Dell Inspiron 5000 User Manual

Dell™ Inspiren™ 5000e System

SOLUTIONS GUIDE

www.dell.com support.dell.com

IM4.LOCOM"

Hints, Notices, and Cautions

HINT: A HINT indicates important information that helps you make better

use of your computer.

O 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 potentially hazardous situation

which, if not avoided, may result in minor or moderate injury.

Abbreviations and Acronyms

For a complete listing of abbreviations and acronyms, see the Glossary in the Tell Me How help file (see the Start Here sheet for instructions on how to open the help file).

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

Trademarks used in this text: De//, the DELL E COM logo, Dellnet, Inspiron, and DellWare are trademarks of Dell Computer Corporation; Intel is a registered trademark of Intel Corporation; Microsoft and Windows are registered trademarks of Microsoft Corporation.

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

August 2000 P/N 91XWT Rev. A00

Safety Instructions

Use the following safety guidelines to help proteet yourself and your eomputer. For eomfort and effieieney, observe the ergonomie guidelines in "Sitting Comfortably at Your Computer" in the Tell Me How help file.

When Using Your Computer

• Do not attempt to serviee the eomputer yourself. Always follow installation instruetions elosely.

• Do not earry a battery pae& in your poeket, purse, or other eontainer where metal objeets (sueh as ear keys) eould short-eireuit the battery terminals. The resulting exeessive eurrent flow ean eause extremely high temperatures and may result in damage from burns.

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

• Plaee the AC adapter in a ventilated area, sueh as a desk top or on the floor, when you use it to run the eomputer or to eharge the battery. Do not eover the AC adapter with papers or other items that will reduee eooling; also, do not use the AC adapter inside a earrying ease.

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

• Do not push objeets into air vents or openings of your eomputer. Doing so ean eause fire or eleetrie shoek by shorting out interior eomponents.

• Use only the AC adapter and batteries that are approved for use with this eomputer as indieated in this doeument. Use of another type of battery paek or AC adapter may risk fire or explosion.

• Before you eonneet the eomputer to a power souree, ensure that the voltage rating of the AC adapter matehes that of the available power souree:

— 115 volts (V)/60 hertz (Hz) in most of North and South Ameriea

and some Far Eastern eountries sueh as South Korea and Taiwan — 100 V/50 Hz in eastern Japan and 100 V/60 Hz in western Japan — 250 V/50 Hz in most of Europe, the Middle East, and the Far East

Safety Instructions | 5

To help prevent eleetrie shoek, plug the AC adapter and peripheral power eables into properly grounded power sourees. These eables are equipped with 5-prong plugs to help ensure proper grounding. Do not use adapter plugs or remove the grounding prong from a eable. If you must use an extension eable, use a 5-wire eable with properly grounded plugs.

If you use an extension eable with your AC adapter, ensure that the total ampere rating of the produets plugged in to the extension eable does not exeeed the ampere rating of the extension eable.

To remove power from the eomputer, turn it off, remove the battery paek, and diseonneet the AC adapter from the eleetrieal outlet.

If your eomputer ineludes an integrated or optional (PC Card) modem, diseonneet the modem eable during an eleetrieal storm to avoid the remote risk of eleetrie shoek from lightning via the telephone line.

To help avoid the potential hazard of eleetrie shoek, do not eonneet or diseonneet any eables or perform maintenanee or reeonfiguration of this produet during an eleetrieal storm.

PC Cards may beeome very warm during normal operation. Use eare when removing PC Cards after their eontinuous operation.

Do not dispose of battery paeks in a fire. They may explode. Cheek with loeal authorities for disposal instruetions.

^1 Safety Instructions

When setting up the eomputer for work, plaee it on a level surfaee. When traveling, do not eheek the eomputer as baggage. You ean put

your eomputer through an X-ray seeurity maehine, but never put your eomputer through a metal deteetor. If you have the eomputer eheeked by hand, be sure to have a eharged battery available in ease you are asked to turn on the eomputer.

When traveling with the hard-disk drive removed from the eomputer, wrap the drive in a noneondueting material, sueh as eloth or paper. If you have the drive eheeked by hand, be ready to install the drive in the eomputer. You ean put the hard-disk drive through an X-ray seeurity maehine, but never put the drive through a metal deteetor.

