Dell PP10L User Manual

Download

Dell™ Inspiron™ 510m

Owner’s Manual

Model PP10L

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.

Abbreviations and Acronyms

For a complete list of abbreviations and acronyms, see the

Dell Inspiron Help

file. To access the help

file, see page 9.

If you purchased a Dell™ n Series computer, any references in this document to Microsoft

Windows® operating systems are not applicable.

____________________

Reproduction in any manner whatsoever without the written permission of Dell Inc. is strictly forbidden. Trademarks used in this text: Dell, the DELL logo, Latitude, Inspiron, Dimension, OptiPlex, Dell Precision, Dell TravelLite,

PowerApp, PowerEdge, PowerConnect, PowerVault, and TrueMobile are trademarks of Dell Inc.; Intel and Pentium are registered trademarks and Centrino is a trademark of Intel Corporation; Microsoft and Windows are registered trademarks Microsoft Corporation; Bluetooth is a registered trademark owned by Bluetooth SIG, Inc. and is used by Dell Inc. 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 PP10L

April 2005 P/N D7898 Rev. A02

Contents

Finding Information . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9

1 A Tour of Your Computer

Front View . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13

Left View

Right View

Back View

Bottom View

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23

2 Setting Up Your Computer

Connecting to the Internet . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25

Setting Up Your Internet Connection

Modem and Internet Connection Problems

E-Mail Problems

Setting Up a Printer

Printer Cable

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28

Connecting a Parallel Printer Connecting a USB Printer

Printer Problems

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

Power Protection Devices

Surge Protectors Line Conditioners

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

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 31

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 31

Uninterruptible Power Supplies

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28

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

Turning Off Your Computer

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

Contents 3

3 Using a Battery

Battery Performance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 33

Checking the Battery Charge

Dell™ QuickSet Battery Meter Microsoft Charge Gauge

Windows® Power Meter . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 35

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 35

Low-Battery Warning

Charging the Battery

Removing a Battery

Installing a Battery

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 36

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 36

Removing and Installing a Reserve Battery

Storing a Battery

Power Problems

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

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 34

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 34

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 35

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 35

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

4 Using the Module Bay

About the Module Bay . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 41

Removing and Installing Devices While the Computer Is Turned Off

Removing and Installing Devices While the Computer Is Running

. . . . . . 41

. . . . . . . 42

5 Using the Keyboard and Touch Pad

4 Contents

Numeric Keypad . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 43

Keyboard Shortcuts

System Functions Battery CD or DVD Tray Display Functions Radios (Including Wireless Networking and Bluetooth

Wireless Technology) Power Management Speaker Functions Microsoft

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Windows® Logo Key Functions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 45

Touch Pad . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 46

Customizing the Touch Pad

Touch Pad or Mouse Problems

External Keyboard Problems

Unexpected Characters

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 47

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 47

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

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

6 Using CDs, DVDs, and other Multimedia

Using CDs and DVDs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 49

Drive Problems

If you cannot save a file to a floppy disk drive If you cannot play a CD, CD-RW, or DVD If you cannot eject the CD, CD-RW, or DVD drive tray If you hear an unfamiliar scraping or grinding sound If the CD-RW drive stops writing If you have problems with a hard drive

Sound and Speaker Problems

If you have a problem with integrated speakers If you have a problem with external speakers

Copying CDs and DVDs

How to Copy a CD or DVD Using Blank CD-Rs and CD-RWs Helpful Tips

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

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

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 50

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

. . . . . . . . . . . 52

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 52

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 52

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 53

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . 53

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 53

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

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

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

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

Connecting a Television to the Computer

S-Video Connection

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

Composite Video Connection Enabling the Display Settings for a Television

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

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

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

7 Setting Up a Home and Office Network

Connecting to a Network Adapter . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 63

Network Setup Wizard

Network Problems

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

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

Contents 5

Connecting to a Wireless Local Area Network . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 64

Determining Your Network Type Connecting to a Wireless Network in Microsoft

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 65

Windows® XP . . . . . 65

8 Solving Problems

Error Messages . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 69

Video and Display Problems

If the display is blank If the display is difficult to read If only part of the display is readable

Modem and Internet Connection Problems

Scanner Problems

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 73

If you cannot save a file to a floppy disk drive If you have problems with a hard drive

PC Card Problems

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 75

General Program Problems

A program crashes A program stops responding A solid blue screen appears Error messages appear

Resolving Other Technical Problems

If Your Dell™ Computer Gets Wet

If You Drop or Damage Your Computer

Drivers

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 78

What Is a Driver? Identifying Drivers Reinstalling Drivers and Utilities

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 70

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 70

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 70

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

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 72

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 74

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 75

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 76

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 76

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 76

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 76

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 76

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 77

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 78

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 78

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 79

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 79

6 Contents

Resolving Software and Hardware Incompatibilities

Restoring Your Operating System

Using Microsoft

Windows XP System Restore . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 81

Using Dell PC Restore by Symantec

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 81

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 83

. . . . . . . . . . . . . 80

Dell Diagnostics . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 84

When to Use the Dell Diagnostics

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 84

9 Adding and Replacing Parts

Before You Begin. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 87

Recommended Tools Shutting Down Your Computer

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 87

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 87

Adding Memory

Adding a Mini PCI Card

Replacing the Hard Drive

Returning a Hard Drive to Dell

Keyboard

Internal Card With Bluetooth

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

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

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

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 95

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 96

Wireless Technology. . . . . . . . . . . . . . 98

10 Appendix

Specifications . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 101

Viewing the System Setup Screens

System Setup Screens

Commonly Used Options

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

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 108

Changing the Boot Sequence Changing Printer Modes Changing COM Ports

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 109

Enabling the Infrared Sensor

FCC Notices (U.S. Only)

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 110

NOM Information (Mexico Only)

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

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 108

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 109

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

Contacting Dell

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

Index . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 131

Contents 7

8 Contents

Finding Information

NOTE: Some features may not be available for your computer or in certain countries.

NOTE: Additional information may ship with your computer.

What Are You Looking For? Find It Here

• Warranty information

• Terms and Conditions (U.S. only)

• Safety instructions

• Regulatory information

• Ergonomics information

• End User License Agreement

Dell™ Product Information Guide

• How to set up my computer

• Tips on using Microsoft® Windows

• How to play CDs and DVDs

• How to use standby mode and hibernate mode

• How to change my display resolution

• How to clean my computer

Setup Diagram

Help File

Click the

Click

User and system guides

Click

Dell Inspiron Help

Start

button and click

Help and Support

and click

User’s guides

What Are You Looking For? Find It Here

• Service Tag and Express Service Code

• Microsoft Windows License Label

Service Tag and Microsoft Windows License

These labels are located on

• Use the Service Tag to

• Enter the Express Service Code to direct your call when

www.dell.com | support.dell.com

• How to use Windows XP

• Documentation for my computer

• Documentation for devices (such as a modem)

Windows Help and Support Center

the bottom of

your computer.

identify your computer when you

support.dell.com

use or contact technical support.

contacting technical support.

Click the

Start

button and click

Help and Support

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.

What Are You Looking For? Find It Here

• Solutions — Troubleshooting hints and tips, articles from technicians, online courses, frequently asked questions

• Community — Online discussion with other Dell customers

• Upgrades — Upgrade information for components, such as memory, the hard drive, and the operating system

Dell Support Website — support.dell.com

NOTE: Select your region to view the appropriate support

site.

NOTE: Corporate, government, and education customers

can also use the customized Dell Premier Support website at premier.support.dell.com. The website may not be available in all regions.

• Customer Care — Contact information, service call and order status, warranty, and repair information

• Service and support — Service call status and support history, service contract, online discussions with technical support

• 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 for your computer, you should also reinstall the NSS utility. NSS provides critical updates for your operating system and support for Dell™

3.5-inch USB floppy drives, Intel

Pentium®M processors, optical drives, and USB devices. NSS is necessary for correct operation of your Dell computer. The software automatically detects your computer and operating system and installs the updates appropriate for your configuration.

To download Notebook System Software:

Go to

support.dell.com

Enter your Service Tag or product model.

In the

Download Category

Select the operating system and operating system language for your computer, and click

Under

Select a Device Configuration Utilities System Software

and click

Downloads

drop-down menu, click

Submit.

, scroll to

, and click

System and

Dell Notebook

All

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A Tour of Your Computer

Front View

display

keyboard status light

touch pad

touch pad button

speakers

DISPLAY — For more information about your display, see the Dell Inspiron Help file. To access the help file,

see page 9.

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

NOTICE: To avoid losing data, turn off your computer by performing a Microsoft

system shutdown rather than by pressing the power button.

power button

device status light

keyboard

display latch

Windows® operating

A Tour of Your Computer 13

If the computer stops responding, press and hold the power button until the computer turns off completely (which may take several seconds).

DEVICE STATUS LIGHTS

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Turns on when you turn on the computer and blinks when the computer is in a power management mode.

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 to indicate battery charge status.

Turns on when Bluetooth

NOTE: Bluetooth wireless technology is an optional feature, so the light

turns on only if you ordered Bluetooth wireless technology with your computer. For more information, see the documentation that came with your Bluetooth wireless technology.

To turn off only the Bluetooth wireless technology functionality, right-click the icon in the notification area and select Disable Bluetooth Radio.

To quickly enable or disable all wireless devices, press <Fn><F2>.

14 A Tour of Your Computer

wireless technology is enabled.

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 almost 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.

KEYBOARD — The keyboard includes a numeric keypad as well as the Windows logo key. For information

on supported keyboard shortcuts, see page 43.

DISPLAY LATCH — Keeps the display closed.

SPEAKERS — To adjust the volume of the integrated speakers, press the volume control buttons, mute

button, or volume-control keyboard shortcuts. For more information, see page 43.

TOUCH PAD BUTTONS — Provide the functionality of a mouse. For more information, see page 43.

TOUCH PAD — Provides the functionality of a mouse. For more information, see page 43.

KEYBOARD STATUS LIGHTS

A Tour of Your Computer 15

The green lights located above the keyboard indicate the following:

Left View

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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.

IEEE 1394 connector

PC Card slot

infrared sensor audio connectors (2)

security cable slot

NOTE: The computer turns on the fan when the computer gets hot. Fan noise is normal and does not

indicate a problem with the fan or the computer.

CAUTION: 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.

PC C

ARD SLOT — Supports one PC Card, such as a modem or network adapter. For more information,

see the Dell Inspiron

INFRARED SENSOR — Lets you transfer files from your computer to another infrared-compatible device

Help file. To access the help file, see page 9.

without using cable connections.

