Dell PP22L User Manual
Dell™ Vostro™ 1500 Owner’s Manual
Model PP22L
www.dell.com | support.dell.com
Notes, Notices, and Cautions
NOTE: A NOTE indicates important information that helps you make better use of
your computer.
NOTICE: A NOTICE indicates either potential damage to hardware or loss of data
and tells you how to avoid the problem.
CAUTION: A CAUTION indicates a potential for property damage, personal injury,
or death.
____________________
Information in this document is subject to change without notice.
© 2007 Dell Inc. All rights reserved.
Reproduction in any manner whatsoever without the written permission of Dell Inc. is strictly
forbidden.
Trademarks used in this text: Dell, the DELL logo, Vos t ro , Wi-Fi Catcher, and Dell MediaDirect are
trademarks of Dell Inc.; Intel is a registered trademark and Core is a trademark of Intel Corporation;
Microsoft, Windows, Outlook, Windows XP and Windows Vista are either trademarks or registered
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; 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 energy 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 PP22L
November 2007 P/N TT979 Rev. A02
Contents
1 Finding Information . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15
2 About Your Computer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21
Determining Your Computer’s Configuration . . . . . . 21
Front View
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22
Left Side View . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27
Right Side View
Back View
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 31
Bottom View . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 34
3 Setting Up Your Computer . . . . . . . . . . . . 37
Connecting to the Internet . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 37
Setting Up Your Internet Connection
Transferring Information to a New Computer
Microsoft Windows XP
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . 39
Microsoft Windows Vista™
Setting Up a Printer
Printer Cable
Connecting a USB Printer
Power Protection Devices
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 43
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 43
. . . . . . . . . . . . . 44
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 45
. . . . . . . . 38
. . . . . 39
. . . . . . . . . . . . 43
Contents 3
Surge Protectors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 45
Line Conditioners . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 46
Uninterruptible Power Supplies
. . . . . . . . . . 46
4 Using the Display . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 47
Adjusting Brightness . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 47
Using a Projector . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 47
Making Images and Text Look Bigger or Sharper
®
Microsoft
Windows Vista™
Windows® XP . . . . . . . . . . . . . 48
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 48
Using Both a Monitor and Your Computer Display
Microsoft Windows XP
Windows Vista
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 49
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 50
Setting Display Resolution and Refresh Rate
Microsoft Windows XP
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 51
. . . 47
. . . 49
. . . . . . 50
Windows Vista . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 51
5 Using the Keyboard and Touch Pad . . . . 53
Numeric Keypad . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 53
Key Combinations
System Functions
Display Functions
Battery . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 54
Power Management
Microsoft
Dell™ QuickSet Key Combinations
Adjusting Keyboard Settings
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 54
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 54
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 54
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 54
®
Windows® Logo Key Functions . . . . 55
. . . . . . . . . 55
. . . . . . . . . . . . 55
4 Contents
Touch Pad . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 55
Customizing the Touch Pad
. . . . . . . . . . . . 56
6 Using a Battery . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 59
Battery Performance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 59
Checking the Battery Charge
Dell™ QuickSet Battery Meter
Microsoft
Charge Gauge
®
Windows® Battery Meter . . . . . . . 61
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 61
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . 60
. . . . . . . . . . . 60
Low-Battery Warning . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 62
Conserving Battery Power . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 62
Power Management Modes
Standby and Sleep Mode
Hibernate Mode
Configuring Power Management Settings
Accessing Power Options Properties
Charging the Battery
Replacing the Battery
Storing a Battery
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 66
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . 63
. . . . . . . . . . . . . 63
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 63
. . . . . . . 64
. . . . . . . 64
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 65
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 65
7 Using Multimedia . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 67
Playing Media . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 67
Playing Media Using Dell Travel Remote
. . . . . . . . 69
Contents 5
Copying CD, DVD, and Blu-ray Disc™ (BD) Media . . . 70
How to Copy a CD, DVD, or BD
. . . . . . . . . . . 70
Using Blank CD, DVD, and BD Media . . . . . . . 71
Helpful Tips
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 72
Adjusting the Volume
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 73
