Dell 6400, E1505 User Manual

Dell™ Inspiron™ 6400/E1505

Owner’s Manual

Model PP20L

www.dell.com | support.dell.com

Notes, Notices, and Cautions

NOTE: A NOTE indicates important information that helps you make better use of your computer.

NOTICE: A NOTICE indicates either potential damage to hardware or loss of data and tells you how to avoid the

problem.

CAUTION: A CAUTION indicates a potential for property damage, personal injury, or death.

Abbreviations and Acronyms

For a complete list of abbreviations and acronyms, see "Glossary" on page 169.

If you purchased a Dell™ n Series computer, any references in this document to Microsoft operating systems are not applicable.

Windows®

____________________

Reproduction in any manner whatsoever without the written permission of Dell Inc. is strictly forbidden. Trademarks used in this text: Dell, the DELL logo, Inspiron, Dell Precision, Dimension, DellNet, OptiPlex, Latitude, P owerEdge, P owerConnect,

PowerVault, PowerApp, Dell TravelLite, ExpressCharge, Dell Media Experience, MediaDirect, XPS, and Strike Zone are trademarks of Dell Inc.; Core is a trademark and Intel and Celeron are registered trademarks of Intel Corporation; Microsoft, Outlook, and Windows are registered trademarks of Microsoft Corporation; Bluetooth is a registered trademark owned by Bluetooth SIG, Inc. and is used by Dell under license; IBM is a registered trademark of IBM Corporation; EMC is a registered trademark of EMC Corporation; ENERGY STAR is a re gistered trademark of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.

Other trademarks and trade names may be used in this document to refer to either the entities claiming the marks and names or their products. Dell Inc. disclaims any proprietary interest in trademarks and trade names other than its own.

Model PP20L

August 2006 P/N MD402 Rev. A03

Contents

Finding Information . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11

1 About Your Computer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15

Determining Your Computer’s Configuration . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15

Front View

Left Side View

Right Side View

Back View

Bottom View

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24

2 Setting Up Your Computer. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25

Connecting to the Internet . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25

Setting Up Your Internet Connection

Transferring Information to a New Computer

Running the Files and Settings Transfer Wizard With the Operating System CD

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26

Running the Files and Settings Transfer Wizard Without the Operating System CD

Setting Up a Printer

Printer Cable Connecting a USB Printer

Power Protection Devices

Surge Protectors Line Conditioners

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 29

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 29

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 29

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 31

Uninterruptible Power Supplies

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 31

Contents 3

3 Using the Display. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 33

Adjusting Brightness. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 33

Switching the Video Image

Setting Display Resolution

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 33

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 33

4 Using the Keyboard and Touch Pad . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 35

Numeric Keypad . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 35

Key Combinations

System Functions Display Functions Power Management Speaker Functions Microsoft QuickSet Key Combinations Adjusting Keyboard Settings

Touch Pad

Customizing the Touch Pad

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 36

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 36

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 36

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 38

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 36

Windows® Logo Key Functions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 37

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 37

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 38

5 Using a Battery . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 39

Battery Performance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 39

4 Contents

Checking the Battery Charge

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 40

Dell™ QuickSet Battery Meter

Microsoft Charge Gauge Low-Battery Warning

Conserving Battery Power

Power Management Modes

Windows® Power Meter . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 40

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 40

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 41

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 41

Configuring Power Management Settings

Charging the Battery

Replacing the Battery

Storing a Battery

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 43

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 43

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 44

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 40

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 43

6 Using Multimedia . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 45

Playing CDs or DVDs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 45

Copying CDs and DVDs

How to Copy a CD or DVD Using Blank CDs and DVDs Helpful Tips

Adjusting the Volume

Adjusting the Picture

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 46

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 46

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 47

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 47

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 48

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 49

Using Dell Media Experience™ and Dell MediaDirect™

If the computer is turned on or in standby mode

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . 49

If the computer is turned off or in hibernate mode Dell MediaDirect and Dell Media Experience Help

Connecting Your Computer to a TV or Audio Device

S-Video and Standard Audio S-Video and S/PDIF Digital Audio Composite Video and Standard Audio

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 52

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 53

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 55

Composite Video and S/PDIF Digital Audio Component Video and Standard Audio Component Video and S/PDIF Digital Audio Setting Up the Cyberlink (CL) Headphones Enabling the Display Settings for a TV

