Dell PP29L User Manual

Dell™ 500 Owner’s Manual

Model PP29L

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.

___________________

Reproduction in any manner whatsoever without the written permission of Dell Inc. is strictly forbidden. Trademarks used in this text: Dell, the DELL logo, and Wi-Fi Catcher are trademarks of Dell Inc.;

Intel is a registered trademark and Celer on is a trademark of Intel Corporation in United States and other countries.; Microsoft and Windows 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.

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 PP29L

July 2008 P/N U739D Rev. A03

Contents

Finding Information . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13

1 About Your Computer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19

Front View . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19

Left Side View

Right Side View

Back View

Bottom View

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24

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

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27

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

2 Setting Up Your Computer . . . . . . . . . . . . 29

Connecting to the Internet . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 29

Setting Up Your Internet Connection

Transferring Information to a New Computer

Windows Easy Transfer

Setting Up a Printer

Printer Cable

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

Connecting a USB Printer

Power Protection Devices

Surge Protectors

Line Conditioners

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

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

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

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

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

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

Uninterruptible Power Supplies

. . . . . . . . 30

. . . . . 31

. . . . . . . . . . 37

Contents 3

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

Windows® Logo Key Functions . . . . 43

. . . . . . . . . 43

. . . . . . . . . . . . 43

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

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

5 Using a Battery . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 47

Battery Performance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 47

4 Contents

Checking the Battery Charge

Dell QuickSet Battery Meter

Microsoft

Windows® Battery Meter . . . . . . . 49

Low-Battery Warning

Conserving Battery Power

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

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

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

Power Management Modes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 50

Standby Mode

Hibernate Mode

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

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

Configuring Power Management Settings

Accessing Power Options Properties

Charging the Battery

Replacing the Battery

Storing a Battery

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

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

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

. . . . . . . 51

6 Using Multimedia . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 55

Playing Media . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 55

Copying CD and DVD Media

How to Copy a CD or DVD

Using Blank CD and DVD Media

Helpful Tips

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

Adjusting the Volume

Adjusting the Picture

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . 57

. . . . . . . . . . . . . 57

. . . . . . . . . . 58

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 59

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

7 Using Cards . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 61

ExpressCards . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 61

ExpressCard Blanks

Installing an ExpressCard

Removing an ExpressCard or Blank

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 62

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 62

. . . . . . . . . . 63

Contents 5

Memory Card Reader . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 63

Memory Card Blanks

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 63

Installing a Memory Card

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

Removing a Memory Card or Blank . . . . . . . . . . . 65

8 Setting Up and Using Networks . . . . . . . 67

Connecting a Network or Broadband Modem Cable

Setting Up a Network

Wireless Local Area Network

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 67

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 68

. . . . . . . . . . . . . 68

What You Need to Establish a WLAN Connection

Checking Your Wireless Network Card

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 68

. . . . . . 68

Setting Up a New WLAN Using a Wireless Router and a Broadband Modem

Connecting to a WLAN

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

. . . 69

9 Securing Your Computer . . . . . . . . . . . . . 73

Security Cable Lock . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 73

10 Troubleshooting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 75

6 Contents

Passwords

If Your Computer Is Lost or Stolen

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

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

Dell Technical Update Service . . . . . . . . . . . . . 75

Dell Diagnostics

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

Drive Problems . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 79

Optical drive problems

Hard drive problems

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

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

E-Mail, Modem, and Internet Problems

Error Messages

ExpressCard Problems

IEEE 1394 Device Problems

Keyboard Problems

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 82

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

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 88

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 88

External Keyboard problems

Unexpected characters

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . 90

Lockups and Software Problems

The computer does not start

The computer stops responding

. . . . . . . . 81

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

. . . . . . . . . . . . 90

. . . . . . . . . . 90

A program stops responding or crashes repeatedly

A program is designed for an earlier Microsoft

Windows® operating system . . . . . 91

A solid blue screen appears

Other software problems

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 90

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

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

Memory Problems . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 92

Network Problems

Power Problems

Printer Problems

Scanner Problems

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 93

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 93

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

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

Contents 7

Sound and Speaker Problems . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 96

No sound from integrated speakers

No sound from external speakers

No sound from headphones

. . . . . . . . 96

. . . . . . . . . 96

. . . . . . . . . . . . 97

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

Drivers

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 100

What Is a Driver?