Adjusting the Picture . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 74
Using Dell MediaDirect™
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 74
Connecting Your Computer to a TV or
Audio Device
S-Video and Standard Audio
S-Video and S/PDIF Digital Audio
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 75
. . . . . . . . . . . . 77
. . . . . . . . . 78
Composite Video and Standard Audio . . . . . . . 80
Composite Video and S/PDIF Digital Audio
Component Video and Standard Audio
. . . . 82
. . . . . . 84
Component Video and S/PDIF Digital Audio . . . . 87
Enabling the Display Settings for a TV
. . . . . . . 90
8 Using ExpressCards . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 91
ExpressCard Blanks . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 91
Installing an ExpressCard
Removing an ExpressCard or Blank . . . . . . . . . . . 93
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 92
9 Using the Memory Card Reader . . . . . . . 95
6 Contents
Memory Card Blanks . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 95
Installing a Memory Card
Removing a Memory Card or Blank
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 95
. . . . . . . . . . . 96
10 Setting Up and Using Networks . . . . . . . 97
Connecting a Network or Broadband
Modem Cable . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 97
Setting Up a Network
Windows XP
Windows Vista
Wireless Local Area Network
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 98
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 98
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 98
. . . . . . . . . . . . . 99
What You Need to Establish a WLAN
Connection
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 99
Checking Your Wireless Network Card . . . . . . 99
Setting Up a New WLAN Using a Wireless
Router and a Broadband Modem
. . . . . . . . . 100
Connecting to a WLAN . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 101
Mobile Broadband (or Wireless Wide
Area Network)
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 104
What You Need to Establish a Mobile
Broadband Network Connection
. . . . . . . . . 104
Checking Your Dell Mobile Broadband Card . . . . 105
Connecting to a Mobile Broadband Network
Enabling/Disabling the Dell Mobile
Broadband Card . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 106
Dell Wi-Fi Catcher™ Network Locator
. . . . . . . . . 107
. . . 105
11 Securing Your Computer . . . . . . . . . . . . 109
Security Cable Lock . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 109
Passwords
If Your Computer Is Lost or Stolen
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 109
. . . . . . . . . . . 110
Contents 7
12 Troubleshooting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 113
Dell Technical Update Service . . . . . . . . . . . . . 113
Dell Diagnostics
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 113
Dell Support Center . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 118
Dell Support
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 118
Dell PC TuneUp . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 119
Dell PC Checkup
Dell Network Assistant
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 120
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 120
DellConnect . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 120
Drive Problems . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 121
Optical drive problems
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 121
Hard drive problems . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 122
E-Mail, Modem, and Internet Problems . . . . . . . . . 123
Error Messages
ExpressCard Problems
IEEE 1394 Device Problems
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 125
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 130
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 131
Keyboard Problems . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 131
External Keyboard problems
Unexpected characters
. . . . . . . . . . . . 131
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . 132
8 Contents
Lockups and Software Problems . . . . . . . . . . . . 133
The computer does not start
. . . . . . . . . . . . 133
The computer stops responding . . . . . . . . . . 133
A program stops responding or crashes
repeatedly
A program is designed for an earlier
Microsoft
A solid blue screen appears
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 133
®
Windows® operating system . . . . . 134
. . . . . . . . . . . . 134
Dell MediaDirect problems . . . . . . . . . . . . 134
Other software problems . . . . . . . . . . . . . 135
Memory Problems . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 136
Network Problems
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 136
Mobile Broadband (Wireless Wide Area
Network [WWAN])
Power Problems
Printer Problems
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 137
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 137
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 139
Scanner Problems . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 140
Sound and Speaker Problems
No sound from integrated speakers
No sound from external speakers
. . . . . . . . . . . . . 141
. . . . . . . . 141
. . . . . . . . . 141
No sound from headphones . . . . . . . . . . . . 142
Remote Control Problems . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 142
Touch Pad or Mouse Problems
Video and Display Problems
If the display is blank
If the display is difficult to read
If only part of the display is readable
. . . . . . . . . . . . . 142
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . 143
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 143
. . . . . . . . . . 144
. . . . . . . 145
Drivers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 145
What Is a Driver?
