Dell XPS RW491 manual

www .dell.com | support.dell.com Dell™ XPS™ M1330 Owner’ s Manual Model PP25L book.book Page 1 Tuesday, October 7, 2008 6:00 PM[...]

Notes, Notices, and Cautions NOTE: A NOTE indicates important information that helps you make better use of your computer . NOTICE: A NOTICE indicates either potential damage to ha rdware or loss of data and tells you how to avoid the problem. CAUTION: A CAUTION indicates a potential for property damage, personal injury , or death. ________________[...]

Contents 3 Contents Finding Information . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13 1 About Y our Computer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19 Determining Y our Co mputer’ s Configuration . . . . . . 19 Front View . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20 Left Side View . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24 Right Side View . . . . . .[...]

4 Contents Power Protection Devices . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 35 Surge Protectors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 35 Line Conditioners . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 36 Uninterruptible Powe r Supplies (UPS) . . . . . . . 36 3 Using the Sy stem Setup Program . . . . . . 37 Viewing the Sy stem Setup Screen . . . . . . . . . 38 Sy stem Se[...]

Contents 5 5 Using the Display . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 47 Adjusting Brightness . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 47 Switching the Video Ima ge From Y our Computer Display T o a Projector . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 47 Setting Display Reso lution and Refresh Rate . . . . . 47 6 Using a Battery . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . [...]

6 Contents Copying CDs and DVDs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 60 How to Copy a CD or DVD . . . . . . . . . . . . . 60 Using Blank CDs and DVDs . . . . . . . . . . . . 60 Helpful T ips . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 61 Adjusting the V olume . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 62 Adjusting the Picture . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . [...]

Contents 7 10 Setting Up and Using Networks . . . . . . . 73 Connecting a Network or Broadband Modem Cable . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 73 Setting Up a Network . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 74 Wireless Local Ar ea Network (WLAN) . . . . . . . . . 74 What Y ou Need to Establish a WLAN Connection . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .[...]

8 Contents 12 T roubleshooting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 87 Dell T echnical Update Service . . . . . . . . . . . . . 87 Dell Diagnostics . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 87 Dell Support Center . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 91 Dell Support 3 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 92 Dell PC T une-Up . . . . . . . . . [...]

Contents 9 Dell MediaDirect problems . . . . . . . . . . . . 106 Other software problems . . . . . . . . . . . . . 107 Memory Problems . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 108 Network Problems . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 108 Mobile Broadband (Wi reless Wide Area Network [WW AN]) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 109 Power Problems . . [...]

10 Contents 13 Adding and Replacing Parts . . . . . . . . . 127 Before Y ou Begin . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 127 Recommended T ools . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 127 T urning Off Y our Computer . . . . . . . . . . . . . 127 Before W orking Inside Y our Computer . . . . . . . 128 Hard Drive . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . [...]

Contents 11 Flash Cache Module (FCM) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 150 Removing the FCM . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 150 Replacing the FCM . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 151 Internal Card With Bluetooth ® Wireless T echnology . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 151 Removing the Card . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 151 Replacing[...]

12 Contents Product Information . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 161 Returning Items for Warran ty Repair or Credit . . . . . 162 Before Y ou Call . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 162 Contacting Dell . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 164 17 Specifications . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 165 A Appendix . . . . . . . . .[...]

Finding Information 13 Finding Information NOTE: Some features or media may be optional and ma y not ship with your computer . Some features or media may n ot be available in certain countries. NOTE: Additional information may ship with your computer . What Are Y ou Looking For? Find It Here • A diagnostic program for my computer • Drivers for [...]

14 Finding Information • W arranty information • T erms and Conditions (U.S. only) • Safety instructions • Regulatory information • Ergonomics information • End User License Agreement Dell™ Product Information Guide • How to set up my computer Setup Diagram NOTE: The appearance of your setup diagram may vary . What Are Y ou Looking [...]

Finding Information 15 • Service T ag and Expr ess Service Code • Microsoft ® W indows ® License Label Service T ag and Microsoft Windows Product Key These labels are located on your computer . • Use the Service T ag to identify your computer when you use support.dell.com or contact support. • Enter the Express Service Code to direct your[...]

16 Finding Information • Solutions — T roubleshooting hints and tips, articles from technicians, online courses, and frequently ask ed questions • Community — Online discussion with other Dell customers • Upgrades — Upgrade information for components, such as the memory , hard drive, and operating system • Customer Care — Contact in[...]

Finding Information 17 • Software upgrades and troubleshooting hints — F requently asked questions, hot topics, and general health of your computing environment Dell Support Utility The Dell Support Utility is an automated upgrade and notification system installed on your computer . This support provides real-time health scans of your computing[...]

18 Finding Information • How to reinstall my operating system Operating Sy stem Media The operating system is already installed on your computer . T o reinstall your operating system, use one of the following methods: • Microsoft W i ndows System Restore — Microsoft W indows System Restore returns your computer to an earlier operating state w[...]

About Y our Computer 19 About Y our Computer Determining Y our Computer’ s Configuration Based on selections that you made when purchasing your computer , your computer has one of several different video controller configurations. T o determine your computer ’s vid eo controller configuration: 1 C lick Start , and then click Help and Support . [...]

20 About Y our Computer Front V iew 1 c amera indicator 2 camera (optional) 3 display 4 media control buttons 5 keyboard 6 fingerprint reader (optional) 7 8-in-1 memory reader 8 microphone connector 9 a udio connectors 10 touch pad buttons 11 touch pad 12 media direct button 13 power button 14 dual digi tal microphones (optional) 3 4 13 2 5 12 10 8[...]

About Y our Computer 21 CAMERA INDICATOR — Indicates that the camera is turned on. Based on configuration selections that you made when ordering your computer , your computer may not include a camera. CAMERA ( OPTIONAL )— Built-in camera for video capture, confer encing, and chat. Based on configuration selec tions that you made when ordering y[...]

22 About Y our Computer FINGERPRINT READER ( OPTIONAL )— Helps to keep your Dell™ computer secur e. When you slide your finger over the read er , it uses your unique fingerprint to authenticate your user iden tity . F or information on ho w to activate and use the security management software that controls the biometric r eader , see "F in[...]

About Y our Computer 23 TOUCH PAD — P rovides the functionality of a mouse (see "T ouch P ad" on page 45). D ELL ™ M EDIA D IRECT ™ B UTTON — P ress the Dell MediaDirect button to launch Dell MediaDirect. F or mor e information, see "Using Dell MediaDir ect™" on page 63. POWER BUTTON — P r ess the power button to tur[...]

24 About Y our Computer If the computer is connected to an elec trical outlet, the light operates as follows: – Solid blue: The battery is char ging. – Flashing blue: The battery is almost fully char ged. – Off: The battery is adequately char ged. If the computer is running on a battery , the light operates as follows: – Off: The battery is[...]

About Y our Computer 25 AC ADAPTER CONNECTOR — Attaches an AC adapter to the computer . The AC adapter converts AC power to the DC p ower requir ed by the computer . Y ou can connect the AC adapter with your computer turned on or off. CAUTION: The AC adapter works with electrica l outlets worldwide. However , power connectors and power strips var[...]

26 About Y our Computer NETWORK CONNECTOR (RJ-45) NOTICE: The network connector is slightly larger than the modem connector . T o avoid damaging the computer , do no t plug a telephone line into the network connector . USB CONNECTOR HDMI CONNECTOR — High-Definition Multimedia Inte rface connector carries an uncompres sed all digital signal to pro[...]

About Y our Computer 27 E XPRESS C ARD SLOT — Supports one ExpressCar d. The computer ships with a plastic blank installed in the slot. F or more info rmation, see "Using Expr essCar ds" on page 67. OPTICAL DRIVE — F or more information about the optical drive, see "Using Multimedia" on page 57. USB CONNECTOR SECURITY CABLE [...]

