Dell DT549 User Manual

Dell™ Inspiron™ 1720 Owner’s Manual
Model PP22X
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
CAUTION: A CAUTION indicates a potential for property damage, personal injury,
or death.
____________________
Information in this document is subject to change without notice. © 2007–2008 Dell Inc. All rights reserved.
Reproduction in any manner whatsoever without the written permission of Dell Inc. is strictly forbidden. Trademarks used in this text: Dell, the DELL logo, YOURS IS HERE, Inspiron, Wi-Fi Catcher, and
Dell MediaDirect are trademarks of Dell Inc.; Intel is a registered trademark and Core is a trademark of Intel Corporation; Microsoft, Windows, and Windows Vista are either trademarks or registered trademarks of Microsoft Corporation in the United States and/or other countries; Blu-ray Disc is a trademark of the Blu-ray Disc Association; Bluetooth is a registered trademark owned by Bluetooth SIG, Inc. and is used by Dell under license.
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 PP22X
February 2008 P/N DT549 Rev. A04

Contents

Finding Information . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15
1 About Your Computer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21
Determining Your Computer’s Configuration . . . . . . 21
Front View
Left Side View
Right Side View
Back View
Bottom View
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 31
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 33
2 Setting Up Your Computer . . . . . . . . . . . . 35
Connecting to the Internet . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 35
Setting Up Your Internet Connection
Transferring Information to a New Computer . . . . . 37
Windows Easy Transfer
Setting Up a Printer
Printer Cable
Connecting a USB Printer
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 38
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . 37
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 37
. . . . . . . . . . . . . 38
. . . . . . . . 36
Contents 3
Power Protection Devices . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 39
Surge Protectors
Line Conditioners
Uninterruptible Power Supplies
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 39
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 40
. . . . . . . . . . 40
3 Using the Keyboard and Touch Pad . . . . 41
Numeric Keypad . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 41
Key Combinations
System Functions
Display Functions
Battery
Power Management
Microsoft® Windows® Logo Key Functions
Dell™ QuickSet Key Combinations
Adjusting Keyboard Settings
Touch Pad
Customizing the Touch Pad
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 41
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 41
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 41
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 41
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 42
. . . 42
. . . . . . . . . 42
. . . . . . . . . . . . 42
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 43
. . . . . . . . . . . . . 44
4 Using the Display . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 45
Adjusting Brightness . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 45
Switching the Video Image From Your Computer Display To a Projector
Setting Display Resolution and Refresh Rate
. . . . . . . . . . . . 45
. . . . . . 45
4 Contents
5 Using a Battery . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 47
Battery Performance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 47
Checking the Battery Charge
Dell QuickSet Battery Meter
®
Microsoft
Charge Gauge
Windows® Battery Meter . . . . . . . 49
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 49
Low-Battery Warning
Conserving Battery Power
Configuring Power Management Settings
Using the Sleep Power State
Charging the Battery
Replacing the Battery
Storing a Battery
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 53
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . 48
. . . . . . . . . . . . 48
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 50
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 50
. . . . . 50
. . . . . . . . . . . 51
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 51
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 52
6 Using Multimedia . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 55
Playing Media . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 55
Playing Media Using Dell Travel Remote
Copying CD, DVD, and Blu-ray Disc™ (BD) Media
How to Copy a CD, DVD, or BD
Using Blank CD, DVD, and BD Media
Helpful Tips
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 60
. . . . . . . . 57
. . . 58
. . . . . . . . . . . 58
. . . . . . . 59
Adjusting the Volume
Adjusting the Picture
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 61
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 62
Using Dell MediaDirect™
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 62
Contents 5
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
Composite Video and S/PDIF Digital Audio
Component Video and Standard Audio
Component Video and S/PDIF Digital Audio
Enabling the Display Settings for a TV
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 63
. . . . . . . . . . . . 65
. . . . . . . . . 66
. . . . . . . 68
. . . . 70
. . . . . . 72
. . . . 75
. . . . . . . 78
7 Using ExpressCards . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 79
ExpressCard Blanks . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 79
Installing an ExpressCard
Removing an ExpressCard or Blank
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 80
. . . . . . . . . . . 81
8 Using the Memory Card Reader . . . . . . . 83
Memory Card Blanks . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 83
Installing a Memory Card . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 83
Removing a Memory Card or Blank
. . . . . . . . . . . 84
9 Setting Up and Using Networks . . . . . . . 85
Connecting a Network or Broadband Modem Cable
Setting Up a Network
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 85
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 86
6 Contents
Wireless Local Area Network . . . . . . . . . . . . . 86
What You Need to Establish a WLAN Connection
Checking Your Wireless Network Card
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 87
. . . . . . 87
Setting Up a New WLAN Using a Wireless Router and a Broadband Modem
Connecting to a WLAN
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 89
. . . . 88
Mobile Broadband (or Wireless Wide Area Network)
. . . . . . . . . . . 91
What You Need to Establish a Mobile Broadband Network Connection
Checking Your Dell Mobile Broadband Card
Connecting to a Mobile Broadband Network
. . . . . 91
. . . . 92
. . . 92
Enabling/Disabling the
Dell Mobile Broadband Card
. . . . . . . . . . . . 93
Dell Wi-Fi Catcher™ Network Locator
. . . . . . . . . 94
10 Securing Your Computer . . . . . . . . . . . . . 95
Security Cable Lock . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 95
Passwords
If Your Computer is Lost or Stolen
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 95
. . . . . . . . . . . 97
11 Troubleshooting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 99
Dell Technical Update Service . . . . . . . . . . . . . 99
Dell Diagnostics
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 99
Contents 7
Dell Support Center . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 104
Dell Support 3
DellConnect
Network Assistant
PC TuneUp
PC CheckUp
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 104
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 105
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 106
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 106
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 106
Drive Problems
Optical drive problems
Hard drive problems
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 107
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 107
