Dell Vostro 1550 User manual

Dell Vostro 1540/1550
Owner's Manual

Regulatory Model P18F
Regulatory Type P18F001,P18F002

Notes, Cautions, and Warnings

NOTE: A NOTE indicates important information that helps you make better use of your
computer.

CAUTION: A CAUTION indicates potential damage to hardware or loss of data if
instructions are not followed.

WARNING: A WARNING indicates a potential for property damage, personal injury, or
death.

Information in this publication is subject to change without notice.
© 2011 Dell Inc. All rights reserved.

Reproduction of these materials in any manner whatsoever without the written permission of Dell Inc. is
strictly forbidden.

Trademarks used in this text:
Latitude™, Latitude ON™, OptiPlex™, Vostro™, and Wi-Fi Catcher™ are trademarks of Dell Inc. Intel®,
Pentium®, Xeon®, Core™, Atom™, Centrino®, and Celeron® are registered trademarks or trademarks of Intel
Corporation in the U.S. and other countries. AMD® is a registered trademark and AMD Opteron™,
AMD Phenom™, AMD Sempron™, AMD Athlon™, ATI Radeon™, and ATI FirePro™ are trademarks of
Advanced Micro Devices, Inc. Microsoft®, Windows®, MS-DOS®, Windows Vista®, the Windows Vista start
button, and Office Outlook
United States and/or other countries.
(BDA) and licensed for use on discs and players. The
owned by the
registered trademark of Wireless Ethernet Compatibility Alliance, Inc.

Other trademarks and trade names may be used in this publication 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.

Bluetooth

Dell™, the DELL logo, Dell Precision™, Precision ON™,ExpressCharge™,

®

are either trademarks or registered trademarks of Microsoft Corporation in the

®

SIG, Inc. and any use of such mark by Dell Inc. is under license.

Blu-ray Disc

™

is a trademark owned by the Blu-ray Disc Association

Bluetooth

®

word mark is a registered trademark and

Wi-Fi

®

is a

2011 – 08

Rev. A00

Contents

Notes, Cautions, and Warnings..................................................................2

1 Working on Your Computer......................................................................7

Before Working Inside Your Computer.............................................................................7

Recommended Tools.........................................................................................................8

Turning Off Your Computer................................................................................................9

After Working Inside Your Computer................................................................................9

2 Removing The Battery.............................................................................11

Installing The Battery......................................................................................................11

3 Removing The Secure Digital (SD) Card...............................................13

Installing The Secure Digital (SD) Card...........................................................................14

4 Removing The Hinge Cover....................................................................15

Installing The Hinge Cover..............................................................................................16

5 Removing The Keyboard.........................................................................17

Installing The Keyboard..................................................................................................18

6 Removing The Optical Disc Drive..........................................................19

Installing The Optical Disc Drive.....................................................................................20

7 Removing The Memory Module.............................................................21

Installing The Memory Module.......................................................................................22

8 Removing The Palm Rest........................................................................23

Installing The Palm Rest..................................................................................................25

9 Removing The Power Button Board......................................................27

Installing The Power Button Board.................................................................................28

10 Removing The Hard Drive.....................................................................29

Installing The Hard Drive.................................................................................................30

11 Removing The Wireless Local Area Network (WLAN) Card...........31

Installing The Wireless Local Area Network (WLAN) Card............................................32

12 Removing The Coin-Cell Battery..........................................................33

Installing The Coin-Cell Battery.......................................................................................34

13 Removing The USB Board....................................................................35

Installing The USB Board................................................................................................36

14 Removing The Microphone..................................................................37

Installing The Microphone..............................................................................................38

15 Removing The CPU Fan Assembly And The Heatsink......................39

Installing The CPU Fan Assembly And The Heatsink......................................................40

16 Removing The Processor......................................................................41

Installing The Processor.................................................................................................42

17 Removing The System Board...............................................................43

Installing The System Board...........................................................................................45

18 Removing The Speakers.......................................................................47

Installing The Speakers...................................................................................................49

19 Removing The Display Assembly.........................................................51

Installing The Display Assembly.....................................................................................53

20 Removing The DC-in Port And The Bracket.......................................55

Installing The DC-in Port And Bracket............................................................................57

21 Removing The Display Bezel................................................................59

Installing The Display Bezel............................................................................................60

22 Removing The Camera..........................................................................61

Installing The Camera.....................................................................................................62

23 Removing The Display Panel................................................................63

Installing The Display Panel............................................................................................66

24 Removing The Low-Voltage Differential Signaling (LVDS)

Cable..............................................................................................................67

Installing The Low-Voltage Differential Signaling (LVDS) Cable.....................................69

25 Entering System Setup..........................................................................71

System Setup Overview..................................................................................................71

System Setup Screens....................................................................................................71

System Setup Options.....................................................................................................72

26 Diagnostic Beep Codes.........................................................................77

Battery Status Lights.......................................................................................................78

Device Status Lights........................................................................................................78

27 Specifications.........................................................................................79

28 Contacting Dell.......................................................................................85

Contacting Dell................................................................................................................85

6

Working on Your Computer 1

Before Working Inside Your Computer

Use the following safety guidelines to help protect your computer from potential
damage and to help to ensure your personal safety. Unless otherwise noted,
each procedure included in this document assumes that the following
conditions exist:

• You have performed the steps in Working on Your Computer.

