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Computer Maintenance

It is recommended that you perform the following tasks to avoid general computer problems:

Ensure that you allow easy access to a power source, adequate ventilation, and a level surface to place your computer.

Do not block, push objects into, or allow dust to accumulate in the air vents.

Use Dell Support Center to perform computer checkups, manage drive space, back up and recover data, and so on.

Clean your computer regularly using a soft, dry cloth.

NOTE: 

Do not use water or any other solvents to clean your computer.

Perform a virus scan regularly.

Back up your data regularly.

Run Disk Defragmenter regularily to improve your computer's performance.

Ensure that there is enough free space on your hard drive. Not having enough free space may result in degraded performance.

Enable Windows and other software updates to correct software bugs and improve computer security.

 

Related Information

Dell Support Center

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Summary of Contents for Inspiron Inspiron 17R

Page 1: ...tten permission of Dell Inc is strictly forbidden Trademarks used in this text Dell the DELL logo and Inspiron are trademarks of Dell Inc Intel Centrino Core and Atom are either trademarks or registered trademarks of Intel Corporation in the U S and other countries Microsoft Windows and Windows start button logo are either trademarks or registered trademarks of Microsoft Corporation in the United ...

Page 2: ... Gestures Processor Display Computer Fan About Display Heat Sink 3D Display Thermal Grease Wireless Display Video Cards Touchscreen Display TV Tuners Keyboard Speakers About Keyboard Webcam Backlit Keyboard ExpressCards Keyboard Connection Types Communication Devices Related Information Setting Up Your Computer Using Your Computer Software and Applications Getting Help and Contacting Dell ...

Page 3: ...ing Up 7 1 Audio Setting Up Your Display Setting Up Printer Setting Up 3D Display Setting Up Webcam Setting Up Wireless Display Installing Your USB Wireless Adapter Digital Visual Interface Connector Cables Related Information About Your Computer Network Software and Applications Getting Help and Contacting Dell ...

Page 4: ...e Touchpad Gestures Keyboard Touchscreen Keyboard Shortcuts Using Touchscreen Display Customizing Your Keyboard Using Touchscreen Gestures Changing Keyboard Input Language Using Numeric Keypad on a Laptop Computer Related Information About Your Computer Setting Up Your Computer Getting Help and Contacting Dell ...

Page 5: ...ors Audio Connectors USB Digital Visual Interface DVI DisplayPort Mini DisplayPort HDMI eSATA Connector S PDIF IEEE 1394 Related Information About Your Computer Setting Up Your Computer Getting Help and Contacting Dell ...

Page 6: ...ng Up Your Network Setting Up LAN Setting Up WLAN Setting Up a Wired Internet Connection Setting Up a Wireless Internet Connection Related Information Setting Up Your Computer Ports and Connectors Getting Help and Contacting Dell ...

Page 7: ...bout Computrace Customizing Dell Stage Enabling Computrace Dell Dock Getting Help on Computrace About Dell Dock My Dell Downloads Personalize Dell Dock Dell Support Center DellConnect Solution Station About DellConnect Dell QuickSet Using DellConnect NVIDIA 3DTV Play ...

Page 8: ... Undoing System Restore About Dell Factory Image Restore Dell DataSafe Local Backup Starting Dell Factory Image Restore About Dell DataSafe Local Backup Operating System Disc Dell DataSafe Local Backup Basic About Operating System Disc Dell DataSafe Local Backup Professional Reinstalling the Operating System Using the Operating System Disc Related Information Software and Applications Diagnostics ...

Page 9: ...Diagnostics and Troubleshooting Diagnostics Troubleshooting ...

Page 10: ... the Current Boot Changing the Boot Sequence for Future Boots Flashing the BIOS Related Information About Your Computer Setting Up Your Computer Ports and Connectors Network Software and Applications Restoring Your Operating System Diagnostics Troubleshooting Getting Help and Contacting Dell References ...

Page 11: ...ortapj dell com Asia Pacific 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 Contacting Dell Customers in the United States c...

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Page 13: ...s for Laptops Dell and the Environment Regulatory Compliance Migrations Tips Power Management Related Information About Your Computer Setting Up Your Computer Ports and Connectors Network Software and Applications Restoring Your Operating System Diagnostics BIOS Troubleshooting Getting Help and Contacting Dell ...

Page 14: ...dapter kit consists of the AC adapter and the power cable The AC adapter power rating 65 W 90 W and so on depends on the computer it is designed for and the power cable varies based on the country where the AC adapter is shipped CAUTION It is recommended to use only the AC adapter that shipped with your computer or a Dell approved replacement AC adapter to avoid damaging your computer Back to Cont...

