Dell TX453 manual

www .dell.com | support.dell.com Dell Precision™ M4300 User’ s Guide[...]

Notes, Notices, and Cautions NOTE: A NOTE indicates important i nformation that helps you make better use of your computer . NOTICE: A NOTICE indicates either potential da mage to hardware or loss of da ta and tells you how to avoid the problem. CAUTION: A CAUTION indicates a potential for propert y damage, personal injury , or death. Abbreviations[...]

Contents 1 Contents 1 Finding Information 2 About Y our Computer Front View . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13 Left Side View . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17 Right Side View . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19 Back View . . . . . . . . . [...]

2 Contents Replacing the Battery . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 33 Storing a Battery . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 34 4 Using the Keyboard and T ouch Pad Numeric Keypad . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 35 Key Combinations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . [...]

Contents 3 Using an External Monitor Si multaneously as an Extension of Y our Computer Display 47 Microsoft ® Windows ® XP . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 47 Windows Vista® . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 47 Using an External Monitor as Y our Primary Display: Swap ping Primary and Secondary Display s[...]

4 Contents Extended Cards . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 61 Installing a PC Card or ExpressCard . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 61 PC Card . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 62 ExpressCard . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 62 Removi[...]

Contents 5 Drive Problems . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 77 CD and DVD drive problems . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 78 Hard drive problems . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 78 E-Mail, Modem, an d Internet Problems . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 79 Error Messages[...]

6 Contents If only part of th e display is readable . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 92 11 Sy stem Setup Program Overview . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 93 Viewing the Sy stem Setup Screens . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 93 Sy stem Setup Screens . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .[...]

Contents 7 Before W orking Inside Y our Computer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 107 Hard Drive . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 108 Returning a Hard Drive to Dell . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 110 Media Bay . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 110 . . . . . . .[...]

8 Contents Returning Items for Warr anty Repair or Credit . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 141 Before Y ou Call . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 142 Contacting Dell . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 142 18 Appendix Cleaning Y our Computer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .[...]

Finding Information 9 Finding Information NOTE: Some features or media may be op tional and may not ship with your computer . Some features or media may not be availabl e in certain countries. NOTE: Additional information ma y ship with your computer . What Are Y ou Looking For? Find It Here • A diagnostic program for my computer • Drivers for [...]

10 Finding Information • How to set up my computer • Basic troubleshooting information • How to run the Dell Diagnostics Quick Reference Guide NOTE: This document may be option al and may not ship with your computer . NOTE: This document is available as a PDF at support.dell.com . • W arranty information • T erms and Conditions (U.S. only[...]

Finding Information 11 • Solutions — T roubleshooting hints and tips, articles from technicians, and online courses, frequently ask ed questions • Community — Online disc ussion with other Dell customers • Upgrades — Upgrade informa tion for components, such as memory , the hard drive, and the operating system • Customer Care — Cont[...]

12 Finding Information • How to use W indows XP and W indows Vista ® • How to work with programs and files • How to personalize my desktop Windows Help and Support Center 1 Click Start or → Help and Support . 2 T ype a word or phrase that describes your problem and click the arrow icon. 3 Click the topic that describes your problem. 4 F ol[...]

About Y our Computer 13 About Y our Computer F ront View 1 5 2 10 7 11 4 12 3 6 8 13 9[...]

14 About Y our Computer DISPLAY LATCH — Keeps the display closed. DISPLAY — F or more information about your display , see "Using the Display" on page 45. POWER BUTTON — P ress the power button to turn on the computer or exit a power management mode (see "P ower Management Modes" on page 31). NOTICE: T o avoid losing data,[...]

About Y our Computer 15 If the computer is connected to an electr ical outlet, the light operates as follows: – Solid green: The battery is char ging. – Flashing green: The battery is almost fully char ged. – Off: The battery is adequately charged (or e x tern al power is not available to charge the battery). If the computer is running on a b[...]

16 About Y our Computer KEYBOARD STATUS LIGHTS The green lights located above the k eyboard indicate the following: VOLUME CONTROL BUTTONS — P ress these buttons to adjust the speaker volume. MUTE BUTTON — P ress this button to turn off the speakers. AMBIENT LIGHT SENSOR — Helps to control display br ightness. F or more informatio n, see &quo[...]

About Y our Computer 17 L eft Side View SECURITY CABLE SLOT — Lets you attach a commercially available a ntitheft device to the computer . F or more information, see "Security Cable Lock" on page 65. NOTICE: Before you buy an antitheft device, ensure that it will work with the security cable slot. AIR VENTS — The computer uses an inte[...]

18 About Y our Computer AUDIO CONNECTORS E XPRESS C ARD SLOT — Supports 34- and 54-mm PCI ExpressCar ds or USB-based ExpressCar ds (see "Using Cards" on page 61). WIRELESS SWITCH — T urns on/off wireless devices such as W iFi and internal cards with Bluetooth wireless technology and scans for W iF i networks. F or more information abo[...]

About Y our Computer 19 WIRELESS SWITCH POSITIONS W I -F I C ATCHER ™ LIGHT — The light operates as follows: – Flashing green: Searching for networks – Solid green: Strong network found – Solid yellow : W e ak network found – Flashing yellow : Error – Off: No signal found NOTE: The Dell Wi-Fi Catcher Network Loca tor light appears onl[...]

20 About Y our Computer USB CONNECTORS 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. Rest ricting the airflow can damage the computer or cause a fire. NETWORK CONNECTOR (RJ-45) NOTICE: The net[...]