When traveling, do not plaee the eomputer in overhead storage eompartments where it eould slide around. Do not drop your eomputer or subjeet it to other meehanieal shoeks.

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

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

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

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

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

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

• When removing a memory module from the system board or disconnecting a peripheral device from the computer, wait 5 seconds after turning off the computer before removing the memory module or disconnecting the device to help avoid possible damage to the system board.

• Before you clean your computer, turn it off, unplug it from its power source, and remove the battery pack(s).

• Clean your computer with a soft cloth dampened with water rather than with liquid or aerosol cleaners.

• Clean the display with a soft, clean cloth and commercial window cleaner that does not contain wax or abrasives. Apply the cleaner to the cloth; then stroke the cloth across the display in one direction, moving from the top of the display to the bottom. If the display contains grease or some other contaminant, use isopropyl alcohol instead of commercial window cleaner.

• If your computer gets wet, see page 42 for instructions. If you drop or damge the computer, see page 45. If, after following these procedures, you confirm that your computer is not operating properly, contact Dell (see page 76).

Safety Instructions | 7

When Removing or Installing Memory Modules

Before you remove or install memory modules, perform the following steps in the sequenee indieated.

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

when you are installing memory modules.

O NOTICE: Wait 5 seconds after turning off the computer before disconnecting

a peripheral device or removing a memory module to help prevent possible damage to the system board.

1 Turn off your computer and all attached devices. 2 Disconnect your computer and peripheral devices from their electrical

outlets to reduce the potential for personal injury or shock. Also, disconnect any telephone or telecommunication lines from the computer.

3 Remove the battery from the battery bay and, if present, the secondary

battery from the modular bay

4 Ground yourself by touching an unpainted metal surface at the back of

the computer before touching anything inside your computer. While you work, periodically touch an unpainted metal surface on the

computer to dissipate any static electricity that might harm internal components.

^ I Safety Instructions

In addition, take note of these safety guidelines when appropriate:

• When you disconnect a cable, pull on its connector, not on the cable itself. As you pull connectors apart, keep them evenly aligned to avoid bending any pins. Also, before you connect a cable, make sure that both connectors are correctly oriented and aligned.

• Handle memory modules with care. Don’t touch the components on a module. Hold a module by its edges.

CAUTION: There is a danger of a new battery exploding if it is

incorrectly installed. Replace the battery only with the same or equivalent type recommended by the manufacturer. Discard used batteries according to the manufacturer’s instructions.

Protecting Against Electrostatic Discharge

To prevent statie damage, diseharge statie eleetrieity from your body before you toueh anything inside your eomputer and periodieally while you work inside the eomputer. You ean do so by touehing an unpainted metal surfaee on the baek of the eomputer.

You ean also take the following steps to prevent statie damage:

• Do not remove items from their antistatie paeking material until you are ready to install them in your eomputer. Just before unwrapping the antistatie paekaging, be sure to diseharge statie eleetrieity from your body.

• When transporting a sensitive eomponent, first plaee it in an antistatie eontainer or paekaging.

Safety Instructions | 9

1^ Safety Instructions

Contents

1 Setting Up

Setting Up Dellnet"

Accessing the Internet...........................................................................16

Accessing Your E-Mail ..........................................................................16

Viewing Your Account Information Sending and Receiving E-Mail

Resetting E-Mail Address Settings

Connecting a Printer

Parallel Printer.......................................................................................18

USB Printer ..........................................................................................11

Installing the Printer Driver ...................................................................20

Turning Off the Computer

Windows Millennium Edition (Me).........................................................21

Windows 18 ..........................................................................................21

Windows 2000.......................................................................................21

Setting Up the APR to Connect to a Network

Setting Up the APR for Windows Me and Windows 18 Setting Up the APR for Windows 2000

2 Solving problems

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16 17 17

Finding Solutions.............................................................................27

Power Problems ..............................................................................29

Start-Up Error Messages ..................................................................80

Video and Display Problems..............................................................30

Contents I 11

If the display is blank If the display is difficult to read

.............................................................................

.............................................................