Page 15: ...se Storage devices can be internal or external Most of the storage devices store data till you manually delete the data Examples of storage devices are hard drives optical drives USB memory keys and so on Related Information Internal Storage Devices Removable Storage Devices Back to Contents Page ...

Page 16: ... in size Large in size Low capacity Moderate capacity High capacity Low weight Moderate weight Heavy NOTE When used under the same conditions a low capacity battery will wear out faster than a moderate or high capacity battery because it has to be charged more often Related Information Improving the Battery Performance Charging the Battery Dell Knowledge Base Article 405686 Back to Contents Page ...

Page 17: ...hard disk drive is the data center of your computer A typical HDD design consists of a spindle that holds flat circular disks called platters onto which the data is recorded The platters are made from a non magnetic material usually aluminum alloy or glass and are coated with a shallow layer of magnetic material with an outer layer of carbon for protection Solid State Drives An SSD is a data stora...

Page 18: ... chip contains the time date and other configuration settings and the coin cell battery helps preserve these settings while the computer is switched off The coin cell battery can last for several years The factors that affect coin cell battery life are type of system board temperature the time for which the computer is powered off and so on Related Information System Board Memory Back to Contents ...

Page 19: ...iscs stores 25 GB single layer or 50 GB dual layer DVD A Digital Versatile Disc DVD stores data up to 4 7 GB single layer or 8 5 GB dual layer CD A Compact Disc CD stores data up to 800 MB Memory Cards Memory cards also referred to as flash cards use flash memory to store digital information They are re writeable fast and retain data even when power supply is cut off Memory cards are commonly used...

Page 20: ...n the type of computer they are used in memory modules are categorized as Dual In line Memory Module DIMM Used in desktop computers Small Outline Dual In line Memory Module SODIMM Smaller in size than DIMMs Generally used in notebook computers however may also be used in some compact desktops and all in one computers Related Information Internal Storage Removable Storage Back to Contents Page ...

Page 21: ...tems and right click or left click by tapping the surface A touchpad has a touch sensitive surface that senses the motion and position of your finger s to a relative position on the computer screen Touchpads are available on laptop computers and some high end keyboards Related Information Touchpad Gestures Back to Contents Page ...

Page 22: ... card s Chipset Provides an interface between the processor s front side bus main memory and peripheral buses Flash memory Contains the system memory or BIOS program Power connectors Provide power to the system board from the computer power supply Additionally a system board may have integrated graphics sound and network capabilities The figure below lists the basic components of a desktop system ...

Page 23: ...Back to Contents Page ...

Page 24: ...l up or down on the active window Move two fingers up or down at a fast pace to activate vertical auto scrolling Tap on the touchpad to stop auto scrolling Auto Scroll Horizontal Allows you to scroll left or right on the active window Move two fingers to your left or right at a fast pace to activate horizontal auto scrolling Tap on the touchpad to stop auto scrolling Circular Scroll Allows you to ...

Page 25: ... bringing them closer together on the touchpad To zoom in Move two fingers apart to enlarge the view of the active window To zoom out Move two fingers close together to reduce the view of the active window Rotate Allows you to rotate the active content on the screen The rotate feature includes Twist Allows you to rotate active content in 90 increments using two fingers where one finger is anchored...

Page 26: ... Favorites Allows you to open your favorite applications Tap three fingers on the touchpad The applications that are configured in the touchpad configuration tool launch Desktop Allows you to minimize all open windows so that the desktop is visible Place your hand on the touchpad in any orientation and briefly hold in place Related Information Touchpad Back to Contents Page ...

Page 27: ...ctions Per Second MIPS or more for high end models The current generation of processors are connected to the system board using a Land Grid Array LGA or Pin Grid Array PGA connector Some processors may be integrated on the system board however these are mostly for handheld devices Some of the current processor families are Intel Pentium Intel Celeron Intel Core series Intel i series Intel Xeon AMD...

Page 28: ...ommonly used to cool components that have high power consumption and thus generate a high amount of heat Keeping the components cool helps in protecting them from overheating malfunctioning and damage Fans are used to cool Computer chassis Processor Graphics card Chipset Hard drive and so on Related Information Processor Heat Sink Back to Contents Page ...

Page 29: ...ut device for visual presentation of computer information Commonly available types of display are Touchscreen 3D Wireless Related Information Wireless Display Touch Screen Display 3D Display Setting Up 3D Display NVIDIA 3DTV Play Back to Contents Page ...

Page 30: ...an mounted above them to increase airflow and are made up of fins or blades instead of a single block of metal This helps increase the surface area for maximum heat dissipation A layer of thermal grease is applied between the processor graphics card and the heat sink for easy exchange of heat Related Information Thermal Grease Processor Back to Contents Page ...

