Dell Inspiron 1520 User Manual

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Dell™ Inspiron™ 1520 Owner’s Manual

Model PP22L

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.

____________________

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, W i-F i Catcher , and Dell MediaDir ect 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 PP22L

October 2007 P/N UX862 Rev. A03

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

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

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

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 32

2 Setting Up Your Computer . . . . . . . . . . . . 35

Connecting to the Internet . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 35

Setting Up Your Internet Connection

Transferring Information to a New Computer

Windows Easy Transfer

Setting Up a Printer

Printer Cable

Connecting a USB Printer

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

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

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

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

. . . . . . . . 36

. . . . . 37

Contents 3

Power Protection Devices . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 39

Surge Protectors

Line Conditioners

Uninterruptible Power Supplies

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

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

. . . . . . . . . . 40

3 Using the Display . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 41

Adjusting Brightness . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 41

Using a Projector

Making Images and Text Look Bigger or Sharper

Microsoft

Windows Vista

Using Both a Monitor and Your Computer Display

Microsoft Windows XP

Windows Vista

Setting Display Resolution and Refresh Rate

Microsoft Windows XP

Windows Vista

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

. . . 41

Windows® XP . . . . . . . . . . . . . 42

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 42

. . . 43

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

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

. . . . . . 44

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 45

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 45

4 Using the Keyboard and Touchpad . . . . . 47

Numeric Keypad . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 47

Key Combinations

System Functions

Display Functions

Battery

Power Management

Microsoft

Dell™ QuickSet Key Combinations

Adjusting Keyboard Settings

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

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

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

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

Windows® Logo Key Functions . . . . 49

. . . . . . . . . 49

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

4 Contents

Touch Pad . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 50

Customizing the Touch Pad

. . . . . . . . . . . . 51

5 Using a Battery . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 53

Battery Performance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 53

Checking the Battery Charge

Dell QuickSet Battery Meter

Microsoft

Charge Gauge

Windows® Battery Meter . . . . . . . 55

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

Low-Battery Warning

Conserving Battery Power

Power Management Modes

Standby and Sleep Mode

Hibernate Mode

Configuring Power Management Settings

Accessing Power Options Properties

Charging the Battery

Replacing the Battery

Storing a Battery

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

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . 54

. . . . . . . . . . . . 54

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

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

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

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 57

. . . . . . . 58

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

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 59

6 Using Multimedia . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 61

Playing Media . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 61

Playing Media Using Dell Travel Remote (Optional)

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

Contents 5

Copying CD, DVD, and Blu-ray Disc™ (BD) Media . . . 64

How to Copy a CD, DVD, or BD

Using Blank CD, DVD, and BD Media

Helpful Tips

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

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

. . . . . . . 65

Adjusting the Volume

Adjusting the Picture

Using Dell MediaDirect™

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

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

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

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

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 69

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

. . . . . . . . . 73

. . . . . . . 75

. . . . 77

. . . . . . 79

. . . . 81

. . . . . . . 84

7 Using ExpressCards . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 87

ExpressCard Blanks . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 87

Installing an ExpressCard

Removing an ExpressCard or Blank

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 88

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

8 Using the Memory Card Reader . . . . . . . 91

6 Contents

Memory Card Blanks . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 91

Installing a Memory Card

Removing a Memory Card or Blank

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

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

9 Setting Up and Using Networks . . . . . . . 93

Connecting a Network or Broadband Modem Cable

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

Setting Up a Network

Windows XP

Windows Vista

Wireless Local Area Network

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

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

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

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

What You Need to Establish a WLAN Connection

Checking Your Wireless Network Card

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

. . . . . . 95

Setting Up a New WLAN Using a Wireless Router and a Broadband Modem

Connecting to a WLAN

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

. . . . 96

Mobile Broadband (or Wireless Wide Area Network)

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

What You Need to Establish a Mobile Broadband Network Connection

Checking Your Dell Mobile Broadband Card

. . . . . . . . . 100

. . . . 100

Connecting to a Mobile Broadband Network

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 101

Enabling/Disabling the Dell Mobile Broadband Card

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

Dell Wi-Fi Catcher™ Network Locator . . . . . . . . . 102

10 Securing Your Computer . . . . . . . . . . . . 103

Security Cable Lock . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 103

Passwords . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 104

If Your Computer Is Lost or Stolen

. . . . . . . . . . . 105

Contents 7

11 Troubleshooting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 107

Dell Technical Update Service . . . . . . . . . . . . . 107

Dell Diagnostics

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 107

Dell Support Center . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 111

Dell Support 3

Dell PC Tune-Up

Dell PC CheckUp

Dell Network Assistant

DellConnect

Drive Problems

Optical drive problems

Hard drive problems

E-Mail, Modem, and Internet Problems

Error Messages

ExpressCard Problems

IEEE 1394 Device Problems

Keyboard Problems

External Keyboard problems

Unexpected characters

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

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 113

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 113

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

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 115

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 116

. . . . . . . . . 117

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

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

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

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

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

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . 126

8 Contents

Lockups and Software Problems

The computer does not start

The computer stops responding

A program stops responding or crashes repeatedly

A program is designed for an earlier Microsoft

Windows® operating system . . . . . 127

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 127

A solid blue screen appears

. . . . . . . . . . . . 127

. . . . . . . . . . 127

. . . . . . . . . . . . 128

Dell MediaDirect problems . . . . . . . . . . . . 128

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 140) or run the Dell Diagnostics (see "Dell Diagnostics" on page 107).

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

•

How to set up my computer

Dell™ Product Information Guide

Setup Diagram

NOTE: See the setup diagram that came

with your computer.

•

How to remove and replace parts

•

Specifications

•

How to configure system settings

•

How to troubleshoot and solve problems

•

Service Tag and Express Service Code

•

Microsoft® Windows® Product Key

Microsoft Windows XP and Windows

Vista

Help and Support Center

Click

Start→ Dell User and System Guides System Guides

Click the

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

NOTE: If your operating system is

Windows XP, this label might look different.

Help and Support→

User’s Guide

for your computer.

or contact support.

→

16 Finding Information

•

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

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:

Go to

support.dell.com

country/region, and then click

Drivers & Downloads

Enter your Service Tag or product model, and then click

Select your operating system and language, and then click

Downloads

search for the keyword

Software

NOTE: The support.dell.com user

interface may vary depending on your selections.

, or under

Downloads Search

Notebook System

, select your

Find

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 Windows XP or Windows Vista

•

How to work with programs and files

•

How to personalize my desktop

Microsoft Windows XP and Windows Vista Help and Support Center

Click

Start→

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.

•

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 183.

" on page 111

Help and Support

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 144.

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 Click

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.

Start

Under

Pick a Task

and diagnose problems.

Under

My Computer Information

, and then click

, click

Help and Support

Use Tools to view your computer information

, select

Hardware

About Your Computer 21

Front View

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

22 About Your Computer

CAMERA INDICATOR — Indicates that the camera is 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 41.

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

management mode (see "Power Management Modes" on page 56).

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 Touchpad" on page 47.

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 50).

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 50).

MEDIA CONTROL BUTTONS — Control CD, DVD, Blu-ray Disc™ (BD), and Media

Player playback.

Mute the sound. 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 MEDIADIRECT™ BUTTON — Press the Dell MediaDirect button to launch Dell MediaDirect (see "Using Dell MediaDirect™" on page 68).

KEYBOARD STATUS LIGHTS

The blue lights located above the keyboard indicate the following:

Turns on when the numeric keypad is enabled.

Turns on when the uppercase letter (caps lock) function is 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 2563 4

1 security cable slot 2 wireless switch

3 Wi-Fi Catcher light 4 air vents

5 audio connectors 6 ExpressCard slot

SECURITY CABLE SLOT — Lets you attach a commercially available antitheft device

to the computer (see "Security Cable Lock" on page 103).

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 102).

1 2 3 4

1 off Disables wireless devices.

2 on Enables wireless devices.

3 momentary Scans for WLAN networks (see "Dell Wi-Fi

Catcher™ Network Locator" on page 102).

4 Wi-Fi Catcher light

• Flashing green: Searching for networks

• Solid green: Strong network found

• Solid yellow: Weak network found

• Flashing yellow: Error

• Off: No signal found

About Your Computer 27

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.

AUDIO CONNECTORS

Attach headphones to the connector.

Attach a microphone to the connector.

EXPRESSCARD SLOT — Supports one ExpressCard. The computer ships with a plastic blank installed in the slot. For more information, see "Using ExpressCards" on page 87.