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 108
E-Mail, Modem, and Internet Problems . . . . . . . . . 109
Error Messages
ExpressCard Problems
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 110
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 115
IEEE 1394 Device Problems . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 116
Keyboard Problems
External keyboard problems
Unexpected characters
Lockups and Software Problems
The computer does not start
The computer stops responding
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 116
. . . . . . . . . . . . 116
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . 117
. . . . . . . . . . . . 118
. . . . . . . . . . . . 118
. . . . . . . . . . 118
A program stops responding or crashes repeatedly
A program is designed for an earlier Microsoft
®
Windows® operating system . . . . . 118
A solid blue screen appears
Dell MediaDirect problems
Other software problems
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 118
. . . . . . . . . . . . 119
. . . . . . . . . . . . . 119
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . 120
8 Contents
Memory Problems
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 120
Network Problems . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 121
Mobile Broadband (Wireless Wide Area Network [WWAN])
. . . . . 122
Power Problems . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 122
Printer Problems
Scanner Problems
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
If the display is difficult to read
If only part of the display is readable
Drivers
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 129
What is a Driver?
Identifying Drivers
Reinstalling Drivers and Utilities
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 124
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 124
. . . . . . . . . . . . . 125
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. . . . . . . . . . . . 126
. . . . . . . . . . . . . 126
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . 127
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 127
. . . . . . . . . . 128
. . . . . . . 129
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 129
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 130
. . . . . . . . . . 130
Troubleshooting Software and Hardware Problems in the Windows Vista™ Operating System
. . . . . . . 132
Restoring Your Operating System . . . . . . . . . . . . 133
Using Windows Vista System Restore
. . . . . . . 134
Contents 9
12 Adding and Replacing Parts . . . . . . . . . 137
Before You Begin . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 137
Recommended Tools
Turning Off Your Computer
Before Working Inside Your Computer
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 137
. . . . . . . . . . . . . 137
. . . . . . . 138
Hard Drive
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 139
Removing the Hard Drive
Replacing the Hard Drive
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . 140
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . 141
Returning a Hard Drive to Dell
Optical Drive
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 142
Removing the Optical Drive
Replacing the Optical Drive
Hinge Cover
Keyboard
Memory
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 143
Removing the Hinge Cover
Replacing the Hinge Cover
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 145
Removing the Keyboard
Replacing the Keyboard
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 147
. . . . . . . . . . . . . 144
. . . . . . . . . . . . . 144
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . 145
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . 146
Removing the DIMM A Memory Module
Replacing the DIMM A Memory Module
Removing the DIMM B Memory Module
Replacing the DIMM B Memory Module
. . . . . . . . . . . 142
. . . . . . . . . . . . 142
. . . . . . . . . . . . 143
. . . . . . 148
. . . . . 149
. . . . . . 150
. . . . . 152
10 Contents
Subscriber Identity Module
Wireless Mini Cards
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 154
Removing a WLAN Card
Replacing a WLAN Card
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 153
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . 155
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . 157
Removing a Mobile Broadband or WWAN Card
Replacing a WWAN Card
Removing a WPAN Card
Replacing a WPAN Card
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 158
. . . . . . . . . . . . . 160
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . 161
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . 162
Flash Cache Module
Removing the FCM
Replacing the FCM
Internal Card With Bluetooth
®
Wireless Technology . . . . . . . . . . . . 164
Removing the Card
Replacing the Card
Coin-Cell Battery
Removing the Coin-Cell Battery
Replacing the Coin-Cell Battery
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 162
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 162
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 163
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 164
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 165
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 165
. . . . . . . . . . 166
. . . . . . . . . . 166
13 Dell™ QuickSet Features . . . . . . . . . . . 167
14 Traveling With Your Computer
Identifying Your Computer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 169
Packing the Computer
Travel Tips
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 170
Traveling by Air
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 169
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 170
. . . . . . . 169
Contents 11
15 Getting Help . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 171
Obtaining Assistance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 171
Technical Support and Customer Service
DellConnect
Online Services
AutoTech Service
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 172
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 172
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 173
Automated Order-Status Service
. . . . . 172
. . . . . . . . . 173
Problems With Your Order
Product Information
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 174
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 174
Returning Items for Warranty Repair or Credit . . . . . 174
Before You Call
Contacting Dell
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 175
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 177
16 Specifications . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 179
A Appendix
Using the System Setup Program . . . . . . . . . . . . 187
Cleaning Your Computer
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 187
Viewing the System Setup Screen
System Setup Screen
Commonly Used Options
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 188
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . 188
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 190
Computer, Keyboard, and Display
Touch Pad
Mouse
Media
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 191
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 191
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 192
. . . . . . . . . 188
. . . . . . . . . 190
12 Contents
Dell Technical Support Policy (U.S. Only) . . . . . . . 192
Definition of "Dell-Installed" Software and Peripherals
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 193
Definition of "Third-Party" Software and Peripherals
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 193
FCC Notice (U.S. Only)
FCC Class B
Macrovision Product Notice
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 193
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 193
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . 194
Glossary . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 195
Index
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 213
Contents 13
14 Contents

