Dell Inspiron PP01X, Inspiron 8200 Owner's Manual
1H018bk3.book Page 1 Monday, October 14, 2002 2:26 PM
Dell™ Inspiron™ 8200
Owner’s Manual
www.dell.com | support.dell.com
1H018bk3.book Page 2 Monday, October 14, 2002 2:26 PM
Hints, Notices, and Cautions
HINT: A HINT indicates important information that helps you make better
NOTICE: A NOTICE indicates either potential damage to hardware or loss of
CAUTION: A CAUTION indicates a potential for property damage,
Abbreviations and Acronyms
For a complete list of abbreviations and acronyms, see the Te l l M e Ho w help
file. To access the help file, see page 72.
use of your computer.
data and tells you how to avoid the problem.
personal injury, or death.
____________________
Information in this document is subject to change without notice.
© 2002 Dell Computer Corporation. All rights reserved.
Reproduction in any mann er whatsoever without the written permission of D ell Computer
Corporation is s tr ictly forbidden.
Trademarks used in this text: Dell, the DELL logo, DellPlus, DellWare, Inspiron, TrueMobile,
Dimension, OptiPlex, UltraSharp, DellNet, AccessDirect, Dell Precision, and Latitude are
trademarks of Dell Co m put er Corporation; Intel, Pentium, and Celeron are registered trad emarks
of Intel Corporation; EMC is the registered trademark of EMC Corpor ation; GeForce 2 Go and
GeForce4 440 Go are trademar ks of N V ID I A Corporation; ATI Mobility and RADEON are
trademarks of ATI T echnologies Inc.; Microsoft and Windo ws are regist ered 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 name s oth er than its own.
September 2002 P/N 1H018 Rev. A03
1H018bk3.book Page 3 Monday, October 14, 2002 2:26 PM
Contents
CAUTION: Safety Instructions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9
General
Power . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10
Battery
Air Travel
EMC Instructions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12
When Using Your Computer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13
When Working Inside Your Computer
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14
Protecting Against Electrostatic Discharge . . . . . . . . . . . 15
Battery Disposal
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15
Ergonomic Computing Habits . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16
1 Setting Up and Using Your Computer
A Tour of Your Computer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20
Front View
Left Side View . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24
Right Side View . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27
Back View
Bottom View . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 33
Setting Up a Printer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 34
Printer Cable
Connecting a Parallel Printer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 34
Connecting a USB Printer
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 29
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 34
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 35
Transferring Information to a New Computer With
®
Microsoft
Windows® XP . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 36
Setting Up a Home and Office Network With Windows XP
. . . . 37
Contents 3
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Connecting to the Internet . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 37
Setting Up Your Internet Connection
Copying CDs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 39
Using Easy CD Creator Basic
Using Blank CD-R Discs or Blank CD-RW Discs . . . . . . . . 40
Helpful Tips . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 40
How to Copy a CD
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . 38
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 40
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 41
Turning Off the Computer
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 42
About the Module Bay . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 42
Swapping Devices While the Computer Is Turned Off . . . . . . 42
Swapping Devices While the Computer Is Running
. . . . . . . 44
Using the Keyboard and Touch Pad . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 44
Dell™ AccessDirect™ Buttons
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 44
Numeric Keypad . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 46
Keyboard Shortcuts
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 47
Touch Pad . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 49
Customizing the Touch Pad and Track Stick . . . . . . . . . . 50
Changing the Track Stick Cap
Enabling the Infrared Sensor
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 50
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 51
Connecting a Television to the Computer . . . . . . . . . . . . . 52
S-Video and Standard Audio
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 54
S-Video and Digital Audio . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 56
Composite Video and Standard Audio
. . . . . . . . . . . . . 58
Composite Video and Digital Audio . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 60
Enabling the Display Settings for a Television
Using S/PDIF Digital Audio
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 62
. . . . . . . . . 61
Setting Up the Dolby Headphone
Setting Up the Docking Device to Connect to a Network
4 Contents
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 64
. . . . 65
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Power Protection Devices . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 65
Surge Protectors
Line Conditioners . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 66
Uninterruptible Power Supply Devices
2 Solving Problems
Finding Solutions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 70
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 66
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . 66
Accessing Help
Power Problems
Ensuring Sufficient Power for Your Computer
Docking Power Considerations
Start-Up Error Messages
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 72
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 72
. . . . . . . . . . 73
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 74
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 74
Video and Display Problems . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 75
If the display is blank
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 75
If the display is difficult to read . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 76