Page 31: ...D displays work by presenting separate offset 2D images to the left and right eye These 2D images are then combined and interpreted by the brain as having depth thus creating 3D effects Related Information Display Wireless Display Touch Screen Display Setting Up 3D Display NVIDIA 3DTV Play Back to Contents Page ...

Page 32: ...d to create a heat inductive layer between a processor and heat sink Applying thermal grease between the processor and heat sink increases the heat transfer from the processor to the heat sink as the thermal grease has better conductivity than air Related Information Heat Sink Processors Back to Contents Page ...

Page 33: ...ore i3 3xx to i7 66xx Video Controller Intel HD Graphics WLAN card Intel Centrino 6100 6200 6300 or Intel Centrino Advanced N WiMAX 6250 Operating System Windows 7 Home Premium Professional or Ultimate Driver Latest wireless card drivers and Intel Wireless Display Connection Manager available at support dell com NOTE Wireless display may not be supported on all computers Related Information Displa...

Page 34: ...ce than integrated video cards These video cards are generally installed in a PCI E x16 expansion slots on the system board Legacy connectors for video cards include PCI and AGP These cards are best suited for graphic intensive applications playing high definition video games and so on NOTE When a discrete video card is installed on a computer that also has an integrated video card the integrated ...

Page 35: ...ou can operate a touchscreen display with a finger hand or another passive object such as a stylus Touchscreen displays are commonly used in phones tablets computers and so on Commonly used touchsreen technologies are capacitive touch and resistive touch Related Information Display Wireless Display 3D Display Setting Up 3D Display Using Touch Screen Display Touch Screen Gestures Back to Contents P...

Page 36: ...ptop computers and are available in various connectivity options such as Internal PCI E PCI External USB PC Card ExpressCard TV tuners are mostly standalone however some video cards also have built in TV tuners Most TV tuner cards are bundled with software that lets you record the television content on your computer Back to Contents Page ...

Page 37: ...nt and so on Speakers are generally identified as 2 2 1 5 1 7 1 and so on The digit before the decimal point indicates the number of channels and the digit after the decimal point 1 indicates the subwoofer Speakers are commonly connected to the computer using a 3 5 mm connector or using USB connector NOTE For 5 1 or 7 1 channel speakers to produce 5 1 or 7 1 channel sound your computer sound card ...

Page 38: ...provide an on screen keyboard Your keyboard provides different sets of keys to perform different sets of functions Alphanumeric keys for typing letters numbers punctuation and symbols Control keys for performing certain actions Ctrl Alt Esc and the Windows key Function keys labeled F1 F2 F3 and so on for performing specific tasks Navigation keys for moving the cursor around in documents or windows...

Page 39: ...ary based on the selections you made while purchasing your computer You may have a built in webcam or you may need to buy an external webcam External webcams connect to your computer using the USB connector A camera quality is generally defined by the number of pixels it can capture Related Information Setting Up Webcam Enabling a Disabled Webcam Back to Contents Page ...

Page 40: ...g states available Full keyboard touchpad brightness Half keyboard touchpad brightness No lighting Pressing the Fn and the right arrow key toggles between the three lighting states NOTE Backlit keyboard may not be available on all computers See the specifications of your computer for more details Related Information Keyboard Customizing Your Keyboard Keyboard Connection Types Changing the Input La...

Page 41: ...om dust particles You must remove the blank to install an ExpressCard 1 ExpressCard or blank 2 ExpressCard release latch Types of ExpressCards Features ExpressCard 34 Used in smaller computers and supports limited peripheral devices Can be used on both EC 34 and EC 54 slots ExpressCard 54 Supports a wide range of peripheral devices Consumes more power than the 34 mm cards Can be used only on compu...

Page 42: ...bility to use the keyboard from a more comfortable position within a few meters from the computer Such keyboards require batteries to operate and some wireless keyboards have rechargeable batteries The wireless connection can be any of the following Radio Frequency RF An RF receiver is connected to the USB port on the computer Bluetooth The keyboard connects to the computer using the Bluetooth ada...

Page 43: ...gital computer signals into analog signals that can be transmitted over the telephone lines Dial up modems can be internal or external Digital modem Used to send and receive data to and from a digital telephone line like Digital Subscriber Line DSL or Integrated Services Digital Network ISDN Network Interface Controller NIC Also referred to as network adapters or Local Area Network LAN adapters Th...

Page 44: ...th enabled devices to communicate with each other over a short distance Bluetooth adapters can be internal expansion cards or integrated to the system board or external Related Information Setting up Your Network Back to Contents Page ...