Finding Information

NOTE: Some features may be optional and may not ship with your computer. Some
features 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
• Device documentation
• Notebook System Software (NSS)
Drivers and Utilities Media
Documentation and drivers are already installed on your computer. You can use the Drivers and Utilities media to reinstall drivers (see "Reinstalling Drivers and Utilities" on page 130) or run the Dell Diagnostics (see "Dell Diagnostics" on page 99).
Readme files may be included on your Drivers and Utilities media to provide last-minute updates about technical changes to your computer or advanced technical-reference material for technicians or experienced users.
NOTE: Drivers and documentation updates
can be found at support.dell.com.
Finding Information 15
What Are You Looking For? Find It Here
• Warranty information
• Terms and Conditions (U.S. only)
• Safety instructions
• Regulatory information
• Ergonomics information
• End User License Agreement
Dell™ Product Information Guide
• How to set up my computer
• Service Tag and Express Service Code
• Microsoft
®
Windows® Product Key
Setup Diagram
Service Tag and Microsoft Windows Product Key
These labels are located on your computer.
• Use the Service Tag to identify your computer when you use
support.dell.com
• Enter the Express Service Code to direct your call when contacting support.
or contact support.
NOTE: As an increased security measure,
the newly designed Microsoft Windows license label incorporates a "security portal," which looks like a missing portion of the label, to discourage removal of the label.
16 Finding Information
What Are You Looking For? Find It Here
• Solutions — Troubleshooting hints and tips, articles from technicians, online courses, and frequently asked questions
• Community — Online discussion with
Dell Support Website — support.dell.com
NOTE: Select your region or business
segment to view the appropriate support site.
other Dell customers
• Upgrades — Upgrade information for components, such as the memory, hard drive, and operating system
• Customer Care — Contact information, service call and order status, and warranty and repair information
• Service and support — Service call status, support history, service contract, and online discussions with support
• Dell Technical Update Service — Proactive e-mail notification of software and hardware updates for your computer
• 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 on your computer, you should also reinstall the NSS utility. NSS automatically detects your computer and operating system, and installs the updates appropriate for your configuration, providing 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.
To download Notebook System Software:
1
Go to
support.dell.com
country/region, and then click
& Downloads
2
Enter your Service Tag or product model, and then click
3
Select your operating system and language, and then click
Downloads Search
Notebook System Software
NOTE: The support.dell.com user interface
may vary depending on your selections.
, select your
.
Go
.
Find
, or under
Downloads
, search for the keyword
.
Drivers
Finding Information 17
What Are You Looking For? Find It Here
• Software upgrades and troubleshooting hints — Frequently asked questions, hot topics, and general health of your computing environment
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 on the taskbar. For more information, see "Dell Support Center
• How to use Microsoft Windows Vista™
• How to work with programs and files
• How to personalize my desktop
Windows Help and Support
1
Click the Windows Vista Start button
, and then click
2
In
Search Help
that describes your problem, and then press <Enter> or click the magnifying glass.
3
Click the topic that describes your problem.
4
Follow the instructions on the screen.
• Information on network activity, the Power Management Wizard, hotkeys, and other items controlled by Dell QuickSet.
Dell QuickSet Help
To view Dell QuickSet Help, right-click the Dell QuickSet icon in the Windows notification area.
For more information on Dell QuickSet, see "Dell™ QuickSet Features" on page 167.
" on page 104
Help and Support
, type a word or phrase
.
.
18 Finding Information
What Are You Looking For? Find It Here
• How to reinstall my operating system
Operating System Media
The operating system is already installed on your computer. To reinstall your operating system, use one of the following methods:
• Microsoft Windows System Restore — Microsoft Windows System Restore returns your computer to an earlier operating state without affecting data files.