• You have read the safety information that shipped with your computer.

• A component can be replaced or--if purchased separately--installed by
performing the removal procedure in reverse order.

WARNING: Before working inside your computer, read the safety information that
shipped with your computer. For additional safety best practices information, see
the Regulatory Compliance Homepage at www.dell.com/regulatory_compliance.

CAUTION: Many repairs may only be done by a certified service technician. You
should only perform troubleshooting and simple repairs as authorized in your
product documentation, or as directed by the online or telephone service and
support team. Damage due to servicing that is not authorized by Dell is not covered
by your warranty. Read and follow the safety instructions that came with the
product.

CAUTION: To avoid electrostatic discharge, ground yourself by using a wrist
grounding strap or by periodically touching an unpainted metal surface, such as a
connector on the back of the computer.

CAUTION: Handle components and cards with care. Do not touch the components
or contacts on a card. Hold a card by its edges or by its metal mounting bracket.
Hold a component such as a processor by its edges, not by its pins.

CAUTION: When you disconnect a cable, pull on its connector or on its pull-tab, not
on the cable itself. Some cables have connectors with locking tabs; if you are
disconnecting this type of cable, press in on the locking tabs before you disconnect
the cable. As you pull connectors apart, keep them evenly aligned to avoid bending
any connector pins. Also, before you connect a cable, ensure that both connectors
are correctly oriented and aligned.

7

NOTE: The color of your computer and certain components may appear differently
than shown in this document.

To avoid damaging your computer, perform the following steps before you begin
working inside the computer.

1. Ensure that your work surface is flat and clean to prevent the computer

cover from being scratched.

2. Turn off your computer (see

Turning Off Your Computer

).

3. If the computer is connected to a docking device (docked) such as the

optional Media Base or Battery Slice, undock it.

CAUTION: To disconnect a network cable, first unplug the cable from your
computer and then unplug the cable from the network device.

4. Disconnect all network cables from the computer.

5. Disconnect your computer and all attached devices from their electrical

outlets.

6. Close the display and turn the computer upside-down on a flat work

surface.

NOTE: To avoid damaging the system board, you must remove the main battery
before you service the computer.

7. Remove the main battery.

8. Turn the computer top-side up.

9. Open the display.

10. Press the power button to ground the system board.

CAUTION: To guard against electrical shock, always unplug your computer from the
electrical outlet before opening the display.

CAUTION: Before touching anything inside your computer, ground yourself by
touching an unpainted metal surface, such as the metal at the back of the
computer. While you work, periodically touch an unpainted metal surface to
dissipate static electricity, which could harm internal components.

11. Remove any installed ExpressCards or Smart Cards from the appropriate

slots.

Recommended Tools

The procedures in this document may require the following tools:

• Small flat-blade screwdriver

8

• #0 Phillips screwdriver

• #1 Phillips screwdriver

• Small plastic scribe

• Flash BIOS update program CD

Turning Off Your Computer

CAUTION: To avoid losing data, save and close all open files and exit all open
programs before you turn off your computer.

1. Shut down the operating system:

• In Windows Vista :

Click Start

, then click the arrow in the lower-right corner of the

Start menu as shown below, and then click Shut Down.

• In Windows XP:
Click Start → Turn Off Computer → Turn Off . The computer turns off

after the operating system shutdown process is complete.

2. Ensure that the computer and all attached devices are turned off. If your
computer and attached devices did not automatically turn off when you
shut down your operating system, press and hold the power button for
about 4 seconds to turn them off.

After Working Inside Your Computer

After you complete any replacement procedure, ensure you connect any
external devices, cards, and cables before turning on your computer.

CAUTION: To avoid damage to the computer, use only the battery designed for this
particular Dell computer. Do not use batteries designed for other Dell computers.

1. Connect any external devices, such as a port replicator, battery slice, or
media base, and replace any cards, such as an ExpressCard.

2. Connect any telephone or network cables to your computer.

9

CAUTION: To connect a network cable, first plug the cable into the network device
and then plug it into the computer.

3. Replace the battery.

4. Connect your computer and all attached devices to their electrical outlets.

5. Turn on your computer.

10

Removing The Battery 2

1. Follow the procedures in

2. Slide the release latches to unlock the battery.

3. Slide the battery and remove it from the computer.

Before Working On Your Computer

.

Installing The Battery

1. Slide the battery into its slot until it clicks into place.

2. Follow the procedures in

After Working Inside Your Computer

.

11

12

Removing The Secure Digital (SD)

Card 3

1. Follow the procedures in

2. Press in on the SD memory card to release it from the computer.

3. Slide the memory card out of the computer.

Before Working On Your Computer

.

13

Installing The Secure Digital (SD) Card

1. Push the memory card into the compartment until it is fully engaged with a
click sound.

2. Follow the procedures in

After Working Inside Your Computer

.