Page 45: ... power strip or electrical outlet may cause fire or equipment damage 1 Connect the AC adapter to the computer and then plug it into a wall outlet or surge protector 2 Press the power button to turn on your laptop NOTE The location of the power button and AC adapter connector may vary depending on the your computer model Related Information Setting Up Your Desktop Setting Up Your Display AC Adapter...

Page 46: ...y connector on your computer see Setting Up Your Display 2 Connect the USB keyboard and mouse to the USB connectors NOTE Depending on your computer model USB ports may also be present on the front panel of your computer 3 Connect the power cable 4 Press the power button to turn on your computer ...

Page 47: ...Related Information Setting Up Your Laptop Setting Up Your Display Setting Up 3D Display Setting Up Wireless Display Back to Contents Page ...

Page 48: ...e See the following figure to connect 5 1 speakers to your computer 1 Rear audio connector on the computer 5 Center LFE surround out on the speaker 2 Center LFE surround out on the computer 6 Front audio connector on the speaker 3 Front audio connector on the computer 7 Rear audio connector on the speaker 4 5 1 channel audio cable ...

Page 49: ...dow appears 3 Select a speaker configuration under Audio channels and click Test You should hear a tone from every speaker 4 Click Next 5 Follow the instructions on the screen If you experience problems with your computer sound see the knowledge base article 266424 at support dell com Related Information Audio Connectors Setting Up 7 1 Audio Back to Contents Page ...

Page 50: ...Back to Contents Page Setting Up 7 1 Audio 7 1 audio is most effective when the speakers are placed as shown in the following figure See the following figure to connect 7 1 speakers to your computer ...

Page 51: ...e To set up your speakers Windows 7 and Windows Vista 1 Click Start Control Panel Hardware and Sound Sound 2 Select Speakers and then click Configure The Speaker Setup window appears 3 Select a speaker configuration under Audio channels and then click Test You should hear a tone from every speaker 4 Click Next 5 Follow the instructions on the screen If you experience problems with your computer so...

Page 52: ...le on your computer and display You may need to use an appropriate adapter DVI to VGA adapter or HDMI to DVI adapter to connect your display to the discrete graphics card if the connector on your display and the discrete graphics card is different See the following table to identify the connectors on your computer and display Connection Type Computer Cable Display VGA to VGA VGA cable DVI to DVI D...

Page 53: ... a Printer Windows 7 1 In Windows 7 click Start Devices and Printers In Windows Vista click Start Control Panel Hardware and Sound Printers In Windows XP click Click Start Control Panel Printers and Other Hardware Printers and Faxes 2 Click Add a Printer The Add Printer Wizard appears 3 Follow the instructions in the Add Printer Wizard Back to Contents Page ...

Page 54: ...splay c In the Verify the display configuration section right click the 3D TV and select Make this the Windows primary display 4 Set up the NVIDIA 3DTV Play application a In the NVIDIA Control Panel window click Stereoscopic 3D to expand the selection and then click Set up stereoscopic 3D b Select the Enable stereoscopic 3D check box The 3DTV Play setup wizard appears c Ensure that the 3DTV Play l...

Page 55: ...ur computer Use the media shipped with the computer only to reinstall the drivers and software External webcam Use the media shipped with your webcam to install the drivers and other required software to use all the features of your webcam For more information see the documentation that shipped with your webcam Related Information Webcam Dell Webcam Manager Enabling a Disabled Webcam Back to Conte...

Page 56: ...ntel Wireless Display window appears 7 Select Scan for available displays 8 Select your wireless display adapter from the Detected wireless displays list 9 Type the security code that appears on your TV To enable wireless display 1 Double click the Intel Wireless Display icon on the desktop The Intel Wireless Display window appears 2 Select Connect to Existing Adapter NOTE You can download and ins...

Page 57: ...ion does not begin automatically select Start Run and then type x setup exe where x is the drive letter of your optical drive c Follow the instructions on the screen 2 Shut down the computer 3 Connect one end of the USB cable to the USB wireless adapter 4 Connect the other end of the USB cable to a USB connector on your computer 5 Turn on the computer Your computer automatically detects the wirele...

Page 58: ...able DVI I DVI I cable DVI A DVI A cable VGA DVI to VGA cable HDMI DVI D to HDMI cable NOTE When connecting to a single display connect the display to ONLY ONE of the connectors on your computer 1 Turn off your computer 2 Turn off the display and disconnect it from the power supply 3 Connect one end of the display cable to the DVI port on your computer 4 Connect the other end of the cable to the s...