IEEE 1394

CONNECTOR — Use to attach devices supporting IEEE 1394 high-speed transfer rates, such as

some digital video cameras.

When you receive your computer, the sensor is disabled. You can use the system setup program to enable the sensor. For information on transferring data, see the Help and Support Center or the documentation that came with your infrared-compatible device.

16 A Tour of Your Computer

AUDIO CONNECTORS

Attach a microphone to the connector.

Attach headphones or speakers to the connector.

SECURITY

CABLE SLOT — Lets you attach a commercially available antitheft device to the computer. For

more information, see the instructions included with the device.

NOTICE: Before you buy an antitheft device, ensure that it will work with the security cable slot.

A Tour of Your Computer 17

Right View

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security cable slot

SECURITY CABLE SLOT — Lets you attach a commercially available antitheft device to the computer. For

more information, see the instructions included with the device.

NOTICE: Before you buy an antitheft device, ensure that it will work with the security cable slot.

MODULE BAY — You can install devices such as an optical drive or a Dell TravelLite™ module in the

module bay. For more information, see page 41.

DEVICE LATCH RELEASE — Releases the module bay device. See page 41 for instructions.

module bay

device latch release

18 A Tour of Your Computer

Back View

CAUTION: 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.

modem connector (RJ-11)

USB connectors (2)

parallel connector

serial connector

S-video TV-out connector

network connector (RJ-45)

video connector

AC adapter connector

A Tour of Your Computer 19

USB CONNECTORS

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Connect USB devices, such as a mouse, keyboard, or printer. You can also connect the optional floppy drive directly to a USB connector using the optional floppy-drive cable.

S-VIDEO TV-OUT CONNECTOR

MODEM

CONNECTOR (RJ-11)

20 A Tour of Your Computer

Connects your computer to a TV. For more information, see page 56.

Connect the telephone line to the modem connector.

For information on using the modem, see the online modem documentation supplied with your computer. See page 10.

NETWORK CONNECTOR (RJ-45)

NOTICE: The network connector is slightly larger than the modem connector. To avoid damaging the

computer, do not plug a telephone line in to the network connector.

Connects the computer to a network. The green and yellow lights next to the connector indicate activity for both wired and wireless network communications.

For information on using the network adapter, see the device user’s guide supplied with your computer. See page 10.

PARALLEL CONNECTOR

Connects a parallel device, such as a printer.

VIDEO

CONNECTOR

Connects an external monitor. For more information, see the

Help file. To access the help file, see page 9.

SERIAL

Dell Inspiron

CONNECTOR

Connects serial devices, such as a mouse or handheld device.

A Tour of Your Computer 21

AC ADAPTER CONNECTOR — Attach an AC adapter to the computer.

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The AC adapter converts AC power to the DC power required by the computer. You can connect the AC adapter with your computer turned either 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 avoid damaging the cable.

NOTE: The computer turns on the fan when the computer gets hot. Fan noise is normal and does not

indicate a problem with the fan or the computer.

CAUTION: 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.

22 A Tour of Your Computer

Bottom View

memory module cover

battery-bay latch release

battery charge gauge

hard drive

battery

Mini PCI card cover

fan

docking device slot

MEMORY MODULE COVER — Covers the compartment that contains the memory module(s). See page 89.

BATTERY-BAY LATCH RELEASE — Releases the battery. See page 36 for instructions.

BATTERY CHARGE GAUGE — Provides information on the battery charge. See page 35.

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

an electrical outlet. See page 36.

DOCKING DEVICE SLOT — Lets you attach your computer to a docking device. See the documentation

that came with your docking device for additional information.

FAN — The computer uses an internal fan to create airflow through the vents, which prevents the

computer from overheating.

NOTE: The computer turns on the fan when the computer gets hot. Fan noise is normal and does not

indicate a problem with the fan or the computer.

CAUTION: 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.

INI PCI CARD COVER — Covers the compartment that contains the Mini PCI card. See page 91.

HARD DRIVE — Stores software and data.

A Tour of Your Computer 23

www.dell.com | support.dell.com

24 A Tour of 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), such as AOL or MSN. Your ISP will offer one or more of the following Internet connection options:

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

• DSL connections that provide high-speed Internet access through your existing telephone line. 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.

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 or cable modem connection, contact your ISP for setup instructions.

Setting Up Your Internet Connection

To set up an AOL or MSN connection:

Save and close any open files, and exit any open programs.

Double-click the

Follow the instructions on the screen to complete the setup.

If you do not have an MSN Explorer or AOL 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 the

The

Start

New Connection Wizard

MSN Explorer

button and click

appears.

AOL

icon on the Microsoft® Windows® desktop.

Internet Explorer

Click

Connect to the Internet

Setting Up Your Computer 25

In the next window, click the appropriate option:

• If you do not have an ISP and want to select one, click

service providers (ISPs)

Choose from a list of Internet

• If you have already obtained setup information from your ISP but you did not receive a setup CD, click

• If you have a CD, click

Click

If you selected

Set up my connection manually

Use the CD I got from an ISP

Set up my connection manually

, continue to step 6. Otherwise, follow the

instructions on the screen to complete the setup.

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NOTE: If you do not know which type of connection to select, contact your ISP.

Click the appropriate option under click

Use the setup information provided by your ISP to complete the setup.

If you are having problems connecting to the Internet, see "Internet, Modem, and E-Mail Problems." If you cannot connect to the Internet but have successfully connected in the past, the ISP might have a service outage. Contact your ISP to check the service status, or try connecting again later.

Modem and Internet Connection Problems

NOTICE: Connect the modem to an analog telephone wall jack only. Connecting the modem to a digital

telephone network damages the modem.

NOTICE: Modem and network connectors look similar. Do not plug a telephone line into the network

connector.

NOTE: If you can connect to your Internet service provider (ISP), your modem is functioning properly. If

you are sure that your modem is working properly and you still experience problems, contact your ISP.

CHECK THE TELEPHONE WALL JACK — Disconnect the telephone line from the modem and connect it to a telephone. Listen for a dial tone. Ensure that you have touchtone telephone service. Try connecting the modem to a different telephone wall jack.

Slow connection speeds can be caused by telephone noise as well as by telephone line or network conditions. Contact your telephone company or network administrator for more information.

How do you want to connect to the Internet?

, and then

26 Setting Up Your Computer

CONNECT THE MODEM DIRECTLY TO THE TELEPHONE WALL JACK — If you have other telephone devices sharing the line, such as an answering machine, fax machine, surge protector, or line splitter, then bypass them and use the telephone line to connect the modem directly to the telephone wall jack.

CHECK THE CONNECTION — Verify that the telephone line is connected to the modem.

CHECK THE TELEPHONE LINE — Try using a different telephone line. If you are using a line that is 3 m (10 ft) or more in length, try a shorter one.

IRREGULAR DIAL TONE —If you have voice mail service, you might hear an irregular dial tone when you have messages. Contact your telephone company for instructions on restoring a dial tone.

TURN OFF CALL WAITING (CATCH- PHONE)— See your telephone directory for instructions on deactivating this feature. Then adjust the dial-up networking connection properties.

Click the

Click

Dialing Rules

In the

Start

button and click

Control Panel

Printers and Other Hardware

tab, and then click

Edit Location

window, ensure that

Edit...

, click

Phone and Modem Options

To disable call waiting, dial:

, click the

checked, and then select the proper code as listed in your telephone directory.

Click

Apply

and click OK.

Close the

Phone and Modems Options Control Panel

window.

VERIFY THAT THE MODEM IS COMMUNICATING WITH WINDOWS

Click the

Click

Click the

Click the COM port for your modem.

Click

Start

button and click

Control Panel

Printers and Other Hardware

Modems

Properties

tab.

, click the

Diagnostics

and click

Phone and Modem Options

tab, and then click

Query Modem

verify that the modem is communicating with Windows.

If all commands receive responses, the modem is operating properly.

Setting Up Your Computer 27

E-Mail Problems

ENSURE THAT YOU ARE CONNECTED TO THE INTERNET — With the Outlook Express e-mail program open, click File. If Work Offline has a check mark next to it, click the check mark to remove it and connect to the Internet.

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:

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• Obtain and install updated drivers.

• Connect the printer to the computer.

• Load paper and install the toner or ink cartridge.

• Contact the printer manufacturer for technical assistance.

Printer Cable

Your printer connects to your computer with either a USB cable or a parallel 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. If you purchased a printer cable at the same time you purchased your computer, the cable may arrive in the computer box.

Connecting a Parallel Printer

Complete the operating system setup, if you have not already done so.

Turn off the computer.

NOTICE: For best results, use a 3-m (10-ft) or shorter parallel cable.

Attach the parallel printer cable to the parallel connector on the computer and tighten the two screws. Attach the cable to the connector on the printer and snap the two clips into the two notches.

28 Setting Up Your Computer

parallel connector on computer

connector on printer

screws (2)

notches (2)

parallel printer cable

Turn on the printer and then turn on the computer. If the window appears, click

Install the printer driver if necessary. See the documentation that came with your printer.

Cancel

Add New Hardware Wizard

clips (2)

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.

Install the printer driver if necessary. See the documentation that came with your printer.

Setting Up Your Computer 29

Attach the USB printer cable to the USB connectors on the computer and the printer. The USB connectors fit only one way.

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Printer Problems

USB connector on computer

USB connector on printer

USB printer cable

CHECK THE PRINTER CABLE CONNECTIONS — Ensure that the printer cable is properly connected to the computer (see page 28).

TEST THE ELECTRICAL OUTLET — Ensure that the electrical outlet is working by testing it with another device, such as a lamp.

ENSURE THAT THE PRINTER IS TURNED ON — See the documentation supplied with the printer.

30 Setting Up Your Computer

VERIFY THAT WINDOWS® RECOGNIZES THE PRINTER

Click the

Click

Click click the printer icon.

Click

following port(s):

REINSTALL THE PRINTER DRIVER — See page 78.

Start

button.

Control Panel Printers and Other Hardware View installed printers or fax printers

Properties,

and then click the

setting is

LPT1 (Printer Port)

Ports

tab. Ensure that the

. If the printer model is listed, right-

Print to the

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 to prevent damage to your computer from voltage spikes that can occur during electrical storms or following power interruptions. The level of protection is usually commensurate with the cost of the surge protector. 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.

Line Conditioners

NOTICE: Line conditioners do not protect against power interruptions.

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

Setting Up Your Computer 31

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).