14

Removing The Hinge Cover 4

1. Follow the procedures in

2. Remove the

3. Remove the screws that secure the hinge cover.

4. Flip the computer around and remove the hinge cover.

battery

Before Working On Your Computer

.

.

15

Installing The Hinge Cover

1. Install the hinge cover and press on it to secure its connection to the
computer.

2. Flip the computer around and install the screws that secure the hinge
cover.

3. Install the

4. Follow the procedures in

battery

.

After Working Inside Your Computer

.

16

Removing The Keyboard 5

1. Follow the procedures in

2. Remove the

3. Pry up to release the top four snaps securing the keyboard to the computer.

4. Flip the keyboard over and lay it on the palm rest.

battery

Before Working On Your Computer

.

.

5. Disconnect the keyboard cable from the system board.

17

6. Remove the keyboard from the computer.

Installing The Keyboard

1. Connect the keyboard cable to the system board.

2. Insert the keyboard at an angle of 30 degrees to its compartment.

3. Press down on the keyboard to secure the top snaps.

4. Install the

5. Follow the procedures in

battery

.

After Working Inside Your Computer

.

18

Removing The Optical Disc Drive 6

1. Follow the procedures in

2. Remove the

3. Remove the

4. Remove the screw that secures the optical drive.

5. Use a screwdriver to gently pry the optical drive out of the computer.

battery
keyboard

Before Working On Your Computer

.

.

.

19

Installing The Optical Disc Drive

1. Slide the optical drive into the compartment on the left side of the chassis.

2. Tighten the screw to secure the optical drive to the computer.

3. Install the

4. Install the

5. Follow the procedures in

keyboard
battery

.

.

After Working Inside Your Computer

.

20

Removing The Memory Module 7

1. Follow the procedures in

2. Remove the

3. Remove the

4. Pry the retention clips away from the memory module until it pops up.

5. Remove the memory module from the computer.

battery
keyboard

Before Working On Your Computer

.

.

.

21

Installing The Memory Module

1. Insert the memory module into the memory socket.

2. Press down on the memory module until the retention clips secure the
memory module in place.

3. Install the

4. Install the

5. Follow the procedures in

keyboard
battery

.

.

After Working Inside Your Computer

.

22

Removing The Palm Rest 8

1. Follow the procedures in

2. Remove the

3. Remove the

4. Remove the screws that secure the bottom base.

5. Flip the computer around and disconnect the power board cable (1) and the
touchpad cable (2).

battery

keyboard

Before Working On Your Computer

.

.

.

6. Remove the screws that secure the palm rest to the computer.

23

7. Pry up the palm rest using a plastic scribe to release all the snaps on the
bottom, left, and right sides of the palm rest. Once all the snaps have been
released, lift up the palm rest from the computer and remove.

24

Installing The Palm Rest

1. Insert the palm rest towards the display screen at a 30–degree angle.

2. Align and adjust the palm rest into position before pressing it down to
secure all the snaps.

3. Connect the power board cable and touchpad cable to their respective
connectors.

4. Install the screws that secure the palm rest to the computer.

5. Flip the computer around and install the screws that secure the bottom
base.

6. Install the

7. Install the

8. Follow the procedures in

keyboard
battery

.

.

After Working Inside Your Computer

.

25

26

Removing The Power Button Board

9

1. Follow the procedures in

2. Remove the

3. Remove the

4. Remove the

5. Peel the power button board cable from the adhesive affixing it to the palm
rest.

6. Flip the palm rest around and remove the screw that secures the power
button board to the palm rest.

battery
keyboard
palm rest

Before Working On Your Computer

.

.

.

.

27

7. Lift up the power button board and release the power button board cable
through the opening.

Installing The Power Button Board

1. Insert the power button board cable through the opening.

2. Fix the power button board to its compartment.

3. Install the screw to secure the power button board.

4. Flip the computer around and attach the power button board cable to the
palm rest.

5. Install the

6. Install the

7. Install the

8. Follow the procedures in

palm rest
keyboard
battery

.

.
.

After Working Inside Your Computer

.

28

Removing The Hard Drive 10

1. Follow the procedures in

2. Remove the

3. Remove the

4. Remove the

5. Slide the hard drive and lift it out of the computer.

6. Remove the screws that secure the hard drive bracket and detach it from
the hard drive.

battery

keyboard

palm rest

Before Working On Your Computer

.

.

.

.

29

Installing The Hard Drive

1. Install the hard drive bracket to the hard drive.

2. Tighten the screws that secure the hard drive bracket.

3. Place the hard drive in its compartment and slide it towards the SATA
connector to secure it to the system board.

4. Install the

5. Install the

6. Install the

7. Follow the procedures in

palm rest
keyboard
battery

.

.
.

After Working Inside Your Computer

.

30

Removing The Wireless Local Area

Network (WLAN) Card 11

1. Follow the procedures in

2. Remove the

3. Remove the

4. Remove the

5. Disconnect any antennae connected to the WLAN card.

6. Pry the latch to release the WLAN card from its compartment.

battery

keyboard

palm rest

Before Working On Your Computer

.

