Dell PP18L User Manual

Dell Precision™ M2300 Quick Reference Guide

Model PP18L

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.

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

____________________

Windows® operating systems are not applicable.

Trademarks used in this text: Dell, ExpressCharge, the DELL logo and Dell Precision are trademarks of Dell Inc.; Core, Active Management Technology, Centrino, and Intel are registered trademarks of Intel Corporation; Microsoft, Outlook, Windows, Windows Vista are either registered trademarks or trademarks of Microsoft Corporation in the United States and/or other countries; Bluetooth is a registered trademark owned by Bluetooth SIG, Inc. and is used by Dell under license; TouchStrip is a trademark of UPEK, Inc.; EMC is a registered trademark of EMC Corporation; ENERGY STAR is a registered trademark of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. As an ENERGY STAR partner, Dell Inc. has determined that this product meets the ENERGY STAR guidelines for ener gy efficiency .

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 PP18L

September 2007 P/N GY733 Rev. A00

Finding Information . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5

Setting Up Your Computer

About Your Computer

Front View

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11

Left Side View Right Side View Back View

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13

Bottom View

Using a Battery

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14

Battery Performance Checking the Battery Charge Charging the Battery Removing the Battery Storing a Battery

Troubleshooting

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

Lockups and Software Problems Dell Diagnostics

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14

. . . . . . . . . . . . 15

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17

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

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

. . . . . . . . . . 19

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21

Index . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27

Contents 3

4 Contents

Finding Information

NOTE: Some features or media may be optional and may not ship with your

computer. Some features or media may not be available in certain countries.

NOTE: Additional information may ship with your computer.

What Are You Looking For? Find It Here

• A diagnostic program for my computer

• Drivers for my computer

• My device documentation

• Notebook System Software (NSS)

Drivers and Utilities Media

NOTE: The Drivers and Utilities media may

be optional and may not ship with your computer.

Documentation and drivers are already installed on your computer. You can use the media to reinstall drivers (see "Reinstalling Drivers and Utilities" in your User’s Manual) or to run the Dell Diagnostics (see "Dell Diagnostics" on page 21).

Readme files may be included on your media to provide last-minute updates about technical changes to your computer or advanced technical-reference material for technicians or experienced users.

NOTE: Drivers and documentation updates

can be found at support.dell.com.

Quick Reference Guide 5

What Are You Looking For? Find It Here

• How to set up my computer

• Basic troubleshooting information

• How to run the Dell™ Diagnostics

• How to open my computer

• Warranty information

• Terms and Conditions (U.S. only)

• Safety instructions

• Regulatory information

• Ergonomics information

• End User License Agreement

In this document

NOTE: This document is available as a PDF

at support.dell.com.

Dell Product Information Guide

• Service Tag and Express Service Code

• Microsoft

Windows® License Label

6 Quick Reference Guide

Service Tag and Microsoft Windows License

These labels are located on your computer:

• Use the Service Tag to identify your computer when you use

support.dell.com

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

or contact support.

What Are You Looking For? Find It Here

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

Dell Support Website — support.dell.com

NOTE: Select your region or business

segment to view the appropriate support site.

• Community — Online discussion with other Dell customers

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

• 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

• Dell Technical Update Service — Proactive e-mail notification of software and hardware updates for your computer

• Reference — Computer documentation, details on my computer configuration, product specifications, and white papers

• Downloads — Certified drivers, patches, and software updates

• Notebook System Software (NSS) — If you reinstall the operating system for your computer, you should also reinstall the NSS utility. NSS provides critical updates for your operating system and support for processors, optical drives, USB devices, and so on. 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

region or business segment, and enter your Service Tag.

Select

click

Click your operating system and search for the keywords

Software

NOTE: The support.dell.com user interface

may vary depending on your selections.

, select your

Drivers & Downloads

Notebook System

and

Quick Reference Guide 7

What Are You Looking For? Find It Here

• Software upgrades and troubleshooting hints — Frequently asked questions, hot topics, and general health of your computing environment

Dell Support Utility

The Dell Support Utility is an automated upgrade and notification system installed on your computer. This support provides real-time health scans of your computing environment, software updates, and relevant self-support information. Access the Dell Support Utility from the

icon in the taskbar.

• How to use Windows XP

• How to work with programs and files

• How to personalize my desktop

Windows Help and Support Center

Click

Start→

Type a word or phrase that describes your problem and click the arrow icon.

Click the topic that describes your problem.

Follow the instructions on the screen.

