INSPIRON™
SETUP GUIDE
INSPIRON™
SETUP GUIDE
Models DCME and DCMF
Notes, Cautions, and Warnings
NOTE: A NOTE indicates important information that helps you make better use of your computer.
CAUTION: A CAUTION indicates either potential damage to hardware or loss of data and tells you how to avoid the problem.
WARNING: A WARNING indicates a potential for property damage, personal injury, or death.
If you purchased a Dell™ n Series computer, any references in this document to Microsoft® Windows® operating systems are not applicable.
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Information in this document is subject to change without notice. © 2009 Dell Inc. All rights reserved.
Reproduction of these materials 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, Dell On Call, and DellConnect are trademarks of Dell Inc.; Intel, Pentium, and Celeron are registered trademarks and Core is a trademark of Intel Corporation in the U.S. and other countries; AMD, AMD Sempron, AMD Athlon, and AMD Phenom are trademarks of Advanced Micro Devices, Inc; Microsoft, Windows, Windows Vista, and the Windows Vista start button logo 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.
February 2009 P/N F970N Rev. A00
Contents |
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Setting Up Your Inspiron™ Desktop |
5 |
Before Setting Up Your Computer |
5 |
Connect the Display |
6 |
Connect the Keyboard and Mouse |
8 |
Connect the Network Cable (Optional) |
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Connect the Power Cables to Your |
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Display and Computer |
9 |
Windows Vista® Setup |
10 |
Connect to the Internet (Optional) |
11 |
Using Your Inspiron™ Desktop 14
Front View Features 14 Back View Features 16 Software Features 18
Solving Problems 21
Network Problems 21 Power Problems 23
Memory Problems 24 Lockups and Software Problems 25
Using Support Tools 28
Dell Support Center 28 Beep Codes 29 System Messages 30 Hardware Troubleshooter 32 Dell Diagnostics 32
System Recovery Options 35
System Restore 36 Dell Factory Image Restore 37 Operating System Reinstallation 38
Getting Help 40
Technical Support and Customer
Service 41 DellConnect™ 41
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Contents
Online Services 42 Automated Order-Status Service 43 Product Information 43
Returning Items for Repair Under
Warranty or for Credit 44 Before You Call 45 Contacting Dell 46
Finding More Information and
Resources 48 Specifications 50 Appendix 55
Macrovision Product Notice 55
Index 56
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This section provides information about setting up your Inspiron 535/537/545/546 desktop and connecting peripherals.
WARNING: Before you begin any of the
procedures in this section, read the safety information that shipped with your computer. For additional safety best practice information, see the Regulatory
Compliance Homepage at www.dell.com/ regulatory_compliance.
When positioning your computer, ensure that you allow easy access to a power source, adequate ventilation, and a level surface to place your computer.
Restricting airflow around your computer may cause it to overheat. To prevent overheating ensure that you leave at least 10.2 cm (4 inches) at the back of the computer and a minimum of 5.1 cm (2 inches) on all other sides. You should never place your computer in an enclosed space, such as a cabinet or drawer when it is powered on.
INSPIRON
5
Setting Up Your Inspiron™ Desktop
Your computer has an integrated VGA video connector. You can use this connector to connect to the display.
NOTE: A DVI or HDMI connector may be available on your computer if you purchased an optional discrete graphics card.
Refer to the following table when identifying the connectors on your display and computer to select the connection type you will use.
VGA
HDMI
DVI
Connect the display using either the VGA connector, the HDMI connector, or the DVI connector.
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•The VGA connector carries only video signals for displays such as monitors and projectors.
•The HDMI connector is a high-performance digital connector that carries both video and audio signals for displays such as TVs and monitors with integrated speakers.
Connect Using the VGA Connector
Connect the display using a VGA cable (with blue connectors at both ends).
Connect Using the HDMI Connector
If your display has a DVI connector, use a DVI cable (with white connectors at both ends) with an HDMI-to-DVI adapter.
NOTE: You can purchase an HDMI-to-DVI adapter from the Dell website at www.dell.com.
Setting Up Your Inspiron™ Desktop
Connect Using the DVI Connector
If your display has a VGA connector, use the VGA cable (with blue connectors at both ends) with a DVI-to-VGA adapter.
NOTE: You can purchase a DVI-to-VGA adapter from the Dell website at www.dell.com.
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Setting Up Your Inspiron™ Desktop
NOTE: The exact location of connectors may be different than what is shown.
Use the USB connectors on the back panel of the computer to connect a USB keyboard and mouse.
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NOTE: The exact location of connectors may be different than what is shown.
A network connection is not required to complete your computer setup, but if you have an existing network or Internet connection that uses a cable connection (such as a home cable modem or Ethernet jack), you can connect it now. Use only an Ethernet cable
(RJ45 connector). Do not plug a telephone cable (RJ11 connector) into the network connector.
To attach your computer to a network or broadband device, connect one end of the network cable to either a network port or a broadband device. Connect the other end of the network cable to the network adapter connector on the back panel of your computer. A click indicates that the network cable has been securely attached.
Setting Up Your Inspiron™ Desktop
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Setting Up Your Inspiron™ Desktop
Press the Power Button on Your Computer and Display
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To set up Windows Vista for the first time, follow the instructions on the screen. These steps are mandatory and may take up to 15 minutes to complete. The screens will take you through several procedures including accepting license agreements, setting preferences, and setting up an Internet connection.
CAUTION: Do not interrupt the operating system’s setup process. Doing so may render your computer unusable.
NOTE: ISPs and ISP offerings vary by country.
To connect to the Internet, you need an external modem or network connection and an Internet service provider (ISP). Your ISP will offer one or more of the following Internet connection options:
•DSL connections that provide high-speed Internet access through your existing telephone line or cellular telephone service. 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.