28 About Your Computer

Right Side View

4 6 7

1 battery status light 2 hard drive activity light

3 power light 4 optical drive

5 eject button 6 8-in-1 memory card reader

7 IEEE 1394 connector 8 video connector (VGA)

9 network connector (RJ-45) 10 USB connectors (2)

OPTICAL DRIVE — For more information about the optical drive, see "Using

Multimedia" on page 61.

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

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

• SDIO card

• MultiMediaCard (MMC)

•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.

910

About Your Computer 29

VIDEO CONNECTOR

Connects video devices, such as a monitor.

NETWORK

USB

CONNECTOR (RJ-45)

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

Connect USB devices, such as a mouse, keyboard, or printer.

Back View

1 2

1 S-video TV-out connector 2 USB connectors (2)

3 AC adapter connector 4 battery

5 modem connector (RJ-11)

30 About Your Computer

S-VIDEO TV-OUT CONNECTOR

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

USB CONNECTORS

Connect USB devices, such as a mouse, keyboard, or printer.

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 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.

About Your Computer 31

MODEM CONNECTOR (RJ-11)

Connect the telephone line to the modem connector.

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

Bottom View

1 left speaker 2 memory module/coin-cell battery compartment

3 consumer IR 4 right speaker

5 wireless mini card compartment 6 battery

7 battery charge/health gauge 8 battery-bay latch releases (2)

9 fan 10 hard drive

2 34

32 About Your Computer

LEFT SPEAKER — To adjust the volume of the integrated speaker, press the volume

control buttons or the mute button.

MEMORY MODULE/COIN-CELL BATTERY COMPARTMENT — Compartment that

contains the DIMM B memory module and the coin-cell battery. For additional information, see "Adding and Replacing Parts" on page 153.

CONSUMER IR — Infrared sensor for the Dell Travel Remote.

RIGHT SPEAKER — To adjust the volume of the integrated speaker, press the volume

control buttons or the mute button.

WIRELESS MINI CARD COMPARTMENT — Compartment for WLAN, WWAN, or

WPAN Mini Cards (see "Wireless Mini Cards" on page 170).

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

connecting the computer to an electrical outlet (see "Using a Battery" on page 53).

BATTERY CHARGE/HEALTH GAUGE — Provides information on the battery charge (see

"Checking the Battery Charge" on page 54).

BATTERY-BAY LATCH RELEASES — Releases the battery (see "Replacing the Battery"

on page 59 for instructions).

FAN — The computer uses a 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.

About Your Computer 33

34 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:

• 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.

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

• Wireless Wide Area Network (WWAN) or Mobile Broadband technology provides a connection to the Internet using cellular technology at broadband rates.

• Wireless Local Area Network (WLAN) connections use high-frequency radio waves to communicate. Typically, a wireless router is connected to the broadband cable or DSL modem that broadcasts the Internet signal to your computer.

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, cable, or satellite modem connection, contact your ISP or cellular telephone service for setup instructions.

Setting Up Your Computer 35

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.

NOTE: If you are having problems connecting to the Internet, see "E-Mail, Modem,

and Internet Problems" on page 117. If you cannot connect to the Internet, but have successfully connected in the past, the ISP may 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 obtain one.

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

Start

Under

Network and Internet

The

Connect to the Internet

Click either you want to connect:

• Choose satellite modem.

• Choose WLAN card.

• Choose

, and then click

Control Panel

, click

Connect to the Internet

window appears.

Broadband (PPPoE), Wireless

Broadband

Wireless

Dial-up

if you will use a DSL modem, cable TV modem, or

if you will use a wireless connection through a

if you will use a dial-up modem or ISDN.

, or

Dial-up

, depending on how

NOTE: If you do not know which type of connection to select, click Help me

choose or contact your ISP.

Follow the instructions on the screen and use the setup information provided by your ISP to complete the setup.

36 Setting Up Your Computer

Transferring Information to a New Computer

You can transfer the following types of data from one computer to another:

• E-mail messages

• Toolbar settings

• Window sizes

• Internet bookmarks

Use one of the following methods for transferring data:

• Windows Easy Transfer wizard, an Easy Transfer Cable, and a USB port

• Over a network

• Removable media, such as a writable CD

Windows Easy Transfer

Click

Start →

Easy Transfer

In the

User Account Control

Click

Start a new transfer

Follow the instructions in the Windows Easy Transfer wizard.

All Programs→

Accessories→

dialog box, click

Continue a transfer in progress

System Tools→ Windows

Continue

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.

Setting Up Your Computer 37

Printer Cable

Your printer connects to your computer with a USB 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 computer’s shipping box.

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.

1 USB connector on computer 2 USB connector on printer

3 USB printer cable

38 Setting Up Your Computer

Turn on the printer, and then turn on the computer.

If the

Add New Hardware Wizard

Click

Start

Click

Add a printer

NOTE: To install the printer driver, see "Reinstalling Drivers and Utilities" on

page 140 and the documentation that came with your printer.

Click

Add a local printer

Follow the instructions in the Add Printer Wizard.

, and then click

to start the Add Printer Wizard.

window appears, click

Cancel

Network.

Add a network, wireless, or Bluetooth printer

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.

NOTICE: Most surge protectors do not protect against power fluctuations or

power interruptions caused by nearby lightning strikes. When lightning occurs in your area, disconnect the telephone line from the telephone wall jack and disconnect your computer from the electrical outlet.

Many surge protectors have a telephone jack for modem protection. See the surge protector documentation for modem connection instructions.

NOTICE: Not all surge protectors offer network adapter protection. Disconnect the

network cable from the network wall jack during electrical storms.

Setting Up Your Computer 39

Line Conditioners

NOTICE: Line conditioners do not protect against power interruptions.

Line conditioners are designed to maintain AC voltage at a fairly constant level.

Uninterruptible Power Supplies

NOTICE: Loss of power while data is being saved to the hard drive may result in

data loss or file damage.

NOTE: To ensure maximum battery operating time, connect only your computer to

a UPS. Connect other devices, such as a printer, to a separate power strip that provides surge protection.

A UPS protects against power fluctuations and interruptions. UPS devices contain a battery that provides temporary power to connected devices when AC power is interrupted. The battery charges while AC power is available. See the UPS manufacturer documentation for information on battery operating time and to ensure that the device is approved by Underwriters Laboratories (UL).

40 Setting Up Your Computer

Using the Display

Adjusting Brightness

When a Dell™ computer is running on battery power, you can conserve power by setting the display brightness to the lowest comfortable level.

• Press <Fn> and the up-arrow key to increase brightness on the integrated display only (not on an external monitor).

• Press <Fn> and the down-arrow key to decrease brightness on the integrated display only (not on an external monitor).

NOTE: Brightness key combinations only affect the display on your portable

computer, not monitors or projectors that you attach to your portable computer or docking device. If your computer is connected to an external monitor and you try to change the brightness level, the Brightness Meter may appear, but the brightness level on the external device does not change.

Using a Projector

When you start the computer with an external device attached (such as an external monitor or projector) and turned on, the image may appear on either the computer display or the external device.

Press <Fn><F8> to switch the video image between the display only, the external device only, or the display and the external device simultaneously.

Making Images and Text Look Bigger or Sharper

NOTE: If you change the display resolution from the current settings, the image

may appear blurry or text may be hard to read if you change the resolution to one not supported by your computer and display. Before you change any of the display settings, make a note of the current settings so you can change back to the previous settings if you need to.

Using the Display 41

and images to appear larger and can benefit people with vision impairments. To display a program at a specific resolution, both the video card and the display must support the program, and the necessary video drivers must be installed.

NOTE: Use only the Dell-installed video drivers, which are designed to offer the

best performance with your Dell-installed operating system.

If you choose a resolution or color palette that is higher than the display supports, the settings adjust automatically to the closest supported values.

To set the display resolution and refresh rate for your display, perform the steps in the following section that corresponds to the operating system your computer is using.

Microsoft® Windows® XP

Click

Start→

Settings→

Under

Pick a category

Under

Pick a task...

Control Panel icon

In the

Display Properties

Try different settings for

NOTE: As the resolution increases, icons and text appear smaller on the screen.

Control Panel

, click

Appearance and Themes

, click the area you want to change, or under

, click

Display

window, click the

Color quality

Settings

and

Screen resolution

tab.

or pick a

Windows Vista

Click the Windows Vista Start button , and click

Under

In the

Appearance and Personalization

Display Settings

window, under

Control Panel

, click

Adjust screen resolution

Resolution

, slide the slide bar to

the left or right to decrease/increase the screen resolution.

Click

How do I get the best display?

for further instructions.