About Y our Computer 21 POWERED USB 2.0 CONNECTOR MODEM CONNECTOR (RJ-11) SERIAL CONNECTOR VIDEO CONNECTOR AC ADAPTER CONNECTOR — Connects an AC adapter to the computer . Connects USB 2.0 compliant de vices, such as a mouse, keyboar d, or printer . Can also be used for peripherals that requir e more than 5 V of power . Connects the telephone line[...]

22 About Y our Computer The AC adapter converts A C power to the DC power requir ed by the computer . Y ou ca n connect the AC adapter with your computer turned either on or off. CAUTION: The AC adapter works with electrical outlets worl dwide. However , power connectors and power strips vary among countries. Usin g an incompatible cable or imprope[...]

About Y our Computer 23 Bottom View 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 — [...]

24 About Y our Computer[...]

25 T ransferring Information to a New Computer The Microsoft ® W indows ® operating system provides the F iles and Settings T ransfer W izard to move data from a source computer to a new com puter . Y ou can transfer data, such as: • E-mail messages • T oolbar settings • W indow sizes • Internet bookmarks Y ou can transfer the data to the[...]

26 4 On the F iles and Settings T ransfer Wizard welcome screen, click Next . 5 On the Which computer is this? screen, click Old Computer and click Next . 6 On the Select a transfer method screen, click the transfer method you pr efer . 7 On the What do you want to transfer? screen, select the items you want to transfer and click Next . After the i[...]

27 6 On the Select a transfer method screen, click the transfer method you pr efer . 7 On the What do you want to transfer? screen, select the items you want to transfer and click Next . After the information has been copied, the Completing the Collection Phase screen appears. 8 Click Fi n i s h . T o transfer data to the new computer: 1 On the Now[...]

28[...]

Using a Battery 29 Using a Battery Battery Performance NOTE: For information about the Dell warr anty for your com puter , see the Product Information Guide or separate paper warranty document that shipped with your computer . F or optimal computer performance and to help preserve BIOS setting s, operate your Dell™ portable computer with the main[...]

30 Using a Battery CAUTION: Do not dispose of batterie s with household waste. When your ba ttery no longer ho lds a charge, call your local waste disposal or environm ental 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 ri[...]

Using a Battery 31 Check the Battery Health NOTE: Y ou can check battery health in on e of two way s: by using the charge gauge on the battery as described below and by using the Battery Meter in Dell QuickSet. For information about QuickSet, right-cl ick the QuickSet icon in the Microsoft® Wi ndows® taskbar , and click Help . T o check the batte[...]

32 Using a Battery • Click Start → Shut Down → Stand by . or • Depending on how you set the power management options in the P ower Options P roperties window or the QuickSet P ower Management W izard, use one of the following methods: – Pr ess the power button. – Close the display . – Pr ess <Fn><Esc>. T o exit standby mod[...]

Using a Battery 33 Configuring Power Management Settings Y ou can use the QuickSet P ower Management Wiza r d or W indows P ower Options Properties to configure the power management settings on your computer . • T o access the QuickSet P ower Management W izard, double-click the QuickSet icon in the Microsoft ® W indows ® taskbar . F o r more i[...]

34 Using a Battery 1 If the computer is connected to a docking device (docked), undock it. See the documentation that came with your docking device for instructions. 2 Ensure that the computer is turned off. 3 Slide the battery-bay latch release on the bo ttom of the computer until the r elease clicks. 4 Using the tab on the battery , lift the batt[...]

Using the Keyboard and T ouch Pad 35 Using the Keyboard and T ouch Pad Numeric Keypad The numeric keypad functions lik e the numeric keypad on an ext ernal k eyboard. Each k ey on the keypad has multiple functions. The k eypad numbers and symbols are marked in blue on the right of the keypad k eys. T o type a number or symbol , hold down <Fn>[...]

36 Using the Keyboard and T ouch Pad Battery Display Functions Power Management Microsoft ® Windows ® Logo Key Functions <Fn><F3> Displays the Dell™ QuickSet Battery Meter <Fn><F7> Switches display output scaling from full-screen to centered to standard aspect ratio scaling for non-native resolutions on LCD or e xternal [...]

Using the Keyboard and T ouch Pad 37 T o adjust keyboar d operation, such as the character repeat rate, click → Control P anel → P rinters and Other Hardware → Ke y b o a r d . F or information about the Control P anel, see the W indows Help and Support Center (click the Start button or the W indows Vista® Start button → Help and Support .[...]

38 Using the Keyboard and T ouch Pad • T o select and move (or drag) an object, position th e cursor on the object and tap twice on the touch pad. On the second tap, leave your finger on the touch pad and move the selected object by sliding your finger over the surface. • T o double-click an object, position the cursor on th e object and tap tw[...]

Using the Keyboard and T ouch Pad 39 1 P u ll the cap off the track stick. 2 Align the new cap over the square track-stick po st and gently pr ess the cap down onto the post. NOTICE: The track stick can damage the display if it is not pr operly seated on the post. 3 T est the track stick to ensure that the cap is seated properly .[...]

40 Using the Keyboard and T ouch Pad[...]

Using Multimedia 41 Using Multimedia Playing CDs or DVDs NOTICE: Do not press down on the CD or DVD tray when you open or close it. Keep the tray closed when you are not using the drive. NOTICE: Do not move the computer wh ile playing CDs or DVDs. 1 P ress the eject button on the front of the drive. 2 P ull out the tray . 3 Place the disc, label si[...]

42 Using Multimedia 4 P u sh the tray back into the drive. T o format CDs for storing data, to create music CDs, or to copy CDs, see the CD software that came with your computer . NOTE: Ensure that you follow all copy right laws when you create CDs. Adjusting the V olume NOTE: When the speakers are mu ted, you do not hear the CD or DVD playing. 1 O[...]

