Dell UY691 User Manual

Dell™ Latitude™ D830

User’s Guide

Model PP04X

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.

Abbreviations and Acronyms

For a complete list of abbreviations and acronyms, see "Glossary" on page 149.

If you purchased a Dell™ n Series computer, any references in this document to Microsoft operating systems are not applicable.

____________________

Windows®

Reproduction in any manner whatsoever without the written permission of Dell Inc. is strictly forbidden. Trademarks used in this text: Dell, the DELL logo, Latitude, ExpressCharge, TravelLite, Strike Zone, Wi-Fi Catcher, and Dell OpenManage

are trademarks of Dell Inc.; Intel, Core, and Celeron are registered trademarks of Intel Corporation; Microsoft, Outlook, Windows Vista, and Windows are either registered trademarks or trademarks of Microsoft Corporation; Bluetooth is a registered trademark owned by Bluetooth SIG, Inc. and is used by Dell under license; EMC is a registered trademark of EMC Corporation; ENERGY STAR is a re gistered 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 PP04X

September 2009 P/N UY691 Rev. A04

1 Finding Information

2 About Your Computer

Front View . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15

Left Side View

Right Side View

Back View

Bottom View

Transferring Information to a New Computer

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

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

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

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25

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

Running the Files and Settings Transfer Wizard With the Operating System CD

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

Running the Files and Settings Transfer Wizard Without the Operating System CD

Windows Vista®

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

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

3 Using a Battery

Battery Performance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 29

Checking the Battery Charge

Dell™ QuickSet Battery Meter

Microsoft Charge Gauge

Windows® Power Meter . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30

Low-Battery Warning

Conserving Battery Power

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30

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

Power Management Modes

Standby Mode Hibernate Mode

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

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

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

Configuring Power Management Settings

Charging the Battery

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 33

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 33

Contents 3

Replacing the Battery . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 33

Storing a Battery

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

4 Using the Keyboard

Numeric Keypad . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 35

Key Combinations

System Functions Battery Display Functions Power Management Microsoft

Touch Pad

Customizing the Touch Pad and Track Stick

Changing the Track Stick Cap

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

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

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

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

Windows® Logo Key Functions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 36

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

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

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

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

5 Using Multimedia

Playing CDs or DVDs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 41

Adjusting the Volume

Volume Control Window Volume Control Buttons

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 42

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 42

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 42

6 Using the Display

4 Contents

Adjusting the Picture

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 42

Adjusting Brightness. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 43

Switching the Video Image From Your Computer Display to a Projector

. . . . 43

Making Images and Text Look Bigger or Sharper on the Screen: Setting Display Resolution and Refresh Rate

Microsoft Windows Vista®

Windows® XP . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 44

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

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

Using an External Monitor Simultaneously as an Extension of Your Computer Display

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

Microsoft® Windows® XP . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 45

Windows Vista®

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

Using an External Monitor as Your Primary Display: Swapping Primary and Secondary Displays

Microsoft Windows Vista®

Windows® XP . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 46

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

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

Using the Ambient Light Sensor

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

7 Setting Up and Using Networks

Connecting a Network or Broadband Modem Cable . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 49

Setting Up a Network in Microsoft Windows XP

Setting Up a Network in Microsoft Windows Vista®

Wireless Local Area Network (WLAN)

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

What You Need to Establish a WLAN Connection Checking Your Wireless Network Card Setting Up a New WLAN Using a Wireless Router and a

Broadband Modem Connecting to a WLAN

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

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

Monitoring the Status of Wireless Network Connections Through Dell™ QuickSet

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

Mobile Broadband or Wireless Wide Area Network (WWAN)

What You Need to Establish a Mobile Broadband Network Connection

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

Checking Your Mobile Broadband Card Connecting to a Mobile Broadband Network Enabling/Disabling the Dell Mobile Broadband Network Card Managing Your Network Settings Through the

