break them down and sell the parts, but i would love to keep 1 or 2 for my own use.
Help?
I have run into a snag. I get one home (can only move 1 at a time) and plug it in, boots just fine (gives a bunch of connection errors to remote drives, but that's kinda expected). Problem: uber duber security settings. Cant access the hard drives, files, install or uninstall anything. Problem 2: no CD/floppy drives. Yes that's right, NO DRIVES
. I do own a USB CD drive that seems to run just fine, i don't have a my computer, so i have to manually go in to the Run program and Run the CD drive, but it works. I think i have a windows XP install CD around somewhere. I can also literally upgrade my computer step by step up from DOS (to 95, to 95+, to 98, to 2000, to XP) but they are all CDs. The BIOS wont let me boot from a USB CD drive (some sites say newer comps can).They are decent computers for what i need them for, and would really love to get them to work. I think they can connect to the internet (haven't tried yet) but the lack of drives makes it hard for me to find a way to reformat (the only way i know to reset the security).
I have tried starting up in safe mode, but it asks me for an admin log in, and i don't think my workplace would be up for sharing their admin info with me.
Security is very tight, i can't even change the properties for the start menu. The security list i have found for files has the "Read & Execute", "List Folder Contents", and "Read" boxes checked for a regular user.
I have tried tearing into and old computer to get its CD drive out, plugged it in, connected it, and the computer never noticed it. BIOS didn't list it, computer wouldn't run it, didn't even get power to open the disk bay.
The computer info is:
Dell
Model number: DHP
looks to have an intel 2ghz processor, but i dont know which one.
256mb of ram don't know what type, but it only has 1 slot missing on the chip (the part where you plug it in)
40gig 7200rpm hard drive
Widows XP professional
Any help or advice? Like i said, i have 4 of them and they were free, if nothing can be done at all, i suppose i can break them down and sell the parts, but i would love to keep 1 or 2 for my own use.
Help?