Using Multimedia 43 Microsoft Windows XP 1 Click Start → Control P anel → Appearance and Themes . 2 Under Pick a task... , click Change the screen resolution . 3 Under Screen resolution , click and drag the bar to reduce the r esolution setting. 4 In the drop-down menu under Color quality , click Medium (16 bit) and click OK . Microsoft Windows[...]

44 Using Multimedia Microsoft Windows XP 1 Click the Start button, point to Settings , and then click Control P anel . 2 Double-click Display and click the Settings tab. 3 Click Advanced . 4 Click the tab for your video card. NOTE: T o determine the type of video car d installed in your co mputer , see the Windows He lp and Support Center . T o acc[...]

Using the Display 45 Using the Display Adjusting Brightness When a Dell™ computer is running on battery power , you can conserve power by setting the display brightness to the lowest comforta ble setting by pressing <Fn> an d the up- or down-arrow k ey on the keyboar d. NOTE: Brightness key combinations only affect the display on your porta[...]

46 Using the Display Y ou can enhance the legibility of te xt and change the appearance of images on the screen by adjusting display resolution. As you incr ease resolution, item s appear smaller on the sc reen. In contrast, lower resolution causes te xt and images to appear larger and can benefit people with vision impairments. T o display a progr[...]

Using the Display 47 Using an External Monitor Simultaneously as an Extension of Y our Computer Display Y ou can attach an e xternal monitor or projector to your computer and use it as an extension of your display (known as "dual independent display" or "extend ed desktop" mode). This mode allows you to use both screens independ[...]

48 Using the Display 3 In the Display Settings window , click the monitor 2 icon, click the Extend the desktop onto this monitor check box, and then click Apply . 4 Click OK to close the Display Settings window . T o disable extended desktop mode: 1 In the Display Settings window , click the Settings tab. 2 Click the monitor 2 icon, uncheck the Ext[...]

Using the Display 49 The ambient light sensor is disabled when your computer is shipped to you. If you enable the sensor and then use any of the display brightness key combinations, the sensor is disabled and the display brightness is increased or decr eased accordingly . Dell™ QuickSet allows you to enable or disable the am bient light sensor fe[...]

50 Using the Display[...]

Setting Up and Using Networks 51 Setting Up and Using Networks Connecting a Network or Broadband Modem Cable Before you connect your computer to a network , the computer must have a network adapter installed and a network cable connected to it. 1 Connect the network cable to the network adapte r connector on the back of your computer . NOTE: Insert[...]

52 Setting Up and Using Networks Setting Up a Network in Microsoft Windows V ista® 1 Click the W indows Vista Start button → Connect T o → Set up a connection or network . 2 Select an option under Choose a connection option . 3 Click Next , and then follow the instructions in the wizard. Wireless Local Area Network (WLAN) A WLAN is a series of[...]

Setting Up and Using Networks 53 The Wireless Network Connection P roperties window appears. The wireless network car d’s name and model number are listed on the General tab. NOTE: If your computer is set to the Classic Start menu option, you can view netw ork connections by clicking Start → Settings → Network Connections . If Wireless Networ[...]

54 Setting Up and Using Networks 13 Start your computer and wait until the boot process completes. 14 See the documentation that came with your wireless router to do the following in or der to set up the wireless router : • Establish communication between your co mputer and your wireless router . • Configure your wir eless router to co mmunicat[...]

Setting Up and Using Networks 55 If the Choose a wireless network window states Click an item in the list below to connect to a wireless network in range or to get more information , the W indows XP operating system is managing the wireless network car d. T o determine which wireless configuration utility is managing your wir eless network card in [...]

56 Setting Up and Using Networks Mobile Broadband or Wireless Wide Area Network (WW AN) Much like a WLAN, a Mobile Broadband network (als o known as a WW AN) is a series of interconnected computers that communicate with each other thr ough wireless technology . However , a Mobile Broadband network uses cellular technology and ther efor e provides I[...]

Setting Up and Using Networks 57 NOTE: The Mobile Broadband card is listed under Modems . Connecting to a Mobile Broadband Network NOTE: These instructions only apply to Mo bile Broadband ExpressCards or Mini-Cards. They do not apply to internal cards with wireless technology . NOTE: Before you connect to the Inte rnet, you must activate Mobile Bro[...]

58 Setting Up and Using Networks Managing Y our Network Settings Through the Dell QuickSet Location Profiler The QuickSet Location Profiler helps you manage network settings that correspond to your computer’s physical location. It includes two categories of profile settings: • Location Profile Settings • General Mobility Settings Y ou can use[...]

Setting Up and Using Networks 59 F or more information, see the Help an d Support Center for the Microsoft ® W indows ® XP operating system. T o access the Help and Support Center , click the Start button or the W indows Vista Start button → Help and Support .[...]

60 Setting Up and Using Networks[...]

Using Cards 61 Using Cards Card T ypes See "Specifications" on page 131 for information on supported card types. NOTE: A PC Card is not a bootable device. The PC Card slot has one connector that supports a sing le T ype I or T ype II card. The PC Car d slot supports CardBus technology and e xtended PC Cards. "T ype" of card r ef[...]

62 Using Cards CAUTION: Before you begin any of the procedures in this section, follow the sa fety instructions in the Product Information Guide . PC Card 1 Hold the card with its orientation symbol pointing int o the slot and the top side of the car d facing up. The latch may need to be in the "in" position before you insert the car d. 2[...]

Using Cards 63 The computer recognizes most cards and automaticall y loads the appropriate device driver . If the configuration program tells you to load the manufactu rer's drivers, use the floppy disk or CD that came with the card. If you have an adapter , such as the one shown belo w , you can use 34-mm ExpressCards in the PC Car d slot. F [...]