Page 59: ... when the computer is turned off The internal circuitry of the battery prevents the battery from overcharging 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 NOTE You can operate your computer while the battery is charging For laptop battery related FAQs see the Article ID 405686 a...

Page 60: ...pad surface once To right click an object tap the right touchpad button once To select and move or drag an object position the cursor on the object and tap twice on the touchpad without removing your finger from the touchpad after the second tap then move the selected object by sliding your finger over the surface To double click an object tap twice on the touchpad or press the left touchpad butto...

Page 61: ...lex 3D graphics applications and games You can improve the battery performance by Operating the computer on AC power when possible Battery life reduces with the number of times the battery is discharged and recharged Configuring the power management settings using Microsoft Windows Power Options to optimize your computer s power usage see Power Management Enabling the Sleep Standby and Hibernation...

Page 62: ... open simultaneously Ctrl Alt Tab Uses the arrow keys to switch between open items Alt Tab Switches between open items Alt Esc Cycles through items in the order in which they were opened Delete Deletes a selected item and move it to the Recycle Bin Shift Delete Deletes the selected item without moving it to the Recycle Bin first Ctrl and right arrow key Moves the cursor to the beginning of the nex...

Page 63: ... Related Information Keyboard Customizing Your Keyboard Backlit Keyboard Changing the Input Language of Your Keyboard Using the Numeric Keypad on a Laptop Computer Keyboard Connection Types Back to Contents Page ...

Page 64: ... through content in the active window like pages in a book Zoom in by moving two fingers apart to enlarge the view of the active window Zoom out by moving two fingers close together to reduce the view of the active window Press and hold a finger on the touch screen to open context sensitive menus Rotate the active content by keeping a finger or thumb in place and moving the other finger in an arch...

Page 65: ...the cursor blink rate Customize key sequences for input languages To customize your keyboard 1 Click Start Control Panel Keyboard 2 Adjust the keyboard settings you want to change and click OK Related Information Keyboard Backlit Keyboard Keyboard Connection Types Changing the Input Language of Your Keyboard Using the Numeric Keypad on a Laptop Computer General Keyboard Shortcuts Back to Contents ...

Page 66: ...ck Change keyboards 3 Under Installed services click Add 4 Click the language you want to add select the text services you want to add and then click OK Related Information Keyboard Backlit Keyboard Customizing Your Keyboard Keyboard Connection Types Using the Numeric Keypad on a Laptop Computer General Keyboard Shortcuts Back to Contents Page ...

Page 67: ... keyboard To type a number or symbol press and hold Fn and press the desired key To enable the numeric keypad press Num Lk The light indicates that the keypad is active To disable the numeric keypad press Num Lk again Related Information Keyboard Customizing Your Keyboard Keyboard Connection Types Backlit Keyboard Changing the Input Language of Your Keyboard General Keyboard Shortcuts Back to Cont...

Page 68: ...can shunt the LFE information to the main speakers in the surround sound setup Side surround sound connector Connect additional speakers RCA S PDIF connector Transmit digital audio without the need of analog audio conversion Optical S PDIF connector Transmit digital audio without the need of analog audio conversion 5 1 Audio 5 1 refers to the number of audio channels in most surround sound configu...

Page 69: ...s the latest version of the USB standard It supports data transmission speed of up to 4 8 gbps which is ten times faster than its predecessor USB 2 0 yet consumes lesser power USB 3 0 is backward compatible with earlier USB standards such as USB 1 x and USB 2 0 USB 2 0 Referred to as Hi Speed USB it provides additional bandwidth for multimedia and storage applications USB 2 0 supports data transmi...

Page 70: ... video card source and the digital display This provides fast and high quality video output DVI A DVI Analog DVI A is used to send video signals to an analog display like a CRT monitor or analog LCD DVI I DVI Integrated DVI I is an integrated connector that can send either a digital to digital signal or analog to analog signal This makes it more versatile as it can be used in both analog and digit...

Page 71: ...ges of DisplayPort Natively supports high resolutions and high refresh rates Supports 3D stereo transmission making it an ideal gaming interface DisplayPort cables can extend up to 15 meters 49 21 feet without requiring signal boosters Delivers a bandwidth of up to 10 8 gbps over standard cables Natively supports fiber optic cables Blu ray Disc ready with built in support for HDCP With its unique ...

Page 72: ...evisions A HDMI cable is similar to a USB cable that slides into the connector of the source device Advantages of HDMI Delivers high quality audio and video without the loss in quality due to the conversion or compression of a video or audio signal Delivers smoother and sharper pictures with a distinct reduction in video noise Sound is crisp and distortion free Since it is a digital interface HDMI...

