How to insert cd into dell c521 tower

Take a look at this document from Dell. You should have some diag lights on the front of the computer, and this should help you find what is not passing post.

http://support.dell.com/support/edocs/systems/dimc521/en/SM_EN/tshoot.htm#wp1064555

This is done 1 of three ways depending on how your restore information is stored. 1. After you push the power button start pushing the F8 key and when you get the option screen select restore to previous or restore to factory settings. This method works if your system has a special restore partition still. If you received System Restore Disk insert the CD in the CD player and reboot the system. It will boot from the CD and present the Restore menu for you to make a selection from. Your third choice is to select System restore from the system tools sub menu under the Accessories menu in your program list and chose to restore to factory settings.

Maybe you forgot to install the audio driver.
Please insert the board driver into cd drive the install the audio driver.

You need the C521 recovery disk, from Dell. Set the BIOS to boot from CD and start the system.

If it gives you the option of "Complete Reinstall" or "Repair", choose Complete Reinstall.

If it does not, or if it does not work - i.e., it always reads the disk and tries to maintain as much data as it can, you need to first wipe out the hard drive; there are many "Disk Wipe" utilities out there. I'd suggest using a boot disk such as DBAN (www.dban.org).

Hi,
if the light remains Orange, Possible In Standby/Sleep/Hibernate Mode.
Try pressing And Holding The power Button For 4-5 seconds Or more.
If this Fails, remove the power Cable, remove side-panel ( Unless Warranted ) locate the silver cmos battery, on the motherboard. remove the battery for 10 seconds, replace and repower and startup. failing this i,d suspect the ram/memory or cpu.

Mike @ Compurepair.

you got to find out if all the connecters,powersupply,etc ect, etc fit on it and i think it would fit your motherboard

http://support.dell.com/support/topics/global.aspx/support/dsn/en/document?journalid=6C9BD953D22BB334E040AE0AB8E14D96&docid=336966#restore1_task3

Please follow the link above and ensure that u select the correct operating system to have the right procedure.....

PCrestore might not work in cases when the system has been reinstaled earlier via CD or if the restore partition is correct ...the above link also directs u to the manual reinstallation process

There is no way around this you need to get your OS from Dell and reload.

Sorry.

On the eject tray of the cd/dvd drive you will see a small pinhole use a pin and insert into that, the cd drive would eject, ITS A MANUAL EMERGENCY EXIT BUTTON ON ALL CD/DVD DRIVES, INCASE THE CD DRIVE DOESNT EJECT normally as your case here

If you are running XP CNTL+F11 after the Dell Splash Screen

Here is a Dell Document on how to restore your system for factory defaults:

http://support.dell.com/support/topics/global.aspx/support/dsn/en/document?c=us&dl=false&l=en&s=gen&docid=3E48AE3870775D64E040A68F5B2877D4&doclang=en&cs=