If the video resolution setting is higher than that supported by the display, the computer enters pan mode. In pan mode, the entire video image cannot be displayed at one time, and the taskbar that usually appears at the bottom of the desktop may no longer be visible. To view the parts of the video image that are not visible, you can use the touch pad or track stick to move (or pan) the image up, down, left, and right.

NOTICE: You can damage an external monitor by using an unsupported refresh

rate. Before adjusting the refresh rate on an external monitor, see the user’s guide for the monitor.

42 Using the Display

Using Both a Monitor and Your Computer Display

You can attach an external monitor or projector to your computer and use it as an extension of your display (known as dual independent display or extended desktop mode). This mode allows you to use both screens independently and drag objects from one screen to the other, effectively doubling the amount of viewable work space.

To use extended desktop mode, perform the steps in the following section that corresponds to the operating system your computer is using.

Microsoft Windows XP

Connect the external monitor, TV, or projector to the computer.

Click

Start→

Settings→

Under

Pick a category

Under

Pick a task...

Control Panel icon

In the

Display Properties

NOTE: If you choose a resolution or color palette that is higher than the

display supports, the settings adjust automatically to the closest supported values. For more information, see your operating system documentation.

Click the monitor 2 icon, click the box, and then click

Change

If prompted to restart the computer, click

without restarting

If prompted, click OK to resize your desktop.

If prompted, click

Click OK to close the

Screen Area

Control Panel

, click

Appearance and Themes

, click the area you want to change, or under

, click

Display

window, click the

Apply

to the appropriate sizes for both displays and click

and click OK.

Yes

to keep the settings.

Display Properties

Settings

Extend my Windows desktop...

Apply the new color setting

window.

tab.

or pick a

check

Apply

Using the Display 43

To disable dual independent display mode:

Click the

Click the monitor 2 icon, uncheck the

this monitor

If necessary, press <Fn><F8> to bring the screen image back to the computer display.

Settings

tab in the

option, and then click

Display Properties

Extend my Windows desktop onto

Apply

window.

Windows Vista

Click the Windows Vista Start button , and click

Under

Appearance and Personalization

In the

Display Settings

the desktop onto this monitor

Click OK to close the

To disable extended desktop mode:

In the

Display Settings

Click the monitor 2 icon, uncheck the

monitor

option, and then click

window, click the monitor 2 icon, click the

Display Settings

window, click the

check box, and then click

Apply

, click

window.

Extend the desktop onto this

Settings

Control Panel

Adjust screen resolution

Apply

tab.

Extend

Setting Display Resolution and Refresh Rate

NOTE: If you change the display resolution from the current settings, the image

You can enhance the legibility of text and change the appearance of images on the screen by adjusting display resolution. As you increase resolution, items appear smaller on the screen. In contrast, lower resolution causes text and images to appear larger and can benefit people with vision impairments. To display a program at a specific resolution, both the video card and the display must support the program, and the necessary video drivers must be installed.

NOTE: Use only the Dell-installed video drivers, which are designed to offer the

best performance with your Dell-installed operating system.

44 Using the Display

If you choose a resolution or color palette that is higher than the display supports, the settings adjust automatically to the closest supported values.

To set the display resolution and refresh rate for your display, perform the steps in the following section that corresponds to the operating system your computer is using.

Microsoft Windows XP

Click

Start→

Settings→

Under

Pick a category

Under

Pick a task...

Control Panel icon

In the

Display Properties

Try different settings for

NOTE: As the resolution increases, icons and text appear smaller on the screen.

Control Panel

, click

Appearance and Themes

, click the area you want to change, or under

, click

Display

window, click the

Color quality

Settings

and

Screen resolution

tab.

or pick a

Windows Vista

Click the Windows Vista Start button

Under

Appearance and Personalization

In the

Display Settings

window, under

the left or right to decrease or increase the screen resolution.

NOTE: For additional instructions, click How do I get the best display?

and click

, click

Resolution

Control Panel

Adjust screen resolution

, move the slide bar to

Using the Display 45

46 Using the Display

Using the Keyboard and Touchpad

Numeric Keypad

numeric keypad

The numeric keypad functions like the numeric keypad on an external keyboard. Each key on the keypad has multiple functions. The keypad numbers and symbols are marked in blue on the right of the keypad keys. To type a number or symbol, hold down <Fn> and press the desired key.

• To enable the keypad, press <Num Lk>. The light indicates that the keypad is active.

• To disable the keypad, press <Num Lk> again.

Using the Keyboard and Touchpad 47

Key Combinations

System Functions

<Ctrl><Shift><Esc> Opens the Task Manager window.

Display Functions

<Fn><F8> Displays icons representing all currently

available display options (display only, external monitor or projector only, both display and projector, etc). Highlight the desired icon to switch the display to that option.

<Fn> and up-arrow key Increases brightness on the integrated display

only (not on an external monitor).

<Fn> and down-arrow key Decreases brightness on the integrated display

only (not on an external monitor).

Battery

<Fn><F3> Displays the Dell™ QuickSet Battery Meter

(see "Dell QuickSet Battery Meter" on page 54).

Power Management

<Fn><Esc> Activates a power management mode. You can

reprogram this keyboard shortcut to activate a different power management mode using the

Advanced tab in the Power Options Properties window (see "Power Management

Modes" on page 56).

48 Using the Keyboard and Touchpad

Microsoft® Windows® Logo Key Functions

Windows logo key and <m> Minimizes all open windows.

Windows logo key and <Shift><m>

Windows logo key and <e> Starts Windows Explorer.

Windows logo key and <r> Opens the Run dialog box.

Windows logo key and <f> Opens the Search Results dialog box.

Windows logo key and <Ctrl><f>

Windows logo key and <Pause> Opens the System Properties dialog box.

Restores all minimized windows. This key combination functions as a toggle to restore minimized windows following the use of the Windows logo key and <m> combination.

Opens the Search Results-Computer dialog box (if the computer is connected to a network).

Dell™ QuickSet Key Combinations

If Dell QuickSet is installed, you can use other shortcut keys for functions such as the Battery Meter or activating power management modes. For more information about Dell QuickSet key combinations, right-click the QuickSet icon in the notification area, and then click Help.

Adjusting Keyboard Settings

To adjust keyboard operation, such as the character repeat rate:

Click

Start ,

Click

Hardware and Sound

Click

Keyboard

and then click

Control Panel

Using the Keyboard and Touchpad 49

Touch Pad

The touch pad detects the pressure and movement of your finger to allow you to move the cursor on the display. Use the touch pad and touch pad buttons as you would use a mouse.

1 touch pad 2 silk screen depicting scrolling capabilities

• To move the cursor, lightly slide your finger over the touch pad.

• To select an object, lightly tap once on the surface of the touch pad or use your thumb to press the left touch pad button.

• To select and move (or drag) an object, position the cursor on the object and tap twice on the touch pad. On the second tap, leave your finger on the touch pad and move the selected object by sliding your finger over the surface.

• To double-click an object, position the cursor on the object and tap twice on the touch pad or use your thumb to press the left touch pad button twice.

50 Using the Keyboard and Touchpad

Customizing the Touch Pad

You can use the Mouse Properties window to disable the touch pad or adjust the touch pad settings.

Click

Start ,

Click

Hardware and Sound

Click

Keyboard

In the

Mouse Properties

• Click the

Click OK to save the settings and close the window.

and then click

window:

Device Select

Touch Pad

tab to adjust touch pad settings.

Control Panel

tab to disable the touch pad.

Using the Keyboard and Touchpad 51

52 Using the Keyboard and Touchpad

Using a Battery

Battery Performance

NOTE: For information about the Dell warranty for your computer, see the

Product Information Guide or separate paper warranty document that shipped with your computer.

For optimal computer performance and to help preserve BIOS settings, operate your Dell™ portable computer with the main battery installed at all times. One battery is supplied as standard equipment in the battery bay.

NOTE: Because the battery may not be fully charged, use the AC adapter to

connect your new computer to an electrical outlet the first time you use the computer. For best results, operate the computer with the AC adapter until the battery is fully charged. To view battery charge status, place the mouse cursor over the battery icon in the Windows notification area.

NOTE: Battery operating time (the time the battery can hold a charge) decreases

over time. Depending on how often the battery is used and the conditions under which it is used, you may need to purchase a new battery during the life of your computer.

NOTE: It is recommended that you connect your computer to an electrical outlet

when writing to media.

Battery operating time varies depending on operating conditions. Operating time is significantly reduced when you perform operations including, but not limited to, the following:

• Using optical drives.

• Using wireless communications devices, ExpressCards, memory cards, or USB devices.

• Using high-brightness display settings, 3D screen savers, or other powerintensive programs such as complex 3D graphics applications.

