Geez Louise. On top of everything else, my Dell computer recently crashed. It is four years old and it worked well up until the last few months.

My life keeps getting more "interesting" (I am a fellow depressed soul).

If I can achieve some sort of meaningful employment soon, I will look at some other computer brands, if my Dell cannot be salvaged. The worst part is the hundreds of photos and hours of class notes, Power Point, and other things that languish in the hard drive.

Need your prayers.

I used to build my own computers but Dell makes cheap disposable computers. Like every other mass producer out there they use cheap proprietary parts (It isn't just Dell)

Dell sells computers for about the price of a license key and a monitor. (They usually include a monitor) You can not get all the parts and licenses for a computer and build it for any where near the price Dell sells them for. It is a cheap computer.

I think Dell makes most of its money by from the extended service agreement and all the junk they put on the computer. The useless crap like AOL and the movie rental deals and whatever the software and signups they have.
When suckers sign up for that crap, Dell gets a little commission. (I have no proof, it just seems that way)

Like I said if you get any of these mass produced computers they are cheap and disposable.
The best thing to do is get the lower end computer for $400 and use it, it is PLENTY fast enough to get your email and surf the net. Next year if you think you need a faster computer get next years $400 low end computer. If you want you could get the high end $1500+ machine, it will be the low end $400 machine next year. The way I did it saves you $700 and now you have a machine for you and one for the kids.

Joe-6-pack,
The data is still there, getting it is a different story. BACK UP OFTEN. People have been ignoring that simple phrase for years and then get pissed at everyone else because they did.
I recommend Norton's Ghost or something called "True Image" Make an exact copy of the drive, if the drive fails you reformat the hard drive or get a new drive and then install the copy, everything is back to the way it was before.

BACK UP OFTEN!

Thanks for the advice.

I did burn some of the stuff onto CDs from time-to-time, so there are copies. Not all is lost.

Please check out the following link for my horror stories with Dell. Altho I've heard many bad stories from others, I still believe one is one of the worst since I've made it to their "Resolution Expert Center". I was told by its rep that only less than 1% of Dell's customers get to this special Center.

http://capricgal.blogspot.com/2006/06/dell-hell-detailed-version.html

I have had nothing but trouble with my Dell computer from day 1. To make a long story short, just do the following and you will have experienced some of my pain -> Take all the horror stories, headaches, and hair-pulling frustration from trying to deal with that idiotic Tech Support centre over in India, take all the 1-800 #'s of Dell, mix it with every stupid Dept. that exists, and all points in between from conception of a Dell computer from thought to delivery(if you finnaly get delivery), put them all together add a drop of influence from satan himself, swallow some broken glass have someone drag you behind a car over nails and needles, pull off your own flesh - and you might, just might come close to everything I've come to experience and now expect from Dell. Yeah I do seem a little bitter don't I?

You're lucky to have gotten as far as you have. My troubles began when I placed my order. I've written about it and the story is still unfolding.