FCC ID: QDS-BRCM1022 802.11ag/Draft 802.11n WLAN PCI-E Mini Card

 

FCC Statements The radiated output power of Dell wireless WLAN card devices is far below the FCC radio frequency exposure limits. Nevertheless, the device should be used in such a manner that the potential for human contact during normal operation is minimized. To avoid the possibility of exceeding the FCC radio frequency exposure limits, you should keep a distance of at least 20 cm between you (or any other person in the vicinity) and the antenna that is built into the device. To determine the location of the antenna within your portable computer, check the information posted on the general Dell support site at http://support.dell.com/. These devices have also been evaluated and shown to comply with the FCC RF exposure limits under portable exposure conditions (antennas are within 20 cm of a person's body) when installed in certain specific OEM configurations. Details of found at http://www.fcc.gov/oet/ea by entering the FCC ID number on the device. the authorized configurations can be 5 GHz Statements These devices are restricted to indoor use because they operate in the 5.15 to 5.25GHz frequency range. The FCC requires such products to be used indoors for the frequency range 5.15 GHz to 5.25 GHz to reduce the potential for harmful interference to cochannel Mobile Satellite systems. Highpower radars are allocated as primary users of the 5.25 to 5.35GHz and 5.65 to 5.85GHz bands. These radar stations can cause interference with or damage to these devices, or both.

 

 

Dell XPS M1530 Owners Manual Model PP28L w w w . d e l l . c o m | s u p p o r t . d e l l . c o m Notes, Notices, and Cautions NOTE: A NOTE indicates important information that helps you make better use of your computer. NOTICE: A NOTICE indicates either potential damage to hardware or loss of data and tells you how to avoid the problem. CAUTION: A CAUTION indicates a potential for property damage, personal injury, or death. ____________________ Information in this document is subject to change without notice. 2007 Dell Inc. All rights reserved. Reproduction in any manner whatsoever without the written permission of Dell Inc. is strictly forbidden. Trademarks used in this text: Dell, the DELL logo, XPS, Wi-Fi Catcher, and Dell MediaDirect are trademarks of Dell Inc.; Intel is a registered trademark and Core is a trademark of Intel Corporation;

Microsoft, Windows, and Windows Vista are either trademarks or registered trademarks of Microsoft Corporation in the United States and/or other countries; Blu-ray Disc is a trademark of the Blu-ray Disc Association; Bluetooth is a registered trademark owned by Bluetooth SIG, Inc. and is used by Dell under license. Other trademarks and trade names may be used in this document to refer to either the entities claiming the marks and names or their products. Dell Inc. disclaims any proprietary interest in trademarks and trade names other than its own. Model PP28L October 2007 P/N RU335 Rev. A00 Contents Finding Information . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13 1 Setting Up Your Computer . . . . . . . . . . . . 19 Connecting to the Internet . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19 Setting Up Your Internet Connection . . . . . . . . 20 Transferring Information to a New Computer . . . . . 21 Setting Up a Printer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21 Printer Cable . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21 Connecting a USB Printer . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22 Power Protection Devices . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23 Surge Protectors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23 Line Conditioners . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23 Uninterruptible Power Supplies . . . . . . . . . . 24 2 About Your Computer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25 Front View . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25 Left Side View . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 31 Right Side View . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 32 Back View . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 34 Bottom View . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 36 Contents 3 3 Using the Keyboard and Touchpad . . . . . 39 Numeric Keypad . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 39 Key Combinations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 39 System Functions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 39 Display Functions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 39 Battery . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 39 Power Management . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Microsoft Windows Logo Key Functions . . . . 40 40 Dell QuickSet Key Combinations . . . . . . . . . 40 Adjusting Keyboard Settings . . . . . . . . . . . . 40 Touch Pad . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 41 Customizing the Touch Pad . . . . . . . . . . . . . 42 4 Using the Display . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 43 Adjusting Brightness . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 43 Switching the Video Image From Your Computer Display To a Projector . . . . . . . . . . . . 43 Setting Display Resolution and Refresh Rate . . . . . . 44 5 Using a Battery . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 45 Battery Performance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 45 Checking the Battery Charge . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 46 Dell QuickSet Battery Meter . . . . . . . . . . . . Microsoft Windows Battery Meter . . . . . . . 46 47 Charge Gauge . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 47 Low-Battery Warning . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 48 4 Contents Conserving Battery Power . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 48 Configuring Power Management Settings . . . . . 48 Using the Sleep Power State . . . . . . . . . . . 49 Charging the Battery . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 49 Replacing the Battery . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 50 Storing a Battery . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 51 6 Using Multimedia . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 53 Playing Media . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 53 Playing Media Using Dell Travel Remote Control . . . 54 Copying CD, DVD, and Blu-ray Disc (BD) Media . . . 56 How to Copy a CD, DVD or BD . . . . . . . . . . . 56 Using Blank CD, DVD, and BD Media . . . . . . . 57 Helpful Tips . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 58 Adjusting the Volume . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 59 Adjusting the Picture . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 60 Using Dell MediaDirect . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 60 Connecting Your Computer to a TV or Audio Device . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 61 HDMI . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 63 S-Video and Standard Audio . . . . . . . . . . . . 64 Component Video and Standard Audio . . . . . . 65 Composite Video and Standard Audio . . . . . . . 67 Enabling the Display Settings for a TV . . . . . . . 69 Contents 5 7 Using the Optional Camera . . . . . . . . . . . 71 Accessing the Cameras Help File . . . . . . . . . . . 71 Manually Adjusting the Camera Settings . . . . . . . . 72 Creating a Picture or a Video . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 72 8 Using ExpressCards . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 73 ExpressCard Blanks . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 73 Installing an ExpressCard . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 74 Removing an ExpressCard or Blank . . . . . . . . . . . 74 9 Using the Memory Card Reader . . . . . . . 75 Memory Card Blanks . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 75 Installing a Memory Card . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 75 Removing a Memory Card or Blank . . . . . . . . . . . 76 10 Setting Up and Using Networks . . . . . . . 77 Connecting a Network or Broadband Modem Cable . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 77 Setting Up a Network in the Microsoft Windows Vista Operating System . . . . . 78 Wireless Local Area Network (WLAN) . . . . . . . . . 78 What You Need to Establish a WLAN Connection . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 78 Checking Your Wireless Network Card . . . . . . 78 6 Contents Setting Up a New WLAN Using a Wireless Router and a Broadband Modem . . . . 79 Connecting to a WLAN . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 81 Mobile Broadband/Wireless Wide Area Network

(WWAN) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . What You Need to Establish a Mobile Broadband Network Connection . . . . . 83 83 Checking Your Dell Mobile Broadband Card . . . . 84 Connecting to a Mobile Broadband Network . . . 84 Enabling/Disabling the Dell Mobile Broadband Card . . . . . . . . . . . . 85 Dell Wi-Fi Catcher Network Locator . . . . . . . . . 86 11 Securing Your Computer . . . . . . . . . . . . . 87 Security Cable Lock . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 87 Passwords . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 88 Fingerprint Reader (optional) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 88 Computer Tracking Software . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 89 If Your Computer Is Lost or Stolen . . . . . . . . . . . 89 12 Troubleshooting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 91 Dell Technical Update Service . . . . . . . . . . . . . 91 Dell Diagnostics . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 91 Dell Support Utility . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 95 Contents 7 Drive Problems . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 96 Optical drive problems . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 97 Hard drive problems . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 97 E-Mail, Modem, and Internet Problems . . . . . . . . . 98 Error Messages . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 99 ExpressCard Problems . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 104 IEEE 1394 Device Problems . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 105 Keyboard Problems . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 105 External Keyboard problems . . . . . . . . . . . . 106 Unexpected characters . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 107 Lockups and Software Problems . . . . . . . . . . . . 107 The computer does not start . . . . . . . . . . . . 107 The computer stops responding . . . . . . . . . . 107 A program stops responding or crashes repeatedly . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 107 A program is designed for an earlier Microsoft Windows operating system . . . . . 108 A solid blue screen appears . . . . . . . . . . . . 108 Dell MediaDirect problems . . . . . . . . . . . . . 108 Other software problems . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 109 Memory Problems . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 109 Network Problems . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 110 Mobile Broadband

(Wireless Wide Area Network [WWAN]) . . . . . 110 Power Problems . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 111 Printer Problems . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 112 Scanner Problems . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 113 8 Contents Sound and Speaker Problems . . . . . . . . . . . . . 114 No sound from integrated speakers . . . . . . . . 114 No sound from external speakers . . . . . . . . . 114 No sound from headphones . . . . . . . . . . . . 115 Remote Control Problems . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 115 Touch Pad or Mouse Problems . . . . . . . . . . . . . 115 Video and Display Problems . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 116 If the display is blank . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 116 If the display is difficult to read . . . . . . . . . . 117 If only part of the display is readable . . . . . . . 118 Drivers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 118 What Is a Driver? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 118 Identifying Drivers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 119 Reinstalling Drivers and Utilities . . . . . . . . . . 119 Troubleshooting Software and Hardware Problems . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 121 Restoring Your Operating System . . . . . . . . . . . . 122 Using Microsoft Windows System Restore . . . . 122 Using the Operating System Media . . . . . . . . 123 13 Adding and Replacing Parts . . . . . . . . . 125 Before You Begin . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 125 Recommended Tools . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 125 Turning Off Your Computer . . . . . . . . . . . . . 125 Before Working Inside Your Computer . . . . . . . 126 Contents 9 Hard Drive . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 127 Removing the Hard Drive . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 128 Replacing the Hard Drive . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 129 Returning a Hard Drive to Dell

. . . . . . . . . . . 129 Hinge Covers and Center Control Cover . . . . . . . . 130 Removing the Hinge Covers and Displacing the Center Control Cover . . . . . . . . 130 Replacing the Hinge Covers and Center Control Cover . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 132 Keyboard . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 132 Removing the Keyboard . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 132 Replacing the Keyboard . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 134 Memory . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 134 Removing the Memory Module . . . . . . . . . . 134 Replacing the Memory Module . . . . . . . . . . 136 Subscriber Identity Module . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 138 Wireless Mini Cards . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 138 Removing a WLAN Card . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 139 Replacing a WLAN Card . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 140 Removing a Mobile Broadband or WWAN Card . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 141 Replacing a WWAN Card . . . . . . . . . . . . . 143 Flash Cache Module . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 143 Removing the FCM . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 143 Replacing the FCM . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 144 Internal Card With Bluetooth Wireless Technology . . . . . . . . . . . . 145 Removing the Card . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 145 Replacing the Card . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 146 10 Contents 14 Traveling With Your Computer . . . . . . . 147 Identifying Your Computer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 147 Packing the Computer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 147 Travel Tips . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 148 Traveling by Air . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 148 15 Getting Help . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 149 Obtaining Assistance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 149 Technical Support and Customer Service . . . . . 150 DellConnect . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 150 Online Services . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 150 AutoTech Service . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 151 Automated Order-Status Service . . . . . . . . . 151 Problems With Your Order . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 151 Product Information . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 151 Returning Items for Warranty Repair or Credit . . . . . 152 Before You Call . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 152 Contacting Dell . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 154 16 Specifications . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 155 Contents 11 A Appendix . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 165 Using the System Setup Program . . . . . . . . . . . . 165 Viewing the System Setup Screen . . . . . . . . . 166 System Setup Screen . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 166 Commonly Used Options . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 166 Cleaning Your Computer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 168 Computer, Keyboard, and Display . . . . . . . . . 168 Touch Pad . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 169 Mouse . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 169 Media . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 169 Dell Technical Support Policy (U.S. Only) . . . . . . . 170 Definition of "Dell-Installed"

Software and Peripherals . . . . . . . . . . . . . 171 Definition of "Third-Party"

Software and Peripherals . . . . . . . . . . . . . 171 FCC Notice (U.S. Only) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 171 FCC Class B . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 171 Macrovision Product Notice . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 172 Glossary . 173 Index . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 191 12 Contents Finding Information NOTE: Some features may be optional and may not ship with your computer. Some features may not be available in certain countries. NOTE: Additional information may ship with your computer. What Are You Looking For?

Find It Here A diagnostic program for my computer Drivers and Utilities Media Drivers for my computer Documentation and drivers are already Device documentation installed on your computer. You can use Notebook System Software (NSS) the Drivers and Utilities media to reinstall drivers (see "Reinstalling Drivers and Utilities" on page 119) or run the Dell Diagnostics (see "Dell Diagnostics"

on page 91). Readme files may be included on your media to provide last-minute updates about technical changes to your computer or advanced technical-

reference material for technicians or experienced users. NOTE: Drivers and documentation updates can be found at support.dell.com. Finding Information 13 What Are You Looking For?

Find It Here Warranty information Dell Product Information Guide Terms and Conditions (U.S. only) Safety instructions Regulatory information Ergonomics information End User License Agreement How to set up my computer Setup Diagram NOTE: The appearance of your setup diagram may vary. 14 Finding Information What Are You Looking For?

Find It Here Service Tag and Express Service Code Microsoft Windows Product Key Service Tag and Microsoft Windows Product Key These labels are located on your computer. Use the Service Tag to identify your computer when you use support.dell.com or contact support. Enter the Express Service Code to direct your call when contacting support. NOTE: As an increased security measure, the newly designed Microsoft Windows license label incorporates a missing portion or "hole" to discourage removal of the label. Finding Information 15 What Are You Looking For?

Find It Here Solutions Troubleshooting hints and tips, articles from technicians, online courses, and frequently asked questions Community Online discussion with Dell Support Website support.dell.com NOTE: Select your region or business segment to view the appropriate support site. other Dell customers Upgrades Upgrade information for components, such as the memory, hard drive, and operating system Customer Care Contact information, service call and order status, and warranty and repair information Service and support Service call status, support history, service contract, and online discussions with support Dell Technical Update Service Proactive e-mail notification of software and hardware updates for your computer Reference Computer documentation, details on my computer configuration, product specifications, and white papers Downloads Certified drivers, patches, and software updates Notebook System Software (NSS) If To download Notebook System Software:

you reinstall the operating system for your computer, you should also reinstall the NSS utility. NSS provides critical updates for your operating system and support for processors, optical drives, USB devices, and so on. NSS is necessary for correct operation of your Dell computer. The software automatically detects your computer and operating system and installs the updates appropriate for your configuration. 16 Finding Information 1 2 3 4 Go to support.dell.com and click Drivers & Downloads. Enter your Service Tag or Product Type and Product Model, and click Go. Scroll to System and Configuration Utilities Dell Notebook System Software and click Download Now. Select Drivers & Downloads and click Go. NOTE: The support.dell.com user interface may vary depending on your selections. What Are You Looking For?

Find It Here Software upgrades and troubleshooting Dell Support Utility hints Frequently asked questions, hot topics, and general health of your computing environment The Dell Support Utility is an automated upgrade and notification system installed on your computer. This support provides real-time health scans of your computing environment, software updates, and relevant self-support information. Access the Dell Support Utility from the icon on the taskbar. For more information, see "Dell Support Utility" on page 95. How to use Microsoft Windows Vista How to work with programs and files How to personalize my desktop Windows Help and Support 1 2 3 4 Click Start Help and Support. In Search Help

, type a word or phrase that describes your problem, and then press <Enter> or click the magnifying glass. Click the topic that describes your problem. Follow the instructions on the screen. Information on network activity, the Dell QuickSet Help Power Management Wizard, hotkeys, and other items controlled by Dell QuickSet. To view Dell QuickSet Help, right-click the QuickSet icon in the Microsoft Windows taskbar. The taskbar is located in the lower-right corner of your screen. Finding Information 17 What Are You Looking For?

Find It Here How to reinstall my operating system Operating System Media The operating system is already installed on your computer. To reinstall your operating system, use the Operating System media. See "Restoring Your Operating System" on page 122. After you reinstall your operating system, use the Drivers and Utilities media to reinstall drivers for the devices that came with your computer. Your operating system product key label is located on your computer. NOTE: The color of your DVD varies based on the operating system you ordered. 18 Finding Information Setting Up Your Computer Connecting to the Internet NOTE: Internet Service Providers (ISPs) and ISP offerings vary by country. To connect to the Internet, you need a modem or network connection and an ISP. Your ISP will offer one or more of the following Internet connection options:

DSL connections that provide high-speed Internet access through your existing telephone line or cellular telephone service. With a DSL connection, you can access the Internet and use your telephone on the same line simultaneously. Cable modem connections that provide high-speed Internet access through your local cable TV line. Satellite modem connections that provide high-speed Internet access through a satellite television system. Dial-up connections that provide Internet access through a telephone line. Dial-up connections are considerably slower than DSL, cable, and satellite modem connections. Wireless Wide Area Network (WWAN) or Mobile Broadband technology provides a connection to the Internet using cellular technology at broadband rates. Wireless Local Area Network (WLAN) connections use high-frequency radio waves to communicate. Typically, a wireless router is connected to the broadband cable or DSL modem that broadcasts the Internet signal to your computer. If you are using a dial-up connection, connect a telephone line to the modem connector and to the telephone wall jack before you set up your Internet connection. Your system does not have an internal modem. It supports an external USB modem which can be connected to the USB port. If you have ordered an external modem with your system, see the Help in the CD that Setting Up Your Computer 19 shipped with the modem for information on setting it up. If you are using a DSL, cable or satellite modem connection, contact your ISP or cellular telephone service for setup instructions. 20 Setting Up Your Computer Setting Up Your Internet Connection To set up an Internet connection with a provided ISP desktop shortcut:

1 2 3 Save and close any open files, and exit any open programs. Double-click the ISP icon on the Microsoft Windows desktop. Follow the instructions on the screen to complete the setup. If you do not have an ISP icon on your desktop or if you want to set up an Internet connection with a different ISP, perform the steps in the following section that corresponds to the operating system your computer is using. NOTE: If you are having problems connecting to the Internet, see "E-Mail, Modem, and Internet Problems" on page 98. If you cannot connect to the Internet, but have successfully connected in the past, the ISP might have a service outage. Contact your ISP to check the service status, or try connecting again later. NOTE: Have your ISP information ready. If you do not have an ISP, the Connect to the Internet wizard can help you get one. 1 2 3 4 5 Save and close any open files, and exit any open programs. Click Start Control Panel. Under Network and Internet, click Connect to the Internet. The Connect to the Internet window appears. Click either Broadband (PPPoE) or Dial-up, depending on how you want to connect:

Choose Broadband if you will use a DSL, satellite modem, cable TV modem, or Bluetooth wireless technology connection. Chose Dial-up if you will use a dial-up modem or ISDN. NOTE: If you do not know which type of connection to select, click Help me choose or contact your ISP. Follow the instructions on the screen and use the setup information provided by your ISP to complete the setup. Setting Up Your Computer 21 Transferring Information to a New Computer You can use your operating system "wizards" to help you transfer files and other data from one computer to anotherfor example, from an old computer to a new computer. For instructions, see the following section that corresponds to the operating system that your computer is running. 1 2 3 Click Start Transfer files and settings Start Windows Easy Transfer. In the User Account Control dialog box, click Continue. Click Start a new transfer or Continue a transfer in progress. Follow the instructions provided on the screen by the Windows Easy Transfer wizard. Setting Up a Printer NOTICE: Complete the operating system setup before you connect a printer to the computer. See the documentation that came with the printer for setup information, including how to:

Obtain and install updated drivers. Connect the printer to the computer. Load paper and install the toner or ink cartridge. For technical assistance, refer to the printer owner's manual or contact the printer manufacturer. Printer Cable Your printer connects to your computer with either a USB cable or a parallel cable. Your printer may not come with a printer cable, so if you purchase a cable separately, ensure that it is compatible with your printer and computer. If you purchased a printer cable at the same time you purchased your computer, the cable may arrive in the computers shipping box. 22 Setting Up Your Computer Connecting a USB Printer 1 2 1 3 3 4 5 NOTE: You can connect USB devices while the computer is turned on. Complete the operating system setup if you have not already done so. Attach the USB printer cable to the USB connectors on the computer and the printer. The USB connectors fit only one way. 1 3 2 USB connector on computer 2 USB connector on printer USB printer cable Turn on the printer, and then turn on the computer. Click Start Network Add a printer to start the Add Printer Wizard. Install the printer driver if necessary. See "Reinstalling Drivers and Utilities" on page 119 and the documentation that came with your printer. Setting Up Your Computer 23 Power Protection Devices Several devices are available to protect against power fluctuations and failures:

Surge protectors Line conditioners Uninterruptible power supplies (UPS) Surge Protectors Surge protectors and power strips equipped with surge protection help prevent damage to your computer from voltage spikes that can occur during electrical storms or after power interruptions. Some surge protector manufacturers include warranty coverage for certain types of damage. Carefully read the device warranty when choosing a surge protector. A device with a higher joule rating offers more protection. Compare joule ratings to determine the relative effectiveness of different devices. NOTICE: Most surge protectors do not protect against power fluctuations or power interruptions caused by nearby lightning strikes. When lightning occurs in your area, disconnect the telephone line from the telephone wall jack and disconnect your computer from the electrical outlet. Many surge protectors have a telephone jack for modem protection. See the surge protector documentation for modem connection instructions. NOTICE: Not all surge protectors offer network adapter protection. Disconnect the network cable from the network wall jack during electrical storms. Line Conditioners NOTICE: Line conditioners do not protect against power interruptions. Line conditioners are designed to maintain AC voltage at a fairly constant level. 24 Setting Up Your Computer Uninterruptible Power Supplies NOTICE: Loss of power while data is being saved to the hard drive may result in data loss or file damage. NOTE: To ensure maximum battery operating time, connect only your computer to a UPS. Connect other devices, such as a printer, to a separate power strip that provides surge protection. A UPS protects against power fluctuations and interruptions. UPS devices contain a battery that provides temporary power to connected devices when AC power is interrupted. The battery charges while AC power is available. See the UPS manufacturer documentation for information on battery operating time and to ensure that the device is approved by Underwriters Laboratories (UL). Setting Up Your Computer 25 26 Setting Up Your Computer About Your Computer Front View 1 2 3 16 15 14 4 5 6 7 13 12 11 10 9 8 About Your Computer 25 1 3 5 7 9 11 13 15 camera indicator (optional) display volume control buttons fingerprint reader (optional) microphone connector consumer IR touch pad power button 2 4 6 8 10 12 camera (optional) media control buttons keyboard 8-in-1 memory reader audio connectors touch pad buttons 14 Dell MediaDirect button 16 dual digital microphones C A M E R A I N D I C A T O R Indicates that the camera is turned on. Based on configuration selections you made when ordering your computer, your computer may not include a camera. C A M E R A Built-in camera for video capture, conferencing, and chat. Based on configuration selections you made when ordering your computer, your computer may not include a camera. D I S P L A Y For more information about your display, see "Using the Display" on page 43. P O W E R B U T T O N Press the power button to turn on the computer or exit a power management mode (see "Configuring Power Management Settings" on page 48). NOTICE: To avoid losing data, turn off your computer by performing a Microsoft Windows operating system shutdown rather than by pressing the power button. If the computer stops responding, press and hold the power button until the computer turns off completely (may take several seconds). K E Y B O A R D For more information about the keyboard, see "Using the Keyboard and Touchpad" on page 39. D E L L M E D I AD I R E C T B U T T O N Press the Dell MediaDirect button to launch Dell MediaDirect (see "Using Dell MediaDirect" on page 60). D U A L D I G I T A L M I C R O P H O N E S Built-in microphone for conferencing and chat. 26 About Your Computer 8- I N -1 M E M O R Y C A R D R E A D E R Provides a fast and convenient way to view and share digital photos, music, and videos stored on a memory card. The computer ships with a plastic blank installed in the slot. The 8-in-1 memory card reader reads the following digital memory cards:

Secure Digital (SD) memory card SDIO card MultiMediaCard (MMC) Memory Stick Memory Stick PRO xD-Picture Card Hi Speed-SD Hi Density-SD T O U C H P A D Provides the functionality of a mouse (see "Touch Pad" on page 41). T O U C H P A D B U T T O N S Use these buttons much like the buttons on a mouse when you use the touch pad to move the cursor on the display (see "Touch Pad" on page 41). F I N G E R P R I N T R E A D E R ( O P T I O N A L ) Helps to keep your Dell computer secure. When you slide your finger over the reader, it uses your unique fingerprint to Programs authenticate your user identity. For more information, click Start Fingerprint Reader Suite. There are four sub items in this folder. User Enrollment - To enroll your fingerprint Control Center - To access the Fingerprint Reader Suite settings Fingerprint Tutorial - Guide to fingerprint scanning Help - HTML-based help For information on how to activate and use the security management software that controls the biometric reader, see "Fingerprint Reader (optional)" on page 88. M E D I A C O N T R O L B U T T O N S Control CD, DVD, Blu-ray Disc (BD), and Media Player playback. C O N S U M E R IR A port on the front of the computer that allows certain software applications to be controlled by the Dell Travel Remote Control. About Your Computer 27 Attach headphones to the connector. Attach a microphone to the connector. D E V I C E S T A T U S L I G H T S 28 About Your Computer The blue lights located above the keyboard indicate the following:

Turns on when you turn on the computer and blinks when the computer is in a power management mode. 9 A Turns on when the numeric keypad (Num Lock) is enabled. Turns on when the uppercase letter (Caps Lock) function is enabled. Turns on when the scroll lock function is enabled. WiFi status light Turns on when wireless networking is enabled. To enable or disable wireless networking, use the wireless switch (see "wireless On/Off switch" on page 33). Bluetooth status light Turns on when a card with Bluetooth wireless technology is enabled. NOTE: The card with Bluetooth wireless technology is an optional feature. The light turns on only if you ordered the card with your computer. For more information, see the documentation that came with your card. To turn off only the Bluetooth wireless technology functionality, right-

click the icon in the notification area, and then click Disable Bluetooth Radio. To quickly enable or disable all wireless devices, use the wireless switch

(see "wireless On/Off switch" on page 33). If the computer is connected to an electrical outlet, the light operates as follows:

Solid blue: The battery is charging. Flashing blue: The battery is almost fully charged. Off: The battery is adequately charged. If the computer is running on a battery, the light operates as follows:

Off: The battery is adequately charged (or the computer is turned off). Flashing amber: The battery charge is low. Solid amber: The battery charge is critically low. About Your Computer 29 V O L U M E C O N T R O L B U T T O N S Press these buttons to adjust the volume. Eject Play the next track or press and hold to fastforward within a track Play the previous track or Mute press and hold to rewind within a track Stop Turn the volume down Play or pause Turn the volume up 30 About Your Computer Left Side View 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 1 3 5 7 AC adapter connector video connector HDMI connector hard drive 2 4 6 USB connector (2) network connector (RJ-45) IEEE 1394a connector AC A D A P T E R C O N N E C T O R Attaches an AC adapter to the computer. The AC adapter converts AC power to the DC power required by the computer. You can connect the AC adapter with your computer turned on or off. IEEE 1394 A C O N N E C T O R Connects devices supporting IEEE 1394a high-speed transfer rates, such as some digital video cameras. HDMI C O N N E C T O R HDMI (High-Definition Multimedia Interface) connector carries an uncompressed all digital signal to produce hi-definition video and audio. V I D E O C O N N E C T O R Connects video devices, such as a monitor. About Your Computer 31 N E T W O R K C O N N E C T O R (RJ-45) NOTICE: The network connector is slightly larger than the modem connector. To avoid damaging the computer, do not plug a telephone line into the network connector. Connects the computer to a network. The two lights next to the connector indicate status and activity for wired network connections. For information on using the network adapter, see the device users guide supplied with your computer. U S B C O N N E C T O R S Connect USB devices, such as a mouse, keyboard, or printer. Right Side View 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 1 Express card slot 2 Wireless On/Off switch 3 Wi-Fi Catcher Network Locator 5 7 USB connector security cable slot 4 6 optical drive S-video connector 32 About Your Computer E X P R E S S C A R D S L O T Supports one ExpressCard. The computer ships with a plastic blank installed in the slot. For more information see "Using ExpressCards" on page 73. O P T I C A L D R I V E For more information about the optical drive see "Using Multimedia" on page 53. USB C O N N E C T O R Connects USB devices, such as a mouse, keyboard, or printer. S - V I D E O C O N N E C T O R Connects your computer to a TV. NOTE: The S-Video port does not support audio. You need to use the headphone port at the front of the system to connect to an audio device. S E C U R I T Y C A B L E S L O T Lets you attach a commercially available antitheft device to the computer (see "Security Cable Lock" on page 87). W I R E L E S S O N / O F F S W I T C H When enabled through Dell QuickSet, this switch can scan for a wireless local area network (WLAN) in your vicinity. You can also use it to rapidly turn off or on any wireless devices such as WLAN cards and internal cards with Bluetooth wireless technology (see "Dell Wi-Fi Catcher Network Locator" on page 86). 1 2 3 1 2 off : Disables wireless devices. on : Enables wireless devices. 3 Wi-Fi Catcher Network Locator About Your Computer 33 DELL W I-F I C A T C H E R N E T W O R K L O C A T O R Push this button to scan specifically for wireless networks in your vicinity (see "Dell Wi-Fi Catcher Network Locator" on page 86). The Wi-Fi Catcher Network Locator has an LED that operates as follows:

Flashing blue: Searching for networks Solid orange: Weak network found Solid blue: Strong network found Off: No signal found Back View 1 2 1 battery 2 air vent A I R V E N T The computer uses an internal fan to create airflow through the vents, which prevents the computer from overheating. CAUTION: Do not block, push objects into, or allow dust to accumulate in the air vents. Do not store your computer in a low-airflow environment, such as a closed briefcase, while it is running. Restricting the airflow can damage the computer or cause a fire.The computer turns on the fan when the computer gets hot. Fan noise is normal and does not indicate a problem with the fan or the computer. 34 About Your Computer AC A D A P T E R C O N N E C T O R Attaches an AC adapter to the computer. The AC adapter converts AC power to the DC power required by the computer. You can connect the AC adapter with your computer turned on or off. CAUTION: The AC adapter works with electrical outlets worldwide. However, power connectors and power strips vary among countries. Using an incompatible cable or improperly connecting the cable to the power strip or electrical outlet may cause fire or equipment damage. NOTICE: When you disconnect the AC adapter cable from the computer, grasp the connector, not the cable itself, and pull firmly, but gently to help prevent damage to the cable. NOTE: Plug the power cord to the adapter firmly until the green LED is on. About Your Computer 35 Bottom View 1 2 3 1 3 5 battery battery charge/health gauge wireless mini card compartment 5 2 4 4 battery release latch memory module compartment M E M O R Y M O D U L E C O M P A R T M E N T Compartment that contains the DIMM 1 and DIMM 2 memory modules. For additional information, see "Memory" on page 134. W I R E L E S S M I N I C A R D C O M P A R T M E N T Compartment for WLAN, WWAN, and Flash Cache Module (FCM) Mini Cards (see "Wireless Mini Cards" on page 138). 36 About Your Computer B A T T E R Y When a battery is installed, you can use the computer without connecting the computer to an electrical outlet (see "Using a Battery" on page 45). B A T T E R Y C H A R G E / H E A L T H G A U G E Provides information on the battery charge (see

"Checking the Battery Charge" on page 46). B A T T E R Y R E L E A S E L A T C H E S Releases the battery (see "Replacing the Battery" on page 50 for instructions). About Your Computer 37 38 About Your Computer Using the Keyboard and Touchpad Numeric Keypad The numeric keypad functions like the numeric keypad on an external keyboard. To enable the keypad, press <Num Lk>. The 9 light indicates that the keypad is active. To disable the keypad, press <Num Lk> again. Key Combinations System Functions

<Ctrl><Shift><Esc>

Opens the Task Manager window. Display Functions

<Fn><F8>

Displays icons representing all currently available display options (display only, external monitor or projector only, both display and projector, etc). Highlight the desired icon to switch the display to that option.

<Fn> and up-arrow key Increases brightness on the integrated display only (not on an external monitor).

<Fn> and down-arrow key Decreases brightness on the integrated display only (not on an external monitor). Battery

<Fn><F3>

Displays the Dell QuickSet Battery Meter (see

"Dell QuickSet Battery Meter" on page 46). Using the Keyboard and Touchpad 39 Power Management

<Fn><Esc>

Activates a power management mode. You can reprogram this keyboard shortcut to activate a different power management mode using the Advanced tab in the Power Options Properties window (see "Configuring Power Management Settings" on page 48). Microsoft Windows Logo Key Functions Windows logo key and <m>

Minimizes all open windows. Windows logo key and Restores all minimized windows. This key

<Shift><m>

combination functions as a toggle to restore minimized windows following the use of the Windows logo key and <m> combination. Windows logo key and <e>

Starts Windows Explorer. Windows logo key and <r>

Opens the Run dialog box. Windows logo key and <f>

Opens the Search Results dialog box. Windows logo key and <Ctrl><f> Opens the Search Results-Computer dialog box

(if the computer is connected to a network). Windows logo key and <Pause>

Opens the System Properties dialog box. Windows logo key and <Tab>

3D Windows Flip on Windows Vista Dell QuickSet Key Combinations If Dell QuickSet is installed, you can use other shortcut keys for functions such as the Battery Meter or activating power management modes. For more information about Dell QuickSet key combinations, right-click the QuickSet icon in the notification area, and then click Help. Adjusting Keyboard Settings To adjust keyboard operation, such as the character repeat rate:

1 2 3 Click Start

, and then click Control Panel. Click Hardware and Sound. Click Keyboard. 40 Using the Keyboard and Touchpad Touch Pad The touch pad detects the pressure 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. 1 2 1 touch pad 2 silk screen depicting scrolling capabilities To move the cursor, lightly slide your finger over the touch pad. To select an object, lightly tap once on the surface of the touch pad or use your thumb to press the left touch pad button. To select and move (or drag) an object, position the 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. To double-click an object, position the cursor on the object and tap twice on the touch pad or use your thumb to press the left touch pad button twice. Using the Keyboard and Touchpad 41 Customizing the Touch Pad You can use the Mouse Properties window to disable the touch pad or adjust the touch pad settings. 1 2 3 4 5 Click Start

, and then click Control Panel. Click Hardware and Sound. Click Mouse. In the Mouse Properties window:

Click the Device Select tab to disable the touch pad. Click the Touch Pad tab to adjust touch pad settings. Click OK to save the settings and close the window. 42 Using the Keyboard and Touchpad 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 setting by pressing <Fn> and the up- or down-arrow key on the keyboard. NOTE: Brightness key combinations only affect the display on your portable computer, not monitors or projectors that you attach to your portable computer or docking device. If your computer is connected to an external monitor and you try to change the brightness level, the Brightness Meter may appear, but the brightness level on the external device does not change. You can press the following keys to adjust display brightness:

Press <Fn> and the up-arrow key to increase brightness on the integrated display only (not on an external monitor). Press <Fn> and the down-arrow key to decrease brightness on the integrated display only (not on an external monitor). Switching the Video Image From Your Computer Display To a Projector When you start the computer with an external device attached (such as an external monitor or projector) and turned on, the image may appear on either the computer display or the external device. Press <Fn><F8> to switch the video image between the display only, the external device only, or the display and the external device simultaneously. Using the Display 43 Setting Display Resolution and Refresh Rate NOTE: If you change the display resolution from the current settings, the image may appear blurry or text may be hard to read if you change the resolution to one not supported by your computer and display. Before you change any of the display settings, make a note of the current settings so you can change back to the previous settings if needed. You can enhance the legibility of text and change the appearance of images on the screen by adjusting display resolution. As you increase resolution, items appear smaller on the screen. In contrast, lower resolution causes text and images to appear larger and can benefit people with vision impairments. To display a program at a specific resolution, both the video card and the display must support the program, and the necessary video drivers must be installed. NOTE: Use only the Dell-provided video drivers, which are designed to offer the best performance with your Dell-installed operating system. These drivers are available on the Drivers and Utilities CD (optional) or via the web at support.dell.com. If you choose a resolution or color palette that is higher than the display supports, the settings adjust automatically to the closest supported values. To set the display resolution and refresh rate for your display:

1 2 3 Click Start Control Panel. Under Appearance and Personalization, click Adjust screen resolution. In the Display Settings window, under Resolution, move the slide bar to the left or right to decrease/increase the screen resolution. NOTE: For additional instructions, click How do I get the best display?

44 Using the Display Using a Battery Battery Performance NOTE: For information about the Dell warranty for your computer, see the Product Information Guide or separate paper warranty document that shipped with your computer. For optimal computer performance and to help preserve BIOS settings, operate your Dell portable computer with the main battery installed at all times. One battery is supplied as standard equipment in the battery bay. NOTE: Because the battery may not be fully charged, use the AC adapter to connect your new computer to an electrical outlet the first time you use the computer. For best results, operate the computer with the AC adapter until the battery is fully charged. To view battery charge status, place the mouse cursor over the battery icon in the Windows notification area. NOTE: Battery operating time (the time the battery can hold a charge) decreases over time. Depending on how often the battery is used and the conditions under which it is used, you may need to purchase a new battery during the life of your computer. NOTE: It is recommended that you connect your computer to an electrical outlet when writing to media. Battery operating time varies depending on operating conditions. Operating time is significantly reduced when you perform operations including, but not limited to, the following:

Using optical drives. Using wireless communications devices, ExpressCards, memory cards, or USB devices. Using high-brightness display settings, 3D screen savers, or other power-intensive programs such as complex 3D graphics applications. Running the computer in maximum performance mode (see "Configuring Power Management Settings" on page 48 for information about accessing Windows Power Options Properties which you can use to configure power management settings). Using a Battery 45 You can check the battery charge before you insert the battery into the computer. You can also set power management 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 battery only with a compatible battery purchased from Dell. The battery is designed to work with your Dell computer. Do not use batteries from other computers with your computer. CAUTION: Do not dispose of batteries with household waste. When your battery no longer holds a charge, call your local waste disposal or environmental agency for advice on disposing of a lithium-ion battery (see "Battery Disposal" in the Product Information Guide). CAUTION: Misuse of the battery may increase the risk of fire or chemical burn. Do not puncture, incinerate, disassemble, or expose the battery to temperatures above 65C (149F). Keep the battery away from children. Handle damaged or leaking batteries with extreme care. Damaged batteries may leak and cause personal injury or equipment damage. Checking the Battery Charge You can check the battery charge on your computer using any one of the following methods:

Dell QuickSet Battery Meter Microsoft Windows battery meter icon located in the notification area Battery charge/health gauge located on the battery Low-battery warning pop-up window Dell QuickSet Battery Meter To view the Dell QuickSet Battery Meter:

Double-click the Dell QuickSet icon in the taskbar, and then click Battery Meter or Press <Fn><F3>

The Battery Meter displays the status, battery health, charge level, and charge completion time for the battery in your computer. For more information about QuickSet, right-click the QuickSet icon, and then click Help. 46 Using a Battery Microsoft Windows Battery Meter The battery meter indicates the remaining battery charge. To check the battery meter, double-click the icon in the notification area. Charge Gauge By either pressing once or pressing and holding the status button on the battery charge gauge, you can check:

Battery charge (check by pressing and releasing the status button) Battery health (check by pressing and holding the status button) The battery operating time is largely determined by the number of times it is charged. After hundreds of charge and discharge cycles, batteries lose some charge capacityor battery health. Therefore, a battery can show a status of charged, but maintain a reduced charge capacity (health). Check the Battery Charge To check the battery charge, the status button on the battery press and release charge gauge to illuminate the charge indicator lights. Each light represents approximately 20 percent of the total battery charge. For example, if the battery has 80 percent of its charge remaining, four of the lights are on. If no lights are on, the battery has no charge. Check the Battery Health NOTE: You can check battery health in one of two ways: 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-click the QuickSet icon in the notification area, and then click Help. To check the battery health using the charge gauge, press and hold the status button on the battery charge gauge for at least 3 seconds to illuminate the health indicator lights. Each light represents incremental degradation. If no lights appear, the battery is in good condition, and more than 80 percent of its original charge capacity remains. If five lights appear, less than 60 percent of the charge capacity remains, and you should consider replacing the battery. See

"Battery" on page 160 for more information about the battery operating time. Using a Battery 47 Low-Battery Warning NOTICE: To avoid losing or corrupting data, save your work immediately after a low-battery warning, then connect the computer to an electrical outlet. If the battery runs completely out of power, hibernate mode begins automatically. A pop-up window warns you when the battery charge is approximately 90 percent depleted. The computer enters hibernate mode when the battery charge is at a critically low level. You can change the settings for the battery alarms in Dell QuickSet or the Power Options window. See "Configuring Power Management Settings" on page 48 for information about accessing QuickSet or the Power Options Properties window. Conserving Battery Power To conserve battery power on your portable computer, do any of the following:

Connect the computer to an electrical outlet when possible; battery life is largely determined by the number of times the battery is used and recharged. Configure the power management settings using either Dell QuickSet or Microsoft Windows Power Options to optimize your computers power usage (see "Configuring Power Management Settings" on page 48). Use the Sleep power state when you leave the computer unattended for long periods of time (see "Using the Sleep Power State" on page 49). Configuring Power Management Settings You can use Dell QuickSet or Windows Power Options to configure the power management settings on your computer. For information on how to use the Dell QuickSet Power Management wizard, right-click the QuickSet icon in the notification area, click Help, and then select Power Management. To use Windows Power Options, do one of the following:

Click Start Control Panel Hardware and Sound Power Options, and then select a power plan in the Select a power plan window. or 48 Using a Battery Click the icon in the notification area, click Power Options, and then select a plan in the Select a power plan window. 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 previous work session without restarting your computer. NOTICE: If your computer loses AC and battery power while in Sleep state, it may lose data. To enter Sleep state:

Click Start or Sleep. Depending on how you set the power management options in the Windows Power Options or Dell QuickSet, use one of the following methods:

Press the power button. Close the display. Press <Fn><Esc>. To exit Sleep state, press the power button. Charging the Battery When you connect the computer to an electrical outlet or install a battery while the computer is connected to an electrical outlet, the computer checks the battery charge and temperature. If necessary, the AC adapter then charges the battery and maintains the battery charge. If the battery is hot from being used in your computer or being in a hot environment, the battery may not charge when you connect the computer to an electrical outlet. The battery is too hot to start charging if the battery light flashes alternately blue and amber. Disconnect the computer from the electrical outlet and allow the computer and the battery to cool to room temperature, then connect the computer to an electrical outlet to continue charging the battery. Using a Battery 49 For more information about resolving problems with a battery, see "Power Problems" on page 111. Replacing the Battery CAUTION: Using an incompatible battery may increase the risk of fire or explosion. Replace the battery only with a compatible battery purchased from Dell. The battery is designed to work with your Dell computer. Do not use batteries from other computers with your computer. CAUTION: Before performing these procedures, turn off the computer, disconnect the AC adapter from the electrical outlet and the computer, disconnect the modem from the wall connector and the computer, and remove any other external cables from the computer. NOTICE: You must remove all external cables from the computer to avoid possible connector damage. NOTICE: If you choose to replace the battery with the computer in standby mode, you have up to 1 minute to complete the battery replacement before the computer shuts down and loses any unsaved data. To remove the battery:

1 2 Ensure that the computer is turned off. Slide the battery-bay latch release on the bottom of the computer, and then remove the battery from the bay. 1 2 1 battery 2 battery release latch 50 Using a Battery To replace the battery, follow the removal procedure in reverse order. Storing a Battery Remove the battery when you store your computer for an extended period of time. A battery discharges during prolonged storage. After a long storage period, recharge the battery fully (see "Charging the Battery" on page 49) before you use it. Using a Battery 51 52 Using a Battery Using Multimedia Playing Media NOTICE: Do not move the computer while playing media. 1 2 Press the eject button located above the keyboard on the center-control cover. Slide the disc, label side up, in the drive opening. 1 1 drive opening To format media for storing or copying data, see the media software that came with your computer. NOTE: Ensure that you follow all copyright laws when copying media. A CD player includes the following basic buttons:

Play Move backward within the current track Pause Move forward within the current track Stop Go to the previous track Eject Go to the next track Using Multimedia 53 A DVD player includes the following basic buttons:

Stop Restart the current chapter Play Fast forward Pause Fast reverse Advance a single frame while in pause mode Go to the next title or chapter Continuously play the current title or chapter Go to the previous title or chapter Eject For more information on playing media, click Help on the media player

(if available). Playing Media Using Dell Travel Remote Control The Dell Travel Remote Control is designed to control Dell Media Direct and Windows Vista Media Center. It can work only with specified computers. For more details, refer to the Dell Support website at support.dell.com. To play media using Dell Travel Remote Control:

1 2 3 Install the CR2106 coin-cell battery into your remote control. Launch Windows Vista Media Center from Start Use the remote control buttons to play media. Programs. 54 Using Multimedia 18 17 16 15 14 13 12 1 3 5 7 9 11 13 15 17 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 Infrared Transmitter Page Down OK/Enter/Select Arrow Down Forward Stop Reverse Arrow Left Volume Down 2 4 6 8 10 12 14 16 18 Page Up Arrow Up Arrow Right Play/Pause Skip Forward Skip Back Back Mute Volume Up Using Multimedia 55 Copying CD, DVD, and Blu-ray Disc (BD) Media NOTE: Ensure that you observe all copyright laws while copying media. NOTE: The types of optical drives offered by Dell may vary by country. This section applies only to computers that have a DVD+/-RW, Combo, or BD-RE drive. The following instructions explain how to make an exact copy of a CD, DVD or BD using Roxio Creator. You can also use Roxio Creator for other purposes, such as creating music CDs from audio files stored on your computer or backing up important data. For help, open Roxio Creator, and then press <F1>. The DVD drives and BD drives installed in Dell computers do not support HD-DVD media. For a list of supported media formats, see "Using Blank CD, DVD, and BD Media" on page 57. How to Copy a CD, DVD or BD NOTE: Most commercial DVDs and BDs have copyright protection and cannot be copied using Roxio Creator Plus. NOTE: BD media can only be copied to other BD media. NOTE: Copying a BD-R to BD-RE does not produce an exact copy. Click Start All Programs Roxio Creator Projects Copy. Under the Copy tab, click Copy Disc. To copy the CD, DVD or BD:

1 2 3 If you have one optical drive, insert the source disc into the drive, ensure that the settings are correct, and then click the Copy Disc button to continue. The computer reads your source disc and copies the data to a temporary folder on your computer hard drive. When prompted, insert a blank disc into the drive and click OK. If you have two optical drives, select the drive into which you have inserted your source disc and click the Copy Disc button to continue. The computer copies the data from the source disc to the blank disc. Once you have finished copying the source disc, the disc that you have created automatically ejects. 56 Using Multimedia Using Blank CD, DVD, and BD Media DVD-writable drives can write to both CD and DVD recording media. BD-writable drives can write to CD, DVD and BD recording media. Use blank CD-Rs to record music or permanently 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 DVD+/-R or BD-R media can be used to permanently store large amounts of information. After you create a DVD+/-R or BD-R, you may not be able to write to that disc again if the disc is finalized closed or during the final stage of the disc creation process. Use blank DVD+/-RW or BD-RE media if you plan to erase, rewrite, or update information on that disc later. CD-Writable/DVD-ROM Drives Media Type Read CD-R CD-RW Yes Yes DVD-Writable Drives and Combo Drives Write Yes Yes Rewritable No Yes Media Type Read Write Rewritable CD-R CD-RW DVD+R DVD-R DVD+RW DVD-RW DVD+R DL DVD-R DL Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes No No Yes No No Yes Yes No No Using Multimedia 57 Blu-ray Drives Media Type Read Write Rewritable CD-R CD-RW DVD+R DVD-R DVD+RW DVD-RW DVD+R DL DVD-R DL BD-R BD-RE Helpful Tips Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes No Yes Yes No Yes No No Yes Yes No No No Yes Use Microsoft Windows Explorer to drag and drop files to a CD-R or CD-RW only after you start Roxio Creator Plus and open a Creator project. Use CD-Rs to burn music CDs that you want to play in regular stereos. CD-RWs do not play in most home or car stereos. You cannot create audio DVDs with Roxio Creator Plus. Music MP3 files can be played only on MP3 players or on computers that have MP3 software installed. Commercially available DVD players used in home theater systems may not support all available DVD formats. For a list of formats supported by your DVD player, see the documentation provided with your DVD player or contact the manufacturer. Commercially available BD players used in home theater systems may not support all available BD formats. For a list of formats supported by your BD player, see the documentation provided with your BD player or contact the manufacturer. Do not burn a blank CD-R or CD-RW to its maximum capacity; for example, do not copy a 650-MB file to a blank 650-MB CD. The CD-RW drive needs 12 MB of blank space to finalize the recording. 58 Using Multimedia Use a blank CD-RW to practice CD recording until you are familiar with CD recording techniques. If you make a mistake, you can erase the data on the CD-RW and try again. You can also use blank CD-RWs to test music file projects before you record the project permanently to a blank CD-R. See the Sonic website at sonic.com for additional information. Adjusting the Volume 1 2 3 NOTE: When the speakers are muted, you do not hear the media playing. Right-click the volume icon in the notification area. Click Open Volume Mixer. Click and drag the bar to slide it up or down to increase or decrease the volume. For more information on volume control options, click Help in the Volume Mixer window. The Volume Meter displays the current volume level, including mute, on your computer. Either click the QuickSet icon in the notification area and select or deselect Disable On Screen Volume Meter, or press the volume control buttons to enable or disable the Volume Meter on the screen. 1 3 2 1 volume icon 2 volume meter 3 mute icon When the meter is enabled, adjust the volume with the volume control buttons or by pressing the following keys:

Using Multimedia 59 Press <Fn> <PageUp> to increase volume. Press <Fn> <PageDn> to decrease volume. Press <Fn> <End> to mute volume. For more information about QuickSet, right-click the icon in the taskbar and click Help. Adjusting the Picture If an error message notifies you that the current resolution and color depth are using too much memory and preventing media playback, adjust the display properties:

1 2 3 4 5 Click the Start Control Panel Appearance and Personalization. Under Personalization, click Adjust Screen Resolution. The Display Properties window appears. Under Resolution, click and drag the bar reduce the resolution setting. In the drop-down menu under Colors, click Medium (16 bit). Click OK. Using Dell MediaDirect Dell MediaDirect is an instant-on multimedia playback mode for digital media. Press the Dell MediaDirect button, located on the hinge cover, to launch Dell MediaDirect. When your computer is turned off or in Sleep state, you can press the Dell MediaDirect button to start the computer and automatically launch the Dell MediaDirect application. 60 Using Multimedia 1 1 Dell MediaDirect button NOTE: If you voluntarily reformat the hard drive, reinstall Dell MediaDirect using the Dell MediaDirect re-installation media that was shipped with your computer. For more information, see the Reinstalling Dell MediaDirect techsheet that accompanied your computer. For more information on using Dell MediaDirect, use the Help menu in the Dell MediaDirect application. Connecting Your Computer to a TV or Audio Device NOTE: Video and audio cables for connecting your computer to a TV or other audio device may not be included with your computer. Cables and TV/digital audio adapter cables are available for purchase from Dell. Your computer has an S-video TV-out connector and a HDMI connector that enable you to connect the computer to a TV with the help of either a standard S-video cable, a composite video adapter cable, HDMI cable or a component video adapter cable (available from Dell). Using Multimedia 61 Your TV has either an S-video input connector, a composite video-input connector, or a component video-input connector. Depending on what type of connector is available on your TV, you can use a commercially available S-video cable, composite video cable, or component video cable to connect your computer to your TV. 1 2 1 S-video TV-out connector 2 S-video connector 1 2 3 4 5 1 3 5 1 S-video TV-out connector S/PDIF digital audio connector 2 4 composite video adapter composite video-output connector S-video connector 2 3 4 5 6 1 S-video TV-out connector 2 component video adapter 3 S/PDIF digital audio connector 4 Pr (red) component video-output connector 5 Pb (blue) component video-output 6 Y (green) component video-output connector connector 62 Using Multimedia If you want to connect your computer to a TV or audio device, it is recommended that you connect video and audio cables to your computer in one of the following combinations:

S-video and standard audio Component-out video and standard audio Composite video and standard audio NOTE: See the diagrams at the beginning of each subsection to help you determine which method of connection you should use. When you finish connecting the video and audio cables between your computer and your TV, you must enable your computer to work with the TV. See "Enabling the Display Settings for a TV" on page 69 to ensure that the computer recognizes and works properly with the TV. HDMI HDMI (High-Definition Multimedia Interface) connector carries an uncompressed all digital signal to produce hi-definition video and audio. 1 2 Plug one end of the HDMI cable into the HDMI output connector on the computer. Plug the other end of the HDMI cable into the HDMI input connector on your TV. 1 1 HDMI connector Using Multimedia 63 S-Video and Standard Audio 1 2 1 audio connector 2 S-video TV-out connector 1 2 1 standard S-video cable 2 standard audio cable 1 2 3 Turn off the computer and the TV and/or audio device that you want to connect. NOTE: If your TV or audio device supports S-video but not S/PDIF digital audio, you can connect an S-video cable directly to the S-video TV-out connector on the computer (without the TV/digital audio adapter cable). Plug one end of the S-video cable into the S-video output connector on the computer. Plug the other end of the S-video cable into the S-video input connector on your TV. 64 Using Multimedia 4 5 6 7 Plug the single-connector end of the audio cable into the headphone connector on your computer. Plug the two RCA connectors on the other end of the audio cable into the audio input connectors on your TV or other audio device. Turn on the TV and any audio device that you connected (if applicable), and then turn on the computer. See "Enabling the Display Settings for a TV" on page 69 to ensure that the computer recognizes and works properly with the TV. Component Video and Standard Audio 1 2 3 1 3 audio input connector 2 S-video TV-out connector component video adapter Using Multimedia 65 1 2 3 1 3 component video adapter 2 component video cable standard audio cable 1 2 3 Turn off the computer and the TV and/or audio device that you want to connect. Connect the component video adapter to the S-video TV-out connector on your computer. Plug all three ends of the component video cable into the component video-

output connectors on the component video adapter. Make sure that the red, green, and blue colors of the cable match the corresponding adapter ports. 1 2 66 Using Multimedia 1 component video adapter 2 component video cable 4 5 6 7 8 Plug all three connectors from the other end of the component video cable into the component video-input connectors on the TV. Make sure that the red, green, and blue colors of the cable match the colors of the TV input connectors. Plug the single-connector end of the audio cable into the headphone connector on the computer. Plug the two RCA connectors on the other end of the audio cable into the audio input connectors on your TV or audio device. Turn on the TV, turn on any audio device that you connected (if applicable), and then turn on the computer. See "Enabling the Display Settings for a TV" on page 69 to ensure that the computer recognizes and works properly with the TV. Composite Video and Standard Audio 1 2 3 1 3 audio input connector 2 S-video TV-out connector composite video adapter Using Multimedia 67 1 2 3 1 3 composite video adapter 2 composite video cable standard audio cable Turn off the computer and the TV and/or audio device that you want to connect. Connect the composite video adapter to the S-video TV-out connector on your computer. Plug one end of the composite video cable into the composite video-

output connector on the composite video adapter. 1 2 1 composite video adapter 2 composite video cable Plug the other end of the composite video cable into the composite video-

input connector on the TV. 1 2 3 4 68 Using Multimedia 5 6 7 8 Plug the single-connector end of the audio cable into the headphone connector on the computer. Plug the two RCA connectors on the other end of the audio cable in to the audio input connectors on your TV or other audio device. Turn on the TV, turn on any audio device that you connected (if applicable), and then turn on the computer. See "Enabling the Display Settings for a TV" on page 69 to ensure that the computer recognizes and works properly with the TV. Enabling the Display Settings for a TV 1 1 2 3 4 NOTE: To ensure that the display options appear correctly, connect the TV to the computer before you enable the display settings. Click Start Control Panel Appearance and Personalization. Under Personalization, click Adjust Screen Resolution. The Display Properties window appears. Click Advanced. Click the tab for your video card. NOTE: To determine the type of video card installed in your computer, see Windows Help and Support. To access Help and Support, click Start Help and Support. Under Pick a Task, click Use Tools to view your computer information and diagnose problems. Then, under My Computer Information, select Hardware. In the display devices section, select the appropriate option for using either a single display or multiple displays, ensuring that the display settings are correct for your selection. Using Multimedia 69 70 Using Multimedia Using the Optional Camera If you ordered a camera when you bought your computer, the camera is integrated in the computer display. The camera and its integrated dual digital microphones allow you to take photos and videos and to communicate visually and verbally with other computer users. The blue camera light appears when the camera is turned on. For more information about camera features, see "Specifications" on page 155. NOTE: It is normal for the camera to feel warm to the touch when the computer is running and when the camera is in use. 1 2 3 1 camera indicator 2 camera 3 dual digital microphones Accessing the Cameras Help File To access the cameras Video Software Help file, right-click the icon in the notification area and click Launch Webcam Center. Click Help from the menu and select Contents. Using the Optional Camera 71 Manually Adjusting the Camera Settings If you do not want the camera to use automatic settings, you can manually adjust the camera settings. 1 2 Right-click the icon in the notification area and click Launch Webcam Console. In the Webcam Console window:

Click the Camera tab to adjust video settings, such as contrast and brightness. Click the Effects tab to adjust audio settings, such as the volume level. For more information about camera settings and other camera-related topics, see the cameras Video Software Help file (see "Accessing the Cameras Help File" on page 71). Creating a Picture or a Video 1 2 3 Click the icon in the notification area and click Launch Webcam Center. To take a picture, click the Photo Capture tab and then click Start. To record a video, click the Video Recording tab and then click Start. The blue camera light turns on. You can now direct the camera to point at the object or person that you want to record. The screen shows you the camera target view. To take a picture, click Capture. To record a video, click Record. Unless you designate a different location, the picture or video is Dell Webcam Center folder automatically saved to the My Documents on your hard drive. For more information about creating pictures or videos, see the cameras Video Software Help file (see "Accessing the Cameras Help File" on page 71). 72 Using the Optional Camera Using ExpressCards ExpressCards provide additional memory, wired and wireless communications, multimedia and security features. For example, you can add an ExpressCard to make wireless wide area network (WWAN) connectivity available on your computer. ExpressCards support two form factors:

ExpressCard/34 (34 mm wide) ExpressCard/54 (54 mm wide in an L-shape with a 34 mm connector) The 34 mm card fits into both the 34 mm and 54 mm card slots. The 54 mm card only fits into a 54 mm card slot. See "Specifications" on page 155 for information on supported ExpressCards. NOTE: An ExpressCard is not a bootable device. 1 2 1 ExpressCard/34 2 ExpressCard/54 ExpressCard Blanks Your computer shipped with a plastic blank installed in the ExpressCard slot. Blanks protect unused slots from dust and other particles. Save the blank for use when no ExpressCard is installed in the slot; blanks from other computers may not fit your computer. Remove the blank before installing an ExpressCard. To remove the blank, see

"Removing an ExpressCard or Blank" on page 74. Using ExpressCards 73 Installing an ExpressCard You can install an ExpressCard while the computer is running. The computer automatically detects the card. ExpressCards are generally marked with a symbol (such as a triangle or an arrow) or a label to indicate which end to insert into the slot. The cards are keyed to prevent incorrect insertion. If card orientation is not clear, see the documentation that came with the card. CAUTION: Before you begin any of the procedures in this section, follow the safety instructions in the Product Information Guide. To install an ExpressCard:

1 2 Hold the card with its orientation symbol pointing into the slot and the top side of the card facing up. Slide the card into the slot until the card is completely seated in its connector. If you encounter too much resistance, do not force the card. Check the card orientation and try again. The computer recognizes the ExpressCard and automatically loads the appropriate device driver. If the configuration program tells you to load the manufacturer's drivers, use the media that came with the ExpressCard. Removing an ExpressCard or Blank CAUTION: Before you begin any of the procedures in this section, follow the safety instructions in the Product Information Guide. Press the card or blank into the slot to release it from the card reader. When it is partially ejected, remove the card or blank. Save a blank to use when no ExpressCard is installed in a slot. Blanks protect unused slots from dust and other particles. 74 Using ExpressCards Using the Memory Card Reader The memory card reader provides a fast and convenient way to view and share digital photos, music, and videos stored on a memory card. NOTE: A memory card is not a bootable device. The 8-in-1 memory card reader reads the following memory cards:

Secure Digital (SD) SDIO MultiMediaCard (MMC) Memory Stick Memory Stick PRO xD-Picture Card Hi Speed-SD Hi Density-SD Memory Card Blanks Your computer shipped with a plastic blank installed in the 8-in-1 memory card reader. Blanks protect unused slots from dust and other particles. Save the blank for use when no memory card is installed in the slot; blanks from other computers may not fit your computer. Remove the blank before installing a memory card. To remove the blank, see

"Removing a Memory Card or Blank" on page 76. Installing a Memory Card You can install a 8-in-1 memory card in the computer while the computer is running. The computer automatically detects the card. Memory cards are generally marked with a symbol (such as a triangle or an arrow) or a label to indicate which end to insert into the slot. The cards are keyed to prevent incorrect insertion. If card orientation is not clear, see the documentation that came with the card. Using the Memory Card Reader 75 CAUTION: Before you begin any of the procedures in this section, follow the safety instructions in the Product Information Guide. To install a memory card:

1 2 Hold the card with the top side of the card facing up. Slide the card into the slot until the card is completely seated in its connector. If you encounter too much resistance, do not force the card. Check the card orientation and try again. The computer recognizes the memory card and automatically loads the appropriate device driver. If the configuration program tells you to load the manufacturer's drivers, use the media that came with the memory card, if applicable. Removing a Memory Card or Blank CAUTION: Before you begin any of the procedures in this section, follow the safety instructions in the Product Information Guide. NOTICE: Click the icon in the notification area to select a card and stop it from functioning before you remove it from the computer. If you do not stop the card, you could lose data. Press the card into the slot to release it from the card reader. When it is partially ejected, remove the card. 76 Using the Memory Card Reader Setting Up and Using Networks Setting up a computer network provides connectivity between your computer and the Internet, another computer, or a network. For example, with a network set up in a home or small office you can print to a shared printer, access drives and files on another computer, browse other networks, or access the Internet. You can set up a local area network (LAN) using a network or broadband modem cable or set up a wireless LAN (WLAN). The Microsoft Windows Vista operating system provides a wizard to help guide you through the process of networking computers. For more information about Networking, access Windows Help and Support

(click Start

, and then click Help and Support). 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 2 Connect the network cable to the network adapter connector on the back of your computer. NOTE: Insert the cable connector until it clicks into place, and then gently pull on the cable to ensure that it is securely attached. Connect the other end of the network cable to a network connection device or a network wall connector. NOTE: Do not use a network cable with a telephone wall connector. Setting Up and Using Networks 77 Setting Up a Network in the Microsoft Windows Vista Operating System 1 2 3 Click Start Connect To Set up a connection or network. Select an option under Choose a connection option. Click Next, and then follow the instructions in the wizard. Wireless Local Area Network (WLAN) A wireless local area network (WLAN) is a series of interconnected computers that communicate with each other over the air waves rather than through a network cable connected to each computer. In a WLAN, a radio communications device called an access point or wireless router connects network computers and provides Internet, or network access. The access point or wireless router and the wireless network card in the computer communicate by broadcasting data from their antennas over the air waves. What You Need to Establish a WLAN Connection Before you can set up a WLAN, you need:

High-speed (broadband) Internet access (such as cable or DSL) A broadband modem that is connected and working A wireless router or access point A wireless network card for each computer that you want to connect to your WLAN A network cable with a network (RJ-45) connector Checking Your Wireless Network Card Depending on what you selected when you purchased your computer, the computer has a variety of configurations. To confirm that your computer has a wireless network card and to determine the type of card, use:

The Device Manager The order confirmation for your computer 78 Setting Up and Using Networks Device Manager 1 2 3 4 5 Click Start

, and then click Control Panel. Click Classic View on the menu on the left side of the Control Panel. Double-click Device Manager. NOTE: The User Account Control window may open. Click Continue on the User Account Control window if it opens. Click the + next to Network adapters to list the utility that manages your wireless network card. If a network adapter is not listed, you may not have a wireless network card. If a network adapter is listed, you have a wireless network card. To view detailed information about the wireless network card:

1 2 Right-click the name of the network adapter. Click Properties. The Order Confirmation for Your Computer The order confirmation that you received when you ordered your computer lists the hardware and software that shipped with your computer. Setting Up a New WLAN Using a Wireless Router and a Broadband Modem 1 2 3 4 5 Contact your Internet service provider (ISP) to obtain specific information about the connection requirements for your broadband modem. Ensure that you have wired Internet access through your broadband modem before you attempt to set up a wireless Internet connection (see

"Connecting a Network or Broadband Modem Cable" on page 77). Install any software required for your wireless router. Your wireless router may have been shipped with installation media. Installation media usually contains installation and troubleshooting information. Install the required software according to the instructions provided by the router manufacturer. Shut down your computer and any other wireless-enabled computers in the vicinity through the Windows Vista Start button

. Disconnect your broadband modem power cable from the electrical outlet. Setting Up and Using Networks 79 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 Disconnect the network cable from the computer and the modem. Disconnect the AC adapter cable from your wireless router to ensure that there is no power connected to the router. NOTE: Wait for a minimum of 5 minutes after disconnecting your broadband modem before continuing with the network setup. Insert a network cable into the network (RJ-45) connector on the unpowered broadband modem. Connect the other end of the network cable into the Internet network

(RJ-45) connector on the unpowered wireless router. Ensure that no network or USB cables, other than the network cable connecting the modem and the wireless router, are connected to the broadband modem. NOTE: Restart your wireless equipment in the order described below to prevent a potential connection failure. Turn on your broadband modem and wait for at least 2 minutes for only the broadband modem to stabilize. After 2 minutes, proceed to step 12. Turn on your wireless router and wait for at least 2 minutes for the wireless router to stabilize. After 2 minutes, proceed to the step 13. Start your computer and wait until the boot process completes. See the documentation that came with your wireless router to do the following in order to set up the wireless router:

Establish communication between your computer and your wireless router. Configure your wireless router to communicate with your broadband router. Find out your wireless routers broadcast name. The technical term for the name of your routers broadcast name is Service Set Identifier (SSID) or network name. If necessary, configure your wireless network card to connect to the wireless network (see "Connecting to a WLAN" on page 81). 80 Setting Up and Using Networks Connecting to a WLAN NOTE: Before you connect to a WLAN, ensure that you have followed the instructions in "Wireless Local Area Network (WLAN)" on page 78. NOTE: The following networking instructions do not apply to internal cards with Bluetooth wireless technology or cellular products. This section provides general procedures for connecting to a network using wireless technology. Specific network names and configuration details vary. See "Wireless Local Area Network (WLAN)" on page 78 for more information about how to prepare for connecting your computer to a WLAN. Your wireless network card requires specific software and drivers for connecting to a network. The software is already installed. NOTE: If the software is removed or corrupted, follow the instructions in the user documentation for your wireless network card. Verify the type of wireless network card installed in your computer and then search for that name on the Dell Support website at support.dell.com. For information on the type of wireless network card that is installed in your computer, see "Checking Your Wireless Network Card" on page 78. Determining the Wireless Network Device Manager Depending on the software installed on your computer, different wireless configuration utilities may manage your network devices:

Your wireless network cards client utility The Windows Vista operating system To determine which wireless configuration utility is managing your wireless network card in Windows Vista:

1 2 Click Start Connect To Manage wireless networks. Double-click a profile to open the wireless network properties screen. For specific information about the wireless configuration utility installed on your computer, see your wireless network documentation in the Windows Help and Support Center (see "Windows Help and Support" on page 16). Setting Up and Using Networks 81 Completing the Connection to the WLAN When you turn on your computer and a network (for which your computer is not configured) is detected in the area, a pop-up appears near the network icon in the notification area (in the lower-right corner of the Windows desktop). Follow the instructions provided in any utility prompts that appear on your screen. Once you have configured your computer for a wireless network, another pop-

up notifies you that your computer is connected to that network. Thereafter, whenever you log on to your computer within the range of the wireless network that you selected, the same pop-up notifies you of the wireless network connection. NOTE: If you select a secure network, you must enter a WEP or WPA key when prompted. Network security settings are unique to your network. Dell cannot provide this information. NOTE: Your computer can take up to 1 minute to connect to the network. Monitoring the Status of the Wireless Network Card Through Dell QuickSet The wireless activity indicator provides you with an easy way to monitor the status of your computers wireless devices. To turn the wireless activity indicator on or off, click the QuickSet icon in the taskbar and select Hotkey Popups. If Wireless Activity Indicator Off is not checked, the indicator is on. If Wireless Activity Indicator Off is checked, the indicator is off. The wireless activity indicator displays whether your computers integrated wireless devices are enabled or disabled. When you turn the wireless networking function on or off, the wireless activity indicator changes to display the status. For more information about the Dell QuickSet wireless activity indicator, right-click the QuickSet icon in the taskbar, and then select Help. 82 Setting Up and Using Networks Mobile Broadband/Wireless Wide Area Network

(WWAN) A Mobile Broadband network, also known as a Wireless Wide Area Network

(WWAN), is a high-speed digital cellular network that provides Internet access over a much wider geographical area than a WLAN, which typically covers only from 100 to 1000 feet. Your computer can maintain Mobile Broadband network access as long as the computer is within a cellular-data coverage zone. Contact your service provider for coverage of a high-speed digital cellular network. NOTE: Even if you are able to make a call from your cellular phone in a specific geographical location, that location may not necessarily be within a cellular-data coverage zone. What You Need to Establish a Mobile Broadband Network Connection NOTE: Depending on your computer, you can use either a Mobile Broadband ExpressCard or Mini Card, but not both, to establish a Mobile Broadband network connection. To set up a Mobile Broadband network connection, you need:

A Mobile Broadband ExpressCard or Mini-Card (depending on your computers configuration) NOTE: For instructions on using ExpressCards, see "Using ExpressCards" on page 73. An activated Mobile Broadband ExpressCard or activated Subscriber Identity Module (SIM) for your service provider The Dell Mobile Broadband Card Utility (already installed on your computer if you purchased the card when you purchased your computer, or on the media that accompanied your card if purchased separately from your computer) If the utility is corrupted or deleted from your computer, see the Dell Mobile Broadband Card Utility users guide in Windows Help and Support (click Start

, and then click Help and Support) or on the media that accompanied your card if you purchased it separately from your computer. Setting Up and Using Networks 83 Checking Your Dell Mobile Broadband Card Depending on what you selected when you purchased your computer, the computer has a variety of configurations. To determine your computer configuration, see one of the following:

Your order confirmation Microsoft Windows Help and Support To check your Mobile Broadband card in the Windows Help and Support Center:

1 2 Click Start Help and Support

. Use Tools to view your computer information and diagnose problems Under Tools, click My Computer Information the hardware installed on this computer. Find information about On the My Computer Information - Hardware screen, you can view the type of Mobile Broadband card installed in your computer as well as other hardware components. NOTE: The Mobile Broadband card is listed under Modems. 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 activate Mobile Broadband service through your cellular service provider. For instructions and for additional information about using the Dell Mobile Broadband Card Utility, see the user's

, and then click guide available through Windows Help and Support (click Start Help and Support). The user's guide is also available on the Dell Support website at support.dell.com and on the media included with your Mobile Broadband card if you purchased the card separately from your computer. 84 Setting Up and Using Networks Use the Dell Mobile Broadband Card Utility to establish and manage a Mobile Broadband network connection to the Internet:

1 2 3 1 2 Click the Dell Mobile Broadband Card Utility icon in the Windows notification area to run the utility. Click Connect. NOTE: The Connect button changes to the Disconnect button. Follow the instructions on the screen to manage the network connection with the utility. OR Click Start All Programs Dell Wireless. Click Dell Wireless Broadband and follow the instructions on the screen. Enabling/Disabling the Dell Mobile Broadband Card NOTE: If you are unable to connect to a Mobile Broadband network, ensure that you have all the components for establishing a Mobile Broadband connection (see

"What You Need to Establish a Mobile Broadband Network Connection" on page 83), and then verify that your Mobile Broadband card is enabled by verifying the setting of the wireless switch. You can turn your Mobile Broadband card on and off using the wireless switch on your computer. You can turn your computers wireless devices on and off with the wireless switch on the left side of the computer (see "Left Side View" on page 31). If the switch is in the on position, move the switch to the off position to disable the switch and the Mobile Broadband 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. For information about the wireless switch positions, see "Dell Wi-Fi Catcher Network Locator" on page 86. To monitor the status of your wireless device, see "Monitoring the Status of the Wireless Network Card Through Dell QuickSet" on page 82. Setting Up and Using Networks 85 Dell Wi-Fi Catcher Network Locator The wireless switch on your Dell computer uses the Dell Wi-Fi Catcher Network Locator to scan for wireless networks in your vicinity. To scan for a wireless network, press the Wi-Fi catcher button (see "Right Side View" on page 32) for a few seconds. The Wi-Fi Catcher Network Locator functions regardless of whether your computer is turned on or off, or in Sleep state, as long as the switch is configured through Dell QuickSet or the BIOS (system setup program) to control WiFi network connections. The Wi-Fi Catcher Network Locator is enabled and configured for use when your computer is shipped to you. For more information on the Wi-Fi Catcher Network Locator and to enable the feature through Dell QuickSet, right-click the QuickSet icon in the notification area, and then select Help. 86 Setting Up and Using Networks Securing Your Computer Security Cable Lock NOTE: Your computer does not ship with a security cable lock. A security cable lock is a commercially available antitheft device. To use the lock, attach it to the security cable slot on your Dell computer. For more information, see the instructions included with the device. NOTICE: Before you buy an antitheft device, ensure that it will work with the security cable slot on your computer. Securing Your Computer 87 Passwords Passwords prevent unauthorized access to your computer. When using passwords, observe the following guidelines:

Choose a password that you can remember, but not one that is easy to guess. For example, do not use the names of family members or pets for passwords. It is recommended that you do not write down your password. If you do write it down, however, ensure that the password is stored in a secure location. Do not share your password with other people. Ensure that people are not watching you when you type your password. NOTICE: Passwords provide a high level of security for data in your computer or hard drive. However, they are not foolproof. If you require more security, obtain and use additional forms of protection such as data encryption programs. Use the User Accounts option in the Control Panel in the Microsoft Windows operating system to create user accounts or to change passwords. Once you create a user password, you must enter it each time you turn on or unlock your computer. If you do not enter a password within 2 minutes, the computer returns to its previous operating state. For more information, see your Windows documentation. If you forget any of your passwords, such as the hard drive and BIOS passwords, contact Dell (see "Contacting Dell" on page 154). For your protection, Dell technical support staff will ask you for proof of your identity to ensure that only an authorized person can use the computer. Fingerprint Reader (optional) If your computer has the optional fingerprint reader, you can use the Fingerprint Reader Suite to add biometric security to your computer. The Fingerprint Reader Suite gives you the ability to enhance your security in the following ways:

Associate digitized images of your fingerprints with your user name, password, and generated security keys in your own secure passport Use the fingerprint reader to manage OS-level authentication 88 Securing Your Computer Register applications and web pages in a so that you can use password bank the fingerprint reader to enter your password Launch a favorite application by swiping your finger over the fingerprint reader Store confidential information in an encrypted folder If for some reason, the fingerprint reader is damaged, a backup password can be used to access the function of Fingerprint Reader Suite. The backup password can be created during enrollment. Computer Tracking Software Computer tracking software may enable you to locate your computer if it is lost or stolen. The software is optional and may be purchased when you order your Dell computer, or you can contact your Dell sales representative for information about this security feature. NOTE: Computer tracking software may not be available in certain countries. NOTE: If you have computer tracking software and your computer is lost or stolen, you must contact the company that provides the tracking service to report the missing computer. If Your Computer Is Lost or Stolen Call a law enforcement agency to report the lost or stolen computer. Include the Service Tag in your description of the computer. Ask that a case number be assigned and write down the number, along with the name, address, and phone number of the law enforcement agency. If possible, obtain the name of the investigating officer. NOTE: If you know where the computer was lost or stolen, call a law enforcement agency in that area. If you do not know, call a law enforcement agency where you live. If the computer belongs to a company, notify the security office of the company. Contact Dell customer service to report the missing computer. Provide the computer Service Tag, the case number, and the name, address, and phone number of the law enforcement agency to which you reported the missing computer. If possible, give the name of the investigating officer. Securing Your Computer 89 The Dell customer service representative will log your report under the computer Service Tag and record the computer as missing or stolen. If someone calls Dell for technical assistance and gives your Service Tag, the computer is identified automatically as missing or stolen. The representative will attempt to get the phone number and address of the caller. Dell will then contact the law enforcement agency to which you reported the missing computer. 90 Securing Your Computer Troubleshooting Dell Technical Update Service The Dell Technical Update service provides proactive e-mail notification of software and hardware updates for your computer. The service is free and can be customized for content, format, and how frequently you receive notifications. To enroll for the Dell Technical Update service, go to support.dell.com/technicalupdate. Dell Diagnostics CAUTION: Before you begin any of the procedures in this section, follow the safety instructions in the Product Information Guide. When to Use the Dell Diagnostics If you experience a problem with your computer, perform the checks in

"Lockups and Software Problems" on page 107 and run the Dell Diagnostics before you contact Dell for technical assistance. It is recommended that you print these procedures before you begin. NOTE: The Dell Diagnostics only operate on Dell computers. Enter system setup, review your computers configuration information, and ensure that the device you want to test displays in system setup and is active

(see "Using the System Setup Program" on page 165). Start the Dell Diagnostics from your hard drive or from your Drivers and Utilities media (see "Drivers and Utilities Media" on page 13). Starting the Dell Diagnostics From Your 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, contact Dell (see

"Contacting Dell" on page 154). Troubleshooting 91 NOTE: If the computer is connected to a docking device (docked), undock it. See the documentation that came with your docking device for instructions. Ensure that the computer is connected to an electrical outlet that is known to be working properly. Turn on (or restart) your computer. Start the Dell Diagnostics in one of the following two ways:

a When the DELL logo appears, press <F12> immediately. Select Diagnostics from the boot menu, and then press <Enter>. NOTE: If you wait too long and the operating system logo appears, continue to wait until you see the Microsoft Windows desktop, then shut down your computer and try again. NOTE: Before attempting option B, the computer must be powered down completely. b Press and hold the <Fn> key while powering the computer on. NOTE: If you see a message stating that no diagnostics utility partition has been found, run the Dell Diagnostics from your Drivers and Utilities media. The computer runs the Pre-boot System Assessment, a series of initial tests of your system board, keyboard, hard drive, and display. During the assessment, answer any questions that appear. If a failure is detected, the computer stops and beeps. To stop the assessment and restart the computer, press <n>; to continue to the next test, press <y>; to retest the component that failed, press <r>. If failures are detected during the Pre-boot System Assessment, write down the error code(s) and contact Dell. If the Pre-boot System Assessment completes successfully, you receive the message Booting Dell Diagnostic Utility Partition. Press any key to continue. Press any key to start the Dell Diagnostics from the diagnostics utility partition on your hard drive. 1 2 3 4 92 Troubleshooting Starting the Dell Diagnostics From the Drivers and Utilities Media 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 Insert your Drivers and Utilities media. Shut down and restart the computer. When the DELL logo appears, press <F12> immediately. NOTE: Keyboard failure may result when a key on the keyboard is held down for extended periods of time. To avoid possible keyboard failure, press and release <F12> in even intervals until the boot device menu appears. At the boot device menu, use the up- and down-arrow keys to highlight CD/DVD/CD-RW, and then press <Enter>. NOTE: The Quickboot feature changes the boot sequence for the current boot only. Upon restart, the computer boots according to the boot sequence specified in system setup. Select the Boot from CD-ROM option from the menu that appears, and then press <Enter>. Type 1 to start the Drivers and Utilities menu, and then press <Enter>. Select Run the 32 Bit Dell Diagnostics from the numbered list. If multiple versions are listed, select the version appropriate for your computer. At the Dell Diagnostics Main Menu, select the test you want to run. NOTE: Write down any error codes and problem descriptions exactly as they appear and follow the instructions on the screen. After all tests have completed, close the test window to return to the Dell Diagnostics Main Menu. 10 Remove your Drivers and Utilities media, then close the Main Menu window to exit the Dell Diagnostics and restart the computer. Dell Diagnostics Main Menu After the Dell Diagnostics 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. Troubleshooting 93 Option Function Test Memory Run the stand-alone memory test Test System Run System Diagnostics Exit Exit the Diagnostics 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 the devices in the computer. Option Function Express Test Extended Test Custom Test Symptom Tree Performs a quick test of system devices. The test typically takes 10 to 20 minutes and requires no interaction on your part. Run Express Test first to increase the possibility of tracing the problem quickly. Performs a thorough check of system devices. The test typically takes an hour or more and periodically requires your input to answer specific questions. Tests a specific device in the system and can be used to customize the tests you want to run. Lists a number of common symptoms and allows you to select a test based on the symptom of the problem you are having. For any problem encountered during a test, a message appears with an error code and a description of the problem. Write down the error code and problem description exactly as it appears and follow the instructions on the screen. If you cannot resolve the problem, contact Dell (see "Contacting Dell"

on page 154). NOTE: The Service Tag for your computer is located at the top of each test screen. When contacting Dell support, have your Service Tag ready. 94 Troubleshooting The following tabs provide additional information for tests run from the Custom Test or Symptom Tree option:

Tab Results Errors Help Function Displays the results of the test and any error conditions encountered. Displays error conditions encountered, error codes, and the problem description. Describes the test and any requirements for running the test. Configuration Displays your hardware configuration for the selected device. The Dell Diagnostics obtains configuration information for all devices from system setup, memory, and various internal tests, and it displays the information in the device list in the left pane of the screen. The device list may not display the names of all the components installed on your computer or all devices attached to your computer. Parameters Allows you to customize the test by changing the test settings. Dell Support Utility The Dell Support Utility is customized for your computing environment. This utility provides self-support information, software updates, and health scans for your computer. Use this utility to do the following:

Check your computing environment View the Dell Support Utility settings Access the help file for the Dell Support Utility View frequently asked questions Learn more about the Dell Support Utility Turn the Dell Support Utility off Troubleshooting 95 For more information about the Dell Support Utility, click the question mark (?) at the top of the Dell Support window. To access the Dell Support Utility:

Click the Dell Support icon in the notification area. icon functions vary when clicking, double-clicking, or NOTE: The right-clicking. or Click the Start All Programs Dell Support Dell Support Settings. Ensure that the Show icon on the taskbar option is checked. NOTE: If the Dell Support Utility is not available from the Start menu, go to support.dell.com and download the software. Drive Problems CAUTION: Before you begin any of the procedures in this section, follow the safety instructions in the Product Information Guide. Fill out the "Diagnostics Checklist" on page 153 as you complete these checks. E N S U R E T H A T M I C R O S O F T W I N D O W S R E C O G N I Z E S T H E D R I V E Click Start Computer. If the drive is not listed, perform a full scan with your antivirus software to check for and remove viruses. Viruses can sometimes prevent Windows from recognizing the drive. TE S T T H E D R I V E Insert another floppy disk, CD, DVD, or BD to eliminate the possibility that the original media is defective. Insert a bootable floppy disk and restart the computer. C L E A N T H E D R I V E O R D I S K See "Cleaning Your Computer" on page 168. E N S U R E T H A T T H E C D, DV D O R B D M E D I A I S S N A P P E D O N T O T H E S P I N D L E C H E C K T H E C A B L E C O N N E C T I O N S R U N T H E H A R D W A R E T R O U B L E S H O O T E R See "Troubleshooting Software and Hardware Problems" on page 121. R U N T H E D E L L D I A G N O S T I C S See "Dell Diagnostics" on page 91. 96 Troubleshooting Optical drive problems NOTE: High-speed optical drive vibration is normal and may cause noise, which does not indicate a defect in the drive or the media. NOTE: Because of different regions worldwide and different disc formats, not all DVD titles work in all DVD drives. Problems writing to an optical drive C L O S E O T H E R P R O G R A M S CD-RW, DVD+/-RW, and BD-RE drives must receive a steady stream of data when writing. If the stream is interrupted, an error occurs. Try closing all programs before you write to the drive. TU R N O F F S L E E P S T A T E I N W I N D O W S B E F O R E W R I T I N G T O A CD/D VD /BD D I S C See "Using the Sleep Power State" on page 49 for information on Sleep state. C H A N G E T H E W R I T E S P E E D T O A S L O W E R R A T E See the help files for your CD, DVD, or BD creation software. The drive makes an unfamiliar scraping or grinding sound Ensure that the sound is not caused by the program that is running. Ensure that the disc is inserted properly. Hard drive problems A L L O W T H E C O M P U T E R T O C O O L B E F O R E T U R N I N G I T O N A hot hard drive may prevent the operating system from starting. Try allowing the computer to return to room temperature before turning it on. R U N C H E C K D I S K Click Start Computer. Right-click Local Disk (C:). Click Properties Tools Check Now. 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. Click to check Scan for and attempt recovery of bad sectors, and then Start. Troubleshooting 97 1 2 3 4 click E-Mail, Modem, and Internet Problems CAUTION: Before you begin any of the procedures in this section, follow the safety instructions in the Product Information Guide. NOTE: The modem is an optional feature on this computer. You can purchase an external modem through Dell. Therefore, the steps in this section only apply if you have purchased an external modem. C H E C K T H E M I C R O S O F T O U T L O O K E X P R E S S S E C U R I T Y S E T T I N G S If you cannot open your e-mail attachments:

1 2 In Outlook Express, click Tools Options Security. Click Do not allow attachments to remove the checkmark. C H E C K T H E T E L E P H O N E L I N E C O N N E C T I O N C H E C K T H E T E L E P H O N E J A C K C O N N E C T T H E M O D E M D I R E C T L Y T O T H E T E L E P H O N E W A L L J A C K U S E A D I F F E R E N T T E L E P H O N E L I N E Verify that the telephone line is connected to the jack on the modem (the jack has either a green label or a connector-shaped icon next to it). Ensure that you hear a click when you insert the telephone line connector into the modem. Disconnect the telephone line from the modem and connect it to a telephone, then listen for a dial tone. If you have other telephone devices sharing the line, such as an answering machine, fax machine, surge protector, or line splitter, then bypass them and connect the modem directly to the telephone wall jack. If you are using a line that is 3 m (10 ft) or more in length, try a shorter one. R U N T H E M O D E M D I A G N O S T I C U T I L I T Y Click Start Programs Modem Diagnostic Tool Modem Diagnostic Tool. Follow the instructions on the screen to identify and resolve modem problems (Modem Diagnostic Utility is not available on certain computers). V E R I F Y T H A T T H E M O D E M I S C O M M U N I C A T I N G W I T H W I N D O W S 1 Control Panel Hardware and Sound Click Start Phone and Modem Options Modems. 2 Click the COM port for your modem Properties Diagnostics Query Modem to verify that the modem is communicating with Windows. 98 Troubleshooting If all commands receive responses, the modem is operating properly. E N S U R E T H A T Y O U A R E C O N N E C T E D T O T H E I N T E R N E T Ensure that you have subscribed to an Internet service provider. With the Outlook Express e-mail program open, click File. If Work Offline has a checkmark next to it, click the checkmark to remove it, and then connect to the Internet. For help, contact your Internet service provider. S C A N T H E C O M P U T E R F O R S P Y W A R E If you are experiencing slow computer performance, you frequently receive pop-up advertisements, or you are having problems connecting to the Internet, your computer might be infected with spyware. Use an anti-virus program that includes anti-spyware protection

(your program may require an upgrade) to scan the computer and remove spyware. For more information, go to support.dell.com and search for the keyword spyware

. Error Messages Fill out the "Diagnostics Checklist" on page 153 as you complete these checks. CAUTION: Before you begin any of the procedures in this section, follow the safety instructions in the Product Information Guide. If the error message is not listed, see the documentation for the operating system or the program that was running when the message appeared. A U X I L I A R Y D E V I C E F A I L U R E The touch pad or external mouse may be faulty. For an external mouse, check the cable connection. Enable the Pointing Device option in the system setup program (see "Using the System Setup Program" on page 165). If the problem persists, contact Dell (see "Contacting Dell" on page 154). B A D C O M M A N D O R F I L E N A M E Ensure that you have spelled the command correctly, put spaces in the proper place, and used the correct pathname. C A C H E D I S A B L E D D U E T O F A I L U R E The primary cache internal to the microprocessor has failed. Contact Dell (see "Contacting Dell" on page 154). CD D R I V E C O N T R O L L E R F A I L U R E The CD drive does not respond to commands from the computer (see "Drive Problems" on page 96). D A T A E R R O R The hard drive cannot read the data (see "Drive Problems" on page 96). Troubleshooting 99 D E C R E A S I N G A V A I L A B L E M E M O R Y One or more memory modules may be faulty or improperly seated. Reinstall the memory modules and, if necessary, replace them (see "Memory" on page 134). D I S K C : F A I L E D I N I T I A L I Z A T I O N The hard drive failed initialization. Run the hard drive tests in the Dell Diagnostics (see "Dell Diagnostics" on page 91). D R I V E N O T R E A D Y The operation requires a hard drive in the bay before it can continue. Install a hard drive in the hard drive bay (see "Hard Drive" on page 127). E R R O R R E A D I N G P C M C I A C A R D The computer cannot identify the ExpressCard. Reinsert the card or try another card (see "Using ExpressCards"

on page 73). E X T E N D E D M E M O R Y S I Z E H A S C H A N G E D The amount of memory recorded in NVRAM does not match the memory installed in the computer. Restart the computer. If the error appears again, contact Dell (see "Contacting Dell" on page 154). T H E F I L E B E I N G C O P I E D I S T O O L A R G E F O R T H E D E S T I N A T I O N D R I V E The file that you are trying to copy is too large to fit on the disk, or the disk is full. Try copying the file to a different disk or use a larger capacity disk. A F I L E N A M E C A N N O T C O N T A I N A N Y O F T H E F O L L O W I N G C H A R A C T E R S: \ / : * ? <

> | Do not use these characters in filenames. G A T E A20 F A I L U R E A memory module may be loose. Reinstall the memory modules and, if necessary, replace them (see "Memory" on page 134). G E N E R A L F A I L U R E The operating system is unable to carry out the command. The message is usually followed by specific informationfor example, Printer out of paper. Take the appropriate action. H A R D - D I S K D R I V E C O N F I G U R A T I O N E R R O R The computer cannot identify the drive type. Shut down the computer, remove the hard drive (see "Hard Drive"

on page 127), and boot the computer from a CD. Then, shut down the computer, reinstall the hard drive, and restart the computer. Run the Hard Disk Drive tests in the Dell Diagnostics (see "Dell Diagnostics" on page 91). H A R D - D I S K D R I V E C O N T R O L L E R F A I L U R E 0 The hard drive does not respond to commands from the computer. Shut down the computer, remove the hard drive (see "Hard Drive" on page 127), and boot the computer from a CD. Then, shut down the computer, reinstall the hard drive, and restart the computer. If the problem persists, try another drive. Run the Hard Disk Drive tests in the Dell Diagnostics (see "Dell Diagnostics" on page 91). 100 Troubleshooting H A R D - D I S K D R I V E F A I L U R E The hard drive does not respond to commands from the computer. Shut down the computer, remove the hard drive (see

"Hard Drive" on page 127), and boot the computer from a CD. Then, shut down the computer, reinstall the hard drive, and restart the computer. If the problem persists, try another drive. Run the Hard Disk Drive tests in the Dell Diagnostics (see "Dell Diagnostics" on page 91). H A R D - D I S K D R I V E R E A D F A I L U R E The hard drive may be defective. Shut down the computer, remove the hard drive (see "Hard Drive" on page 127), and boot the computer from a CD. Then, shut down the computer, reinstall the hard drive, and restart the computer. If the problem persists, try another drive. Run the Hard-Disk Drive tests in the Dell Diagnostics (see "Dell Diagnostics" on page 91). I N S E R T B O O T A B L E M E D I A The operating system is trying to boot to nonbootable media, such as a floppy disk or CD. Insert bootable media. I N V A L I D C O N F I G U R A T I O N I N F O R M A T I O N- P L E A S E R U N S YS T E M S E T U P P R O G R A M The system configuration information does not match the hardware configuration. The message is most likely to occur after a memory module is installed. Correct the appropriate options in the system setup program (see "Using the System Setup Program" on page 165). K E Y B O A R D C L O C K L I N E F A I L U R E For external keyboards, check the cable connection. Run the Keyboard Controller test in the Dell Diagnostics (see

"Dell Diagnostics" on page 91). K E Y B O A R D C O N T R O L L E R F A I L U R E For external keyboards, check the cable connection. Restart the computer, and avoid touching the keyboard or the mouse during the boot routine. Run the Keyboard Controller test in the Dell Diagnostics (see "Dell Diagnostics" on page 91). K E Y B O A R D D A T A L I N E F A I L U R E For external keyboards, check the cable connection. Run the Keyboard Controller test in the Dell Diagnostics (see

"Dell Diagnostics" on page 91). K E Y B O A R D S T U C K K E Y F A I L U R E For external keyboards or keypads, check the cable connection. Restart the computer, and avoid touching the keyboard or keys during the boot routine. Run the Stuck Key test in the Dell Diagnostics

(see "Dell Diagnostics" on page 91). L I C E N S E D C O N T E N T I S N O T A C C E S S I B L E I N D E L L M E D I A D I R E C T Dell MediaDirect cannot verify the Digital Rights Management (DRM) restrictions on the file, so the file cannot be played (see "Dell MediaDirect problems" on page 108). Troubleshooting 101 M E M O R Y A D D R E S S L I N E F A I L U R E A T A D D R E S S , R E A D V A L U E E X P E C T I N G V A L U E A memory module may be faulty or improperly seated. Reinstall the memory modules and, if necessary, replace them (see "Memory" on page 134). M E M O R Y A L L O C A T I O N E R R O R The software you are attempting to run is conflicting with the operating system, another program, or a utility. Shut down the computer, wait 30 seconds, and then restart it. Try to run the program again. If the error message still appears, see the software documentation. M E M O R Y D A T A L I N E F A I L U R E A T A D D R E S S, R E A D V A L U E E X P E C T I N G V A L U E A memory module may be faulty or improperly seated. Reinstall the memory modules and, if necessary, replace them (see "Memory" on page 134). M E M O R Y D O U B L E W O R D L O G I C F A I L U R E A T A D D R E S S, R E A D V A L U E E X P E C T I N G V A L U E A memory module may be faulty or improperly seated. Reinstall the memory modules and, if necessary, replace them (see "Memory" on page 134). M E M O R Y O D D/ E V E N L O G I C F A I L U R E A T A D D R E S S, R E A D V A L U E E X P E C T I N G V A L U E A memory module may be faulty or improperly seated. Reinstall the memory modules and, if necessary, replace them (see "Memory" on page 134). M E M O R Y W R I T E / R E A D F A I L U R E A T A D D R E S S, R E A D V A L U E E X P E C T I N G V A L U E A memory module may be faulty or improperly seated. Reinstall the memory modules and, if necessary, replace them (see "Memory" on page 134). N O B O O T D E V I C E A V A I L A B L E The computer cannot find the hard drive. If the hard drive is your boot device, ensure that the drive is installed, properly seated, and partitioned as a boot device. N O B O O T S E C T O R O N H A R D D R I V E The operating system may be corrupted. Contact Dell (see "Contacting Dell" on page 154). N O T I M E R T I C K I N T E R R U P T A chip on the system board may be malfunctioning. Run the System Set tests in the Dell Diagnostics (see "Dell Diagnostics" on page 91). N O T E N O U G H M E M O R Y O R R E S O U R C E S . E X I T S O M E P R O G R A M S A N D T R Y A G A I N You have too many programs open. Close all windows and open the program that you want to use. 102 Troubleshooting O P E R A T I N G S YS T E M N O T F O U N D Reinstall the hard drive (see "Hard Drive"

on page 127). If the problem persists, contact Dell (see "Contacting Dell" on page 154). O P T I O N A L R O M B A D C H E C K S U M The optional ROM has failed. Contact Dell (see "Contacting Dell" on page 154). A R E Q U I R E D .DLL F I L E W A S N O T F O U N D The program that you are trying to open is missing an essential file. Remove and then reinstall the program. 1 2 3 4 Click Start Control Panel Programs Programs and Features. Select the program you want to remove. Click Uninstall. See the program documentation for installation instructions. S E C T O R N O T F O U N D The operating system cannot locate a sector on the hard drive. You may have a defective sector or corrupted FAT on the hard drive. Run the Windows error-checking utility to check the file structure on the hard drive. See Windows Help and Support for instructions (click Start Help and Support). If a large number of sectors are defective, back up the data (if possible), and then reformat the hard drive. S E E K E R R O R The operating system cannot find a specific track on the hard drive. S H U T D O W N F A I L U R E A chip on the system board may be malfunctioning. Run the System Set tests in the Dell Diagnostics (see "Dell Diagnostics" on page 91). TI M E- O F- D A Y C L O C K L O S T P O W E R System configuration settings are corrupted. Connect your computer to an electrical outlet to charge the battery. If the problem persists, try to restore the data by entering the system setup program, then immediately exit the program (see "Using the System Setup Program" on page 165). If the message reappears, contact Dell (see

"Contacting Dell" on page 154). TI M E- O F- D A Y C L O C K S T O P P E D The reserve battery that supports the system configuration settings may require recharging. Connect your computer to an electrical outlet to charge the battery. If the problem persists, contact Dell

(see "Contacting Dell" on page 154). Troubleshooting 103 TI M E- O F - D A Y N O T S E T - P L E A S E R U N T H E S YS T E M S E T U P P R O G R A M The time or date stored in the system setup program does not match the system clock. Correct the settings for the Date and Time options (see "Using the System Setup Program" on page 165). TI M E R C H I P C O U N T E R 2 F A I L E D A chip on the system board may be malfunctioning. Run the System Set tests in the Dell Diagnostics (see "Dell Diagnostics" on page 91). U N E X P E C T E D I N T E R R U P T I N P R O T E C T E D M O D E The keyboard controller may be malfunctioning, or a memory module may be loose. Run the System Memory tests and the Keyboard Controller test in the Dell Diagnostics

(see "Dell Diagnostics" on page 91). X : \ I S N O T A C C E S S I B L E . T H E D E V I C E I S N O T R E A D Y Insert a disk into the drive and try again. W A R N I N G: B A T T E R Y I S C R I T I C A L L Y L O W The battery is running out of charge. Replace the battery, or connect the computer to an electrical outlet;

otherwise, activate hibernate mode or shut down the computer. ExpressCard Problems CAUTION: Before you begin any of the procedures in this section, follow the safety instructions in the Product Information Guide. C H E C K T H E E X P R E S S C A R D Ensure that the ExpressCard is properly inserted into the connector. C H E C K T H A T T H E C A R D I S R E C O G N I Z E D B Y W I N D O W S Double-click the Safely Remove Hardware icon in the Windows taskbar. Some cards do not support this feature. If the card supports this Windows feature, the card will be listed. I F Y O U H A V E P R O B L E M S W I T H A D E L L - P R O V I D E D E X P R E S S C A R D Contact Dell

(see "Contacting Dell" on page 154). Also, for Mobile Broadband (WWAN) ExpressCards, see "Mobile Broadband (Wireless Wide Area Network

[WWAN])" on page 110. I F Y O U H A V E P R O B L E M S W I T H A N E X P R E S S C A R D N O T P R O V I D E D B Y D E L L Contact the ExpressCard manufacturer. 104 Troubleshooting IEEE 1394 Device Problems CAUTION: Before you begin any of the procedures in this section, follow the safety instructions in the Product Information Guide. Your computer supports only IEEE 1394a standard. E N S U R E T H A T T H E C A B L E F O R T H E IEEE 1394 D E V I C E I S P R O P E R L Y I N S E R T E D I N T O T H E D E V I C E A N D I N T O T H E C O N N E C T O R O N T H E C O M P U T E R E N S U R E T H A T T H E IEEE 1394 D E V I C E I S E N A B L E D I N S YS T E M S E T U P See

"Viewing the System Setup Screen" on page 166. E N S U R E T H A T T H E IEEE 1394 D E V I C E I S R E C O G N I Z E D B Y W I N D O W S 1 Click Start Manager. Control Panel Hardware and Sound Device 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. If your IEEE 1394 device is listed, Windows recognizes the device. I F Y O U H A V E P R O B L E M S W I T H A D E L L- P R O V I D E D IEEE 1394 D E V I C E Contact Dell or the IEEE 1394 device manufacturer (see "Contacting Dell" on page 154). I F Y O U H A V E P R O B L E M S W I T H A N IEEE 1394 D E V I C E N O T P R O V I D E D B Y D E L L Contact Dell or the IEEE 1394 device manufacturer (see "Contacting Dell" on page 154). Ensure that the IEEE 1394 device is properly inserted into the connector. Keyboard Problems CAUTION: Before you begin any of the procedures in this section, follow the safety instructions in the Product Information Guide. Fill out the "Diagnostics Checklist" on page 153 as you perform the various checks. NOTE: Use the integrated keyboard when running the Dell Diagnostics or the system setup program. When you attach an external keyboard, the integrated keyboard remains fully functional. Troubleshooting 105 External Keyboard problems NOTE: When you attach an external keyboard, the integrated keyboard remains fully functional. C H E C K T H E K E Y B O A R D C A B L E Shut down the computer, disconnect the keyboard cable and check it for damage, and then firmly reconnect the cable. If you are using a keyboard extension cable, disconnect it and connect the keyboard directly to the computer. C H E C K T H E E X T E R N A L K E Y B O A R D Shut down the computer, wait 1 minute, and then turn it on again. Verify that the numbers, capitals, and scroll lock lights on the keyboard blink during the boot routine. From the Windows desktop, click Start Accessories Notepad. All Programs Type some characters on the external keyboard and verify that they appear on the display. If you cannot verify these steps, you may have a defective external keyboard. TO V E R I F Y T H A T T H E P R O B L E M I S W I T H T H E E X T E R N A L K E Y B O A R D, C H E C K T H E I N T E G R A T E D K E Y B O A R D Shut down the computer. Disconnect the external keyboard. Turn on the computer. From the Windows desktop, click Start Accessories Notepad. All Programs Type some characters on the internal keyboard and verify that they appear on the display. 1 2 3 4 1 2 3 4 5 If the characters appear now, but did not with the external keyboard, you may have a defective external keyboard. Contact Dell (see "Contacting Dell" on page 154). R U N T H E K E Y B O A R D D I A G N O S T I C S T E S T S Run the PC-AT Compatible Keyboards tests in the Dell Diagnostics (see "Dell Diagnostics" on page 91). If the tests indicate a defective external keyboard, contact Dell (see "Contacting Dell" on page 154). 106 Troubleshooting Unexpected characters D I S A B L E T H E N U M E R I C K E Y P A D Press <Num Lk> to disable the numeric keypad if numbers are displayed instead of letters. Verify that the numbers lock light is not lit. Lockups and Software Problems CAUTION: Before you begin any of the procedures in this section, follow the safety instructions in the Product Information Guide. The computer does not start C H E C K T H E A C A D A P T E R Ensure that the AC adapter is firmly connected to the computer and to the electrical outlet. The computer stops responding NOTICE: You might lose data if you are unable to perform an operating system shutdown. TU R N T H E C O M P U T E R O F F If you are unable to get a response by pressing a key on your keyboard or moving your mouse, press and hold the power button for at least 8 to 10 seconds until the computer turns off, then restart your computer. A program stops responding or crashes repeatedly E N D T H E P R O G R A M 1 2 3 Press <Crtl><Shift><Esc> simultaneously. Click the Applications tab and select the program that is no longer responding. Click End Task. NOTE: The chkdsk program may run when you restart the computer. Follow the instructions on the screen. C H E C K T H E S O F T W A R E D O C U M E N T A T I O N If necessary, uninstall and then reinstall the program. Software usually includes installation instructions in its documentation or on a floppy disk or CD. Troubleshooting 107 A program is designed for an earlier Microsoft Windows operating system R U N T H E P R O G R A M C O M P A T I B I L I T Y W I Z A R D Program compatibility is a mode in Windows that lets you run programs written for earlier versions of Windows. For more information, search for the keyword program compatibility wizard in Windows Help and Support. A solid blue screen appears TU R N T H E C O M P U T E R O F F If you are unable to get a response by pressing a key on your keyboard or moving your mouse, press and hold the power button for at least 8 to 10 seconds until the computer turns off, then restart your computer. Dell MediaDirect problems C H E C K T H E D E L L M E D I A D I R E C T H E L P F I L E F O R I N F O R M A T I O N Use the Help menu to access Dell MediaDirect Help. TO P L A Y M O V I E S W I T H D E L L M E D I A D I R E C T , Y O U M U S T H A V E A D V D D R I V E A N D T H E D E L L D V D P L A Y E R If you purchased a DVD drive with your computer, this software should already be installed. V I D E O Q U A L I T Y P R O B L E M S Turn off the Use Hardware Acceleration option. This feature takes advantage of the special processing in some graphics cards to reduce processor requirements when playing DVDs and certain types of video files. C A N N O T P L A Y S O M E M E D I A F I L E S Because Dell MediaDirect provides access to media files outside the Windows operating system environment, access to licensed content is restricted. Licensed content is digital content that has Digital Rights Management (DRM) applied to it. The Dell MediaDirect environment cannot verify the DRM restrictions, so the licensed files cannot be played. Licensed music and video files have a lock icon next to them. You can access licensed files in the Windows operating system environment. A D J U S T I N G T H E C O L O R S E T T I N G S F O R M O V I E S T H A T C O N T A I N S C E N E S T H A T A R E T O O D A R K O R T O O B R I G H T Click EagleVision to use a video enhancement technology that detects video content and dynamically adjusts the brightness/contrast/saturation ratios. NOTICE: You cannot reinstall the Dell MediaDirect feature if you voluntarily reformat the hard drive. Contact Dell for assistance (see "Contacting Dell" on page 154). 108 Troubleshooting Other software problems C H E C K T H E S O F T W A R E D O C U M E N T A T I O N O R C O N T A C T T H E S O F T W A R E M A N U F A C T U R E R F O R T R O U B L E S H O O T I N G I N F O R M A T I O N Ensure that the program is compatible with the operating system installed on your computer. Ensure that your computer meets the minimum hardware requirements needed to run the software. See the software documentation for information. Ensure that the program is installed and configured properly. Verify that the device drivers do not conflict with the program. If necessary, uninstall and then reinstall the program. B A C K U P Y O U R F I L E S I M M E D I A T E L Y U S E A V I R U S- S C A N N I N G P R O G R A M T O C H E C K T H E H A R D D R I V E, F L O P P Y D I S K S, O R CD S S A V E A N D C L O S E A N Y O P E N F I L E S O R P R O G R A M S A N D S H U T D O W N Y O U R C O M P U T E R T H R O U G H T H E S T A R T M E N U S C A N T H E C O M P U T E R F O R S P Y W A R E If you are experiencing slow computer performance, you frequently receive pop-up advertisements, or you are having problems connecting to the Internet, your computer might be infected with spyware. Use an anti-virus program that includes anti-spyware protection

(your program may require an upgrade) to scan the computer and remove spyware. For more information, go to support.dell.com and search for the keyword spyware

. R U N T H E D E L L D I A G N O S T I C S If all tests run successfully, the error condition is related to a software problem (see "Dell Diagnostics" on page 91). Memory Problems Fill out the "Diagnostics Checklist" on page 153 as you complete these checks. CAUTION: Before you begin any of the procedures in this section, follow the safety instructions in the Product Information Guide. I F Y O U R E C E I V E A N I N S U F F I C I E N T M E M O R Y M E S S A G E Save and close any open files and exit any open programs you are not using to see if that resolves the problem. See the software documentation for minimum memory requirements. If necessary, install additional memory (see "Memory" on page 134). Troubleshooting 109 Reseat the memory modules to ensure that your computer is successfully communicating with the memory (see "Memory" on page 134). Run the Dell Diagnostics (see "Dell Diagnostics" on page 91). I F Y O U E X P E R I E N C E O T H E R M E M O R Y P R O B L E M S Reseat the memory modules to ensure that your computer is successfully communicating with the memory (see "Memory" on page 134). Ensure that you are following the memory installation guidelines (see

"Memory" on page 134). Run the Dell Diagnostics (see "Dell Diagnostics" on page 91). Network Problems Fill out the "Diagnostics Checklist" on page 153 as you complete these checks. CAUTION: Before you begin any of the procedures in this section, follow the safety instructions in the Product Information Guide. C H E C K T H E N E T W O R K C A B L E C O N N E C T O R Ensure that the network cable is firmly inserted into both the network connector on the back of the computer and the network jack. C H E C K T H E N E T W O R K L I G H T S O N T H E N E T W O R K C O N N E C T O R No light indicates that no network communication exists. Replace the network cable. R E S T A R T T H E C O M P U T E R A N D L O G O N T O T H E N E T W O R K A G A I N C H E C K Y O U R N E T W O R K S E T T I N G S 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 [WWAN]) NOTE: The Dell Mobile Broadband Card Utility users guide and the Mobile Broadband ExpressCard users guide are available through Windows Help and Support (click Start Help and Support). You can also download the Dell Mobile Broadband Card Utility users guide from support.dell.com. NOTE: The WWAN device installed. Double-click the icon to launch the utility. icon appears in the notification area if the computer has a Dell 110 Troubleshooting A C T I V A T E T H E M O B I L E B R O A D B A N D E X P R E S S C A R D You must activate the Mobile Broadband ExpressCard before you can connect to the network. Position the mouse over the icon in the notification area to verify the status of the connection. If the card is not activated, follow the card activation instructions located within the Dell Mobile Broadband Card Utility. To access the utility, double-click the icon located in the taskbar, at the lower-right corner of your screen. If your ExpressCard is not a Dell-

branded card, see the manufacturers instructions for your card. C H E C K N E T W O R K C O N N E C T I O N S T A T U S I N T H E D E L L M O B I L E B R O A D B A N D C A R D U T I L I T Y Double-click the icon to launch the Dell Mobile Broadband Card Utility. Check the status in the main window:

No card detected Restart the computer, and launch the Dell Mobile Broadband Card Utility again. Check your WWAN service Contact your cellular service provider to verify your plan coverage and supported services. Power Problems Fill out the "Diagnostics Checklist" on page 153 as you complete these checks. CAUTION: Before you begin any of the procedures in this section, follow the safety instructions in the Product Information Guide. C H E C K T H E P O W E R L I G H T When the power light is lit or blinking, the computer has power. If the power light is blinking, the computer is in Sleep statepress the power button to exit Sleep state. If the light is off, press the power button to turn on the computer. NOTE: For information on Sleep power state, see "Using the Sleep Power State" on page 49. C H A R G E T H E B A T T E R Y The battery charge may be depleted. 1 2 3 Reinstall the battery. Use the AC adapter to connect the computer to an electrical outlet. Turn on the computer. NOTE: Battery operating time (the time the battery can hold a charge) decreases over time. Depending on how often the battery is used and the conditions under which it is used, you may need to purchase a new battery during the life of your computer. Troubleshooting 111 C H E C K T H E B A T T E R Y S T A T U S L I G H T If the battery status light flashes amber or is a steady amber, the battery charge is low or depleted. Connect the computer to an electrical outlet. If the battery status light flashes blue and amber, the battery is too hot to charge. Shut down the computer, disconnect the computer from the electrical outlet, and then let the battery and computer cool to room temperature. If the battery status light rapidly flashes amber, the battery may be defective. Contact Dell (see "Contacting Dell" on page 154). C H E C K T H E B A T T E R Y T E M P E R A T U R E If the battery temperature is below 0C

(32F), the computer will not start. TE S T T H E E L E C T R I C A L O U T L E T Ensure that the electrical outlet is working by testing it with another device, such as a lamp. C H E C K T H E AC A D A P T E R Check the AC adapter cable connections. If the AC adapter has a light, ensure that the light is on. C O N N E C T T H E C O M P U T E R D I R E C T L Y T O A N E L E C T R I C A L O U T L E T Bypass power protection devices, power strips, and extension cables to verify that the computer turns on. E L I M I N A T E P O S S I B L E I N T E R F E R E N C E Turn off nearby fans, fluorescent lights, halogen lamps, or other appliances. A D J U S T T H E P O W E R P R O P E R T I E S See "Configuring Power Management Settings" on page 48. R E S E A T T H E M E M O R Y M O D U L E S If the computer power light turns on, but the display remains blank, reinstall the memory modules (see "Memory" on page 134). Printer Problems Fill out the "Diagnostics Checklist" on page 153 as you complete these checks. CAUTION: Before you begin any of the procedures in this section, follow the safety instructions in the Product Information Guide. NOTE: If you need technical assistance for your printer, contact the printers manufacturer. C H E C K T H E P R I N T E R D O C U M E N T A T I O N See the printer documentation for setup and troubleshooting information. 112 Troubleshooting E N S U R E T H A T T H E P R I N T E R I S T U R N E D O N C H E C K T H E P R I N T E R C A B L E C O N N E C T I O N S See the printer documentation for cable connection information. Ensure that the printer cables are securely connected to the printer and the computer. TE S T T H E E L E C T R I C A L O U T L E T Ensure that the electrical outlet is working by testing it with another device, such as a lamp. V E R I F Y T H A T T H E P R I N T E R I S R E C O G N I Z E D B Y W I N D O W S 1 2 3 Click Start Control Panel Hardware and Sound Printers. Right-click the printer icon. Click Properties, and then click the Ports tab. For a parallel printer, ensure that the Print to the following port(s): setting is LPT1 (Printer Port). For a USB printer, ensure that the Print to the following port(s): setting is USB. R E I N S T A L L T H E P R I N T E R D R I V E R See the printer documentation for instructions. Scanner Problems CAUTION: Before you begin any of the procedures in this section, follow the safety instructions in the Product Information Guide. NOTE: If you need technical assistance for your scanner, contact the scanners manufacturer. C H E C K T H E S C A N N E R D O C U M E N T A T I O N See the scanner documentation for setup and troubleshooting information. U N L O C K T H E S C A N N E R Ensure that your scanner is unlocked. R E S T A R T T H E C O M P U T E R A N D T R Y T H E S C A N N E R A G A I N C H E C K T H E C A B L E C O N N E C T I O N S See the scanner documentation for cable connection information. Ensure that the scanner cables are securely connected to the scanner and the computer. Troubleshooting 113 V E R I F Y T H A T T H E S C A N N E R I S R E C O G N I Z E D B Y M I C R O S O F T W I N D O W S Click Start Control Panel Hardware and Sound Scanners and Cameras. If your scanner is listed, Windows recognizes the scanner. R E I N S T A L L T H E S C A N N E R D R I V E R See the scanner documentation for instructions. Sound and Speaker Problems Fill out the "Diagnostics Checklist" on page 153 as you complete these checks. CAUTION: Before you begin any of the procedures in this section, follow the safety instructions in the Product Information Guide. No sound from integrated speakers A D J U S T T H E W I N D O W S V O L U M E C O N T R O L Double-click the speaker icon in the lower-right corner of your screen. Ensure that the volume is turned up and that the sound is not muted. Adjust the volume, bass, or treble controls to eliminate distortion. A D J U S T T H E V O L U M E U S I N G K E Y B O A R D S H O R T C U T S Press <Fn><End> to disable (mute) or re-enable the integrated speakers. R E I N S T A L L T H E S O U N D ( A U D I O ) D R I V E R See "Reinstalling Drivers and Utilities" on page 119. No sound from external speakers E N S U R E T H A T T H E S U B W O O F E R A N D T H E S P E A K E R S A R E T U R N E D O N See the setup diagram supplied with the speakers. If your speakers have volume controls, adjust the volume, bass, or treble to eliminate distortion. A D J U S T T H E W I N D O W S V O L U M E C O N T R O L Click or double-click the speaker icon in the lower-right corner of your screen. Ensure that the volume is turned up and that the sound is not muted. D I S C O N N E C T H E A D P H O N E S F R O M T H E H E A D P H O N E C O N N E C T O R Sound from the speakers is automatically disabled when headphones are connected to the headphone connector. TE S T T H E E L E C T R I C A L O U T L E T Ensure that the electrical outlet is working by testing it with another device, such as a lamp. 114 Troubleshooting E L I M I N A T E P O S S I B L E I N T E R F E R E N C E Turn off nearby fans, fluorescent lights, or halogen lamps to check for interference. R E I N S T A L L T H E A U D I O D R I V E R See "Reinstalling Drivers and Utilities" on page 119. R U N T H E D E L L D I A G N O S T I C S See "Dell Diagnostics" on page 91. NOTE: The volume control in some MP3 players overrides the Windows volume setting. If you have been listening to MP3 songs, ensure that you did not turn the player volume down or off. No sound from headphones C H E C K T H E H E A D P H O N E C A B L E C O N N E C T I O N Ensure that the headphone cable is securely inserted into the headphone connector (see "Back View" on page 34). A D J U S T T H E W I N D O W S V O L U M E C O N T R O L Click or double-click the speaker icon in the lower-right corner of your screen. Ensure that the volume is turned up and that the sound is not muted. Remote Control Problems A P P L I C A T I O N D O E S N O T R E S P O N D T O R E M O T E C O N T R O L W I T H I N T H E S P E C I F I E D M A X I M U M R A N G E Check that the battery is placed correctly with the "+" side facing up. Check that the battery is also not weak. Point your remote control to the receiver. The receiver is underneath the touch pad of your computer. Move the remote control closer to your computer. R E M O T E C O N T R O L I S S T U C K I N T H E S L O T Check that you have not incorrectly stored the remote control into a non-

Express Card slot. Contact Dell Technical Support for removing it. Touch Pad or Mouse Problems C H E C K T H E T O U C H P A D S E T T I N G S 1 2 Click Start Control Panel Hardware and Sound Mouse. Adjust the settings, as needed. Troubleshooting 115 C H E C K T H E M O U S E C A B L E Shut down the computer, disconnect the mouse cable and check it for damage, then firmly reconnect the cable. If you are using a mouse extension cable, disconnect it and connect the mouse directly to the computer. TO V E R I F Y T H A T T H E P R O B L E M I S W I T H T H E M O U S E, C H E C K T H E T O U C H P A D 1 2 3 4 Shut down the computer. Disconnect the mouse. Turn on the computer. At the Windows desktop, use the touch pad to move the cursor around, select an icon, and open it. If the touch pad operates correctly, the mouse may be defective. C H E C K T H E S YS T E M S E T U P P R O G R A M S E T T I N G S Verify that the system setup program lists the correct device for the pointing device option (the computer automatically recognizes a USB mouse without making any setting adjustments). TE S T T H E M O U S E C O N T R O L L E R To test the mouse controller (which affects pointer movement) and the operation of the touch pad or mouse buttons, run the Mouse test in the Pointing Devices test group in the "Dell Diagnostics" on page 91. R E I N S T A L L T H E T O U C H P A D D R I V E R See "Reinstalling Drivers and Utilities"

on page 119. Video and Display Problems Fill out the "Diagnostics Checklist" on page 153 as you complete these checks. CAUTION: Before you begin any of the procedures in this section, follow the safety instructions in the Product Information Guide. If the display is blank NOTE: If you are using a program that requires a higher resolution than your computer supports, it is recommended that you attach an external monitor to your computer. C H E C K T H E B A T T E R Y If you are using a battery to power your computer, the battery charge may be depleted. Connect the computer to an electrical outlet using the AC adapter, and then turn on the computer. 116 Troubleshooting TE S T T H E E L E C T R I C A L O U T L E T Ensure that the electrical outlet is working by testing it with another device, such as a lamp. C H E C K T H E A C A D A P T E R Check the AC adapter cable connections. If the AC adapter has a light, ensure that the light is on. C O N N E C T T H E C O M P U T E R D I R E C T L Y T O A N E L E C T R I C A L O U T L E T Bypass power protection devices, power strips, and extension cables to verify that the computer turns on. A D J U S T T H E P O W E R P R O P E R T I E S Search for the keyword sleep in Windows Help and Support. S W I T C H T H E V I D E O I M A G E If your computer is attached to an external monitor, press <Fn><F8> to switch the video image to the display. If the display is difficult to read A D J U S T T H E B R I G H T N E S S Press <Fn> and the up- or down-arrow key. M O V E T H E E X T E R N A L S U B W O O F E R A W A Y F R O M T H E C O M P U T E R O R M O N I T O R If your external speaker system includes a subwoofer, ensure that the subwoofer is at least 60 cm (2 ft) away from the computer or external monitor. E L I M I N A T E P O S S I B L E I N T E R F E R E N C E Turn off nearby fans, fluorescent lights, halogen lamps, or other appliances. R O T A T E T H E C O M P U T E R T O F A C E A D I F F E R E N T D I R E C T I O N Eliminate sunlight glare, which can cause poor picture quality. A D J U S T T H E W I N D O W S D I S P L A Y S E T T I N G S 1 2 Click Start Control Panel Personalization Display Settings. Appearance and Personalization Click the area you want to change or click the Display icon. Try different settings for Resolution and Colors. R U N T H E V I D E O D I A G N O S T I C S T E S T S If no error message appears and you still have a display problem, but the display is not completely blank, run the Video device group in the "Dell Diagnostics" on page 91, then contact Dell

(see "Contacting Dell" on page 154). S E E "E R R O R M E S S A G E S " If an error message appears, see "Error Messages"

on page 99. Troubleshooting 117 If only part of the display is readable C O N N E C T A N E X T E R N A L M O N I T O R 1 2 Shut down your computer and connect an external monitor to the computer. Turn on the computer and the monitor, and then adjust the monitor brightness and contrast controls. If the external monitor works, the computer display or video controller may be defective. Contact Dell (see "Contacting Dell" on page 154). Drivers What Is a Driver?

