Why doesn't my laptop let me open any programs?

How can I get my wireless connection restored after laptop froze?

• Here's what happened..... My daughter uses the Dell Inspiron 9300 laptop, on Monday she had 4 Internet Explorer browsers open doing homework, stopped to have dinner then went back to the computer................viola the computer is frozen. Not even ctrl/alt/delete works....had to is the on/off button. Got that taken care of but unfortunately no internet connection. Finally got the wireless internet connection (or so I thought) but shut the computer down as it was getting late. The next evening she turned the computer back on and still no connection. So I spent roughly 7+ hours on the phone with 3 different Dell people doing a remote access only 2 be told by the 3 individuals I needed a new router. I did buy a new router after deal with the first person and still it would not work. The wireless card that was factory installed by Dell could see my router, would try to connect but it kept saying it can't connect. It saw some other connections but they were all secure (I've got to call my next door neighbor and get their info so I can see if it would connect but haven't done that yet). My old router is a Linksys WRT54G, the new one I bought is a Linksys WRT54G2. It was connected to my Dell desktop (Dimension 8200). A friend of mine who deals with computers, networks, etc. for a living had me bring my laptop & the old router to work. He stopped by, looked at it, did some clicking and basically told me he told the computer to ignore any of the new Linksys info from my install for the newer router. Then he plugged in the old router, got a signal, got the laptop to find it and stay connected, then he said it should connect. NOPE! I've reset the router, unplugged everything from it as well as completely disconnect the modem (got it from Comcast, I have Comcast internet), and I disconnect all of this from the desktop as well, turned off both the laptop & desktop and let it sit for a while before reconnecting everything (per my friends instructions since he was shocked the the laptop would not connect) and still it won't connect....tries to but it can't. The wireless card in the laptop & the software it's using to connect is Intel Pro/Wireless. I've uninstalled McAfee from the laptop & it still won't connect. I've done a system restore on the laptop to dates prior to the computer freezing and still nothing - plus it keeps reinstalling all programs I uninstalled (McAfee and other programs that my daughter doesn't need or use anymore so I was trying to free up some space) - I'm not sure why it keeps putting them back on so that's another issued. So my issue is trying get the wireless connection in the laptop to connect & stay connected to my desktop & Linksys router, and another question is why are my programs being reinstalled after I deleted them and then do a system restore? I've never had that happen before on my desktop, but the laptop keeps putting the programs back on when I don't want them. Any ideas??? Any suggestions??? Help!!!! I'm ready to shoot both of these computers but I can't buy new ones (the desk top is roughly 7 years old, the laptop is just over 4 years old and still has a hardware warranty until Dec 2010 but Dell is no help in this issue, or at least not the people I get stuck talking to in India. Can't seem to get connected to any technician in the U.S.). Thanks so much for any help, advise, suggestion, etc!! I'm going nuts!!! :o)

• Answer:

  I know how frustrating that can be, as you put 4 more hours on the phone with the subcontinent of India than I did, that's how my Friday morning went....... Try reinitializing your external modem first, turn it off from the power supply for about 30 seconds......reconnect: You might want to try restarting the computers in F8 (safe mode, while the computer is booting up) OR You might want to do a driver discovery on your computer, and go to the Dell site and reinstall your drivers, esp the ones for the WI-FI networking (START>CONTROL PANEL>INTERNET OPTIONS>(then click on the) CONNECTIONS tab>(click on LAN SETTINGS>REPAIR) http://support.dell.com/support/downloads/index.aspx If that doesn't work, then you might want to think about a system restore/recovery.....I can walk you through it better than those morons at "customer service" can, let me know.....you have my email at my 360 profile page........Let me know!!!! Christopher K.