•Satellite modem connections that provide high-speed Internet access through a satellite television system.
Setting Up Your Inspiron™ Desktop
•Dial-up connections that provide Internet access through a telephone line. Dial up connections are considerably slower than DSL and cable (or satellite) modem connections. Your computer does not have an integrated modem. An optional USB
modem must be used for dial-up service with this computer.
•Wireless LAN (WLAN) connections that provide Internet access using WiFi 802.11 technology. Wireless LAN support requires optional internal components that may or may not be installed in your computer based on decisions made at the time of purchase.
NOTE: If an external USB modem or WLAN adapter is not part of your original order, you can purchase one from the Dell website at www.dell.com.
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Setting Up Your Inspiron™ Desktop
Setting Up a Wired Internet Connection
If you are using a dial-up connection, connect the telephone line to the external USB modem (optional) and to the telephone wall jack before you set up your Internet connection. If you
are using a DSL or cable/satellite modem connection, contact your ISP or cellular telephone service for setup instructions.
Setting Up a Wireless Connection
Before you can use your wireless Internet connection, you need to connect to your wireless router. To set up your connection to a wireless router:
1.Save and close any open files, and exit any open programs.
2.Click Start → Connect To.
3.Follow the instructions on the screen to complete the setup.
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Setting Up Your Internet Connection
To set up an Internet connection with a provided ISP desktop shortcut:
1.Save and close any open files, and exit any open programs.
2.Double-click the ISP icon on the Microsoft® Windows® desktop.
3.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, perform the steps in the following section.
NOTE: 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.
NOTE: Have your ISP information ready. If you do not have an ISP, the Connect to the Internet wizard can help you get one.
1.Save and close any open files, and exit any open programs.
2.Click Start → Control Panel.
3.Under Network and Internet, click Connect to the Internet.
The Connect to the Internet window appears.
4.Click either Broadband (PPPoE) or Dial-up, depending on how you want to connect:
––Choose Broadband if you will use a DSL, satellite modem, cable TV modem, or Bluetooth® wireless technology connection.
––Chose Dial-up if you will use an optional USB dial-up modem or ISDN.
Setting Up Your Inspiron™ Desktop
NOTE: If you do not know which type of connection to select, click Help me choose or contact your ISP.
5.Follow the instructions on the screen and use the setup information provided by your ISP to complete the setup.
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INSPIRON
Your computer has indicators and buttons |
Front View Features |
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that provide information and enable you to |
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perform common tasks. The connectors on |
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your computer provide the option of attaching |
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additional devices. |
9 |
1 |
8 2 7 3 6
4
5
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1Optical drive panel eject button (2) —
Press to open or close the optical drive.
2 USB 2.0 connectors (2) — Connects to USB devices such as memory keys, digital cameras, and MP3 players.
3 Headphone connector — Connects to headphones.
NOTE: To connect to a powered speaker or sound system, use the audio out connector on the back of your computer.
4 Power button — Press to turn computer on or off. The light in the center of this button indicates the power state:
•Solid white — the computer is in power-on state.
•Blinking amber — there may be a problem with the system board.
Using Your Inspiron™ Desktop
•Solid amber — the computer is in sleep state.
•Power light is off — the computer is either turned off or is not receiving power.
5 Hard drive activity light — The hard drive activity light is on when the computer reads data from or writes data to the hard drive.
6FlexBay panel — Open the FlexBay panel to access the FlexBay drive.
7 Microphone connector — Connects to a microphone for voice or to an audio cable for audio input.
8FlexBay — Supports a Media Card Reader, or an additional hard drive.
9Optical drive panel (2) — This panel covers the optical drive. Use the optical drive to play a CD/DVD/Blu-ray Disc™.
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Using Your Inspiron™ Desktop
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3
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1Power connector — For power cable connection. Appearance may vary.
2Voltage selector switch — For selecting the voltage rating.
3Power supply diagnostic light —
Indicates power availability for power supply.
•Green light — Power is available for the power supply.
•No light — Power is not available or the power supply is not working.
NOTE: The power supply diagnostic light may not be available on some models.
4Back panel connectors — Plug USB, audio, and other devices into the appropriate connector.
5Expansion card slots — Access connectors for any installed PCI and PCI express cards.
Back Panel Connectors
NOTE: Some back panel connectors may not be available on your computer. For details, see “Specifications” on page 50.
VGA video connector —
Connects to the display.
On computers with a video card, use the connector on the card.
HDMI video connector —
Connects to the display.
On computers with a video card, use the connector on the card.
USB 2.0 connectors (4) —
Connects to USB devices, such as a mouse, keyboard, printer, external drive, or MP3 player.
Using Your Inspiron™ Desktop
Network connector and light —
Connects your computer to a network or broadband device. The network activity light flashes when the computer is transmitting or receiving data. A high volume of network traffic may make this light appear to be in a steady “on” state.
Side L/R surround connector (silver) — Connects to surround sound speakers.
Rear L/R surround connector (black) — Connects to multichannel-capable sound speakers.
Center/subwoofer connector (orange) — Connects to a subwoofer.
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Using Your Inspiron™ Desktop
Microphone connector (pink) —
Connects to a microphone for voice or audio input into a sound or telephony program.
Line-out connector (green) —
Connects to headphones and speakers with integrated amplifiers.
Line-in connector (blue) —
Connects to devices like cassette or CD players.
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NOTE: For more information about the features described in this section, see the
Dell Technology Guide available on your hard drive or on the Dell Support website at support.dell.com.
Productivity and Communication
You can use your computer to create presentations, brochures, greeting cards, fliers, and spreadsheets. You can also edit and view digital photographs and images. Check your purchase order for software installed on your computer.
After connecting to the Internet, you can access websites, setup an e-mail account, upload and download files, and so on.