A driver is a program that controls a device such as a printer, mouse, or keyboard. All devices require a driver program. A driver acts like a translator between the device and any other programs that use the device. Each device has its own set of specialized commands that only its driver recognizes. Dell ships your computer to you with required drivers already installedno further installation or configuration is needed. NOTICE: Your Drivers and Utilities media may contain drivers for operating systems that are not on your computer. Ensure that you are installing software appropriate for your operating system. Many drivers, such as the keyboard driver, come with your Microsoft Windows operating system. You may need to install drivers if you:

Upgrade your operating system. Reinstall your operating system. Connect or install a new device. 118 Troubleshooting Identifying Drivers If you experience a problem with any device, identify whether the driver is the source of your problem and, if necessary, update the driver. 1 2 Click Start

, and then right-click Computer. Click Properties, and then click 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. Scroll down the list of devices and check for an exclamation point (a circle with a [!]) next to the device name. If an exclamation point is next to the device name, you may need to reinstall the driver or install a new driver (see

"Reinstalling Drivers and Utilities" on page 119). Reinstalling Drivers and Utilities NOTICE: The Dell Support website at support.dell.com and your Drivers and Utilities media provide approved drivers for Dell computers. If you install drivers obtained from other sources, your computer might not work correctly. Using Windows Device Driver Rollback If a problem occurs on your computer after you install or update a driver, use Windows Device Driver Rollback to replace the driver with the previously installed version. 1 2 3 4 Click Start

, and then right-click Computer. Click Properties, and then click 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 enter the Device Manager. Right-click the device for which the new driver was installed and click Properties. Click the Drivers tab, and then click Roll Back Driver. If Device Driver Rollback does not resolve the problem, use System Restore

(see "Restoring Your Operating System" on page 122) to return your computer to the operating state that existed before you installed the new driver. Troubleshooting 119 Using the Drivers and Utilities Media If using Device Driver Rollback or System Restore (see "Restoring Your Operating System" on page 122) does not resolve the problem, reinstall the driver from your Drivers and Utilities media. 1 2 3 4 5 6 With the Windows desktop displayed, insert your Drivers and Utilities media. If this is your first time to use your Drivers and Utilities media, continue to step 2. If not, proceed to step 5. When the Drivers and Utilities installation program starts, follow the prompts on the screen. NOTE: In most cases, the Drivers and Utilities program starts running automatically. If it does not, start Windows Explorer, click your media drive directory to display the media contents, and then double-click the autorcd.exe file. When the InstallShield Wizard Complete window appears, remove the Drivers and Utilities disc and click Finish to restart the computer. When you see the Windows desktop, reinsert the Drivers and Utilities disc. At the Welcome Dell System Owner screen, click Next. NOTE: The Drivers and Utilities program displays drivers only for hardware that came installed in your computer. If you installed additional hardware, the drivers for the new hardware might not be displayed. If those drivers are not displayed, exit the Drivers and Utilities program. For drivers information, see the documentation that came with the device. A message stating that the Drivers and Utilities program is detecting hardware in your computer appears. The drivers that are used by your computer are automatically displayed in the My DriversThe ResourceCD has identified these components in your system window. Click the driver that you want to reinstall and follow the instructions on the screen. If a particular driver is not listed, then that driver is not required by your operating system. 120 Troubleshooting 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 system setup program (see

"Using the System Setup Program" on page 165) before continuing with the driver installation (see "Reinstalling Drivers and Utilities" on page 119). For information about components installed on your computer, see "Front View" on page 25. After extracting the driver files to your hard drive, as described in the previous section, click Start

, and then right-click Computer. Click Properties, and then click Device Manager. Double-click the type of device for which you are installing the driver (for example, Modems or Infrared devices). Double-click the name of the device for which you are installing the driver. Click Driver tab, and then click Update Driver. Click Install from a list or specific location (Advanced), and then click Next. Click Browse and browse to the location to which you previously copied the driver files. When the name of the appropriate driver appears, click Next. Click Finish, and then restart your computer. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 Troubleshooting Software and Hardware Problems If a device is either not detected during the operating system setup or is detected but incorrectly configured, use Windows Vista Help and Support to resolve the incompatibility:

1 2 3 Click Start Help and Support. Type hardware troubleshooter in the search field, then press

<Enter>. In the search results, select the option that best describes the problem and follow the remaining troubleshooting steps. Troubleshooting 121 Restoring Your Operating System You can restore your operating system in the following ways:

Microsoft Windows Vista System Restore returns your computer to an earlier operating state without affecting data files. Use System Restore as the first solution for restoring your operating system and preserving data files. For instructions, see "Using Microsoft Windows System Restore" on page 122. If you received Operating System media with your computer, you can use it to restore your operating system. However, using the Operating System media also deletes all data on the hard drive. Use the media only if System Restore did not resolve your operating system problem. For instructions, see "Using the Operating System Media" on page 123. Using Microsoft Windows System Restore The Windows operating system provides System Restore to allow you to return your computer to an earlier operating state (without affecting data files) if changes to the hardware, software, or other system settings have left the computer in an undesirable operating state. Any changes that System Restore makes to your computer are completely reversible. NOTICE: Make regular backups of your data files. System Restore does not monitor your data files or recover them. NOTE: The procedures in this document were written for the Windows default view, so they may not apply if you set your Dell computer to the Windows Classic view. Click Start Help and Support. Type System Restore in the search field, then press <Enter>. 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. Click Next and follow the remaining prompts on the screen. 1 2 3 In the event that System Restore did not resolve the issue, you may undo the last system restore. 122 Troubleshooting Undoing the Last System Restore NOTICE: Before you undo the last system restore, save and close all open files and exit any open programs. Do not alter, open, or delete any files or programs until the system restoration is complete. Click Start Help and Support. Type System Restore in the search field and press <Enter>. Click Undo my last restoration, and then click Next. 1 2 3 Using the Operating System Media Before You Begin If you are considering reinstalling the Windows operating system to correct a problem with a newly installed driver, first try using Windows Device Driver Rollback (see "Using Windows Device Driver Rollback" on page 119). If Device Driver Rollback does not resolve the problem, then use System Restore to return your operating system to the operating state it was in before you installed the new device driver (see "Using Microsoft Windows System Restore" on page 122). NOTICE: Before performing the installation, back up all data files on your primary hard drive. For conventional hard drive configurations, the primary hard drive is the first drive detected by the computer. To reinstall Windows, you need the following items:

Dell Operating System media Dell Drivers and Utilities media NOTE: Your Drivers and Utilities media contains drivers that were installed during assembly of the computer. Use your Drivers and Utilities media to load any required drivers, including the drivers required if your computer has a RAID controller. Troubleshooting 123 Reinstalling Windows The reinstallation process can take 1 to 2 hours to complete. After you reinstall the operating system, you must also reinstall the device drivers, virus protection program, and other software. NOTICE: The Operating System media provides options for reinstalling Windows. The options can overwrite files and possibly affect programs that are installed on your hard drive. Therefore, do not reinstall Windows unless a Dell technical support representative instructs you to do so. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 Save and close any open files and exit any open programs. Insert the Operating System media. Click Exit if the Install Windows message appears. Restart the computer. When the DELL logo appears, press <F12> immediately. NOTE: If you wait too long and the operating system logo appears, continue to wait until you see the Microsoft Windows desktop, then shut down your computer and try again. NOTE: The next steps change the boot sequence for one time only. On the next start-up, the computer boots according to the devices specified in the system setup program. When the boot device list appears, highlight CD/DVD/CD-RW Drive, and then press <Enter>. Press any key to Boot from CD-ROM. Follow the instructions on the screen to complete the installation. 124 Troubleshooting Adding and Replacing Parts Before You Begin This chapter provides procedures for removing and installing the components in your computer. Unless otherwise noted, each procedure assumes that the following conditions exist:

You have performed the steps in "Turning Off Your Computer" on page 125 and "Before Working Inside Your Computer" on page 126. You have read the safety information in your Dell Product Information Guide. A component can be replacedor if purchased separatelyinstalled by performing the removal procedure in reverse order. Recommended Tools The procedures in this document may require the following tools:

Small flat-blade screwdriver Phillips screwdriver Small plastic scribe Flash BIOS update (see the Dell Support website at support.dell.com) Turning Off Your Computer 1 2 3 NOTICE: To avoid losing data, save and close any open files and exit any open programs before you turn off your computer. Save and close any open files and exit any open programs. Click Start

, click the arrow

, and then click Shut Down. The computer turns off after the operating system shutdown process finishes. Ensure that the computer and any attached devices are turned off. If your computer and attached devices did not automatically turn off when you shut down your operating system, press and hold the power button for at least 8 to 10 seconds until the computer turns off. Adding and Replacing Parts 125 Before Working Inside Your 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 procedures in this section, follow the safety instructions in the Product Information Guide. CAUTION: Handle components and cards with care. Do not touch the components or contacts on a card. Hold a card by its edges or by its metal mounting bracket. Hold a component such as a processor by its edges, not by its pins. NOTICE: Only a certified service technician should perform repairs on your computer. Damage due to servicing that is not authorized by Dell is not covered by your warranty. NOTICE: When you disconnect a cable, pull on its connector or on its strain-relief loop, not on the cable itself. Some cables have a connector with locking tabs; if you are disconnecting this type of cable, press in on the locking tabs before you disconnect the cable. As you pull connectors apart, keep them evenly aligned to avoid bending any connector pins. Also, before you connect a cable, ensure that both connectors are correctly oriented and aligned. NOTICE: To avoid electrostatic discharge, ground yourself by using a wrist grounding strap or by periodically touching an unpainted metal surface (such as a connector on the back of the computer). NOTICE: To help prevent damage to the computer, perform the following steps before you begin working inside the computer. 1 2 3 4 Ensure that the work surface is flat and clean to prevent the computer cover from being scratched. Turn off your computer (see "Turning Off Your Computer" on page 125). NOTICE: To disconnect a network cable, first unplug the cable from your computer, and then unplug it from the network wall jack. Disconnect any telephone or network cables from the computer. Disconnect your computer and all attached devices from their electrical outlets. NOTICE: To help prevent damage to the system board, you must remove the battery from the battery bay before you service the computer. NOTE: To avoid damage to the computer, use only the battery designed for this particular Dell computer. Do not use batteries designed for other Dell computers. 126 Adding and Replacing Parts 5 6 7 8 9 Turn the computer over. Slide and click the battery release latch. Slide the battery out of the battery bay. 1 2 1 battery 2 battery release latch Turn the computer top-side up, open the display, and press the power button to ground the system board. Remove any installed cards from the ExpressCard slot (see "Removing an ExpressCard or Blank" on page 74) and the 8-in-1 memory card reader (see

"Removing a Memory Card or Blank" on page 76). Hard Drive CAUTION: If you remove the hard drive from the computer when the drive is hot, do not touch the metal housing of the hard drive. CAUTION: Before you begin any of the procedures in this section, follow the safety instructions in the Product Information Guide. NOTICE: To prevent data loss, turn off your computer (see "Turning Off Your Computer" on page 125) before removing the hard drive. Do not remove the hard drive while the computer is on or in Sleep state. NOTICE: Hard drives are extremely fragile. Exercise care when handling the hard drive. Adding and Replacing Parts 127 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 from a source other than Dell, you need to install an operating system, drivers, and utilities on the new hard drive (see

"Restoring Your Operating System" on page 122 and "Reinstalling Drivers and Utilities" on page 119). Removing the Hard Drive 1 2 3 Follow the procedures in "Before You Begin" on page 125. Turn the computer over. Remove the four M3 x 3-mm screws and slide the hard drive away from the bay. 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). 128 Adding and Replacing Parts Replacing the Hard Drive 1 2 3 4 5 Remove the new drive from its packaging. Save the original packaging for storing or shipping the hard drive. NOTICE: Use firm and even pressure to slide the drive into place. If you use excessive force, you may damage the connector. Slide the hard drive into the bay. Replace and tighten the four screws on the hard drive. Install the operating system for your computer, as needed (see "Restoring Your Operating System" on page 122). Install the drivers and utilities for your computer, as needed (see

"Reinstalling Drivers and Utilities" on page 119). 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. 2 1 1 foam packaging 2 hard drive Adding and Replacing Parts 129 Hinge Covers and Center Control Cover CAUTION: Before you begin any of the procedures in this section, follow the safety instructions in the Product Information Guide. NOTICE: To avoid electrostatic discharge, ground yourself by using a wrist grounding strap or by periodically touching an unpainted metal surface (such as a connector on the back of the computer). NOTICE: To help prevent damage to the system board, you must remove the battery from the battery bay before you begin working inside the computer. Removing the Hinge Covers and Displacing the Center Control Cover 1 2 3 Follow the procedures in "Before You Begin" on page 125. Turn the computer over and remove the three M2 x 3-mm screws that secure the center control cover. Turn the computer top side up, and open the display as far as it will open. 130 Adding and Replacing Parts 4 5 Remove the hinge covers from each side of the computer. 1 2 1 center control cover 2 hinge cover (2) Ease the center control cover up with a plastic scribe. NOTICE: While raising the center control cover ensure that you do not pull hard so as not to damage the data cable connected to the system board. 1 1 center control cover Adding and Replacing Parts 131 Replacing the Hinge Covers and Center Control Cover 1 2 3 Snap the center control cover in place. Replace the hinge covers. Turn the computer over and replace the three M2 x 3-mm screws that secure the center control cover to the computer base. Keyboard For more information about the keyboard, see "Using the Keyboard and Touchpad" on page 39. CAUTION: Before you begin any of the procedures in this section, follow the safety instructions in the Product Information Guide. NOTICE: To avoid electrostatic discharge, ground yourself by using a wrist grounding strap or by periodically touching an unpainted metal surface (such as a connector on the back of the computer). NOTICE: To help prevent damage to the system board, you must remove the battery from the battery bay before you begin working inside the computer. Removing the Keyboard 1 2 3 Follow the procedures in "Before You Begin" on page 125. Remove the Hinge Covers and displace the Center Control Cover (see

"Hinge Covers and Center Control Cover" on page 130). Remove the two M2 x 2-mm screws at the top of the keyboard. NOTICE: The keycaps on the keyboard are fragile, easily dislodged, and time-

consuming to replace. Be careful when removing and handling the keyboard. 132 Adding and Replacing Parts 4 Carefully slide the keyboard toward the back of the computer. NOTICE: Be extremely careful when removing and handling the keyboard. Failure to do so could result in scratching the display panel. 1 2 3 4 5 5 1 M2 x 2-mm screw (2) 3 5 keyboard tabs (5) plastic securing bar 2 4 keyboard keyboard cable Pull up on the plastic bar that secures the keyboard cable to the system board and remove the keyboard. Adding and Replacing Parts 133 Replacing the Keyboard 1 2 3 4 Slide the keyboard cable connector into the slot until it clicks and pull down on the plastic bar that secures the keyboard cable connector to the system board. Align the five tabs along the bottom of the keyboard and slide them under the palm rest. NOTICE: The keycaps on the keyboard are fragile, easily dislodged, and time-

consuming to replace. Be careful when removing and handling the keyboard. Replace the two M2 x 2-mm screws along the top of the keyboard. Replace the Hinge Covers and the Center Control Cover (see "Replacing the Hinge Covers and Center Control Cover" on page 132). Memory CAUTION: Before you begin any of the procedures in this section, follow the safety instructions in the Product Information Guide. You can increase your computer memory by installing memory modules on the system board. See "Specifications" on page 155 for information on the memory supported by your computer. Install only memory modules that are intended for your computer. NOTE: Memory modules purchased from Dell are covered under your computer warranty. Your computer has two user-accessible SODIMM sockets that can be accessed from the bottom of the computer. NOTICE: If you need to install memory modules in two connectors, install a memory module in the connector labeled DIMM1 before you install a module in the connector labeled DIMM2. Removing the Memory Module NOTICE: To avoid electrostatic discharge, ground yourself by using a wrist grounding strap or by periodically touching an unpainted metal surface (such as a connector on the back of the computer). NOTICE: If there is a memory module in DIMM 2, remove it prior to removing the memory module from DIMM 1. Failure to do so could result in damaging both memory modules. 134 Adding and Replacing Parts 1 2 3 4 Follow the procedures in "Before You Begin" on page 125. Turn the computer over and loosen the four captive screws along with the M2.5 x 5-mm screw. Remove the module cover. 1 2 1 M2.5 x 5-mm screw 2 captive screws (4) NOTICE: To prevent damage to the memory module connector, do not use tools to spread the memory module securing clips. Use your fingertips to carefully spread apart the securing clips on each end of the memory module connector until the module pops up. Remove the module from the connector. Adding and Replacing Parts 135 1 2 1 securing clips (2) 2 memory module Replacing the Memory Module NOTICE: To avoid electrostatic discharge, ground yourself by using a wrist grounding strap or by periodically touching an unpainted metal surface (such as a connector on the back of the computer). 1 2 Align the notch in the module edge connector with the tab in the connector slot. Slide the module firmly into the slot at a 45-degree angle, and rotate the module down until it clicks into place. If you do not feel the click, remove the module and reinstall it. NOTE: If the memory module is not installed properly, the computer may not boot. No error message indicates this failure. 136 Adding and Replacing Parts 1 2 1 tab 2 notch NOTICE: If the cover is difficult to close, remove the module and reinstall it. Forcing the cover to close may damage your computer. Replace the module cover. Insert the battery into the battery bay, or connect the AC adapter to your computer and an electrical outlet. Turn on the computer. 3 4 5 As the computer boots, it detects the additional memory and automatically updates the system configuration information. To confirm the amount of memory installed in the computer, click Start Help and Support Dell System Information. Adding and Replacing Parts 137 Subscriber Identity Module Subscriber Identity Modules (SIM) identify users uniquely through an International Mobile Subscriber Identity. CAUTION: Before you begin any of the procedures in this section, follow the safety instructions in the Product Information Guide. NOTE: Only Cingular and Vodafone need a SIM. Verizon, Sprint, and Telus do not use SIMs. 1 2 Follow the procedures in "Before You Begin" on page 125. In the battery bay, slide the SIM into the compartment with the cut-off corner of the SIM facing away from the compartment. 1 2 1 SIM 2 battery bay Wireless Mini Cards CAUTION: Before you begin any of the procedures in this section, follow the safety instructions in the Product Information Guide. NOTICE: To help prevent damage to the system board, you must remove the battery from the battery bay before you begin working inside the computer. If you ordered a wireless Mini Card with your computer, the card is already installed. Your computer supports three types of wireless Mini Cards:

Wireless Local Area Network (WLAN) Ultra Wide Band (UWB) Mobile Broadband or Wireless Wide Area Network (WWAN) 138 Adding and Replacing Parts Removing a WLAN Card 1 2 3 4 Follow the procedures in "Before You Begin" on page 125. Turn the computer over. Loosen the captive screw on the cover of the Mini Card compartment and remove the cover. Disconnect the antenna cables from the WLAN card. 1 2 3 1 WLAN Card 2 M2 x 3-mm securing screw 3 antenna cable connectors (2) Adding and Replacing Parts 139 5 6 Release the WLAN card by removing the securing screw. Lift the WLAN card out of its system board connector. Replacing a WLAN Card NOTICE: The connectors are keyed to ensure correct insertion. If you feel resistance, check the connectors on the card and on the system board, and realign the card. NOTICE: To avoid damage to the WLAN card, never place cables under the card. Insert the WLAN card connector at a 45-degree angle into the system board connector labeled "WLAN". Press the other end of the WLAN card down into the slot on the system board until the card clicks into place. Replace the M2 x 3-mm securing screw. 1 2 3 140 Adding and Replacing Parts 4 5 6 Connect the appropriate antenna cables to the WLAN card you are installing:

If the WLAN card has two triangles on the label (white and black), connect the white antenna cable to the connector labeled "main" (white triangle), and connect the black antenna cable to the connector labeled

"aux" (black triangle). If the WLAN card has three triangles on the label (white, black, and gray), connect the white antenna cable to the white triangle, connect the black antenna cable to the black triangle, and connect the gray antenna cable to the gray triangle. Secure unused antenna cables in the protective mylar sleeve. Replace the cover and tighten the captive screws. Removing a Mobile Broadband or WWAN Card NOTE: WWAN is also available on an ExpressCard (see "Using ExpressCards" on page 73). 1 2 3 Follow the procedures in "Before You Begin" on page 125. Turn the computer over. Loosen the captive screw on the cover of the Mini Card compartment and remove the cover. Adding and Replacing Parts 141 4 Disconnect the two antenna cables from the WWAN card. 1 2 3 1 WWAN Card 2 M2 x 3-mm securing screw 3 antenna cable connectors (2) 5 6 Release the WWAN card by removing the securing screw. Lift the WWAN card out of its system board connector. 142 Adding and Replacing Parts Replacing a WWAN Card NOTICE: The connectors are keyed to ensure correct insertion. If you feel resistance, check the connectors on the card and on the system board, and realign the card. NOTICE: To avoid damage to the WWAN card, never place cables under the card. Insert the WWAN card connector at a 45-degree angle into the system board connector labeled "WWAN". Press the other end of the WLAN card down into the slot on the system board until the card clicks into place. Replace the M2 x 3-mm securing screw. Connect the black antenna cable with a gray stripe to the connector labeled "aux" (black triangle) and connect the white antenna cable with a gray stripe to the connector labeled "main" (white triangle). Secure unused antenna cables in the protective mylar sleeve. Replace the cover and tighten the captive screws. 1 2 3 4 5 6 Flash Cache Module The Flash Cache Module (FCM) is an internal memory card that helps improve the performance of your computer. The FCM card is also known as Intel Turbo Memory and the Intel Flash Cache Logic Chip Mini-card. NOTE: This card is only compatible with the Microsoft Windows Vista operating system. If you ordered an FCM with your computer, it is already installed. Removing the FCM 1 2 3 4 Follow the procedures in "Before You Begin" on page 125. Turn the computer over and remove the cover on the Mini Card compartment. Ground yourself by touching one of the metal connectors on the back of the computer. NOTE: If you leave the area, ground yourself again when you return to the computer. Remove the M2 x 3-mm securing screw. Adding and Replacing Parts 143 5 Remove the FCM. 1 2 1 FCM Card 2 M2 x 3-mm securing screw Replacing the FCM NOTICE: Install the FCM in the WWAN or WPAN slot. Do not install an FCM in the WLAN card slot. Doing so may cause damage to your computer. Insert the FCM connector at a 45-degree angle into the system board connector labeled "FCM". Press the other end of the FCM down into the slot on the system board until the card clicks into place. Replace the M2 x 3-mm securing screw. 1 2 3 144 Adding and Replacing Parts Internal Card With Bluetooth Wireless Technology CAUTION: Before you begin any of the procedures in this section, follow the safety instructions in the Product Information Guide. NOTICE: To avoid electrostatic discharge, ground yourself by using a wrist grounding strap or by periodically touching an unpainted metal surface (such as a connector on the back of the computer). NOTICE: To help prevent damage to the system board, you must remove the battery from the battery bay before you begin working inside the computer. If you ordered a card with Bluetooth wireless technology with your computer, it is already installed. Removing the Card 1 2 3 4 Follow the procedures in "Before You Begin" on page 125. Remove the hinge covers and displace the center control cover (see "Hinge Covers and Center Control Cover" on page 130). Remove the screw on the top left corner of the card. Disconnect the cable connector from the card to remove the card from the computer. 1 2 3 1 screw 2 card 3 cable connector Adding and Replacing Parts 145 Replacing the Card 1 2 3 Replace the card and connect the cable connector to the card. Put back the screw on the top left corner of the card. Replace the Hinge Covers and the Center Control Cover (see "Replacing the Hinge Covers and Center Control Cover" on page 132). 146 Adding and Replacing Parts Traveling With Your Computer Identifying Your Computer Attach a name tag or business card to the computer. Write down your Service Tag and store it in a safe place away from the computer or carrying case. Use the Service Tag if you need to report a loss or theft to law enforcement officials and to Dell. Create a file on the Microsoft Windows desktop called if_found. Place information such as your name, address, and phone number in this file. Contact your credit card company and ask if it offers coded identification tags. Packing the Computer Remove any external devices attached to the computer and store them in a safe place. To make the computer as light as possible, replace any devices installed in the module bay with the Dell TravelLite module. Fully charge the main battery and any spare batteries that you plan to carry with you. Shut down the computer. Disconnect the AC adapter. NOTICE: When the display is closed, extraneous items on the keyboard or palm rest could damage the display. Remove any extraneous items, such as paper clips, pens, and paper, from the keyboard and palm rest and close the display. Use the optional Dell carrying case to pack the computer and its accessories together safely. Avoid packing the computer with items such as shaving cream, colognes, perfumes, or food. Traveling With Your Computer 147 NOTICE: If the computer has been exposed to extreme temperatures, allow it to acclimate to room temperature for 1 hour before turning it on. Protect the computer, the batteries, and the hard drive from hazards such as extreme temperatures and overexposure to sunlight, dirt, dust, or liquids. Pack the computer so that it does not slide around in the trunk of your car or in an overhead storage compartment. Travel Tips NOTICE: Do not move the computer while using the optical drive to prevent loss of data. NOTICE: Do not check the computer as baggage. Consider disabling wireless activity on your computer to maximize battery operating time. To disable wireless activity, use the wireless switch (see

"Dell Wi-Fi Catcher Network Locator" on page 86). Consider changing your power management options to maximize battery operating time (see "Configuring Power Management Settings" on page 48). If you are traveling internationally, carry proof of ownershipor of your right to use the computer if it is company-ownedto speed your passage through customs. Investigate the customs regulations of the countries you plan to visit, and consider acquiring an international carnet (also known as a merchandise passport) from your government. Find out what type of electrical outlets are used in the countries you will visit, and have appropriate power adapters. Check with your credit card company for information about the kinds of emergency travel assistance it offers to users of portable computers. Traveling by Air NOTICE: Do not walk the computer through a metal detector. Send the computer through an X-ray machine or have it hand-inspected. Ensure that you have a charged battery available in case you are asked to turn on the computer. Prior to entering the airplane, verify that using a computer is permitted. Some airlines forbid the use of electronic devices during flight. All airlines forbid the use of electronic devices during takeoff and landing. 148 Traveling With Your Computer Getting Help Obtaining Assistance If you experience a problem with your computer, you can complete the following steps to diagnose and troubleshoot the problem:

1 2 3 4 5 See "Troubleshooting" on page 91 for information and procedures that pertain to the problem your computer is experiencing. See "Dell Diagnostics" on page 91 for procedures on how to run Dell Diagnostics. Fill out the "Diagnostics Checklist" on page 153. Use Dell's extensive suite of online services available at Dell Support

(support.dell.com) for help with installation and troubleshooting procedures. See "Online Services" on page 150 for a more extensive list of Dell Support online. If the preceding steps have not resolved the problem, see "Contacting Dell" on page 154. NOTE: Call Dell Support from a telephone near or at the computer so that the support staff can assist you with any necessary procedures. NOTE: Dell's Express Service Code system may not be available in all countries. When prompted by Dell's automated telephone system, enter your Express Service Code to route the call directly to the proper support personnel. If you do not have an Express Service Code, open the Dell Accessories folder, double-click the Express Service Code icon, and follow the directions. For instructions on using the Dell Support, see "Technical Support and Customer Service" on page 150. NOTE: Some of the following services are not always available in all locations outside the continental U.S. Call your local Dell representative for information on availability. Getting Help 149 Technical Support and Customer Service Dell's support service is available to answer your questions about Dell hardware. Our support staff uses computer-based diagnostics to provide fast, accurate answers. To contact Dell's support service, see "Before You Call" on page 152, and then see "Contacting Dell" on page 154. 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. For more information, go to support.dell.com and click DellConnect. Online Services You can learn about Dell products and services on the following websites:

www.dell.com www.dell.com/ap (Asian/Pacific countries only) www.dell.com/jp (Japan only) www.euro.dell.com (Europe only) www.dell.com/la (Latin American and Caribbean countries) www.dell.ca (Canada only) You can access Dell Support through the following websites and e-mail addresses:

Dell Support websites support.dell.com support.jp.dell.com (Japan only) support.euro.dell.com (Europe only) Dell Support e-mail addresses mobile_support@us.dell.com support@us.dell.com la-techsupport@dell.com (Latin America and Caribbean countries only) apsupport@dell.com (Asian/Pacific countries only) 150 Getting Help Dell Marketing and Sales e-mail addresses apmarketing@dell.com (Asian/Pacific 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 password. AutoTech Service Dell's automated support serviceAutoTechprovides recorded answers to the questions most frequently asked by Dell customers about their portable and desktop computers. When you call AutoTech, use your touch-tone telephone to select the subjects that correspond to your questions. For the telephone number to call for your region, see "Contacting Dell" on page 154. Automated Order-Status Service To check on the status of any Dell products that you have ordered, you can go to support.dell.com, or you can call the automated order-status service. A recording prompts you for the information needed to locate and report on your order. For the telephone number to call for your region, see "Contacting Dell" on page 154. Problems With Your Order If you have a problem with your order, such as missing parts, wrong parts, or incorrect billing, contact Dell for customer assistance. Have your invoice or packing slip handy when you call. For the telephone number to call for your region, see "Contacting Dell" on page 154. Product Information If you need information about additional products available from Dell, or if you would like to place an order, visit the Dell website at www.dell.com. For the telephone number to call for your region or to speak to a sales specialist, see "Contacting Dell" on page 154. Getting Help 151 Returning Items for Warranty Repair or Credit Prepare all items being returned, whether for repair or credit, as follows:

1 2 3 4 5 Call Dell to obtain a Return Material Authorization Number, and write it clearly and prominently on the outside of the box. For the telephone number to call for your region, see "Contacting Dell" on page 154. Include a copy of the invoice and a letter describing the reason for the return. Include a copy of the Diagnostics Checklist (see "Diagnostics Checklist"

on page 153), indicating the tests that you have run and any error messages reported by the Dell Diagnostics (see "Dell Diagnostics" on page 91). Include any accessories that belong with the item(s) being returned (power cables, software floppy disks, guides, and so on) if the return is for credit. Pack the equipment to be returned in the original (or equivalent) packing materials. You are responsible for paying shipping expenses. You are also responsible for insuring any product returned, and you assume the risk of loss during shipment to Dell. Collect On Delivery (C.O.D.) packages are not accepted. Returns that are missing any of the preceding requirements will be refused at Dells receiving dock and returned to you. Before You Call NOTE: Have your Express Service Code ready when you call. The code helps Dells automated-support telephone system direct your call more efficiently. You may also be asked for your Service Tag (located on the back or bottom of your computer). Remember to fill out the Diagnostics Checklist (see "Diagnostics Checklist"

on page 153). If possible, turn on your computer before you call Dell for assistance and call from a telephone at or near the computer. You may be asked to type some commands at the keyboard, relay detailed information during operations, or try other troubleshooting steps possible only at the computer itself. Ensure that the computer documentation is available. CAUTION: Before working inside your computer, follow the safety instructions in your Product Information Guide. 152 Getting Help Diagnostics Checklist Name:

Date:

Address:

Phone number:

Service Tag (bar code on the back or bottom of the computer):

Express 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? Yes No Network, version, and network adapter:

Programs and versions:

See your operating system documentation to determine the contents of the systems start-up files. If the computer is connected to a printer, print each file. Otherwise, record the contents of each file before calling Dell. Error message, beep code, or diagnostic code:

Description of problem and troubleshooting procedures you performed:

Getting Help 153 Contacting Dell For customers in the United States, call 800-WWW-DELL (800-999-3355). NOTE: If you do not have an active Internet connection, you can find contact information on your purchase invoice, packing slip, bill, or Dell product catalog. Dell provides several online and telephone-based support and service options. Availability varies by country and product, and some services may not be available in your area. To contact Dell for sales, technical support, or customer service issues:

1 2 3 4 5 Visit support.dell.com. Verify your country or region in the Choose A Country/Region drop-down menu at the bottom of the page. Click Contact Us on the left side of the page. Select the appropriate service or support link based on your need. Choose the method of contacting Dell that is convenient for you. 154 Getting Help Specifications NOTE: Offerings may vary by region. For more information regarding the configuration of your computer, click Start select the option to view information about your computer.

, click Help and Support, and then Processor Processor type L1 cache L2 cache Intel Celeron

(Japan only) Intel Core 2 Duo Intel 45 nm Core 2 Duo 64 KB 1 MB (Intel Celeron

) 2 MB or 4 MB (Intel Core 2 Duo processor) 6 MB (Intel 45 nm Core 2 Duo processor) External bus frequency 533 MHz (Intel Celeron

) 800/667 MHz (Intel Core 2 Duo processor) 800 MHz (Intel 45 nm Core 2 Duo processor) System Information System chipset Mobile Intel 965PM Data bus width 64 bits DRAM bus width dual-channel (2) 64-bit buses Processor address bus width 32 bits Flash EPROM 2 MB Graphics bus PCI-E X16 PCI bus 32 bits

(PCI-Express used for video x16 controllers) Specifications 155 ExpressCard NOTE: The ExpressCard slot is designed only for ExpressCards. It does NOT support PC Cards. NOTE: PCMCIA may not be available in some regions. ExpressCard controller Intel ICH8M ExpressCard connector one ExpressCard slot (54 mm) Cards supported ExpressCard/34 (34 mm) ExpressCard/54 (54 mm) 1.5 V and 3.3 V ExpressCard 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 card connector Cards supported Secure Digital (SD) SDIO MultiMediaCard (MMC) Memory Stick Memory Stick PRO xD-Picture Card Hi Speed-SD Hi Density-SD Memory Memory module connector two user-accessible SODIMM connectors Memory module capacities 1 GB, 2 GB, and 4 GB Memory type 667 MHz SODIMM DDR2 Minimum memory Maximum memory 1 GB 4 GB NOTE: In order to take advantage of the dual channel bandwidth capability, both memory slots must be populated and must match in size. NOTE: The available memory displayed does not reflect the complete maximum memory installed because some memory is reserved for system files. 156 Specifications Ports and Connectors Audio microphone-in connector, two stereo headphones/speakers connector IEEE 1394a 4-pin mini, non-powered connector Consumer IR sensor compatible with Philips RC6 (receive only) Mini Card three Type IIIA Mini Card slots HDMI connector 19-pin Network adapter RJ-45 port S-video TV-out 7-pin mini-DIN connector (optional S-video to USB Video Communications Modem:

Type composite video adapter cable; optional S-video to component video adapter cable) three 4-pin USB 2.0-compliant connector 15-hole connector External V.92 56K USB Modem Controller Hardware Modem Interface Universal Serial Bus (USB) Network adapter 10/100 Ethernet LAN on system board Wireless internal WLAN, WWAN, UWB (optional) WWAN ExpressCard Bluetooth wireless technology Video NOTE: Optional video controller upgrades are available for your computer subject to availability at the time of purchase. To determine the configuration of your computer, see "Front View" on page 25. Video type 1:

discrete video card Data bus PCI Express X16 Video controller nVIDIA GeForce 8400M GS Specifications 157 Video (continued) Video memory 128 MB DDR3 technology LCD interface LVDS TV support HDMI mode and S-video Video type 2:

discrete video card Data bus PCI Express X16 Video controller nVIDIA GeForce 8600M GS Video memory 256 MB DDR3 technology LCD interface LVDS TV support HDMI mode and S-video Audio Audio type 5.1 channel High Definition Audio Audio controller Sigmatel STAC9228 Stereo conversion 24-bit (analog-to-digital and digital-to-analog) Interfaces:

Internal External Intel High Definition Audio microphone in/line in connector, two stereo headphones/speakers connector Speaker two 4-ohm speakers Internal speaker amplifier 2 Watts per channel into 4 ohms Volume controls program menus and media control buttons Display Type (TrueLife) 15.4-inch WXGA TrueLife 15.4-inch WXGA+ TrueLife 15.4-inch WLED WXGA+ TrueLife 15.4-inch WSXGA+ TrueLife 158 Specifications Display (continued) Dimensions:

Height Width 207.0 mm (8.15 in) 331.2 mm (13.02 in) Diagonal 391.2 mm (15.39 in) Native resolutions:

WXGA 1280 x 3 (RGB) x 800 at 262 K colors WXGA+

1440 x 3 (RGB) x 900 at 262 K colors WSXGA+

1680 x 3 (RGB) x 1050 at 262 K colors Refresh rate 60 Hz Operating angle Luminance 0

(closed) to 140 WXGA 220 cd/m WXGA+

250 cd/m 2 2 2 WLED WXGA+

300 cd/m WSXGA+

200 cd/m 2 Viewing angles (L/R/U/D deg) min @ CR or 10:

WXGA 40/40/15/30 WXGA+

55/55/45/45 WLED WXGA+

55/55/50/50 WSXGA+

60/60/40/50 Pixel pitch:

WXGA 0.2588 x 0.2588 mm WXGA+

0.2304 x 0.2304 mm WSXGA+

0.1971 x 0.1971 mm Controls brightness can be controlled through keyboard shortcuts (see "Adjusting Brightness" on page 43) Specifications 159 Keyboard Number of keys 86 (U.S. and Canada); 87 (Europe); 90 (Japan); 88

(Brazil) Layout QWERTY/AZERTY/Kanji Touch Pad X/Y position resolution

(graphics table mode) 240 cpi Size:

Width Height Camera Pixel 71.7-mm (2.8-in) sensor-active area 34.0-mm (1.3-in) rectangle 2.0 mega pixel Video Resolution 320x240 ~1600x1200 (640x480 at 30fps) Diagonal Viewing Angle 60 Battery Type Dimensions:

9-cell "smart" lithium ion 6-cell "smart" lithium ion Depth 67.6 mm (2.66 inches) (9 cell) Height Width Weight 47.5 mm (1.87 inches) (6 cell) 20.4 mm (0.8 inch) 209.9 mm (8.26 inches) 0.48 kg (1.06 lb) (9 cell) 0.33 kg (0.7 lb) (6 cell) Voltage 11.1 VDC 160 Specifications Battery (continued) Charge time (approximate):

Computer off 3 hours Operating time Battery operating time varies depending on operating conditions and can be significantly reduced under certain power-intensive conditions

(see "Power Problems" on page 111). See "Using a Battery" on page 45 for more information on battery life. Life span (approximate) 300 discharge/charge cycles Temperature range:

Operating Storage 0 to 35C (32 to 95F) 40 to 65C (40 to 149F) Coin-cell battery CR-2032 AC Adapter Types 65W and 90W Input voltage 100240 VAC Input current (maximum) 1.5 A Input frequency 5060 Hz Output current 65 W 3.9 A (maximum at 4-second pulse) 4.34 A (65 W) (continuous) 90 W 5.62 A (maximum at 4-second pulse) 4.62 A (65 W) (continuous) Output power 65W or 90W Rated output voltage 19.5 +/ 1VDC Specifications 161 AC Adapter (continued) Dimensions:

65W Height Width Length 90W Height Width Length Weight (without cables) 65W 90W Temperature range:

28.2 mm(1.11 inches) 57.9 mm(2.28 inches) 137.2 mm(5.4 inches) 34.2 mm (1.35 inches) 60.9 mm (2.39 inches) 153.42 mm (6.04 inches) 0.25 kg (.55 lb) 0.46 kg (1.01 lb) Operating 0 to 35C (32 to 95F) Storage 40 to 65C (40 to 149F) Physical Height Width Depth 23.7 mm~35.1 mm (0.93 in~1.38 in) 357 mm (14.05 in) 263 mm (10.35 in) Weight (with 6-cell battery):

2.67 kg (5.9 lbs) 162 Specifications Environmental Temperature range:

Operating Storage 0 to 35C (32 to 95F) 40 to 65C (40 to 149F) Relative humidity (maximum):

Operating 10% to 90% (noncondensing) Storage 10% to 95% (noncondensing) Maximum vibration (using a random vibration spectrum that simulates user environment):

Operating 0.66 GRMS Maximum shock (Measured with hard drive in operating status and a 2-ms half-sine pulse for operating. Also measured with hard drive in head-parked position and a 2-ms halfsine pluse for storage):

Operating Storage 110 G 163 G Specifications 163 164 Specifications Appendix Using the System Setup Program NOTE: Your operating system may automatically configure most of the options available in system setup, thus overriding options that you set through system setup. An exception is the External Hot Key option, which you can disable or enable only through system setup. For more information on configuring features for your operating system, see Windows Help and Support (click Start

, and then click Help and Support). You can use system setup as follows:

To set or change user-selectable features such as your computer password To verify information about the computer's current configuration such as the amount of system memory After you set up the computer, run system setup to familiarize yourself with your system configuration information and optional settings. You may want to write down the information for future reference. The system setup screens display the current setup information and settings for your computer, such as:

System configuration Boot order Boot (start-up) configuration Basic device configuration settings System security and hard drive password settings NOTE: Unless you are an expert computer user or are directed to do so by Dell technical support, do not change the system setup settings. Certain changes might make your computer work incorrectly. Appendix 165 Viewing the System Setup Screen 1 2 Turn on (or restart) your computer. When the DELL logo appears, press <F2> immediately. If you wait too long and the Microsoft Windows logo appears, continue to wait until you see the Windows desktop, then shut down your computer and try again. System Setup Screen NOTE: For information about a specific item on a system setup screen, highlight the item and see the Help area on the screen. On each screen, the system setup options are listed at the left. To the right of each option is the setting or value for that option. You can change settings that appear as white type on the screen. Options or values that you cannot change (because they are determined by the computer) appear less bright. The upper-right corner of the screen displays help information for the currently highlighted option; the lower-right corner displays information about the computer. System setup key functions are listed across the bottom of the screen. Commonly Used Options Certain options require that you reboot the computer for new settings to take effect. Changing the Boot Sequence The boot sequence, boot order, or tells the computer where to look to find the software needed to start the operating system. You can control the boot sequence and enable/disable devices using the Boot Order page of the system setup program. NOTE: To change the boot sequence on a one-time-only basis, see "Performing a One-Time Boot" on page 167. 166 Appendix The Boot Order page displays a general list of the bootable devices that may be installed in your computer, including but not limited to the following:

Diskette Drive Internal HDD USB Storage Device CD/DVD/CD-RW drive Modular bay HDD NOTE: Only devices that are preceded by a number are bootable. During the boot routine, the 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 searching and starts the operating system. To control the boot devices, select (highlight) a device by pressing the down-

arrow or up-arrow key, and then enable or disable the device or change its order in the list. To enable or disable a device, highlight the item and press the space bar. Enabled items are preceded by a number; disabled items are not preceded by a number. To reorder a device in the list, highlight the device and press <u> to move the device up the list or <d> to move a device down the list. Boot sequence changes take effect as soon as you save the changes and exit the system setup program. Performing a One-Time Boot You can set a one-time-only boot sequence without entering the system setup program (you can also use this procedure to boot the Dell Diagnostics on the diagnostics utility partition on your hard drive). 1 2 Shut down the computer through the Start menu. Connect the computer to an electrical outlet. Appendix 167 3 4 Turn on the computer. When the DELL logo appears, press <F12>

immediately. If you wait too long and the Windows logo appears, continue to wait until you see the Windows desktop, then shut down your computer and try again. When the boot device list appears, highlight the device from which you want to boot and press <Enter>. The computer boots to the selected device. The next time you reboot the computer, the previous boot order is restored. Cleaning Your Computer CAUTION: Before you begin any of the procedures in this section, follow the safety instructions located in the Product Information Guide. Computer, Keyboard, and Display CAUTION: Before you clean your computer, disconnect the computer from the electrical outlet and remove any installed batteries. Clean your computer with a soft cloth dampened with water. Do not use liquid or aerosol cleaners, which may contain flammable substances. Use a can of compressed air to remove dust from between the keys on the keyboard and to remove any dirt or lint from the display. NOTICE: To help prevent damage to the computer or display, do not spray cleaning solution directly onto the display. Only use products specifically designed for cleaning displays, and follow the instructions that are included with the product. Moisten a soft, lint-free cloth with either water or a display cleaner. Do not use alcohol or an ammonia-based cleaner. Wipe the display gently working from the center to the edges until it is clean and any fingerprints are removed. Do not use excessive pressure. NOTICE: To prevent damage to the antiglare coating, do not wipe the display with soap or alcohol. Moisten a soft, lint-free cloth with water and wipe the computer and keyboard. Do not allow water from the cloth to seep between the touch pad and the surrounding palm rest. 168 Appendix To clean your monitor screen, lightly dampen a soft, clean cloth with water. You can also use a special screen-cleaning tissue or solution suitable for the monitors antistatic coating. Wipe the keyboard, computer, and monitor plastics with a soft cleaning cloth moistened with a solution of three parts water and one part dishwashing detergent. Do not soak the cloth or let water drip inside your computer or keyboard. Touch Pad 1 2 3 4 Shut down and turn off your computer (see "Turning Off Your Computer"

on page 125). Disconnect any attached devices from the computer and from their electrical outlets. Remove any installed batteries (see "Battery Performance" on page 45). Moisten a soft, lint-free cloth with water, and wipe it gently across the surface of the touch pad. Do not allow water from the cloth to seep between the touch pad and the surrounding palm rest. Mouse NOTICE: Disconnect the mouse from the computer before cleaning the mouse If your screen cursor skips or moves abnormally, clean the mouse. Cleaning an Optical Mouse Clean the outside casing of the mouse with a cloth moistened with a mild cleaning solution. Media NOTICE: Always use compressed air to clean the lens in the optical drive, and follow the instructions that come with the compressed air product. Never touch the lens in the drive. If you notice problems, such as skipping, with the playback quality of your media, try cleaning the discs. Appendix 169 1 2 Hold the disc by its outer edge. You can also touch the inside edge of the center hole. NOTICE: To help prevent damage to the surface, do not wipe in a circular motion around the disc. With a soft, lint-free cloth, gently wipe the bottom of the disc (the unlabeled side) in a straight line from the center to the outer edge of the disc. For stubborn dirt, try using water or a diluted solution of water and mild soap. You can also purchase commercial products that clean discs and provide some protection from dust, fingerprints, and scratches. Cleaning products for CDs are also safe to use on DVDs. Dell Technical Support Policy (U.S. Only) Technician assisted technical support requires the cooperation and participation of the customer in the troubleshooting process and provides for restoration of the operating system, software programs, and hardware drivers to the original default configuration as shipped from Dell, as well as the verification of appropriate functionality of the computer and all Dell-installed hardware. In addition to this technician assisted technical support, online technical support is available at support.dell.com. Additional technical support options may be available for purchase. Dell provides limited technical support for the computer and any "Dell-

installed" software and peripherals

. Support for third-party software and 1 peripherals is provided by the original manufacturer, including those purchased and/or installed through Dell Software and Peripherals, Readyware, and Custom Factory Integration 2

. 1 Repair services are provided pursuant to the terms and conditions of your limited warranty and any optional support service contract purchased with the computer. 2 All Dell-standard components included in a Custom Factory Integration (CFI) project are covered by the standard Dell limited warranty for your computer. However, Dell also extends a parts replacement program to cover all nonstandard, third-party hardware components integrated through CFI for the duration of the computers service contract. 170 Appendix Definition of "Dell-Installed" Software and Peripherals Dell-installed software includes the operating system and some of the software programs that are installed on the computer during the manufacturing process (Microsoft Office, Norton Antivirus, etc). Dell-installed peripherals include any internal expansion cards, or Dell-branded module bay or ExpressCard accessories. In addition, any Dell-branded monitors, keyboards, mice, speakers, microphones for telephonic modems, docking stations/port replicators, networking products, and all associated cabling are included. Definition of "Third-Party" Software and Peripherals Third-party software and peripherals include any peripheral, accessory, or software program sold by Dell not under the Dell brand (printers, scanners, cameras, games, etc). Support for all third-party software and peripherals is provided by the original manufacturer of the product. FCC Notice (U.S. Only) FCC Class B This equipment generates, uses, and can radiate radio frequency energy and, if not installed and used in accordance with the manufacturers instruction manual, may cause interference with radio and television reception. This equipment has been tested and found to comply with the limits for a Class B digital device pursuant to Part 15 of the FCC Rules. This device complies with Part 15 of the FCC Rules. Operation is subject to the following two conditions:

This device may not cause harmful interference. This device must accept any interference received, including interference that may cause undesired operation. NOTICE: The FCC regulations provide that changes or modifications not expressly approved by Dell Inc. could void your authority to operate this equipment. Appendix 171 These limits are designed to provide reasonable protection against harmful interference in a residential installation. However, there is no guarantee that interference will not occur in a particular installation. If this equipment does cause harmful interference with radio or television reception, which can be determined by turning the equipment off and on, you are encouraged to try to correct the interference by one or more of the following measures:

Reorient the receiving antenna. Relocate the system with respect to the receiver. Move the system away from the receiver. Plug the system into a different outlet so that the system and the receiver are on different branch circuits. If necessary, consult a representative of Dell Inc. or an experienced radio/television technician for additional suggestions. The following information is provided on the device or devices covered in this document in compliance with the FCC regulations:

Product name:

Dell XPS M1530 Model number:

PP28L Company name:

Dell Inc. Worldwide Regulatory Compliance & Environmental Affairs One Dell Way Round Rock, TX 78682 USA 512-338-4400 Macrovision Product Notice This product incorporates copyright protection technology that is protected by U.S. patents and other intellectual property rights owned by Macrovision Corporation and other rights owners. Use of this copyright protection technology must be authorized by Macrovision Corporation, and is intended for home and other limited viewing uses only unless otherwise authorized by Macrovision Corporation. Reverse engineering or disassembly is prohibited. 172 Appendix Glossary Terms 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. ACPI advanced configuration and power interface A power management specification that enables Microsoft Windows operating systems to put a computer in standby or hibernate mode to conserve the amount of electrical power allocated to each device attached to the computer. AGP accelerated graphics port A dedicated graphics port that allows system memory to be used for video-related tasks. AGP delivers a smooth, true-color video image because of the faster interface between the video circuitry and the computer memory. AHCI Advanced Host Controller Interface An interface for a SATA hard drive Host Controller which allows the storage driver to enable technologies such as Native Command Queuing (NCQ) and hot plug. ALS ambient light sensor A feature that helps to control display brightness. antivirus software A program designed to identify, quarantine, and/or delete viruses from your computer. ASF alert standards format A standard to define a mechanism for reporting hardware and software alerts to a management console. ASF is designed to be platform- and operating system-independent. B battery life span The length of time (years) during which a portable computer battery is able to be depleted and recharged. battery operating time The length of time (minutes or hours) that a portable computer battery powers the computer. BD See Blu-ray Disc. Glossary 173 BIOS basic input/output system A program (or utility) that serves as an interface between the computer hardware and the operating system. Unless you understand what effect these settings have on the computer, do not change them. Also referred to as system setup. bit The smallest unit of data interpreted by your computer. Bluetooth wireless technology A wireless technology standard for short-range

(9 m [29 feet]) networking devices that allows for enabled devices to automatically recognize each other. Blu-ray Disc Blu-ray Disc (BD) is an optical disc format jointly developed by the Blu-ray Disc Association (BDA). A BD records and plays high-definition video (HD), and stores large amounts of data: five times the storage capacity of a DVD and can hold up to 25GB on a single-layer disc and 50GB on a dual-layer disc. BD-R Blu-ray Disc recordable refers to two optical disc formats that can be recorded with an optical disc recorder. BD-R discs can be written to once. BD-RE Blu-ray Disc RE can be erased and re-recorded multiple times. boot sequence Specifies the order of the devices from which the computer attempts to boot. bootable CD A CD that you can use to start your computer. In case your hard drive is damaged or your computer has a virus, ensure that you always have a bootable CD or floppy disk available. Your Drivers and Utilities media is a bootable CD. bootable disk A disk that you can use to start your computer. In case your hard drive is damaged or your computer has a virus, ensure that you always have a bootable CD or floppy disk available. bps bits per second The standard unit for measuring data transmission speed. BTU British thermal unit A measurement of heat output. bus A communication pathway between the components in your computer. bus speed The speed, given in MHz, that indicates how fast a bus can transfer information. byte The basic data unit used by your computer. A byte is usually equal to 8 bits. C C Celsius A temperature measurement 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 high-speed storage device. The cache enhances the efficiency of many processor operations. 174 Glossary L1 cache Primary cache stored inside the processor. L2 cache Secondary cache which can either be external to the processor or incorporated into the processor architecture. carnet An international customs document that facilitates temporary imports into foreign countries. Also known as a merchandise passport. CD-R CD recordable A recordable version of a CD. Data can be recorded only once onto a CD-R. Once recorded, the data cannot be erased or written over. CD-RW CD rewritable A rewritable version of a CD. Data can be written to a CD-RW disc, and then erased and written over (rewritten). CD-RW drive A drive that can read CDs and write to CD-RW (rewritable CDs) and CD-R (recordable CDs) discs. You can write to CD-RW discs multiple times, but you can write to CD-R discs only once. CD-RW/DVD drive A drive, sometimes referred to as a combo drive, that can read CDs and DVDs and write to CD-RW (rewritable CDs) and CD-R (recordable CDs) discs. You can write to CD-RW discs multiple times, but you can write to CD-R discs only once. clock speed The speed, given in MHz, that indicates how fast computer components that are connected to the system bus operate. CMOS A type of electronic circuit. Computers use a small amount of battery-

powered CMOS memory to hold date, time, and system setup options. COA Certificate of Authenticity The Windows alpha-numeric code located on a sticker on your computer. Also referred to as the Product Key or Product ID. Consumer IR A port on the front of the computer that allows certain software applications to be controlled by The Dell Travel Remote in some systems. In other systems, this port allows you to transfer data between the computer and infrared-

compatible devices without using a cable connection. Control Panel A Windows utility that allows you to modify operating system and hardware settings, such as display settings. controller A chip that controls the transfer of data between the processor and memory or between the processor and devices. CRIMM continuity rambus in-line memory module A special module that has no memory chips and is used to fill unused RIMM slots. cursor The marker on a display or screen that shows where the next keyboard, touch pad, or mouse action will occur. It often is a blinking solid line, an underline character, or a small arrow. Glossary 175 D DDR SDRAM double-data-rate SDRAM A type of SDRAM that doubles the data burst cycle, improving system performance. DDR2 SDRAM double-data-rate 2 SDRAM A type of DDR SDRAM that uses a 4-bit prefetch and other architectural changes to boost memory speed to over 400 MHz. device Hardware such as a disk drive, printer, or keyboard that is installed in or connected to your computer. device driver See driver. DIMM dual in-line memory module A circuit board with memory chips that connects to a memory module on the system board. DIN connector A round, six-pin connector that conforms to DIN (Deutsche Industrie-Norm) standards; it is typically used to connect PS/2 keyboard or mouse cable connectors. disk striping A technique for spreading data over multiple disk drives. Disk striping can speed up operations that retrieve data from disk storage. Computers that use disk striping generally allow the user to select the data unit size or stripe width. DMA direct memory access A channel that allows certain types of data transfer between RAM and a device to bypass the processor. docking device See APR. DMTF Distributed Management Task Force A consortium of hardware and software companies who develop management standards for distributed desktop, network, enterprise, and Internet environments. domain A group of computers, programs, and devices on a network that are administered as a unit with common rules and procedures for use by a specific group of users. A user logs on to the domain to gain access to the resources. DRAM dynamic random-access memory Memory that stores information in integrated circuits containing capacitors. driver Software that allows the operating system to control a device such as a printer. Many devices do not work properly if the correct driver is not installed in the computer. DSL Digital Subscriber Line A technology that provides a constant, high-speed Internet connection through an analog telephone line. dual-core An Intel technology in which two physical computational units exist inside a single processor package, thereby increasing computing efficiency and multi-

tasking ability. 176 Glossary dual display mode A display setting that allows you to use a second monitor as an extension of your display. Also referred to as extended display mode. DVD-R DVD recordable A recordable version of a DVD. Data can be recorded only once onto a DVD-R. Once recorded, the data cannot be erased or written over. DVD+RW DVD rewritable A rewritable version of a DVD. Data can be written to a DVD+RW disc, and then erased and written over (rewritten). (DVD+RW technology is different from DVD-RW technology.) DVD+RW drive drive that can read DVDs and most CD media and write to DVD+RW (rewritable DVDs) discs. DVI 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 testing the accuracy of data as it passes in and out of memory. ECP extended capabilities port A parallel connector design that provides improved bidirectional data transmission. Similar to EPP, ECP uses direct memory access to transfer data and often improves performance. EIDE enhanced integrated device electronics An improved version of the IDE interface for hard drives and CD drives. EMI electromagnetic interference Electrical interference caused by electromagnetic radiation. ENERGY STAR Environmental Protection Agency requirements that decrease the overall consumption of electricity. EPP enhanced parallel port A parallel connector design that provides bidirectional data transmission. ESD electrostatic discharge A rapid discharge of static electricity. ESD can damage integrated circuits found in computer and communications equipment. expansion card A circuit board that installs in an expansion slot on the system board in some computers, expanding the capabilities of the computer. Examples include video, modem, and sound cards. expansion slot A connector on the system board (in some computers) where you insert an expansion card, connecting it to the system bus. ExpressCard A removable I/O card adhering to the PCMCIA standard. Modems and network adapters are common types of ExpressCards. ExpressCards support both the PCI Express and USB 2.0 standard. Glossary 177 Express Service Code A numeric code located on a sticker on your Dell computer. Use the Express Service Code when contacting Dell for assistance. Express Service Code service may not be available in some countries. extended display mode A display setting that allows 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 extends beyond the edge of the PC Card slot when installed. F Fahrenheit A temperature measurement scale where 32 is the freezing point and 212 is the boiling point of water. FBD fully-buffered DIMM A DIMM with DDR2 DRAM chips and an Advanced Memory Buffer (AMB) that speeds communication between the DDR2 SDRAM chips and the system. FCC Federal Communications Commission A U.S. agency responsible for enforcing communications-related regulations that state how much radiation computers and other electronic equipment can emit. fingerprint reader A strip sensor that uses your unique fingerprint to authenticate your user identity to help secure your computer. folder A term used to describe space on a disk or drive where files are organized and grouped. Files in a folder can be viewed and ordered in various ways, such as alphabetically, by date, and by size. format The process that prepares a drive or disk for file storage. When a drive or disk is formatted, the existing information on it is lost. FSB front side bus The data path and physical interface between the processor and RAM. FTP file transfer protocol A standard Internet protocol used to exchange files between computers connected to the Internet. G G gravity A measurement of weight and force. GB gigabyte A measurement of data storage that equals 1024 MB

(1,073,741,824 bytes). When used to refer to hard drive storage, the term is often rounded to 1,000,000,000 bytes. 178 Glossary GHz gigahertz A measurement of frequency that equals one thousand million Hz, or one thousand MHz. The speeds for computer processors, buses, and interfaces are often measured in GHz. graphics mode A video mode that can be defined as x horizontal pixels by y vertical pixels by z colors. Graphics modes can display an unlimited variety of shapes and fonts. GUI graphical user interface Software that interacts with the user by means of menus, windows, and icons. Most programs that operate on the Windows operating systems are GUIs. H hard drive A drive that reads and writes data on a hard disk. The terms hard drive and hard disk are often used interchangeably. heat sink A metal plate on some processors that helps dissipate heat. hibernate mode A power management mode that saves everything in memory to a reserved space on the hard drive and then turns off the computer. When you restart the computer, the memory information that was saved to the hard drive is automatically restored. HDMI The High-Definition Multimedia Interface (HDMI) is an all-digital audio/video interface capable of transmitting uncompressed streams. HTTP hypertext transfer protocol A protocol for exchanging files between computers connected to the Internet. Hyper-Threading Hyper-Threading is an Intel technology that can enhance overall computer performance by allowing one physical processor to function as two logical processors, capable of performing certain tasks simultaneously. Hz hertz A unit of frequency measurement that equals 1 cycle per second. Computers and electronic devices are often measured in kilohertz (kHz), megahertz (MHz), gigahertz (GHz), or terahertz (THz). I IC integrated circuit A semiconductor wafer, or chip, on which thousands or millions of tiny electronic 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 CD drive. IEEE 1394 Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers, Inc. A high-

performance serial bus used to connect IEEE 1394-compatible devices, such as digital cameras and DVD players, to the computer. Glossary 179 infrared sensor A port that allows you to transfer data between the computer and infrared-compatible devices without using a cable connection. integrated Usually refers to components that are physically located on the computers system board. Also referred to as built-in. I/O input/output An operation or device that enters and extracts data from your computer. Keyboards and printers are I/O devices. I/O address An address in RAM that is associated with a specific device (such as a serial connector, parallel connector, or expansion slot) and allows the processor to communicate with that device. IrDA Infrared Data Association The organization that creates international standards for infrared communications. IRQ interrupt request An electronic pathway assigned to a specific device so that the device can communicate with the processor. Each device connection must be assigned an IRQ. Although two devices can share the same IRQ assignment, you cannot operate both devices simultaneously. ISP Internet service provider A company that allows you to access its host server to connect directly to the Internet, send and receive e-mail, and access websites. The ISP typically provides you with a software package, user name, and access phone numbers for a fee. K Kb kilobit A unit of data that equals 1024 bits. A measurement of the capacity of memory integrated circuits. KB kilobyte A unit of data that equals 1024 bytes but is often referred to as 1000 bytes. key combination A command requiring you to press multiple keys at the same time. kHz kilohertz A measurement of frequency that equals 1000 Hz. L LAN local area network A computer network covering a small area. A LAN usually is confined to a building or a few nearby buildings. A LAN can be connected to another LAN over any distance through telephone lines and radio waves to form a wide area network (WAN). LCD liquid crystal display The technology used by portable computer and flat-

panel displays. 180 Glossary LED light-emitting diode An electronic component that emits light to indicate the status of the computer. local bus A data bus that provides a fast throughput for devices to the processor. LPT line print terminal The designation for a parallel connection to a printer or other parallel device. M Mb megabit A measurement of memory chip capacity that equals 1024 Kb. Mbps megabits per second One million bits per second. This measurement is typically used for transmission speeds for networks and modems. MB megabyte A measurement of data storage that equals 1,048,576 bytes. 1 MB equals 1024 KB. When used to refer to hard drive storage, the term is often rounded to 1,000,000 bytes. MB/sec megabytes per second One million bytes per second. This measurement is typically used for data transfer ratings. media bay A bay that supports devices such as optical drives, a second battery, or a Dell TravelLite module. memory A temporary data storage area inside your computer. Because the data in memory is not permanent, it is recommended that you frequently save your files while you are working on them, and always save your files before you shut down the computer. Your computer can contain several different forms of memory, such as RAM, ROM, and video memory. Frequently, the word memory is used as a synonym for RAM. memory address A specific location where data is temporarily stored in RAM. memory mapping The process by which the computer assigns memory addresses to physical locations at start-up. Devices and software can then identify information that the processor can access. memory module A small circuit board containing memory chips, which connects to the system board. MHz megahertz A measure of frequency that equals 1 million cycles per second. The speeds for computer processors, buses, and interfaces are often measured in MHz. Mini PCI A standard for integrated peripheral devices with an emphasis on communications such as modems and NICs. A Mini PCI card is a small external card that is functionally equivalent to a standard PCI expansion card. Mini Card A small card designed for integrated peripherals, such as communication NICs. The Mini Card is functionally equivalent to a standard PCI expansion card. Glossary 181 Mobile Broadband network (also known as a WWAN) is a series of interconnected computers that communicate with each other through wireless cellular technology and provides Internet access in the same varied locations from which cellular telephone service is available. Your computer can maintain the Mobile Broadband network connection regardless of its physical location, as long as the computer remains in the service area of your cellular service provider. modem A device that allows your computer to communicate with other computers over analog telephone lines. Three types of modems include: external, PC Card, and internal. You typically use your modem to connect to the Internet and exchange e-mail. module bay See media bay. MP megapixel A measure of image resolution used for digital cameras. ms millisecond A measure of time that equals one thousandth of a second. Access times of storage devices are often measured in ms. N network adapter A chip that provides network capabilities. A computer may include a network adapter on its system board, or it may contain a PC Card with an adapter on it. A network adapter is also referred to as a NIC (network interface controller). NIC See network adapter. notification area The section of the Windows taskbar that contains icons for providing quick access to programs and computer functions, such as the clock, volume control, and print status. Also referred to as system tray. ns nanosecond A measure of time that equals one billionth of a second. NVRAM nonvolatile random access memory A type of memory that stores data when the computer is turned off or loses its external power source. NVRAM is used for maintaining computer configuration information such as date, time, and other system setup options that you can set. O optical drive A drive that uses optical technology to read or write data from CDs, DVDs, or DVD+RWs. Example of optical drives include CD drives, DVD drives, CD-RW drives, and CD-RW/DVD combo drives. 182 Glossary P parallel connector An I/O port often used to connect a parallel printer to your computer. Also referred to as an LPT port. partition A physical storage area on a hard drive that is assigned to one or more logical storage areas known as logical drives. Each partition can contain multiple logical drives. PC Card A removable I/O card adhering to the PCMCIA standard. Modems and network adapters are common types of PC Cards. PCI peripheral component interconnect PCI is a local bus that supports 32-and 64-bit data paths, providing a high-speed data path between the processor and devices such as video, 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 GB/sec. If the PCI Express chip set and the device are capable of different speeds, they will operate at the slower speed. PCMCIA Personal Computer Memory Card International Association The organization that establishes standards for PC Cards. PIO programmed input/output A method of transferring data between two devices through the processor as part of the data path. pixel A single point on a display screen. Pixels are arranged in rows and columns to create an image. A video resolution, such as 800 x 600, is expressed as the number of pixels across by the number of pixels up and down. Plug-and-Play The ability of the computer to automatically configure devices. Plug and Play provides automatic installation, configuration, and compatibility with existing hardware if the BIOS, operating system, and all devices are Plug and Play compliant. POST power-on self-test Diagnostics programs, loaded automatically by the BIOS, that perform basic tests on the major computer components, such as memory, hard drives, and video. If no problems are detected during POST, the computer continues the start-up. processor A computer chip that interprets and executes program instructions. Sometimes the processor is referred to as the CPU (central processing unit). PS/2 personal system/2 A type of connector for attaching a PS/2-compatible keyboard, mouse, or keypad. PXE pre-boot execution environment A WfM (Wired for Management) standard that allows networked computers that do not have an operating system to be configured and started remotely. Glossary 183 R RAID redundant array of independent disks A method of providing data redundancy. Some common implementations of RAID include RAID 0, RAID 1, RAID 5, RAID 10, and RAID 50. RAM random-access memory The primary temporary storage area for program instructions and data. Any information stored in RAM is lost when you shut down your computer. readme file A text file included with a software package or hardware product. Typically, readme files provide installation information and describe new product enhancements or corrections that have not yet been documented. read-only Data and/or files you can view but cannot edit or delete. A file can have read-only status if:

It resides on a physically write-protected floppy disk, CD, or DVD. It is located on a network in a directory and the system administrator has assigned rights only to specific individuals. refresh rate The frequency, measured in Hz, at which your screen's horizontal lines are recharged (sometimes also referred to as its vertical frequency). The higher the refresh rate, the less video flicker can be seen by the human eye. resolution The sharpness and clarity of an image produced by a printer or displayed on a monitor. The higher the resolution, the sharper the image. RFI radio frequency interference Interference that is generated at typical radio frequencies, in the range of 10 kHz to 100,000 MHz. Radio frequencies are at the lower end of the electromagnetic frequency spectrum and are more likely to have interference than the higher frequency radiations, such as infrared and light. ROM read-only memory Memory that stores data and programs that cannot be deleted or written to by the computer. ROM, unlike RAM, retains its contents after you shut down your computer. Some programs essential to the operation of your computer reside in ROM. RPM revolutions per minute The number of rotations that occur per minute. Hard drive speed is often measured in rpm. RTC real time clock Battery-powered clock on the system board that keeps the date and time after you shut down the computer. RTCRST real-time clock reset A jumper on the system board of some computers that can often be used for troubleshooting problems. 184 Glossary S SAS serial attached SCSI A faster, serial version of the SCSI interface (as opposed to the original SCSI parallel architecture). SATA serial ATA A faster, serial version of the ATA (IDE) interface. ScanDisk A Microsoft utility that checks files, folders, and the hard disks surface for errors. ScanDisk often runs when you 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 drives, CD drives, printers, and scanners. The SCSI can connect many devices using a single controller. Each device is accessed by an individual identification number on the SCSI controller bus. SDRAM synchronous dynamic random-access memory A type of DRAM that is synchronized with the optimal clock speed of the processor. serial connector An I/O port often used to connect devices such as a handheld digital device or digital camera to your computer. Service Tag A bar code label on your computer that identifies your computer when you access Dell Support at support.dell.com or when you call Dell for customer service or technical support. setup program A program that is used to install and configure hardware and software. The setup.exe or install.exe program comes with most Windows software packages. Setup program differs from system setup. shortcut An icon that provides quick access to frequently used programs, files, folders, and drives. When you place a shortcut on your Windows desktop and double-

click the icon, you can open its corresponding folder or file without having to find it first. Shortcut icons do not change the location of files. If you delete a shortcut, the original file is not affected. Also, you can rename a shortcut icon. SIM Subscriber Identity Module A SIM card contains a microchip that encrypts voice and data transmissions. SIM cards can be used in phones or portable computers. smart card A card that is embedded with a processor and a memory chip. Smart cards can be used to authenticate a user on computers equipped for smart cards. S/PDIF Sony/Philips Digital Interface An audio transfer file format that allows the transfer of audio from one file to another without converting it to and from an analog format, which could degrade the quality of the file. standby mode A power management mode that shuts down all unnecessary computer operations to save energy. Glossary 185 Strike Zone Reinforced area of the platform base that protects the hard drive by acting as a dampening device when a computer experiences resonating shock or is dropped (whether the computer is on or off). surge protectors Prevent voltage spikes, such as those that may occur during an electrical storm, from entering the computer through the electrical outlet. Surge protectors do not protect against lightning strikes or against brownouts, which occur when the voltage drops more than 20 percent below the normal AC-line voltage level. Network connections cannot be protected by surge protectors. Always disconnect the network cable from the network connector during electrical storms. SVGA super-video graphics array A video standard for video cards and controllers. Typical SVGA resolutions are 800 x 600 and 1024 x 768. The number of colors and resolution that a program displays depends on the capabilities of the monitor, the video controller and its drivers, and the amount of video memory installed in the computer. S-video TV-out A connector used to attach a TV or digital audio device to the computer. SXGA super-extended graphics array A video standard for video cards and controllers that supports resolutions up to 1280 x 1024. SXGA+ super-extended graphics array plus A video standard for video cards and 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 computer hardware and the operating system. System setup allows you to configure user-selectable options in the BIOS, such as date and time or system password. Unless you understand what effect the settings have on the computer, do not change the settings for this program. T TAPI telephony application programming interface Enables Windows programs to operate with a wide variety of telephony devices, including voice, data, fax, and video. text editor A program used to create and edit files that contain only text; for example, Windows Notepad uses a text editor. Text editors do not usually provide word wrap or formatting functionality (the option to underline, change fonts, and so on). 186 Glossary TPM trusted platform module A hardware-based security feature that when combined with security software enhances network and computer security by enabling features such as file and e-mail protection. travel module A plastic device designed to fit inside the module bay of a portable computer to reduce the weight of the computer. U UAC user account control Microsoft Windows Vista security feature 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 power source used when the electrical power fails or drops to an unacceptable voltage level. A UPS keeps a computer running for a limited amount of time when there is no electrical power. UPS systems typically provide surge suppression and may also provide voltage regulation. Small UPS systems provide battery power for a few minutes to enable you to shut down your computer. USB universal serial bus A hardware interface for a low-speed device such as a USB-compatible keyboard, mouse, joystick, scanner, set of speakers, printer, broadband devices (DSL and cable modems), imaging devices, or storage devices. Devices are plugged directly in to a 4-pin socket on your computer or in to a multi-

port hub that plugs in to your computer. USB devices can be connected and disconnected while the computer is turned on, and they can also be daisy-chained together. UTP unshielded twisted pair Describes a type of cable used in most telephone networks and some computer networks. Pairs of unshielded wires are twisted to protect against electromagnetic interference, rather than relying on a metal sheath around each pair of wires to protect against interference. UXGA ultra extended graphics array A video standard for video cards and controllers that supports resolutions up to 1600 x 1200. V video controller The circuitry on a video card or on the system board (in computers with an integrated video controller) that provides the video capabilitiesin combination with the monitorfor your computer. video memory Memory that consists of memory chips dedicated to video functions. Video memory is usually faster than system memory. The amount of video memory Glossary 187 installed primarily influences the number of colors that a program can display. video mode A mode that describes how text and graphics are displayed on a monitor. Graphics-based software, such as Windows operating systems, displays in video modes that can be defined as x horizontal pixels by y vertical pixels by z colors. Character-based software, such as text editors, displays in video modes that can be defined as x columns by y rows of characters. video resolution See resolution. 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 downloaded from the Internet, or e-mail attachments. When an infected program starts, its embedded virus also starts. A common type of virus is a boot virus, which is stored in the boot sectors of a floppy disk. If the floppy disk is left in the drive when the computer is shut down and then turned on, the computer is infected when it reads the boot sectors of the floppy disk expecting to find the operating system. If the computer is infected, the boot virus may replicate itself onto all the floppy disks that are read or written in that computer until the virus is eradicated. V volt The measurement of electric potential or electromotive force. One V appears across a resistance of 1 ohm when a current of 1 ampere flows through that resistance. W W watt The measurement of electrical power. One W is 1 ampere of current flowing at 1 volt. WHr watt-hour A unit of measure commonly used to indicate the approximate capacity of a battery. For example, a 66-WHr battery can supply 66 W of power for 1 hour or 33 W for 2 hours. wallpaper The background pattern or picture on the Windows desktop. Change your wallpaper through the Windows Control Panel. You can also scan in your favorite picture and make it wallpaper. WLAN wireless local area network. A series of interconnected computers that communicate with each other over the air waves using access points or wireless routers to provide Internet access. write-protected Files or media that cannot be changed. Use write-protection when you want to protect data from being changed or destroyed. To write-protect a 3.5-inch floppy disk, slide its write-protect tab to the open position. WPAN wireless personal area network. A computer network used for communica-

tion among computer devices (including telephones and personal digital assistants) 188 Glossary close to one person. WWAN wireless wide area network. A wireless high-speed data network using cellular technology and covering a much larger geographic area than WLAN. Also know as Mobile Broadband network. WXGA wide-aspect extended graphics array A video standard for video cards and controllers that supports resolutions up to 1280 x 800. X XGA extended graphics array A video standard for video cards and controllers that supports resolutions up to 1024 x 768. Z ZIF zero insertion force A type of socket or connector that allows a computer chip to be installed or removed with no stress applied to either the chip or its socket. Zip A popular data compression format. Files that have been compressed with the Zip format are called Zip files and usually have a filename extension of .zip. A special kind of zipped file is a self-extracting file, which has a filename extension of .exe. You can unzip a self-extracting file by double-clicking it. Zip drive A high-capacity floppy drive developed by Iomega Corporation that uses 3.5-inch removable disks called Zip disks. Zip disks are slightly larger than regular floppy disks, about twice as thick, and hold up to 100 MB of data. Glossary 189 190 Glossary Index Numerics 8-in-1 memory card read er, 7 5 A aud i o d e v i c e connecting, 6 1 enabling, 6 9 audio. See s oun d B b a t t e r y charge gauge, 4 7 charging, 4 9 checking the charge, 4 6 performance, 4 5 power meter, 4 7 removing, 5 0 storing, 5 1 b l an k s ExpressCards, 7 3 , 7 5 removing, 7 4 , 7 6 B lu e t o o th w i rel e s s t e chn o l o g y card device status light, 2 9 installing, 1 4 5 B lu - r a y D i s c , 5 8 , 9 6 b o o t s equ en c e , 1 6 6 b r i gh tn e s s adjusting, 4 3 C c a rn e t , 1 4 8 CD blank, 5 7 CD-RW drive problems, 9 7 drive problems, 9 7 Chec k Di sk, 9 7 c l e an in g display, 1 6 8 keyboard, 1 6 8 media, 1 6 9 mouse, 1 6 9 touch pad, 1 6 9 c ompu t e r crashes, 1 0 7 - 1 0 8 restore to previous operating state, 1 2 2 slow performance, 9 9 , 1 0 9 specifications, 1 5 5 stops responding, 1 0 7 c onn e c t in g audio device, 6 1 Mobile Broadband network, 8 3 TV, 6 1 c on t a c t in g D e l l , 1 5 4 Index 191 c op y in g CD s d i sp l a y helpful tips, 5 8 adjusting brightness, 4 3 how to, 5 6 c op y in g DVD s helpful tips, 5 8 description, 2 6 resolution, 4 4 switching the video image, 4 3 how to, 5 6 d o cum en t a t i on D D el l contacting, 1 5 4 D e l l D i a gn o s t i c s about, 9 1 starting from the Drivers and Utilities media, 9 3 starting from your hard drive, 9 1 D e l l M ed i aD i re c t about, 2 6 problems, 1 0 8 D e l l supp o r t s i t e , 1 5 D e l lC onn e c t , 1 5 0 End User License Agreement, 1 4 ergonomics, 1 4 online, 1 5 Product Information Guide, 1 4 regulatory, 1 4 safety, 1 4 warranty, 1 4 D o lb y h e adph on e s , s e t t in g up , 6 9 dr i ver s about, 1 1 8 identifying, 1 1 9 reinstalling, 1 1 9 D r i v e r s and U t i l i t i e s m ed i a , 1 3 about, 1 2 0 Dell Diagnostics, 9 1 D e v i c e D r i v e r R o l lb a c k , 1 1 9 d r i v e s d e v i c e l a t ch re l e a s e description, 3 7 d e v i c e s t a tu s l i gh t s description, 2 8 d i a gn o s t i c s Dell, 9 1 problems, 9 6 See also hard drive See also optical drive DVD blank, 5 7 drive problems, 9 7 192 Index E I End User License Agreement, 14 IEEE 1 3 9 4 c onn e c t o r e rg on om i c s in f o rm a t i on , 1 4 error messages, 99 E xp re s sC a rd s l o t description, 3 3 E xp re s sC a rd s , 7 3 blanks, 7 3 - 7 5 installing, 7 4 removing, 7 4 F FCM. See F l a sh C a ch e M o du l e F l a sh C a ch e Modu l e , 1 4 3 H hard drive problems, 9 7 replacing, 1 2 7 returning to Dell, 1 2 9 description, 3 1 problems, 1 0 5 in s t a l l in g , 1 3 9 In t e rn e t conn e c t ion about, 1 9 options, 1 9 setting up, 2 0 K keyb o ard numeric keypad, 3 9 problems, 1 0 5 removing, 1 3 2 shortcuts, 3 9 keyp ad numeric, 3 9 L l ab e l s hardware Microsoft Windows, 1 4 Dell Diagnostics, 9 1 Service Tag, 1 4 H a rdw a re Troub l e sh o o t e r, 1 2 1 l o s t c ompu t e r, 8 9 hinge cover removing, 1 3 0 Index 193 M m ed i a N n e tw o r k playing, 5 3 find info, 1 3 m ed i a c on t r o l bu t t on s Dell MediaDirect button, 6 0 installing WLAN Mini Card, 1 3 8 Mobile Broadband (WWAN), 110 description, 2 7 m em o ry installing, 1 3 4 removing, 1 3 4 - 1 3 5 replacing, 1 3 6 m em o ry c ard , 7 5 blanks, 7 6 installing, 7 5 reader, 2 7 removing, 7 6 types, 7 5 problems, 1 1 0 n e tw o r k c onn e c t o r description, 3 2 O op e r a t in g s y s t em reinstalling Windows Vista, 1 2 2 P m em o ry c a rd read er, 7 5 ph on e numb e r s , 1 5 4 m em o ry m odu l e c o v e r p ow e r description, 3 6 messages error, 9 9 m i c r oph on e directional, 7 1 M in i C a rd installing, 1 3 8 M ob i l e B r o adb and network connections, 8 3 problems, 1 1 0 See also wireless switch m od em c onn e c t o r description, 3 5 m on i t o r. S e e d i s p l a y 194 Index line conditioners, 2 3 problems, 1 1 1 protection devices, 2 3 surge protectors, 2 3 UPS, 2 3 p ow e r bu t t on description, 2 6 pow e r l i gh t conditions, 1 1 1 p r in t e r cable, 2 1 connecting, 2 1 problems, 1 1 2 setting up, 2 1 USB, 2 2 p r ob l em s blue screen, 1 0 8 CD drive, 9 7 CD-RW drive, 9 7 Q Qu i c kS e t H e lp , 1 6 computer crashes, 1 0 7 - 1 0 8 R computer does not start up, 1 0 7 computer stops responding, 1 0 7 RAM. See m em o r y Dell Diagnostics, 9 1 Dell MediaDirect, 1 0 8 drives, 9 6 DVD drive, 9 7 error messages, 9 9 hard drive, 9 7 IEEE 1394 connector, 1 0 5 keyboard, 1 0 5 lockups, 1 0 7 network, 1 1 0 power, 1 1 1 power light conditions, 1 1 1 printer, 1 1 2 regu l a t o r y in f o rm a t i on , 1 4 rein s t a l l in g Windows Vista, 1 2 2 res o lu t i on setting, 4 4 S S /PD IF d i g i t a l aud i o enabling, 6 9 saf et y inst ructions, 14 program crashes repeatedly, 1 0 7 scanner program stops responding, 1 0 7 problems, 1 1 3 programs and Windows compatibility, 1 0 8 restore computer to previous operating state, 1 2 2 screen. See d i s p l a y s e cu r i t y c ab l e s lo t description, 3 3 restore operating system to Service Ta g, 14 previous state, 1 2 2 scanner, 1 1 3 slow computer performance, 99, 109 software, 1 0 7 - 1 0 9 sound and speakers, 1 1 4 SIM. See Su b s c r i b e r I d en t i t y Module s o f tw a re problems, 1 0 8 - 1 0 9 speakers, 1 1 4 so f tw a re and h a rdw a re spyware, 9 9 , 1 0 9 in c omp a t ib i l i t i e s , 1 2 1 video and monitor Produ c t In f o rm a t i on Gu id e , 1 4 Index 195 s ound t r an s f e r r in g in fo rm a t ion to a n ew problems, 1 1 4 volume, 1 1 4 speakers problems, 1 1 4 volume, 1 1 4 sp e c i f i c a t i on s , 1 5 5 sp yw a re , 9 9 , 1 0 9 s t o l en c ompu t e r, 8 9 c ompu t e r, 2 1 t r a v e l in g w i th th e compu t e r by air, 1 4 8 identification tag, 1 4 7 packing, 1 4 7 tips, 1 4 8 t r oub l e sh o o t in g Dell Diagnostics, 9 1 Hardware Troubleshooter, 1 2 1 Sub s c r ib e r Id en t i t y M odu l e , 1 3 8 restore computer to previous supp o r t contacting Dell, 1 5 4 TV operating state, 1 2 2 supp o r t w eb s i t e , 1 5 S y s t em R e s to re , 1 2 2 s y s t em s e tup p r o g r am U commonly used options, 1 6 6 connecting, 6 1 un in t e r rup t ib l e pow e r supp l y. screens, 1 6 6 viewing, 1 6 6 T telephone numbers, 154 t ou ch p ad , 4 1 cleaning, 1 6 9 customizing, 4 2 t ou ch p ad bu t t on s description, 2 7 t r a c k s t i c k / t ou ch p ad bu t t on s description, 2 7 UPS S e e UPS, 23 V v id e o problems, 1 1 6 v id e o c on t r o l l e r determining configuration, 2 5 v o lum e adjusting, 1 1 4 196 Index W w a r r an t y in f o rm a t i on , 1 4 Wind ow s Device Driver Rollback, 1 1 9 Window s E a s y Tran s f e r w i z a rd , 2 1 Wind ow s Vi s t a Program Compatibility wizard, 1 0 8 reinstalling, 1 2 2 System Restore, 1 2 2 Windows Easy Transfer wizard, 2 1 w i z a rd s Program Compatibility wizard, 1 0 8 Windows Easy Transfer, 2 1 WLAN , 1 3 9 installing Mini Card, 1 3 8 WWAN installing, 1 4 1 See Mobile Broadband Index 197 198 Index

 

 

Dell Latitude XT Users Guide Model PP12S w w w . d e l l . c o m | s u p p o r t . d e l l . c o m Notes, Notices, and Cautions NOTE: A NOTE indicates important information that helps you make better use of your Tablet-PC. NOTICE: A NOTICE indicates either potential damage to hardware or loss of data and tells you how to avoid the problem. CAUTION: A CAUTION indicates a potential for property damage, personal injury, or death. ____________________ Information in this document is subject to change without notice. 2007 Dell Inc. All rights reserved. Reproduction in any manner whatsoever without the written permission of Dell Inc. is strictly forbidden. Trademarks used in this text: Dell, the DELL logo, Inspiron, Dell Precision, Dimension, OptiPlex, Latitude, PowerEdge, PowerVault, PowerApp, TravelLite, Wi-Fi Catcher, ExpressCharge, and Dell OpenManage are trademarks of Dell Inc.; Intel, Pentium, and Celeron are registered trademarks of Intel Corporation; Bluetooth is a registered trademark owned by Bluetooth SIG, Inc. and is used by Dell under license; TouchStrip is a trademark of UPEK, Inc.; Blu-ray Disc is a trademark of the Blu-

ray Disc Association; Microsoft, Windows, Windows Server, MS-DOS, Aero, and Windows Vista are either trademarks or registered trademarks of Microsoft Corporation in the United States and/or other countries. Other trademarks and trade names may be used in this document to refer to either the entities claiming the marks and names or their products. Dell Inc. disclaims any proprietary interest in trademarks and trade names other than its own. Model PP12S June 2007 P/N PU189 Rev. A00 Contents 1 Resources . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13 Finding Information . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13 Getting Help . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20 Obtaining Assistance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20 Dell Support Service . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21 Problems With Your Order . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23 Product Information . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23 Returning Items for Warranty Repair or Credit . . 23 Before You Call . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24 Contacting Dell . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26 2 About Your Tablet-PC . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27 Front View . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27 Left Side View . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 32 Right Side View . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 34 Back View . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 36 Top View . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 38 Bottom View . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 39 Specifications . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 40 Contents 3 3 Setting Up and Using Your Tablet-PC . . . 49 Transferring Information to a New Tablet-PC . . . . . 49 Using Notebook Mode . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 49 Using Tablet Mode . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 50 Converting Your Tablet-PC Between Notebook and Tablet Modes 50 Right- and Left-handed Use . . . . . . . . . . . . 54 Screen Orientation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 56 Controlling Your Tablet-PC in Tablet Mode . . . . 57 Using the Pen . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 60 Using Touch . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 64 Using QuickSet . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 65 Clicking the QuickSet Icon . . . . . . . . . . . . . 65 Double-Clicking the QuickSet Icon . . . . . . . . 66 Right-Clicking the QuickSet Icon . . . . . . . . . 66 Windows Mobility Center . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 66 Using a Battery . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 67 Battery Performance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 67 Checking the Battery Charge . . . . . . . . . . . Microsoft Windows Vista Power Meter . . . 68 69 Conserving Battery Power . . . . . . . . . . . . . 70 Power Management Modes . . . . . . . . . . . . 71 Configuring Power Management Settings . . . . . 72 Charging the Main Battery . . . . . . . . . . . . . 73 Removing the Main Battery . . . . . . . . . . . . 73 Installing the Main Battery . . . . . . . . . . . . . 74 Storing a Battery . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 75 Using a Keyboard . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 75 Numeric Keypad . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 75 Contents 4 Key Combinations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 76 Touch Pad . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 78 Changing the Track Stick Cap . . . . . . . . . . . 79 Using the Display . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 80 Adjusting Brightness on the LED Backlit Thin-and-Light LCD 81 Adjusting Brightness on the Dual-bulb (CCFL) LCD 81 Using Cards . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 82 ExpressCards . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 82 Smart Cards . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 84 Secure Digital (SD) Cards . . . . . . . . . . . . . 86 4 Setting Up and Using Networks . . . . . . . 87 Connecting a Network or Broadband Modem . . . . . 87 Network Setup Wizard . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 88 Wireless Local Area Network (WLAN) . . . . . . . . . 88 What You Need to Establish a WLAN Connection . 88 Checking Your Wireless Network Adapter . . . . 89 Setting Up a New WLAN Using a Wireless Router and a 89 Broadband Modem . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Connecting to a WLAN . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 91 Mobile Broadband/Wireless Wide Area Network (WWAN) 93 What You Need to Establish a Mobile Broadband Network Connection . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 93 Checking Your Dell Mobile Broadband Card . . . . 94 Connecting to a Mobile Broadband Network . . . 95 Enabling/Disabling the Dell Mobile Broadband Card 96 Managing Your Network Settings Through the Dell QuickSet Location Profiler . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 96 Dell Wi-Fi Catcher Network Locator . . . . . . . . . 96 Contents 5 Microsoft Windows Firewall . . . . . . . . . . . . 97 5 Securing Your Tablet-PC . . . . . . . . . . . . . 99 Security Cable Lock . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 99 Smart Cards and Biometric Readers . . . . . . . . . . 99 Passwords . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 100 About Passwords . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 100 Using a Primary (or System) Password . . . . . . 101 Using an Administrator Password . . . . . . . . . 102 Using a Hard Drive Password . . . . . . . . . . . 102 Trusted Platform Module (TPM) . . . . . . . . . . . . . 103 Enabling the TPM Feature . . . . . . . . . . . . . 103 Security Management Software . . . . . . . . . . . . 104 Activating the Security Management Software . . 104 Using the Security Management Software . . . . 105 Computer Tracking Software . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 105 If Your Tablet-PC Is Lost or Stolen . . . . . . . . . . . 105 6 Cleaning Your Tablet-PC . . . . . . . . . . . . 107 Tablet-PC, Keyboard, and Display . . . . . . . . . . . 107 Touch Pad . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 107 Optical Drives and Optical Drive Media . . . . . . . . 108 Contents 6 7 Troubleshooting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 109 Dell Diagnostics . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 109 When to Use the Dell Diagnostics . . . . . . . . . 109 Starting the Dell Diagnostics From Your Hard Drive 109 Starting the Dell Diagnostics From the Drivers and Utilities Media 111 Dell Diagnostics Main Menu . . . . . . . . . . . . 111 Dell Support Utility . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 113 Accessing the Dell Support Utility . . . . . . . . . 113 Clicking the Dell Support Icon . . . . . . . . . . . 114 Windows Hardware Troubleshooter . . . . . . . . . . 114 Solving Problems . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 114 Hard Drive Problems . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 115 Optical Drive Problems . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 115 E-Mail and Internet Problems . . . . . . . . . . . 116 Error Messages . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 117 IEEE 1394 Device Problems . . . . . . . . . . . . 117 Lockups and Software Problems . . . . . . . . . 118 Memory Problems . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 119 Network Problems . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 120 Power Problems . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 120 Printer Problems . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 121 Scanner Problems . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 122 Sound and Speaker Problems . . . . . . . . . . . 122 Touch Pad or Mouse Problems . . . . . . . . . . 124 Pen Problems . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 124 Display Problems . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 125 Power Lights . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 125 Contents 7 8 Using the System Setup Program . . . . . 127 Overview . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 127 System Setup Screens . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 128 Viewing the System Setup Screens . . . . . . . . 128 Commonly Used Options . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 128 Changing the Boot Sequence . . . . . . . . . . . 128 9 Reinstalling Software . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 131 Drivers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 131 What Is a Driver? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 131 Identifying Drivers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 131 Reinstalling Drivers and Utilities . . . . . . . . . . 132 Restoring Your Operating System . . . . . . . . . . . . 134 Using Microsoft Windows System Restore . . . . 134 Using Dell Factory Image Restore . . . . . . . . . 135 Using the Operating System Media . . . . . . . . 137 10 Adding and Replacing Parts . . . . . . . . . 139 Before You Begin . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 139 Recommended Tools . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 139 Turning Off Your Tablet-PC . . . . . . . . . . . . . 139 Before Working Inside Your Tablet-PC . . . . . . . 140 Main Battery . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 143 Removing the Main Battery . . . . . . . . . . . . 143 Installing the Main Battery . . . . . . . . . . . . . 144 Hard Drive . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 144 Contents 8 Removing the Hard Drive . . . . . . . . . . . . . 145 Installing the Hard Drive . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 146 Subscriber Identity Module (SIM) Card . . . . . . . . 147 Removing the SIM Card . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 147 Installing the SIM Card . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 148 Internal Card With Bluetooth Wireless Technology . 148 Removing a Bluetooth Card . . . . . . . . . . . . 149 Installing a Bluetooth Card . . . . . . . . . . . . . 150 Memory and Mini-card Cover . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 150 Removing the Memory and Mini-card Cover . . . 150 Installing the Memory and Mini-card Cover . . . . 151 Memory . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 151 Removing a Memory Module . . . . . . . . . . . 151 Installing a Memory Module . . . . . . . . . . . . 152 Mini Card . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 153 Removing a Mini Card . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 153 Installing a Mini Card . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 156 Hinge Cover . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 157 Removing the Hinge Cover . . . . . . . . . . . . . 157 Installing the Hinge Cover . . . . . . . . . . . . . 158 Keyboard . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 158 Removing the Keyboard . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 159 Installing the Keyboard . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 160 Coin-Cell Battery . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 160 Removing the Coin-cell Battery . . . . . . . . . . 160 Installing the Coin-cell Battery . . . . . . . . . . . 161 Display Assembly . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 162 Contents 9 Removing the Display Assembly . . . . . . . . . . 162 Installing the Display Assembly . . . . . . . . . . 165 Palm Rest . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 168 Removing the Palm Rest . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 169 Installing the Palm Rest . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 171 System Board . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 171 Removing the System Board . . . . . . . . . . . . 171 Installing the System Board . . . . . . . . . . . . 173 Fan . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 173 Removing the Fan . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 173 Installing the Fan . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 175 Pen and Whip Antenna Assembly . . . . . . . . . . . 175 Removing the Pen and Whip Antenna Assembly . 175 Installing the Pen and Whip Antenna Assembly . . 177 Wireless Switch . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 177 Removing the Wireless Switch . . . . . . . . . . 177 Installing the Wireless Switch . . . . . . . . . . . 178 11 Dell D/Bay . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 181 About the Dell D/Bay . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 181 Setting Up and Using the D/Bay . . . . . . . . . . . . . 181 Removing and Installing Devices When the Tablet-PC is Turned Off 182 Removing and Installing Devices While the Tablet-PC Is Running 183 Contents 10 12 Media Base (Optional) . . . . . . . . . . . . . 185 Left View . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 185 Right View . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 186 Back View . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 186 Top View . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 190 Setting Up Your Media Base . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 191 Securing the Media Base . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 192 Docking Your Tablet-PC to the Media Base . . . . . . 193 Undocking Your Tablet-PC From the Media Base . . . 194 Installing the Optical Drive Into the Media Base . . . . 195 Removing the Optical Drive From the Media Base . . . 195 Media Base Specifications . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 196 13 Battery Slice (Optional) . . . . . . . . . . . . 199 Top View . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 199 Bottom View . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 200 Setting Up Your Battery Slice . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 200 Docking Your Tablet-PC to the Battery Slice . . . . . . 201 Undocking Your Tablet-PC From the Battery Slice . . . 202 Charging Your Battery Slice . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 203 Battery Slice Power Status LED . . . . . . . . . . . . 204 Contents 11 Battery Slice Specifications . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 204 14 Traveling With Your Tablet-PC . . . . . . . 207 Identifying Your Tablet-PC . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 207 Packing the Tablet-PC . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 207 Travel Tips . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 208 Traveling by Air . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 209 15 Appendix . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 229 FCC Notice (U.S. Only) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 229 FCC Class B . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 229 Macrovision Product Notice . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 230 Contents 12 Resources Finding Information NOTE: Some features or media may be optional and may not ship with your Tablet-

PC. Some features or media may not be available in certain countries. NOTE: Additional information may ship with your Tablet-PC. What Are You Looking For?