• Running the computer in maximum performance mode (see "Power Management Modes" on page 56 for information about accessing Windows Power Options Properties or Dell QuickSet, which you can use to configure power management settings).

Using a Battery 53

You can check the battery charge before you insert the battery into the computer. You can also set power management options to alert you when the battery charge is low.

CAUTION: Using an incompatible battery may increase the risk of fire or

explosion. Replace the battery only with a compatible battery purchased from Dell. The battery is designed to work with your Dell computer. Do not use batteries from other computers with your computer.

CAUTION: Do not dispose of batteries with household waste. When your battery

no longer holds a charge, call your local waste disposal or environmental agency for advice on disposing of a lithium-ion battery (see "Battery Disposal" in the Product Information Guide).

CAUTION: Misuse of the battery may increase the risk of fire or chemical burn.

Do not puncture, incinerate, disassemble, or expose the battery to temperatures above 65°C (149°F). Keep the battery away from children. Handle damaged or leaking batteries with extreme care. Damaged batteries may leak and cause personal injury or equipment damage.

Checking the Battery Charge

You can check the battery charge on your computer using any one of the following methods:

• Dell QuickSet Battery Meter

• Microsoft Windows battery meter icon located in the notification area

• Battery charge/health gauge located on the battery

• Low-battery warning pop-up window

Dell QuickSet Battery Meter

To view the

• Double-click the Dell QuickSet icon in the taskbar, and then click

• Press <Fn><F3>

The Battery Meter displays the status, battery health, charge level, and charge completion time for the battery in your computer.

For more information about QuickSet, right-click the QuickSet icon, and then click Help.

54 Using a Battery

Dell QuickSet Battery Meter:

Battery Meter

Microsoft® Windows® Battery Meter

The battery meter indicates the remaining battery charge. To check the battery meter, double-click the icon in the notification area.

Charge Gauge

By either pressing once or pressing and holding the status button on the battery charge gauge, you can check:

• Battery charge (check by

• Battery health (check by

The battery operating time is largely determined by the number of times it is charged. After hundreds of charge and discharge cycles, batteries lose some charge capacity—or battery health. Therefore, a battery can show a status of charged, but maintain a reduced charge capacity (health).

Check the Battery Charge

To check the battery charge, press and release the status button on the battery charge gauge to illuminate the charge indicator lights. Each light represents approximately 20 percent of the total battery charge. For example, if the battery has 80 percent of its charge remaining, four of the lights are on. If no lights are on, the battery has no charge.

Check the Battery Health

pressing

and

releasing

holding

the status button)

NOTE: You can check battery health in one of two ways: by using the charge gauge

on the battery, as described below, and by using the Battery Meter in Dell QuickSet. For information about QuickSet, right-click the QuickSet icon in the notification area, and then click Help.

To check the battery health using the charge gauge, press and hold the status button on the battery charge gauge for at least 3 seconds to illuminate the health indicator lights. Each light represents incremental degradation. If no lights appear, the battery is in good condition, and more than 80 percent of its original charge capacity remains. If five lights appear, less than 60 percent of the charge capacity remains, and you should consider replacing the battery (see "Battery" on page 198 for more information about the battery operating time).

Using a Battery 55

Low-Battery Warning

NOTICE: To avoid losing or corrupting data, save your work immediately after a

low-battery warning, then connect the computer to an electrical outlet. If the battery runs completely out of power, Sleep state begins automatically.

A pop-up window warns you when the battery charge is approximately 90 percent depleted. The computer enters Sleep state when the battery charge is at a critically low level.

You can change the settings for the battery alarms in Dell QuickSet or the Power Options window (see "Power Management Modes" on page 56).

Conserving Battery Power

To conserve battery power on your portable computer, do any of the following:

• Connect the computer to an electrical outlet when possible; battery life is largely determined by the number of times the battery is used and recharged.

• Configure the power management settings using either Dell QuickSet or Microsoft Windows Power Options to optimize your computer’s power usage (see "Power Management Modes" on page 56).

• Use the Sleep power state when you leave the computer unattended for long periods of time (see "Standby and Sleep Mode" on page 56).

Power Management Modes

Standby and Sleep Mode

Standby mode (sleep mode in Microsoft Windows Vista®) conserves power by turning off the display and the hard drive after a predetermined period of inactivity (a time-out). When the computer exits standby or sleep mode, it returns to the same operating state it was in before entering standby or sleep mode.

NOTICE: If your computer loses AC and battery power while in standby or sleep

mode, it may lose data.

To enter standby mode in Windows XP, click Start→ Turn off computer→ Stand by.

To enter sleep mode in Windows Vista, click the Windows Vista Start button , and then click Sleep.

56 Using a Battery

Depending on how you set the power management options in the Power Options Properties window or the QuickSet Power Management Wizard, you may also use one of the following methods:

• Press the power button.

• Close the display.

• Press <Fn><Esc>.

To exit standby or sleep mode, press the power button or open the display, depending on how you set the power management options. You cannot make the computer exit standby or sleep mode by pressing a key or touching the touch pad.

Hibernate Mode

Hibernate mode conserves power by copying system data to a reserved area on the hard drive and then completely turning off the computer. When the computer exits hibernate mode, it returns to the same operating state it was in before entering hibernate mode.

NOTICE: You cannot remove devices or undock your computer while your

computer is in hibernate mode.

Your computer enters hibernate mode if the battery charge level becomes critically low.

To enter hibernate mode in Windows XP, click the Start button, click Turn off computer, press and hold <Shift>, and then click Hibernate.

To enter hibernate mode in Windows Vista, click the Windows Vista Start button , and then click Hibernate.

Depending on how you set the power management options in the Power Options Properties window or the QuickSet Power Management Wizard, you may also use one of the following methods to enter hibernate mode:

• Press the power button.

• Close the display.

• Press <Fn><Esc>.

NOTE: Some ExpressCards may not operate correctly after the computer exits

hibernate mode. Remove and reinsert the card (see "Removing an ExpressCard or Blank" on page 89), or simply restart (reboot) your computer.

Using a Battery 57

To exit hibernate mode, press the power button. The computer may take a short time to exit hibernate mode. You cannot make the computer exit hibernate mode by pressing a key or touching the touch pad. For more information on hibernate mode, see the documentation that came with your operating system.

Configuring Power Management Settings

You can use Dell QuickSet or Windows Power Options to configure the power management settings on your computer.

• For information on how to use the Dell QuickSet Power Management wizard, right-click the QuickSet icon in the notification area, click and then select

Power Management

Accessing Power Options Properties

Windows XP

Click Start→ Control Panel→ Performance and Maintenance, and then click Power Options

Windows Vista

Click the Windows Vista Start button , click Control Panel, click System and Maintenance, and then click Power Options.

Help

Charging the Battery

NOTE: Charge time is longer with the computer turned on. You can leave the

battery in the computer for as long as you like. The battery’s internal circuitry prevents the battery from overcharging.

When you connect the computer to an electrical outlet or install a battery while the computer is connected to an electrical outlet, the computer checks the battery charge and temperature. If necessary, the AC adapter then charges the battery and maintains the battery charge.

If the battery is hot from being used in your computer or being in a hot environment, the battery may not charge when you connect the computer to an electrical outlet.

58 Using a Battery

The battery is too hot to start charging if the battery light flashes alternately blue and amber. Disconnect the computer from the electrical outlet and allow the computer and the battery to cool to room temperature, then connect the computer to an electrical outlet to continue charging the battery.

For more information about resolving problems with a battery, see "Power Problems" on page 132.

Replacing the Battery

CAUTION: Using an incompatible battery may increase the risk of fire or

CAUTION: Before performing these procedures, turn off the computer, disconnect

the AC adapter from the electrical outlet and the computer, disconnect the modem from the wall connector and the computer, and remove any other external cables from the computer.

NOTICE: You must remove all external cables from the computer to avoid possible

connector damage.

NOTICE: If you choose to replace the battery with the computer in Sleep state, you

have up to 1 minute to complete the battery replacement before the computer shuts down and loses any unsaved data.

To remove the battery:

If the computer is connected to a docking device (docked), undock it. See the documentation that came with your docking device for instructions.

Ensure that the computer is turned off.

Turn the computer over.

Slide and click the battery release latches to keep them open.

Slide the battery out of the bay.

Using a Battery 59

1 battery 2 battery release latches (2)

To replace the battery, follow the removal procedure in reverse order.

Storing a Battery

Remove the battery when you store your computer for an extended period of time. A battery discharges during prolonged storage. After a long storage period, recharge the battery fully (see "Charging the Battery" on page 58) before you use it.