Identifying Drivers

Reinstalling Drivers and Utilities

Troubleshooting Software and Hardware Problems in the Microsoft Operating System

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 103

Restoring Your Operating System

Using Microsoft

Windows System Restore . . . . 103

Starting System Restore

Using the Operating System Media

. . . . . . . . . . . . . 97

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . 98

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 98

. . . . . . . . . . 99

. . . . . . . 99

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 100

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 100

. . . . . . . . . . 100

Windows® XP

. . . . . . . . . . . . 103

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . 104

. . . . . . . . 105

11 Adding and Replacing Parts . . . . . . . . . 107

8 Contents

Before You Begin . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 107

Recommended Tools

Turning Off Your Computer

Before Working Inside Your Computer

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

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

. . . . . . . 108

Hard Drive . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 109

Removing the Hard Drive

Replacing the Hard Drive

Returning a Hard Drive to Dell

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

. . . . . . . . . . . . . 111

. . . . . . . . . . . 111

Optical Drive

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

Removing the Optical Drive

Replacing the Optical Drive

Hinge Cover

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 113

Removing the Hinge Cover

Replacing the Hinge Cover

Keyboard

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 114

Removing the Keyboard

Replacing the Keyboard

Memory

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 116

Removing Memory Module

Replacing Memory Module

Wireless Mini-Cards

Removing Mini-Card

Replacing Mini-Card

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 120

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 120

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 122

Internal Card With Bluetooth Technology

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 122

Removing the Card

Replacing the Card

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 122

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 123

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

. . . . . . . . . . . . . 113

. . . . . . . . . . . . . 114

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . 114

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . 115

. . . . . . . . . . . . 116

. . . . . . . . . . . . 118

Wireless

Contents 9

12 Traveling With Your Computer . . . . . . . . 125

Identifying Your Computer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 125

Packing the Computer

Travel Tips

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 126

Traveling by Air

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 125

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 126

13 Getting Help . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 127

Obtaining Assistance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 127

Technical Support and Customer Service

DellConnect

Online Services

AutoTech Service

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 128

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 128

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 129

Automated Order-Status Service

Problems With Your Order

Product Information

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 129

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 129

Returning Items for Warranty Repair or Credit

Before You Call

Contacting Dell

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 130

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 132

. . . . . 128

. . . . . . . . . 129

. . . . . 130

14 Specifications . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 133

10 Contents

A Appendix . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 141

Using the System Setup Program . . . . . . . . . . . . 141

Viewing the System Setup Screen

System Setup Screen

Commonly Used Options

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 142

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . 142

. . . . . . . . . 142

Cleaning Your Computer

Computer, Keyboard, and Display

Touch Pad

Mouse

Media

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 145

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 145

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 145

Dell Technical Support Policy (U.S. Only)

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 144

. . . . . . . . . 144

. . . . . . . 146

Definition of "Dell-Installed" Software and Peripherals

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 146

Definition of "Third-Party" Software and Peripherals

FCC Notice (U.S. Only)

FCC Class B

Macrovision Product Notice

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 146

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 147

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 147

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . 148

Glossary . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 149

Index

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 165

Contents 11

12 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 100) or run the Dell Diagnostics (see "Dell Diagnostics" on page 75).

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.

Finding Information 13

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

• Service Tag and Express Service Code

• Microsoft Windows License Label

Setup Diagram

See the setup diagram that came with your computer.

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.

NOTE: As an increased security measure,

the newly designed Microsoft Windows license label has a missing portion or "hole" to discourage removal of the label.