Find It Here A diagnostic program for my Tablet-PC Drivers for my Tablet-PC My device documentation Drivers and Utilities Media NOTE: The Drivers and Utilities media may be optional and may not ship with your Tablet-PC. Resources 13 What Are You Looking For?

Find It Here Notebook System Software (NSS) Documentation and drivers are already installed on your Tablet-PC. You can use the Drivers and Utilities media to reinstall drivers (see "Reinstalling Drivers and Utilities" on page 132) or to run the Dell Diagnostics (see "Dell Diagnostics" on page 109). Readme files may be included on your media to provide last-minute updates about technical changes to your Tablet-

PC or advanced technical-reference material for technicians or experienced users. NOTE: Drivers and documentation updates can be found at support.dell.com. Resources 14 What Are You Looking For?

Find It Here How to set up my Tablet-PC Quick Reference Guide Basic troubleshooting information How to run the Dell Diagnostics NOTE: This document may be optional and may not ship with your Tablet-PC. Warranty information Dell Product Information Guide NOTE: This document is available as a PDF at support.dell.com. Terms and Conditions (U.S. only) Safety instructions Regulatory information Ergonomics information End User License Agreement Resources 15 What Are You Looking For?

Find It Here How to set up my Tablet-PC Quick Reference Card Summary of your Tablet-PC features Available accessories for your Tablet-PC Resources 16 What Are You Looking For?

Find It Here Service Tag and Express Service Code Microsoft Windows License Label Service Tag and Microsoft Windows License NOTE: Your Tablet-PCs Service Tag label is located on the bottom of your Tablet-PC near the memory and mini-card cover (see

"Bottom View" on page 39). NOTE: You can also find your Service Tag information through the System Setup program. See "System Setup Screens" on page 128. Your Tablet-PCs Service Tag contains both a Service Tag number and an Express Service Code. Use the Service Tag to identify your Tablet-PC when you use support.dell.com or contact support. Enter the Express Service Code to direct your call when contacting support. NOTE: Your Tablet-PCs Microsoft Windows License label is located under the main battery in the battery bay of your Tablet-PC (see "Removing the Main Battery"

on page 143). Use the product key on the license label if you need to reinstall your operating system. NOTE: As an increased security measure, the newly designed Microsoft Windows license label incorporates a missing portion or "hole" to discourage removal of the label. Resources 17 What Are You Looking For?

Find It Here Dell Support Website support.dell.com NOTE: Select your region or business segment to view the appropriate support site. Solutions Troubleshooting hints and tips, articles from technicians, and online courses, frequently asked questions Community Online discussion with other Dell customers Upgrades Upgrade information for components, such as memory, the hard drive, and the operating system Customer Care Contact information, service call and order status, warranty, and repair information Service and Support Service call status and support history, service contract, online discussions with technical support Dell Technical Update Service Proactive e-mail notification of software and hardware updates for my Tablet-PC Reference Tablet-PC documentation, details on my Tablet-PC configuration, product specifications, and white papers Downloads Certified drivers, patches, and software updates Notebook System Software (NSS) If To download Notebook System Software:

you reinstall the operating system for your Tablet-PC, you should also reinstall the NSS utility. NSS provides critical updates for your operating system and support for processors, optical drives, USB devices, and so on. NSS is necessary for correct operation of your Dell Tablet-

PC. The software automatically detects your Tablet-PC and operating system, 1 2 3 4 Go to support.dell.com and click Drivers & Downloads. Enter your Service Tag or Product Type and Product Model, and click Go. Scroll to System and Configuration Utilities Dell Notebook System Software and click Download Now. Select Drivers & Downloads and click and installs the updates appropriate for Go. your configuration. NOTE: The support.dell.com user interface may vary depending on your selections. Resources 18 What Are You Looking For?

Find It Here Software upgrades and troubleshooting Dell Support Utility hints Frequently asked questions, hot topics, and general health of your computing environment The Dell Support Utility is an automated upgrade and notification system installed on your Tablet-PC. This support provides real-time health scans of your computing environment, software updates, and relevant self-support information. Access the Dell Support Utility from the icon in the taskbar. For more information, see "Dell Support Utility" on page 113. How to find information about your Windows Welcome Center Tablet-PC and its components The Windows Welcome Center How to connect to the Internet automatically appears when you use the How to add user accounts for different people How to transfer files and settings from Tablet-PC for the first time. You can choose to have it appear every time you start your Tablet-PC, or turn it off. Once turned off, to access the Welcome Center Help and Support. another Tablet-PC click Start How to use Microsoft Windows Vista How to work with programs and files How to personalize my desktop Windows Help and Support 1 Click Start 2 In Search Help, type a word or phrase that Help and Support. describes your problem, and then press

<Enter> or click the magnifying glass. 3 Click the topic that describes your problem. 4 Follow the instructions on the screen. Information on tablet features and Dell QuickSet Help functionality, network activity, the Power Management Wizard, hotkeys, and other items controlled by Dell QuickSet. How to reinstall my operating system To view Dell QuickSet Help, press the QuickSet tablet settings button (see "Front View" on page 27), or right-click the QuickSet icon in the Microsoft Windows taskbar, and select Help

. The taskbar is located in the lower-right corner of your screen. Operating System Media Resources 19 What Are You Looking For?

Find It Here The operating system is already installed on your Tablet-PC. To reinstall your operating system, use the Operating System media. See "Reinstalling Windows Vista" on page 137. After you reinstall your operating system, use the Drivers and Utilities media to reinstall drivers for the devices that came with your Tablet-PC. Your operating system product key is on the Microsoft Windows License Label located in your Tablet-PCs main battery bay (see "Removing the Main Battery" on page 143). NOTE: The color of your media varies based on the operating system you ordered. Getting Help Obtaining Assistance CAUTION: Before working inside your Tablet-PC, follow the safety instructions located in the Product Information Guide. If you experience a problem with your Tablet-PC, complete the following steps to troubleshoot and diagnose the problem:

1 See "Troubleshooting" on page 109 for information and procedures that pertain to the problem your Tablet-PC is experiencing. Resources 20 2 3 4 5 Run Dell Diagnostics. See "Dell Diagnostics" on page 109. Fill out the "Diagnostics Checklist" on page 25. This checklist helps you to organize information Dells support services will need to troubleshoot your Tablet-PC. Use Dell's extensive suite of online services available at Dell Support

(support.dell.com) for help with installation and troubleshooting procedures. See "Online Services" on page 22 for a more extensive list of Dell Support online services and features. If the preceding steps have not resolved the problem, see "Contacting Dell" on page 26. NOTE: Call Dell Support from a telephone at or near the Tablet-PC so that the support staff can assist you with any necessary procedures. NOTE: Dell's Express Service Code system may not be available in all countries. When prompted by Dell's automated telephone system, enter your Express Service Code to route the call directly to the proper support personnel. If you do not have an Express Service Code, open the Dell Accessories folder, double-click the Express Service Code icon, and follow the directions. For instructions on using the Dell Support, see "Technical Support and Customer Service" on page 21. Dell Support Service NOTE: Some of the following services are not always available in all locations outside the continental U.S. Call your local Dell representative for information on availability. Technical Support and Customer Service Dell's support service is available to answer your questions about Dell hardware. Our support staff uses Tablet-PC-based diagnostics to provide fast, accurate answers. To contact Dell's support service, see "Before You Call" on page 24, and then see the contact information for your region or go to support.dell.com. Resources 21 DellConnect DellConnect is a simple online access tool that allows a Dell service and support associate to access your Tablet-PC through a broadband connection, diagnose your problem and repair it all under your supervision. For more information, go to support.dell.com and click DellConnect. Online Services You can learn about Dell products and services on the following websites:

www.dell.com www.dell.com/ap (Asian/Pacific countries only) www.dell.com/jp (Japan only) www.euro.dell.com (Europe only) www.dell.com/la (Latin American and Caribbean countries) www.dell.ca (Canada only) You can access Dell Support through the following websites and e-mail addresses:

Dell Support websites support.dell.com support.jp.dell.com (Japan only) support.euro.dell.com (Europe only) Dell Support e-mail addresses mobile_support@us.dell.com support@us.dell.com la-techsupport@dell.com (Latin America and Caribbean countries only) apsupport@dell.com (Asian/Pacific countries only) Dell Marketing and Sales e-mail addresses apmarketing@dell.com (Asian/Pacific countries only) sales_canada@dell.com (Canada only) Anonymous file transfer protocol (FTP) Resources 22 ftp.dell.com Log in as user: anonymous, and use your e-mail address as your password. AutoTech Service Dell's automated support serviceAutoTechprovides recorded answers to the questions most frequently asked by Dell customers about their portable and desktop computers. When you call AutoTech, use your touch-tone telephone to select the subjects that correspond to your questions. For the telephone number to call for your region, see "Contacting Dell" on page 26. Automated Order-Status Service To check on the status of any Dell products that you have ordered, you can go to support.dell.com, or you can call the automated order-status service. A recording prompts you for the information needed to locate and report on your order. For the telephone number to call for your region, see "Contacting Dell" on page 26. Problems With Your Order If you have a problem with your order, such as missing parts, wrong parts, or incorrect billing, contact Dell for customer assistance. Have your invoice or packing slip handy when you call. For the telephone number to call for your region, see "Contacting Dell" on page 26. Product Information If you need information about additional products available from Dell, or if you would like to place an order, visit the Dell website at www.dell.com. For the telephone number to call for your region or to speak to a sales specialist, see

"Contacting Dell" on page 26. Returning Items for Warranty Repair or Credit Prepare all items being returned, whether for repair or credit, as follows:

1 Call Dell to obtain a Return Material Authorization Number, and write it clearly and prominently on the outside of the box. Resources 23 For the telephone number to call for your region, see "Contacting Dell" on page 26. 2 3 4 5 Include a copy of the invoice and a letter describing the reason for the return. Include a copy of the Diagnostics Checklist (see "Diagnostics Checklist"

on page 25), indicating the tests that you have run and any error messages reported by the Dell Diagnostics (see "Dell Diagnostics" on page 109). Include any accessories that belong with the item(s) being returned

(power cables, software, guides, and so on) if the return is for credit. Pack the equipment to be returned in the original (or equivalent) packing materials. You are responsible for paying shipping expenses. You are also responsible for insuring any product returned, and you assume the risk of loss during shipment to Dell. Collect On Delivery (C.O.D.) packages are not accepted. Returns that are missing any of the preceding requirements will be refused at Dells receiving dock and returned to you. Before You Call NOTE: Have your Express Service Code ready when you call. The code helps Dells automated-support telephone system direct your call more efficiently. You may also be asked for your Service Tag (located in the battery bay of your Tablet-PC). Remember to fill out the Diagnostics Checklist (see "Diagnostics Checklist" on page 25). If possible, turn on your Tablet-PC before you call Dell for assistance and call from a telephone at or near the Tablet-PC. You may be asked to type some commands at the keyboard, relay detailed information during operations, or try other troubleshooting steps possible only at the Tablet-PC itself. Ensure that the Tablet-PC documentation is available. CAUTION: Before working inside your Tablet-PC, follow the safety instructions in your Product Information Guide. Resources 24 Diagnostics Checklist Name:

Date:

Address:

Phone number:

Service Tag (bar code in the battery bay of the Tablet-PC):

Express 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? Yes No Network, version, and network adapter:

Programs and versions:

See your operating system documentation to determine the contents of the systems start-up files. If the Tablet-PC is connected to a printer, print each file. Otherwise, record the contents of each file before calling Dell. Error message, beep code, or diagnostic code:

Description of problem and troubleshooting procedures you performed:

Resources 25 Contacting Dell For customers in the United States, call 800-WWW-DELL (800-999-3355). NOTE: If you do not have an active Internet connection, you can find contact information on your purchase invoice, packing slip, bill, or Dell product catalog. Dell provides several online and telephone-based support and service options. Availability varies by country and product, and some services may not be available in your area. To contact Dell for sales, technical support, or customer service issues:

1 2 3 4 5 Visit support.dell.com. Verify your country or region in the Choose A Country/Region drop-down menu at the bottom of the page. Click Contact Us on the left side of the page. Select the appropriate service or support link based on your need. Choose the method of contacting Dell that is convenient for you. Resources 26 About Your Tablet-PC Front View 1 2 18 17 16 15 14 13 12 11 10 9 8 1 3 5 7 9 3 4 5 6 7 display latch ambient light sensor (with Dual-bulb CCFL LCD option only) digital array microphone touch pad 2 4 6 8 display device status lights biometric reader touch pad buttons track stick buttons 10 keyboard About Your Tablet-PC 27 11 13 15 track stick digital array microphone

<Ctrl><Alt><Del> button 17 QuickSet tablet settings button 12 14 16 18 rotating hinge power button screen rotate button email application shortcut button D I S P L A Y L A T C H Use to open the display. D I S P L A Y For more information about your display, see "Using the Display" on page 80. A M B I E N T L I G H T S E N S O R Depending on the display option you chose when ordering your Tablet-PC, your Tablet-PC may or may not have an ambient light sensor. The ambient light sensor detects available environmental light and automatically increases or decreases the display backlighting to compensate for low-light and high-

light environments. Press <Fn> and the left-arrow key to enable or disable the sensor

(see "Adjusting Brightness on the Dual-bulb (CCFL) LCD" on page 81). D E V I C E S T A T U S L I G H T S About Your Tablet-PC 28 Turns on when the Tablet-PC reads or writes data. NOTICE: To avoid loss of data, never turn off the Tablet-PC while the light is flashing. Turns on steadily or blinks to indicate battery charge status. Turns on when wireless devices are enabled. Turns on when Bluetooth wireless technology is enabled. To enable or disable Bluetooth wireless technology, move the wireless switch to the "on"

position (see "Dell Wi-Fi Catcher Network Locator" on page 96 for more information). NOTE: Bluetooth wireless technology is an optional feature on your Tablet-

PC, so the technology with your Tablet-PC. For more information, see the documentation that came with your Bluetooth wireless device. icon turns on only if you ordered Bluetooth wireless If the Tablet-PC is connected to an electrical outlet, the light operates as follows:

Solid blue: The battery is charging. Flashing blue: The battery is charged and in maintenance charge mode. Off: The battery is adequately charged (or external power is not available to charge the battery). If the Tablet-PC is running on a battery, the light operates as follows:

Off: The battery is adequately charged (or the Tablet-PC is turned off). Flashing amber: The battery charge is low. Solid amber: The battery charge is critically low. D I G I T A L A R R A Y M I C R O P H O N E PDigital directional microphones for conferencing and chat. B I O M E T R I C R E A D E R Helps to keep your Dell Tablet-PC secure. When you slide your finger over the reader, it uses your unique fingerprint to authenticate your user identity. For information on how to activate and use the security management software that controls the biometric reader, see "Security Management Software" on page 104. T O U C H P A D Provides the functionality of a mouse (see "Touch Pad" on page 78). T O U C H P A D B U T T O N S / T R A C K S T I C K B U T T O N S When you use the touch pad and track stick, use these buttons to move the cursor on the display (see "Customizing the Touch Pad and Track Stick" on page 79). K E Y B O A R D The keyboard includes a numeric keypad as well as the Windows logo key. For information on supported keyboard shortcuts, see "Using a Keyboard" on About Your Tablet-PC 29 page 75. T R A C K S T I C K Provides the functionality of a mouse (see "Customizing the Touch Pad and Track Stick" on page 79). R O T A T I N G H I N G E Rotate the hinge to transform the PC into tablet mode. See

"Using Tablet Mode" on page 50. P O W E R B U T T O N Press the power button to turn on the Tablet-PC or exit a power management mode (see "Power Management Modes" on page 71). NOTICE: To avoid losing data, turn off your Tablet-PC by performing a Microsoft Windows operating system shutdown rather than by pressing the power button. See "Turning Off Your Tablet-PC" on page 139 for instructions on performing an operating system shutdown. If the Tablet-PC stops responding, press and hold the power button until the Tablet-

PC turns off completely (which may take several seconds). The power button is surrounded by a backlit ring which is illuminated blue when you turn on the Tablet-PC, and blinks when the Tablet-PC is in a power-management mode.

<C T R L><A L T ><D E L > B U T T O N .If you are using your Tablet-PC in tablet mode, you can press the <Ctrl><Alt><Del> button to access the Windows Task Manager dialog box or a login screen, the same way you use the <Ctrl><Alt><Del> key sequence in notebook mode. See "Using Tablet Buttons" on page 57 for more information. S C R E E N R O T A T E B U T T O N .While the Tablet-PC is in tablet mode, you can use the screen rotate button to change the display orientation from portrait to landscape mode. See "Using Tablet Buttons" on page 57 for more information. Q U I C K S E T T A B L E T S E T T I N G B U T T O N .Access Dell QuickSet to view and configure options for your Tablet-PC and pen. See "Using Tablet Buttons" on page 57 for more information. E M A I L A P P L I C A T I O N S H O R T C U T B U T T O N .Launches your email application. See

"Using Tablet Buttons" on page 57 for more information. About Your Tablet-PC 30 K E Y B O A R D S T A T U S L I G H T S There are three keyboard status lights on your Tablet-PC, with the following functions:

9 A Turns on when the numeric keypad is enabled. Located above the upper edge of the keyboard. Turns on when the uppercase letter function is enabled. Located on the

<Caps Lock> key. Turns on when the scroll lock function is enabled. Located above the upper edge of the keyboard. About Your Tablet-PC 31 Left Side View 1 32 4 5 6 7 1 3 5 7 pen indicator LED external wireless WAN antenna USB connector speaker 2 4 6 pen IEEE 1394 connector air vent P E N To eject the pen from the compartment, press and release the end of the pen. P E N I N D I C A T O R LED Indicates pen status. See "Ejecting and Storing the Pen" on page 60. E X T E R N A L W I R E L E S S WA N A N T E N N A If your Tablet-PC supports wireless wide area network (WWAN) connectivity, you must extend and orient the external WWAN antenna for optimal signal strength. About Your Tablet-PC 32 IEEE 1394 C O N N E C T O R USB C O N N E C T O R Connect FireWire devices, such as a camera, external hard drive, or external CD-ROM drive. Supports hot swapping, multiple speeds on the same bus, and time-based data transfer. This provides bandwidth for multimedia operations. Connect USB devices, such as a mouse, keyboard, or printer. A I R V E N T S The Tablet-PC uses an internal fan to create airflow through the vents, which prevents the Tablet-PC from overheating. CAUTION: Do not block, push objects into, or allow dust to accumulate in the air vents. Do not store your Tablet-PC in a low-airflow environment, such as a closed briefcase, while it is running. Restricting the airflow can damage the Tablet-PC or cause a fire. The Tablet-PC turns on the fan when the Tablet-PC gets hot. Fan noise is normal and does not indicate a problem with the fan or the Tablet-PC. S P E A K E R To adjust the volume of the integrated speaker, use the volume-control keyboard shortcuts (see "Key Combinations" on page 76). About Your Tablet-PC 33 Right Side View 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 1 3 5 7 wireless radio on/off switch USB connector Secure Digital (SD) card slot microphone connector 2 4 6 8 Wi-Fi Catcher button ExpressCard slot headphones connector security cable slot W I R E L E S S R A D I O O N / O F F S W I T C H When enabled through Dell QuickSet, this switch can scan for a Wireless Local Area Network (WLAN) in your vicinity. You can also use it to rapidly turn off or on any wireless devices such as WLAN cards and internal cards with Bluetooth wireless technology (see "Dell Wi-Fi Catcher Network Locator" on page 96). When moved toward the front of the Tablet-PC, the switch is off; when moved toward the back of the Tablet-PC, the switch is on. 1 wireless radio on/off switch 1 2 2 Wi-Fi Catcher button B A C K L I T W I - F I C A T C H E R B U T T O N Scans for WLAN networks (see "Dell Wi-Fi Catcher Network Locator" on page 96). The light operates as follows:

About Your Tablet-PC 34 Flashing blue: Searching for networks Solid blue: Strong network found Solid yellow: Weak network found Flashing yellow: Error Off: No signal found USB C O N N E C T O R Connect USB devices, such as a mouse, keyboard, or printer. E X P R E S S C A R D S L O T Supports one ExpressCard, such as the optional smart card reader. For more information, see "Using Cards" on page 82. S E C U R E D I G I T A L ( S D ) S L O T Supports one Secure Digital memory card, a storage device used in portable devices such as digital cameras, handheld computers, PDAs and GPS units. A U D I O C O N N E C T O R S Attach headphones to the connector. Attach a microphone to the connector. S E C U R I T Y C A B L E S L O T Lets you attach a commercially available antitheft device About Your Tablet-PC 35 to the Tablet-PC (see "Security Cable Lock" on page 99). Back View 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 1 3 5 7 9 AC adapter connector tablet back button network connector rotating hinge pen tether slot AC A D A P T E R C O N N E C T O R 2 4 6 8 video connector scroll control button powered USB connector tablet grip Connects an AC adapter to the Tablet-PC. About Your Tablet-PC 36 The AC adapter converts AC power to the DC power required by the Tablet-PC. You can connect the AC adapter with your Tablet-PC turned either on or off. CAUTION: The AC adapter works with electrical outlets worldwide. However, power connectors and power strips vary among countries. Using an incompatible cable or improperly connecting the cable to the power strip or electrical outlet may cause fire or equipment damage. NOTICE: When you disconnect the AC adapter cable from the Tablet-PC, grasp the connector, not the cable itself, and pull firmly but gently to avoid damaging the cable. When you wrap the AC adapter cable, ensure that you follow the angle of the connector on the AC adapter to avoid damaging the cable. V I D E O C O N N E C T O R Connects video devices, such as a monitor. T A B L E T B A C K B U T T O N Use to navigate while in tablet mode. See "Using the Back Button" on page 57 S C R O L L C O N T R O L B U T T O N Use to navigate while in tablet mode. See "Using the Scroll Control" on page 57. N E T W O R K C O N N E C T O R (RJ-45) NOTICE: To avoid damaging the Tablet-PC, do not plug a telephone line into the network connector or USB connectors Connects the Tablet-PC to a network. The two lights next to the connector indicate status and activity for wired network connections. About Your Tablet-PC 37 P O W E R E D U S B C O N N E C T O R Connect optional external D/Bay device, or standard USB devices, such as a mouse, keyboard, or printer. R O T A T I N G H I N G E Converts Tablet-PC between notebook and tablet modes. P E N T E T H E R S L O T Use to connect a tether between the Tablet-PC and the pen. Top View Turns on steadily or blinks to indicate battery charge status. Turns on when you turn on the Tablet-PC and blinks when the Tablet-PC is in a power management mode. About Your Tablet-PC 38 Bottom View 1 2 3 4 8 7 1 3 5 7 6 5 air vent 2 docking-device connector memory module and mini-card cover 4 fan main battery battery charge gauge/health gauge 6 8 battery-bay latch releases (2) battery bay (beneath main battery) NOTE: Your Tablet-PCs Microsoft Windows License label is located under the main battery in the battery bay of your Tablet-PC (see "Removing the Main Battery"

on page 143). A I R V E N T S The Tablet-PC uses an internal fan to create airflow through the vents, which prevents the Tablet-PC from overheating. About Your Tablet-PC 39 CAUTION: Do not block, push objects into, or allow dust to accumulate in the air vents. Do not store your Tablet-PC in a low-airflow environment, such as a closed briefcase, while it is running. Restricting the airflow can damage the Tablet-PC or cause a fire.The Tablet-PC turns on the fan when the Tablet-PC gets hot. Fan noise is normal and does not indicate a problem with the fan or the Tablet-PC. D O C K I N G- D E V I C E C O N N E C T O R Lets you attach your Tablet-PC to a media base or battery slice. See "Docking Your Tablet-PC to the Media Base" on page 193 and

"Docking Your Tablet-PC to the Battery Slice" on page 201 for more information. M E M O R Y M O D U L E A N D M I N I- C A R D C O V E R Covers the compartment that contains the memory module and any mini cards installed on your Tablet-PC (see "Memory" on page 41 and "Communications" on page 42). B A T T E R Y C H A R G E G A U G E / H E A L T H G A U G E Provides information on the battery charge (see "Checking the Battery Charge" on page 68). M A I N B A T T E R Y When a charged battery is installed in the main battery bay, you can use the Tablet-PC without connecting the Tablet-PC to an electrical outlet (see

"Using a Battery" on page 67). B A T T E R Y - B A Y L A T C H R E L E A S E S Release the battery (see "Before Working Inside Your Tablet-PC" on page 140 for instructions). Specifications NOTE: Offerings may vary by region. For more information regarding the configuration of your Tablet-PC, click Start select the option to view information about your Tablet-PC.

, then click Help and Support and Processor Processor type Intel Merom Dual-Core or Yonah Single-

L1 cache L2 cache Core 32 KB (internal) 1 MB External bus frequency 533 MHz or 666 MHz System Information System chipset AMD RS600ME/SB600 Data bus width DRAM bus width 64 bits 64 bits About Your Tablet-PC 40 System Information (continued) Processor address bus width 32 bits Flash EPROM Graphics bus PCI bus Memory 1 MB 64 bits 32 bits Integrated memory on system board 1 GB Optional memory:

Memory module connector one user-accessible SODIMM socket Memory module capacities 1 and 2 GB Maximum system memory capacity 3 GB Memory type 3.3-V SODIMM Storage Internal hard drive:

Form factor 1.8" PATA HDD Speed 4200-rpm 5400-rpm (when available) Max size 80 GB (4200-rpm) 100 GB (5400-rpm) Form factor optional 1.8" PATA Solid State HDD Max size 32 GB Dell D/Bay (external):

Power requirement powered USB port Optical drive support DVD+/-RW, DVD-ROM Ports and Connectors Audio microphone connector, stereo headphone/speakers connector About Your Tablet-PC 41 Ports and Connectors (continued) IEEE 1394 4-pin serial connector Mini PCI Type IIIA Mini PCI card slot Network adapter RJ-45 port USB two 4-pin USB 2.0-compliant connectors Powered USB 5-pin power supply and 4-pin USB 2.0-compliant connector Video 15-hole connector Communications Network adapter 10/100/1000 Ethernet LAN with ASF 2.0 support on system board Wireless internal WLAN, WWAN (with optional mini card), and Bluetooth wireless support Video Video type integrated on system board, 128-bit hardware accelerated Data bus integrated video Video controller integrated graphics (UMA) AMD RS600 Video memory up to 256 MB shared Video Memory (512 MB + system memory) LCD interface LVDS Audio Audio type two-channel high definition audio (Azalia) Audio controller IDT STAC9205 Codec Stereo conversion 24-bit (analog-to-digital and digital-to-

analog) Interfaces:

Internal high definition audio (Azalia) About Your Tablet-PC 42 Audio (continued) External microphone-in connector, stereo headphones/speakers connector Speaker one 4-ohm speakers Internal speaker amplifier 2-W channel into 4 ohms Volume controls keyboard shortcuts, program menus Stereo Digital Microphone Array Vista supports Vista native microphone processing Windows XP includes Knowles Intellisonic microphone processing Display Both LED backlit thin-and-light LCD and Dual-bulb (CCFL) LCD options:

Panel design 12.1 inches WXGA Display area 261.12 mm (H) X 163.20 mm (V) 12.1 inches diagonal Aspect ratio 16:10 Number of pixels 1280 X 3 (RGB) X 800 dots Pixel pitch 0.204 X 0.204 nominal Display mode normally white Viewing angles:

Horizontal

+/- 70 degrees Vertical

+/- 70 degrees LED backlit thin-and-light LCD option:

Luminescence 220 nits Typ Dual-bulb (CCFL) LCD option:

Luminescence 400 nits Typ About Your Tablet-PC 43 Tablet Input Devices Digitizer Interface capacitive touch Input resolution 1000 dpi Position report rate 133 PPS Coordinate accuracy (avg)

+/- 0.4 mm Coordinate jitter (max)

+/- 0.4 mm Pen Dimensions:

Length 133 mm (5.2 inches) Diameter 9 mm (0.35 inches) Type two-button, battery-less Notebook Input Devices Keyboard:

Number of keys 87 (U.S. and Canada); 88 (Europe); 91

(Japan Layout QWERTY/AZERTY/Kanji Touch Pad:

X/Y position resolution (graphics 240 cpi table mode) Size:

Width Height Track Stick:

58 mm (2.28 inches) sensor-active area 38 mm (1.50 inches) rectangle X/Y position resolution (graphics 250 count/sec @ 100 gf table mode) Size protrudes 0.5 mm higher than surrounding keycaps About Your Tablet-PC 44 Biometric Reader Type UPEK TCS3 TouchStrip strip sensor with CMOS active capacitive pixel-sensing technology Power Supply 2.7 V to approx. 3.6 V Connector 48-ball BGA Array Size 248 x 2 pixels Battery Type Dimensions:

Depth Height Width 4-cell "smart" lithium ion (29 WHr) 6-cell "smart" lithium ion (45 WHr) 88.5 mm (3.48 inches) 21.5 mm (0.83 inch) 139.0 mm (5.47 inches) Weight 0.25 kg (0.55 lb) (4-cell) 0.33 kg (0.73 lb) (6-cell) Voltage 11.1 VDC Charge time (approximate):

4 hours (with computer off) Operating time Battery operating time varies depending on operating conditions and can be significantly reduced under certain power-intensive conditions See "Using a Battery" on page 67 for more information on battery life. Life span (approximate) 300 discharge/charge cycles Temperature range:

Operating Storage 0 to 35C (32 to 95F) to 65C (40 to 149F) 40 About Your Tablet-PC 45 AC Adapter Input voltage 90264 VAC Input current (maximum) 1.1 A Input frequency 4763 Hz Output current 3.3 A (maximum at 4-second pulse);

2.3 A (continuous) Output power 45 W, 65 W (optional), or Auto Air 65 W Rated output voltage 19.5 VDC

(optional) Dimensions:

Height Width Depth 16.0 mm (0.63 inches) 63.0 mm (2.48 inches) 88.0 mm (3.46 inches) Weight (with cables) 0.195 kg (0.43 lb) Temperature range:

Operating 0 to 40C (32 to 104F) Storage 10 to 70C (50 to 158F) Physical Height:

With LED backlit thin-and-light LCD With Dual Bulb CCFL LCD Width Depth Weight Environmental Temperature range:

25.4 mm (1.0 inches) 30.4 mm (1.2 inches) 297.0 mm (11.7 inches) 218.6 mm (8.6 inches) 1.6 kg (3.5 lb) (with 4-cell battery) 1.6 kg (3.5 lb) (with 6-cell battery) About Your Tablet-PC 46 Environmental (continued) Operating Storage Relative humidity (maximum):

0 to 35C (32 to 95F) to 65C (40 to 149F) 40 Operating 10% to 90% (non condensing) Storage 5% to 95% (non condensing) Maximum vibration (using a random-vibration spectrum that simulates user environment):

Operating 0.9 GRMS Storage 1.3 GRMS Maximum shock (measured with hard drive in head-parked position and a 2-ms half-sine pulse):

Operating Storage Altitude (maximum):

122 G 163 G Operating 15.2 to 3048 m (50 to 10,000 ft) Storage 15.2 to 10,668 m (50 to 35,000 ft) About Your Tablet-PC 47 About Your Tablet-PC 48 Setting Up and Using Your Tablet-

PC Transferring Information to a New Tablet-PC You can use the Windows Easy Transfer Wizard to help you transfer files and other data from one Dell computer to anotherfor example, from an old computer or Tablet-PC to a new computer or Tablet-PC. 1 2 3 Click Start

, and then click Transfer files and settings Windows Easy Transfer. In the User Account Control dialog box, click Continue. Start Click Start a new transfer or Continue a transfer in progress. Follow the instructions provided on the screen by the Windows Easy Transfer wizard. Using Notebook Mode Your Tablet-PC can be used either in notebook mode or tablet mode. To use your Tablet-PC in notebook mode, open the display until it reaches a comfortable viewing angle, and use the keyboard and display as you would those of any other notebook computer. Setting Up and Using Your Tablet-PC 49 You can use all the pen and touch screen input methods (see "Controlling Your Tablet-PC in Tablet Mode" on page 57) while in notebook mode except for the scroll control and back button, which are not accessible with the display in this configuration. Using Tablet Mode Your Tablet-PC converts from notebook mode to tablet mode with a 180-

degree clockwise twist of the displays rotating hinge. Converting Your Tablet-PC Between Notebook and Tablet Modes To convert your Tablet-PC to tablet mode:

NOTICE: Forcing the hinge beyond the 180-degree point will damage your Tablet-

PC. NOTICE: Ensure that the display does not scrape the keycaps as you rotate the display, or you may cause damage to your keyboard. Setting Up and Using Your Tablet-PC 50 1 2 1 3 3 Open the display of the Tablet-PC until it reaches a 90-degree angle, perpendicular to the base. Brace the base with one hand on the palm rest, grasp the top of the display with the other hand, and, following the directional arrow inscribed on the hinge cover, turn the rotating hinge clockwise 180 degrees until you feel the display engage securely. 1 2 3 4 display rotating hinge 2 4 display assembly directional arrow Lay the display assembly on the base with the display facing upwards. Setting Up and Using Your Tablet-PC 51 When you convert your Tablet-PC between notebook and tablet modes, the screen orientation of your Tablet-PC will automatically change according to the settings you have established in the Dell QuickSet application or the Windows Vista Pen and Tablet settings application, most commonly from landscape (notebook mode) to portrait (tablet mode). See "Using QuickSet"

on page 65 for more information on customizing your Tablet-PC settings. To convert your Tablet-PC from tablet mode to notebook mode:

NOTICE: Forcing the hinge beyond the 180-degree point will damage your Tablet-

PC. NOTICE: Ensure that the display assembly does not scrape the keycaps as you rotate the display, or you may cause damage to your keyboard. 1 Lift the display until it reaches a 90-degree angle, perpendicular to the base. Setting Up and Using Your Tablet-PC 52 2 Brace the base with one hand on the palm rest, grasp the top of the display with the other hand, and, following the directional arrow inscribed on the grip, turn the rotating hinge counter-clockwise 180-degrees until you feel the display assembly engage securely in the notebook mode configuration. Setting Up and Using Your Tablet-PC 53 1 2 3 1 3 3 display assembly 2 rotating hinge directional arrow on grip Adjust the display to a comfortable viewing angle. Right- and Left-handed Use Your Tablet-PC can be adjusted for either right- or left-handed use. There are several settings within the Windows Vista operating system which you can use to customize the Tablet-PC depending on whether you are right- or left-

handed. Right-handed use:

Hold the Tablet-PC on your left forearm with your left hand on the grip, and the scroll control and back button within reach of your fingers. You Setting Up and Using Your Tablet-PC 54 can hold the pen in your right hand or use a finger to operate the tablet buttons and display. Left-handed use:

Hold the Tablet-PC on your right forearm with your right hand on the grip. You can hold the pen in your right hand, manipulate the scroll control and back buttons with your left hand, or use a finger to operate the tablet buttons and display. Setting Up and Using Your Tablet-PC 55 Screen Orientation You can change the display orientation of your Tablet-PC from portrait to landscape in several different ways:

Press the Screen Rotate tablet button to rotate the screen 90-degrees clockwise. Right-click the QuickSet icon in the system tray, click Tablet-PC choose the orientation you want from the Screen Orientation pull-down menu. Click Start Control Panel Mobile PC Tablet PC Settings. Press the Windows Logo key and <X> to open Windows Mobility Center, then click the button in the Screen Orientation window until the display is in the desired orientation. Setting Up and Using Your Tablet-PC 56 To change your Tablet-PCs default screen orientation, click Start Control Panel Mobile PC Tablet PC Settings. Controlling Your Tablet-PC in Tablet Mode In tablet mode, you can control your Tablet-PC using the following methods:

Using the scroll control Using the back button Using the tablet buttons Using the pen Using touch Using the Scroll Control To scroll through a list of items or a set of pages one at a time, shift the scroll control up or down and release. The control automatically returns to the center/neutral position when released. To rapidly scroll through a list of items or a set of pages, shift the control up or down and hold it, releasing it when you wish to stop scrolling. To select objects, press and release the scroll control when it is in the center/neutral position. To launch context sensitive menus, press and hold the scroll control until a complete circle is drawn on the display, and then release. This is equivalent to clicking the right mouse button on a notebook computer. Using the Back Button Use the back button, located adjacent to the scroll control, to move backward in applications that support navigation, such as web browsers and Windows Explorer, and to close the active window. To move backward, press and release the back button. To close the active window, press and hold the back button. To customize the back button behavior, use the Tablet and Pen Settings in Windows Vista. Using Tablet Buttons Your Tablet-PC has four tablet buttons located beside the power button. Setting Up and Using Your Tablet-PC 57 1 2 3 4 5 1 3 5 power button 2 <Ctrl><Alt><Del> button screen rotate button 4 QuickSet tablet settings button email application shortcut button Setting Up and Using Your Tablet-PC 58

<C T R L><A L T ><D E L > B U T T O N If you are using your Tablet-PC in tablet mode, you can press the <Ctrl><Alt><Del> button to access the Windows Task Manager dialog box or a login screen, the same way you use the <Ctrl><Alt><Del> key sequence in notebook mode. S C R E E N R O T A T E B U T T O N While the Tablet-PC is in tablet mode, you can use the screen rotate button to change the display orientation from portrait to landscape mode:

Each time you press and release the screen rotate button, the screen image rotates clockwise 90 degrees. If you press and hold the screen rotate button, the display switches off. The computer will not recognize input until you press and hold the screen rotate button a second time, or use the pen to wake the Tablet-PC. This feature provides a convenient way to prevent inadvertent input while carrying your Tablet-PC. Q U I C K S E T T A B L E T S E T T I N G S B U T T O N Press this button to view and configure options for the Tablet-PC and the pen through Dell QuickSet. You can configure this button to perform a different action using Windows Vista Tablet PC Settings. E M A I L A P P L I C A T I O N S H O R T C U T B U T T O N Launches either Microsoft Outlook or Outlook Express if you have one of these applications installed on your Tablet-

PC. You can configure this button using Windows Vista Tablet PC Settings to run an application of your choice. Disabling and Enabling Tablet Buttons You can disable and enable the tablet buttons using the Dell QuickSet application. To access QuickSet, click the QuickSet icon in the system tray, or press the QuickSet tablet settings button. Setting Up and Using Your Tablet-PC 59 You can change the actions assigned to the back button, the tablet settings button, the QuickSet application button, and the email application shortcut button. Click Start Control Panel Mobile PC Tablet PC Settings Set tablet buttons to perform certain tasks to access the settings for the buttons. Using the Pen Ejecting and Storing the Pen Press and release the pen to eject it from the pen compartment. To protect the pen when you are not using it, insert the pen, tip first, into the pen compartment on the Tablet-PC. Press to engage the pen in its compartment. 1 2 3 1 3 pen indicator LED 2 pen compartment pen When you remove the pen from the pen compartment, the pen indicator LED blinks quickly to indicate that the pen has been removed. If the pen is not in its compartment when the Tablet-PC shuts down or enters sleep or hibernate mode, the pen indicator LED blinks slowly to remind you to replace the pen in the compartment. The behavior of the pen indicator Setting Up and Using Your Tablet-PC 60 LED can be enabled or disabled through the QuickSet tablet settings application (see "Dell QuickSet Help" on page 19 for instructions on accessing QuickSet). Replacing the Pen Tip 1 2 3 1 3 5 pen right-click pen button pen tip remover tool 4 2 4 5 eraser pen button pen tip Your Tablet-PC ships with several of each of two types of pen tips: hard

(simulates the feel of a ballpoint pen) and soft (simulates the feel of a felt-tip pen). To replace a pen tip, 1 2 Use the pen tip remover tool to grasp the pen tip, then firmly pull the tip from the pen. With your fingers, place a new tip into the pen, and insert the tip until it is fully seated in the pen. Setting Up and Using Your Tablet-PC 61 Calibrating the Pen The pen can function at the default calibration or at a calibration set by you or by another user. Dell recommends that you use the pen only while it is calibrated to your personal calibration settings. Calibration optimizes pen performance for each user. To calibrate the pen:

1 2 3 Press the QuickSet tablet settings button, click Control Tablet PC Settings Pen and Input Settings. At the bottom of the General tab, tap the Calibrate button. Follow the instructions on the screen. The calibration markers are displayed on the screen as plus signs (+). Tap the pen in the exact center of each of the calibration markers. NOTE: Be sure to calibrate the pen for use in both portrait and landscape display orientations. Using the Pen Like a Mouse You can use the pen with your Tablet-PC the same way you use a mouse or touch pad with a notebook computer. When you hold the pen near the display, you see a small cursor. Moving the pen moves the cursor. To click, tap once. To double-click, tap the display twice. To open a menu, tap the menu name, and then the menu item. To drag an item, such as a file or icon, touch the pen to the item and drag it to another destination on the display. There are two ways to right-click (to open a context-sensitive menu):

Hold down the right-click pen button and then tap the display. When you hold down the right-click pen button, the cursor is surrounded with a circle. Touch the pen on the screen and hold it in place momentarily until Windows draws a complete circle around the cursor. When the circle is complete, lift the pen to display the context menu. If you move or lift the pen before the circle is complete, the right-click action is cancelled. Setting Up and Using Your Tablet-PC 62 You can get help and practice using the pen as a mouse by clicking Start All Programs Tablet PC Tablet PC Pen Training, and then clicking Using a pen instead of a mouse. Entering, Editing, and Erasing Text with the Pen The Windows Vista handwriting recognition software makes it easy to enter text into your applications with the pen. Some applications, such as Windows Journal, allow you to write with the pen directly into the application window. When an application does not directly support pen input, you can use the Tablet PC Input Panel to enter text into your application. If you tap in an editable area, the Tablet PC Input Panel icon appears. Tap the icon and the Input Panel slides out from the edge of the display. You can also open the Input Panel by tapping the Input Panel tab, which is docked at the edge of the screen when the Input Panel is hidden. The Input Panel allows you to enter and edit text in different modes. You can write words just like you write on paper, you can write one character at a time, or you can "type" by tapping the pen on the keys of an image of a keyboard. To change the input mode, right-click the QuickSet icon in the system tray, click Input Mode, and then select the desired input Pen and Input Settings mode. Edit text in the Input Panel using gestures, such as lining through text you want to delete, or tapping buttons. Erase text in the Input Panel using the erase pen button, or by lining through text you want to delete. You can get help and practice writing and editing with Input Panel by clicking Start All Programs Tablet PC Tablet PC Pen Training, and tapping each of the Input Panel topics. Using Pen Flicks Pen flicks enable you to use the pen to perform actions that normally require a keyboard, such as pressing <Page Up> or using the directional arrow keys. Pen flicks are quick, directional gestures; you quickly draw a short line in one of eight directions. When a pen flick is recognized, the Tablet-PC performs the action assigned. Setting Up and Using Your Tablet-PC 63 The horizontal and vertical pen flicks are, by default, assigned to navigational actions, corresponding to the keys <Left-Arrow>, <Right-Arrow>,

<Page Up>, and <Page Down>. The default assignments for the diagonal pen flicks are editing actions: delete, copy, paste, and undo. To customize pen flicks, click Start Control Panel Pen and Input Devices and click the Flicks tab. You can choose to turn pen flicks off, use the navigational pen flicks only, or use the navigational and editing pen flicks. You can also assign a new action to any of the eight pen flicks and adjust how easily your pen flicks are recognized. To learn more about pen flicks and practice using them, click Start Programs Tablet PC Pen Flicks Training. All Setting Pen Preferences You can customize several pen behaviors in the operating system to help make using your Tablet-PC more comfortable. For example, if your double-taps are sometimes not recognized because you do not tap them fast enough, you can set a slower speed so that you have more time to tap. You can customize the visual feedback that displays for each type of tap, and you can customize the actions assigned to pen flicks. To access pen preferences and options, click Start Mobile PC Pen and Input Devices. Control Panel The preferences and options you set in the Tablet PC Settings and the Pen and Input Devices window are specific to the pen and the Tablet-PC. Pointing device preferences, such as pointer speed, click speed, and mouse trails, are set in the Mouse Properties window. These preferences apply to any pointing device in the system. To access pointing device preferences, select Start Control Panel Hardware and Sound Mouse. Using Touch Your Tablet-PC is able to distinguish between the pen and your fingertip

(touch mode). When you use touch mode, a translucent image of a computer mouse, called the touch pointer, floats beneath your finger. The touch pointer has left and right mouse buttons that you can tap with your finger. You use the area beneath the buttons to drag the touch pointer. Your Tablet-PC ships with a digitizer utility which you can use to set one of four modes for using touch:

Setting Up and Using Your Tablet-PC 64 Pen only Touch mode is disabled. Touch only Pen input is disabled. Auto mode If the pen is close to the display, pen mode is active. If the pen is not within range, double-tap the display with your finger to enter touch mode. Touch mode remains active until the pen is in range again. Dual mode Microsoft Vista switches automatically between the pen and touch modes, based on its internal algorithms. To access the digitizer utility and set the input mode, right-click in the taskbar, select Properties, and then the Digitizer Options tab. Click the radio button for the input mode you want to set, and click Apply. To learn more about touch mode and practice using it, click Start Programs Tablet PC Tablet PC Touch Training. All Using QuickSet NOTICE: If you uninstall QuickSet from your Tablet-PC you will also delete the tablet button drivers. To reinstall QuickSet and the tablet button drivers, go to support.dell.com. You can access Dell QuickSet from the QuickSet icon in the taskbar or through the Windows Mobility Center. Depending on what you want to do, you can start QuickSet by either clicking, double-clicking, or right-clicking the QuickSet icon in the Windows taskbar. The taskbar is located in the lower-right corner of your screen. Clicking the QuickSet Icon NOTE: The following features may not be available on certain computers. Click the QuickSet icon to:

Control internal network card activity. Manage hot key pop-ups:

Enable or disable the appearance of the Brightness Meter on your screen. Enable or disable the appearance of the Volume Meter on your screen. Turn the Wireless Activity Indicator on or off. Setting Up and Using Your Tablet-PC 65 Enable or disable hardware buttons on tablet PCs. Double-Clicking the QuickSet Icon Double-click the QuickSet icon to launch QuickSet and access the QuickSet launch panel. The main menu provides you with links to QuickSet features that help you configure settings for:

Network connectivity Display settings System settings Right-Clicking the QuickSet Icon Right-click the QuickSet icon to:

Select Open to launch QuickSet. View the Dell QuickSet Help file. View the version and copyright date of the QuickSet application program installed on your computer. Control Tablet-PC settings. Windows Mobility Center The Windows Mobility Center contains a set of tiles through which you can configure settings on your computer. There are additional tiles that have been customized by Dell. You can access the Windows Mobility Center using any of the following methods:

Double-click the QuickSet icon in the taskbar and click Mobility Center. Click the Start button and point to the Mobility Center. Click Start All Programs Accessories, and point to Mobility Center. Right-click the battery icon in the taskbar, and point to Mobility Center. Double-click the Mobility Center icon in the Control Panel. Setting Up and Using Your Tablet-PC 66 You can access the QuickSet categories through the Mobility Center. Click one of the tiles, such as Networking, Display Settings, or System Configuration, in the Customized by Dell, Inc. section, and the QuickSet application launches with the corresponding category open. Using a Battery Battery Performance NOTE: For information about the Dell warranty for your Tablet-PC, see the Product Information Guide or separate paper warranty document that shipped with your Tablet-PC. For optimal Tablet-PC performance and to help preserve BIOS settings, operate your Dell Tablet-PC with the main battery installed at all times. One battery is supplied as standard equipment in the battery bay. NOTE: Because the battery may not be fully charged, use the AC adapter to connect your new Tablet-PC to an electrical outlet the first time you use the Tablet-

PC. For best results, operate the Tablet-PC with the AC adapter until the battery is fully charged. To view battery charge status, check the Power Meter in Power Options (see "Accessing Power Options Properties" on page 72). Battery operating time varies depending on operating conditions. You can use an optional battery slice (see "Battery Slice (Optional)" on page 199) to significantly increase operating time. NOTE: Battery operating time (the time the battery can hold a charge) decreases over time. Depending on how often the battery is used and the conditions under which it is used, you may need to purchase a new battery during the life of your Tablet-PC. NOTE: It is recommended that you connect your Tablet-PC to an electrical outlet when writing to a CD or DVD. Operating time is significantly reduced when you perform operations including, but not limited to, the following:

Using optical drives. Using wireless communications devices, ExpressCards, media memory cards, or USB devices. Using high-brightness display settings, 3D screen savers, or other power-

intensive programs such as complex 3D graphics applications. Setting Up and Using Your Tablet-PC 67 Running the Tablet-PC in maximum performance mode. See "Configuring Power Management Settings" on page 72 for information about accessing Windows Power Options Properties or Dell QuickSet, which you can use to configure power management settings. You can check the battery charge before you insert the battery into the Tablet-

PC. You can also set power management 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 battery only with a compatible battery purchased from Dell. The battery is designed to work with your Dell Tablet-PC. Do not use a battery from other Tablet-PCs with your Tablet-PC. CAUTION: Do not dispose of batteries with household waste. When your battery no longer holds a charge, call your local waste disposal or environmental agency for advice on disposing of a lithium-ion battery. See "Battery Disposal" in the Product Information Guide. CAUTION: Misuse of the battery may increase the risk of fire or chemical burn. Do not puncture, incinerate, disassemble, or expose the battery to temperatures above 65C (149F). Keep the battery away from children. Handle damaged or leaking batteries with extreme care. Damaged batteries may leak and cause personal injury or equipment damage. Checking the Battery Charge The Dell QuickSet Battery Meter, the Microsoft Windows Power Meter window and icon, the battery charge gauge and health gauge, and the low-

battery warning provide information on the battery charge. Dell QuickSet Battery Meter If Dell QuickSet is installed, press <Fn><F3> to display the QuickSet Battery Meter. The Battery Meter displays status, battery health, charge level, and charge completion time for the battery in your Tablet-PC. For more information about QuickSet, right-click the QuickSet icon in the taskbar, and click Help. Setting Up and Using Your Tablet-PC 68 Microsoft Windows Vista Power Meter The Windows Vista Power Meter indicates the remaining battery charge. To check the Power Meter, move your cursor over the Power icon in the Notification area to display the Power icon flyout. If the computer is connected to an electrical outlet, the Power icon flyout displays the (plugged in charging) message. Charge Gauge By either pressing once or pressing and holding the status button on the charge gauge on the battery, you can check:

Battery charge (check by pressing and releasing the status button) Battery health (check by pressing and holding the status button) The battery operating time is largely determined by the number of times it is charged. After hundreds of charge and discharge cycles, batteries lose some charge capacityor battery health. That is, a battery can show a status of

"charged" but maintain a reduced charge capacity (health). Check the Battery Charge To check the battery charge, press and release the status button on the battery charge gauge to illuminate the charge-level lights. Each light represents approximately 20 percent of the total battery charge. For example, if the battery has 80 percent of its charge remaining, four of the lights are on. If no lights appear, the battery has no charge. Check the Battery Health NOTE: You can check battery health in one of two ways: 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-click the icon in the taskbar, and click Help. To check the battery health using the charge gauge, press and hold the status button on the battery charge gauge for at least 3 seconds. If no lights appear, the battery is in good condition, and more than 80 percent of its original charge capacity remains. Each light represents incremental degradation. If five lights appear, less than 60 percent of the charge capacity remains, and you should consider replacing the battery. Setting Up and Using Your Tablet-PC 69 Low-Battery Warning NOTICE: To avoid losing or corrupting data, save your work immediately after a low-battery warning. Then connect the Tablet-PC to an electrical outlet, or dock the Tablet-PC onto an optional battery slice. If the battery runs completely out of power, hibernate mode begins automatically. A pop-up window warns you when the battery charge is approximately 90 percent depleted. If both the main battery and the battery slice are installed, the low-battery warning means that the combined charge of both batteries is approximately 90 percent depleted. The Tablet-PC enters hibernate mode when the battery charge is at a critically low level. You can change the settings for the battery alarms in QuickSet or the Power Options Properties window. See "Configuring Power Management Settings"

on page 72 for information about accessing QuickSet or the Power Options Properties window. Conserving Battery Power Perform the following actions to conserve battery power:

Connect the Tablet-PC to an electrical outlet when possible because battery life is largely determined by the number of times the battery is used and recharged. Place the Tablet-PC in sleep mode or hibernate mode when you leave the Tablet-PC unattended for long periods of time. See "Power Management Modes" on page 71. Use the Power Management Wizard or the Power Options Properties window to select options to optimize your computers power usage. These options can also be set to change when you press the power button, close the display, or press <Fn><Esc>. NOTE: See "Configuring Power Management Settings" on page 72 for information on conserving battery power. Setting Up and Using Your Tablet-PC 70 Power Management Modes Sleep Mode Sleep mode conserves power by turning off the display and the hard drive after a predetermined period of inactivity (a time-out). When the Tablet-PC exits sleep mode, it returns to the same operating state it was in before entering sleep mode. NOTICE: If your Tablet-PC loses AC and battery power while in sleep mode, it may lose data. To enter sleep mode in Windows Vista, click the Windows Vista Start button,

, and move your mouse over the right triangle beside the lock option to open the Power Options Properties window, and then click Sleep. Depending on how you set the power management options in the Power Options Properties window or the QuickSet Power Management Wizard, you may also use one of the following methods:

Press the power button Close the display Press <Fn><Esc>

To exit sleep mode, press the power button or open the display, depending on how you set the power management options. You cannot make the Tablet-PC exit sleep mode by pressing a key or touching the touch pad or track stick. Hibernate Mode Hibernate mode conserves power by copying system data to a reserved area on the hard drive and then completely turning off the Tablet-PC. When the Tablet-PC exits hibernate mode, it returns to the same operating state it was in before entering hibernate mode. NOTICE: You cannot remove devices or undock your Tablet-PC while your Tablet-

PC is in hibernate mode. Your Tablet-PC enters hibernate mode if the battery charge level becomes critically low. To manually enter hibernate mode in Windows Vista, click the Windows Vista Start button

, and move your mouse over the right triangle beside the Lock icon to open the Power Options Properties window, and then click Hibernate. Setting Up and Using Your Tablet-PC 71 NOTE: If your Tablet-PC has Hybrid Sleep enabled, then Hybrid will not be displayed. Depending on how you set the power management options in the Power Options Properties window or the QuickSet Power Management Wizard, you may also use one of the following methods to enter hibernate mode:

Press the power button Close the display Press <Fn><Esc>

NOTE: Some ExpressCards may not operate correctly after the Tablet-PC exits hibernate mode. Remove and reinsert the card (see "Removing an ExpressCard" on page 84), or simply restart (reboot) your Tablet-PC. To exit hibernate mode, press the power button. The Tablet-PC may take a short time to exit hibernate mode. You cannot make the Tablet-PC exit hibernate mode by pressing a key or touching the touch pad or track stick. For more information on hibernate mode, see the documentation that came with your operating system. Configuring Power Management Settings You can use the QuickSet Power Management Wizard or Windows Power Options Properties to configure the power management settings on your Tablet-PC. For more information about QuickSet, right-click the QuickSet icon in the taskbar and click Help. Accessing Power Options Properties Click the Windows Vista Start button

, then click the Windows Power icon in the Notification area to display the Power icon flyout window. Select one of the following from the Select a Power Plan section. Dell Recommended Power Saver High Performance Any custom power plan you have created. To access additional power options, click More Power Options at the bottom of the flyout. Setting Up and Using Your Tablet-PC 72 Charging the Main Battery When you connect the Tablet-PC to an electrical outlet or install a battery while the Tablet-PC is connected to an electrical outlet, the Tablet-PC checks the battery charge and temperature. If necessary, the AC adapter then charges the battery and maintains the battery charge. NOTE: With Dell ExpressCharge, when the Tablet-PC is turned off, the AC adapter charges a completely discharged battery to 80 percent in about 1 hour and to 100 percent in approximately 2 hours. Charge time is longer with the Tablet-PC turned on. You can leave the battery in the Tablet-PC for as long as you like. The batterys internal circuitry prevents the battery from overcharging. If the battery is hot from being used in your Tablet-PC or being in a hot environment, the battery may not charge when you connect the Tablet-PC to an electrical outlet. The battery is too hot to start charging if the light flashes alternately green and orange. Disconnect the Tablet-PC from the electrical outlet and allow the Tablet-PC and the battery to cool to room temperature. Then connect the Tablet-PC to an electrical outlet to continue charging the battery. For information about resolving problems with a battery, see "Power Problems" on page 120. Removing the Main Battery CAUTION: Using an incompatible battery may increase the risk of fire or explosion. Replace the battery only with a compatible battery purchased from Dell. The battery is designed to work with your Dell Tablet-PC. Do not use a battery from other Tablet-PCs or computers with your Tablet-PC. CAUTION: Before performing these procedures, turn off the Tablet-PC, disconnect the AC adapter from the electrical outlet and the Tablet-PC, disconnect any modem from the wall connector and Tablet-PC, and remove any other external cables from the Tablet-PC. NOTICE: You must remove all external cables from the Tablet-PC to avoid possible connector damage. NOTICE: If you choose to replace the battery with the Tablet-PC in sleep mode, you have up to 1 minute to complete the battery replacement before the Tablet-PC shuts down and loses any unsaved data. To remove the battery:

Setting Up and Using Your Tablet-PC 73 1 2 3 If the Tablet-PC is connected to a docking device (docked), undock it. See the documentation that came with your docking device for instructions. Ensure that the Tablet-PC is turned off or suspended in a power management mode. Slide the battery-bay latch releases on the bottom of the Tablet-PC, and then remove the battery from the bay. 1 2 1 battery release latches (2) 2 battery Installing the Main Battery 1 2 3 If the Tablet-PC is connected to a docking device such as the optional battery slice or the optional media base (docked), undock it. See "Battery Slice (Optional)" on page 199 and "Media Base (Optional)" on page 185 for instructions. Turn the Tablet-PC upside-down. Align the battery with the battery bay sides, then slide the battery into the bay and ensure that the two latch releases engage. Setting Up and Using Your Tablet-PC 74 Storing a Battery Remove the battery when you store your Tablet-PC for an extended period of time. A battery discharges during prolonged storage. After a long storage period, recharge the battery fully (see "Charging the Main Battery" on page 73) before you use it. Using a Keyboard Numeric Keypad numeric keypad The numeric keypad functions like the numeric keypad on an external keyboard. Each key on the keypad has multiple functions. The keypad numbers and symbols are marked in blue on the right of the keypad keys. To type a number or symbol, hold down <Fn> and press the desired key. To enable the keypad, press <Num Lk>. The 9 light indicates that the keypad is active. To disable the keypad, press <Num Lk> again. Setting Up and Using Your Tablet-PC 75 Key Combinations System Functions

<Ctrl><Shift><Esc>

Opens the Task Manager window. Battery

<Fn><F3>

Displays the Dell QuickSet Battery Meter. Display Functions

<Fn><F8>

Switches the video image to the next display option. The options include the integrated display, an external monitor, and both displays simultaneously.

<Fn><F7>

Scales between wide-screen and standard aspect ratio video resolutions.

<Fn> and left-arrow key Activates the ambient light sensor, which controls brightness of the display based on light level in the current environment.

<Fn> and up-arrow key Increases brightness on the integrated display only

(not on an external monitor).

<Fn> and down-arrow key Decreases brightness on the integrated display only (not on an external monitor). Power Management

<Fn><Esc>

Activates a power management mode. You can reprogram this keyboard shortcut to activate a different power management mode using the Advanced tab in the Power Options Properties window.

<Fn><F1>

Puts the Tablet-PC into hibernate mode. Dell QuickSet is required (see "Using QuickSet" on page 65). Setting Up and Using Your Tablet-PC 76 Speaker Functions

<Fn><Insert>

Increases the volume of the integrated speakers and external speakers, if attached.

<Fn><End>

Decreases the volume of the integrated speakers and external speakers, if attached.

<Fn><Delete>

Enables and disables the integrated speakers and external speakers, if attached. Microsoft Windows Logo Key Functions Windows logo key and <TAB> Cycle through programs on the taskbar by using Windows Flip 3-D (only if using the Aero interface). CTRL+Windows logo key and Use the arrow keys to cycle through programs on

<TAB>

the taskbar by using Windows Flip 3-D (only if using the Aero interface). Windows logo key and Bring all gadgets to the front and select Windows

<SPACEBAR>

Sidebar (if using Windows Sidebar). Windows logo key and <g>

Cycles through Windows Sidebar gadgets (if using Windows Sidebar). Windows logo key and <u>

Opens the Ease of Access Center. Windows logo key and <x>

Opens the Windows Mobility Center. Windows logo key and any Opens the Quick Launch shortcut that is in the number key position that corresponds to the number. For example, use the Windows logo key and <1> to launch the first shortcut in the Quick Launch menu. Windows logo key and <m>

Minimizes all open windows. Windows logo key and Restores all minimized windows. This key

<Shift><m>

combination functions as a toggle to restore minimized windows following the use of the Windows logo key and <m> key combination. Windows logo key and <e>

Runs Windows Explorer. Windows logo key and <r>

Opens the Run dialog box. Windows logo key and <f>

Opens the Search Results dialog box. Setting Up and Using Your Tablet-PC 77 Windows logo key and Opens the Search Results-Computer dialog box (if

<Ctrl><f>

the Tablet-PC is connected to a network). Windows logo key and Opens the System Properties dialog box.

<Fn><F12>

To adjust keyboard operation, such as the character repeat rate, open the Control Panel, click Hardware and Sound, and either click Keyboard or click one of the two options under the Keyboard link. For information about the Control Panel, see the Windows Help and Support Center. To access the Help and Support. Help and Support Center, click Start Touch Pad The touch pad detects the pressure 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. 1 2 Setting Up and Using Your Tablet-PC 78 1 touch pad 2 touch pad buttons To move the cursor, lightly slide your finger over the touch pad. To select an object, lightly tap once on the surface of the touch pad or use your thumb to press the left touch-pad button. To select and move (or drag) an object, position the 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. To double-click an object, position the cursor on the object and tap twice on the touch pad or use your thumb to press the left touch-pad button twice. You can also use the track stick to move the cursor. Press the track stick left, right, up, or down to change the direction of the cursor on the display. Use the track stick and track stick buttons as you would use a mouse. Customizing the Touch Pad and Track Stick You can use the Mouse Properties window to disable the touch pad and track stick or adjust their settings. 1 2 3 Open the Control Panel, and then click Mouse. For information about the Control Panel, see Windows Help and Support. To access Help and Support, click Start Help and Support. In the Mouse Properties window:

Click the Device Select tab to disable the touch pad and track stick. Click the Touch Pad tab to adjust touch pad and track stick settings. Click OK to save the settings and close the window. Changing the Track Stick Cap You can replace your track stick cap if it wears down from prolonged use or if you prefer a different color. You can purchase additional caps by visiting the Dell website at dell.com. Setting Up and Using Your Tablet-PC 79 1 2 3 Pull the cap off the track stick. Align the new cap over the square track-stick post and gently press the cap down onto the post. NOTICE: The track stick can damage the display if the track stick cap is not properly seated on the post. Test the track stick to ensure that the cap is seated properly. Using the Display Your Tablet-PC has two display options available:

LED backlit thin-and-light LCD (optimized for indoor viewing) Dual-bulb (CCFL) LCD (optimized for outdoor viewing) Depending on which display option you selected, how you adjust the brightness on your display will differ. Setting Up and Using Your Tablet-PC 80 Adjusting Brightness on the LED Backlit Thin-and-Light LCD When a Dell Tablet-PC equipped with the LED backlit thin-and-light LCD display is running on battery power, you can conserve power by setting the display brightness to the lowest comfortable setting by pressing <Fn> and the up- or down-arrow key on the keyboard. NOTE: Brightness key combinations only affect the display on your Tablet-PC, not monitors or projectors that you attach to your Tablet-PC or docking device. If your Tablet-PC is connected to an external monitor and you try to change the brightness level, the Brightness Meter may appear, but the brightness level on the external device does not change. You can press the following keys to adjust display brightness:

Press <Fn> and the up-arrow key to increase brightness on the integrated display only (not on an external monitor). Press <Fn> and the down-arrow key to decrease brightness on the integrated display only (not on an external monitor). NOTE: If your operating system display default is set to a specific value, you may have to reset your manual selections after using Sleep/Standby mode. Adjusting Brightness on the Dual-bulb (CCFL) LCD The Dual-bulb LCD includes an integrated ambient light sensor (see "Front View" on page 27). 1 1 ambient light sensor Setting Up and Using Your Tablet-PC 81 The ambient light sensor is located on the front of the Tablet-PC display. The sensor detects available environmental light and automatically increases or decreases the display backlighting to compensate for low-light and high-light environments. You can enable or disable the ambient light sensor feature by pressing the

<Fn> and left-arrow key combination. NOTE: Do not cover the ambient light sensor with any adhesive labels. If covered up, the sensorwhen enabledautomatically sets the display brightness to the minimum level. The ambient light sensor is disabled when your Tablet-PC 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 decreased accordingly. Dell QuickSet allows you to enable or disable the ambient light sensor feature. You can also adjust maximum and minimum brightness settings that are activated when you enable the ambient light sensor feature. For more information about QuickSet, right-click the QuickSet icon in the taskbar, and click Help. NOTE: Rebooting the Tablet-PC returns the ambient light sensor to the setting it was before it was adjusted. NOTE: The ambient light sensor adjusts the display backlighting on your Tablet-PC display only. It does not control the brightness on any external monitors or projectors. Using Cards ExpressCards ExpressCards provide additional memory, wired and wireless communications, multimedia, and security features. ExpressCards support two form factors:

ExpressCard/34 (34 mm wide) ExpressCard/54 (54 mm wide in an L-shape with a 34 mm connector) The 34 mm card fits into both the 34 mm and 54 mm card slots. The 54 mm card only fits into a 54 mm card slot. Setting Up and Using Your Tablet-PC 82 NOTE: An ExpressCard is not a bootable device. 1 2 1 ExpressCard/34 2 ExpressCard/54 Installing an ExpressCard You can install an ExpressCard while the Tablet-PC is running. The Tablet-

PC automatically detects the card. ExpressCards are generally marked with a symbol (such as a triangle or an arrow) or a label to indicate which end to insert into the slot. The cards are keyed to prevent incorrect insertion. If card orientation is not clear, see the documentation that came with the card. CAUTION: Before you begin any of the procedures in this section, follow the safety instructions in the Product Information Guide. To install an ExpressCard:

1 2 Hold the card with the top side of the card facing up. Slide the card into the slot until the card is completely seated in its connector. If you encounter too much resistance, do not force the card. Check the card orientation and try again. Setting Up and Using Your Tablet-PC 83 The Tablet-PC recognizes the ExpressCard and automatically loads the appropriate device driver. If the configuration program tells you to load the manufacturer's drivers, use the CD that came with the ExpressCard. Removing an ExpressCard CAUTION: Before you begin any of the procedures in this section, follow the safety instructions in the Product Information Guide. Press the card into the slot to eject the card. Smart Cards NOTE: You can use smart cards with your Tablet-PC only if you have also purchased the optional smart card reader that installs into the ExpressCard slot. Setting Up and Using Your Tablet-PC 84 About Smart Cards Smart cards are portable credit-card shaped devices with internal integrated circuits. The top surface of the smart card usually contains an embedded processor under the gold contact pad. The combination of the small size and integrated circuits make smart cards valuable tools for security, data storage, and special programs. Using smart cards can improve system security by combining something a user has (the smart card) with something only the user should know (a PIN) to provide more secure user-authentication than passwords alone. For more information about how to secure your Tablet-PC, see "Securing Your Tablet-PC" on page 99. Installing a Smart Card You can install a smart card in the Tablet-PC while the Tablet-PC is running. The Tablet-PC automatically detects the card. To install a smart card:

NOTE: You can use smart cards with your Tablet-PC only if you have also purchased the optional smart card reader that installs into the ExpressCard slot. 1 Hold the card so that the gold contact pad is facing upward and pointing toward the smart card readers slot. 1 2 1 gold contact pad 2 smart card (top) Setting Up and Using Your Tablet-PC 85 2 Slide the smart card into the smart card slot until the card is completely seated in its connector. The smart card will protrude approximately 1/2 inch from the slot. If you encounter too much resistance, do not force the card. Check the card orientation and try again. Secure Digital (SD) Cards Secure Digital (SD) cards are storage media used in portable devices such as digital cameras, handheld computers, PDAs, and GPS units. Installing an SD Card 1 2 Hold the card so that the gold contact pad is facing upward and pointing toward the SD card slot. The SD card slot is located above the ExpressCard slot. Slide the SD card into the SD card slot until the card is completely seated in its connector. The SD card will protrude approximately 1/2 inch from the slot. If you encounter too much resistance, do not force the card. Check the card orientation and try again. Setting Up and Using Your Tablet-PC 86 Setting Up and Using Networks Setting up a computer network provides connectivity between your Tablet-

PC and the Internet, another computer, or a network. For example, with a network set up in a home or small office you can print to a shared printer, access drives and files on another computer, browse other networks, or access the Internet. You can set up a local area network (LAN) using a network or broadband modem cable or set up a wireless LAN (WLAN). The Microsoft Windows Vista operating system provides a wizard to help guide you through the process of networking computers. For more information about networking, see the Windows Help and Support Center

(see "Windows Help and Support" on page 19). Connecting a Network or Broadband Modem Before you connect your Tablet-PC to a network, the Tablet-PC must have a network adapter installed and a network cable connected to it. 1 2 Connect the network cable to the network adapter connector on the back of your Tablet-PC. NOTE: Insert the cable connector until it clicks into place, and then gently pull the cable to ensure that it is securely attached. Connect the other end of the network cable to a network connection device or a network wall connector. NOTE: Do not use a network cable with a telephone wall connector. Setting Up and Using Networks 87 Network Setup Wizard 1 2 3

, Click Start, network. and then click Connect To Set up a connection or Select an option under Choose a connection option. Click Next, and then follow the instructions in the wizard. Wireless Local Area Network (WLAN) A WLAN is a series of interconnected computers that communicate with each other over the air waves rather than through a network cable connected to each computer. In a WLAN, a radio communications device called an access point or wireless router connects network computers and provides Internet, or network, access. The access point or wireless router and the wireless network card in the computer or Tablet-PC communicate by broadcasting data from their antennas over the air waves. What You Need to Establish a WLAN Connection Before you can set up a WLAN, you need:

High-speed (broadband) Internet access (such as cable or DSL) A broadband modem that is connected and working A wireless router or access point Setting Up and Using Networks 88 A wireless network adapter for each computer or Tablet-PC that you want to connect to your WLAN A network cable with a network (RJ-45) connector Checking Your Wireless Network Adapter Depending on what you selected when you purchased your Tablet-PC, the Tablet-PC has a variety of configurations. To confirm that your Tablet-PC has a wireless network card and to determine the type of card, use one of the following:

The Windows Vista Start button and the Connect To option The order confirmation for your Tablet-PC Start Button and Connect To Option Click Start Connect To View network computers and devices. If Wireless Network Connection does not appear, you may not have a wireless network adapter. If Wireless Network Connection appears, you have a wireless network adapter. To view detailed information about the wireless network adapter:

1 2 Right-click Wireless Network Connection. Click Properties. The Wireless Network Connection Properties window appears. The wireless network adapters name and model number are listed on the General tab. The Order Confirmation for Your Tablet-PC The order confirmation that you received when you ordered your Tablet-PC lists the hardware and software that shipped with your Tablet-PC. Setting Up a New WLAN Using a Wireless Router and a Broadband Modem 1 Contact your Internet service provider (ISP) to obtain specific information about the connection requirements for your broadband modem. Setting Up and Using Networks 89 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 Ensure that you have wired Internet access through your broadband modem before you attempt to set up a wireless Internet connection (see

"Connecting a Network or Broadband Modem" on page 87). Install any software required for your wireless router. Your wireless router may have been shipped with an installation media. Installation media usually contains installation and troubleshooting information. Install the required software according to the instructions provided by the router manufacturer. Shut down your Tablet-PC and any other wireless-enabled computers in the vicinity through the Windows Vista Start menu. Disconnect your broadband modem power cable from the electrical outlet. Disconnect the network cable from the Tablet-PC and the broadband modem. Disconnect the AC adapter cable from your wireless router to ensure that there is no power connected to the router. NOTE: Wait for a minimum of 5 minutes after disconnecting your broadband modem before you continue with the network setup. Insert a network cable into the network (RJ-45) connector on the unpowered broadband modem. Connect the other end of the network cable into the Internet network (RJ-

45) connector on the unpowered wireless router. Ensure that no network or USB cables, other than the network cable connecting the broadband modem and the wireless router, are connected to the broadband modem. NOTE: Restart your wireless equipment in the order described below to prevent a potential connection failure. Turn on only your broadband modem and wait for at least 2 minutes for the broadband modem to stabilize. After 2 minutes, proceed to step 12. Turn on your wireless router and wait for at least 2 minutes for the wireless router to stabilize. After 2 minutes, proceed to the step 13. Start your Tablet-PC and wait until the boot process completes. See the documentation that came with your wireless router to do the following in order to set up the wireless router:

Setting Up and Using Networks 90 Establish communication between your Tablet-PC and your wireless router. Configure your wireless router to communicate with your broadband router. Find out your wireless routers broadcast name. The technical term for the name of your routers broadcast name is Service Set Identifier

(SSID) or network name. 15 If necessary, configure your wireless network card to connect to the wireless network (see "Connecting to a WLAN" on page 91). Connecting to a WLAN NOTE: Before you connect to a WLAN, ensure that you have followed the instructions in "Wireless Local Area Network (WLAN)" on page 88. NOTE: The following networking instructions do not apply to internal cards with Bluetooth wireless technology or cellular products. This section provides general procedures for connecting to a network using wireless technology. Specific network names and configuration details vary. See "Wireless Local Area Network (WLAN)" on page 88 for more information about how to prepare for connecting your Tablet-PC to a WLAN. Your wireless network card requires specific software and drivers for connecting to a network. The software is already installed. NOTE: If the software is removed or corrupted, follow the instructions in the user documentation for your wireless network card. Verify the type of wireless network card installed in your Tablet-PC and then search for that name on the Dell Support website at support.dell.com. For information on the type of wireless network card that is installed in your Tablet-PC, see "Checking Your Wireless Network Adapter"

on page 89. Determining the Wireless Network Device Manager Depending on the software installed on your Tablet-PC, different wireless configuration utilities may manage your network devices:

Your wireless network cards client utility The Windows Vista operating system To determine which wireless configuration utility is managing your wireless network card in Windows Vista:

Setting Up and Using Networks 91 1 2 Click Connect To Manage wireless networks. Double-click a profile to open the wireless network properties screen. For specific information about the wireless configuration utility installed on your Tablet-PC, see your wireless network documentation in the Windows Help and Support Center (see "Windows Help and Support" on page 19). Completing the Connection to the WLAN When you turn on your Tablet-PC and a network (for which your Tablet-PC is not configured) is detected, a pop-up appears in the lower-right corner of the Windows desktop. Follow any instructions that appear on your screen. Once you have configured your Tablet-PC for the wireless network that you selected, another pop-up notifies you that your Tablet-PC is connected to that network. Thereafter, whenever you log on to your Tablet-PC within the range of the wireless network that you selected, the same pop-up notifies you of the wireless network connection. NOTE: If you select a secure network, you must enter a WEP or WPA key when prompted. Network security settings are unique to your network. Dell cannot provide this information. NOTE: Your Tablet-PC can take up to 1 minute to connect to the network. Monitoring the Status of the Wireless Network Card Through Dell QuickSet The wireless activity indicator provides you with an easy way to monitor the status of your Tablet-PCs wireless devices. To turn the wireless activity indicator on or off, click the QuickSet icon in the taskbar and select Hotkey Popups. If Wireless Activity Indicator Off is not checked, the indicator is on. If Wireless Activity Indicator Off is checked, the indicator is off. The wireless activity indicator displays whether your Tablet-PCs integrated wireless devices are enabled or disabled. When you turn the wireless networking function on or off, the wireless activity indicator changes to display the status. For more information about the Dell QuickSet wireless activity indicator, right-click the QuickSet icon in the taskbar and select Help. Setting Up and Using Networks 92 Mobile Broadband/Wireless Wide Area Network

(WWAN) A Mobile Broadband network, also known as a Wireless Wide Area Network

(WWAN), is a high-speed digital cellular network that provides Internet access over a much wider geographical area than a WLAN, which typically covers only from 100 to 1000 feet. Your Tablet-PC can maintain Mobile Broadband network access as long as the Tablet-PC is within a cellular-data coverage zone. Contact your service provider for coverage of a high-speed digital cellular network. NOTE: Even if you are able to make a call from your cellular phone in a specific geographical location, that location may not necessarily be within a cellular-data coverage zone. What You Need to Establish a Mobile Broadband Network Connection NOTE: Depending on your Tablet-PC, you can use either a Mobile Broadband ExpressCard or mini card, but not both, to establish a Mobile Broadband network connection. To set up a Mobile Broadband network connection, you need:

A Mobile Broadband ExpressCard or mini card (depending on your Tablet-

PCs configuration) NOTE: For instructions on using ExpressCards, see "ExpressCards" on page 82 An activated Mobile Broadband ExpressCard or activated Subscriber Identity Module (SIM) for your service provider An extended whip antenna. Setting Up and Using Networks 93 The Dell Mobile Broadband Card Utility (already installed on your Tablet-

PC if you purchased the card when you purchased your Tablet-PC, or on the CD that accompanied your card if purchased separately from your Tablet-PC) If the utility is corrupted or deleted from your Tablet-PC, see the Dell Mobile Broadband Card Utility users guide for instructions. The users guide is available through the Windows Help and Support Center (see

"Windows Help and Support" on page 19) or on the CD that accompanied your card if you purchased it separately from your Tablet-PC. Checking Your Dell Mobile Broadband Card Depending on what you selected when you purchased your Tablet-PC, the Tablet-PC has a variety of configurations. To determine the type of Mobile Broadband card installed on your Tablet-PC, see one of the following:

Your order confirmation Microsoft Windows Help and Support To check your Mobile Broadband card in Windows Help and Support:

Click Windows Vista Start button Help and Support Use Tools

. to view your computer information and diagnose problems Under Tools, click My Computer Information the hardware installed on this computer. Find information about Setting Up and Using Networks 94 1 2 On the My Computer Information - Hardware screen, you can view the type of Mobile Broadband card installed in your Tablet-PC as well as other hardware components. NOTE: The Mobile Broadband card is listed under Modems. 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 activate Mobile Broadband service through your cellular service provider. For instructions and for additional information about using the Dell Mobile Broadband Card Utility, see the user's guide available through the Windows Help and Support Center (see "Windows Help and Support" on page 19). The user's guide is also available on the Dell Support website at support.dell.com and on the CD included with your Mobile Broadband card, if you purchased the card separately from your Tablet-PC. Use the Dell Mobile Broadband Card Utility to establish and manage a Mobile Broadband network connection to the Internet:

1 2 3 4 1 2 3 Click the Dell Mobile Broadband Card Utility icon on the Windows desktop, to run the utility. Click Connect. NOTE: The Connect button changes to the Disconnect button. Extend the external whip antenna and adjust orientation to achieve optimal signal strength. Follow the instructions on the screen to manage the network connection with the utility. Or Click Windows Vista Start button All Programs Dell Wireless. Click Dell Wireless Broadband and follow the instructions on the screen. Extend the external whip antenna and adjust orientation to achieve optimal signal strength. Setting Up and Using Networks 95 Enabling/Disabling the Dell Mobile Broadband Card NOTE: If you are unable to connect to a Mobile Broadband network, ensure that you have all the components for establishing a Mobile Broadband connection (see

"What You Need to Establish a Mobile Broadband Network Connection" on page 93), and then verify that your Mobile Broadband card is enabled by verifying the setting of the wireless switch. You can turn your Tablet-PCs wireless devices on and off with the wireless switch on the left side of the Tablet-PC (see "Left Side View" on page 32). If the switch is in the "on" position, move the switch to the "off" position to disable the switch and the Mobile Broadband 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. For information about the wireless switch positions, see "Dell Wi-Fi Catcher Network Locator" on page 96. To monitor the status of your wireless device, see "Monitoring the Status of the Wireless Network Card Through Dell QuickSet" on page 92. Managing Your Network Settings Through the Dell QuickSet Location Profiler The Dell QuickSet Location Profiler helps you manage network settings that correspond to your Tablet-PCs physical location. It includes two categories of profile settings:

Location Profile Settings General Mobility Settings You can use Location Profile Settings to create profiles for accessing the Internet with your Tablet-PC in your office, home, or other public places with Internet services. General Mobility Settings allows you to change the way network connections are handled. The profiles consist of different network settings and equipment that you need when using your Tablet-PC in different locations. For more information about Dell QuickSet, right-click the QuickSet icon in the taskbar and select Help. Dell Wi-Fi Catcher Network Locator The wireless switch on your Dell Tablet-PC uses the Dell Wi-Fi Catcher Network Locator to scan specifically for WiFi WLAN in your vicinity. Setting Up and Using Networks 96 To scan for WiFi WLAN, slide and hold the switch in the "momentary"

position for a few seconds. The Wi-Fi Catcher Network Locator functions regardless of whether your Tablet-PC is turned on or off, in hibernate mode, or in sleep mode, as long as the switch is configured through Dell QuickSet or the BIOS (system setup program) to control WiFi network connections. Because the Wi-Fi Catcher Network Locator is disabled and not configured for use when your Tablet-PC is shipped to you, you must first use Dell QuickSet to enable and configure the switch to control WiFi network connections. For more information on the Wi-Fi Catcher Network Locator and to enable the feature through Dell QuickSet, right-click the QuickSet icon in the taskbar and select Help. Microsoft Windows Firewall Windows Firewall provides basic protection from unauthorized access to your Tablet-PC while it is connected to the Internet. Windows Firewall is automatically enabled when you run the Network Setup Wizard. When Windows Firewall is enabled for a network connection, the firewall icon appears with a red background in the Network Connections section of the Control Panel. NOTE: Enabling Windows Firewall does not reduce the need for virus-checking software. For more information, click Windows Vista Start button Panel Security Windows Firewall, or see "Windows Help and Support" on Control page 19. Setting Up and Using Networks 97 Setting Up and Using Networks 98 Securing Your Tablet-PC Security Cable Lock NOTICE: Before you buy an antitheft device, ensure that it will work with the security cable slot on your Tablet-PC. NOTE: Your Tablet-PC does not ship with a security cable lock. A security cable lock is a commercially available antitheft device. To use the lock, attach it to the security cable slot on your Tablet-PC. For more information, see the instructions included with the device. Smart Cards and Biometric Readers NOTE: For information on how to secure your Tablet-PC while traveling, see

"Traveling With Your Tablet-PC" on page 207. Securing Your Tablet-PC 99 Smart cards are portable credit-card shaped devices with internal integrated circuits. Using smart cards can improve system security by combining something a user has (the smart card) with something only the user should know (a PIN) to provide more secure user-authentication than passwords alone. See "Smart Cards" on page 84 for more information. A biometric reader is a strip sensor located on your Tablet-PCs display. When you slide your finger over the reader, it uses your unique fingerprint to authenticate your user identity and help keep your Tablet-PC secure. Passwords About Passwords NOTE: Passwords are disabled when you receive your Tablet-PC. A primary (or system) password, an administrator password, and a hard drive password all prevent unauthorized access to your Tablet-PC in different ways. The following table identifies types and features of passwords available on your Tablet-PC. Type of Password Features Primary (or system) Protects the Tablet-PC from unauthorized access Administrator Gives system administrators or service technicians access to Tablet-PCs for repair or reconfiguration Allows you to restrict access to system setup in the same way a primary password restricts access to the Tablet-PC Can be used instead of the primary password Hard drive Helps protect the data on your hard drive or external hard drive (if one is being used) from unauthorized access NOTE: Some hard drives do not support hard drive passwords. Securing Your Tablet-PC 100 NOTICE: Passwords provide a high level of security for data in your Tablet-PC or hard drive. However, they are not foolproof. If you require more security, obtain and use additional forms of protection, such as smart cards, data encryption programs, or PC Cards with encryption features. When using passwords, observe the following guidelines:

Choose passwords that you can remember, but not ones that are easy to guess. For example, do not use the names of family members or pets for passwords. It is recommended that you do not write down passwords. If you do write it down, however, ensure that the password is stored in a secure place. Do not share passwords with other people. Ensure that people are not watching you when you type your password. If you forget any of your passwords, contact Dell (see "Contacting Dell" on page 26). For your protection, Dell technical support staff will ask you for proof of your identity to ensure that only an authorized person can use the Tablet-PC. Using a Primary (or System) Password The primary password allows you to protect the Tablet-PC from unauthorized access. When you first start your Tablet-PC, you must assign a primary password at the prompt. If you do not enter a password within 2 minutes, the Tablet-PC returns to its previous operating state. NOTICE: If you disable the administrator password, the primary password is also disabled. To add or change passwords, access User Accounts from the Control Panel. If you have assigned an administrator password, you can use it instead of the primary password. The Tablet-PC does not specifically prompt you for the administrator password. Securing Your Tablet-PC 101 Using an Administrator Password The administrator password is designed to give system administrators or service technicians access to computers for repair or reconfiguration. The administrators or technicians can assign identical administrator passwords to groups of computers, allowing you to assign a unique primary password. To set or change administrator passwords, access User Accounts from the Control Panel. When you set an administrator password, the Configure Setup option becomes available in system setup. The Configure Setup option allows you to restrict access to system setup in the same way that a primary password restricts access to the Tablet-PC. The administrator password can be used instead of the primary password. Whenever you are prompted to enter the primary password, you can enter the administrator password. NOTICE: If you disable the administrator password, the primary password is also disabled. NOTE: The administrator password provides access to the Tablet-PC, but it does not provide access to the hard drive when a hard drive password is assigned. If you forget the primary password and do not have an administrator password assigned, or if you have both a primary and an administrator password assigned but forget them both, contact your system administrator or contact Dell (see "Contacting Dell" on page 26). Using a Hard Drive Password The hard drive password helps protect the data on your hard drive from unauthorized access. You can also assign a password for an external hard drive

(if one is being used) that can be the same as or different from the password for the primary hard drive. To assign or change a hard drive password, enter system setup (see "Using the System Setup Program" on page 127). After assigning a hard drive password, you must enter it each time you turn on the Tablet-PC and each time you restore the Tablet-PC to normal operation from sleep mode. If the hard drive password is enabled, you must enter it each time you turn on the Tablet-PC: A message appears asking for the hard drive password. Securing Your Tablet-PC 102 To continue, enter your password (with no more than eight characters) and press <Enter>. If you do not enter a password within 2 minutes, the Tablet-PC returns to its previous operating state. If you enter the wrong password, a message tells you that the password is invalid. Press <Enter> to try again. If you do not enter the correct password in three attempts, the Tablet-PC tries to start from another bootable device if the Boot First Device option in system setup is set to allow start-up from another device. If the Boot First Device option is not set to allow the Tablet-PC to start from another device, the Tablet-PC returns to the operating state it was in when you turned it on. If the hard drive password, the external hard-drive password, and the primary password are the same, the Tablet-PC prompts you only for the primary password. If the hard drive password is different from the primary password, the Tablet-PC prompts you for both. Two different passwords provide greater security. NOTE: The administrator password provides access to the Tablet-PC, but it does not provide access to the hard drive when a hard drive password is assigned. Trusted Platform Module (TPM) NOTE: The TPM feature supports encryption only if the operating system supports TPM. For more information, see the TPM software documentation and the help files that came with the software. TPM is a hardware-based security feature that can be used to create and manage computer-generated encryption keys. When combined with security software, the TPM enhances existing network and computer security by enabling features such as file protection capabilities and protected e-mail. The TPM feature is enabled through a system setup option. NOTICE: To secure your TPM data and encryption keys, follow the backup procedures documented in the Broadcom Secure Foundation Getting Started Guide. In the event of these backups being incomplete, lost, or damaged, Dell will be unable to assist in the recovery of encrypted data. Enabling the TPM Feature 1 Enable the TPM software:

Securing Your Tablet-PC 103 a b Restart the Tablet-PC and press <F2> during the Power On Self Test to enter the system setup program. Select Security TPM Security and press <Enter>. c Under TPM Security, select On. d e Press <Esc> to exit the setup program. If prompted, click Save/Exit. 2 Activate the TPM setup program:

a b Restart the Tablet-PC and press <F2> during the Power On Self Test to enter the system setup program. Select Security TPM Activation and press <Enter>. c Under TPM Activation, select Activate and press <Enter>. NOTE: You only need to activate the program once. d Once the process is complete, the Tablet-PC either restarts automatically or prompts you to restart your Tablet-PC. Security Management Software The security management software is designed to use four different features to help you secure your Tablet-PC:

Log-in management Pre-boot authentication (using a biometric reader, smart card, or password) Encryption Private information management Activating the Security Management Software NOTE: You must first enable the TPM in order for the security management software to have full functionality. 1 2 Enable the TPM feature (see "Enabling the TPM Feature" on page 103). Load the security management software:

a Turn on (or restart) your Tablet-PC. Securing Your Tablet-PC 104 b When the DELL logo appears, press <F2> immediately. If you wait too long and the Windows logo appears, continue to wait until you see the Windows desktop. Then shut down your Tablet-PC and try again. c d e In the drop-down menu, select Wave EMBASSY Trust Suite and press

<Enter> to create the icons for the software components on the Tablet-PC desktop. Press <Esc> to exit the setup program. If prompted, click Save/Exit. Using the Security Management Software For information about how to use the software and the different security features, see the Getting Started Guide for the software:

Click Windows Vista Start button Trust Suite Getting Started Guide

. All Programs Wave EMBASSY Computer Tracking Software Computer tracking software may enable you to locate your Tablet-PC if it is lost or stolen. The software is optional and may be purchased when you order your Dell Tablet-PC, or you can contact your Dell sales representative for information about this security feature. NOTE: Computer tracking software may not be available in certain countries. NOTE: If you have computer tracking software and your Tablet-PC is lost or stolen, you must contact the company that provides the tracking service to report the missing Tablet-PC. If Your Tablet-PC Is Lost or Stolen Call a law enforcement agency to report the lost or stolen Tablet-PC. Include the Service Tag in your description of the Tablet-PC. Ask that a case number be assigned and write down the number, along with the name, address, and phone number of the law enforcement agency. If possible, obtain the name of the investigating officer. NOTE: If you know where the Tablet-PC was lost or stolen, call a law enforcement agency in that area. If you do not know, call a law enforcement agency where you live. Securing Your Tablet-PC 105 If the Tablet-PC belongs to a company, notify the security office of the company. Contact Dell customer service to report the missing Tablet-PC. Provide the Tablet-PC Service Tag, the case number, and the name, address, and phone number of the law enforcement agency to which you reported the missing Tablet-PC. If possible, give the name of the investigating officer. The Dell customer service representative will log your report under the Tablet-PC Service Tag and record the Tablet-PC as missing or stolen. If someone calls Dell for technical assistance and gives your Service Tag, the Tablet-PC is identified automatically as missing or stolen. The representative will attempt to get the phone number and address of the caller. Dell will then contact the law enforcement agency to which you reported the missing Tablet-PC. Securing Your Tablet-PC 106 Cleaning Your Tablet-PC CAUTION: Before you begin any of the procedures in this section, follow the safety instructions in the Product Information Guide. Tablet-PC, Keyboard, and Display CAUTION: Before you clean your Tablet-PC, disconnect the Tablet-PC from the electrical outlet and, if necessary, the optional media base or battery slice. Remove any installed batteries. Clean your Tablet-PC with a soft cloth dampened with water. Do not use liquid or aerosol cleaners, which may contain flammable substances. Use a can of compressed air to remove dust from between the keys on the keyboard. NOTICE: To avoid damaging the Tablet-PC or display, do not spray cleaning solution directly onto the display. Only use products specifically designed for cleaning displays, and follow the instructions that are included with the product. Moisten a soft, lint-free cloth with either water or a display cleaner, and wipe the display until it is clean. Moisten a soft, lint-free cloth with water and wipe the Tablet-PC and keyboard. Do not allow water from the cloth to seep between the touch pad and the surrounding palm rest. Touch Pad 1 2 3 4 Shut down and turn off your Tablet-PC. Disconnect any attached devices from the Tablet-PC and from their electrical outlets. If applicable, undock your Tablet-PC from the optional media base or battery slice. Remove any installed batteries (see "Removing the Main Battery" on page 143). Cleaning Your Tablet-PC 107 5 Moisten a soft, lint-free cloth with water, and wipe it gently across the surface of the touch pad. Do not allow water from the cloth to seep between the touch pad and the surrounding palm rest. Optical Drives and Optical Drive Media NOTICE: Always use compressed air to clean the lens in an optical drive, and follow the instructions that come with the compressed-air product. Never touch the lens in the drive. NOTE: Unless you purchased either an optional external D/bay or an optional media base with your Tablet-PC, you may not be able to use optical drives or optical drive media with your Tablet-PC. If you notice problems, such as skipping, with the playback quality of your optical media, try cleaning the disc. 1 2 Hold the disc by its outer edge. You can also touch the inside edge of the center hole. NOTICE: To avoid damaging the surface, do not wipe in a circular motion around the disc. With a soft, lint-free cloth, gently wipe the bottom of the disc (the unlabeled side) in a straight line from the center to the outer edge of the disc. For stubborn dirt, try using water or a diluted solution of water and mild soap. You can also purchase commercial products that clean discs and provide some protection from dust, fingerprints, and scratches. Cleaning products for CDs are also safe to use on DVDs. Cleaning Your Tablet-PC 108 Troubleshooting Some of the tools you may be using as you troubleshoot problems on your Tablet-PC include:

Dell Diagnostics Dell Support Utility Windows Hardware Troubleshooter Dell Diagnostics CAUTION: Before you begin any of the procedures in this section, follow the safety instructions in the Product Information Guide. NOTICE: The Dell Diagnostics works only on Dell computers. When to Use the Dell Diagnostics If you experience a problem with your Tablet-PC, perform the checks in Lockups and Software Problems (see "Lockups and Software Problems" on page 118), and run the Dell Diagnostics before you contact Dell for technical assistance. It is recommended that you print these procedures before you begin. See "Using the System Setup Program" on page 127 to review your Tablet-

PCs configuration information, and ensure that the device that you want to test displays in the system setup program and is active. Start the Dell Diagnostics from your hard drive or from the Drivers and Utilities media. NOTE: The Drivers and Utilities media is optional and may not ship with your Tablet-

PC. Starting the Dell Diagnostics From Your Hard Drive The Dell Diagnostics is located on a hidden diagnostic utility partition on your hard drive. Troubleshooting 109 NOTE: If your Tablet-PC does not display a screen image, contact Dell (see

"Contacting Dell" on page 26). NOTE: If the Tablet-PC is connected to a docking device (docked), undock it. See

"Undocking Your Tablet-PC From the Media Base" on page 194 and "Undocking Your Tablet-PC From the Battery Slice" on page 202 for instructions if applicable. Ensure that the Tablet-PC is connected to an electrical outlet that is known to be working properly. Turn on (or restart) your Tablet-PC. Start the Dell Diagnostics in one of the following two ways:

NOTE: If you wait too long and the operating system logo appears, continue to wait until you see the Microsoft Windows desktop; then, shut down your Tablet-PC and try again. When the DELL logo appears, press <F12> immediately. Select Diagnostics from the boot menu and press <Enter>. NOTE: Before attempting the following option, the Tablet-PC must be powered down completely. Press and hold the <Fn> key while powering the Tablet-PC on. NOTE: If you see a message stating that no diagnostics utility partition has been found, run the Dell Diagnostics from the Drivers and Utilities media. The Tablet-PC runs the Pre-boot System Assessment (PSA), a series of initial tests of your system board, keyboard, display, memory, hard drive, etc. During the assessment, answer any questions that appear. If failures are detected during the Pre-boot System Assessment, write down the error code(s) and contact Dell (see "Contacting Dell" on page 26). If the Pre-boot System Assessment completes successfully, the following message appears: "Booting Dell Diagnostic Utility Partition.Press any key to continue."