• Information on network activity, the Power Management Wizard, hotkeys, and other items controlled by Dell QuickSet.

Dell QuickSet Help

To view

Dell QuickSet Help, right-click the

QuickSet icon in the Microsoft Windows taskbar.

For more information on Dell QuickSet, see "Dell QuickSet" In your User’s Guide.

Help and Support

8 Quick Reference Guide

What Are You Looking For? Find It Here

• How to reinstall my operating system

Operating System Media

NOTE: The Operating System media may be

optional and may not ship with your computer.

The operating system is already installed on your computer. To reinstall your operating system, use the Operating System media (see "Reinstalling Windows" in your User’s Guide).

After you reinstall your operating system, use the optional Drivers and Utilities media to reinstall drivers for the devices that came with your computer.

Your operating system product key label is located on your computer.

NOTE: The color of your media varies

based on the operating system you ordered.

Quick Reference Guide 9

Setting Up Your Computer

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

safety instructions in the Product Information Guide.

Unpack the accessories box.

Set aside the contents of the accessories box, which you will need to complete the setup of your computer.

The accessories box also contains user documentation and any software or additional hardware (such as PC Cards, drives, or batteries) that you have ordered.

Connect the AC adapter to the AC adapter connector on the computer and to the electrical outlet.

Open the computer display and press the power button to turn on the computer (see "Front View" on page 11).

NOTE: It is recommended that you turn on and shut down your computer at least

once before you install any cards or connect the computer to a docking device or other external device, such as a printer.

10 Quick Reference Guide

About Your Computer

NOTE: The appearance of your computer may vary slightly from the model shown

in this document.

Front View

1 display latch 2 display 3 power button 4 device status lights 5 keyboard 6 touch pad 7 fingerprint reader

(optional) 10 keyboard status lights 11 volume control buttons 12 ambient light sensor 13 mute button

8 touch pad buttons/track

stick buttons

Quick Reference Guide 11

9 track stick

Left Side View

1 2 3 65 7 84 9

1 security cable slot 2 air vents 3 audio connectors (2) 4 smart card slot 5 1394 connector 6 wireless switch 7 Wi-Fi Catcher™ light 8 PC Card slot (with blank) 9 hard drive

Right Side View

1 optical drive in media bay 2 media-bay device latch

release

12 Quick Reference Guide

2 3

3 USB connectors (2)

Back View

1 2 63 4 75

1 network

connector (RJ-45)

5 video connector 6 AC adapter

2 modem connector

(RJ-11)

connector

Bottom View

3USB

connectors (2)

7 air vents

4 serial

connector

1 battery charge

gauge/health gauge

4 device locking screw

(if present)

7 air vents 8 hard drive 9 hard drive screws (2)

2 battery 3 battery-bay latch

releases (2)

5 memory module cover 6 docking-device

connector

Quick Reference Guide 13

Using a Battery

Battery Performance

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

Information Guide or separate paper warranty document that shipped with your

computer.

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

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

connect your new computer to an electrical outlet the first time you use the computer. For best results, operate the computer with the AC adapter until the

→

battery is fully charged. To view battery charge status, click Start

→

Panel

Power Options→ Power Meter.

Battery operating time varies depending on operating conditions. You can install an optional second battery in the media bay to significantly increase operating time.

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

• Using optical drives

• Using wireless communications devices, PC Cards, ExpressCards, media memory cards, or USB devices

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

Running the computer in maximum performance mode (see "Configuring Power Management Settings" in your

User’s Guide

Control

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

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

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

when writing to a CD or DVD.

14 Quick Reference Guide

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

• Using optical drives.

• Using wireless communications devices, PC Cards, Express Cards, media memory cards, or USB devices.

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

• Running the computer in maximum performance mode. See "Configuring Power Management Settings" in your

Hardware Owner’s Manual

for information about accessing Windows Power Options Properties or Dell QuickSet, which you can use to configure power management settings.

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

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

explosion. Replace the battery only with a compatible battery purchased from Dell. The battery is designed to work with your Dell computer. Do not use 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" in the Product Information Guide.

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

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

Checking the Battery Charge

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

Quick Reference Guide 15

Dell™ QuickSet Battery Meter

If Dell QuickSet is installed, press <Fn><F3> to display the QuickSet Battery Meter. The Battery Meter displays status, battery health, charge level, and charge completion time for the battery in your computer.

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

Microsoft® Windows® XP Power Meter

The Windows Power Meter indicates the remaining battery charge. To check the Power Meter, double-click the icon on the taskbar.

