Dell 8500 User Manual

Dell™ Inspiron™ 8500

Owner’s Manual

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 the Tell Me How help file (see page 104).

____________________

Reproduction in any manner whatsoever without the written permission of Dell Computer Corporation is strictly forbidden.

Trademarks used in this text: Dell, the DELL logo, TrueMobile, DellNet, Dell T ravelLite , Inspiron,

Dell Precision, Dimension, OptiPlex, and Latitude are trademarks of Dell Computer Corporation; Intel, Pentium, and Celeron are registered trademarks of Intel Corporation; Microsoft and Windows

are registered trademarks of Microsoft Corporation; Bluetooth is a trademark owned by Bluetooth SIG, Inc. and is used by Dell Computer Corporation under license; EMC is a registered trademark of EMC Corporation.

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 Computer Corporation disclaims an y proprietary interest in trademarks and trade names other than its own.

Model PP02X

July 2003 P/N 3Y007 Rev. A01

CAUTION: Safety Instructions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11

General

Power

Battery . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13

Air Travel

EMC Instructions

California Residents . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14

When Using Your Computer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15

Ergonomic Computing Habits

When Working Inside Your Computer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16

Protecting Against Electrostatic Discharge

Battery Disposal

1 A Tour of Your Computer

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Front View . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20

Left View

Right View

Back View

Bottom View

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2 Setting Up Your Computer

Connecting to the Internet . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 34

Setting Up Your Internet Connection

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . 34

Contents 3

Modem and Internet Connection Problems . . . . . . . . . . . . 35

Transferring Information to a New Computer

. . . . . . . . . . 36

Setting Up a Printer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 38

Printer Cable

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

Connecting a Parallel Printer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 38

Connecting a USB Printer

Printer Problems

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

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 39

Setting Up the Docking Device to Connect to a Network . . . . 41

Power Protection Devices

Surge Protectors

Line Conditioners

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

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Uninterruptible Power Supplies . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 42

Turning Off Your Computer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 42

3 Using Batteries and Module Bay Devices

Using a Battery . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 44

Battery Performance

Checking the Battery Charge

Charging the Battery . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 47

Removing a Battery

Installing a Battery

Removing and Installing a Reserve Battery

Storing a Battery

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

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4 Contents

Power Problems

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About the Module Bay . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 52

Checking the Charge on the Second Battery

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Removing and Installing Devices While the Computer Is Turned Off

If the Device Screw Is Not Installed

If the Device Screw Is Installed

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Removing and Installing Devices While the Computer Is Running

If the Device Screw Is Not Installed

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If the Device Screw Is Installed . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 58

4 Using the Keyboard and Touchpad

Numeric Keypad . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 62

Keyboard Shortcuts

System Functions

Battery

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

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CD or DVD Tray . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 63

Display Functions

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Radios (Including Wireless Networking and Bluetooth™)

Power Management . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 63

Speaker Functions

Microsoft

Touch Pad

Windows® Logo Key Functions . . . . . . . . . . . 64

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

Customizing the Touch Pad

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 64

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Touch Pad or Mouse Problems . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 66

External Keyboard Problems

Unexpected Characters

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5 Using CDs, DVDs, and Other Multimedia

Using CDs and DVDs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 70

. . . . 63

CD or DVD problems

If you cannot play a CD, CD-RW, or DVD

If you cannot eject the CD, CD-RW, or DVD drive tray

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

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If you hear an unfamiliar scraping or grinding sound . . . . . . 71

Contents 5

Sound and Speaker Problems . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 71

If you have a problem with integrated speakers

If you have a problem with external speakers

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Copying CDs

Using Easy CD Creator Basic

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Using Blank CD-R Discs or Blank CD-RW Discs

Helpful Tips . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 73

How to Copy a CD

Connecting a Television to the Computer

S-Video and Standard Audio

S-Video and Digital Audio

Composite Video and Standard Audio

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

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Composite Video and Digital Audio . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 83