60 Using a Battery

Using Multimedia

Playing Media

NOTICE: Do not press down on the optical drive tray when you open or close it.

Keep the tray closed when you are not using the drive.

NOTICE: Do not move the computer while playing media.

Press the eject button on the front of the drive.

Place the disc, label side up, in the center of the tray and snap the disc onto the spindle.

Push the tray back into the drive.

To format media for storing or copying data, see the media software that came with your computer.

NOTE: Ensure that you follow all copyright laws when copying media.

Using Multimedia 61

A CD player includes the following basic buttons:

Play

Move backward within the current track

Pau se

Move forward within the current track

Stop

Go to the previous track

Eject

Go to the next track

A DVD player includes the following basic buttons:

Stop

Restart the current chapter

Play

Fast forward

Pau se

Fast reverse

Advance a single frame while in pause mode

Go to the next title or chapter

Continuously play the current title or chapter

Go to the previous title or chapter

Eject

For more information on playing media, click Help on the media player (if available).

62 Using Multimedia

Playing Media Using Dell Travel Remote (Optional)

The Dell Travel Remote is designed to control Dell Media Direct and Windows Vista Media Center. It can work only with specified computers. For more details, refer to the Dell Support website at support.dell.com.

To play media using Dell Travel Remote:

Install a coin-cell battery into your remote control.

Launch Windows Vista® Media Center from

Use the remote control buttons to play media.

Start → Programs

Using Multimedia 63

1 Infrared Transmitter 2 Arrow Up

3 OK/Enter/Select 4 Arrow Right

5 Arrow Down 6 Play/Pause

7 Forward 8 Skip Forward

9 Stop 10 Skip Back

11 Reverse 12 Back

13 Arrow Left 14 Mute

15 Volume Down 16 Page Down

17 Volume Up 18 Page Up

Copying CD, DVD, and Blu-ray Disc™ (BD) Media

This section applies only to computers that have a DVD+/-RW drive or a BD-RE drive.

NOTE: Ensure that you observe all copyright laws when copying media.

NOTE: The types of optical drives offered by Dell may vary by country.

The following instructions explain how to make an exact copy of a CD, DVD, or BD using Roxio Creator. You can also use Roxio Creator for other purposes, such as creating music CDs from audio files stored on your computer or backing up important data. For help, open Roxio Creator, and then press <F1>.

The DVD drives and BD drives installed in Dell computers do not support HD-DVD media. For a list of supported media formats, see "Using Blank CD, DVD, and BD Media" on page 65.

How to Copy a CD, DVD, or BD

NOTE: BD media can only be copied to other BD media.

NOTE: Copying a BD-R to BD-RE will not produce an exact copy.

NOTE: Most commercial DVDs and BDs have copyright protection and cannot be

copied using Roxio Creator.

Click

Start →

Under the

64 Using Multimedia

All Programs→ Roxio Creator→

Copy

tab, click

Copy Disc

Projects→

Copy

To copy the CD, DVD, or BD:

•

If you have one optical drive

ensure that the settings are correct, and then click the button to continue. The computer reads your source disc and copies the data to a temporary folder on your computer hard drive.

When prompted, insert a blank disc into the drive and click

, insert the source disc into the drive,

Copy Disc

If you have two optical drives

• inserted your source disc and click the

, select the drive into which you have

Copy Disc

button to continue.

The computer copies the data from the source disc to the blank disc.

Once you have finished copying the source disc, the disc that you have created automatically ejects.

Using Blank CD, DVD, and BD Media

DVD-writable drives can write to both CD and DVD recording media. BD-writable drives can write to CD, DVD and BD recording media.

Use blank CD-Rs to record music or permanently store data files. After creating a CD-R, you cannot write to that CD-R again (see the Sonic documentation for more information). Use a blank CD-RW if you plan to erase, rewrite, or update information on that disc later.

Blank DVD+/-R or BD-R media can be used to permanently store large amounts of information. After you create a DVD+/-R or BD-R, you may not be able to write to that disc again if the disc is finalized or closed during the final stage of the disc creation process. Use blank DVD+/-RW or BD-RE media if you plan to erase, rewrite, or update information on that disc later.

CD-Writable Drives

Media Type Read Write Rewritable

CD-R Yes Yes No

C D- RW Ye s Yes Ye s

Using Multimedia 65

DVD-Writable Drives

Media Type Read Write Rewritable

CD-R Yes Yes No

C D- RW Ye s Yes Ye s

DVD+R Yes Yes No

DVD-R Yes Yes No

DV D +R W Ye s Yes Yes

DV D -R W Yes Yes Yes

DVD+R DL Yes Yes No

DVD-R DL Yes No No

BD-Writable Drives

Media Type Read Write Rewritable

CD-R Yes Yes No

C D- RW Ye s Yes Ye s

DVD+R Yes Yes No

DVD-R Yes Yes No

DV D +R W Ye s Yes Yes

DV D -R W Yes Yes Yes

DVD+R DL Yes Yes No

DVD-R DL Yes No No

BD-R Yes Yes No

BD-RE Yes Yes Yes

Helpful Tips

• Use Microsoft® Windows® Explorer to drag and drop files to a CD-R or CD-RW only after you start

• Do not burn a blank CD-R or CD-RW to its maximum capacity; for example, do not copy a 650-MB file to a blank 650-MB CD. The CD-RW drive needs 1–2 MB of the blank space to finalize the recording.

66 Using Multimedia

Roxio Creator

and open a Creator project.

• Use CD-Rs to burn music CDs that you want to play in regular stereos. CD-RWs do not play in most home or car stereos.

• Music MP3 files can be played only on MP3 players or on computers that have MP3 software installed.

• Use a blank CD-RW to practice CD recording until you are familiar with CD recording techniques. If you make a mistake, you can erase the data on the CD-RW and try again. You can also use blank CD-RWs to test music file projects before you record the project permanently to a blank CD-R.

• You cannot create audio DVDs with

• Commercially available DVD players used in home theater systems may not support all available DVD formats. For a list of formats supported by your DVD player, see the documentation provided with your DVD player or contact the manufacturer.

• Commercially available BD players used in home theater systems may not support all available BD formats. For a list of formats supported by your BD player, see the documentation provided with your BD player or contact the manufacturer.

• See the Roxio website at website at

blu-raydisc.com

www.sonic.com

for additional information.

Roxio Creator

or the Blu-ray Disc™ Association

Adjusting the Volume

NOTE: When the speakers are muted, you do not hear the media playing.

Right-click the volume icon in the notification area.

Click

Open Volume Mixer

Click and drag the bar to slide it up or down to increase or decrease the volume.

For more information on volume control options, click Help in the Volume Mixer window.

The Volume Meter displays the current volume level, including mute, on your computer. Either click the QuickSet icon in the notification area and select or deselect Disable On Screen Volume Meter, or press the volume control buttons to enable or disable the Volume Meter on the screen.

Using Multimedia 67

Adjusting the Picture

If an error message notifies you that the current resolution and color depth are using too much memory and preventing media playback, adjust the display properties.

Windows XP

Click

Start→

Control Panel→ Appearance and Themes

Under

Pick a task...

Under

Screen resolution

setting.

In the drop-down menu under click

, click

Change the screen resolution

, click and drag the bar to reduce the resolution

Color quality

, click

Medium (16 bit)

and

Windows Vista

Click the Windows Vista Start button , click click

Under

The

Under

In the drop-down menu under

Click OK.

Appearance and Personalization

Personalization

Display Properties

Resolution:

, click

Adjust Screen Resolution

window appears.

click and drag the bar to reduce the resolution setting.

Colors:

, click

Medium (16 bit)

Control Panel

, and then

Using Dell MediaDirect™

Dell MediaDirect is an instant-on multimedia playback mode for digital media. Press the Dell MediaDirect button, located on the hinge cover, to launch Dell MediaDirect.

If the computer is turned on or in standby or sleep mode

If you press the Dell MediaDirect button while the computer is turned on or in standby (Windows XP) or sleep (Windows Vista) mode, either Windows Media Center Manager or Dell Media Experience launches, depending on your system setup. If both applications are present, Windows Media Center Manager launches.

68 Using Multimedia

If the computer is turned off or in hibernate mode

When your computer is turned off or in hibernate mode, you can press the Dell MediaDirect button to start the computer and automatically launch the Dell MediaDirect application.

1 Dell MediaDirect button

NOTE: You cannot reinstall Dell MediaDirect if you voluntarily reformat the hard

drive. You need the installation software to reinstall Dell MediaDirect. Contact Dell for assistance (see "Contacting Dell" on page 192).