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Turning Off Your Computer

NOTICE: To avoid losing data, turn off your computer by performing a Microsoft® Windows® operating

system shutdown, as described next, rather than by pressing the power button.

NOTE: As an alternative to turning off your computer, you can set your computer to enter standby or

hibernate mode.

Save and close any open files, exit any open programs, click the

Turn Off Computer

In the

Turn off computer

The computer turns off after the shutdown process finishes.

window, click

Tur n off

Start

button, and then click

32 Setting Up Your Computer

Using a Battery

Battery Performance

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

Product Information Guide.

For optimal computer performance and to help preserve BIOS settings, operate your Dell™ portable computer with the main battery installed at all times. Use a battery to run the computer when it is not connected to an electrical outlet. One battery is supplied as standard equipment in the battery bay.

NOTE: Battery operating time (the time a 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.

Battery operating time varies depending on operating conditions. You can install an optional second battery in the module bay to significantly increase operating time. For more information about the second battery, see page 41.

Operating time is significantly reduced when you perform operations including, but not limited to, the following:

• Using DVD, DVD-R, and CD-RW drives

• Using wireless communications devices, PC Cards, or USB devices

• Using high-brightness display settings, 3D screen savers, or other power-intensive programs such as 3D games

• Running the computer in maximum performance mode

NOTE: It is recommended that you connect your computer to an electrical outlet when writing to a CD.

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 lithium-ion battery is designed to work with your Dell computer. Do not use a battery 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."

Using a Battery 33

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

The Dell QuickSet Battery Meter, the Microsoft® Windows® Power Meter window and icon, the battery charge gauge, and the low-battery warning provide information on the battery charge.

For more information about checking the charge on the second battery, see page 41.

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Dell™ QuickSet Battery Meter

If Dell QuickSet is installed, press <Fn><F3> to display the QuickSet Battery Meter.

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

In addition, when your computer is connected to a docking device (docked), the Battery Meter window includes a Dock Battery tab, which displays the charge level and current status of the docking device battery.

The following icons appear in the Battery Meter window:

The computer or docking device is running on battery power.

The computer is connected to AC power and the battery is charging.

The computer is connected to AC power and the battery is fully charged.

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

34 Using a Battery

Microsoft® Windows® Power Meter

The Windows Power Meter indicates the remaining battery charge. To check the Power Meter, double-click the icon on the taskbar. For more information about the Power Meter tab, see "Power Management" in the Dell Inspiron Help f

If the computer is connected to an electrical outlet, a icon appears.

ile. To access the help file, see page 9.

Charge Gauge

Before you insert a battery, press the status button on the battery charge gauge to illuminate the charge-level 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 appear, the battery has no charge.

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, or install a second battery in the module bay. If the battery runs completely out of power, hibernate mode begins automatically.

A low-battery warning occurs when the battery charge is approximately 90 percent depleted. The computer beeps once, indicating that minimal battery operating time remains. During that time, the speaker beeps periodically. If two batteries are installed, the low-battery warning means that the combined charge of both batteries is approximately 90 percent depleted. The computer enters hibernate mode when the battery charge is at a critically low level. For more information about low-battery alarms and to access "Power Management," see the Dell Inspiron Help file. To access the help file, see page 9.

Charging the Battery

NOTE: The AC adapter charges a completely discharged battery in approximately 1 hour with the

computer turned off. Charge time is longer with the computer turned on. You can leave the battery in the computer 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.

The battery is too hot to start charging if the light flashes alternately green and orange. 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, and to access "Power Management", see the Dell Inspiron Help

file. To access the help file, see page 9.

Using a Battery 35

Removing a Battery

CAUTION: Before performing these procedures, disconnect the modem from the telephone wall jack.

For information about removing the second battery, see "Using the Module Bay" on page 41.

NOTICE: If you choose to replace the battery with the computer in standby mode, you have up to

30 seconds to complete the battery replacement before the computer shuts down and loses any unsaved data.

Ensure that the computer is turned off, suspended in a power management mode, or connected to an electrical outlet.

If the computer is connected to a docking device (docked), undock it. See the documentation

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that came with your docking device for instructions.

Slide and hold the battery-bay latch release on the bottom of the computer, and then remove the battery from the bay.

Installing a Battery

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 lithium-ion battery is designed to work with your Dell computer. Do not use a battery from other computers with your computer.

Slide the battery into the bay until the latch release clicks.

For information about installing the second battery, see page 41.

36 Using a Battery

Removing and Installing a Reserve Battery

Remove the battery.

Remove the reserve battery cover.

Slide the reserve battery toward the connector, and pull the battery out of its compartment.

Disconnect the reserve battery cable from the connector.

reserve battery cable

connector

reserve battery

Using a Battery 37

Connect the reserve battery cable to the connector in the reserve battery compartment.

Place the reserve battery in the compartment, and replace the reserve battery cover.

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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 before you use it.

Power Problems

NOTE: For information on standby mode, see the Dell Inspiron Help file. To access the help file, see

page 9.

CHECK 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 exit standby mode. If the light is off, press the power button to turn on the computer.

38 Using a Battery

CHARGE THE BATTERY — The battery charge may be depleted.

Reinstall the battery.

Use the AC adapter to connect the computer to an electrical outlet.

Turn on the computer.

CHECK THE BATTERY STATUS LIGHT — If the battery status light flashes orange

or is a steady orange the battery charge is low or depleted. Connect the computer to an electrical outlet.

If the battery status light flashes green and orange, the battery is too hot to charge. Turn off the computer (see page 32), disconnect the computer from the electrical outlet, and then let the battery and computer cool to room temperature.

If the battery status light rapidly flashes orange, the battery may be defective. Contact Dell (see page 112).

TEST THE ELECTRICAL OUTLET — Ensure that the electrical outlet is working by testing it with another device, such as a lamp.

CHECK THE AC ADAPTER — Check the AC adapter cable connections. If the AC adapter has a light, ensure that the light 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.

ELIMINATE POSSIBLE INTERFERENCE — Turn off nearby fans, fluorescent lights, halogen lamps, or other appliances.

ADJUST THE POWER PROPERTIES — See the Dell Inspiron Help file or search for the keyword standby in the Help and Support Center. To access the help file, see page 9.

RESEAT THE MEMORY MODULES — If the computer power light turns on but the display remains blank, reseat the memory modules.

Using a Battery 39

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40 Using a Battery

Using the Module Bay

About the Module Bay

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

Product Information Guide.

You can install devices such as a floppy drive, CD drive, CD-RW drive, DVD drive, CD-RW/DVD drive, DVD+RW, second battery, or second hard drive in the module bay.

Removing and Installing Devices While the Computer Is Turned Off

NOTE: You can remove and install devices while the computer is running and connected to a docking

device (docked).

NOTICE: To prevent damage to devices, store them in a safe, dry place when they are not installed in the

computer. Avoid pressing down on them or placing heavy objects on top of them.

Press the device latch release.

Pull the device out of the module bay.

Push the new device into the bay until it clicks.

Using the Module Bay 41

Removing and Installing Devices While the Computer Is Running

Before ejecting the device, double-click the click the device you want to eject, and click

NOTICE: To prevent damage to devices, store them in a safe, dry place when they are not installed in the

computer. Avoid pressing down on them or placing heavy objects on top of them.

Press the device latch release.

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Pull the device out of the module bay.

Safely Remove Hardware

Stop

icon on the taskbar,

Push the new device into the bay until it clicks.

The operating system automatically recognizes the device.

If necessary, enter your password to unlock your computer.

42 Using the Module Bay

Using the Keyboard and Touch Pad

Numeric Keypad

NOTE: When you connect an external keyboard or keypad to the computer, the keypad is disabled.

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, enable the keypad, 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 Touch Pad 43

Keyboard Shortcuts

System Functions

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

<Num Lk> Enables and disables the numeric keypad (on an external

keyboard only)

<Fn><Num Lk> Enables and disables the scroll lock

Battery

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<Fn><F3> Displays the Dell™ QuickSet

CD or DVD Tray

<Fn><F10> Ejects the tray out of the drive.

Display Functions

<Fn><F8> Switches the video image to the next display in the

<Fn> and up-arrow key Increases brightness on the integrated display only (not

<Fn> and down-arrow key Decreases brightness on the integrated display only (not

Radios (Including Wireless Networking and Bluetooth

<Fn><F2> Enables and disables radios, including wireless

Power Management

Battery Meter.

following sequence: the integrated display only, the integrated display and an external CRT monitor simultaneously, an external CRT monitor only, the integrated display and an external DVI monitor simultaneously, and an external DVI monitor only.

on an external monitor)

Wireless Technology)

networking and Bluetooth wireless technology.

<Fn><Esc> Activates the power management mode of your choice.

44 Using the Keyboard and Touch Pad

You can program this keyboard shortcut on the

Advanced tab in the Power Options Properties window

Speaker Functions

If no sound comes from the speakers, press <Fn><End> and adjust the volume.

<Fn><Page Up> Increases the volume of the integrated speakers and

external speakers, if attached

<Fn><Page Dn> Decreases the volume of the integrated speakers and

external speakers, if attached

<Fn><End> Enables and disables the integrated speakers and external

speakers, if attached

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> Runs 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>

Maximizes all windows

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

Opens the System Properties dialog box

To adjust keyboard operation, such as the character repeat rate, open the Control Panel, and click Printers and Other Hardware.

Using the Keyboard and Touch Pad 45

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.

touch pad

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• 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 down-updown on the touch pad. On the second down motion, leave your finger on the touch pad and move the selected object by sliding your finger across the surface.

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

46 Using the Keyboard and Touch Pad

touch pad buttons

Customizing the Touch Pad

You can disable the touch pad or adjust its settings by using the Mouse Properties window.

Open the Control Panel, click

On the

• Click the

Select the desired settings and click

Click OK to save the settings and close the window.

Mouse Properties

Device Select

Pointer

tab to adjust touch pad settings.

Printers and Other Hardware

window:

tab to disable the touch pad.

Apply

, and then click

Mouse

Touch Pad or Mouse Problems

CHECK THE TOUCH PAD SETTINGS

Click the

Hardware

Click

Try adjusting the settings.

CHECK THE MOUSE CABLE

Shut down the computer (see page 32). Disconnect the mouse cable and check it for damage. For PS/2 cables, check the cable connector for bent or broken pins. Firmly reconnect the cable.

If you are using a mouse extension cable, disconnect it and connect the mouse directly to the computer.