64 Using Cards NOTICE: Click the icon (in the taskbar) to select a card and stop it from fun ctioning before you remove it from the computer . If you do not stop the card in the configuration utility , you could lose da ta. Do not attempt to eject a card by pulling its ca ble, if one is attached. P ress the latch and remove the car d or blank. F or[...]

Securing Y our Computer 65 Securing Y our Computer NOTE: For information on how to secure your computer wh ile traveling, see "T rave ling With Y our Computer" on page 97. Security Cable Lock NOTICE: Before you buy an antitheft device, ensure that it wi ll work with the securi ty cable slot on your computer . NOTE: Y our computer does not[...]

66 Securing Y our Computer Installing a Smart Card Y ou can install a smart car d in the computer whil e the computer is running. The computer automatically detects the card. T o install a smart card: 1 Hold the card so that the gold contact pad is facing upward and pointing toward the smart card slot. 2 Slide the smart card into the smart car d sl[...]

Securing Y our Computer 67 A primary (or system) password, an administrator passwor d, and a hard d rive password all pr event unauthorized access to your comput er in different ways. The following table identifies types and featur es of passwords available on your computer . NOTICE: Passwords provide a high level of security for data in your compu[...]

68 Securing Y our Computer When you set an administrator password, the Configure Setup option becomes available in the system setup program. The Configure Setup option allows you to r estrict acce ss to system setup in the same way that a primary passwor d rest ricts access to the computer . The administrator password can be used instead of the pri[...]

Securing Y our Computer 69 There ar e two behaviors associated with this feature th at help to preserve the integrity of the har d disk’s password: • The administrative password will only work to unlo ck a har d disk on the computer on which the hard disk password was cr eated. This means a password-p rotected hard disk can not be r emoved from[...]

70 Securing Y our Computer d Once the process is complete, the computer either restarts automatically or prompts you to r estart your computer . Security Management Software The security management software is designed to utilize four differ ent features to help you secure your computer: • Log-in management • P re-boot authentication (using a f[...]

Securing Y our Computer 71 The Dell customer service repr esentative will log your report under the computer Service T ag and recor d the computer as missing or stolen. If someone calls Dell for technical assista nce and gives your Service T ag, the computer is identi fied automatically as missing or stolen. The representative will attempt to get t[...]

72 Securing Y our Computer[...]

T roubleshooting 73 T roubleshooting Dell T echnical Update Service The Dell T echnical Update service provides proact ive e-mail notification of software and hardwar e updates for your computer . The service is free an d can be customized for content, format, and how frequently you r eceive notifications. T o enroll for the Dell T echnic al Update[...]

74 T roubleshooting a When the DELL™ logo appears, press <F12> imme diately . Select Diagnostics from the boot menu and press <Enter>. NOTE: If you wait too long and the op erating sy stem logo appears, con tinue to wait until you see the Microsoft ® Windows ® desktop; then, shut down y our computer and try again. NOTE: Before attem[...]

T roubleshooting 75 2 After you have selected the Test System option from the main menu , the following menu appears. NOTE: It is recommended that you select Extended Test from the menu below to run a more thorough check of devices in the computer . 3 If a problem is encountered during a test, a message a ppears with an error code and a description[...]

76 T roubleshooting 5 When the tests are complete, close the test scr een to return to the Main Menu screen. T o exit the Dell Diagnostics and restart the computer , close the Main Menu screen. 6 Remove the Dell Drivers and Utilities media (if applicable). Dell Support Utility The Dell Support Utility is installed on your comput er and available fr[...]

T roubleshooting 77 • Check your computing environment. • View the Dell Support Utility settings. • Access the help file for the Dell Support Utility . • View fr equently asked questions. • Learn more about the Dell Support Utility . • T urn the Dell Support Utility off. Double-Clicking the Dell Support Icon Double-click the icon to man[...]

78 T roubleshooting CD and DVD drive problems NOTE: High-speed CD or DVD drive vibrati on is normal and may cause noise, which does not i ndicate a defect in the drive or the CD or DVD. NOTE: Because of different regions worldwide and different disc formats, not all DV D titles work in all DVD drives. Problems writing to a CD/DVD-RW drive C LOSE OT[...]

T roubleshooting 79 NOTE: The User Account Control window may appear . If you are an administrator on the computer , click Continue ; otherwise, contact your administrator to continue the desired action. 4 Click Scan for and attempt recovery of bad sectors → Start . E-Mail, Modem, and Internet Problems CAUTION: Before you begin any of the procedu[...]

80 T roubleshooting the keywor d spyware . Error Messages F ill out the Diagnostics Checklist (see "Diagnostics Checklist" on page 143) as you complete these checks. CAUTION: Before you begin any of the procedures in this section, follow the sa fety instructions in the Product Information Guide . If the message is not listed, see the docu[...]

T roubleshooting 81 computer , remove the hard drive (see "Hard Drive" on page 108), and boot the compute r from a CD or D VD. Then shut down the computer , reinstall the har d drive, and restar t the computer . Run the Har d-D isk Drive tests in the Dell Diagnostics (see "Dell Diagnostics" on page 73). H ARD - DISK DRIVE CONTRO[...]

82 T roubleshooting faulty or improperly seated. Reinstall the memory module s (see "Memory" on page 115) and, if necessary , replace them. M EMORY WRITE / READ FAILURE AT ADDRESS , READ VALUE EXPECTING VALUE — A memory module may be faulty or improperly seated. Reinstall the memory module s (see "Memory" on page 115) and, if [...]

