Dell RU335, PP28L User Manual

Dell™ XPS™ M1530

Owner’s Manual

Model PP28L

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, YOURS IS HERE, XPS, Wi-Fi Catcher, and

Dell MediaDirect are trademarks of Dell Inc.; Intel is a registered trademark and Core is a trademark of Intel Corporation in the U.S. and other countries; Microsoft, Windows, and W indows V ista are either trademarks or registered trademarks of Microsoft Corporation in the United States and/or other countries; Blu-ray Disc is a trademark of the Blu-ray Disc Association; 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 PP28L

September 2008 P/N RU335 Rev. A02

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

1 Setting Up Your Computer . . . . . . . . . . . . 19

Connecting to the Internet . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19

Setting Up Your Internet Connection

. . . . . . . . 20

Transferring Information to a New Computer

Setting Up a Printer

Printer Cable

Connecting a USB Printer

Power Protection Devices

Surge Protectors

Line Conditioners

Uninterruptible Power Supplies

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

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

. . . . . . . . . . . . . 22

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

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

. . . . . . . . . . 24

. . . . . 21

2 About Your Computer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25

Front View . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25

Left Side View

Right Side View

Back View

Bottom View

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

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

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

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

Contents 3

3 Using the Keyboard and Touchpad . . . . . 37

Numeric Keypad . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 37

Key Combinations

System Functions

Display Functions

Battery

Power Management

Microsoft

Dell™ QuickSet Key Combinations

Adjusting Keyboard Settings

Touch Pad

Customizing the Touch Pad

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

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

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

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

Windows® Logo Key Functions . . . . 38

. . . . . . . . . 38

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

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 39

. . . . . . . . . . . . . 40

4 Using the Display . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 41

Adjusting Brightness . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 41

Switching the Video Image From Your Computer Display To a Projector

Setting Display Resolution and Refresh Rate

. . . . . . . . . . . . 41

. . . . . . 42

5 Using a Battery . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 43

4 Contents

Battery Performance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 43

Checking the Battery Charge

Dell QuickSet Battery Meter

Microsoft

Charge Gauge

Windows® Battery Meter . . . . . . . 45

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

Low-Battery Warning

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

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

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 46

Conserving Battery Power . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 46

Configuring Power Management Settings

Using the Sleep Power State

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

. . . . . 46

Charging the Battery

Replacing the Battery

Storing a Battery

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

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

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

6 Using Multimedia . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 51

Playing Media . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 51

Playing Media Using Dell Travel Remote

Copying CD, DVD, and Blu-ray Disc™ (BD)

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

Media

How to Copy a CD, DVD or BD

Using Blank CD, DVD, and BD Media

Helpful Tips

Adjusting the Volume

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

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

Adjusting the Picture . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 58

Using Dell MediaDirect™

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

. . . . . . . . 52

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

. . . . . . . 55

Connecting Your Computer to a TV or Audio Device

HDMI

S-Video and Standard Audio

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

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 61

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

Component Video and Standard Audio

Composite Video and Standard Audio

Enabling the Display Settings for a TV

. . . . . . 63

. . . . . . . 65

. . . . . . . 67

Contents 5

7 Using the Camera . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 69

Accessing the Camera’s Help File . . . . . . . . . . . 69

Manually Adjusting the Camera Settings

Creating a Picture or a Video

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

. . . . . . . . 70

8 Using ExpressCards . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 71

ExpressCard Blanks . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 71

Installing an ExpressCard

Removing an ExpressCard or Blank

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

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

9 Using the Memory Card Reader . . . . . . . 73

Memory Card Blanks . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 73

Installing a Memory Card

Removing a Memory Card or Blank

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

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

10 Setting Up and Using Networks . . . . . . . 75

6 Contents

Connecting a Network or Broadband Modem Cable

Setting Up a Network in the Microsoft Windows Vista

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

Operating System . . . . . . . . . . . 76

Wireless Local Area Network (WLAN)

What You Need to Establish a WLAN Connection

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

Checking Your Wireless Network Card

. . . . . . . . . 76

. . . . . . 76

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

Connecting to a WLAN

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

Mobile Broadband/Wireless Wide Area Network (WWAN)