Start

Mouse

button, click

Control Panel

, and then click

Printers and Other

TO VERIFY THAT THE PROBLEM IS WITH THE MOUSE, CHECK THE TOUCH PAD

Turn off the computer.

Disconnect the mouse.

Turn on the computer.

At the Windows desktop, use the touch pad to move the cursor around, select an icon, and open it.

If the touch pad operates correctly, the mouse may be defective.

REINSTALL THE TOUCH PAD DRIVER — See page 78.

Using the Keyboard and Touch Pad 47

External Keyboard Problems

NOTE: When you attach an external keyboard, the integrated keyboard remains fully functional.

CHECK THE KEYBOARD CABLE — Shut down the computer (see page 32). Disconnect the keyboard cable and check it for damage. For PS/2 cables, check the cable connector for bent or broken pins. Firmly reconnect the cable.

If you are using a keyboard extension cable, disconnect it and connect the keyboard directly to the computer.

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CHECK THE EXTERNAL KEYBOARD

Turn off the computer, wait 1 minute, and turn it on again.

Verify that the numbers, capitals, and scroll lock lights on the keyboard blink during the boot routine.

From the Windows® desktop, click the

Accessories

Type some characters on the external keyboard and verify that they appear on the display.

If you cannot verify these steps, you may have a defective external keyboard.

TO VERIFY THAT THE PROBLEM IS WITH THE EXTERNAL KEYBOARD, CHECK THE

INTEGRATED KEYBOARD

Turn off the computer.

Disconnect the external keyboard.

Turn on the computer.

From the Windows desktop, click the

Accessories

Type some characters on the external keyboard and verify that they appear on the display.

If the characters appear now but did not with the external keyboard, you may have a defective external keyboard. Contact Dell (see page 112).

, and click

Notepad

Start

button, point to

Start

button, point to

Programs

, point to

Unexpected Characters

DISABLE THE NUMERIC KEYPAD — Press <Num Lk> to disable the numeric keypad if numbers are displayed instead of letters. Verify that the numbers lock light is not lit.

48 Using the Keyboard and Touch Pad

Using CDs, DVDs, and other Multimedia

Using CDs and DVDs

For information about using CDs and DVDs in your computer, see the Dell™ Inspiron™ Help file. To access the help file, see page 9.

Drive Problems

NOTE: For information on saving files to a floppy disk, see the Dell Inspiron Help file. To access the help

file, see

If you cannot save a file to a floppy disk drive

ENSURE THAT WINDOWS® RECOGNIZES THE DRIVE — Click the Start button and click My Computer. If the drive is not listed, perform a full scan with your antivirus software to check for and remove viruses. Viruses can sometimes prevent Windows from recognizing the drive. Insert a bootable disk and restart the computer. Verify that the light is blinking, indicating normal operation.

page 9.

Using CDs, DVDs, and other Multimedia 49

ENSURE THAT THE DISK IS NOT WRITE-PROTECTED — You cannot save data to a write-protected disk. See the following figure.

back of floppy disk

write-protected

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TRY ANOTHER FLOPPY DISK — Insert another disk to eliminate the possibility that the original disk is defective.

REINSTALL THE DRIVE

Save and close any open files, exit any open programs, and shut down the computer.

Remove the drive. See page 41 for instructions.

Reinstall the drive.

Turn on the computer.

CLEAN THE DRIVE — See "Cleaning Your Computer" in the Dell Inspiron Help file for instructions. To access the help file, see page 9.

If you cannot play a CD, CD-RW, or DVD

not write-protected

NOTE: Because of different worldwide file types, not all DVD titles work in all DVD drives.

High-speed CD drive vibration is normal and may cause noise. This noise does not indicate a defect with the drive or the CD.

50 Using CDs, DVDs, and other Multimedia

TRY ANOTHER DISC — Insert another disc to eliminate the possibility that the original disc is defective.

ADJUST THE WINDOWS VOLUME CONTROL — Double-click the speaker icon in the lower-right corner of your screen. Ensure that the volume is turned up and that the sound is not muted.

IDENTIFY THE DISC THAT IS NOT PLAYING — If you have one CD, CD-RW, or DVD in the fixed drive device and one in the module bay device:

Click the

Double-click the drive letter of the device that you are verifying.

Start

button and click

My Computer

REINSTALL THE DRIVE

Save and close any open files, exit any open programs, and shut down the computer.

Remove the drive. See page 41 for instructions.

Reinstall the drive.

Turn on the computer.

CLEAN THE DRIVE OR DISC — See "Cleaning Your Computer" in the Dell Inspiron Help file for instructions. To access the help file, see page 9.

If you cannot eject the CD, CD-RW, or DVD drive tray

Ensure that the computer is turned off.

Straighten a paper clip and insert one end into the eject hole at the front of the drive; push firmly until the tray is partially ejected.

Gently pull out the tray until it stops.

Using CDs, DVDs, and other Multimedia 51

If you hear an unfamiliar scraping or grinding sound

• Ensure that the sound is not caused by the program that is running.

• Ensure that the disk or disc is inserted properly.

If the CD-RW drive stops writing

DISABLE STANDBY MODE IN WINDOWS BEFORE WRITING TO A CD-RW —

Search for the keyword standby in the Help and Support Center. To access the Help and Support Center, see page 10.

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CHANGE THE WRITE SPEED TO A SLOWER RATE — See the help files for your CD creation software.

EXIT ALL OTHER OPEN PROGRAMS — Exiting all other open programs before writing to the CD-RW may alleviate the problem.

If you have problems with a hard drive

ALLOW THE COMPUTER TO COOL BEFORE TURNING IT ON — A hot hard drive may prevent the operating system from starting. Try allowing the computer to return to room temperature before turning it on.

CHECK THE DRIVE FOR ERRORS

Click the

Right-click the drive letter (local disk) that you want to scan for errors, and then click

Click the

Under

Click

Start

button and click

Properties

Error-checking

Start.

Tools

. tab.

, click

Check Now

52 Using CDs, DVDs, and other Multimedia

My Computer

Sound and Speaker Problems

If you have a problem with integrated speakers

ADJUST THE WINDOWS VOLUME CONTROL — Double-click the speaker icon in the lower-right corner of your screen. Ensure that the volume is turned up and that the sound is not muted. Adjust the volume, bass, or treble controls to eliminate distortion.

ADJUST THE VOLUME USING KEYBOARD SHORTCUTS — Press <Fn><End> to disable (mute) or reenable the integrated speakers.

REINSTALL THE SOUND (AUDIO) DRIVER — See "Reinstalling Software" on page 79.

If you have a problem with external speakers

NOTE: The volume control in some MP3 players overrides the Windows volume setting. If you have been

listening to MP3 songs, make sure that you did not turn the player volume down or off.

CHECK THE SPEAKER CABLE CONNECTIONS — See the setup diagram supplied with the speakers.

TEST THE ELECTRICAL OUTLET — Ensure that the electrical outlet is working by testing it with another device, such as a lamp.

ENSURE THAT THE SPEAKERS ARE TURNED ON — See the setup diagram supplied with the speakers.

TEST THE SPEAKERS — Plug the speaker audio cable in to the connector on the computer. Ensure that the headphone volume control is turned up. Play a music CD.

Using CDs, DVDs, and other Multimedia 53

RUN THE SPEAKER SELF-TEST — Some speaker systems have a self-test button on the subwoofer. See the speaker documentation for self-test instructions.

ELIMINATE POSSIBLE INTERFERENCE — Turn off nearby fans, fluorescent lights, or halogen lamps to check for interference.

REINSTALL THE SOUND (AUDIO) DRIVER — See "Reinstalling Software" on page 79.

www.dell.com | support.dell.com

Copying CDs and DVDs

NOTE: Ensure that you follow all copyright laws when you create CDs.

This section applies only to computers that have a CD-R, CD-RW, DVD+RW, DVD+R, or DVD/CD-RW combo drive.

The following instructions show how to make an exact copy of a CD or DVD. You can also use Sonic RecordNow for other purposes, including creating CDs from audio files on your computer and creating MP3 CDs. For instructions, see the Sonic RecordNow documentation that came with your computer. Open Sonic RecordNow, click the question mark icon in the upper-right corner of the window, and click RecordNow Help or RecordNow Tutorial.

How to Copy a CD or DVD

NOTE: If you have a DVD/CD-RW combo drive and you experience recording problems, check for

available software patches at the Sonic support website at support.sonic.com.

NOTE: Most commercial DVDs have copyright protection and cannot be copied using Sonic

RecordNow.

Click the

Click either the audio tab or the data tab, depending on the kind of CD you are planning to copy.

Click

Exact Copy

To copy the CD or DVD:

•

If you have one CD or DVD drive

computer reads your source CD or DVD and copies it to a temporary folder on your computer hard drive.

When prompted, insert a blank CD or DVD into the CD or DVD drive and click

Start

button, point to

All Programs→

Sonic→ RecordNow!→ RecordNow!.

, ensure that the settings are correct and click

Copy

. The

54 Using CDs, DVDs, and other Multimedia

•

If you have two CD or DVD drives

source CD or DVD and click the blank CD or DVD.

Once you have finished copying the source CD or DVD, the CD or DVD that you have created automatically ejects.

, select the drive into which you have inserted your

Copy

. The computer copies the data on the CD or DVD to

Using Blank CD-Rs and CD-RWs

Your CD-RW drive can write to two different types of recording media—CD-Rs and CD-RWs. 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 without changing your method of recording (see the Sonic documentation for more information). Use blank CD-RWs to write to CDs or to erase, rewrite, or update data on CDs.

Helpful Tips

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

• You must 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.

• You cannot create audio DVDs with Sonic RecordNow.

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

• 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 650-MB blank CD. The CD-RW drive needs 1 or 2 MB of the blank CD to finalize the recording.

• 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.

• See the Sonic support website at

support.sonic.com

for additional information.

Using CDs, DVDs, and other Multimedia 55

Connecting a Television to the Computer

NOTE: Video and audio cables for connecting your computer to a television are not included with your

computer. Cables may be purchased at most consumer electronics stores.

Your computer has an S-video TV-out connector that enables you to connect the computer to a television. Using a commercially available S-video cable or composite video cable, you can connect the computer to a television in one of two ways:

• S-video (for a television with S-video input)

• Composite video (for a television with only a composite video input; also uses a composite TV-out adapter cable)

www.dell.com | support.dell.com

NOTE: Diagrams for each connection combination appear at the beginning of each subsection to help

you determine which method you should use.

The audio connector on the side of the computer enables you to connect the computer to your television or audio device, using a commercially available audio cable.

