Dell PP26L User Manual
Dell™ Inspiron™ 1420
Owner’s Manual
Model PP26L
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, Inspiron, W i-F i Catcher , and Dell MediaDir ect are
trademarks of Dell Inc.; Intel, Celeron, and Core are registered trademarks of Intel Corporation.;
Microsoft and Windows are registered trademarks and Windows Vista is a trademark 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.
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 PP26L
June 2007 P/N WM391 Rev. A01
Contents
Finding Information . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15
1 About Your Computer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21
Determining Your Computer’s Configuration . . . . . . 21
Front View
Left Side View
Right Side View
Back View
Bottom View
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 31
2 Setting Up Your Computer . . . . . . . . . . . . 33
Connecting to the Internet . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 33
Setting Up Your Internet Connection
Transferring Information to a New Computer . . . . . 35
Windows Easy Transfer
Setting Up a Printer
Printer Cable
Connecting a USB Printer
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 36
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . 35
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 35
. . . . . . . . . . . . . 36
. . . . . . . . 34
Contents 3
Power Protection Devices . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 37
Surge Protectors
Line Conditioners
Uninterruptible Power Supplies
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 37
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 38
. . . . . . . . . . 38
3 Using the Display . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 39
Adjusting Brightness . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 39
Switching the Video Image From Your Computer
Display To a Projector
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 39
Setting Display Resolution and Refresh Rate
. . . . . . 40
4 Using the Keyboard and Touch Pad . . . . 41
Numeric Keypad . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 41
Key Combinations
System Functions
Display Functions
Battery
Power Management
Microsoft
Dell™ QuickSet Key Combinations
Adjusting Keyboard Settings
Touch Pad
Customizing the Touch Pad
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 42
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 42
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 42
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 42
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 42
®
Windows® Logo Key Functions . . . . 42
. . . . . . . . . 43
. . . . . . . . . . . . 43
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 43
. . . . . . . . . . . . . 44
4 Contents
5 Using a Battery . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 45
Battery Performance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 45
Checking the Battery Charge
Dell QuickSet Battery Meter
®
Microsoft
Charge Gauge
Windows® Battery Meter . . . . . . . 47
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 47
Low-Battery Warning
Conserving Battery Power
Configuring Power Management Settings
Using the Sleep Power State
Charging the Battery
Replacing the Battery
Storing a Battery
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 50
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . 46
. . . . . . . . . . . . 46
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 48
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 48
. . . . . 48
. . . . . . . . . . . 49
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 49
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 50
6 Using the Optional Camera . . . . . . . . . . . 51
Accessing the Camera’s Help File . . . . . . . . . . . 51
Manually Adjusting the Camera Settings
Creating a Picture or a Video
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . 52
. . . . . . . . 52
7 Using Multimedia . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 53
Playing Media . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 53
Playing Media Using Dell Express Card
Remote Control
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 55
Contents 5
Copying CD and DVD Media . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 56
How to Copy a CD or DVD
Using Blank CD and DVD Media
Helpful Tips
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 58
. . . . . . . . . . . . . 57
. . . . . . . . . . 57
Adjusting the Volume
Adjusting the Picture
Using Dell MediaDirect™
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 59
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 59
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 59
Connecting Your Computer to a TV or
Audio Device
S-Video and Standard Audio
S-Video and S/PDIF Digital Audio
Composite Video and Standard Audio
Composite Video and S/PDIF Digital Audio
Component Video and Standard Audio
Component Video and S/PDIF Digital Audio
Enabling the Display Settings for a TV
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 60
. . . . . . . . . . . . 62
. . . . . . . . . 64
. . . . . . . 66
. . . . 68
. . . . . . 70
. . . . 72
. . . . . . . 74
8 Using Cards . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 75
ExpressCards . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 75
ExpressCard Blanks
Installing an ExpressCard
Removing an ExpressCard or Blank
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 76
. . . . . . . . . . . . . 76
. . . . . . . . 77
6 Contents
Memory Card Reader
Memory Card Blanks
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 78
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 79
Installing a Memory Card
Removing a Memory Card or Blank
. . . . . . . . . . . . . 79
. . . . . . . . 80
9 Setting Up and Using Networks . . . . . . . 81
Connecting a Network or Broadband
Modem Cable
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 81
Setting Up a Network
Wireless Local Area Network
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 82
. . . . . . . . . . . . . 82