Dell QuickSet Location Profiler

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

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

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

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

. . . . . . . . . 54

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

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 55

. . . . . . . 55

Dell™ Wi-Fi Catcher™ Network Locator

Internet Connection Firewall

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

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

8Using Cards

Card Types . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 59

Contents 5

Card Blanks . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 59

Extended Cards

Installing a PC Card or ExpressCard

PC Card ExpressCard

Removing a Card or Blank

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

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

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

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

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

9 Securing Your Computer

Security Cable Lock . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 63

Smart Cards

Passwords

Trusted Platform Module (TPM)

Security Management Software

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

About Smart Cards Installing a Smart Card

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

Using a Primary/System Password Using an Administrator Password Using a Hard Drive Password

Enabling the TPM Feature

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

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

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 65

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 66

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

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

10 Troubleshooting

6 Contents

Computer Tracking Software

If Your Computer Is Lost or Stolen

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

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

Diagnostic Lights. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 71

Diagnostic Light Codes During POST

Dell Technical Update Service

Dell Diagnostics

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

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

When to Use the Dell Diagnostics Starting the Dell Diagnostics From Your Hard Drive Starting the Dell Diagnostics From the Drivers and Utilities CD Dell Diagnostics Main Menu

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

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

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

. . . . . . 74

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

Dell Support Utility. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 76

Accessing the Dell Support Utility Clicking the Dell Support Icon Double-Clicking the Dell Support Icon

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

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

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 77

Drive Problems

CD and DVD drive problems Hard drive problems

E-Mail, Modem, and Internet Problems

Error Messages

IEEE 1394 Device Problems

Keyboard Problems

External keyboard problems Unexpected characters

Lockups and Software Problems

The computer does not start up The computer stops responding

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 77

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 78

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 78

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

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

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

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

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 84

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 84

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 84

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 85

A program stops responding or crashes repeatedly A program is designed for an earlier Microsoft® Windows®

operating system A solid blue screen appears Other software problems

Memory Problems

Network Problems

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

General

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 85

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 85

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 85

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

. . . . . . . . . . . . 85

PC Card or ExpressCard Problems

Power Problems

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

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

Ensuring Sufficient Power for Your Computer Docking Power Considerations

Printer Problems

Scanner Problems

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

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

Sound and Speaker Problems

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

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

No sound from integrated speakers No sound from external speakers No sound from headphones

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

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

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

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

Contents 7

Touch Pad or Mouse Problems . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 90

Video and Display Problems

If the display is blank If the display is difficult to read If only part of the display is readable

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

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

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 92

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 92

11 System Setup Program

Overview . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 93

Viewing the System Setup Screens

System Setup Screens

Commonly Used Settings

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

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

Changing the Boot Sequence Changing COM Ports

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

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

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

12 Traveling With Your Computer

Identifying Your Computer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 97

Packing the Computer

Travel Tips

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

Traveling by Air

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

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

13 Reinstalling Software

8 Contents

Drivers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 99

What Is a Driver? Identifying Drivers Reinstalling Drivers and Utilities

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 99

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 99

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

Using the Hardware Troubleshooter Tool in Microsoft Windows XP and Windows Vista Operating Systems

Restoring Your Operating System

Using Microsoft

Windows System Restore. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 103

Using the Operating System CD

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 102

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 102

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

14 Adding and Replacing Parts

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

Recommended Tools Turning Off Your Computer Before Working Inside Your Computer

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

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

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

Hard Drive

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 108

Returning a Hard Drive to Dell

Media Bay

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

Removing the Device Security Screw Removing and Installing Media Bay Devices

Hinge Cover

Keyboard

Memory

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

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

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

Subscriber Identity Module (SIM) Card

Wireless Cards

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 119

Wireless Local Area Network (WLAN) Cards Mobile Broadband or Wireless Wide Area Network (WWAN) Cards

FCM (Flash Cache Module)