T roubleshooting 83 Setup P rogram" on page 93). T IMER CHIP COUNTER 2 FAILED — A chip on the system board may be malf unctioning. R un the System Set tests in the Dell Diagnostics (see "Dell Diagnostics" on page 73). U NEXPECTED INTERRUPT IN PROTECTED MODE — The keyboar d controller may be malfunctioning, or a memory module may [...]

84 T roubleshooting NOTE: Use the integrated keyboard when ru nning the Dell Di agnostics or the system setup program . When you attach an external keyboa rd, the integrated keyboard remains fully functional. External keyboard problems NOTE: When you attach an external ke yboard, the integrated keyboard remain s fully functional. C HECK THE KEYBOAR[...]

T roubleshooting 85 The computer does not start up E NSURE THAT THE AC ADAPTER IS FIRMLY CONNECTED TO THE COMPUTER AND TO THE ELECTRICAL OUTLET . The computer stops responding NOTICE: Y ou might lose data if you are unable to perform an oper ating sy stem shutdown. T URN THE COMPUTER OFF — If you are unable to get a r esponse by pressi ng a key o[...]

86 T roubleshooting • If necessary , uninstall and then reinstall the program. B ACK UP YOUR FILES IMMEDIATELY U SE A VIRUS - SCANNING PROGRAM TO CHECK THE HARD DRIVE , FLOPPY DISKS , OR CD S S AVE AND CLOSE ANY OPEN FILES OR PROGRAMS AND SHUT DOWN YOUR COMPUTER THROUGH THE Start MENU S CAN THE COMPUTER FOR SPYWARE — If you are e xperiencing sl[...]

T roubleshooting 87 network connector on the back of the computer and the network connector . C HECK THE NETWORK LIGHTS ON THE NETWORK CONNECTOR — No light indicates that no network communication exists. Replace the network cable. P LUG THE A/C POWER ADAPTER INTO THE COMPUTER — If batter power only , the QuickS et utility can disable the onboar[...]

88 T roubleshooting If the battery status light flashes green and orange, the battery is too hot to char ge. Shut down the computer , disconnect the computer from the electr ical outlet, and then let the battery and computer cool to room temperature. If the battery status light rapidly flashes orange, the battery may be defective. Contact Dell (see[...]

T roubleshooting 89 Printer Problems F ill out the Diagnostics Checklist (see "Diagnostics Checklist" on page 143) as you complete these checks. CAUTION: Before you begin any of the procedures in this section, follow the sa fety instructions in the Product Information Guide . NOTE: If you need technical assistan ce for your printer , cont[...]

90 T roubleshooting Sound and Speaker Problems F ill out the Diagnostics Checklist (see "Diagnostics Checklist" on page 143) as you complete these checks. CAUTION: Before you begin any of the procedures in this section, follow the sa fety instructions in the Product Information Guide . No sound from integrated speakers A DJUST THE W INDOW[...]

T roubleshooting 91 C HECK THE MOUSE CABLE — Shut down the computer . Disconnect the mo use cable, check it for damage, and firmly reconnect the cable. If you are using a mouse e xtension cable, disconnect it and connect the mouse di rectly to the computer . T O VERIFY THAT THE PROBLEM IS WITH THE MOUSE , CHECK THE TOUCH PAD — 1 Shut down the c[...]

92 T roubleshooting If the display is difficult to read A DJUST THE BRIGHTNESS — P ress <Fn> and the up- or down-arrow key . M OVE THE EXTERNAL SUBWOOFER AWAY FROM THE COMPUTER OR MONITOR — If your external speak er system includes a subwoofer , ensure that the su bwoofer is at least 60 cm (2 ft) away fr om the computer or external monito[...]

Sy stem Setup Program 93 Sy stem Setup Program Overview NOTE: Y our operating sy stem may automatically configure most of the options available in the sy stem setup program, thus overriding options that you set throug h the sy stem setup program. (An exception is the External Hot Key option, which you can disable or enable only through the sy stem [...]

94 Sy stem Setup Program Sy stem Setup Screens NOTE: For information about a specific item on a sy stem setup screen, highlig ht the item and see the Help area on the screen. In the system setup program, primary categories of se ttings are listed on the left. T o view the types of settings in a category , highlight the category and press <Enter&[...]

Sy stem Setup Program 95 Performing a One-T ime Boot Y ou can set a one-time-only boot sequence without enter ing the system setup program. (Y ou can also use this procedure to boot the Dell Diagnostics on the diagnostics utility partition on your hard drive.) 1 Shut down the computer through the Start menu. 2 If the computer is connected to a dock[...]

96 Sy stem Setup Program[...]

T raveling With Y our Computer 97 T raveling With Y our Computer Identifying Y our Computer • Attach a name tag or business card to the computer . • W rite down your Service T ag and store it in a safe place away from the computer or carrying case. Use the Service T ag if you need to report a loss or theft to law enforcement officials and to De[...]

98 T raveling With Y our Computer T ravel T ips NOTICE: Do not move the computer while using the optical driv e to prevent loss of data. NOTICE: Do not check the co mputer as baggage. • Consider changing your power management opti ons to maximize battery operating time (see "Configuring P ower Managem ent Settings" on page 33). • If y[...]

Reinstalling Software 99 Reinstalling Software Drivers What Is a Driver? A driver is a program that controls a device such as a printer , mouse, or keyboar d. All devices require a driver program. A driver acts like a translator between the devi ce and any other programs that use the device. Each device has its own set of specialized co mmands that[...]

100 Reinstalling Software 2 Click P roperties → Device Manager NOTE: The User Account Control window may appear . If you are an administrator on the computer , click Continue ; otherwise, contact your administrator to continue the desired action. Scroll down the list to see if any device has an ex clamation point (a yellow circle with a [ !] ) on[...]