Enabling the Display Settings for a Television

Enabling S/PDIF Digital Audio

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

6 Setting Up a Home and Office Network

Connecting to a Network Adapter . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 90

Network Setup Wizard

Network Problems . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 91

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Connecting to Wireless Local Area Networks

Determining your Network Type

Connecting to a Network in Windows XP

Finalizing your Network Connection (Security Settings)

7 Solving Problems

Finding Solutions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 102

Accessing Help

Error Messages

6 Contents

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Video and Display Problems . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 105

If the display is blank

If the display is difficult to read

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If only part of the display is readable . . . . . . . . . . . . . 107

Scanner Problems . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 107

Drive Problems

If you cannot save a file to a floppy drive

If you have problems with a hard drive

PC Card Problems

General Program Problems

A program crashes

A program stops responding

Error messages appear

E-Mail Problems

If Your Computer Gets Wet

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If You Drop or Damage Your Computer . . . . . . . . . . . . . 112

Resolving Other Technical Problems

Drivers

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What Is a Driver?

Identifying Drivers

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Reinstalling Drivers and Utilities

Manually Reinstalling Drivers for Windows XP

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Using System Restore

Creating a Restore Point

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Restoring the Computer to an Earlier Operating State . . . . . 116

Undoing the Last System Restore

Resolving Software and Hardware Incompatibilities

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. . . . . . 118

Contents 7

Reinstalling Microsoft® Windows® XP . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 119

Before You Reinstall

Reinstalling Windows XP

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

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Reinstalling Drivers and Software . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 121

8 Adding and Replacing Parts

Adding Memory . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 124

Adding a Mini PCI Card

Adding a Modem

Replacing the Hard Drive . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 134

9 Appendix

Specifications . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 138

Standard Settings

Overview

Viewing the System Setup Screens

System Setup Screens

Commonly Used Options . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 146

Dell Technical Support Policy (U.S. Only) . . . . . . . . . . . . 149

Definition of "Dell-Installed" Software and Peripherals

Definition of "Third-Party" Software and Peripherals

Contacting Dell

Regulatory Noticesour cccess the help

NOM Information (Mexico Only)

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8 Contents

Limited Warranties and Return Policy

Limited Warranty for Dell-Branded Hardware Products (U.S. Only)

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 170

"Total Satisfaction" Return Policy (U.S. Only)

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . 170

. . . . . . . . . . 174

Limited Warranty Terms for Dell-Branded Hardware Products (Canada Only)

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 174

"Total Satisfaction" Return Policy (Canada Only) . . . . . . . . 178

Dell Software and Peripherals (Canada Only)

. . . . . . . . . 178

1-Year End-User Manufacturer Guarantee

(Latin America and the Caribbean Only) . . . . . . . . . . . . 179

Intel

Warranty Statement for Pentium® and

Celeron® Processors Only (U.S. and Canada Only) . . . . . . . 181

Index . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 183

Contents 9

10 Contents

CAUTION: Safety Instructions

Use the following safety guidelines to help ensure your own personal safety and to help protect your computer and working environment from potential damage.

General

• Do not attempt to service the computer yourself unless you are a trained service technician. Always follow installation instructions closely.

• If you use an extension power cable with your AC adapter, ensure that the total ampere rating of the products plugged in to the extension power cable does not exceed the ampere rating of the extension cable.

• Do not push objects into air vents or openings of your computer. Doing so can cause fire or electric shock by shorting out interior components.

• Do not store your computer in a low-airflow environment, such as a carrying case or a closed briefcase, while the computer is turned on. Restricting airflow can damage the computer or cause a fire.

• Keep your computer away from radiators and heat sources. Also, do not block cooling vents. Avoid placing loose papers underneath your computer; do not place your computer in a closed-in wall unit or on a bed, sofa, or rug.

• Place the AC adapter in a ventilated area, such as a desk top or on the floor, when you use it to run the computer or to charge the battery. Do not cover the AC adapter with papers or other items that will reduce cooling; also, do not use the AC adapter inside a carrying case.