For more information on using Dell MediaDirect, use the Help menu in the Dell MediaDirect application.

Connecting Your Computer to a TV or Audio Device

NOTE: Video and audio cables for connecting your computer to a TV or other audio

device may not be included with your computer. Cables and TV/digital audio adapter cables are available for purchase from Dell.

Your computer has an S-video TV-out connector that, together with a standard S-video cable, a composite video adapter cable, or a component video adapter cable (available from Dell), enable you to connect the computer to a TV.

Using Multimedia 69

Your TV has either an S-video input connector, a composite video-input connector, or a component video-input connector. Depending on what type of connector is available on your TV, you can use a commercially available S-video cable, composite video cable, or component video cable to connect your computer to your TV.

1 S-video TV-out connector 2 S-video connector

1 S-video TV-out connector 2 composite video adapter

3 S/PDIF digital audio connector 4 composite video-output connector

5 S-video connector

1 S-video TV-out connector 2 component video adapter

3 S/PDIF digital audio connector 4 Pr (red) component video-output connector

5 Pb (blue) component video-

output connector

6 Y (green) component video-output

connector

70 Using Multimedia

If you want to connect your computer to a TV or audio device, it is recommended that you connect video and audio cables to your computer in one of the following combinations:

• S-video and standard audio

• Composite video and standard audio

• Component-out video and standard audio

NOTE: See the diagrams at the beginning of each subsection to help you determine

which method of connection you should use.

When you finish connecting the video and audio cables between your computer and your TV, you must enable your computer to work with the TV. See "Enabling the Display Settings for a TV" on page 84 to ensure that the computer recognizes and works properly with the TV. Additionally, if you are using S/PDIF digital audio, see "Enabling S/PDIF Digital Audio" on page 84.

S-Video and Standard Audio

1 audio connector 2 S-video TV-out connector

Using Multimedia 71

1 standard S-video cable 2 standard audio cable

Turn off the computer and the TV and/or audio device that you want to connect.

NOTE: If your TV or audio device supports S-video but not S/PDIF digital audio, you

can connect an S-video cable directly to the S-video TV-out connector on the computer (without the TV/digital audio adapter cable).

Plug one end of the S-video cable into the S-video output connector on the computer.

Plug the other end of the S-video cable into the S-video input connector on your TV.

Plug the single-connector end of the audio cable into the headphone connector on your computer.

Plug the two RCA connectors on the other end of the audio cable into the audio input connectors on your TV or other audio device.

Turn on the TV and any audio device that you connected (if applicable), and then turn on the computer.

See "Enabling the Display Settings for a TV" on page 84 to ensure that the computer recognizes and works properly with the TV.

72 Using Multimedia

S-Video and S/PDIF Digital Audio

1 2

1 S-video TV-out connector 2 composite video adapter

1 composite video adapter 2 S-video cable

3 S/PDIF digital audio cable

Using Multimedia 73

Turn off the computer and the TV and/or the audio device that you want to connect.

Connect the composite video adapter to the S-video TV-out connector on your computer.

Plug one end of the S-video cable into the S-video output connector on the composite video adapter.

1 composite video adapter 2 S-video cable

Plug the other end of the S-video cable into the S-video input connector

on the TV.

Plug one end of the S/PDIF digital audio cable into the digital audio connector on the composite video adapter cable.

1 2

1 composite video adapter 2 S/PDIF digital audio cable

Plug the other end of the S/PDIF digital audio cable into the audio input connector on your TV or audio device.

Turn on the TV, turn on any audio device that you connected (if applicable), and then turn on the computer.

See "Enabling the Display Settings for a TV" on page 84 to ensure that the computer recognizes and works properly with the TV.

74 Using Multimedia

Composite Video and Standard Audio

1 audio input connector 2 S-video TV-out connector

3 composite video adapter

1 composite video adapter 2 composite video cable

3 standard audio cable

Using Multimedia 75

Turn off the computer and the TV and/or audio device that you want to connect.

Connect the composite video adapter to the S-video TV-out connector on your computer.

Plug one end of the composite video cable into the composite videooutput connector on the composite video adapter.

1 composite video adapter 2 composite video cable

Plug the other end of the composite video cable into the composite videoinput connector on the TV.

Plug the single-connector end of the audio cable into the headphone connector on the computer.

Plug the two RCA connectors on the other end of the audio cable into the audio input connectors on your TV or other audio device.

Turn on the TV, turn on any audio device that you connected (if applicable), and then turn on the computer.

See "Enabling the Display Settings for a TV" on page 84 to ensure that the computer recognizes and works properly with the TV.

76 Using Multimedia

Composite Video and S/PDIF Digital Audio

1 2

1 S-video TV-out connector 2 composite video adapter

1 composite video adapter 2 composite video cable

3 standard audio cable

Using Multimedia 77

Turn off the computer and the TV and/or audio device that you want to connect.

Connect the composite video adapter to the S-video TV-out connector on the computer.

Plug one end of the composite video cable into the composite video-input connector on the composite video adapter.

1 composite video adapter 2 composite video cable

Plug the other end of the composite video cable into the composite videoinput connector on the TV.

Plug one end of the S/PDIF digital audio cable into the S/PDIF audio connector on the composite video adapter.

1 2

1 composite video adapter 2 S/PDIF digital audio cable

Plug the other end of the digital audio cable into the S/PDIF input connector on your TV or other audio device.

Turn on the TV, turn on any audio device that you connected (if applicable), and then turn on the computer.

See "Enabling the Display Settings for a TV" on page 84 to ensure that the computer recognizes and works properly with the TV.

78 Using Multimedia

Component Video and Standard Audio

1 S-video TV-out connector 2 component video adapter

1 component video adapter 2 component video cable

3 standard audio cable

Using Multimedia 79

Turn off the computer and the TV and/or audio device that you want to connect.

Connect the component video adapter to the S-video TV-out connector on your computer.

Plug all three ends of the component video cable into the component video-output connectors on the component video adapter. Make sure that the red, green, and blue colors of the cable match the corresponding adapter ports.

1 component video adapter 2 component video cable

Plug all three connectors from the other end of the component video cable into the component video-input connectors on the TV. Make sure that the red, green, and blue colors of the cable match the colors of the TV input connectors.

Plug the single-connector end of the audio cable into the headphone connector on the computer.

Plug the two RCA connectors on the other end of the audio cable into the audio input connectors on your TV or audio device.

Turn on the TV, turn on any audio device that you connected (if applicable), and then turn on the computer.

See "Enabling the Display Settings for a TV" on page 84 to ensure that the computer recognizes and works properly with the TV.

80 Using Multimedia

Component Video and S/PDIF Digital Audio

1 2

1 S-video TV-out connector 2 component video adapter

Using Multimedia 81

1 component video adapter 2 component video cable

3 standard audio cable

Turn off the computer and the TV and/or audio device that you want to connect.

Connect the component video adapter to the S-video TV-out connector on the computer.

82 Using Multimedia

1 component video adapter 2 component video-output connectors

3 component video cable

Plug one end of the S/PDIF digital audio cable into the S/PDIF audio connector on the component video adapter.

1 component video adapter 2 S/PDIF digital audio cable

Plug the other end of the digital audio cable into the S/PDIF input connector on your TV or other audio device.

Turn on the TV, turn on any audio device that you connected (if applicable), and then turn on the computer.

See "Enabling the Display Settings for a TV" on page 84 to ensure that the computer recognizes and works properly with the TV.

Using Multimedia 83

Enabling S/PDIF Digital Audio

Double-click the speaker icon in the Windows notification area.

Click the

Click

Click OK.

Options

Advanced

menu and then click

S/PDIF Interface

Advanced Controls

Enabling the Display Settings for a TV

NOTE: To ensure that the display options appear correctly, connect the TV to the

computer before you enable the display settings.

Windows XP

Click the

Double-click

Click

Click the tab for your video card.

NOTE: To determine the type of video card installed in your computer, see the

Windows Help and Support Center. To access the Help and Support Center, click

Start computer information and diagnose problems. Then, under My Computer Information, select Hardware.

In the display devices section, select the appropriate option for using either a single display or multiple displays, ensuring that the display settings are correct for your selection.

Start

Display

Advanced

button, point to

and click the

Settings

, and then click

tab.

Control Panel

→ Help and Support. Under Pick a Task, click Use Tools to view your

84 Using Multimedia

Windows Vista

Click the Windows Vista Start button , click click

Appearance and Personalization

Under

Personalization

Display Properties

The

Click

Advanced

Click the tab for your video card.