28 About Y our Computer Back V iew AIR VENTS — The computer uses an internal fan to create airflow through the vents, which prevents the computer from over heating. NOTE: The computer turns the fa n on when the computer ge ts hot. Fan noise is normal and does not indicate a pr oblem with the fan or the computer . CAUTION: Do not block, push objec[...]

About Y our Computer 29 Bottom V iew 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 49). BATTERY RELEASE LATCH — Releases the battery (see "Replacing the Battery" on page 54 for instructions). BATTERY CHARGE / HEALTH GAUGE[...]

30 About Y our Computer MEMORY MODULE / COIN - CELL BATTERY COMPARTMENT — Covers the compartment that contains the DIMM 1 and DIMM 2 me mory modules and the coin-cell battery . F or additional informatio n, see "Adding and Replacing P arts" on page 127. WIRELESS MINI - CARD COMPARTMENT — Compartment for WLAN, WW AN, or FCM Mini-Cards [...]

Setting Up Y our Computer 31 Setting Up Y our Computer Connecting to the Internet NOTE: ISPs and ISP offerings vary by country . T o connect to the Internet, you need a modem or network connection and an Internet service provider (ISP). Y our ISP will offer one or mor e of the following Internet connection options: • DSL connections that provide [...]

32 Setting Up Y our Computer Setting Up Y our Internet Connection T o set up an Internet connection wi th a provided ISP desktop shortcut: 1 Save and close any open files, and e xit any open programs. 2 Double-click the ISP icon on the Microsoft ® W indows ® desktop. 3 F ollow the instructions on the scr een to complete the setup. NOTE: If you ar[...]

Setting Up Y our Computer 33 T ransferring Information to a New Computer Y ou can transfer the following types of data from one computer to another : • E-mail messages • T oolbar settings • W indow sizes • Internet bookmarks Use one of the following methods for transferring data: • Microsoft® W indows® Easy T ransfer wizar d, an Easy T [...]

34 Setting Up Y our Computer Printer Cable Y our printer connects to your computer us ing a USB cable. Y our printer may not come with a printer cable, so if you purchase a cable separately , ensure that it is compatible with your p rinter and computer . If you purchased a printer cable at the same time you p urchased your computer , the cable may [...]

Setting Up Y our Computer 35 3 T urn the printer on, and then turn the computer on. If the Add New Hardware Wizard window appears, click Cancel . 4 Click Start , and then click Network . 5 Click Add a printer to start the Add P rinter W izar d. NOTE: T o install the printer dr iver , see "Rei nstalling Drivers and Utilities" on page 117 a[...]

36 Setting Up Y our Computer Line Conditioners NOTICE: Line conditioners do not prote ct against powe r interruptions. Line conditioners are designed to main tain A C voltage at a fairly constant level. Uninterruptible Power Supplies (UPS) NOTICE: Loss of power while data is being saved to the hard drive may result in data loss or file damage. NOTE[...]

Using the Sy stem Setup Program 37 Using the Sy stem Setup Program NOTE: Y our operating sy stem may automatica lly configure most of the options available in sy stem setup, thus overriding options that you set through sy stem setup. An exception is the External Hot Key option, which you can disable or enable only through sy stem setup. For more in[...]

38 Using the Sy stem Setup Program V iewing the Sy stem Setup Screen 1 T urn on (or restart) your computer . 2 When the DELL logo appears, press <F2> immediately . If you wait too long and the Microsof t W indows logo appears, continue to wait until you see the W indows desk top, then shut down your computer and try again. Sy stem Setup Scree[...]

Using the Sy stem Setup Program 39 • USB Storage Device • CD/D VD/CD-R W drive • Modular bay HDD NOTE: Only devices that are preceded by a number are bootable. During the boot routine, t he computer starts at the top of the list and scans each enabled device for the operating system start-up files. When the computer finds the files, it stops [...]

40 Using the Sy stem Setup Program Cleaning Y our Computer CAUTION: Before you begin any of the proc edures in this section, follow the safety instructions located in the Product Information Guide . Computer , Keyboard, and Display CAUTION: Before you clean your computer , dis connect the computer from the electrical outlet and remove any installed[...]

Using the Sy stem Setup Program 41 T ouch Pad 1 Shut down and turn off your computer (see "T urning Off Y our Computer" on page 127). 2 Disconnect any attached devices from the computer and from their electrical outlets. 3 Remove any installed batteries (see "Battery P erformance" on page 49). 4 Moisten a soft, lint-fr ee cloth [...]

42 Using the Sy stem Setup Program Cleaning an Optical Mouse Clean the outside casing of the mouse with a cloth moistened with a mild cleaning solution. Media NOTICE: Alway s use compressed air to clean the lens in the optical drive, and follow the instructions that come with the compressed air produ ct. Never touch the lens in the drive. If you no[...]

Using the Keyboard and T ouch Pad 43 Using the Keyboard and T ouch Pad Numeric Keypad The numeric k eypad functions like t he numeric k eypad on an e xternal key b oa rd . • T o enable the keypad, pr ess <Num Lk >. The light indicates that the k eypad is active. • T o disable the keypad, pr ess <Num Lk> again. Key Combinations Sy st[...]

44 Using the Keyboard and T ouch Pad Power Management Microsoft ® Windows ® Logo Key Functions Dell™ QuickSet Key Combinations If Dell QuickSet is installed, you ca n use other shortcut k eys for functions such as the Battery Meter or activating power management modes. F or more information about Dell QuickSet ke y combinations, right-click the[...]

Using the Keyboard and T ouch Pad 45 T ouch Pad The touch pad detects the pressur e and movement of your finger to allow you to move the cursor on the display . Use the touch pad and touch pad buttons as you would use a mouse. • T o move the cursor , lightly slide your finger over the touch pad. • T o select an object, lightly tap once on the s[...]

46 Using the Keyboard and T ouch Pad Customizing the T ouch Pad Y ou can use the Mouse P roperties window to disable the touch pad or adjust the touch pad settings. 1 Click Start , and then click Control Pa n e l . 2 Click Hardware and Sound . 3 Click Mouse. 4 In the Mouse P roperties window : •C l i c k t h e Device Select tab to disable the tou[...]

Using the Display 47 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 comfortable level. • P r ess <Fn> and the up-arrow k ey to in cr ease brightness on the integrated display only (not on an external monitor). • P r ess <[...]

48 Using the Display Y ou can enhance the legibility of te xt and change the appearance of images on the screen by adjusting display r eso lution. As you increase r esolution, items appear smaller on the screen. In contrast, lower r esolution causes te xt and images to appear larger and can benefit people with vision impairments. T o display a prog[...]

Using a Battery 49 Using a Battery Battery Performance NOTE: For information about the Dell™ wa rranty for your computer , see the Product Information Guide or separate paper warranty document that shipped with your computer . F or optimal computer performance and to help pr eserve BIOS settings, operate your Dell portable computer with the main [...]

50 Using a Battery Y ou can check the battery charge befo re you insert the battery into the computer . Y ou can also set power manage ment options to alert you when the battery charge is low . CAUTION: Using an incompatible battery may increase the risk of fire or explosion. Replace the b attery only with a compatible battery purchased from Dell. [...]

Using a Battery 51 F or mor e information about QuickSet , right-click the QuickSet icon, and then click Help . Microsoft ® Windows ® Battery Meter The battery meter indicates the rema ining battery char ge. T o check the battery meter , double-click the icon in the notification area. Charge Gauge By either pressing once or pr essing and holding [...]

