Please help with new Dell Inspiron 5000 laptop so I don't go insane!

6 years ago

My husband's laptop came today, and I (the computer "guy" in our house) have been miserable ever since. It is not only our first laptop, but our first encounter with Windows 10, and I am all at sea. I realize my questions are going to be all over the map, so I will give them numbers, in case anyone here is kind enough to help with any of them.

(1) It is touch-enabled, but how do I right-click? How are its workings different from iPad, for instance?

(2) I am not even sure how to turn the thing on correctly, having once gotten a notice that I had to restart. Brief push, or hold the button until the laptop responds? It is so much slower to start than my iPad or my desktop, it is hard to judge. And when I close the cover and the screen goes off, does that completely turn the laptop off? Is there a restart function available somewhere?

(3) Is there a system restore, in case I foul the computer up with some program I install?

(4) I also don't know how to charge the battery. Turn the laptop off and leave it plugged in? Leave it on and plug it in? Where can I see how much charge is left?

(5) I unpinned the Dell help and support icon from the taskbar, expecting it to reappear on the desktop, but it didn't. Cortana is no help whatsoever in getting it back. Where has it gone? How can I get back things I have unpinned?

Well, those are just for starters. I have been collecting articles on using Windows 10 for some time, but apparently I am ignorant of it on a much more simple level.

Up till now, I have regarded most of the challenges in dealing with computers as fun challenges (with the exception of viruses, blurred fonts, etc.!), but this laptop with this OS is an entirely different beast. I am afraid it is going to have a learning curve like the Matterhorn.

Come to think of it, when I've had to work on documents with the Japanese pupils I tutor, I have not enjoyed the experience.

Posting with appreciation for any help at all, and in desperation.

Featured Answer

mike_kaiser_gw

6 years ago

I'll try to answer some of your questions:

While touch screens are nice, I don't see it being practical for daily use. Too many fingerprints. <lol>

1.) Right click - just click in the lower right quadrant of the touch pad. The computer will likely also support some gestures with the touch pad as well. For example, using two fingers to swipe up or down to scroll the screen. You can adjust those in the mouse/touchpad settings.

2.) I don't know how Dell does it but when my Lenovo goes to "sleep" I push the power button for about 1 second. A little light lights on the power button for me but Dell may put it on the computer itself.

3.) Dell should give you instructions on how to create a bootable recovery USB stick (flash drive) should you run into trouble. They may also offer one for free (or a small fee) via snail mail. Just with any other PC, getting into the BIOS is a pressing a key (or keys) at boot.

4.) Just leave it plugged in and let the machine worry about it battery management.

5.) Open whatever app you want to "pin" to the task bar. Once it's open, right click on it's icon in the task bar and look at the bottom of the menu that pops up. You can also "unpin" an app doing the same thing.

Good luck!

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mikie_gw
6 years ago
last modified: 6 years ago
1:) Right click = touch and hold for about a second until you see a circle or square drawn around where you touch - lift your finger when you see that circle/square. That's Right Click.

2:) Win10 default is when closing the display it goes into sleep mode. So open the screen and touch the power button once, or the control key usually wakes it too.

3:) System Restore, ummm, you can ask Cortana 'System Protection' Default on most will be off, you probably want to enable it on your C drive and make a restore point. Alternatively ask Cortana 'Control' which opens control panel then open your System icon & on left margin is system protection. Cortana verbally is ... Open create a restore point

4:) Battery charges until 100% then stops - you can see the charge level usually in the system tray by hovering the mouse over its battery icon which looks like an AA battery. You can maybe open settings/System & on the left see battery and it will show % of charge.

5:) Dell icon, open your start menu and scroll down to Dell and find the icon you want & right click and more usually... will show the click for attach to taskbar.

To RESTART the computer, open the start menu and touch or click the power button icon. Cortana will RESTART the computer if you verbally ask her. Restart the computer.

You might want to type into Cortana Tips

What ever you do - Don't ask Cortana for her birthdate.
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Elmer J Fudd
6 years ago
Download and install Classic Shell and the PC will look and act like it has Windows 7 or 8.1.

If you don't like it, it's uninstallable like any other software in Control Panel, Programs, and you can go back to where you are now. But you will like it.
biwa45 thanked Elmer J Fudd
aputernut
6 years ago
You can also use a USB mouse we do with each of our laptops they even make mini mice or smaller then reg.