.

.

.

7. Remove the WLAN card from the computer.

31

Installing The Wireless Local Area Network (WLAN) Card

1. Slide the WLAN card into its slot.

2. Clip on the WLAN card to the latch to secure it in place.

3. Connect the antennae according to the color code on the WLAN card.

4. Install the

5. Install the

6. Install the

7. Follow the procedures in

palm rest
keyboard
battery

.

.
.

After Working Inside Your Computer

.

32

Removing The Coin-Cell Battery 12

1. Follow the procedures in

2. Remove the

3. Remove the

4. Remove the

5. Disconnect the coin-cell battery cable from the system board.

6. Remove the coin-cell battery from the computer.

battery

keyboard

palm rest

Before Working On Your Computer

.

.

.

.

33

Installing The Coin-Cell Battery

1. Install the coin-cell battery to the coin-cell battery compartment.

2. Connect the coin-cell battery cable to the system board.

3. Install the

4. Install the

5. Install the

6. Follow the procedures in

palm rest
keyboard
battery

.

.
.

After Working Inside Your Computer

.

34

Removing The USB Board 13

1. Follow the procedures in

2. Remove the

3. Remove the

4. Remove the

5. Remove the

6. Disconnect the USB board cable from the system board.

7. Remove the screw that secures the USB board.

battery

keyboard

optical drive

palm rest

Before Working On Your Computer

.

.

.

.

.

8. Lift up the USB board and remove it from the computer.

35

Installing The USB Board

1. Insert and align the USB board into its compartment on the computer.

2. Install the screw that secures the USB board in place.

3. Connect the USB board cable to the system board.

4. Install the

5. Install the

6. Install the

7. Install the

8. Follow the procedures in

palm rest

.

optical drive
keyboard
battery

.

.

.

After Working Inside Your Computer

.

36

Removing The Microphone 14

1. Follow the procedures in

2. Remove the

3. Remove the

4. Remove the

5. Disconnect the microphone cable from the system board.

6. Lift up and remove the microphone from its compartment.

battery

keyboard

palm rest

Before Working On Your Computer

.

.

.

.

37

Installing The Microphone

1. Insert and align the microphone into its compartment.

2. Connect the microphone cable to the system board.

3. Install the

4. Install the

5. Install the

6. Follow the procedures in

palm rest
keyboard
battery

.

.
.

After Working Inside Your Computer

.

38

Removing The CPU Fan Assembly

And The Heatsink 15

1. Follow the procedures in

2. Remove the

3. Remove the

4. Remove the

5. Disconnect the CPU fan cable from the system board.

6. Remove the captive screws that secure the heat sink and CPU fan
assembly by following the sequence in the image.

battery

keyboard

palm rest

Before Working On Your Computer

.

.

.

.

39

7. Remove the heat sink and the CPU fan assembly from the computer.

Installing The CPU Fan Assembly And The Heatsink

1. Place and align the heat sink and CPU fan assembly.

2. Tighten the captive screws to secure the heat sink and the CPU fan
assembly.

3. Connect the CPU fan cable to the system board.

4. Install the

5. Install the

6. Install the

7. Follow the procedures in

palm rest
keyboard
battery

.

.
.

After Working Inside Your Computer

.

40

Removing The Processor 16

1. Follow the procedures in

2. Remove the

3. Remove the

4. Remove the

5. Remove the

6. Rotate the processor-cam screw in a counter-clockwise direction.

7. Lift up the processor and remove it from the computer.

battery

keyboard

palm rest

CPU fan assembly and the heatsink

Before Working On Your Computer

.

.

.

.

.

41

Installing The Processor

1. Insert the processor into the processor socket. Ensure the processor is
properly seated.

2. Tighten the cam-screw in a clockwise direction to the locked position.

3. Install the

4. Install the

5. Install the

6. Install the

7. Follow the procedures in

CPU fan assembly and the heatsink
palm rest
keyboard
battery

.
.

.

After Working Inside Your Computer

.

.

42

Removing The System Board 17

1. Follow the procedures in

2. Remove the

3. Remove the

4. Remove the

5. Remove the

6. Remove the

7. Remove the

8. Remove the

9. Remove the

10. Remove the

11. Disconnect the display cable (1), DC-in cable (2), USB board cable (3),
speaker cable (4), audio board cable (5), and the coin-cell battery cable (6).

battery

SD memory card

keyboard

optical drive

memory module

palm rest

hard drive

WLAN card

CPU fan assembly and the heatsink

Before Working On Your Computer

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

12. Remove the screws that secure the system board.

43

13. Lift up the system board at an angle and slide it out from the LAN, VGA,
HDMI, and USB sockets.

44

Installing The System Board

1. Insert the system board with the LAN, VGA, HDMI, and USB connectors
into their respective sockets and align the system board in place.

2. Install the screws that secure the system board in place.

3. Connect the LCD cable, DC-in cable, USB board cable, audio board cable,
coin-cell battery cable, and the speaker cable.

4. Install the

5. Install the

6. Install the

7. Install the

8. Install the

9. Install the

10. Install the

11. Install the

12. Install the

13. Install the

14. Follow the procedures in

processor

.