52 Using a Battery Low-Battery W arning NOTICE: T o avoid losing or corrupting data, sa ve your work immediately after a low-battery warning, then connect the computer to an electrical outlet. If the battery runs completely out of power , Sleep state begi ns automatically . A pop-up window warns you when the battery charge is approximately 90 perce[...]

Using a Battery 53 Using the Sleep Power State Rather than shutting down your portable computer , use the Sleep power state to conserve power . Sleep automatically saves your work to your hard drive, and then returns you to your pr evious work session without restarting your computer . NOTICE: If your computer loses AC and battery power while in Sl[...]

54 Using a Battery Replacing the Battery CAUTION: Using an incompatible battery may increase the risk of fire or explosion. Replace the b attery only with a compatible battery purchased from Dell. The battery is designed to work w ith your Dell computer . Do not use batteries from other computers with your computer . CAUTION: Before performing thes[...]

Using a Battery 55 Storing a Battery Remove the battery when you store your computer for an e xtended period of time. A battery discharges during prol onged storage. After a long storage period, r echar ge the battery fully (s ee "Charging the Battery" on page 53) before you use it. book.book Page 55 Tuesday, October 7, 2008 6:00 PM[...]

56 Using a Battery book.book Page 56 Tuesday, October 7, 2008 6:00 PM[...]

Using Multimedia 57 Using Multimedia Playing Media NOTICE: Do not move the computer while playing media. 1 P r ess the eject button located above the k eyboar d on the center -control cover . 2 Slide the disc, label side up, in the drive opening. T o format media for storing or copying data, see the media software that came with your computer . NOT[...]

58 Using Multimedia A D VD drive includes the following basic buttons: F or more information on playing media, click Help on the media player (if available). Playing Media Using Dell T ravel Remote (Optional) The Dell T ravel Remote is designed to control Dell Media Direct and W indows Vista Media Center . It can wo rk only with specified computers[...]

Using Multimedia 59 1 Infrared T ransmitter 2 Arrow Up 3 OK/Enter/Select 4 Arrow Right 5 Arrow Down 6 Play/Pause 7 Forward 8 Skip Forward 9 Stop 10 Skip Back 11 Reverse 12 Back 13 Arrow Left 14 Mute 15 V olume Down 16 Page Down 17 V olume Up 18 Page Up 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 14 13 12 11 10 17 15 18 16 book.book Page 59 Tuesday, October 7, 2008 6:00 PM[...]

60 Using Multimedia Copying CDs and DVDs This section applies only to compu ters that have a D VD+/-RW drive. NOTE: Ensure that you observe all copy right laws when copying media. NOTE: The types of optical drives offered by Dell may vary by country . The following instructions explain how to mak e an e xact copy of a CD or D VD. Y ou can also use [...]

Using Multimedia 61 Use blank CD-Rs to r ecor d music or p ermanently store data files. After creating a CD-R, you cannot write to that CD-R again (see the Sonic documentation for more information). Use a blank CD-RW if you plan to erase, rewrite, or update information on that disc later . Blank D VD+/-R media can be used to permanently stor e larg[...]

62 Using Multimedia • Use a blank CD-R W to practice CD r ecor ding until you ar e familiar with CD r ecording techniques. If you mak e a mistake, you can erase the data on the CD-R W and try again. Y ou can also use blank CD-R Ws to test music file projects before you r ecord the project permanently to a blank CD-R. • Commercially available D [...]

Using Multimedia 63 Using Dell MediaDirect™ Dell MediaDir ect is an instant-on mu ltimedia playback mode for digital media. P r ess the Dell MediaDir ect bu tton, located on the hinge cover , to launch Dell MediaDirect. When your com puter is turned off or in Sleep state, you can press the Dell MediaDir ect button to start the computer and automa[...]

64 Using Multimedia Connecting Y our Computer to a TV Using the HDMI Connector Y our computer features a high-defini tion multimedia interface (HDMI) connector , which allows you to connect the computer to a high-definition TV . T o use the HDMI interface, connect yo ur computer to the HDMI TV , then enable your computer ’s display and audio sett[...]

Using Multimedia 65 4 Click the tab for your video car d. NOTE: T o determine the type of video card installed in your computer , see Windows Help and Support. T o access Help and Support, click Start → Help and Support . Under Pick a T ask , click Use T ools to view your computer information and diagnose problems. Then, under My Computer Informa[...]

66 Using Multimedia book.book Page 66 Tuesday, October 7, 2008 6:00 PM[...]

Using ExpressCards 67 Using ExpressCards ExpressCar ds provide additional memo ry , multimedia, wired and wir eless communications, and security featur es . F or example, you can add an ExpressCar d to make wir eless wide ar ea network (WW AN) connectivity available on your computer . Expres sCar ds support two form factors: • Expr essCar d/34 (3[...]

68 Using ExpressCards Installing an ExpressCard Y ou can install an ExpressCar d whil e the computer is running. The computer automatically detects the car d. ExpressCar ds are generally mark ed with a symbol (such as a triangle or an arrow) or a label to indicate which end to insert into the slot. The cards ar e ke yed to prevent incorr ect insert[...]

Using ExpressCards 69 Removing an ExpressCard or Blank CAUTION: Before you begin any of the proced ures in this section, follow the safety instructions in the Product Information Guide . NOTICE: When installing or removing an expr ess card, please do not push express card and latch simultaneou sly . This action will damage express card reader . P r[...]

70 Using ExpressCards book.book Page 70 Tuesday, October 7, 2008 6:00 PM[...]

Using the Memory Card Reader 71 Using the Memory Card Reader The memory card r eader provides a fast and convenient way to view and share digital photos, music, and vide os stor ed on a memory car d. NOTE: A memory card reader is not a bootable device. The 8-in-1 memory card r eader reads the following memory car ds: • Secur e Digital (SD) •S D[...]

72 Using the Memory Card Reader CAUTION: Before you begin any of the proc edures in this section, follow the safety instructions in the Product Information Guide . T o install a memory card: 1 Hold the card with the top side of the car d facing up. 2 Slide the car d into the slot until the card is completely seated in its connector . NOTE: If you e[...]

Setting Up and Using Networks 73 Setting Up and Using Networks Setting up a computer network provid es connectivity between your computer and the Internet, another computer , or a network. F or example, with a network set up in a home or small office you can print to a shar ed printer , access drives and files on another compu ter , browse other ne[...]

74 Setting Up and Using Networks Setting Up a Network 1 Click Start , and then click Connect T o . 2 Click Set up a connection or network . 3 Select an option under Choose a connection option . 4 Click Next , and then follow the instructions in the wizard. Wireless Local Area Network (WLAN) A WLAN is a series of interconnected computers that commun[...]

Setting Up and Using Networks 75 Device Manager 1 Click Start , and then click Control P anel . 2 Click Classic V iew on the menu on the left side of the Control P anel . 3 Double-click Device Manager . NOTE: The User Account Control window may open. 4 Click Continue on the User Account Control window if it opens. 5 Click the + next to Network adap[...]

76 Setting Up and Using Networks 7 Disconnect the AC adapter cable from your wir eless router to ensur e that there is no power connected to the router . NOTE: W ait for a minimum of 5 minutes af ter disconnecting your broadband modem before continuing with the network setup. 8 Insert a network cable into the ne twork (RJ-45) connector on the unpow[...]

Setting Up and Using Networks 77 Connecting to a WLAN NOTE: Before you connect to a WLAN, ensu re that you have followed the instructions in "Wireless Local Area Network (WLAN)" on page 74. NOTE: The following networking instructions do not apply to internal cards with Bluetooth ® wireless technology or cellular products. This section pr[...]