Internal Card With Bluetooth

Coin-Cell Battery

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

15 Dell™ QuickSet

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

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

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

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 119

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

. . 122

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

Wireless Technology. . . . . . . . . . . . . 125

16 Specifications

17 Getting Help

Obtaining Assistance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 139

Technical Support and Customer Service DellConnect Online Services AutoTech Service

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 140

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 140

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 141

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 139

Contents 9

Automated Order-Status Service. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 141

Problems With Your Order

Product Information

Returning Items for Warranty Repair or Credit

Before You Call

Contacting Dell

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

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 143

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 141

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 141

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 141

18 Appendix

Cleaning Your Computer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 145

Computer, Keyboard, and Display Touch Pad Mouse Floppy Drive CDs and DVDs

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

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

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

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

Macrovision Product Notice

FCC Notice (U.S. Only)

FCC Class B

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

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

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

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

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

10 Contents

Finding Information

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

media may not be available in certain countries.

NOTE: Additional information may ship with your computer.

What Are You Looking For? Find It Here

• A diagnostic program for my computer

• Drivers for my computer

• My computer documentation

• My device documentation

• Notebook System Software (NSS)

Drivers and Utilities CD

NOTE: The Drivers and Utilities CD may be optional and may

not ship with your computer.

Documentation and drivers are already installed on your computer. You can use the CD to reinstall drivers (see "Reinstalling Drivers and Utilities" on page 100) or to run the Dell Diagnostics (see "Dell Diagnostics" on page 73).

Readme files may be included on your CD 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 11

What Are You Looking For? Find It Here

• How to set up my computer

• Basic troubleshooting information

• How to run the Dell Diagnostics

Quick Reference Guide

NOTE: This document may be optional and may not ship with

your computer.

NOTE: This document is available as a PDF at

support.dell.com.

• Warranty information

• Terms and Conditions (U.S. only)

• Safety instructions

• Regulatory information

• Ergonomics information

• End User License Agreement

Dell™ Product Information Guide

• Service Tag and Express Service Code

• Microsoft Windows License Label

12 Finding Information

Service Tag and Microsoft® Windows® License

These labels are located on your computer.

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

What Are You Looking For? Find It Here

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

Dell Support Website — support.dell.com

NOTE: Select your region or business segment to view the

appropriate support site.

• Community — Online discussion with other Dell customers

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

• Customer Care — Contact information, service call and order status, warranty, and repair information

• Service and support — Service call status and support history, service contract, online discussions with technical support

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

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

• Downloads — Certified drivers, patches, and software updates

• Notebook System Software (NSS)— If you reinstall the operating system for your computer, you should also reinstall the NSS utility. NSS provides critical updates for your operating system and support for Dell™

3.5-inch USB floppy drives, Intel

processors, optical

To download Notebook System Software:

Go to

support.dell.com

segment, and enter your Service Tag.

Select

Click your operating system and search for the keywords

Notebook System Software

NOTE: The support.dell.com user interface may vary

depending on your selections.

drives, and USB devices. 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.

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

Dell Support Utility

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

icon in the taskbar. For more information, see "Dell Support Utility" on page 76.

, select your region or business

Drivers & Downloads

and click Go.

Finding Information 13

What Are You Looking For? Find It Here

• How to use Windows XP and Windows Vista

• How to work with programs and files

• How to personalize my desktop

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

Windows Help and Support Center

Click

Start or

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

Click the topic that describes your problem.

Follow the instructions on the screen.

Dell QuickSet Help

To view

Dell QuickSet Help, right-click the Quickset

icon in the Microsoft

For more information on Dell QuickSet, see "Dell™ QuickSet" on page 129.

• How to reinstall my operating system

Operating System CD

NOTE: The Operating System CD may be optional and may

not ship with your computer.

The operating system is already installed on your computer. To reinstall your operating system, use the Operating System CD (see "Reinstalling Windows" on page 104).

varies based on the operating system you ordered.

→

Help and Support

Windows® taskbar.