CPU fan assembly and the heatsink
WLAN card
hard drive
palm rest
memory module
optical drive
keyboard
SD memory card
battery

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

After Working Inside Your Computer

.

.

45

46

Removing The Speakers 18

1. Follow the procedures in

2. Remove the

3. Remove the

4. Remove the

5. Remove the

6. Remove the

7. Remove the

8. Remove the

9. Remove the

10. Remove the

11. Remove the

12. Release the speaker cable from the routing channel.

battery

SD memory card

keyboard

optical drive

memory module

palm rest

hard drive

WLAN card

CPU fan assembly and the heatsink

system board

Before Working On Your Computer

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

13. Press the securing latches and lift up the left speaker.

47

14. Press the securing latches and lift up the right speaker.

15. Remove the speaker assembly and the speaker cable from the computer.

48

Installing The Speakers

1. Insert and attach the left and right speakers into their respective
compartments.

2. Align and route the speaker cable to the chassis.

3. Install the

4. Install the

5. Install the

6. Install the

7. Install the

8. Install the

9. Install the

10. Install the

11. Install the

12. Install the

13. Install the

14. Follow the procedures in

system board
processor

.

.

CPU fan assembly and the heatsink
WLAN card
hard drive
palm rest
memory module
optical drive
keyboard
SD memory card
battery

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

After Working Inside Your Computer

.

.

49

50

Removing The Display Assembly 19

1. Follow the procedures in

2. Remove the

3. Remove the

4. Remove the

5. Remove the

6. Disconnect the LVDS cable from the system board.

7. Disconnect the WLAN antennae and release it from the routing channel on
the chassis.

battery
hinge cover
keyboard
palm rest

Before Working On Your Computer

.

.

.

.

.

8. Remove the screws that secure the left and right hinges.

51

9. Lift up the display assembly from the computer and remove.

52

Installing The Display Assembly

1. Insert the display assembly hinges into their holders.

2. Install the screws that secure both the hinges in place.

3. Connect the LVDS cable to the system board.

4. Align the WLAN antennae routing cable to its holder and connect the
antennae to the WLAN card.

5. Connect the USB board cable.

6. Install the

7. Install the

8. Install the

9. Install the

10. Follow the procedures in

palm rest
keyboard

.
.

hinge cover
battery

.

.

After Working Inside Your Computer

.

53

54

Removing The DC-in Port And The

Bracket 20

1. Follow the procedures in

2. Remove the

3. Remove the

4. Remove the

5. Remove the

6. Remove the

7. Disconnect the DC-in cable from the system board.

8. Remove the screw that secures the DC-in port and bracket.

battery
hinge cover
keyboard
palm rest
display assembly

Before Working On Your Computer

.

.
.
.

.

55

9. Lift up the DC-in port bracket.

10. Lift up the DC-in port from the computer and remove.

56

Installing The DC-in Port And Bracket

1. Insert the DC-in port and the bracket into its compartment.

2. Align the bracket and tighten the screw that secures the bracket and DC-in
port.

3. Connect the DC-in cable to the system board.

4. Install the

5. Install the

6. Install the

7. Install the

8. Install the

9. Follow the procedures in

display assembly
palm rest
keyboard
hinge cover
battery

.
.

.

.

After Working Inside Your Computer

.

.

57

58

Removing The Display Bezel 21

1. Follow the procedures in

2. Remove the

3. Starting from the bottom , pry the bezel inside out from the display assembly
and work your way to the right and the left corners of the display bezel.

4. Remove the bezel from the display assembly once all the snaps have been
loosened.

battery

Before Working On Your Computer

.

.

59

Installing The Display Bezel

1. Align the display bezel in line with the top cover.

2. Starting from the bottom edge, press downward on the display bezel to
engage the tabs.

3. Install the

4. Follow the procedures in

battery

.

After Working Inside Your Computer

.

60

Removing The Camera 22

1. Follow the procedures in

2. Remove the

3. Remove the

4. Disconnect the camera cable from the camera module.

5. Pry the latch, lift up the camera, and remove.

battery
display bezel

Before Working On Your Computer

.

.

.

61

Installing The Camera

1. Insert and align the camera module to its compartment.

2. Connect the camera cable to the camera module.

3. Install the

4. Install the

5. Follow the procedures in

display bezel
battery

.

.

After Working Inside Your Computer

.

62

Removing The Display Panel 23

1. Follow the procedures in

2. Remove the

3. Remove the

4. Remove the

5. Remove the

6. Remove the

7. Remove the

8. Disconnect the camera cable from the camera module.

9. Remove the screws that secure the display brackets and hinges.

battery
hinge cover
keyboard
palm rest
display assembly
display bezel

Before Working On Your Computer

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

63

10. Release the wireless antennae from the right hinge.

11. Release the LVDS cable from the left hinge.

12. Lift up the display panel and brackets from the display top cover.

64

13. Remove the screws on the left and right display brackets and remove the
display panel.

65

Installing The Display Panel

1. Attach the left and right brackets to the display panel and secure the
screws.

2. Insert and route the display cable and wireless antennae to the left and
right hinges.

3. Align the display panel with its brackets to the top cover.

4. Align the WLAN antennae routing cable to its holder and connect the
antennae to the WLAN card.

5. Install the screws that secure the display panel and the brackets.

6. Connect the camera cable to the camera module.

7. Install the

8. Install the

9. Install the

10. Install the

11. Install the

12. Install the

13. Follow the procedures in

display bezel

.

display assembly
palm rest
keyboard
hinge cover
battery

.
.