What You Need to Establish a WLAN
Connection
Checking Your Wireless Network Card
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 82
. . . . . . 82
Setting Up a New WLAN Using a Wireless
Router and a Broadband Modem
Connecting to a WLAN
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 85
. . . . . . . . . 83
Mobile Broadband (or Wireless Wide Area
Network)
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 86
What You Need to Establish a Mobile
Broadband Network Connection
Checking Your Dell Mobile Broadband Card
Connecting to a Mobile Broadband Network
. . . . . . . . . 86
. . . . 87
. . . 88
Enabling/Disabling the Dell Mobile
Broadband Card
Dell Wi-Fi Catcher™ Network Locator
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 88
. . . . . . . . . 89
10 Securing Your Computer . . . . . . . . . . . . . 91
Security Cable Lock . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 91
Passwords
If Your Computer Is Lost or Stolen
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 91
. . . . . . . . . . . 92
Contents 7
11 Troubleshooting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 93
Dell Technical Update Service . . . . . . . . . . . . . 93
Dell Diagnostics
Dell Support Utility
Drive Problems
Optical drive problems
Hard drive problems
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 93
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 97
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 98
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 99
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 100
E-Mail, Modem, and Internet Problems
Error Messages
ExpressCard Problems
IEEE 1394 Device Problems
Keyboard Problems
External Keyboard problems
Unexpected characters
Lockups and Software Problems
The computer does not start
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 102
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 107
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 107
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 108
. . . . . . . . . . . . 108
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . 109
. . . . . . . . . . . . 109
. . . . . . . . . . . . 109
The computer stops responding
A program stops responding or crashes
repeatedly
A program is designed for an earlier
Microsoft
A solid blue screen appears
Dell MediaDirect problems
Other software problems
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 110
®
Windows® operating system . . . . . 110
. . . . . . . . . . . . 110
. . . . . . . . . . . . . 110
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . 111
. . . . . . . . . 100
. . . . . . . . . . 109
8 Contents
Memory Problems
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 112
Network Problems . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 113
Mobile Broadband (Wireless Wide Area
Network [WWAN])
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 113
Power Problems . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 114
Printer Problems
Scanner Problems
Sound and Speaker Problems
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 115
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 116
. . . . . . . . . . . . . 117
No sound from integrated speakers
No sound from external speakers
No sound from headphones
Remote Control Problems
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 118
Touch Pad or Mouse Problems
Video and Display Problems
If the display is blank
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 119
If the display is difficult to read
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . 119
. . . . . . . . . 117
. . . . . . . . . . . . 118
. . . . . . . . . . . . . 118
. . . . . . . . . . 120
If only part of the display is readable
Drivers
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 121
What Is a Driver?
Identifying Drivers
Reinstalling Drivers and Utilities
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 121
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 121
. . . . . . . . . . 122
Troubleshooting Software and Hardware
Problems
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 124
. . . . . . . . 117
. . . . . . . 120
Restoring Your Operating System
Using Microsoft
Windows System Restore . . . . 124
Using the Operating System Media
. . . . . . . . . . . . 124
. . . . . . . . 125
Contents 9
12 Adding and Replacing Parts . . . . . . . . . 129
Before You Begin . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 129
Recommended Tools
Turning Off Your Computer
Before Working Inside Your Computer
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 129
. . . . . . . . . . . . . 129
. . . . . . . 130
Hard Drive
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 131
Removing the Hard Drive
Replacing the Hard Drive
Returning a Hard Drive to Dell
Optical Drive
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 134
Removing the Optical Drive
Replacing the Optical Drive
Hinge Cover
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 135
Removing the Hinge Cover
Replacing the Hinge Cover
Keyboard
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 137
Removing the Keyboard
Replacing the Keyboard
Memory
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 139
Removing the Memory Module
Replacing the Memory Module
Modem
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 142
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . 132
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . 133
. . . . . . . . . . . 134
. . . . . . . . . . . . 134
. . . . . . . . . . . . 135
. . . . . . . . . . . . . 136
. . . . . . . . . . . . . 136
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . 137
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . 138
. . . . . . . . . . 139
. . . . . . . . . . 141
10 Contents
Subscriber Identity Module
Wireless Mini Cards
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 145
Removing a WLAN Card
Replacing a WLAN Card
Internal Card with Bluetooth
Technology
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 148
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 144