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 63

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . 50

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 56

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 58

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 60

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 62

. . . . . . . . . . . 49

. . . . . . . . . . . . . 49

. . . . . . . . . . . . 50

7Using Cards . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 65

ExpressCards. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 65

ExpressCard Blanks Installing an ExpressCard Removing an ExpressCard or Blank

Media Memory Cards

Installing a Media Memory Card Removing a Media Memory Card

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 65

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 65

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 66

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 67

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 67

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 68

Contents 5

8 Setting Up a Network. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 69

Physically Connecting to a Network or Broadband Modem . . . . . . . . . . 69

Network Setup Wizard

Wireless Local Area Network (WLAN)

What You Need to Establish a WLAN Connection Checking Your Wireless Network Card Setting Up a New WLAN Connecting to a Wireless Local Area Network Enabling/Disabling the Wireless Network Card

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 70

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 70

. . . . . . . . . . . . . 70

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 70

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 71

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 72

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . 74

Monitoring the Status of Wireless Network Connections Through Dell™ QuickSet

Mobile Broadband or Wireless Wide Area Network (WWAN)

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 74

. . . . . . . . . 74

What You Need to Establish a Mobile Broadband Network Connection

Connecting to a Mobile Broadband Network

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 74

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 75

9 Securing Your Computer. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 77

Security Cable Lock . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 77

Passwords

Computer Tracking Software

If Your Computer Is Lost or Stolen

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 77

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 78

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 78

10 Solving Problems. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 79

6 Contents

Dell Diagnostics . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 79

Dell Support Utility

Accessing the Dell Support Utility Clicking the Dell Support Icon Double-Clicking the Dell Support Icon

Drive Problems

CD and DVD drive problems If you cannot eject the CD, CD-RW, DVD, or DVD+RW drive tray If you hear an unfamiliar scraping or grinding sound Hard drive problems

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 82

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 82

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 82

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 82

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 83

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 83

. . . . . 83

. . . . . . . . . . . 84

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 84

E-Mail, Modem, and Internet Problems . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 84

Error Messages

ExpressCard Problems

IEEE 1394 Device Problems

Keyboard Problems

External Keyboard problems Unexpected characters

Lockups and Software Problems

The computer does not start up The computer stops responding

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 85

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 89

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 89

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 90

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 90

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 90

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 91

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 91

A program stops responding or crashes repeatedly A program is designed for an earlier Microsoft

operating system A solid blue screen appears Dell MediaDirect problems Other software problems

Memory Problems

Network Problems

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 91

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 91

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 92

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 92

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 93

Mobile Broadband (Wireless Wide Area Network [WWAN])

Power Problems

Ensuring Sufficient Power for Your Computer

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 94

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 95

. . . . . . . . . . . . 91

Windows®

. . . . . . . 93

Printer Problems

Scanner Problems

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 95

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 96

Sound and Speaker Problems

No sound from integrated speakers No sound from external speakers No sound from headphones

Touch Pad or Mouse Problems

Video and Display Problems

If the display is blank

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 98

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 98

If the display is difficult to read If only part of the display is readable

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 97

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 97

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 97

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 97

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 98

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 99

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 99

Contents 7

Drivers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 99

What Is a Driver? Identifying Drivers Reinstalling Drivers and Utilities

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 99

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 100

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 100

Resolving Software and Hardware Incompatibilities

Restoring Your Operating System

Using Microsoft

Windows XP System Restore . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 103

Using Dell PC Restore by Symantec Using the Operating System CD

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 102

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 104

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 106

. . . . . . . . . . . . 102

11 Adding and Replacing Parts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 109

Before You Begin. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 109

Recommended Tools Turning Off Your Computer Before Working Inside Your Computer

Optical Drive

Hard Drive

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 111

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 112

Returning a Hard Drive to Dell

Memory

Modem

Hinge Cover

Keyboard

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 114

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 117

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 118

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 119

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 109

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 109

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 110

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 114

8 Contents

Wireless Mini-Card

Coin-Cell Battery

Display

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 125

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 121

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 124

Internal Card With Bluetooth

Wireless Technology. . . . . . . . . . . . . 127

12 Dell™ QuickSet Features . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 129

13 Traveling With Your Computer

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 131

Identifying Your Computer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 131

Packing the Computer

Travel Tips

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 132

Traveling by Air

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 131

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 132

14 Contacting Dell . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 133

15 Specifications

16 Appendix

Using the System Setup Program . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 163