• Dell PC Restore — Dell PC Restore returns your computer to its original operating state. Dell PC Restore may not ship with your computer.
• Operating System Installation Media — If you received operating system media with your computer, you can use it to restore your operating system.
For more information, see "Restoring Your Operating System" on page 133.
After you reinstall your operating system, use the Drivers and Utilities media to reinstall drivers for the devices that came with your computer.
Your operating system product key label is located on your computer.
NOTE: The color of your operating system
installation media varies according to the operating system you ordered.
Finding Information 19
20 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:
1
C
lick Start
2
Under
and diagnose problems.
3
Under
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.
, and then click
Pick a Task
My Computer Information
, click
Help and Support
Use Tools to view your computer information
, select
.
Hardware
.
About Your Computer 21

Front View

1
2
14
13
12
3
4
5
6
7
11
22 About Your Computer
10
9 8
1 camera indicator (optional) 2 camera (optional)
3 display latch 4 display
5 power button 6 keyboard
7 device status lights 8 touch pad
9 consumer IR 10 media control buttons
11 touch pad buttons 12 Dell™ MediaDirect™ button
13 keyboard status lights 14 digital array microphones
CAMERA INDICATOR — Indicates that the camera is turned on. Based on
configuration selections you made when ordering your computer, your computer may not include a camera.
CAMERA — Built-in camera for video capture, conferencing, and chat. Based on
configuration selections you made when ordering your computer, your computer may not include a camera.
DISPLAY LATCH Keeps the display closed.
DISPLAY For more information about your display, see "Using the Display" on
page 45.
POWER BUTTON — Press the power button to turn on the computer or exit a power
management mode (see "Configuring Power Management Settings" on page 50).
NOTICE: To avoid losing data, turn off your computer by performing a Microsoft
®
Windows® operating system shutdown rather than by pressing the power button.
If the computer stops responding, press and hold the power button until the computer turns off completely (may take several seconds).
KEYBOARD — For more information about the keyboard, see "Using the Keyboard and
Touch Pad" on page 41.
About Your Computer 23
DEVICE STATUS LIGHTS
The blue lights located to the right of the keyboard indicate the following:
Power light – Turns on when you turn on the computer, and blinks when the computer is in a power management mode.
Hard drive activity light – 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.
Battery status light – Turns on steadily or blinks to indicate battery charge status.
WiFi status light – Turns on when wireless networking is enabled. To enable or disable wireless networking, use the wireless switch (see "wireless switch" on page 27).
24 About Your Computer
®
Bluetooth
status light – Turns on when a card with Bluetooth wireless
technology is enabled.
NOTE: The card with Bluetooth wireless technology is an optional feature.
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 then click Disable Bluetooth Radio.
To quickly enable or disable all wireless devices, use the wireless switch (see "wireless switch" on page 27).
If the computer is connected to an electrical outlet, the light operates as follows:
– Solid blue: The battery is charging. – Flashing blue: The battery is almost fully charged. – Off: The battery is adequately 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 amber: The battery charge is low. – Solid
amber
: The battery charge is critically low.
TOUCH PAD Provides the functionality of a mouse (see "Touch Pad" on page 43).
TOUCH PAD BUTTONS — Use these buttons much like the buttons on a mouse when
you use the touch pad to move the cursor on the display (see "Touch Pad" on page 43).
MEDIA CONTROL BUTTONS — Control CD, DVD, Blu-ray Disc™ (BD), and Media
Player playback.
Mute Play the previous track
Turn the volume down Play the next track
Turn the volume up Stop
Play or pause
About Your Computer 25
DELL MEDIADIRECTBUTTON Press the Dell MediaDirect button to launch Dell MediaDirect (see "Using Dell MediaDirect™" on page 62).
KEYBOARD STATUS LIGHTS
The blue lights located above the keyboard indicate the following:
Turns on when the numeric keypad (Num Lock) is enabled.
9
Turns on when the uppercase letter (Caps Lock) function is
A
enabled.
Turns on when the scroll lock function is enabled.
DIGITAL ARRAY MICROPHONES — Built-in microphone for conferencing and chat.
26 About Your Computer