• The AC adapter may become hot during normal operation of your computer. Use care when handling the adapter during or immediately after operation.

• Do not allow your portable computer to operate with the base resting directly on exposed skin for extended periods of time. The surface temperature of the base will rise during normal operation (particularly when AC power is present). Allowing sustained contact with exposed skin can cause discomfort or, eventually, a burn.

• Do not use your computer in a wet environment, for example, near a bath tub, sink, or swimming pool or in a wet basement

• If your computer includes an integrated or optional (PC Card) modem, disconnect the modem cable if an electrical storm is approaching to avoid the remote risk of electric shock from lightning via the telephone line.

CAUTION: Safety Instructions 11

CAUTION: Safety Instructions

• To help avoid the potential hazard of electric shock, do not connect or disconnect any cables or perform maintenance or reconfiguration of this product during an electrical storm. Do not use your computer during an electrical storm unless all cables have been disconnected and the computer is operating on battery power.

• If your computer includes a modem, the cable used with the modem should be manufactured with a minimum wire size of 26 American wire gauge (AWG) and an FCC-compliant RJ-11 modular plug.

• Before you open the memory module/Mini PCI card/modem cover on the bottom of your

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computer, disconnect all cables from their electrical outlets and disconnect the telephone cable.

• If your computer has both a modem RJ-11 connector and a network RJ-45 connector, which look alike, make sure you insert the telephone cable into the RJ-11 connector, not the RJ-45 connector.

•PC Cards may become very warm during normal operation. Use care when removing PC Cards after their continuous operation.

• Before you clean your computer, disconnect the computer from the electrical outlet. Clean your computer with a soft cloth dampened with water. Do not use liquid or aerosol cleaners, which may contain flammable substances.

Power

(continued)

• Use only the Dell-provided AC adapter approved for use with this computer. Use of another AC adapter may cause a fire or explosion.

• Before you connect the computer to an electrical outlet, check the AC adapter voltage rating to ensure that the required voltage and frequency match the available power source.

• To remove the computer from all power sources, turn the computer off, remove the battery pack, and disconnect the AC adapter from the electrical outlet.

• To help prevent electric shock, plug the AC adapter and device power cables into properly grounded power sources. These power cables may be equipped with 3-prong plugs to provide an earth grounding connection. Do not use adapter plugs or remove the grounding prong from the power cable plug. If you use a power extension cable, use the appropriate type, 2-prong or 3-prong, to mate with the AC adapter power cable.

• Be sure that nothing rests on your AC adapter’s power cable and that the cable is not located where it can be tripped over or stepped on.

12 CAUTION: Safety Instructions

CAUTION: Safety Instructions

• If you are using a multiple-outlet power strip, use caution when plugging the AC adapter’s power cable into the power strip. Some power strips may allow you to insert the plug incorrectly. Incorrect insertion of the power plug could result in permanent damage to your computer, as well as risk of electric shock and/or fire. Ensure that the ground prong of the power plug is inserted into the mating ground contact of the power strip.

(continued)

Battery

• Use only Dell™ battery modules that are approved for use with this computer. Use of other types may increase the risk of fire or explosion.

• Do not carry a battery pack in your pocket, purse, or other container where metal objects (such as car keys or paper clips) could short-circuit the battery terminals. The resulting excessive current flow can cause extremely high temperatures and may result in damage to the battery pack or cause fire or burns.

• The battery poses a burn hazard if you handle it improperly. Do not disassemble it. Handle a damaged or leaking battery pack with extreme care. If the battery is damaged, electrolyte may leak from the cells and may cause personal injury.

• Keep the battery away from children.

• Do not store or leave your computer or battery pack near a heat source such as a radiator, fireplace, stove, electric heater, or other heat-generating appliance or otherwise expose it to temperatures in excess of 60ºC (140ºF). When heated to excessive temperatures, battery cells could explode or vent, posing a risk of fire.