.

.

After Working Inside Your Computer

.

.

66

Removing The Low-Voltage Differential Signaling (LVDS) Cable

24

1. Follow the procedures in

2. Remove the

3. Remove the

4. Remove the

5. Remove the

6. Remove the

7. Remove the

8. Remove the

9. Remove the

10. Peel off the tape securing the LVDS cable connection.

battery

hinge cover

keyboard

optical drive

palm rest

display assembly

display bezel

display panel

Before Working On Your Computer

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

11. Disconnect the LVDS cable from the display panel.

67

12. peel off the entire display cable from the adhesive affixing it to the display
panel.

68

Installing The Low-Voltage Differential Signaling (LVDS) Cable

1. Attach the display cable to the display panel.

2. Connect the display cable connector to the display panel and affix the tape
to secure it.

3. Install the

4. Install the

5. Install the

6. Install the

7. Install the

8. Install the

9. Install the

10. Install the

11. Follow the procedures in

display panel
display bezel

.

.

display assembly
palm rest
optical drive
keyboard
hinge cover
battery

.

.

.

.

.

After Working Inside Your Computer

.

.

69

70

Entering System Setup 25

1. Turn on (or restart) your computer.

2. When the blue DELL logo is displayed, you must watch for the F2 prompt to
appear.

3. Once the F2 prompt appears, press <F2> immediately.

NOTE: The F2 prompt indicates that the keyboard has initialized. This prompt can
appear very quickly, so you must watch for it to display, and then press <F2> . If you
press <F2> before you are prompted, this keystroke will be lost.

4. If you wait too long and the operating system logo appears, continue to
wait until you see the Microsoft Windows desktop. Then, shut down your
computer and try again.

System Setup Overview

System Setup allows you to:

• change the system configuration information after you add, change, or

remove any hardware in your computer.

• set or change a user-selectable option such as the user password.

• read the current amount of memory or set the type of hard drive installed.

Before you use System Setup, it is recommended that you write down the
System Setup screen information for future reference.

CAUTION: Unless you are an expert computer user, do not change the settings for
this program. Certain changes can cause your computer to work incorrectly.

System Setup Screens

Menu Appears on top of the System Setup window. This field provides a

menu to access the System Setup options. Press < Left Arrow >
and < Right Arrow > keys to navigate. As a Menu option is
highlighted, the Options List lists the options that define the
hardware installed on your computer.

Options
List

Appears on top of the System Setup window. This field provides a
menu to access the System Setup options. Press < Left Arrow >

71

and < Right Arrow > keys to navigate. As a Menu option is
highlighted, the Options List lists the options that define the
hardware installed on your computer.

Options
Field

Appears on the right side of Options List and contains information
about each option listed in the Options List . In this field you can
view information about your computer and make changes to your
current settings. Press < Enter> to make changes to your current
settings. Press <ESC> to return to the Options List.

NOTE: Not all settings listed in the Options Field are changeable.

Help Appears on the right side of the System Setup window and

contains help information about the option selected in Options List .

Use the following keys to navigate through the System Setup screens:

Keystroke Action

< F2 > Displays information on any selected item in

the System Setup.

< Esc > Exit from current view or switch the current

view to the Exit page in the System Setup.

< Up Arrow > or < Down Arrow>Select an item to display.

< Left Arrow > or < Right Arrow>Select a menu to display.

– or + Change existing item value.

< Enter > Select the sub menu or execute command.

< F9 > Load setup default.

< F10 > Save current configuration and exit System

Setup.

System Setup Options

Main

System Information

System Date Re-sets the date on the computer's

72

Displays the computer model number.

internal calendar.

System Time Re-sets the time on the computer's

internal clock.

BIOS Version Displays the BIOS revision.

Product Name Displays the product name and the model

number.

Service Tag Displays the service tag of your computer.

Asset Tag Displays the asset tag of your computer (if

available).

CPU Type Displays the type of processor.

CPU Speed Displays the speed of the processor.

CPU ID Displays the processor ID.

L1 Cache Size Displays the processor L1 cache size.

L2 Cache Size Displays the processor L2 cache size.

L3 Cache Size Displays the processor L3 cache size.

Extended Memory Displays the memory installed on the

computer.

System Memory Displays the memory in-built on the

computer.

Memory Speed Displays the memory speed.

Fixed HDD Displays the model number and capacity

of the hard drive.

SATA ODD Displays the model number and capacity

of the optical drive.

AC Adapter Type Displays the type of the AC adapter.