After you reinstall your operating system, use the Drivers and Utilities CD 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 CD

14 Finding Information

About Your Computer

Front View

About Your Computer 15

display latch

device status lights

touch pad

keyboard status lights

ambient light sensor

DISPLAY LATCH — Keeps the display closed.

DISPLAY — For more information about your display, see "Using the Display" on page 43.

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

display

speakers

(2) 6

touch pad/track stick buttons

volume control buttons

power button

keyboard

track stick

mute button

power management mode (see "Power

Management Modes" on page 31).

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 (which may take several seconds).

DEVICE STATUS LIGHTS

16 About Your Computer

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

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.

Turns on steadily or blinks to indicate battery charge status.

Turns on when wireless devices are enabled. To enable or disable WiFi, use the wireless switch on the left side of the computer

Turns on when Bluetooth® wireless technology is enabled. To enable or disable Bluetooth

side of the computer

wireless technology, use the wireless switch on the left

NOTE: Bluetooth wireless technology is an optional feature on your

computer, so the icon turns on only if you ordered Bluetooth wireless technology with your computer. For more information, see the

documentation that came with your Bluetooth wireless technology.

If the computer is connected to an electrical outlet, the light operates as follows:

– Solid green: The battery is charging. – Flashing green: The battery is almost fully charged. – Off: The battery is adequately charged (or external power is not available to charge the battery).

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.

– Solid orange: The battery charge is critically low.

SPEAKER — To adjust the volume of the integrated speaker, press the volume control buttons or mute button.

KEYBOARD — The keyboard includes a numeric keypad as well as the Windows logo key. For information on

supported keyboard shortcuts, see "Numeric Keypad" on page 35.

TOUCH PAD — Provides the functionality of a mouse. See "Touch Pad" on page 37 for more information.

TOUCH PAD/TRACK STICK BUTTONS — Provide the functionality of a mouse. See "Touch Pad" on page 37 for more

information.

TRACK STICK — Provides the functionality of a mouse (see "Customizing the Touch Pad and Track Stick" on

page 38).

FINGERPRINT READER (OPTIONAL)—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 information on how to activate and use the security management software that controls the fingerprint reader, see "Securing Your Computer" on page 63.

About Your Computer 17

KEYBOARD STATUS LIGHTS

The green lights located above the keyboard indicate the following:

Turns on when the numeric keypad is enabled.

Turns on when the uppercase letter function is enabled.

Turns on when the scroll lock function is enabled.

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

MUTE BUTTON — Press this button to turn off the speakers.

AMBIENT LIGHT SENSOR — Helps to control display brightness. For more information, see "Using the Ambient

Light Sensor" on page 46.

18 About Your Computer

Left Side View

1 2 3 4 65 7 8 9

security cable slot

audio connectors

Wi-Fi Catcher™ light

SECURITY CABLE SLOT — Lets you attach a commercially available antitheft device to the computer. For more

information, see "Security Cable Lock" on page 63.

NOTICE: Before you buy an antitheft device, ensure that it will work with the security cable slot.

AIR VENTS — The computer uses an internal fan to create airflow through the vents, which prevents the computer

from overheating.

CAUTION: Do not block, push objects into, or allow dust to accumulate in the air vents. Do not store your Dell™

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.

NOTE: The computer turns on the fan when the computer gets hot. Fan noise is normal and does not indicate a

problem with the fan or the computer.

IEEE 1394

video cameras.

CONNECTOR — Connects devices supporting IEEE 1394 high-speed transfer rates, such as some digital

air vents

ExpressCard slot

PC Card slot

IEEE 1394 connector

wireless switch

smart card slot

About Your Computer 19

AUDIO CONNECTORS

234

Attach headphones to the connector.

Attach a microphone to the connector.

EXPRESSCARD SLOT — Supports 34- and 54-mm PCI ExpressCards or USB-based ExpressCards (see "Using Cards" on page 59).