• Do not dispose of your computer’s battery in a fire or with normal household waste. Battery cells may explode. Discard a used battery according to the manufacturer’s instructions or contact your local waste disposal agency for disposal instructions. Dispose of a spent or damaged battery promptly.

CAUTION: Safety Instructions 13

CAUTION: Safety Instructions

Air Travel

• Certain Federal Aviation Administration regulations and/or airline-specific restrictions may apply to the operation of your Dell computer while you are on board an aircraft. For example, such regulations/restrictions may prohibit the use of any personal electronic device (PED) that has the capacity for intentional transmission of radio frequency or other electromagnetic signals while on an aircraft.

– In order to best comply with all such restrictions, if your Dell portable computer is

equipped with Dell TrueMobile™ or some other wireless communication device,

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EMC Instructions

Use shielded signal cables to ensure that you maintain the appropriate EMC classification for the intended environment. For parallel printers, a cable is available from Dell. If you prefer, you can order a cable from Dell at its worldwide website at www.dell.com.

please disable this device before you board the aircraft and follow all instructions provided by airline personnel with regard to such device.

– Additionally, the use of any PED, such as a portable computer, may be prohibited in

aircraft during certain critical phases of flight, for example, takeoff and landing. Some airlines may further define the critical flight phase as any time the aircraft is below 3050 m (10,000 ft). Please follow the airline’s specific instructions as to when the use of a PED is allowed.

(continued)

Static electricity can harm electronic components inside your computer. To prevent static damage, discharge static electricity from your body before you touch any of your computer’s electronic components, such as a memory module. You can do so by touching an unpainted metal surface on the computer’s input/output panel.

California Residents

WARNING: Handling the cord on this product, or cords associated with accessories sold with this product, will expose you to lead, a chemical known to the State of California to cause birth defects or other reproductive harm.

14 CAUTION: Safety Instructions

Wash your hands after handling the cord.

When Using Your Computer

Observe the following safe-handling guidelines to prevent damage to your computer:

• When setting up the computer for work, place it on a level surface.

• When traveling, do not check the computer as baggage. You can put your computer through an X-ray security machine, but never put your computer through a metal detector. If you have the computer checked by hand, be sure to have a charged battery available in case you are asked to turn on the computer.

• When traveling with the hard drive removed from the computer, wrap the drive in a nonconducting material, such as cloth or paper. If you have the drive checked by hand, be ready to install the drive in the computer. You can put the hard drive through an X-ray security machine, but never put the drive through a metal detector.

• When traveling, do not place the computer in overhead storage compartments where it could slide around. Do not drop your computer or subject it to other mechanical shocks.

• Protect your computer, battery, and hard drive from environmental hazards such as dirt, dust, food, liquids, temperature extremes, and overexposure to sunlight.

• When you move your computer between environments with very different temperature and/or humidity ranges, condensation may form on or within the computer. To avoid damaging the computer, allow sufficient time for the moisture to evaporate before using the computer.

NOTICE: When taking the computer from low-temperature conditions into a warmer environment

or from high-temperature conditions into a cooler environment, allow the computer to acclimate to room temperature before turning on power.

• When you disconnect a cable, pull on its connector or on its strain-relief loop, not on the cable itself. As you pull out the connector, keep it evenly aligned to avoid bending any connector pins. Also, before you connect a cable make sure both connectors are correctly oriented and aligned.

• Handle components with care. Hold a component such as a memory module by its edges, not its pins.

• When preparing to remove a memory module from the system board or disconnect a device from the computer, turn off the computer, remove any battery installed in the battery bay or module bay, disconnect the AC adapter cable, and then wait 5 seconds before proceeding to help avoid possible damage to the system board.

When Using Your Computer 15

When Using Your Computer

• Clean the display with a soft, clean cloth and water. Apply the water to the cloth; then stroke the cloth across the display in one direction, moving from the top of the display to the bottom. Remove moisture from the display quickly and keep the display dry. Longterm exposure to moisture can damage the display. Do not use a commercial window cleaner to clean your display.