78 Setting Up and Using Networks Monitoring the Status of the Wireles s Network Card Through Dell QuickSet The wire less activity indicator provides you with an easy way to monitor the status of your computer ’s wireless devices. T o turn the wireless activity indicator on or off, click the QuickSet icon in the taskbar and select Hotkey P opups .[...]

Setting Up and Using Networks 79 T o set up a Mobile Broadband network connection, you need: • A Mobile Broadband ExpressCar d or mini-card (depending on your computer ’s configuration) NOTE: For instructions on u sing ExpressCards, see "Using ExpressCards" on page 67. • An activated Mobile Broadband ExpressCar d or activated Subscr[...]

80 Setting Up and Using Networks Connecting to a Mobile Broadband Network NOTE: These instructions only apply to Mobile Broadband ExpressCards or Mini- Cards. They do not apply to internal cards with wireless technology . NOTE: Before you connect to the Internet, you must act ivate Mobile Broadband service through your cellular service provider . F[...]

Setting Up and Using Networks 81 If the switch is in the "on" position, move the switch to the "off" position to disable the switch and the Mobile Broadban d card. If the switch is in the "off" position, move the switch to the "on" position to enable the switch and the Dell Mobile Broadband card. F or informa[...]

82 Setting Up and Using Networks book.book Page 82 Tuesday, October 7, 2008 6:00 PM[...]

Securing Y our Computer 83 Securing Y our Computer Security Cable Lock NOTE: Y our computer does not ship wi th a security cable lock. A security cable lock is a commercially available antitheft device. T o use the lock, attach it to the security cable slot on your Dell™ computer . F or more information, see the instructions included with the dev[...]

84 Securing Y our C omputer When using passwords, observ e the following guidelines: • Choose a password that you can r emember , but not one that is easy to guess. F or e xample, do not use the names of family members or pets for passwor ds. • It is r ecommended that you do not write down your password. If you do write it down, however , ensur[...]

Securing Y our Computer 85 If Y our Computer Is Lost or Stolen • Call a law enforcement agency to r e port the lost or stolen computer . Include the Service T ag in your descri ption of the computer . Ask that a case number be assigned and write down the number , along with the name, addr ess, and phone number of the law enforcement agency . If p[...]

86 Securing Y our C omputer book.book Page 86 Tuesday, October 7, 2008 6:00 PM[...]

T roubleshooting 87 T roubleshooting Dell T echnical Update Service The Dell T echnical Update service provides proactive e-mail notification of software and har dware updates for your computer . The service is free and can be customized for content, format, and how fr equently you receive notifications. T o enroll for the Dell T echnica l Update s[...]

88 T roubleshooti ng Starting the Dell Diagnostic s From Y our Hard Drive The Dell Diagnostics is located on a hidden diagnostic utility partition on your hard drive. NOTE: If your computer cannot display a screen image, c ontact Dell (see "Contacting Dell" on page 164). NOTE: If the computer is connected to a dockin g device (docked), un[...]

T roubleshooting 89 Starting the Dell Diagnostics From the Drivers and Utilities Media 1 Insert your Drivers and Utilities media. 2 Shut down and r estart the computer . When the DELL logo appears, press <F12> immediately . NOTE: If you wait too long and the oper ating sy stem logo appears, continue to wait until you see the Microsoft ® Wind[...]

90 T roubleshooti ng Dell Diagnostics Main Menu After the Dell Diagno stics loads and the Main Menu screen appears, click the button for the option you want. NOTE: It is recommended that you select Test System to run a complete test on your computer . After you have selected the Test System option from the main menu, the following menu appears. NOT[...]

T roubleshooting 91 The following tabs provide additional information for tests run from the Custom T est or Symptom T ree option: Dell Support Center The Dell Support Center helps you find the service, support and system-specific information you need. F or more information about Dell Support Center and available support tools, click the Ser vices [...]

92 T roubleshooti ng Click the Dell Support Center icon on your computer ’s desktop to run the application and to access the following featur es: • Self - help tools such as, Dell Suppo rt 3, Dell PC T une-Up, Dell PC CheckUp, and Network Assistant • DellConnect for r emote, real-time, technical support • Dell support contact information in[...]

T roubleshooting 93 F or mor e information about Dell Support 3, click the question mark ( ? ) at the top of the Dell Support 3 window . T o access Dell Support 3: • Click the Dell Support 3 icon in the notification area of your W indows desktop. NOTE: The icon functions vary dependi ng on whether you click, double- click, or right-click the icon[...]

94 T roubleshooti ng Dell Network Assistant Designed specifically for users of De ll™ computers, the Dell Network Assistant helps simplify the setup, monitoring, tr oubleshooting, and repair of your network. The Dell Network Assistant provides the following features: • Consolidated setup, alerting, and device status • Simplified tracking of n[...]

T roubleshooting 95 E NSURE THAT M ICROSOFT W INDOWS RECOGNIZES THE DRIVE — • Click Start → Computer . If the drive is not listed, perform a full scan with your antivirus software to check for and r emove viruses. V iruses can sometimes pr event W indows from r ecognizing the drive. T EST THE DRIVE — • Insert another floppy disk, CD, or D[...]

96 T roubleshooti ng The drive makes an unfamiliar scraping or grinding sound • Ensure that the sound is not cause d by the program that is running. • Ensure that the disc is inserted properly . Hard drive problems A LLOW THE COMPUTER TO COOL BEFORE TURNING IT ON — A hot hard drive may prevent the operating system from star ting. T ry allowin[...]

T roubleshooting 97 U SE A DIFFERENT TELEPHONE LINE • V erify that the telephone line is conne cted to the jack on the modem (the jack has either a gr een label or a co nnector -shaped icon next to it). • Ensur e that you hear a click when you insert the telephone line connector into the modem. • Disconnect the telephone line from the modem a[...]

98 T roubleshooti ng Error Messages F ill out the "Diagnostics Checklist" on page 163 as you complete these checks. CAUTION: Before you begin any of the proc edures in this section, follow the safety instructions in the Product Information Guide . If the message is not listed, see the documentation for the operating system or the program [...]

T roubleshooting 99 T HE FILE BEING COPIED IS TOO LARGE FOR THE DESTINATION DRIVE — The file that you are trying to copy is too lar ge to fit on the disk, or the disk is full. T ry copying the file to a differ ent disk or use a larg er capacity disk. A FILENAME CANNOT CONTAIN ANY OF THE FOLLOWING CHARACTERS : / : * ? “ < > | — Do not [...]

100 T roubleshooti ng P ROGRAM — The system configuration info rmation does not match the hardwar e configuration. The message is most lik ely to occur after a memory module is installed. Corr ect the appr opriate options in the system setup program (see "Dell T echnical Support P olicy (U.S. Only)" on page 173). K EYBOARD CLOCK LINE FA[...]

T roubleshooting 101 VALUE — A memory module may be faulty or improperly seated. Reinstall the memory modules and, if necessary , replace them (see "Memory" on page 137). M EMORY WRITE / READ FAILURE AT ADDRESS , READ VALUE EXPECTING VALUE — A memory module may be faulty or im properly seated. Reinstall the memory modules and, if nece[...]

102 T roubleshooti ng S EEK ERROR — The operating system cannot find a specific track on the hard drive. S HUTDOWN FAILURE — A chip on the system boar d may be malfunctioning. R un the System Set tests in the Dell Diagnostics (see "Dell Diagnostics" on page 87). T IME - OF - DAY CLOCK LOST POWER — System configuration settings are c[...]

T roubleshooting 103 ExpressCard Problems CAUTION: Before you begin any of the proced ures in this section, follow the safety instructions in the Product Information Guide . C HECK THE E XPRESS C ARD — Ensur e that the Expr essCar d is properly inserted into the connector . C HECK THAT THE CARD IS RECOGNIZED BY W INDOWS — Double-click the Safel[...]