Here's link for Classic8 Start, no donations ask for like with shell

http://www.classicstart8.com/download
biwa45 thanked aputernut
biwa45
Original Author
6 years ago
Thank you all, so, so much! I feel a lot braver now. Would have answered sooner, but I just got to my computer a few minutes ago. I have printed your responses out and am starting a notebook with Windows 10 stuff. Should have more time tomorrow morning to follow up on all your great suggestions, especially the ones about making Windows 10 seem like Windows 7! What could be better?! I will post again re what progress I have made, and I'm sure I am going to sleep better tonight, thanks to the support of my friends here.
millworkman
6 years ago
There is always this as well.
biwa45 thanked millworkman
biwa45
Original Author
6 years ago
Thank you, too, millworkman. Actually, before seeing the answers here, I bought the Kindle version of Windows 10 For Seniors For Dummies by Peter Weverka, not knowing which book would be best. (Smile) Though I hate to be treated as a "senior," as if age necessarily meant one's mind must be going or something, I figured that a book for both seniors and dummies would have to cover the simplest basics, at least. It is the same price as the book you recommended, which I may buy as well, if this one doesn't get me started. Already, with limited time this afternoon, I have begun to do a few things suggested here, and I think I can see the light at the end of the tunnel, so to speak, because I am beginning to enjoy myself a bit! I really like computers, but never having taken any classes, my knowledge has some holes in it. And Windows 10 is like an alien from outer space for someone who only knows previous versions of W.
millworkman
6 years ago
last modified: 6 years ago
I wasn't sure if you were a senior or not and didn't want to possibly insult you. But good luck with Windows 10, it does seem a bit daunting at first but give it an honest attempt for a couple weeks and you will be fine.
biwa45 thanked millworkman
biwa45
Original Author
6 years ago
last modified: 6 years ago
You are very tactful, millworkman! :0) Would that everyone around me was! I don't mind my advanced age (80) being known, although I am still only 28 inside. I just don't want to be viewed and treated as old before it becomes unavoidable! That can be hard on loving friends who want to be helpful (and of course, they are not mind readers). Several years ago I am sorry to say that I once shook off the hand of a much younger friend who surprised me by suddenly grasping me above the elbow just before we started to cross a street together. She said she thought I had not noticed an oncoming car (but I had). I apologized for being ungrateful and thanked her for being so attentive, but explained that I wasn't that decrepit yet, though I probably would need help at some future date, at which time I would let people know. I felt bad about it afterwards, but I think the older we become, the more defensive we may feel about whatever abilities age has left to us. I never thought about that when I was young...
biwa45
Original Author
6 years ago
last modified: 6 years ago
To all you kind people: Update

Some things I have managed to do so far:

Made a recovery flash drive / Installed Classic shell, which has been a big help / installed my husband's Bible Works software and FireFox, our preferred browser. Today in my spare time I am working on getting and installing Open Office, having no need for and no desire to pay for Office 365, which we could have had a free trial of for one year. I don't want to start down the path of subscribing to the Office software, when all we need is a word processor, so am hoping things will go well. It seems that to download O.O. to the laptop was going to take "1 hour and 1 minute," so now I am about to see if I can download it to a flash drive on my PC and use that to do the installing. (Update on that: It worked fine. Downloaded in a flash and was easy to install, though I did have to override the laptop's warning that it wasn't from the App store, so might be dangerous.)

Oh, and I have ordered an external DVD/CD optical drive so as to be able to install the OED, as my husband uses that a lot, too. Things are looking up, but he has not yet begun to try to use the laptop.
Elmer J Fudd
6 years ago
nut, the software you recommended seems to be only for Windows 8 and it hasn't been updated in several years. Classic Shell was changed expressly for Windows 10 (which was the question this OP was asking about) and gets current updates.

"Here's link for Classic8 Start, no donations ask for like with shell"

On the Classic Shell site, donations are not asked for, they're facilitated. That's a very common feature of higher quality freeware. Free if you want it, buy me a beer if you like it. Or don't, the user's choice.
mtvhike
6 years ago
I also have problems with Windows 10. I have used every version of Windows since version 1 (which came with the Micro Soft mouse), except for ME and the 8s. It appears that Microsoft is trying to make it more Mac-like by adding all the Mac things I don't like. But, I have to keep up with the times and had to dump my Windows 2000, XP, and Vista machines (XP was the best!). I still have some Windows 7 machines, but they won't update Internet Explorer. PS I also tried IBM's OS2, but not enough applications ran on it.
aputernut
6 years ago
I have the Classic 8 Start on my PC's which are all W10 and works just dandy and no guilt about donating just FYI.
Elmer J Fudd
6 years ago
Guilt?

Please help with new Dell Inspiron 5000 laptop so I don't go insane!

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