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

Charge Gauge

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

• Battery charge (check by pressing and

• Battery health (check by pressing and

releasing

holding

the status button)

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

Check the Battery Charge

To check the battery charge, press and release the status button on the battery charge gauge to illuminate the charge-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.

Check the Battery Health

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

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

16 Quick Reference Guide

To check the battery health using the charge gauge, press and hold the status button on the battery charge gauge for at least 3 seconds. If no lights appear, the battery is in good condition, and more than 80 percent of its original charge capacity remains. Each light represents incremental degradation. If five lights appear, less than 60 percent of the charge capacity remains, and you should consider replacing the battery. See "Specifications" in your User’s Guide for more information about the battery operating time.

Low-Battery Warning

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

low-battery warning. Then connect the computer to an electrical outlet. If the battery runs completely out of power, hibernate mode begins automatically.

By default, a pop-up window warns you when the battery charge is approximately 90 percent depleted. You can change the settings for the battery alarms in QuickSet or the Power Options Properties window. See

"Configuring Power Management Settings" in your

User’s Guide

for information about accessing QuickSet or the Power Options Properties window.

Charging the Battery

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.

NOTE: With Dell ExpressCharge, when the computer is turned off, the AC adapter

charges a completely discharged battery to 80 percent in about 1 hour and to 100 percent in approximately 2 hours. Charge time is longer with the computer turned on. You can leave the battery in the computer for as long as you like. The battery’s internal circuitry prevents the battery from overcharging.

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.

Quick Reference Guide 17

Removing the 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 battery is designed to work with your Dell™ computer. Do not use a battery from other computers with your computer.

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

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

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

connector damage.

To remove the battery:

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

Ensure that the computer is turned off.

Slide the two latch releases on the bottom of the computer, and then remove the battery from the bay.

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

18 Quick Reference Guide

Storing a Battery

Remove the battery when you store your computer for an extended period of time. A battery discharges during prolonged storage. After a long storage period, recharge the battery fully (see "Charging the Battery" on page 17) before use.

Troubleshooting

Lockups and Software Problems

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

safety instructions in the Product Information Guide.

The computer does not start up

ENSURE THAT THE AC ADAPTER IS FIRMLY CONNECTED TO THE COMPUTER AND TO

THE ELECTRICAL OUTLET.

The computer stops responding

NOTICE: You might lose data if you are unable to perform an operating system

shutdown.

URN THE COMPUTER OFF — If you are unable to get a response by pressing a

key on your keyboard or moving your mouse, press and hold the power button for at least 8 to 10 seconds until the computer turns off. Then restart your computer.

A program stops responding or crashes repeatedly

NOTE: Software usually includes installation instructions in its documentation or

on a floppy disk or CD.

ND THE PROGRAM —

Press <Ctrl><Shift><Esc> simultaneously.

Click

Task Manager

Click the program that is no longer responding.

Click

End Task

CHECK THE SOFTWARE DOCUMENTATION — If necessary, uninstall and then

reinstall the program.

Quick Reference Guide 19

A program is designed for an earlier Microsoft® Windows® operating system

RUN THE PROGRAM COMPATIBILITY WIZARD — The Program Compatibility

Wizard configures a program so that it runs in an environment similar to nonWindows operating system environments.

Windows XP

Click

Start→

Wizard

Follow the instructions on the screen.

All Programs→ Accessories→

→

Program Compatibility

Windows Vista

Click

Start→

Use an older program with this version of windows

Follow the instructions on the screen.

A solid blue screen appears

TURN THE COMPUTER OFF — If you are unable to get a response by pressing a

Control Panel→

Control Panel Home→

Programs

and click

key on your keyboard or moving your mouse, press and hold the power button for at least 8 to 10 seconds until the computer turns off. Then restart your computer.

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 "Lockups and Software Problems" on page 19 and run the Dell Diagnostics before you contact Dell for technical assistance.

It is recommended that you print these procedures before you begin.

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

NOTE: The Drivers and Utilities media is optional and may not ship with your

computer.

Enter system setup (see "System Setup Program" in your User’s Guide), review your computer’s configuration information, and ensure that the device you want to test displays in system setup and is active.

Start the Dell Diagnostics from either your hard drive or from the Drivers and Utilities media.

Quick Reference Guide 21

Starting the Dell Diagnostics From Your Hard Drive

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

"Contacting Dell" in your User’s Guide).

Shut down the computer.

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.