Viewing the System Setup Screen System Setup Screen Commonly Used Options

Cleaning Your Computer

Computer, Keyboard, and Display Touch Pad Floppy Drive CDs and DVDs

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 155

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 163

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 163

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 163

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 164

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 165

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 165

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 165

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 166

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 166

Dell Technical Support Policy (U.S. Only)

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 166

Definition of "Dell-Installed" Software and Peripherals Definition of "Third-Party" Software and Peripherals

FCC Notice (U.S. Only)

FCC Class B

Macrovision Product Notice

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 167

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 167

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 168

. . . . . . . . . 167

. . . . . . . . . . . 167

Contents 9

Glossary . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 169

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 181

Index

10 Contents

Finding Information

NOTE: Some features or media may be optional and may not ship with your computer. Some features or media may

not be available in certain countries.

NOTE: Additional information may ship with your computer.

What Are You Looking For? Find It Here

• A diagnostic program for my computer

• Drivers for my computer

• My device documentation

• Notebook System Software (NSS)

• Warranty information

• Terms and Conditions (U.S. only)

• Safety instructions

• Regulatory information

• Ergonomics information

• End User License Agreement

Drivers and Utilities CD (also known as ResourceCD)

NOTE: The Drivers and Utilities CD may be optional and may

not ship with your computer.

Documentation and drivers are already installed on your computer. You can use the CD to reinstall drivers (see page 100) or to run the Dell Diagnostics (see page 79).

Readme files may be included on your CD to provide last-minute updates about technical changes to your computer or advanced technicalreference material for technicians or experienced users.

NOTE: Drivers and documentation updates can be found at

support.dell.com.

Dell™ Product Information Guide

Finding Information 11

What Are You Looking For? Find It Here

• How to set up my computer

Setup Diagram

• Service Tag and Express Service Code

• Microsoft Windows License Label

Service Tag and Microsoft® Windows® License

These labels are located on

• Use the Service Tag to identify your computer when you

support.dell.com

use

• Enter the Express Service Code to direct your call when contacting technical support.

the bottom of

or contact technical support.

your computer.

12 Finding Information

What Are You Looking For? Find It Here

• Solutions — Troubleshooting hints and tips; articles from technicians; online courses; and frequently asked questions

Dell Support Website — support.dell.com

NOTE: Select your region to view the appropriate support

site.

• Community — Online discussion with other Dell customers

• Upgrades — Upgrade information for components, such as memory, the hard drive, and the operating system

• Customer Care — Contact information, service call and order status, warranty, and repair information

• Service and support — Service call status and support history, service contract, online discussions with technical support

• Reference — Computer documentation, details on my computer configuration, product specifications, and white papers

• Downloads — Certified drivers, patches, and software updates

• Notebook System Software (NSS)— If you reinstall the operating system for your computer, you should also reinstall the NSS utility. NSS provides critical updates for your operating system and support for Dell™

3.5-inch USB floppy drives, Intel

processors, optical drives, and USB devices. NSS is necessary for correct operation of your Dell computer. The software automatically detects your computer and operating system and installs the updates appropriate for your configuration.

• Software upgrades and troubleshooting hints

• Frequently asked questions, hot topics, and general health of your computing environment

To download Notebook System Software:

Go to

support.dell.com

Enter your Service Tag or product model.

In the

Select the operating system and operating system language for your computer, and click

Under

Configuration Utilities Software

Dell Support Utility

The Dell Support Utility is an automated upgrade and notification system installed on your computer. This support provides real-time health scans of your computing environment, software updates, and relevant self-support information. Access the Dell Support Utility from the

icon in the taskbar. For more information, see "Dell Support Utility" on page 82.

• How to use Windows XP

• How to work with programs and files

• How to personalize my desktop

Windows Help and Support Center

Click the

Type a word or phrase that describes your problem and click the arrow icon.

Click the topic that describes your problem.

Follow the instructions on the screen.

and click

Download Category

Select a Device

, scroll to

, and click

Start

button and click

Downloads

drop-down menu, click

Submit.

System and

Dell Notebook System

Help and Support

All

Finding Information 13

What Are You Looking For? Find It Here

• How to reinstall my operating system

Operating System CD

NOTE: The Operating System CD is optional and may not ship

with your computer.