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 145
Identifying Drivers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 145
Reinstalling Drivers and Utilities
. . . . . . . . . . 146
Troubleshooting Software and Hardware
Problems
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 149
Contents 9
Restoring your Microsoft Windows
Operating System
Restoring Windows Vista
Restoring Windows XP
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 150
®
. . . . . . . . . . . . . 150
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 155
13 Adding and Replacing Parts . . . . . . . . . 161
Before You Begin . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 161
Recommended Tools
Turning Off Your Computer
Before Working Inside Your Computer
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 161
. . . . . . . . . . . . . 161
. . . . . . . 162
Hard Drive
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 164
Removing the Hard Drive
Replacing the Hard Drive
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . 164
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . 166
Returning a Hard Drive to Dell . . . . . . . . . . . 167
Optical Drive . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 167
Removing the Optical Drive
Hinge Cover
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 168
Removing the Hinge Cover
. . . . . . . . . . . . 167
. . . . . . . . . . . . . 168
Replacing the Hinge Cover . . . . . . . . . . . . . 169
Keyboard
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 169
Removing the Keyboard
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . 170
Replacing the Keyboard . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 171
Memory . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 172
Removing the DIMM A Memory Module
Replacing the DIMM A Memory Module
Removing the DIMM B Memory Module
Replacing the DIMM B Memory Module
Subscriber Identity Module
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 178
. . . . . . 172
. . . . . 173
. . . . . . 175
. . . . . 176
10 Contents
Wireless Mini-Cards . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 179
Removing a WLAN Card
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . 179
Replacing a WLAN Card . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 181
Removing a Mobile Broadband or
WWAN Card
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 182
Replacing a WWAN Card . . . . . . . . . . . . . 185
Removing a WPAN Card
Replacing a WPAN Card
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . 186
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . 187
Flash Cache Module
Removing the FCM
Replacing the FCM
Internal Card With Bluetooth
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 187
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 187
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 188
®
Wireless
Technology . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 189
Removing the Card
Coin-Cell Battery
Removing the Coin-Cell Battery
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 189
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 190
. . . . . . . . . . 190
14 Dell™ QuickSet Features . . . . . . . . . . . 193
15 Traveling With Your Computer . . . . . . . 195
Identifying Your Computer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 195
Packing the Computer
Travel Tips . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 196
Traveling by Air
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 195
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 196
Contents 11
16 Getting Help . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 197
Obtaining Assistance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 197
Technical Support and Customer Service
DellConnect
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 198
Online Services . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 198
AutoTech Service
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 199
Automated Order-Status Service
. . . . . 198
. . . . . . . . . 199
Problems With Your Order
Product Information
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 199
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 200
Returning Items for Warranty Repair or Credit . . . . . 200
Before You Call
Contacting Dell
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 201
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 203
17 Specifications . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 205
18 Appendix . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 215
Using the System Setup Program . . . . . . . . . . . . 215
Viewing the System Setup Screen
System Setup Screen
Commonly Used Options
Cleaning Your Computer
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 218
Computer, Keyboard, and Display
Touch Pad
Mouse
Media
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 219
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 219
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 220
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 216
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . 216
. . . . . . . . . 216
. . . . . . . . . 218
12 Contents
Dell Technical Support Policy (U.S. Only) . . . . . . . 220
Definition of "Dell-Installed" Software and
Peripherals
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 221
Definition of "Third-Party" Software and
Peripherals
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 221
FCC Notice (U.S. Only)
FCC Class B
Macrovision Product Notice
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 221
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 221
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . 223
Glossary . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 225
Index . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 243
Contents 13
14 Contents
Finding Information
NOTE: Some features may be optional and may not ship with your computer. Some
features may not be available in certain countries.
NOTE: Additional information may ship with your computer.
What Are You Looking For? Find It Here
• A diagnostic program for my computer
• Drivers for my computer
•Device documentation
• Notebook System Software (NSS)
• Warranty information
•Terms and Conditions (U.S. only)
•Safety instructions
• Regulatory information
• Ergonomics information
• End User License Agreement
Drivers and Utilities Media
Documentation and drivers are already
installed on your computer. You can use
the Drivers and Utilities media to
reinstall drivers (see "Reinstalling Drivers
and Utilities" on page 146) or run the
Dell Support 3 utility (see "Dell Support"
on page 118).