Page 73: ... as hard drives and optical drives to your computer eSATA provides considerably higher throughput as compared to USB 2 0 or FireWire 800 eSATA cables can be up to 2 meters long eSATA ports can be standalone or can be present in the form of an eSATA USB combo port Related Information USB IEEE 1394 Back to Contents Page ...

Page 74: ...o the S PDIF input on your home theater receiver This connection allows you to set up a 5 1 audio also known as 6 channel audio connection There are two kinds of S PDIF connections Optical Set up by optical fiber with TOSLINK connectors Coaxial Set up by coaxial cable with RCA connectors Related Information Audio connectors Back to Contents Page ...

Page 75: ...s or more over CAT5 fiber optic or coaxial cables Easy to use Eliminates the need for special drivers or perform complicated set ups Hot pluggable Enables devices to be added and removed while the device and computer are turned on Flexible Allows you to connect devices to each other by daisy chaining them together without the need for hubs or switches Also supports branching looping and other topo...

Page 76: ...cal Area Network LAN LAN connects two or more computers with each other through a network cable connected to each computer This type of computer network generally covers a small area A LAN can be connected to another LAN over any distance through telephone lines and radio waves to form a wide area network WAN Wireless Local Area Network WLAN WLAN connects two or more computers with each other and ...

Page 77: ...ance Bluetooth used as the basis for a new standard IEEE 802 15 is an example of WPAN Worldwide Interoperability for Microwave Access WiMAX WiMAX is a standards based telecommunications technology that provides wireless data WiMAX enables delivery of last mile wireless broadband access as an alternative to wired broadband like cable and DSL It is based on the IEEE 802 16 standard which is also cal...

Page 78: ...rings available in your country 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 Have your ISP information ready If you do not have an ISP the Connect to the Internet wizard can help you get one To set up your Internet connection 1 Save and close any open ...

Page 79: ... usually contains installation and troubleshooting information Install the required software according to the instructions provided by the router manufacturer Network cables Use either CAT 5 or CAT 5e cables Network interface card Setting Up a Wired Internet Connection If you are using a dial up connection connect the telephone line to the optional external USB modem and to the telephone wall jack...

Page 80: ...p your wireless router See the documentation that shipped with the wireless router 2 Click Start and then click Control Panel 3 In windows classic view double click Network Connections 4 Click Create a new connection 5 Follow the instructions on the screen Checking Your Wireless Network Card NOTE To confirm that your computer has a wireless network card and to determine the type of card check the ...

Page 81: ...SP the Connect to the Internet wizard can help you get one To setup a wired Internet connection 1 Click Start type network in the search box and then click Network and Sharing Center Set up a new connection or network Connect to the Internet The Connect to the Internet window appears NOTE If you do not know which type of connection to select click Help me choose or contact your ISP 2 Follow the in...

Page 82: ...ta 1 Ensure that wireless is enabled on your computer 2 Click Start type network in the search box and then click Network and Sharing Center Set up a new connection or network Connect to the Internet The Connect to the Internet window appears 3 Follow the instructions on the screen to complete the setup NOTE Actual steps may vary based on the operating system installed in your computer Related Inf...

Page 83: ...cted to the Internet YouPaint Draw and edit pictures Games Play touch enabled games Documents Access the Documents folder on your computer Photo View organize or edit your photos You can create slide shows and albums to upload them to Facebook Flickr or Shutterfly when connected to the Internet You can also zoom in or zoom out on a photo using the touch screen gestures Dell Web Preview of four imp...

Page 84: ...ollowing packages and features Complete AbsoluteTrack Plus Lo Jack for Laptops Inventory Assets Track computer hardware Locate stolen computers For home and home office Secured asset tracking Centralized lease information Track leases Protects against theft Track stolen computers Software inventory Investigate loss Locates using hidden software Prevent theft License compliance Prevent theft Recove...

Page 85: ...Select and hold the application shortcut until it blinks and then drag the application shortcut to a desired location on Dell Stage Minimize Drag the Dell Stage window to the bottom of the screen Personalize Select the settings icon and then choose the desired option Related Information Dell Stage Back to Contents Page ...

Page 86: ... Security tab and then select Computrace R 4 Select Activate to enable or Deactivate to disable the Computrace option NOTE Once you enable or disable the Computrace option in the BIOS settings you will be unable to change this setting in future This is to prevent from somebody else enabling or disabling this option NOTE You will need to install the Computrace software in Windows for the software t...

Page 87: ...ute Software You may contact them for issues related to configuration installation how to questions error messages To contact Absolute Software see www absolute com send E mails to techsupport absolute com call 888 999 9857 Related Information Computrace Enabling Computrace Back to Contents Page ...