Sound and Speaker Problems

Integrated Speakers .............................................................................31

External Speakers.................................................................................32

...........................................................

Printer Problems .............................................................................33

If you cannot print to a parallel port printer............................................33

If you cannot print to a USB printer

......................................................

Modem Problems.............................................................................34

Scanner Problems............................................................................35

Touch Pad Problems

........................................................................

External Keyboard Problems.............................................................36

Unexpected Characters....................................................................36

Drive Problems................................................................................36

If you cannot save a file to a floppy disk................................................36

If you cannot play a music CD or install a program from a CD

If you cannot play a DVD movie............................................................38

If the CD-RW drive stops writing

If you have a hard drive problem...........................................................38

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1^ Contents

Network Problems

..........................................................................

Windows Error Messages .................................................................39

General Program Problems ..............................................................40

A program crashes A program stops responding

A solid blue screen appears..................................................................41

...............................................................................

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40 40

Internet Connection Problems...........................................................41

If you have a problem with your Dellnet account

..................................

E-Mail Problems...............................................................................42

If Your Computer Gets Wet

..............................................................

If You Drop or Damage Your Computer.............................................48

Resolving Other Technical Problems .................................................44

Reinstalling Drivers and Utilities........................................................44

Reinstalling Windows ......................................................................45

Reinstalling Windows Me and Windows 98 45

Reinstalling Windows 2000 ..................................................................46

Recreating the Hibernate File (Windows 98 Only)..............................47

Boot (Restart) Your Computer With the System Software CD

Delete the Old Hibernate File................................................................48

Create the Hibernate File

Enable Hibernate Support.....................................................................49

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Adding Pahts

Using the Modular Bay ....................................................................52

Swapping Devices While the Computer Is Turned Off Swapping Devices While the Computer Is Turned On

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52 53

Installing a Battery...........................................................................54

Installing a Second Battery in the Modular Bay

...................................

PC Cards ........................................................................................56

Installation

Removal ...............................................................................................56

Docking the Computer

Connecting to a Port Replicator

Detaching (Undocking) From a Port Replicator Connecting External Devices to a Port Replicator Connectors on a Port Replicator

Buttons and Indicators

Adding Memory

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56 58

Contents I 13

Replacing a Hard Drive

Returning a Hard Drive to Dell

Appendix

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Specifications

Standard Settings

System Setup Screens .........................................................................74

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Contacting Dell ...............................................................................76

Contact Numbers and Addresses

Returning Items for Warranty Repair or Credit

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Regulatory Information....................................................................86

Battery Disposal....................................................................................86

NOM Information (Mexico Only)............................................................87

Información para NOM (únicamente para México)

..............................

Warranty and Return Policy Information ...........................................88

1^ Contents

SECTION 1

Setting Up

Setting Up Dellnet™ Connecting a Printer Turning Off the Computer Setting Up the APR to Connect to a Network

^IhINT: Dehnet is not

available in certain regions.

Setting Up Dellnet

To set up Dellnet Internet Aeeess Serviee, double-eliek the Dellnet Signup ieon on the Mierosoft® Windows® desktop and follow the instruetions that appear on the sereen.

Accessing the Internet

To aeeess the Internet after eompleting the Dellnet registration proeess, double-eliek the Internet Explorer ieon on your Windows desktop. Internet Explorer automatieally initiates the Internet eonneetion through Dellnet.

Accessing Your E-Mail

To aeeess your Dellnet e-mail, double-eliek the Outlook Express ieon on your Windows desktop. Cliek Send/Reeeive to download your messages from the mail server. When you download your messages, they are stored on your hard drive until you delete them.

Viewing Your Account Information

HINT: Dellnet all ows you

to use case-sensitive passwords.

Be sure that <Caps Lock> is not turned on.

1^ Setting Up

If you did nof record your Dellnef user name or password, access fhe Dellnet Administration fool fo verify or change fhis informafion:

1 Click fhe Start buffon, poinf fo Programs—>DeIInet, and fhen click

Dellnet Administration. 2 Click Next fwice. 3 Click Conneet fo connecf fo Dellnef. 4 When fhe Dellnet Self-Administration page appears, click View My

Aeeount Information. 5 Click Next. 6 Type your Challenge Question answer. 7 Click Next.