If only part of the display is readable
Sound and Speaker Problems
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 77
If you have a problem with integrated speakers
If you have a problem with external speakers
Printer Problems
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 78
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . 76
. . . . . . . . . 77
. . . . . . . . . . 77
Modem and Internet Connection Problems . . . . . . . . . . . . 79
Scanner Problems
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 80
Touch Pad or Mouse Problems
External Keyboard Problems
Unexpected Characters . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 82
Drive Problems
If you cannot save a file to a floppy disk drive
If you cannot play a CD, CD-RW, or DVD
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 81
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 82
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 83
. . . . . . . . . . 83
. . . . . . . . . . . . 84
Contents 5
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If you cannot eject the CD, CD-RW, or DVD drive tray . . . . . 85
If you hear an unfamiliar scraping or grinding sound . . . . . . 85
If the CD-RW drive stops writing
If you have problems with a hard drive . . . . . . . . . . . . . 86
PC Card Problems . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 86
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 86
Network Problems
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 87
Error Messages . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 87
General Program Problems
A program crashes
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 89
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 89
A program stops responding . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 89
A solid blue screen appears . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 89
Error messages appear
E-Mail Problems
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 90
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 89
Resolving Other Technical Problems . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 90
If Your Computer Gets Wet . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 90
If You Drop or Damage Your Computer
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . 91
Drivers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 92
What Is a Driver?
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 92
Identifying Drivers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 92
Reinstalling Drivers
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 93
Manually Reinstalling Drivers for Windows XP . . . . . . . . . 94
Resolving Software and Hardware Incompatibilities
Using Microsoft
®
Windows® XP System Restore . . . . . . . . . 96
Creating a Restore Point
Restoring the Computer to an Earlier Operating State
Undoing the Last System Restore . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 99
6 Contents
. . . . . . . 95
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 97
. . . . . 98
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Reinstalling Microsoft® Windows® XP . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 99
Before You Reinstall
Reinstalling Windows XP . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 99
Reinstalling Drivers and Software
3 Adding and Replacing Parts
Replacing the Palm Rests . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 104
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 99
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 102
Adding Memory
Replacing the Hard Drive
Returning a Hard Drive to Dell
4 Appendix
Specifications . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 112
System Setup Overview
Viewing the System Setup Screens
System Setup Screens
Commonly Used Options . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 120
Changing the Boot Sequence . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 120
Dell Technical Support Policy (U.S. Only) . . . . . . . . . . . . 121
Definition of “Dell-Installed” Software and Peripherals
Definition of “Third-Party” Software and Peripherals . . . . . 122
Returning Items for Warranty Repair or Credit
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 105
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 108
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 110
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 119
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . 119
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 119
. . . . 122
. . . . . . . . . 123
Contacting Dell . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 124
Regulatory Notices
NOM Information (Mexico Only)
CE Mark Notice
Limited Warranties and Return Policy
Limited Warranty for the U.S.
"Total Satisfaction" Return Policy (U.S. Only)
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 140
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 142
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 143
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . 145
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 145
. . . . . . . . . 148
Contents 7
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Limited Warranty Terms for Canada . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 149
"Total Satisfaction" Return Policy . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 152
Dell Software and Peripherals
One-Year End-User Manufacturer Guarantee
(Latin America and the Caribbean Only)
®
Warranty Statement for Pentium® and
Intel
Celeron
®
Processors Only (U.S. and Canada Only) . . . . . . . 155
Index . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 157
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 153
. . . . . . . . . . . . 154
8 Contents
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CAUTION: Safety Instructions
Use the following safety guidelines to help ensure your own personal safety and to help protect
your computer and working environment from potential damage.
General
• Do not attempt to service the computer yourself unless you are a trained service
technician. Always follow installation instructions closely.
• If you use an extension power cable with your AC adapter, ensure that the total ampere
rating of the products plugged in to the extension power cable does not exceed the
ampere rating of the extension cable.
• Do not push objects into air vents or openings of your computer. Doing so can cause fire
or electric shock by shorting out interior components.