• If your computer gets wet or is damaged, follow the procedures on page 111. If, after following these procedures, you confirm that your computer is not operating properly, contact Dell (see page 150 for the appropriate contact information).

(continued)

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Ergonomic Computing Habits

CAUTION: Improper or prolonged keyboard use may result in injury.

CAUTION: Viewing the display or external monitor screen for extended periods of

time may result in eye strain.

For comfort and efficiency, observe the ergonomic guidelines in the Tel l M e Ho w help file when setting up and using your computer. To access the help file, see page 104.

This portable computer is not designed for continuous operation as office equipment. For extended use in an office, it is recommended that you connect an external keyboard.

When Working Inside Your Computer

Before removing or installing memory modules, Mini PCI cards, or modems, perform the following steps in the sequence indicated.

NOTICE: The only time you should ever access the inside of your computer is when you are

installing memory modules, a Mini PCI card, or a modem.

NOTICE: Wait 5 seconds after turning off the computer before disconnecting a device or removing

a memory module, Mini PCI card, or modem to help prevent possible damage to the system board.

Shut down your computer and turn off any attached devices.

2 Disconnect your computer and devices from electrical outlets to reduce the potential for

personal injury or shock. Also, disconnect any telephone or telecommunication lines from the computer.

3 Remove the main battery from the battery bay and, if necessary, the second battery from

the module bay.

16 When Using Your Computer

When Using Your Computer

4 Ground yourself by touching any unpainted metal surface on the back of the computer.

While you work, periodically touch the I/O panel to dissipate any static electricity that might harm internal components.

(continued)

Protecting Against Electrostatic Discharge

As you continue to work inside the computer, periodically touch an I/O connector to remove any static charge your body may have accumulated.

You can also take the following steps to prevent damage from electrostatic discharge (ESD):

• When unpacking a static-sensitive component from its shipping carton, do not remove the component from the antistatic packing material until you are ready to install the component. Just before unwrapping the antistatic packaging, be sure to discharge static electricity from your body.

• When transporting a sensitive component, first place it in an antistatic container or packaging.

• Handle all sensitive components in a static-safe area. If possible, use antistatic floor pads and workbench pads.

Battery Disposal

Your computer uses a lithium-ion battery and a reserve battery. For instructions about replacing the lithium-ion battery in your computer, refer to the section about replacing the battery in your Dell computer documentation. The reserve battery is a long-life battery, and it is very possible that you will never need to replace it. However, should you need to replace it, see page 49 for instructions.

Do not dispose of the battery along with household waste. Contact your local waste disposal agency for the address of the nearest battery deposit site.

When Using Your Computer 17

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18 When Using Your Computer

SECTION 1

A Tour of Your Computer

Front View

Left View

Right View

Back View

Bottom View

keyboard status lights

Front View

display latch

display

mute button

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volume control buttons

track stick

track stick/touch pad buttons

power button

device status lights

keyboard

touch pad

display latch button

speakers

DISPLAY LATCH — Keeps the display closed.

DISPLAY — For more information about your display, see the Tel l Me H ow help

file. To access the help file, see page 104.

POWER BUTTON — Press the power button to turn on the computer or to enter or

exit a power management mode.

NOTICE: To avoid losing data, turn off your computer by performing a

Microsoft

If the computer stops responding, press and hold the power button until the computer turns off completely (which may take several seconds).

Windows® shutdown rather than by pressing the power button.

20 A Tour of Your Computer

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 if is off, you may not have a battery in your computer.

Turns on when Bluetooth™ is enabled. To enable or disable Bluetooth,

press

NOTE: Bluetooth is an optional feature on your computer, so the icon turns on only if your ordered Bluetooth with your computer. For more

information, see the documentation that came with your Bluetooth wireless technology.

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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.

KEYBOARD — The keyboard includes a numeric keypad as well as the Microsoft

Windows

logo key . For information on supported keyboard shortcuts, see

page 62.