104 T roubleshooti ng Keyboard Problems CAUTION: Before you begin any of the proc edures in this section, follow the safety instructions in the Product Information Guide . F ill out the "Diagnostics Checklist" on page 163 as you perform the various checks. NOTE: Use the integrated keyboa rd when running the De ll Diagnostics or the sy ste[...]

T roubleshooting 105 4 F rom the W indows desktop, click Start → All P rograms → Accessories → Notepad . 5 T ype some characters on the internal keyboar d and verify that they appear on the display . If the characters appear now , but did not with the e xternal k eyboard, you may have a defective external k e yboar d. Contact Dell (see "[...]

106 T roubleshooti ng A program stops responding or crashes repeatedly E ND THE PROGRAM — 1 P r ess <Crtl><Shift><Esc> simultaneously . 2 Click the Applications tab and select the pro gram that is no longer r esponding. 3 Click End T ask . NOTE: The chkdsk program may run when yo u restart the computer . Follow the instructions [...]

T roubleshooting 107 C ANNOT PLAY SOME MEDIA FILES — Because Dell MediaDirect provides access to media files outside the W indows op erating system environment, access to licensed content is restricted. Licensed content is digital content that has Digital Rights Management (DRM) appl ied to it. The Dell MediaDirect environment cannot verify the D[...]

108 T roubleshooti ng R UN THE D ELL D IAGNOSTICS — If all tests run successfully , the error condition is r elated to a softwar e problem (see "Dell Diagnostics" on page 87). Memory Problems F ill out the "Diagnostics Checklist" on page 163 as you complete these checks. CAUTION: Before you begin any of the proc edures in this[...]

T roubleshooting 109 R ESTART THE COMPUTER AND LOG ON TO THE NETWORK AGAIN C HECK YOUR NETWORK SETTINGS — Contact your network administrator or the person who set up your network to verify that your network settings are correct and that the network is functioning. Mobile Broadband (Wireless Wide Area Network [WW AN]) NOTE: The Dell Mobile Broadb [...]

110 T roubleshooti ng Power Problems F ill out the "Diagnostics Checklist" on page 163 as you complete these checks. CAUTION: Before you begin any of the proc edures in this section, follow the safety instructions in the Product Information Guide . C HECK THE POWER LIGHT — When the power light is lit or blinking, the computer has power [...]

T roubleshooting 111 C ONNECT THE COMPUTER DIRECTLY TO AN ELECTRICAL OUTLET — Bypass power protection devices, power strips, and extension cables to verify that the computer turns on. E LIMINATE POSSIBLE INTERFERENCE — T urn off nearby fans, fluorescent lights, halogen lamps, or other appliances. A DJUST THE POWER PROPERTIES — See "Confi[...]

112 T roubleshooti ng Scanner Problems CAUTION: Before you begin any of the proc edures in this section, follow the safety instructions in the Product Information Guide . NOTE: If you need technical a ssistance for your scanne r , contact the scanner’ s manufacturer . C HECK THE SCANNER DOCUMENTATION — See the scanner documentation for setup an[...]

T roubleshooting 113 No sound from external speakers E NSURE THAT THE SUBWOOFER AND THE SPEAKERS ARE TURNED ON — See the setup diagram supplied with the spea ke rs. If your speak ers have volume controls, adjust the volume, bass, or treble to eliminate distortion. A DJUST THE W INDOWS VOLUME CONTROL — Click or double-click the speak er icon in [...]

114 T roubleshooti ng C HECK THE MOUSE CABLE — Shut down the computer , disconnect the mouse cable and check it for damage, then firmly r econnect the cable. If you are using a mouse e xtension cable, disconnect it and connect the mouse dire ctly to the computer . T O VERIFY THAT THE PROBLEM IS WITH THE MOUSE , CHECK THE TOUCH PAD — 1 Shut down[...]

T roubleshooting 115 T EST THE ELECTRICAL OUTLET — Ensure that the electrical outlet is working by testing it with another device, such as a lamp. C HECK THE AC ADAPTER — Check the AC adapter cabl e connections. If the AC adapter has a light, ensur e that the light is on. C ONNECT THE COMPUTER DIRECTLY TO AN ELECTRICAL OUTLET — Bypass power p[...]

116 T roubleshooti ng If only part of the display is readable C ONNECT AN EXTERNAL MONITOR — 1 Shut down your computer and connect an e xternal monitor to the computer . 2 T urn on the computer and the mo nitor , and then adjust the monitor brightness and contrast controls. If the external monitor works, the computer display or video controller m[...]

T roubleshooting 117 Identifying Drivers If you e xperience a problem with any de vice, identify whether the driver is the source of your problem and, if necessary , update the driver . 1 Click Start , and then right-click Computer . 2 Click P roperties , and then click Device Manager . NOTE: The User Account Control window may appear . If you are [...]

118 T roubleshooti ng Using the Drivers and Utilities Media If using Device Driver Rollback or Syst em Restore (see "Restoring Y our Microsoft® W indows Vista® Operating System" on page 120) does not resolve the problem, r einstall the driver from your Drivers and Utilities media. 1 W ith the W indows desktop displayed, insert your Driv[...]

T roubleshooting 119 Manually Reinstalling Drivers NOTE: If your computer has a Consumer IR port and you are reinstalling a Consumer IR driver , you must first enable the Consumer IR port in the sy stem setup program (see "Dell T echni cal Support Policy (U.S. Only)" on page 173) before continuing with the driver installation (see "R[...]

120 T roubleshooti ng T o start the Hardwar e T roubleshooter: 1 Click Start and click Help and Support . 2 In the F ind an answer section, click T roubleshooting . OR Ty p e hardware troubleshooter in the search field, then pr ess <Enter>. 3 In the search r esults, select the option that best describes the problem and follow the troubleshoot[...]

T roubleshooting 121 Using Windows V ista Sy stem Restore The W indows operating system provid es System Restore to allow you to r eturn your computer to an earlier operating state (without affecting data files) if changes to the har dwar e, software, or other system settings have left the computer in an undesirable operat ing state. See the W indo[...]

122 T roubleshooti ng NOTICE: Before you restore the computer to an earlier operating state, save and close all open files and e xit any open programs. Do not alter , open, or delete any files or programs until the sy stem restoration is complete. 1 Click Start → Control P anel → System and Maintenance → Back Up and Re store Center . 2 In the[...]

T roubleshooting 123 Restoring the Computer to the Default Factory Configuration The Dell F actory Image Restore option allows you to r estor e your har d drive back to its original fact ory configuration as when yo u first purchased it from Dell. This option appears on Dell comp uters that wer e originally pr e-installed with W indows Vista ® ope[...]

124 T roubleshooti ng Using the Operating Sy stem Media Before Y ou Begin If you are considering r einstalling the W indows operating system to correct a problem with a newly installed driver , first try using W indows Device Driver Rollback (see "Using W indows Device Driver Rollback" on page 117). If Device Driver Rollback does not re s[...]

T roubleshooting 125 4 Restart the computer . When the DELL logo appears, press <F12> immediately . NOTE: If you wait too long and the oper ating sy stem logo appears, continue to wait until you see the Microsoft Windows desktop, then shut down your computer and try again. NOTE: The next steps change the boot sequence for one time only . On t[...]

126 T roubleshooti ng book.book Page 126 Tuesday, October 7, 2008 6:00 PM[...]

Adding and Replacing Parts 127 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 procedur e assumes that the following conditions e xist: • Y ou have performed the steps in "T urning Off Y our Computer" on page 127 and[...]