• Do not store your computer in a low-airflow environment, such as a carrying case or a
closed briefcase, while the computer is turned on. Restricting airflow can damage the
computer or cause a fire.
• Keep your computer away from radiators and heat sources. Also, do not block cooling
vents. Avoid placing loose papers underneath your computer; do not place your computer
in a closed-in wall unit or on a bed, sofa, or rug.
• Place the AC adapter in a ventilated area, such as a desk top or on the floor, when you use
it to run the computer or to charge the battery. Do not cover the AC adapter with papers
or other items that will reduce cooling; also, do not use the AC adapter inside a carrying
case.
• The AC adapter may become hot during normal operation of your computer. Use care
when handling the adapter during or immediately after operation.
• Do not allow your portable computer to operate with the base resting directly on exposed
skin for extended periods of time. The surface temperature of the base will rise during
normal operation (particularly when AC power is present). Allowing sustained contact
with exposed skin can cause discomfort or, eventually, a burn.
• Do not use your computer in a wet environment, for example, near a bath tub, sink, or
swimming pool or in a wet basement
• If your computer includes an integrated or optional (PC Card) modem, disconnect the
modem cable if an electrical storm is approaching to avoid the remote risk of electric
shock from lightning via the telephone line.
CAUTION: Safety Instructions 9
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CAUTION: Safety Instructions
• To help avoid the potential hazard of electric shock, do not connect or disconnect any
cables or perform maintenance or reconfiguration of this product during an electrical
storm. Do not use your computer during an electrical storm unless all cables have been
disconnected and the computer is operating on battery power.
• If your computer includes a modem, the cable used with the modem should be
manufactured with a minimum wire size of 26 American wire gauge (AWG) and an FCCcompliant RJ-11 modular plug.
• Before you open the memory module/Mini PCI card/modem cover on the bottom of your
computer, disconnect all cables from their electrical outlets and disconnect the telephone
cable.
• If your computer has a modem RJ-11 connector and a network RJ-45 connector, insert the
telephone cable into the RJ-11 connector, not the R-45 connector.
• PC Cards may become very warm during normal operation. Use care when removing PC
Cards after their continuous operation.
• Before you clean your computer, disconnect the computer from the electrical outlet.
Clean your computer with a soft cloth dampened with water. Do not use liquid or aerosol
cleaners, which may contain flammable substances.
(continued)
Power
• Use only the Dell-provided AC adapter approved for use with this computer. Use of
another AC adapter may cause a fire or explosion.
• Before you connect the computer to an electrical outlet, check the AC adapter voltage
rating to ensure that the required voltage and frequency match the available power
source.
• To remove the computer from all power sources, turn the computer off, remove the
battery pack, and disconnect the AC adapter from the electrical outlet.
• To help prevent electric shock, plug the AC adapter and device power cables into properly
grounded power sources. These power cables may be equipped with 3-prong plugs to
provide an earth grounding connection. Do not use adapter plugs or remove the
grounding prong from the power cable plug. If you use a power extension cable, use the
appropriate type, 2-prong or 3-prong, to mate with the AC adapter power cable.
• Be sure that nothing rests on your AC adapter’s power cable and that the cable is not
located where it can be tripped over or stepped on.
10 CAUTION: Safety Instructions
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CAUTION: Safety Instructions
• If you are using a multiple-outlet power strip, use caution when plugging the AC
adapter’s power cable into the power strip. Some power strips may allow you to insert the
plug incorrectly. Incorrect insertion of the power plug could result in permanent damage
to your computer, as well as risk of electric shock and/or fire. Ensure that the ground
prong of the power plug is inserted into the mating ground contact of the power strip.
(continued)
Battery
• Use only Dell™ battery modules that are approved for use with this computer. Use of
other types may increase the risk of fire or explosion.
• Do not carry a battery pack in your pocket, purse, or other container where metal objects
(such as car keys or paper clips) could short-circuit the battery terminals. The resulting
excessive current flow can cause extremely high temperatures and may result in damage
to the battery pack or cause fire or burns.
• The battery poses a burn hazard if you handle it improperly. Do not disassemble it.
Handle a damaged or leaking battery pack with extreme care. If the battery is damaged,
electrolyte may leak from the cells and may cause personal injury.
• Keep the battery away from children.