Press any key to start the Dell Diagnostics from the diagnostics utility partition on your hard drive. When the Dell Diagnostics Main Menu appears, select the test you want to run. See "Dell Diagnostics Main Menu" on page 111. 1 2 3 4 5 Troubleshooting 110 Starting the Dell Diagnostics From the Drivers and Utilities Media 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 Insert the Drivers and Utilities media. Shut down and restart the Tablet-PC. When the DELL logo appears, press <F12> immediately. NOTE: If you wait too long and the operating system logo appears, continue to wait until you see the Microsoft Windows desktop; then, shut down your Tablet-PC and try again. NOTE: The next steps change the boot sequence for one time only. On the next start-up, the Tablet-PC boots according to the devices specified in the system setup program. When the boot device list appears, highlight CD/DVD/CD-RW and press

<Enter>. Select the Boot from CD-ROM option from the menu that appears and press <Enter>. Type 1 to start the CD menu and press <Enter> to proceed. Select Run the 32 Bit Dell Diagnostics from the numbered list. If multiple versions are listed, select the version appropriate for your Tablet-

PC. When the Dell Diagnostics Main Menu appears, select the test you want to run. Dell Diagnostics Main Menu 1 After the Dell Diagnostics loads and the Main Menu 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 Tablet-PC. Option Function Test Memory Run the stand-alone memory test Test System Run System Diagnostics Exit Exit the Diagnostics Troubleshooting 111 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 Tablet-PC. Option Function Express Test Extended Test Custom Test Symptom Tree Performs a quick test of devices in the system. This typically can take 10 to 20 minutes. Performs a thorough check of devices in the system. This typically can take an hour or more. Use to test a specific device or customize the tests to be run. This option allows you to select tests based on a symptom of the problem you are having. This option lists the most common symptoms. 3 4 If a problem is encountered during a test, a message appears with an error code and a description of the problem. Write down the error code and problem description and contact Dell (see "Contacting Dell" on page 26). NOTE: The Service Tag for your Tablet-PC is located at the top of each test screen. If you contact Dell, technical support will ask for your Service Tag. If you run a test from the Custom Test or Symptom Tree option, click the applicable tab described in the following table for more information. Tab Results Errors Help Function Displays the results of the test and any error conditions encountered. Displays error conditions encountered, error codes, and the problem description. Describes the test and may indicate requirements for running the test. Troubleshooting 112 Tab Function (continued) Configuration Displays your hardware configuration for the selected device. The Dell Diagnostics obtains configuration information for all devices from system setup, memory, and various internal tests, and it displays the information in the device list in the left pane of the screen. The device list may not display the names of all the components installed on your Tablet-PC or all devices attached to your Tablet-PC. Parameters Allows you to customize the test by changing the test settings. 5 6 When the tests are complete, close the test screen to return to the Main Menu screen. To exit the Dell Diagnostics and restart the Tablet-PC, close the Main Menu screen. Remove the Dell Drivers and Utilities media (if applicable). Dell Support Utility The Dell Support Utility, installed on your Tablet-PC, provides self-support information, software updates, and health scans of your computing environment. Access the Dell Support Utility from the icon on the taskbar or from the Windows Vista Start button menu. Accessing the Dell Support Utility If the Dell Support icon does not appear in your taskbar:

1 2 Click Windows Vista Start button Dell Support Settings. All Programs Dell Support Ensure that the Show icon on the taskbar option is checked. NOTE: If the Dell Support Utility is not available from the Windows Vista Start button menu, go to support.dell.com and download the software. Troubleshooting 113 The Dell Support Utility is customized for your computing environment. The icon in the taskbar functions differently when you click, double-

click, or right-click the icon. Clicking the Dell Support Icon Click or right-click the icon to perform the following tasks:

Check your computing environment View the Dell Support Utility settings Access the help file for the Dell Support Utility View frequently asked questions Learn more about the Dell Support Utility Turn the Dell Support Utility off Windows Hardware Troubleshooter If a device is either not detected during the operating system setup or is detected but incorrectly configured, you can use the Hardware Troubleshooter to resolve the incompatibility. To start the Hardware Troubleshooter:

1 2 3 Click Start

, and click Help and Support. Type hardware troubleshooter in the search field and press

<Enter> to start the search. In the search results, select the option that best describes the problem and follow the remaining troubleshooting steps. Solving Problems Follow these tips when you troubleshoot your Tablet-PC:

If you added or removed a part before the problem started, review the installation procedures and ensure that the part is correctly installed. If a peripheral device does not work, ensure that the device is properly connected. If an error message appears on the screen, write down the exact message. This message may help support personnel diagnose and fix the problem. Troubleshooting 114 If an error message occurs in a program, see the programs documentation. NOTE: The procedures in this document were written for the Windows default view, so they may not apply if you set your Dell Tablet-PC to the Windows Classic view. Hard Drive Problems CAUTION: Before you begin any of the procedures in this section, follow the safety instructions in the Product Information Guide. E N S U R E T H A T M I C R O S O F T W I N D O W S R E C O G N I Z E S T H E D R I V E Click Start and click Computer. If the drive is not listed, perform a full scan with your antivirus software to check for and remove viruses. Viruses can sometimes prevent Windows from recognizing the drive. R U N C H E C K D I S K Click Windows Vista Start Computer. 1 2 3 4 Right-click Local Disk C:. Click Properties Tools Check Now. The User Account Control window may appear. If you are an administrator on the Tablet-PC, click Continue; otherwise, contact your administrator to continue the desired action. Follow the instructions on the screen. TE S T T H E D R I V E Insert another drive to eliminate the possibility that the original drive is defective. R U N T H E W I N D O W S H A R D W A R E T R O U B L E S H O O T E R See "Windows Hardware Troubleshooter" on page 114. R U N T H E D E L L D I A G N O S T I C S See "Dell Diagnostics" on page 109. Optical Drive Problems NOTE: Unless you purchased either an optional external D-bay or an optional media base with your Tablet-PC, you may not be able to use optical drives or optical drive media with your Tablet-PC. NOTE: High-speed optical drive vibration is normal and may cause noise, which does not indicate a defect in the drive or the media. NOTE: Because of different regions worldwide and different disc formats, not all DVD titles work in all DVD drives. Troubleshooting 115 C L E A N T H E O P T I C A L D R I V E O R O P T I C A L D R I V E M E D I A See "Optical Drives and Optical Drive Media" on page 108. C H E C K T H E C A B L E C O N N E C T I O N S A D J U S T T H E W I N D O W S V O L U M E C O N T R O L Click the speaker icon in the lower-right corner of your screen. Ensure that the volume is turned up by clicking the slidebar and dragging it up. Ensure that the sound is not muted by clicking any boxes that are checked. R U N T H E W I N D O W S H A R D W A R E T R O U B L E S H O O T E R See "Windows Hardware Troubleshooter" on page 114. R U N T H E D E L L D I A G N O S T I C S See "Dell Diagnostics" on page 109. Problems writing to an optical drive NOTE: Unless you purchased either an optional external D-bay or an optional media base with your Tablet-PC, you may not be able to use optical drives or optical drive media with your Tablet-PC. C L O S E O T H E R P R O G R A M S The optical drive must receive a steady stream of data during the writing process. If the stream is interrupted, an error occurs. Try closing all programs before you write to the optical. TU R N O F F S L E E P M O D E I N W I N D O W S B E F O R E W R I T I N G T O A D I S C See

"Configuring Power Management Settings" on page 72 or search for the keyword sleep in Windows Help and Support for information on power management modes. E-Mail and Internet Problems CAUTION: Before you begin any of the procedures in this section, follow the safety instructions in the Product Information Guide. NOTE: Do not plug a telephone cable into the network adapter connector (see

"Back View" on page 36). C H E C K T H E M I C R O S O F T O U T L O O K E X P R E S S S E C U R I T Y S E T T I N G S If you cannot open your e-mail attachments:

In Outlook Express, click Tools Options Security. 1 2 Click Do not allow attachments to remove the checkmark, as needed. E N S U R E T H A T Y O U A R E C O N N E C T E D T O T H E I N T E R N E T Ensure that you have subscribed to an Internet provider. With the Outlook Express e-mail program open, click File. If Work Offline has a checkmark next to it, click the checkmark to remove it and connect to the Internet. For help, contact your Internet service provider. Troubleshooting 116 Error Messages CAUTION: Before you begin any of the procedures in this section, follow the safety instructions in the Product Information Guide. If the error message is not listed, see the documentation for the operating system or the program that was running when the message appeared. A F I L E N A M E C A N N O T C O N T A I N A N Y O F T H E F O L L O W I N G C H A R A C T E R S: \ / : * ? <

> | Do not use these characters in filenames. A R E Q U I R E D .DLL F I L E W A S N O T F O U N D The program that you are trying to open is missing an essential file. To remove and then reinstall the program:

Control Panel Programs Programs Click Windows Vista Start button and Features. Select the program you want to remove. Click Uninstall. 1 2 3 4 See the program documentation for installation instructions. d r i v e l e t t e r : \ I S N O T A C C E S S I B L E . T H E D E V I C E I S N O T R E A D Y The drive cannot read the disk. Insert a disk into the drive and try again. I N S E R T B O O T A B L E M E D I A Insert a bootable CD or DVD into the optional external D-bay or the optional media base. N O T E N O U G H M E M O R Y O R R E S O U R C E S. C L O S E S O M E P R O G R A M S A N D T R Y A G A I N Close all windows and open the program that you want to use. In some cases, you may have to restart your Tablet-PC to restore Tablet-PC resources. If so, run the program that you want to use first. O P E R A T I N G S YS T E M N O T F O U N D Contact Dell (see "Contacting Dell" on page 26). IEEE 1394 Device Problems CAUTION: Before you begin any of the procedures in this section, follow the safety instructions in the Product Information Guide. NOTE: Your Tablet-PC supports only IEEE 1394a standard. E N S U R E T H A T T H E C A B L E F O R T H E IEEE 1394 D E V I C E I S P R O P E R L Y I N S E R T E D I N T O T H E D E V I C E A N D I N T O T H E C O N N E C T O R O N T H E TA B L E T -PC E N S U R E T H A T T H E IEEE 1394 D E V I C E I S E N A B L E D I N S YS T E M S E T U P See

"System Setup Screens" on page 128. E N S U R E T H A T T H E IEEE 1394 D E V I C E I S R E C O G N I Z E D B Y W I N D O W S 1 Click Windows Vista Start button Control Panel Hardware and Sound. Troubleshooting 117 2 Click Device Manager. If your IEEE 1394 device is listed, Windows recognizes the device. I F Y O U H A V E P R O B L E M S W I T H A D E L L IEEE 1394 D E V I C E Contact Dell (see

"Contacting Dell" on page 26). I F Y O U H A V E P R O B L E M S W I T H A N IEEE 1394 D E V I C E N O T P R O V I D E D B Y D E L L Contact the IEEE 1394 device manufacturer. Lockups and Software Problems CAUTION: Before you begin any of the procedures in this section, follow the safety instructions in the Product Information Guide. The Tablet-PC does not start up E N S U R E T H A T T H E P O W E R C A B L E I S F I R M L Y C O N N E C T E D T O T H E TA B L E T - P C A N D T O T H E E L E C T R I C A L O U T L E T The Tablet-PC stops responding NOTICE: You may lose data if you are unable to perform an operating system shutdown. TU R N T H E TA B L E T - P C O F F If you are unable to get a response by pressing a key on your keyboard or touching your display with the pen or your finger, press and hold the power button for at least 8 to 10 seconds (until the Tablet-PC turns off), and then restart your Tablet-PC. A program stops responding E N D T H E P R O G R A M 1 2 3 4 Press <Ctrl><Shift><Esc> simultaneously to access the Task Manager. Click the Applications tab. Click to select the program that is no longer responding. Click End Task. A program crashes repeatedly NOTE: Most software includes installation instructions in its documentation, or on a CD or DVD. C H E C K T H E S O F T W A R E D O C U M E N T A T I O N If necessary, uninstall and then reinstall the program. Troubleshooting 118 A program is designed for an earlier Windows operating system R U N T H E P R O G R A M C O M P A T I B I L I T Y W I Z A R D The Program Compatibility Wizard configures a program so that it runs in an environment similar to non-Windows Vista operating system environments. Click Windows Vista Start button Control Panel Programs Use an 1 2 3 older program with this version of Windows. In the welcome screen, click Next. Follow the instructions on the screen. A solid blue screen appears TU R N T H E TA B L E T - P C O F F If you are unable to get a response by pressing a key on your keyboard or touching your display with the pen or your finger, press and hold the power button for at least 8 to 10 seconds (until the Tablet-PC turns off), and then restart your Tablet-PC. Other software problems C H E C K T H E S O F T W A R E D O C U M E N T A T I O N O R C O N T A C T T H E S O F T W A R E M A N U F A C T U R E R F O R T R O U B L E S H O O T I N G I N F O R M A T I O N Ensure that the program is compatible with the operating system installed on your Tablet-PC. Ensure that your Tablet-PC meets the minimum hardware requirements needed to run the software. See the software documentation for information. Ensure that the program is installed and configured properly. Verify that the device drivers do not conflict with the program. If necessary, uninstall and then reinstall the program. B A C K U P Y O U R F I L E S I M M E D I A T E L Y U S E A V I R U S - S C A N N I N G P R O G R A M T O C H E C K T H E H A R D D R I V E , C D S , O R D V D S S A V E A N D C L O S E A N Y O P E N F I L E S O R P R O G R A M S A N D S H U T D O W N Y O U R TA B L E T-

P C T H R O U G H T H E S T A R T M E N U Memory Problems CAUTION: Before you begin any of the procedures in this section, follow the safety instructions in the Product Information Guide. I F Y O U R E C E I V E A N I N S U F F I C I E N T M E M O R Y M E S S A G E Troubleshooting 119 Save and close any open files and exit any open programs you are not using to see if that resolves the problem. See the software documentation for minimum memory requirements. If necessary, install additional memory (see "Installing a Memory Module" on page 152). Reseat the memory modules (see "Memory" on page 151) to ensure that your Tablet-

PC is successfully communicating with the memory. Run the Dell Diagnostics (see "Dell Diagnostics" on page 109). I F Y O U E X P E R I E N C E O T H E R M E M O R Y P R O B L E M S Reseat the memory modules (see "Memory" on page 151) to ensure that your Tablet-

PC is successfully communicating with the memory. Ensure that you are following the memory installation guidelines (see "Installing a Memory Module" on page 152). Ensure that the memory you are using is supported by your Tablet-PC. For more information about the type of memory supported by your Tablet-PC, see "Memory" on page 151. Run the Dell Diagnostics (see "Dell Diagnostics" on page 109). Network Problems CAUTION: Before you begin any of the procedures in this section, follow the safety instructions in the Product Information Guide. C H E C K T H E N E T W O R K C A B L E C O N N E C T O R Ensure that the network cable is firmly inserted into the network connector on the back of the Tablet-PC and the network jack. C H E C K T H E N E T W O R K L I G H T S O N T H E B A C K O F T H E TA B L E T -PC If the link integrity light is off, no network communication is occurring. Replace the network cable. R E S T A R T T H E TA B L E T - P C A N D L O G O N T O T H E N E T W O R K A G A I N C H E C K Y O U R N E T W O R K S E T T I N G S 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. R U N T H E H A R D W A R E TR O U B L E S H O O T E R See "Windows Hardware Troubleshooter" on page 114. Power Problems CAUTION: Before you begin any of the procedures in this section, follow the safety instructions in the Product Information Guide. Troubleshooting 120 I F T H E P O W E R L I G H T I S B L I N K I N G B L U E The computer is in sleep mode. Press a key on the keyboard, move the mouse, or press the power button to resume normal operation. I F T H E P O W E R L I G H T I S O F F The computer is either turned off or is not receiving power. Reseat the power cable in the power connector on the back of the computer and the electrical outlet. Bypass power strips, power extension cables, and other power protection devices to verify that the computer turns on properly. Ensure that any power strips being used are plugged into an electrical outlet and are turned on. Ensure that the electrical outlet is working by testing it with another device, such as a lamp. I F T H E P O W E R L I G H T I S S T E A D Y A M B E R A device may be malfunctioning or incorrectly installed. Remove and then reinstall all memory modules (see "Memory" on page 151). E L I M I N A T E I N T E R F E R E N C E Some possible causes of interference are:

Power, keyboard, and mouse extension cables Too many devices connected to the same power strip Multiple power strips connected to the same electrical outlet Printer Problems CAUTION: Before you begin any of the procedures in this section, follow the safety instructions in the Product Information Guide. NOTE: If you need technical assistance for your printer, contact the printers manufacturer. C H E C K T H E P R I N T E R D O C U M E N T A T I O N See the printer documentation for setup and troubleshooting information. E N S U R E T H A T T H E P R I N T E R I S T U R N E D O N C H E C K T H E P R I N T E R C A B L E C O N N E C T I O N S See the printer documentation for cable connection information. Ensure that the printer cables are securely connected to the printer and the Tablet-

PC. TE S T T H E E L E C T R I C A L O U T L E T Ensure that the electrical outlet is working by testing it with another device, such as a lamp. Troubleshooting 121 V E R I F Y T H A T T H E P R I N T E R I S R E C O G N I Z E D B Y W I N D O W S 1 Click Windows Vista Start button Control Panel Hardware and Sound Printer. If the printer is listed, right-click the printer icon. Click Properties and click Ports. Adjust the settings, as needed. 2 3 4 R E I N S T A L L T H E P R I N T E R D R I V E R See the printer documentation for information on reinstalling the printer driver. Scanner Problems CAUTION: Before you begin any of the procedures in this section, follow the safety instructions in the Product Information Guide. NOTE: If you need technical assistance for your scanner, contact the scanners manufacturer. C H E C K T H E S C A N N E R D O C U M E N T A T I O N See the scanner documentation for setup and troubleshooting information. U N L O C K T H E S C A N N E R Ensure that your scanner is unlocked (if the scanner has a locking tab or button). R E S T A R T T H E TA B L E T - P C A N D T R Y T H E S C A N N E R A G A I N C H E C K T H E C A B L E C O N N E C T I O N S See the scanner documentation for information on cable connections. Ensure that the scanner cables are securely connected to the scanner and the Tablet-

PC. V E R I F Y T H A T T H E S C A N N E R I S R E C O G N I Z E D B Y M I C R O S O F T W I N D O W S Control Panel Hardware and Sound Click Windows Vista Start button Scanners and Cameras. 1 2 If the scanner is listed, Windows recognizes the scanner. R E I N S T A L L T H E S C A N N E R D R I V E R See the scanner documentation for instructions. Sound and Speaker Problems NOTE: The volume control in MP3 and other media players may override the Windows volume setting. Always check to ensure that the volume on the media player(s) has not been turned down or off. Troubleshooting 122 CAUTION: Before you begin any of the procedures in this section, follow the safety instructions in the Product Information Guide. No sound from integrated speakers A D J U S T T H E W I N D O W S V O L U M E C O N T R O L Click or double-click the speaker icon in the lower-right corner of your screen. Ensure that the volume is turned up and that the sound is not muted. R E I N S T A L L T H E S O U N D D R I V E R See "Using the Drivers and Utilities Media" on page 132. No sound from external speakers E N S U R E T H A T T H E S U B W O O F E R A N D T H E S P E A K E R S A R E T U R N E D O N See the setup diagram supplied with the speakers. If your speakers have volume controls, adjust the volume, bass, or treble to eliminate distortion. A D J U S T T H E W I N D O W S V O L U M E C O N T R O L Click or double-click the speaker icon in the lower-right corner of your screen. Ensure that the volume is turned up and that the sound is not muted. D I S C O N N E C T H E A D P H O N E S F R O M T H E H E A D P H O N E C O N N E C T O R Sound from the speaker is automatically disabled when headphones are connected to the Tablet-PC headphone connector. TE S T T H E E L E C T R I C A L O U T L E T Ensure that the electrical outlet is working by testing it with another device, such as a lamp. E L I M I N A T E P O S S I B L E I N T E R F E R E N C E Turn off nearby fans, fluorescent lights, or halogen lamps to check for interference. R U N T H E S P E A K E R D I A G N O S T I C S R E I N S T A L L T H E A U D I O D R I V E R See "Reinstalling Drivers and Utilities" on page 132. R U N T H E H A R D W A R E TR O U B L E S H O O T E R See "Windows Hardware Troubleshooter" on page 114. No sound from headphones C H E C K T H E H E A D P H O N E C A B L E C O N N E C T I O N Ensure that the headphone cable is securely inserted into the headphone connector (see "Right Side View" on page 34). A D J U S T T H E W I N D O W S V O L U M E C O N T R O L Click or double-click the speaker icon in the lower-right corner of your screen. Ensure that the volume is turned up and that the sound is not muted. Troubleshooting 123 Touch Pad or Mouse Problems C H E C K T H E T O U C H P A D S E T T I N G S 1 2 Click Windows Vista Start button Other Hardware Mouse. Try adjusting the settings. Control Panel Printers and C H E C K T H E M O U S E C A B L E Shut down the Tablet-PC. Disconnect the mouse cable, check it for damage, and firmly reconnect the cable. If you are using a mouse extension cable, disconnect it and connect the mouse directly to the Tablet-PC. TO V E R I F Y T H A T T H E P R O B L E M I S W I T H T H E M O U S E , C H E C K T H E T O U C H P A D 1 2 3 4 Shut down the Tablet-PC. Disconnect the mouse. Turn on the Tablet-PC. At the Windows desktop, use the touch pad to move the cursor around, select an icon, and open it. If the touch pad operates correctly, the mouse may be defective. C H E C K T H E S YS T E M S E T U P P R O G R A M S E T T I N G S Verify that the system setup program lists the correct device for the pointing device option. (The Tablet-PC automatically recognizes a USB mouse without making any setting adjustments.) For more information on using the system setup program, see "Using the System Setup Program" on page 127. TE S T T H E M O U S E C O N T R O L L E R To test the mouse controller (which affects pointer movement) and the operation of the touch pad or mouse buttons, run the Mouse test in the Pointing Devices test group in the Dell Diagnostics (see "Dell Diagnostics" on page 109). R E I N S T A L L T H E T O U C H P A D D R I V E R See "Reinstalling Drivers and Utilities" on page 132. Pen Problems CAUTION: Before you begin any of the procedures in this section, follow the safety instructions in the Product Information Guide. The pen stops working C H E C K T I P I N S T A L L A T I O N Troubleshooting 124 Replace the pen tip. See "Replacing the Pen Tip" on page 61. If this does not solve the problem, contact Dell. See "Contacting Dell" on page 26. Display Problems CAUTION: Before you begin any of the procedures in this section, follow the safety instructions in the Product Information Guide. The screen is difficult to read R O T A T E T H E D I S P L A Y T O E L I M I N A T E S U N L I G H T G L A R E A N D P O S S I B L E I N T E R F E R E N C E A D J U S T T H E W I N D O W S D I S P L A Y S E T T I N G S 1 2 Click Windows Vista Start button Control Panel Personalization Display Settings. Adjust Resolution and Colors settings, as needed. Hardware and Sound If only part of the display is readable C O N N E C T A N E X T E R N A L M O N I T O R 1 2 Shut down your Tablet-PC and connect an external monitor to the Tablet-

PC. Turn on the Tablet-PC and the monitor and adjust the monitor brightness and contrast controls. If the external monitor works, the Tablet-PC display or video controller may be defective. Contact Dell (see "Contacting Dell" on page 26). Power Lights CAUTION: Before you begin any of the procedures in this section, follow the safety instructions in the Product Information Guide. The power button LED ring located on the Tablet-PC display illuminates and blinks or remains solid to indicate different states:

If the power light is blinking blue, the computer is in sleep mode. Press a key on the keyboard, move the mouse, or press the power button to resume normal operation. If the power light is off, the computer is either turned off or is not receiving power. Troubleshooting 125 Reseat the power cable into both the power connector on the back of the computer and the electrical outlet If the computer is plugged into a power strip, ensure that the power strip is plugged into an electrical outlet and that the power strip is turned on Bypass power protection devices, power strips, and power extension cables to verify that the computer turns on properly Ensure that the electrical outlet is working by testing it with another device, such as a lamp If the power light is blinking blue, the computer is receiving electrical power, but an internal power problem might exist. If the power light is steady amber, a device may be malfunctioning or incorrectly installed. Remove and then reinstall the memory modules (see "Memory" on page 151) Eliminate interference. Some possible causes of interference are:

Power, keyboard, and mouse extension cables Too many devices on a power strip Multiple power strips connected to the same electrical outlet Troubleshooting 126 Using the System Setup Program Overview NOTE: Your operating system may automatically configure most of the options available in the system setup program, thus overriding options that you set through the system setup program. (An exception is the External Hot Key option, which you can disable or enable only through the system setup program.) For more information on configuring features for your operating system, access the Help and Support Center. To access the Help and Support Center, click Start Help and Support. You can use the system setup program as follows:

To set or change user-selectable featuresfor example, your Tablet-PC password To verify information about the Tablet-PC's current configuration, for example, the amount of system memory After you set up the Tablet-PC, run the system setup program to familiarize yourself with your system configuration information and optional settings. You may want to write down the information for future reference. The system setup screens display the current setup information and settings for your Tablet-PC, such as:

System configuration Boot order Boot (start-up) configuration and docking-device configuration settings Basic device-configuration settings System security and hard-drive password settings NOTE: Unless you are an expert computer user or are directed to do so by Dell technical support, do not change the system setup settings. Certain changes might make your Tablet-PC work incorrectly. Using the System Setup Program 127 System Setup Screens Viewing the System Setup Screens 1 2 Turn on (or restart) your Tablet-PC. When the DELL logo appears, press <F2> immediately. If you wait too long and the Microsoft Windows logo appears, continue to wait until you see the Windows desktop. Then shut down your Tablet-PC and try again. NOTE: For information about a specific item on a system setup screen, highlight the item and see the Help area on the screen. On each screen, the system setup options are listed at the left. To the right of each option is the setting or value for that option. You can change settings that appear as white type on the screen. Options or values that you cannot change (because they are determined by the Tablet-PC) appear less bright. The upper-right corner of the screen displays help information for the currently highlighted option; the lower-right corner displays information about the Tablet-PC. System-setup key functions are listed across the bottom of the screen. Commonly Used Options Certain options require that you reboot the Tablet-PC for new settings to take effect. Changing the Boot Sequence The boot sequence, or boot order, tells the Tablet-PC where to look to find the software needed to start the operating system. You can control the boot sequence and enable or disable devices using the Boot Order page of the system setup program. NOTE: To change the boot sequence on a one-time-only basis, see "Performing a One-Time Boot" on page 129. The Boot Order page displays a general list of the bootable devices that may be installed in your Tablet-PC, including but not limited to the following:

Modular Bay HDD Internal HDD Using the System Setup Program 128 Optical Drive During the boot routine, the Tablet-PC starts at the top of the list and scans each enabled device for the operating system start-up files. When the Tablet-

PC finds the files, it stops searching and starts the operating system. To control the boot devices, select (highlight) a device by pressing the down-

arrow or up-arrow key, and then enable or disable the device or change its order in the list. To enable or disable a device, highlight the item and press the space bar. Enabled items appear as white and display a small triangle to the left;

disabled items appear blue or dimmed without a triangle. To reorder a device in the list, highlight the device and then press <u> or

<d> (not case-sensitive) to move the highlighted device up or down. Boot sequence changes take effect as soon as you save the changes and exit the system setup program. Performing a One-Time Boot You can set a one-time-only boot sequence without entering the system setup program. (You can also use this procedure to boot the Dell Diagnostics on the diagnostics utility partition on your hard drive.) 1 2 3 4 5 Shut down the Tablet-PC through the Windows Vista Start button menu. If the Tablet-PC is connected to a docking device (docked), undock it. See the documentation that came with your docking device for instructions. Connect the Tablet-PC to an electrical outlet. Turn on the Tablet-PC. When the DELL logo appears, press <F12>

immediately. If you wait too long and the Windows logo appears, continue to wait until you see the Windows desktop. Then shut down your Tablet-PC and try again. When the boot device list appears, highlight the device from which you want to boot and press <Enter>. The Tablet-PC boots to the selected device. The next time you reboot the Tablet-PC, the previous boot order is restored. Using the System Setup Program 129 Using the System Setup Program 130 Reinstalling Software Drivers What Is a Driver?

A driver is a program that controls a device such as a printer, mouse, or keyboard. All devices require a driver program. A driver acts like a translator between the device and any other programs that use the device. Each device has its own set of specialized commands that only its driver recognizes. Dell ships your Tablet-PC to you with required drivers already installedno further installation or configuration is needed. NOTICE: The Drivers and Utilities media may contain drivers for operating systems that are not on your Tablet-PC. Ensure that you are installing software appropriate for your operating system. Many drivers, such as the keyboard driver, come with your Microsoft Windows operating system. You may need to install drivers if you:

Upgrade your operating system. Reinstall your operating system. Connect or install a new device. Identifying Drivers If you experience a problem with any device, identify whether the driver is the source of your problem and, if necessary, update the driver. 1 2 Click Start

, and right-click Computer. Click Properties Device Manager. Reinstalling Software 131 NOTE: The User Account Control window may appear. If you are an administrator on the Tablet-PC, click Continue; otherwise, contact your administrator to continue. Scroll down the list to see if any device has an exclamation point (a yellow circle with a [

!]

) on the device icon. If an exclamation point is next to the device name, you may need to reinstall the driver or install a new driver (see "Reinstalling Drivers and Utilities" on page 132). Reinstalling Drivers and Utilities NOTICE: The Dell Support website at support.dell.com and your Drivers and Utilities media provide approved drivers for Dell computers. If you install drivers obtained from other sources, your Tablet-PC might not work correctly. Using Windows Device Driver Rollback If a problem occurs on your Tablet-PC after you install or update a driver, use Windows Device Driver Rollback to replace the driver with the previously installed version. 1 2 3 4 Click Start

, and right-click Computer. Click Properties Device Manager. NOTE: The User Account Control window may appear. If you are an administrator on the Tablet-PC, click Continue; otherwise, contact your administrator to enter the Device Manager. Right-click the device for which the new driver was installed and click Properties. Click the Drivers tab Roll Back Driver. If Device Driver Rollback does not resolve the problem, then use System Restore (see "Restoring Your Operating System" on page 134) to return your Tablet-PC to the operating state that existed before you installed the new driver. Using the Drivers and Utilities Media If using Device Driver Rollback or System Restore (see "Restoring Your Operating System" on page 134) does not resolve the problem, then reinstall the driver from the Drivers and Utilities media. Reinstalling Software 132 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 Save and close any open files, and exit any open programs. Insert the Drivers and Utilities media. In most cases, the CD/DVD starts running automatically. If it does not, start Windows Explorer, click your CD/DVD drive directory to display the CD/DVD contents, and then double-click the autorcd.exe file. The first time that you run the CD/DVD, it might prompt you to install setup files. Click OK, and follow the instructions on the screen to continue. From the Language drop-down menu in the toolbar, select your preferred language for the driver or utility (if available). At the welcome screen, click Next and wait for the CD/DVD to complete the hardware scan To detect other drivers and utilities, under Search Criteria, select the appropriate categories from the System Model, Operating System, and Topic drop-down menus. A link or links appear(s) for the specific drivers and utilities used by your Tablet-PC. Click the link of a specific driver or utility to display information about the driver or utility that you want to install. Click the Install button (if present) to begin installing the driver or utility. At the welcome screen, follow the screen prompts to complete the installation. If no Install button is present, automatic installation is not an option. For installation instructions, either see the appropriate instructions in the following subsections, or click Extract, follow the extracting instructions, and then read the readme file. If instructed to navigate to the driver files, click the CD/DVD directory on the driver information window to display the files associated with that driver. Manually Reinstalling Drivers After extracting the driver files to your hard drive as described in the previous section:

1 2 Click Start

, and right-click Computer. Click Properties Device Manager. Reinstalling Software 133 NOTE: The User Account Control window may appear. If you are an administrator on the Tablet-PC, click Continue; otherwise, contact your administrator to enter the Device Manager. Double-click the type of device for which you are installing the driver (for example, Audio or Video). Double-click the name of the device for which you are installing the driver. Click Driver Update Driver Browse my computer for driver software. Click Browse and browse to the location to which you previously copied the driver files. When the name of the appropriate driver appears, click the name of the driver OK Next. Click Finish and restart your Tablet-PC. 3 4 5 6 7 8 Restoring Your Operating System You can restore your operating system in the following ways:

System Restore returns your Tablet-PC to an earlier operating state without affecting data files. Use System Restore as the first solution for restoring your operating system and preserving data files. Dell Factory Image Restore returns your hard drive to the operating state it was in when you purchased the Tablet-PC. All data on the hard drive and any programs installed after you received the Tablet-PC are permanently deleted. Use Dell Factory Image Restore only if System Restore did not resolve your operating system problem. If you received an Operating System disc with your Tablet-PC, you can use it to restore your operating system. However, using the Operating System disc also deletes all data on the hard drive. Use the disc only if System Restore did not resolve your operating system problem. Using Microsoft Windows System Restore The Windows operating systems provide a System Restore option which allows you to return your Tablet-PC to an earlier operating state (without affecting data files) if changes to the hardware, software, or other system Reinstalling Software 134 settings have left the Tablet-PC in an undesirable operating state. Any changes that System Restore makes to your Tablet-PC are completely reversible. NOTICE: Make regular backups of your data files. System Restore does not monitor your data files or recover them. NOTE: The procedures in this document were written for the Windows default view, so they may not apply if you set your Dell Tablet-PC to the Windows Classic view. Starting System Restore 1 2 3 Click Start

. In the Start Search box, type System Restore and press <Enter>. NOTE: The User Account Control window may appear. If you are an administrator on the Tablet-PC, click Continue; otherwise, contact your administrator to continue the desired action. Click Next and follow the remaining prompts on the screen. In the event that System Restore did not resolve the issue, you may undo the last system restore. Undoing the Last System Restore NOTICE: Before you undo the last system restore, save and close all open files and exit any open programs. Do not alter, open, or delete any files or programs until the system restoration is complete. 1 2 3 Click Windows Vista Start button

. In the Start Search box, type System Restore and press <Enter>. Click Undo my last restoration and click Next. Using Dell Factory Image Restore NOTICE: Using Dell Factory Image Restore permanently deletes all data on the hard drive and removes any programs or drivers installed after you received your Tablet-PC. If possible, back up the data before using this option. Use Dell Factory Image Restore only if System Restore did not resolve your operating system problem. NOTE: Dell Factory Image Restore may not be available in certain countries or on certain computers. Reinstalling Software 135 Use Dell Factory Image Restore only as the last method to restore your operating system. These options restore your hard drive to the operating state it was in when you purchased the Tablet-PC. Any programs or files added since you received your Tablet-PCincluding data filesare permanently deleted from the hard drive. Data files include documents, spreadsheets, e-

mail messages, digital photos, music files, and so on. If possible, back up all data before using Dell Factory Image Restore. 1 2 3 4 5 6 Turn on the Tablet-PC. When the Dell logo appears, press <F8> several times to access the Vista Advanced Boot Options Window. Select Repair Your Computer. The System Recovery Options window appears. Select a keyboard layout and click Next. To access the recovery options, log on as a local user. To access the command prompt, type administrator in the User name field, then click OK. Click Dell Factory Image Restore. NOTE: Depending upon your configuration, you may need to select Dell Factory Tools, then Dell Factory Image Restore. The Dell Factory Image Restore welcome screen appears. Click Next. The Confirm Data Deletion screen appears. NOTICE: If you do not want to proceed with Dell Factory Image Restore, click Cancel. 7 8 Click the checkbox to confirm that you want to continue reformatting the hard drive and restoring the system software to the factory condition, then click Next. The restore process begins and may take five or more minutes to complete. A message appears when the operating system and factory-installed applications have been restored to factory condition. Click Finish to reboot the system. Reinstalling Software 136 Using the Operating System Media Before you Begin If you are considering reinstalling the Windows operating system to correct a problem with a newly installed driver, first try using Windows Device Driver Rollback. See "Using Windows Device Driver Rollback" on page 132. If Device Driver Rollback does not resolve the problem, then use System Restore to return your operating system to the operating state it was in before you installed the new device driver. See "Using Microsoft Windows System Restore" on page 134. NOTICE: Before performing the installation, back up all data files on your primary hard drive. For conventional hard drive configurations, the primary hard drive is the first drive detected by the Tablet-PC. To reinstall Windows, you need the following items:

Dell Operating System media Dell Drivers and Utilities media NOTE: The Dell Drivers and Utilities media contains drivers that were installed during the assembly of the Tablet-PC. Use the Dell Drivers and Utilities media to load any required drivers. Depending on the region from which you ordered your Tablet-PC, or whether you requested the media, the Dell Drivers and Utilities media and Operating System media may not ship with your Tablet-PC. Reinstalling Windows Vista The reinstallation process can take 1 to 2 hours to complete. After you reinstall the operating system, you must also reinstall the device drivers, virus protection program, and other software. 1 2 3 4 Save and close any open files and exit any open programs. Insert the Operating System disc. Click Exit if the Install Windows message appears. Restart the Tablet-PC. When the DELL logo appears, press <F12> immediately. NOTE: If you wait too long and the operating system logo appears, continue to wait until you see the Microsoft Windows desktop; then, shut down your Tablet-PC and try again. Reinstalling Software 137 NOTE: The next steps change the boot sequence for one time only. On the next start-up, the Tablet-PC boots according to the devices specified in the system setup program. When the boot device list appears, highlight CD/DVD/CD-RW Drive and press <Enter>. Press any key to Boot from CD-ROM. Follow the instructions on the screen to complete the installation. 5 6 7 Reinstalling Software 138 Adding and Replacing Parts Before You Begin This chapter provides procedures for removing and installing the components in your Tablet-PC. Unless otherwise noted, each procedure assumes that the following conditions exist:

You have performed the steps in "Turning Off Your Tablet-PC" on page 139 and "Before Working Inside Your Tablet-PC" on page 140. You have read the safety information in the Dell Product Information Guide. Recommended Tools The procedures in this document may require the following tools:

Small flat-blade screwdriver

#0 Phillips screwdriver

#1 Phillips screwdriver Small plastic scribe Flash BIOS update program CD Turning Off Your Tablet-PC NOTICE: To avoid losing data, save and close all open files and exit all open programs before you turn off your Tablet-PC. NOTE: By default, the power button is configured to initiate the sleep state rather than the shut down state. Follow the procedure below to shut down your Tablet-PC. 1 Shut down the operating system:

a Save and close all open files and exit all open programs. Adding and Replacing Parts 139 b Click Start

, then click the arrow in the lower-right corner of the Start menu as shown below, and then click Shut Down. The Tablet-PC turns off after the operating system shutdown process is complete. 2 Ensure that the Tablet-PC and all attached devices are turned off. If your Tablet-PC and attached devices did not automatically turn off when you shut down your operating system, press and hold the power button for about 4 seconds to turn them off. Before Working Inside Your Tablet-PC Use the following safety guidelines to help protect your Tablet-PC from potential damage and to help to ensure your own personal safety. CAUTION: Before you begin any of the procedures in this section, follow the safety instructions in the Product Information Guide. NOTICE: Handle components and cards with care. Do not touch the components or contacts on a card. Hold a card by its edges or by its metal mounting bracket. Hold a component such as a processor by its edges, not by its pins. NOTICE: Only a certified service technician should perform repairs on your Tablet-

PC. Damage due to servicing that is not authorized by Dell is not covered by your warranty. NOTICE: When you disconnect a cable, pull on its connector or on its pull-tab, not on the cable itself. Some cables have connectors with locking tabs; if you are disconnecting this type of cable, press in on the locking tabs before you disconnect the cable. As you pull connectors apart, keep them evenly aligned to avoid bending any connector pins. Also, before you connect a cable, ensure that both connectors are correctly oriented and aligned. NOTICE: To avoid damaging the Tablet-PC, perform the following steps before you begin working inside the Tablet-PC. 1 2 Ensure that the work surface is flat and clean to prevent the Tablet-PC cover from being scratched. Turn off your Tablet-PC (see "Turning Off Your Tablet-PC" on page 139). Adding and Replacing Parts 140 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 If the Tablet-PC is connected to a docking device (docked), undock it. See

"Undocking Your Tablet-PC From the Media Base" on page 194, or

"Undocking Your Tablet-PC From the Battery Slice" on page 202. NOTICE: To disconnect a network cable, first unplug the cable from your Tablet-PC and then unplug the cable from the network device. Disconnect all network cables from the Tablet-PC. NOTICE: To avoid damaging the system board, you must remove the main battery before you service the Tablet-PC. Disconnect your Tablet-PC and all attached devices from their electrical outlets. Close the display and turn the Tablet-PC upside-down on a flat work surface. Remove the main battery (see "Removing the Main Battery" on page 143). Turn the Tablet-PC top-side up. Open the display. Press the power button to ground the system board. CAUTION: To guard against electrical shock, always unplug your Tablet-PC from the electrical outlet before opening the display. NOTICE: Before touching anything inside your Tablet-PC, ground yourself by touching an unpainted metal surface, such as the metal at the back of the Tablet-

PC. While you work, periodically touch an unpainted metal surface to dissipate static electricity, which could harm internal components. Remove any installed ExpressCards or Smart Cards from the appropriate slots (see "Removing an ExpressCard" on page 84). Remove the hard drive (see "Removing the Hard Drive" on page 145). Adding and Replacing Parts 141 Adding and Replacing Parts 142 Main Battery CAUTION: Before you begin any of the procedures in this section, follow the safety instructions in the Product Information Guide. NOTICE: Only a certified service technician should perform repairs on your Tablet-

PC. Damage due to servicing that is not authorized by Dell is not covered by your warranty. NOTE: Your Tablet-PCs Service Tag and Microsoft Windows License labels are located under the main battery in the battery bay of your Tablet-PC Removing the Main Battery 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 Follow the procedures in "Before You Begin" on page 139. Turn off your Tablet-PC (see "Turning Off Your Tablet-PC" on page 139). If the Tablet-PC is connected to a docking device such as the optional Media Base or Battery Slice (docked), undock it. See "Undocking Your Tablet-PC From the Media Base" on page 194, or "Undocking Your Tablet-

PC From the Battery Slice" on page 202. NOTICE: To disconnect a network cable, first unplug the cable from your Tablet-PC and then unplug the cable from the network device. Disconnect all network cables from the Tablet-PC. NOTICE: To avoid damaging the system board, you must remove the main battery before you service the Tablet-PC. Close the display and turn the Tablet-PC upside-down on a flat work surface. Slide the two battery-bay latch releases on the bottom of the Tablet-PC outward to each side. Slide the main battery from the battery bay. 143 1 2 3 1 3 battery release latches (2) 2 battery battery bay Installing the Main Battery 1 2 3 4 5 Align the main battery with the sides of the battery bay. Slide the main battery into the battery bay until you feel a click, ensuring that the battery is firmly and properly seated. Turn the Tablet-PC top-side up on a flat work surface and open the display. Connect any network cables. Turn on your Tablet-PC by pressing the power button. Hard Drive CAUTION: If you remove the hard drive from the Tablet-PC when the drive is hot, do not touch the metal housing of the hard drive. CAUTION: Before working inside your Tablet-PC, follow the safety instructions located in the Product Information Guide. 144 NOTICE: To prevent data loss, turn off your Tablet-PC (see "Turning Off Your Tablet-

PC" on page 139) before removing the hard drive. Do not remove the hard drive while the Tablet-PC is on, in sleep mode, or in hibernate mode. NOTICE: Hard drives are extremely fragile; even a slight bump can damage the drive. NOTE: Dell does not guarantee compatibility or provide support for hard drives from sources other than Dell. Removing the Hard Drive 1 2 Follow the procedures in "Before You Begin" on page 139. Turn the Tablet-PC over, and loosen the two captive screws on the metal bracket that holds the hard drive. NOTICE: When the hard drive is not in the Tablet-PC, store it in protective antistatic packaging. See "Protecting Against Electrostatic Discharge" in the Product Information Guide. 1 2 3 4 145 captive screws (2) hard drive 2 4 metal bracket securing tabs (2) Holding the metal bracket by the sides, slide the bracket toward the back of the Tablet-PC to dislodge the bracket from the two metal clips and set the bracket aside. Use the pull-tab to disconnect the hard drive cable from the system board connector and remove the hard drive from the Tablet-PC. 1 3 3 4 1 2 3 1 3 pull tab alignment ribs 2 hard drive Installing the Hard Drive 1 Follow the procedures in "Before You Begin" on page 139. 146 NOTICE: When the hard drive is not in the Tablet-PC, store it in protective antistatic packaging. See "Protecting Against Electrostatic Discharge" in the Product Information Guide. Remove the new drive from its packaging. Save the original packaging for storing or shipping the hard drive. NOTICE: Use firm and even pressure to slide the drive into place. If you use excessive force, you may damage the connector. Place the hard drive into the hard drive bay, seating it firmly between the hard drive alignment ribs in the base. Connect the hard drive cable to the system board connector. Insert the two metal tabs of the metal bracket under the metal clips in the hard drive bay, then lower the bracket down over the hard drive. Tighten the two captive screws on the metal bracket. Use the Operating System CD to install the operating system for your Tablet-PC. (See "Using the Operating System Media" on page 137.) Use the Drivers and Utilities CD to install the drivers and utilities for your Tablet-PC. (See "Using the Drivers and Utilities Media" on page 132). 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 Subscriber Identity Module (SIM) Card NOTICE: To protect the SIM card from electrostatic discharge (ESD), do not touch the SIM card connector. Also, take care when removing the card to slide the card completely out of the metal tabs before lifting the card out of the slot. The card is brittle and may easily break. NOTE: The SIM card is located in the battery bay. You must remove the main battery before you can access the SIM card. Removing the SIM Card 1 2 3 Follow the procedures in "Before You Begin" on page 139. Push in the SIM card, then release the card. Pull the SIM card from the SIM card slot and place it to one side. 147 1 2 1 SIM card 2 battery bay NOTE: When you replace the SIM card, ensure that you insert the SIM card into the SIM card slot with the cut-off corner of the card facing toward the front of the Tablet-PC. Installing the SIM Card 1 2 Insert the SIM card with the cut-off corner of the card facing toward the front of the Tablet-PC. Push the card in until it is firmly seated into the connector. Internal Card With Bluetooth Wireless Technology CAUTION: Before performing the following procedures, follow the safety instructions in your Product Information Guide. NOTICE: To avoid electrostatic discharge, ground yourself by using a wrist grounding strap or by periodically touching a connector on the back panel of the Tablet-PC. NOTICE: To avoid damaging the system board, you must remove the main battery before you begin working inside the Tablet-PC. 148 If you ordered an internal card with Bluetooth wireless technology with your Tablet-PC, it is already installed. Removing a Bluetooth Card Follow the procedures in "Before You Begin" on page 139. Loosen the captive screw and, lifting the end with the captive screw first and ensuring that you do not pull on the card cable with excessive force, remove the Bluetooth card and card cover from the Tablet-PC. Disconnect the card cable from the Bluetooth card. 2 1 1 2 3 3 4 5 6 1 3 5 captive screw cable connector plastic securing tab 2 4 6 card caddy plastic securing tab Bluetooth card 149 NOTICE: Be careful when removing the card to avoid damaging the card, card cable, or surrounding components. 4 Slide the card from the card clip on the card cover and set the card and cover aside. Installing a Bluetooth Card 1 2 3 4 Seat the Bluetooth card into the card door, sliding the corner under the plastic clip. Connect the Bluetooth card cable to the card. Insert the end of the card cover without the captive screw and card into the base, then lower the screw end of the cover into the base. Tighten the captive screw. Memory and Mini-card Cover CAUTION: Before you begin any of the procedures in this section, follow the safety instructions located in the Product Information Guide. NOTICE: To prevent damage to the system board, remove the main battery before you service the Tablet-PC. Removing the Memory and Mini-card Cover 1 2 Follow the procedures in "Before You Begin" on page 139. Turn the Tablet-PC upside-down, loosen the two captive screws on the memory and mini-card cover, and remove the cover. 150 Installing the Memory and Mini-card Cover 1 2 Follow the procedures in "Before You Begin" on page 139. Turn the Tablet-PC upside-down, fit the cover into place, and tighten the two captive screws on the memory and mini-card cover. Memory You can increase your Tablet-PC memory by installing memory modules on the system board. See "Specifications" on page 40 for information on the memory supported by your Tablet-PC. Install only memory modules that are intended for your Tablet-PC. CAUTION: Before you begin any of the procedures in this section, follow the safety instructions located in the Product Information Guide. NOTICE: To prevent damage to the system board, remove the main battery before you service the Tablet-PC. Removing a Memory Module 1 Follow the procedures in "Before You Begin" on page 139. 151 2 3 4 5 Remove the memory and mini-card cover. See "Removing the Memory and Mini-card Cover" on page 150. NOTE: Memory modules purchased from Dell are covered under your Tablet-PC warranty. NOTICE: To prevent damage to the memory module connector, do not use tools to spread the memory-module securing clips. Ground yourself by touching one of the metal connectors on the back of the Tablet-PC. Use your fingertips to carefully spread apart the securing clips on each end of the memory module connector until the module pops up. Remove the module from the connector and set aside. Installing a Memory Module 1 2 3 Ground yourself by touching one of the metal connectors on the back of the Tablet-PC. NOTE: If the memory module is not installed properly, the Tablet-PC may not boot properly. No error message indicates this failure. Align the notch in the module edge connector with the tab in the connector slot. Slide the module firmly into the slot at a 45-degree angle, and rotate the module down until it clicks into place. If you do not feel the click, remove the module and reinstall it. 1 2 152 1 4 5 6 tab 2 notch Replace the memory and mini-card cover, and tighten the two captive screws (see "Installing the Memory and Mini-card Cover" on page 151). NOTICE: If the cover is difficult to close, remove the module and reinstall it. Forcing the cover to close may damage your Tablet-PC. Insert the battery into the battery bay, or connect the AC adapter to your Tablet-PC and an electrical outlet. Turn on the Tablet-PC. As the Tablet-PC boots, it detects the additional memory and automatically updates the system configuration information. To confirm the amount of memory installed in the Tablet-PC, click

, Start and right-click Computer Properties

. Mini Card Your Tablet-PC supports a Wireless Wide Area Network (WWAN) card and a Wireless Local Area Network (WLAN) card; both mini cards are installed the same way, although they have different connectors on the system board. If you ordered a mini card with your Tablet-PC, the card is already installed. CAUTION: Before you begin any of the procedures in this section, follow the safety instructions located in the Product Information Guide. NOTICE: To prevent damage to the system board, remove the main battery before you service the Tablet-PC. Removing a Mini Card 1 2 Follow the procedures in "Before You Begin" on page 139. Remove the memory and mini-card cover. See "Removing the Memory and Mini-card Cover" on page 150. 153 1 2 1 WWAN slot 2 WLAN slot 3 4 Ground yourself by touching one of the metal connectors on the back of the Tablet-PC. NOTE: If you leave the area, ground yourself again when you return to the Tablet-

PC. Disconnect the cables from the card. NOTE: Depending on the type of mini card you have, not all cables may be in use. 154 2 1 1 5 antenna cable connectors (2) 2 mini card Release the card by pushing the metal securing tab away from the card until the card pops up slightly. 155 2 1 1 metal securing tabs (2) 2 mini card 6 Slide the card at a 45-degree angle out of its connector. Installing a Mini Card NOTICE: To avoid damaging the mini card, never place cables on top of or under the card. NOTICE: The connectors are keyed to ensure correct insertion. If you feel resistance, check the connectors and realign the card. NOTE: Depending on the type of mini card you have, not all cables may be in use. NOTE: Do not insert a Mobile Broadband (WWAN) network card into the WLAN card connector, or vice-versa. NOTE: The mini card may have two or three connectors, depending on the type of card you ordered. 1 Move any cables out of the way to make space for the mini card. 156 2 3 4 Align the card with the connector at a 45-degree angle, and press the card into the connector until it clicks. NOTE: For more specific information about which cable to connect to which connector, see the documentation that came with your mini card. Connect the cables to the mini card, ensuring that you route the cables correctly. Replace the memory and mini-card cover, and tighten the two captive screws. See "Installing the Memory and Mini-card Cover" on page 151. Hinge Cover CAUTION: Before you begin any of the procedures in this section, follow the safety instructions in the Product Information Guide. NOTICE: To avoid electrostatic discharge, ground yourself by using a wrist grounding strap or by periodically touching an unpainted metal surface (such as a connector on the back of the Tablet-PC). NOTICE: The hinge cover is fragile and can be damaged if extreme force is used. Be careful when removing the hinge cover. Removing the Hinge Cover 1 2 Follow the procedures in "Before You Begin" on page 139. Turn the Tablet-PC top-side up, and then open the display all the way (180 degrees) so that the display rests on your work surface. NOTICE: To avoid damaging the hinge cover, do not lift the cover on both sides simultaneously. Removing the hinge cover in a different way than described may cause the plastic to break. 157 1 2 3 2 plastic scribe hinge cover indent Starting on the right side of the Tablet-PC, use a plastic scribe to pry up the hinge cover. Lift the cover away from the Tablet-PC going from the right toward the left, and lay the cover aside. 1 3 3 Installing the Hinge Cover 1 2 Insert the left edge of the cover into place. Press from left to right until the cover snaps into place. Keyboard CAUTION: Before performing the following procedures, follow the safety instructions in your Product Information Guide. 158 NOTICE: To avoid electrostatic discharge, ground yourself by using a wrist grounding strap or by periodically touching an unpainted metal surface (such as the back panel) on the Tablet-PC. Removing the Keyboard 1 2 3 3 4 5 1 3 5 7 Follow the instructions in "Before You Begin" on page 139. Remove the hinge cover (see "Removing the Hinge Cover" on page 157). NOTICE: The keycaps on the keyboard are fragile, easily dislodged, and time-

consuming to replace. Be careful when removing and handling the keyboard. Remove the two M2 x 3-mm screws to either side of the rotating hinge at the top of the keyboard. 1 2 6 7 2 4 6 screws (2) palm rest keyboard-cable locking arm keyboard cable keyboard tabs (4) keyboard-cable pull-tab keyboard-cable locking arm 159 NOTE: Lift the keyboard carefully in step 4 to ensure that you do not pull on the keyboard cable. Rotate the keyboard up 45-degrees to gain access to the keyboard connector. Pull up on the pull-tab to disconnect the keyboard cable from the keyboard connector on the system board. Pull the track stick cable from the track stick connector on the system board. Lift the keyboard from the system and place to one side. 4 5 6 7 Installing the Keyboard NOTE: When you replace the keyboard, ensure that the keyboard tabs are completely in place to avoid scratching the palm rest. 1 2 3 4 5 Slip the track stick cable into the track stick cable connector on the system board and press the connector clip down to hold the cable in place. Insert the keyboard cable into the keyboard cable connector on the system board and press the connector clip down to hold the cable in place. Holding the keyboard at a slight angle, insert the four metal tabs of the keyboard into the four metal slots of the palm rest. Tighten the two M2 x 3-mm screws at the top of the keyboard. Install the hinge cover (see "Installing the Hinge Cover" on page 158). Coin-Cell Battery CAUTION: Before performing the following procedures, follow the safety instructions in your Product Information Guide. NOTICE: To avoid electrostatic discharge, ground yourself by using a wrist grounding strap or by periodically touching a connector on the back panel of the Tablet-PC. NOTICE: To avoid damaging the system board, you must remove the main battery before you begin working inside the Tablet-PC. Removing the Coin-cell Battery 1 Follow the procedures in "Before You Begin" on page 139. 160 Remove the hinge cover (see "Removing the Hinge Cover" on page 157). Remove the keyboard (see "Removing the Keyboard" on page 159). Remove the coin-cell battery connector from the connector on the system board. Using your fingers, pry the coin-cell battery from the system base. 2 3 4 5 1 2 1 coin-cell battery connector 2 coin-cell battery Installing the Coin-cell Battery 1 2 3 4 Place the battery into position, pressing firmly to affix the battery to the sticky tape on the base. Connect the coin-cell battery connector to the connector on the system board. Install the keyboard (see "Installing the Keyboard" on page 160). Install the hinge cover (see "Installing the Hinge Cover" on page 158). 161 Display Assembly CAUTION: Before performing the following procedures, follow the safety instructions in your Product Information Guide. NOTICE: To avoid electrostatic discharge, ground yourself by using a wrist grounding strap or by periodically touching a connector on the back panel of the Tablet-PC. NOTICE: To avoid damaging the system board, you must remove the main battery before you begin working inside the Tablet-PC. Removing the Display Assembly 1 2 3 4 5 Follow the procedures in "Before You Begin" on page 139. Remove the hinge cover (see "Removing the Hinge Cover" on page 157). Remove the keyboard (see "Removing the Keyboard" on page 159). Remove any installed mini cards (see "Removing a Mini Card" on page 153). Use the pull tab to disconnect the display cable from the system board. 162 1 2 3 4 5 6 display display connector pull tab antenna cables (3) 2 4 6 M2.5 x 5-mm screws (5) display cable connector antenna channel Feed the mini-card antenna cables from the bottom through the cable channel to the top of the system. Loosen the five M2.5 x 5-mm screws. Turn the system upside-down and remove the base grip:

a Remove the two M2.5 x 5-mm screws. 1 3 5 6 7 8 163 b Pry the base grip from the back of the rotating hinge and set the base grip aside. 1 2 1 base grip 2 M2.5 x 5-mm screws (2) 9 Turn the system top-side up, and remove the two M2.5 x 5-mm screws from the top of the rotating hinge. 164 1 1 M2.5 x 5-mm screws (2) 10 Lift the display assembly from the base, and place the display assembly to one side. Installing the Display Assembly 1 2 Place the display assembly on the base. Feed the mini-card antenna cables from the top through the antenna channel to the bottom of the system 165 1 2 3 4 5 6 display display connector pull tab antenna cables (3) 2 4 6 M2.5 x 5-mm screws (5) display cable connector antenna channel Tighten the five M2.5 x 5-mm screws. Close the Tablet-PC and turn it around so that you can access the back of the rotating hinge. Tighten the two M2.5 x 5-mm screws on the top of the rotating hinge. 1 3 5 3 4 5 166 1 1 M2.5 x 5-mm screws (2) 6 Turn the Tablet-PC upside-down and install the base grip:

a Clip the base grip onto the back of the rotating hinge. b Tighten the two M2.5 x 5-mm screws. 167 1 2 1 base grip 2 M2.5 x 5-mm screws (2) 7 8 9 10 11 Turn the Table-PC around and open the display. Connect the display cable to the system board. Install any applicable mini cards (see "Installing a Mini Card" on page 156). Install the keyboard (see "Installing the Keyboard" on page 160). Install the hinge cover (see "Installing the Hinge Cover" on page 158). Palm Rest CAUTION: Before performing the following procedures, follow the safety instructions in your Product Information Guide. NOTICE: To avoid electrostatic discharge, ground yourself by using a wrist grounding strap or by periodically touching a connector on the back panel of the Tablet-PC. NOTICE: To avoid damaging the system board, you must remove the main battery before you begin working inside the Tablet-PC. 168 Removing the Palm Rest 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 Follow the procedures in "Before You Begin" on page 139. Remove the hard drive (see "Removing the Hard Drive" on page 145). Remove the hinge cover (see "Removing the Hinge Cover" on page 157). Remove the display assembly (see "Removing the Display Assembly" on page 162). Remove the keyboard (see "Removing the Keyboard" on page 159). Remove any installed mini cards (see "Removing a Mini Card" on page 153). Disconnect the touch pad cable. Turn the Tablet-PC upside down and remove the eleven M2.5 x 5-mm screws. From the top side of the Tablet-PC, remove the four M2.5 x 5-mm screws labeled with a "P". 169 Disengage the five snaps at the front of the system by using your fingers to pry the edge of the base away from the palm rest. Turn the Tablet-PC top-side up and, lifting the front end slightly upward and moving in a clock-wise manner, disengage the snaps at the sides and back of the system. 10 11 1 2 3 4 170 1 3 palm rest touch pad cable locking arm 2 4 base touch pad cable Installing the Palm Rest 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 Place the palm rest on top of the base, and engage the snaps around the palm rest edges by pressing with your fingers in a counter-clockwise manner. Turn the Tablet-PC upside down and tighten the eleven M2.5 x 5-mm bottom screws. Turn the Tablet-PC top-side up and tighten the five M2.5 x 5-mm screws labeled with a "P". Connect the touch pad cable to the system board connector. Install any mini cards (see "Installing a Mini Card" on page 156). Install the keyboard (see "Installing the Keyboard" on page 160). Install the display assembly (see "Installing the Display Assembly" on page 165). Install the hinge cover (see "Installing the Hinge Cover" on page 158). Install the hard drive (see "Installing the Hard Drive" on page 146). System Board CAUTION: Before performing the following procedures, follow the safety instructions in your Product Information Guide. NOTICE: To avoid electrostatic discharge, ground yourself by using a wrist grounding strap or by periodically touching a connector on the back panel of the Tablet-PC. NOTICE: To avoid damaging the system board, you must remove the main battery before you begin working inside the Tablet-PC. Removing the System Board 1 2 Follow the procedures in "Before You Begin" on page 139. Remove the hinge cover (see "Removing the Hinge Cover" on page 157). 171 3 4 5 6 7 4 5 6 1 3 5 8 Remove the display assembly (see "Removing the Display Assembly" on page 162). Remove the keyboard (see "Removing the Keyboard" on page 159). Remove any installed mini cards (see "Removing a Mini Card" on page 153). Remove the palm rest (see "Removing the Palm Rest" on page 169). Remove the speaker from the base:

a Disconnect the speaker cable from the speaker system board connector. b Lift the speaker from the base and set the speaker aside. 1 2 3 system board pen indicator cable wireless switch cable locking arm 2 4 6 M2.5 x 5 screw base wireless switch cable Disconnect the wireless switch cable from the system board. 172 9 10 11 Disconnect the pen indicator cable from the system board. Remove the M2.5 x 5-mm screw marked with a silver triangle. Remove the system board from the base, lifting from right to left, and set the system board aside. Installing the System Board 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 Seat the system board into the base from left to right. Tighten the M2.5 x 5-mm screw into the screw hole marked with a silver triangle on the system board. Connect the pen indicator cable to the system board. Connect the wireless switch cable to the system board. Replace the speaker module:

a Lower the speaker into the base. b Connect the speaker cable to the speaker system board connector. Install the palm rest (see "Installing the Palm Rest" on page 171). Install any mini cards (see "Installing a Mini Card" on page 156). Install the keyboard (see "Installing the Keyboard" on page 160). Install the display assembly (see "Installing the Display Assembly" on page 165). Install the hinge cover (see "Installing the Hinge Cover" on page 158). Fan CAUTION: Before performing the following procedures, follow the safety instructions in your Product Information Guide. NOTICE: To avoid electrostatic discharge, ground yourself by using a wrist grounding strap or by periodically touching a connector on the back panel of the Tablet-PC. NOTICE: To avoid damaging the system board, you must remove the main battery before you begin working inside the Tablet-PC. Removing the Fan 1 Follow the procedures in "Before You Begin" on page 139. 173 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 Remove the hinge cover (see "Removing the Hinge Cover" on page 157). Remove the display assembly (see "Removing the Display Assembly" on page 162). Remove the keyboard (see "Removing the Keyboard" on page 159). Remove any installed mini cards (see "Removing a Mini Card" on page 153). Remove the palm rest (see "Removing the Palm Rest" on page 169). Remove the system board (see "Removing the System Board" on page 171), and place it upside-down on a clean work surface. Disconnect the fan cable from the system board. Using a #0 Phillips screwdriver, remove the four M2 x 3-mm screws, and lift the fan from the system board. 1 2 3 174 1 M2 x 3-mm screws (4) 2 fan 3 fan cable connector Installing the Fan 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 Seat the fan into the system board, and tighten the four M2 x 3-mm screw using a #0 Phillips screwdriver. Connect the fan cable to the system board. Install the system board (see "Installing the System Board" on page 173). Install the palm rest (see "Installing the Palm Rest" on page 171). Install the keyboard (see "Installing the Keyboard" on page 160). Install the display assembly (see "Installing the Display Assembly" on page 165). Install the hinge cover (see "Installing the Hinge Cover" on page 158). Install any mini cards (see "Installing a Mini Card" on page 156). Pen and Whip Antenna Assembly CAUTION: Before performing the following procedures, follow the safety instructions in your Product Information Guide. NOTICE: To avoid electrostatic discharge, ground yourself by using a wrist grounding strap or by periodically touching a connector on the back panel of the Tablet-PC. NOTICE: To avoid damaging the system board, you must remove the main battery before you begin working inside the Tablet-PC. Removing the Pen and Whip Antenna Assembly 1 2 3 4 Follow the procedures in "Before You Begin" on page 139. Remove the hinge cover (see "Removing the Hinge Cover" on page 157). Remove the display assembly (see "Removing the Display Assembly" on page 162). Remove the keyboard (see "Removing the Keyboard" on page 159). 175 5 6 7 8 9 Remove any installed mini cards (see "Removing a Mini Card" on page 153). Remove the palm rest (see "Removing the Palm Rest" on page 169). Remove the system board (see "Removing the System Board" on page 171). Remove the two M2 x 3-mm screws. Remove the pen missing cable and whip antenna cable from their routing channels, then lift the pen assembly and whip antenna assembly from the base. 1 2 3 4 5 176 1 pen and whip antenna assembly 3 M2 x 3-mm screws (2) 5 base 2 4 pen missing cable whip antenna cable Installing the Pen and Whip Antenna Assembly 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 Seat the pen missing cable and whip antenna cable into their routing channels. Tighten the two M2 x 3-mm screws. Install the system board (see "Installing the System Board" on page 173). Install the palm rest (see "Installing the Palm Rest" on page 171). Install the keyboard (see "Installing the Keyboard" on page 160). Install the display assembly (see "Installing the Display Assembly" on page 165). Install any mini cards (see "Installing a Mini Card" on page 156). Install the keyboard (see "Installing the Keyboard" on page 160). Install the hinge cover (see "Installing the Hinge Cover" on page 158). Wireless Switch CAUTION: Before performing the following procedures, follow the safety instructions in your Product Information Guide. NOTICE: To avoid electrostatic discharge, ground yourself by using a wrist grounding strap or by periodically touching a connector on the back panel of the Tablet-PC. NOTICE: To avoid damaging the system board, you must remove the main battery before you begin working inside the Tablet-PC. Removing the Wireless Switch 1 2 3 Follow the procedures in "Before You Begin" on page 139. Remove the hinge cover (see "Removing the Hinge Cover" on page 157). Remove the display assembly (see "Removing the Display Assembly" on page 162). 177 4 5 6 7 8 9 Remove the keyboard (see "Removing the Keyboard" on page 159). Remove any installed mini cards (see "Removing a Mini Card" on page 153). Remove the palm rest (see "Removing the Palm Rest" on page 169). Remove the system board (see "Removing the System Board" on page 171. Remove the M2.5 x 5-mm screw. Lift the wireless switch from the base, and set the switch aside. 1 2 178 1 base 2 M2.5 x 5-mm screw Installing the Wireless Switch 1 Set the wireless switch into the base. 2 3 4 5 6 Tighten the M2.5 x 5-mm screw. Install any mini cards (see "Installing a Mini Card" on page 156). Install the keyboard (see "Installing the Keyboard" on page 160). Install the display assembly (see "Installing the Display Assembly" on page 165). Install the hinge cover (see "Installing the Hinge Cover" on page 158). 179 180 Dell D/Bay CAUTION: Before performing any of the procedures in this section, follow the safety instructions in your Product Information Guide. About the Dell D/Bay You can install Dell Latitude D-Family devices such as a floppy drive, hard drive, or optical drive using the Dell D/Bay. Setting Up and Using the D/Bay Connect the D/Bay cable to the powered USB connector on your Tablet-PC or optional media base. Dell D/Bay 181 Removing and Installing Devices When the Tablet-PC is Turned Off 1 2 NOTICE: To prevent damage to devices, place them in a safe, dry place when they are not installed in the computer. Avoid pressing down on them or placing heavy objects on top of them. Press the device latch release so that the latch release pops out. Pull the device by the latch release to remove the device from the D/Bay. Dell D/Bay 182 3 4 Insert the new device into the bay, push the device until you feel a click, and push the device latch release in so that it is flush with the bay. Connect the D/Bay cable to the powered USB connector on your Tablet-

PC or media base. Removing and Installing Devices While the Tablet-PC Is Running 1 2 3 Double-click the Safely Remove Hardware icon on the taskbar. Click the device you want to eject. NOTICE: To prevent damage to devices, place them in a safe, dry place when they are not installed in the computer. Avoid pressing down on them or placing heavy objects on top of them. Press the device latch release so that the latch release pops out. Dell D/Bay 183 4 5 6 Pull the device by the latch release to remove the device from the D/Bay. Insert the new device into the bay, push the device until you feel a click, and push the device latch release in so that it is flush with the bay. Windows Vista automatically recognizes the new device. If necessary, enter your password to unlock your drive. Dell D/Bay 184 Media Base (Optional) Left View 1 2 1 USB connector 2 optical drive USB C O N N E C T O R The USB 2.0-compliant connector allows you to connect USB devices, such as a mouse, keyboard, or printer. O P T I C A L D R I V E Allows you to use CD and DVD media. Media Base (Optional) 185 Right View 1 3 USB connector security cable slot USB C O N N E C T O R 1 2 3 2 Tablet-PC release lever The USB 2.0-compliant connector allows you to connect USB devices, such as a mouse, keyboard, or printer. TA B L E T - P C R E L E A S E L E V E R Releases the Tablet-PC from the media base if the media base is not secured by an antitheft device. S E C U R I T Y C A B L E S L O T Lets you attach a commercially available antitheft device to the media base. Instructions for installing antitheft devices are usually included with the device. For more information, see "Securing the Media Base" on page 192. Back View 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 Media Base (Optional) 186 1 3 5 7 9 Tablet-PC release lever audio connector VGA video connector serial connector 2 4 6 8 AC adapter connector IEEE 1394 digital video interface (DVI) connector USB connector powered USB connector 10 network connector TA B L E T - P C R E L E A S E L E V E R Lets you undock the Tablet-PC from the media base

(see "Undocking Your Tablet-PC From the Media Base" on page 194). AC A D A P T E R C O N N E C T O R Connects an AC adapter to the media base and to AC power to convert AC power to the DC power required by the media base. You can connect the AC adapter with your media base either turned on or off. For more information, see "Setting Up Your Media Base" on page 191. CAUTION: If you are using a multiple-outlet power strip, use caution when you plug the AC adapter power cable into the power strip. Some power strips may allow you to insert the connector incorrectly. Incorrect insertion of the power connector could result in permanent damage to your media base as well as electric shock and/or fire. Ensure that you insert the ground prong of the power plug into the mating ground contact of the power strip. NOTICE: When you disconnect the AC adapter from the media base, hold the adapter cable connector, not the cable itself, and pull firmly to avoid damaging the cable. Media Base (Optional) 187 Connect headphones or speakers. The connector is a stereo output connector. A U D I O C O N N E C T O R IEEE 1394 C O N N E C T O R Connect FireWire devices such as a camera, external hard drive, or external CD-ROM drive. Supports hot swapping, multiple speeds on the same bus, and time-based data transfer, providing bandwidth for multimedia operation. VGA V I D E O C O N N E C T O R Connects an external VGA monitor. NOTE: When your Tablet-PC is docked, use the video connector on the media base. D I G I T A L- V I D E O I N T E R F A C E ( D V I ) C O N N E C T O R Connects an external DVI-compatible monitor, such as a flat-panel monitor. With an adapter cable, you can also connect an external VGA-compatible monitor to the DVI connector. Media Base (Optional) 188 S E R I A L C O N N E C T O R USB C O N N E C T O R Connects a serial device, such as a serial mouse or a handheld device. Connect USB devices, such as a mouse, keyboard, or printer. P O W E R E D U S B C O N N E C T O R Connect optional external D/Bay device, or standard USB devices, such as a mouse, keyboard, or printer. Media Base (Optional) 189 N E T W O R K C O N N E C T O R Connects the computer to a network. The solid light on the connector provides link status information. Off indicates no link, green indicates a 10-Mb/sec link, orange indicates a 100-Mb/sec link, and yellow indicates a 1000-

Mb/sec link. The blinking yellow light on the connector indicates activity on the wired network connection. For information on using the network adapter, see the network adapter documentation supplied with your computer under Windows Help and Support. To access Help and Support, see "Windows Help and Support" on page 19. Top View 1 1 docking connector Media Base (Optional) 190 D O C K I N G C O N N E C T O R Allows you to dock your Tablet-PC to the media base

(see"Docking Your Tablet-PC to the Media Base" on page 193 and "Undocking Your Tablet-PC From the Media Base" on page 194). Setting Up Your Media Base CAUTION: The AC adapter works with electrical outlets worldwide. However, power connectors and power strips vary among countries. Using an incompatible cable or improperly connecting the cable to the power strip or electrical outlet may cause fire or equipment damage. NOTICE: Always use the Dell AC adapter that came with the media base. If you use any other commercially available AC adapteror the AC adapter from earlier models of Dell computersyou may damage the media base or the Tablet-PC. NOTICE: When you disconnect the Dell AC adapter cable from the Tablet-PC or media base, grasp the connector, not the cable itself, and pull firmly but gently to avoid damaging the cable. When you wrap the AC adapter cable, ensure that you follow the angle of the connector on the AC adapter to avoid damaging the cable. Connect the AC adapter to the AC adapter connector on the media base and to an electrical outlet. Before you dock your Tablet-PC to the media base for the first time, the Tablet-PC operating system must have completed its setup process. Do the following:

Media Base (Optional) 191 1 2 a Ensure that the Tablet-PC is not connected to the media base or to the battery slice (docked). b Turn on the Tablet-PC. c d Verify that the Microsoft Windows desktop appears. Shut down the Tablet-PC (see "Turning Off Your Tablet-PC" on page 139). Securing the Media Base NOTE: If the Tablet-PC is docked to the media base and an antitheft device is attached to the security cable slot on the media base, you cannot undock the Tablet-PC without first removing the antitheft device. Attach a commercially available antitheft device to the security cable slot on the media base. Antitheft devices usually include a segment of metal-stranded cable with an attached locking device and associated key. For instructions on installing this kind of antitheft device, see the documentation that accompanied the device. Media Base (Optional) 192 Docking Your Tablet-PC to the Media Base NOTE: If you are docking your Tablet-PC for the first time and have not completed the steps in "Setting Up Your Media Base" on page 191, complete them before proceeding to the next step. NOTE: After docking the Tablet-PC for the first time, the Tablet-PC battery or the Tablet-PC AC adapter connection can power the media base if the media base is not connected to an AC adapter. NOTE: Your Tablet-PC should be turned off when you dock it to the media base for the first time. 1 2 Ensure that your Tablet-PC is turned off if this is the first time it is being docked to the media base. Align the back of the Tablet-PC with the back of the media base at an approximately 30-degree angle, and lower the front of the Tablet-PC onto the media base. 1 2 1 Tablet-PC 2 media base Media Base (Optional) 193 3 4 Press the Tablet-PC onto the media base until it clicks and the Tablet-PC is firmly seated. Turn on the Tablet-PC. The operating system recognizes the media base. Undocking Your Tablet-PC From the Media Base 1 2 3 4 5 6 NOTICE: Never undock the Tablet-PC without first preparing the Tablet-PC for undocking. If you undock before preparing the Tablet-PC, you will lose data and the Tablet-PC may not recover normal operation for several minutes, if at all. Before you undock your Tablet-PC, save and close any open files, and exit any open programs. Set your Tablet-PC power management settings so that the Tablet-PC does not enter sleep or hibernate mode when you close (lower) the display:

a Click Start Control Panel Mobile PC Power Options Change what closing the lid does. b Under the When I close the lid drop-down menu, select Do nothing. NOTICE: If the Tablet-PC does not have a charged battery in the battery bay, you must shut down the Tablet-PC before undocking. If you undock the Tablet-PC without a battery before shutting it down, you will lose data and the Tablet-PC may not recover normal operation for several minutes, if at all. Prepare your Tablet-PC by doing one of the following:

If your Tablet-PC does not have a charged battery in the battery bay, shut down the Tablet-PC through the Windows Start menu. If your Tablet-PC has a charged battery in the battery bay, click Start Undock Computer. If your media base is secured, remove the lock. Remove the AC adapter connector from the media base Pull the Tablet-PC release lever forward (see "Right View" on page 186) to release the Tablet-PC from the media base. Media Base (Optional) 194 7 Lift the back of the Tablet-PC up and slide the Tablet-PC out towards the back of the media base. Installing the Optical Drive Into the Media Base 1 2 3 4 Save and close any open files or programs, and turn off the Tablet-PC (see

"Turning Off Your Tablet-PC" on page 139). Insert the optical drive into the bay on the media base. (See "Left View" on page 185.) Insert the securing screw that holds the optical drive in place. Turn on the Tablet-PC. The operating system recognizes the new drive. Removing the Optical Drive From the Media Base 1 Save and close any open files or programs, and turn off the Tablet-PC (see

"Turning Off Your Tablet-PC" on page 139). Media Base (Optional) 195 2 Remove the securing screw that secures the optical drive and use your screwdriver to slide the drive out of the module bay. Media Base Specifications Physical Height Width Depth 12.8 mm (0.50 inches) 295.31 mm (11.63 inches) 222.56 mm (8.76 inches) Weight (without a drive in the 0.47 kg (1.0 lb) module bay) Storage DVD-ROM (optional) DVD+RW (optional) Media Base (Optional) 196 Ports and Connectors Network connector RJ-45 port for 10/100/1000 Mbits/second Ethernet USB three 4-pin USB-2.0 compliant connectors Powered USB one 9-pin USB-2.0 compliant connector Video 15-pin VGA connector DVI connector 24-hole connector Serial Audio 9-pin connector; 16550C-compatible UART with 16-byte buffer headphone/speaker (line-out) mini connector IEEE 1394a 4-pin serial connector Docking 100-pin connector Media Base (Optional) 197 Media Base (Optional) 198 Battery Slice (Optional) Top View 1 32 4 1 3 docking connector AC adapter connector 2 4 power status light release lever Battery Slice (Optional) 199 Bottom View 1 1 battery slice status LED Setting Up Your Battery Slice CAUTION: The AC adapter works with electrical outlets worldwide. However, power connectors and power strips vary among countries. Using an incompatible cable or improperly connecting the cable to the power strip or electrical outlet may cause fire or equipment damage. NOTICE: Always use the Dell AC adapter that came with your Tablet-PC. If you use any other commercially available AC adapteror the AC adapter from earlier models of Dell computersyou may damage the battery slice or the Tablet-PC. NOTICE: When you disconnect the Dell AC adapter cable from the Tablet-PC, grasp the connector, not the cable itself, and pull firmly but gently to avoid damaging the cable. When you wrap the AC adapter cable, ensure that you follow the angle of the connector on the AC adapter to avoid damaging the cable. Battery Slice (Optional) 200 Connect the AC adapter to the AC adapter connector on your Tablet-PC and to an electrical outlet. Docking Your Tablet-PC to the Battery Slice NOTE: After docking the Tablet-PC for the first time, the Tablet-PC battery or the Tablet-PC AC adapter connection can power the battery slice. Battery Slice (Optional) 201 1 Align the back of the Tablet-PC with the back of the battery slice at approximately a 30-degree angle, and lower the front of the Tablet-PC onto the battery slice. 1 2 1 Tablet-PC 2 battery slice 2 3 Press the Tablet-PC onto the battery slice until you feel a click and the Tablet-PC is firmly seated. Turn on the Tablet-PC. The operating system recognizes the battery slice. Undocking Your Tablet-PC From the Battery Slice 1 2 Before you undock your Tablet-PC from the battery slice, save and close any open files, and exit any open programs. Set your Tablet-PC power management settings so that the Tablet-PC does not enter sleep or hibernate mode when you close (lower) the display:

a Click Start Control Panel Mobile PC Power Options Change what closing the lid does. Battery Slice (Optional) 202 b Under the When I close the lid drop-down menu, select Do nothing. Pull the Tablet-PC release lever forward (see "Bottom View" on page 200) to release the Tablet-PC from the battery slice. Lift the back of the Tablet-PC up and slide the Tablet-PC out towards the 3 4 back of the battery slice. Charging Your Battery Slice You can recharge your battery slice independent of the Tablet-PC using the AC adapter that shipped with your Tablet-PC. Your battery slice will also recharge whenever it is docked to the Tablet-PC and the Tablet-PC is attached to the electrical outlet using the AC adapter. See "Battery Slice Power Status LED Codes" on page 204 for more information on the battery slice power status codes. Battery Slice (Optional) 203 Battery Slice Power Status LED Your battery slice includes a power status LED that can indicate the following states:

Battery Slice Power Status LED Codes Blinking amber, off, blue, off, You are trying to use an unsupported, non-Dell AC amber, off, blue, off adapter to power your tablet-PC. Blinking amber, off, amber, off, Temporary battery failure with AC adapter amber, off, amber, off, long blue, present. long off Blinking amber, off, amber, off, Fatal battery failure with AC adapter present. amber, off, amber, off LED off Battery in full charge mode with AC adapter present. Steady blue light Battery in charge mode with AC adapter present. Battery Slice Specifications Physical Height Width Depth Weight AC Adapter 8.5 mm (0.33 inches) 295.32 mm (11.63 inches) 213.32 mm (8.4 inches) 0.61 kg (1.35 lb) Input voltage 100240 VAC Input current (maximum) 1.5 A Input frequency 5060 Hz Output current (maximum) 3.34 A Output power 65 W Rated output voltage 19.5 VDC Battery Slice (Optional) 204 AC Adapter Dimensions and weight:

Height Width Depth 28.3 mm (1.11 inches) 57.8 mm (2.28 inches) 137.2 mm (5.40 inches) Weight (with cables) 0.36 kg (.79 lb) Ports and Connectors Docking 100-pin connector Battery Slice (Optional) 205 Battery Slice (Optional) 206 Traveling With Your Tablet-PC NOTICE: To avoid damaging your display, ensure that your Tablet-PC is in notebook mode and that the display is closed when you travel. Identifying Your Tablet-PC Attach a name tag or business card to the Tablet-PC. Write down your Service Tag and store it in a safe place away from the Tablet-PC or carrying case. Use the Service Tag if you need to report a loss or theft to law enforcement officials and to Dell. Create a file on the Microsoft Windows desktop called if_found. Place information such as your name, address, and phone number in this file. Contact your credit card company and ask if it offers coded identification tags. Packing the Tablet-PC Remove any external devices attached to the Tablet-PC and store them in a safe place. To make the Tablet-PC as light as possible, replace any devices installed in the module bay with the Dell TravelLite module. Fully charge the main battery and any spare batteries that you plan to carry with you. Shut down the Tablet-PC. Disconnect the AC adapter. NOTICE: When the display is closed, extraneous items on the keyboard or palm rest could damage the display. Remove any extraneous items, such as paper clips, pens, and paper, from the keyboard and palm rest and close the display. Traveling With Your Tablet-PC 207 Use the optional Dell carrying case to pack the Tablet-PC and its accessories together safely. Avoid packing the Tablet-PC with items such as shaving cream, colognes, perfumes, or food. NOTICE: If the Tablet-PC has been exposed to extreme temperatures, allow it to acclimate to room temperature for 1 hour before turning it on. Protect the Tablet-PC, the batteries, and the hard drive from hazards such as extreme temperatures and overexposure to sunlight, dirt, dust, or liquids. Pack the Tablet-PC so that it does not slide around in the trunk of your car or in an overhead storage compartment. Travel Tips NOTICE: Do not move the Tablet-PC while using the optical drive to prevent loss of data. NOTICE: Do not check the Tablet-PC as baggage. Consider disabling wireless activity on your Tablet-PC to maximize battery operating time. To disable wireless activity, use the wireless switch (see

"Enabling/Disabling the Dell Mobile Broadband Card" on page 96). Consider changing your power management options to maximize battery operating time (see "Configuring Power Management Settings" on page 72). If you are traveling internationally, carry proof of ownershipor of your right to use the Tablet-PC if it is company-ownedto speed your passage through customs. Investigate the customs regulations of the countries you plan to visit, and consider acquiring an international carnet (also known as a merchandise passport) from your government. Find out what type of electrical outlets are used in the countries you will visit, and have appropriate power adapters. Check with your credit card company for information about the kinds of emergency travel assistance it offers to users of portable computers. Traveling With Your Tablet-PC 208 Traveling by Air NOTICE: Do not walk the Tablet-PC through a metal detector. Send the Tablet-PC through an X-ray machine or have it hand-inspected. Ensure that you have a charged battery available in case you are asked to turn on the Tablet-PC. Prior to entering the airplane, verify that using a Tablet-PC is permitted. Some airlines forbid the use of electronic devices during flight. All airlines forbid the use of electronic devices during takeoff and landing. Traveling With Your Tablet-PC 209 Traveling With Your Tablet-PC 210 Glossary Terms in this Glossary are provided for informational purposes only and may or may not describe features included with your particular Tablet-PC. 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. ACPI advanced configuration and power interface A power management specification that enables Microsoft Windows operating systems to put a computer in sleep or hibernate mode to conserve the amount of electrical power allocated to each device attached to the computer. AGP accelerated graphics port A dedicated graphics port that allows system memory to be used for video-related tasks. AGP delivers a smooth, true-color video image because of the faster interface between the video circuitry and the computer memory. AHCI Advanced Host Controller Interface An interface for a SATA hard drive Host Controller which allows the storage driver to enable technologies such as Native Command Queuing (NCQ) and hot plug. ambient light sensor A feature that helps to control display brightness. antivirus software A program designed to identify, quarantine, and/or delete viruses from your computer. ASF alert standards format A standard to define a mechanism for reporting hardware and software alerts to a management console. ASF is designed to be platform- and operating system-independent. B battery life span The length of time (years) during which a portable computer battery is able to be depleted and recharged. 211 battery operating time The length of time (minutes or hours) that a portable computer battery powers the computer. biometric reader A strip sensor that uses your unique fingerprint to authenticate your user identity to help secure your computer. BIOS basic input/output system A program (or utility) that serves as an interface between the computer hardware and the operating system. Unless you understand what effect these settings have on the computer, do not change them. Also referred to as system setup. bit The smallest unit of data interpreted by your computer. Blu-ray Disc (BD) An optical storage technology offering storage capacity of up to 50 GB, full 1080p video resolution (HDTV required), and as many as 7.1 channels of native, uncompressed surround sound. Bluetooth wireless technology A wireless technology standard for short-range (9 m [29 feet]) networking devices that allows for enabled devices to automatically recognize each other. boot sequence Specifies the order of the devices from which the computer attempts to boot. bootable media A CD or DVD that you can use to start your computer. In case your hard drive is damaged or your computer has a virus, ensure that you always have a bootable CD or DVD available. Your Drivers and Utilities media is an example of bootable media. bps bits per second The standard unit for measuring data transmission speed. BTU British thermal unit A measurement of heat output. bus A communication pathway between the components in your computer. bus speed The speed, given in MHz, that indicates how fast a bus can transfer information. byte The basic data unit used by your computer. A byte is usually equal to 8 bits. C C Celsius A temperature measurement 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 high-speed storage device. The cache enhances the efficiency of many processor operations. L1 cache Primary cache stored inside the processor. 212 L2 cache Secondary cache which can either be external to the processor or incorporated into the processor architecture. carnet An international customs document that facilitates temporary imports into foreign countries. Also known as a merchandise passport. CD-R CD recordable A recordable version of a CD. Data can be recorded only once onto a CD-R. Once recorded, the data cannot be erased or written over. CD-RW CD rewritable A rewritable version of a CD. Data can be written to a CD-RW disc, and then erased and written over (rewritten). CD-RW drive A drive that can read CDs and write to CD-RW (rewritable CDs) and CD-R (recordable CDs) discs. You can write to CD-RW discs multiple times, but you can write to CD-R discs only once. CD-RW/DVD drive A drive, sometimes referred to as a combo drive, that can read CDs and DVDs and write to CD-RW (rewritable CDs) and CD-R (recordable CDs) discs. You can write to CD-RW discs multiple times, but you can write to CD-R discs only once. clock speed The speed, given in MHz, that indicates how fast computer components that are connected to the system bus operate. CMOS A type of electronic circuit. Computers use a small amount of battery-

powered CMOS memory to hold date, time, and system setup options. COA Certificate of Authenticity The Windows alpha-numeric code located on a sticker on your computer. Also referred to as the Product Key or Product ID. Control Panel A Windows utility that allows you to modify operating system and hardware settings, such as display settings. controller A chip that controls the transfer of data between the processor and memory or between the processor and devices. CRIMM continuity rambus in-line memory module A special module that has no memory chips and is used to fill unused RIMM slots. cursor The marker on a display or screen that shows where the next keyboard, touch pad, or mouse action will occur. It often is a blinking solid line, an underline character, or a small arrow. D DDR SDRAM double-data-rate SDRAM A type of SDRAM that doubles the data burst cycle, improving system performance. DDR2 SDRAM double-data-rate 2 SDRAM A type of DDR SDRAM that uses a 4-bit prefetch and other architectural changes to boost memory speed to over 400 213 MHz. device Hardware such as a disk drive, printer, or keyboard that is installed in or connected to your computer. device driver See driver. DIMM dual in-line memory module A circuit board with memory chips that connects to a memory module on the system board. DIN connector A round, six-pin connector that conforms to DIN (Deutsche Industrie-Norm) standards; it is typically used to connect PS/2 keyboard or mouse cable connectors. disk striping A technique for spreading data over multiple disk drives. Disk striping can speed up operations that retrieve data from disk storage. Computers that use disk striping generally allow the user to select the data unit size or stripe width. DMA direct memory access A channel that allows certain types of data transfer between RAM and a device to bypass the processor. docking device provides port replication, cable management, and security features to adapt your notebook to a desktop workspace. DMTF Distributed Management Task Force A consortium of hardware and software companies who develop management standards for distributed desktop, network, enterprise, and Internet environments. domain A group of computers, programs, and devices on a network that are administered as a unit with common rules and procedures for use by a specific group of users. A user logs on to the domain to gain access to the resources. DRAM dynamic random-access memory Memory that stores information in integrated circuits containing capacitors. driver Software that allows the operating system to control a device such as a printer. Many devices do not work properly if the correct driver is not installed in the computer. DSL Digital Subscriber Line A technology that provides a constant, high-speed Internet connection through an analog telephone line. dual-core A technology in which two physical computational units exist inside a single processor package, thereby increasing computing efficiency and multi-tasking ability. dual display mode A display setting that allows you to use a second monitor as an extension of your display. Also referred to as extended display mode. DVD-R DVD recordable A recordable version of a DVD. Data can be recorded only once onto a DVD-R. Once recorded, the data cannot be erased or written over. 214 DVD+RW DVD rewritable A rewritable version of a DVD. Data can be written to a DVD+RW disc, and then erased and written over (rewritten). (DVD+RW technology is different from DVD-RW technology.) DVD+RW drive drive that can read DVDs and most CD media and write to DVD+RW (rewritable DVDs) discs. DVI 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 testing the accuracy of data as it passes in and out of memory. ECP extended capabilities port A parallel connector design that provides improved bidirectional data transmission. Similar to EPP, ECP uses direct memory access to transfer data and often improves performance. EIDE enhanced integrated device electronics An improved version of the IDE interface for hard drives and CD drives. EMI electromagnetic interference Electrical interference caused by electromagnetic radiation. ENERGY STAR Environmental Protection Agency requirements that decrease the overall consumption of electricity. EPP enhanced parallel port A parallel connector design that provides bidirectional data transmission. ESD electrostatic discharge A rapid discharge of static electricity. ESD can damage integrated circuits found in computer and communications equipment. expansion card A circuit board that installs in an expansion slot on the system board in some computers, expanding the capabilities of the computer. Examples include video, modem, and sound cards. expansion slot A connector on the system board (in some computers) where you insert an expansion card, connecting it to the system bus. ExpressCard A removable I/O card adhering to the PCMCIA standard. Modems and network adapters are common types of ExpressCards. ExpressCards support both the PCI Express and USB 2.0 standard. Express Service Code A numeric code located on a sticker on your Dell computer. Use the Express Service Code when contacting Dell for assistance. Express Service Code service may not be available in some countries. extended display mode A display setting that allows you to use a second monitor as 215 an extension of your display. Also referred to as dual display mode. extended PC Card A PC Card that extends beyond the edge of the PC Card slot when installed. F Fahrenheit A temperature measurement scale where 32 is the freezing point and 212 is the boiling point of water. FBD fully-buffered DIMM A DIMM with DDR2 DRAM chips and an Advanced Memory Buffer (AMB) that speeds communication between the DDR2 SDRAM chips and the system. FCC Federal Communications Commission A U.S. agency responsible for enforcing communications-related regulations that state how much radiation computers and other electronic equipment can emit. folder A term used to describe space on a disk or drive where files are organized and grouped. Files in a folder can be viewed and ordered in various ways, such as alphabetically, by date, and by size. format The process that prepares a drive or disk for file storage. When a drive or disk is formatted, the existing information on it is lost. FSB front side bus The data path and physical interface between the processor and RAM. FTP file transfer protocol A standard Internet protocol used to exchange files between computers connected to the Internet. G G gravity A measurement of weight and force. GB gigabyte A measurement of data storage that equals 1024 MB

(1,073,741,824 bytes). When used to refer to hard drive storage, the term is often rounded to 1,000,000,000 bytes. GHz gigahertz A measurement of frequency that equals one thousand million Hz, or one thousand MHz. The speeds for computer processors, buses, and interfaces are often measured in GHz. graphics mode A video mode that can be defined as x horizontal pixels by y vertical pixels by z colors. Graphics modes can display an unlimited variety of shapes and fonts. GUI graphical user interface Software that interacts with the user by means of menus, windows, and icons. Most programs that operate on the Windows operating 216 systems are GUIs. H hard drive A drive that reads and writes data on a hard disk. The terms hard drive and hard disk are often used interchangeably. heat sink A metal plate on some processors that helps dissipate heat. hibernate mode A power management mode that saves everything in memory to a reserved space on the hard drive and then turns off the computer. When you restart the computer, the memory information that was saved to the hard drive is automatically restored. HTTP hypertext transfer protocol A protocol for exchanging files between computers connected to the Internet. Hyper-Threading Hyper-Threading is an Intel technology that can enhance overall computer performance by allowing one physical processor to function as two logical processors, capable of performing certain tasks simultaneously. Hz hertz A unit of frequency measurement that equals 1 cycle per second. Computers and electronic devices are often measured in kilohertz (kHz), megahertz

(MHz), gigahertz (GHz), or terahertz (THz). I IC integrated circuit A semiconductor wafer, or chip, on which thousands or millions of tiny electronic 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 CD drive. IEEE 1394 Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers, Inc. A high-

performance serial bus used to connect IEEE 1394-compatible devices, such as digital cameras and DVD players, to the computer. infrared sensor A port that allows you to transfer data between the computer and infrared-compatible devices without using a cable connection. integrated Usually refers to components that are physically located on the computers system board. Also referred to as built-in. I/O input/output An operation or device that enters and extracts data from your computer. Keyboards and printers are I/O devices. I/O address An address in RAM that is associated with a specific device (such as a serial connector, parallel connector, or expansion slot) and allows the processor to 217 communicate with that device. IrDA Infrared Data Association The organization that creates international standards for infrared communications. IRQ interrupt request An electronic pathway assigned to a specific device so that the device can communicate with the processor. Each device connection must be assigned an IRQ. Although two devices can share the same IRQ assignment, you cannot operate both devices simultaneously. ISP Internet service provider A company that allows you to access its host server to connect directly to the Internet, send and receive e-mail, and access websites. The ISP typically provides you with a software package, user name, and access phone numbers for a fee. K Kb kilobit A unit of data that equals 1024 bits. A measurement of the capacity of memory integrated circuits. KB kilobyte A unit of data that equals 1024 bytes but is often referred to as 1000 bytes. key combination A command requiring you to press multiple keys at the same time. kHz kilohertz A measurement of frequency that equals 1000 Hz. L LAN local area network A computer network covering a small area. A LAN usually is confined to a building or a few nearby buildings. A LAN can be connected to another LAN over any distance through telephone lines and radio waves to form a wide area network (WAN). LCD liquid crystal display The technology used by portable computer and flat-

panel displays. LED light-emitting diode An electronic component that emits light to indicate the status of the computer. local bus A data bus that provides a fast throughput for devices to the processor. LPT line print terminal The designation for a parallel connection to a printer or other parallel device. 218 M Mb megabit A measurement of memory chip capacity that equals 1024 Kb. Mbps megabits per second One million bits per second. This measurement is typically used for transmission speeds for networks and modems. MB megabyte A measurement of data storage that equals 1,048,576 bytes. 1 MB equals 1024 KB. When used to refer to hard drive storage, the term is often rounded to 1,000,000 bytes. MB/sec megabytes per second One million bytes per second. This measurement is typically used for data transfer ratings. media bay A bay that supports devices such as optical drives, a second battery, or a Dell TravelLite module. memory A temporary data storage area inside your computer. Because the data in memory is not permanent, it is recommended that you frequently save your files while you are working on them, and always save your files before you shut down the computer. Your computer can contain several different forms of memory, such as RAM, ROM, and video memory. Frequently, the word memory is used as a synonym for RAM. memory address A specific location where data is temporarily stored in RAM. memory mapping The process by which the computer assigns memory addresses to physical locations at start-up. Devices and software can then identify information that the processor can access. memory module A small circuit board containing memory chips, which connects to the system board. MHz megahertz A measure of frequency that equals 1 million cycles per second. The speeds for computer processors, buses, and interfaces are often measured in MHz. Mini PCI A standard for integrated peripheral devices with an emphasis on communications such as modems and NICs. A Mini PCI card is a small external card that is functionally equivalent to a standard PCI expansion card. mini card A small card designed for integrated peripherals, such as communication NICs. The mini card is functionally equivalent to a standard PCI expansion card. modem A device that allows your computer to communicate with other computers over analog telephone lines. Three types of modems include: external, PC Card, and internal. You typically use your modem to connect to the Internet and exchange e-

mail. module bay See media bay. MP megapixel A measure of image resolution used for digital cameras. 219 ms millisecond A measure of time that equals one thousandth of a second. Access times of storage devices are often measured in ms. N network adapter A chip that provides network capabilities. A computer may include a network adapter on its system board, or it may contain a PC Card with an adapter on it. A network adapter is also referred to as a NIC (network interface controller). NIC See network adapter. notification area The section of the Windows taskbar that contains icons for providing quick access to programs and computer functions, such as the clock, volume control, and print status. Also referred to as system tray. ns nanosecond A measure of time that equals one billionth of a second. NVRAM nonvolatile random access memory A type of memory that stores data when the computer is turned off or loses its external power source. NVRAM is used for maintaining computer configuration information such as date, time, and other system setup options that you can set. O optical drive A drive that uses optical technology to read or write data from CDs, DVDs, or DVD+RWs. Example of optical drives include CD drives, DVD drives, CD-

RW drives, and CD-RW/DVD combo drives. P parallel connector An I/O port often used to connect a parallel printer to your computer. Also referred to as an LPT port. partition A physical storage area on a hard drive that is assigned to one or more logical storage areas known as logical drives. Each partition can contain multiple logical drives. PC Card A removable I/O card adhering to the PCMCIA standard. Modems and network adapters are common types of PC Cards. PCI peripheral component interconnect PCI is a local bus that supports 32-and 64-bit data paths, providing a high-speed data path between the processor and devices such as video, drives, and networks. PCI Express A modification to the PCI interface that boosts the data transfer rate 220 between the processor and the devices attached to it. PCI Express can transfer data at speeds from 250 MB/sec to 4 GB/sec. If the PCI Express chip set and the device are capable of different speeds, they will operate at the slower speed. PCMCIA Personal Computer Memory Card International Association The organization that establishes standards for PC Cards. pen Input device used to enter data into a Tablet-PC or other slate device. PIO programmed input/output A method of transferring data between two devices through the processor as part of the data path. pixel A single point on a display screen. Pixels are arranged in rows and columns to create an image. A video resolution, such as 800 x 600, is expressed as the number of pixels across by the number of pixels up and down. Plug-and-Play The ability of the computer to automatically configure devices. Plug and Play provides automatic installation, configuration, and compatibility with existing hardware if the BIOS, operating system, and all devices are Plug and Play compliant. POST power-on self-test Diagnostics programs, loaded automatically by the BIOS, that perform basic tests on the major computer components, such as memory, hard drives, and video. If no problems are detected during POST, the computer continues the start-up. processor A computer chip that interprets and executes program instructions. Sometimes the processor is referred to as the CPU (central processing unit). PS/2 personal system/2 A type of connector for attaching a PS/2-compatible keyboard, mouse, or keypad. PXE pre-boot execution environment A WfM (Wired for Management) standard that allows networked computers that do not have an operating system to be configured and started remotely. R RAID redundant array of independent disks A method of providing data redundancy. Some common implementations of RAID include RAID 0, RAID 1, RAID 5, RAID 10, and RAID 50. RAM random-access memory The primary temporary storage area for program instructions and data. Any information stored in RAM is lost when you shut down your computer. readme file A text file included with a software package or hardware product. Typically, readme files provide installation information and describe new product enhancements or corrections that have not yet been documented. 221 read-only Data and/or files you can view but cannot edit or delete. A file can have read-only status if:

It resides on a physically write-protected CD or DVD. It is located on a network in a directory and the system administrator has assigned rights only to specific individuals. refresh rate The frequency, measured in Hz, at which your screen's horizontal lines are recharged (sometimes also referred to as its vertical frequency). The higher the refresh rate, the less video flicker can be seen by the human eye. resolution The sharpness and clarity of an image produced by a printer or displayed on a monitor. The higher the resolution, the sharper the image. RFI radio frequency interference Interference that is generated at typical radio frequencies, in the range of 10 kHz to 100,000 MHz. Radio frequencies are at the lower end of the electromagnetic frequency spectrum and are more likely to have interference than the higher frequency radiations, such as infrared and light. ROM read-only memory Memory that stores data and programs that cannot be deleted or written to by the computer. ROM, unlike RAM, retains its contents after you shut down your computer. Some programs essential to the operation of your computer reside in ROM. RPM revolutions per minute The number of rotations that occur per minute. Hard drive speed is often measured in rpm. RTC real time clock Battery-powered clock on the system board that keeps the date and time after you shut down the computer. RTCRST real-time clock reset 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 opposed to the original SCSI parallel architecture). SATA serial ATA A faster, serial version of the ATA (IDE) interface. ScanDisk A Microsoft utility that checks files, folders, and the hard disks surface for errors. ScanDisk often runs when you 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 drives, CD drives, printers, and scanners. The SCSI can connect many devices using a single controller. Each device is accessed by an individual identification number on the SCSI controller bus. 222 SDRAM synchronous dynamic random-access memory A type of DRAM that is synchronized with the optimal clock speed of the processor. serial connector An I/O port often used to connect devices such as a handheld digital device or digital camera to your computer. Service Tag A bar code label on your computer that identifies your computer when you access Dell Support at support.dell.com or when you call Dell for customer service or technical support. setup program A program that is used to install and configure hardware and software. The setup.exe or install.exe program comes with most Windows software packages. Setup program differs from system setup. shortcut An icon that provides quick access to frequently used programs, files, folders, and drives. When you place a shortcut on your Windows desktop and double-

click the icon, you can open its corresponding folder or file without having to find it first. Shortcut icons do not change the location of files. If you delete a shortcut, the original file is not affected. Also, you can rename a shortcut icon. SIM Subscriber Identity Module A SIM card contains a microchip that encrypts voice and data transmissions. SIM cards can be used in phones or portable computers. smart card A card that is embedded with a processor and a memory chip. Smart cards can be used to authenticate a user on computers equipped for smart cards. S/PDIF Sony/Philips Digital Interface An audio transfer file format that allows the transfer of audio from one file to another without converting it to and from an analog format, which could degrade the quality of the file. sleep mode A power management mode that shuts down all unnecessary computer operations to save energy. Strike Zone Reinforced area of the platform base that protects the hard drive by acting as a dampening device when a computer experiences resonating shock or is dropped (whether the computer is on or off). surge protectors Prevent voltage spikes, such as those that may occur during an electrical storm, from entering the computer through the electrical outlet. Surge protectors do not protect against lightning strikes or against brownouts, which occur when the voltage drops more than 20 percent below the normal AC-line voltage level. Network connections cannot be protected by surge protectors. Always disconnect the network cable from the network connector during electrical storms. SVGA super-video graphics array A video standard for video cards and controllers. Typical SVGA resolutions are 800 x 600 and 1024 x 768. The number of colors and resolution that a program displays depends on the capabilities of the monitor, the video controller and its drivers, and the amount of 223 video memory installed in the computer. S-video TV-out A connector used to attach a TV or digital audio device to the computer. SXGA super-extended graphics array A video standard for video cards and controllers that supports resolutions up to 1280 x 1024. SXGA+ super-extended graphics array plus A video standard for video cards and 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 computer hardware and the operating system. System setup allows you to configure user-selectable options in the BIOS, such as date and time or system password. Unless you understand what effect the settings have on the computer, do not change the settings for this program. T TAPI telephony application programming interface Enables Windows programs to operate with a wide variety of telephony devices, including voice, data, fax, and video. text editor A program used to create and edit files that contain only text; for example, Windows Notepad uses a text editor. Text editors do not usually provide word wrap or formatting functionality (the option to underline, change fonts, and so on). TPM trusted platform module A hardware-based security feature that when combined with security software enhances network and computer security by enabling features such as file and e-mail protection. travel module A plastic device designed to fit inside the module bay of a portable computer to reduce the weight of the computer. U UAC user account control Microsoft Windows Vista security feature 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 power source used when the electrical power fails or drops to an unacceptable voltage level. A UPS keeps a 224 computer running for a limited amount of time when there is no electrical power. UPS systems typically provide surge suppression and may also provide voltage regulation. Small UPS systems provide battery power for a few minutes to enable you to shut down your computer. USB universal serial bus A hardware interface for a low-speed device such as a USB-compatible keyboard, mouse, joystick, scanner, set of speakers, printer, broadband devices (DSL and cable modems), imaging devices, or storage devices. Devices are plugged directly in to a 4-pin socket on your computer or in to a multi-port hub that plugs in to your computer. USB devices can be connected and disconnected while the computer is turned on, and they can also be daisy-chained together. UTP unshielded twisted pair Describes a type of cable used in most telephone networks and some computer networks. Pairs of unshielded wires are twisted to protect against electromagnetic interference, rather than relying on a metal sheath around each pair of wires to protect against interference. UXGA ultra extended graphics array A video standard for video cards and controllers that supports resolutions up to 1600 x 1200. V video controller The circuitry on a video card or on the system board (in computers with an integrated video controller) that provides the video capabilitiesin combination with the monitorfor your computer. video memory Memory that consists of memory chips dedicated to video functions. Video memory is usually faster than system memory. The amount of video memory installed primarily influences the number of colors that a program can display. video mode A mode that describes how text and graphics are displayed on a monitor. Graphics-based software, such as Windows operating systems, displays in video modes that can be defined as x horizontal pixels by y vertical pixels by z colors. Character-based software, such as text editors, displays in video modes that can be defined as x columns by y rows of characters. video resolution See resolution. 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 downloaded from the Internet, or e-mail attachments. When an infected program starts, its embedded virus also starts. A common type of virus is a boot virus, which is stored in the boot sectors of bootable media. If the bootable media is left in the drive when the computer is shut down and then turned on, the computer is infected when it reads the boot sectors of the bootable media expecting to find the operating system. If the computer is infected, 225 the boot virus may replicate itself onto all the bootable media that are read or written in that computer until the virus is eradicated. V volt The measurement of electric potential or electromotive force. One V appears across a resistance of 1 ohm when a current of 1 ampere flows through that resistance. W W watt The measurement of electrical power. One W is 1 ampere of current flowing at 1 volt. WHr watt-hour A unit of measure commonly used to indicate the approximate capacity of a battery. For example, a 66-WHr battery can supply 66 W of power for 1 hour or 33 W for 2 hours. wallpaper The background pattern or picture on the Windows desktop. Change your wallpaper through the Windows Control Panel. You can also scan in your favorite picture and make it wallpaper. WLAN wireless local area network. A series of interconnected computers that communicate with each other over the air waves using access points or wireless routers to provide Internet access. write-protected Files or media that cannot be changed. Use write-protection when you want to protect data from being changed or destroyed. WWAN wireless wide area network. A wireless high-speed data network using cellular technology and covering a much larger geographic area than WLAN. WXGA wide-aspect extended graphics array A video standard for video cards and controllers that supports resolutions up to 1280 x 800. X XGA extended graphics array A video standard for video cards and controllers that supports resolutions up to 1024 x 768. Z ZIF zero insertion force A type of socket or connector that allows a computer chip to be installed or removed with no stress applied to either the chip or its socket. Zip A popular data compression format. Files that have been compressed with the Zip format are called Zip files and usually have a filename extension of .zip. A special kind of zipped file is a self-extracting file, which has a filename extension of .exe. You 226 can unzip a self-extracting file by double-clicking it. Zip drive A high-capacity floppy drive developed by Iomega Corporation that uses 3.5-inch removable disks called Zip disks. Zip disks are slightly larger than regular floppy disks, about twice as thick, and hold up to 100 MB of data. 227 228 Appendix FCC Notice (U.S. Only) FCC Class B This equipment generates, uses, and can radiate radio frequency energy and, if not installed and used in accordance with the manufacturers instruction manual, may cause interference with radio and television reception. This equipment has been tested and found to comply with the limits for a Class B digital device pursuant to Part 15 of the FCC Rules. This device complies with Part 15 of the FCC Rules. Operation is subject to the following two conditions:

1 2 This device may not cause harmful interference. This device must accept any interference received, including interference that may cause undesired operation. NOTICE: The FCC regulations provide that changes or modifications not expressly approved by Dell Inc. could void your authority to operate this equipment. These limits are designed to provide reasonable protection against harmful interference in a residential installation. However, there is no guarantee that interference will not occur in a particular installation. If this equipment does cause harmful interference with radio or television reception, which can be determined by turning the equipment off and on, you are encouraged to try to correct the interference by one or more of the following measures:

Reorient the receiving antenna. Relocate the system with respect to the receiver. Move the system away from the receiver. Plug the system into a different outlet so that the system and the receiver are on different branch circuits. If necessary, consult a representative of Dell Inc. or an experienced radio/television technician for additional suggestions. Appendix 229 The following information is provided on the device or devices covered in this document in compliance with the FCC regulations:

Product name: Dell Latitude XT Model number: PP12S Company name:

Dell Inc. Worldwide Regulatory Compliance & Environmental Affairs One Dell Way Round Rock, TX 78682 USA 512-338-4400 NOTE: For further regulatory information, see your Product Information Guide. Macrovision Product Notice This product incorporates copyright protection technology that is protected by method claims of certain U.S. patents and other intellectual property rights owned by Macrovision Corporation and other rights owners. Use of this copyright protection technology must be authorized by Macrovision Corporation, and is intended for home and other limited viewing uses only unless otherwise authorized by Macrovision Corporation. Reverse engineering or disassembly is prohibited. Appendix 230

 

 

FCC Statements The radiated output power of Dell wireless WLAN card devices is far below the FCC radio frequency exposure limits. Nevertheless, the device should be used in such a manner that the potential for human contact during normal operation is minimized. To avoid the possibility of exceeding the FCC radio frequency exposure limits, you should keep a distance of at least 20 cm between you (or any other person in the vicinity) and the antenna that is built into the device. To determine the location of the antenna within your portable computer, check the information posted on the general Dell support site at http://support.dell.com/. These devices have also been evaluated and shown to comply with the FCC RF exposure limits under portable exposure conditions (antennas are within 20 cm of a person's body) when installed in certain specific OEM configurations. Details of the authorized configurations can be found at http://www.fcc.gov/oet/ea by entering the FCC ID number on the device. 5 GHz Statements These devices are restricted to indoor use because they operate in the 5.15 to 5.25-

GHz frequency range. The FCC requires such products to be used indoors for the frequency range 5.15 GHz to 5.25 GHz to reduce the potential for harmful interference to co-channel Mobile Satellite systems. High-power radars are allocated as primary users of the 5.25 to 5.35-GHz and 5.65 to 5.85-GHz bands. These radar stations can cause interference with or damage to these devices, or both.