14 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 other Dell customers

• Upgrades — Upgrade information for components such as, the memory, hard

Dell Support Website — support.dell.com

NOTE: Select your region or business

segment to view the appropriate support site.

To obtain documentation and software downloads for your computer, go to support.dell.com and select Vostro™ from the Notebooks category.

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 your 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:

Go to

support.dell.com

country/region, and then click

Drivers & Downloads

Enter your Service Tag or product model, and then click

Select your operating system and language, and then click or under the keyword

NOTE: The support.dell.com user interface

may vary depending on your selections.

, select your

Find Downloads

Downloads Search

Notebook System Software

, search for

Finding Information 15

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 "Drive Problems

• How to use Windows XP

• How to work with programs and files

• How to personalize your desktop

Microsoft Windows XP Help and Support Center

Click

Start→ Help and Support

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

Select 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 is located in the lower-right corner of your screen.

" on page 79

taskbar, and select Help. The

16 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 103.

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 17

18 Finding Information

About Your Computer

Front View

9876

About Your Computer 19

1 display 2 power button

3 media control buttons (7) 4 keyboard

5 touch pad 6 8-in-1 media card reader

7 analog microphone 8 microphone connector

9 headphone connectors (2) 10 touch pad buttons (2)

11 device status lights 12 keyboard status lights

DISPLAY — For more information about your display, see "Using the Display" on page 39.

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

management mode (see "Configuring Power Management Settings" on page 50).

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).

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

KEYBOARD — For more information about the keyboard, see "Using the Keyboard and

Touchpad" on page 41.

TOUCH PAD — Provides the functionality of a mouse (see "Touch Pad" on page 43).

20 About Your Computer

8-IN-1 MEDIA CARD READER — Provides a fast and convenient way to view and share digital photos, music, and videos stored on a media memory card. The computer ships with a plastic blank installed in the slot. The 8-in-1 memory card reader reads the following digital media memory cards:

• Secure Digital (SD) memory card

• Secure Digital Input Output (SDIO) card

• MultiMediaCard (MMC)

•Memory Stick

• Memory Stick PRO

• xD-Picture Card

• Hi Speed-SD

• Hi Density-SD

ANALOG MICROPHONE — Integrated single microphone for conferencing and chat.

AUDIO CONNECTORS

Attach headphones to the connector

Attach a microphone to the connector

PAD BUTTONS — Use these buttons like the buttons on a mouse when you

TOUCH

use the touch pad to move the cursor on the display (see "Touch Pad" on page 43).

About Your Computer 21

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.

Battery status light – Turns on steadily or blinks to indicate battery charge status.

WLAN status light – Turns on when wireless networking is enabled and hotspot is located.

Bluetooth technology is enabled.

status light – Turns on when a card with Bluetooth wireless

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.

22 About Your Computer

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 orange: The battery charge is low.

orange

• Solid

KEYBOARD STATUS LIGHTS

: The battery charge is critically low.

The blue lights located above the keyboard indicate the following:

Turns on when the numeric keypad is enabled.

Turns on when the uppercase letter (caps lock) function is enabled.

Turns on when the scroll lock function is enabled.

About Your Computer 23

Left Side View

1 28345 7

1 security cable slot 2 AC power adapter

3 USB connectors (2) 4 video connector (VGA)

5 network connector (RJ-45) 6 modem connector (RJ-11)

7 IEEE 1394a connector 8 hard drive

SECURITY CABLE SLOT — Lets you attach a commercially available antitheft device

to the computer (see "Security Cable Lock" on page 73).

ADAPTER CONNECTOR — Attaches an AC adapter to the computer.

The 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.

24 About Your Computer

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.

NOTE: Plug the power cord and the adapter firmly in, and ensure that the

green light is on.

CONNECTORS

USB

Connect USB devices, such as a mouse, keyboard, or printer.

VIDEO CONNECTOR

Connects video devices, such as a monitor.