• Do not store or leave your computer or battery pack near a heat source such as a radiator,
fireplace, stove, electric heater, or other heat-generating appliance or otherwise expose it
to temperatures in excess of 60ºC (140ºF). When heated to excessive temperatures,
battery cells could explode or vent, posing a risk of fire.
• Do not dispose of your computer’s battery in a fire or with normal household waste.
Battery cells may explode. Discard a used battery according to the manufacturer’s
instructions or contact your local waste disposal agency for disposal instructions. Dispose
of a spent or damaged battery promptly.
CAUTION: Safety Instructions 11
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CAUTION: Safety Instructions
(continued)
Air Travel
• Certain Federal Aviation Administration regulations and/or airline-specific restrictions
may apply to the operation of your Dell computer while you are on board an aircraft. For
example, such regulations/restrictions may prohibit the use of any personal electronic
device (PED) that has the capacity for intentional transmission of radio frequency or
other electromagnetic signals while on an aircraft.
– In order to best comply with all such restrictions, if your Dell portable computer is
equipped with Dell TrueMobile™ or some other wireless communication device,
please disable this device before you board the aircraft and follow all instructions
provided by airline personnel with regard to such device.
– Additionally, the use of any PED, such as a portable computer, may be prohibited in
aircraft during certain critical phases of flight, for example, takeoff and landing. Some
airlines may further define the critical flight phase as any time the aircraft is below
3050 m (10,000 ft). Please follow the airline’s specific instructions as to when the use
of a PED is allowed.
EMC Instructions
Use shielded signal cables to ensure that you maintain the appropriate EMC classification for
the intended environment. For parallel printers, a cable is available from Dell. If you prefer, you
can order a cable from Dell at its worldwide website at www.dell.com.
Static electricity can harm electronic components inside your computer. To prevent static
damage, discharge static electricity from your body before you touch any of your computer’s
electronic components, such as a memory module. You can do so by touching an unpainted
metal surface on the computer’s input/output panel.
12 CAUTION: Safety Instructions
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When Using Your Computer
Observe the following safe-handling guidelines to prevent damage to your computer:
• When setting up the computer for work, place it on a level surface.
• When traveling, do not check the computer as baggage. You can put your computer
through an X-ray security machine, but never put your computer through a metal
detector. If you have the computer checked by hand, be sure to have a charged battery
available in case you are asked to turn on the computer.
• When traveling with the hard drive removed from the computer, wrap the drive in a
nonconducting material, such as cloth or paper. If you have the drive checked by hand, be
ready to install the drive in the computer. You can put the hard drive through an X-ray
security machine, but never put the drive through a metal detector.
• When traveling, do not place the computer in overhead storage compartments where it
could slide around. Do not drop your computer or subject it to other mechanical shocks.
• Protect your computer, battery, and hard drive from environmental hazards such as dirt,
dust, food, liquids, temperature extremes, and overexposure to sunlight.
• When you move your computer between environments with very different temperature
and/or humidity ranges, condensation may form on or within the computer. To avoid
damaging the computer, allow sufficient time for the moisture to evaporate before using
the computer.
NOTICE: When taking the computer from low-temperature conditions into a warmer environment
or from high-temperature conditions into a cooler environment, allow the computer to acclimate to
room temperature before turning on power.
• When you disconnect a cable, pull on its connector or on its strain-relief loop, not on the
cable itself. As you pull out the connector, keep it evenly aligned to avoid bending any
connector pins. Also, before you connect a cable make sure both connectors are correctly
oriented and aligned.
• Handle components with care. Hold a component such as a memory module by its edges,
not its pins.
• When preparing to remove a memory module from the system board or disconnect a
device from the computer, turn off the computer, disconnect the AC adapter cable, and
then wait 5 seconds before proceeding to help avoid possible damage to the system board.
When Using Your Computer 13
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When Using Your Computer
• Clean the display with a soft, clean cloth and water. Apply the water to the cloth; then
stroke the cloth across the display in one direction, moving from the top of the display to
the bottom. Remove moisture from the display quickly and keep the display dry. Longterm exposure to moisture can damage the display. Do not use a commercial window
cleaner to clean your display.