 

 

FILE LOCATION: C:\Projects\Spears\SpearsHTML\title.fm D E L L C O N F I D E N T I A L P R E L I M I N A R Y 7 / 1 8 / 0 7 F O R P R O O F O N LY Template Last Updated - 2/21/2007 Dell Inspiron 1525/1526 Owners Manual Model PP29L w w w . d e l l . c o m | s u p p o r t . d e l l . c o m FILE LOCATION: C:\Projects\Spears\SpearsHTML\title.fm Notes, Notices, and Cautions NOTE: A NOTE indicates important information that helps you make better use of your computer. NOTICE: A NOTICE indicates either potential damage to hardware or loss of data and tells you how to avoid the problem. CAUTION: A CAUTION indicates a potential for property damage, personal injury, or death. ___________________ Information in this document is subject to change without notice. 2007 Dell Inc. All rights reserved. Reproduction in any manner whatsoever without the written permission of Dell Inc. is strictly forbidden. Trademarks used in this text: Dell, the DELL logo, Inspiron, Wi-Fi Catcher, and Dell MediaDirect are trademarks of Dell Inc.; Intel and Core are registered trademarks of Intel Corporation.; AMD, AMD Turion, Athlon, Sempron, ATI Radeon and combinations thereof are trademarks of Advanced Micro Devices, Inc.; Microsoft, Windows, and Windows Vista are either trademarks or registered trademarks of Microsoft Corporation in the United States and/or other countries; Bluetooth is a registered trademark owned by Bluetooth SIG, Inc. and is used by Dell under license. Blu-ray Disc is a trademark of the Blu-ray Disc Association. Other trademarks and trade names may be used in this document to refer to either the entities claiming the marks and names or their products. Dell Inc. disclaims any proprietary interest in trademarks and trade names other than its own. Model PP29L July 2007 P/N NN491 Rev. A00 DELL CONFIDENTIAL PRELIMINARY 7/18/07 FOR PROOF ONLY Contents Finding Information . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13 1 About Your Computer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19 Front View . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19 Left Side View . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25 Right Side View . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27 Back View . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 29 Bottom View . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30 2 Setting Up Your Computer . . . . . . . . . . . . 31 Connecting to the Internet . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 31 Setting Up Your Internet Connection . . . . . . . . 32 Transferring Information to a New Computer . . . . . 33 Windows Easy Transfer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 33 Setting Up a Printer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 33 Printer Cable . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 34 Connecting a USB Printer . . . . . . . . . . . . . 34 Power Protection Devices . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 35 Surge Protectors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 35 Line Conditioners . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 36 Uninterruptible Power Supplies . . . . . . . . . . 36 Contents 3 3 Using the Display . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 37 Adjusting Brightness . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 37 Switching the Video Image From Your Computer Display To a Projector . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 37 Setting Display Resolution and Refresh Rate . . . . . . 37 4 Using the Keyboard and Touchpad . . . . . 39 Numeric Keypad . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 39 Key Combinations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 40 System Functions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 40 Display Functions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 40 Battery . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 40 Power Management . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 40 Microsoft Windows Logo Key Functions . . . 41 Dell QuickSet Key Combinations . . . . . . . . . 41 Adjusting Keyboard Settings . . . . . . . . . . . . 41 Touch Pad . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 41 Customizing the Touch Pad . . . . . . . . . . . . . 42 5 Using a Battery . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 45 Battery Performance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 45 Checking the Battery Charge . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 46 Dell QuickSet Battery Meter . . . . . . . . . . . . Microsoft Windows Battery Meter . . . . . . . 46 47 Low-Battery Warning . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 47 Conserving Battery Power . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 47 4 Contents Configuring Power Management Settings . . . . . 47 Using the Sleep Power State . . . . . . . . . . . 48 Charging the Battery . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 48 Replacing the Battery . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 49 Storing a Battery . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 50 6 Using Multimedia . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 51 Playing Media . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 51 Playing Media Using Dell Travel Remote (Optional) . . 53 Copying CD, DVD, and Blu-ray Disc (BD) Media . . . 54 How to Copy a CD, DVD or BD . . . . . . . . . . . 55 Using Blank CD, DVD, and BD Media . . . . . . . 55 Helpful Tips . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 56 Adjusting the Volume . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 57 Adjusting the Picture . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 58 Using Dell MediaDirect . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 58 Connecting Your Computer to a TV or Audio Device . . 59 S-Video and Standard Audio . . . . . . . . . . . . 61 S-Video and S/PDIF Digital Audio . . . . . . . . . 62 Composite Video and Standard Audio . . . . . . . 64 Composite Video and S/PDIF Digital Audio . . . . 66 Component Video and Standard Audio . . . . . . 68 Component Video and S/PDIF Digital Audio . . . . 71 HDMI (Optional) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 74 Enabling the Display Settings for a TV . . . . . . . 75 Contents 5 7 Using the Optional Camera . . . . . . . . . . . 77 Accessing the Cameras Help File . . . . . . . . . . . 77 Manually Adjusting the Camera Settings . . . . . . . . 78 Creating a Picture or a Video . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 78 8 Using Cards . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 81 ExpressCards . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 81 ExpressCard Blanks . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 82 Installing an ExpressCard . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 82 Removing an ExpressCard or Blank . . . . . . . . . . . 83 Memory Card Reader . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 83 Memory Card Blanks . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 83 Installing a Memory Card . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 84 Removing a Memory Card or Blank . . . . . . . . . . . 85 9 Setting Up and Using Networks . . . . . . . 87 Connecting a Network or Broadband Modem Cable . . 87 Setting Up a Network . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 88 Wireless Local Area Network . . . . . . . . . . . . . 88 What You Need to Establish a WLAN Connection . 88 Checking Your Wireless Network Card . . . . . . 89 Setting Up a New WLAN Using a Wireless Router and a 89 Broadband Modem . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Connecting to a WLAN . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 91 6 Contents Mobile Broadband (or Wireless Wide Area Network) . 92 What You Need to Establish a Mobile Broadband Network Connection . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 93 Checking Your Dell Mobile Broadband Card . . . . 93 Connecting to a Mobile Broadband Network . . . 94 Enabling/Disabling the Dell Mobile Broadband Card 94 Dell Wi-Fi Catcher Network Locator . . . . . . . . . 95 10 Securing Your Computer . . . . . . . . . . . . . 97 Security Cable Lock . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 97 Passwords . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 97 If Your Computer Is Lost or Stolen . . . . . . . . . . . 98 11 Troubleshooting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 101 Dell Technical Update Service . . . . . . . . . . . . . 101 Dell Diagnostics . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 101 Dell Support Utility . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 105 Drive Problems . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 106 Optical drive problems . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 106 Hard drive problems . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 107 E-Mail, Modem, and Internet Problems . . . . . . . . 108 Error Messages . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 109 ExpressCard Problems . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 114 IEEE 1394 Device Problems . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 115 Contents 7 Keyboard Problems . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 115 External Keyboard problems . . . . . . . . . . . . 115 Unexpected characters . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 116 Lockups and Software Problems . . . . . . . . . . . . 117 The computer does not start . . . . . . . . . . . . 117 The computer stops responding . . . . . . . . . . 117 A program stops responding or crashes repeatedly 117 A program is designed for an earlier Microsoft Windows operating system . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 117 A solid blue screen appears . . . . . . . . . . . . 118 Dell MediaDirect problems . . . . . . . . . . . . . 118 Other software problems . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 118 Memory Problems . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 119 Network Problems . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 120 Mobile Broadband (Wireless Wide Area Network [WWAN]) 120 Power Problems . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 121 Printer Problems . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 122 Scanner Problems . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 123 Sound and Speaker Problems . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 124 No sound from integrated speakers . . . . . . . . 124 No sound from external speakers . . . . . . . . . 124 No sound from headphones . . . . . . . . . . . . 125 Touch Pad or Mouse Problems . . . . . . . . . . . . . 125 Video and Display Problems . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 126 If the display is blank . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 126 If the display is difficult to read . . . . . . . . . . 126 If only part of the display is readable . . . . . . . 127 8 Contents Drivers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 127 What Is a Driver? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 127 Identifying Drivers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 128 Reinstalling Drivers and Utilities . . . . . . . . . . 128 Troubleshooting Software and Hardware Problems . . 131 Restoring Your Operating System . . . . . . . . . . . . Using Microsoft Windows System Restore . . . . 131 132 Using the Operating System Media . . . . . . . . 133 12 Adding and Replacing Parts . . . . . . . . . 135 Before You Begin . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 135 Recommended Tools . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 135 Turning Off Your Computer . . . . . . . . . . . . . 135 Before Working Inside Your Computer . . . . . . . 136 Hard Drive . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 137 Removing the Hard Drive . . . . . . . . . . . . . 138 Replacing the Hard Drive . . . . . . . . . . . . . 139 Returning a Hard Drive to Dell

. . . . . . . . . . . 139 Optical Drive . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 140 Removing the Optical Drive . . . . . . . . . . . . 140 Replacing the Optical Drive . . . . . . . . . . . . 141 Hinge Cover . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 141 Removing the Hinge Cover . . . . . . . . . . . . . 141 Replacing the Hinge Cover . . . . . . . . . . . . . 142 Keyboard . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 142 Removing the Keyboard . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 143 Replacing the Keyboard . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 144 Contents 9 Memory . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 144 Removing Memory Module . . . . . . . . . . . . 144 Replacing Memory Module . . . . . . . . . . . . 146 Subscriber Identity Module (Optional) . . . . . . . . . 147 Wireless Mini-Cards . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 148 Removing Mini-Card . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 149 Replacing Mini-Card . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 151 Flash Cache Module . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 152 Removing the FCM . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 152 Replacing the FCM . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 153 Broadcom Media PC Card . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 153 Internal Card With Bluetooth Wireless Technology . 153 Removing the Card . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 154 Replacing the Card . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 154 13 Traveling With Your Computer . . . . . . . . 155 Identifying Your Computer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 155 Packing the Computer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 155 Travel Tips . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 156 Traveling by Air . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 156 14 Getting Help . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 157 Obtaining Assistance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 157 Technical Support and Customer Service . . . . . 158 DellConnect . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 158 Online Services . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 158 10 Contents AutoTech Service . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 159 Automated Order-Status Service . . . . . . . . . 159 Problems With Your Order . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 159 Product Information . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 160 Returning Items for Warranty Repair or Credit . . . . . 160 Before You Call . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 161 Contacting Dell . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 163 15 Specifications . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 165 A Appendix . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 175 Using the System Setup Program . . . . . . . . . . . . 175 Viewing the System Setup Screen . . . . . . . . . 176 System Setup Screen . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 176 Commonly Used Options . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 176 Cleaning Your Computer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 178 Computer, Keyboard, and Display . . . . . . . . . 178 Touch Pad . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 178 Mouse . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 179 Media . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 179 Dell Technical Support Policy (U.S. Only) . . . . . . . 180 Definition of "Dell-Installed" Software and Peripherals 180 Definition of "Third-Party" Software and Peripherals 180 FCC Notice (U.S. Only) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 181 FCC Class B . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 181 Macrovision Product Notice . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 182 Contents 11 Glossary 183 Index . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 201 12 Contents Finding Information NOTE: Some features may be optional and may not ship with your computer. Some features may not be available in certain countries. NOTE: Additional information may ship with your computer. What Are You Looking For?

Find It Here

A diagnostic program for my computer

Drivers for my computer

Device documentation

Notebook System Software (NSS) Drivers and Utilities Media Documentation and drivers are already installed on your computer. You can use the Drivers and Utilities media to reinstall drivers (see "Reinstalling Drivers and Utilities" on page 128) or run the Dell Diagnostics (see "Dell Diagnostics"

on page 101). Readme files may be included on your Drivers and Utilities media to provide last-minute updates about technical changes to your computer or advanced technical-reference material for technicians or experienced users. NOTE: Drivers and documentation updates can be found at support.dell.com. Finding Information 13 What Are You Looking For?

Find It Here Dell Product Information Guide

Warranty information

Terms and Conditions (U.S. only)

Safety instructions

Regulatory information

Ergonomics information

End User License Agreement

How to set up my computer Setup Diagram 14 Finding Information What Are You Looking For?

Find It Here Service Tag and Express Service Code Microsoft Windows License Label Service Tag and Microsoft Windows License These labels are located on your computer.

Use the Service Tag to identify your computer when you use support.dell.com or contact support.

Enter the Express Service Code to direct your call when contacting support. NOTE: As an increased security measure, the newly designed Microsoft Windows license label incorporates a missing portion or "hole" to discourage removal of the label. Finding Information 15 What Are You Looking For?

Find It Here

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

Community Online discussion with Dell Support Website support.dell.com NOTE: Select your region or business segment to view the appropriate support site. other Dell customers

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

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

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

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

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

Downloads Certified drivers, patches, and software updates

Notebook System Software (NSS) If you reinstall the operating system on your computer, you should also reinstall the NSS utility. NSS automatically detects your computer and operating system, and installs the updates appropriate for your configuration, providing critical updates for your operating system and support for Dell 3.5-inch USB floppy drives, Intel processors, optical drives, and USB devices. NSS is necessary for correct operation of your Dell computer. To download Notebook System Software:

1 Go to support.dell.com, select your country/region, and then click Drivers

& Downloads. 2 Enter your Service Tag or product model, and then click Go. 3 Select your operating system and language, and then click Find Downloads, or under Downloads Search, search for the keyword Notebook System Software. NOTE: The support.dell.com user interface may vary depending on your selections. 16 Finding Information What Are You Looking For?

Find It Here

Software upgrades and troubleshooting Dell Support Utility hints Frequently asked questions, hot topics, and general health of your computing environment

How to use Microsoft Windows Vista

How to work with programs and files

How to personalize my desktop

Information on network activity, the Power Management Wizard, hotkeys, and other items controlled by Dell QuickSet The Dell Support Utility is an automated upgrade and notification system installed on your computer. This support provides real-time health scans of your computing environment, software updates, and relevant self-support information. Access the Dell Support Utility from the icon on the taskbar. For more information, see "Dell Support Utility" on page 105. Windows Help and Support 1 Click the Windows Vista Start button

, and then click Help and Support. 2 In Search Help, type a word or phrase that describes your problem, and then press <Enter> or click the magnifying glass. 3 Click the topic that describes your problem. 4 Follow the instructions on the screen. Dell QuickSet Help To view Dell QuickSet Help, right-click the QuickSet icon in the Microsoft Windows taskbar, and select Help. The taskbar is located in the lower-right corner of your screen. Finding Information 17 What Are You Looking For?

Find It Here

How to reinstall my operating system Operating System Media The operating system is already installed on your computer. To reinstall your operating system, use one of the following methods:

Microsoft Windows System Restore Microsoft Windows System Restore returns your computer to an earlier operating state without affecting data files.

Operating System Installation Media If you received operating system media with your computer, you can use it to restore your operating system. For more information, see "Restoring Your Operating System" on page 131. After you reinstall your operating system, use the Drivers and Utilities media to reinstall drivers for the devices that came with your computer. Your operating system product key label is located on your computer. NOTE: The color of your operating system installation media varies according to the operating system you ordered. 18 Finding Information About Your Computer Front View 1 2 3 17 16 15 4 5 6 14 13 12 11 10 9 8 7 About Your Computer 19 1 3 camera indicator (optional) display 5 media control buttons (7) touch pad 2 4 6 8 camera (optional) power button keyboard 8-in-1 media card reader analog microphone 10 microphone connector 7 9 11 13 headphone connectors (2) touch pad buttons (2) 15 Dell MediaDirect button 17 digital array microphones

(optional) 12 14 16 consumer IR device status lights keyboard status lights C A M E R A I N D I C A T O R Indicates that the camera is on. Based on configuration selections you made when ordering your computer, your computer may not include a camera. C A M E R A Built-in camera for video capture, conferencing, and chat. Based on configuration selections you made when ordering your computer, your computer may not include a camera. D I S P L A Y For more information about your display, see "Using the Display" on page 39. P O W E R B U T T O N Press the power button to turn on the computer or exit a power management mode (see "Configuring Power Management Settings" on page 50). NOTICE: To avoid losing data, turn off your computer by performing a Microsoft Windows operating system shutdown rather than by pressing the power button. If the computer stops responding, press and hold the power button until the computer turns off completely (may take several seconds). M E D I A C O N T R O L B U T T O N S Control CD, DVD, and Media Player playback. Mute the sound Play the previous track Turn the volume down Play the next track Turn the volume up Stop 20 About Your Computer Play or pause K E Y B O A R D For more information about the keyboard, see "Using the Keyboard and Touchpad" on page 41. T O U C H P A D Provides the functionality of a mouse (see "Touch Pad" on page 43). 8- I N -1 M E D I A C A R D R E A D E R Provides a fast and convenient way to view and share digital photos, music, and videos stored on a media memory card. The computer ships with a plastic blank installed in the slot. The 8-in-1 memory card reader reads the following digital media memory cards:

Secure Digital (SD) memory card

Secure Digital Input Output (SDIO) card

MultiMediaCard (MMC)

Memory Stick

Memory Stick PRO

xD-Picture Card

Hi Speed-SD

Hi Density-SD A N A L O G M I C R O P H O N E Integrated single microphone for conferencing and chat. A U D I O C O N N E C T O R S Attach headphones to the connector About Your Computer 21 Attach a microphone to the connector C O N S U M E R I R Infrared sensor for using the Dell travel remote control. T O U C H P A D B U T T O N S Use these buttons much like the buttons on a mouse when you use the touch pad to move the cursor on the display (see "Touch Pad" on page 43). D E V I C E S T A T U S L I G H T S The lights located on the palm rest towards the front of the computer indicate the following:

Power light Turns on when you turn on the computer, and blinks when the computer is in a power management mode. Hard drive activity light Turns on when the computer reads or writes data. NOTICE: To avoid loss of data, never turn off the computer while the light is flashing. Battery status light Turns on steadily or blinks to indicate battery charge status. 22 About Your Computer WiFi status light Turns on when wireless networking is enabled. To enable or disable wireless networking, use the wireless switch (see "wireless switch" on page 27). Bluetooth status light Turns on when a card with Bluetooth wireless technology is enabled. NOTE: The card with Bluetooth wireless technology is an optional feature. The light turns on only if you ordered the card with your computer. For more information, see the documentation that came with your card. To turn off only the Bluetooth wireless technology functionality, right-click the Radio. icon in the notification area, and then click Disable Bluetooth To quickly enable or disable all wireless devices, use the wireless switch

(see "wireless switch" on page 24). If the computer is connected to an electrical outlet, the light operates as follows:

Solid blue: The battery is charging. Flashing blue: The battery is almost fully charged. Off: The battery is adequately charged. If the computer is running on a battery, the light operates as follows:

Off: The battery is adequately charged (or the computer is turned off). Flashing orange: The battery charge is low. Solid orange: The battery charge is critically low. D E L L M E D I A D I R E C T B U T T O N Press the Dell MediaDirect button to launch Dell MediaDirect (see "Using Dell MediaDirect" on page 62). About Your Computer 23 K E Y B O A R D S T A T U S L I G H T S The blue lights located above the keyboard indicate the following:

9 A Turns on when the numeric keypad is enabled. Turns on when the uppercase letter (caps lock) function is enabled. Turns on when the scroll lock function is enabled. D I G I T A L A R R A Y M I C R O P H O N E S Built-in microphone for conferencing and chat. NOTE: Digital array microphones are optional and may not be present in your computer unless you have ordered for the optional camera. Instead, your computer will have an integrated single analog microphone. 24 About Your Computer Left Side View 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 1 security cable slot 3 USB connectors (2) 5 network connector (RJ-45) 7 HDMI connector (optional) 9 hard drive 2 4 6 8 AC power adapter video connector (VGA) modem connector (RJ-11) (optional) IEEE 1394a connector (optional) S E C U R I T Y C A B L E S L O T Lets you attach a commercially available antitheft device to the computer (see "Security Cable Lock" on page 97). AC A D A P T E R C O N N E C T O R Attaches an AC adapter to the computer. The AC adapter converts AC power to the DC power required by the computer. You can connect the AC adapter with your computer turned on or off. About Your Computer 25 CAUTION: The AC adapter works with electrical outlets worldwide. However, power connectors and power strips vary among countries. Using an incompatible cable or improperly connecting the cable to the power strip or electrical outlet may cause fire or equipment damage. NOTICE: When you disconnect the AC adapter cable from the computer, grasp the connector, not the cable itself, and pull firmly, but gently to help prevent damage to the cable. NOTE: Plug the power cord and the adapter firmly in, and ensure that the green LED is on. U S B C O N N E C T O R S Connect USB devices, such as a mouse, keyboard, or printer. V I D E O C O N N E C T O R Connects video devices, such as a monitor. N E T W O R K C O N N E C T O R (RJ-45) Connects the computer to a network. The two lights next to the connector indicate status and activity for wired network connections. For information on using the network adapter, see the device users guide supplied with your computer. M O D E M C O N N E C T O R (RJ-11) Connect the telephone line to the modem connector. For information on using the modem, see the online modem documentation supplied with your computer. NOTE: Your computer may not ship with a modem unless you have ordered one. 26 About Your Computer This port may be covered with a blank if your computer does not have a modem installed. HDMI C O N N E C T O R HDMI (High-Definition Multimedia Interface) connector carries an uncompressed all digital signal to produce hi-definition video and audio. IEEE 1394 C O N N E C T O R Connects devices supporting IEEE 1394a high-

speed transfer rates, such as some digital video cameras. H A R D D R I V E Stores software and data. Right Side View 1 3 5 7 1 32 4 5 6 7 wireless switch (optional) 2 Wi-Fi Catcher light (optional) ExpressCard slot eject button USB connectors (2) NOTE: One of the two USB connectors is optional. 4 6 optical drive S-video TV-out connector

(optional) W I R E L E S S S W I T C H When enabled through Dell QuickSet, this switch can scan for a wireless local area network (WLAN) in your vicinity. You can also use it to rapidly turn off or on any wireless devices such as WLAN cards and internal cards with Bluetooth wireless technology (see "Dell Wi-Fi Catcher Network Locator" on page 95). About Your Computer 27 1 2 3 4 1 2 off on 3 momentary 4 Wi-Fi Catcher light Disables wireless devices Enables wireless devices Scans for WLAN networks (see "Dell Wi-Fi Catcher Network Locator" on page 95).

Flashing blue: Searching for networks

Solid blue: Strong network found

Solid yellow: Weak network found

Off: No signal found E X P R E S S C A R D S L O T Supports one ExpressCard. The computer ships with a plastic blank installed in the slot. For more information, see "Using Cards" on page 85. O P T I C A L D R I V E For more information about the optical drive, see "Using Multimedia" on page 55. E J E C T B U T T O N Press the eject button to open the optical drive. 28 About Your Computer S - V I D E O TV- O U T C O N N E C T O R Connects your computer to a TV. Also connects digital audio-capable devices using the TV/digital audio adapter cable. USB C O N N E C T O R S Connect USB devices, such as a mouse, keyboard, or printer. NOTE: Your computer may have one or two USB connectors depending on what you ordered. Back View 1 2 1 battery 2 air vents CAUTION: Do not block, push objects into, or allow dust to accumulate in the air vents. Do not store your computer in a low-airflow environment, such as a closed briefcase, while it is running. Restricting the airflow can damage the computer or cause a fire. A I R V E N T S The computer uses an internal fan to create airflow through the vents, which prevents the computer from overheating. The computer turns the fan on when the computer gets hot. Fan noise is normal and does not indicate a problem with the fan or the computer. About Your Computer 29 Bottom View 1 2 3 5 1 3 5 4 battery processor/memory module/mini-card compartment optical drive 2 4 battery release latch hard drive B A T T E R Y When a battery is installed, you can use the computer without connecting the computer to an electrical outlet (see "Using a Battery" on page 45). B A T T E R Y R E L E A S E L A T C H Releases the battery (see "Replacing the Battery" on page 49 for instructions). P R O C E S S O R / M E M O R Y M O D U L E/ M I N I- C A R D C O M P A R T M E N T Compartment that contains the memory modules, WLAN, WWAN, Ultra Wideband (UWB) cards or Flash Cache Module (FCM) (see "Wireless Mini-Cards" on page 148). H A R D D R I V E Stores software and data. O P T I C A L D R I V E For more information about the optical drive, see "Using Multimedia" on page 51. 30 About Your Computer Setting Up Your Computer Connecting to the Internet NOTE: Internet Service Providers (ISPs) and ISP offerings vary by country. To connect to the Internet, you need a modem or network connection and an Internet service provider (ISP). Your ISP will offer one or more of the following Internet connection options:

DSL connections that provide high-speed Internet access through your existing telephone line or cellular telephone service. With a DSL connection, you can access the Internet and use your telephone on the same line simultaneously.

Cable modem connections that provide high-speed Internet access through your local cable TV line.

Satellite modem connections that provide high-speed Internet access through a satellite television system.

Dial-up connections that provide Internet access through a telephone line. Dial-up connections are considerably slower than DSL, cable, and satellite modem connections.

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

Wireless Local Area Network (WLAN) connections use high-frequency radio waves to communicate. Typically, a wireless router is connected to the broadband cable or DSL modem that broadcasts the Internet signal to your computer. If you are using a dial-up connection, connect a telephone line to the modem connector on your computer and to the telephone wall jack before you set up your Internet connection. If you are using a DSL, cable, or satellite modem connection, contact your ISP or cellular telephone service for setup instructions. NOTE: Your computer may not ship with a modem unless you have ordered one. Setting Up Your Computer 31 Setting Up Your Internet Connection To set up an Internet connection with a provided ISP desktop shortcut:

1 Save and close any open files, and exit any open programs. 2 Double-click the ISP icon on the Microsoft Windows desktop. 3 Follow the instructions on the screen to complete the setup. NOTE: If you are having problems connecting to the Internet, see "E-Mail, Modem, and Internet Problems" on page 108. If you cannot connect to the Internet, but have successfully connected in the past, the ISP may have a service outage. Contact your ISP to check the service status, or try connecting again later. NOTE: Have your ISP information ready. If you do not have an ISP, the Connect to the Internet wizard can help you obtain one. If you do not have an ISP icon on your desktop or if you want to set up an Internet connection with a different ISP:

1 Save and close any open files, and exit any open programs. 2 Click Start

, and then click Control Panel. 3 Under Network and Internet, click Connect to the Internet. The Connect to the Internet window appears. 4 Click either Broadband (PPPoE), Wireless, or Dial-up, depending on how you want to connect:

Choose Broadband if you will use a DSL modem, cable TV modem, or satellite modem.

Choose Wireless if you will use a wireless connection through a WLAN card.

Choose Dial-up if you will use a dial-up modem or ISDN. NOTE: If you do not know which type of connection to select, click Help me choose or contact your ISP. 5 Follow the instructions on the screen and use the setup information provided by your ISP to complete the setup. 32 Setting Up Your Computer Transferring Information to a New Computer You can transfer the following types of data from one computer to another:

E-mail messages

Toolbar settings

Window sizes

Internet bookmarks Use one of the following methods for transferring data:

Windows Easy Transfer wizard, an Easy Transfer Cable, and a USB port

Over a network

Removable media, such as a writable CD Windows Easy Transfer 1 Click Start All Programs Accessories System Tools Windows Easy Transfer. 2 In the User Account Control dialog box, click Continue. 3 Click Next. 4 Click Start a new transfer or Continue a transfer in progress. 5 Follow the instructions in the Windows Easy Transfer wizard. Setting Up a Printer NOTICE: Complete the operating system setup before you connect a printer to the computer. See the documentation that came with the printer for setup information, including how to:

Obtain and install updated drivers.

Connect the printer to the computer.

Load paper and install the toner or ink cartridge. For technical assistance, refer to the printer owner's manual or contact the printer manufacturer. Setting Up Your Computer 33 Printer Cable Your printer connects to your computer with a USB cable. Your printer may not come with a printer cable, so if you purchase a cable separately, ensure that it is compatible with your printer and computer. If you purchased a printer cable at the same time you purchased your computer, the cable may arrive in the computers shipping box. Connecting a USB Printer NOTE: You can connect USB devices while the computer is turned on. 1 Complete the operating system setup if you have not already done so. 2 Attach the USB printer cable to the USB connectors on the computer and the printer. The USB connectors fit only one way. 1 3 2 1 3 USB connector on computer 2 USB connector on printer USB printer cable 34 Setting Up Your Computer 3 Turn on the printer, and then turn on the computer. 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 Printer Wizard. NOTE: To install the printer driver, see "Reinstalling Drivers and Utilities" on page 128 and the documentation that came with your printer. 6 Click Add a local printer or Add a network, wireless, or Bluetooth printer. 7 Follow the instructions in the Add Printer Wizard. Power Protection Devices Several devices are available to protect against power fluctuations and failures:

Surge protectors

Line conditioners

Uninterruptible power supplies (UPS) Surge Protectors Surge protectors and power strips equipped with surge protection help prevent damage to your computer from voltage spikes that can occur during electrical storms or after power interruptions. Some surge protector manufacturers include warranty coverage for certain types of damage. Carefully read the device warranty when choosing a surge protector. A device with a higher joule rating offers more protection. Compare joule ratings to determine the relative effectiveness of different devices. NOTICE: Most surge protectors do not protect against power fluctuations or power interruptions caused by nearby lightning strikes. When lightning occurs in your area, disconnect the telephone line from the telephone wall jack and disconnect your computer from the electrical outlet. Many surge protectors have a telephone jack for modem protection. See the surge protector documentation for modem connection instructions. NOTICE: Not all surge protectors offer network adapter protection. Disconnect the network cable from the network wall jack during electrical storms. Setting Up Your Computer 35 Line Conditioners NOTICE: Line conditioners do not protect against power interruptions. Line conditioners are designed to maintain AC voltage at a fairly constant level. Uninterruptible Power Supplies NOTICE: Loss of power while data is being saved to the hard drive may result in data loss or file damage. NOTE: To ensure maximum battery operating time, connect only your computer to a UPS. Connect other devices, such as a printer, to a separate power strip that provides surge protection. A UPS protects against power fluctuations and interruptions. UPS devices contain a battery that provides temporary power to connected devices when AC power is interrupted. The battery charges while AC power is available. See the UPS manufacturer documentation for information on battery operating time and to ensure that the device is approved by Underwriters Laboratories

(UL). 36 Setting Up Your Computer 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.

Press <Fn> and the up-arrow key to increase brightness on the integrated display only (not on an external monitor).

Press <Fn> and the down-arrow key to decrease brightness on the integrated display only (not on an external monitor). NOTE: Brightness key combinations only affect the display on your portable computer, not monitors or projectors that you attach to your portable computer or docking device. If your computer is connected to an external monitor and you try to change the brightness level, the Brightness Meter may appear, but the brightness level on the external device does not change. Switching the Video Image From Your Computer Display To a Projector When you start the computer with an external device attached (such as an external monitor or projector) and turned on, the image may appear on either the computer display or the external device. Press <Fn><F8> to switch the video image between the display only, the external device only, or the display and the external device simultaneously. Setting Display Resolution and Refresh Rate NOTE: If you change the display resolution from the current settings, the image may appear blurry or text may be hard to read if you change the resolution to one not supported by your computer and display. Before you change any of the display settings, make a note of the current settings so you can change back to the previous settings if needed. Using the Display 37 You can enhance the legibility of text and change the appearance of images on the screen by adjusting display resolution. As you increase resolution, items appear smaller on the screen. In contrast, lower resolution causes text and images to appear larger and can benefit people with vision impairments. To display a program at a specific resolution, both the video card and the display must support the program, and the necessary video drivers must be installed. NOTE: Use only the Dell-installed video drivers, which are designed to offer the best performance with your Dell-installed operating system. If you choose a resolution or color palette that is higher than the display supports, the settings adjust automatically to the closest supported values. To set the display resolution and refresh rate for your display:

1 Click Start Control Panel. 2 Under Appearance and Personalization, click Adjust screen resolution. 3 In the Display Settings window, under Resolution, move the slide bar to the left or right to decrease/increase the screen resolution. NOTE: For additional instructions, click How do I get the best display?

38 Using the Display Using the Keyboard and Touchpad Numeric Keypad numeric keypad The numeric keypad functions like the numeric keypad on an external keyboard. Each key on the keypad has multiple functions. The keypad numbers and symbols are marked in blue on the right of the keypad keys. To type a number or symbol, hold down <Fn> and press the desired key.

To enable the keypad, press <Num Lk>. The 9 light indicates that the keypad is active.

To disable the keypad, press <Num Lk> again. Using the Keyboard and Touchpad 39 Key Combinations System Functions

<Ctrl><Shift><Esc>

Opens the Task Manager window. Display Functions

<Fn><F8>

<Fn> and up-arrow key

<Fn> and down-arrow key Battery

<Fn><F3>

Power Management

<Fn><Esc>

Displays icons representing all currently available display options (display only, external monitor or projector only, both display and projector, etc). Highlight the desired icon to switch the display to that option. Increases brightness on the integrated display only (not on an external monitor). Decreases brightness on the integrated display only (not on an external monitor). Displays the Dell QuickSet Battery Meter

(see "Dell QuickSet Battery Meter" on page 46). Activates a power management mode. You can reprogram this keyboard shortcut to activate a different power management mode using the Advanced tab in the Power Options Properties window (see "Configuring Power Management Settings" on page 47). 40 Using the Keyboard and Touchpad Microsoft Windows Logo Key Functions Windows logo key and <m>

Minimizes all open windows. Windows logo key and

<Shift><m>

Restores all minimized windows. This key combination functions as a toggle to restore minimized windows following the use of the Windows logo key and <m> combination. Windows logo key and <e>

Starts Windows Explorer. Windows logo key and <r>

Opens the Run dialog box. Windows logo key and <f>

Opens the Search Results dialog box. Windows logo key and

<Ctrl><f>

Opens the Search Results-Computer dialog box

(if the computer is connected to a network). Windows logo key and <Pause> Opens the System Properties dialog box. Windows logo key and <Tab> Opens the 3D Windows Flip on Windows Vista Dell QuickSet Key Combinations If Dell QuickSet is installed, you can use other shortcut keys for functions such as the Battery Meter or activating power management modes. For more information about Dell QuickSet key combinations, right-click the QuickSet icon in the notification area, and then click Help. Adjusting Keyboard Settings To adjust keyboard operation, such as the character repeat rate:

1 Click Start

, and then click Control Panel. 2 Click Hardware and Sound. 3 Click Keyboard. Touch Pad The touch pad detects the pressure 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. Using the Keyboard and Touchpad 41 1 2 1 touch pad 2 scroll zones

To move the cursor, lightly slide your finger over the touch pad.

To select an object, lightly tap once on the surface of the touch pad or use your thumb to press the left touch pad button.

To select and move (or drag) an object, position the 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.

To double-click an object, position the cursor on the object and tap twice on the touch pad or use your thumb to press the left touch pad button twice. Customizing the Touch Pad You can use the Mouse Properties window to disable the touch pad or adjust the touch pad settings. 1 Click Start

, and then click Control Panel. 2 Click Hardware and Sound. 42 Using the Keyboard and Touchpad 3 Click Keyboard. 4 In the Mouse Properties window:

Click the Device Select tab to disable the touch pad.

Click the Touch Pad tab to adjust touch pad settings. 5 Click OK to save the settings and close the window. Using the Keyboard and Touchpad 43 44 Using the Keyboard and Touchpad Using a Battery Battery Performance NOTE: For information about the Dell warranty for your computer, see the Product Information Guide or separate paper warranty document that shipped with your computer. For optimal computer performance and to help preserve BIOS settings, operate your Dell portable computer with the main battery installed at all times. One battery is supplied as standard equipment in the battery bay. NOTE: Because the battery may not be fully charged, use the AC adapter to connect your new computer to an electrical outlet the first time you use the computer. For best results, operate the computer with the AC adapter until the battery is fully charged. To view battery charge status, place the mouse cursor over the battery icon in the Windows notification area. NOTE: Battery operating time (the time the battery can hold a charge) decreases over time. Depending on how often the battery is used and the conditions under which it is used, you may need to purchase a new battery during the life of your computer. NOTE: It is recommended that you connect your computer to an electrical outlet when writing to media. Battery operating time varies depending on operating conditions. Operating time is significantly reduced when you perform operations including, but not limited to, the following:

Using optical drives.

Using wireless communications devices, ExpressCards, media memory cards, or USB devices.

Using high-brightness display settings, 3D screen savers, or other power-

intensive programs such as complex 3D graphics applications.

Running the computer in maximum performance mode (see "Configuring Power Management Settings" on page 47 for information about accessing Windows Power Options Properties or Dell QuickSet, which you can use to configure power management settings). Using a Battery 45 You can check the battery charge before you insert the battery into the computer. You can also set power management 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 battery only with a compatible battery purchased from Dell. The battery is designed to work with your Dell computer. Do not use batteries from other computers with your computer. CAUTION: Do not dispose of batteries with household waste. When your battery no longer holds a charge, call your local waste disposal or environmental agency for advice on disposing of a lithium-ion battery (see "Battery Disposal" in the Product Information Guide). CAUTION: Misuse of the battery may increase the risk of fire or chemical burn. Do not puncture, incinerate, disassemble, or expose the battery to temperatures above 65C (149F). Keep the battery away from children. Handle damaged or leaking batteries with extreme care. Damaged batteries may leak and cause personal injury or equipment damage. Checking the Battery Charge You can check the battery charge on your computer using any one of the following methods:

Dell QuickSet Battery Meter

Microsoft Windows battery meter icon located in the notification area

Low-battery warning pop-up window Dell QuickSet Battery Meter To view the Dell QuickSet Battery Meter:

Double-click the Dell QuickSet icon in the taskbar, and then click Battery Meter or

Press <Fn><F3>

The Battery Meter displays the status, battery health, charge level, and charge completion time for the battery in your computer. For more information about QuickSet, right-click the QuickSet icon, and then click Help. 46 Using a Battery Microsoft Windows Battery Meter The battery meter indicates the remaining battery charge. To check the battery meter, double-click the icon in the notification area. Check the Battery Health You can check battery health by using the Battery Meter in Dell QuickSet. For information about QuickSet, right-click the QuickSet icon in the notification area, and then click Help. Low-Battery Warning NOTICE: To avoid losing or corrupting data, save 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 begins automatically. A pop-up window warns you when the battery charge is approximately 90 percent depleted. The computer enters Sleep state when the battery charge is at a critically low level. You can change the settings for the battery alarms in Dell QuickSet or the Power Options window (see "Configuring Power Management Settings" on page 47). Conserving Battery Power To conserve battery power on your portable computer, do any of the following:

Connect the computer to an electrical outlet when possible; battery life is largely determined by the number of times the battery is used and recharged.

Configure the power management settings using either Dell QuickSet or Microsoft Windows Power Options to optimize your computers power usage (see "Configuring Power Management Settings" on page 47).

Use the Sleep power state when you leave the computer unattended for long periods of time (see "Using the Sleep Power State" on page 48). Configuring Power Management Settings You can use Dell QuickSet or Windows Power Options to configure the power management settings on your computer. Using a Battery 47

For information on how to use the Dell QuickSet Power Management wizard, right-click the QuickSet icon in the notification area, click Help, and then select Power Management.

To use Windows Power Options, do one of the following:

Click Start Control Panel Hardware and Sound Power Options, and then select a power plan in the Select a power plan window. or

Click the icon in the notification area, click Power Options, and then select a plan in the Select a power plan window. 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 previous work session without restarting your computer. NOTICE: If your computer loses AC and battery power while in Sleep state, it may lose data. To enter Sleep state:

Click Start

, click

, and then click Sleep. or

Depending on how you set the power management options in the Windows Power Options or Dell QuickSet, use one of the following methods:

Press the power button.

Close the display.

Press <Fn><Esc>. To exit Sleep state, press the power button. Charging the Battery NOTE: Charge time is longer with the computer turned on. You can leave the battery in the computer for as long as you like. The batterys internal circuitry prevents the battery from overcharging. 48 Using a Battery When you connect the computer to an electrical outlet or install a battery while the computer is connected to an electrical outlet, the computer checks the battery charge and temperature. If necessary, the AC adapter then charges the battery and maintains the battery charge. If the battery is hot from being used in your computer or being in a hot environment, the battery may not charge when you connect the computer to an electrical outlet. The battery is too hot to start charging if the battery light alternately blue and amber. Disconnect the computer from the electrical outlet and allow the computer and the battery to cool to room temperature, then connect the computer to an electrical outlet to continue charging the battery. flashes For more information about resolving problems with a battery, see "Power Problems" on page 121. Replacing the Battery CAUTION: Using an incompatible battery may increase the risk of fire or explosion. Replace the battery only with a compatible battery purchased from Dell. The battery is designed to work with your Dell computer. Do not use batteries from other computers with your computer. CAUTION: Before performing these procedures, turn off the computer, disconnect the AC adapter from the electrical outlet and the computer, disconnect the modem from the wall connector and the computer, and remove any other external cables from the computer. NOTICE: You must remove all external cables from the computer to avoid possible connector damage. NOTICE: If you choose to replace the battery with the computer in Sleep state, you have up to 1 minute to complete the battery replacement before the computer shuts down and loses any unsaved data. To remove the battery:

1 Ensure that the computer is turned off. 2 Turn the computer over. 3 Slide the battery release latch toward the side of the computer until it is engaged. Using a Battery 49 4 Slide the battery out of the bay. 1 2 1 battery 2 battery release latch To replace the battery, follow the removal procedure in reverse order. Storing a Battery Remove the battery when you store your computer for an extended period of time. A battery discharges during prolonged storage. After a long storage period, recharge the battery fully (see "Charging the Battery" on page 48) before you use it. 50 Using a Battery Using Multimedia Playing Media NOTICE: Do not press down on the optical drive tray when you open or close it. Keep the tray closed when you are not using the drive. NOTICE: Do not move the computer while playing media. NOTE: To prevent vibration and noise do not stick any additional labels or stickers on the media. 1 Press the eject button on the front of the drive. 2 Place the disc, label side up, in the center of the tray and snap the disc onto the spindle. 3 Push the tray back into the drive. Using Multimedia 51 To format media for storing or copying data, see the media software that came with your computer. NOTE: Ensure that you follow all copyright laws when copying media. A CD player includes the following basic buttons:

Play. Move backward within the current track. Pause. Move forward within the current track. Stop. Go to the previous track. Eject. Go to the next track. A DVD player includes the following basic buttons:

Stop. Restart the current chapter. Play. Fast forward. Pause. Fast reverse. Advance a single frame while in pause mode. Go to the next title or chapter. Continuously play the current title or chapter. Go to the previous title or chapter. Eject. For more information on playing media, click Help on the media player (if available). 52 Using Multimedia Playing Media Using Dell Travel Remote (Optional) The Dell Travel Remote is designed to control Dell Media Direct and Windows Vista Media Center. It can work only with specified computers. For more details, refer to the Dell Support website at support.dell.com. To play media using Dell Travel Remote:

1 Install a coin-cell battery into your remote control. 2 Launch Windows Vista Media Center from Start Programs. 3 Use the remote control buttons to play media. 18 17 16 15 14 13 12 11 10 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 Using Multimedia 53 1 3 5 7 9 11 13 15 17 Infrared Transmitter OK/Enter/Select Arrow Down Forward Stop Reverse Arrow Left Volume Down Volume Up 2 4 6 8 10 12 Arrow Up Arrow Right Play/Pause Skip Forward Skip Back Back 14 Mute 16 18 Page Down Page Up Copying CD, DVD, and Blu-ray Disc (BD) Media NOTE: Ensure that you observe all copyright laws while copying media. NOTE: The types of optical drives offered by Dell may vary by country. This section applies only to computers that have a DVD+/-RW, Combo, or BD-RE drive. The following instructions explain how to make an exact copy of a CD, DVD or BD using Roxio Creator. You can also use Roxio Creator for other purposes, such as creating music CDs from audio files stored on your computer or backing up important data. For help, open Roxio Creator, and then press <F1>. The DVD drives and BD drives installed in Dell computers do not support HD-DVD media. For a list of supported media formats, see "Using Blank CD, DVD, and BD Media" on page 55. 54 Using Multimedia How to Copy a CD, DVD or BD NOTE: Most commercial DVDs and BDs have copyright protection and cannot be copied using Roxio Creator Plus. NOTE: BD media can only be copied to other BD media. NOTE: Copying a BD-R to BD-RE does not produce an exact copy. 1 Click Start All Programs Roxio Creator Projects Copy. 2 Under the Copy tab, click Copy Disc. 3 To copy the CD, DVD or BD:

If you have one optical drive, insert the source disc into the drive, ensure that the settings are correct, and then click the Copy Disc button to continue. The computer reads your source disc and copies the data to a temporary folder on your computer hard drive. When prompted, insert a blank disc into the drive and click OK. If you have two optical drives, select the drive into which you have inserted your source disc and click the Copy Disc button to continue. The computer copies the data from the source disc to the blank disc. Once you have finished copying the source disc, the disc that you have created automatically ejects. Using Blank CD, DVD, and BD Media DVD-writable drives can write to both CD and DVD recording media. BD-writable drives can write to CD, DVD and BD recording media. Use blank CD-Rs to record music or permanently 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 DVD+/-R or BD-R media can be used to permanently store large amounts of information. After you create a DVD+/-R or BD-R, you may not be able to write to that disc again if the disc is finalized or closed during the final stage of the disc creation process. Use blank DVD+/-RW or BD-RE media if you plan to erase, rewrite, or update information on that disc later. Using Multimedia 55 DVD-Writable and Combo Drives Media Type Read Write Rewritable CD-R CD-RW DVD+R DVD-R DVD+RW DVD-RW DVD+R DL DVD-R DL Blu-ray Drives Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes No Yes No No Yes Yes No No Media Type Read Write Rewritable CD-R CD-RW DVD+R DVD-R DVD+RW DVD-RW DVD+R DL DVD-R DL BD-R BD-RE Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes No Yes Yes No Yes No No Yes Yes No No No Yes Helpful Tips

Use Microsoft Windows Explorer to drag and drop files to a CD-R or CD-RW only after you start Roxio Creator and open a Creator project.

Do not burn a blank CD-R or CD-RW to its maximum capacity; for example, do not copy a 650-MB file to a blank 650-MB CD. The CD-RW drive needs 12 MB of the blank space to finalize the recording. 56 Using Multimedia

Use CD-Rs to burn music CDs that you want to play in regular stereos. CD-RWs do not play in most home or car stereos.

Music MP3 files can be played only on MP3 players or on computers that have MP3 software installed.

Use a blank CD-RW to practice CD recording until you are familiar with CD recording techniques. If you make a mistake, you can erase the data on the CD-RW and try again. You can also use blank CD-RWs to test music file projects before you record the project permanently to a blank CD-R.

You cannot create audio DVDs with Roxio Creator.

Commercially available DVD players used in home theater systems may not support all available DVD formats. For a list of formats supported by your DVD player, see the documentation provided with your DVD player or contact the manufacturer.

Commercially available BD players used in home theater systems may not support all available BD formats. For a list of formats supported by your BD player, see the documentation provided with your BD player or contact the manufacturer.

See the Roxio website at www.sonic.com. Adjusting the Volume NOTE: When the speakers are muted, you do not hear the media playing. 1 Right-click the volume icon in the notification area. 2 Click Open Volume Mixer. 3 Click and drag the bar to slide it up or down to increase or decrease the volume. For more information on volume control options, click Help in the Volume Mixer window. The Volume Meter displays the current volume level, including mute, on your computer. Either click the QuickSet icon in the notification area and select or deselect Disable On Screen Volume Meter, or press the volume control buttons to enable or disable the Volume Meter on the screen. Using Multimedia 57 Adjusting the Picture If an error message notifies you that the current resolution and color depth are using too much memory and preventing media playback, adjust the display properties:

1 Click Start Control Panel Appearance and Personalization. 2 Under Personalization, click Adjust screen resolution. 3 On Display Settings, click and drag the bar to reduce the resolution setting. 4 In the drop-down menu under Color quality, click Medium (16 bit). 5 Click OK. Using Dell MediaDirect Dell MediaDirect is an instant-on multimedia playback mode for digital media. Press the Dell MediaDirect button, located on the hinge cover, to launch Dell MediaDirect. When your computer is turned off or in Sleep state, you can press the Dell MediaDirect button to start the computer and automatically launch the Dell MediaDirect application. 1 1 Dell MediaDirect button 58 Using Multimedia NOTE: You cannot reinstall Dell MediaDirect if you voluntarily reformat the hard drive. You need the installation software to reinstall Dell MediaDirect. Contact Dell for assistance (see "Contacting Dell" on page 163). For more information on using Dell MediaDirect, use the Help menu in the Dell MediaDirect application. Connecting Your Computer to a TV or Audio Device NOTE: Video and audio cables for connecting your computer to a TV or other audio device may not be included with your computer. Cables and TV/digital audio adapter cables are available for purchase from Dell. Your computer may have an optional S-video TV-out connector and optional HDMI out connector that, together with a standard S-video cable, a composite video adapter cable, HDMI cable (available from Dell) or a component video adapter cable (available from Dell), enable you to connect the computer to a TV. Your TV has either an S-video input connector, HDMI input connector, a composite video-input connector, or a component video-input connector. Depending on what type of connector is available on your TV, you can use a commercially available S-video cable, composite video cable, HDMI cable, or component video cable to connect your computer to your TV. 1 2 1 S-video TV-out connector 2 S-video connector Using Multimedia 59 1 2 S-video TV-out connector S/PDIF digital audio connector S-video connector 1 2 S-video TV-out connector S/PDIF digital audio connector Pb (blue) component video-output connector 1 3 5 1 3 5 3 4 5 composite video adapter composite video-output connector 3 4 5 6 component video adapter Pr (red) component video-output connector Y (green) component video-output connector 2 4 2 4 6 If you want to connect your computer to a TV or audio device, it is recommended that you connect video and audio cables to your computer in one of the following combinations:

S-video and standard audio

Composite video and standard audio

Component-out video and standard audio NOTE: See the diagrams at the beginning of each subsection to help you determine which method of connection you should use. 60 Using Multimedia When you finish connecting the video and audio cables between your computer and your TV, you must enable your computer to work with the TV. See "Enabling the Display Settings for a TV" on page 75 to ensure that the computer recognizes and works properly with the TV. Additionally, if you are using S/PDIF digital audio, see "Enabling S/PDIF Digital Audio" on page 74. S-Video and Standard Audio 1 2 1 audio connector 2 S-video TV-out connector 1 2 1 standard S-video cable 2 standard audio cable 1 Turn off the computer and the TV and/or audio device that you want to connect. Using Multimedia 61 NOTE: If your TV or audio device supports S-video but not S/PDIF digital audio, you can connect an S-video cable directly to the S-video TV-out connector on the computer (without the TV/digital audio adapter cable). 2 Plug one end of the S-video cable into the S-video output connector on the computer. 3 Plug the other end of the S-video cable into the S-video input connector on your TV. 4 Plug the single-connector end of the audio cable into the headphone connector on your computer. 5 Plug the two RCA connectors on the other end of the audio cable into the audio input connectors on your TV or other audio device. 6 Turn on the TV and any audio device that you connected (if applicable), and then turn on the computer. 7 See "Enabling the Display Settings for a TV" on page 75 to ensure that the computer recognizes and works properly with the TV. S-Video and S/PDIF Digital Audio 1 2 62 Using Multimedia 1 S-video TV-out connector 2 composite video adapter 1 2 3 1 3 composite video adapter 2 S-video cable S/PDIF digital audio cable 1 Turn off the computer and the TV and/or the audio device that you want to connect. 2 Connect the composite video adapter to the S-video TV-out connector on your computer. 3 Plug one end of the S-video cable into the S-video output connector on the composite video adapter. 1 2 1 composite video adapter 2 S-video cable 4 Plug the other end of the S-video cable into the S-video input connector on the TV. 5 Plug one end of the S/PDIF digital audio cable into the digital audio connector on the composite video adapter cable. Using Multimedia 63 1 2 1 composite video adapter 2 S/PDIF digital audio cable 6 Plug the other end of the S/PDIF digital audio cable into the audio input connector on your TV or audio device. 7 Turn on the TV, turn on any audio device that you connected (if applicable), and then turn on the computer. 8 See "Enabling the Display Settings for a TV" on page 75 to ensure that the computer recognizes and works properly with the TV. Composite Video and Standard Audio 1 2 3 1 3 audio input connector 2 S-video TV-out connector composite video adapter 64 Using Multimedia 1 2 3 1 3 composite video adapter 2 composite video cable standard audio cable 1 Turn off the computer and the TV and/or audio device that you want to connect. 2 Connect the composite video adapter to the S-video TV-out connector on your computer. 3 Plug one end of the composite video cable into the composite video-

output connector on the composite video adapter. 1 2 1 composite video adapter 2 composite video cable 4 Plug the other end of the composite video cable into the composite video-

input connector on the TV. Using Multimedia 65 5 Plug the single-connector end of the audio cable into the headphone connector on the computer. 6 Plug the two RCA connectors on the other end of the audio cable into the audio input connectors on your TV or other audio device. 7 Turn on the TV, turn on any audio device that you connected (if applicable), and then turn on the computer. 8 See "Enabling the Display Settings for a TV" on page 75 to ensure that the computer recognizes and works properly with the TV. Composite Video and S/PDIF Digital Audio 1 2 1 S-video TV-out connector 2 composite video adapter 66 Using Multimedia 1 2 3 1 3 composite video adapter 2 composite video cable standard audio cable 1 Turn off the computer and the TV and/or audio device that you want to connect. 2 Connect the composite video adapter to the S-video TV-out connector on the computer. 3 Plug one end of the composite video cable into the composite video-input connector on the composite video adapter. 1 2 1 composite video adapter 2 composite video cable 4 Plug the other end of the composite video cable into the composite video-

input connector on the TV. 5 Plug one end of the S/PDIF digital audio cable into the S/PDIF audio connector on the composite video adapter. Using Multimedia 67 1 2 1 composite video adapter 2 S/PDIF digital audio cable 6 Plug the other end of the digital audio cable into the S/PDIF input connector on your TV or other audio device. 7 Turn on the TV, turn on any audio device that you connected (if applicable), and then turn on the computer. 8 See "Enabling the Display Settings for a TV" on page 75 to ensure that the computer recognizes and works properly with the TV. Component Video and Standard Audio 1 2 1 S-video TV-out connector 2 component video adapter 68 Using Multimedia 1 2 3 1 3 component video adapter 2 component video cable standard audio cable 1 Turn off the computer and the TV and/or audio device that you want to connect. 2 Connect the component video adapter to the S-video TV-out connector on your computer. 3 Plug all three ends of the component video cable into the component video-output connectors on the component video adapter. Make sure that the red, green, and blue colors of the cable match the corresponding adapter ports. Using Multimedia 69 1 2 1 component video adapter 2 component video cable 4 Plug all three connectors from the other end of the component video cable into the component video-input connectors on the TV. Make sure that the red, green, and blue colors of the cable match the colors of the TV input connectors. 5 Plug the single-connector end of the audio cable into the headphone connector on the computer. 6 Plug the two RCA connectors on the other end of the audio cable into the audio input connectors on your TV or audio device. 7 Turn on the TV, turn on any audio device that you connected (if applicable), and then turn on the computer. 8 See "Enabling the Display Settings for a TV" on page 75 to ensure that the computer recognizes and works properly with the TV. 70 Using Multimedia Component Video and S/PDIF Digital Audio 1 2 1 S-video TV-out connector 2 component video adapter Using Multimedia 71 1 2 3 1 3 component video adapter 2 component video cable standard audio cable 1 Turn off the computer and the TV and/or audio device that you want to connect. 2 Connect the component video adapter to the S-video TV-out connector on the computer. 3 Plug all three ends of the component video cable into the component video-output connectors on the component video adapter. Make sure that the red, green, and blue colors of the cable match the corresponding adapter ports. 72 Using Multimedia 1 2 3 1 3 component video adapter 2 component video-output connectors component video cable 4 Plug all three connectors from the other end of the component video cable into the component video-input connectors on the TV. Make sure that the red, green, and blue colors of the cable match the colors of the TV input connectors. 5 Plug one end of the S/PDIF digital audio cable into the S/PDIF audio connector on the component video adapter. 1 2 1 component video adapter 2 S/PDIF digital audio cable 6 Plug the other end of the digital audio cable into the S/PDIF input connector on your TV or other audio device. 7 Turn on the TV, turn on any audio device that you connected (if applicable), and then turn on the computer. 8 See "Enabling the Display Settings for a TV" on page 75 to ensure that the computer recognizes and works properly with the TV. Using Multimedia 73 Enabling S/PDIF Digital Audio 1 Double-click the speaker icon in the Windows notification area. 2 Click the Options menu and then click Advanced Controls. 3 Click Advanced. 4 Click S/PDIF Interface. 5 Click Close. 6 Click OK. HDMI (Optional) HDMI (High-Definition Multimedia Interface) connector carries an uncompressed all digital signal to produce hi-definition video and audio. 1 Turn off the computer and the TV and/or audio device that you want to connect. 2 Plug one end of the HDMI cable into the HDMI output connector on the computer. 3 Plug the other end of the HDMI cable into the HDMI input connector on your TV. 74 Using Multimedia 4 Turn on the TV and any audio device that you connected (if applicable), and then turn on the computer. 5 See "Enabling the Display Settings for a TV" on page 75 to ensure that the computer recognizes and works properly with the TV. Enabling the Display Settings for a TV NOTE: To ensure that the display options appear correctly, connect the TV to the computer before you enable the display settings. 1 Click Start

, click Control Panel, and then click Appearance and Personalization. 2 Under Personalization, click Adjust Screen Resolution. The Display Properties window appears. 3 Click Advanced. 4 Click the tab for your video card. NOTE: To determine the type of video card installed in your computer, see Windows Help and Support. To access Help and Support, click Start Help and Support. Under Pick a Task, click Use Tools to view your computer information and diagnose problems. Then, under My Computer Information, select Hardware. Using Multimedia 75 5 In the display devices section, select the appropriate option for using either a single display or multiple displays, ensuring that the display settings are correct for your selection. 76 Using Multimedia Using the Optional Camera If you ordered a camera when you bought your computer, the camera is integrated in the computer display. The camera and its integrated digital microphones allow you to take photos and videos and to communicate visually and verbally with other computer users. The blue camera light appears when the camera is turned on. For more information about camera features, see "Specifications" on page 165. NOTE: It is normal for the camera to be warm when the computer is running and when the camera is in use. 1 2 3 1 camera indicator 2 camera 3 digital microphones (2) Accessing the Cameras Help File To access the cameras Video Software Help file, right-click the the notification area and click Launch Webcam Center. Click Help from the menu and select Contents. icon in Using the Optional Camera 77 Manually Adjusting the Camera Settings If you do not want the camera to use automatic settings, you can manually adjust the camera settings. 1 Right-click the icon in the notification area and click Launch Webcam Console. 2 In the Webcam Console window:

Click the Camera tab to adjust video settings, such as contrast and brightness.

Click the Effects tab to adjust audio settings, such as the volume level. For more information about camera settings and other camera-related topics, see the cameras Video Software Help file (see "Accessing the Cameras Help File" on page 77). Creating a Picture or a Video 1 Click the icon in the notification area and click Launch Webcam Center. The QuickCapture window appears and the blue camera light turns on. You can now direct the camera to point at the object or person that you want to record. The QuickCapture window on the screen shows you the camera target view. 2 To take a picture, click the Photo Capture tab and then click Start. 78 Using the Optional Camera To record a video, click the Video Recording tab and then click Start. The blue camera light turns on. You can now direct the camera to point at the object or person that you want to record. The screen shows you the camera target view. 3 To take a picture, click Capture. To record a video, click Record. Unless you designate a different location, the picture or video is automatically saved to the My Documents Dell Webcam Center folder on your hard drive. For more information about creating pictures or videos, see the cameras Video Software Help file (see "Accessing the Cameras Help File" on page 77). Using the Optional Camera 79 80 Using the Optional Camera Using Cards ExpressCards ExpressCards provide additional memory, wired and wireless communications, multimedia and security features. For example, you can add an ExpressCard to make wireless wide area network (WWAN) connectivity available on your computer. ExpressCards support two form factors:

ExpressCard/34 (34 mm wide)

ExpressCard/54 (54 mm wide in an L-shape with a 34 mm connector) The 34 mm card fits into both the 34 mm and 54 mm card slots. The 54 mm card only fits into a 54 mm card slot. See "Specifications" on page 165 for information on supported ExpressCards. NOTE: An ExpressCard is not a bootable device. 1 2 1 ExpressCard/34 2 ExpressCard/54 D E L L C O N F I D E N T I A L P R E L I M I N A R Y 7 / 1 8 / 0 7 - F O R P R O O F O N LY Template Last Updated - 2/7/2007 Using Cards 81 FILE LOCATION: C:\Projects\Spears\SpearsHTML\cards.fm ExpressCard Blanks Your computer shipped with a plastic blank installed in the ExpressCard slot. Blanks protect unused slots from dust and other particles. Save the blank for use when no ExpressCard is installed in the slot; blanks from other computers may not fit your computer. Remove the blank before installing an ExpressCard. To remove the blank, see

"Removing an ExpressCard or Blank" on page 83. Installing an ExpressCard You can install an ExpressCard while the computer is running. The computer automatically detects the card. ExpressCards are generally marked with a symbol (such as a triangle or an arrow) or a label to indicate which end to insert into the slot. The cards are keyed to prevent incorrect insertion. If card orientation is not clear, see the documentation that came with the card. CAUTION: Before you begin any of the procedures in this section, follow the safety instructions in the Product Information Guide. To install an ExpressCard:

1 Hold the card with the top side of the card facing up. 2 Slide the card into the slot until the card is completely seated in its connector. If you encounter too much resistance, do not force the card. Check the card orientation and try again. D E L L C O N F I D E N T I A L P R E L I M I N A R Y 7 / 1 8 / 0 7 - F O R P R O O F O N LY 82 Using Cards FILE LOCATION: C:\Projects\Spears\SpearsHTML\cards.fm The computer recognizes the ExpressCard and automatically loads the appropriate device driver. If the configuration program tells you to load the manufacturer's drivers, use the media that came with the ExpressCard. Removing an ExpressCard or Blank CAUTION: Before you begin any of the procedures in this section, follow the safety instructions in the Product Information Guide. Press the card or blank to remove it from its slot. Save a blank to use when no ExpressCard is installed in a slot. Blanks protect unused slots from dust and other particles. Memory Card Reader The memory card reader provides a fast and convenient way to view and share digital photos, music, and videos stored on a memory card. NOTE: A memory card is not a bootable device. The 8-in-1 memory card reader reads the following memory cards:

Secure Digital (SD)

SDIO

MultiMediaCard (MMC)

Memory Stick

Memory Stick PRO

xD-Picture Card

Hi Speed-SD

Hi Density-SD Memory Card Blanks Your computer shipped with a plastic blank installed in the memory card reader. Blanks protect unused slots from dust and other particles. Save the blank for use when no media memory card is installed in the slot; blanks from other computers may not fit your computer. Remove the blank before installing a media memory card. To remove the blank, see "Removing a Memory Card or Blank" on page 85. D E L L C O N F I D E N T I A L P R E L I M I N A R Y 7 / 1 8 / 0 7 - F O R P R O O F O N LY Using Cards 83 FILE LOCATION: C:\Projects\Spears\SpearsHTML\cards.fm Installing a Memory Card You can install a media memory card in the computer while the computer is running. The computer automatically detects the card. Memory cards are generally marked with a symbol (such as a triangle or an arrow) or a label to indicate which end to insert into the slot. The cards are keyed to prevent incorrect insertion. If card orientation is not clear, see the documentation that came with the card. CAUTION: Before you begin any of the procedures in this section, follow the safety instructions in the Product Information Guide. To install a memory card:

1 Hold the card with the top side of the card facing up. 2 Slide the card into the slot until the card is completely seated in its connector. If you encounter too much resistance, do not force the card. Check the card orientation and try again. The computer recognizes the memory card and automatically loads the appropriate device driver. If the configuration program tells you to load the manufacturer's drivers, use the media that came with the memory card, if applicable. D E L L C O N F I D E N T I A L P R E L I M I N A R Y 7 / 1 8 / 0 7 - F O R P R O O F O N LY 84 Using Cards FILE LOCATION: C:\Projects\Spears\SpearsHTML\cards.fm Removing a Memory Card or Blank CAUTION: Before you begin any of the procedures in this section, follow the safety instructions in the Product Information Guide. NOTICE: Click the icon in the notification area to select a card and stop it from functioning before you remove it from the computer. If you do not stop the card, you could lose data. Press the card into the slot to release it from the card reader. When it is partially ejected, remove the card. D E L L C O N F I D E N T I A L P R E L I M I N A R Y 7 / 1 8 / 0 7 - F O R P R O O F O N LY Using Cards 85 FILE LOCATION: C:\Projects\Spears\SpearsHTML\cards.fm D E L L C O N F I D E N T I A L P R E L I M I N A R Y 7 / 1 8 / 0 7 - F O R P R O O F O N LY 86 Using Cards Setting Up and Using Networks Setting up a computer network provides connectivity between your computer and the Internet, another computer, or a network. For example, with a network set up in a home or small office you can print to a shared printer, access drives and files on another computer, browse other networks, or access the Internet. You can set up a local area network (LAN) using a network or broadband modem cable or set up a wireless LAN (WLAN). The Microsoft Windows Vista operating system provides a wizard to help guide you through the process of networking computers. For more information about Networking, access Windows Help and Support (click Start

, and then click Help and Support). 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 adapter connector on the back of your computer. NOTE: Insert the cable connector until it clicks into place, and then gently pull on the cable to ensure that it is securely attached. 2 Connect the other end of the network cable to a network connection device or a network wall connector. NOTE: Do not use a network cable with a telephone wall connector. D E L L C O N F I D E N T I A L P R E L I M I N A R Y 7 / 1 8 / 0 7 - F O R P R O O F O N LY Template Last Updated - 2/7/2007 Setting Up and Using Networks 87 FILE LOCATION: C:\Projects\Spears\SpearsHTML\wireless.fm Setting Up a Network 1 Click Start

, and then click Connect To. 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 A wireless local area network (WLAN) is a series of interconnected computers that communicate with each other over the air waves rather than through a network cable connected to each computer. In a WLAN, a radio communications device called an access point or wireless router connects network computers and provides Internet, or network access. The access point or wireless router and the wireless network card in the computer communicate by broadcasting data from their antennas over the air waves. What You Need to Establish a WLAN Connection Before you can set up a WLAN, you need:

High-speed (broadband) Internet access (such as cable or DSL)

A broadband modem that is connected and working

A wireless router or access point

A wireless network card for each computer that you want to connect to your WLAN D E L L C O N F I D E N T I A L P R E L I M I N A R Y 7 / 1 8 / 0 7 - F O R P R O O F O N LY 88 Setting Up and Using Networks FILE LOCATION: C:\Projects\Spears\SpearsHTML\wireless.fm

A network cable with a network (RJ-45) connector Checking Your Wireless Network Card Depending on what you selected when you purchased your computer, the computer has a variety of configurations. To confirm that your computer has a wireless network card and to determine the type of card:

Use the Device Manager

Check the order confirmation for your computer Device Manager 1 Click Start

, and then click Control Panel. 2 Click Classic View on the menu on the left side of the Control Panel. 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 adapters to list the utility that manages your wireless network card. If a network adapter is not listed, you may not have a wireless network card. If a network adapter is listed, you have a wireless network card. To view detailed information about the wireless network card:

1 Right-click the name of the network adapter. 2 Click Properties. The Order Confirmation for Your Computer The order confirmation that you received when you ordered your computer lists the hardware and software that shipped with your computer. Setting Up a New WLAN Using a Wireless Router and a Broadband Modem 1 Contact your Internet service provider (ISP) to obtain specific information about the connection requirements for your broadband modem. D E L L C O N F I D E N T I A L P R E L I M I N A R Y 7 / 1 8 / 0 7 - F O R P R O O F O N LY Setting Up and Using Networks 89 FILE LOCATION: C:\Projects\Spears\SpearsHTML\wireless.fm 2 Ensure that you have wired Internet access through your broadband modem before you attempt to set up a wireless Internet connection (see

"Connecting a Network or Broadband Modem Cable" on page 87). 3 Install any software required for your wireless router. Your wireless router may have been shipped with installation media. Installation media usually contains installation and troubleshooting information. Install the required software according to the instructions provided by the router manufacturer. 4 Shut down your computer and any other wireless-enabled computers in the vicinity through the Windows Vista Start button

. 5 Disconnect your broadband modem power cable from the electrical outlet. 6 Disconnect the network cable from the computer and the modem. 7 Disconnect the AC adapter cable from your wireless router to ensure that there is no power connected to the router. NOTE: Wait for a minimum of 5 minutes after disconnecting your broadband modem before continuing with the network setup. 8 Insert a network cable into the network (RJ-45) connector on the unpowered broadband modem. 9 Connect the other end of the network cable into the Internet network

(RJ-45) connector on the unpowered wireless router. 10 Ensure that no network or USB cables, other than the network cable connecting the modem and the wireless router, are connected to the broadband modem. NOTE: Restart your wireless equipment in the order described below to prevent a potential connection failure. 11 Turn on only your broadband modem and wait for at least 2 minutes for the broadband modem to stabilize. After 2 minutes, proceed to step 12. 12 Turn on your wireless router and wait for at least 2 minutes for the wireless router to stabilize. After 2 minutes, proceed to the step 13. 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 order to set up the wireless router:

Establish communication between your computer and your wireless router. D E L L C O N F I D E N T I A L P R E L I M I N A R Y 7 / 1 8 / 0 7 - F O R P R O O F O N LY 90 Setting Up and Using Networks FILE LOCATION: C:\Projects\Spears\SpearsHTML\wireless.fm

Configure your wireless router to communicate with your broadband router.

Find out your wireless routers broadcast name. The technical term for the name of your routers broadcast name is Service Set Identifier

(SSID) or network name. 15 If necessary, configure your wireless network card to connect to the wireless network (see "Connecting to a WLAN" on page 91). Connecting to a WLAN NOTE: Before you connect to a WLAN, ensure that you have followed the instructions in "Wireless Local Area Network" on page 88. NOTE: The following networking instructions do not apply to internal cards with Bluetooth wireless technology or cellular products. This section provides general procedures for connecting to a network using wireless technology. Specific network names and configuration details vary. See "Wireless Local Area Network" on page 88 for more information about how to prepare for connecting your computer to a WLAN. Your wireless network card requires specific software and drivers for connecting to a network. The software is already installed. NOTE: If the software is removed or corrupted, follow the instructions in the user documentation for your wireless network card. Verify the type of wireless network card installed in your computer and then search for that name on the Dell Support website at support.dell.com. For information on the type of wireless network card that is installed in your computer, see "Checking Your Wireless Network Card" on page 89. When you turn on your computer and a network (for which your computer is not configured) is detected in the area, a pop-up appears near the network icon in the Windows notification area. To connect to the network:

1 Click Start

, and then click Network. 2 Click Network and Sharing on the navigation bar at the top of the Network folder. 3 Click Connect to a network under Tasks. 4 Select your network from the list and click Connect. D E L L C O N F I D E N T I A L P R E L I M I N A R Y 7 / 1 8 / 0 7 - F O R P R O O F O N LY Setting Up and Using Networks 91 FILE LOCATION: C:\Projects\Spears\SpearsHTML\wireless.fm Once you have configured your computer for a wireless network, another pop-

up notifies you that your computer is connected to that network. Thereafter, whenever you log on to your computer within the range of the wireless network that you selected, the same pop-up notifies you of the wireless network connection. NOTE: If you select a secure network, you must enter a WEP or WPA key when prompted. Network security settings are unique to your network. Dell cannot provide this information. NOTE: Your computer can take up to 1 minute to connect to the network. Monitoring the Status of the Wireless Network Card Through Dell QuickSet The wireless activity indicator provides you with an easy way to monitor the status of your computers wireless devices. To turn the wireless activity indicator on or off, click the QuickSet icon in the taskbar and select Hotkey Popups. If Wireless Activity Indicator Off is not checked, the indicator is on. If Wireless Activity Indicator Off is checked, the indicator is off. The wireless activity indicator displays whether your computers integrated wireless devices are enabled or disabled. When you turn the wireless networking function on or off, the wireless activity indicator changes to display the status. For more information about the Dell QuickSet wireless activity indicator, right-click the QuickSet icon in the taskbar, and then select Help. Mobile Broadband (or Wireless Wide Area Network) A Mobile Broadband network, also known as a Wireless Wide Area Network

(WWAN), is a high-speed digital cellular network that provides Internet access over a much wider geographical area than a WLAN, which typically covers only from 100 to 1000 feet. Your computer can maintain Mobile Broadband network access as long as the computer is within a cellular-data coverage zone. Contact your service provider for coverage of a high-speed digital cellular network. NOTE: Even if you are able to make a call from your cellular phone in a specific geographical location, that location may not necessarily be within a cellular-data coverage zone. D E L L C O N F I D E N T I A L P R E L I M I N A R Y 7 / 1 8 / 0 7 - F O R P R O O F O N LY 92 Setting Up and Using Networks FILE LOCATION: C:\Projects\Spears\SpearsHTML\wireless.fm What You Need to Establish a Mobile Broadband Network Connection NOTE: Depending on your computer, you can use either a Mobile Broadband ExpressCard or Mini-Card, but not both, to establish a Mobile Broadband network connection. To set up a Mobile Broadband network connection, you need:

A Mobile Broadband ExpressCard or Mini Card (depending on your computers configuration) NOTE: For instructions on using ExpressCards, see "Using Cards" on page 81.

An activated Mobile Broadband ExpressCard or activated Subscriber Identity Module (SIM) for your service provider

The Dell Mobile Broadband Card Utility (already installed on your computer if you purchased the card when you purchased your computer, or on the media that accompanied your card if purchased separately from your computer) If the utility is corrupted or deleted from your computer, see the Dell Mobile Broadband Card Utility users guide in Windows Help and Support (click Start media that accompanied your card if you purchased it separately from your computer.

, and then click Help and Support) or on the Checking Your Dell Mobile Broadband Card Depending on what you selected when you purchased your computer, the computer has a variety of configurations. To determine your computer configuration, see one of the following:

Your order confirmation

Microsoft Windows Help and Support To check your Mobile Broadband card in Windows Help and Support:

1 Click Start Help and Support Use Tools to view your computer information and diagnose problems. 2 Under Tools, click My Computer Information Find information about the hardware installed on this computer. On the My Computer Information - Hardware screen, you can view the type of Mobile Broadband card installed in your computer as well as other hardware components. D E L L C O N F I D E N T I A L P R E L I M I N A R Y 7 / 1 8 / 0 7 - F O R P R O O F O N LY Setting Up and Using Networks 93 FILE LOCATION: C:\Projects\Spears\SpearsHTML\wireless.fm NOTE: The Mobile Broadband card is listed under Modems. 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 activate Mobile Broadband service through your cellular service provider. For instructions and for additional information about using the Dell Mobile Broadband Card Utility, see the user's guide available through Windows Help and Support (click Start

, and then click Help and Support). The user's guide is also available on the Dell Support website at support.dell.com and on the media included with your Mobile Broadband card if you purchased the card separately from your computer. Use the Dell Mobile Broadband Card Utility to establish and manage a Mobile Broadband network connection to the Internet:

1 Click the Dell Mobile Broadband Card Utility icon in the Windows notification area to run the utility. 2 Click Connect. NOTE: The Connect button changes to the Disconnect button. 3 Follow the instructions on the screen to manage the network connection with the utility. or 1 Click Start All Programs Dell Wireless. 2 Click Dell Wireless Broadband and follow the instructions on the screen. Enabling/Disabling the Dell Mobile Broadband Card NOTE: If you are unable to connect to a Mobile Broadband network, ensure that you have all the components for establishing a Mobile Broadband connection (see

"What You Need to Establish a Mobile Broadband Network Connection" on page 93), and then verify that your Mobile Broadband card is enabled by verifying the setting of the wireless switch. You can turn your Mobile Broadband card on and off using the wireless switch on your computer. You can turn your computers wireless devices on and off with the wireless switch on the left side of the computer (see "Left Side View" on page 25). D E L L C O N F I D E N T I A L P R E L I M I N A R Y 7 / 1 8 / 0 7 - F O R P R O O F O N LY 94 Setting Up and Using Networks FILE LOCATION: C:\Projects\Spears\SpearsHTML\wireless.fm If the switch is in the on position, move the switch to the off position to disable the switch and the Mobile Broadband 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. For information about the wireless switch positions, see "" on page 29. To monitor the status of your wireless device, see "Monitoring the Status of the Wireless Network Card Through Dell QuickSet" on page 92. Dell Wi-Fi Catcher Network Locator The wireless switch on your Dell computer uses the Dell Wi-Fi Catcher Network Locator to scan specifically for wireless networks in your vicinity. To scan for a wireless network, slide and hold the wireless switch (see "wireless switch" on page 27) in the momentary position for a few seconds. The Wi-Fi Catcher Network Locator functions regardless of whether your computer is turned on or off, or in Sleep state, as long as the switch is configured through Dell QuickSet or the BIOS (system setup program) to control WiFi network connections. The Wi-Fi Catcher Network Locator is enabled and configured for use when your computer is shipped to you. For more information on the Wi-Fi Catcher Network Locator and to enable or disable the feature through Dell QuickSet, right-click the QuickSet icon in the notification area, and then select Help. D E L L C O N F I D E N T I A L P R E L I M I N A R Y 7 / 1 8 / 0 7 - F O R P R O O F O N LY Setting Up and Using Networks 95 FILE LOCATION: C:\Projects\Spears\SpearsHTML\wireless.fm D E L L C O N F I D E N T I A L P R E L I M I N A R Y 7 / 1 8 / 0 7 - F O R P R O O F O N LY 96 Setting Up and Using Networks Securing Your Computer Security Cable Lock NOTE: Your computer does not ship with a security cable lock. A security cable lock is a commercially available antitheft device. To use the lock, attach it to the security cable slot on your Dell computer. For more information, see the instructions included with the device. NOTICE: Before you buy an antitheft device, ensure that it will work with the security cable slot on your computer. Passwords Passwords prevent unauthorized access to your computer. When you first start your computer, you must assign a primary password at the prompt. If you do not enter a password within 2 minutes, the computer returns to its previous operating state. When using passwords, observe the following guidelines:

D E L L C O N F I D E N T I A L P R E L I M I N A R Y 7 / 1 8 / 0 7 - F O R P R O O F O N LY Template Last Updated - 2/7/2007 Securing Your Computer 97 FILE LOCATION: C:\Projects\Spears\SpearsHTML\security.fm

Choose a password that you can remember, but not one that is easy to guess. For example, do not use the names of family members or pets for passwords.

It is recommended that you do not write down your password. If you do write it down, however, ensure that the password is stored in a secure location.

Do not share your password with other people.

Ensure that people are not watching you when you type your password. NOTICE: Passwords provide a high level of security for data in your computer or hard drive. However, they are not foolproof. If you require more security, obtain and use additional forms of protection such as data encryption programs. Use the User Accounts option in the Control Panel in the Microsoft Windows operating system to create user accounts or to change passwords. Once you create a user password, you must enter it each time you turn on or unlock your computer. If you do not enter a password within 2 minutes, the computer returns to its previous operating state. For more information, see your Windows documentation. If you forget any of your hardware passwords, such as the hard drive and BIOS passwords, contact Dell (see "Contacting Dell" on page 163). For your protection, Dell technical support staff will ask you for proof of your identity to ensure that only an authorized person can use the computer. If Your Computer Is Lost or Stolen

Call a law enforcement agency to report the lost or stolen computer. Include the Service Tag in your description of the computer. Ask that a case number be assigned and write down the number, along with the name, address, and phone number of the law enforcement agency. If possible, obtain the name of the investigating officer. NOTE: If you know where the computer was lost or stolen, call a law enforcement agency in that area. If you do not know, call a law enforcement agency where you live.

If the computer belongs to a company, notify the security office of the company. D E L L C O N F I D E N T I A L P R E L I M I N A R Y 7 / 1 8 / 0 7 - F O R P R O O F O N LY 98 Securing Your Computer FILE LOCATION: C:\Projects\Spears\SpearsHTML\security.fm

Contact Dell customer service to report the missing computer. Provide the computer Service Tag, the case number, and the name, address, and phone number of the law enforcement agency to which you reported the missing computer. If possible, give the name of the investigating officer. The Dell customer service representative will log your report under the computer Service Tag and record the computer as missing or stolen. If someone calls Dell for technical assistance and gives your Service Tag, the computer is identified automatically as missing or stolen. The representative will attempt to get the phone number and address of the caller. Dell will then contact the law enforcement agency to which you reported the missing computer. D E L L C O N F I D E N T I A L P R E L I M I N A R Y 7 / 1 8 / 0 7 - F O R P R O O F O N LY Securing Your Computer 99 FILE LOCATION: C:\Projects\Spears\SpearsHTML\security.fm D E L L C O N F I D E N T I A L P R E L I M I N A R Y 7 / 1 8 / 0 7 - F O R P R O O F O N LY 100 Securing Your Computer Troubleshooting Dell Technical Update Service The Dell Technical Update service provides proactive e-mail notification of software and hardware updates for your computer. The service is free and can be customized for content, format, and how frequently you receive notifications. To enroll for the Dell Technical Update service, go to support.dell.com/technicalupdate. Dell Diagnostics CAUTION: Before you begin any of the procedures in this section, follow the safety instructions in the Product Information Guide. When to Use the Dell Diagnostics If you experience a problem with your computer, perform the checks in

"Lockups and Software Problems" on page 117 and run the Dell Diagnostics before you contact Dell for technical assistance. It is recommended that you print these procedures before you begin. NOTE: The Dell Diagnostics only operate on Dell computers. Enter system setup, review your computers configuration information, and ensure that the device you want to test displays in system setup and is active

(see "Using the System Setup Program" on page 175). Start the Dell Diagnostics from your hard drive or from your Drivers and Utilities media (see "Drivers and Utilities Media" on page 13). Starting the Dell Diagnostics From Your 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, contact Dell (see

"Contacting Dell" on page 163). Troubleshooting 101 NOTE: If the computer is connected to a docking device (docked), undock it. See the documentation that came with your docking device for instructions. 1 Ensure that the computer is connected to an electrical outlet that is known to be working properly. 2 Turn on (or restart) your computer. 3 Start the Dell Diagnostics in one of the following two ways:

a When the DELL logo appears, press <F12> immediately. Select Diagnostics from the boot menu, and then press <Enter>. NOTE: If you wait too long and the operating system logo appears, continue to wait until you see the Microsoft Windows desktop, then shut down your computer and try again. NOTE: Before attempting option B, the computer must be powered down completely. b Press and hold the <Fn> key while powering the computer on. NOTE: If you see a message stating that no diagnostics utility partition has been found, run the Dell Diagnostics from your Drivers and Utilities media. The computer runs the Pre-boot System Assessment, a series of initial tests of your system board, keyboard, hard drive, and display.

During the assessment, answer any questions that appear.

If a failure is detected, the computer stops and beeps. To stop the assessment and restart the computer, press <n>; to continue to the next test, press <y>; to retest the component that failed, press <r>. If failures are detected during the Pre-boot System Assessment, write down the error code(s) and contact Dell. If the Pre-boot System Assessment completes successfully, you receive the message Booting Dell Diagnostic Utility Partition. Press any key to continue. 4 Press any key to start the Dell Diagnostics from the diagnostics utility partition on your hard drive. Starting the Dell Diagnostics From the Drivers and Utilities Media 1 Insert your Drivers and Utilities media. 2 Shut down and restart the computer. 102 Troubleshooting 3 When the DELL logo appears, press <F12> immediately. NOTE: Keyboard failure may result when a key on the keyboard is held down for extended periods of time. To avoid possible keyboard failure, press and release <F12> in even intervals until the boot device menu appears. 4 At the boot device menu, use the up- and down-arrow keys to highlight CD/DVD/CD-RW, and then press <Enter>. NOTE: The Quickboot feature changes the boot sequence for the current boot only. Upon restart, the computer boots according to the boot sequence specified in system setup. 5 Select the Boot from CD-ROM option from the menu that appears, and then press <Enter>. 6 Type 1 to start the Drivers and Utilities menu, and then press <Enter>. 7 Select Run the 32 Bit Dell Diagnostics from the numbered list. If multiple versions are listed, select the version appropriate for your computer. 8 At the Dell Diagnostics Main Menu, select the test you want to run. NOTE: Write down any error codes and problem descriptions exactly as they appear and follow the instructions on the screen. 9 After all tests have completed, close the test window to return to the Dell Diagnostics Main Menu. 10 Remove your Drivers and Utilities media, then close the Main Menu window to exit the Dell Diagnostics and restart the computer. Dell Diagnostics Main Menu After the Dell Diagnostics 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. Option Function Test Memory Test System Exit Run the stand-alone memory test Run System Diagnostics Exit Diagnostics Troubleshooting 103 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 the devices in the computer. Option Function Express Test Extended Test Custom Test Symptom Tree Performs a quick test of system devices. The test typically takes 10 to 20 minutes and requires no interaction on your part. Run Express Test first to increase the possibility of tracing the problem quickly. Performs a thorough check of system devices. The test typically takes an hour or more and periodically requires your input to answer specific questions. Tests a specific device in the system and can be used to customize the tests you want to run. Lists a number of common symptoms and allows you to select a test based on the symptom of the problem you are having. For any problem encountered during a test, a message appears with an error code and a description of the problem. Write down the error code and problem description exactly as it appears and follow the instructions on the screen. If you cannot resolve the problem, contact Dell (see "Contacting Dell"

on page 163). NOTE: The Service Tag for your computer is located at the top of each test screen. When contacting Dell support, have your Service Tag ready. The following tabs provide additional information for tests run from the Custom Test or Symptom Tree option:

Tab Results Errors Function Displays the results of the test and any error conditions encountered. Displays error conditions encountered, error codes, and the problem description. 104 Troubleshooting Tab Help Configuration Parameters Function (continued) Describes the test and any requirements for running the test. Displays your hardware configuration for the selected device. The Dell Diagnostics obtains configuration information for all devices from system setup, memory, and various internal tests, and it displays the information in the device list in the left pane of the screen. The device list may not display the names of all the components installed on your computer or all devices attached to your computer. Allows you to customize the test by changing the test settings. Dell Support Utility The Dell Support Utility is customized for your computing environment. This utility provides self-support information, software updates, and health scans for your computer. Use this utility to do the following:

Check your computing environment

View the Dell Support Utility settings

Access the help file for the Dell Support Utility

View frequently asked questions

Learn more about the Dell Support Utility

Turn the Dell Support Utility off For more information about the Dell Support Utility, click the question mark

(?) at the top of the Dell Support window. To access the Dell Support Utility:

Click the Dell Support icon in the notification area. icon functions vary when clicking, double-clicking, or right-

NOTE: The clicking. or Troubleshooting 105

Click the Start All Programs Dell Support Dell Support Settings. Ensure that the Show icon on the taskbar option is checked. NOTE: If the Dell Support Utility is not available from the Start menu, go to support.dell.com and download the software. Drive Problems CAUTION: Before you begin any of the procedures in this section, follow the safety instructions in the Product Information Guide. Fill out the "Diagnostics Checklist" on page 162 as you complete these checks. W I N D O W S R E C O G N I Z E S T H E D R I V E E N S U R E T H A T M I C R O S O F T

Click Start Computer. If the drive is not listed, perform a full scan with your antivirus software to check for and remove viruses. Viruses can sometimes prevent Windows from recognizing the drive. TE S T T H E D R I V E

Insert another floppy disk, CD, DVD, or BD to eliminate the possibility that the original media is defective.

Insert a bootable floppy disk and restart the computer. C L E A N T H E D R I V E O R D I S K See "Cleaning Your Computer" on page 178. E N S U R E T H A T T H E C D , D V D , O R BD M E D I A I S S N A P P E D O N T O T H E S P I N D L E C H E C K T H E C A B L E C O N N E C T I O N S C H E C K F O R H A R D W A R E I N C O M P A T I B I L I T I E S See "Troubleshooting Software and Hardware Problems" on page 131. R U N T H E D E L L D I A G N O S T I C S See "Dell Diagnostics" on page 101. Optical drive problems NOTE: High-speed optical drive vibration is normal and may cause noise, which does not indicate a defect in the drive or the media. NOTE: Because of different regions worldwide and different disc formats, not all DVD titles work in all DVD drives. 106 Troubleshooting Problems writing to a CD-RW, DVD+/-RW, or BD-RE drive C L O S E O T H E R P R O G R A M S CD-RW, DVD+/-RW, and BD-RE drives must receive a steady stream of data when writing. If the stream is interrupted, an error occurs. Try closing all programs before you write to the drive. TU R N O F F S L E E P S T A T E I N W I N D O W S B E F O R E W R I T I N G T O A CD/DVD/BD D I S C See "Using the Sleep Power State" on page 48 for information on Sleep state. C H A N G E T H E W R I T E S P E E D T O A S L O W E R R A T E See the help files for your CD, DVD, or BD creation software. The drive tray cannot eject 1 Ensure that the computer is shut down. 2 Straighten a paper clip and insert one end into the eject hole at the front of the drive, then push firmly until the tray is partially ejected. 3 Gently pull out the tray until it stops. The drive makes an unfamiliar scraping or grinding sound

Ensure that the sound is not caused by the program that is running.

Ensure that the disc is inserted properly. Hard drive problems A L L O W T H E C O M P U T E R T O C O O L B E F O R E T U R N I N G I T O N A hot hard drive may prevent the operating system from starting. Try allowing the computer to return to room temperature before turning it on. R U N C H E C K D I S K 1 Click Start Computer. 2 Right-click Local Disk (C:). 3 Click Properties Tools Check Now. 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 to check Scan for and attempt recovery of bad sectors, and then click Start. Troubleshooting 107 E-Mail, Modem, and Internet Problems CAUTION: Before you begin any of the procedures in this section, follow the safety instructions in the Product Information Guide. NOTE: Connect the modem to an analog telephone jack only. The modem does not operate while it is connected to a digital telephone network. C H E C K T H E M I C R O S O F T O U T L O O K cannot open your e-mail attachments:

E X P R E S S S E C U R I T Y S E T T I N G S If you 1 In Outlook Express, click Tools, click Options, and then click Security. 2 Click Do not allow attachments to remove the checkmark. C H E C K T H E T E L E P H O N E L I N E C O N N E C T I O N C H E C K T H E T E L E P H O N E J A C K C O N N E C T T H E M O D E M D I R E C T L Y T O T H E T E L E P H O N E W A L L J A C K U S E A D I F F E R E N T T E L E P H O N E L I N E

Verify that the telephone line is connected to the jack on the modem (the jack has either a green label or a connector-shaped icon next to it).

Ensure that you hear a click when you insert the telephone line connector into the modem.

Disconnect the telephone line from the modem and connect it to a telephone, then listen for a dial tone.

If you have other telephone devices sharing the line, such as an answering machine, fax machine, surge protector, or line splitter, then bypass them and connect the modem directly to the telephone wall jack. If you are using a line that is 3 m (10 ft) or more in length, try a shorter one. R U N T H E M O D E M D I A G N O S T I C U T I L I T Y Click the Start Programs Modem Diagnostic Tool Modem Diagnostic Utility. Follow the instructions on the screen to identify and resolve modem problems (Modem Diagnostic Utility is not available on certain computers). V E R I F Y T H A T T H E M O D E M I S C O M M U N I C A T I N G W I T H W I N D O W S 1 Click the Start

, and then click Control Panel. 2 Click Hardware and Sound. 3 Click Phone and Modem Options. 4 Click the Modems tab. 108 Troubleshooting 5 Click the COM port for your modem. 6 Click Properties, click the Diagnostics tab, and then click Query Modem to verify that the modem is communicating with Windows. If all commands receive responses, the modem is operating properly. E N S U R E T H A T Y O U A R E C O N N E C T E D T O T H E I N T E R N E T Ensure that you have subscribed to an Internet service provider. With the Outlook Express e-mail program open, click File. If Work Offline has a checkmark next to it, click the checkmark to remove it, and then connect to the Internet. For help, contact your Internet service provider. S C A N T H E C O M P U T E R F O R S P Y W A R E If you are experiencing slow computer performance, you frequently receive pop-up advertisements, or you are having problems connecting to the Internet, your computer might be infected with spyware. Use an anti-virus program that includes anti-spyware protection

(your program may require an upgrade) to scan the computer and remove spyware. For more information, go to support.dell.com and search for the keyword spyware. Error Messages Fill out the "Diagnostics Checklist" on page 162 as you complete these checks. CAUTION: Before you begin any of the procedures 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 that was running when the message appeared. A U X I L I A R Y D E V I C E F A I L U R E The touch pad or external mouse may be faulty. For an external mouse, check the cable connection. Enable the Pointing Device option in the system setup program (see "Using the System Setup Program" on page 175). If the problem persists, contact Dell (see "Contacting Dell" on page 163). B A D C O M M A N D O R F I L E N A M E Ensure that you have spelled the command correctly, put spaces in the proper place, and used the correct pathname. C A C H E D I S A B L E D D U E T O F A I L U R E The primary cache internal to the microprocessor has failed. Contact Dell (see "Contacting Dell" on page 163). Troubleshooting 109 C D D R I V E C O N T R O L L E R F A I L U R E The CD drive does not respond to commands from the computer (see "Drive Problems" on page 106). D A T A E R R O R The hard drive cannot read the data (see "Drive Problems" on page 106). D E C R E A S I N G A V A I L A B L E M E M O R Y One or more memory modules may be faulty or improperly seated. Reinstall the memory modules and, if necessary, replace them (see "Memory" on page 144). D I S K C : F A I L E D I N I T I A L I Z A T I O N The hard drive failed initialization. Run the hard drive tests in the Dell Diagnostics (see "Dell Diagnostics" on page 101). D R I V E N O T R E A D Y The operation requires a hard drive in the bay before it can continue. Install a hard drive in the hard drive bay (see "Hard Drive" on page 137). E R R O R R E A D I N G P C M C I A C A R D The computer cannot identify the ExpressCard. Reinsert the card or try another card (see "Using Cards" on page 81). E X T E N D E D M E M O R Y S I Z E H A S C H A N G E D The amount of memory recorded in NVRAM does not match the memory installed in the computer. Restart the computer. If the error appears again, contact Dell (see "Contacting Dell" on page 163). T H E F I L E B E I N G C O P I E D I S T O O L A R G E F O R T H E D E S T I N A T I O N D R I V E The file that you are trying to copy is too large to fit on the disk, or the disk is full. Try copying the file to a different disk or use a larger capacity disk. A F I L E N A M E C A N N O T C O N T A I N A N Y O F T H E F O L L O W I N G C H A R A C T E R S : \ / : * ? <

> | Do not use these characters in filenames. G A T E A20 F A I L U R E A memory module may be loose. Reinstall the memory modules and, if necessary, replace them (see "Memory" on page 144). G E N E R A L F A I L U R E The operating system is unable to carry out the command. The message is usually followed by specific informationfor example, Printer out of paper. Take the appropriate action. H A R D - D I S K D R I V E C O N F I G U R A T I O N E R R O R The computer cannot identify the drive type. Shut down the computer, remove the hard drive (see "Hard Drive"

on page 137), and boot the computer from a CD. Then, shut down the computer, reinstall the hard drive, and restart the computer. Run the Hard Disk Drive tests in the Dell Diagnostics (see "Dell Diagnostics" on page 101). 110 Troubleshooting H A R D - D I S K D R I V E C O N T R O L L E R F A I L U R E 0 The hard drive does not respond to commands from the computer. Shut down the computer, remove the hard drive (see "Hard Drive" on page 137), and boot the computer from a CD. Then, shut down the computer, reinstall the hard drive, and restart the computer. If the problem persists, try another drive. Run the Hard Disk Drive tests in the Dell Diagnostics (see "Dell Diagnostics" on page 101). H A R D - D I S K D R I V E F A I L U R E The hard drive does not respond to commands from the computer. Shut down the computer, remove the hard drive (see

"Hard Drive" on page 137), and boot the computer from a CD. Then, shut down the computer, reinstall the hard drive, and restart the computer. If the problem persists, try another drive. Run the Hard Disk Drive tests in the Dell Diagnostics (see "Dell Diagnostics" on page 101). H A R D - D I S K D R I V E R E A D F A I L U R E The hard drive may be defective. Shut down the computer, remove the hard drive (see "Hard Drive" on page 137), and boot the computer from a CD. Then, shut down the computer, reinstall the hard drive, and restart the computer. If the problem persists, try another drive. Run the Hard Disk Drive tests in the Dell Diagnostics (see "Dell Diagnostics" on page 101). I N S E R T B O O T A B L E M E D I A The operating system is trying to boot to nonbootable media, such as a floppy disk or CD. Insert bootable media. I N V A L I D C O N F I G U R A T I O N I N F O R M A T I O N - P L E A S E R U N S YS T E M S E T U P P R O G R A M The system configuration information does not match the hardware configuration. The message is most likely to occur after a memory module is installed. Correct the appropriate options in the system setup program (see "Using the System Setup Program" on page 175). K E Y B O A R D C L O C K L I N E F A I L U R E For external keyboards, check the cable connection. Run the Keyboard Controller test in the Dell Diagnostics (see

"Dell Diagnostics" on page 101). K E Y B O A R D C O N T R O L L E R F A I L U R E For external keyboards, check the cable connection. Restart the computer, and avoid touching the keyboard or the mouse during the boot routine. Run the Keyboard Controller test in the Dell Diagnostics (see "Dell Diagnostics" on page 101). K E Y B O A R D D A T A L I N E F A I L U R E For external keyboards, check the cable connection. Run the Keyboard Controller test in the Dell Diagnostics (see

"Dell Diagnostics" on page 101). Troubleshooting 111 K E Y B O A R D S T U C K K E Y F A I L U R E For external keyboards or keypads, check the cable connection. Restart the computer, and avoid touching the keyboard or keys during the boot routine. Run the Stuck Key test in the Dell Diagnostics

(see "Dell Diagnostics" on page 101). L I C E N S E D C O N T E N T I S N O T A C C E S S I B L E I N M E D I A D I R E C T Dell MediaDirect cannot verify the Digital Rights Management (DRM) restrictions on the file, so the file cannot be played (see "Dell MediaDirect problems" on page 118). M E M O R Y A D D R E S S L I N E F A I L U R E A T A D D R E S S , R E A D V A L U E E X P E C T I N G V A L U E A memory module may be faulty or improperly seated. Reinstall the memory modules and, if necessary, replace them (see "Memory" on page 144). M E M O R Y A L L O C A T I O N E R R O R The software you are attempting to run is conflicting with the operating system, another program, or a utility. Shut down the computer, wait 30 seconds, and then restart it. Try to run the program again. If the error message still appears, see the software documentation. M E M O R Y D A T A L I N E F A I L U R E A T A D D R E S S , R E A D V A L U E E X P E C T I N G V A L U E A memory module may be faulty or improperly seated. Reinstall the memory modules and, if necessary, replace them (see "Memory" on page 144). M E M O R Y D O U B L E W O R D L O G I C F A I L U R E A T A D D R E S S , R E A D V A L U E E X P E C T I N G V A L U E A memory module may be faulty or improperly seated. Reinstall the memory modules and, if necessary, replace them (see "Memory" on page 144). M E M O R Y O D D/ E V E N L O G I C F A I L U R E A T A D D R E S S, R E A D V A L U E E X P E C T I N G V A L U E A memory module may be faulty or improperly seated. Reinstall the memory modules and, if necessary, replace them (see "Memory" on page 144). M E M O R Y W R I T E / R E A D F A I L U R E A T A D D R E S S, R E A D V A L U E E X P E C T I N G V A L U E A memory module may be faulty or improperly seated. Reinstall the memory modules and, if necessary, replace them (see "Memory" on page 144). N O B O O T D E V I C E A V A I L A B L E The computer cannot find the hard drive. If the hard drive is your boot device, ensure that the drive is installed, properly seated, and partitioned as a boot device. N O B O O T S E C T O R O N H A R D D R I V E The operating system may be corrupted. Contact Dell (see "Contacting Dell" on page 163). 112 Troubleshooting N O T I M E R T I C K I N T E R R U P T A chip on the system board may be malfunctioning. Run the System Set tests in the Dell Diagnostics (see "Dell Diagnostics" on page 101). N O T E N O U G H M E M O R Y O R R E S O U R C E S . E X I T S O M E P R O G R A M S A N D T R Y A G A I N You have too many programs open. Close all windows and open the program that you want to use. O P E R A T I N G S YS T E M N O T F O U N D Reinstall the hard drive (see "Hard Drive"

on page 137). If the problem persists, contact Dell (see "Contacting Dell" on page 163). O P T I O N A L R O M B A D C H E C K S U M The optional ROM has failed. Contact Dell (see "Contacting Dell" on page 163). A R E Q U I R E D .DLL F I L E W A S N O T F O U N D The program that you are trying to open is missing an essential file. Remove and then reinstall the program. 1 Click Start Control Panel. 2 Under Programs, click Uninstall a Program. 3 Select the program you want to remove. 4 Click Uninstall and follow the prompts on the screen. 5 See the program documentation for installation instructions. S E C T O R N O T F O U N D The operating system cannot locate a sector on the hard drive. You may have a defective sector or corrupted FAT on the hard drive. Run the Windows error-checking utility to check the file structure on the hard drive. See Windows Help and Support for instructions (click Start Help and Support). If a large number of sectors are defective, back up the data (if possible), and then reformat the hard drive. S E E K E R R O R The operating system cannot find a specific track on the hard drive. S H U T D O W N F A I L U R E A chip on the system board may be malfunctioning. Run the System Set tests in the Dell Diagnostics (see "Dell Diagnostics" on page 101). TI M E- O F- D A Y C L O C K L O S T P O W E R System configuration settings are corrupted. Connect your computer to an electrical outlet to charge the battery. If the problem persists, try to restore the data by entering the system setup program, then immediately exit the program (see "Using the System Setup Program" on page 175). If the message reappears, contact Dell (see

"Contacting Dell" on page 163). Troubleshooting 113 TI M E- O F - D A Y C L O C K S T O P P E D The reserve battery that supports the system configuration settings may require recharging. Connect your computer to an electrical outlet to charge the battery. If the problem persists, contact Dell

(see "Contacting Dell" on page 163). TI M E- O F - D A Y N O T S E T - P L E A S E R U N T H E S YS T E M S E T U P P R O G R A M The time or date stored in the system setup program does not match the system clock. Correct the settings for the Date and Time options (see "Using the System Setup Program" on page 175). TI M E R C H I P C O U N T E R 2 F A I L E D A chip on the system board may be malfunctioning. Run the System Set tests in the Dell Diagnostics (see "Dell Diagnostics" on page 101). U N E X P E C T E D I N T E R R U P T I N P R O T E C T E D M O D E The keyboard controller may be malfunctioning, or a memory module may be loose. Run the System Memory tests and the Keyboard Controller test in the Dell Diagnostics (see

"Dell Diagnostics" on page 101). X : \ I S N O T A C C E S S I B L E . T H E D E V I C E I S N O T R E A D Y Insert a disk into the drive and try again. W A R N I N G: B A T T E R Y I S C R I T I C A L L Y L O W The battery is running out of charge. Replace the battery, or connect the computer to an electrical outlet;

otherwise, activate hibernate mode or shut down the computer. ExpressCard Problems CAUTION: Before you begin any of the procedures in this section, follow the safety instructions in the Product Information Guide. C H E C K T H E E X P R E S S C A R D Ensure that the ExpressCard is properly inserted into the connector. C H E C K T H A T T H E C A R D I S R E C O G N I Z E D B Y W I N D O W S Double-click the Safely Remove Hardware icon in the Windows taskbar. Some cards do not support this feature. If the card supports this Windows feature, the card will be listed. I F Y O U H A V E P R O B L E M S W I T H A D E L L - P R O V I D E D E X P R E S S C A R D Contact Dell

(see "Contacting Dell" on page 163). Also, for Mobile Broadband (WWAN) ExpressCards, see "Mobile Broadband (Wireless Wide Area Network

[WWAN])" on page 120. I F Y O U H A V E P R O B L E M S W I T H A N E X P R E S S C A R D N O T P R O V I D E D B Y D E L L Contact the ExpressCard manufacturer. 114 Troubleshooting IEEE 1394 Device Problems CAUTION: Before you begin any of the procedures in this section, follow the safety instructions in the Product Information Guide. E N S U R E T H A T T H E IEEE 1394 D E V I C E I S R E C O G N I Z E D B Y W I N D O W S 1 Click Start Control Panel System and Maintenance 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. If your IEEE 1394 device is listed, Windows recognizes the device. I F Y O U H A V E P R O B L E M S W I T H A D E L L- P R O V I D E D IEEE 1394 D E V I C E Contact Dell or the IEEE 1394 device manufacturer (see "Contacting Dell" on page 163). I F Y O U H A V E P R O B L E M S W I T H A N IEEE 1394 D E V I C E N O T P R O V I D E D B Y D E L L Contact Dell or the IEEE 1394 device manufacturer (see "Contacting Dell" on page 163). Ensure that the IEEE 1394 device is properly inserted into the connector. Keyboard Problems CAUTION: Before you begin any of the procedures in this section, follow the safety instructions in the Product Information Guide. Fill out the "Diagnostics Checklist" on page 162 as you perform the various checks. NOTE: Use the integrated keyboard when running the Dell Diagnostics or the system setup program. When you attach an external keyboard, the integrated keyboard remains fully functional. External Keyboard problems NOTE: When you attach an external keyboard, the integrated keyboard remains fully functional. C H E C K T H E K E Y B O A R D C A B L E Shut down the computer, disconnect the keyboard cable and check it for damage, then firmly reconnect the cable. If you are using a keyboard extension cable, disconnect it and connect the keyboard directly to the computer. Troubleshooting 115 C H E C K T H E E X T E R N A L K E Y B O A R D 1 Shut down the computer, wait 1 minute, and then turn it on again. 2 Verify that the numbers, capitals, and scroll lock lights on the keyboard blink during the boot routine. 3 From the Windows desktop, click Start All Programs Accessories Notepad. 4 Type some characters on the external keyboard and verify that they appear on the display. If you cannot verify these steps, you may have a defective external keyboard. TO V E R I F Y T H A T T H E P R O B L E M I S W I T H T H E E X T E R N A L K E Y B O A R D, C H E C K T H E I N T E G R A T E D K E Y B O A R D 1 Shut down the computer. 2 Disconnect the external keyboard. 3 Turn on the computer. 4 From the Windows desktop, click Start All Programs Accessories Notepad. 5 Type some characters on the internal keyboard and verify that they appear on the display. If the characters appear now, but did not with the external keyboard, you may have a defective external keyboard. Contact Dell (see "Contacting Dell" on page 163). R U N T H E K E Y B O A R D D I A G N O S T I C S T E S T S Run the PC-AT Compatible Keyboards tests in the Dell Diagnostics (see "Dell Diagnostics" on page 101). If the tests indicate a defective external keyboard, contact Dell (see

"Contacting Dell" on page 163). Unexpected characters D I S A B L E T H E N U M E R I C K E Y P A D Press <Num Lk> to disable the numeric keypad if numbers are displayed instead of letters. Verify that the numbers lock light is not lit. 116 Troubleshooting Lockups and Software Problems CAUTION: Before you begin any of the procedures in this section, follow the safety instructions in the Product Information Guide. The computer does not start C H E C K T H E A C A D A P T E R Ensure that the AC adapter is firmly connected to the computer and to the electrical outlet. The computer stops responding NOTICE: You might lose data if you are unable to perform an operating system shutdown. TU R N T H E C O M P U T E R O F F If you are unable to get a response by pressing a key on your keyboard or moving your mouse, press and hold the power button for at least 8 to 10 seconds until the computer turns off, then restart your computer. A program stops responding or crashes repeatedly E N D T H E P R O G R A M 1 Press <Crtl><Shift><Esc> simultaneously. 2 Click the Applications tab and select the program that is no longer responding. 3 Click End Task. NOTE: The chkdsk program may run when you restart the computer. Follow the instructions on the screen. C H E C K T H E S O F T W A R E D O C U M E N T A T I O N If necessary, uninstall and then reinstall the program. Software usually includes installation instructions in its documentation or on a floppy disk or CD. A program is designed for an earlier Microsoft Windows operating system R U N T H E P R O G R A M C O M P A T I B I L I T Y W I Z A R D Program compatibility is a mode in Windows that lets you run programs written for earlier versions of Windows. For more information, search for the keyword program compatibility wizard in Windows Help and Support. Troubleshooting 117 A solid blue screen appears TU R N T H E C O M P U T E R O F F If you are unable to get a response by pressing a key on your keyboard or moving your mouse, press and hold the power button for at least 8 to 10 seconds until the computer turns off, then restart your computer. Dell MediaDirect problems C H E C K T H E D E L L M E D I A D I R E C T H E L P F I L E F O R I N F O R M A T I O N Use the Help menu to access Dell MediaDirect Help. TO P L A Y M O V I E S W I T H D E L L M E D I A D I R E C T , Y O U M U S T H A V E A D V D D R I V E A N D T H E D E L L DV D P L A Y E R If you purchased a DVD drive with your computer, this software should already be installed. V I D E O Q U A L I T Y P R O B L E M S Turn off the Use Hardware Acceleration option. This feature takes advantage of the special processing in some graphics cards to reduce processor requirements when playing DVDs and certain types of video files. C A N N O T P L A Y S O M E M E D I A F I L E S Because Dell MediaDirect provides access to media files outside the Windows operating system environment, access to licensed content is restricted. Licensed content is digital content that has Digital Rights Management (DRM) applied to it. The Dell MediaDirect environment cannot verify the DRM restrictions, so the licensed files cannot be played. Licensed music and video files have a lock icon next to them. You can access licensed files in the Windows operating system environment. A D J U S T I N G T H E C O L O R S E T T I N G S F O R M O V I E S T H A T C O N T A I N S C E N E S T H A T A R E T O O D A R K O R T O O B R I G H T Click EagleVision to use a video enhancement technology that detects video content and dynamically adjusts the brightness/contrast/saturation ratios. NOTICE: You cannot reinstall the Dell MediaDirect feature if you voluntarily reformat the hard drive. Contact Dell for assistance (see "Contacting Dell" on page 163). Other software problems C H E C K T H E S O F T W A R E D O C U M E N T A T I O N O R C O N T A C T T H E S O F T W A R E M A N U F A C T U R E R F O R T R O U B L E S H O O T I N G I N F O R M A T I O N

Ensure that the program is compatible with the operating system installed on your computer. 118 Troubleshooting

Ensure that your computer meets the minimum hardware requirements needed to run the software. See the software documentation for information.