Left Side View

1 45632
1 security cable slot 2 air vents
3 hard drive 4 ExpressCard slot
5 wireless switch 6 Wi-Fi Catcher light
SECURITY CABLE SLOT — Lets you attach a commercially available antitheft device
to the computer (see "Security Cable Lock" on page 95).
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 VENTS — The computer uses an internal fan to create airflow through the vents,
which prevents the computer from overheating. The computer turns the fan on when the computer gets hot. Fan noise is normal and does not indicate a problem with the fan or the computer.
HARD DRIVE — Stores software and data.
E
XPRESSCARD SLOT — Supports one ExpressCard. The computer ships with a
plastic blank installed in the slot. For more information see "Using ExpressCards" on page 79.
WIRELESS SWITCH — When enabled through Dell QuickSet, this switch can scan for
a wireless local area network (WLAN) in your vicinity. You can also use it to rapidly turn off or on any wireless devices such as WLAN cards and internal cards with Bluetooth wireless technology (see "Dell Wi-Fi Catcher™ Network Locator" on page 94).
About Your Computer 27
1 2 3 4
1 off position Disables wireless devices.
2 on position Enables wireless devices.
3 momentary position Scans for WLAN networks (see "Dell Wi-Fi Catcher™
Network Locator" on page 94).
4 Wi-Fi Catcher light
NOTE: The Wi-Fi Catcher Network Locator light appears only when the system is
switched off and Wi-Fi is activated in BIOS.
• Flashing green: Searching for networks
• Solid green: Strong network found
• Solid yellow: Weak network found
• Flashing yellow: Error
• Off: No signal found

Right Side View

2
1
3
10 8 7 546911
28 About Your Computer
1 battery status light 2 hard drive activity light
3 power light 4 USB connectors (2)
5 network connector (RJ-45) 6 video connector
7 IEEE 1394 connector 8 8-in-1 memory card reader
9 eject button 10 optical drive
11 audio connectors
AUDIO CONNECTORS
Attach headphones to the connector.
Attach a microphone to the connector.
OPTICAL
DRIVE For more information about the optical drive see "Using
Multimedia" on page 55.
EJECT BUTTON Press the eject button to open the optical drive.
IN-1 MEMORY CARD READER — Provides a fast and convenient way to view and
8-
share digital photos, music, and videos stored on a memory card. The computer ships with a plastic blank installed in the slot. The 8-in-1 memory card reader reads the following digital memory cards:
• Secure Digital (SD) memory card
• Secure Digital Input/Output (SDIO) card
• MultiMediaCard (MMC)
About Your Computer 29
•Memory Stick
• Memory Stick PRO
• xD-Picture Card
• Hi Speed-SD
• Hi Density-SD
IEEE 1394 CONNECTOR Connects devices supporting IEEE 1394 high-speed transfer rates, such as some digital video cameras.
VIDEO CONNECTOR
Connects video devices, such as a monitor.
NETWORK
CONNECTOR (RJ-45)
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 two lights next to the connector indicate status and activity for wired network connections.
For information on using the network adapter, see the device user’s guide supplied with your computer.
CONNECTORS
USB
Connect USB devices, such as a mouse, keyboard, or printer.
30 About Your Computer
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