NETWORK

CONNECTOR (RJ-45)

Connects the computer to a network. The two lights next to the connector indicate status and activity of wired network connections.

For information on using the network adapter, see the device user guide supplied with your computer.

MODEM CONNECTOR (RJ-11)

Connect the telephone line to the modem connector.

For information on using the modem, see the modem documentation available online.

IEEE 1394

CONNECTOR — Connects devices supporting IEEE 1394a high-speed

transfer rates, such as some digital video cameras.

HARD DRIVE — Stores software and data.

About Your Computer 25

Right Side View

5 64

1 wireless switch 2 Wi-Fi catcher light

3 ExpressCard slot 4 optical drive

5 eject button 6 USB connector

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.

WI-FI CATCHER LIGHT — The Wi-Fi catcher light operates as follows:

• Flashing blue: Searching for networks

• Solid blue: Strong network found

• Solid yellow: Weak network found

• Off: No signal found

EXPRESSCARD SLOT — Supports one ExpressCard. The computer ships with a plastic blank installed in the slot. For more information, see "Using Cards" on page 85.

OPTICAL DRIVE — For more information about the optical drive, see "Using

Multimedia" on page 55.

EJECT BUTTON — Press the eject button to open the optical drive.

USB

CONNECTOR

Connects USB devices, such as a mouse, keyboard, or printer.

26 About Your Computer

Back View

1 battery 2 air vents

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.

About Your Computer 27

Bottom View

2 41

1 optical drive 2 battery

3 battery release latch 4 processor/memory module/mini-card compartment

5 hard drive

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

connecting the computer to an electrical outlet (see "Using a Battery" on page 47).

BATTERY RELEASE LATCH — Releases the battery (see "Replacing the Battery" on

page 52 for instructions).

ROCESSOR/MEMORY MODULE/ MINI-CARD COMPARTMENT — Compartment that

contains the memory modules and WLAN. (see "Wireless Mini-Cards" on page 120).

ARD DRIVE — Stores software and data.

OPTICAL DRIVE — For more information about the optical drive, see "Using

Multimedia" on page 55.

28 About Your Computer

Setting Up Your Computer

Connecting to the Internet

NOTE: Internet Service Providers (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). Your ISP will offer one or more of the following Internet connection options:

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

• Satellite modem connections that provide high-speed Internet access through a satellite television system.

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

• Wireless Local Area Network (WLAN) connections use high-frequency radio waves to communicate. Typically, a wireless router is connected to the broadband cable or DSL modem that broadcasts the Internet signal to your computer.

If you are using a dial-up connection, connect a telephone line to the modem connector on your computer and to the telephone wall connector before you set up your Internet connection. If you are using a DSL, cable, or satellite modem connection, contact your ISP or cellular telephone service for setup instructions.

NOTE: Your computer may not ship with a modem unless you have ordered one.

Setting Up Your Computer 29

Setting Up Your Internet Connection

To set up an Internet connection with a provided ISP desktop shortcut:

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

Double-click the ISP icon on the Microsoft® Windows® desktop.

Follow the instructions on the screen to complete the setup.

NOTE: If you are having problems connecting to the Internet, see "E-Mail, Modem,

and Internet Problems" on page 81. If you cannot connect to the Internet, but have successfully connected in the past, the ISP may have a service outage. Contact your ISP to check the service status, or try connecting again later.

NOTE: Have your ISP information ready. If you do not have an ISP, the Connect to

the Internet wizard can help you obtain one.

If you do not have an ISP 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

Start→

Internet Explorer

The

New Connection Wizard

Click

Connect to the Internet

In the next window, click the appropriate option:

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

list of Internet service providers (ISPs)

• 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

Otherwise, follow the instructions on the screen to complete the setup.

appears.

Set up my connection manually

Use the CD I got from an ISP

, continue to step 6.

Choose from a

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

your ISP.

Click the appropriate option under

Internet?

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

, and then click

How do you want to connect to the

30 Setting Up Your Computer

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