Page 88: ...o Contents Page Dell Dock An application containing a group of icons that provides easy access to frequently used applications files and folders Related Information Personalize Dell Dock Back to Contents Page ...

Page 89: ...lows you to View all software that was originally shipped with the system Download and install entitled software Change your My Dell Downloads account password Access your My Dell Downloads account through the Dell support website To register and use My Dell Downloads 1 Go to DownloadStore dell com media 2 Follow the instructions on the screen to register and download the software 3 Reinstall the ...

Page 90: ...Dock click Add Category The Add Edit Category window appears 2 Enter a title for the category in the Title field 3 Select an icon for the category from the Select an image box 4 Click Save Adding an Icon Drag and drop the icon to the Dock or a category Removing a Category or Icon 1 Right click the category or icon on the Dock and click Delete category or Delete shortcut 2 Follow the instructions o...

Page 91: ...f file Performance and Configuration History Monitor system events and changes over time This utility displays all hardware scans tests system changes critical events and restoration points on the day they occurred Detailed System Information View detailed information about your hardware and operating system configurations access copies of your service contracts warranty information and warranty r...

Page 92: ...ferings Type Offerings Computer Setup and Support New Computer Setup File Transfer or Data Backup Service Internet and Email Setup Software Installation Computer Accessories Setup Windows Operating System Installation Computer Maintenance and Security Virus and Spyware Removal Antivirus Installation Internet Parental Control Free PC Health Check Speed up your Computer Basic Speed up your Computer ...

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Page 94: ...olve issues on your computer DellConnect has two modes View only access You retain control of your computer The Dell agent views your screen and provides instructions Full access to keyboard and mouse The Dell agent takes control of your computer Related Information Getting Help and Contacting Dell Using DellConnect Solution Station Back to Contents Page ...

Page 95: ... Keystrokes Power Management Controls Battery Information Icon Resizing Wireless Enable Disable Installation Dell QuickSet Utilities come pre installed on a new Dell system and can also be restored using the PC Restore utility or similar application If neither of these are an option you can download the software from support dell com After downloading the executable file you can double click on it...

Page 96: ...nd Conditions information sets expectations of what will occur during a DellConnect session Ask questions to your agent if you need clarity 6 This page is where you enter the code provided by support agent 7 Enter the code provided by the Dell representative in the field provided and click Go 8 Download and install the DellConnect applet to run the screen sharing application 9 After installing the...

Page 97: ... Documents NVSteroscopic3D IMG folder To view the file use the NVIDIA 3D Photo Viewer Ctrl Alt Insert Show hide in game compatibility message Displays the NVIDIA recommended settings for the current game Ctrl F6 Increases convergence Moves objects towards you maximum convergence places all objects in front of the scene in your space also used to place the laser sight Ctrl F5 Decreases convergence ...

Page 98: ... not resolve your problem System recovery media when operating system failure prevents the use of System Restore and DataSafe Local Backup when installing the factory image on a newly installed hard drive Dell Factory Image Restore to restore your computer to the operating state it was in when you received your computer Operating System disc to reinstall only the operating system on your computer ...

Page 99: ...edia in case of Operating system failure that prevents the use of recovery options that are installed on your computer Hard drive failure that prevents data from being recovered Related Information Restoring Your Operating System Restoring Your Computer Using System Recovery Media System Restore Dell DataSafe Local Backup Dell DataSafe Local Backup Basic Dell DataSafe Local Backup Professional Sys...

Page 100: ... saves restore points at regular intervals You use these restore points or create your own restore points to restore your computer s system files to an earlier known good state Use system restore if changes to changes to the hardware software or other system settings have left your computer in an undesirable operating state NOTE System restore does not backup your personal files and hence it canno...

Page 101: ...you see the Microsoft Windows desktop then shut down your computer and try again 3 When the boot device list appears highlight CD DVD CD RW Drive and press Enter 4 Press any key to boot from the optical drive 5 Follow the instructions on the screen to complete the recovery process Related Information Restoring Your Operating System System Restore Dell DataSafe Local Backup Dell DataSafe Local Back...

Page 102: ...on 3 Click Next and follow the instructions on the screen Windows XP 1 Click Start All Programs Accessories System Tools System Restore 2 In the welcome screen click Next 3 Follow the instructions on the screen In the event that System Restore did not resolve the issue you may undo the last system restore Related Information Restoring Your Operating System System Restore Undoing System Restore Del...

Page 103: ...box type System Restore and press Enter 3 Click Undo my last restoration clickNext and follow the instructions on the screen Windows XP 1 Click Start All Programs Accessories System Tools System Restore 2 In the welcome screen click Undo my last restoration and then click Next 3 Follow the instructions on the screen Related Information Restoring Your Operating System System Restore Starting System...