WIRELESS SWITCH — Turns on/off wireless devices such as WiFi and internal cards with Bluetooth wireless

technology and scans for WiFi networks. For more information about scanning for wireless networks, see "Dell™ WiFi Catcher™ Network Locator" on page 56.

NOTE: The wireless switch does not detect Mobile Broadband networks or networks that use internal cards with

Bluetooth technology.

1 "off" position 2 "on" position 3 "momentary" position

4 Wi-Fi Catcher light

20 About Your Computer

WIRELESS SWITCH POSITIONS

"off" Disables wireless devices.

"on" Enables wireless devices.

"momentary" Scans for WiFi networks. See "Dell™ Wi-Fi Catcher™

Network Locator" on page 56 for more information.

WI-FI CATCHER™ LIGHT — The light operates as follows:

– Flashing green: Searching for networks – Solid green: Strong network found

– Solid yellow: – Flashing yellow: Error

– Off: No signal found

NOTE: The Dell Wi-Fi Catcher Network Locator light appears only when the computer is turned off and wireless

networking is activated in the system setup program. While working in Microsoft Windows operating systems, the light is designed not to appear.

ARD SLOT — Supports one PC Card, such as a modem or network adapter. The computer ships with a blank

PC C

installed in the slot to prevent dust particles from entering the computer. For more information, see "Using Cards" on page 59.

SMART CARD SLOT — Supports one smart card (see "Smart Cards" on page 63).

Weak network found

Right Side View

media bay

MEDIA BAY — Supports a floppy drive, optical drives, a second battery, or a second hard drive (see "Media Bay" on

page 110).

USB connectors

(2)

About Your Computer 21

USB CONNECTORS

1 2 63 4 75 8

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

Back View

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.

network connector (RJ-45)

modem connector (RJ-11)

AC adapter connector

S-video TV-out connector

serial connector

air vents

powered USB connector

video connector

NETWORK CONNECTOR (RJ-45)

NOTICE: The network connector is slightly larger than the modem connector. To avoid damaging the computer,

do not plug a telephone line into the network connector.

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 (see "Connecting a Network or Broadband Modem Cable" on page 49).

S-

VIDEO TV-OUT CONNECTOR

Connects your computer to a TV. Also connects digital audio-capable devices using the TV/digital audio adapter cable.

22 About Your Computer

POWERED USB 2.0 CONNECTOR

Connects USB 2.0 compliant devices, such as a mouse, keyboard, or printer. Can also be used for peripherals that require more than 5 V of power.

MODEM

CONNECTOR (RJ-11)

Connects the telephone line to the modem connector (if you ordered the optional internal modem).

For information on using the modem, see the online modem documentation supplied with your computer (see "Finding Information" on page 11).

SERIAL CONNECTOR

Connects serial devices, such as a mouse or handheld device.

VIDEO

CONNECTOR

Connects video devices, such as a monitor.

AC ADAPTER CONNECTOR — Connects an AC adapter to the computer.

About Your Computer 23

The AC adapter converts AC power to the DC power required by the computer. You can connect the AC adapter with your computer turned either 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 avoid damaging the cable. When you wrap the AC adapter cable, ensure that you follow the angle of the connector on the AC adapter to avoid damaging the cable.

AIR VENTS — The computer uses an internal fan to create airflow through the vents, which prevents the computer

from overheating.

NOTE: The computer turns on the fan when the computer gets hot. Fan noise is normal and does not indicate a

problem with the fan or the computer.

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.

24 About Your Computer

Bottom View

battery-bay latch release

docking-device connector

BATTERY-BAY LATCH RELEASE — Releases the battery. See "Replacing the Battery" on page 33 for instructions.

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 29).

MEMORY MODULE COVER — Covers the compartment that contains the second memory module (see "Memory" on

page 115).

DOCKING-DEVICE CONNECTOR — Lets you attach your computer to the Media Base or other docking device. See

the Dell documentation that came with your docking device for more information.