Advanced

Intel SpeedStep

Virtualization Enable or disable the Intel

Integrated NIC Enable or disable the power

Enable or disable the Intel
SpeedStep feature.

Virtualization feature.

supply to the on–board
network card.

Default: Enabled

Default: Enabled

Default: Enabled

73

USB Emulation Enable or disable the USB

emulation feature.

USB Wake Support Allows USB devices to

wake-up the computer from
standby. This feature is
enabled only when the AC
adapter is connected.

SATA Operation Change the SATA controller

mode to either ATA or
AHCI.

Adapter Warnings Enables or disables adapter

warnings.

Function Key Behavior Specifies the behavior of

the function key <Fn> .

Charger Behavior Specifies if the computer

battery will be charged
when connected to an AC
power source.

Miscellaneous Devices These fields let you enable

or disable various on-board
devices.

Security

Default: Enabled

Default: Disabled

Default: AHCI

Default: Enabled

Default: Function key first

Default: Enabled

Set Service Tag

Set Supervisor Password Allows you to change or delete the

Set HDD Password Allows you to set a password on the

Password Bypass Allows you to bypass the system

Computrace Enable or disable the Computrace feature

74

This field displays your system's service
tag. If the service tag is not already set,
this field can be used to enter it.

administrator password.

computer's internal hard drive (HDD).

password and the internal HDD password
prompts during a system restart/resume
from hibernate state.

on your computer.

Boot

Boot Priority Order Specifies the order of different devices in

which the computer will boot through at
start up.

Hard Disk Drives Specifies which hard drive the computer

can boot through.

USB Storage Device Specifies which USB storage device the

computer can boot through.

CD/DVD ROM Drives Specifies which CD/DVD the computer can

boot through.

Network Specifies which network device the

computer can boot through.

Exit
This section allows you to save, discard, and load default settings before exiting

from System Setup.

75

76

Diagnostic Beep Codes 26

The computer may emit a series of beeps during start-up if the display cannot
show errors or problems. These series of beeps, called beep codes, identify
various problems. The delay between each beep is 300 ms, the delay between
each set of beeps is 3 seconds, and the beep sound lasts 300 ms. After each
beep and each set of beeps, the BIOS should detect if the user presses the
power button. If so, BIOS will jump out from looping and execute the normal
shutdown process and power system.

Code Cause and Troubleshooting Steps

1 BIOS ROM checksum in progress or failure

System board failure, covers BIOS corruption or ROM error

2 No RAM detected

No memory detected

3 Chipset Error (North and South Bridge Chipset, DMA/IMR/ Timer Error) ,

Time-Of-Day Clock test failure , Gate A20 failure , Super I/O chip failure ,
Keyboard controller test failure

System board failure

4 RAM Read/Write failure

Memory failure

5 Real-time clock power fail

CMOS battery failure

6 Video BIOS test failure

Video card failure

7 Processor failure

Processor failure

8 Display

Display failure

77

Battery Status Lights

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

• Alternately blinking amber light and white light — An unauthenticated or

unsupported non-Dell AC adapter is attached to your laptop.

• Alternately blinking amber light with steady white light — Temporary battery

failure with AC adapter present.

• Constantly blinking amber light — Fatal battery failure with AC adapter

present.

• Light off — Battery in full charge mode with AC adapter present.

• White light on — Battery in charge mode with AC adapter present.

Device Status Lights

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.

Turns on steadily or blinks to indicate battery charge status.

Turns on when wireless networking is enabled.

78

Specifications 27

NOTE: Offerings may vary by region. The following specifications are only those
required by law to ship with your computer. For more information regarding the
configuration of your computer, click Start → Help and Support and select the
option to view information about your computer.

System Information

Chipset

Vostro 1450/Vostro 1550 Intel HM67

Vostro 1440/Vostro 1540 Intel HM57

DRAM bus width 64-bit

Flash EPROM SPI 32 Mbits

Processor

Types

L2 cache up to 6 MB

External bus frequency 1333 MHz

Memory

Memory connector two SODIMM slots

Memory capacity 1 GB, 2 GB, or 4 GB

Memory type DDR3 SDRAM (1333 MHz)

Minimum memory 1 GB

Maximum memory 8 GB

Audio

Type 2.1 channel high definition audio

• Intel Celeron

• Intel Core i3 series

• Intel Core i5 series

79

Audio

Controller IDT 92HD87B1

Stereo conversion 24-bit (analog-to-digital and digital-to-analog)

Interface:

Internal high definition audio

External microphone-in/stereo headphones/external

speakers connector

Speakers 2 x 2 Watt

Volume controls keyboard function keys and program menus

Video

Video type

Data bus:

UMA integrated video

Discrete

Video controller:

UMA Intel HD Graphics

Vostro 1450/Vostro 1550

Vostro 1440/Vostro 1540 Intel HD graphics

Discrete

Vostro 1440 AMD Radeon HD6450M

Vostro 1450 AMD Radeon HD6470M

Camera

• integrated on system board

• discrete

• PCI-E x16 Gen1

• PCI-E x16 Gen2

• Intel HD Graphics

• Intel HD Graphics 3000

Camera Resolution 1.3 Megapixel

80

Camera

Video Resolution 640 x 480 at 30 fps (Maximum)