• If your computer gets wet or is damaged, follow the procedures described in "Solving
Problems" on page 90 or 91. If, after following these procedures, you confirm that your
computer is not operating properly, contact Dell (see "Contacting Dell" on page 124 for
the appropriate contact information).
(continued)
When Working Inside Your Computer
Before removing or installing memory modules, Mini PCI cards, or modems, perform the
following steps in the sequence indicated.
NOTICE: The only time you should ever access the inside of your computer is when you are
installing memory modules, a Mini PCI card, or a modem.
NOTICE: Wait 5 seconds after turning off the computer before disconnecting a device or removing
a memory module, Mini PCI card, or modem to help prevent possible damage to the system board.
Shut down your computer and turn off any attached devices.
1
2 Disconnect your computer and devices from electrical outlets to reduce the potential for
personal injury or shock. Also, disconnect any telephone or telecommunication lines from
the computer.
3 Remove the main battery from the battery bay and, if necessary, the secondary battery
from the module bay.
14 When Using Your Computer
1H018bk3.book Page 15 Monday, October 14, 2002 2:26 PM
When Using Your Computer
4 Ground yourself by touching the unpainted metal surface of the I/O panel on the back of
the computer.
While you work, periodically touch the I/O panel to dissipate any static electricity that
might harm internal components.
(continued)
Protecting Against Electrostatic Discharge
Static electricity can harm electronic components inside your computer. To prevent static
damage, discharge static electricity from your body before you touch any of your computer’s
electronic components, such as a memory module. You can do so by touching an unpainted
metal surface on the computer’s I/O panel.
As you continue to work inside the computer, periodically touch an I/O connector to remove
any static charge your body may have accumulated.
You can also take the following steps to prevent damage from electrostatic discharge (ESD):
• When unpacking a static-sensitive component from its shipping carton, do not remove
the component from the antistatic packing material until you are ready to install the
component. Just before unwrapping the antistatic packaging, be sure to discharge static
electricity from your body.
• When transporting a sensitive component, first place it in an antistatic container or
packaging.
• Handle all sensitive components in a static-safe area. If possible, use antistatic floor pads
and workbench pads.
Battery Disposal
Your computer uses a lithium-ion battery and a nickel-metal reserve battery. For instructions
about replacing the lithium-ion battery in your computer, refer to the section about replacing
the battery in your Dell computer documentation. The reserve battery is a long-life battery, and
it is very possible that you will never need to replace it. However, should you need to replace it,
the procedure must be performed by an authorized service technician.
Do not dispose of the battery along with household waste. Contact your local waste disposal
agency for the address of the nearest battery deposit site.
When Using Your Computer 15
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Ergonomic Computing Habits
CAUTION: Improper or prolonged keyboard use may result in
injury.
CAUTION: Viewing the display or external monitor screen for
extended periods of time may result in eye strain.
For comfort and efficiency, observe the following ergonomic guidelines
when setting up and using your computer:
• Position your computer directly in front of you as you work.
• Adjust the tilt of the computer’s display, its contrast and/or brightness
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settings, and the lighting around you (such as overhead lights, desk
lamps, and the curtains or blinds on nearby windows) to minimize
reflections and glare on the display.
• When using an external monitor with your computer, set the monitor
at a comfortable viewing distance (usually 510 to 610 millimeters [20
to 24 inches] from your eyes). Make sure the monitor screen is at eye
level or slightly lower when you are sitting in front of the monitor.
• Use a chair that provides good lower-back support.
• Keep your forearms horizontal with your wrists in a neutral,
comfortable position while using the keyboard, touch pad, track stick,
or external mouse.
• Always use the palm rest with the keyboard, touch pad, or track stick.
Leave space to rest your hands when using an external mouse.
• Let your upper arms hang naturally at your sides.
• Sit erect with your feet resting on the floor and your thighs level.
• When sitting, make sure the weight of your legs is on your feet and not
on the front of your chair seat. Adjust your chair’s height or use a
footrest, if necessary, to maintain proper posture.
• Vary your work activities. Try to organize your work so that you do not
have to type for extended periods of time. When you stop typing, try
to do things that use both hands.