Reinstalling Software 101 In most cases, the media starts running automatically . If it does not, start W indows Explorer , click your CD or D VD drive directory to display the media contents, and then double-click the autorcd.exe file. The first time that you run the CD or D VD, it might prompt yo u to install setup files. Click OK , and follow th[...]

102 Reinstalling Software 2 Click P roperties → Device Manager . NOTE: The User Account Control window may appear . If you are an administrator on the computer , click Continue ; otherwise, contact your administra tor to enter the Device Manager . 3 Double-click the type of device for which you are installing the driver (for e xample, Audio or Vi[...]

Reinstalling Software 103 Using Microsoft Windows Sy stem Restore The Microsoft W indows operating systems provides a System Restore option w hich allows you to return your computer to an earlier operating state (without affecting data file s); if changes to the hardwar e, software, or other system settings ha ve left the computer in an undesirab l[...]

104 Reinstalling Software Enabling Sy stem Restore NOTE: Windows Vista does not disable Sy stem Restore, regardless of available disk space. Therefore, the following steps apply to Windows XP only . If you reinstall W indows XP with less than 200 MB of free hard-disk space available, System Restor e is automatically disabled. T o see if System Rest[...]

Reinstalling Software 105 NOTE: The next steps change the boot seq uence for one time only . On the next start-up, the computer boots according to the devices specifie d in the sy stem setup program. 4 When the boot device list appears, highlight CD/D VD/CD-RW Drive and press <Enter>. 5 P ress any key to select Boot from CD-ROM . 6 F ollow th[...]

106 Reinstalling Software[...]

Adding and Replacing Parts 107 Adding and Replacing Parts Before Y ou Begin This chapter provides procedures for r emoving and installing the components in your computer . Unless otherwise noted, each procedure assumes that the following conditions e xist: • Y ou have performed the steps in "T urning Off Y our Computer" on page 107 and [...]

108 Adding and Replacing Parts CAUTION: Before you begin any of the proc edures in this section, follow the safety instructions in the Product Information Guide . CAUTION: Handle components and cards with car e. Do not touch the components or contacts on a card. Hold a card by its edges or by its metal moun ting bracket. Hold a component such as a [...]

Adding and Replacing Parts 109 2 T urn the computer upside-down, and remove the two scr ews that secure the hard drive carrier to the chassis. NOTICE: When the hard drive is not in the computer , store it in protective antistatic packaging. See "Protecting Against Electrostatic Discharge" in the Product Information Guide . 3 Slide the har[...]

110 Adding and Replacing Parts Returning a Hard Drive to Dell Return your old hard drive to Dell in its original or comparable foam packaging. Otherwise, the hard drive may be damaged in transit. Media Bay NOTE: If the device security screw is not present, you c an remove and install devices while the computer is running and connected to a docking [...]

Adding and Replacing Parts 111 Removing and Installing Media Bay Devices NOTICE: T o prevent damage to devices, s tore them in a safe, dry place wh en they are not installed in the computer . Avoid pressing down on them or placing heavy objects on top of them. NOTE: If the device security screw is not installed, you can remove and install devices w[...]

112 Adding and Replacing Parts 5 P u sh the new device into the bay until it clicks. Hinge Cover CAUTION: Before you begin any of the procedures in this section, follow the sa fety instructions in the Product Information Guide . NOTICE: T o avoid electrostatic discharge, gr ound yourself by using a wrist gr ounding strap or by periodically touching[...]

Adding and Replacing Parts 113 4 Ease the hinge cover up, moving from right to left, and remove it. 5 T o replace the hinge cover , insert the left edge of the cover into the hinge cover slot, and press from left to right until the cover snaps into place. Keyboard CAUTION: Before you begin any of the procedures in this section, follow the sa fety i[...]

114 Adding and Replacing Parts 5 P u ll up on the pull-tab to disconnect the keyboar d cable connector from the keyboard connector on the system board. NOTICE: T o avoid scratching the palm rest wh en replacing the keyboard, hook the tabs along the front edge of the keyboard into the palm rest, and then secure the keyboard in place. T o replace the[...]

Adding and Replacing Parts 115 Memory Y ou can incr ease your computer memory by installi ng memory modules on the system board. See "Specifications" on page 131 for information on the memory supported by your computer . Install only memory modules that are intended for your computer . CAUTION: Before you begin any of the procedures in th[...]

116 Adding and Replacing Parts NOTICE: Insert memory modules at a 45-degree angle to avoid damaging the connector . NOTE: If the memory module is not installed properly , the computer may not boot pr operly. No error message indicates this failure. 6 Ground yourself and install the new memory module: a Align the notch in the module edge connect or [...]

Adding and Replacing Parts 117 2 T urn the computer upside-down, loosen the capti ve screw on the memory module cover , and then remove the cover . NOTICE: T o prevent damage to the memory module connector , do not use tools to spread the memory-module securing clips. 3 If you are r eplacing a memory module, remove the existing module: a Use your f[...]

118 Adding and Replacing Parts NOTICE: If you need to install memory mo dules in two connectors, install a memory module in the connector labeled “DIMM A” before you install a module in the conn ector labeled “DIM M B.” Insert memo ry modules at a 45-degree angle to avoid damaging the connector . NOTE: If the memory module is not installed [...]

Adding and Replacing Parts 119 T o confirm the amount of memory installed in the computer , click Start or → Help and Support → Computer Information . Subscriber Identity Module (SIM) Card CAUTION: Before you begin any of the procedures in this section, follow the sa fety instructions in the Product Information Guide . 1 F ollow the procedures [...]