128 Adding and Replacing Parts Before W orking Inside Y our Computer Use the following safety guidelines to help protect your computer from potential damage and to help ensure your own personal safety . CAUTION: Before you begin any of the proc edures in this section, follow the safety instructions in the Product Information Guide . CAUTION: Handle[...]

Adding and Replacing Parts 129 5 Close the cover , turn the computer over , and place the computer on a flat surface. 6 Slide and click the battery r elease latch. 7 Slide the battery out of the battery bay . 8 T urn the computer top-side up, open the display , and press the power button to ground the system board. 9 Remove any installed cards from[...]

130 Adding and Replacing Parts NOTE: Dell does not guarantee compatibility or provide support for hard drives from sources other than Dell. NOTE: If you are installing a hard drive fr om a source other th an Dell, you need to install an operating sy stem, drivers, and utilities on the new hard drive (see "Restoring Y our Microsoft® Windows Vi[...]

Adding and Replacing Parts 131 Replacing the Hard Drive 1 Remove the new drive from its packaging. Save the original packaging for storing or shipping the har d drive. NOTICE: Use firm and even pressure to slide the drive into place. If you use excessive force, you may damage the connector . 2 Slide the har d drive into the bay . 3 Replace and tigh[...]

132 Adding and Replacing Parts Hinge Covers and Center Control Cover CAUTION: Before you begin any of the proc edures in this section, follow the safety instructions in the Product Information Guide . NOTICE: T o avoid electrostatic discharge, ground yourself by using a wrist grounding strap or by peri odically touching an unpainted metal surface ([...]

Adding and Replacing Parts 133 5 Ease the center control cover up, and re move the cable that attaches it to the system boar d. 1 center control cover 2 hinge cover (2) 2 1 book.book Page 133 Tuesday, October 7, 2008 6:00 PM[...]

134 Adding and Replacing Parts Replacing the Hinge Covers and Center Control Cover 1 Reconnect the cable that attaches the center control cover to the system boar d, and snap the center control cover in place. 2 Replace the hinge covers. 3 T urn the computer over and replace the two M2 x 3-mm scr ews that secure the center control cover to the comp[...]

Adding and Replacing Parts 135 Keyboard F or mor e information about the k eyb oard, see "Using the K eyboard and T ouch P ad" on page 43. CAUTION: Before you begin any of the proced ures in this section, follow the safety instructions in the Product Information Guide . NOTICE: T o avoid electrostatic discharge, ground yourself by using a[...]

136 Adding and Replacing Parts 5 P ull up on the plastic bar that secur es the k eyboar d cable to the system boar d and remove the k eyboard Replacing the Keyboard 1 Slide the keyboar d connector into the slot until it clicks and pull down on the plastic bar that secur es the ke yb oard connector to the system boar d. 2 Align the five tabs along t[...]

Adding and Replacing Parts 137 Memory CAUTION: Before you begin any of the proced ures in this section, follow the safety instructions in the Product Information Guide . Y ou can increase your computer memory by installing memory modules on the system board. See "Specifications" on page 165 for information on the memory supported by your [...]

138 Adding and Replacing Parts NOTICE: T o prevent damage to the memory m odule connector , do not use tools to spread the memory mo dule securing clips. 3 Use your fingertips to carefully spr ead apart the securing clips on each end of the memory module connect or until the module pops up. 4 Remove the module from the connector . 1 M2.5 x 5-mm scr[...]

Adding and Replacing Parts 139 Replacing the DIMM 1 Memory Module NOTICE: T o avoid electrostatic discharge, ground yourself by using a wrist grounding strap or by peri odically touching an unpainte d metal surface (such as a connector on the bac k of the computer). 1 Align the notch in the module ed ge connector with the tab in the connector slot.[...]

140 Adding and Replacing Parts 3 Replace the module cover . 4 Insert the battery into the battery bay , or connect the AC adapter to your computer and an electrical outlet. 5 T urn on the computer . As the computer boots, it detects th e additional memory and automatically updates the system configuration information. T o confirm the amount of memo[...]

Adding and Replacing Parts 141 NOTICE: T o prevent damage to th e memory module connec tor , do not use tools to spread the memory mo dule securing clips. NOTICE: T o avoid electrostatic discharge, ground yourself by using a wrist grounding strap or by peri odically touching an unpainte d metal surface (such as a connector on the bac k of the compu[...]

142 Adding and Replacing Parts 4 Remove the module from the connector . Replacing the DIMM 2 Memory Module NOTICE: T o avoid electrostatic discharge, ground yourself by using a wrist grounding strap or by peri odically touching an unpainted metal surface (such as a connector on the ba ck of the computer). 1 Align the notch in the module edge connec[...]

Adding and Replacing Parts 143 NOTICE: If the cover is difficult to close, remove the module and reinstall it. Forcing the cover to close may damage your computer . 3 Replace the module cover . 4 Insert the battery into the battery bay , or connect the AC adapter to your computer and an electrical outlet. 5 T urn on the computer . As the computer b[...]

144 Adding and Replacing Parts Subscriber Identity Module Subscriber Identity Modules (SIM) id entify users uniquely through an International Mobile Subscriber Identity . CAUTION: Before you begin any of the proc edures in this section, follow the safety instructions in the Product Information Guide . NOTE: Only Cingular and V odafone need a SIM. V[...]

Adding and Replacing Parts 145 Removing a WLAN Card 1 F ollow the procedur es in "Befor e Y ou Begin" on page 127. 2 T urn the computer over . 3 Lo osen the captive scr ew on the co ver of the mini-car d compartment and r emove the cover . 1 captive screw 1 book.book Page 145 Tuesday, October 7, 2008 6:00 PM[...]

146 Adding and Replacing Parts 4 Disconnect the antenna cables from the WLAN car d. 5 Release the WLAN ca rd b y re m o vi ng t h e sc re w . 6 Lift the WLAN card out of its system board connector . 1W L A N C a r d 2 M2 x 3-mm screw 3 antenna cable connectors (2) 3 2 1 book.book Page 146 Tuesday, October 7, 2008 6:00 PM[...]

Adding and Replacing Parts 147 Replacing a WLAN Card NOTICE: The connectors are keyed to ensure correct insertio n. If you feel resistance, check the connectors on the card and on the sy stem board, and realign the card. NOTICE: T o avoid damage to the WLAN card, never place cables under the card. 1 Insert the WLAN card connector at a 45-degr ee an[...]

148 Adding and Replacing Parts 3 Loosen the captive screw on the cov er of the mini-car d compartment and r emove the cover . 4 Disconnect the two antenna cables from the WW AN car d. 1 captive screw 1W W A N C a r d 2 M2 x 3-mm screw 3 antenna cable connectors (2) 1 3 2 1 book.book Page 148 Tuesday, October 7, 2008 6:00 PM[...]

Adding and Replacing Parts 149 5 Release the WW AN car d by r emoving the screw . 6 Lift the WW AN card out of its system boar d connector . Replacing a WW AN Card NOTICE: The connectors are keyed to ensure correct insertio n. If you feel resistance, check the connectors on the card and on the sy stem board, and realign the card. NOTICE: T o avoid [...]

150 Adding and Replacing Parts Flash Cache Module (FCM) The FCM is an internal memory card th at helps improve the performance of your computer . The FCM card is also known as Intel T urbo Memory and the Intel Flash Cache L ogic Chip Mini-card. NOTE: This card is only compatible with the Microsoft Windows Vista™ operating sy stem. If you or der e[...]

Adding and Replacing Parts 151 Replacing the FCM NOTICE: Install the FCM in the WW AN or WP AN slot. Do n ot install an FCM in the WLAN card slot. Doing so may cause damage to your computer . 1 Insert the FCM connector at a 45-degr ee angle into the system board connector labeled "FCM". 2 P r ess the other end of the FCM down into the slo[...]