NOTICE: To determine the type of video card installed in your computer, see

the Windows Help and Support Center. To access the Help and Support Center in Windows Vista, click the Windows Vista Start button

and Support. Under Pick a Task, click Use Tools to view your computer information and diagnose problems. Then, under My Computer Information, select Hardware.

In the display devices section, select the appropriate option for using

, click

window appears.

Adjust Screen Resolution

Control Panel

either a single display or multiple displays, ensuring that the display settings are correct for your selection.

, and then

→

Help

Using Multimedia 85

86 Using Multimedia

Using ExpressCards

ExpressCards provide additional memory, wired and wireless communications, multimedia and security features. For example, you can add an ExpressCard to make wireless wide area network (WWAN) connectivity available on your computer.

ExpressCards support two form factors:

• ExpressCard/34 (34 mm wide)

• ExpressCard/54 (54 mm wide in an L-shape with a 34 mm connector)

The 34 mm card fits into both the 34 mm and 54 mm card slots. The 54 mm card only fits into a 54 mm card slot.

See "Specifications" on page 193 for information on supported ExpressCards.

NOTE: An ExpressCard is not a bootable device.

1 ExpressCard/34 2 ExpressCard/54

ExpressCard Blanks

Your computer shipped with a plastic blank installed in the ExpressCard slot. Blanks protect unused slots from dust and other particles. Save the blank for use when no ExpressCard is installed in the slot; blanks from other computers may not fit your computer.

Using ExpressCards 87

Remove the blank before installing an ExpressCard. To remove the blank, see "Removing an ExpressCard or Blank" on page 89.

Installing an ExpressCard

You can install an ExpressCard while the computer is running. The computer automatically detects the card.

ExpressCards are generally marked with a symbol (such as a triangle or an arrow) or a label to indicate which end to insert into the slot. The cards are keyed to prevent incorrect insertion. If card orientation is not clear, see the documentation that came with the card.

CAUTION: Before you begin any of the procedures in this section, follow the

safety instructions in the Product Information Guide.

To install an ExpressCard:

Hold the card with the top side of the card facing up.

Slide the card into the slot until the card is completely seated in its connector.

If you encounter too much resistance, do not force the card. Check the card orientation and try again.

1 slot 2 ExpressCard

88 Using ExpressCards

1 2

The computer recognizes the ExpressCard and automatically loads the appropriate device driver. If the configuration program tells you to load the manufacturer's drivers, use the media that came with the ExpressCard.

Removing an ExpressCard or Blank

CAUTION: Before you begin any of the procedures in this section, follow the

safety instructions in the Product Information Guide.

Press the latch and remove the card or blank. For some latches, you must press the latch twice, once to pop the latch out, and then a second time to pop the card out.

Save a blank to use when no ExpressCard is installed in a slot. Blanks protect unused slots from dust and other particles.

1 release button

Using ExpressCards 89

90 Using ExpressCards

Using the Memory Card Reader

The memory card reader provides a fast and convenient way to view and share digital photos, music, and videos stored on a memory card.

NOTE: A memory card is not a bootable device.

The 8-in-1 memory card reader reads the following memory cards:

• Secure Digital (SD)

•SDIO

• MultiMediaCard (MMC)

• Memory Stick

• Memory Stick PRO

• xD-Picture Card

• Hi Speed-SD

• Hi Density-SD

Memory Card Blanks

Your computer shipped with a plastic blank installed in the 8-in-1 memory card reader. Blanks protect unused slots from dust and other particles. Save the blank for use when no memory card is installed in the slot; blanks from other computers may not fit your computer.

Remove the blank before installing a memory card. To remove the blank, see "Removing a Memory Card or Blank" on page 92.

Installing a Memory Card

You can install a memory card in the computer while the computer is running. The computer automatically detects the card.

Memory cards are generally marked with a symbol (such as a triangle or an arrow) or a label to indicate which end to insert into the slot. The cards are keyed to prevent incorrect insertion. If card orientation is not clear, see the documentation that came with the card.

Using the Memory Card Reader 91

CAUTION: Before you begin any of the procedures in this section, follow the

safety instructions in the Product Information Guide.

To install a memory card:

Hold the card with the top side of the card facing up.

Slide the card into the slot until the card is completely seated in its connector.

If you encounter too much resistance, do not force the card. Check the card orientation and try again.

The computer recognizes the memory card and automatically loads the appropriate device driver. If the configuration program tells you to load the manufacturer's drivers, use the media that came with the memory card, if applicable.

Removing a Memory Card or Blank

CAUTION: Before you begin any of the procedures in this section, follow the

safety instructions in the Product Information Guide.

NOTICE: Use the memory card configuration utility (click the icon in the

notification area) to select a card and stop it from functioning before you remove it from the computer. If you do not stop the card in the configuration utility, you could lose data.

Press the card into the slot to release it from the card reader. When it is partially ejected, remove the card.

92 Using the Memory Card Reader

Setting Up and Using Networks

A computer network provides connectivity between your computer and the Internet, another computer, or a network. For example, with a network set up in a home or small office you can print to a shared printer, access drives and files on another computer, browse other networks, or access the Internet. You can set up a local area network (LAN) using a network or broadband modem cable or set up a wireless LAN (WLAN).

The Microsoft systems provide wizards to help guide you through the process of networking computers. For more information about Networking, see the Windows Help and Support Center (see "Microsoft Windows XP and Windows Vista and Support Center" on page 16).

Connecting a Network or Broadband Modem Cable

Before you connect your computer to a network, the computer must have a network adapter installed and a network cable connected to it.

Connect the network cable to the network adapter connector on the back of your computer.

Connect the other end of the network cable to a network connection device or a network wall connector.

Windows® XP and Microsoft Windows Vista® operating

Help

NOTE: Insert the cable connector until it clicks into place, and then gently

pull on the cable to ensure that it is securely attached.

NOTE: Do not use a network cable with a telephone wall connector.

Setting Up and Using Networks 93

Setting Up a Network

Windows XP

Click

Start→

All Programs→ Accessories→ Communications→

Setup Wizard

NOTE: Selecting the connection method labeled This computer connects

directly to the Internet enables the integrated firewall provided with

Windows XP Service Pack 2 (SP2).

Complete the checklist.

Return to the Network Setup Wizard and follow the instructions in the wizard.

→

Next→ Checklist for creating a network

Network

Windows Vista

Click the Windows Vista Start button , and then click

Set up a connection or network

Select an option under

Click

, and then follow the instructions in the wizard.

Choose a connection option

Connect To→

Wireless Local Area Network

A wireless local area network (WLAN) is a series of interconnected computers that communicate with each other over the air waves rather than through a network cable connected to each computer. In a WLAN, a radio communications device called an access point or wireless router connects network computers and provides Internet, or network access. The access point or wireless router and the wireless network card in the computer communicate by broadcasting data from their antennas over the air waves.

What You Need to Establish a WLAN Connection

Before you can set up a WLAN, you need:

• High-speed (broadband) Internet access (such as cable or DSL)

• A broadband modem that is connected and working

• A wireless router or access point

94 Setting Up and Using Networks

• A wireless network card for each computer that you want to connect to your WLAN

• A network cable with a network (RJ-45) connector

Checking Your Wireless Network Card

Depending on what you selected when you purchased your computer, the computer has a variety of configurations. To confirm that your computer has a wireless network card and to determine the type of card, use one of the following:

• The

• The order confirmation for your computer

Start Button and Connect To Option

In Microsoft Windows XP, click Start→ Connect To→ Show all connections.

In Microsoft Windows Vista, click → Connect To→ View network

computers and devices.

If Wireless Network Connection does not appear under LAN or High-Speed Internet, you may not have a wireless network card.

If Wireless Network Connection appears, you have a wireless network card. To view detailed information about the wireless network card:

Start

button and the

NOTE: If your computer is set to the Classic Start menu option, click Start→

Settings

→

Network Connections to view your network connections.

Right-click

Click

The

Wireless Network Connection

Properties

Wireless Network Connection Properties

Connect To

option

window appears.

The wireless network card’s name and model number are listed on the

General

tab.

NOTE: If Wireless Network Connection does not appear, you may not have a

wireless network card.

The Order Confirmation for Your Computer

The order confirmation that you received when you ordered your computer lists the hardware and software that shipped with your computer.

Setting Up and Using Networks 95

Setting Up a New WLAN Using a Wireless Router and a Broadband Modem

Contact your Internet service provider (ISP) to obtain specific information about the connection requirements for your broadband modem.

Ensure that you have wired Internet access through your broadband modem before you attempt to set up a wireless Internet connection (see "Connecting a Network or Broadband Modem Cable" on page 93).