Your accounf informafion appears on fhe screen.

8 Click Print to print the information or click Main Menu to go to the

main menu.

Sending and Receiving E-Mail

• Double-click the Outlook Express icon to initiate a connection to the Internet through Dellnet.

• Always check the address of each recipient when sending e-mail. Otherwise, your e-mail is returned to you.

• Be sure that the person who is sending e-mail to you is typing your e-mail address correctly.

• Do not send e-mail messages larger than 2 MB.

• If you are having difficulties sending e-mail, determine whether the problem involves just one recipient or all recipients. Then contact the Dellnet technical support staff (see page 76).

Resetting E-Mail Address Settings

If your e-mail software gets corrupted, reset your account:

1 Click the Start button, point to Programs—>Dellnet, and then click

Dellnet Administration. 2 Click Next twice. 3 Click Connect to connect to Dellnet. 4 When the Dellnet Self-Administration page appears, click Make My

Changes Take Effect. 5 Click Next. 6 Enter your Challenge Phrase answer. 7 Click Next. 8 Click the Click To Make Changes Take Effect button. 9 Click OK.

Setting Up I 17

Connecting a Printer

See the doeumentation that eame with the printer for any reeommended

preparation proeedures, sueh as:

• Removing the paekaging

• Installing the toner or ink eartridge

• Loading paper

Then follow the instruetions that eame with the printer to eonneet it to the eomputer. If no information is provided, see the following seetions.

Parallel Printer

1 Turn off the eomputer (see page 20).

O NOTICE: Use only a standard IEEE parallel cable measuring 3 m (10 ft) or

less to connect the printer to the computer. Use of a nonstandard cable may prevent

the printer from working.

1^ I Setting Up

2 Attach the parallel printer cable to the parallel port connector on the

computer and tighten the two screws. Attach the cable to the parallel

connector on the printer and snap the two clips into the two notches.

3 Turn on the printer and then turn on the computer. If the Add New

Hardware Wizard window appears, click Caneel. 4 Install the printer driver if necessary (see page 20).

USB Printer

1 Install the printer driver if necessary (see page 20).

^HINT: You can connect

USB devices while the

computer is turned on.

Setting Up I 19

2 Attach the USB printer cable to the USB port connector on the

computer and the printer. The USB connectors fit only one way.

Installing the Printer Driver

HINT: Dell Install s drivers

for some new printers. Click the

Start button, point to Settings, and then click Printers. If your printer is listed in the Printers

window, the printer is ready to

use.

2^ Setting Up

If you need to install a printer driver, insert the installation CD into the CD or DVD drive. Then follow the prompts on the screen using the instructions that came with the printer.

If your printer installation CD does not automatically run, click the Start button on the Windows desktop, click Run, and type x:\setup.exe

(where x is the letter of your CD or DVD drive [usually drive D]). Then

click OK and follow the prompts on your screen.

Turning Off the Computer

O NOTICE: To prevent data loss, you must perform the Windows shutdown

procedure to turn off your computer.

Windows Millennium Edition (Me)

1 Save and close any open files and exit any open programs. 2 Click the Start button, and then click Shut Down. 3 Click the pull-down menu under What do you want the computer to

do?. 4 Click Shut down and then click OK.

The computer automatically turns off after the shutdown process

finishes.

Windows 98

1 Save and close any open files and exit any open programs. 2 Click the Start button, and then click Shut Down. 3 In the Shut Down Windows window, click Shut down and then click

OK.

The computer automatically turns off after the shutdown process

finishes.

Windows 2000

1 Save and close any open files and exit any open programs. 2 Click the Start button, and then click Shut Down. 3 Click the pull-down menu under What do you want the computer to

do?. 4 Click Shut down and then click OK.

The computer automatically turns off after the shutdown process

finishes.

Setting Up I 21

Setting Up the APR to Connect to a

Network

HINT: A network adapter is also referred to as a network interface controller (NIC).

If you purchased the advanced port replicator (APR) with an integrated network adapter, you must first configure the computer to use the APR with a network.