The operating system is already installed on your computer. To reinstall your operating system, use one of the following methods:

• Microsoft Windows Windows earlier operating state without affecting data files.

•Dell

PC Restore

to its original operating state. Dell ship with your computer.

Operating System

•

System

your operating system.

For more information, see "Restoring Your Operating System" on page 102.

System Restore

— Dell

CD with your computer, you can use it to restore

returns your computer to an

PC Restore

CD — If you received an

— Microsoft

returns your computer

PC Restore

After you reinstall your operating system, use the Drivers and Utilities CD (ResourceCD) (see page 100) to reinstall drivers for the devices that came with your computer.

may not

Operating

NOTE: The color of your CD

varies based on the operating system you ordered.

14 Finding Information

About Your Computer

Determining Your Computer’s Configuration

Based on selections that you made when purchasing your computer, your computer has one of several different video controller configurations. To determine your computer’s video controller configuration:

Access the Microsoft®Windows® Help and Support Center. For instructions, see

and Support Center" on page 13

Under

Pick a Task

Under

My Computer Information

From the My Computer Information - Hardware screen, you can view the type of video controller installed in your computer, as well as the other hardware components.

, click

Use Tools to view your computer information and diagnose problems.

, select

Hardware

"Windows Help

About Your Computer 15

Front View

1 display latch release 5 touch pad 9 keyboard

2 display 6 media control buttons 10 Dell MediaDirect™ button

3 power button 7 speakers (2) 11 keyboard and wireless

status lights

4 device status lights 8 touch pad buttons 12 display latches (2)

DISPLAY LATCH RELEASE — Press to release the display latches and open the display.

DISPLAY — For more information about your display, see "Using the Display" on page 33.

16 About Your Computer

POWER BUTTON

Press the power button to turn on the computer or to enter or exit a power management mode. See "Power Management Modes" on page 41.

DEVICE STATUS LIGHTS

Turns on when you turn on the computer, and blinks when the computer is in a power management mode.

Turns on when the computer reads or writes data.

NOTICE: To avoid loss of data, never turn off the computer while the light is flashing.

Turns on steadily or blinks to indicate battery charge status.

If the computer is connected to an electrical outlet, the light operates as follows:

• Solid green: The battery is charging.

• Flashing green: The battery is almost fully charged.

If the computer is running on a battery, the light operates as follows:

• Off: The battery is adequately charged (or the computer is turned off).

• Flashing orange: The battery charge is low.

• Solid orange: The battery charge is critically low.

About Your Computer 17

TOUCH PAD — Provides the functionality of a mouse. Silk screening on the touch pad indicates scrolling

capabilities.

MEDIA CONTROL BUTTONS — Control CD, DVD, and Media Player playback.

Mute the sound.

Turn the volume down.

Turn the volume up.

Play or pause.

Play the previous track.

Play the next track.

Stop.

SPEAKERS — To adjust the volume of the integrated speakers, press the media control buttons or speaker-volume

keyboard shortcuts. For more information, see "Speaker Functions" on page 36.

TOUCH PAD BUTTONS — Touch pad buttons provide the functionality of a mouse.

KEYBOARD — The keyboard includes a numeric keypad as well as the Microsoft Windows logo key. For information

on supported keyboard shortcuts, see "Key Combinations" on page 36.

ELL MEDIADIRECT™ BUTTON — You can press the Dell MediaDirect button to launch either Microsoft

Windows Media Center Edition or another version of Windows XP with Dell Media Experience if either of these media applications is installed.

18 About Your Computer

KEYBOARD AND WIRELESS STATUS LIGHTS

The green lights located above the keyboard indicate the following:

Turns on when the numeric keypad is enabled.

Turns on when the uppercase letter function is enabled.

Turns on when the scroll lock function is enabled.

Turns on when wireless networking is enabled. To enable or disable wireless networking, press <Fn><F2>.

Turns on when a card with Bluetooth

technology is enabled.

NOTE: The card with Bluetooth wireless technology is an

optional feature, so the light turns on only if you ordered the card with your computer. For more information, see the documentation that came with your card.

To turn off only the Bluetooth wireless technology functionality, right-click the icon in the notification area and click Disable Bluetooth Radio.

To quickly enable or disable all wireless devices, press <Fn><F2>.

wireless

DISPLAY LATCHES — Keep the display closed.