16 When Using Your Computer
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4
1
3
2
1 display screen at or below eye level 3 arms at desk level
2 feet flat on the floor 4 wrists relaxed and flat
When Using Your Computer 17
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18 When Using Your Computer
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SECTION 1
Setting Up and Using
Your Computer
A Tour of Your Computer
Transferring Information to a New Computer With
Microsoft
Setting Up a Home and Office Network With
Windows XP
Connecting to the Internet
Copying CDs
Turning Off the Computer
About the Module Bay
Swapping Devices While the Computer Is Turned Off
Swapping Devices While the Computer Is Running
Using the Keyboard and Touch Pad
Enabling the Infrared Sensor
Connecting a Television to the Computer
®
Windows® XP
Setting Up the Dolby Headphone
Setting Up the Docking Device to Connect to a Network
Power Protection Devices
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A Tour of Your Computer
Front View
Dell
AccessDirect buttons
display latch
display
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volume control
buttons
microphone
power button
touch pad/track
stick buttons
device status
lights
air vent
keyboard
status lights
keyboard
track stick
touch pad
DISPLAY LATCH — Keeps the display closed.
ISPLAY — For more information on using your color display, see "Using the
D
Display" in the Tell Me How help file. To access the help file, see page 72.
20 Setting Up and Using Your Computer
battery baymodule bay
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DEVICE STATUS LIGHTS
Turns on when you turn on the computer.
Turns on when the computer reads or writes data.
NOTICE: To avoid loss of data, never turn off the computer while
the light is flashing.
Turns on steadily or blinks when the computer is in a power management
mode. It also blinks to indicate battery charge status.
If the computer is connected to an electrical outlet, the light operates as
follows:
– Solid green: The battery is charging.
– Flashing green: The battery is fully charged.
If the computer is running on a battery, the light operates as follows:
– Off: The battery is adequately charged (or the computer is turned off).
– Flashing orange: The battery charge is low.
– Solid orange: The battery charge is critically low.
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HINT: The computer
turns on the fans when the
computer gets hot. The
fans may make noise,
which is normal and does
not indicate a problem
with the fans or the
computer
AIR VENTS — The computer uses an internal fan to create airflow through the
vents, which prevents the computer from overheating.
CAUTION: Do not block, push objects into, or allow dust to
accumulate in the air vents. Doing so can damage the computer or
cause a fire.
EYBOARD STATUS LIGHTS — The green lights located above the keyboard
K
indicate the following:
9
A
Turns on when the numeric keypad is enabled
Turns on when the uppercase letter function is enabled
Turns on when the scroll lock function is enabled
22 Setting Up and Using Your Computer
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KEYBOARD — The keyboard includes a numeric keypad as well as the Microsoft®
®
Windows
logo key . For information on supported keyboard shortcuts, see
page 47.
RACK STICK — Use the track stick and track stick buttons as you would use a
T
mouse. See page 49 for more information.
TOUCH PAD — Use the touch pad and touch pad buttons as you would use a
mouse. See page 49 for more information.
ATTERY BAY — When a battery is installed, you can use the computer without
B
connecting it to an electrical outlet. See "Using a Battery" in the Tell Me How help
file. To access the help file, see page 72.
ODULE BAY — You can install devices such as a CD drive, CD-RW drive, DVD
M
drive, or Dell TravelLite™ module in the module bay.
OUCH PAD/TRACK STICK BUTTONS — Correspond to the left and right
T
buttons on a standard mouse.
ELL™ ACCESSDIRECT™ BUTTONS — Press these buttons to launch various
D
resources, such as your default Internet browser and e-mail program. For more
information, see page 44.
OWER BUTTON — Press the power button to turn on the computer or to enter
P
or exit standby or hibernate mode.
If the computer stops responding, press and hold the power button until the
computer turns off completely (which may take about 4 seconds).
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NOTICE: Turn off your computer by performing a Windows shutdown (see
page 42). Otherwise, you may lose data.
ICROPHONE — Allows you to record audio.
M
OLUME CONTROL BUTTONS — Increase or decrease the speaker volume with
V
these buttons. Alternatively, you can increase speaker volume by pressing
You can enable or disable (mute) the integrated stereo speakers or external speakers
by pressing . When you mute music, the computer may take a moment
to respond. Certain audio utilities installed on your computer also allow you to
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control speaker volume. If no sound comes from the speakers, press
and decrease speaker volume by pressing .
and check the volume control buttons to make sure that the sound is not disabled.