Setting Up the APR for Windows Me and Windows 98

1 If the computer is on, shut down the operating system and turn off the

computer (see page 20). 2 Disconnect all external devices from the APR. 3 Insert the computer into the APR. 4 Turn on the computer. 5 The computer automatically detects the network adapter and begins

the software installation. 6 At the This wizard searches for new drivers for: Intel 8255x-based PCI

Ethernet Adapter (10/100) dialog box, click Next. 7 At the What do you want Windows to do? dialog box, click Search for

the best driver for your device (Recommended), and then click Next. 8 Insert the Inspiron 5000 Advanced Port Replicator CD into the CD or

DVD drive. 9 When asked for the location of the driver, deselect Floppy disk drives.

2^ I Setting Up

10 Click Specify a location:. 11 Type x:\w98_nic (where x is the drive letter of your CD or DVD

drive), and then click Next.

12 At the What do you want to install? dialog box, click The updated

driver (Recommended) - Actiontec 82559-based Mini PCI Adapter

(10/100), and then click Next.

13 When Windows displays the message that it is ready to install the

driver from x:\w98_nic\net82557.inf (where x is the letter of your CD

or DVD drive), click Next.

14 Click Finish when Windows displays a message that the driver is

installed.

15 Click Yes to restart the computer. 16 After the computer restarts, Windows modifies settings, creates a Dock

1 configuration, and then displays a Setup is complete message. 17 Click OK. 18 If the Updated display settings message appears, click OK. 19 If necessary, consult your network administrator for instructions on

configuring the network adapter settings.

Setting Up the APR for Windows 2000

O NOTICE: Do not install the drivers from the CD that is shipped with the APR.

The network adapter will not work if they are installed.

1 If the computer is on, shut down the operating system and turn off the

computer (see page 20). 2 Disconnect all external devices from the APR. 3 Insert the computer into the APR. 4 Attach the network cable and the power adapter to the APR. 5 Turn on the computer. 6 Log on as Administrator. 7 Make sure that Intel 8255x-based PCI Ethernet Adapter (10/100)

appears in the Found New Hardware window

Windows 2000 automatically installs the network adapter drivers.

Setting Up I 23

www.dell.com | s u p p о г t. d e 11. с о m

SECTION 2

Solving Problems

Finding Solutions Power Problems Start-Up Error Messages Video and Display Problems Sound and Speaker Problems Printer Problems

Modem Problems Scanner Problems Touch Pad Problems

External Keyboard Problems

Unexpected Characters Drive Problems Network Problems Windows Error Messages General Program Problems Internet Connection Problems

E-Mail Problems If Your Computer Gets Wet If You Drop or Damage Your Computer

Resolving Other Technical Problems Reinstalling Drivers and Utilities Reinstalling Windows Recreating the Hibernate File (Windows 98 Only)

2^ I Solving Problems

Finding Solutions

Sometimes it’s diffieult to figure out where to go for answers. Use fhis ehart

fo help you quiekly find the answers to your questions.

CONTINUE

Solving Problems | 27

2^ I Solving Problems

Power Problems

C HECK THE POWER LIGHT— When the power light is lit or blinking, the

computer has power. If the power light is blinking, the computer is in standby mode—press the power button to resume from standby mode.

Test the electrical outlet— Ensure that the electrical outlet is working

by testing it with another device, such as a lamp.

C HECK THE AC adapter— Be sure that the power cable is firmly inserted

into the electrical outlet and the green light on the AC adapter is on.

CONNECT THE computer DIRECTLY TO AN ELECTRICAL OUTLET—

Bypass power protection devices, power strips, and the extension cable to verify that the computer turns on.

C HECK FOR INTERFERENCE— Electrical appliances on the same circuit or

operating near the computer can cause interference. Other causes of interference: power extension cables, too many devices on a power strip, or multiple power strips connected to the same electrical outlet.

^IhINT: See the Tell Me

How help file for information

on the standby mode.

C HECK THE Power Properties— See the Tell Me How help file or

Windows Help. To access Windows Help:

1 Click the Start button and then click Help. 2 Click the Search tab.

3 Type standby and then click List Topics. : Click To change the elapsed time before your computer automatically goes

on standby.

Solving Problems | 29

+ 63 hidden pages