Diagnostics can be invoked in one of two ways:

Turn on the computer. When the DELL™ logo appears, press <F12> immediately. Select Diagnostics from the boot menu and press <Enter>.

NOTE: If you wait too long and the operating system logo appears, continue to

wait until you see the Microsoft computer and try again.

Press and hold the <Fn> key while powering the computer on.

NOTE: If you see a message stating that no diagnostics utility partition has

been found, run the Dell Diagnostics from the Drivers and Utilities media.

Windows® desktop. Then shut down your

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 <Esc>; 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 (see "Contacting Dell" in your

User’s Guide

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

Press any key to continue

Press any key to start the Dell Diagnostics from the diagnostics utility

Booting Dell Diagnostic Utility Partition.

partition on your hard drive.

22 Quick Reference Guide

Starting the Dell Diagnostics From the Drivers and Utilities Media

Insert the

Shut down and restart the computer.

Drivers and Utilities

media.

When the DELL logo appears, press <F12> immediately.

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

NOTE: The next steps change the boot sequence for one time only. On the

next start-up, the computer boots according to the devices specified in the system setup program.

When the boot device list appears, highlight

CD/DVD/CD-RW Drive

and press <Enter>.

Select the

Boot from CD-ROM

option from the menu that appears and

press <Enter>.

Ty p e 1 to start the menu and press <Enter> to proceed.

Select

Run the 32 Bit Dell Diagnostics

from the numbered list. If multiple versions are listed, select the version appropriate for your computer.

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 1 hour or more and requires you to answer questions periodically.

Quick Reference Guide 23

Option Function

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

to run.

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 (see "Contacting Dell" in your

NOTE: The Service Tag for your computer is located at the top of each test

screen. If you contact Dell, the technical support representative will ask you for your Service Tag.

If you run a test from the

User’s Guide

Custom Test

Symptom Tree

option, click the

applicable tab described in the following table for more information.

Tab Function

Results Displays the results of the test and any error conditions

encountered.

Errors Displays error conditions encountered, error codes, and the

problem description.

Help Describes the test and may indicate requirements for running

the test.

Configuration Displays your hardware configuration for the selected device.

The Dell Diagnostics obtains configuration information for all devices from the system setup program, 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.

Parameters Allows you to customize the test by changing the test

settings.

24 Quick Reference Guide

When the tests are completed, if you are running the Dell Diagnostics from the

When the tests are complete, close the test screen to return to the

the

Drivers and Utilities

media, remove the media.

screen. To exit the Dell Diagnostics and restart the computer, close

Main Menu

screen.

Main

Quick Reference Guide 25

26 Quick Reference Guide

Index

anti-virus software, 20

battery

charge gauge, 16 charging, 17 checking the charge, 15 performance, 14 power meter, 16 removing, 18 storing, 19

CDs

operating system, 9

computer

crashes, 19-20 slow performance, 21 stops responding, 19

Dell Diagnostics (continued)

starting from the hard drive, 22

using, 21 Dell support site, 7 diagnostics

Dell, 21 documentation

End User License Agreement, 6

ergonomics, 6

online, 7

Product Information Guide, 6

regulatory, 6

safety, 6

warranty, 6 Drivers and Utilities CD, 5 Drivers and Utilities media

Dell Diagnostics, 21

End User License Agreement, 6 ergonomics information, 6

Dell Diagnostics

about, 21 starting from the Drivers and

Utilities media, 23

hardware

Dell Diagnostics, 21 Help and Support Center, 8

Index 27

help file

Windows Help and Support

Center, 8

QuickSet Help, 8

labels

Microsoft Windows, 6 Service Tag, 6

operating system

reinstalling, 9

Operating System CD, 9

problems

blue screen, 20 computer crashes, 19-20 computer does not start up, 19 computer stops responding, 19 Dell Diagnostics, 21 lockups, 19 program crashes, 19 program stops responding, 19 programs and Windows

compatibility, 20 slow computer performance, 21 software, 19-20 spyware, 21

regulatory information, 6

safety instructions, 6 Service Tag, 6 software

problems, 20 spyware, 21 support website, 7 system views

back, 13

bottom, 13

front, 11

left side, 12

right side, 12

troubleshooting

Dell Diagnostics, 21

Help and Support Center, 8

lockups and software

problems, 19

Product Information Guide, 6

28 Index

warranty information, 6 Windows XP

Help and Support Center, 8 Program Compatibility

Wizard, 2 0

reinstalling, 9

wizards

Program Compatibility

Wizard, 2 0

Index 29

30 Index

+ 182 hidden pages