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . 145
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . 147
®
Wireless
Removing a Mobile Broadband or
WWAN Card
Replacing a WWAN Card
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 149
. . . . . . . . . . . . . 151
Flash Cache Module
Removing the FCM
Replacing the FCM
Coin-Cell Battery
Removing the Coin-Cell Battery
Replacing the Coin-Cell Battery
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 152
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 152
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 153
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 154
. . . . . . . . . . 154
. . . . . . . . . . 155
13 Dell™ QuickSet Features . . . . . . . . . . . 157
14 Traveling With Your Computer
Identifying Your Computer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 159
Packing the Computer
Travel Tips
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 160
Traveling by Air
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 159
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 160
. . . . . . . 159
15 Getting Help . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 161
Obtaining Assistance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 161
Technical Support and Customer Service
DellConnect
Online Services
AutoTech Service
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 162
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 162
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 163
Automated Order-Status Service
Problems With Your Order
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 163
. . . . . 162
. . . . . . . . . 163
Contents 11
Product Information . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 163
Returning Items for Warranty Repair or Credit
Before You Call
Contacting Dell
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 164
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 166
. . . . . 164
16 Specifications . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 167
17 Appendix
Using the System Setup Program . . . . . . . . . . . . 177
Cleaning Your Computer
Dell Technical Support Policy (U.S. Only)
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 177
Viewing the System Setup Screen
System Setup Screen
Commonly Used Options
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 178
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . 178
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 180
Computer, Keyboard, and Display
Touch Pad
Mouse
Media
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 181
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 181
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 182
. . . . . . . . . 178
. . . . . . . . . 180
. . . . . . . 182
Definition of "Dell-Installed" Software and
Peripherals
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 183
Definition of "Third-Party" Software and
Peripherals
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 183
12 Contents
FCC Notice (U.S. Only)
FCC Class B
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 183
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 183
Macrovision Product Notice
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . 184
Glossary . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 185
Index . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 203
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)
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 122) or run the
Dell Diagnostics (see "Dell Diagnostics"
on page 93).
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.
• Warranty information
• Terms and Conditions (U.S. only)
• Safety instructions
• Regulatory information
• Ergonomics information
• End User License Agreement
NOTE: Drivers and documentation updates
can be found at support.dell.com.
Dell™ Product Information Guide
Finding Information 15
What Are You Looking For? Find It Here
• How to set up my computer
Setup Diagram
• Service Tag and Express Service Code
• Microsoft
®
Windows® Product Key
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
• Enter the Express Service Code to direct
your call when contacting support.
or contact 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
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 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
To download Notebook System Software:
1
Go to
support.dell.com
country/region, and then click
Drivers & 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.
operation of your Dell computer.
, select your
.
Go
.
Find
, or under
Downloads
, search for the keyword
.
Finding Information 17
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 on the taskbar. For more information,
see "Dell Support Utility
• How to use Windows Vista™
• How to work with programs and files
• How to personalize my desktop
Windows Help and Support
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
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 157.
" on page 97
.
Help and Support
, type a word or phrase
.
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.
• 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 Operating System" on page 124.
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
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 Click
2
3
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.
Start
Under
Pick a Task
and diagnose problems.
Under
My Computer Information
, and then click
, click
Help and Support
Use Tools to view your computer information
, select
Hardware
.
.
About Your Computer 21
Front View
1
16
15
14
13
2
3
4
5
10
12
11
22 About Your Computer
6
89
7
1 camera indicator 2 camera (optional)
3 digital microphones (2) 4 display
5 media control buttons 6 touch pad
7 touch pad buttons 8 microphone connector
9 headphone connectors (2) 10 wireless switch
11 device status lights 12 8-in-1 memory card reader
13 keyboard 14 Dell™ MediaDirect™ button
15 keyboard status lights 16 power button
CAMERA INDICATOR — Indicates camera ON/OFF status.