When you complete the cable connection, see "Enabling the Display Settings for a Television" on page 60 to ensure that the computer recognizes and works properly with the television.

S-Video Connection

56 Using CDs, DVDs, and other Multimedia

Before you begin, ensure that you have the following cables:

S-video cable

audio cable

Shut down the computer and the television and/or audio device you want to connect.

Plug one end of the S-video cable in to the S-video connector on the computer.

Plug the other end of the S-video cable in to your television.

Using CDs, DVDs, and other Multimedia 57

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

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Plug the two RCA connectors on the other end of the audio cable in to the audio input connectors on your television or audio device.

Turn on the television, turn on any audio device you connected, and then turn on the computer.

See "Enabling the Display Settings for a Television" on page 60 to ensure that the computer recognizes and works properly with the television.

Composite Video Connection

58 Using CDs, DVDs, and other Multimedia

To connect the computer to a television that has a composite video input only, use a composite

TV-out adapter cable available from Dell. Before you begin, ensure that you have the following cables:

composite TV-out adapter cable

composite video cable

audio cable

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

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

S-video TV-out connector

S-video connector

composite video connecto

composite TV-out adapter cable

Using CDs, DVDs, and other Multimedia 59

Plug one end of the composite video cable in to the composite video connector on the composite TV-out adapter cable.

Plug the other end of the composite video cable in to the composite video connector on the

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television.

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

Plug the two RCA connectors on the other end of the audio cable in to the audio input connectors on your television or audio device.

Enabling the Display Settings for a Television

Intel UMA Integrated Video Controller

NOTE: Ensure that you properly connect the television before you enable the display settings.

Click the

Appearance and Themes

Double-click the

Click the

60 Using CDs, DVDs, and other Multimedia

Start

button and click the

Display

icon, click the

Intel (R) Extreme Graphics

Graphic Properties

button.

Control Panel

Settings

tab, and then click

tab.

icon. Under

Pick a Category

Advanced

, click

If you want to use only a television without using the computer display or any other display options:

In the new window, click

Television

so that a red check mark appears over the television

icon.

Ensure that the settings are correct.

If you want to use a television and the computer display at the same time:

In the new window, click

Intel (R) Dual Display Clone

and ensure that one of the

devices listed is a television.

Click

Device Settings

In the new window, ensure that the display resolution settings are correct.

Click

Apply

to view the new settings.

Using CDs, DVDs, and other Multimedia 61

www.dell.com | support.dell.com

62 Using CDs, DVDs, and other Multimedia

Setting Up a Home and Office Network

Connecting to a Network Adapter

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

To connect a network cable:

NOTE: Insert the cable until it clicks into place, and then gently pull it to ensure that it is secure.

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

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

Connect the other end of the network cable to a network connection device, such as a network wall jack.

network cable

network adapter connector on computer

Setting Up a Home and Office Network 63

Network Setup Wizard

The Microsoft® Windows® XP operating system provides a Network Setup Wizard to guide you through the process of sharing files, printers, or an Internet connection between computers in a home or small office.

Click the click

Network Setup Wizard

On the welcome screen, click

Click

Checklist for creating a network

NOTE: Selecting the connection method This computer connects directly to the Internet enables the

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integrated firewall provided with Windows XP.

Complete the checklist and required preparations. Return to the Network Setup Wizard and follow the instructions on the screen.

Network Problems

CHECK THE NETWORK CABLE CONNECTOR — Ensure that the network cable connector is firmly connected to the optional connector on the computer and the network wall jack.

CHECK THE NETWORK LIGHTS ON THE NETWORK CONNECTOR — Green indicates that the network connection is active. If the status light is not green, try replacing the network cable. Amber indicates that the optional network adapter driver is loaded and the adapter is detecting activity.

Start

button, point to

All Programs→ Accessories→ Communications

, and then

RESTART THE COMPUTER — Try to log on to the network again.

CONTACT YOUR NETWORK ADMINISTRATOR — Verify that your network

settings are correct and that the network is functioning.

Connecting to a Wireless Local Area Network

NOTE: These networking instructions do not apply to internal cards with Bluetooth® wireless technology

or cellular products.

64 Setting Up a Home and Office Network

Determining Your Network Type

NOTE: Most wireless networks are of the infrastructure type.

Wireless networks fall into two categories—infrastructure networks and ad-hoc networks. An infrastructure network uses routers or access points to connect several computers. An ad-hoc network does not use routers or access points and consists of computers that broadcast to one another. For additional assistance with setting up your wireless connection, go to and search for the keyword

wireless setup

ad-hoc networkinfrastructure network

support.dell.com

Connecting to a Wireless Network in Microsoft® Windows® XP

Your wireless network card requires specific software and drivers in order to connect to a network. The software is already installed. If the software is removed or corrupted, follow the instructions included in the user's guide for your wireless network card. The Support website at

support.dell.com

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

user’s guide is available on the Dell

Setting Up a Home and Office Network 65

Click either the pop-up or the network icon to configure your computer for one of the available wireless networks.

Wireless Network Connections

The

www.dell.com | support.dell.com

window lists the wireless networks available in your area.

Click to select the network you want to configure, and then click network name in the list. If you select a secure network (identified by a icon), you must enter a WEP or WPA key when prompted.

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

Your network is configured automatically.

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

66 Setting Up a Home and Office Network

Connect

or double-click the

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

Thereafter, whenever you log on to your computer in the area of the wireless network, the same pop-up notifies you of the wireless network connection.

Setting Up a Home and Office Network 67

www.dell.com | support.dell.com

68 Setting Up a Home and Office Network

Solving Problems

Error Messages

If the message is not listed, see the documentation for the operating system or the program that was running at the time the message appeared.

THE FILE BEING COPIED IS TOO LARGE FOR THE DESTINATION DRIVE — The file that you are trying to copy is too large to fit on the disk, or the disk is too full. Try copying the file to a different disk or use a larger capacity disk.

A FILENAME CANNOT CONTAIN ANY OF THE FOLLOWING CHARACTERS: \ / : * ? “ < > | — Do not use these characters in filenames.

INSERT BOOTABLE MEDIA — The operating system is trying to boot to a

nonbootable floppy disk or CD. Insert a bootable floppy disk or CD.

NON-SYSTEM DISK OR DISK ERROR — A floppy disk is in the floppy drive. Remove the floppy disk and restart the computer.

NOT ENOUGH MEMORY OR RESOURCES. EXIT SOME PROGRAMS AND TRY

AGAIN — You have too many programs open. Close all windows and open the

program that you want to use.

OPERATING SYSTEM NOT FOUND — Contact Dell. See page 112.

A REQUIRED .DLL FILE WAS NOT FOUND — The program that you are trying to

open is missing an essential file. Remove and then reinstall the program.

Click the Start button and click

Click

Add or Remove Programs

Select the program you want to remove.

Click

Remove

Change/Remove

See the program documentation for installation instructions.

Control Panel

and follow the prompts on the screen.

Solving Problems 69

X :\ IS NOT ACCESSIBLE. THE DEVICE IS NOT READY — Insert a disk into the

drive and try again.

Video and Display Problems

If the display is blank

NOTE: If you are using a program that requires a higher resolution than your computer supports, Dell

recommends that you attach an external monitor to your computer.

www.dell.com | support.dell.com

CHECK THE BATTERY — If you are using a battery to power your computer, the battery charge may be depleted. Connect the computer to an electrical outlet using the AC adapter, and turn on the computer.

TEST THE ELECTRICAL OUTLET — Ensure that the electrical outlet is working by testing it with another device, such as a lamp.

CHECK THE AC ADAPTER — Check the AC adapter cable connections. If the AC adapter has a light, ensure that the light 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. To access the help file, see page 9.

ADJUST THE POWER PROPERTIES — Search for the keyword standby in the Windows Help and Support Center. For instructions on accessing help files, see page 9.

SWITCH THE VIDEO IMAGE — If your computer is attached to an external monitor, press <Fn><F8> to switch the video image to the display.

If the display is difficult to read

ADJUST THE BRIGHTNESS — See the Dell Inspiron Help file for instructions on adjusting the brightness. To access the help file, see page 9.

70 Solving Problems

MOVE THE SUBWOOFER AWAY FROM THE COMPUTER OR MONITOR — If your external speaker system includes a subwoofer, ensure that the subwoofer is at least 60 cm (2 ft) away from the computer or external monitor.

ELIMINATE POSSIBLE INTERFERENCE — Turn off nearby fans, fluorescent lights, halogen lamps, or other appliances.

ROTATE THE COMPUTER TO FACE A DIFFERENT DIRECTION — Eliminate sunlight glare, which can cause poor picture quality.

ADJUST THE WINDOWS DISPLAY SETTINGS —

Click the

Click

Click the area you want to change or click the

Try different settings for

Start

button and then click

Appearance and Themes

Color quality

Control Panel

Display

and

Screen resolution

icon.

SEE "ERROR MESSAGES"—If an error message appears, see page 69.

If only part of the display is readable

CONNECT AN EXTERNAL MONITOR —

Shut down your computer and connect an external monitor to the computer.

Turn on the computer and the monitor and adjust the monitor brightness and contrast controls.

If the external monitor works, the computer display or video controller may be defective. Contact Dell (see page 112).

Solving Problems 71

Modem and Internet Connection Problems

NOTE: If you can connect to your Internet service provider (ISP), your modem is functioning properly. If

you are sure that your modem is working properly and you still experience problems, contact your ISP.

Slow connection speeds can be caused by telephone noise as well as by telephone line or network conditions. Contact your telephone company or network

www.dell.com | support.dell.com

administrator for more information.

CHECK THE CONNECTION — Verify that the telephone line is connected to the modem.

CHECK THE TELEPHONE LINE — Try using a different telephone line. If you are using a line that is 3 m (10 ft) or more in length, try a shorter one.

IRREGULAR DIAL TONE — If you have voice mail service, you might hear an irregular dial tone when you have messages. Contact your telephone company for instructions on restoring a dial tone.

TURN OFF CALL WAITING (CATCH-PHONE)—See your telephone directory for instructions on deactivating this feature. Then adjust the dial-up networking connection properties.

Click the

Click

Printers and Other Hardware

Dialing Rules

In the

Edit Location

checked, and then select the proper code as listed in your telephone directory.

Click

Apply

Close the

72 Solving Problems

Start

button and click

tab, and then click

window, ensure that

and click OK.

Phone and Modems Options Control Panel

Control Panel

, click

Edit...

window.

Phone and Modem Options

To disable call waiting, dial:

window.