TOUCH PAD — Touch pad and touch pad buttons provide the functionality of a

mouse. See page 65 for more information.

DISPLAY LATCH BUTTON — Press this button to release the display latch and

open the display.

SPEAKERS — To adjust the volume of the integrated speakers, press the volume

control buttons or volume control keyboard shortcuts. For more information, see page 64.

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

mouse. See the Tell Me How help file for more information. To access the help file, see page 104.

VOLUME CONTROL BUTTONS — Press these buttons to adjust the volume.

MUTE BUTTON — Press this button to turn off the volume.

22 A Tour of Your Computer

KEYBOARD 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.

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Left View

air vents

security cable slot

NOTE: The computer

turns on the fan when the computer gets hot. Fan noise is normal and does not indicate a problem with the fan or the computer.

IEEE 1394 connector

PC Card slot

infrared sensor

AIR VENTS — The computer uses an internal fan to create airflow through the

vents, which prevents the computer from overheating.

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.

IEEE 1394

1394 high-speed transfer rates, such as some digital video cameras.

ARD SLOT — Supports one PC Card, such as a modem or network adapter.

PC C

The computer ships with a plastic blank installed in the slot. For more information, see the Tell Me How help file. To access the help file, see page 104.

INFRARED SENSOR — Lets you transfer files from your computer to another

infrared-compatible device without using cable connections.

When you receive your computer, the sensor is disabled. You can use the system setup program to enable the sensor (see page 148). For information on transferring data, see the Windows Help and Support Center (see page 104), or the documentation that came with your infrared-compatible device.

CONNECTOR (4-PIN)—Use to attach devices supporting IEEE

audio connectors

hard drive

24 A Tour of Your Computer

AUDIO CONNECTORS

Attach headphones or speakers to the connector.

Attach a microphone to the connector.

HARD

DRIVE — Stores software and data.

SECURITY CABLE SLOT — Lets you attach a commercially available antitheft

device to the computer. For more information, see the instructions included with the device.

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

security cable slot.

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Right View

module bay device latch release

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.

26 A Tour of Your Computer

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

security cable slot.

MODULE BAY — You can install devices such as an optical drive or Dell

TravelLite™ module in the module bay. For more information, see the Tel l Me H ow help file. To access the help file, see page 104.

DEVICE LATCH RELEASE — Releases a device. For more information, see the

Tel l M e H ow help file. To access the help file, see page 104.

Back View

S-video TV-out connector

USB connectors (2)

network connector (RJ-45)

modem connector (RJ-11)

air vent

parallel connector

video connector

AC adapter connector

air vents

serial connector

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S-VIDEO TV-OUT CONNECTOR

Connects your computer to a TV. Also connects digital audio capable devices using the TV/digital audio adapter cable. For more information, see page 76.

USB CONNECTORS (2)

Connect USB devices, such as a mouse, keyboard, or printer. You can also connect the optional floppy drive directly to a USB connector using the optional floppy-drive cable, as shown below.

NETWORK CONNECTOR (RJ-45)

28 A Tour of Your Computer

NOTICE: The network connector is slightly larger than the modem connector.

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

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

AIR VENT — The computer uses an internal fan to create airflow through the

vents, which prevents the computer from overheating.

PARALLEL CONNECTOR

Connects a parallel device, such as a printer.

VIDEO CONNECTOR

Connects an external monitor. For more information, see the Tel l M e H ow help file. To access the help file, see page 104.

SERIAL

CONNECTOR

Connects serial devices, such as a mouse or handheld device.

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NOTE: The computer

turns on the fan when the computer gets hot. Fan noise is normal and does not indicate a problem with the fan or the computer.

AC ADAPTER CONNECTOR — Attach 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 avoid damaging the cable.

AIR VENTS — The computer uses an internal fan to create airflow through the

vents, which prevents the computer from overheating.

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.

30 A Tour of Your Computer

+ 156 hidden pages