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

What You Need to Establish a Mobile Broadband Network Connection

Checking Your Dell Mobile Broadband Card

Connecting to a Mobile Broadband Network

Enabling/Disabling the Dell Mobile Broadband Card

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

. . . . 77

. . . . . . . . . 81

. . . . 81

. . . 82

Dell Wi-Fi Catcher™ Network Locator

. . . . . . . . . 83

11 Securing Your Computer . . . . . . . . . . . . . 85

Security Cable Lock . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 85

Passwords

Fingerprint Reader

Computer Tracking Software

If Your Computer Is Lost or Stolen

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 86

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 86

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

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

12 Troubleshooting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 89

Dell Technical Update Service . . . . . . . . . . . . . 89

Dell Diagnostics

Dell Support Center

Dell Support 3

Dell PC Tune-Up

Dell PC CheckUp

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

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

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

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

Contents 7

Dell Network Assistant . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 96

DellConnect

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

Drive Problems

Optical drive problems

Hard drive problems

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

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

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

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

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

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 105

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 105

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 106

. . . . . . . . . . . . 106

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

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

The computer stops responding

A program stops responding or crashes repeatedly

A program is designed for an earlier Microsoft

Windows® operating system . . . . . 108

A solid blue screen appears

Dell MediaDirect problems

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 119) or run the Dell Diagnostics (see "Dell Diagnostics" on page 89).

Readme files may be included on your media to provide last-minute updates about technical changes to your computer or advanced technicalreference 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® Product Key

Setup Diagram

NOTE: The appearance of your setup

diagram may vary.

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 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

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 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

Drivers & Downloads.

Enter your Service Tag or Product Type and Product Model, and click

Scroll to

Utilities Software

Select

NOTE: The support.dell.com user interface

may vary depending on your selections.

and click

System and Configuration

→

Dell Notebook System

and click

Drivers & Downloads

Download Now

and click

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 "Dell Support Center" on page 93.

• How to use Microsoft Windows Vista™

• How to work with programs and files

• How to personalize my desktop

Windows Help and Support

Click

Start

Search Help

that describes your problem, and then press <Enter> or click the magnifying glass.

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

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

→

Help and Support

, type a word or phrase

taskbar.

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 the Operating System media. See "Restoring Your Microsoft® Windows Vista® Operating System" on page 122.

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 DVD varies based

on the operating system you ordered.

Finding Information 17

18 Finding Information

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 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 Wide Area Network (WWAN) or Mobile Broadband technology provides a connection to the Internet using cellular technology at broadband rates.

• 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 and to the telephone wall jack before you set up your Internet connection. Your system does not have an internal modem. It supports an external USB modem which can be connected to the USB port. If you have ordered an external modem with your system, see the Help in the CD that shipped with the modem for information on setting it up. If you are using a DSL, cable or satellite modem connection, contact your ISP or cellular telephone service for setup instructions.

Setting Up Your Computer 19

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.

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, perform the steps in the following section that corresponds to the operating system your computer is using.

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

and Internet Problems" on page 98. If you cannot connect to the Internet, but have successfully connected in the past, the ISP might have a service outage. Contact your ISP to check the service status, or try connecting again later.

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

the Internet wizard can help you get one.

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

Click

Under

The

Click either to connect:

• Choose

• Chose

Start → Control Panel

Network and Internet,

Connect to the Internet

Broadband (PPPoE)

Broadband

if you will use a DSL, satellite modem, cable TV

modem, or Bluetooth wireless technology connection.

Dial-up

if you will use a dial-up modem or ISDN.

click

Connect to the Internet

window appears.

Dial-up

, depending on how you want

NOTE: If you do not know which type of connection to select, click Help me

choose or contact your ISP.

Follow the instructions on the screen and use the setup information provided by your ISP to complete the setup.

20 Setting Up Your Computer

Transferring Information to a New Computer

You can use your operating system "wizards" to help you transfer files and other data from one computer to another—for example, from an old computer to a new computer. For instructions, see the following section that corresponds to the operating system that your computer is running.

Click

Start → Transfer files and settings→

In the

User Account Control

Click

Start a new transfer

Follow the instructions provided on the screen by the Windows Easy Transfer wizard.

dialog box, click

Continue a transfer in progress

Start Windows Easy Transfer

Continue

Setting Up a Printer

NOTICE: Complete the operating system setup before you connect a printer to

the computer.

See the documentation that came with the printer for setup information, including how to:

• Obtain and install updated drivers.

• Connect the printer to the computer.

• Load paper and install the toner or ink cartridge.

For technical assistance, refer to the printer owner's manual or contact the printer manufacturer.

Printer Cable

Your printer connects to your computer with either a USB cable or a parallel cable. Your printer may not come with a printer cable, so if you purchase a cable separately, ensure that it is compatible with your printer and computer. If you purchased a printer cable at the same time you purchased your computer, the cable may arrive in the computer’s shipping box.

Setting Up Your Computer 21

Connecting a USB Printer

NOTE: You can connect USB devices while the computer is turned on.

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

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

1 USB connector on computer 2 USB connector on printer

3 USB printer cable

Turn on the printer, and then turn on the computer.

Click

Start → Network→ Add a printer

Install the printer driver if necessary. See "Reinstalling Drivers and

to start the Add Printer Wizard.

Utilities" on page 119 and the documentation that came with your printer.