Readme files may be included on your
Drivers and Utilities media to provide
last-minute updates about technical
changes to your computer or advanced
technical-reference material for
technicians or experienced users.
NOTE: Drivers and documentation updates
can be found at support.dell.com.
Dell™ Product Information Guide
1
Finding Information 15
What Are You Looking For? Find It Here
• How to set up my computer
Setup Diagram
• How to remove and replace parts
• Specifications
• How to configure system settings
• How to troubleshoot and solve
problems
• Service Tag and Express Service Code
®
•Microsoft
Windows® Product Key
Microsoft Windows XP and Windows Vista™ Help and Support Center
1
Click
Start→
Help and Support→
Dell User and System Guides→
System Guides
2
Click the
.
User’s Guide
for your
computer.
Service Tag and Microsoft Windows Product Key
These labels are located on your
computer.
• Use the Service Tag to identify your
computer when you use
support.dell.com
or contact support.
• Enter the Express Service Code to
direct your call when contacting
support.
NOTE: As an increased security measure,
the newly designed Microsoft Windows
license label incorporates a "security
portal," which looks like a missing portion
of the label, to discourage removal of the
label.
16 Finding Information
What Are You Looking For? Find It Here
• Solutions — Troubleshooting hints and
tips, articles from technicians, online
courses, and frequently asked questions
• Community — Online discussion with
Dell Support Website — support.dell.com
NOTE: Select your region or business
segment to view the appropriate support
site.
other Dell customers
• Upgrades — Upgrade information for
components, such as the memory, hard
drive, and operating system
• Customer Care — Contact
information, service call and order
status, and warranty and repair
information
• Service and support — Service call
status, support history, service contract,
and online discussions with support
• Dell Technical Update Service —
Proactive e-mail notification of software
and hardware updates for your
computer
• Reference — Computer
documentation, details on my
computer configuration, product
specifications, and white papers
• Downloads — Certified drivers,
patches, and software updates
• Notebook System Software (NSS) — If
you reinstall the operating system on
your computer, you should also reinstall
the NSS utility. NSS automatically
detects your computer and operating
system, and installs the updates
appropriate for your configuration,
providing critical updates for your
operating system and support for Dell
3.5-inch USB floppy drives, Intel
®
processors, optical drives, and USB
devices. NSS is necessary for correct
operation of your Dell computer.
To download Notebook System Software:
1
Go to
support.dell.com
country/region, and then click
& Downloads
2
Enter your Service Tag or product
model, and then click
3
Select your operating system and
language, and then click
Downloads
Search
Notebook System Software
NOTE: The support.dell.com user interface
may vary depending on your selections.
, select your
.
Go
.
Find
, or under
Downloads
, search for the keyword
.
Drivers
Finding Information 17
What Are You Looking For? Find It Here
• How to use Microsoft Windows XP or
Windows Vista™
• How to work with programs and files
• How to personalize my desktop
Windows Help and Support
Microsoft Windows XP:
1
Click the
and Support
2
Either select one of the topics listed, or
type a word or phrase that describes
your problem into the
the arrow icon, and then click the topic
that describes your problem.
3
Follow the instructions on the screen.
Microsoft Windows Vista:
1
Click the Windows Vista Start button
, and then click
2
In
Search Help
that describes your problem, and then
press <Enter> or click the magnifying
glass.
3
Click the topic that describes your problem.
4
Follow the instructions on the screen.
• Information on network activity, the
Power Management Wizard, hotkeys,
and other items controlled by Dell
QuickSet.
Dell QuickSet Help
To view Dell QuickSet Help, right-click
the Dell QuickSet icon in the Windows
notification area.
For more information on Dell QuickSet,
see "Dell™ QuickSet Features" on
page 193.
Start
button and click
.
Search
Help and Support
, type a word or phrase
Help
box, click
.
18 Finding Information
What Are You Looking For? Find It Here
• How to reinstall my operating system
Operating System Media
The operating system is already installed
on your computer. To reinstall your
operating system, use one of the
following methods:
• Microsoft Windows System Restore —
Microsoft Windows System Restore
returns your computer to an earlier
operating state without affecting data
files.