FAN AIR VENTS — The computer uses an internal fan to create airflow through the fan air vents, which prevents the

computer from overheating.

NOTE: The computer turns on the fan when the computer gets hot. Fan noise is normal and does not indicate a

problem with the fan or the computer.

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.

HARD DRIVE — Stores software and data.

battery

fan air vents

memory module cover

hard drive

About Your Computer 25

Transferring Information to a New Computer

The Microsoft® Windows® operating system provides the Files and Settings Transfer Wizard to move data from a source computer to a new computer. You can transfer data, such as:

• E-mail messages

• Toolbar settings

• Window sizes

• Internet bookmarks

You can transfer the data to the new computer over a network or serial connection, or you can store it on a removable media, such as a writable CD, for transfer to the new computer.

NOTE: You can transfer information from the old computer to the new computer by directly connecting a serial

cable to the input/output (I/O) ports of the two computers. To transfer data over a serial connection, you must access the Network Connections utility from the Control Panel and perform additional configuration steps, such as setting up an advanced connection and designating the host computer and the guest computer.

For instructions on setting up a direct cable connection between two computers, see Microsoft Knowledge Base Article #305621, titled How to Set Up a Direct Cable Connection Between Two Computers in Windows XP. This information may not be available in some countries.

For transferring information to a new computer, you must run the Files and Settings Transfer Wizard. You can use the optional Operating System CD for this process or you can create a wizard disk with the Files and Settings Transfer Wizard.

Running the Files and Settings Transfer Wizard With the Operating System CD

NOTE: This procedure requires the Operating System CD. This CD is optional and may not be included with all

computers.

To prepare the new computer for the file transfer:

Start the

When the

On the

On the and click

When the click

Files and Settings Transfer Wizard.

Files and Settings Transfer Wizard

Which computer is this?

screen, click

Do you have a Windows XP CD?

Now go to your old computer

at this time.

welcome screen appears, click

New Computer

screen, click

I will use the wizard from the Windows XP CD

and click

screen appears, go to your old or source computer. Do

To copy data from the old computer:

On the old computer, insert the Windows XP

On the

Under

Welcome to Microsoft Windows XP

What do you want to do?

, click

Operating System

screen, click

CD.

Perform additional tasks

Transfer files and settings

26 About Your Computer

not

On the

After the information has been copied, the

Click

To transfer data to the new computer:

On the

On the settings and files and click

The wizard reads the collected files and settings and applies them to your new computer.

Files and Settings Transfer Wizard

Which computer is this?

Select a transfer method

What do you want to transfer?

Finish

Now go to your old computer

Where are the files and settings?

screen, click

screen, click the transfer method you prefer.

welcome screen, click

Old Computer

screen, select the items you want to transfer and click

Completing the Collection Phase

screen on the new computer, click

screen, select the method you chose for transferring your

and click

screen appears.

When all of the settings and files have been applied, the

Click

Finished

and restart the new computer.

Finished

screen appears.

Running the Files and Settings Transfer Wizard Without the Operating System CD

To run the Files and Settings Transfer Wizard without the Operating System CD, you must create a wizard disk that will allow you to create a backup image file to removable media.

To create a wizard disk, use your new computer with Windows XP and perform the following steps:

Click

Start→ Files and Settings Transfer Wizard

When the

On the

drive

Insert the removable media, such as a writable CD, and click OK.

When the disk creation completes and the

do not

Go to the old computer.

To copy data from the old computer:

On the old computer, insert the wizard disk.

Click the

In the media) and click

On the

Files and Settings Transfer Wizard

Which computer is this?

Do you have a Windows XP CD?

→

Next.

click

Start→

Run

Open

field on the

Files and Settings Transfer Wizard

Which computer is this?

screen, click

Run

window, browse to the path for

screen, click

welcome screen appears, click

New Computer→

screen, click

Now go to your old computer

welcome screen, click

Old Computer→

I want to create a Wizard Disk in the following

fastwiz

(on the appropriate removable

message appears,

About Your Computer 27

On the

After the information has been copied, the

Click

Select a transfer method

screen, click the transfer method you prefer.