152 Adding and Replacing Parts Replacing the Card 1 Replace the car d at an angle to slide it under the securing tabs in the car d compartment. 2 Connect the cable to the car d. Coin-Cell Battery CAUTION: Before you begin any of the proc edures in this section, follow the safety instructions in the Product Information Guide . NOTICE: T o avoid elec[...]

Adding and Replacing Parts 153 Removing the Coin-Cell Battery 1 F ollow the procedur es in "Befor e Y ou Begin" on page 127. 2 T urn the computer over and loosen th e three captive scr ews along with the M2.5 x 5-mm scr ew . Remove the module cover . 3 Disconnect the coin-cell battery cable from the system boar d. 4 Slide the coin-cell ba[...]

154 Adding and Replacing Parts book.book Page 154 Tuesday, October 7, 2008 6:00 PM[...]

Dell™ QuickSet 155 Dell™ QuickSet NOTE: This feature may not be available on your computer . Dell QuickSet provides you with easy 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 can start it [...]

156 Dell™ QuickSet book.book Page 156 Tuesday, October 7, 2008 6:00 PM[...]

T raveling With Y our Computer 157 T raveling With Y our Computer Identifying Y our Computer • Attach a name tag or business car d to the computer . • W rite down your Service T ag and s tor e 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 enforcemen t officials and [...]

158 T raveling With Y our Computer • P rotect the computer , the batteries, a nd the hard drive from hazar ds such as extr eme temperatures and over e xposure to sunlight, dirt, dust, or liquids. • P ack the computer so that it does no t slide around in the trunk of your car or in an over head storage compartment. T ravel T ips NOTICE: Do not m[...]

Getting Help 159 Getting Help Obtaining Assistance CAUTION: If you need to remove the comp uter cover , first disconnect the computer power and modem c ables from all electrical outlets. If you e xperience a problem with yo ur computer , you can complete the following steps to diagnose and troubleshoot the problem: 1 See "T roubleshooting"[...]

160 Getting Help T echnical Support and Customer Service Dell's support service is available to answer your questions about Dell™ hardwar e. Our support staff uses computer -based diagnostics to provide fast, accurate answers. T o contact Dell's support service, see "Before Y ou Call" on page 162, and then see "Contacting[...]

Getting Help 161 • Dell Mark eting and Sales e-mail addr esses apmarketing@dell.com (Asian/P acific countries only) sales_canada@dell.com (Canada only) • Anonymous file transfer protocol (FTP) ftp.dell.com Log in as user: anonymous , and use your e-mail address as your passwor d. AutoT ech Service Dell's automated support service—Au toT [...]

162 Getting Help Returning Items for W arranty Repair or Credit P r epar e all items being r eturned, whether for r epair or credit, as follows: 1 Call Dell to obtain a Return Materi al Authorization Number , and write it clearly and prominently on the outside of the box. F or the telephone number to call for your r egion, see "Contacting Dell[...]

Getting Help 163 Diagnostics Checklist Name: Date: Address: Phone number: Service T ag (bar code on the back or bottom of the computer): Expres s Service 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[...]

164 Getting Help Contacting Dell NOTE: If you do not have an active Internet connection, yo u can find contact information on your purchase invoice, pa cking slip, bill, or Dell product catalog. Dell provides several online and teleph one-based support and service options. A vailability varies by country and product, and some services may not be av[...]

Specifications 165 Specifications NOTE: Offerings may vary by region. Fo r more information regarding the configuration of yo ur computer , click Start , click Help and Support , and then select the option to view information about your computer . Processor P rocessor type Intel ® Cor e™2 Duo Celeron ® L1 cache 32 KB per instruction, 32 KB data[...]

166 Specifications Cards supported ExpressCard/34 (34 mm) ExpressCar d/54 (54 mm) 1.5 V and 3.3 V ExpressCar d connector size 26 pins 8-in-1 Memory Card Reader 8-in-1 memory card controller Ricoh R5C833 8-in-1 memory card connector 8-in-1 combo car d connector Cards supported • Secure Digital (SD) •S D I O • MultiMediaCard (MMC) •M e m o r [...]

Specifications 167 Ports and Connectors Audio microphone connector , stereo headphone/speakers connector IEEE 1394 4-pin serial connector Consumer IR sensor compatible with Philips RC6 (receive only) Mini-card three T ype IIIA mini-card slots HDMI connector 19-pin Network adapter RJ-45 port USB two 4-pin USB 2.0-compliant connector Vid eo 15-hole c[...]

168 Specifications Video type: discrete video car d Data bus PCI Express X16 Video controller nVIDIA GeF orce 8400M GS Video memory 128 MB GeF orce 8400M GS LCD interface LV D S TV support HDMI mode Audio Audio type 5.1 channel High Definition Audio Audio controller Sigmatel ST AC9228 Stereo conversion 24-bit (analog-to-digital and digital-to- anal[...]

Specifications 169 Operating angle 0 ° (closed) to 140° Luminance 250 min. 300 typ. cd/m² (LED 5 point avg) 200 min. 220 typ. cd/m² (CCFL 5 point avg) Viewing angles: Horizontal ±40° (CCFL) min. ±50° (LED) min. V ertical +15°/–30° (CCFL) min. +40°/-50° (LED) min. Pix el pitch: WXGA 0.2235 mm Controls brightness can be controlled throu[...]

170 Specifications Battery T ype 9-cell "smart" lithium ion 6-cell "smart" lithium ion Dimensions: Depth 67.6 mm (2.66 inches) (9 cell) 47.5 mm (1.87 inches) (6 cell) Height 20.4 mm (0.8 inch) Wi d t h 209.9 mm (8.26 inches) W eight 0.48 kg (1.06 lb) (9 cell) 0.33 kg (0.7 lb) (6 cell) V oltage 11.1 VDC Charge time (approximate) [...]

Specifications 171 AC Adapter T ypes 65W (D-Series) 90W (D-Series and E-Series) Input voltage 100–240 V AC Input current (maximum) 1.5 A/1.6 A Input frequency 50–60 Hz Output current 65W 3.9 A (maximum at 4-second pulse) 3.34 A (continuous) 90W 5.62 A (maximum at 4-second pulse) 4.62 A (continuous) Output power 65W or 90W Rated output voltage 1[...]

172 Specifications 1 Using a random vibration spectrum that simulates user environment. 2 Measured with hard drive in operating status and a 2-ms half-sine pulse for operating. Also measured with hard drive in head-parked pos ition and a 2-ms halfsine pluse for storage. T emperatur e range: Operating 0° to 35°C (32° to 95°F) Storage –40° to [...]

Appendix 173 Appendix Dell T echnical Support Policy (U.S. Only) T echnician assisted technical supp ort requir es the cooperation and participation of the customer in the tr oubleshooting process and provides for r estoration of the operating system, softwar e programs, and hardwar e drivers to the original default configuration as shipped from De[...]

174 Appendix Definition of "Third-Party" Software and Peripherals Third-party softwar e and peripherals include any peripheral, accessory , or software program sold by Dell not un der the Dell brand (printers, scanners, cameras, games, etc). Support for all th ir d-party softwar e and peripherals is provided by the original manufacturer o[...]

Appendix 175 The following information is provided on the device or devices cover ed in this document in compliance with the FCC r egulations: Macrovision Product Notice This product incorporates copy protecti on technology that is protected by U.S. and fore ign patents, including patent numbers 5,315,448 and 6,836,549, and other intellectual prope[...]

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Glossary 177 Glossary T erms in this Glossary are provided fo r informational purposes only and may or may not describe features inclu ded 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 configur[...]