Communications

Network adapter 10/100/1000 Mbps Ethernet LAN

Wireless internal wireless local area network (WLAN)

Ports and Connectors

Audio one microphone connector; one stereo

headphone/speakers connector

Video

Network adapter one RJ-45 connector

USB three 4-pin USB 2.0-compliant connectors

Media card reader one 3-in-1 (SD/MMC/MS)

Display

Type HD WLED TrueLife; HD WLED AG

Size

Vostro 1440/Vostro 1450 14.0”

Vostro 1540/Vostro 1550 15.0”

Dimensions: Vostro 1440/Vostro 1450

Height 192.50 mm (7.58 inches)

Width 324.00 mm (12.76 inches)

Diagonal 355.60 mm (14.00 inches)

Active area (X/Y) 344.23 mm x 193.54

• one 15-pin VGA connector

• one 19-pin HDMI connector

mm

Dimensions: Vostro 1540/Vostro 1550

Height 193.50 mm (7.62 inches)

Width 344.20 mm (13.55 inches)

81

Display

Diagonal 396.24 mm (15.60 inches)

Active area (X/Y) 344.23 mm x 193.54 mm

Maximum resolution 1366 x 768 pixels at 262K colors

Maximum Brightness 220 nits

Operating angle 0° (closed) to 140°

Refresh rate 60 Hz

Minimum Viewing angles:

Horizontal 40/40

Vertical 15/30 (H/L)

Pixel pitch 0.23 mm x 0.23 mm

Keyboard

Number of keys: United States and Canada: 86 keys, Europe

and Brazil: 87 keys, Japan: 90 keys

Touchpad

Active Area:

X-axis 90.00 mm (3.54 inches)

Y-axis 49.00 mm (1.93 inches)

Battery

Type 6-cell lithium ion (2.20 Whr)

Dimensions:

Height 20.20 mm (0.80 inch)

Width 208.36 mm (8.20 inches)

Depth 56.52 mm (2.22 inches)

Weight 0.33 kg (0.73 lb)

Charge time approximately 4 hours (when the computer is

turned off)

82

Battery

Voltage 11.1 VDC

Temperature range:

Operating 0 °C to 35 °C (32 °F to 95 °F)

Non-Operating –40 °C to 65 °C (–40 °F to 149 °F)

Coin-cell battery 3 V CR2032 lithium coin cell

AC Adapter

Type:

Vostro 1440 / Vostro 1450 / Vostro
1540 / Vostro 1550 with integrated
video card

Vostro 1440 with discrete video
card

Vostro 1450 with discrete video
card

Input voltage 100 VAC to 240 VAC

Input current (maximum) 1.50 A/1.60 A/1.70 A/2.10 A

Input frequency 50 Hz to 60 Hz

Output power 65 W and 90 W

Output current

65 W 3.34 A (continuous)

90 W 4.62 A

Rated output voltage 19.50 VDC (+/ 1.0 VDC)

Dimensions:

Height 28.20 mm (1.11 inches)

Width 57.90 mm (2.28 inches)

65 W

65 W

90 W

Depth 137.16 mm (5.40 inches)

Temperature range:

83

AC Adapter

Operating 0 °C to 40 °C (32 °F to 104 °F)

Non-Operating –40 °C to 70 °C (–40 °F to 158 °F)

Physical

Vostro 1440 / Vostro 1450:

Height (with a WLED panel) 31.50 mm to 34.70 mm (1.24 inches to 1.36

inches)

Width 342.00 mm (13.46 inches)

Depth 244 mm (9.60 inches)

Weight (Minimum) 2.2 kg (4.85 lb)

Vostro 1540 / Vostro 1550:

Height (with a WLED panel) 31.50 mm to 34.50 mm (1.24 inches to 1.35

inches)

Width 376.00 mm (14.80 inches)

Depth 260 mm (10.23 inches)

Weight (Minimum) 2.37 kg (5.22 lb)

Environmental

Temperature:

Operating 0 °C to 35 °C (32 °F to 95 °F)

Storage –40 °C to 65 °C (–40 °F to 149 °F)

Relative humidity (maximum):

Operating 10 % to 90 % (noncondensing)

Storage 5 % to 95 % (noncondensing)

Altitude (maximum):

Operating –15.2 m to 3048 m (–50 ft to 10,000 ft)

Non-Operating –15.2 m to 10,668 m (–50 ft to 35,000 ft)

Airborne contaminant level G1 as defined by ISA-71.04–1985

84

Contacting Dell 28

Contacting Dell

NOTE: If you do not have an active Internet connection, you can find contact
information on your purchase invoice, packing slip, bill, or Dell product catalog.

Dell provides several online and telephone-based support and service options.
Availability varies by country and product, and some services may not be
available in your area. To contact Dell for sales, technical support, or customer
service issues:

1. Visit support.dell.com.

2. Select your support category.

3. If you are not a U.S. customer, select your country code at the bottom of the
page, or select All to see more choices.

4. Select the appropriate service or support link based on your need.

85