120 Adding and Replacing Parts Wireless Local Area Network (WLAN) Cards 1 F ollow the procedures in "Before Y ou Begin" on page 107. 2 Remove the hinge cover (see "Hinge Cover" on page 112). 3 Remove the keyboar d (see "Keyboar d" on page 113). 4 Ground yourself by touching one of the me tal connectors on the back of t[...]

Adding and Replacing Parts 121 c Lift the card out of its connector . NOTICE: The card connector is keyed to ensu re correct insertion. If you feel resistance, reinstall the card to realign it in the connector . NOTE: Do not insert a WW AN card i nto the WLAN ca rd connector . NOTE: The WLAN card may have two or three antenna conn ectors, depending[...]

122 Adding and Replacing Parts Mobile Broadband or Wireless Wide Area Network (WWAN) Cards 1 F ollow the procedures in "Before Y ou Begin" on page 107. 2 Remove the hinge cover (see "Hinge Cover" on page 112). 3 Remove the keyboar d (see "Keyboar d" on page 113). 4 Ground yourself by touching one of the me tal connecto[...]

Adding and Replacing Parts 123 c Lift the card out of its connector . NOTICE: The card connector is keyed to ensu re correct insertion. If you feel resistance, reinstall the card to realign it in the connector . 6 Install the card. NOTICE: T o avoid damaging the WW AN card, never pl ace cables on top of or under the card. a Align the card with the [...]

124 Adding and Replacing Parts NOTE: If you order ed an FCM card with your computer , the card is already installed . 1 F ollow the procedures in "Befor e Y ou Begin" on page 107. 2 Remove the hinge cover (see "Hinge Cover" on page 112). 3 Remove the keyboar d (see "Keyboar d" on page 113). 4 Ground yourself by touchin[...]

Adding and Replacing Parts 125 NOTICE: When installing this card, ensu re that the two antenna cables are not under the card. The antenna cables are designed to lie acr oss the top of the FCM card and into the protective slee ve. Installing the card on top of these antenna cables may cause dama ge to your computer . Also , do not install the FCM ca[...]

126 Adding and Replacing Parts NOTICE: Be careful when removing the card to avoid damaging the card, card cable, or surrounding components. 3 Remove the card from its compartment in the computer . a W ith the front of the computer facing you, slide the card to the right. b Rotate the card towar d the front of the computer . c Lift the card out of t[...]

Adding and Replacing Parts 127 Coin-Cell Battery CAUTION: Before performing the followin g procedures, follow the sa fety instructions in your Product Information Guide . NOTICE: T o avoid electrostatic discharge, gr ound yourself by using a wrist gr ounding strap or by periodically touching a connector on the ba ck panel of the computer . NOTICE: [...]

128 Adding and Replacing Parts[...]

Dell™ QuickSet 129 Dell™ QuickSet Dell™ QuickSet provides you with ea sy access to configure or view the following types of settings: • Network connectivity • P ower management •D i s p l a y • System information Depending on what you want to do in Dell™ QuickSet, you ca n start it by either clicking , double - clicking , or right -[...]

130 Dell™ QuickSet[...]

Specifications 131 Specifications Processor P rocessor type Intel ® Core™ 2 Duo P rocessors L1 cache 64 KB (internal) L2 cache 4 MB External bus frequency 800 MHz Sy stem Information System chipset Intel PM965 Data bus width 64 bits DR AM bus width 64 bits P rocessor address bus width 36 bits Graphics bus internal PC Card CardBus controller O2Mi[...]

132 Specifications Interface speed 9600–115,200 BPS EMV level level 1 certified WHQL certification PC/SC Compatibility compatible within a PKI environment Insert/eject cycles certified for up to 100,000 cycles Memory Memory module connector two user-accessible SODIMM sock ets Memory module capacities 512 MB, 1 GB, 2 GB Memory type 667 DDR2 SDRAM [...]

Specifications 133 Network adapter 1-GB Ethernet LAN on system board W ireless internal WLAN, WW AN, and Bluetooth ® wireless support (if optional car ds are purchased) Video Video type discrete graphics on system boar d Video controller nVIDIA Quadro FX 360M Video memory nVIDIA Quadro FX 360M — 256 MB of video memory (dedicated) at <512 MB o[...]

134 Specifications Diagonal 390.57 mm (15.4 inches) Operating angle 0° (closed) to 180° Viewing angles: WXGA horizontal 40/40° WXGA vertical 10/30° WSXGA+ horizontal 65/65° WSXGA+ vertical 50/50° WUXGA horizontal 65/65° WUXGA vertical 50/50° Pix el pitch: WXGA 0.2588 (15.4-inch display) WSXGA+ 0.1971 (15.4-inch display) WUXGA 0.1725 (15.4-i[...]

Specifications 135 Height 48.88-mm (1.92-inch) rectangle T rack Stick X/Y position resolution (graphics table mode) 2 50 count/sec @ 100 gf Size protrudes 0.5 mm higher than surrounding keycaps Battery Ty p e : 9-cell lithium-ion battery 85 WHr 6-cell lithium-ion battery 56 WHr Dimensions: Depth 77.2 mm (3.08 inches) Height 20.0 mm (0.80 inch) Wi d[...]

136 Specifications Output power 90 W Rated output voltage 19.5 VDC Dimensions: Height 27.94 mm (1.1 inches) Wi d t h 58.42 mm (2.3 inches) Depth 133.85 mm (5.25 inches) W eight (with cables) 0.4 kg (0.9 lb) T emperature range: Operating 0° to 35°C (32° to 95°F) Storage –40° to 65°C (–40° to 149°F) Phy sical Height 35.7 mm (1.4 inches) W[...]

Specifications 137 Storage 163 G Altitude (maximum): Operating –15.2 to 3048 m (–50 to 10,000 ft) Storage –15.2 to 10,668 m (– 50 to 35,000 ft) Airborne contaminant level G2 or lower as defined by ISA-S71.04-1985 Environmental (continued)[...]