Ensure that the program is installed and configured properly.

Verify that the device drivers do not conflict with the program.

If necessary, uninstall and then reinstall the program. B A C K U P Y O U R F I L E S I M M E D I A T E L Y U S E A V I R U S - S C A N N I N G P R O G R A M T O C H E C K T H E H A R D D R I V E , F L O P P Y D I S K S , O R C D S S A V E A N D C L O S E A N Y O P E N F I L E S O R P R O G R A M S A N D S H U T D O W N Y O U R C O M P U T E R T H R O U G H T H E S T A R T M E N U S C A N T H E C O M P U T E R F O R S P Y W A R E If you are experiencing slow computer performance, you frequently receive pop-up advertisements, or you are having problems connecting to the Internet, your computer might be infected with spyware. Use an anti-virus program that includes anti-spyware protection

(your program may require an upgrade) to scan the computer and remove spyware. For more information, go to support.dell.com and search for the keyword spyware. R U N T H E D E L L D I A G N O S T I C S If all tests run successfully, the error condition is related to a software problem (see "Dell Diagnostics" on page 101). Memory Problems Fill out the "Diagnostics Checklist" on page 162 as you complete these checks. CAUTION: Before you begin any of the procedures in this section, follow the safety instructions in the Product Information Guide. I F Y O U R E C E I V E A N I N S U F F I C I E N T M E M O R Y M E S S A G E

Save and close any open files and exit any open programs you are not using to see if that resolves the problem.

See the software documentation for minimum memory requirements. If necessary, install additional memory (see "Memory" on page 144).

Reseat the memory modules to ensure that your computer is successfully communicating with the memory (see "Memory" on page 144).

Run the Dell Diagnostics (see "Dell Diagnostics" on page 101). Troubleshooting 119 I F Y O U E X P E R I E N C E O T H E R M E M O R Y P R O B L E M S

Reseat the memory modules to ensure that your computer is successfully communicating with the memory (see "Memory" on page 144).

Ensure that you are following the memory installation guidelines (see

"Memory" on page 144).

Run the Dell Diagnostics (see "Dell Diagnostics" on page 101). Network Problems Fill out the "Diagnostics Checklist" on page 162 as you complete these checks. CAUTION: Before you begin any of the procedures in this section, follow the safety instructions in the Product Information Guide. C H E C K T H E N E T W O R K C A B L E C O N N E C T O R Ensure that the network cable is firmly inserted into both the network connector on the back of the computer and the network jack. C H E C K T H E N E T W O R K L I G H T S O N T H E N E T W O R K C O N N E C T O R No light indicates that no network communication exists. Replace the network cable. R E S T A R T T H E C O M P U T E R A N D L O G O N T O T H E N E T W O R K A G A I N C H E C K Y O U R N E T W O R K S E T T I N G S 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 [WWAN]) NOTE: The Dell Mobile Broadband Card Utility users guide and the Mobile Broadband ExpressCard users guide are available through Windows Help and Support (click Start Help and Support). You can also download the Dell Mobile Broadband Card Utility users guide from support.dell.com. NOTE: The icon appears in the notification area if the computer has a Dell WWAN device installed. Double-click the icon to launch the utility. A C T I V A T E T H E M O B I L E B R O A D B A N D E X P R E S S C A R D You must activate the Mobile Broadband ExpressCard before you can connect to the network. Position the mouse over the status of the connection. If the card is not activated, follow the card activation instructions located within the Dell Mobile Broadband Card icon in the notification area to verify the 120 Troubleshooting Utility. To access the utility, double-click the at the lower-right corner of your screen. If your ExpressCard is not a Dell-

branded card, see the manufacturers instructions for your card. icon located in the taskbar, C H E C K N E T W O R K C O N N E C T I O N S T A T U S I N T H E D E L L M O B I L E B R O A D B A N D C A R D U T I L I T Y Double-click the icon to launch the Dell Mobile Broadband Card Utility. Check the status in the main window:

No card detected Restart the computer, and launch the Dell Mobile Broadband Card Utility again.

Check your WWAN service Contact your cellular service provider to verify your plan coverage and supported services. Power Problems Fill out the "Diagnostics Checklist" on page 162 as you complete these checks. CAUTION: Before you begin any of the procedures in this section, follow the safety instructions in the Product Information Guide. C H E C K T H E P O W E R L I G H T When the power light is lit or blinking, the computer has power. If the power light is blinking, the computer is in Sleep statepress the power button to exit Sleep state. If the light is off, press the power button to turn on the computer. NOTE: For information on Sleep power state, see "Using the Sleep Power State" on page 48. C H A R G E T H E B A T T E R Y The battery charge may be depleted. 1 Reinstall the battery. 2 Use the AC adapter to connect the computer to an electrical outlet. 3 Turn on the computer. NOTE: Battery operating time (the time the battery can hold a charge) decreases over time. Depending on how often the battery is used and the conditions under which it is used, you may need to purchase a new battery during the life of your computer. C H E C K T H E B A T T E R Y S T A T U S L I G H T If the battery status light flashes amber or is a steady amber, the battery charge is low or depleted. Connect the computer to an electrical outlet. Troubleshooting 121 If the battery status light flashes blue and amber, the battery is too hot to charge. Shut down the computer, disconnect the computer from the electrical outlet, and then let the battery and computer cool to room temperature. If the battery status light rapidly flashes amber, the battery may be defective. Contact Dell (see "Contacting Dell" on page 163). C H E C K T H E B A T T E R Y T E M P E R A T U R E If the battery temperature is below 0C

(32F), the computer will not start. TE S T T H E E L E C T R I C A L O U T L E T Ensure that the electrical outlet is working by testing it with another device, such as a lamp. C H E C K T H E AC A D A P T E R Check the AC adapter cable connections. If the AC adapter has a light, ensure that the light is on. C O N N E C T T H E C O M P U T E R D I R E C T L Y T O A N E L E C T R I C A L O U T L E T Bypass power protection devices, power strips, and extension cables to verify that the computer turns on. E L I M I N A T E P O S S I B L E I N T E R F E R E N C E Turn off nearby fans, fluorescent lights, halogen lamps, or other appliances. A D J U S T T H E P O W E R P R O P E R T I E S See "Configuring Power Management Settings" on page 47. R E S E A T T H E M E M O R Y M O D U L E S If the computer power light turns on, but the display remains blank, reinstall the memory modules (see "Memory" on page 144). Printer Problems Fill out the "Diagnostics Checklist" on page 162 as you complete these checks. CAUTION: Before you begin any of the procedures in this section, follow the safety instructions in the Product Information Guide. NOTE: If you need technical assistance for your printer, contact the printers manufacturer. C H E C K T H E P R I N T E R D O C U M E N T A T I O N See the printer documentation for setup and troubleshooting information. E N S U R E T H A T T H E P R I N T E R I S T U R N E D O N C H E C K T H E P R I N T E R C A B L E C O N N E C T I O N S 122 Troubleshooting

See the printer documentation for cable connection information.

Ensure that the printer cables are securely connected to the printer and the computer. TE S T T H E E L E C T R I C A L O U T L E T Ensure that the electrical outlet is working by testing it with another device, such as a lamp. V E R I F Y T H A T T H E P R I N T E R I S R E C O G N I Z E D B Y W I N D O W S 1 Click Start Control Panel Hardware and Sound Printers. 2 Right-click the printer icon. 3 Click Properties, and then click the Ports tab. For a parallel printer, ensure that the Print to the following port(s): setting is LPT1 (Printer Port). For a USB printer, ensure that the Print to the following port(s): setting is USB. R E I N S T A L L T H E P R I N T E R D R I V E R See the printer documentation for instructions. Scanner Problems CAUTION: Before you begin any of the procedures in this section, follow the safety instructions in the Product Information Guide. NOTE: If you need technical assistance for your scanner, contact the scanners manufacturer. C H E C K T H E S C A N N E R D O C U M E N T A T I O N See the scanner documentation for setup and troubleshooting information. U N L O C K T H E S C A N N E R Ensure that your scanner is unlocked. R E S T A R T T H E C O M P U T E R A N D T R Y T H E S C A N N E R A G A I N C H E C K T H E C A B L E C O N N E C T I O N S

See the scanner documentation for cable connection information.

Ensure that the scanner cables are securely connected to the scanner and the computer. V E R I F Y T H A T T H E S C A N N E R I S R E C O G N I Z E D B Y M I C R O S O F T W I N D O W S Click Start Control Panel Hardware and Sound Scanners and Cameras. If your scanner is listed, Windows recognizes the scanner. R E I N S T A L L T H E S C A N N E R D R I V E R See the scanner documentation for instructions. Troubleshooting 123 Sound and Speaker Problems Fill out the "Diagnostics Checklist" on page 162 as you complete these checks. CAUTION: Before you begin any of the procedures in this section, follow the safety instructions in the Product Information Guide. No sound from integrated speakers A D J U S T T H E W I N D O W S V O L U M E C O N T R O L Double-click the speaker icon in the lower-right corner of your screen. Ensure that the volume is turned up and that the sound is not muted. Adjust the volume, bass, or treble controls to eliminate distortion. A D J U S T T H E V O L U M E U S I N G K E Y B O A R D S H O R T C U T S Press <Fn><End> to disable (mute) or re-enable the integrated speakers. R E I N S T A L L T H E S O U N D ( A U D I O ) D R I V E R See "Reinstalling Drivers and Utilities" on page 128. No sound from external speakers E N S U R E T H A T T H E S U B W O O F E R A N D T H E S P E A K E R S A R E T U R N E D O N See the setup diagram supplied with the speakers. If your speakers have volume controls, adjust the volume, bass, or treble to eliminate distortion. A D J U S T T H E W I N D O W S V O L U M E C O N T R O L Click or double-click the speaker icon in the lower-right corner of your screen. Ensure that the volume is turned up and that the sound is not muted. D I S C O N N E C T H E A D P H O N E S F R O M T H E H E A D P H O N E C O N N E C T O R Sound from the speakers is automatically disabled when headphones are connected to the headphone connector. TE S T T H E E L E C T R I C A L O U T L E T Ensure that the electrical outlet is working by testing it with another device, such as a lamp. E L I M I N A T E P O S S I B L E I N T E R F E R E N C E Turn off nearby fans, fluorescent lights, or halogen lamps to check for interference. R E I N S T A L L T H E A U D I O D R I V E R See "Reinstalling Drivers and Utilities" on page 128. R U N T H E D E L L D I A G N O S T I C S See "Dell Diagnostics" on page 101. 124 Troubleshooting NOTE: The volume control in some MP3 players overrides the Windows volume setting. If you have been listening to MP3 songs, ensure that you did not turn the player volume down or off. No sound from headphones C H E C K T H E H E A D P H O N E C A B L E C O N N E C T I O N Ensure that the headphone cable is securely inserted into the headphone connector (see "Right Side View" on page 27). A D J U S T T H E W I N D O W S V O L U M E C O N T R O L Click or double-click the speaker icon in the lower-right corner of your screen. Ensure that the volume is turned up and that the sound is not muted. Touch Pad or Mouse Problems C H E C K T H E T O U C H P A D S E T T I N G S 1 Click Start Control Panel Hardware and Sound Mouse. 2 Adjust the settings, as needed. C H E C K T H E M O U S E C A B L E Shut down the computer, disconnect the mouse cable and check it for damage, then firmly reconnect the cable. If you are using a mouse extension cable, disconnect it and connect the mouse directly to the computer. TO V E R I F Y T H A T T H E P R O B L E M I S W I T H T H E M O U S E , C H E C K T H E T O U C H P A D 1 Shut down the computer. 2 Disconnect the mouse. 3 Turn on the computer. 4 At the Windows desktop, use the touch pad to move the cursor around, select an icon, and open it. If the touch pad operates correctly, the mouse may be defective. C H E C K T H E S YS T E M S E T U P P R O G R A M S E T T I N G S Verify that the system setup program lists the correct device for the pointing device option (the computer automatically recognizes a USB mouse without making any setting adjustments). Troubleshooting 125 TE S T T H E M O U S E C O N T R O L L E R To test the mouse controller (which affects pointer movement) and the operation of the touch pad or mouse buttons, run the Mouse test in the Pointing Devices test group in the "Dell Diagnostics" on page 101. R E I N S T A L L T H E T O U C H P A D D R I V E R See "Reinstalling Drivers and Utilities"

on page 128. Video and Display Problems Fill out the "Diagnostics Checklist" on page 162 as you complete these checks. CAUTION: Before you begin any of the procedures in this section, follow the safety instructions in the Product Information Guide. If the display is blank NOTE: If you are using a program that requires a higher resolution than your computer supports, it is recommended that you attach an external monitor to your computer. C H E C K T H E B A T T E R Y If you are using a battery to power your computer, the battery charge may be depleted. Connect the computer to an electrical outlet using the AC adapter, and then turn on the computer. TE S T T H E E L E C T R I C A L O U T L E T Ensure that the electrical outlet is working by testing it with another device, such as a lamp. C H E C K T H E AC A D A P T E R Check the AC adapter cable connections. If the AC adapter has a light, ensure that the light is on. C O N N E C T T H E C O M P U T E R D I R E C T L Y T O A N E L E C T R I C A L O U T L E T Bypass power protection devices, power strips, and extension cables to verify that the computer turns on. A D J U S T T H E P O W E R P R O P E R T I E S Search for the keyword sleep in Windows Help and Support. S W I T C H T H E V I D E O I M A G E If your computer is attached to an external monitor, press <Fn><F8> to switch the video image to the display. If the display is difficult to read A D J U S T T H E B R I G H T N E S S Press <Fn> and the up- or down-arrow key. 126 Troubleshooting M O V E T H E E X T E R N A L S U B W O O F E R A W A Y F R O M T H E C O M P U T E R O R M O N I T O R If your external speaker system includes a subwoofer, ensure that the subwoofer is at least 60 cm (2 ft) away from the computer or external monitor. E L I M I N A T E P O S S I B L E I N T E R F E R E N C E Turn off nearby fans, fluorescent lights, halogen lamps, or other appliances. R O T A T E T H E C O M P U T E R T O F A C E A D I F F E R E N T D I R E C T I O N Eliminate sunlight glare, which can cause poor picture quality. A D J U S T T H E W I N D O W S D I S P L A Y S E T T I N G S 1 Click Start Control Panel Appearance and Personalization Personalization Display Settings. 2 Click the area you want to change or click the Display icon. Try different settings for Resolution and Colors. R U N T H E V I D E O D I A G N O S T I C S T E S T S If no error message appears and you still have a display problem, but the display is not completely blank, run the Video device group in the "Dell Diagnostics" on page 101, then contact Dell

(see "Contacting Dell" on page 163). S E E "E R R O R M E S S A G E S " If an error message appears, see "Error Messages"

on page 109. If only part of the display is readable C O N N E C T A N E X T E R N A L M O N I T O R 1 Shut down your computer and connect an external monitor to the computer. 2 Turn on the computer and the monitor, and then adjust the monitor brightness and contrast controls. If the external monitor works, the computer display or video controller may be defective. Contact Dell (see "Contacting Dell" on page 163). Drivers What Is a Driver?

A driver is a program that controls a device such as a printer, mouse, or keyboard. All devices require a driver program. Troubleshooting 127 A driver acts like a translator between the device and any other programs that use the device. Each device has its own set of specialized commands that only its driver recognizes. Dell ships your computer to you with required drivers already installedno further installation or configuration is needed. NOTICE: Your Drivers and Utilities media may contain drivers for operating systems that are not on your computer. Ensure that you are installing software appropriate for your operating system. Many drivers, such as the keyboard driver, come with your Microsoft Windows operating system. You may need to install drivers if you:

Upgrade your operating system.

Reinstall your operating system.

Connect or install a new device. Identifying Drivers If you experience a problem with any device, 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 Properties, and then click 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. Scroll down the list of devices and check for an exclamation point (a circle with a [!]) next to the device name. If an exclamation point is next to the device name, you may need to reinstall the driver or install a new driver (see

"Reinstalling Drivers and Utilities" on page 128). Reinstalling Drivers and Utilities NOTICE: The Dell Support website at support.dell.com and your Drivers and Utilities media provide approved drivers for Dell computers. If you install drivers obtained from other sources, your computer might not work correctly. 128 Troubleshooting Using Windows Device Driver Rollback If a problem occurs on your computer after you install or update a driver, use Windows Device Driver Rollback to replace the driver with the previously installed version. 1 Click Start

, and then right-click Computer. 2 Click Properties, and then click 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 enter the Device Manager. 3 Right-click the device for which the new driver was installed and click Properties. 4 Click the Drivers tab, and then click Roll Back Driver. If Device Driver Rollback does not resolve the problem, use System Restore

(see "Restoring Your Operating System" on page 131) to return your computer to the operating state that existed before you installed the new driver. Using the Drivers and Utilities Media If using Device Driver Rollback or System Restore (see "Restoring Your Operating System" on page 131) does not resolve the problem, reinstall the driver from your Drivers and Utilities media. 1 With the Windows desktop displayed, insert your Drivers and Utilities media. If this is your first time to use your Drivers and Utilities media, continue to step 2. If not, proceed to step 5. 2 When the Drivers and Utilities installation program starts, follow the prompts on the screen. NOTE: In most cases, the Drivers and Utilities program starts running automatically. If it does not, start Windows Explorer, click your media drive directory to display the media contents, and then double-click the autorcd.exe file. 3 When the InstallShield Wizard Complete window appears, remove the Drivers and Utilities disc and click Finish to restart the computer. Troubleshooting 129 4 When you see the Windows desktop, reinsert the Drivers and Utilities disc. 5 At the Welcome Dell System Owner screen, click Next. NOTE: The Drivers and Utilities program displays drivers only for hardware that came installed in your computer. If you installed additional hardware, the drivers for the new hardware might not be displayed. If those drivers are not displayed, exit the Drivers and Utilities program. For drivers information, see the documentation that came with the device. A message stating that the Drivers and Utilities program is detecting hardware in your computer appears. The drivers that are used by your computer are automatically displayed in the My DriversThe ResourceCD has identified these components in your system window. 6 Click the driver that you want to reinstall and follow the instructions on the screen. If a particular driver is not listed, then that driver is not required by your operating system. 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 system setup program (see "Using the System Setup Program" on page 175) before continuing with the driver installation (see "Reinstalling Drivers and Utilities" on page 128). For information about components installed on your computer, see "Front View" on page 19. 1 After extracting the driver files to your hard drive, as described in the previous section, click Start

, and then right-click Computer. 2 Click Properties, and then click Device Manager. 3 Double-click the type of device for which you are installing the driver (for example, Modems or Infrared devices). 4 Double-click the name of the device for which you are installing the driver. 5 Click Driver tab, and then click Update Driver. 6 Click Install from a list or specific location (Advanced), and then click Next. 130 Troubleshooting 7 Click Browse and browse to the location to which you previously copied the driver files. 8 When the name of the appropriate driver appears, click Next. 9 Click Finish, and then restart your computer. Troubleshooting Software and Hardware Problems If a device is either not detected during the operating system setup or is detected but incorrectly configured, use Windows Vista Help and Support to resolve the incompatibility:

1 Click Start Help and Support. 2 Type hardware troubleshooter in the search field, then press

<Enter>. 3 In the search results, select the option that best describes the problem and follow the remaining troubleshooting steps. Restoring Your Operating System You can restore your operating system in the following ways:

Microsoft Windows Vista System Restore returns your computer to an earlier operating state without affecting data files. Use System Restore as the first solution for restoring your operating system and preserving data files. For instructions, see "Using Microsoft Windows System Restore" on page 132.

Dell PC Restore by Symantec restores your hard drive to the operating state it was in when you purchased the computer. Dell PC Restore permanently deletes all data on the hard drive and removes any applications installed after you received the computer. Use PC Restore only if System Restore did not resolve your operating system problem. For instructions, see "Using the Operating System Media" on page 133. Troubleshooting 131

If you received Operating System media with your computer, you can use it to restore your operating system. However, using the Operating System media also deletes all data on the hard drive. Use the media only if System Restore did not resolve your operating system problem. For instructions, see "Using the Operating System Media" on page 133. Using Microsoft Windows System Restore The Windows operating system provides System Restore to allow you to return your computer to an earlier operating state (without affecting data files) if changes to the hardware, software, or other system settings have left the computer in an undesirable operating state. Any changes that System Restore makes to your computer are completely reversible. NOTICE: Make regular backups of your data files. System Restore does not monitor your data files or recover them. NOTE: The procedures in this document were written for the Windows default view, so they may not apply if you set your Dell computer to the Windows Classic view. 1 Click Start Help and Support. 2 Type System Restore in the search field, then press <Enter>. 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. 3 Click Next and follow the remaining prompts on the screen. In the event that System Restore did not resolve the issue, you may undo the last system restore. Undoing the Last System Restore NOTICE: Before you undo the last system restore, save and close all open files and exit any open programs. Do not alter, open, or delete any files or programs until the system restoration is complete. 1 Click Start Help and Support. 2 Type System Restore in the search field and press <Enter>. 3 Click Undo my last restoration, and then click Next. 132 Troubleshooting Using the Operating System Media Before You Begin If you are considering reinstalling the Windows operating system to correct a problem with a newly installed driver, first try using Windows Device Driver Rollback (see "Using Windows Device Driver Rollback" on page 129). If Device Driver Rollback does not resolve the problem, then use System Restore to return your operating system to the operating state it was in before you installed the new device driver (see "Using Microsoft Windows System Restore" on page 132). NOTICE: Before performing the installation, back up all data files on your primary hard drive. For conventional hard drive configurations, the primary hard drive is the first drive detected by the computer. To reinstall Windows, you need the following items:

Dell Operating System media

Dell Drivers and Utilities media NOTE: Your Drivers and Utilities media contains drivers that were installed during assembly of the computer. Use your Drivers and Utilities media to load any required drivers, including the drivers required if your computer has a RAID controller. Reinstalling Windows The reinstallation process can take 1 to 2 hours to complete. After you reinstall the operating system, you must also reinstall the device drivers, virus protection program, and other software. NOTICE: The Operating System media provides options for reinstalling Windows. The options can overwrite files and possibly affect programs that are installed on your hard drive. Therefore, do not reinstall Windows unless a Dell technical support representative instructs you to do so. 1 Save and close any open files and exit any open programs. 2 Insert the Operating System media. 3 Click Exit if the Install Windows message appears. Troubleshooting 133 4 Restart the computer. When the DELL logo appears, press <F12> immediately. NOTE: If you wait too long and the operating system logo appears, continue to wait until you see the Microsoft Windows desktop, then shut down your computer and try again. NOTE: The next steps change the boot sequence for one time only. On the next start-up, the computer boots according to the devices specified in the system setup program. 5 When the boot device list appears, highlight CD/DVD/CD-RW Drive, and then press <Enter>. 6 Press any key to Boot from CD-ROM. 7 Follow the instructions on the screen to complete the installation. 134 Troubleshooting Adding and Replacing Parts Before You Begin This chapter provides procedures for removing and installing the components in your computer. Unless otherwise noted, each procedure assumes that the following conditions exist:

You have performed the steps in "Turning Off Your Computer" on page 135 and "Before Working Inside Your Computer" on page 136.

You have read the safety information in your Dell Product Information Guide.

A component can be replacedor if purchased separatelyinstalled by performing the removal procedure in reverse order. Recommended Tools The procedures in this document may require the following tools:

Small flat-blade screwdriver

Phillips screwdriver

Small plastic scribe

Flash BIOS update (see the Dell Support website at support.dell.com) Turning Off Your Computer NOTICE: To avoid losing data, save and close any open files and exit any open programs before you turn off your computer. 1 Save and close any open files and exit any open programs. 2 Click Start

, click the arrow

, and then click Shut Down. The computer turns off after the operating system shutdown process finishes. 3 Ensure that the computer and any attached devices are turned off. If your computer and attached devices did not automatically turn off when you shut down your operating system, press and hold the power button for at least 8 to 10 seconds until the computer turns off. D E L L C O N F I D E N T I A L P R E L I M I N A R Y 7 / 1 8 / 0 7 - F O R P R O O F O N LY Template Last Updated - 2/7/2007 Adding and Replacing Parts 135 FILE LOCATION: C:\Projects\Spears\SpearsHTML\parts.fm Before Working Inside Your 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 procedures in this section, follow the safety instructions in the Product Information Guide. CAUTION: Handle components and cards with care. Do not touch the components or contacts on a card. Hold a card by its edges or by its metal mounting bracket. Hold a component such as a processor by its edges, not by its pins. NOTICE: Only a certified service technician should perform repairs on your computer. Damage due to servicing that is not authorized by Dell is not covered by your warranty. NOTICE: When you disconnect a cable, pull on its connector or on its strain-relief loop, not on the cable itself. Some cables have a connector with locking tabs; if you are disconnecting this type of cable, press in on the locking tabs before you disconnect the cable. As you pull connectors apart, keep them evenly aligned to avoid bending any connector pins. Also, before you connect a cable, ensure that both connectors are correctly oriented and aligned. NOTICE: To avoid electrostatic discharge, ground yourself by using a wrist grounding strap or by periodically touching an unpainted metal surface (such as a connector on the back of the computer). NOTICE: To help prevent damage to the computer, perform the following steps before you begin working inside the computer. 1 Ensure that the work surface is flat and clean to prevent the computer cover from being scratched. 2 Turn off your computer (see "Turning Off Your Computer" on page 135). NOTICE: To disconnect a network cable, first unplug the cable from your computer, and then unplug it from the network wall jack. 3 Disconnect any telephone or network cables from the computer. 4 Disconnect your computer and all attached devices from their electrical outlets. NOTICE: To help prevent damage to the system board, you must remove the battery from the battery bay before you service the computer. NOTE: To avoid damage to the computer, use only the battery designed for this particular Dell computer. Do not use batteries designed for other Dell computers. D E L L C O N F I D E N T I A L P R E L I M I N A R Y 7 / 1 8 / 0 7 - F O R P R O O F O N LY 136 Adding and Replacing Parts FILE LOCATION: C:\Projects\Spears\SpearsHTML\parts.fm 5 Turn the computer over. 6 Slide the battery release latch toward the side of the computer until it is engaged. 7 Slide the battery out of the battery bay. 1 2 1 battery release latch 2 battery 8 Turn the computer top-side up, open the display, and press the power button to ground the system board. 9 Remove any installed cards from the ExpressCard slot (see "Removing an ExpressCard or Blank" on page 83) and the 8-in-1 memory card reader (see

"Removing a Memory Card or Blank" on page 85). Hard Drive CAUTION: If you remove the hard drive from the computer when the drive is hot, do not touch the metal housing of the hard drive. CAUTION: Before you begin any of the procedures in this section, follow the safety instructions in the Product Information Guide. NOTICE: To prevent data loss, turn off your computer (see "Turning Off Your Computer" on page 135) before removing the hard drive. Do not remove the hard drive while the computer is on or in Sleep state. NOTICE: Hard drives are extremely fragile. Exercise care when handling the hard drive. D E L L C O N F I D E N T I A L P R E L I M I N A R Y 7 / 1 8 / 0 7 - F O R P R O O F O N LY Adding and Replacing Parts 137 FILE LOCATION: C:\Projects\Spears\SpearsHTML\parts.fm 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 from a source other than Dell, you need to install an operating system, drivers, and utilities on the new hard drive (see

"Restoring Your Operating System" on page 131 and "Reinstalling Drivers and Utilities" on page 128). Removing the Hard Drive 1 Follow the procedures in "Before You Begin" on page 135. 2 Turn the computer over and remove the two hard drive screws. 1 2 1 screws (2) 2 hard drive 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 hard drive out of the computer. D E L L C O N F I D E N T I A L P R E L I M I N A R Y 7 / 1 8 / 0 7 - F O R P R O O F O N LY 138 Adding and Replacing Parts FILE LOCATION: C:\Projects\Spears\SpearsHTML\parts.fm Replacing the Hard Drive 1 Remove the new drive from its packaging. Save the original packaging for storing or shipping the hard 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 hard drive into the bay until it is fully seated. 3 Replace and tighten the two screws. 4 5 Install the operating system for your computer, as needed (see "Restoring Your Operating System" on page 131). Install the drivers and utilities for your computer, as needed (see

"Reinstalling Drivers and Utilities" on page 128). 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. 2 1 1 foam packaging 2 hard drive D E L L C O N F I D E N T I A L P R E L I M I N A R Y 7 / 1 8 / 0 7 - F O R P R O O F O N LY Adding and Replacing Parts 139 FILE LOCATION: C:\Projects\Spears\SpearsHTML\parts.fm Optical Drive CAUTION: Before you begin any of the procedures in this section, follow the safety instructions in the Product Information Guide. Removing the Optical Drive 1 Follow the procedures in "Before You Begin" on page 135. 2 Turn the computer over. 3 Remove the locking screw from the optical drive. 4 Using a plastic scribe, push the notch to release the optical drive from the bay. 5 Slide the optical drive out of the bay. 1 2 3 1 3 locking screw 2 notch optical drive D E L L C O N F I D E N T I A L P R E L I M I N A R Y 7 / 1 8 / 0 7 - F O R P R O O F O N LY 140 Adding and Replacing Parts FILE LOCATION: C:\Projects\Spears\SpearsHTML\parts.fm Replacing the Optical Drive 1 Slide the optical drive into the bay. 2 Replace and tighten the locking screw. Hinge Cover CAUTION: Before you begin any of the procedures in this section, follow the safety instructions in the Product Information Guide. NOTICE: To avoid electrostatic discharge, ground yourself by using a wrist grounding strap or by periodically touching an unpainted metal surface (such as a connector on the back of the computer). NOTICE: To help prevent damage to the system board, you must remove the battery from the battery bay before you begin working inside the computer. Removing the Hinge Cover 1 Follow the procedures in "Before You Begin" on page 135. 2 Open the display as far as it will open. NOTICE: To avoid damage to the hinge cover, do not lift the cover on both sides simultaneously. 3 Insert a plastic scribe into the indent to lift the hinge cover on the right side. 4 Ease the hinge cover up, moving from right to left, and remove it. D E L L C O N F I D E N T I A L P R E L I M I N A R Y 7 / 1 8 / 0 7 - F O R P R O O F O N LY Adding and Replacing Parts 141 FILE LOCATION: C:\Projects\Spears\SpearsHTML\parts.fm 1 2 1 hinge cover 2 scribe Replacing the Hinge Cover 1 Insert the left edge of the hinge cover. 2 Press from left to right until the cover snaps into place. Keyboard For more information about the keyboard, see "Using the Keyboard and Touchpad" on page 39. CAUTION: Before you begin any of the procedures in this section, follow the safety instructions in the Product Information Guide. NOTICE: To avoid electrostatic discharge, ground yourself by using a wrist grounding strap or by periodically touching an unpainted metal surface (such as a connector on the back of the computer). NOTICE: To help prevent damage to the system board, you must remove the battery from the battery bay before you begin working inside the computer. D E L L C O N F I D E N T I A L P R E L I M I N A R Y 7 / 1 8 / 0 7 - F O R P R O O F O N LY 142 Adding and Replacing Parts FILE LOCATION: C:\Projects\Spears\SpearsHTML\parts.fm Removing the Keyboard 1 Follow the procedures in "Before You Begin" on page 135. 2 Remove the hinge cover (see "Hinge Cover" on page 141). 3 Remove the two screws at the top of the keyboard. NOTICE: The key caps on the keyboard are fragile, easily dislodged, and time-

consuming to replace. Be careful when removing and handling the keyboard. 4 Lift the keyboard and hold it up and slightly forward to access to the keyboard connector. 5 To disconnect the keyboard cable from the keyboard connector on the system board, rotate the keyboard connector latch toward the front of the computer. 6 Slide the keyboard cable out of the keyboard connector. 1 2 3 4 5 1 3 5 screws (2) keyboard tabs (5) keyboard connector latch 2 4 keyboard keyboard cable D E L L C O N F I D E N T I A L P R E L I M I N A R Y 7 / 1 8 / 0 7 - F O R P R O O F O N LY Adding and Replacing Parts 143 FILE LOCATION: C:\Projects\Spears\SpearsHTML\parts.fm Replacing the Keyboard 1 Slide the keyboard cable into the keyboard connector. 2 Rotate the keyboard connector latch to secure the cable. 3 Hook the tabs along the front edge of the keyboard into the palmrest. 4 Press on the right edge near the top to snap the keyboard into place. 5 Replace the two screws on the top of the keyboard. Memory CAUTION: Before you begin any of the procedures in this section, follow the safety instructions in the Product Information Guide. You 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 computer. Install only memory modules that are intended for your computer. NOTE: Memory modules purchased from Dell are covered under your computer warranty. Your computer has two user-accessible SODIMM sockets, DIMM A and DIMM B, accessed from the bottom of the computer. NOTICE: If you need to install memory modules in two connectors, install a memory module in the connector labeled DIMMA before you install a module in the connector labeled DIMMB. Removing Memory Module The memory modules are located under the memory module cover on the bottom of the computer. 1 Follow the procedures in "Before You Begin" on page 135. 2 Turn the computer upside-down, loosen the five captive screws on the cover (see "Bottom View" on page 30), and remove the cover. D E L L C O N F I D E N T I A L P R E L I M I N A R Y 7 / 1 8 / 0 7 - F O R P R O O F O N LY 144 Adding and Replacing Parts FILE LOCATION: C:\Projects\Spears\SpearsHTML\parts.fm 1 2 1 cover 2 captive screws (5) NOTICE: To prevent damage to the memory module connector, do not use tools to spread the memory module securing clips. NOTICE: To avoid electrostatic discharge, ground yourself by using a wrist grounding strap or by periodically touching an unpainted metal surface (such as a connector on the back of the computer). 3 Use your fingertips to carefully spread apart the securing clips on each end of the memory module connector until the module pops up. 4 Remove the module from the connector. D E L L C O N F I D E N T I A L P R E L I M I N A R Y 7 / 1 8 / 0 7 - F O R P R O O F O N LY Adding and Replacing Parts 145 FILE LOCATION: C:\Projects\Spears\SpearsHTML\parts.fm 1 2 1 securing clips (2) 2 memory module Replacing Memory Module NOTICE: To avoid electrostatic discharge, ground yourself by using a wrist grounding strap or by periodically touching an unpainted metal surface (such as a connector on the back of the computer). 1 Align the notch in the module edge connector with the tab in the connector slot. 2 Slide the module firmly into the slot at a 45-degree angle, and rotate the module down until it clicks into place. If you do not feel the click, remove the module and reinstall it. NOTE: If the memory module is not installed properly, the computer may not boot. No error message indicates this failure. D E L L C O N F I D E N T I A L P R E L I M I N A R Y 7 / 1 8 / 0 7 - F O R P R O O F O N LY 146 Adding and Replacing Parts FILE LOCATION: C:\Projects\Spears\SpearsHTML\parts.fm 1 2 1 tab 2 notch 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 memory module cover. 4 Insert the battery into the battery bay, or connect the AC adapter to your computer and an electrical outlet. 5 Turn on the computer. As the computer boots, it detects the additional memory and automatically updates the system configuration information. To confirm the amount of memory installed in the computer, click Start Help and Support Dell System Information. Subscriber Identity Module (Optional) Subscriber Identity Modules (SIM) identify users uniquely through an International Mobile Subscriber Identity. CAUTION: Before you begin any of the procedures in this section, follow the safety instructions in the Product Information Guide. D E L L C O N F I D E N T I A L P R E L I M I N A R Y 7 / 1 8 / 0 7 - F O R P R O O F O N LY Adding and Replacing Parts 147 FILE LOCATION: C:\Projects\Spears\SpearsHTML\parts.fm NOTE: Only GSM (HSDPA) type cards need a SIM. EVDO cards do not use a SIM. 1 Follow the procedures in "Before You Begin" on page 135. 2 In the battery bay, slide the SIM into the compartment with the cut-off corner of the card facing away from the compartment. 1 2 1 SIM 2 battery bay Wireless Mini-Cards CAUTION: Before you begin any of the procedures in this section, follow the safety instructions in the Product Information Guide. NOTICE: To help prevent damage to the system board, you must remove the battery from the battery bay before you begin working inside the computer. If you ordered a wireless Mini-Card with your computer, the card is already installed. Your computer supports three types of wireless Mini-Cards:

Wireless Local Area Network (WLAN) D E L L C O N F I D E N T I A L P R E L I M I N A R Y 7 / 1 8 / 0 7 - F O R P R O O F O N LY 148 Adding and Replacing Parts FILE LOCATION: C:\Projects\Spears\SpearsHTML\parts.fm

Ultra-Wideband (UWB) card

Mobile Broadband or Wireless Wide Area Network (WWAN) Removing Mini-Card 1 Follow the procedures in "Before You Begin" on page 135. 2 Turn the computer over. 3 Loosen the five captive screws securing the cover and remove the cover. 1 2 1 cover 2 captive screws (5) D E L L C O N F I D E N T I A L P R E L I M I N A R Y 7 / 1 8 / 0 7 - F O R P R O O F O N LY Adding and Replacing Parts 149 FILE LOCATION: C:\Projects\Spears\SpearsHTML\parts.fm 4 Disconnect the antenna cables from the Mini-card. NOTE: The Mini-card may have two or three connectors, depending on the type of card you ordered. 2 1 1 antenna cable connectors 2 securing screw 5 Release the Mini-card by removing the securing screw. 6 Lift the card out of its system board connector. D E L L C O N F I D E N T I A L P R E L I M I N A R Y 7 / 1 8 / 0 7 - F O R P R O O F O N LY 150 Adding and Replacing Parts FILE LOCATION: C:\Projects\Spears\SpearsHTML\parts.fm 1 1 Mini-card Replacing Mini-Card NOTICE: The connectors are keyed to ensure correct insertion. If you feel resistance, check the connectors on the card and on the system board, and realign the card. NOTICE: To avoid damage to the Mini-card, never place cables under the card. 1 Insert the card connector into the system board connector at a 45-degree angle. 2 Press the other end of the card down into the slot on the system board until the card clicks into place. 3 Replace the securing screw. 4 Connect the cables to the Mini-Card, ensuring that you route the cables correctly. NOTE: For more specific information about which cable to connect to which connector, see the documentation that came with your Mini Card. 5 Secure unused antenna cables in the protective mylar sleeve. 6 Replace the cover and tighten the five captive screws. D E L L C O N F I D E N T I A L P R E L I M I N A R Y 7 / 1 8 / 0 7 - F O R P R O O F O N LY Adding and Replacing Parts 151 FILE LOCATION: C:\Projects\Spears\SpearsHTML\parts.fm Flash Cache Module The Flash Cache Module or FCM, is an internal memory card that helps improve the performance of your computer. The FCM card is also known as Intel Turbo Memory and the Intel Flash Cache Logic Chip Mini-card. NOTE: This card is only compatible with the Microsoft Windows Vista operating system and Intel platform. If you ordered an FCM with your computer, it is already installed. Removing the FCM 1 Follow the procedures in "Before You Begin" on page 135. 2 Turn the computer over and remove the cover on the Mini Card compartment. 3 Ground yourself by touching one of the metal connectors on the back of the computer. NOTE: If you leave the area, ground yourself again when you return to the computer. 4 Remove the M2 x 3-mm securing screw. 5 Remove the FCM. 1 2 D E L L C O N F I D E N T I A L P R E L I M I N A R Y 7 / 1 8 / 0 7 - F O R P R O O F O N LY 152 Adding and Replacing Parts FILE LOCATION: C:\Projects\Spears\SpearsHTML\parts.fm 1 FCM Card 2 M2 x 3-mm securing screw Replacing the FCM NOTICE: Install the FCM in the WWAN slot. Do not install an FCM in the WLAN card slot. Doing so may cause damage to your computer. 1 Insert the FCM connector at a 45-degree angle into the system board connector labeled "FCM". 2 Press the other end of the FCM down into the slot on the system board until the card clicks into place. 3 Replace the M2 x 3-mm securing screw. Broadcom Media PC Card The Broadcom Media PC card is used in conjunction with blu-ray optical drives to render high definition content. The Broadcom Media PC card can be installed either in the UWB or WWAN Mini-Card slots. You can remove and replace the Media PC card the same way you would remove or replace FCM. For more information, see "Flash Cache Module" on page 152. Internal Card With Bluetooth Wireless Technology CAUTION: Before you begin any of the procedures in this section, follow the safety instructions in the Product Information Guide. NOTICE: To avoid electrostatic discharge, ground yourself by using a wrist grounding strap or by periodically touching an unpainted metal surface (such as a connector on the back of the computer). NOTICE: To help prevent damage to the system board, you must remove the battery from the battery bay before you begin working inside the computer. If you ordered a card with Bluetooth wireless technology with your computer, it is already installed. D E L L C O N F I D E N T I A L P R E L I M I N A R Y 7 / 1 8 / 0 7 - F O R P R O O F O N LY Adding and Replacing Parts 153 FILE LOCATION: C:\Projects\Spears\SpearsHTML\parts.fm Removing the Card 1 Follow the procedures in "Before You Begin" on page 135. 2 Remove the hinge cover (see "Hinge Cover" on page 141). 3 Remove the screw securing the card. 4 Grasp the connector end of the card and slide it out from under the securing tabs. 5 Disconnect the cable from the card. 2 1 1 securing screw 2 card Replacing the Card 1 Replace the screw securing the card and insert the card at an angle to slide it in the card compartment. 2 Connect the cable to the card. D E L L C O N F I D E N T I A L P R E L I M I N A R Y 7 / 1 8 / 0 7 - F O R P R O O F O N LY 154 Adding and Replacing Parts Traveling With Your Computer Identifying Your Computer

Attach a name tag or business card to the computer.

Write down your Service Tag and store it in a safe place away from the computer or carrying case. Use the Service Tag if you need to report a loss or theft to law enforcement officials and to Dell.

Create a file on the Microsoft Windows desktop called if_found. Place information such as your name, address, and phone number in this file.

Contact your credit card company and ask if it offers coded identification tags. Packing the Computer

Remove any external devices attached to the computer and store them in a safe place.

Fully charge the main battery and any spare batteries that you plan to carry with you.

Shut down the computer.

Disconnect the AC adapter. NOTICE: When the display is closed, extraneous items on the keyboard or palm rest could damage the display.

Remove any extraneous items, such as paper clips, pens, and paper, from the keyboard and palm rest and close the display.

Use the optional Dell carrying case to pack the computer and its accessories together safely.

Avoid packing the computer with items such as shaving cream, colognes, perfumes, or food. NOTICE: If the computer has been exposed to extreme temperatures, allow it to acclimate to room temperature for 1 hour before turning it on. Traveling With Your Computer 155

Protect the computer, the batteries, and the hard drive from hazards such as extreme temperatures and overexposure to sunlight, dirt, dust, or liquids.

Pack the computer so that it does not slide around in the trunk of your car or in an overhead storage compartment. Travel Tips NOTICE: Do not move the computer while using the optical drive to prevent loss of data. NOTICE: Do not check the computer as baggage.

Consider disabling wireless activity on your computer to maximize battery operating time. To disable wireless activity, use the wireless switch (see ""

on page 29).

Consider changing your power management options to maximize battery operating time (see "Configuring Power Management Settings" on page 47).

If you are traveling internationally, carry proof of ownershipor of your right to use the computer if it is company-ownedto speed your passage through customs. Investigate the customs regulations of the countries you plan to visit, and consider acquiring an international carnet (also known as a merchandise passport) from your government.

Find out what type of electrical outlets are used in the countries you will visit, and have appropriate power adapters.

Check with your credit card company for information about the kinds of emergency travel assistance it offers to users of portable computers. Traveling by Air NOTICE: Do not walk the computer through a metal detector. Send the computer through an X-ray machine or have it hand-inspected.

Ensure that you have a charged battery available in case you are asked to turn on the computer.

Prior to entering the airplane, verify that using a computer is permitted. Some airlines forbid the use of electronic devices during flight. All airlines forbid the use of electronic devices during takeoff and landing. 156 Traveling With Your Computer Getting Help Obtaining Assistance CAUTION: If you need to remove the computer cover, first disconnect the computer power and modem cables from all electrical outlets. If you experience a problem with your computer, you can complete the following steps to diagnose and troubleshoot the problem:

1 See "Troubleshooting" on page 101 for information and procedures that pertain to the problem your computer is experiencing. 2 See "Dell Diagnostics" on page 101 for procedures on how to run Dell Diagnostics. 3 Fill out the "Diagnostics Checklist" on page 162. 4 Use Dell's extensive suite of online services available at Dell Support

(support.dell.com) for help with installation and troubleshooting procedures. See "Online Services" on page 158 for a more extensive list of Dell Support online. 5 If the preceding steps have not resolved the problem, see "Contacting Dell" on page 163. NOTE: Call Dell Support from a telephone near or at the computer so that the support staff can assist you with any necessary procedures. NOTE: Dell's Express Service Code system may not be available in all countries. When prompted by Dell's automated telephone system, enter your Express Service Code to route the call directly to the proper support personnel. For instructions on using the Dell Support, see "Technical Support and Customer Service" on page 158. NOTE: Some of the following services are not always available in all locations outside the continental U.S. Call your local Dell representative for information on availability. Getting Help 157 Technical Support and Customer Service Dell's support service is available to answer your questions about Dell hardware. Our support staff uses computer-based diagnostics to provide fast, accurate answers. To contact Dell's support service, see "Before You Call" on page 161, and then see the contact information for your region or go to support.dell.com. 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. For more information, go to support.dell.com and click DellConnect. Online Services You can learn about Dell products and services on the following websites:

www.dell.com www.dell.com/ap (Asian/Pacific countries only) www.dell.com/jp (Japan only) www.euro.dell.com (Europe only) www.dell.com/la (Latin American and Caribbean countries) www.dell.ca (Canada only) You can access Dell Support through the following websites and e-mail addresses:

Dell Support websites support.dell.com support.jp.dell.com (Japan only) support.euro.dell.com (Europe only)

Dell Support e-mail addresses mobile_support@us.dell.com support@us.dell.com 158 Getting Help la-techsupport@dell.com (Latin America and Caribbean countries only) apsupport@dell.com (Asian/Pacific countries only)

Dell Marketing and Sales e-mail addresses apmarketing@dell.com (Asian/Pacific 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 password. AutoTech Service Dell's automated support serviceAutoTechprovides recorded answers to the questions most frequently asked by Dell customers about their portable and desktop computers. When you call AutoTech, use your touch-tone telephone to select the subjects that correspond to your questions. For the telephone number to call for your region, see "Contacting Dell" on page 163. Automated Order-Status Service To check on the status of any Dell products that you have ordered, you can go to support.dell.com, or you can call the automated order-status service. A recording prompts you for the information needed to locate and report on your order. For the telephone number to call for your region, see "Contacting Dell" on page 163. Problems With Your Order If you have a problem with your order, such as missing parts, wrong parts, or incorrect billing, contact Dell for customer assistance. Have your invoice or packing slip handy when you call. For the telephone number to call for your region, see "Contacting Dell" on page 163. Getting Help 159 Product Information If you need information about additional products available from Dell, or if you would like to place an order, visit the Dell website at www.dell.com. For the telephone number to call for your region or to speak to a sales specialist, see the "Contacting Dell" on page 163. Returning Items for Warranty Repair or Credit Prepare all items being returned, whether for repair or credit, as follows:

1 Call Dell to obtain a Return Material Authorization Number, and write it clearly and prominently on the outside of the box. For the telephone number to call for your region, see "Contacting Dell" on page 163. 2 3 4 Include a copy of the invoice and a letter describing the reason for the return. Include a copy of the Diagnostics Checklist (see "Diagnostics Checklist"

on page 162), indicating the tests that you have run and any error messages reported by the Dell Diagnostics (see "Dell Diagnostics" on page 101). Include any accessories that belong with the item(s) being returned

(power cables, software floppy disks, guides, and so on) if the return is for credit. 5 Pack the equipment to be returned in the original (or equivalent) packing materials. You are responsible for paying shipping expenses. You are also responsible for insuring any product returned, and you assume the risk of loss during shipment to Dell. Collect On Delivery (C.O.D.) packages are not accepted. Returns that are missing any of the preceding requirements will be refused at Dells receiving dock and returned to you. 160 Getting Help Before You Call NOTE: Have your Express Service Code ready when you call. The code helps Dells automated-support telephone system direct your call more efficiently. You may also be asked for your Service Tag (located on the back or bottom of your computer). Remember to fill out the Diagnostics Checklist (see "Diagnostics Checklist"

on page 162). If possible, turn on your computer before you call Dell for assistance and call from a telephone at or near the computer. You may be asked to type some commands at the keyboard, relay detailed information during operations, or try other troubleshooting steps possible only at the computer itself. Ensure that the computer documentation is available. CAUTION: Before working inside your computer, follow the safety instructions in your Product Information Guide. Getting Help 161 Diagnostics Checklist Name:

Date:

Address:

Phone number:

Service Tag (bar code on the back or bottom of the computer):

Express 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? Yes No Network, version, and network adapter:

Programs and versions:

See your operating system documentation to determine the contents of the systems start-up files. If the computer is connected to a printer, print each file. Otherwise, record the contents of each file before calling Dell. Error message, beep code, or diagnostic code:

Description of problem and troubleshooting procedures you performed:

162 Getting Help Contacting Dell For customers in the United States, call 800-WWW-DELL (800-999-3355). NOTE: If you do not have an active Internet connection, you can find contact information on your purchase invoice, packing slip, bill, Contacting Dell techsheet, or Dell product catalog. Dell provides several online and telephone-based support and service options. Availability varies by country and product, and some services may not be available in your area. To contact Dell for sales, technical support, or customer service issues:

1 Visit support.dell.com. 2 Verify your country or region in the Choose A Country/Region drop-down menu at the bottom of the page. 3 Click Contact Us on the left side of the page. 4 Select the appropriate service or support link based on your need. 5 Choose the method of contacting Dell that is convenient for you. Getting Help 163 164 Getting Help Specifications NOTE: Offerings may vary by region. For more information regarding the configuration of your computer, click Start select the option to view information about your computer.

, click Help and Support, and then Processor Processor type AMD Turion 64 X2 Dual-Core Mobile Technology AMD Athlon 64 X2 Dual-Core Mobile Technology AMD Sempron Mobile Technology Intel Celeron Intel Core Duo Intel Core 2 Duo Intel Core 2 Duo T5250 Intel Core 2 Duo T5450 L1 cache 128 KB per core (AMD) L2 cache 32 KB per instruction, 32 KB data cache per core (Intel) 256 KB or 512 KB per core depending on model (AMD) 1 MB, 2 MB, or 4 MB per core depending on model (Intel) External bus frequency 1600 MT HyperTransport(AMD) Front Side Bus 533/667/800 MHz (Intel) System Information System chipset AMD M690T Chipset with ATI Radeon X1270 Graphics Mobile Intel Express GM 965 Specifications 165 System Information (continued) Data bus width DRAM bus width 64 bits dual-channel (2) 64-bit buses Processor address bus width 36 bits (Intel) and 32 bits (AMD) Flash EPROM PCI bus ExpressCard 2 MB 32 bits NOTE: The ExpressCard slot is designed only for ExpressCards. It does NOT support PC Cards. ExpressCard controller ATI RS690T Intel ICH8M ExpressCard connector one ExpressCard slot (54 mm) Cards supported ExpressCard/34 (34 mm) ExpressCard/54 (54 mm) 1.5 V and 3.3 V ExpressCard 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 card connector Cards supported

Secure Digital (SD)

SDIO

MultiMediaCard (MMC)

Memory Stick

Memory Stick PRO

xD-Picture Card

Hi Speed-SD

Hi Density-SD Memory Memory module connector two user-accessible SODIMM connectors 166 Specifications Memory (continued) Memory module capacities 512 MB, 1 GB, 2 GB Memory type Minimum memory Maximum memory 667 MHz SODIMM DDR2 512 MB 4 GB NOTE: In order to take advantage of the dual channel bandwidth capability, both memory slots must be populated and must match in size. NOTE: The available memory displayed does not reflect the complete maximum memory installed because some memory is reserved for system files. Ports and Connectors Audio IEEE 1394a Consumer IR Mini Card Modem Network adapter S-video TV-out USB Video microphone connector, stereo headphone/speakers connector 4-pin serial connector (optional) sensor compatible with Philips RC6 (receive only) three Type IIIA Mini-Card slots (two slots are standard and one is optional) RJ-11 port (optional) RJ-45 port optional 7-pin mini-DIN connector

(optional S-video to composite video adapter cable) three 14-pin USB 2.0-compliant connectors 15-hole connector HDMI (optional) one 29 pin Type B HDMI connector. 1 Four USB connectors for the upsell version of the computer Communications Modem (optional):

Type Controller v.92 56K Data/FAX MDC softmodem Specifications 167 Communications (continued) Interface Network adapter Wireless Video Video type:

Video controller Video memory LCD interface TV support Audio Audio type Audio controller Stereo conversion Interfaces:

Internal External Speaker Intel High-Definition Audio 10/100 Ethernet LAN on system board internal WLAN, WWAN, UWB (optional) Mini Cards WWAN ExpressCard Bluetooth wireless technology integrated ATI graphics with 64 MB local frame buffer ATI Radeon X1270 Graphics Controller

(AMD) or Intel 965 GM (Intel) dynamic based on system memory capacity LVDS NTSC or PAL in S-video, composite, and component modes two-channel high-definition audio codec Sigmatel STAC9228 Codec 24-bit (analog-to-digital and digital-to-

analog) Intel High Definition Audio microphone-in connector, stereo headphones/speakers connector two 4-ohm speakers Internal speaker amplifier 1 Watt per channel into 4 ohms Volume controls program menus, media control buttons 168 Specifications Display Type (active-matrix TFT) 15.4-inch WXGA 15.4-inch WXGA with TrueLife 15.4-inch WXGA+ with TrueLife 15.4-inch WSXGA+with TrueLife 207.0 mm (8.1 in) 331.2 mm (13.0 in) 391.2 mm (15.4 in) Dimensions:

Height Width Diagonal Maximum resolutions:

WXGA 1280 x 800 at 262 K colors WXGA with TrueLife 1280 x 800 at 262 K colors WXGA+ with TrueLife 1440 x 900 at 262 K colors WSXGA+with TrueLife 1680 x 1050 at 262 K colors Refresh rate Operating angle Viewing angles:

Horizontal Vertical Pixel pitch:

WXGA WXGA with TrueLife 60 Hz 0 (closed) to 155 40 (WXGA) 40 (WXGA with TrueLife) 55 (WXGA+ with TrueLife) 60 (WSXGA+ with TrueLife)

+15/30 (WXGA)

+15/30 (WXGA with TrueLife) 45 (WXGA+ with TrueLife)

+40/50 (WSXGA+ with TrueLife) 0.258 mm 0.258 mm WXGA+ with TrueLife 0.2304 mm WSXGA+with TrueLife 0.197 mm Specifications 169 Display (continued) Controls Media Drive Interface Keyboard Number of keys brightness can be controlled through keyboard shortcuts (see "Display Functions"

on page 40) DVD combo, DVD+RW, Blu-ray (need Broadcom Media PC card to support Blu-ray disc) Roxio Creator Plus, Dell MediaDirect 3.3 87 (U.S. and Canada); 88 (Europe); 91

(Japan) Layout QWERTY/AZERTY/Kanji Camera (optional) Pixel Video Resolution 2.0 mega pixel 640x480 at 30fps Diagonal Viewing Angle 60 Touch Pad X/Y position resolution

(graphics table mode) Size:

Width Height 240 cpi 73.7-mm (2.9-in) sensor-active area 34.0-mm (1.3-in) rectangle 170 Specifications Battery Type Dimensions:

Depth Height Width Weight Voltage Charge time (approximate):

Computer off Operating time 9-cell "smart" lithium ion 6-cell "smart" lithium ion 4-cell "smart" lithium ion 57.2 mm (2.25 in) (4/6 cell) 76.7 mm (3.01 in) (9 cell) 20 mm (0.78 in) 205.1 mm (8.07 in) (4/6 cell) 221 mm (8.7 in) (9 cell) 0.35 kg (0.77 lb) (6 cell) 0.51 kg (1.12 lb) (9 cell) 11.1 VDC (6/9 cell) 14.8 VDC (4 cell) 4 hours Battery operating time varies depending on operating conditions and can be significantly reduced under certain power-intensive conditions (see "Power Problems" on page 121). See "Using a Battery" on page 45 for more information on battery life. Life span (approximate) 300 discharge/charge cycles Temperature range:

Operating Storage Coin-cell battery AC Adapter Input voltage 0 to 35C (32 to 95F) 40 to 65C (40 to 149F) CR-2032 100240 VAC Specifications 171 AC Adapter (continued) Input current (maximum) Input frequency Output current 1.5 A 5060 Hz 3.34 A (continuous) 4.34 A (peak for 4-second pulse) Output power 65 W Rated output voltage 19.5 VDC +/ 5%

Dimensions:

Height Width Depth 28.2 mm (1.11 in) 57.9 mm (2.28 in) 137.2 mm (5.4 in) Weight (with cables) 0.4 kg (0.9 lb) Temperature range:

Operating Storage Physical Height Width Depth 0 to 35C (32 to 95F) 40 to 65C (40 to 149F) 25.4 mm to 37.8 mm (1in to 1.48 in) 357 mm (14.05 in) 256 mm (10.08 in) Weight (with 4-cell battery):

Configurable to less than 2.7 kg (5.9 lb) 172 Specifications Environmental Temperature range:

Operating Storage 0 to 35C (32 to 95F) 40 to 65C (40 to 149F) Relative humidity (maximum):

Operating Storage 10% to 90% (noncondensing) 5% to 90% (noncondensing) Maximum vibration (using a random vibration spectrum that simulates user environment):

Operating 0.66 GRMS Maximum shock (Measured with hard drive in operating but not accessing data status and a 3-ms half-

sine pulse for operating. Also measured with hard drive in head-

parked position and a 2-ms halfsine pulse for storage):

Operating Storage Maximum bench handling height

(Measured with hard drive in idle mode, lifting the system by one edge, placing the opposite edge on the table and then releasing the system to impact against the table):

Altitude (maximum):

Operating Storage

"X & Y axes (parallel to system bottom): 30G

"Z axis (perpendicular to system bottom): 40G 163 G 10 cm 15.2 to 3048 m (50 to 10,000 ft) 15.2 to 10,668 m (50 to 35,000 ft) Specifications 173 174 Specifications Appendix Using the System Setup Program NOTE: Your operating system may automatically configure most of the options available in system setup, thus overriding options that you set through system setup. An exception is the External Hot Key option, which you can disable or enable only through system setup. For more information on configuring features for your operating system, see Windows Help and Support (click Start

, and then click Help and Support). You can use system setup as follows:

To set or change user-selectable features such as your computer password

To verify information about the computer's current configuration such as the amount of system memory After you set up the computer, run system setup to familiarize yourself with your system configuration information and optional settings. You may want to write down the information for future reference. The system setup screens display the current setup information and settings for your computer, such as:

System configuration

Boot order

Boot (start-up) configuration

Basic device configuration settings

System security and hard drive password settings NOTE: Unless you are an expert computer user or are directed to do so by Dell technical support, do not change the system setup settings. Certain changes might make your computer work incorrectly. Appendix 175 Viewing the System Setup Screen 1 Turn on (or restart) your computer. 2 When the DELL logo appears, press <F2> immediately. If you wait too long and the Microsoft Windows logo appears, continue to wait until you see the Windows desktop, then shut down your computer and try again. System Setup Screen NOTE: For information about a specific item on a system setup screen, highlight the item and see the Help area on the screen. On each screen, the system setup options are listed at the left. To the right of each option is the setting or value for that option. You can change settings that appear as white type on the screen. Options or values that you cannot change (because they are determined by the computer) appear less bright. The upper-right corner of the screen displays help information for the currently highlighted option; the lower-right corner displays information about the computer. System setup key functions are listed across the bottom of the screen. Commonly Used Options Certain options require that you reboot the computer for new settings to take effect. Changing the Boot Sequence The boot sequence, or boot order, tells the computer where to look to find the software needed to start the operating system. You can control the boot sequence and enable/disable devices using the Boot Order page of the system setup program. NOTE: To change the boot sequence on a one-time-only basis, see "Performing a One-Time Boot" on page 177. The Boot Order page displays a general list of the bootable devices that may be installed in your computer, including but not limited to the following:

Diskette Drive

Internal HDD 176 Appendix

USB Storage Device

CD/DVD/CD-RW drive

Modular bay HDD NOTE: Only devices that are preceded by a number are bootable. During the boot routine, the 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 searching and starts the operating system. To control the boot devices, select (highlight) a device by pressing the down-

arrow or up-arrow key, and then enable or disable the device or change its order in the list.

To enable or disable a device, highlight the item and press the space bar. Enabled items are preceded by a number; disabled items are not preceded by a number.

To reorder a device in the list, highlight the device and press <u> to move the device up the list or <d> to move a device down the list. Boot sequence changes take effect as soon as you save the changes and exit the system setup program. Performing a One-Time Boot You can set a one-time-only boot sequence without entering the system setup program (you 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 Connect the computer to an electrical outlet. 3 Turn on the computer. When the DELL logo appears, press <F12>

immediately. If you wait too long and the Windows logo appears, continue to wait until you see the Windows desktop, then shut down your computer and try again. 4 When the boot device list appears, highlight the device from which you want to boot and press <Enter>. The computer boots to the selected device. The next time you reboot the computer, the previous boot order is restored. Appendix 177 Cleaning Your Computer CAUTION: Before you begin any of the procedures in this section, follow the safety instructions located in the Product Information Guide. Computer, Keyboard, and Display CAUTION: Before you clean your computer, disconnect the computer from the electrical outlet and remove any installed batteries. Clean your computer with a soft cloth dampened with water. Do not use liquid or aerosol cleaners, which may contain flammable substances.

Use a can of compressed air to remove dust from between the keys on the keyboard and to remove any dirt or lint from the display. NOTICE: To help prevent damage to the computer or display, do not spray cleaning solution directly onto the display. Only use products specifically designed for cleaning displays, and follow the instructions that are included with the product.

Moisten a soft, lint-free cloth with either water or a display cleaner. Do not use alcohol or an ammonia-based cleaner. Wipe the display gently working from the center to the edges until it is clean and any fingerprints are removed. Do not use excessive pressure. NOTICE: To prevent damage to the antiglare coating, do not wipe the display with soap or alcohol.

Moisten a soft, lint-free cloth with water and wipe the computer and keyboard. Do not allow water from the cloth to seep between the touch pad and the surrounding palm rest.

To clean your monitor screen, lightly dampen a soft, clean cloth with water. You can also use a special screen-cleaning tissue or solution suitable for the monitors antistatic coating.

Wipe the keyboard, computer, and monitor plastics with a soft cleaning cloth moistened with a solution of three parts water and one part dishwashing detergent. Do not soak the cloth or let water drip inside your computer or keyboard. Touch Pad 1 Shut down and turn off your computer (see "Turning Off Your Computer"

on page 135). 178 Appendix 2 Disconnect any attached devices from the computer and from their electrical outlets. 3 Remove any installed batteries (see "Battery Performance" on page 45). 4 Moisten a soft, lint-free cloth with water, and wipe it gently across the surface of the touch pad. Do not allow water from the cloth to seep between the touch pad and the surrounding palm rest. Mouse NOTICE: Disconnect the mouse from the computer before cleaning the mouse If your screen cursor skips or moves abnormally, clean the mouse. Cleaning an Optical Mouse Clean the outside casing of the mouse with a cloth moistened with a mild cleaning solution. Media NOTICE: Always use compressed air to clean the lens in the optical drive, and follow the instructions that come with the compressed air product. Never touch the lens in the drive. If you notice problems, such as skipping, with the playback quality of your media, try cleaning the discs. 1 Hold the disc by its outer edge. You can also touch the inside edge of the center hole. NOTICE: To help prevent damage to the surface, do not wipe in a circular motion around the disc. 2 With a soft, lint-free cloth, gently wipe the bottom of the disc (the unlabeled side) in a straight line from the center to the outer edge of the disc. For stubborn dirt, try using water or a diluted solution of water and mild soap. You can also purchase commercial products that clean discs and provide some protection from dust, fingerprints, and scratches. Cleaning products for CDs are also safe to use on DVDs. Appendix 179 Dell Technical Support Policy (U.S. Only) Technician assisted technical support requires the cooperation and participation of the customer in the troubleshooting process and provides for restoration of the operating system, software programs, and hardware drivers to the original default configuration as shipped from Dell, as well as the verification of appropriate functionality of the computer and all Dell-installed hardware. In addition to this technician assisted technical support, online technical support is available at support.dell.com. Additional technical support options may be available for purchase. Dell provides limited technical support for the computer and any "Dell-

installed" software and peripherals1. Support for third-party software and peripherals is provided by the original manufacturer, including those purchased and/or installed through Dell Software and Peripherals, Readyware, and Custom Factory Integration2. 1 2 Repair services are provided pursuant to the terms and conditions of your limited warranty and any optional support service contract purchased with the computer. All Dell-standard components included in a Custom Factory Integration (CFI) project are covered by the standard Dell limited warranty for your computer. However, Dell also extends a parts replacement program to cover all nonstandard, third-party hard-

ware components integrated through CFI for the duration of the computers service contract. Definition of "Dell-Installed" Software and Peripherals Dell-installed software includes the operating system and some of the software programs that are installed on the computer during the manufacturing process (Microsoft Office, Norton Antivirus, etc). Dell-installed peripherals include any internal expansion cards, or Dell-branded module bay or ExpressCard accessories. In addition, any Dell-

branded monitors, keyboards, mice, speakers, microphones for telephonic modems, docking stations/port replicators, networking products, and all associated cabling are included. Definition of "Third-Party" Software and Peripherals Third-party software and peripherals include any peripheral, accessory, or software program sold by Dell not under the Dell brand (printers, scanners, cameras, games, etc). Support for all third-party software and peripherals is provided by the original manufacturer of the product. 180 Appendix FCC Notice (U.S. Only) FCC Class B This equipment generates, uses, and can radiate radio frequency energy and, if not installed and used in accordance with the manufacturers instruction manual, may cause interference with radio and television reception. This equipment has been tested and found to comply with the limits for a Class B digital device pursuant to Part 15 of the FCC Rules. This device complies with Part 15 of the FCC Rules. Operation is subject to the following two conditions:

This device may not cause harmful interference.

This device must accept any interference received, including interference that may cause undesired operation. NOTICE: The FCC regulations provide that changes or modifications not expressly approved by Dell Inc. could void your authority to operate this equipment. These limits are designed to provide reasonable protection against harmful interference in a residential installation. However, there is no guarantee that interference will not occur in a particular installation. If this equipment does cause harmful interference with radio or television reception, which can be determined by turning the equipment off and on, you are encouraged to try to correct the interference by one or more of the following measures:

Reorient the receiving antenna.

Relocate the system with respect to the receiver.

Move the system away from the receiver.

Plug the system into a different outlet so that the system and the receiver are on different branch circuits. If necessary, consult a representative of Dell Inc. or an experienced radio/television technician for additional suggestions. The following information is provided on the device or devices covered in this document in compliance with the FCC regulations:

Appendix 181 Product name:

Dell Inspiron 1525/1526 Model number:

PP29L Company name:

Dell Inc. Worldwide Regulatory Compliance & Environmental Affairs One Dell Way Round Rock, TX 78682 USA 512-338-4400 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 authorized by Macrovision, and is intended for home and other limited viewing uses only unless otherwise authorized by Macrovision. Reverse engineering or disassembly is prohibited. 182 Appendix Glossary Terms 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. ACPI advanced configuration and power interface A power management specification that enables Microsoft Windows operating systems to put a computer in standby or hibernate mode to conserve the amount of electrical power allocated to each device attached to the computer. AGP accelerated graphics port A dedicated graphics port that allows system memory to be used for video-related tasks. AGP delivers a smooth, true-color video image because of the faster interface between the video circuitry and the computer memory. AHCI Advanced Host Controller Interface An interface for a SATA hard drive Host Controller which allows the storage driver to enable technologies such as Native Command Queuing (NCQ) and hot plug. ALS ambient light sensor A feature that helps to control display brightness. AMT Intel Active Management Technology Delivers more secure systems management capabilities whether or not the computer is powered up or turned off, or the operating system is not responding. antivirus software A program designed to identify, quarantine, and/or delete viruses from your computer. ASF alert standards format A standard to define a mechanism for reporting hardware and software alerts to a management console. ASF is designed to be platform- and operating system-independent. B battery life span The length of time (years) during which a portable computer battery is able to be depleted and recharged. battery operating time The length of time (minutes or hours) that a portable Glossary 183 computer battery powers the computer. BD See Blu-ray Disc. BIOS basic input/output system A program (or utility) that serves as an interface between the computer hardware and the operating system. Unless you understand what effect these settings have on the computer, do not change them. Also referred to as system setup. bit The smallest unit of data interpreted by your computer. Bluetooth wireless technology A wireless technology standard for short-range

(9 m [29 feet]) networking devices that allows for enabled devices to automatically recognize each other. Blu-ray Disc Blu-ray Disc (BD) is an optical disc format jointly developed by the Blu-ray Disc Association (BDA). A BD records and plays high-definition video (HD), and stores large amounts of data: five times the storage capacity of a DVD and can hold up to 25GB on a single-layer disc and 50GB on a dual-layer disc. BD-R Blu-ray Disc recordable refers to two optical disc formats that can be recorded with an optical disc recorder. BD-R discs can be written to once. BD-RE Blu-ray Disc RE can be erased and re-recorded multiple times. boot sequence Specifies the order of the devices from which the computer attempts to boot. bootable CD A CD that you can use to start your computer. In case your hard drive is damaged or your computer has a virus, ensure that you always have a bootable CD or floppy disk available. Your Drivers and Utilities media is a bootable CD. bootable disk A disk that you can use to start your computer. In case your hard drive is damaged or your computer has a virus, ensure that you always have a bootable CD or floppy disk available. bps bits per second The standard unit for measuring data transmission speed. BTU British thermal unit A measurement of heat output. bus A communication pathway between the components in your computer. bus speed The speed, given in MHz, that indicates how fast a bus can transfer information. byte The basic data unit used by your computer. A byte is usually equal to 8 bits. C C Celsius A temperature measurement scale where 0 is the freezing point and 100 is the boiling point of water. 184 Glossary cache A special high-speed storage mechanism which can be either a reserved section of main memory or an independent high-speed storage device. The cache enhances the efficiency of many processor operations. L1 cache Primary cache stored inside the processor. L2 cache Secondary cache which can either be external to the processor or incorporated into the processor architecture. carnet An international customs document that facilitates temporary imports into foreign countries. Also known as a merchandise passport. CD-R CD recordable A recordable version of a CD. Data can be recorded only once onto a CD-R. Once recorded, the data cannot be erased or written over. CD-RW CD rewritable A rewritable version of a CD. Data can be written to a CD-RW disc, and then erased and written over (rewritten). CD-RW drive A drive that can read CDs and write to CD-RW (rewritable CDs) and CD-R (recordable CDs) discs. You can write to CD-RW discs multiple times, but you can write to CD-R discs only once. CD-RW/DVD drive A drive, sometimes referred to as a combo drive, that can read CDs and DVDs and write to CD-RW (rewritable CDs) and CD-R (recordable CDs) discs. You can write to CD-RW discs multiple times, but you can write to CD-R discs only once. clock speed The speed, given in MHz, that indicates how fast computer components that are connected to the system bus operate. CMOS A type of electronic circuit. Computers use a small amount of battery-

powered CMOS memory to hold date, time, and system setup options. COA Certificate of Authenticity The Windows alpha-numeric code located on a sticker on your computer. Also referred to as the Product Key or Product ID. Consumer IR Sensor for using Dell Travel remote control. Control Panel A Windows utility that allows you to modify operating system and hardware settings, such as display settings. controller A chip that controls the transfer of data between the processor and memory or between the processor and devices. CRIMM continuity rambus in-line memory module A special module that has no memory chips and is used to fill unused RIMM slots. cursor The marker on a display or screen that shows where the next keyboard, touch pad, or mouse action will occur. It often is a blinking solid line, an underline character, or a small arrow. Glossary 185 D DDR SDRAM double-data-rate SDRAM A type of SDRAM that doubles the data burst cycle, improving system performance. DDR2 SDRAM double-data-rate 2 SDRAM A type of DDR SDRAM that uses a 4-bit prefetch and other architectural changes to boost memory speed to over 400 MHz. device Hardware such as a disk drive, printer, or keyboard that is installed in or connected to your computer. device driver See driver. DIMM dual in-line memory module A circuit board with memory chips that connects to a memory module on the system board. DIN connector A round, six-pin connector that conforms to DIN (Deutsche Industrie-Norm) standards; it is typically used to connect PS/2 keyboard or mouse cable connectors. disk striping A technique for spreading data over multiple disk drives. Disk striping can speed up operations that retrieve data from disk storage. Computers that use disk striping generally allow the user to select the data unit size or stripe width. DMA direct memory access A channel that allows certain types of data transfer between RAM and a device to bypass the processor. DMTF Distributed Management Task Force A consortium of hardware and software companies who develop management standards for distributed desktop, network, enterprise, and Internet environments. domain A group of computers, programs, and devices on a network that are administered as a unit with common rules and procedures for use by a specific group of users. A user logs on to the domain to gain access to the resources. DRAM dynamic random-access memory Memory that stores information in integrated circuits containing capacitors. driver Software that allows the operating system to control a device such as a printer. Many devices do not work properly if the correct driver is not installed in the computer. DSL Digital Subscriber Line A technology that provides a constant, high-speed Internet connection through an analog telephone line. dual-core An Intel technology in which two physical computational units exist inside a single processor package, thereby increasing computing efficiency and multi-

tasking ability. dual display mode A display setting that allows you to use a second monitor as an 186 Glossary extension of your display. Also referred to as extended display mode. DVD-R DVD recordable A recordable version of a DVD. Data can be recorded only once onto a DVD-R. Once recorded, the data cannot be erased or written over. DVD+RW DVD rewritable A rewritable version of a DVD. Data can be written to a DVD+RW disc, and then erased and written over (rewritten). (DVD+RW technology is different from DVD-RW technology.) DVD+RW drive drive that can read DVDs and most CD media and write to DVD+RW (rewritable DVDs) discs. DVI 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 testing the accuracy of data as it passes in and out of memory. ECP extended capabilities port A parallel connector design that provides improved bidirectional data transmission. Similar to EPP, ECP uses direct memory access to transfer data and often improves performance. EIDE enhanced integrated device electronics An improved version of the IDE interface for hard drives and CD drives. EMI electromagnetic interference Electrical interference caused by electromagnetic radiation. ENERGY STAR Environmental Protection Agency requirements that decrease the overall consumption of electricity. EPP enhanced parallel port A parallel connector design that provides bidirectional data transmission. ESD electrostatic discharge A rapid discharge of static electricity. ESD can damage integrated circuits found in computer and communications equipment. expansion card A circuit board that installs in an expansion slot on the system board in some computers, expanding the capabilities of the computer. Examples include video, modem, and sound cards. expansion slot A connector on the system board (in some computers) where you insert an expansion card, connecting it to the system bus. ExpressCard A removable I/O card adhering to the PCMCIA standard. Modems and network adapters are common types of ExpressCards. ExpressCards support both the PCI Express and USB 2.0 standard. Express Service Code A numeric code located on a sticker on your Dell Glossary 187 computer. Use the Express Service Code when contacting Dell for assistance. Express Service Code service may not be available in some countries. extended display mode A display setting that allows 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 extends beyond the edge of the PC Card slot when installed. F Fahrenheit A temperature measurement scale where 32 is the freezing point and 212 is the boiling point of water. FBD fully-buffered DIMM A DIMM with DDR2 DRAM chips and an Advanced Memory Buffer (AMB) that speeds communication between the DDR2 SDRAM chips and the system. FCC Federal Communications Commission A U.S. agency responsible for enforcing communications-related regulations that state how much radiation computers and other electronic equipment can emit. fingerprint reader A strip sensor that uses your unique fingerprint to authenticate your user identity to help secure your computer. folder A term used to describe space on a disk or drive where files are organized and grouped. Files in a folder can be viewed and ordered in various ways, such as alphabetically, by date, and by size. format The process that prepares a drive or disk for file storage. When a drive or disk is formatted, the existing information on it is lost. FSB front side bus The data path and physical interface between the processor and RAM. FTP file transfer protocol A standard Internet protocol used to exchange files between computers connected to the Internet. G G gravity A measurement of weight and force. GB gigabyte A measurement of data storage that equals 1024 MB

(1,073,741,824 bytes). When used to refer to hard drive storage, the term is often rounded to 1,000,000,000 bytes. GHz gigahertz A measurement of frequency that equals one thousand million Hz, or one thousand MHz. The speeds for computer processors, buses, and interfaces 188 Glossary are often measured in GHz. graphics mode A video mode that can be defined as x horizontal pixels by y vertical pixels by z colors. Graphics modes can display an unlimited variety of shapes and fonts. GUI graphical user interface Software that interacts with the user by means of menus, windows, and icons. Most programs that operate on the Windows operating systems are GUIs. H hard drive A drive that reads and writes data on a hard disk. The terms hard drive and hard disk are often used interchangeably. heat sink A metal plate on some processors that helps dissipate heat. hibernate mode A power management mode that saves everything in memory to a reserved space on the hard drive and then turns off the computer. When you restart the computer, the memory information that was saved to the hard drive is automatically restored. HTTP hypertext transfer protocol A protocol for exchanging files between computers connected to the Internet. Hyper-Threading Hyper-Threading is an Intel technology that can enhance overall computer performance by allowing one physical processor to function as two logical processors, capable of performing certain tasks simultaneously. Hz hertz A unit of frequency measurement that equals 1 cycle per second. Computers and electronic devices are often measured in kilohertz (kHz), megahertz

(MHz), gigahertz (GHz), or terahertz (THz). I IC integrated circuit A semiconductor wafer, or chip, on which thousands or millions of tiny electronic 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 CD drive. IEEE 1394 Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers, Inc. A high-

performance serial bus used to connect IEEE 1394-compatible devices, such as digital cameras and DVD players, to the computer. infrared sensor A port that allows you to transfer data between the computer and infrared-compatible devices without using a cable connection. Glossary 189 integrated Usually refers to components that are physically located on the computers system board. Also referred to as built-in. I/O input/output An operation or device that enters and extracts data from your computer. Keyboards and printers are I/O devices. I/O address An address in RAM that is associated with a specific device (such as a serial connector, parallel connector, or expansion slot) and allows the processor to communicate with that device. IrDA Infrared Data Association The organization that creates international standards for infrared communications. IRQ interrupt request An electronic pathway assigned to a specific device so that the device can communicate with the processor. Each device connection must be assigned an IRQ. Although two devices can share the same IRQ assignment, you cannot operate both devices simultaneously. ISP Internet service provider A company that allows you to access its host server to connect directly to the Internet, send and receive e-mail, and access websites. The ISP typically provides you with a software package, user name, and access phone numbers for a fee. K Kb kilobit A unit of data that equals 1024 bits. A measurement of the capacity of memory integrated circuits. KB kilobyte A unit of data that equals 1024 bytes but is often referred to as 1000 bytes. key combination A command requiring you to press multiple keys at the same time. kHz kilohertz A measurement of frequency that equals 1000 Hz. L LAN local area network A computer network covering a small area. A LAN usually is confined to a building or a few nearby buildings. A LAN can be connected to another LAN over any distance through telephone lines and radio waves to form a wide area network (WAN). LCD liquid crystal display The technology used by portable computer and flat-

panel displays. LED light-emitting diode An electronic component that emits light to indicate the status of the computer. 190 Glossary local bus A data bus that provides a fast throughput for devices to the processor. LPT line print terminal The designation for a parallel connection to a printer or other parallel device. M Mb megabit A measurement of memory chip capacity that equals 1024 Kb. Mbps megabits per second One million bits per second. This measurement is typically used for transmission speeds for networks and modems. MB megabyte A measurement of data storage that equals 1,048,576 bytes. 1 MB equals 1024 KB. When used to refer to hard drive storage, the term is often rounded to 1,000,000 bytes. MB/sec megabytes per second One million bytes per second. This measurement is typically used for data transfer ratings. media bay A bay that supports devices such as optical drives, a second battery, or a Dell TravelLite module. memory A temporary data storage area inside your computer. Because the data in memory is not permanent, it is recommended that you frequently save your files while you are working on them, and always save your files before you shut down the computer. Your computer can contain several different forms of memory, such as RAM, ROM, and video memory. Frequently, the word memory is used as a synonym for RAM. memory address A specific location where data is temporarily stored in RAM. memory mapping The process by which the computer assigns memory addresses to physical locations at start-up. Devices and software can then identify information that the processor can access. memory module A small circuit board containing memory chips, which connects to the system board. MHz megahertz A measure of frequency that equals 1 million cycles per second. The speeds for computer processors, buses, and interfaces are often measured in MHz. Mini PCI A standard for integrated peripheral devices with an emphasis on communications such as modems and NICs. A Mini PCI card is a small external card that is functionally equivalent to a standard PCI expansion card. Mini-Card A small card designed for integrated peripherals, such as communication NICs. The Mini-Card is functionally equivalent to a standard PCI expansion card. Mobile Broadband network (also known as a WWAN) is a series of interconnected Glossary 191 computers that communicate with each other through wireless cellular technology and provides Internet access in the same varied locations from which cellular telephone service is available. Your computer can maintain the Mobile Broadband network connection regardless of its physical location, as long as the computer remains in the service area of your cellular service provider. modem A device that allows your computer to communicate with other computers over analog telephone lines. Three types of modems include: external, PC Card, and internal. You typically use your modem to connect to the Internet and exchange e-mail. module bay See media bay. MP megapixel A measure of image resolution used for digital cameras. ms millisecond A measure of time that equals one thousandth of a second. Access times of storage devices are often measured in ms. N network adapter A chip that provides network capabilities. A computer may include a network adapter on its system board, or it may contain a PC Card with an adapter on it. A network adapter is also referred to as a NIC (network interface controller). NIC See network adapter. notification area The section of the Windows taskbar that contains icons for providing quick access to programs and computer functions, such as the clock, volume control, and print status. Also referred to as system tray. ns nanosecond A measure of time that equals one billionth of a second. NVRAM nonvolatile random access memory A type of memory that stores data when the computer is turned off or loses its external power source. NVRAM is used for maintaining computer configuration information such as date, time, and other system setup options that you can set. O optical drive A drive that uses optical technology to read or write data from CDs, DVDs, or DVD+RWs. Example of optical drives include CD drives, DVD drives, CD-RW drives, and CD-RW/DVD combo drives. 192 Glossary P parallel connector An I/O port often used to connect a parallel printer to your computer. Also referred to as an LPT port. partition A physical storage area on a hard drive that is assigned to one or more logical storage areas known as logical drives. Each partition can contain multiple logical drives. PC Card A removable I/O card adhering to the PCMCIA standard. Modems and network adapters are common types of PC Cards. PCI peripheral component interconnect PCI is a local bus that supports 32-and 64-bit data paths, providing a high-speed data path between the processor and devices such as video, 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 GB/sec. If the PCI Express chip set and the device are capable of different speeds, they will operate at the slower speed. PCMCIA Personal Computer Memory Card International Association The organization that establishes standards for PC Cards. PIO programmed input/output A method of transferring data between two devices through the processor as part of the data path. pixel A single point on a display screen. Pixels are arranged in rows and columns to create an image. A video resolution, such as 800 x 600, is expressed as the number of pixels across by the number of pixels up and down. Plug-and-Play The ability of the computer to automatically configure devices. Plug and Play provides automatic installation, configuration, and compatibility with existing hardware if the BIOS, operating system, and all devices are Plug and Play compliant. POST power-on self-test Diagnostics programs, loaded automatically by the BIOS, that perform basic tests on the major computer components, such as memory, hard drives, and video. If no problems are detected during POST, the computer continues the start-up. processor A computer chip that interprets and executes program instructions. Sometimes the processor is referred to as the CPU (central processing unit). PS/2 personal system/2 A type of connector for attaching a PS/2-compatible keyboard, mouse, or keypad. PXE pre-boot execution environment A WfM (Wired for Management) standard that allows networked computers that do not have an operating system to be configured and started remotely. Glossary 193 R RAID redundant array of independent disks A method of providing data redundancy. Some common implementations of RAID include RAID 0, RAID 1, RAID 5, RAID 10, and RAID 50. RAM random-access memory The primary temporary storage area for program instructions and data. Any information stored in RAM is lost when you shut down your computer. readme file A text file included with a software package or hardware product. Typically, readme files provide installation information and describe new product enhancements or corrections that have not yet been documented. read-only Data and/or files you can view but cannot edit or delete. A file can have read-only status if:

It resides on a physically write-protected floppy disk, CD, or DVD.

It is located on a network in a directory and the system administrator has assigned rights only to specific individuals. refresh rate The frequency, measured in Hz, at which your screen's horizontal lines are recharged (sometimes also referred to as its vertical frequency). The higher the refresh rate, the less video flicker can be seen by the human eye. resolution The sharpness and clarity of an image produced by a printer or displayed on a monitor. The higher the resolution, the sharper the image. RFI radio frequency interference Interference that is generated at typical radio frequencies, in the range of 10 kHz to 100,000 MHz. Radio frequencies are at the lower end of the electromagnetic frequency spectrum and are more likely to have interference than the higher frequency radiations, such as infrared and light. ROM read-only memory Memory that stores data and programs that cannot be deleted or written to by the computer. ROM, unlike RAM, retains its contents after you shut down your computer. Some programs essential to the operation of your computer reside in ROM. RPM revolutions per minute The number of rotations that occur per minute. Hard drive speed is often measured in rpm. RTC real time clock Battery-powered clock on the system board that keeps the date and time after you shut down the computer. RTCRST real-time clock reset A jumper on the system board of some computers that can often be used for troubleshooting problems. 194 Glossary S SAS serial attached SCSI A faster, serial version of the SCSI interface (as opposed to the original SCSI parallel architecture). SATA serial ATA A faster, serial version of the ATA (IDE) interface. ScanDisk A Microsoft utility that checks files, folders, and the hard disks surface for errors. ScanDisk often runs when you 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 drives, CD drives, printers, and scanners. The SCSI can connect many devices using a single controller. Each device is accessed by an individual identification number on the SCSI controller bus. SDRAM synchronous dynamic random-access memory A type of DRAM that is synchronized with the optimal clock speed of the processor. serial connector An I/O port often used to connect devices such as a handheld digital device or digital camera to your computer. Service Tag A bar code label on your computer that identifies your computer when you access Dell Support at support.dell.com or when you call Dell for customer service or technical support. setup program A program that is used to install and configure hardware and software. The setup.exe or install.exe program comes with most Windows software packages. Setup program differs from system setup. shortcut An icon that provides quick access to frequently used programs, files, folders, and drives. When you place a shortcut on your Windows desktop and double-

click the icon, you can open its corresponding folder or file without having to find it first. Shortcut icons do not change the location of files. If you delete a shortcut, the original file is not affected. Also, you can rename a shortcut icon. SIM Subscriber Identity Module A SIM card contains a microchip that encrypts voice and data transmissions. SIM cards can be used in phones or portable computers. smart card A card that is embedded with a processor and a memory chip. Smart cards can be used to authenticate a user on computers equipped for smart cards. S/PDIF Sony/Philips Digital Interface An audio transfer file format that allows the transfer of audio from one file to another without converting it to and from an analog format, which could degrade the quality of the file. standby mode A power management mode that shuts down all unnecessary computer operations to save energy. Strike Zone Reinforced area of the platform base that protects the hard drive by acting as a dampening device when a computer experiences resonating shock or is Glossary 195 dropped (whether the computer is on or off). surge protectors Prevent voltage spikes, such as those that may occur during an electrical storm, from entering the computer through the electrical outlet. Surge protectors do not protect against lightning strikes or against brownouts, which occur when the voltage drops more than 20 percent below the normal AC-line voltage level. Network connections cannot be protected by surge protectors. Always disconnect the network cable from the network connector during electrical storms. SVGA super-video graphics array A video standard for video cards and controllers. Typical SVGA resolutions are 800 x 600 and 1024 x 768. 196 Glossary The number of colors and resolution that a program displays depends on the capabilities of the monitor, the video controller and its drivers, and the amount of video memory installed in the computer. S-video TV-out A connector used to attach a TV or digital audio device to the computer. SXGA super-extended graphics array A video standard for video cards and controllers that supports resolutions up to 1280 x 1024. SXGA+ super-extended graphics array plus A video standard for video cards and 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 computer hardware and the operating system. System setup allows you to configure user-selectable options in the BIOS, such as date and time or system password. Unless you understand what effect the settings have on the computer, do not change the settings for this program. T TAPI telephony application programming interface Enables Windows programs to operate with a wide variety of telephony devices, including voice, data, fax, and video. text editor A program used to create and edit files that contain only text; for example, Windows Notepad uses a text editor. Text editors do not usually provide word wrap or formatting functionality (the option to underline, change fonts, and so on). TPM trusted platform module A hardware-based security feature that when combined with security software enhances network and computer security by enabling features such as file and e-mail protection. travel module A plastic device designed to fit inside the module bay of a portable computer to reduce the weight of the computer. U UAC user account control Microsoft Windows Vista security feature 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 Glossary 197 video. UPS uninterruptible power supply A backup power source used when the electrical power fails or drops to an unacceptable voltage level. A UPS keeps a computer running for a limited amount of time when there is no electrical power. UPS systems typically provide surge suppression and may also provide voltage regulation. Small UPS systems provide battery power for a few minutes to enable you to shut down your computer. USB universal serial bus A hardware interface for a low-speed device such as a USB-compatible keyboard, mouse, joystick, scanner, set of speakers, printer, broadband devices (DSL and cable modems), imaging devices, or storage devices. Devices are plugged directly in to a 4-pin socket on your computer or in to a multi-

port hub that plugs in to your computer. USB devices can be connected and disconnected while the computer is turned on, and they can also be daisy-chained together. UTP unshielded twisted pair Describes a type of cable used in most telephone networks and some computer networks. Pairs of unshielded wires are twisted to protect against electromagnetic interference, rather than relying on a metal sheath around each pair of wires to protect against interference. UXGA ultra extended graphics array A video standard for video cards and controllers that supports resolutions up to 1600 x 1200. V video controller The circuitry on a video card or on the system board (in computers with an integrated video controller) that provides the video capabilitiesin combination with the monitorfor your computer. video memory Memory that consists of memory chips dedicated to video functions. Video memory is usually faster than system memory. The amount of video memory installed primarily influences the number of colors that a program can display. video mode A mode that describes how text and graphics are displayed on a monitor. Graphics-based software, such as Windows operating systems, displays in video modes that can be defined as x horizontal pixels by y vertical pixels by z colors. Character-based software, such as text editors, displays in video modes that can be defined as x columns by y rows of characters. video resolution See resolution. 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 downloaded from the Internet, or e-mail attachments. When an infected program starts, its embedded virus also starts. 198 Glossary A common type of virus is a boot virus, which is stored in the boot sectors of a floppy disk. If the floppy disk is left in the drive when the computer is shut down and then turned on, the computer is infected when it reads the boot sectors of the floppy disk expecting to find the operating system. If the computer is infected, the boot virus may replicate itself onto all the floppy disks that are read or written in that computer until the virus is eradicated. V volt The measurement of electric potential or electromotive force. One V appears across a resistance of 1 ohm when a current of 1 ampere flows through that resistance. W W watt The measurement of electrical power. One W is 1 ampere of current flowing at 1 volt. WHr watt-hour A unit of measure commonly used to indicate the approximate capacity of a battery. For example, a 66-WHr battery can supply 66 W of power for 1 hour or 33 W for 2 hours. wallpaper The background pattern or picture on the Windows desktop. Change your wallpaper through the Windows Control Panel. You can also scan in your favorite picture and make it wallpaper. WLAN wireless local area network. A series of interconnected computers that communicate with each other over the air waves using access points or wireless routers to provide Internet access. write-protected Files or media that cannot be changed. Use write-protection when you want to protect data from being changed or destroyed. To write-protect a 3.5-inch floppy disk, slide its write-protect tab to the open position. WPAN wireless personal area network. A computer network used for communica-

tion among computer devices (including telephones and personal digital assistants) close to one person. WWAN wireless wide area network. A wireless high-speed data network using cellular technology and covering a much larger geographic area than WLAN. WXGA wide-aspect extended graphics array A video standard for video cards and controllers that supports resolutions up to 1280 x 800."