, click the

VERIFY THAT THE MODEM IS COMMUNICATING WITH WINDOWS —

Click the

Click

Click the

Click the COM port for your modem.

Click verify that the modem is communicating with Windows.

If all commands receive responses, the modem is operating properly.

Start

button and click

Printers and Other Hardware

Modems

Properties

tab.

, click the

Control Panel

Diagnostics

and click

Phone and Modem Options

tab, and then click

Query Modem

Scanner Problems

CHECK THE POWER CABLE CONNECTION — Ensure that the scanner power cable is firmly connected to a working electrical power source and that the scanner is turned on.

CHECK THE SCANNER CABLE CONNECTION — Ensure that the scanner cable is firmly connected to the computer and to the scanner.

UNLOCK THE SCANNER — Ensure that your scanner is unlocked if it has a locking tab or button.

REINSTALL THE SCANNER DRIVER — See the scanner documentation for instructions.

Solving Problems 73

Floppy Disk and Hard Drive Problems

NOTE: For information on saving files to a floppy disk, see the Dell Inspiron Help file. To access the help

file, see page 9.

If you cannot save a file to a floppy disk drive

ENSURE THAT WINDOWS RECOGNIZES THE DRIVE — Click the Start button and click My Computer. If the drive is not listed, perform a full scan with your antivirus software to check for and remove viruses. Viruses can sometimes prevent Windows from recognizing the drive. Insert a bootable disk and restart the computer.

www.dell.com | support.dell.com

ENSURE THAT THE DISK IS NOT WRITE-PROTECTED — You cannot save data to a write-protected disk. See the following figure.

back of floppy disk

write-protected

TRY ANOTHER FLOPPY DISK — Insert another disk to eliminate the possibility that the original disk is defective.

REINSTALL THE DRIVE —

Save and close any open files, exit any open programs, and shut down the computer.

Remove the drive from the module bay. See page 41 for instructions.

Reinstall the drive.

Turn on the computer.

74 Solving Problems

not write-protected

CLEAN THE DRIVE — See "Cleaning Your Computer" in the Dell Inspiron Help file for instructions. To access the help file, see page 9.

If you have problems with a hard drive

ALLOW THE COMPUTER TO COOL BEFORE TURNING IT ON — A hot hard drive may prevent the operating system from starting. Try allowing the computer to return to room temperature before turning it on.

CHECK THE DRIVE FOR ERRORS —

Click the

Right-click the drive letter (local disk) that you want to scan for errors, and then click

Click the

Under

Click

Start

button and click

Properties

Error-checking

Start

Tools

tab.

, click

My Computer

Check Now

PC Card Problems

CHECK THE PC CARD — Ensure that the PC Card is properly inserted into the connector.

ENSURE THAT THE CARD IS RECOGNIZED BY WINDOWS — Double-click the Safely Remove Hardware icon in the Windows taskbar. Ensure that the card is listed.

IF YOU HAVE PROBLEMS WITH A DELL-PROVIDED PC CARD — Contact Dell. See page 112.

IF YOU HAVE PROBLEMS WITH A PC CARD NOT PROVIDED BY DELL —

Contact the PC Card manufacturer.

Solving Problems 75

General Program Problems

A program crashes

NOTE: Software usually includes installation instructions in its documentation or on a floppy disk or CD.

SEE THE SOFTWARE DOCUMENTATION — Many software manufacturers maintain websites with information that may help you solve the problem. Ensure that you properly installed and configured the program. Reinstall the program if necessary.

www.dell.com | support.dell.com

A program stops responding

END THE PROGRAM

Simultaneously press <Ctrl><Shift><Esc>.

Click the responding.

Click

Applications

End Task.

A solid blue screen appears

TURN THE COMPUTER OFF — If the computer does not respond to a keystroke or a proper shutdown (see page 32), press the power button until the computer turns off. Press the power button again to restart the computer.

The computer restarts.

Error messages appear

REVIEW "ERROR MESSAGES" ON PAGE 69 — Look up the message and take the appropriate action. See the software documentation.

tab, and then select the program that is no longer

Resolving Other Technical Problems

GO TO THE DELL SUPPORT WEBSITE — Go to support.dell.com for help with general usage, installation, and troubleshooting questions.

76 Solving Problems

E-MAIL DELL — Go to support.dell.com and then click E-Mail Dell in the Communicate list. Send an e-mail message to Dell about your problem; you can

expect to receive an e-mail message from Dell within hours.

CONTACT DELL — If you cannot solve your problem using the Dell Support website (support.dell.com) or e-mail service, call Dell for technical assistance (see page 112).

If Your Dell™ Computer Gets Wet

CAUTION: Perform this procedure only after you are certain that it is safe to do so. If the computer is

connected to an electrical outlet, it is recommended that you turn off AC power at the circuit breaker before attempting to remove the power cables from the electrical outlet. Use the utmost caution when removing wet cables from a live power source.

Shut down the computer (see page 32), disconnect the AC adapter from the computer, and then disconnect the AC adapter from the electrical outlet.

Turn off any attached external devices, and disconnect them from their power sources and then from the computer.

Ground yourself by touching one of the metal connectors on the back of the computer.

Remove the module bay device (see page 41) and any installed PC Cards, and put them in a safe place to dry.

Remove the battery.

Wipe off the battery and put it in a safe place to dry.

Remove the hard drive (see page 94).

Remove the memory module(s) (see page 41).

Open the display and place the computer right-side up across two books or similar props to let air circulate all around it. Let the computer dry for at least 24 hours in a dry area at room temperature.

NOTICE: Do not use artificial means, such as a hair dryer or a fan, to speed the drying process.

CAUTION: To help prevent electrical shock, verify that the computer is thoroughly dry before

continuing with the rest of this procedure.

Ground yourself by touching one of the metal connectors on the back of the computer.

Replace the memory module(s), the memory module cover, and the screw(s).

Replace the hard drive.

Replace the module bay device and any PC Cards you removed.

Solving Problems 77

Replace the battery.

Turn on the computer and verify that it is working properly.

NOTE: For information on your warranty coverage, see the separate paper warranty document that

shipped with your computer.

If the computer does not start, or if you cannot identify the damaged components, see page 112.

If You Drop or Damage Your Computer

Save and close any open files, exit any open programs, and shut down the computer (see page 32).

www.dell.com | support.dell.com

Disconnect the AC adapter from the computer and from the electrical outlet.

Turn off any attached external devices, and disconnect them from their power sources and then from the computer.

Remove and reinstall the battery.

Turn on the computer.

NOTE: For information on your warranty coverage, see the separate paper warranty document that

shipped with your computer.

If the computer does not start, or if you cannot identify the damaged components, see page 112.

Drivers

What Is a Driver?

A driver is a program that controls a device such as a printer, mouse, or keyboard. All devices require a driver program.

A driver acts like a translator between the device and any other programs that use the device. Each device has its own set of specialized commands that only its driver recognizes.

Dell ships your computer to you with required drivers already installed—no further installation or configuration is needed.

Many drivers, such as the keyboard driver, come with your Microsoft system. You may need to install drivers if you:

• Upgrade your operating system.

• Reinstall your operating system.

• Connect or install a new device.

78 Solving Problems

Windows® operating

Identifying Drivers

If you experience a problem with any device, identify whether the driver is the source of your problem and, if necessary, update the driver.

Click the

Under

Click

In the

Click

Scroll down the list to see if any device has an exclamation point (a yellow circle with a [!]) on

Start

button and click

Pick a Category

System

System Properties

Device Manager

Control Panel

, click

Performance and Maintenance

window, click the

Hardware

tab.

the device icon.

If an exclamation point is next to the device name, you may need to reinstall the driver or install a new driver.

Reinstalling Drivers and Utilities

NOTICE: The Dell Support website at support.dell.com provides approved drivers for Dell™ computers.

If you install drivers obtained from other sources, your computer might not work correctly.

Using Windows XP Device Driver Rollback

If a problem occurs on your computer after you install or update a driver, use Windows XP Device Driver Rollback to replace the driver with the previously installed version.

Click the

Under

Click

In the

Click

Right-click the device for which the new driver was installed and click

Click the

Click

If Device Driver Rollback does not resolve the problem, then use System Restore to return your computer to the operating state that existed before you installed the new driver.

Start

button and click

Pick a Category

System

System Properties

Device Manager

Drivers

tab.

Roll Back Driver

Control Panel

, click

Performance and Maintenance

window, click the

Hardware

tab.

Properties

Solving Problems 79

Manually Reinstalling Drivers

NOTE: If you are reinstalling an infrared sensor driver, you must first enable the infrared sensor in the

system setup program before continuing with the driver installation. For information on the system setup program, see page 107.

Extract the driver files to your hard drive.

Click the

Click

Properties

Click the

Double-click the type of device for which you are installing the driver (for example, or

Infrared devices

www.dell.com | support.dell.com

Double-click the name of the device for which you are installing the driver.

Click the

Click

Install from a list or specific location (Advanced)

Click

Browse

When the name of the appropriate driver appears, click

Click

Finish

Resolving Software and Hardware Incompatibilities

If a device either is not detected during the operating system setup or is detected but incorrectly configured, you can use Device Manager or the Hardware Troubleshooter to resolve the incompatibility.

To resolve incompatibilities using Device Manager:

Click the

Click

Performance and Maintenance

Click the

In the

Device Manager

Incorrectly configured devices are indicated by a yellow exclamation point ( device has been disabled.

Start

button and right-click

Hardware

Driver

Start

Hardware

tab and click

and browse to the location to which you previously extracted the driver files.

and restart your computer.

button and click

tab and click

Update Driver

list, check for devices that are incorrectly configured.

My Computer

Device Manager

Control Panel

and click

Device Manager

System

and click

) or a red X if the

Modems

Double-click any device marked with an exclamation point to display the

The

Device

reconfigured.

Reconfigure the devices or remove the devices from the documentation that came with the device for information on configuring the device.

80 Solving Problems

status area in the

Properties

window reports the cards or devices that need to be

Device Manager

. See the

window.

To resolve incompatibilities using the Hardware Troubleshooter:

Click the

Ty p e search.

Click

In the

computer

Start

button and click

hardware troubleshooter

Hardware Troubleshooter

, and click

Help and Support

in the

list, click

in the

field and click the arrow to start the

Search Results

I need to resolve a hardware conflict on my

list.

Restoring Your Operating System

You can restore your operating system in the following ways:

• Microsoft Windows XP System Restore returns your computer to an earlier operating state without affecting data files.