• Dell PC Restore — Dell PC Restore
returns your computer to its original
operating state. Dell PC Restore may
not ship with your computer.
• Operating System Installation Media —
If you received operating system media
with your computer, you can use it to
restore your operating system.
For more information, see "Restoring
your Microsoft Windows Operating
System" on page 150.
After you reinstall your operating system,
use the Drivers and Utilities media to
reinstall drivers for the devices that came
with your computer.
Your operating system product key label is
located on your computer.
NOTE: The color of your operating system
installation media varies according to the
operating system you ordered.
Finding Information 19
20 Finding Information
2
About Your Computer
Determining Your Computer’s Configuration
Based on selections that you made when purchasing your computer, your
computer has one of several different video controller configurations. To
determine your computer’s video controller configuration:
1
Access the Microsoft® Windows® Help and Support Center. For
instructions, see "Microsoft Windows XP and Windows Vista™ Help and
Support Center" on page 16.
2
Under
Pick a Task
and diagnose problems.
3
Under
My Computer Information
From the My Computer Information - Hardware screen, you can view the
type of video controller installed in your computer, as well as the other
hardware components.
, click
Use Tools to view your computer information
, select
Hardware
.
About Your Computer 21
Front View
14
13
12
2
1
3
4
5
6
7
11
1 camera indicator (optional) 2 camera (optional)
3 display latch 4 display
5 power button 6 keyboard
7 device status lights 8 touch pad
9 consumer IR sensor 10 media control buttons
11 touch pad buttons 12 Dell™ MediaDirect™ button
13 keyboard status lights 14 digital array microphones
10
9
8
22 About Your Computer
CAMERA INDICATOR — Indicates that the camera is on. Based on configuration
selections you made when ordering your computer, your computer may not include a
camera.
CAMERA — Built-in camera for video capture, conferencing, and chat. Based on
configuration selections you made when ordering your computer, your computer may
not include a camera.
DISPLAY LATCH — Keeps the display closed.
DISPLAY — For more information about your display, see "Using the Display" on
page 47.
POWER BUTTON — Press the power button to turn on the computer or exit a power
management mode (see "Power Management Modes" on page 63).
NOTICE: To avoid losing data, turn off your computer by performing a Microsoft
®
Windows® operating system shutdown rather than by pressing the power button.
If the computer stops responding, press and hold the power button until the
computer turns off completely (may take several seconds).
KEYBOARD — For more information about the keyboard, see "Using the Keyboard and
Touch Pad" on page 53.
About Your Computer 23
DEVICE STATUS LIGHTS
The blue lights located to the right of the keyboard indicate the following:
Power light – Turns on when you turn on the computer, and blinks when
the computer is in a power management mode.
Hard-drive activity light – Turns on when the computer reads or writes
data.
NOTICE: To avoid loss of data, never turn off the computer while the
light is flashing.
Battery status light – Turns on steadily or blinks to indicate battery charge
status.
WiFi status light – Turns on when wireless networking is enabled. To
enable or disable wireless networking, use the wireless switch (see "wireless
switch" on page 27).
24 About Your Computer
Bluetooth
®
status light – Turns on when an internal card with Bluetooth
wireless technology is enabled.
NOTE: The internal card with Bluetooth wireless technology is an optional
feature. The light turns on only if you ordered the card with your
computer. For more information, see the documentation that came with your
card.
To turn off only the Bluetooth wireless technology functionality, right-click
the icon in the notification area, and then click Disable Bluetooth
Radio.
To quickly enable or disable all wireless devices, use the wireless switch
(see "wireless switch" on page 27).
If the computer is connected to an electrical outlet, the light operates as follows:
– Solid blue: The battery is charging.
– Flashing blue: The battery is almost fully charged.
– Off: The battery is adequately charged.
If the computer is running on a battery, the light operates as follows:
– Off: The battery is adequately charged (or the computer is turned off).
– Flashing amber: The battery charge is low.
amber
–Solid
TOUCH PAD — Provides the functionality of a mouse (see "Touch Pad" on page 55).