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.
IGITAL MICROPHONES — Digital directional microphones for conferencing and chat.
D
DISPLAY — For more information about your display, see "Using the Display" on
page 39.
MEDIA CONTROL BUTTONS — Control CD, DVD, and Media Player playback.
Mute the sound. Play the previous track.
Turn the volume down. Play the next track.
Turn the volume up. Stop.
Play or pause.
About Your Computer 23
TOUCH PAD — Provides the functionality of a mouse (see "Touch Pad" on page 43).
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 43).
HEADPHONE CONNECTORS — Dual headphone connectors for attaching headphones.
MICROPHONE CONNECTOR — Attach a microphone to this connector.
WIRELESS SWITCH — When enabled through Dell QuickSet, this switch can scan for
a wireless LAN (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.
DEVICE STATUS LIGHTS
The lights located on the palm rest towards the front of the computer 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.
24 About Your Computer
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.
®
Bluetooth
status light – Turns on when a card with Bluetooth wireless
technology is enabled.
NOTE: The 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.
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
8-IN-1 MEMORY CARD READER —
share digital photos, music, and videos stored on a memory card. The 8-in-1 media
memory card reader reads the following digital media memory cards:
• Secure Digital (SD)
•SDIO
• MultiMediaCard (MMC)
•Memory Stick
• Memory Stick PRO
• xD-Picture Card
• Hi Speed-SD
• Hi Density-SD
KEYBOARD — The keyboard includes a numeric keypad as well as the Microsoft
Windows logo key.
: The battery charge is critically low.
–Provides a fast and convenient way to view and
About Your Computer 25
DELL™ MEDIADIRECT™ BUTTON — Press the Dell MediaDirect button to launch
Dell MediaDirect (see "Using Dell MediaDirect™" on page 59).
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.
POWER BUTTON — Press the power button to turn on the computer or exit a power
management mode (see "Configuring Power Management Settings" on page 48).
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).
26 About Your Computer
®
Left Side View
1 2453 6
1 security cable slot 2 AC adapter connector
3 air vents 4 IEEE 1394a connector
5 USB connectors (2) 6 ExpressCard slot
SECURITY CABLE SLOT — Lets you attach a commercially available antitheft device
to the computer (see "Security Cable Lock" on page 91).
ADAPTER CONNECTOR — Attaches an AC adapter to the computer. The
AC
AC adapter converts AC power to the DC power required by the computer. You can
connect the AC adapter with your computer turned 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 help prevent damage to
the cable.
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.
IEEE 1394
transfer rates, such as some digital video cameras.
A CONNECTOR — Connects devices supporting IEEE 1394a high-speed
About Your Computer 27
USB CONNECTORS
Connect USB devices, such as a mouse, keyboard, or
printer.
E
XPRESSCARD SLOT — Supports one ExpressCard. The computer ships with a
plastic blank installed in the slot. For more information, see "ExpressCards" on
page 75.
Right Side View
3
1
1 optical drive 2 eject button
3 S-video TV-out connector 4 USB connectors (2)
5 video connector (VGA)
OPTICAL DRIVE — For more information about the optical drive, see "Using
Multimedia" on page 53.
EJECT BUTTON — Press the eject button to open the optical drive.
2
4
5
28 About Your Computer
S-VIDEO TV-OUT CONNECTOR
Connects your computer to a TV. Also connects digital
audio-capable devices using the TV/digital audio
adapter cable.
USB CONNECTORS
Connect USB devices, such as a mouse, keyboard, or
printer.
CONNECTOR
VIDEO
Connects video devices, such as a monitor.
About Your Computer 29
Back View
1
1 modem connector (RJ-11) 2 network connector (RJ-45)
MODEM CONNECTOR (RJ-11)
Connects the telephone line to the modem connector.
For information on using the modem, see the online
modem documentation supplied with your computer.
NETWORK CONNECTOR (RJ-45)
Connects the computer to a network. The two lights next
to the connector indicate status and activity for wired
network connections.
For information on using the network adapter, see the
device user’s guide supplied with your computer.
2
30 About Your Computer
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