• Dell PC Restore by Symantec restores your hard drive to the operating state it was in when you purchased the computer. Dell PC Restore permanently deletes all data on the hard drive and removes any applications installed after you received the computer.

NOTE: Dell PC Restore is available only on computers purchased in certain regions.

Using Microsoft Windows XP System Restore

The Microsoft Windows XP operating system provides System Restore to allow you to return your computer to an earlier operating state (without affecting data files) if changes to the hardware, software, or other system settings have left the computer in an undesirable operating state. See the Windows Help and Support Center for information on using System Restore. To access help, see page 9.

NOTICE: Make regular backups of your data files. System Restore does not monitor your data files or

recover them.

NOTE: The procedures in this document were written for the Windows default view, so they may not

work if you set your Dell™ computer to the Windows Classic view.

Creating a Restore Point

Click the

Click

Follow the instructions on the screen.

Restoring the Computer to an Earlier Operating State

If problems occur after you install a device driver, use Device Driver Rollback (see page 81) to resolve the problem. If that is unsuccessful, then use System Restore.

Start

button and click

System Restore

Help and Support

Solving Problems 81

NOTICE: Before you restore the computer to an earlier operating state, save and close any open files

and exit any open programs. Do not alter, open, or delete any files or programs until the system restoration is complete.

Click the

System Restore

Ensure that

Click a calendar date to which you want to restore your computer.

The

Select a Restore Point

points. All calendar dates with available restore points appear in boldface type.

Select a restore point and click

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If a calendar date has only one restore point, then that restore point is automatically selected. If two or more restore points are available, click the restore point that you prefer.

Click

The

Restoration Complete

then the computer restarts.

After the computer restarts, click OK.

To change the restore point, you can either repeat the steps using a different restore point, or you can undo the restoration.

Undoing the Last System Restore

NOTICE: Before you undo the last system restore, save and close all open files and exit any open

programs. Do not alter, open, or delete any files or programs until the system restoration is complete.

Click the

System Restore

Click

Undo my last restoration

Start

button, point to

All Programs→

Restore my computer to an earlier time

screen provides a calendar that allows you to see and select restore

screen appears after System Restore finishes collecting data and

Start

button, point to

All Programs→ Accessories→ System Tools

and click

Accessories→

System Tools

is selected and click

, and then click

Enabling System Restore

If you reinstall Windows XP with less than 200 MB of free hard-disk space available, System Restore is automatically disabled. To see if System Restore is enabled:

Click the

Click

Click the

Ensure that

82 Solving Problems

Start

button and click

Control Pane l

Performance and Maintenance

System

System Restore

tab.

Turn off System Restore

is unchecked.

Using Dell PC Restore by Symantec

NOTE: Dell PC Restore is available only on computers purchased in certain regions.

Use Dell PC Restore by Symantec only as the last method to restore your operating system. PC Restore restores your hard drive to the operating state it was in when you purchased the computer. Any programs or files added since you received your computer files—are permanently deleted from the hard drive. Data files include documents, spreadsheets, e-mail messages, digital photos, music files, and so on. If possible, back up all data before using PC Restore.

NOTICE: Using PC Restore permanently deletes all data on the hard drive and removes any applications

or drivers installed after you received your computer. If possible, back up the data before using PC Restore.

To use PC Restore:

Turn on the computer.

During the boot process, a blue bar with

Immediately upon seeing the blue bar, press <Ctrl><F11>.

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appears at the top of the screen.

If you do not press <Ctrl><F11> in time, let the computer finish restarting, and then restart the computer again.

NOTICE: If you do not want to proceed with PC Restore, click Reboot in the following step.

On the next screen that appears, click

On the next screen, click

Confirm

Restore

The restore process takes approximately 6–10 minutes to complete.

— including data

When prompted, click

NOTE: Do not manually shut down the computer. Click Finish and let the computer completely reboot.

When prompted, click

Finish

to reboot the computer.

Yes

The computer restarts. Because the computer is restored to its original operating state, the screens that appear, such as the End User License Agreement, are the same ones that appeared the first time the computer was turned on.

Click

System Restore

The

After the computer restarts, click OK.

screen appears and the computer restarts.

Solving Problems 83

Removing PC Restore

NOTICE: PC Restore enables you to restore your computer’s operating system to the condition it was in

when you purchased your computer. It is recommended that you do not remove PC Restore from your

computer, even to gain additional hard drive space. If you remove PC Restore from the hard drive, you cannot ever recall it, and you will never be able to use PC Restore to return your computer’s operating system to its original state.

Log on to the computer as a local administrator.

In Windows Explorer, go to

Double-click the filename

NOTE: If you do not log on as a local administrator, a message appears stating that you that you

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must do so. Click Quit and log on as a local administrator.

If the partition for PC Restore does not exist, a message appears stating that the partition was not found. Click

Click OK to remove the partition.

Click

Yes

The partition is deleted and the space. To check the available space, right-click the select

Properties

Click

Finish

Restart the computer.

c:\dell\utilities\DSR

DSRIRRemv2.exe

Quit

; there is no partition to delete.

when a confirmation message appears.

c:\

partition expands to include the newly available disk

to close the

PC Restore Removal

window.

c:\

drive in Windows Explorer and

Dell Diagnostics

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

Product Information Guide.

When to Use the Dell Diagnostics

If you experience a problem with your computer, perform the checks in "Solving Problems" on page 69 and run the Dell Diagnostics before you contact Dell for technical assistance.

NOTICE: The Dell Diagnostics works only on Dell™ computers.

The Dell Diagnostics is located on a hidden diagnostic utility partition on your hard drive.

NOTE: If your computer cannot display a screen image, contact Dell. See page 112.

Shut down the computer. See page 32.

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

Connect the computer to an electrical outlet.

84 Solving Problems

Turn on the computer. When the DELL™ logo appears, press <F12> immediately.

NOTE: If you cannot see anything on your display, hold down the mute button and press the computer’s

power button to begin the Dell Diagnostics. The computer automatically runs the Pre-boot System Assessment.

If you wait too long and the Microsoft® Windows® logo appears, continue to wait until you see the Windows desktop. Then shut down your computer through the

Start

menu and try

again.

When the boot device list appears, highlight

Diagnostics

and press <Enter>.

The computer runs the Pre-boot System Assessment, a series of initial tests of your system board, keyboard, hard drive, and display.

• During the assessment, answer any questions that appear.

• If a failure is detected, the computer stops and beeps. To stop the assessment and restart

the computer, press <n>; to continue to the next test, press <y>; to retest the component that failed, press <r>.

• If failures are detected during the Pre-boot System Assessment, write down the error

code(s) and contact Dell, before continuing on to the Dell Diagnostics. For information on Contacting Dell, see page 112.

If the Pre-boot System Assessment completes successfully, you receive the message

Booting

Dell Diagnostic Utility Partition. Press any key to continue

Press any key to start the Dell Diagnostics from the diagnostics utility partition on your hard drive.

When the Dell Diagnostics

Main Menu

appears, select the test you want to run.

Dell Diagnostics Main Menu

After the Dell Diagnostics loads and the

Main Menu

screen appears, click the button for the

option you want.

Option Function

Express Test Performs a quick test of devices. This test typically takes

10 to 20 minutes and requires no interaction on your part. Run Express Test first to increase the possibility of tracing the problem quickly.

Extended Test Performs a thorough check of devices. This test typically

takes an hour or more and requires you to answer questions periodically.

Custom Test Tests a specific device. You can customize the tests you

want to run.

Solving Problems 85

Option Function

Symptom Tree Lists the most common symptoms encountered and

allows you to select a test based on the symptom of the problem you are having.

If a problem is encountered during a test, a message appears with an error code and a description of the problem. Write down the error code and problem description and follow the instructions on the screen.

If you cannot resolve the error condition, contact Dell. For information on Contacting Dell, see page 112.

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NOTE: The Service Tag for your computer is located at the top of each test screen. If you contact Dell,

technical support will ask for your Service Tag.

If you run a test from the described in the following table for more information.

Tab Function

Results Displays the results of the test and any error conditions

Errors Displays error conditions encountered, error codes, and

Help Describes the test and may indicate requirements for

Configuration Displays your hardware configuration for the selected

Parameters Allows you to customize the test by changing the test

Custom Test

encountered.

the problem description.

running the test.

device.

The Dell Diagnostics obtains configuration information for all devices from system setup, memory, and various internal tests, and it displays the information in the device list in the left pane of the screen. The device list may not display the names of all the components installed on your computer or all devices attached to your computer.

settings.

Symptom Tree

option, click the applicable tab

When the tests are complete, close the test screen to return to the the Dell Diagnostics and restart the computer, close the

86 Solving Problems

Main Menu

screen. To exit

screen.

Adding and Replacing Parts

Before You Begin

This section provides procedures for removing and installing the components in your computer. Unless otherwise noted, each procedure assumes that the following conditions exist:

• You have performed the steps in "Shutting Down Your Computer."

• You have read the safety information in the

Product Information Guide

Recommended Tools

The procedures in this document may require the following tools:

• Small flat-blade screwdriver

• Phillips screwdriver

• Small plastic scribe

• Flash BIOS update program floppy disk or CD

Shutting Down Your Computer

Use the following safety guidelines to help protect your computer from potential damage and to ensure your own personal safety.

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

Product Information Guide.

NOTICE: Only a certified service technician should perform repairs on your computer. Damage due to

servicing that is not authorized by Dell is not covered by your warranty.

CAUTION: Handle components and cards with care. Do not touch the components or contacts on a

card. Hold a card by its edges or by its metal mounting bracket. Hold a component such as a processor by its edges, not by its pins.

NOTICE: When you disconnect a cable, pull on its connector or on its strain-relief loop, not on the cable

itself. Some cables have a connector with locking tabs; if you are disconnecting this type of cable, press in on the locking tabs before you disconnect the cable. As you pull connectors apart, keep them evenly aligned to avoid bending any connector pins. Also, before you connect a cable, ensure that both connectors are correctly oriented and aligned.

Adding and Replacing Parts 87

NOTICE: To avoid damaging the computer, perform the following steps before you begin working inside

the computer.

Ensure that the work surface is flat and clean to prevent the computer cover from being scratched.

Shut down the computer.

Ensure that the computer and any attached devices are turned off. If your computer and attached devices did not automatically turn off when you shut down your computer, press and hold the power button for 4 seconds.

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

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NOTICE: To disconnect a network cable, first unplug the cable from your computer and then unplug it

from the network wall jack.

Disconnect any telephone or telecommunication lines from the computer.