22 Setting Up Your Computer

Power Protection Devices

Several devices are available to protect against power fluctuations and failures:

• Surge protectors

• Line conditioners

• Uninterruptible power supplies (UPS)

Surge Protectors

Surge protectors and power strips equipped with surge protection help prevent damage to your computer from voltage spikes that can occur during electrical storms or after power interruptions. Some surge protector manufacturers include warranty coverage for certain types of damage. Carefully read the device warranty when choosing a surge protector. A device with a higher joule rating offers more protection. Compare joule ratings to determine the relative effectiveness of different devices.

NOTICE: Most surge protectors do not protect against power fluctuations or

power interruptions caused by nearby lightning strikes. When lightning occurs in your area, disconnect the telephone line from the telephone wall jack and disconnect your computer from the electrical outlet.

Many surge protectors have a telephone jack for modem protection. See the surge protector documentation for modem connection instructions.

NOTICE: Not all surge protectors offer network adapter protection. Disconnect the

network cable from the network wall jack during electrical storms.

Line Conditioners

NOTICE: Line conditioners do not protect against power interruptions.

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

Setting Up Your Computer 23

Uninterruptible Power Supplies

NOTICE: Loss of power while data is being saved to the hard drive may result in

data loss or file damage.

NOTE: To ensure maximum battery operating time, connect only your computer to

a UPS. Connect other devices, such as a printer, to a separate power strip that provides surge protection.

A UPS protects against power fluctuations and interruptions. UPS devices contain a battery that provides temporary power to connected devices when AC power is interrupted. The battery charges while AC power is available. See the UPS manufacturer documentation for information on battery operating time and to ensure that the device is approved by Underwriters Laboratories (UL).

24 Setting Up Your Computer

About Your Computer

Front View

9 8

About Your Computer 25

1 camera indicator 2 camera

3 display 4 media control buttons

5 volume control buttons 6 keyboard

7 fingerprint reader 8 8-in-1 memory card reader

9 microphone connector 10 audio connectors

11 consumer IR 12 touch pad buttons

13 touch pad 14 Dell MediaDirect button

15 power button 16 dual digital microphones

CAMERA INDICATOR — Indicates that the camera is turned on.

CAMERA — Built-in camera for video capture, conferencing, and chat.

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

page 41.

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

management mode (see "Configuring Power Management Settings" on page 46).

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

Touchpad" on page 37.

ELL MEDIADIRECT™ BUTTON — Press the Dell MediaDirect button to launch Dell

MediaDirect (see "Using Dell MediaDirect™" on page 58).

DUAL DIGITAL MICROPHONES — Built-in microphone for conferencing and chat.

26 About Your Computer

8-IN-1 MEMORY CARD READER — Provides a fast and convenient way to view and 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

• Secure Digital Input/Output (SDIO) card

• MultiMediaCard (MMC)

•Memory Stick

• Memory Stick PRO

• xD-Picture Card

• Hi Speed-SD

• Hi Density-SD

TOUCH PAD — Provides the functionality of a mouse (see "Touch Pad" on page 39).

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 39).

FINGERPRINT READER — Helps to keep your Dell™ computer secure. When you slide

your finger over the reader, it uses your unique fingerprint to authenticate your user identity. For more information, click

Start →Programs → Fingerprint Reader

Suite. There are four sub items in this folder.

–

User Enrollment

Control Center

–

Fingerprint Tutorial

–

Help

–

- HTML-based help

- To enroll your fingerprint

- To access the Fingerprint Reader Suite settings

- Guide to fingerprint scanning

For information on how to activate and use the security management software that controls the biometric reader, see "Fingerprint Reader" on page 86.

MEDIA CONTROL BUTTONS — Control CD, DVD, Blu-ray Disc™ (BD), and Media

Player playback.

CONSUMER IR — A port on the front of the computer that allows certain software

applications to be controlled by the Dell Travel Remote.

About Your Computer 27

Attach headphones to the connector.

Attach a microphone to the connector.

DEVICE STATUS LIGHTS

28 About Your Computer

The blue lights located above the keyboard indicate the following:

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

Turns on when the numeric keypad (Num Lock) is enabled.

Turns on when the uppercase letter (Caps Lock) function is enabled.

Turns on when the scroll lock function is enabled.

WiFi status light – Turns on when wireless networking is enabled. To enable or disable wireless networking, use the wireless switch (see "wireless On/Off switch" on page 33).

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 (see "wireless On/Off switch" on page 33).

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

: The battery charge is critically low.

About Your Computer 29

VOLUME CONTROL BUTTONS — Press these buttons to adjust the volume.

Eject Play the next track or press and

hold to fastforward within a track

Play the previous track or press and hold to rewind within a track

Stop Turn the volume down

Play or pause Turn the volume up

30 About Your Computer

Mute

+ 170 hidden pages