What do you want to transfer?

Finish

screen, select the items you want to transfer and click

Completing the Collection Phase

To transfer data to the new computer:

On the

On the settings and files and click

Now go to your old computer

screen on the new computer, click

Where are the files and settings?

. Follow the instructions on the screen.

screen, select the method you chose for transferring your

The wizard reads the collected files and settings and applies them to your new computer.

screen appears.

When all of the settings and files have been applied, the

Click

Finished

NOTE: For more information about this procedure, search support.dell.com for document #PA1089586 (How Do I

Transfer Files From My Old Computer to My New Dell Computer Using the Microsoft System?).

NOTE: Access to the Dell™ Knowledge Base document may not be available in some countries.

and restart the new computer.

Finished

screen appears.

Windows® XP Operating

Windows Vista®

Click the Windows Vista Start button, , click

Transfer.

In the

User Account Control

Click

Start a new transfer

dialog box, click

Continue a transfer in progress

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

Transfer files and settings→

Continue

Start Windows Easy

28 About Your Computer

Using a Battery

Battery Performance

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

separate paper warranty document that shipped with your computer.

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

NOTE: Because the battery may not be fully charged, use the AC adapter to connect your new computer to an

electrical outlet the first time you use the computer. For best results, operate the computer with the AC adapter until the battery is fully charged. To view battery charge status, access the Control Panel→ Power Options, and then click the Power Meter tab.

NOTE: Battery operating time (the time the battery can hold a charge) decreases over time. Depending on

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

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

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

• Using optical drives

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

• Using high-brightness display settings, 3D screen savers, or other power-intensive programs such as 3D games

• Running the computer in maximum performance mode (see "Configuring Power Management Settings" on page 33)

NOTE: It is recommended that you connect your computer to an electrical outlet when writing to a CD or DVD.

You can check the battery charge before you insert the battery into the computer (see "Checking the Battery Charge" on page 30). You can also set power management options to alert you when the battery charge is low (see "Configuring Power Management Settings" on page 33).

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

only with a compatible battery purchased from Dell. The lithium ion battery is designed to work with your Dell computer. Do not use a battery from other computers with your computer.

Using a Battery 29

CAUTION: Do not dispose of batteries with household waste. When your battery no longer holds a charge, call

your local waste disposal or environmental agency for advice on disposing of a lithium-ion battery. See "Battery Disposal" in the Product Information Guide.

CAUTION: Misuse of the battery may increase the risk of fire or chemical burn. Do not puncture, incinerate,

disassemble, or expose the battery to temperatures above 65°C (149°F). Keep the battery away from children. Handle damaged or leaking batteries with extreme care. Damaged batteries may leak and cause personal injury or equipment damage.

Checking the Battery Charge

The Dell QuickSet Battery Meter, the Microsoft Windows Power Meter window and battery meter icon ( or ), the battery charge gauge and health gauge, and the low-battery warning provide information on the battery charge.

Dell™ QuickSet Battery Meter

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

For more information about QuickSet, click the QuickSet icon in the Microsoft and click Help.

Microsoft® Windows® Power Meter

The Windows Power Meter indicates the remaining battery charge. To check the Power Meter, doubleclick the battery meter icon ( or ) on the taskbar.

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

Windows® taskbar,

Charge Gauge

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

• Battery charge (check by pressing and

• Battery health (check by pressing and

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

Check the Battery Charge

To check the battery charge, press and release the status button on the battery charge gauge to illuminate the charge-level lights. Each light represents approximately 20 percent of the total battery charge. For example, if the battery has 80 percent of its charge remaining, four of the lights are on. If no lights appear, the battery has no charge.

30 Using a Battery

releasing

holding

the status button)

+ 128 hidden pages