TOUCH PAD BUTTONS — Use these buttons much like the buttons on a mouse when
you use the touch pad to move the cursor on the display (see "Touch Pad" on page 55).
MEDIA CONTROL BUTTONS — Control CD, DVD, and Media Player playback.
: The battery charge is critically low.
Mute the sound. Play the previous track.
Turn the volume down. Play the next track.
About Your Computer 25
Turn the volume up. Stop.
Play or pause.
DELL™ MEDIADIRECT™ BUTTON — Press the Dell MediaDirect button to launch
Dell MediaDirect (see "Using Dell MediaDirect™" on page 74).
KEYBOARD STATUS LIGHTS
The blue lights located above the keyboard indicate the following:
Turns on when the numeric keypad is enabled.
9
Turns on when the uppercase letter (caps lock) function is enabled.
A
Turns on when the scroll lock function is enabled.
DIGITAL ARRAY MICROPHONES — Built-in microphone for conferencing and chat.
26 About Your Computer
Left Side View
1 2563 4
1 security cable slot 2 wireless switch
3 Dell Wi-Fi Catcher Network Locator
light
5 audio connectors 6 ExpressCard slot
SECURITY CABLE SLOT — Lets you attach a commercially available antitheft device
to the computer (see "Security Cable Lock" on page 109).
WIRELESS SWITCH — When enabled through Dell QuickSet, this switch can scan for
a wireless local area network (WLAN) in your vicinity. You can also use it to rapidly
turn off or on any wireless devices such as WLAN cards and internal cards with
Bluetooth wireless technology (see "Dell Wi-Fi Catcher™ Network Locator" on
page 107).
4 air vents
About Your Computer 27
1 2 3 4
1 off Disables wireless devices.
2 on Enables wireless devices.
3 momentary Scans for WLAN networks (see "Dell Wi-Fi
Catcher™ Network Locator" on page 107).
4 Dell Wi-Fi Catcher Network
Locator light
• Flashing green: Searching for networks
• Solid green: Strong network found
• Solid yellow: Weak network found
•Flashing yellow: Error
• Off: No signal found
NOTE: The Wi-Fi Catcher Network Locator light
appears only when the computer is turned off and
the wireless switch is configured in the system
setup program (BIOS) to control WiFi network
connections.
CAUTION: Do not block, push objects into, or allow dust to accumulate in the air
vents. Do not store your computer in a low-airflow environment, such as a closed
briefcase, while it is running. Restricting the airflow can damage the computer or
cause a fire.
AIR VENTS — The computer uses an internal fan to create airflow through the vents,
which prevents the computer from overheating. The computer turns the fan on when
the computer gets hot. Fan noise is normal and does not indicate a problem with the
fan or the computer.
28 About Your Computer
AUDIO CONNECTORS
Attach headphones to the connector.
Attach a microphone to the connector.
EXPRESSC ARD SLOT — Supports one ExpressCard. The computer ships with a
plastic blank installed in the slot. For more information, see "Using ExpressCards" on
page 91.
About Your Computer 29
Right Side View
2
1
3
4 6 7
1 battery status light 2 hard-drive activity light
3 power light 4 optical drive
5 eject button 6 8-in-1 memory card reader
7 IEEE 1394 connector 8 video connector (VGA)
9 network connector (RJ-45) 10 USB connectors (2)
OPTICAL DRIVE — For more information about the optical drive, see "Using
Multimedia" on page 67.
EJECT BUTTON — Press the eject button to open the optical drive.
IN-1 MEMORY CARD READER — Provides a fast and convenient way to view and
8-
share digital photos, music, and videos stored on a memory card. The computer ships
with a plastic blank installed in the slot. The 8-in-1 memory card reader reads the
following digital memory cards:
• Secure Digital (SD) memory card
•SDIO card
• MultiMediaCard (MMC)
•Memory Stick
•Memory Stick PRO
•xD-Picture Card
• Hi Speed-SD
•Hi Density-SD
IEEE 1394 CONNECTOR — Connects devices supporting IEEE 1394 high-speed
transfer rates, such as some digital video cameras.
85
910
30 About Your Computer
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