About Your Computer 19

Left Side View

3241

1 air vent 3 optical drive bay

2 security cable slot 4 optical-drive-tray eject

button

CAUTION: Do not block, push objects into, or allow dust to accumulate in the air vents. Do not store your

computer in a low-airflow environment, such as a closed briefcase, while it is running. Restricting the airflow can damage the computer or cause a fire.

AIR VENT — The computer uses fans to create airflow through the vents, which prevents the computer from

overheating.

NOTICE: Before you buy an antitheft device, ensure that it will work with the security cable slot.

SECURITY CABLE SLOT — Lets you attach a commercially available antitheft device to the computer. For more

information, see the instructions included with the device.

20 About Your Computer

OPTICAL DRIVE BAY — You can install devices such as a DVD drive or other optical drive in the optical drive bay.

For more information, see "Optical Drive" on page 111.

OPTICAL-DRIVE-TRAY EJECT BUTTON — Press this button to eject a CD or DVD from the optical drive.

Right Side View

34 5261

1 hard drive 3 5-in-1 media memory card

5 USB connectors (2)

reader

2 ExpressCard slot 4 audio connectors (2) 6 IEEE 1394 connector

HARD DRIVE — Stores software and data. For more information, see "Hard Drive" on page 112 and "Hard drive

problems" on page 84.

XPRESSCARD SLOT — Supports one ExpressCard. The computer ships with a plastic blank installed in the slot.

You can add an ExpressCard to make WWAN connectivity available on your computer. For more information, see "Using Cards" on page 65.

IN-1 MEDIA MEMORY CARD READER — Provides a fast and convenient way to view and share digital photos,

music, and videos stored on a media memory card. The 5-in-1 media memory card reader reads the following digital media memory cards:

• Secure Digital (SD) card/SDIO

• MultiMediaCard (MMC)

•Memory Stick

• Memory Stick PRO

• xD-Picture Card

About Your Computer 21

AUDIO CONNECTORS

Attach headphones or speakers to the connector.

Attach a microphone to the connector.

USB CONNECTORS

Connect USB devices, such as a mouse, keyboard, or printer. You can also connect the optional floppy drive

cable.

drive

IEEE 1394 CONNECTOR — Connects devices supporting IEEE 1394 high-speed transfer rates, such as some digital video cameras.

directly to a USB connector using the optional floppy-

Back View

1 4 532 6

1 AC adapter connector 3 modem connector (RJ-11) 5 video connector

2 network connector (RJ-45) 4 USB connectors (2) 6 S-video TV-out connector

22 About Your Computer

AC ADAPTER CONNECTOR — Attaches an AC adapter to the computer. The AC adapter converts AC power to the DC power required by the computer. You can connect the AC adapter with your computer turned either on or off.

CAUTION: The AC adapter works with electrical outlets worldwide. However, power connectors and power

strips vary among countries. Using an incompatible cable or improperly connecting the cable to the power strip or electrical outlet may cause fire or equipment damage.

NOTICE: When you disconnect the AC adapter cable from the computer, grasp the connector, not the cable itself,

and pull firmly but gently to help prevent damage to the cable.

NETWORK CONNECTOR (RJ-45)

Connects the computer to a network. The green and yellow lights next to the connector indicate activity for wired network communications.

For information on using the network adapter, see the online network adapter documentation supplied with your computer.

MODEM CONNECTOR (RJ-11)

To use the internal modem, connect the telephone line to the modem connector.

For additional information on using the modem, see the online modem documentation supplied with your computer.

NOTICE: The network connector is slightly larger than the modem connector. To help prevent damage to the

computer, do not plug a telephone line into the network connector.

VIDEO CONNECTOR

Connects an external VGA-compatible monitor.

S-VIDEO TV-OUT CONNECTOR

Connects your computer to a TV. Also connects digital audio-capable devices using the TV/digital audio adapter cable.

About Your Computer 23

Bottom View

1 2

1 battery charge gauge 4 battery 7 fan

2 optical-drive locking screw 5 hard drive

3 battery-bay latch release 6 modem/memory module

cover

BATTERY CHARGE GAUGE — Provides information on the battery charge status. See "Checking the Battery Charge"

on page 40.

OPTICAL-DRIVE LOCKING SCREW — Secures the optical drive in the optical drive bay. For more information, see

"Optical Drive" on page 111.

BATTERY-BAY LATCH RELEASE — Releases the battery from the battery bay. See "Replacing the Battery" on page 43.