Left Side View
fixed optical drive S-video TV-out connector
speaker
network connector
modem connector
24 Setting Up and Using Your Computer
security cable slot
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FIXED OPTICAL DRIVE — Accommodates devices such as a CD drive, DVD
drive, CD-RW drive, or CD-RW/DVD combo drive.
IDEO TV-OUT CONNECTOR
S-V
Connects your computer to a TV. Also connects
S/PDIF capable devices using the TV/digital audio
adapter cable. For more information, see "Playing CDs
and Movies" in the Tell Me How help file. To access the
help file, see page 72
SECURITY CABLE SLOT — Lets you attach a commercially available antitheft
device to the computer. Instructions for installing antitheft devices are usually
included with the device.
NOTICE: Before you buy an antitheft device, ensure that it will work with the
security cable slot.
ODEM CONNECTOR
M
Connect the telephone line to the modem connector.
For information on using the modem, see the online
modem documentation supplied with your computer.
To access device user’s guides, see the Tell Me How
help file. To access the help file, see page 72.
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NETWORK CONNECTOR
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NOTICE: The network connector is slightly larger than the modem connector.
Do not plug a telephone line into the network connector.
Connects the computer to a network. The lights next
to the connector indicate activity for both wired and
wireless network communications.
For information on using the network adapter, see the
online network adapter documentation supplied with
your computer. To access device user’s guides, see the
Tell Me How help file. To access the help file, see
page 72.
SPEAKERS — Press the volume control buttons or volume control keyboard
shortcuts to adjust the volume of the integrated speakers. For more information, see
page 47.
26 Setting Up and Using Your Computer
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Right Side View
PC Card slots
speaker
hard drive bay
security cable slot
audio connectors
infrared sensor
IEEE 1394 connector
SPEAKERS — Press the volume control buttons or volume control keyboard
shortcuts to adjust the volume of the integrated speakers. For more information, see
page 47.
ECURITY CABLE SLOT — Lets you attach a commercially available antitheft
S
device to the computer. Instructions for installing antitheft devices are usually
included with the device.
air vents
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NOTICE: Before you buy an antitheft device, ensure that it will work with the
security cable slot.
H
ARD DRIVE —Reads and writes data on a hard disk.
NFRARED SENSOR — The infrared sensor lets you transfer files from your
I
computer to another infrared-compatible device without using cable connections.
infrared sensor
IEEE 1394 CONNECTOR — Use this connector to attach devices supporting
IEEE 1394 high-speed transfer rates, such as some digital cameras and video
cameras.
28 Setting Up and Using Your Computer
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PC CARD SLOT — Has two connectors that support various types of PC Cards,
including modems and network adapters. For more information, see "Using PC
Cards" in the Tell Me How help file. To access the help file, see page 72.
UDIO CONNECTORS
A
Attach record/playback devices, such as cassette players and CD players, to the
connector.
Attach headphones or speakers to the connector.
Attach a microphone to the connector.
IR VENTS — The computer uses an internal fan to create airflow through the
A
vents, which prevents the computer from overheating.
CAUTION: Do not block, push objects into, or allow dust to
accumulate in the air vents. Doing so can damage the computer or
cause a fire.
Back View
NOTICE: To avoid damaging the computer, wait 5 seconds after turning off
the computer before you disconnect an external device.
CAUTION: Do not block, push objects into, or allow dust to
accumulate in the air vents. Doing so can damage the computer or
cause a fire.
HINT: The computer
turns on the fans when the
computer gets hot. The
fans may make noise,
which is normal and does
not indicate a problem
with the fans or the
computer.
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air vents
AC adapter connector
HINT: The computer
turns on the fans when the
computer gets hot. The
fans may make noise,
which is normal and does
not indicate a problem
with the fans or the
computer.
PS/2 connector
docking connector
serial connector
parallel connector
USB connectors (2)video connector
AIR VENTS — The computer uses an internal fan to create airflow through the
vents, which prevents the computer from overheating.
CAUTION: Do not block, push objects into, or allow dust to
accumulate in the air vents. Doing so can damage the computer or
cause a fire.
HINT: Use only the
90-watt AC adapter
DAPTER CONNECTOR — Attach the 90-watt AC adapter to the
AC A
computer.
supplied with the
computer.
30 Setting Up and Using Your Computer
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