X XGA extended graphics array A video standard for video cards and controllers that supports resolutions up to 1024 x 768. Glossary 199 Z ZIF zero insertion force A type of socket or connector that allows a computer chip to be installed or removed with no stress applied to either the chip or its socket. Zip A popular data compression format. Files that have been compressed with the Zip format are called Zip files and usually have a filename extension of .zip. A special kind of zipped file is a self-extracting file, which has a filename extension of .exe. You can unzip a self-extracting file by double-clicking it. Zip drive A high-capacity floppy drive developed by Iomega Corporation that uses 3.5-inch removable disks called Zip disks. Zip disks are slightly larger than regular floppy disks, about twice as thick, and hold up to 100 MB of data. 200 Glossary Index Numerics 8-in-1 memory card reader, 83 A audio device connecting, 59 enabling, 74 audio. See sound B battery charging, 48 checking the charge, 46 performance, 45 power meter, 47 removing, 49 storing, 50 blank cards ExpressCards, 82 memory card, 83 removing, 83, 85 Bluetooth wireless technology card device status light, 23 installing, 153 Blu-ray Disc, 57 boot sequence, 176 brightness adjusting, 37 C camera, 20 carnet, 156 CD blank, 55 CD-RW drive problems, 107 drive problems, 106 Check Disk, 107 cleaning touch pad, 178 computer crashes, 117-118 restore to previous operating state, 132 slow performance, 109, 119 specifications, 165 stops responding, 117 connecting audio device, 59 Mobile Broadband network, 92 TV, 59 copying CDs helpful tips, 56 how to, 55 copying DVDs Index 201 helpful tips, 56 how to, 55 D Dell Diagnostics about, 101 starting from the Drivers and Utilities media, 102 starting from your hard drive, 101 Dell MediaDirect about, 23 problems, 118 Dell support site, 16 DellConnect, 158 Device Driver Rollback, 129 device latch release description, 30 device status lights description, 22 diagnostics Dell, 101 Product Information Guide, 14 regulatory, 14 safety, 14 warranty, 14 Dolby headphones, setting up, 75 drivers about, 127 identifying, 128 reinstalling, 128 Drivers and Utilities CD Dell Diagnostics, 101 Drivers and Utilities media, 13 about, 129 drives problems, 106 See also hard drive See also optical drive DVD blank, 55 drive problems, 106 digital array microphones, 24 E display adjusting brightness, 37 description, 20 resolution, 37 switching the video image, 37 documentation End User License Agreement, 14 ergonomics, 14 online, 16 End User License Agreement, 14 ergonomics information, 14 error messages, 109 ExpressCard slot description, 28 ExpressCards, 81 blanks, 82-83 installing, 82 202 Index removing, 83 F FCM. See Flash Cache Module Flash Cache Module, 152 H hard drive problems, 107 replacing, 137 returning to Dell, 139 hardware Dell Diagnostics, 101 Hardware Troubleshooter, 131 hinge cover removing, 141 I IEEE 1394 connector description, 27 problems, 115 Internet connection about, 31 options, 31 setting up, 32 K keyboard numeric keypad, 39 problems, 115 removing, 142 shortcuts, 40 keyboard status lights description, 24 keypad numeric, 39 L labels Microsoft Windows, 15 Service Tag, 15 lost computer, 98 M media playing, 51 media control buttons Dell MediaDirect button, 58 description, 20 media memory cards, 83 installing, 84 reader, 21 types, 83 memory installing, 144 removing, 145 memory card blanks, 83 Index 203 memory card reader, 83 O memory cards blanks, 85 removing, 85 messages error, 109 microphone directional, 77 Mini Card installing, 148 WLAN, 148 WPAN, 148 WWAN, 148 Mobile Broadband network connections, 92 See also wireless switch operating system reinstalling Windows Vista, 132 P power line conditioners, 35 problems, 121 protection devices, 35 surge protectors, 35 UPS, 35 power button description, 20 power light conditions, 121 Mobile Broadband (WWAN) printer problems, 120 modem connector description, 30 monitor. See display cable, 34 connecting, 33 problems, 122 setting up, 33 USB, 34 problems N network installing WLAN Mini Card, 148 Mobile Broadband

(WWAN), 120 problems, 120 network connector description, 26 blue screen, 118 CD drive, 106 CD-RW drive, 107 computer crashes, 117-118 computer does not start up, 117 computer stops responding, 117 Dell Diagnostics, 101 Dell MediaDirect, 118 drives, 106 DVD drive, 106 204 Index error messages, 109 hard drive, 107 IEEE 1394 connector, 115 keyboard, 115 lockups, 117 network, 120 power, 121 power light conditions, 121 printer, 122 program crashes repeatedly, 117 program stops responding, 117 programs and Windows compatibility, 117 restore computer to previous operating state, 132 restore operating system to previous state, 131 scanner, 123 slow computer performance, 109, 119 software, 117-118 sound and speakers, 124 speakers, 124 spyware, 109, 119 Product Information Guide, 14 Q QuickSet Help, 17 R RAM. See memory reinstalling Windows Vista, 132 resolution setting, 37 S S/PDIF digital audio enabling, 74 Safely Remove Hardware icon, 114 safety instructions, 14 scanner problems, 123 screen. See display security cable slot description, 25 Service Tag, 15 SIM. See Subscriber Identity Module software problems, 117-118 software and hardware incompatibilities, 131 sound problems, 124 volume, 124 speakers problems, 124 volume, 124 regulatory information, 14 specifications, 165 Index 205 spyware, 109, 119 stolen computer, 98 Subscriber Identity Module, 147 support website, 16 S-video TV-out connector description, 29 packing, 155 tips, 156 troubleshooting Dell Diagnostics, 101 Hardware Troubleshooter, 131 restore computer to previous operating state, 131-132 System Restore, 131-132 TV system setup program commonly used options, 176 screens, 176 viewing, 176 U connecting, 59 uninterruptible power supply. See UPS T taskbar Dell Mobile Broadband Card Utility, 121 Dell Support Utility, 17 Safely Remove Hardware, 114 wireless activity indicator, 92 touch pad, 41 cleaning, 178 customizing, 42 touch pad buttons description, 22 UPS, 35 V video problems, 126 video controller determining configuration, 19 volume adjusting, 124 track stick/touch pad buttons W description, 21 transferring information to a new computer, 33 traveling with the computer by air, 156 identification tag, 155 warranty information, 14 Windows Easy Transfer wizard, 33 Windows Vista Device Driver Rollback, 129 206 Index Program Compatibility wizard, 117 reinstalling, 132 System Restore, 131-132 Windows Easy Transfer wizard, 33 wizards Program Compatibility wizard, 117 Windows Easy Transfer, 33 WLAN installing Mini Card, 148 WWAN See also Mobile Broadband Index 207 208 Index

 

 

Dell XPS M1730 Owners Manual Model PP06XA w w w . d e l l . c o m | s u p p o r t . d e l l . c o m Notes, Notices, and Cautions NOTE: A NOTE indicates important information that helps you make better use of your computer. NOTICE: A NOTICE indicates either potential damage to hardware or loss of data and tells you how to avoid the problem. CAUTION: A CAUTION indicates a potential for property damage, personal injury, or death. ____________________ Information in this document is subject to change without notice. 2007 Dell Inc. All rights reserved. Reproduction in any manner whatsoever without the written permission of Dell Inc. is strictly forbidden. Trademarks used in this text: Dell, the DELL logo, Inspiron, Wi-Fi Catcher, and Dell MediaDirect are trademarks of Dell Inc.; Intel, and Core are registered trademarks of Intel Corporation.; Microsoft and Windows are registered trademarks and Windows Vista is a trademark of Microsoft Corporation in the United States and/or other countries; Bluetooth is a registered trademark owned by Bluetooth SIG, Inc. and is used by Dell under license. Other trademarks and trade names may be used in this document to refer to either the entities claiming the marks and names or their products. Dell Inc. disclaims any proprietary interest in trademarks and trade names other than its own. Model PP06XA July 2007 P/N TM373 Rev. A00 Contents Finding Information . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13 1 About Your Computer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19 Determining Your Computers Configuration . . . . . . 19 Front View . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20 Left Side View . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22 Right Side View . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22 Back View . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23 2 Setting Up Your Computer . . . . . . . . . . . . 25 Connecting to the Internet . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25 Setting Up Your Internet Connection . . . . . . . . 26 Transferring Information to a New Computer . . . . . 27 Windows Easy Transfer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27 Setting Up a Printer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27 Printer Cable . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28 Connecting a USB Printer . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28 Power Protection Devices . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 29 Surge Protectors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 29 Line Conditioners . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30 Uninterruptible Power Supplies . . . . . . . . . . 30 Contents 3 3 Using the Display . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 31 Adjusting Brightness . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 31 Switching the Video Image From Your Computer Display To a Projector . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 31 Setting Display Resolution and Refresh Rate . . . . . . 32 4 Using the Keyboard and Touch Pad . . . . 33 Numeric Keypad . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 33 Key Combinations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 34 System Functions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 34 Display Functions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 34 Battery . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Wireless Networking and Bluetooth Wireless Technology Function . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 34 34 Power Management . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Microsoft Windows Logo Key Functions . . . . 34 34 Dell QuickSet Key Combinations . . . . . . . . . 35 Adjusting Keyboard Settings . . . . . . . . . . . . 35 Touch Pad . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 35 Customizing the Touch Pad . . . . . . . . . . . . . 36 5 Using a Battery . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 39 Battery Performance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 39 Checking the Battery Charge . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 40 Dell QuickSet Battery Meter . . . . . . . . . . . . Microsoft Windows Battery Meter . . . . . . . 40 41 Charge Gauge . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 41 4 Contents Low-Battery Warning . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 42 Conserving Battery Power . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 42 Configuring Power Management Settings . . . . . 42 Using the Sleep Power State . . . . . . . . . . . 43 Charging the Battery . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 43 Replacing the Battery . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 44 Storing a Battery . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 44 6 Using the Optional Camera . . . . . . . . . . . 45 Accessing the Cameras Help File . . . . . . . . . . . 45 Manually Adjusting the Camera Settings . . . . . . . . 46 Creating a Picture or a Video . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 46 7 Using Multimedia . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 47 Playing Media . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 47 Playing Media Using Dell Express Card Remote Control 49 Copying CD and DVD Media . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 50 How to Copy a CD or DVD . . . . . . . . . . . . . 51 Using Blank CD and DVD Media . . . . . . . . . . 51 Helpful Tips . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 52 Adjusting the Volume . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 53 Adjusting the Picture . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 53 Using Dell MediaDirect . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 53 Connecting Your Computer to a TV or Audio Device . . 54 Contents 5 S-Video and Standard Audio . . . . . . . . . . . . 56 S-Video and S/PDIF Digital Audio . . . . . . . . . 58 Composite Video and Standard Audio . . . . . . . 60 Composite Video and S/PDIF Digital Audio . . . . 62 Component Video and Standard Audio . . . . . . 64 Component Video and S/PDIF Digital Audio . . . . 66 Enabling the Display Settings for a TV . . . . . . . 68 8 Using Cards . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 69 ExpressCards . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 69 ExpressCard Blanks . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 70 Installing an ExpressCard . . . . . . . . . . . . . 70 Removing an ExpressCard or Blank . . . . . . . . 71 Memory Card Reader . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 72 Memory Card Blanks . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 73 Installing a Memory Card . . . . . . . . . . . . . 73 Removing a Memory Card or Blank . . . . . . . . 74 9 Setting Up and Using Networks . . . . . . . 75 Connecting a Network or Broadband Modem Cable . . 75 Setting Up a Network . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 76 Wireless Local Area Network . . . . . . . . . . . . . 76 What You Need to Establish a WLAN Connection . 76 Checking Your Wireless Network Card . . . . . . 76 Setting Up a New WLAN Using a Wireless Router and a Broadband Modem . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 77 Connecting to a WLAN . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 79 Mobile Broadband (or Wireless Wide Area Network) . 80 6 Contents What You Need to Establish a Mobile Broadband Network Connection . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 80 Checking Your Dell Mobile Broadband Card . . . . 81 Connecting to a Mobile Broadband Network . . . 82 Enabling/Disabling the Dell Mobile Broadband Card 82 Dell Wi-Fi Catcher Network Locator . . . . . . . . . 83 10 Securing Your Computer . . . . . . . . . . . . . 85 Security Cable Lock . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 85 Passwords . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 85 If Your Computer Is Lost or Stolen . . . . . . . . . . . 86 11 Troubleshooting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 87 Dell Technical Update Service . . . . . . . . . . . . . 87 Dell Diagnostics . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 87 Dell Support Utility . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 91 Drive Problems . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 92 Optical drive problems . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 93 Hard drive problems . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 94 E-Mail and Internet Problems . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 94 Error Messages . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 96 ExpressCard Problems . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 101 IEEE 1394 Device Problems . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 101 Keyboard Problems . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 102 Contents 7 External Keyboard problems . . . . . . . . . . . . 102 Unexpected characters . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 103 Lockups and Software Problems . . . . . . . . . . . . 103 The computer does not start . . . . . . . . . . . . 103 The computer stops responding . . . . . . . . . . 103 A program stops responding or crashes repeatedly 104 A program is designed for an earlier Microsoft Windows operating system . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 104 A solid blue screen appears . . . . . . . . . . . . 104 Dell MediaDirect problems . . . . . . . . . . . . . 104 Other software problems . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 105 Memory Problems . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 106 Network Problems . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 107 Mobile Broadband (Wireless Wide Area Network [WWAN]) 107 Power Problems . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 108 Printer Problems . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 109 Scanner Problems . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 110 Sound and Speaker Problems . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 111 No sound from integrated speakers . . . . . . . . 111 No sound from external speakers . . . . . . . . . 111 No sound from headphones . . . . . . . . . . . . 112 Remote Control Problems . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 112 Touch Pad or Mouse Problems . . . . . . . . . . . . . 112 Video and Display Problems . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 113 If the display is blank . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 113 If the display is difficult to read . . . . . . . . . . 114 If only part of the display is readable . . . . . . . 114 8 Contents Drivers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 115 What Is a Driver? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 115 Identifying Drivers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 115 Reinstalling Drivers and Utilities . . . . . . . . . . 116 Troubleshooting Software and Hardware Problems . . 118 Restoring Your Operating System . . . . . . . . . . . . 118 Using Microsoft Windows System Restore . . . . 118 Using the Operating System Media . . . . . . . . 119 12 Adding and Replacing Parts . . . . . . . . . 123 Before You Begin . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 123 Recommended Tools . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 123 Turning Off Your Computer . . . . . . . . . . . . . 123 Before Working Inside Your Computer . . . . . . . 124 Hard Drive . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 125 Returning a Hard Drive to Dell

. . . . . . . . . . . 128 Memory . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 128 Mini-Card . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 131 Hinge Cover . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 136 Keyboard . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 137 Coin-Cell Battery . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 138 Optical Drive . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 140 Internal Card With Bluetooth Wireless Technology . 141 Contents 9 13 Dell QuickSet Features . . . . . . . . . . . 143 14 Traveling With Your Computer . . . . . . . . 145 Identifying Your Computer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 145 Packing the Computer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 145 Travel Tips . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 146 Traveling by Air . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 146 15 Getting Help . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 147 Obtaining Assistance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 147 Technical Support and Customer Service . . . . . 148 DellConnect . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 148 Online Services . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 148 AutoTech Service . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 149 Automated Order-Status Service . . . . . . . . . 149 Problems With Your Order . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 149 Product Information . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 149 Returning Items for Warranty Repair or Credit . . . . . 150 Before You Call . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 150 Contacting Dell . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 152 10 Contents 16 Specifications . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 153 17 Appendix . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 161 Using the System Setup Program . . . . . . . . . . . . 161 Viewing the System Setup Screen . . . . . . . . . 162 System Setup Screen . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 162 Commonly Used Options . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 162 Cleaning Your Computer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 164 Computer, Keyboard, and Display . . . . . . . . . 164 Touch Pad . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 165 Mouse . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 165 Media . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 166 Dell Technical Support Policy (U.S. Only) . . . . . . . 166 Definition of "Dell-Installed" Software and Peripherals 167 Definition of "Third-Party" Software and Peripherals 167 FCC Notice (U.S. Only) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 167 FCC Class B . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 167 Macrovision Product Notice . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 168 Glossary 169 Index . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 187 Contents 11 12 Contents Finding Information NOTE: Some features may be optional and may not ship with your computer. Some features may not be available in certain countries. NOTE: Additional information may ship with your computer. What Are You Looking For?

Find It Here A diagnostic program for my computer Drivers and Utilities Media Drivers for my computer Documentation and drivers are already Device documentation installed on your computer. You can use Notebook System Software (NSS) the Drivers and Utilities media to reinstall drivers (see "Reinstalling Drivers and Utilities" on page 116) or run the Dell Diagnostics (see "Dell Diagnostics"

on page 87). Readme files may be included on your Drivers and Utilities media to provide last-minute updates about technical changes to your computer or advanced technical-reference material for technicians or experienced users. Warranty information Dell Product Information Guide NOTE: Drivers and documentation updates can be found at support.dell.com. Terms and Conditions (U.S. only) Safety instructions Regulatory information Ergonomics information End User License Agreement Finding Information 13 What Are You Looking For?

How to set up my computer Find It Here Setup Diagram 14 Finding Information What Are You Looking For?

Find It Here Service Tag and Express Service Code Microsoft Windows Product Key Service Tag and Microsoft Windows Product Key These labels are located on your computer. Use the Service Tag to identify your computer when you use support.dell.com or contact support. Enter the Express Service Code to direct your call when contacting support. NOTE: As an increased security measure, the newly designed Microsoft Windows license label incorporates a "security portal," which looks like a missing portion of the label, to discourage removal of the label. Finding Information 15 What Are You Looking For?

Find It Here Solutions Troubleshooting hints and tips, articles from technicians, online courses, and frequently asked questions Dell Support Website support.dell.com NOTE: Select your region or business segment to view the appropriate support site. Community Online discussion with other Dell customers Upgrades Upgrade information for components, such as the memory, hard drive, and operating system Customer Care Contact information, service call and order status, and warranty and repair information Service and support Service call status, support history, service contract, and online discussions with support Dell Technical Update Service Proactive e-mail notification of software and hardware updates for your computer Reference Computer documentation, details on my computer configuration, product specifications, and white papers Downloads Certified drivers, To download Notebook System Software:

patches, and software updates 1 Go to support.dell.com

, select your Notebook System Software (NSS) If country/region, and then click you reinstall the operating system on Drivers & Downloads

. your computer, you should also reinstall the NSS utility. NSS automatically detects your computer and operating 2 3 system, and installs the updates appropriate for your configuration, providing critical updates for your Enter your Service Tag or product model, and then click Go

. Select your operating system and language, and then click Find Downloads Downloads

, or under Search

, search for the keyword operating system and support for Dell Notebook System Software. 3.5-inch USB floppy drives, Intel processors, optical drives, and USB devices. NSS is necessary for correct operation of your Dell computer. NOTE: The support.dell.com user interface may vary depending on your selections. 16 Finding Information What Are You Looking For?

Find It Here Software upgrades and troubleshooting Dell Support Utility hints Frequently asked questions, hot topics, and general health of your computing environment The Dell Support Utility is an automated upgrade and notification system installed on your computer. This support provides real-time health scans of your computing environment, software updates, and relevant self-support information. Access the Dell Support Utility from the icon on the taskbar. For more information, see "Dell Support Utility" on page 91. How to use Windows Vista Windows Help and Support How to work with programs and files How to personalize my desktop 1 2 3 4 Click the Windows Vista Start button

, and then click Help and Support

. In Search Help

, type a word or phrase that describes your problem, and then press <Enter> or click the magnifying glass. Click the topic that describes your problem. Follow the instructions on the screen. Information on network activity, the Dell QuickSet Help hotkeys, and other items controlled by To view Dell QuickSet Help

, right-click Dell QuickSet the Dell QuickSet icon in the Windows notification area. For more information on Dell QuickSet, see "Dell QuickSet Features" on page 143. Finding Information 17 What Are You Looking For?

Find It Here How to reinstall my operating system Operating System Media The operating system is already installed on your computer. To reinstall your operating system, use one of the following methods:

Microsoft Windows System Restore Microsoft Windows System Restore returns your computer to an earlier operating state without affecting data files. Operating System Installation Media If you received operating system media with your computer, you can use it to restore your operating system. For more information, see "Restoring Your Operating System" on page 118. After you reinstall your operating system, use the Drivers and Utilities media to reinstall drivers for the devices that came with your computer. Your operating system product key label is located on your computer. NOTE: The color of your operating system installation media varies according to the operating system you ordered. 18 Finding Information About Your Computer Determining Your Computers Configuration Based on selections that you made when purchasing your computer, your computer has one of several different video controller configurations. To determine your computers video controller configuration:

1 2 3 Click Start

, and then click Help and Support. Under Pick a Task, click Use Tools to view your computer information and diagnose problems. Under My Computer Information, select Hardware. From the My Computer Information - Hardware screen, you can view the type of video controller installed in your computer, as well as the other hardware components. About Your Computer 19 Front View 5 4 1 2 3 1 media control buttons 3 5 keyboard display 2 4 keyboard status lights power button M E D I A C O N T R O L B U T T O N S Control CD, DVD, and Media Player playback. 20 About Your Computer K E Y B O A R D S T A T U S L I G H T S The blue lights located above the keyboard indicate the following:

9 A Turns on when the numeric keypad is enabled. Turns on when the uppercase letter (caps lock) function is enabled. Turns on when the scroll lock function is enabled. K E Y B O A R D The keyboard includes a numeric keypad as well as the Microsoft Windows logo key. P O W E R B U T T O N Press the power button to turn on the computer or exit a power management mode (see "Configuring Power Management Settings" on page 42). NOTICE: To avoid losing data, turn off your computer by performing a Microsoft Windows operating system shutdown rather than by pressing the power button. If the computer stops responding, press and hold the power button until the computer turns off completely (may take several seconds). D I S P L A Y For more information about your display, see ."Using the Display" on page 31. About Your Computer 21 Left Side View 1 optical drive 1 2 audio connectors 2 O P T I C A L D R I V E For more information about the optical drive, see "Using Multimedia" on page 47. A U D I O C O N N E C T O R S Attach headphones or speakers to the connector. Attach a microphone to the connector. Right Side View 1 2 1 ExpressCard slot 2 security cable slot 22 About Your Computer E X P R E S S C A R D S L O T Supports one ExpressCard, The computer ships with a plastic blank installed in the slot. S E C U R I T Y C A B L E S L O T Lets you attach a commercially available antitheft device to the computer. For more information, see the instructions included with the device. Back View 1 2 1 S-video TV-out connector 2 air vent S - V I D E O TV- O U T C O N N E C T O R Connects your computer to a TV. Also connects digital audio capable devices using the TV/digital audio adapter cable. A I R V E N T The computer uses fan(s) to create airflow through the vents, which prevents the computer from overheating. CAUTION: Do not block, push objects into, or allow dust to accumulate in the air vents. Do not store your computer in a low-airflow environment, such as a closed briefcase, while it is running. Restricting the airflow can damage the computer or cause a fire. About Your Computer 23 24 About Your Computer Setting Up Your Computer Connecting to the Internet NOTE: ISPs and ISP offerings vary by country. To connect to the Internet, you need a modem or network connection and an Internet service provider (ISP). Your ISP will offer one or more of the following Internet connection options:

DSL connections that provide high-speed Internet access through your existing telephone line or cellular telephone service. With a DSL connection, you can access the Internet and use your telephone on the same line simultaneously. Cable modem connections that provide high-speed Internet access through your local cable TV line. Satellite modem connections that provide high-speed Internet access through a satellite television system. Dial-up connections that provide Internet access through a telephone line. Dial-up connections are considerably slower than DSL, cable, and satellite modem connections. Wireless Wide Area Network (WWAN) or Mobile Broadband technology provides a connection to the Internet using cellular technology at broadband rates. Wireless Local Area Network (WLAN) connections use high-frequency radio waves to communicate. Typically, a wireless router is connected to the broadband cable or DSL modem that broadcasts the Internet signal to your computer. NOTE: Your system does not ship with a modem and hence you will not be able to connect to the Internet using dial-up connections. NOTE: If you are using a DSL, cable, or satellite modem connection, contact your ISP or cellular telephone service for setup instructions. Setting Up Your Computer 25 Setting Up Your Internet Connection To set up an Internet connection with a provided ISP desktop shortcut:

1 2 3 Save and close any open files, and exit any open programs. Double-click the ISP icon on the Microsoft Windows desktop. Follow the instructions on the screen to complete the setup. NOTE: If you are having problems connecting to the Internet, see "E-Mail and Internet Problems" on page 94. If you cannot connect to the Internet, but have successfully connected in the past, the ISP may have a service outage. Contact your ISP to check the service status, or try connecting again later. NOTE: Have your ISP information ready. If you do not have an ISP, the Connect to the Internet wizard can help you obtain one. If you do not have an ISP icon on your desktop or if you want to set up an Internet connection with a different ISP:

1 2 3 4 5 Save and close any open files, and exit any open programs. Click Start

, and then click Control Panel. Under Network and Internet, click Connect to the Internet. The Connect to the Internet window appears. Click Wireless to configure your WLAN/WWAN card to connect to the Internet. Follow the instructions on the screen and use the setup information provided by your ISP to complete the setup. 26 Setting Up Your Computer Transferring Information to a New Computer You can transfer the following types of data from one computer to another:

E-mail messages Toolbar settings Window sizes Internet bookmarks Use one of the following methods for transferring data:

Windows Easy Transfer wizard, an Easy Transfer Cable, and a USB port Over a network Removable media, such as a writable CD Windows Easy Transfer 1 2 3 4 5 Click Start All Programs Accessories System Tools Windows Easy Transfer. In the User Account Control dialog box, click Continue. Click Next. Click Start a new transfer or Continue a transfer in progress. Follow the instructions in the Windows Easy Transfer wizard. Setting Up a Printer NOTICE: Complete the operating system setup before you connect a printer to the computer. See the documentation that came with the printer for setup information, including how to:

Obtain and install updated drivers. Connect the printer to the computer. Load paper and install the toner or ink cartridge. For technical assistance, refer to the printer owner's manual or contact the printer manufacturer. Setting Up Your Computer 27 Printer Cable Your printer connects to your computer with a USB cable. Your printer may not come with a printer cable, so if you purchase a cable separately, ensure that it is compatible with your printer and computer. If you purchased a printer cable at the same time you purchased your computer, the cable may arrive in the computers shipping box. Connecting a USB Printer NOTE: You can connect USB devices while the computer is turned on. Complete the operating system setup if you have not already done so. Attach the USB printer cable to the USB connectors on the computer and the printer. The USB connectors fit only one way. 1 3 2 USB connector on computer 2 USB connector on printer USB printer cable 1 2 1 3 28 Setting Up Your Computer 3 4 5 6 7 Turn on the printer, and then turn on the computer. If the Add New Hardware Wizard window appears, click Cancel. Click Start

, and then click Network. Click Add a printer to start the Add Printer Wizard. NOTE: To install the printer driver, see "Reinstalling Drivers and Utilities" on page 116 and the documentation that came with your printer. Click Add a local printer or Add a network, wireless, or Bluetooth printer. Follow the instructions in the Add Printer Wizard. Power Protection Devices Several devices are available to protect against power fluctuations and failures:

Surge protectors Line conditioners Uninterruptible power supplies (UPS) Surge Protectors Surge protectors and power strips equipped with surge protection help prevent damage to your computer from voltage spikes that can occur during electrical storms or after power interruptions. Some surge protector manufacturers include warranty coverage for certain types of damage. Carefully read the device warranty when choosing a surge protector. A device with a higher joule rating offers more protection. Compare joule ratings to determine the relative effectiveness of different devices. NOTICE: Most surge protectors do not protect against power fluctuations or power interruptions caused by nearby lightning strikes. When lightning occurs in your area, disconnect the telephone line from the telephone wall jack and disconnect your computer from the electrical outlet. Many surge protectors have a telephone jack for modem protection. See the surge protector documentation for modem connection instructions. NOTICE: Not all surge protectors offer network adapter protection. Disconnect the network cable from the network wall jack during electrical storms. Setting Up Your Computer 29 Line Conditioners NOTICE: Line conditioners do not protect against power interruptions. Line conditioners are designed to maintain AC voltage at a fairly constant level. Uninterruptible Power Supplies NOTICE: Loss of power while data is being saved to the hard drive may result in data loss or file damage. NOTE: To ensure maximum battery operating time, connect only your computer to a UPS. Connect other devices, such as a printer, to a separate power strip that provides surge protection. A UPS protects against power fluctuations and interruptions. UPS devices contain a battery that provides temporary power to connected devices when AC power is interrupted. The battery charges while AC power is available. See the UPS manufacturer documentation for information on battery operating time and to ensure that the device is approved by Underwriters Laboratories (UL). 30 Setting Up Your Computer 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. Press <Fn> and the up-arrow key to increase brightness on the integrated display only (not on an external monitor). Press <Fn> and the down-arrow key to decrease brightness on the integrated display only (not on an external monitor). NOTE: Brightness key combinations only affect the display on your portable computer, not monitors or projectors that you attach to your portable computer. If your computer is connected to an external monitor and you try to change the brightness level, the Brightness Meter may appear, but the brightness level on the external device does not change. Switching the Video Image From Your Computer Display To a Projector When you start the computer with an external device attached (such as an external monitor or projector) and turned on, the image may appear on either the computer display or the external device. Press <Fn><F8> to switch the video image between the display only, the external device only, or the display and the external device simultaneously. Using the Display 31 Setting Display Resolution and Refresh Rate NOTE: If you change the display resolution from the current settings, the image may appear blurry or text may be hard to read if you change the resolution to one not supported by your computer and display. Before you change any of the display settings, make a note of the current settings so you can change back to the previous settings if needed. You can enhance the legibility of text and change the appearance of images on the screen by adjusting display resolution. As you increase resolution, items appear smaller on the screen. In contrast, lower resolution causes text and images to appear larger and can benefit people with vision impairments. To display a program at a specific resolution, both the video card and the display must support the program, and the necessary video drivers must be installed. NOTE: Use only the Dell-installed video drivers, which are designed to offer the best performance with your Dell-installed operating system. If you choose a resolution or color palette that is higher than the display supports, the settings adjust automatically to the closest supported values. To set the display resolution and refresh rate for your display:

1 2 3 Click Start Control Panel. Under Appearance and Personalization, click Adjust screen resolution. In the Display Settings window, under Resolution, move the slide bar to the left or right to decrease/increase the screen resolution. NOTE: For additional instructions, click How do I get the best display?

32 Using the Display Using the Keyboard and Touch Pad Numeric Keypad numeric keypad The numeric keypad functions like the numeric keypad on an external keyboard. Each key on the keypad has multiple functions. The keypad numbers and symbols are marked in blue on the right of the keypad keys. To type a number or symbol, hold down <Fn> and press the desired key. To enable the keypad, press <Num Lk>. The 9 light indicates that the keypad is active. To disable the keypad, press <Num Lk> again. Using the Keyboard and Touch Pad 33 Key Combinations System Functions

<Ctrl><Shift><Esc>

Opens the Task Manager window. Display Functions

<Fn><F8>

Displays icons representing all currently available display options (display only, external monitor or projector only, both display and projector, etc). Highlight the desired icon to switch the display to that option.

<Fn> and up-arrow key Increases brightness on the integrated display only

(not on an external monitor).

<Fn> and down-arrow key Decreases brightness on the integrated display only

(not on an external monitor). Battery

<Fn><F3>

Displays the Dell QuickSet Battery Meter (see

"Dell QuickSet Battery Meter" on page 40). Wireless Networking and Bluetooth Wireless Technology Function

<Fn><F2>

Enables and disables wireless networking and Bluetooth wireless technology. Power Management

<Fn><Esc>

Activates a power management mode. See

"Configuring Power Management Settings" on page 42. Microsoft Windows Logo Key Functions Windows logo key and <m> Minimizes all open windows. 34 Using the Keyboard and Touch Pad Windows logo key and Restores all minimized windows. This key

<Shift><m>

combination functions as a toggle to restore minimized windows following the use of the Windows logo key and <m> combination. Windows logo key and <e> Starts Windows Explorer. Windows logo key and <r>

Opens the Run dialog box. Windows logo key and <f>

Opens the Search Results dialog box. Windows logo key and Opens the Search Results-Computer dialog box (if

<Ctrl><f>

the computer is connected to a network). Windows logo key and Opens the System Properties dialog box.

<Pause>

Dell QuickSet Key Combinations If Dell QuickSet is installed, you can use other shortcut keys for functions such as the Battery Meter. For more information about Dell QuickSet key combinations, right-click the QuickSet icon in the notification area, and then click Help. Adjusting Keyboard Settings To adjust keyboard operation, such as the character repeat rate:

1 2 3 Click Start

, and then click Control Panel. Click Hardware and Sound. Click Keyboard. Touch Pad The touch pad detects the pressure 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. Using the Keyboard and Touch Pad 35 To move the cursor, lightly slide your finger over the touch pad. To select an object, lightly tap once on the surface of the touch pad or use your thumb to press the left touch pad button. To select and move (or drag) an object, position the 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. To double-click an object, position the cursor on the object and tap twice on the touch pad or use your thumb to press the left touch pad button twice. Customizing the Touch Pad You can use the Mouse Properties window to disable the touch pad or adjust the touch pad settings. 1 2 3 4 5 Click Start

, and then click Control Panel. Click Hardware and Sound. Click Keyboard. In the Mouse Properties window:

Click the Device Select tab to disable the touch pad. Click the Touch Pad tab to adjust touch pad settings. Click OK to save the settings and close the window. 36 Using the Keyboard and Touch Pad Using the Keyboard and Touch Pad 37 38 Using the Keyboard and Touch Pad Using a Battery Battery Performance NOTE: For information about the Dell warranty for your computer, see the Product Information Guide or separate paper warranty document that shipped with your computer. For optimal computer performance and to help preserve BIOS settings, operate your Dell portable computer with the main battery installed at all times. One battery is supplied as standard equipment in the battery bay. NOTE: Because the battery may not be fully charged, use the AC adapter to connect your new computer to an electrical outlet the first time you use the computer. For best results, operate the computer with the AC adapter until the battery is fully charged. To view battery charge status, place the mouse cursor over the battery icon in the Windows notification area. NOTE: Battery operating time (the time the battery can hold a charge) decreases over time. Depending on how often the battery is used and the conditions under which it is used, you may need to purchase a new battery during the life of your computer. NOTE: It is recommended that you connect your computer to an electrical outlet when writing to media. Battery operating time varies depending on operating conditions. Operating time is significantly reduced when you perform operations including, but not limited to, the following:

Using optical drives. Using wireless communications devices, ExpressCards, media memory cards, or USB devices. Using high-brightness display settings, 3D screen savers, or other power-

intensive programs such as complex 3D graphics applications. Running the computer in maximum performance mode (see "Configuring Power Management Settings" on page 42 for information about accessing Windows Power Options Properties, which you can use to configure power management settings). Using a Battery 39 You can check the battery charge before you insert the battery into the computer. You can also set power management 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 battery only with a compatible battery purchased from Dell. The battery is designed to work with your Dell computer. Do not use batteries from other computers with your computer. CAUTION: Do not dispose of batteries with household waste. When your battery no longer holds a charge, call your local waste disposal or environmental agency for advice on disposing of a lithium-ion battery (see "Battery Disposal" in the Product Information Guide). CAUTION: Misuse of the battery may increase the risk of fire or chemical burn. Do not puncture, incinerate, disassemble, or expose the battery to temperatures above 65C (149F). Keep the battery away from children. Handle damaged or leaking batteries with extreme care. Damaged batteries may leak and cause personal injury or equipment damage. Checking the Battery Charge You can check the battery charge on your computer using any one of the following methods:

Dell QuickSet Battery Meter Microsoft Windows battery meter icon located in the notification area Battery charge/health gauge located on the battery Low-battery warning pop-up window Dell QuickSet Battery Meter To view the Dell QuickSet Battery Meter:

Double-click the Dell QuickSet icon in the taskbar, and then click Battery Meter or Press <Fn><F3>

The Battery Meter displays the status, battery health, charge level, and charge completion time for the battery in your computer. For more information about QuickSet, right-click the QuickSet icon, and then click Help. 40 Using a Battery Microsoft Windows Battery Meter The battery meter indicates the remaining battery charge. To check the battery meter, double-click the icon in the notification area. Charge Gauge By either pressing once or pressing and holding the status button on the battery charge gauge, you can check:

Battery charge (check by pressing and releasing the status button) Battery health (check by pressing and holding the status button) The battery operating time is largely determined by the number of times it is charged. After hundreds of charge and discharge cycles, batteries lose some charge capacityor battery health. Therefore, a battery can show a status of charged, but maintain a reduced charge capacity (health). Check the Battery Charge To check the battery charge, the status button on the battery press and release charge gauge to illuminate the charge indicator lights. Each light represents approximately 20 percent of the total battery charge. For example, if the battery has 80 percent of its charge remaining, four of the lights are on. If no lights are on, the battery has no charge. Check the Battery Health NOTE: You can check battery health in one of two ways: 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-click the QuickSet icon in the notification area, and then click Help. To check the battery health using the charge gauge, press and hold the status button on the battery charge gauge for at least 3 seconds to illuminate the health indicator lights. Each light represents incremental degradation. If no lights appear, the battery is in good condition, and more than 80 percent of its original charge capacity remains. If five lights appear, less than 60 percent of the charge capacity remains, and you should consider replacing the battery (see

"Battery" on page 158 for more information about the battery operating time). Using a Battery 41 Low-Battery Warning NOTICE: To avoid losing or corrupting data, save 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 begins automatically. A pop-up window warns you when the battery charge is approximately 90 percent depleted. The computer enters Sleep state when the battery charge is at a critically low level. You can change the settings for the battery alarms in Dell QuickSet or the Power Options window (see "Configuring Power Management Settings" on page 42). Conserving Battery Power To conserve battery power on your portable computer, do any of the following:

Connect the computer to an electrical outlet when possible; battery life is largely determined by the number of times the battery is used and recharged. Configure the power management settings using Microsoft Windows Power Options to optimize your computers power usage (see "Configuring Power Management Settings" on page 42). Use the Sleep power state when you leave the computer unattended for long periods of time (see "Using the Sleep Power State" on page 43). Configuring Power Management Settings You can use Windows Power Options to configure the power management settings on your computer. To use Windows Power Options, do one of the following:

Click Start Control Panel Hardware and Sound Power Options, and then select a power plan in the Select a power plan window. or Click the icon in the notification area, click Power Options, and then select a plan in the Select a power plan window. 42 Using a Battery 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 previous work session without restarting your computer. NOTICE: If your computer loses AC and battery power while in Sleep state, it may lose data. To enter Sleep state:

Click the Start

, click

, and then click Sleep. or Depending on how you set the power management options in the Windows Power Options, use one of the following methods:

Press the power button. Close the display. Press <Fn><Esc>. To exit Sleep state, press the power button. Charging the Battery NOTE: Charge time is longer with the computer turned on. You can leave the battery in the computer for as long as you like. The batterys internal circuitry prevents the battery from overcharging. When you connect the computer to an electrical outlet or install a battery while the computer is connected to an electrical outlet, the computer checks the battery charge and temperature. If necessary, the AC adapter then charges the battery and maintains the battery charge. If the battery is hot from being used in your computer or being in a hot environment, the battery may not charge when you connect the computer to an electrical outlet. The battery is too hot to start charging if the battery light flashes alternately blue and amber. Disconnect the computer from the electrical outlet and allow the computer and the battery to cool to room temperature, then connect the computer to an electrical outlet to continue charging the battery. For more information about resolving problems with a battery, see "Power Problems" on page 108. Using a Battery 43 Replacing the Battery CAUTION: Using an incompatible battery may increase the risk of fire or explosion. Replace the battery only with a compatible battery purchased from Dell. The battery is designed to work with your Dell computer. Do not use batteries from other computers with your computer. CAUTION: Before performing these procedures, turn off the computer, disconnect the AC adapter from the electrical outlet and the computer, disconnect the modem from the wall connector and the computer, and remove any other external cables from the computer. NOTICE: You must remove all external cables from the computer to avoid possible connector damage. NOTICE: If you choose to replace the battery with the computer in Sleep state, you have up to 1 minute to complete the battery replacement before the computer shuts down and loses any unsaved data. To remove the battery:

1 2 3 4 Ensure that the computer is turned off. Turn the computer over. Slide and click the battery release latches to keep them open. Slide the battery out of the bay. 1 2 1 battery 2 battery release latches (2) To replace the battery, follow the removal procedure in reverse order. Storing a Battery Remove the battery when you store your computer for an extended period of time. A battery discharges during prolonged storage. After a long storage period, recharge the battery fully (see "Charging the Battery" on page 43) before you use it. 44 Using a Battery Using the Optional Camera If you ordered a camera when you bought your computer, the camera is integrated in the computer display. The camera and its integrated digital microphones allow you to take photos and videos and to communicate visually and verbally with other computer users. The blue camera light appears when the camera is turned on. For more information about camera features, see "Specifications" on page 153. NOTE: It is normal for the camera to feel warm to the touch when the computer is running and when the camera is in use. 1 2 3 1 digital microphones (2) 2 camera indicator 3 camera Accessing the Cameras Help File To access the cameras Video Software Help file, right-click the icon in the notification area and click Launch Webcam Center. Click Help from the menu and select Contents. Using the Optional Camera 45 Manually Adjusting the Camera Settings If you do not want the camera to use automatic settings, you can manually adjust the camera settings. 1 2 Right-click the icon in the notification area and click Launch Webcam Console. In the Webcam Console window:

Click the Camera tab to adjust video settings, such as contrast and brightness. Click the Effects tab to adjust audio settings, such as the volume level. For more information about camera settings and other camera-related topics, see the cameras Video Software Help file (see "Accessing the Cameras Help File" on page 45). Creating a Picture or a Video 1 2 Click the icon in the notification area and click QuickCapture. The QuickCapture window appears and the blue camera light turns on. You can now direct the camera to point at the object or person that you want to record. The QuickCapture window on the screen shows you the camera target view. To take a picture, click Take a Picture. To record a video, click Record a Video. Unless you designate a different location, the picture or video is automatically saved to the My Pictures folder on your hard drive. For more information about creating pictures or videos, see the cameras Video Software Help file (see "Accessing the Cameras Help File" on page 45). 46 Using the Optional Camera Using Multimedia Playing Media NOTICE: Do not press down on the optical drive tray when you open or close it. Keep the tray closed when you are not using the drive. NOTICE: Do not move the computer while playing media. Press the eject button on the front of the drive. Place the disc, label side up, in the center of the tray and snap the disc onto the spindle. 1 2 3 Push the tray back into the drive. Using Multimedia 47 To format media for storing or copying data, see the media software that came with your computer. NOTE: Ensure that you follow all copyright laws when copying media. A CD player includes the following basic buttons:

Play. Move backward within the current track. Pause. Move forward within the current track. Stop. Go to the previous track. Eject. Go to the next track. A DVD player includes the following basic buttons:

Stop. Restart the current chapter. Play. Fast forward. Pause. Fast reverse. Advance a single frame while in pause mode. Go to the next title or chapter. Continuously play the current title or chapter. Go to the previous title or chapter. Eject. For more information on playing media, click Help on the media player

(if available). 48 Using Multimedia Playing Media Using Dell Express Card Remote Control The Dell Express Card remote control is designed to control Dell Media Direct and Windows Vista Media Center. It can work only with specified computers. For more details, refer to the Dell Support website at support.dell.com. To play media using Dell Express Card remote control:

1 2 3 Install a coin-cell battery into your Express Card remote control. Launch Windows Vista Media Center from Start Use the remote control buttons to play media. Programs. 18 17 16 15 14 13 12 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 Using Multimedia 49 1 3 5 7 9 11 13 15 17 Infrared Transmitter Page Down OK/Enter/Select Arrow Down Forward Stop Reverse Arrow Left Volume Down 2 4 6 8 10 12 14 Page Up Arrow Up Arrow Right Play/Pause Skip Forward Skip Back Back 16 Mute 18 Volume Up Copying CD and DVD Media This section applies only to computers that have a DVD+/-RW drive. NOTE: Ensure that you observe all copyright laws when copying media. NOTE: The types of optical drives offered by Dell may vary by country. The following instructions explain how to make an exact copy of a CD or DVD using Roxio Creator. You can also use Roxio Creator for other purposes, such as creating music CDs from audio files stored on your computer or backing up important data. For help, open Roxio Creator, and then press

<F1>. The DVD drives installed in Dell computers do not support HD-DVD media. For a list of supported media formats, see "Using Blank CD and DVD Media"

on page 51. 50 Using Multimedia How to Copy a CD or DVD NOTE: Most commercial DVDs have copyright protection and cannot be copied using Roxio Creator Plus. Click Start All Programs Roxio Creator DE Projects Copy. Under the Copy tab, click Copy Disc. To copy the CD or DVD:

1 2 3 If you have one optical drive, insert the source disc into the drive, ensure that the settings are correct, and then click the Copy Disc button to continue. The computer reads your source disc and copies the data to a temporary folder on your computer hard drive. When prompted, insert a blank disc into the drive and click OK. If you have two optical drives, select the drive into which you have inserted your source disc and click the Copy Disc button to continue. The computer copies the data from the source disc to the blank disc. Once you have finished copying the source disc, the disc that you have created automatically ejects. Using Blank CD and DVD Media DVD-writable drives can write to both CD and DVD recording media. Use blank CD-Rs to record music or permanently 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 DVD+/-R media can be used to permanently store large amounts of information. After you create a DVD+/-R, you may not be able to write to that disc again if the disc is finalized or closed during the final stage of the disc creation process. Use blank DVD+/-RW media if you plan to erase, rewrite, or update information on that disc later. CD-Writable Drives Media Type Read CD-R CD-RW Yes Yes Write Yes Yes Rewritable No Yes Using Multimedia 51 DVD-Writable Drives Media Type Read Write Rewritable CD-R CD-RW DVD+R DVD-R DVD+RW DVD-RW DVD+R DL DVD-R DL Helpful Tips Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes No Yes No No Yes Yes No No Use Microsoft Windows Explorer to drag and drop files to a CD-R or CD-RW only after you start Roxio Creator and open a Creator project. Do not burn a blank CD-R or CD-RW to its maximum capacity; for example, do not copy a 650-MB file to a blank 650-MB CD. The CD-RW drive needs 12 MB of the blank space to finalize the recording. Use CD-Rs to burn music CDs that you want to play in regular stereos. CD-RWs do not play in most home or car stereos. Music MP3 files can be played only on MP3 players or on computers that have MP3 software installed. Use a blank CD-RW to practice CD recording until you are familiar with CD recording techniques. If you make a mistake, you can erase the data on the CD-RW and try again. You can also use blank CD-RWs to test music file projects before you record the project permanently to a blank CD-R. You cannot create audio DVDs with Roxio Creator. Commercially available DVD players used in home theater systems may not support all available DVD formats. For a list of formats supported by your DVD player, see the documentation provided with your DVD player or contact the manufacturer. See the Roxio website at www.sonic.com. 52 Using Multimedia Adjusting the Volume NOTE: When the speakers are muted, you do not hear the media playing. Right-click the volume icon in the notification area. Click Open Volume Mixer. Click and drag the bar to slide it up or down to increase or decrease the volume. 1 2 3 For more information on volume control options, click Help in the Volume Mixer window. The Volume Meter displays the current volume level, including mute, on your computer. Either click the QuickSet icon in the notification area and select or deselect Disable On Screen Volume Meter, or press the volume control buttons to enable or disable the Volume Meter on the screen. Adjusting the Picture If an error message notifies you that the current resolution and color depth are using too much memory and preventing media playback, adjust the display properties:

1 2 3 4 5 Click Start Control Panel Appearance and Personalization. Under Personalization, click Adjust screen resolution. On Display Settings, click and drag the bar to reduce the resolution setting. In the drop-down menu under Color quality, click Medium (16 bit). Click OK. Using Dell MediaDirect Dell MediaDirect is an instant-on multimedia playback mode for digital media. Press the Dell MediaDirect button, located on the hinge cover, to launch Dell MediaDirect. When your computer is turned off or in Sleep state, you can press the Dell MediaDirect button to start the computer and automatically launch the Dell MediaDirect application. Using Multimedia 53 1 1 Dell MediaDirect button NOTE: You cannot reinstall Dell MediaDirect if you voluntarily reformat the hard drive. You need the installation software to reinstall Dell MediaDirect. Contact Dell for assistance (see "Contacting Dell" on page 152). For more information on using Dell MediaDirect, use the Help menu in the Dell MediaDirect application. Connecting Your Computer to a TV or Audio Device NOTE: Video and audio cables for connecting your computer to a TV or other audio device may not be included with your computer. Cables and TV/digital audio adapter cables are available for purchase from Dell. Your computer has an S-video TV-out connector that, together with a standard S-video cable, a composite video adapter cable, or a component video adapter cable (available from Dell), enable you to connect the computer to a TV. Your TV has either an S-video input connector, a composite video-input connector, or a component video-input connector. Depending on what type of connector is available on your TV, you can use a commercially available S-video cable, composite video cable, or component video cable to connect your computer to your TV. 54 Using Multimedia 1 2 1 S-video TV-out connector 2 S-video connector 1 2 3 4 5 S-video TV-out connector S/PDIF digital audio connector 2 4 composite video adapter composite video-output connector S-video connector 2 3 4 5 6 S-video TV-out connector S/PDIF digital audio connector Pb (blue) component video-output 2 4 6 component video adapter Pr (red) component video-output connector Y (green) component video-output connector connector 1 3 5 1 1 3 5 Using Multimedia 55 If you want to connect your computer to a TV or audio device, it is recommended that you connect video and audio cables to your computer in one of the following combinations:

S-video and standard audio Composite video and standard audio Component-out video and standard audio NOTE: See the diagrams at the beginning of each subsection to help you determine which method of connection you should use. When you finish connecting the video and audio cables between your computer and your TV, you must enable your computer to work with the TV. See "Enabling the Display Settings for a TV" on page 68 to ensure that the computer recognizes and works properly with the TV. Additionally, if you are using S/PDIF digital audio, see "Enabling S/PDIF Digital Audio" on page 68. S-Video and Standard Audio 1 2 1 audio connector 2 S-video TV-out connector 56 Using Multimedia 1 2 1 standard S-video cable 2 standard audio cable 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 Turn off the computer and the TV and/or audio device that you want to connect. NOTE: If your TV or audio device supports S-video but not S/PDIF digital audio, you can connect an S-video cable directly to the S-video TV-out connector on the computer (without the TV/digital audio adapter cable). Plug one end of the S-video cable into the S-video output connector on the computer. Plug the other end of the S-video cable into the S-video input connector on your TV. Plug the single-connector end of the audio cable into the headphone connector on your computer. Plug the two RCA connectors on the other end of the audio cable into the audio input connectors on your TV or other audio device. Turn on the TV and any audio device that you connected (if applicable), and then turn on the computer. See "Enabling the Display Settings for a TV" on page 68 to ensure that the computer recognizes and works properly with the TV. Using Multimedia 57 S-Video and S/PDIF Digital Audio 1 2 1 S-video TV-out connector 2 composite video adapter 1 2 3 1 composite video adapter 2 S-video cable 3 S/PDIF digital audio cable 58 Using Multimedia 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 Turn off the computer and the TV and/or the audio device that you want to connect. Connect the composite video adapter to the S-video TV-out connector on your computer. Plug one end of the S-video cable into the S-video output connector on the composite video adapter. 1 2 1 composite video adapter 2 S-video cable Plug the other end of the S-video cable into the S-video input connector on the TV. Plug one end of the S/PDIF digital audio cable into the digital audio connector on the composite video adapter cable. 1 2 1 composite video adapter 2 S/PDIF digital audio cable Plug the other end of the S/PDIF digital audio cable into the audio input connector on your TV or audio device. Turn on the TV, turn on any audio device that you connected (if applicable), and then turn on the computer. See "Enabling the Display Settings for a TV" on page 68 to ensure that the computer recognizes and works properly with the TV. Using Multimedia 59 Composite Video and Standard Audio 1 2 3 1 3 1 3 audio input connector 2 S-video TV-out connector composite video adapter 1 2 3 composite video adapter 2 composite video cable standard audio cable 60 Using Multimedia 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 Turn off the computer and the TV and/or audio device that you want to connect. Connect the composite video adapter to the S-video TV-out connector on your computer. Plug one end of the composite video cable into the composite video-

output connector on the composite video adapter. 1 2 1 composite video adapter 2 composite video cable Plug the other end of the composite video cable into the composite video-

input connector on the TV. Plug the single-connector end of the audio cable into the headphone connector on the computer. Plug the two RCA connectors on the other end of the audio cable into the audio input connectors on your TV or other audio device. Turn on the TV, turn on any audio device that you connected (if applicable), and then turn on the computer. See "Enabling the Display Settings for a TV" on page 68 to ensure that the computer recognizes and works properly with the TV. Using Multimedia 61 Composite Video and S/PDIF Digital Audio 1 2 1 S-video TV-out connector 2 composite video adapter 1 2 3 1 3 composite video adapter 2 composite video cable standard audio cable 62 Using Multimedia 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 Turn off the computer and the TV and/or audio device that you want to connect. Connect the composite video adapter to the S-video TV-out connector on the computer. Plug one end of the composite video cable into the composite video-input connector on the composite video adapter. 1 2 1 composite video adapter 2 composite video cable Plug the other end of the composite video cable into the composite video-

input connector on the TV. Plug one end of the S/PDIF digital audio cable into the S/PDIF audio connector on the composite video adapter. 1 2 1 composite video adapter 2 S/PDIF digital audio cable Plug the other end of the digital audio cable into the S/PDIF input connector on your TV or other audio device. Turn on the TV, turn on any audio device that you connected (if applicable), and then turn on the computer. See "Enabling the Display Settings for a TV" on page 68 to ensure that the computer recognizes and works properly with the TV. Using Multimedia 63 Component Video and Standard Audio 1 2 1 S-video TV-out connector 2 component video adapter 1 2 3 1 3 component video adapter 2 component video cable standard audio cable 64 Using Multimedia 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 Turn off the computer and the TV and/or audio device that you want to connect. Connect the component video adapter to the S-video TV-out connector on your computer. Plug all three ends of the component video cable into the component video-output connectors on the component video adapter. Make sure that the red, green, and blue colors of the cable match the corresponding adapter ports. 1 2 1 component video adapter 2 component video cable Plug all three connectors from the other end of the component video cable into the component video-input connectors on the TV. Make sure that the red, green, and blue colors of the cable match the colors of the TV input connectors. Plug the single-connector end of the audio cable into the headphone connector on the computer. Plug the two RCA connectors on the other end of the audio cable into the audio input connectors on your TV or audio device. Turn on the TV, turn on any audio device that you connected (if applicable), and then turn on the computer. See "Enabling the Display Settings for a TV" on page 68 to ensure that the computer recognizes and works properly with the TV. Using Multimedia 65 Component Video and S/PDIF Digital Audio 1 2 1 S-video TV-out connector 2 component video adapter 1 2 3 1 3 component video adapter 2 component video cable standard audio cable 66 Using Multimedia 1 2 3 1 3 4 5 Turn off the computer and the TV and/or audio device that you want to connect. Connect the component video adapter to the S-video TV-out connector on the computer. Plug all three ends of the component video cable into the component video-output connectors on the component video adapter. Make sure that the red, green, and blue colors of the cable match the corresponding adapter ports. 1 2 3 component video adapter 2 component video-output connectors component video cable Plug all three connectors from the other end of the component video cable into the component video-input connectors on the TV. Make sure that the red, green, and blue colors of the cable match the colors of the TV input connectors. Plug one end of the S/PDIF digital audio cable into the S/PDIF audio connector on the component video adapter. 1 2 1 component video adapter 2 S/PDIF digital audio cable Using Multimedia 67 6 7 8 Plug the other end of the digital audio cable into the S/PDIF input connector on your TV or other audio device. Turn on the TV, turn on any audio device that you connected (if applicable), and then turn on the computer. See "Enabling the Display Settings for a TV" on page 68 to ensure that the computer recognizes and works properly with the TV. Enabling S/PDIF Digital Audio 1 2 3 4 5 6 Double-click the speaker icon in the Windows notification area. Click the Options menu and then click Advanced Controls. Click Advanced. Click S/PDIF Interface. Click Close. Click OK. Enabling the Display Settings for a TV 1 2 3 4 5 NOTE: To ensure that the display options appear correctly, connect the TV to the computer before you enable the display settings. Click Start

, click Control Panel, and then click Appearance and Personalization. Under Personalization, click Adjust Screen Resolution. The Display Properties window appears. Click Advanced. Click the tab for your video card. NOTE: To determine the type of video card installed in your computer, see Windows Help and Support. To access Help and Support, click Start Help and Support. Under Pick a Task, click Use Tools to view your computer information and diagnose problems. Then, under My Computer Information, select Hardware. In the display devices section, select the appropriate option for using either a single display or multiple displays, ensuring that the display settings are correct for your selection. 68 Using Multimedia Using Cards ExpressCards ExpressCards provide additional memory, wired and wireless communications, multimedia and security features. For example, you can add an ExpressCard to make wireless wide area network (WWAN) connectivity available on your computer. ExpressCards support two form factors:

ExpressCard/34 (34 mm wide) ExpressCard/54 (54 mm wide in an L-shape with a 34 mm connector) The 34 mm card fits into both the 34 mm and 54 mm card slots. The 54 mm card only fits into a 54 mm card slot. See "Specifications" on page 153 for information on supported ExpressCards. NOTE: An ExpressCard is not a bootable device. 1 2 1 ExpressCard/34 2 ExpressCard/54 Using Cards 69 ExpressCard Blanks Your computer shipped with a plastic blank installed in the ExpressCard slot. Blanks protect unused slots from dust and other particles. Save the blank for use when no ExpressCard is installed in the slot; blanks from other computers may not fit your computer. Remove the blank before installing an ExpressCard. To remove the blank, see

"Removing an ExpressCard or Blank" on page 71. Installing an ExpressCard You can install an ExpressCard while the computer is running. The computer automatically detects the card. ExpressCards are generally marked with a symbol (such as a triangle or an arrow) or a label to indicate which end to insert into the slot. The cards are keyed to prevent incorrect insertion. If card orientation is not clear, see the documentation that came with the card. CAUTION: Before you begin any of the procedures in this section, follow the safety instructions in the Product Information Guide. To install an ExpressCard:

1 2 Hold the card with the top side of the card facing up. Slide the card into the slot until the card is completely seated in its connector. If you encounter too much resistance, do not force the card. Check the card orientation and try again. 70 Using Cards 1 2 1 slot 2 ExpressCard The computer recognizes the ExpressCard and automatically loads the appropriate device driver. If the configuration program tells you to load the manufacturer's drivers, use the media that came with the ExpressCard. Removing an ExpressCard or Blank CAUTION: Before you begin any of the procedures in this section, follow the safety instructions in the Product Information Guide. Press the latch and remove the card or blank. For some latches, you must press the latch twice, once to pop the latch out, and then a second time to pop the card out. Save a blank to use when no ExpressCard is installed in a slot. Blanks protect unused slots from dust and other particles. Using Cards 71 1 1 release button Memory Card Reader The memory card reader provides a fast and convenient way to view and share digital photos, music, and videos stored on a memory card. NOTE: A memory card is not a bootable device. The 8-in-1 memory card reader reads the following memory cards:

Secure Digital (SD) SDIO MultiMediaCard (MMC) Memory Stick Memory Stick PRO xD-Picture Card Hi Speed-SD Hi Density-SD 72 Using Cards Memory Card Blanks Your computer shipped with a plastic blank installed in the memory card reader. Blanks protect unused slots from dust and other particles. Save the blank for use when no media memory card is installed in the slot; blanks from other computers may not fit your computer. Remove the blank before installing a media memory card. To remove the blank, see "Removing a Memory Card or Blank" on page 74. Installing a Memory Card You can install a media memory card in the computer while the computer is running. The computer automatically detects the card. Memory cards are generally marked with a symbol (such as a triangle or an arrow) or a label to indicate which end to insert into the slot. The cards are keyed to prevent incorrect insertion. If card orientation is not clear, see the documentation that came with the card. CAUTION: Before you begin any of the procedures in this section, follow the safety instructions in the Product Information Guide. To install a memory card:

1 2 Hold the card with the top side of the card facing up. Slide the card into the slot until the card is completely seated in its connector. If you encounter too much resistance, do not force the card. Check the card orientation and try again. Using Cards 73 The computer recognizes the memory card and automatically loads the appropriate device driver. If the configuration program tells you to load the manufacturer's drivers, use the media that came with the memory card, if applicable. Removing a Memory Card or Blank CAUTION: Before you begin any of the procedures in this section, follow the safety instructions in the Product Information Guide. NOTICE: Use the memory card configuration utility (click the notification area) to select a card and stop it from functioning before you remove it from the computer. If you do not stop the card in the configuration utility, you could lose data. icon in the Press the card into the slot to release it from the card reader. When it is partially ejected, remove the card. 74 Using Cards Setting Up and Using Networks Setting up a computer network provides connectivity between your computer and the Internet, another computer, or a network. For example, with a network set up in a home or small office you can print to a shared printer, access drives and files on another computer, browse other networks, or access the Internet. You can set up a local area network (LAN) using a network or broadband modem cable or set up a wireless LAN (WLAN). The Windows Vista operating system provides a wizard to help guide you through the process of networking computers. For more information about and then click Networking, access Windows Help and Support (click Start Help and Support). 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 2 Connect the network cable to the network adapter connector on the back of your computer. NOTE: Insert the cable connector until it clicks into place, and then gently pull on the cable to ensure that it is securely attached. Connect the other end of the network cable to a network connection device or a network wall connector. NOTE: Do not use a network cable with a telephone wall connector. Setting Up and Using Networks 75 Setting Up a Network 1 2 3 4 Click Start

, and then click Connect To. Click Set up a connection or network. Select an option under Choose a connection option. Click Next, and then follow the instructions in the wizard. Wireless Local Area Network A wireless local area network (WLAN) is a series of interconnected computers that communicate with each other over the air waves rather than through a network cable connected to each computer. In a WLAN, a radio communications device called an access point or wireless router connects network computers and provides Internet, or network access. The access point or wireless router and the wireless network card in the computer communicate by broadcasting data from their antennas over the air waves. What You Need to Establish a WLAN Connection Before you can set up a WLAN, you need:

High-speed (broadband) Internet access (such as cable or DSL) A broadband modem that is connected and working A wireless router or access point A wireless network card for each computer that you want to connect to your WLAN Checking Your Wireless Network Card Depending on what you selected when you purchased your computer, the computer has a variety of configurations. To confirm that your computer has a wireless network card and to determine the type of card:

Use the Device Manager Check the order confirmation for your computer 76 Setting Up and Using Networks Device Manager 1 2 3 4 5 Click Start

, and then click Control Panel. Click Classic View on the menu on the left side of the Control Panel. Double-click Device Manager. NOTE: The User Account Control window may open. Click Continue on the User Account Control window if it opens. Click the + next to Network adapters to list the utility that manages your wireless network card. If a network adapter is not listed, you may not have a wireless network card. If a network adapter is listed, you have a wireless network card. To view detailed information about the wireless network card:

1 2 Right-click the name of the network adapter. Click Properties. The Order Confirmation for Your Computer The order confirmation that you received when you ordered your computer lists the hardware and software that shipped with your computer. Setting Up a New WLAN Using a Wireless Router and a Broadband Modem 1 2 3 4 5 Contact your Internet service provider (ISP) to obtain specific information about the connection requirements for your broadband modem. Ensure that you have wired Internet access through your broadband modem before you attempt to set up a wireless Internet connection (see

"Connecting a Network or Broadband Modem Cable" on page 75). Install any software required for your wireless router. Your wireless router may have been shipped with installation media. Installation media usually contains installation and troubleshooting information. Install the required software according to the instructions provided by the router manufacturer. Shut down your computer and any other wireless-enabled computers in the vicinity through the Windows Vista Start button

. Disconnect your broadband modem power cable from the electrical outlet. Setting Up and Using Networks 77 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 Disconnect the network cable from the computer and the modem. Disconnect the AC adapter cable from your wireless router to ensure that there is no power connected to the router. NOTE: Wait for a minimum of 5 minutes after disconnecting your broadband modem before continuing with the network setup. Insert a network cable into the network (RJ-45) connector on the unpowered broadband modem. Connect the other end of the network cable into the Internet network (RJ-45) connector on the unpowered wireless router. Ensure that no network or USB cables, other than the network cable connecting the modem and the wireless router, are connected to the broadband modem. NOTE: Restart your wireless equipment in the order described below to prevent a potential connection failure. Turn on only your broadband modem and wait for at least 2 minutes for the broadband modem to stabilize. After 2 minutes, proceed to step 12. Turn on your wireless router and wait for at least 2 minutes for the wireless router to stabilize. After 2 minutes, proceed to the step 13. Start your computer and wait until the boot process completes. See the documentation that came with your wireless router to do the following in order to set up the wireless router:

Establish communication between your computer and your wireless router. Configure your wireless router to communicate with your broadband router. Find out your wireless routers broadcast name. The technical term for the name of your routers broadcast name is Service Set Identifier

(SSID) or network name. If necessary, configure your wireless network card to connect to the wireless network (see "Connecting to a WLAN" on page 79). 78 Setting Up and Using Networks Connecting to a WLAN NOTE: Before you connect to a WLAN, ensure that you have followed the instructions in "Wireless Local Area Network" on page 76. NOTE: The following networking instructions do not apply to internal cards with Bluetooth wireless technology or cellular products. This section provides general procedures for connecting to a network using wireless technology. Specific network names and configuration details vary. See "Wireless Local Area Network" on page 76 for more information about how to prepare for connecting your computer to a WLAN. Your wireless network card requires specific software and drivers for connecting to a network. The software is already installed. NOTE: If the software is removed or corrupted, follow the instructions in the user documentation for your wireless network card. Verify the type of wireless network card installed in your computer and then search for that name on the Dell Support website at support.dell.com. For information on the type of wireless network card that is installed in your computer, see "Checking Your Wireless Network Card" on page 76. When you turn on your computer and a network (for which your computer is not configured) is detected in the area, a pop-up appears near the network icon in the Windows notification area. To connect to the network:

1 2 3 4 Click Start

, and then click Network. Click Network and Sharing on the navigation bar at the top of the Network folder. Click Connect to a network under Tasks. Select your network from the list and click Connect. Once you have configured your computer for a wireless network, another pop-up notifies you that your computer is connected to that network. Thereafter, whenever you log on to your computer within the range of the wireless network that you selected, the same pop-up notifies you of the wireless network connection. NOTE: If you select a secure network, you must enter a WEP or WPA key when prompted. Network security settings are unique to your network. Dell cannot provide this information. NOTE: Your computer can take up to 1 minute to connect to the network. Setting Up and Using Networks 79 Monitoring the Status of the Wireless Network Card Through Dell QuickSet The wireless activity indicator provides you with an easy way to monitor the status of your computers wireless devices. To turn the wireless activity indicator on or off, click the QuickSet icon in the taskbar and select Hotkey Popups. If Wireless Activity Indicator Off is not checked, the indicator is on. If Wireless Activity Indicator Off is checked, the indicator is off. The wireless activity indicator displays whether your computers integrated wireless devices are enabled or disabled. When you turn the wireless networking function on or off, the wireless activity indicator changes to display the status. For more information about the Dell QuickSet wireless activity indicator, right-click the QuickSet icon in the taskbar, and then select Help. Mobile Broadband (or Wireless Wide Area Network) A Mobile Broadband network, also known as a Wireless Wide Area Network

(WWAN), is a high-speed digital cellular network that provides Internet access over a much wider geographical area than a WLAN, which typically covers only from 100 to 1000 feet. Your computer can maintain Mobile Broadband network access as long as the computer is within a cellular-data coverage zone. Contact your service provider for coverage of a high-speed digital cellular network. NOTE: Even if you are able to make a call from your cellular phone in a specific geographical location, that location may not necessarily be within a cellular-data coverage zone. What You Need to Establish a Mobile Broadband Network Connection NOTE: Depending on your computer, you can use either a Mobile Broadband ExpressCard or Mini Card, but not both, to establish a Mobile Broadband network connection. To set up a Mobile Broadband network connection, you need:

A Mobile Broadband ExpressCard or Mini Card (depending on your computers configuration) NOTE: For instructions on using ExpressCards, see "ExpressCards" on page 69. 80 Setting Up and Using Networks An activated Mobile Broadband ExpressCard or activated Subscriber Identity Module (SIM) for your service provider The Dell Mobile Broadband Card Utility (already installed on your computer if you purchased the card when you purchased your computer, or on the media that accompanied your card if purchased separately from your computer) If the utility is corrupted or deleted from your computer, see the Dell Mobile Broadband Card Utility users guide in Windows Help and Support (click Start

, and then click Help and Support) or on the media that accompanied your card if you purchased it separately from your computer. Checking Your Dell Mobile Broadband Card Depending on what you selected when you purchased your computer, the computer has a variety of configurations. To determine your computer configuration, see one of the following:

Your order confirmation Microsoft Windows Help and Support To check your Mobile Broadband card in Windows Help and Support:

1 2

. Click Start Help and Support Use Tools to view your computer information and diagnose problems Under Tools, click My Computer Information the hardware installed on this computer. Find information about On the My Computer Information - Hardware screen, you can view the type of Mobile Broadband card installed in your computer as well as other hardware components. NOTE: The Mobile Broadband card is listed under Modems. Setting Up and Using Networks 81 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 activate Mobile Broadband service through your cellular service provider. For instructions and for additional information about using the Dell Mobile Broadband Card Utility, see the user's guide available through Windows Help and Support (click Start

, and then click Help and Support). The user's guide is also available on the Dell Support website at support.dell.com and on the media included with your Mobile Broadband card if you purchased the card separately from your computer. Use the Dell Mobile Broadband Card Utility to establish and manage a Mobile Broadband network connection to the Internet:

1 2 3 1 2 Click the Dell Mobile Broadband Card Utility icon in the Windows notification area to run the utility. Click Connect. NOTE: The Connect button changes to the Disconnect button. Follow the instructions on the screen to manage the network connection with the utility. or Click Start All Programs Dell Wireless. Click Dell Wireless Broadband and follow the instructions on the screen. Enabling/Disabling the Dell Mobile Broadband Card NOTE: If you are unable to connect to a Mobile Broadband network, ensure that you have all the components for establishing a Mobile Broadband connection (see

"What You Need to Establish a Mobile Broadband Network Connection" on page 80), and then verify that your Mobile Broadband card is enabled by verifying the setting of the wireless switch. You can turn your Mobile Broadband card on and off using the wireless switch on your computer. You can turn your computers wireless devices on and off with the wireless switch on the front side of the computer (see "Front View" on page 20). 82 Setting Up and Using Networks If the switch is in the on position, move the switch to the off position to disable the switch and the Mobile Broadband 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. For information about the wireless switch positions. To monitor the status of your wireless device, see "Monitoring the Status of the Wireless Network Card Through Dell QuickSet" on page 80. Dell Wi-Fi Catcher Network Locator The wireless switch on your Dell computer uses the Dell Wi-Fi Catcher Network Locator to scan specifically for wireless networks in your vicinity. To scan for a wireless network, slide and hold the wireless switch in the momentary position for a few seconds. The Wi-Fi Catcher Network Locator functions regardless of whether your computer is turned on or off, or in Sleep state, as long as the switch is configured through Dell QuickSet or the BIOS

(system setup program) to control WiFi network connections. Because the Wi-Fi Catcher Network Locator is disabled and not configured for use when your computer is shipped to you, you must first use Dell QuickSet to enable and configure the switch to control WiFi network connections. For more information on the Wi-Fi Catcher Network Locator and to enable the feature through Dell QuickSet, right-click the QuickSet icon in the notification area, and then select Help. Setting Up and Using Networks 83 84 Setting Up and Using Networks Securing Your Computer Security Cable Lock NOTE: Your computer does not ship with a security cable lock. A security cable lock is a commercially available antitheft device. To use the lock, attach it to the security cable slot on your Dell computer. For more information, see the instructions included with the device. NOTICE: Before you buy an antitheft device, ensure that it will work with the security cable slot on your computer. Passwords Passwords prevent unauthorized access to your computer. When you first start your computer, you must assign a primary password at the prompt. If you do not enter a password within 2 minutes, the computer returns to its previous operating state. When using passwords, observe the following guidelines:

Choose a password that you can remember, but not one that is easy to guess. For example, do not use the names of family members or pets for passwords. It is recommended that you do not write down your password. If you do write it down, however, ensure that the password is stored in a secure location. Securing Your Computer 85 Do not share your password with other people. Ensure that people are not watching you when you type your password. NOTICE: Passwords provide a high level of security for data in your computer or hard drive. However, they are not foolproof. If you require more security, obtain and use additional forms of protection such as data encryption programs. Use the User Accounts option in the Control Panel in the Microsoft Windows operating system to create user accounts or to change passwords. Once you create a user password, you must enter it each time you turn on or unlock your computer. If you do not enter a password within 2 minutes, the computer returns to its previous operating state. For more information, see your Windows documentation. If you forget any of your passwords, contact Dell (see "Contacting Dell" on page 152). For your protection, Dell technical support staff will ask you for proof of your identity to ensure that only an authorized person can use the computer. If Your Computer Is Lost or Stolen Call a law enforcement agency to report the lost or stolen computer. Include the Service Tag in your description of the computer. Ask that a case number be assigned and write down the number, along with the name, address, and phone number of the law enforcement agency. If possible, obtain the name of the investigating officer. NOTE: If you know where the computer was lost or stolen, call a law enforcement agency in that area. If you do not know, call a law enforcement agency where you live. If the computer belongs to a company, notify the security office of the company. Contact Dell customer service to report the missing computer. Provide the computer Service Tag, the case number, and the name, address, and phone number of the law enforcement agency to which you reported the missing computer. If possible, give the name of the investigating officer. The Dell customer service representative will log your report under the computer Service Tag and record the computer as missing or stolen. If someone calls Dell for technical assistance and gives your Service Tag, the computer is identified automatically as missing or stolen. The representative will attempt to get the phone number and address of the caller. Dell will then contact the law enforcement agency to which you reported the missing computer. 86 Securing Your Computer Troubleshooting Dell Technical Update Service The Dell Technical Update service provides proactive e-mail notification of software and hardware updates for your computer. The service is free and can be customized for content, format, and how frequently you receive notifications. To enroll for the Dell Technical Update service, go to support.dell.com/technicalupdate. Dell Diagnostics CAUTION: Before you begin any of the procedures in this section, follow the safety instructions in the Product Information Guide. When to Use the Dell Diagnostics If you experience a problem with your computer, perform the checks in

"Lockups and Software Problems" on page 103 and run the Dell Diagnostics before you contact Dell for technical assistance. It is recommended that you print these procedures before you begin. NOTE: The Dell Diagnostics only operate on Dell computers. Enter system setup, review your computers configuration information, and ensure that the device you want to test displays in system setup and is active

(see "Using the System Setup Program" on page 161). Start the Dell Diagnostics from your hard drive or from your Drivers and Utilities media (see "Drivers and Utilities Media" on page 13). Starting the Dell Diagnostics From Your 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, contact Dell (see

"Contacting Dell" on page 152). Troubleshooting 87 1 2 3 4 Ensure that the computer is connected to an electrical outlet that is known to be working properly. Turn on (or restart) your computer. Start the Dell Diagnostics in one of the following two ways:

a When the DELL logo appears, press <F12> immediately. Select Diagnostics from the boot menu, and then press <Enter>. NOTE: If you wait too long and the operating system logo appears, continue to wait until you see the Microsoft Windows desktop, then shut down your computer and try again. NOTE: Before attempting option B, the computer must be powered down completely. b Press and hold the <Fn> key while powering the computer on. NOTE: If you see a message stating that no diagnostics utility partition has been found, run the Dell Diagnostics from your Drivers and Utilities media. The computer runs the Pre-boot System Assessment, a series of initial tests of your system board, keyboard, hard drive, and display. During the assessment, answer any questions that appear. If a failure is detected, the computer stops and beeps. To stop the assessment and restart the computer, press <n>; to continue to the next test, press <y>; to retest the component that failed, press <r>. If failures are detected during the Pre-boot System Assessment, write down the error code(s) and contact Dell. If the Pre-boot System Assessment completes successfully, you receive the message Booting Dell Diagnostic Utility Partition. Press any key to continue. Press any key to start the Dell Diagnostics from the diagnostics utility partition on your hard drive. Starting the Dell Diagnostics From the Drivers and Utilities Media 1 2 3 Insert your Drivers and Utilities media. Shut down and restart the computer. When the DELL logo appears, press <F12> immediately. 88 Troubleshooting NOTE: Keyboard failure may result when a key on the keyboard is held down for extended periods of time. To avoid possible keyboard failure, press and release <F12> in even intervals until the boot device menu appears. 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 At the boot device menu, use the up- and down-arrow keys to highlight CD/DVD/CD-RW, and then press <Enter>. NOTE: The Quickboot feature changes the boot sequence for the current boot only. Upon restart, the computer boots according to the boot sequence specified in system setup. Select the Boot from CD-ROM option from the menu that appears, and then press <Enter>. Type 1 to start the Drivers and Utilities menu, and then press <Enter>. Select Run the 32 Bit Dell Diagnostics from the numbered list. If multiple versions are listed, select the version appropriate for your computer. At the Dell Diagnostics Main Menu, select the test you want to run. NOTE: Write down any error codes and problem descriptions exactly as they appear and follow the instructions on the screen. After all tests have completed, close the test window to return to the Dell Diagnostics Main Menu. Remove your Drivers and Utilities media, then close the Main Menu window to exit the Dell Diagnostics and restart the computer. Dell Diagnostics Main Menu After the Dell Diagnostics 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. Option Function Test Memory Run the stand-alone memory test Test System Run System Diagnostics Exit Exit the Diagnostics Troubleshooting 89 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 the devices in the computer. Option Function Express Test Extended Test Custom Test Symptom Tree Performs a quick test of system devices. The test typically takes 10 to 20 minutes and requires no interaction on your part. Run Express Test first to increase the possibility of tracing the problem quickly. Performs a thorough check of system devices. The test typically takes an hour or more and periodically requires your input to answer specific questions. Tests a specific device in the system and can be used to customize the tests you want to run. Lists a number of common symptoms and allows you to select a test based on the symptom of the problem you are having. For any problem encountered during a test, a message appears with an error code and a description of the problem. Write down the error code and problem description exactly as it appears and follow the instructions on the screen. If you cannot resolve the problem, contact Dell (see "Contacting Dell"

on page 152). NOTE: The Service Tag for your computer is located at the top of each test screen. When contacting Dell support, have your Service Tag ready. The following tabs provide additional information for tests run from the Custom Test or Symptom Tree option:

90 Troubleshooting Tab Results Errors Help Function Displays the results of the test and any error conditions encountered. Displays error conditions encountered, error codes, and the problem description. Describes the test and any requirements for running the test. Configuration Displays your hardware configuration for the selected device. The Dell Diagnostics obtains configuration information for all devices from system setup, memory, and various internal tests, and it displays the information in the device list in the left pane of the screen. The device list may not display the names of all the components installed on your computer or all devices attached to your computer. Parameters Allows you to customize the test by changing the test settings. Dell Support Utility The Dell Support Utility is customized for your computing environment. This utility provides self-support information, software updates, and health scans for your computer. Use this utility to do the following:

Check your computing environment View the Dell Support Utility settings Access the help file for the Dell Support Utility View frequently asked questions Learn more about the Dell Support Utility Turn the Dell Support Utility off Troubleshooting 91 For more information about the Dell Support Utility, click the question mark (?) at the top of the Dell Support window. To access the Dell Support Utility:

Click the Dell Support icon in the notification area. icon functions vary when clicking, double-clicking, or NOTE: The right-clicking. Or Click the Start All Programs Dell Support Dell Support Settings. Ensure that the Show icon on the taskbar option is checked. NOTE: If the Dell Support Utility is not available from the Start menu, go to support.dell.com and download the software. Drive Problems CAUTION: Before you begin any of the procedures in this section, follow the safety instructions in the Product Information Guide. Fill out the "Diagnostics Checklist" on page 151 as you complete these checks. E N S U R E T H A T M I C R O S O F T Click Start Computer. W I N D O W S R E C O G N I Z E S T H E D R I V E If the drive is not listed, perform a full scan with your antivirus software to check for and remove viruses. Viruses can sometimes prevent Windows from recognizing the drive. TE S T T H E D R I V E Insert another floppy disk, CD, or DVD to eliminate the possibility that the original media is defective. Insert a bootable floppy disk and restart the computer. C L E A N T H E D R I V E O R D I S K See "Cleaning Your Computer" on page 164. E N S U R E T H A T T H E C D O R D V D M E D I A I S S N A P P E D O N T O T H E S P I N D L E C H E C K T H E C A B L E C O N N E C T I O N S C H E C K F O R H A R D W A R E I N C O M P A T I B I L I T I E S See "Troubleshooting Software and Hardware Problems" on page 118. R U N T H E D E L L D I A G N O S T I C S See "Dell Diagnostics" on page 87. 92 Troubleshooting Optical drive problems NOTE: High-speed optical drive vibration is normal and may cause noise, which does not indicate a defect in the drive or the media. NOTE: Because of different regions worldwide and different disc formats, not all DVD titles work in all DVD drives. Problems writing to a CD-RW or DVD+/-RW drive C L O S E O T H E R P R O G R A M S CD-RW and DVD+/-RW drives must receive a steady stream of data when writing. If the stream is interrupted, an error occurs. Try closing all programs before you write to the drive. TU R N O F F S L E E P S T A T E I N W I N D O W S B E F O R E W R I T I N G T O A C D / D V D D I S C See "Using the Sleep Power State" on page 43 for information on Sleep state. C H A N G E T H E W R I T E S P E E D T O A S L O W E R R A T E See the help files for your CD or DVD creation software. The drive tray cannot eject 1 2 3 Ensure that the computer is shut down. Straighten a paper clip and insert one end into the eject hole at the front of the drive, then push firmly until the tray is partially ejected. Gently pull out the tray until it stops. The drive makes an unfamiliar scraping or grinding sound Ensure that the sound is not caused by the program that is running. Ensure that the disc is inserted properly. Troubleshooting 93 Hard drive problems A L L O W T H E C O M P U T E R T O C O O L B E F O R E T U R N I N G I T O N A hot hard drive may prevent the operating system from starting. Try allowing the computer to return to room temperature before turning it on. R U N C H E C K D I S K 1 2 3 4 Click Start Computer. Right-click Local Disk (C:). Click Properties Tools Check Now. 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. Click to check Scan for and attempt recovery of bad sectors, and then click Start. E-Mail and Internet Problems CAUTION: Before you begin any of the procedures in this section, follow the safety instructions in the Product Information Guide. NOTE: Connect the modem to an analog telephone jack only. The modem does not operate while it is connected to a digital telephone network. C H E C K T H E M I C R O S O F T O U T L O O K E X P R E S S S E C U R I T Y S E T T I N G S If you cannot open your e-mail attachments:

1 2 In Outlook Express, click Tools, click Options, and then click Security. Click Do not allow attachments to remove the checkmark. C H E C K T H E T E L E P H O N E L I N E C O N N E C T I O N C H E C K T H E T E L E P H O N E J A C K C O N N E C T T H E M O D E M D I R E C T L Y T O T H E T E L E P H O N E W A L L J A C K U S E A D I F F E R E N T T E L E P H O N E L I N E Verify that the telephone line is connected to the jack on the modem (the jack has either a green label or a connector-shaped icon next to it). Ensure that you hear a click when you insert the telephone line connector into the modem. 94 Troubleshooting Disconnect the telephone line from the modem and connect it to a telephone, then listen for a dial tone. If you have other telephone devices sharing the line, such as an answering machine, fax machine, surge protector, or line splitter, then bypass them and connect the modem directly to the telephone wall jack. If you are using a line that is 3 m (10 ft) or more in length, try a shorter one. E N S U R E T H A T Y O U A R E C O N N E C T E D T O T H E I N T E R N E T Ensure that you have subscribed to an Internet service provider. With the Outlook Express e-mail program open, click File. If Work Offline has a checkmark next to it, click the checkmark to remove it, and then connect to the Internet. For help, contact your Internet service provider. S C A N T H E C O M P U T E R F O R S P Y W A R E If you are experiencing slow computer performance, you frequently receive pop-up advertisements, or you are having problems connecting to the Internet, your computer might be infected with spyware. Use an anti-virus program that includes anti-spyware protection

(your program may require an upgrade) to scan the computer and remove spyware. For more information, go to support.dell.com and search for the keyword spyware

. Troubleshooting 95 Error Messages Fill out the "Diagnostics Checklist" on page 151 as you complete these checks. CAUTION: Before you begin any of the procedures 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 that was running when the message appeared. A U X I L I A R Y D E V I C E F A I L U R E The touch pad or external mouse may be faulty. For an external mouse, check the cable connection. Enable the Pointing Device option in the system setup program (see "Using the System Setup Program" on page 161). If the problem persists, contact Dell (see "Contacting Dell" on page 152). B A D C O M M A N D O R F I L E N A M E Ensure that you have spelled the command correctly, put spaces in the proper place, and used the correct pathname. C A C H E D I S A B L E D D U E T O F A I L U R E The primary cache internal to the microprocessor has failed. Contact Dell (see "Contacting Dell" on page 152). C D D R I V E C O N T R O L L E R F A I L U R E The CD drive does not respond to commands from the computer (see "Drive Problems" on page 92). D A T A E R R O R The hard drive cannot read the data (see "Drive Problems" on page 92). D E C R E A S I N G A V A I L A B L E M E M O R Y One or more memory modules may be faulty or improperly seated. Reinstall the memory modules and, if necessary, replace them (see "Memory" on page 128). D I S K C : F A I L E D I N I T I A L I Z A T I O N The hard drive failed initialization. Run the hard drive tests in the Dell Diagnostics (see "Dell Diagnostics" on page 87). D R I V E N O T R E A D Y The operation requires a hard drive in the bay before it can continue. Install a hard drive in the hard drive bay (see "Hard Drive" on page 125). E R R O R R E A D I N G P C M C I A C A R D The computer cannot identify the ExpressCard. Reinsert the card or try another card (see "ExpressCards" on page 69). E X T E N D E D M E M O R Y S I Z E H A S C H A N G E D The amount of memory recorded in NVRAM does not match the memory installed in the computer. Restart the computer. If the error appears again, contact Dell (see "Contacting Dell" on page 152). 96 Troubleshooting T H E F I L E B E I N G C O P I E D I S T O O L A R G E F O R T H E D E S T I N A T I O N D R I V E The file that you are trying to copy is too large to fit on the disk, or the disk is full. Try copying the file to a different disk or use a larger capacity disk. A F I L E N A M E C A N N O T C O N T A I N A N Y O F T H E F O L L O W I N G C H A R A C T E R S: \ / : * ? <

> | Do not use these characters in filenames. G A T E A20 F A I L U R E A memory module may be loose. Reinstall the memory modules and, if necessary, replace them (see "Memory" on page 128). G E N E R A L F A I L U R E The operating system is unable to carry out the command. The message is usually followed by specific informationfor example, Printer out of paper. Take the appropriate action. H A R D - D I S K D R I V E C O N F I G U R A T I O N E R R O R The computer cannot identify the drive type. Shut down the computer, remove the hard drive (see "Hard Drive"

on page 125), and boot the computer from a CD. Then, shut down the computer, reinstall the hard drive, and restart the computer. Run the Hard Disk Drive tests in the Dell Diagnostics (see "Dell Diagnostics" on page 87). H A R D - D I S K D R I V E C O N T R O L L E R F A I L U R E 0 The hard drive does not respond to commands from the computer. Shut down the computer, remove the hard drive (see "Hard Drive" on page 125), and boot the computer from a CD. Then, shut down the computer, reinstall the hard drive, and restart the computer. If the problem persists, try another drive. Run the Hard Disk Drive tests in the Dell Diagnostics (see "Dell Diagnostics" on page 87). H A R D - D I S K D R I V E F A I L U R E The hard drive does not respond to commands from the computer. Shut down the computer, remove the hard drive (see

"Hard Drive" on page 125), and boot the computer from a CD. Then, shut down the computer, reinstall the hard drive, and restart the computer. If the problem persists, try another drive. Run the Hard Disk Drive tests in the Dell Diagnostics (see "Dell Diagnostics" on page 87). H A R D - D I S K D R I V E R E A D F A I L U R E The hard drive may be defective. Shut down the computer, remove the hard drive (see "Hard Drive" on page 125), and boot the computer from a CD. Then, shut down the computer, reinstall the hard drive, and restart the computer. If the problem persists, try another drive. Run the Hard Disk Drive tests in the Dell Diagnostics (see "Dell Diagnostics" on page 87). I N S E R T B O O T A B L E M E D I A The operating system is trying to boot to nonbootable media, such as a floppy disk or CD. Insert bootable media. I N V A L I D C O N F I G U R A T I O N I N F O R M A T I O N- P L E A S E R U N S YS T E M S E T U P Troubleshooting 97 P R O G R A M The system configuration information does not match the hardware configuration. The message is most likely to occur after a memory module is installed. Correct the appropriate options in the system setup program (see "Using the System Setup Program" on page 161). K E Y B O A R D C L O C K L I N E F A I L U R E For external keyboards, check the cable connection. Run the Keyboard Controller test in the Dell Diagnostics (see

"Dell Diagnostics" on page 87). K E Y B O A R D C O N T R O L L E R F A I L U R E For external keyboards, check the cable connection. Restart the computer, and avoid touching the keyboard or the mouse during the boot routine. Run the Keyboard Controller test in the Dell Diagnostics (see "Dell Diagnostics" on page 87). K E Y B O A R D D A T A L I N E F A I L U R E For external keyboards, check the cable connection. Run the Keyboard Controller test in the Dell Diagnostics (see

"Dell Diagnostics" on page 87). K E Y B O A R D S T U C K K E Y F A I L U R E For external keyboards or keypads, check the cable connection. Restart the computer, and avoid touching the keyboard or keys during the boot routine. Run the Stuck Key test in the Dell Diagnostics

(see "Dell Diagnostics" on page 87). L I C E N S E D C O N T E N T I S N O T A C C E S S I B L E I N M E D I A D I R E C T Dell MediaDirect cannot verify the Digital Rights Management (DRM) restrictions on the file, so the file cannot be played (see "Dell MediaDirect problems" on page 104). M E M O R Y A D D R E S S L I N E F A I L U R E A T A D D R E S S , R E A D V A L U E E X P E C T I N G V A L U E A memory module may be faulty or improperly seated. Reinstall the memory modules and, if necessary, replace them (see "Memory" on page 128). M E M O R Y A L L O C A T I O N E R R O R The software you are attempting to run is conflicting with the operating system, another program, or a utility. Shut down the computer, wait 30 seconds, and then restart it. Try to run the program again. If the error message still appears, see the software documentation. M E M O R Y D A T A L I N E F A I L U R E A T A D D R E S S, R E A D V A L U E E X P E C T I N G V A L U E A memory module may be faulty or improperly seated. Reinstall the memory modules and, if necessary, replace them (see "Memory" on page 128). M E M O R Y D O U B L E W O R D L O G I C F A I L U R E A T A D D R E S S, R E A D V A L U E E X P E C T I N G V A L U E A memory module may be faulty or improperly seated. Reinstall the memory modules and, if necessary, replace them (see "Memory" on page 128). M E M O R Y O D D/ E V E N L O G I C F A I L U R E A T A D D R E S S, R E A D V A L U E E X P E C T I N G 98 Troubleshooting V A L U E A memory module may be faulty or improperly seated. Reinstall the memory modules and, if necessary, replace them (see "Memory" on page 128). M E M O R Y W R I T E / R E A D F A I L U R E A T A D D R E S S , R E A D V A L U E E X P E C T I N G V A L U E A memory module may be faulty or improperly seated. Reinstall the memory modules and, if necessary, replace them (see "Memory" on page 128). N O B O O T D E V I C E A V A I L A B L E The computer cannot find the hard drive. If the hard drive is your boot device, ensure that the drive is installed, properly seated, and partitioned as a boot device. N O B O O T S E C T O R O N H A R D D R I V E The operating system may be corrupted. Contact Dell (see "Contacting Dell" on page 152). N O T I M E R T I C K I N T E R R U P T A chip on the system board may be malfunctioning. Run the System Set tests in the Dell Diagnostics (see "Dell Diagnostics" on page 87). N O T E N O U G H M E M O R Y O R R E S O U R C E S. E X I T S O M E P R O G R A M S A N D T R Y A G A I N You have too many programs open. Close all windows and open the program that you want to use. O P E R A T I N G S YS T E M N O T F O U N D Reinstall the hard drive (see "Hard Drive"

on page 125). If the problem persists, contact Dell (see "Contacting Dell" on page 152). O P T I O N A L R O M B A D C H E C K S U M The optional ROM has failed. Contact Dell (see "Contacting Dell" on page 152). A R E Q U I R E D .DLL F I L E W A S N O T F O U N D The program that you are trying to open is missing an essential file. Remove and then reinstall the program. 1 2 3 4 5 Click Start Control Panel. Under Programs, click Uninstall a Program. Select the program you want to remove. Click Uninstall and follow the prompts on the screen. See the program documentation for installation instructions. S E C T O R N O T F O U N D The operating system cannot locate a sector on the hard drive. You may have a defective sector or corrupted FAT on the hard drive. Run the Windows error-checking utility to check the file structure on the hard drive. See Windows Help and Support for instructions

(click Start Help and Support). If a large number of sectors are defective, back up the data (if possible), and then reformat the hard drive. Troubleshooting 99 S E E K E R R O R The operating system cannot find a specific track on the hard drive. S H U T D O W N F A I L U R E A chip on the system board may be malfunctioning. Run the System Set tests in the Dell Diagnostics (see "Dell Diagnostics" on page 87). TI M E- O F - D A Y C L O C K L O S T P O W E R System configuration settings are corrupted. Connect your computer to an electrical outlet to charge the battery. If the problem persists, try to restore the data by entering the system setup program, then immediately exit the program (see "Using the System Setup Program" on page 161). If the message reappears, contact Dell (see

"Contacting Dell" on page 152). TI M E- O F - D A Y C L O C K S T O P P E D The reserve battery that supports the system configuration settings may require recharging. Connect your computer to an electrical outlet to charge the battery. If the problem persists, contact Dell

(see "Contacting Dell" on page 152). TI M E- O F - D A Y N O T S E T - P L E A S E R U N T H E S YS T E M S E T U P P R O G R A M The time or date stored in the system setup program does not match the system clock. Correct the settings for the Date and Time options (see "Using the System Setup Program" on page 161). TI M E R C H I P C O U N T E R 2 F A I L E D A chip on the system board may be malfunctioning. Run the System Set tests in the Dell Diagnostics (see "Dell Diagnostics" on page 87). U N E X P E C T E D I N T E R R U P T I N P R O T E C T E D M O D E The keyboard controller may be malfunctioning, or a memory module may be loose. Run the System Memory tests and the Keyboard Controller test in the Dell Diagnostics (see

"Dell Diagnostics" on page 87). X : \ I S N O T A C C E S S I B L E . T H E D E V I C E I S N O T R E A D Y Insert a disk into the drive and try again. W A R N I N G: B A T T E R Y I S C R I T I C A L L Y L O W The battery is running out of charge. Replace the battery, or connect the computer to an electrical outlet;

otherwise, activate hibernate mode or shut down the computer. 100 Troubleshooting ExpressCard Problems CAUTION: Before you begin any of the procedures in this section, follow the safety instructions in the Product Information Guide. C H E C K T H E E X P R E S S C A R D Ensure that the ExpressCard is properly inserted into the connector. C H E C K T H A T T H E C A R D I S R E C O G N I Z E D B Y W I N D O W S Double-click the Safely Remove Hardware icon in the Windows taskbar. Some cards do not support this feature. If the card supports this Windows feature, the card will be listed. I F Y O U H A V E P R O B L E M S W I T H A D E L L- P R O V I D E D E X P R E S SC A R D Contact Dell

(see "Contacting Dell" on page 152). Also, for Mobile Broadband (WWAN) ExpressCards, see "Mobile Broadband (Wireless Wide Area Network

[WWAN])" on page 107. I F Y O U H A V E P R O B L E M S W I T H A N E X P R E S S C A R D N O T P R O V I D E D B Y D E L L Contact the ExpressCard manufacturer. IEEE 1394 Device Problems CAUTION: Before you begin any of the procedures in this section, follow the safety instructions in the Product Information Guide. E N S U R E T H A T T H E IEEE 1394 D E V I C E I S R E C O G N I Z E D B Y W I N D O W S 1 Control Panel System and Maintenance Click Start 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. If your IEEE 1394 device is listed, Windows recognizes the device. I F Y O U H A V E P R O B L E M S W I T H A D E L L- P R O V I D E D IEEE 1394 D E V I C E Contact Dell or the IEEE 1394 device manufacturer (see "Contacting Dell" on page 152). I F Y O U H A V E P R O B L E M S W I T H A N IEEE 1394 D E V I C E N O T P R O V I D E D B Y D E L L Contact Dell or the IEEE 1394 device manufacturer (see "Contacting Dell" on page 152). Ensure that the IEEE 1394 device is properly inserted into the connector Troubleshooting 101 Keyboard Problems CAUTION: Before you begin any of the procedures in this section, follow the safety instructions in the Product Information Guide. Fill out the "Diagnostics Checklist" on page 151 as you perform the various checks. NOTE: Use the integrated keyboard when running the Dell Diagnostics or the system setup program. When you attach an external keyboard, the integrated keyboard remains fully functional. External Keyboard problems NOTE: When you attach an external keyboard, the integrated keyboard remains fully functional. C H E C K T H E K E Y B O A R D C A B L E Shut down the computer, disconnect the keyboard cable and check it for damage, then firmly reconnect the cable. If you are using a keyboard extension cable, disconnect it and connect the keyboard directly to the computer. C H E C K T H E E X T E R N A L K E Y B O A R D 1 2 3 4 Shut down the computer, wait 1 minute, and then turn it on again. Verify that the numbers, capitals, and scroll lock lights on the keyboard blink during the boot routine. From the Windows desktop, click Start Accessories Notepad. All Programs Type some characters on the external keyboard and verify that they appear on the display. If you cannot verify these steps, you may have a defective external keyboard. TO V E R I F Y T H A T T H E P R O B L E M I S W I T H T H E E X T E R N A L K E Y B O A R D, C H E C K T H E I N T E G R A T E D K E Y B O A R D 1 2 3 Shut down the computer. Disconnect the external keyboard. Turn on the computer. 102 Troubleshooting 4 5 From the Windows desktop, click Start Accessories Notepad. All Programs Type some characters on the internal keyboard and verify that they appear on the display. If the characters appear now, but did not with the external keyboard, you may have a defective external keyboard. Contact Dell (see "Contacting Dell" on page 152). R U N T H E K E Y B O A R D D I A G N O S T I C S T E S T S Run the PC-AT Compatible Keyboards tests in the Dell Diagnostics (see "Dell Diagnostics" on page 87). If the tests indicate a defective external keyboard, contact Dell (see

"Contacting Dell" on page 152). Unexpected characters D I S A B L E T H E N U M E R I C K E Y P A D Press <Num Lk> to disable the numeric keypad if numbers are displayed instead of letters. Verify that the numbers lock light is not lit. Lockups and Software Problems CAUTION: Before you begin any of the procedures in this section, follow the safety instructions in the Product Information Guide. The computer does not start C H E C K T H E A C A D A P T E R Ensure that the AC adapter is firmly connected to the computer and to the electrical outlet. The AC adapter shuts down when there is a fault. The green light turns off when this happens. To bring it back on, disconnect the AC adapter from the power source for 10 seconds, and then connect it back on. The computer stops responding NOTICE: You might lose data if you are unable to perform an operating system shutdown. TU R N T H E C O M P U T E R O F F If you are unable to get a response by pressing a key on your keyboard or moving your mouse, press and hold the power button for at least 8 to 10 seconds until the computer turns off, then restart your computer. Troubleshooting 103 A program stops responding or crashes repeatedly E N D T H E P R O G R A M 1 2 3 Press <Crtl><Shift><Esc> simultaneously. Click the Applications tab and select the program that is no longer responding. Click End Task. NOTE: The chkdsk program may run when you restart the computer. Follow the instructions on the screen. C H E C K T H E S O F T W A R E D O C U M E N T A T I O N If necessary, uninstall and then reinstall the program. Software usually includes installation instructions in its documentation or on a floppy disk or CD. A program is designed for an earlier Microsoft Windows operating system R U N T H E P R O G R A M C O M P A T I B I L I T Y W I Z A R D Program compatibility is a mode in Windows that lets you run programs written for earlier versions of Windows. For more information, search for the keyword program compatibility wizard in Windows Help and Support. A solid blue screen appears TU R N T H E C O M P U T E R O F F If you are unable to get a response by pressing a key on your keyboard or moving your mouse, press and hold the power button for at least 8 to 10 seconds until the computer turns off, then restart your computer. Dell MediaDirect problems C H E C K T H E D E L L M E D I A D I R E C T H E L P F I L E F O R I N F O R M A T I O N Use the Help menu to access Dell MediaDirect Help. TO P L A Y M O V I E S W I T H D E L L M E D I A D I R E C T , Y O U M U S T H A V E A D V D D R I V E A N D T H E D E L L D V D P L A Y E R If you purchased a DVD drive with your computer, this software should already be installed. V I D E O Q U A L I T Y P R O B L E M S Turn off the Use Hardware Acceleration option. This feature takes advantage of the special processing in some graphics cards to reduce processor requirements when playing DVDs and certain types of video files. 104 Troubleshooting C A N N O T P L A Y S O M E M E D I A F I L E S Because Dell MediaDirect provides access to media files outside the Windows operating system environment, access to licensed content is restricted. Licensed content is digital content that has Digital Rights Management (DRM) applied to it. The Dell MediaDirect environment cannot verify the DRM restrictions, so the licensed files cannot be played. Licensed music and video files have a lock icon next to them. You can access licensed files in the Windows operating system environment. A D J U S T I N G T H E C O L O R S E T T I N G S F O R M O V I E S T H A T C O N T A I N S C E N E S T H A T A R E T O O D A R K O R T O O B R I G H T Click EagleVision to use a video enhancement technology that detects video content and dynamically adjusts the brightness/contrast/saturation ratios. NOTICE: You cannot reinstall the Dell MediaDirect feature if you voluntarily reformat the hard drive. Contact Dell for assistance (see "Contacting Dell" on page 152). Other software problems C H E C K T H E S O F T W A R E D O C U M E N T A T I O N O R C O N T A C T T H E S O F T W A R E M A N U F A C T U R E R F O R T R O U B L E S H O O T I N G I N F O R M A T I O N Ensure that the program is compatible with the operating system installed on your computer. Ensure that your computer meets the minimum hardware requirements needed to run the software. See the software documentation for information. Ensure that the program is installed and configured properly. Verify that the device drivers do not conflict with the program. If necessary, uninstall and then reinstall the program. B A C K U P Y O U R F I L E S I M M E D I A T E L Y U S E A V I R U S- S C A N N I N G P R O G R A M T O C H E C K T H E H A R D D R I V E, F L O P P Y D I S K S, O R CD S S A V E A N D C L O S E A N Y O P E N F I L E S O R P R O G R A M S A N D S H U T D O W N Y O U R C O M P U T E R T H R O U G H T H E S T A R T M E N U Troubleshooting 105 S C A N T H E C O M P U T E R F O R S P Y W A R E If you are experiencing slow computer performance, you frequently receive pop-up advertisements, or you are having problems connecting to the Internet, your computer might be infected with spyware. Use an anti-virus program that includes anti-spyware protection

(your program may require an upgrade) to scan the computer and remove spyware. For more information, go to support.dell.com and search for the keyword spyware

. R U N T H E D E L L D I A G N O S T I C S If all tests run successfully, the error condition is related to a software problem (see "Dell Diagnostics" on page 87). Memory Problems Fill out the "Diagnostics Checklist" on page 151 as you complete these checks. CAUTION: Before you begin any of the procedures in this section, follow the safety instructions in the Product Information Guide. I F Y O U R E C E I V E A N I N S U F F I C I E N T M E M O R Y M E S S A G E Save and close any open files and exit any open programs you are not using to see if that resolves the problem. See the software documentation for minimum memory requirements. If necessary, install additional memory (see "Memory" on page 128). Reseat the memory modules to ensure that your computer is successfully communicating with the memory (see "Memory" on page 128). Run the Dell Diagnostics (see "Dell Diagnostics" on page 87). I F Y O U E X P E R I E N C E O T H E R M E M O R Y P R O B L E M S Reseat the memory modules to ensure that your computer is successfully communicating with the memory (see "Memory" on page 128). Ensure that you are following the memory installation guidelines (see

"Memory" on page 128). Run the Dell Diagnostics (see "Dell Diagnostics" on page 87). 106 Troubleshooting Network Problems Fill out the "Diagnostics Checklist" on page 151 as you complete these checks. CAUTION: Before you begin any of the procedures in this section, follow the safety instructions in the Product Information Guide. C H E C K T H E N E T W O R K C A B L E C O N N E C T O R Ensure that the network cable is firmly inserted into both the network connector on the back of the computer and the network jack. C H E C K T H E N E T W O R K L I G H T S O N T H E N E T W O R K C O N N E C T O R No light indicates that no network communication exists. Replace the network cable. R E S T A R T T H E C O M P U T E R A N D L O G O N T O T H E N E T W O R K A G A I N C H E C K Y O U R N E T W O R K S E T T I N G S 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 [WWAN]) NOTE: The Dell Mobile Broadband Card Utility users guide and the Mobile Broadband ExpressCard users guide are available through Windows Help and Help and Support). You can also download the Dell Support (click Start Mobile Broadband Card Utility users guide from support.dell.com. NOTE: The WWAN device installed. Double-click the icon to launch the utility. icon appears in the notification area if the computer has a Dell A C T I V A T E T H E M O B I L E B R O A D B A N D E X P R E S S C A R D You must activate the Mobile Broadband ExpressCard before you can connect to the network. Position the mouse over the icon in the notification area to verify the status of the connection. If the card is not activated, follow the card activation instructions located within the Dell Mobile Broadband Card Utility. To access the utility, double-click the icon located in the taskbar, at the lower-right corner of your screen. If your ExpressCard is not a Dell-

branded card, see the manufacturers instructions for your card. Troubleshooting 107 C H E C K N E T W O R K C O N N E C T I O N S T A T U S I N T H E D E L L M O B I L E B R O A D B A N D C A R D U T I L I T Y Double-click the icon to launch the Dell Mobile Broadband Card Utility. Check the status in the main window:

No card detected Restart the computer, and launch the Dell Mobile Broadband Card Utility again. Check your WWAN service Contact your cellular service provider to verify your plan coverage and supported services. Power Problems Fill out the "Diagnostics Checklist" on page 151 as you complete these checks. CAUTION: Before you begin any of the procedures in this section, follow the safety instructions in the Product Information Guide. C H E C K T H E P O W E R L I G H T When the power light is lit or blinking, the computer has power. If the power light is blinking, the computer is in Sleep statepress the power button to exit Sleep state. If the light is off, press the power button to turn on the computer. NOTE: For information on Sleep power state, see "Using the Sleep Power State" on page 43. C H A R G E T H E B A T T E R Y The battery charge may be depleted. 1 2 3 Reinstall the battery. Use the AC adapter to connect the computer to an electrical outlet. Turn on the computer. NOTE: Battery operating time (the time the battery can hold a charge) decreases over time. Depending on how often the battery is used and the conditions under which it is used, you may need to purchase a new battery during the life of your computer. C H E C K T H E B A T T E R Y S T A T U S L I G H T If the battery status light flashes amber or is a steady amber, the battery charge is low or depleted. Connect the computer to an electrical outlet. If the battery status light flashes blue and amber, the battery is too hot to charge. Shut down the computer, disconnect the computer from the electrical outlet, and then let the battery and computer cool to room temperature. 108 Troubleshooting If the battery status light rapidly flashes amber, the battery may be defective. Contact Dell (see "Contacting Dell" on page 152). C H E C K T H E B A T T E R Y T E M P E R A T U R E If the battery temperature is below 0C

(32F), the computer will not start. TE S T T H E E L E C T R I C A L O U T L E T Ensure that the electrical outlet is working by testing it with another device, such as a lamp. C H E C K T H E A C A D A P T E R Check the AC adapter cable connections. If the AC adapter has a light, ensure that the light is on. C O N N E C T T H E C O M P U T E R D I R E C T L Y T O A N E L E C T R I C A L O U T L E T Bypass power protection devices, power strips, and extension cables to verify that the computer turns on. E L I M I N A T E P O S S I B L E I N T E R F E R E N C E Turn off nearby fans, fluorescent lights, halogen lamps, or other appliances. A D J U S T T H E P O W E R P R O P E R T I E S See "Configuring Power Management Settings" on page 42. R E S E A T T H E M E M O R Y M O D U L E S If the computer power light turns on, but the display remains blank, reinstall the memory modules (see "Memory" on page 128). Printer Problems Fill out the "Diagnostics Checklist" on page 151 as you complete these checks. CAUTION: Before you begin any of the procedures in this section, follow the safety instructions in the Product Information Guide. NOTE: If you need technical assistance for your printer, contact the printers manufacturer. C H E C K T H E P R I N T E R D O C U M E N T A T I O N See the printer documentation for setup and troubleshooting information. E N S U R E T H A T T H E P R I N T E R I S T U R N E D O N C H E C K T H E P R I N T E R C A B L E C O N N E C T I O N S See the printer documentation for cable connection information. Ensure that the printer cables are securely connected to the printer and the computer. Troubleshooting 109 TE S T T H E E L E C T R I C A L O U T L E T Ensure that the electrical outlet is working by testing it with another device, such as a lamp. V E R I F Y T H A T T H E P R I N T E R I S R E C O G N I Z E D B Y W I N D O W S 1 2 3 Click Start Control Panel Hardware and Sound Printers. Right-click the printer icon. Click Properties, and then click the Ports tab. For a parallel printer, ensure that the Print to the following port(s): setting is LPT1 (Printer Port). For a USB printer, ensure that the Print to the following port(s): setting is USB. R E I N S T A L L T H E P R I N T E R D R I V E R See the printer documentation for instructions. Scanner Problems CAUTION: Before you begin any of the procedures in this section, follow the safety instructions in the Product Information Guide. NOTE: If you need technical assistance for your scanner, contact the scanners manufacturer. C H E C K T H E S C A N N E R D O C U M E N T A T I O N See the scanner documentation for setup and troubleshooting information. U N L O C K T H E S C A N N E R Ensure that your scanner is unlocked. R E S T A R T T H E C O M P U T E R A N D T R Y T H E S C A N N E R A G A I N C H E C K T H E C A B L E C O N N E C T I O N S See the scanner documentation for cable connection information. Ensure that the scanner cables are securely connected to the scanner and the computer. V E R I F Y T H A T T H E S C A N N E R I S R E C O G N I Z E D B Y M I C R O S O F T W I N D O W S Click Start Control Panel Hardware and Sound Scanners and Cameras. If your scanner is listed, Windows recognizes the scanner. R E I N S T A L L T H E S C A N N E R D R I V E R See the scanner documentation for instructions. 110 Troubleshooting Sound and Speaker Problems Fill out the "Diagnostics Checklist" on page 151 as you complete these checks. CAUTION: Before you begin any of the procedures in this section, follow the safety instructions in the Product Information Guide. No sound from integrated speakers A D J U S T T H E W I N D O W S V O L U M E C O N T R O L Double-click the speaker icon in the lower-right corner of your screen. Ensure that the volume is turned up and that the sound is not muted. Adjust the volume, bass, or treble controls to eliminate distortion. A D J U S T T H E V O L U M E U S I N G K E Y B O A R D S H O R T C U T S Press <Fn><End> to disable (mute) or re-enable the integrated speakers. R E I N S T A L L T H E S O U N D ( A U D I O ) D R I V E R See "Reinstalling Drivers and Utilities" on page 116. No sound from external speakers E N S U R E T H A T T H E S U B W O O F E R A N D T H E S P E A K E R S A R E T U R N E D O N See the setup diagram supplied with the speakers. If your speakers have volume controls, adjust the volume, bass, or treble to eliminate distortion. A D J U S T T H E W I N D O W S V O L U M E C O N T R O L Click or double-click the speaker icon in the lower-right corner of your screen. Ensure that the volume is turned up and that the sound is not muted. D I S C O N N E C T H E A D P H O N E S F R O M T H E H E A D P H O N E C O N N E C T O R Sound from the speakers is automatically disabled when headphones are connected to the headphone connector. TE S T T H E E L E C T R I C A L O U T L E T Ensure that the electrical outlet is working by testing it with another device, such as a lamp. E L I M I N A T E P O S S I B L E I N T E R F E R E N C E Turn off nearby fans, fluorescent lights, or halogen lamps to check for interference. R E I N S T A L L T H E A U D I O D R I V E R See "Reinstalling Drivers and Utilities" on page 116. R U N T H E D E L L D I A G N O S T I C S See "Dell Diagnostics" on page 87. NOTE: The volume control in some MP3 players overrides the Windows volume setting. If you have been listening to MP3 songs, ensure that you did not turn the player volume down or off. Troubleshooting 111 No sound from headphones C H E C K T H E H E A D P H O N E C A B L E C O N N E C T I O N Ensure that the headphone cable is securely inserted into the headphone connector. A D J U S T T H E W I N D O W S V O L U M E C O N T R O L Click or double-click the speaker icon in the lower-right corner of your screen. Ensure that the volume is turned up and that the sound is not muted. Remote Control Problems A P P L I C A T I O N D O E S N O T R E S P O N D T O R E M O T E C O N T R O L W I T H I N T H E S P E C I F I E D M A X I M U M R A N G E Check that the battery is placed correctly with the "+" side facing up. Check that the battery is also not weak. Point your remote control to the receiver. The receiver is underneath the touch pad of your computer. Move the remote control closer to your computer. R E M O T E C O N T R O L I S S T U C K I N T H E S L O T Check that you have not incorrectly stored the remote control into a non-

Express Card slot. Contact Dell Technical Support for removing it. Touch Pad or Mouse Problems C H E C K T H E T O U C H P A D S E T T I N G S 1 2 Click Start Control Panel Hardware and Sound Mouse. Adjust the settings, as needed. C H E C K T H E M O U S E C A B L E Shut down the computer, disconnect the mouse cable and check it for damage, then firmly reconnect the cable. If you are using a mouse extension cable, disconnect it and connect the mouse directly to the computer. TO V E R I F Y T H A T T H E P R O B L E M I S W I T H T H E M O U S E, C H E C K T H E T O U C H P A D 1 2 Shut down the computer. Disconnect the mouse. 112 Troubleshooting 3 4 Turn on the computer. At the Windows desktop, use the touch pad to move the cursor around, select an icon, and open it. If the touch pad operates correctly, the mouse may be defective. C H E C K T H E S YS T E M S E T U P P R O G R A M S E T T I N G S Verify that the system setup program lists the correct device for the pointing device option (the computer automatically recognizes a USB mouse without making any setting adjustments). TE S T T H E M O U S E C O N T R O L L E R To test the mouse controller (which affects pointer movement) and the operation of the touch pad or mouse buttons, run the Mouse test in the Pointing Devices test group in the "Dell Diagnostics" on page 87. R E I N S T A L L T H E T O U C H P A D D R I V E R See "Reinstalling Drivers and Utilities"

on page 116. Video and Display Problems Fill out the "Diagnostics Checklist" on page 151 as you complete these checks. CAUTION: Before you begin any of the procedures in this section, follow the safety instructions in the Product Information Guide. If the display is blank NOTE: If you are using a program that requires a higher resolution than your computer supports, it is recommended that you attach an external monitor to your computer. C H E C K T H E B A T T E R Y If you are using a battery to power your computer, the battery charge may be depleted. Connect the computer to an electrical outlet using the AC adapter, and then turn on the computer. TE S T T H E E L E C T R I C A L O U T L E T Ensure that the electrical outlet is working by testing it with another device, such as a lamp. C H E C K T H E A C A D A P T E R Check the AC adapter cable connections. If the AC adapter has a light, ensure that the light is on. C O N N E C T T H E C O M P U T E R D I R E C T L Y T O A N E L E C T R I C A L O U T L E T Bypass power protection devices, power strips, and extension cables to verify that the computer turns on. Troubleshooting 113 A D J U S T T H E P O W E R P R O P E R T I E S Search for the keyword sleep in Windows Help and Support. S W I T C H T H E V I D E O I M A G E If your computer is attached to an external monitor, press <Fn><F8> to switch the video image to the display. If the display is difficult to read A D J U S T T H E B R I G H T N E S S Press <Fn> and the up- or down-arrow key. M O V E T H E E X T E R N A L S U B W O O F E R A W A Y F R O M T H E C O M P U T E R O R M O N I T O R If your external speaker system includes a subwoofer, ensure that the subwoofer is at least 60 cm (2 ft) away from the computer or external monitor. E L I M I N A T E P O S S I B L E I N T E R F E R E N C E Turn off nearby fans, fluorescent lights, halogen lamps, or other appliances. R O T A T E T H E C O M P U T E R T O F A C E A D I F F E R E N T D I R E C T I O N Eliminate sunlight glare, which can cause poor picture quality. A D J U S T T H E W I N D O W S D I S P L A Y S E T T I N G S 1 2 Click Start Control Panel Personalization Display Settings. Appearance and Personalization Click the area you want to change or click the Display icon. Try different settings for Resolution and Colors. R U N T H E V I D E O D I A G N O S T I C S T E S T S If no error message appears and you still have a display problem, but the display is not completely blank, run the Video device group in the "Dell Diagnostics" on page 87, then contact Dell

(see "Contacting Dell" on page 152). S E E "E R R O R M E S S A G E S " If an error message appears, see "Error Messages"

on page 96. If only part of the display is readable C O N N E C T A N E X T E R N A L M O N I T O R 1 2 Shut down your computer and connect an external monitor to the computer. Turn on the computer and the monitor, and then adjust the monitor brightness and contrast controls. If the external monitor works, the computer display or video controller may be defective. Contact Dell (see "Contacting Dell" on page 152). 114 Troubleshooting Drivers What Is a Driver?

