Well, I decided to bite the bullet and try the restore disk that Dell sent me.

However, I can't get the CD Drive to open so I can put the disk in.   The only way to open it is when the computer is on, and it seems that no matter how many times I press the "On/Off" button, the computer is never "On".  So much for that idea.

"It is good to see ourselves as others see us. Try as we may, we are never
able to know ourselves fully as we are, especially the evil side of us.
This we can do only if we are not angry with our critics but will take in good
heart whatever they might have to say." - Ghandi