Install any software required for your wireless router. Your wireless router may have been shipped with installation media. Installation media usually contains installation and troubleshooting information. Install the required software according to the instructions provided by the router manufacturer.

Shut down your computer and any other wireless-enabled computers in the vicinity through the Windows Vista Start button .

Disconnect your broadband modem power cable from the electrical outlet.

Disconnect the network cable from the computer and the modem.

Disconnect the AC adapter cable from your wireless router to ensure that there is no power connected to the router.

NOTE: Wait for a minimum of 5 minutes after disconnecting your broadband

modem before continuing with the network setup.

Insert a network cable into the network (RJ-45) connector on the unpowered broadband modem.

Connect the other end of the network cable into the Internet network (RJ-45) connector on the unpowered wireless router.

Ensure that no network or USB cables, other than the network cable connecting the modem and the wireless router, are connected to the broadband modem.

NOTE: Restart your wireless equipment in the order described below to prevent a

potential connection failure.

Tu r n o n

only

your broadband modem and wait for at least 2 minutes for

the broadband modem to stabilize. After 2 minutes, proceed to step 12.

Turn on your wireless router and wait for at least 2 minutes for the wireless router to stabilize. After 2 minutes, proceed to the step 13.

Start your computer and wait until the boot process completes.

96 Setting Up and Using Networks

See the documentation that came with your wireless router to do the following in order to set up the wireless router:

• Establish communication between your computer and your

wireless router.

• Configure your wireless router to communicate with your

broadband router.

• Find out your wireless router’s broadcast name. The technical term for

the name of your router’s broadcast name is Service Set Identifier (SSID) or network name.

If necessary, configure your wireless network card to connect to the wireless network (see "Connecting to a WLAN" on page 97).

Connecting to a WLAN

NOTE: Before you connect to a WLAN, ensure that you have followed the

instructions in "Wireless Local Area Network" on page 94.

NOTE: The following networking instructions do not apply to internal cards with

Bluetooth

This section provides general procedures for connecting to a network using wireless technology. Specific network names and configuration details vary. See "Wireless Local Area Network" on page 94 for more information about how to prepare for connecting your computer to a WLAN.

Your wireless network card requires specific software and drivers for connecting to a network. The software is already installed.

wireless technology or cellular products.

NOTE: If the software is removed or corrupted, follow the instructions in the user

documentation for your wireless network card. Verify the type of wireless network card installed in your computer and then search for that name on the Dell™ Support website at support.dell.com. For information on the type of wireless network card that is installed in your computer, see "Checking Your Wireless Network Card" on page 95.

When you turn on your computer, and a network for which your computer is not configured is detected in the area, a pop-up appears near the network icon in the Windows notification area.

Setting Up and Using Networks 97

Determining the Wireless Network Device Manager

Depending on the software installed on your computer, different wireless configuration utilities may manage your network devices:

• Your wireless network card’s client utility

• The Windows XP or Windows Vista operating system

To determine which wireless configuration utility is managing your wireless network card in Windows XP:

Click

Start→

Settings→

Right-click the

Wireless Network Connection

Available Wireless Networks

Control Panel→

Network Connections

icon, and then click

View

If the Choose a wireless network window states Windows cannot configure this connection, the wireless network card’s client utility is managing the

wireless network card.

If the Choose a wireless network window states Click an item in the list below to connect to a wireless network in range or to get more information, the Windows XP operating system is managing the wireless network card.

To determine which wireless configuration utility is managing your wireless network card in Windows Vista:

Click

Double-click a profile to open the wireless network properties screen.

→

Connect To→ Manage wireless networks.

For specific information about the wireless configuration utility installed on your computer, see your wireless network documentation in the Windows Help and Support Center (see "Microsoft Windows XP and Windows Vista

Help and Support Center" on page 16).

Completing the Connection to the WLAN

When you turn on your computer and a network (for which your computer is not configured) is detected in the area, a pop-up appears near the network icon in the notification area (in the lower-right corner of the Windows desktop).

Follow the instructions provided in any utility prompts that appear on your screen.

Once you have configured your computer for the wireless network that you selected, another pop-up notifies you that your computer is connected to that network.

98 Setting Up and Using Networks

Thereafter, whenever you log on to your computer within the range of the wireless network that you selected, the same pop-up notifies you of the wireless network connection.

NOTE: If you select a secure network, you must enter a WEP or WPA key when

prompted. Network security settings are unique to your network. Dell cannot provide this information.

NOTE: Your computer can take up to 1 minute to connect to the network.

Monitoring the Status of the Wireless Network Card Through Dell QuickSet

The wireless activity indicator provides you with an easy way to monitor the status of your computer’s wireless devices. To turn the wireless activity indicator on or off, click the QuickSet icon in the taskbar and select Hotkey Popups. If Wireless Activity Indicator Off is not checked, the indicator is on. If Wireless Activity Indicator Off is checked, the indicator is off.

The wireless activity indicator displays whether your computer’s integrated wireless devices are enabled or disabled. When you turn the wireless networking function on or off, the wireless activity indicator changes to display the status.

For more information about the Dell QuickSet wireless activity indicator, right-click the QuickSet icon in the taskbar, and then select Help.

Mobile Broadband (or Wireless Wide Area Network)

A Mobile Broadband network, also known as a Wireless Wide Area Network (WWAN), is a high-speed digital cellular network that provides Internet access over a much wider geographical area than a WLAN, which typically covers only from 100 to 1000 feet. Your computer can maintain Mobile Broadband network access as long as the computer is within a cellular-data coverage zone. Contact your service provider for coverage of a high-speed digital cellular network.

NOTE: Even if you are able to make a call from your cellular phone in a specific

geographical location, that location may not necessarily be within a cellular-data coverage zone.

Setting Up and Using Networks 99

What You Need to Establish a Mobile Broadband Network Connection

NOTE: Depending on your computer, you can use either a Mobile Broadband

ExpressCard or Mini Card, but not both, to establish a Mobile Broadband network connection.

To set up a Mobile Broadband network connection, you need:

• A Mobile Broadband ExpressCard or Mini Card (depending on your computer’s configuration)

NOTE: For instructions on using ExpressCards, see "Using ExpressCards" on

page 87.

• An activated Mobile Broadband ExpressCard or activated Subscriber Identity Module (SIM) for your service provider

• The Dell Mobile Broadband Card Utility (already installed on your computer if you purchased the card when you purchased your computer, or on the media that accompanied your card if purchased separately from your computer)

If the utility is corrupted or deleted from your computer, see the Dell Mobile Broadband Card Utility user’s guide in Windows Help and Support

(click Start

, and then click

Help and Support)

or on the media that accompanied your card if you purchased it separately from your computer.

Checking Your Dell Mobile Broadband Card

Depending on what you selected when you purchased your computer, the computer has a variety of configurations. To determine your computer configuration, see one of the following:

• Your order confirmation

• Microsoft Windows Help and Support

To check your Mobile Broadband card in Windows Help and Support:

Click

Start →

information and diagnose problems

Under

Tools

the hardware installed on this computer.

Help and Support→

, click

My Computer Information→

Use Tools to view your computer

Find information about

100 Setting Up and Using Networks

Dell Inspiron 1520 User Manual

Specifications and Main Features

Frequently Asked Questions

User Manual

Finding Information

About Your Computer

Determining Your Computer’s Configuration

Front View

Left Side View

Right Side View

Back View

Bottom View

Setting Up Your Computer

Connecting to the Internet

Setting Up Your Internet Connection

Transferring Information to a New Computer

Windows Easy Transfer

Setting Up a Printer

Printer Cable

Connecting a USB Printer

Power Protection Devices

Surge Protectors

Line Conditioners

Uninterruptible Power Supplies

Using the Display

Adjusting Brightness

Using a Projector

Making Images and Text Look Bigger or Sharper

Microsoft® Windows® XP

Using Both a Monitor and Your Computer Display

Microsoft Windows XP

Windows Vista

Setting Display Resolution and Refresh Rate

Microsoft Windows XP

Windows Vista

Using the Keyboard and Touchpad

Numeric Keypad

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

Using a Battery

Battery Performance

Checking the Battery Charge

Dell QuickSet Battery Meter

Microsoft® Windows® Battery Meter

Charge Gauge

Low-Battery Warning

Conserving Battery Power

Power Management Modes

Standby and Sleep Mode

Hibernate Mode

Configuring Power Management Settings

Accessing Power Options Properties

Charging the Battery

Replacing the Battery

Storing a Battery

Using Multimedia

Playing Media

Playing Media Using Dell Travel Remote (Optional)

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

Adjusting the Volume

Adjusting the Picture

Using Dell MediaDirect™

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