A driver is a program that controls a device such as a printer, mouse, or keyboard. All devices require a driver program. A driver acts like a translator between the device and any other programs that use the device. Each device has its own set of specialized commands that only its driver recognizes. Dell ships your computer to you with required drivers already installedno further installation or configuration is needed. NOTICE: Your Drivers and Utilities media may contain drivers for operating systems that are not on your computer. Ensure that you are installing software appropriate for your operating system. Many drivers, such as the keyboard driver, come with your Microsoft Windows operating system. You may need to install drivers if you:

Upgrade your operating system. Reinstall your operating system. Connect or install a new device. Identifying Drivers If you experience a problem with any device, identify whether the driver is the source of your problem and, if necessary, update the driver. 1 2 Click Start

, and then right-click Computer. Click Properties, and then click 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. Scroll down the list of devices and check for an exclamation point (a circle with a [!]) next to the device name. If an exclamation point is next to the device name, you may need to reinstall the driver or install a new driver (see

"Reinstalling Drivers and Utilities" on page 116). Troubleshooting 115 Reinstalling Drivers and Utilities NOTICE: The Dell Support website at support.dell.com and your Drivers and Utilities media provide approved drivers for Dell computers. If you install drivers obtained from other sources, your computer might not work correctly. Using Windows Device Driver Rollback If a problem occurs on your computer after you install or update a driver, use Windows Device Driver Rollback to replace the driver with the previously installed version. 1 2 3 4 Click Start

, and then right-click Computer. Click Properties, and then click 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 enter the Device Manager. Right-click the device for which the new driver was installed and click Properties. Click the Drivers tab, and then click Roll Back Driver. If Device Driver Rollback does not resolve the problem, use System Restore

(see "Restoring Your Operating System" on page 118) to return your computer to the operating state that existed before you installed the new driver. Using the Drivers and Utilities Media If using Device Driver Rollback or System Restore (see "Restoring Your Operating System" on page 118) does not resolve the problem, reinstall the driver from your Drivers and Utilities media. 1 2 3 With the Windows desktop displayed, insert your Drivers and Utilities media. If this is your first time to use your Drivers and Utilities media, continue to step 2. If not, proceed to step 5. When the Drivers and Utilities installation program starts, follow the prompts on the screen. NOTE: In most cases, the Drivers and Utilities program starts running automatically. If it does not, start Windows Explorer, click your media drive directory to display the media contents, and then double-click the autorcd.exe file. When the InstallShield Wizard Complete window appears, remove the Drivers and Utilities disc and click Finish to restart the computer. 116 Troubleshooting 4 5 6 When you see the Windows desktop, reinsert the Drivers and Utilities disc. At the Welcome Dell System Owner screen, click Next. NOTE: The Drivers and Utilities program displays drivers only for hardware that came installed in your computer. If you installed additional hardware, the drivers for the new hardware might not be displayed. If those drivers are not displayed, exit the Drivers and Utilities program. For drivers information, see the documentation that came with the device. A message stating that the Drivers and Utilities program is detecting hardware in your computer appears. The drivers that are used by your computer are automatically displayed in the My DriversThe ResourceCD has identified these components in your system window. Click the driver that you want to reinstall and follow the instructions on the screen. If a particular driver is not listed, then that driver is not required by your operating system. 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 system setup program (see "Using the System Setup Program" on page 161) before continuing with the driver installation (see "Reinstalling Drivers and Utilities" on page 116). For information about components installed on your computer, see "Determining Your Computers Configuration" on page 19. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 After extracting the driver files to your hard drive, as described in the previous section, click Start

, and then right-click Computer. Click Properties, and then click Device Manager. Double-click the type of device for which you are installing the driver (for example, Modems or Infrared devices). Double-click the name of the device for which you are installing the driver. Click Driver tab, and then click Update Driver. Click Install from a list or specific location (Advanced), and then click Next. Click Browse and browse to the location to which you previously copied the driver files. Troubleshooting 117 8 9 When the name of the appropriate driver appears, click Next. Click Finish, and then restart your computer. Troubleshooting Software and Hardware Problems If a device is either not detected during the operating system setup or is detected but incorrectly configured, use Windows Vista Help and Support to resolve the incompatibility:

1 2 3 Click Start Help and Support. Type hardware troubleshooter in the search field, then press

<Enter>. In the search results, select the option that best describes the problem and follow the remaining troubleshooting steps. Restoring Your Operating System You can restore your operating system in the following ways:

Windows Vista System Restore returns your computer to an earlier operating state without affecting data files. Use System Restore as the first solution for restoring your operating system and preserving data files. For instructions, see "Using Microsoft Windows System Restore" on page 118. If you received Operating System media with your computer, you can use it to restore your operating system. However, using the Operating System media also deletes all data on the hard drive. Use the media only if System Restore did not resolve your operating system problem. For instructions, see "Using the Operating System Media" on page 119. Using Microsoft Windows System Restore The Windows operating system provides System Restore to allow you to return your computer to an earlier operating state (without affecting data files) if changes to the hardware, software, or other system settings have left the computer in an undesirable operating state. Any changes that System Restore makes to your computer are completely reversible. 118 Troubleshooting NOTICE: Make regular backups of your data files. System Restore does not monitor your data files or recover them. NOTE: The procedures in this document were written for the Windows default view, so they may not apply if you set your Dell computer to the Windows Classic view. Click Start Help and Support. Type System Restore in the search field, then press <Enter>. 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. Click Next and follow the remaining prompts on the screen. 1 2 3 In the event that System Restore did not resolve the issue, you may undo the last system restore. Undoing the Last System Restore NOTICE: Before you undo the last system restore, save and close all open files and exit any open programs. Do not alter, open, or delete any files or programs until the system restoration is complete. Click Start Help and Support. Type System Restore in the search field and press <Enter>. Click Undo my last restoration, and then click Next. 1 2 3 Using the Operating System Media Before You Begin If you are considering reinstalling the Windows operating system to correct a problem with a newly installed driver, first try using Windows Device Driver Rollback (see "Using Windows Device Driver Rollback" on page 116). If Device Driver Rollback does not resolve the problem, then use System Restore to return your operating system to the operating state it was in before you installed the new device driver (see "Using Microsoft Windows System Restore" on page 118). NOTICE: Before performing the installation, back up all data files on your primary hard drive. For conventional hard drive configurations, the primary hard drive is the first drive detected by the computer. To reinstall Windows, you need the following items:

Troubleshooting 119 Dell Operating System media Dell Drivers and Utilities media NOTE: Your Drivers and Utilities media contains drivers that were installed during assembly of the computer. Use your Drivers and Utilities media to load any required drivers, including the drivers required if your computer has a RAID controller. Reinstalling Windows The reinstallation process can take 1 to 2 hours to complete. After you reinstall the operating system, you must also reinstall the device drivers, virus protection program, and other software. NOTICE: The Operating System media provides options for reinstalling Windows. The options can overwrite files and possibly affect programs that are installed on your hard drive. Therefore, do not reinstall Windows unless a Dell technical support representative instructs you to do so. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 Save and close any open files and exit any open programs. Insert the Operating System media. Click Exit if the Install Windows message appears. Restart the computer. When the DELL logo appears, press <F12> immediately. NOTE: If you wait too long and the operating system logo appears, continue to wait until you see the Microsoft Windows desktop, then shut down your computer and try again. NOTE: The next steps change the boot sequence for one time only. On the next start-up, the computer boots according to the devices specified in the system setup program. When the boot device list appears, highlight CD/DVD/CD-RW Drive, and then press <Enter>. Press any key to Boot from CD-ROM. Follow the instructions on the screen to complete the installation. NOTE: You cannot reinstall Dell MediaDirect if you voluntarily reformat the hard drive. You need the installation software to reinstall Dell MediaDirect. Contact Dell for assistance (see "Contacting Dell" on page 152). 120 Troubleshooting Troubleshooting 121 122 Troubleshooting Adding and Replacing Parts Before You Begin This chapter provides procedures for removing and installing the components in your computer. Unless otherwise noted, each procedure assumes that the following conditions exist:

You have performed the steps in "Turning Off Your Computer" (see

"Turning Off Your Computer" on page 123) and "Before Working Inside Your Computer" (see "Before Working Inside Your Computer" on page 124). You have read the safety information in your Dell Product Information Guide. A component can be replaced orif purchased separatelyinstalled by performing the removal procedure in reverse order. Recommended Tools The procedures in this document may require the following tools:

Small flat-blade screwdriver Phillips screwdriver Small plastic scribe Flash BIOS update program (see the Dell Support website at support.dell.com) Turning Off Your Computer NOTICE: To avoid losing data, save and close any open files and exit any open programs before you turn off your computer. 1 Shut down the operating system:

a b Save and close any open files, exit any open programs, click the Start button, and then click Turn Off Computer. In the Turn off computer window, click Turn off. Adding and Replacing Parts 123 The computer turns off after the operating system shutdown process finishes. 2 Ensure that the computer and any attached devices are turned off. If your computer and attached devices did not automatically turn off when you shut down your operating system, press and hold the power button for at least 8 to 10 seconds until the computer turns off. Before Working Inside Your 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 procedures in this section, follow the safety instructions in the Product Information Guide. CAUTION: Handle components and cards with care. Do not touch the components or contacts on a card. Hold a card by its edges or by its metal mounting bracket. Hold a component such as a processor by its edges, not by its pins. NOTICE: Damage due to servicing that is not authorized by Dell is not covered by your warranty. NOTICE: When you disconnect a cable, pull on its connector, not on the cable itself. Some cables have a connector with locking tabs; if you are disconnecting this type of cable, press in on the locking tabs before you disconnect the cable. As you pull connectors apart, keep them evenly aligned to avoid bending any connector pins. Also, before you connect a cable, ensure that both connectors are correctly oriented and aligned. NOTICE: To avoid electrostatic discharge, ground yourself by using a wrist grounding strap or by periodically touching an unpainted metal surface (such as a connector on the back of the computer). NOTICE: To avoid damaging the computer, perform the following steps before you begin working inside the computer. Ensure that the work surface is flat and clean to prevent the computer cover from being scratched. Turn off your computer. See "Turning Off Your Computer" on page 123. NOTICE: To disconnect a network cable, first unplug the cable from your computer and then unplug it from the network wall jack. Disconnect any telephone or network cables from the computer. 1 2 3 124 Adding and Replacing Parts NOTICE: To avoid damaging the system board, you must remove the battery before you service the computer. Disconnect your computer and all attached devices from their electrical outlets. Remove the battery. Slide and hold the battery-bay latch release on the bottom of the computer, and then remove the battery from the bay. 1 2 1 battery-bay latch release 2 battery Press the power button to ground the system board. Remove any installed ExpressCards from the ExpressCard slot. 4 5 6 7 Hard Drive CAUTION: If you remove the hard drive from the computer when the drive is hot, do not touch the metal housing of the hard drive. CAUTION: Before you begin any of the procedures in the section, follow the safety instructions in the Product Information Guide. Adding and Replacing Parts 125 NOTICE: To prevent data loss, turn off your computer (see page 123) before removing the hard drive. Do not remove the hard drive while the computer is on, in standby mode, or in hibernate mode. NOTICE: Hard drives are extremely fragile; even a slight bump can damage the drive. NOTICE: To avoid electrostatic discharge, ground yourself by using a wrist grounding strap or by periodically touching an unpainted metal surface (such as a connector on the back of the computer). NOTICE: To avoid damaging the system board, you must remove the battery before you begin working inside the computer. 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 from a source other than Dell, you need to install an operating system, drivers, and utilities on the new hard drive. See

"Restoring Your Operating System" on page 118 and "Reinstalling Drivers and Utilities" on page 116. To replace the hard drive:

1 2 Follow the procedures in "Before You Begin" on page 123. Turn the computer over, and remove the hard drive screws. 126 Adding and Replacing Parts 1 2 1 hard drive screws (2) 2 hard drive 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 4 5 6 7 Slide the hard drive out of the computer. Remove the new drive from its packaging. Save the original packaging for storing or shipping the hard drive. NOTICE: Use firm and even pressure to slide the drive into place. If you use excessive force, you may damage the connector. Slide the hard drive into the bay until it is fully seated. Replace and tighten the screws. If the new hard drive is not already pre-imaged, install the operating system and drivers for your computer. See "Restoring Your Operating System" on page 118 and "Reinstalling Drivers and Utilities" on page 116. Adding and Replacing Parts 127 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. 2 1 1 foam packaging 2 hard drive Memory You can increase your computer memory by installing memory modules on the system board. See "Specifications" on page 153 for information on the memory supported by your computer. Install only memory modules that are intended for your computer. NOTE: In order to take advantage of the dual channel bandwidth capability, both memory slots must be populated and must match in size. NOTE: Memory modules purchased from Dell are covered under your computer warranty. CAUTION: Before you begin any of the procedures in this section, follow the safety instructions in the Product Information Guide. NOTICE: To avoid electrostatic discharge, ground yourself by using a wrist grounding strap or by periodically touching an unpainted metal surface (such as a connector on the back of the computer). 128 Adding and Replacing Parts 1 2 3 4 NOTICE: To avoid damaging the system board, you must remove the battery before you begin working inside the computer. Follow the procedures in "Before You Begin" on page 123. Ground yourself by touching one of the metal connectors on the back of the computer. NOTE: If you leave the area, ground yourself again when you return to the computer. Turn the computer over, loosen the captive screws on the memory module cover, and then remove the cover. NOTICE: To prevent damage to the memory module connector, do not use tools to spread the memory-module securing clips. If you are replacing a memory module, remove the existing module:

a Use your fingertips to carefully spread apart the securing clips on each end of the memory module connector until the module pops up. b Remove the module from the connector. Adding and Replacing Parts 129 1 2 3 1 memory module 2 securing clips 3 memory module

(2 per connector) connector NOTE: If the memory module is not installed properly, the computer may not boot properly. No error message indicates this failure. 5 Ground yourself and install the new memory module:

a b Align the notch in the module edge connector with the tab in the connector slot. Slide the module firmly into the slot at a 45-degree angle, and rotate the module down until it clicks into place. If you do not feel the click, remove the module and reinstall it. 130 Adding and Replacing Parts 6 7 8 Replace the memory module cover. NOTICE: If the cover is difficult to close, remove the module and reinstall it. Forcing the cover to close may damage your computer. Insert the battery into the battery bay, or connect the AC adapter to your computer and an electrical outlet. Turn on the computer. As the computer boots, it detects the additional memory and automatically updates the system configuration information. If prompted, press <F1> to continue. To confirm the amount of memory installed in the computer, click the Start button, click Help and Support, and then click Computer Information. Mini-Card If you ordered a Mini-Card with your computer, the card is already installed. CAUTION: Before you begin any of the procedures in this section, follow the safety instructions in the Product Information Guide. NOTICE: To avoid electrostatic discharge, ground yourself by using a wrist grounding strap or by periodically touching an unpainted metal surface (such as a connector on the back of the computer). Adding and Replacing Parts 131 1 2 3 4 NOTICE: To avoid damaging the system board, you must remove the battery before you begin working inside the computer. Follow the procedures in "Before You Begin" on page 123. Turn the computer over and loosen the captive screws from the Mini-

Card/modem cover. Place your finger under the cover at the indentation, and lift the cover to remove it. If a Mini-Card is not already installed, go to step 5. If you are replacing a Mini-Card, remove the existing card:

a Disconnect the antenna cables from the Mini-Card. 132 Adding and Replacing Parts 1 3 2 1 antenna cables (2) 2 Mini-Card 3 Mini-Card connector b c Release the Mini-Card by pushing the metal securing clips toward the back of the computer until the card pops up slightly. Lift the Mini-Card out of its connector. Adding and Replacing Parts 133 2 1 1 securing clips 2 Mini-Card 134 Adding and Replacing Parts NOTICE: The connectors are keyed to ensure correct insertion. If you feel resistance, check the connectors and realign the card. 5 Install the replacement Mini-Card:

a Align the Mini-Card with the connector at a 45-degree angle, and press the Mini-Card down into the securing clips until the card clicks into place. 3 2 1 1 securing clips 2 antenna connectors (2) 3 Mini-Card connector NOTICE: To avoid damaging the Mini-Card, never place cables under the card. b Connect the antenna cables to the antenna connectors on the Mini-

Card by matching the color of the cable to the color of the triangle above the connector. Connect the main antenna cable (white) to the antenna connector with the white triangle. Connect the auxiliary antenna cable (black) to the antenna connector with the black triangle. Adding and Replacing Parts 135 NOTE: If your computer has a gray cable, connect it to the connector with the gray triangle, if one is available on your card. 6 Replace the Mini-Card/modem cover. Hinge Cover CAUTION: Before you begin any of the procedures in this section, follow the safety instructions in the Product Information Guide. NOTICE: To avoid electrostatic discharge, ground yourself by using a wrist grounding strap or by periodically touching an unpainted metal surface (such as a connector on the back of the computer). NOTICE: To avoid damaging the system board, you must remove the battery before you begin working inside the computer. 1 2 Follow the procedures in "Before You Begin" on page 123. Remove the hinge cover:

a Open the display all the way (180 degrees) so that it lies flat against your work surface. NOTICE: To avoid damaging the hinge cover, do not lift the cover on both sides simultaneously. 136 Adding and Replacing Parts b c Insert a scribe into the indent to lift the hinge cover on the right side. Ease the hinge cover up, moving from right to left, and remove it. 1 1 hinge cover When replacing the hinge cover, first insert the left edge and then 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 safety instructions in the Product Information Guide. NOTICE: To avoid electrostatic discharge, ground yourself by using a wrist grounding strap or by periodically touching an unpainted metal surface (such as a connector on the back of the computer). NOTICE: To avoid damaging the system board, you must remove the battery before you begin working inside the computer. Follow the procedures in "Before You Begin" on page 123. Open the display and remove the hinge cover. See "Hinge Cover" on page 136. Remove the keyboard:

1 2 3 Adding and Replacing Parts 137 a Remove the two screws at the top of the keyboard. NOTICE: The key caps on the keyboard are fragile, easily dislodged, and time-

consuming to replace. Be careful when removing and handling the keyboard. b Lift the keyboard and hold it up and slightly forward to access to the keyboard connector. c To disconnect the keyboard cable from the keyboard connector on the system board, rotate the keyboard connector latch toward the front of the computer. d Slide the keyboard cable out of the keyboard connector on the system 2 board. 1 5 3 1 4 keyboard keyboard connector latch 4 2 5 keyboard screws (2) 3 keyboard cable keyboard tabs NOTICE: To avoid scratching the palm rest when replacing the keyboard, hook the five tabs along the front edge of the keyboard into the palm rest, and then secure the keyboard in place. Coin-Cell Battery CAUTION: Before you begin any of the procedures in this section, follow the safety instructions in the Product Information Guide. 138 Adding and Replacing Parts 1 2 3 4 1 5 NOTICE: To avoid electrostatic discharge, ground yourself by using a wrist grounding strap or by periodically touching an unpainted metal surface (such as a connector on the back of the computer). NOTICE: To avoid damaging the system board, you must remove the battery before you begin working inside the computer. Follow the procedures in "Before You Begin" on page 123. Remove the hinge cover. See "Hinge Cover" on page 136. Remove the keyboard. See "Keyboard" on page 137. Remove the existing coin-cell battery:

a b Pull up on the connector to disconnect the battery cable from the system board. Press the release latch on the side of the coin-cell battery compartment, and lift the battery. 1 2 3 2 coin-cell battery release latch 3 battery cable connector Install the replacement battery:

a Insert the battery at a 30-degree angle under the release latch with the positive side up, and then push the battery into place. Adding and Replacing Parts 139 b Connect the battery cable to the connector on the system board. 6 7 Replace the keyboard. Replace the hinge cover. Optical Drive CAUTION: Before you begin any of the procedures in this section, follow the safety instructions in the Product Information Guide. Follow the procedures in "Before You Begin" on page 123. Turn the computer over. Remove the optical-drive security screw. Insert a scribe into the notch and push it to the side to release the drive from the bay. 1 2 3 notch 2 optical-drive security screw 3 optical drive Slide the drive out of the bay. 1 2 3 4 1 5 140 Adding and Replacing Parts To reinstall the optical drive, slide the drive into the drive bay and snap it into place. Then replace the optical-drive security screw. Internal Card With Bluetooth Wireless Technology CAUTION: Before you begin any of the procedures in this section, follow the safety instructions in the Product Information Guide. NOTICE: To avoid electrostatic discharge, ground yourself by using a wrist grounding strap or by periodically touching an unpainted metal surface (such as a connector on the back of the computer). NOTICE: To avoid damaging the system board, you must remove the battery before you begin working inside the computer. If you ordered a card with Bluetooth wireless technology with your computer, it is already installed. 1 2 3 4 Follow the procedures in "Before You Begin" on page 123. Remove the battery. See "Replacing the Battery" on page 44. Loosen the captive screw and remove the card cover from the computer. Pull the card out of the compartment so that you can disconnect the card from its cable and remove it from the computer. Adding and Replacing Parts 141 3 2 1 1 5 6 7 cable connector 2 card 3 card cover To replace the card, connect the card to the cable and then carefully insert it into the compartment. Replace the card cover and tighten the screw. Replace the battery. 142 Adding and Replacing Parts Dell QuickSet Features 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 Display System information Depending on what you want to do in Dell QuickSet, you can start it by either clicking, double-clicking, or right-clicking the QuickSet icon in the Microsoft Windows notification area. The notification area is located in the lower-right corner of your screen. For more information about QuickSet, right-click the QuickSet icon and select Help. Dell QuickSet Features 143 144 Dell QuickSet Features Traveling With Your Computer Identifying Your Computer Attach a name tag or business card to the computer. Write down your Service Tag and store it in a safe place away from the computer or carrying case. Use the Service Tag if you need to report a loss or theft to law enforcement officials and to Dell. Create a file on the Microsoft Windows desktop called if_found. Place information such as your name, address, and phone number in this file. Contact your credit card company and ask if it offers coded identification tags. Packing the Computer Remove any external devices attached to the computer and store them in a safe place. Fully charge the main battery and any spare batteries that you plan to carry with you. Shut down the computer. Disconnect the AC adapter. NOTICE: When the display is closed, extraneous items on the keyboard or palm rest could damage the display. Remove any extraneous items, such as paper clips, pens, and paper, from the keyboard and palm rest and close the display. Use the optional Dell carrying case to pack the computer and its accessories together safely. Avoid packing the computer with items such as shaving cream, colognes, perfumes, or food. NOTICE: If the computer has been exposed to extreme temperatures, allow it to acclimate to room temperature for 1 hour before turning it on. Traveling With Your Computer 145 Protect the computer, the batteries, and the hard drive from hazards such as extreme temperatures and overexposure to sunlight, dirt, dust, or liquids. Pack the computer so that it does not slide around in the trunk of your car or in an overhead storage compartment. Travel Tips NOTICE: Do not move the computer while using the optical drive to prevent loss of data. NOTICE: Do not check the computer as baggage. Consider disabling wireless activity on your computer to maximize battery operating time. To disable wireless activity, use the wireless switch. Consider changing your power management options to maximize battery operating time (see "Configuring Power Management Settings" on page 42). If you are traveling internationally, carry proof of ownershipor of your right to use the computer if it is company-ownedto speed your passage through customs. Investigate the customs regulations of the countries you plan to visit, and consider acquiring an international carnet (also known as a merchandise passport) from your government. Find out what type of electrical outlets are used in the countries you will visit, and have appropriate power adapters. Check with your credit card company for information about the kinds of emergency travel assistance it offers to users of portable computers. Traveling by Air NOTICE: Do not walk the computer through a metal detector. Send the computer through an X-ray machine or have it hand-inspected. Ensure that you have a charged battery available in case you are asked to turn on the computer. Prior to entering the airplane, verify that using a computer is permitted. Some airlines forbid the use of electronic devices during flight. All airlines forbid the use of electronic devices during takeoff and landing. 146 Traveling With Your Computer Getting Help Obtaining Assistance CAUTION: If you need to remove the computer cover, first disconnect the computer power and modem cables from all electrical outlets. If you experience a problem with your computer, you can complete the following steps to diagnose and troubleshoot the problem:

1 2 3 4 5 See "Troubleshooting" on page 87 for information and procedures that pertain to the problem your computer is experiencing. See "Dell Diagnostics" on page 87 for procedures on how to run Dell Diagnostics. Fill out the "Diagnostics Checklist" on page 151. Use Dell's extensive suite of online services available at Dell Support

(support.dell.com) for help with installation and troubleshooting procedures. See "Online Services" on page 148 for a more extensive list of Dell Support online. If the preceding steps have not resolved the problem, see "Contacting Dell" on page 152. NOTE: Call Dell Support from a telephone near or at the computer so that the support staff can assist you with any necessary procedures. NOTE: Dell's Express Service Code system may not be available in all countries. When prompted by Dell's automated telephone system, enter your Express Service Code to route the call directly to the proper support personnel. If you do not have an Express Service Code, open the Dell Accessories folder, double-click the Express Service Code icon, and follow the directions. For instructions on using the Dell Support, see "Technical Support and Customer Service" on page 148. NOTE: Some of the following services are not always available in all locations outside the continental U.S. Call your local Dell representative for information on availability. Getting Help 147 Technical Support and Customer Service Dell's support service is available to answer your questions about Dell hardware. Our support staff uses computer-based diagnostics to provide fast, accurate answers. To contact Dell's support service, see "Before You Call" on page 150, and then see the contact information for your region or go to support.dell.com. 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. For more information, go to support.dell.com and click DellConnect. Online Services You can learn about Dell products and services on the following websites:

www.dell.com www.dell.com/ap (Asian/Pacific countries only) www.dell.com/jp (Japan only) www.euro.dell.com (Europe only) www.dell.com/la (Latin American and Caribbean countries) www.dell.ca (Canada only) You can access Dell Support through the following websites and e-mail addresses:

Dell Support websites support.dell.com support.jp.dell.com (Japan only) support.euro.dell.com (Europe only) Dell Support e-mail addresses mobile_support@us.dell.com support@us.dell.com la-techsupport@dell.com (Latin America and Caribbean countries only) apsupport@dell.com (Asian/Pacific countries only) 148 Getting Help Dell Marketing and Sales e-mail addresses apmarketing@dell.com (Asian/Pacific 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 password. AutoTech Service Dell's automated support serviceAutoTechprovides recorded answers to the questions most frequently asked by Dell customers about their portable and desktop computers. When you call AutoTech, use your touch-tone telephone to select the subjects that correspond to your questions. For the telephone number to call for your region, see "Contacting Dell" on page 152. Automated Order-Status Service To check on the status of any Dell products that you have ordered, you can go to support.dell.com, or you can call the automated order-status service. A recording prompts you for the information needed to locate and report on your order. For the telephone number to call for your region, see "Contacting Dell" on page 152. Problems With Your Order If you have a problem with your order, such as missing parts, wrong parts, or incorrect billing, contact Dell for customer assistance. Have your invoice or packing slip handy when you call. For the telephone number to call for your region, see "Contacting Dell" on page 152. Product Information If you need information about additional products available from Dell, or if you would like to place an order, visit the Dell website at www.dell.com. For the telephone number to call for your region or to speak to a sales specialist, see the "Contacting Dell" on page 152. Getting Help 149 Returning Items for Warranty Repair or Credit Prepare all items being returned, whether for repair or credit, as follows:

1 2 3 4 5 Call Dell to obtain a Return Material Authorization Number, and write it clearly and prominently on the outside of the box. For the telephone number to call for your region, see "Contacting Dell" on page 152. Include a copy of the invoice and a letter describing the reason for the return. Include a copy of the Diagnostics Checklist (see "Diagnostics Checklist"

on page 151), indicating the tests that you have run and any error messages reported by the Dell Diagnostics (see "Dell Diagnostics" on page 87). Include any accessories that belong with the item(s) being returned (power cables, software floppy disks, guides, and so on) if the return is for credit. Pack the equipment to be returned in the original (or equivalent) packing materials. You are responsible for paying shipping expenses. You are also responsible for insuring any product returned, and you assume the risk of loss during shipment to Dell. Collect On Delivery (C.O.D.) packages are not accepted. Returns that are missing any of the preceding requirements will be refused at Dells receiving dock and returned to you. Before You Call NOTE: Have your Express Service Code ready when you call. The code helps Dells automated-support telephone system direct your call more efficiently. You may also be asked for your Service Tag (located on the back or bottom of your computer). Remember to fill out the Diagnostics Checklist (see "Diagnostics Checklist"

on page 151). If possible, turn on your computer before you call Dell for assistance and call from a telephone at or near the computer. You may be asked to type some commands at the keyboard, relay detailed information during operations, or try other troubleshooting steps possible only at the computer itself. Ensure that the computer documentation is available. CAUTION: Before working inside your computer, follow the safety instructions in your Product Information Guide. 150 Getting Help Diagnostics Checklist Name:

Date:

Address:

Phone number:

Service Tag (bar code on the back or bottom of the computer):

Express 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? Yes No Network, version, and network adapter:

Programs and versions:

See your operating system documentation to determine the contents of the systems start-up files. If the computer is connected to a printer, print each file. Otherwise, record the contents of each file before calling Dell. Error message, beep code, or diagnostic code:

Description of problem and troubleshooting procedures you performed:

Getting Help 151 Contacting Dell NOTE: If you do not have an active Internet connection, you can find contact information on your purchase invoice, packing slip, bill, or Dell product catalog. Dell provides several online and telephone-based support and service options. Because availability varies by country and product, some services may not be available in your area. To contact Dell for sales, technical support, or customer service issues:

1 2 3 4 5 Visit www.support.dell.com. At the bottom of the page, verify your country or region. Locate the Browse by Category section on the left side of the page and click Contact Us. Select the appropriate service or support link based on your need. Choose the method of contacting Dell that is convenient for you. 152 Getting Help Specifications NOTE: Your computer comes in different configurations. To determine the configuration of your computer, see "Determining Your Computers Configuration" on page 19. Processor Processor type Intel Core 2 Duo processor L1 cache L2 cache Intel Core 2 Quad processor 64 KB 2 MB or 4 MB (Intel Core 2 Duo processor) 8 MB (Intel Core 2 Quad processor) External bus frequency (front side 800 MHz (Intel Core 2 Duo processor) bus) System Information 1066 MHz (Intel Core 2 Quad processor) System chip set Mobile Intel 965GM Express Data bus width 64 bits DRAM bus width dual channel bus Processor address bus width 32 bits Flash EPROM PCI bus 2 MB 32 bits

(PCI-Express used for video x16 controllers) ExpressCard NOTE: The ExpressCard slot is designed only for ExpressCards. It does NOT support PC Cards. ExpressCard connector one ExpressCard slot (54 mm) 1.5 V and 3.3 V Specifications 153 ExpressCard (continued) Cards supported ExpressCard/34 (34 mm) and ExpressCard/54 (54 mm) ExpressCard connector size 26 pins Memory Memory module connector two user-accessible SODIMM connectors Memory module capacities 512 MB, 1 GB, 2 GB, and 4 GB Memory type 1.8 V SODIMM DDR-II supports DDR-II up to 667 MHz Minimum memory 1 GB (via 2 x 512 MB SODIMM DDR-II modules) Maximum memory 4 GB (via 2 x 2 GB SODIMM DDR-II modules) or 8 GB (via 2 x 4 GB SODIMM DDR-II modules) NOTE: In order to take advantage of the dual channel bandwidth capability, both memory slots must be populated and must match in size. 8-in-1 Media Memory card Reader 8-in-1 media memory card controller Ricoh R5C833 8-in-1 media memory card connector 8-in-1 combo card connector Cards supported Secure Digital (SD) SDIO MultiMediaCard (MMC) Memory Stick Memory Stick PRO xD-Picture Card Hi Speed-SD Hi Density-SD 154 Specifications Ports and Connectors Audio microphone-in connector, two stereo headphones/speakers connector IEEE 1394a 4-pin mini, nonpowered connector Consumer IR sensor compatible with Philips RC6 (receive Network adapter RJ-45 port only) S-video TV-out 7-pin mini-DIN connector (optional S-video to composite video adapter cable; optional S-video to component video adapter cable) USB four 4-pin USB 2.0-compliant connectors Dual link DVI-I (Digital Video 29-pin connector Interface) Communications Network adapter 10/100/1000 Mbps Ethernet LAN on system board Wireless internal PCI-e Mini-Card WLAN(802.11a/g, 802.11g, 802.11n/MIMO)support internal PCI-e Mini-Card(Dell 5700 EVDO and HSDPA) and external ExpressCard WWAN support internal card with Bluetooth wireless technology support Video NOTE: Your computer comes in different configurations with different video controller cards. To determine the configuration of your computer, see "Determining Your Computers Configuration" on page 19. Video controller:

NVIDIA GeForce 8800 GS Video type discrete video adapter Data bus PCI Express x16 Video memory 256 MB Specifications 155 Video (continued) LCD interface LVDS TV support NTSC or PAL in S-video, component, and composite modes ATSC for TV tuner card (TVT8) Audio Audio type High Definition Audio (HDA) codec Stereo conversion 24-bit (analog-to-digital and digital-to-

Interfaces:

Internal External analog) HDA bus microphone-in connector, two stereo headphones/speakers connector Speaker four stereo 8-ohm main speakers with two 18 mm transducers per side and one subwoofer with bass reflex port bluetooth speaker adapter Internal speaker amplifier stereo 5-W per channel Class D amplifier, 10 W total power Volume controls keyboard shortcuts, program menus, media control buttons Audio controller Sigmatel STAC9228 High Definition Audio codec Headphones bluetooth stereo headphones Media Drive Interface Display CD-RW, DVD combo, Blu-ray Roxio Creator Plus

, Dell MediaDirect 3.4 Type (active-matrix TFT) WUXGA Dimensions:

156 Specifications Display (continued) Height Width 245.0 mm (9.64 inches) 383.0 mm (15 inches) Diagonal 431.8 mm (17 inches) Maximum resolution 1920 x 1200 at 16.7 million colors Refresh rate 60 Hz Operating angle Viewing angle (typical):

0

(closed) to 180 Horizontal Vertical 60 45 Pixel pitch 0.191 mm (17-inch display) Power consumption (panel with backlight) (typical):

7.54 W Controls brightness can be controlled through keyboard shortcuts Keyboard Number of keys 101 (U.S. and Canada); 88 (Europe);

Layout Type Camera Pixel 91 (Japan) QWERTY/AZERTY/Kanji LED backlit, 16 color 2.0 mega pixel Video Resolution 640x480 at 30fps Diagonal Viewing Angle 60 Touch Pad X/Y position resolution

(graphics table mode) 240 cpi Size:

Width 73.0-mm (2.88-inch) sensor-active area Specifications 157 Touch Pad (continued) Height 42.9-mm (1.69-inch) rectangle Battery Type Dimensions:

Depth Height Width Weight Voltage 9-cell "smart" lithium ion 88.5 mm (3.48 inches) 21.5 mm (0.83 inch) 139.0 mm (5.47 inches) 0.48 kg (1.1 lb) (9 cell) 10.8 VDC Charge time (approximate):

Computer off 4 hours (at 100% in 4 hours) 2 hour (at 80% in 2 hours) Operating time Battery operating time varies depending on operating conditions and can be significantly reduced under certain power-intensive conditions. See "Power Problems" on page 108. See "Using a Battery" on page 39 for more information on battery life. Life span (approximate) 300 discharge/charge cycles Temperature range:

Operating Storage 0 to 35C (32 to 95F) 40 to 65C (40 to 149F) 158 Specifications AC Adapter NOTE: For optimum system performance, you should always use a 130-W AC adapter. Using less-powerful AC adapters may cause you to receive a WARNING message and may also cause your computer to experience a degradation in performance. Input voltage 90264 VAC Input current (maximum) 3.2 A Input frequency 4763 Hz Output current 11.8 A (continuous), 12.8A peak 4 second Output power pulse 230 W Rated output voltage 19.5 VDC Dimensions:

Height Width Depth 43 mm (1.7 inches) 100 mm (3.93 inches) 200 mm (7.87 inches) Weight (with cables) 1.3 kg (2.86 lb) Temperature range:

Operating 0 to 40C (32 to 104F) Storage 40 to 65C (40 to 158F) Physical Height Width Depth 50.8 mm (2.0 inches) 406 mm (16 inches) 302 mm (11.9 inches) Weight (with 9-cell battery and 4.89 kg (10.8 lb) optical drive) Environmental Temperature range:

Operating 0 to 35C (32 to 95F) Specifications 159 Environmental (continued) Storage Relative humidity:

40 to 65C (40 to 149F) Operating 10% to 90% (noncondensing) Storage 5% to 95% (noncondensing) Maximum vibration (using a random-vibration spectrum that simulates user environment):

Operating 0.66 GRMS Storage 1.3 GRMS Maximum shock (measured with a 2-ms half-sine pulse):

Operating Storage Altitude (maximum):

143 G 163 G Operating 15.2 to 3048 m (50 to 10,000 ft) Storage 15.2 to 10,668 m (50 to 35,000 ft) 160 Specifications Appendix Using the System Setup Program NOTE: Your operating system may automatically configure most of the options available in system setup, thus overriding options that you set through system setup. An exception is the External Hot Key option, which you can disable or enable only through system setup. For more information on configuring features for your operating system, see Windows Help and Support (click Start Help and Support).

, and then click You can use system setup as follows:

To set or change user-selectable features such as your computer password To verify information about the computer's current configuration such as the amount of system memory After you set up the computer, run system setup to familiarize yourself with your system configuration information and optional settings. You may want to write down the information for future reference. The system setup screens display the current setup information and settings for your computer, such as:

System configuration Boot order Boot (start-up) configuration Basic device configuration settings System security and hard drive password settings NOTE: Unless you are an expert computer user or are directed to do so by Dell technical support, do not change the system setup settings. Certain changes might make your computer work incorrectly. Appendix 161 Viewing the System Setup Screen 1 2 Turn on (or restart) your computer. When the DELL logo appears, press <F2> immediately. If you wait too long and the Microsoft Windows logo appears, continue to wait until you see the Windows desktop, then shut down your computer and try again. System Setup Screen NOTE: For information about a specific item on a system setup screen, highlight the item and see the Help area on the screen. On each screen, the system setup options are listed at the left. To the right of each option is the setting or value for that option. You can change settings that appear as white type on the screen. Options or values that you cannot change (because they are determined by the computer) appear less bright. The upper-right corner of the screen displays help information for the currently highlighted option; the lower-right corner displays information about the computer. System setup key functions are listed across the bottom of the screen. Commonly Used Options Certain options require that you reboot the computer for new settings to take effect. Changing the Boot Sequence The boot sequence, boot order, or tells the computer where to look to find the software needed to start the operating system. You can control the boot sequence and enable/disable devices using the Boot Order page of the system setup program. NOTE: To change the boot sequence on a one-time-only basis, see "Performing a One-Time Boot" on page 163. The Boot Order page displays a general list of the bootable devices that may be installed in your computer, including but not limited to the following:

Diskette Drive Internal HDD 162 Appendix USB Storage Device CD/DVD/CD-RW drive Modular bay HDD NOTE: Only devices that are preceded by a number are bootable. During the boot routine, the 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 searching and starts the operating system. To control the boot devices, select (highlight) a device by pressing the down-

arrow or up-arrow key, and then enable or disable the device or change its order in the list. To enable or disable a device, highlight the item and press the space bar. Enabled items are preceded by a number; disabled items are not preceded by a number. To reorder a device in the list, highlight the device and press <u> to move the device up the list or <d> to move a device down the list. Boot sequence changes take effect as soon as you save the changes and exit the system setup program. Performing a One-Time Boot You can set a one-time-only boot sequence without entering the system setup program (you can also use this procedure to boot the Dell Diagnostics on the diagnostics utility partition on your hard drive). 1 2 3 4 Shut down the computer through the Start menu. Connect the computer to an electrical outlet. Turn on the computer. When the DELL logo appears, press <F12>

immediately. If you wait too long and the Windows logo appears, continue to wait until you see the Windows desktop, then shut down your computer and try again. When the boot device list appears, highlight the device from which you want to boot and press <Enter>. The computer boots to the selected device. The next time you reboot the computer, the previous boot order is restored. Appendix 163 Cleaning Your Computer CAUTION: Before you begin any of the procedures in this section, follow the safety instructions located in the Product Information Guide. Computer, Keyboard, and Display CAUTION: Before you clean your computer, disconnect the computer from the electrical outlet and remove any installed batteries. Clean your computer with a soft cloth dampened with water. Do not use liquid or aerosol cleaners, which may contain flammable substances. Use a can of compressed air to remove dust from between the keys on the keyboard and to remove any dirt or lint from the display. NOTICE: To help prevent damage to the computer or display, do not spray cleaning solution directly onto the display. Only use products specifically designed for cleaning displays, and follow the instructions that are included with the product. Moisten a soft, lint-free cloth with either water or a display cleaner. Do not use alcohol or an ammonia-based cleaner. Wipe the display gently working from the center to the edges until it is clean and any fingerprints are removed. Do not use excessive pressure. NOTICE: To prevent damage to the antiglare coating, do not wipe the display with soap or alcohol. Moisten a soft, lint-free cloth with water and wipe the computer and keyboard. Do not allow water from the cloth to seep between the touch pad and the surrounding palm rest. To clean your monitor screen, lightly dampen a soft, clean cloth with water. You can also use a special screen-cleaning tissue or solution suitable for the monitors antistatic coating. Wipe the keyboard, computer, and monitor plastics with a soft cleaning cloth moistened with a solution of three parts water and one part dishwashing detergent. NOTICE: Do not soak the cloth or let water drip inside your computer or keyboard. 164 Appendix Touch Pad 1 2 3 4 Shut down and turn off your computer (see "Turning Off Your Computer"

on page 123). Disconnect any attached devices from the computer and from their electrical outlets. Remove any installed batteries (see "Battery Performance" on page 39). Moisten a soft, lint-free cloth with water, and wipe it gently across the surface of the touch pad. Do not allow water from the cloth to seep between the touch pad and the surrounding palm rest. Mouse NOTICE: Disconnect the mouse from the computer before cleaning the mouse If your screen cursor skips or moves abnormally, clean the mouse. Cleaning a Non-Optical Mouse 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 Clean the outside casing of the mouse with a cloth moistened with a mild cleaning solution. Turn the retainer ring on the underside of your mouse counterclockwise, and then remove the ball. Wipe the ball with a clean, lint-free cloth. Blow carefully into the ball cage or use a can of compressed air to dislodge dust and lint. If the rollers inside the ball cage are dirty, clean the rollers with a cotton swab moistened lightly with isopropyl alcohol. Recenter the rollers in their channels if they are misaligned. Ensure that fluff from the swab is not left on the rollers. Replace the ball and retainer ring, and turn the retainer ring clockwise until it clicks into place. Cleaning an Optical Mouse Clean the outside casing of the mouse with a cloth moistened with a mild cleaning solution. Appendix 165 Media NOTICE: Always use compressed air to clean the lens in the optical drive, and follow the instructions that come with the compressed air product. Never touch the lens in the drive. If you notice problems, such as skipping, with the playback quality of your media, try cleaning the discs. 1 2 Hold the disc by its outer edge. You can also touch the inside edge of the center hole. NOTICE: To help prevent damage to the surface, do not wipe in a circular motion around the disc. With a soft, lint-free cloth, gently wipe the bottom of the disc (the unlabeled side) in a straight line from the center to the outer edge of the disc. For stubborn dirt, try using water or a diluted solution of water and mild soap. You can also purchase commercial products that clean discs and provide some protection from dust, fingerprints, and scratches. Cleaning products for CDs are also safe to use on DVDs. Dell Technical Support Policy (U.S. Only) Technician assisted technical support requires the cooperation and participation of the customer in the troubleshooting process and provides for restoration of the operating system, software programs, and hardware drivers to the original default configuration as shipped from Dell, as well as the verification of appropriate functionality of the computer and all Dell-installed hardware. In addition to this technician assisted technical support, online technical support is available at support.dell.com. Additional technical support options may be available for purchase. Dell provides limited technical support for the computer and any "Dell-

installed" software and peripherals

. Support for third-party software and 1 peripherals is provided by the original manufacturer, including those purchased and/or installed through Dell Software and Peripherals, Readyware, and Custom Factory Integration 2

. 1 Repair services are provided pursuant to the terms and conditions of your limited warranty and any optional support service contract purchased with the computer. 2 All Dell-standard components included in a Custom Factory Integration (CFI) project are covered by the standard Dell limited warranty for your computer. However, Dell also extends a parts replacement program to cover all nonstandard, third-party hardware components integrated through CFI for the duration of the computers service contract. 166 Appendix Definition of "Dell-Installed" Software and Peripherals Dell-installed software includes the operating system and some of the software programs that are installed on the computer during the manufacturing process (Microsoft Office, Norton Antivirus, etc). Dell-installed peripherals include any internal expansion cards, or Dell-branded module bay or ExpressCard accessories. In addition, any Dell-branded monitors, keyboards, mice, speakers, microphones for telephonic modems, networking products, and all associated cabling are included. Definition of "Third-Party" Software and Peripherals Third-party software and peripherals include any peripheral, accessory, or software program sold by Dell not under the Dell brand (printers, scanners, cameras, games, etc). Support for all third-party software and peripherals is provided by the original manufacturer of the product. FCC Notice (U.S. Only) FCC Class B This equipment generates, uses, and can radiate radio frequency energy and, if not installed and used in accordance with the manufacturers instruction manual, may cause interference with radio and television reception. This equipment has been tested and found to comply with the limits for a Class B digital device pursuant to Part 15 of the FCC Rules. This device complies with Part 15 of the FCC Rules. Operation is subject to the following two conditions:

This device may not cause harmful interference. This device must accept any interference received, including interference that may cause undesired operation. NOTICE: The FCC regulations provide that changes or modifications not expressly approved by Dell Inc. could void your authority to operate this equipment. These limits are designed to provide reasonable protection against harmful interference in a residential installation. However, there is no guarantee that interference will not occur in a particular installation. If this equipment does Appendix 167 cause harmful interference with radio or television reception, which can be determined by turning the equipment off and on, you are encouraged to try to correct the interference by one or more of the following measures:

Reorient the receiving antenna. Relocate the system with respect to the receiver. Move the system away from the receiver. Plug the system into a different outlet so that the system and the receiver are on different branch circuits. If necessary, consult a representative of Dell Inc. or an experienced radio/television technician for additional suggestions. The following information is provided on the device or devices covered in this document in compliance with the FCC regulations:

Product name:

Dell XPS M1730 Model number:

PP06XA Company name:

Dell Inc. Worldwide Regulatory Compliance & Environmental Affairs One Dell Way Round Rock, TX 78682 USA 512-338-4400 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 authorized by Macrovision, and is intended for home and other limited viewing uses only unless otherwise authorized by Macrovision. Reverse engineering or disassembly is prohibited. 168 Appendix Glossary Terms 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. ACPI advanced configuration and power interface A power management specification that enables Microsoft Windows operating systems to put a computer in standby or hibernate mode to conserve the amount of electrical power allocated to each device attached to the computer. AGP accelerated graphics port A dedicated graphics port that allows system memory to be used for video-related tasks. AGP delivers a smooth, true-color video image because of the faster interface between the video circuitry and the computer memory. AHCI Advanced Host Controller Interface An interface for a SATA hard drive Host Controller which allows the storage driver to enable technologies such as Native Command Queuing (NCQ) and hot plug. ALS ambient light sensor A feature that helps to control display brightness. antivirus software A program designed to identify, quarantine, and/or delete viruses from your computer. ASF alert standards format A standard to define a mechanism for reporting hardware and software alerts to a management console. ASF is designed to be platform- and operating system-independent. B battery life span The length of time (years) during which a portable computer battery is able to be depleted and recharged. battery operating time The length of time (minutes or hours) that a portable computer battery powers the computer. BIOS basic input/output system A program (or utility) that serves as an interface between the computer hardware and the operating system. Unless you Glossary 169 understand what effect these settings have on the computer, do not change them. Also referred to as system setup. bit The smallest unit of data interpreted by your computer. Bluetooth wireless technology A wireless technology standard for short-range (9 m [29 feet]) networking devices that allows for enabled devices to automatically recognize each other. boot sequence Specifies the order of the devices from which the computer attempts to boot. bootable CD A CD that you can use to start your computer. In case your hard drive is damaged or your computer has a virus, ensure that you always have a bootable CD or floppy disk available. Your Drivers and Utilities media is a bootable CD. bootable disk A disk that you can use to start your computer. In case your hard drive is damaged or your computer has a virus, ensure that you always have a bootable CD or floppy disk available. bps bits per second The standard unit for measuring data transmission speed. BTU British thermal unit A measurement of heat output. bus A communication pathway between the components in your computer. bus speed The speed, given in MHz, that indicates how fast a bus can transfer information. byte The basic data unit used by your computer. A byte is usually equal to 8 bits. C C Celsius A temperature measurement 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 high-speed storage device. The cache enhances the efficiency of many processor operations. L1 cache Primary cache stored inside the processor. L2 cache Secondary cache which can either be external to the processor or incorporated into the processor architecture. carnet An international customs document that facilitates temporary imports into foreign countries. Also known as a merchandise passport. CD-R CD recordable A recordable version of a CD. Data can be recorded only once onto a CD-R. Once recorded, the data cannot be erased or written over. CD-RW CD rewritable A rewritable version of a CD. Data can be written to a 170 Glossary CD-RW disc, and then erased and written over (rewritten). CD-RW drive A drive that can read CDs and write to CD-RW (rewritable CDs) and CD-R (recordable CDs) discs. You can write to CD-RW discs multiple times, but you can write to CD-R discs only once. CD-RW/DVD drive A drive, sometimes referred to as a combo drive, that can read CDs and DVDs and write to CD-RW (rewritable CDs) and CD-R (recordable CDs) discs. You can write to CD-RW discs multiple times, but you can write to CD-R discs only once. clock speed The speed, given in MHz, that indicates how fast computer components that are connected to the system bus operate. CMOS A type of electronic circuit. Computers use a small amount of battery-

powered CMOS memory to hold date, time, and system setup options. COA Certificate of Authenticity The Windows alpha-numeric code located on a sticker on your computer. Also referred to as the Product Key or Product ID. Consumer IR A port that allows you to transfer data between the computer and infrared-compatible devices without using a cable connection. Control Panel A Windows utility that allows you to modify operating system and hardware settings, such as display settings. controller A chip that controls the transfer of data between the processor and memory or between the processor and devices. CRIMM continuity rambus in-line memory module A special module that has no memory chips and is used to fill unused RIMM slots. cursor The marker on a display or screen that shows where the next keyboard, touch pad, or mouse action will occur. It often is a blinking solid line, an underline character, or a small arrow. D DDR SDRAM double-data-rate SDRAM A type of SDRAM that doubles the data burst cycle, improving system performance. DDR2 SDRAM double-data-rate 2 SDRAM A type of DDR SDRAM that uses a 4-bit prefetch and other architectural changes to boost memory speed to over 400 MHz. device Hardware such as a disk drive, printer, or keyboard that is installed in or connected to your computer. device driver See driver. Glossary 171 DIMM dual in-line memory module A circuit board with memory chips that connects to a memory module on the system board. DIN connector A round, six-pin connector that conforms to DIN (Deutsche Industrie-Norm) standards; it is typically used to connect PS/2 keyboard or mouse cable connectors. disk striping A technique for spreading data over multiple disk drives. Disk striping can speed up operations that retrieve data from disk storage. Computers that use disk striping generally allow the user to select the data unit size or stripe width. DMA direct memory access A channel that allows certain types of data transfer between RAM and a device to bypass the processor. DMTF Distributed Management Task Force A consortium of hardware and software companies who develop management standards for distributed desktop, network, enterprise, and Internet environments. domain A group of computers, programs, and devices on a network that are administered as a unit with common rules and procedures for use by a specific group of users. A user logs on to the domain to gain access to the resources. DRAM dynamic random-access memory Memory that stores information in integrated circuits containing capacitors. driver Software that allows the operating system to control a device such as a printer. Many devices do not work properly if the correct driver is not installed in the computer. DSL Digital Subscriber Line A technology that provides a constant, high-speed Internet connection through an analog telephone line. dual-core An Intel technology in which two physical computational units exist inside a single processor package, thereby increasing computing efficiency and multi-

tasking ability. dual display mode A display setting that allows you to use a second monitor as an extension of your display. Also referred to as extended display mode. DVD-R DVD recordable A recordable version of a DVD. Data can be recorded only once onto a DVD-R. Once recorded, the data cannot be erased or written over. DVD+RW DVD rewritable A rewritable version of a DVD. Data can be written to a DVD+RW disc, and then erased and written over (rewritten). (DVD+RW technology is different from DVD-RW technology.) DVD+RW drive drive that can read DVDs and most CD media and write to DVD+RW (rewritable DVDs) discs. DVI digital video interface A standard for digital transmission between a computer and a digital video display. 172 Glossary E ECC error checking and correction A type of memory that includes special circuitry for testing the accuracy of data as it passes in and out of memory. ECP extended capabilities port A parallel connector design that provides improved bidirectional data transmission. Similar to EPP, ECP uses direct memory access to transfer data and often improves performance. EIDE enhanced integrated device electronics An improved version of the IDE interface for hard drives and CD drives. EMI electromagnetic interference Electrical interference caused by electromagnetic radiation. ENERGY STAR Environmental Protection Agency requirements that decrease the overall consumption of electricity. EPP enhanced parallel port A parallel connector design that provides bidirectional data transmission. ESD electrostatic discharge A rapid discharge of static electricity. ESD can damage integrated circuits found in computer and communications equipment. expansion card A circuit board that installs in an expansion slot on the system board in some computers, expanding the capabilities of the computer. Examples include video, modem, and sound cards. expansion slot A connector on the system board (in some computers) where you insert an expansion card, connecting it to the system bus. ExpressCard A removable I/O card adhering to the PCMCIA standard. Modems and network adapters are common types of ExpressCards. ExpressCards support both the PCI Express and USB 2.0 standard. Express Service Code A numeric code located on a sticker on your Dell computer. Use the Express Service Code when contacting Dell for assistance. Express Service Code service may not be available in some countries. extended display mode A display setting that allows 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 extends beyond the edge of the PC Card slot when installed. F Fahrenheit A temperature measurement scale where 32 is the freezing point and 212 is the boiling point of water. Glossary 173 FBD fully-buffered DIMM A DIMM with DDR2 DRAM chips and an Advanced Memory Buffer (AMB) that speeds communication between the DDR2 SDRAM chips and the system. FCC Federal Communications Commission A U.S. agency responsible for enforcing communications-related regulations that state how much radiation computers and other electronic equipment can emit. fingerprint reader A strip sensor that uses your unique fingerprint to authenticate your user identity to help secure your computer. folder A term used to describe space on a disk or drive where files are organized and grouped. Files in a folder can be viewed and ordered in various ways, such as alphabetically, by date, and by size. format The process that prepares a drive or disk for file storage. When a drive or disk is formatted, the existing information on it is lost. FSB front side bus The data path and physical interface between the processor and RAM. FTP file transfer protocol A standard Internet protocol used to exchange files between computers connected to the Internet. G G gravity A measurement of weight and force. GB gigabyte A measurement of data storage that equals 1024 MB

(1,073,741,824 bytes). When used to refer to hard drive storage, the term is often rounded to 1,000,000,000 bytes. GHz gigahertz A measurement of frequency that equals one thousand million Hz, or one thousand MHz. The speeds for computer processors, buses, and interfaces are often measured in GHz. graphics mode A video mode that can be defined as x horizontal pixels by y vertical pixels by z colors. Graphics modes can display an unlimited variety of shapes and fonts. GUI graphical user interface Software that interacts with the user by means of menus, windows, and icons. Most programs that operate on the Windows operating systems are GUIs. H hard drive A drive that reads and writes data on a hard disk. The terms hard drive and hard disk are often used interchangeably. 174 Glossary heat sink A metal plate on some processors that helps dissipate heat. hibernate mode A power management mode that saves everything in memory to a reserved space on the hard drive and then turns off the computer. When you restart the computer, the memory information that was saved to the hard drive is automatically restored. HTTP hypertext transfer protocol A protocol for exchanging files between computers connected to the Internet. Hyper-Threading Hyper-Threading is an Intel technology that can enhance overall computer performance by allowing one physical processor to function as two logical processors, capable of performing certain tasks simultaneously. Hz hertz A unit of frequency measurement that equals 1 cycle per second. Computers and electronic devices are often measured in kilohertz (kHz), megahertz

(MHz), gigahertz (GHz), or terahertz (THz). I IC integrated circuit A semiconductor wafer, or chip, on which thousands or millions of tiny electronic 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 CD drive. IEEE 1394 Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers, Inc. A high-

performance serial bus used to connect IEEE 1394-compatible devices, such as digital cameras and DVD players, to the computer. infrared sensor A port that allows you to transfer data between the computer and infrared-compatible devices without using a cable connection. integrated Usually refers to components that are physically located on the computers system board. Also referred to as built-in. I/O input/output An operation or device that enters and extracts data from your computer. Keyboards and printers are I/O devices. I/O address An address in RAM that is associated with a specific device (such as a serial connector, parallel connector, or expansion slot) and allows the processor to communicate with that device. IrDA Infrared Data Association The organization that creates international standards for infrared communications. IRQ interrupt request An electronic pathway assigned to a specific device so that the device can communicate with the processor. Each device connection must be Glossary 175 assigned an IRQ. Although two devices can share the same IRQ assignment, you cannot operate both devices simultaneously. ISP Internet service provider A company that allows you to access its host server to connect directly to the Internet, send and receive e-mail, and access websites. The ISP typically provides you with a software package, user name, and access phone numbers for a fee. K Kb kilobit A unit of data that equals 1024 bits. A measurement of the capacity of memory integrated circuits. KB kilobyte A unit of data that equals 1024 bytes but is often referred to as 1000 bytes. key combination A command requiring you to press multiple keys at the same time. kHz kilohertz A measurement of frequency that equals 1000 Hz. L LAN local area network A computer network covering a small area. A LAN usually is confined to a building or a few nearby buildings. A LAN can be connected to another LAN over any distance through telephone lines and radio waves to form a wide area network (WAN). LCD liquid crystal display The technology used by portable computer and flat-

panel displays. LED light-emitting diode An electronic component that emits light to indicate the status of the computer. local bus A data bus that provides a fast throughput for devices to the processor. LPT line print terminal The designation for a parallel connection to a printer or other parallel device. M Mb megabit A measurement of memory chip capacity that equals 1024 Kb. Mbps megabits per second One million bits per second. This measurement is typically used for transmission speeds for networks and modems. MB megabyte A measurement of data storage that equals 1,048,576 bytes. 1 MB 176 Glossary equals 1024 KB. When used to refer to hard drive storage, the term is often rounded to 1,000,000 bytes. MB/sec megabytes per second One million bytes per second. This measurement is typically used for data transfer ratings. media bay A bay that supports devices such as optical drives, a second battery, or a Dell TravelLite module. memory A temporary data storage area inside your computer. Because the data in memory is not permanent, it is recommended that you frequently save your files while you are working on them, and always save your files before you shut down the computer. Your computer can contain several different forms of memory, such as RAM, ROM, and video memory. Frequently, the word memory is used as a synonym for RAM. memory address A specific location where data is temporarily stored in RAM. memory mapping The process by which the computer assigns memory addresses to physical locations at start-up. Devices and software can then identify information that the processor can access. memory module A small circuit board containing memory chips, which connects to the system board. MHz megahertz A measure of frequency that equals 1 million cycles per second. The speeds for computer processors, buses, and interfaces are often measured in MHz. Mini PCI A standard for integrated peripheral devices with an emphasis on communications such as modems and NICs. A Mini PCI card is a small external card that is functionally equivalent to a standard PCI expansion card. Mini-Card A small card designed for integrated peripherals, such as communication NICs. The Mini-Card is functionally equivalent to a standard PCI expansion card. Mobile Broadband network (also known as a WWAN) is a series of interconnected computers that communicate with each other through wireless cellular technology and provides Internet access in the same varied locations from which cellular telephone service is available. Your computer can maintain the Mobile Broadband network connection regardless of its physical location, as long as the computer remains in the service area of your cellular service provider. modem A device that allows your computer to communicate with other computers over analog telephone lines. Three types of modems include: external, PC Card, and internal. You typically use your modem to connect to the Internet and exchange e-

mail. module bay See media bay. Glossary 177 MP megapixel A measure of image resolution used for digital cameras. ms millisecond A measure of time that equals one thousandth of a second. Access times of storage devices are often measured in ms. N network adapter A chip that provides network capabilities. A computer may include a network adapter on its system board, or it may contain a PC Card with an adapter on it. A network adapter is also referred to as a NIC (network interface controller). NIC See network adapter. notification area The section of the Windows taskbar that contains icons for providing quick access to programs and computer functions, such as the clock, volume control, and print status. Also referred to as system tray. ns nanosecond A measure of time that equals one billionth of a second. NVRAM nonvolatile random access memory A type of memory that stores data when the computer is turned off or loses its external power source. NVRAM is used for maintaining computer configuration information such as date, time, and other system setup options that you can set. O optical drive A drive that uses optical technology to read or write data from CDs, DVDs, or DVD+RWs. Example of optical drives include CD drives, DVD drives, CD-

RW drives, and CD-RW/DVD combo drives. P parallel connector An I/O port often used to connect a parallel printer to your computer. Also referred to as an LPT port. partition A physical storage area on a hard drive that is assigned to one or more logical storage areas known as logical drives. Each partition can contain multiple logical drives. PC Card A removable I/O card adhering to the PCMCIA standard. Modems and network adapters are common types of PC Cards. PCI peripheral component interconnect PCI is a local bus that supports 32-and 64-bit data paths, providing a high-speed data path between the processor and devices such as video, drives, and networks. 178 Glossary 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 GB/sec. If the PCI Express chip set and the device are capable of different speeds, they will operate at the slower speed. PCMCIA Personal Computer Memory Card International Association The organization that establishes standards for PC Cards. PIO programmed input/output A method of transferring data between two devices through the processor as part of the data path. pixel A single point on a display screen. Pixels are arranged in rows and columns to create an image. A video resolution, such as 800 x 600, is expressed as the number of pixels across by the number of pixels up and down. Plug-and-Play The ability of the computer to automatically configure devices. Plug and Play provides automatic installation, configuration, and compatibility with existing hardware if the BIOS, operating system, and all devices are Plug and Play compliant. POST power-on self-test Diagnostics programs, loaded automatically by the BIOS, that perform basic tests on the major computer components, such as memory, hard drives, and video. If no problems are detected during POST, the computer continues the start-up. processor A computer chip that interprets and executes program instructions. Sometimes the processor is referred to as the CPU (central processing unit). PS/2 personal system/2 A type of connector for attaching a PS/2-compatible keyboard, mouse, or keypad. PXE pre-boot execution environment A WfM (Wired for Management) standard that allows networked computers that do not have an operating system to be configured and started remotely. R RAID redundant array of independent disks A method of providing data redundancy. Some common implementations of RAID include RAID 0, RAID 1, RAID 5, RAID 10, and RAID 50. RAM random-access memory The primary temporary storage area for program instructions and data. Any information stored in RAM is lost when you shut down your computer. readme file A text file included with a software package or hardware product. Typically, readme files provide installation information and describe new product enhancements or corrections that have not yet been documented. Glossary 179 read-only Data and/or files you can view but cannot edit or delete. A file can have read-only status if:

It resides on a physically write-protected floppy disk, CD, or DVD. It is located on a network in a directory and the system administrator has assigned rights only to specific individuals. refresh rate The frequency, measured in Hz, at which your screen's horizontal lines are recharged (sometimes also referred to as its vertical frequency). The higher the refresh rate, the less video flicker can be seen by the human eye. resolution The sharpness and clarity of an image produced by a printer or displayed on a monitor. The higher the resolution, the sharper the image. RFI radio frequency interference Interference that is generated at typical radio frequencies, in the range of 10 kHz to 100,000 MHz. Radio frequencies are at the lower end of the electromagnetic frequency spectrum and are more likely to have interference than the higher frequency radiations, such as infrared and light. ROM read-only memory Memory that stores data and programs that cannot be deleted or written to by the computer. ROM, unlike RAM, retains its contents after you shut down your computer. Some programs essential to the operation of your computer reside in ROM. RPM revolutions per minute The number of rotations that occur per minute. Hard drive speed is often measured in rpm. RTC real time clock Battery-powered clock on the system board that keeps the date and time after you shut down the computer. RTCRST real-time clock reset 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 opposed to the original SCSI parallel architecture). SATA serial ATA A faster, serial version of the ATA (IDE) interface. ScanDisk A Microsoft utility that checks files, folders, and the hard disks surface for errors. ScanDisk often runs when you 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 drives, CD drives, printers, and scanners. The SCSI can connect many devices using a single controller. Each device is accessed by an individual identification number on the SCSI controller bus. 180 Glossary SDRAM synchronous dynamic random-access memory A type of DRAM that is synchronized with the optimal clock speed of the processor. serial connector An I/O port often used to connect devices such as a handheld digital device or digital camera to your computer. Service Tag A bar code label on your computer that identifies your computer when you access Dell Support at support.dell.com or when you call Dell for customer service or technical support. setup program A program that is used to install and configure hardware and software. The setup.exe or install.exe program comes with most Windows software packages. Setup program differs from system setup. shortcut An icon that provides quick access to frequently used programs, files, folders, and drives. When you place a shortcut on your Windows desktop and double-

click the icon, you can open its corresponding folder or file without having to find it first. Shortcut icons do not change the location of files. If you delete a shortcut, the original file is not affected. Also, you can rename a shortcut icon. SIM Subscriber Identity Module A SIM card contains a microchip that encrypts voice and data transmissions. SIM cards can be used in phones or portable computers. smart card A card that is embedded with a processor and a memory chip. Smart cards can be used to authenticate a user on computers equipped for smart cards. S/PDIF Sony/Philips Digital Interface An audio transfer file format that allows the transfer of audio from one file to another without converting it to and from an analog format, which could degrade the quality of the file. standby mode A power management mode that shuts down all unnecessary computer operations to save energy. Strike Zone Reinforced area of the platform base that protects the hard drive by acting as a dampening device when a computer experiences resonating shock or is dropped (whether the computer is on or off). surge protectors Prevent voltage spikes, such as those that may occur during an electrical storm, from entering the computer through the electrical outlet. Surge protectors do not protect against lightning strikes or against brownouts, which occur when the voltage drops more than 20 percent below the normal AC-line voltage level. Network connections cannot be protected by surge protectors. Always disconnect the network cable from the network connector during electrical storms. SVGA super-video graphics array A video standard for video cards and controllers. Typical SVGA resolutions are 800 x 600 and 1024 x 768. The number of colors and resolution that a program displays depends on the capabilities of the monitor, the video controller and its drivers, and the amount of Glossary 181 video memory installed in the computer. S-video TV-out A connector used to attach a TV or digital audio device to the computer. SXGA super-extended graphics array A video standard for video cards and controllers that supports resolutions up to 1280 x 1024. SXGA+ super-extended graphics array plus A video standard for video cards and 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 computer hardware and the operating system. System setup allows you to configure user-selectable options in the BIOS, such as date and time or system password. Unless you understand what effect the settings have on the computer, do not change the settings for this program. T TAPI telephony application programming interface Enables Windows programs to operate with a wide variety of telephony devices, including voice, data, fax, and video. text editor A program used to create and edit files that contain only text; for example, Windows Notepad uses a text editor. Text editors do not usually provide word wrap or formatting functionality (the option to underline, change fonts, and so on). TPM trusted platform module A hardware-based security feature that when combined with security software enhances network and computer security by enabling features such as file and e-mail protection. travel module A plastic device designed to fit inside the module bay of a portable computer to reduce the weight of the computer. U UAC user account control Windows Vista security feature 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 power source used when the 182 Glossary electrical power fails or drops to an unacceptable voltage level. A UPS keeps a computer running for a limited amount of time when there is no electrical power. UPS systems typically provide surge suppression and may also provide voltage regulation. Small UPS systems provide battery power for a few minutes to enable you to shut down your computer. USB universal serial bus A hardware interface for a low-speed device such as a USB-compatible keyboard, mouse, joystick, scanner, set of speakers, printer, broadband devices (DSL and cable modems), imaging devices, or storage devices. Devices are plugged directly in to a 4-pin socket on your computer or in to a multi-

port hub that plugs in to your computer. USB devices can be connected and disconnected while the computer is turned on, and they can also be daisy-chained together. UTP unshielded twisted pair Describes a type of cable used in most telephone networks and some computer networks. Pairs of unshielded wires are twisted to protect against electromagnetic interference, rather than relying on a metal sheath around each pair of wires to protect against interference. UXGA ultra extended graphics array A video standard for video cards and controllers that supports resolutions up to 1600 x 1200. V video controller The circuitry on a video card or on the system board (in computers with an integrated video controller) that provides the video capabilitiesin combination with the monitorfor your computer. video memory Memory that consists of memory chips dedicated to video functions. Video memory is usually faster than system memory. The amount of video memory installed primarily influences the number of colors that a program can display. video mode A mode that describes how text and graphics are displayed on a monitor. Graphics-based software, such as Windows operating systems, displays in video modes that can be defined as x horizontal pixels by y vertical pixels by z colors. Character-based software, such as text editors, displays in video modes that can be defined as x columns by y rows of characters. video resolution See resolution. 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 downloaded from the Internet, or e-mail attachments. When an infected program starts, its embedded virus also starts. A common type of virus is a boot virus, which is stored in the boot sectors of a floppy disk. If the floppy disk is left in the drive when the computer is shut down and then Glossary 183 turned on, the computer is infected when it reads the boot sectors of the floppy disk expecting to find the operating system. If the computer is infected, the boot virus may replicate itself onto all the floppy disks that are read or written in that computer until the virus is eradicated. V volt The measurement of electric potential or electromotive force. One V appears across a resistance of 1 ohm when a current of 1 ampere flows through that resistance. W W watt The measurement of electrical power. One W is 1 ampere of current flowing at 1 volt. WHr watt-hour A unit of measure commonly used to indicate the approximate capacity of a battery. For example, a 66-WHr battery can supply 66 W of power for 1 hour or 33 W for 2 hours. wallpaper The background pattern or picture on the Windows desktop. Change your wallpaper through the Windows Control Panel. You can also scan in your favorite picture and make it wallpaper. WLAN wireless local area network. A series of interconnected computers that communicate with each other over the air waves using access points or wireless routers to provide Internet access. write-protected Files or media that cannot be changed. Use write-protection when you want to protect data from being changed or destroyed. To write-protect a 3.5-inch floppy disk, slide its write-protect tab to the open position. WPAN wireless personal area network. A computer network used for communica-

tion among computer devices (including telephones and personal digital assistants) close to one person. WWAN wireless wide area network. A wireless high-speed data network using cellular technology and covering a much larger geographic area than WLAN. WXGA wide-aspect extended graphics array A video standard for video cards and controllers that supports resolutions up to 1280 x 800."

X XGA extended graphics array A video standard for video cards and controllers that supports resolutions up to 1024 x 768. 184 Glossary Z ZIF zero insertion force A type of socket or connector that allows a computer chip to be installed or removed with no stress applied to either the chip or its socket. Zip A popular data compression format. Files that have been compressed with the Zip format are called Zip files and usually have a filename extension of .zip. A special kind of zipped file is a self-extracting file, which has a filename extension of .exe. You can unzip a self-extracting file by double-clicking it. Zip drive A high-capacity floppy drive developed by Iomega Corporation that uses 3.5-inch removable disks called Zip disks. Zip disks are slightly larger than regular floppy disks, about twice as thick, and hold up to 100 MB of data. Glossary 185 186 Glossary Index Numerics b o o t s equ en c e , 1 6 2 8-in-1 memory card read er, 7 2 b r i gh tn e s s adjusting, 3 1 A aud i o c onn e c t o r s description, 2 2 aud i o d e v i c e connecting, 5 4 enabling, 6 8 audio. See s oun d B b a t t e r y charge gauge, 4 1 charging, 4 3 checking the charge, 4 0 performance, 3 9 power meter, 4 1 removing, 4 4 storing, 4 4 blank card s ExpressCards, 7 0 memory card, 7 3 removing, 7 1 , 7 4 C c a rn e t , 1 4 6 CD about, 5 0 blank, 5 1 CD-RW drive problems, 9 3 drive problems, 9 3 Chec k Di sk, 9 4 c l e an in g touch pad, 1 6 5 c o in - c e l l b a t t e r y replacing, 1 3 8 c ompu t e r crashes, 1 0 3 - 1 0 4 restore to previous operating state, 1 1 8 slow performance, 9 5 , 1 0 6 specifications, 1 5 4 stops responding, 1 0 3 c onn e c t in g audio device, 5 4 B lu e t o o th w i rel e s s t e chn o l o g y Mobile Broadband network, 8 0 installing, 1 4 1 TV, 5 4 c on t a c t in g D e l l , 1 5 2 Index 187 c op y in g CD s d o cum en t a t i on general information, 5 0 End User License Agreement, 1 3 helpful tips, 5 2 ergonomics, 1 3 how to, 5 1 online, 1 6 c op y in g DVD s general information, 5 0 helpful tips, 5 2 how to, 5 1 D D el l contacting, 1 5 2 D e l l D i a gn o s t i c s about, 8 7 Product Information Guide, 1 3 regulatory, 1 3 safety, 1 3 warranty, 1 3 dr i ver s about, 1 1 5 identifying, 1 1 5 reinstalling, 1 1 6 D r i v e r s and U t i l i t i e s m ed i a , 1 3 about, 1 1 6 Dell Diagnostics, 8 7 starting from the Drivers and d r i v e s Utilities media, 8 8 starting from your hard drive, 8 7 problems, 9 2 See hard drive D e l l M ed i aD i re c t problems, 1 0 4 D e l l supp o r t s i t e , 1 6 D e l lC onn e c t , 1 4 8 DVD about, 5 0 blank, 5 1 drive problems, 9 3 D e v i c e D r i v e r R o l lb a c k , 1 1 6 E d i a gn o s t i c s Dell, 8 7 d i sp l a y End U s e r L i c en s e A g re em en t , 1 3 e rg on om i c s in f o rm a t i on , 1 3 adjusting brightness, 3 1 adjusting the size of icons, 1 4 3 e r ro r m e s s a g e s , 9 6 adjusting the size of toolbars, 1 4 3 E xp re s sC a rd s , 6 9 description, 2 1 resolution, 3 2 switching the video image, 3 1 blanks, 7 0 - 7 1 installing, 7 0 removing, 7 1 slot, 2 3 188 Index F fan description, 2 3 H hard drive problems, 9 4 replacing, 1 2 5 returning to Dell, 1 2 8 hardware problems, 1 0 2 removing, 1 3 7 shortcuts, 3 4 keyb o a rd s t a tu s l i gh t s description, 2 1 keyp ad numeric, 3 3 L l ab e l s Dell Diagnostics, 8 7 Microsoft Windows, 1 5 H a rdw a re Troub l e sh o o t e r, 1 1 8 Service Tag, 1 5 l o s t c ompu t e r, 8 6 hinge cover description, 1 3 6 removing, 1 3 6 I i con s M m ed i a playing, 4 7 m ed i a c on t r o l bu t t on s adjusting the size, 1 4 3 Dell MediaDirect button, 5 3 IEEE 1 3 9 4 c onn e c t o r problems, 1 0 1 In t e rn e t c onn e c t i on about, 2 5 options, 2 5 setting up, 2 6 K description, 2 0 m ed i a m em o r y c a rd s , 7 2 installing, 7 3 types, 7 2 m em o ry installing, 1 2 8 removing, 1 2 9 m em o ry c ard blanks, 7 3 keyb o a rd m em o ry c a rd read er, 7 2 numeric keypad, 3 3 m em o ry c ard s Index 189 blanks, 7 4 removing, 7 4 messages error, 9 6 m i c r oph on e directional, 4 5 M in i -C a rd installing, 1 3 1 M ob i l e B r o adb and network connections, 8 0 See also wireless switch P ph on e numb e r s , 1 5 2 p ow e r line conditioners, 2 9 problems, 1 0 8 protection devices, 2 9 surge protectors, 2 9 UPS, 2 9 p ow e r bu t t on description, 2 1 pow e r l i gh t M ob i l e B r o adb and (WWAN ) conditions, 1 0 8 problems, 1 0 7 m od em installing, 1 3 1 m on i t o r. S e e d i s p l a y N n e tw o r k Mobile Broadband

(WWAN), 1 0 7 problems, 1 0 7 QuickSet, 1 4 3 O pow e r m an a g em en t adjusting settings, 1 4 3 QuickSet, 1 4 3 p r in t e r cable, 2 8 connecting, 2 7 problems, 1 0 9 setting up, 2 7 USB, 2 8 p r ob l em s blue screen, 1 0 4 CD drive, 9 3 CD-RW drive, 9 3 computer crashes, 1 0 3 - 1 0 4 computer does not start up, 1 0 3 computer stops responding, 1 0 3 op e r a t in g s y s t em Dell Diagnostics, 8 7 reinstalling Windows Vista, 1 1 8 Dell MediaDirect, 1 0 4 drives, 9 2 DVD drive, 9 3 error messages, 9 6 190 Index hard drive, 9 4 rein s t a l l in g IEEE 1394 connector, 1 0 1 Windows Vista, 1 1 8 keyboard, 1 0 2 lockups, 1 0 3 network, 1 0 7 power, 1 0 8 res o lu t i on setting, 3 2 power light conditions, 1 0 8 S printer, 1 0 9 program crashes repeatedly, 1 0 4 S /PD IF d i g i t a l aud i o program stops responding, 1 0 4 enabling, 6 8 programs and Windows S a f e l y R emo v e H a rdw a re compatibility, 1 0 4 i c on , 1 0 1 restore computer to previous operating state, 1 1 8 saf et y inst ructions, 13 restore operating system to scanner previous state, 1 1 8 problems, 1 1 0 scanner, 1 1 0 screen. See d i s p l a y slow computer performance, 9 5 , 1 0 6 software, 1 0 3 - 1 0 5 s e cu r i t y c ab l e s lo t description, 2 3 sound and speakers, 1 1 1 Service Ta g, 15 speakers, 1 1 1 spyware, 9 5 , 1 0 6 s o f tw a re problems, 1 0 4 - 1 0 5 Produ c t In f o rm a t i on Gu id e , 1 3 so f tw a re and h a rdw a re Q Qu i c kS e t , 1 4 3 in c omp a t ib i l i t i e s , 1 1 8 s ound problems, 1 1 1 volume, 1 1 1 Qu i c kS e t H e lp , 1 7 spea ker s R problems, 1 1 1 volume, 1 1 1 sp e c i f i c a t i on s , 1 5 4 RAM. See m em o r y sp yw a re , 9 5 , 1 0 6 regu l a t o r y in f o rm a t i on , 1 3 s t o l en c ompu t e r, 8 6 Index 191 supp o r t tips, 1 4 6 contacting Dell, 1 5 2 t r oub l e sh o o t in g supp o r t w eb s i t e , 1 6 Dell Diagnostics, 8 7 S - v id e o TV- ou t c onn e c t o r connecting a TV, 2 3 description, 2 3 S y s t em R e s to re , 1 1 8 s y s t em s e tup p r o g r am commonly used options, 1 6 2 screens, 1 6 2 viewing, 1 6 2 T t a s kb a r Dell Mobile Broadband Card Utility, 1 0 7 Dell Support Utility, 1 7 QuickSet icon, 1 4 3 Safely Remove Hardware, 1 0 1 wireless activity indicator, 8 0 telephone numbers, 152 t o o lb a r s adjusting the size, 1 4 3 t ou ch p ad , 3 5 cleaning, 1 6 5 customizing, 3 6 Hardware Troubleshooter, 1 1 8 restore computer to previous operating state, 1 1 8 tu rn in g o f f y ou r c ompu t e r, 1 2 3 TV connecting, 5 4 U un in t e r rup t ib l e pow e r supp l y. UPS S e e UPS, 29 V v id e o problems, 1 1 3 v id e o c on t r o l l e r determining configuration, 1 9 v id e o c on t r o l l e r c on f i gu r a t i on determining what controller is installed, 1 9 v o lum e adjusting, 1 1 1 t r an s f e r r in g in fo rm a t ion to a n ew c ompu t e r, 2 7 t r a v e l in g w i th th e compu t e r W by air, 1 4 6 identification tag, 1 4 5 packing, 1 4 5 192 Index w a r r an t y in f o rm a t i on , 1 3 Window s E a s y Tran s f e r w i z a rd , 2 7 Wind ow s Vi s t a Device Driver Rollback, 1 1 6 Program Compatibility wizard, 1 0 4 reinstalling, 1 1 8 System Restore, 1 1 8 Windows Easy Transfer wizard, 2 7 w i rel e s s turning activity on and off, 1 4 3 w i z a rd s Program Compatibility wizard, 1 0 4 Windows Easy Transfer, 2 7 WWAN See also Mobile Broadband Index 193 194 Index

 

 

Introduction: Broadcom BCM94321MC PCI-E Mini Card User's Guide Before you begin Things you should know BCM94321MC network Before you begin Obtain the following information from your network administrator (if you are a home user, obtain this information from the person that installed your wireless access point):

l Network names (SSID) of the specific wireless networks that you want to connect to. l WEP (Wired Equivalent Privacy) key information (if any) for the networks you want to connect to. l For Microsoft Windows networking, your customer name and workgroup name. l For your network account, your user name and password. l Your IP address (if not using a DHCP server) Things you should know When you start your computer, your Broadcom BCM94321MC PCI-E Mini card detects certain wireless networks that are within range. Before you can connect to these and other wireless networks, you must configure a profile for each network using the information you obtained from your network administrator. WEP is a security protocol for wireless local area networks (defined in the IEEE 802.11g standard) that encrypts data sent over radio waves. The use of the WEP key is optional and can be enabled or disabled. If the network you are connecting to has enabled WEP, you must also enable WEP in the network profile and set the WEP key to match the WEP key used by the network. Otherwise, you cannot connect to the network. Broadcom BCM94321MC network The Broadcom BCM94321MC solution allows you to make a wireless connection to a network, as illustrated below. Back to top Using the Broadcom Wireless Utility: Broadcom AirForce 54g and Intensi-fi Wireless Network Adapter User Guide Back to Contents Page Using the Broadcom Wireless Utility: Broadcom AirForce 54g and Intensi-fi Wireless Network Adapter User Guide Overview Utility Components Overview The Broadcom Wireless Utility enables you to do the following network tasks:

l Manage your wireless networks and create network connection profiles (Wireless Networks tab) l Connect to available networks (utility icon in notification area) l Get information about the network status and signal and noise of your network connection (Link Status tab) l View current and accumulated statistics (Statistics tab) l Find out which broadcasting networks are in range and search for nonbroadcasting networks (Site Monitor tab) l Run tests on the wireless network adapter (Diagnostics tab) l Get date and version information about the utility, and software, hardware, and location details about your wireless network adapter (Information tab) l Manually add or delete trusted servers and enable the manual acceptance or rejection of auto-

provisioning and A-ID group changes (Wireless Networks tab) l Manually import EAP-FAST PACs (Wireless Networks tab) In the utility, you can open Wireless Network Wizard to connect to a basic network or create an ad hoc network, or you can open the Wireless Network Connection Settings tool to connect to an advanced network. To do any of the other tasks, click the tab that is associated with the described task. To start using the utility, right-click the utility icon If the icon is not available, open Broadcom Wireless Utility in Control Panel. in the notification area, and then click Open Utility. NOTE: The utility icon may not appear exactly as shown here. See "Table 1. Signal Strength Indicated by the Broadcom Wireless Utility Icon."

Utility Components Utility components include the utility icon in the notification area, the six utility tabs, and Wireless Network Connection Settings. file:///P|/User%20Manuals/WLANCard-UM302_LaLa/HTML/utility.htm (1 of 12)4/25/2006 1:57:41 PM Using the Broadcom Wireless Utility: Broadcom AirForce 54g and Intensi-fi Wireless Network Adapter User Guide Utility Icon To do any of the following tasks or operations, right-click the utility icon, and then click the appropriate item. l Open the on-line Broadcom AirForce 54g and Intensi-fi Wireless Network Adapter User Guide

(Help Files) l Open About WLAN Card Utility to view links to Broadcom and Broadcom Customer Support websites and to view the version and date of the utility (About) l Hide the utility icon (Hide Tray Icon) l Disable or enable the radio (Disable/Enable Radio) l Connect to any of the networks for which you have created a connection profile and are within range (Connect To) l Open the utility to the Wireless Networks tab (Open Utility) l Open the utility to the Link Status tab to view information about the connection (Status) l Display a log of your wireless network events (Display Log) Wireless Networks Tab The Wireless Networks tab has tools that enable you to do the following:

l Use the utility to manage your wireless networks l Add a network connection profile l Edit or remove a network connection profile l Change the order in which profiles are listed under Preferred network connections l Connect to any listed network without changing its order in the list l Disable or enable the radio (Disable/Enable Radio) l Show or hide the utility icon in the notification area l Choose which type of network to access l Lock or unlock a preferred network connection profile l Save your wireless network connection profiles as a WPN file l Import a WPN file l Manually add or delete trusted servers and enable the manual acceptance or rejection of auto-

provisioning and A-ID group changes l Manually import EAP-FAST PACS On the Add menu, you can use either the wireless network wizard that is available from Broadcom Wireless Utility (see Connecting to a Basic Network or Creating an Ad Hoc Network Using the Wireless Network Wizard") or the utility (see "Connecting to an Advanced Network Using the Broadcom Wireless Utility") to add a network connection profile. To use the utility to manage your wireless networks, select the Let this tool manage your wireless networks check box. To add a network connection profile, click the Add arrow, and then click either Use Wizard (basic network) or Use Utility (advanced network). To edit or remove a network connection profile, right-click the network name, and then click either Edit or Remove. To change the order in which profiles are listed under Preferred network connections, click the network name, and then click either the up arrow or down arrow. To connect to any listed network without changing its order in the list, right-click the network name, and then click Connect. file:///P|/User%20Manuals/WLANCard-UM302_LaLa/HTML/utility.htm (2 of 12)4/25/2006 1:57:41 PM Using the Broadcom Wireless Utility: Broadcom AirForce 54g and Intensi-fi Wireless Network Adapter User Guide To disable the radio, clear the Enable radio check box. To enable the radio, select the Enable radio check box. To hide the utility icon utility icon check box.

, clear the Show utility icon check box. To show the icon, select the Show To choose the type of network to access, click the Options arrow, and then click Advanced. To lock or unlock a preferred network connection profile, right-click anywhere in the row that lists the network name, and then click Lock or Unlock, as appropriate. NOTE: You must have system or administrator rights to be able to lock or unlock a profile. To save your wireless network connection profiles to a WPN file, click the Options arrow, and then click Export (see "Saving Preferred Network Connection Settings to a File" in "Connecting to an Advanced Network Using the Broadcom Wireless Utility."

To import a WPN file, click the Options arrow, and then click Import (see "Importing a Preferred Network Connection Profiles File" in "Connecting to an Advanced Network Using the Broadcom Wireless Utility."

Click Apply or OK after you change any of the settings for the change to take effect. file:///P|/User%20Manuals/WLANCard-UM302_LaLa/HTML/utility.htm (3 of 12)4/25/2006 1:57:41 PM Using the Broadcom Wireless Utility: Broadcom AirForce 54g and Intensi-fi Wireless Network Adapter User Guide For networks that use the EAP-FAST authentication method, the Wireless WLAN Card Utility automatically adds trusted servers to the trust list and accepts auto-provisioning and AID (A-ID) group changes by default. The utility also enables you to import a Protected Access Credential (PAC). From the utility, you can also manually add or delete trusted servers, enable the manual acceptance or rejection of auto-

provisioning and A-ID group changes, or import or delete PACS, as described in the following instructions. In general, you should use the default settings. Therefore, check with the network administrator before you make any changes. To manually add a trusted server to the trust list 1. Open Broadcom Wireless Utility. 2. From the Wireless Networks tab, click Options, point to Cisco Compatible Extensions, and then click Administrator Settings. 3. Click Add. 4. Type the A-ID friendly name of the trusted server in the space provided, and then click OK. To delete a trusted server from the trust list file:///P|/User%20Manuals/WLANCard-UM302_LaLa/HTML/utility.htm (4 of 12)4/25/2006 1:57:41 PM Using the Broadcom Wireless Utility: Broadcom AirForce 54g and Intensi-fi Wireless Network Adapter User Guide 1. Open Broadcom Wireless Utility. 2. From the Wireless Networks tab, click Options, point to Cisco Compatible Extensions, and then click Administrator Settings. 3. In the Trust list (A-ID), click the name of the trusted server you want to delete, and then click Delete. To change the default settings for administering Cisco Compatible Extensions 1. Open Broadcom Wireless Utility. 2. From the Wireless Networks tab, click Options, point to Cisco Compatible Extensions, and then click Administrator Settings. 3. Clear the Disable auto-provision prompt check box to enable manual acceptance or rejection. 4. Clear the Disable A-ID group change prompt check box to enable manual acceptance or 5. Select the Auto-provision PAC only once check box to auto-provision a Protected Access rejection. Credential (PAC) only once. To import or remove an EAP-FAST PAC 1. Open Broadcom Wireless Utility. 2. From the Wireless Networks tab, click Options, point to Cisco Compatible Extensions, and 3. To import a PAC: in Protected Access Credentials, click Add, and then follow the on-screen then click Manage PACs. instructions. NOTE: The PAC is password protected, so you must know the password to be able to import the PAC.

-or-

To remove a PAC: click anywhere in the row that lists the PAC, and then click Remove. Link Status Network status and signal and noise information about your network connection is displayed on the Link Status tab. NOTES:

l For IEEE 802.11n connections, speed is indicated by an MCS value. l Radio Stream information is provided only for IEEE 802.11n connections. l Click anywhere in the Signal & noise history box to change the type of history being displayed. Successive clicks change the type from both signal and noise, to noise only, to signal only, and back to both signal and noise. file:///P|/User%20Manuals/WLANCard-UM302_LaLa/HTML/utility.htm (5 of 12)4/25/2006 1:57:41 PM Using the Broadcom Wireless Utility: Broadcom AirForce 54g and Intensi-fi Wireless Network Adapter User Guide The status of your network connection is also indicated by the appearance of the utility icon number and color of the radio waves indicates the strength or weakness of the signal (see Table 1. Signal Strength Indicated by the Broadcom Wireless Utility Icon for details). The To view the network name (SSID), speed, signal strength rating, connection status, and the client IP address of the network connection, move your mouse pointer over the utility icon. NOTE: On computers running Windows XP, you also can view the SSID, speed, signal strength rating, and connection status by moving your mouse pointer over the Windows Wireless Network Connection icon in the notification area. Table 1. Signal Strength Indicated by the Broadcom Wireless Utility Icon file:///P|/User%20Manuals/WLANCard-UM302_LaLa/HTML/utility.htm (6 of 12)4/25/2006 1:57:41 PM Using the Broadcom Wireless Utility: Broadcom AirForce 54g and Intensi-fi Wireless Network Adapter User Guide Icon Appearance Indicated Received Signal Strength The signal strength is very good or excellent. The signal strength is weak. See Troubleshooting for suggested action. No signal is being received. See Troubleshooting for probable causes and suggested action. The radio is disabled or switched off. See Troubleshooting for suggested action. Statistics On the Statistics tab under Current, the following current statistics are shown:

l Network name (SSID) l Connection time l Packets sent l Packets received l Sent packets lost l Received packets lost l Total packets lost (%) Under Accumulated, the following accumulated statistics are shown:

l Packets sent l Packets received l Sent packets lost l Received packets lost file:///P|/User%20Manuals/WLANCard-UM302_LaLa/HTML/utility.htm (7 of 12)4/25/2006 1:57:41 PM Using the Broadcom Wireless Utility: Broadcom AirForce 54g and Intensi-fi Wireless Network Adapter User Guide Site Monitor Basic Site Monitor On the Site Monitor tab, the basic Site Monitor displays information about wireless routers/APs and ad hoc networks that are within range. To sort the list, click the column heading that shows the characteristic you want to sort by. For example, to sort by signal strength, click Signal . To view information about a particular wireless router/AP or ad hoc network, click anywhere in the row that lists the wireless router/AP or ad hoc network. The network information is shown under Selected Network. To view or change the network connection settings for a particular wireless router/AP or ad hoc network, right-click anywhere in the row that lists the wireless router/AP or ad hoc network, and then click Editif you have not yet created a network connection profile for that particular wireless router/AP or ad hoc network and want to do so, click Add . To see the information elements for a listed AP or ad hoc network, right-click anywhere in the row that lists the AP or ad hoc network, and then click Show Information Elements. file:///P|/User%20Manuals/WLANCard-UM302_LaLa/HTML/utility.htm (8 of 12)4/25/2006 1:57:41 PM Using the Broadcom Wireless Utility: Broadcom AirForce 54g and Intensi-fi Wireless Network Adapter User Guide NOTES:

l Nonbroadcasting networks are labeled (nonbroadcasting) under Network Name. l The network performance may be degraded while Site Monitor is displaying nonbroadcasting APs to which you are not currently connected. l The symbols under AP Band indicate IEEE 802.11a, IEEE 802.11b, IEEE 802.11g, or IEEE 802.11n operation. To see more detailed information about a particular wireless router/AP or ad hoc network, click anywhere in the row that lists the wireless router/AP or ad hoc network, and then click Advanced. Advanced Site Monitor To save the activity log to a file, click the Options arrow, and then click Start Log. file:///P|/User%20Manuals/WLANCard-UM302_LaLa/HTML/utility.htm (9 of 12)4/25/2006 1:57:41 PM Using the Broadcom Wireless Utility: Broadcom AirForce 54g and Intensi-fi Wireless Network Adapter User Guide You can adjust the time interval between scans by clicking the Options arrow, and then clicking either one of the preset values or clicking Customize to specify a different time interval. NOTE: The network performance may be degraded while Site Monitor is displaying nonbroadcasting networks to which you are not currently connected. To view detailed network information for a single nonbroadcasting network, type the network name in the Look for box, and then click Find. To reset the site monitor to the broadcasting networks, click Clear. Diagnostics On the Diagnostics tab, you can run a number of tests to determine if your wireless network adapter is functioning properly. Select the tests you want to run, and then click Run. For information about an individual test, look under Information before you click Run. To see the test results, look under Information after you click Run. NOTE: The network connection is lost when you run the tests. When the test run is over, your network connection is automatically reestablished. Also, you can view a log of your wireless network events. To do so, click Log. Examples of wireless network events that are logged include:

file:///P|/User%20Manuals/WLANCard-UM302_LaLa/HTML/utility.htm (10 of 12)4/25/2006 1:57:41 PM Using the Broadcom Wireless Utility: Broadcom AirForce 54g and Intensi-fi Wireless Network Adapter User Guide l Initiation of user session l Connecting to a network l Disconnecting from current network l Authentication mode being used l Driver status l Supplicant status l New wireless device available l Initializing wireless state machine l Wireless utility is managing this adapter l Wireless utility is not managing this adapter If your Broadcom 802.11 Network Adapter fails any of the diagnostics tests, go to http://www.broadcom. com/ for technical support. Information file:///P|/User%20Manuals/WLANCard-UM302_LaLa/HTML/utility.htm (11 of 12)4/25/2006 1:57:41 PM Using the Broadcom Wireless Utility: Broadcom AirForce 54g and Intensi-fi Wireless Network Adapter User Guide The following information is displayed on the Information tab:

l Software details l Hardware details l Location details (shows the country for which the driver is installed and the channels supported for that location) Wireless Network Connection Settings The Wireless Network Connection Settings component is intended for use by advanced users or network administrators. You can use Wireless Network Connection Settings to create a connection profile for an advanced infrastructure network, a basic infrastructure network, or an ad hoc network (see " Connecting to an Advanced Network Using the Broadcom Wireless Utility"). Back to Contents Page file:///P|/User%20Manuals/WLANCard-UM302_LaLa/HTML/utility.htm (12 of 12)4/25/2006 1:57:41 PM Regulatory Statements for BCM94321MC USA-Federal Communications Commission (FCC) This equipment has been tested and found to comply with the limits for a Class B digital device, pursuant to Part 15 of FCC Rules. These limits are designed to provide reasonable protection against harmful interference in a residential installation. This equipment generates, uses, and can radiate radio frequency energy. If not installed and used in accordance with the instructions, it may cause harmful interference to radio communications. However, there is no guarantee that interference will not occur in a particular installation. If this equipment does cause harmful interference to radio or television reception, which can be determined by tuning the equipment off and on, the user is encouraged to try and correct the interference by one or more of the following measures:

-Reorient or relocate the receiving antenna

-Increase the distance between the equipment and the receiver.

-Connect the equipment to outlet on a circuit different from that to which the receiver is connected.

-Consult the dealer or an experienced radio/TV technician for help. Any changes or modifications not expressly approved by the party responsible for compliance could void the users authority to operate the equipment. Caution: Exposure to Radio Frequency Radiation. To comply with FCC RF exposure compliance requirements, for mobile configurations, a separation distance of at least 20 cm must be maintained between the antenna of this device and all persons. This device must not be co-located or operating in conjunction with any other antenna or transmitter. Canada Industry Canada (IC) This device complies with RSS 210 of Industry Canada. Operation is subject to the following two conditions: (1) this device may not cause interference, and (2) this device must accept any interference, including interference that may cause undesired operation of this device. L utilisation de ce dispositif est autorise seulement aux conditions suivantes : (1) il ne doit pas produire de brouillage et (2) l utilisateur du dispositif doit tre prt accepter tout brouillage radiolectrique reu, mme si ce brouillage est susceptible de compromettre le fonctionnement du dispositif. The term "IC" before the equipment certification number only signifies that the Industry Canada technical specifications were met. To reduce potential radio interference to other users, the antenna type and its gain should be so chosen that the equivalent isotropically radiated power (EIRP) is not more than that required for successful communication. To prevent radio interference to the licensed service, this device is intended to be operated indoors and away from windows to provide maximum shielding. Equipment (or its transmit antenna) that is installed outdoors is subject to licensing. Pour empecher que cet appareil cause du brouillage au service faisant l'objet d'une licence, il doit etre utilize a l'interieur et devrait etre place loin des fenetres afin de Fournier un ecram de blindage maximal. Si le matriel (ou son antenne d'emission) est installe a l'exterieur, il doit faire l'objet d'une licence. Caution: Exposure to Radio Frequency Radiation. The installer of this radio equipment must ensure that the antenna is located or pointed such that it does not emit RF field in excess of Health Canada limits for the general population; consult Safety Code 6, obtainable from Health Canadas website www.hc-

sc.gc.ca/rpb.

 

 

Broadcom Corporation Request for transmitter modular approval FCC ID: QDS-BRCM1022 Transmitter Module Characteristics Item 1 Have its own RF shielding Requirements EUT Device is equipped with metal shielding to cover RF section. Refer to external photos All inputs to the modules are buffered through logic or microprocessor inputs. Internal 1.2V and 3.3V power regulators. Refer to Block diagram PIFA antenna with I-PEX connector Device is tested external to a host on an extender board in a standalone configuration Two proposed FCC ID label format will be included in the filing. One of label is to be placed on the module and the other label is to be placed on the outside of system. Refer to FCC ID label format and location file. Refer to Users Guide Exhibit MPE calculation is provided to demonstrate RF compliance for mobile modular approval. 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 Have buffered modulation/data inputs (if such inputs are provided), Have it own power supply regulation Meet the antenna requirements of Section 15.203 Be tested in a stand-alone configuration, i.e., the antenna, AC or DC power and data input/output lines must be connected to the module but, the module must not be inside another case during testing Be labeled with its own FCC ID number, and if the FCC ID is not visible when the module is installed inside another device, then the outside of the device into which the module is installed must also display a label referring to the enclosed module. The modular transmitter is manufactured so that the user cannot influence the operation of the transmitter that will operate outside of the scope of the regulations. Address compliance with the Commission's RF exposure limits in Sections 1.1310 and 2.1093. In addition, spread spectrum transmitters operating under Section 15.247 are required to address RF exposure compliance in accordance with Section 15.247(b)(4).