BATTERY — When a battery is installed, you can use the computer without connecting the computer to an

electrical outlet. For more information, see "Using a Battery" on page 39.

HARD DRIVE — Stores software and data. For more information, see "Hard Drive" on page 112 and "Hard drive

problems" on page 84.

MODEM/MEMORY MODULE COVER — Covers the compartment that contains the modem and the memory modules.

For more information, see "Modem" on page 117 and "Memory" on page 114.

FAN — The computer uses a fan to create airflow through the vents, which prevents the computer from

overheating.

24 About Your Computer

Setting Up Your Computer

Connecting to the Internet

NOTE: ISPs and ISP offerings vary by country.

To connect to the Internet, you need a modem or network connection and an Internet service provider (ISP). Your ISP will offer one or more of the following Internet connection options:

• Dial-up connections that provide Internet access through a telephone line. Dial-up connections are considerably slower than DSL and cable modem connections.

• DSL connections that provide high-speed Internet access through your existing telephone line. With a DSL connection, you can access the Internet and use your telephone on the same line simultaneously.

• Cable modem connections that provide high-speed Internet access through your local cable TV line.

If you are using a dial-up connection, connect a telephone line to the modem connector on your computer and to the telephone wall jack before you set up your Internet connection. If you are using a DSL or cable modem connection, contact your ISP for setup instructions.

Setting Up Your Internet Connection

To set up an Internet connection with a provided ISP desktop shortcut:

Save and close any open files, and exit any open programs.

Double-click the ISP icon on the Microsoft® Windows® desktop.

Follow the instructions on the screen to complete the setup.

If you do not have an ISP icon on your desktop or if you want to set up an Internet connection with a different ISP:

Save and close any open files, and exit any open programs.

Click the

The

Start

button and click

New Connection Wizard

Internet Explorer

appears.

Click

Connect to the Internet

In the next window, click the appropriate option:

• If you do not have an ISP and want to select one, click

providers (ISPs)

Choose from a list of Internet service

Setting Up Your Computer 25

• If you have already obtained setup information from your ISP but you did not receive a setup CD,

Set up my connection manually

click

• If you have a CD, click

Click

If you selected on the screen to complete the setup.

NOTE: If you do not know which type of connection to select, contact your ISP.

Click the appropriate option under

Use the setup information provided by your ISP to complete the setup.

If you are having problems connecting to the Internet, see "E-Mail, Modem, and Internet Problems" on page 84. If you cannot connect to the Internet but have successfully connected in the past, the ISP might have a service outage. Contact your ISP to check the service status, or try connecting again later.

Set up my connection manually

Use the CD I got from an ISP

, continue to step 6. Otherwise, follow the instructions

How do you want to connect to the Internet?

, and then click

Transferring Information to a New Computer

The Microsoft® Windows® XP operating system provides a Files and Settings Transfer Wizard to move data from a source computer to a new computer. You can transfer data, such as:

• E-mail messages

• Toolbar settings

• Window sizes

• Internet bookmarks

You can transfer the data to the new computer over a network connection, or you can store it on removable media, such as a writable CD, for transfer to the new computer.

NOTE: For instructions on setting up a direct cable connection between two computers, go to

support.microsoft.com and search for Microsoft Knowledge Base Article #305621, titled How to Set Up a Direct Cable Connection Between Two Computers in Windows XP. This information may not be available in some countries.

For transferring information to a new computer, you must run the Files and Settings Transfer Wizard. You can use the optional Operating System CD for this process or you can create a wizard disk with the Files and Settings Transfer Wizard utility.

Running the Files and Settings Transfer Wizard With the Operating System CD

NOTE: This procedure requires the Operating System CD. This CD is optional and may not be included with all

computers.

26 Setting Up Your Computer

Prepare the New Computer for the File Transfer

Start the

When the

On the

On the and click

When the click

Copy Data From the Old Computer

On the old computer, insert the Windows XP

On the

Under

On the

Files and Settings Transfer Wizard.

Files and Settings Transfer Wizard

Which computer is this?

screen, click

Do you have a Windows XP CD?

Now go to your old computer

at this time.

Welcome to Microsoft Windows XP

What do you want to do?

, click

Files and Settings Transfer Wizard

Which computer is this?

Select a transfer method

screen, click

screen, click the transfer method you prefer.

What do you want to transfer?