178 Glossary BIOS — basic input/output system — A prog ram (or utility) that serves as an interface between the computer hardwar e and the operating system. Unless you understand what effect these settings have on the computer , do not change them. Also referr ed to as system setup . bit — The smallest unit of data interpr eted by your comput[...]

Glossary 179 CD-R — CD recor dable — A recordable version of a CD. Data can be r ecor ded only once onto a CD-R. Once recor ded, the data cannot be erased or written over . CD-R W — CD rewritable — A r ewritable version of a CD. Data can be written to a CD-R W disc, and then erased and written over (r ewritten). CD-R W drive — A drive tha[...]

180 Glossary DIMM — dual in-line memory module — A circuit boar d with memory chips that connects to a memory module on the system board. DIN connector — A round, six-pin connector th at conforms to DIN (Deutsche Industrie-Norm) standards; it is typically used to connect PS/2 k eyboar d or mouse cable connectors. disk stripi ng — A techniqu[...]

Glossary 181 D VD+R W drive — drive that can r ead D VDs and most CD media and write to D VD+R W (r ewritable D VDs) discs. DV I — digital video interface — A standard for digital transmission between a computer and a digital video display . E ECC — error checking and correction — A type of memory that includes special circuitry for testi[...]

182 Glossary 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 — fully-buffer ed DIMM — A DIMM with DDR2 DRAM chips and an Advanced Memory Buffer (AMB) that speeds communication between the DDR2 SDR AM chips and the system. FCC — F ederal Communications Com[...]

Glossary 183 H hard drive — A drive that reads and writes data on a hard disk. The terms hard drive and har d disk ar e often used interchangeably . heat sink — A metal plate on some proce ssors that helps dissipate heat. hibernate mode — A power management mode that saves everything in memory to a reserved space on the har d drive and then t[...]

184 Glossary I/O address — An address in R AM that is associat ed with a specific device (such as a serial connector , parallel connector , or ex pansion slot) and allows the processor to communicate with that device. IrD A — Infrar ed Data Association — The or ganization that cr eates international standards for infrar ed communications. IRQ[...]

Glossary 185 M Mb — megabit — A measuremen t of memory chip capacity that equals 1024 Kb. Mbps — megabits per second — One million bits per second. This measur ement is typically used for transmission speeds for networks and modems. MB — megabyte — A measurement of data st orage that equals 1,048,576 bytes. 1 M B equals 1024 KB. When us[...]

186 Glossary modem — A device that allows your computer to communicate with other computers over analog telephone lines. Three types of modems include: external, PC Car d, and internal. Y ou typically use your modem to co nnect to the Internet and ex change e-mail. module bay — See media bay . MP — megapix el — A measure of image r e soluti[...]

Glossary 187 PC Card — A removable I/O car d adhering to the PCMCIA standar d. Modems and network adapters are common types of PC Car ds. PCI — peripheral component interconnect — PCI is a local bus that supports 32-and 64-bit data paths, providing a high-speed data path betwee n the processor and devices such as video , drives, and networks.[...]

188 Glossary RA M — random-access memory — The primary temporary storage area for program instructions and data. Any information stored in R AM is lost when you shut down your computer . readme file — A text file included with a softwar e package or hardware product. T ypically , r eadme files provide installati on information and describe ne[...]

Glossary 189 ScanDisk — A Microsoft utility that checks files , folders, and the har d disk’s surface for errors. ScanDisk often runs when yo u restart the computer after it has stopped responding. SCSI — small computer system interface — A high-speed interface used to connect devices to a computer , such as hard driv es, CD drives, printer[...]

190 Glossary surge protectors — P revent voltage spik es, such as those that may occur during an electrical storm, from entering the co mputer through the electrical outlet. Surg e protectors do not protect against lightning strikes or against brownouts, which occur when the voltage drops more than 20 perce nt below the normal AC-line voltage lev[...]

Glossary 191 U UAC — user account control— Microsoft W indows ® Vista™ security featur e that, when enabled, provides an added layer of security between user accounts and access to operating system settings. UMA — unified memory allocation — System memory dynamically allocated to video . UPS — uninterruptible power supply — A backup [...]

192 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 fr om one computer to another through an infected disk, software downloaded from th e Internet, or e-mail attachments. When an infected program starts, it s embedded virus a[...]

Glossary 193 X XGA — extended graphics array — A video st andar d for video ca r ds and controllers that supports resoluti ons up to 1024 x 768. Z ZIF — zero insertion force — A type of so cket or connector that allows a computer chip to be installed or removed with no st r ess applied to either the chip or its sock et. Zip — A popular da[...]

194 Glossary book.book Page 194 Tuesday, October 7, 2008 6:00 PM[...]

Index 195 Index Numerics 8-in-1 memory card r eader , 71 A audio . See sound B battery charge gauge, 5 1 charging, 5 3 checking the char ge, 5 0 performance, 4 9 power meter , 5 1 re moving, 5 4 replacing coin-cell battery , 1 5 2 storing, 5 5 blanks E x p r e s s C a r d s , 67, 71 r e m o v i n g , 69, 72 Bluetooth wir eless technology card devic[...]

196 Index copying D VDs general information, 6 0 helpful tips, 6 1 how to , 6 0 D Dell contacting, 1 6 4 Dell Diagnostics about , 8 7 starting from the Drivers and Utilities media, 8 9 starting from your hard drive, 8 8 Dell MediaDirect about , 2 3 p r o b l e m s , 106 Dell support site, 16 DellConnect, 160 Device Driver Rollback, 117 device latch[...]

Index 197 Expr essCards, 67 b l a n k s , 67, 69, 71 installing, 6 8 re moving, 6 9 F FCM. See Flash Cache Module Flash Cache Module, 150 H har d drive problems, 9 6 re placing, 1 2 9 re turning to Dell, 1 3 1 hardwar e Dell Diagnostics, 8 7 Hardwar e T ro ubleshooter , 119 hinge cover r e m o v i n g , 132 I icons adjusting the size, 1 5 5 IEEE 13[...]

198 Index memory car d reade r , 71 memory module cover description, 3 0 messages error , 9 8 Mini-Card installing, 1 4 4 Mobile Broadband network connections, 7 8 p r o b l e m s , 108 See also wireless switch modem connector description, 2 9 monitor . See display N network installing WLAN Mini-Card, 1 4 4 Mobile Broadband ( W W A N ) , 108 p r o [...]

Index 199 har d drive, 9 6 IEEE 1394 connector , 1 0 3 k e y b o a r d , 104 lockups, 1 0 5 network, 1 0 8 p o w e r , 110 power light conditions, 1 1 0 printer , 1 1 1 program crashes re peatedly , 1 0 6 program stops r esponding, 1 0 6 programs and W indows compatibility , 1 0 6 re store computer to pr evious operating state, 1 2 1 restor e opera[...]

200 Index support contacting Dell, 1 6 4 support website, 16 System Restore, 120-121 system setup program commonly used options, 3 8 screens, 3 8 viewing, 3 8 T taskbar QuickSet icon, 1 5 5 telephone numbers, 164 toolbars adjusting the size, 1 5 5 touch pad, 45 cleaning, 4 1 customizing, 4 6 touch pad buttons description, 2 2 track stick/touch pad [...]

Index 201 W indows Vista P rogram Compatibility w i z a r d , 106 reinstalling, 1 2 1 S y s t e m R e s t o r e , 120-121 W indows Easy T ransfer wizard, 3 3 wir eless turning activity on and off, 1 5 5 wizar ds P rogram Compatibility w i z a r d , 106 W indows Easy T ransfer , 3 3 WLAN, 145 installing Mini-Card, 1 4 4 WW AN installing, 1 4 7 See M[...]

202 Index book.book Page 202 Tuesday, October 7, 2008 6:00 PM[...]