138 Specifications[...]

Getting Help 139 Getting Help Obtaining Assistance CAUTION: If you need to remove the comp uter covers, first disconnect the computer power and modem cables from all electrical outlets. If you experience a problem with your computer , yo u can complete the following steps to diagnose and troubleshoot the problem: 1 See "T roubleshooting" [...]

140 Getting Help DellConnect DellConnect is a simple online access tool that allows a Dell service and support associate to access your computer through a broadband connection, diagnose your problem and repair it all under your supervision. F or more information, go to support.dell.com and click DellConnect. Online Services Y ou can learn about Del[...]

Getting Help 141 AutoT ech Service Dell's automated support service—AutoT ech—provides recorded answers to the questions most fr equently asked by Dell customers about thei r portable and desktop computers. When you call AutoT ech, use your touch-tone telephon e to select the subjects that correspond to your questions. F or the telephone n[...]

142 Getting Help Returns that are missing any of the pr eceding requir eme nts will be refused at Dell’s r eceiving dock and ret u rn e d t o yo u . Before Y ou Call NOTE: Have your Express Servic e Code ready when yo u call. The code helps Dell’ s automated-support telephone sy stem direct your call more efficiently. Y ou may also be asked for[...]

Getting Help 143 Diagnostics Checklist Name: Date: Address: Phone number: Service T ag (bar code on the back or bottom of the computer): Express Servi ce Code: Return Material Authorization Number ( if provided by Dell support technician): Operating system and version: Devices: Expansion cards: Are you connected to a network? Y es No Network, versi[...]

144 Getting Help[...]

Appendix 145 Appendix Cleaning Y our Computer CAUTION: Before you begin any of the procedures in this section, follow the safety instructions in the Product Information Guide . Computer , Keyboard, and Display CAUTION: Before you clean your com puter , disconnect the compute r from the electrical outlet and remove any installed batteries. Cle an yo[...]

Appendix 146 Mouse NOTICE: Disconnect the mouse from the co mputer before cleaning the mouse If your screen cursor skips or mo ves abnormally , clean the mouse. Cleaning a Non-Optical Mouse 1 Clean the outside casing of the mouse with a cloth moistened with a mild cleaning solution. 2 T urn the retainer ring on the underside of your mouse countercl[...]

Appendix 147 Macrovision Product Notice This product incorporates copyright protection technology that is protected by U.S. patents and other intellectual property rights. Use of this copyright protection technology must be authoriz ed by Macrovision, and is intended for home and other limited viewing uses only unl ess otherwise authorized by Macro[...]

Appendix 148 Model number: PP04X Company name: Dell Inc. W orldwide Regulatory Compliance & Environmental Affairs One Dell W ay Round Rock, TX 78682 USA 512-338-4400[...]

Glossary 149 Glossary T erms in this Glossary are provided for informational purposes only and may or may not describe features included with your particular computer . A AC — alternating current — The form of electricity that powers your computer when you plug the AC adapter power cable in to an electrical outlet. ACP I — advanced configurat[...]

150 Glossary byte — The basic data unit used by your computer . A byte is usually equal to 8 bits. C C — Celsius — A temperature measur ement scale where 0° is the freezing point and 100° is the boiling point of water . cache — A special high-speed storage mechanism which can be either a reserved section of main memory or an independent h[...]

Glossary 151 unit size or stripe width . DMA — direct memory access — A channel that allows certain types of data transf er between RAM and a device to bypass the processor . docking device — See APR . DMTF — Distributed Management T ask F orce — A consortium of hardwar e and software companies who develop management standards for distrib[...]

152 Glossary you to use a second monitor as an extension of your display . Also referred to as dual display mode . extended PC Card — A PC Card that e xtends beyond the edge of the PC Card slot when installed. F Fa h r e n h e i t — A temperature measurement scale wher e 32° is the freezing point and 212° is the boiling point of water . FBD ?[...]

Glossary 153 components are fabricated for use in computer , audio, and video equipment. IDE — integrated device electronics — An interface for mass storage devices in which the controller is integrated into the hard drive or optical drive. IEEE 1394 — Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers, Inc. — A high-perfor mance serial bus [...]

154 Glossary computer . Because the data in memory is not permanent, it is recommended that you fr equently save your files while you are working on them, and always save your files before you shut down the comp uter . Y our computer can contain several different forms of memory , such as R AM, ROM, and video memory . F req uently , the word memory[...]

Glossary 155 providing a high-speed data path between the processor and devices such as vide o, drives, and networks. PCI Express — A modification to the PCI interface that boosts the data transfer rate between the processor and the devices attached to it. PCI Express can transfer data at speeds from 250 MB/sec to 4 G B/sec. If the PCI Expr ess c[...]

156 Glossary system board that k eeps the date and time after you shut down the computer . RT C R S T — real-time clock r eset — A jumper on the system board of some computers that can often be used for troubleshooting problems. S SAS — serial attached SCSI — A faster , serial version of the SCSI interface (as oppos ed to the original SCSI [...]

Glossary 157 resolutions up to 1280 x 1024. SXGA+ — super -extended graphics array plus — A video standard for video car ds an d controllers that supports resolutions up to 1400 x 1050. system board — The main circuit board in your computer . Also known as the motherboard . system setup — A utility that serves as an interface between the co[...]

158 Glossary video resolution — See r esolution . virus — A program that is designed to inconvenience you or to destroy data stored on your computer . A virus program moves from one computer to another through an infected disk, software down loaded from the Internet, or e-mail attachments. When an infected program starts, its embedded virus als[...]