After the information has been copied, the

Click

Finish

welcome screen appears, click

New Computer

screen, click

I will use the wizard from the Windows XP CD

and click

screen appears, go to your old or source computer. Do

Operating System

screen, click

Transfer files and settings

welcome screen, click

Old Computer

CD.

Perform additional tasks

and click

screen, select the items you want to transfer and click

Completing the Collection Phase

screen appears.

not

Transfer Data to the New Computer

On the

On the settings and files and click

Now go to your old computer

screen on the new computer, click

Where are the files and settings?

screen, select the method you chose for transferring your

The wizard reads the collected files and settings and applies them to your new computer.

When all of the settings and files have been applied, the

Click

Finished

and restart the new computer.

Finished

screen appears.

Running the Files and Settings Transfer Wizard Without the Operating System CD

To run the Files and Settings Transfer Wizard without the optional Operating System CD, you must create a wizard disk that lets you create a backup of your data files. Create the wizard disk on removable media so that you can move it from your new computer to your old computer.

Setting Up Your Computer 27

Create a Wizard Disk

Click the

Click

When the

On the

drive:

Insert the removable media, such as a writable CD, and click OK.

When the disk creation completes and the

Go to the old computer.

Copy Data From the Old Computer

On the old computer, insert the wizard disk.

Click the

In the media) and click

On the

After the information has been copied, the

Start

button.

Files and Settings Transfer Wizard

Which computer is this?

screen, click

Do you have a Windows XP CD?

and click

Next.

Start

Open

button and click

field on the

Run

window, browse to the path for

Files and Settings Transfer Wizard

Which computer is this?

Select a transfer method

screen, click

screen, click the transfer method you prefer.

What do you want to transfer?

welcome screen appears, click

New Computer

screen, click

Now go to your old computer

welcome screen, click

Old Computer

screen, select the items you want to transfer and click

Completing the Collection Phase

and click

I want to create a Wizard Disk in the following

message appears,

fastwiz

(on the appropriate removable

and click

do not

click

screen appears.

Click

Finish

Transfer Data to the New Computer

On the

On the settings and files and click

Now go to your old computer

screen on the new computer, click

Where are the files and settings?

. Follow the instructions on the screen.

screen, select the method you chose for transferring your

The wizard reads the collected files and settings and applies them to your new computer.

When all of the settings and files have been applied, the

Click

Finished

NOTE: For more information about this procedure, search dell.support.com for document #PA1089586 (How Do I

Transfer Files From My Old Computer to My New Dell Computer Using the Microsoft System?).

NOTE: Access to the Dell Knowledge Base document may not be available in certain countries.

and restart the new computer.

Finished

screen appears.

Windows® XP Operating

28 Setting Up Your Computer

Setting Up a Printer

NOTICE: Complete the operating system setup before you connect a printer to the computer.

See the documentation that came with the printer for setup information, including how to:

• Obtain and install updated drivers.

• Connect the printer to the computer.

• Load paper and install the toner or ink cartridge.

For technical assistance, refer to the printer owner's manual or contact the printer manufacturer.

Printer Cable

Your printer connects to your computer with either a USB cable or a parallel cable. Your printer may not come with a printer cable, so if you purchase a cable separately, ensure that it is compatible with your printer and computer. If you purchased a printer cable at the same time you purchased your computer, the cable may arrive in the box in which your computer was shipped.

Connecting a USB Printer

NOTE: You can connect USB devices while the computer is turned on.

Complete the operating system setup if you have not already done so.

Attach the USB printer cable to the USB connectors on the computer and the printer. The USB connectors fit only one way.

Setting Up Your Computer 29

1 USB connector on

computer

Turn on the printer and then turn on the computer. If the appears, click

Install the printer driver if necessary. See the documentation that came with your printer.

Cancel

2 USB printer cable 3 connector on printer

Add New Hardware Wizard

window

Power Protection Devices

Several devices are available to protect against power fluctuations and failures:

• Surge protectors

• Line conditioners

• Uninterruptible power supplies (UPS)

Surge Protectors

Surge protectors and power strips equipped with surge protection help prevent damage to your computer from voltage spikes that can occur during electrical storms or after power interruptions. Some surge protector manufacturers include warranty coverage for certain types of damage. Carefully read the device warranty when choosing a surge protector. A device with a higher joule rating offers more protection. Compare joule ratings to determine the relative effectiveness of different devices.

30 Setting Up Your Computer

+ 156 hidden pages