Disconnect your computer and all attached devices from their electrical outlets, and then press the power button to ground the system board.

NOTICE: To connect a network cable, first plug the cable into the network wall jack and then plug it into

the computer.

Remove any installed PC Cards from the PC Card slot.

Close the display and turn the computer upside down on a flat work surface.

NOTICE: To avoid damaging the system board, you must remove the main battery before you service the

computer.

Slide and hold the battery-bay latch release on the bottom of the computer, and then remove the battery from the bay.

88 Adding and Replacing Parts

Remove any installed modules, including a second battery, if installed.

Remove the hard drive.

Adding Memory

You can increase your computer memory by installing memory modules on the system board. See "Specifications" on page 101 for information on the memory supported by your computer. Install only memory modules that are intended for your computer.

NOTE: Memory modules purchased from Dell are covered under your computer warranty.

CAUTION: Before working inside your computer, read the safety instructions in the Product

Information Guide.

Follow the procedures in "Before You Begin" on page 87.

Turn the computer over, loosen the captive screw from the memory module cover, and then remove the cover.

Adding and Replacing Parts 89

NOTICE: To prevent damage to the memory module connector, do not use tools to spread the memory-

module securing clips.

If you are replacing a memory module, remove the existing module:

Use your fingertips to carefully spread apart the securing clips on each end of the memory module connector until the module pops up.

Remove the module from the connector.

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securing clips (2 per connector)

memory module

NOTICE: If you need to install memory modules in two connectors, install a memory module in the

connector labeled “DIMMA” before you install a module in the connector labeled “DIMMB.” Insert memory modules at a 45-degree angle to avoid damaging the connector.

Ground yourself and install the new memory module:

NOTE: If the memory module is not installed properly, the computer may not boot properly. No error

message indicates this failure.

Align the notch in the module edge connector with the tab in the connector slot.

Slide the module firmly into the slot at a 45-degree angle, and rotate the module down until it clicks into place. If you do not feel the click, remove the module and reinstall it.

90 Adding and Replacing Parts

Replace the cover.

NOTICE: If the cover is difficult to close, remove the module and reinstall it. Forcing the cover to close

may damage your computer.

Insert the battery into the battery bay, or connect the AC adapter to your computer and an electrical outlet.

Turn on the computer.

As the computer boots, it detects the additional memory and automatically updates the system configuration information.

To confirm the amount of memory installed in the computer, click the Start button, click Help and Support, and then click Computer Information.

Adding a Mini PCI Card

CAUTION: FCC rules strictly prohibit users from installing 5-GHz (802.11a,802.11a/b, 802.11a/b/g)

Wireless LAN Mini PCI cards. Under no circumstances should the user install such a device. Only trained Dell service personnel are authorized to install a 5-GHz Wireless LAN Mini PCI card.

If you are removing and/or installing a 2.4-GHz (802.11b, 802.11b/g) Mini PCI card, follow the instructions noted below. Only products approved for use in your portable computer may be installed. Approved Mini PCI cards may be purchased only from Dell.

NOTE: 2.4-GHz Wireless LAN PC Cards may be removed and installed by the user.

If you ordered a Mini PCI card with your computer, the card is already installed.

Adding and Replacing Parts 91

CAUTION: Before working inside your computer, read the safety instructions in the Product

Information Guide.

Follow the procedures in "Before You Begin" on page 87.

Turn the computer over.

Loosen the captive screw in the cover, and remove the cover.

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If a Mini PCI card is not already installed, go to step 5. If you are replacing a Mini PCI card, remove the existing card:

Disconnect the Mini PCI card from any attached cables.

Release the Mini PCI card by spreading the metal securing tabs until the card pops up slightly.

Lift the Mini PCI card out of its connector.

NOTICE: To avoid damaging the Mini PCI card, never place cables on top of or under the card.

NOTICE: The connectors are keyed to ensure correct insertion. If you feel resistance, check the

connectors and realign the card.

Align the Mini PCI card with the connector at a 45-degree angle, and press the Mini PCI card into the connector until you hear a click.

Connect the antenna cables to the Mini PCI card.

92 Adding and Replacing Parts

Tuck in the antenna cables.

antenna cables (2)

Replace the cover and screw(s).

antenna connectors on card (2)

Adding and Replacing Parts 93

Replacing the Hard Drive

NOTE: If your hard drive is not pre-imaged, you need to reinstall the Microsoft® Windows® operating

system and the drivers and utilities.

CAUTION: If you remove the hard drive from the computer when the drive is hot, do not touch the metal

housing of the hard drive.

CAUTION: Before working inside your computer, read the safety instructions in the Product

Information Guide.

NOTICE: To prevent data loss, turn off your computer before removing the hard drive. Do not remove the

hard drive while the computer is on, in standby mode, or in hibernate mode.

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NOTICE: Hard drives are extremely fragile; even a slight bump can damage the drive.

NOTE: Dell does not guarantee compatibility or provide support for hard drives from sources other than

Dell.

To replace the hard drive in the hard drive bay:

Follow the procedures in "Before You Begin" on page 87.

Turn the computer over, and remove the hard drive screws.

NOTICE: When the hard drive is not in the computer, store it in protective antistatic packaging. See the

Product Information Guide for information about protecting against electrostatic discharge.

Slide the hard drive out of the computer.

Remove the new drive from its packaging.

Save the original packaging for storing or shipping the hard drive.

94 Adding and Replacing Parts

hard drive screws (2)

NOTICE: Use firm and even pressure to slide the drive into place. If you use excessive force, you may

damage the connector.

Insert the drive into the bay, and lift the hard drive door. Push the hard drive until it is fully seated in the bay. Press the hard drive door down.

Replace and tighten the screw(s).

Install the operating system for your computer.

Install the drivers and utilities for your computer.

Returning a Hard Drive to Dell

Return your old hard drive to Dell in its original or comparable foam packaging. Otherwise, the hard drive may be damaged in transit.

hard drive

foam packaging

Adding and Replacing Parts 95

Keyboard

CAUTION: Before performing the following procedures, read the safety instructions in the Product

Information Guide.

NOTICE: To avoid electrostatic discharge, ground yourself by using a wrist grounding strap or by

periodically touching an unpainted metal surface (such as the back panel) on the computer.

Turn the computer top-side up and open it.

display

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center control cover

palm rest

96 Adding and Replacing Parts

Remove the center control cover:

Open the display all the way (180 degrees) so that it lies flat against your work surface.

Starting on the right side of the computer, use a plastic scribe to pry up the center control cover. Lift it away from the computer, and lay it aside.

center control cover

Remove the keyboard:

Remove the two M2.5 x 5-mm screws across the top of the keyboard.

NOTICE: The keycaps on the keyboard are fragile, easily dislodged, and time-consuming to replace. Be

careful when removing and handling the keyboard.

Rotate the keyboard up and slide it forward.

Hold the keyboard up and slightly forward to allow access to the keyboard connector.

Adding and Replacing Parts 97

Pull up on the keyboard connector tab to disconnect the keyboard connector from the system board.

keyboard tabs

palm rest

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NOTE: When you replace the keyboard, ensure that the keyboard tabs are completely in place to avoid

scratching the palm rest.

Internal Card With Bluetooth® Wireless Technology

M2.5 x 5-mm screws (2)

If you ordered an internal card with Bluetooth wireless technology with your computer, the card is already installed.

CAUTION: Before working inside your computer, read the safety instructions in the Product

Information Guide.

Ensure that the work surface is flat and clean to prevent scratching the computer cover.

Save and close any open files, exit any open programs, and then shut down the computer (see page 32).

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

Disconnect the computer from the electrical outlet.

Wait 10 to 20 seconds, and then disconnect any attached devices.

Remove any installed PC Cards, batteries, and module bay devices.

NOTICE: Handle components and cards by their edges, and avoid touching pins and contacts. Ground

yourself by touching a metal connector on the back of the computer. Continue to ground yourself periodically during this procedure.

98 Adding and Replacing Parts

Remove the hard drive.

Pull the Bluetooth card connector out of the system board connector.

Pull the cable to remove the Bluetooth card from the computer.

system board connector

Bluetooth card

cable

Bluetooth card connector

NOTE: When replacing the Bluetooth card, ensure the Bluetooth cable is routed correctly so that you do

not damage the cable when you install the hard drive.

Adding and Replacing Parts 99

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100 Adding and Replacing Parts

Dell PP10L User Manual

Specifications and Main Features

Frequently Asked Questions

User Manual

Owner’s Manual

Finding Information

A Tour of Your Computer

Front View

Left View

Right View

Back View

Bottom View

Setting Up Your Computer

Connecting to the Internet

Setting Up Your Internet Connection

Modem and Internet Connection Problems

E-Mail Problems

Setting Up a Printer

Printer Cable

Connecting a Parallel Printer

Connecting a USB Printer

Printer Problems

Power Protection Devices

Surge Protectors

Line Conditioners

Uninterruptible Power Supplies

Turning Off Your Computer

Using a Battery

Battery Performance

Checking the Battery Charge

Dell™ QuickSet Battery Meter

Microsoft® Windows® Power Meter

Charge Gauge

Low-Battery Warning

Charging the Battery

Removing a Battery

Installing a Battery

Removing and Installing a Reserve Battery

Storing a Battery

Power Problems

Using the Module Bay

About the Module Bay

Removing and Installing Devices While the Computer Is Turned Off

Removing and Installing Devices While the Computer Is Running

Using the Keyboard and Touch Pad

Numeric Keypad

Keyboard Shortcuts

System Functions

Battery

CD or DVD Tray

Display Functions

Power Management

Speaker Functions

Microsoft® Windows® Logo Key Functions

Touch Pad

Customizing the Touch Pad

Touch Pad or Mouse Problems

External Keyboard Problems

Unexpected Characters

Using CDs, DVDs, and other Multimedia

Using CDs and DVDs

Drive Problems

If you cannot save a file to a floppy disk drive

If you cannot play a CD, CD-RW, or DVD

If you cannot eject the CD, CD-RW, or DVD drive tray

If you hear an unfamiliar scraping or grinding sound

If the CD-RW drive stops writing

If you have problems with a hard drive

Sound and Speaker Problems

If you have a problem with integrated speakers

If you have a problem with external speakers

Copying CDs and DVDs

How to Copy a CD or DVD

Using Blank CD-Rs and CD-RWs

Helpful Tips

Connecting a Television to the Computer

S-Video Connection

Composite Video Connection

Enabling the Display Settings for a Television

Setting Up a Home and Office Network