Page 104: ...ms or files added since you received your computer including data files are 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 Related Information Restoring Your Operating System System Restore Dell DataSafe Local Backup Dell DataSafe Local Backup...

Page 105: ...ss the recovery options log on as a local user To access the command prompt type administrator in the User name field then click OK 6 Select Dell Factory Image Restore or Dell Factory Tools Dell Factory Image Restore depending on the configuration of your computer 7 Click Next The Confirm Data Deletion screen appears NOTE If you do not want to proceed with Dell Factory Image Restore click Cancel 8...

Page 106: ...fe Local Backup is not available on your computer use Dell Factory Image Restore to restore your operating system Dell DataSafe Local Backup has two versions Dell DataSafe Local Backup Basic Dell DataSafe Local Backup Professional Dell DataSafe Local Backup Features Basic Professional Restore your system back to factory state Create system recovery media on DVD or USB media Full system backup and ...

Page 107: ...dia 3 Follow the instructions on the screen To restore your computer to a previous date or factory settings 1 Launch Dell DataSafe Local Backup 2 Click Restore Restore your entire system to a previous date or to the factory state 3 Follow the instructions on the screen Related Information Restoring Your Operating System System Restore Dell DataSafe Local Backup Dell DataSafe Local Backup Professio...

Page 108: ...m disc to install or reinstall the operating system on your computer The installation process may take some time to complete After you install the operating system you must also reinstall the device drivers virus protection software and other software Related Information Restoring Your Operating System System Restore Dell DataSafe Local Backup Dell DataSafe Local Backup Basic Dell DataSafe Local B...

Page 109: ...lick Backup File Folder Local Backup 3 Follow the instructions on the screen To restore specific files or folders from a Full System Backup 1 Launch Dell DataSafe Local Backup 2 Click Restore Restore specific files or folders from a Full System Backup 3 Follow the instructions on the screen To restore specific files or folders from a File Folder Backup 1 Launch Dell DataSafe Local Backup 2 Click R...

Page 110: ...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 3 Select the appropriate boot device from the list and press Enter 4 Follow the instructions on the screen Related Information Restoring Your Operating System System Restore Dell DataSafe ...

Page 111: ...Diagnostics Invoking PSA Enhanced Pre Boot System Assessment ePSA Invoking ePSA Beep Codes ...

Page 112: ...ult to Read No Display on the Screen or Screen is Blank Keyboard Not Working Not Detected or Working Intermittently Related Information BIOS Diagnostics Restoring Your Operating System Setting Up Your Computer Getting Help and Contacting Dell ...

Page 113: ... system When the computer starts the BIOS initializes and identifies system devices such as the video card keyboard and mouse hard disk optical drive and so on You can use the BIOS to Change the system configuration information after you add change or remove any hardware in your computer Set or change a user selectable option such as the user password Determine the current amount of memory or the ...

Page 114: ...logo is displayed wait for the F2 prompt to appear and then press F2 immediately NOTE The F2 prompt indicates that the keyboard has initialized This prompt appears quickly and is displayed only briefly Therefore you must press F2 immediately once the prompt appears If you press F2 before the prompt appears or after the prompt closes the keystroke is lost If you wait too long and the operating syst...

Page 115: ...d down the list with the up and down arrow keys As an option is highlighted the Options Field displays the option s current and available settings Options Field Appears on the right side of Options List and contains information about each option listed in the Options List In this field you can view information about your computer and make changes to your current settings Press Enter to make change...

Page 116: ... computer 3 Press F12 when F2 Setup F12 Boot Menu appears on the screen 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 The Boot Device Menu appears 4 Select the device you want to boot from by pressing up arrow down arrow key or by pressing the number displayed next to the boot ...

Page 117: ... the menu NOTE Note the current boot sequence in case you want to restore it 3 Press the up arrow down arrow keys to move through the list of devices 4 Press plus or minus to change the boot priority of the device 5 Save changes and exit system setup Related Information System Setup Screens Changing the Boot Sequence for the Current Boot Entering System Setup BIOS Flashing the BIOS Back to Content...

Page 118: ...roduct Family list c Select the product brand in the Select Your Product Line list d Select the product model number in the Select Your Product Model list NOTE If you have selected a different model and want to start over again click Start Over on the top right of the menu e Click Confirm 4 A list of results appears on the screen Click BIOS 5 Click Download Now to download the latest BIOS file The...

Page 119: ...computer itself Ensure that the computer documentation is available Diagnostic checklist Name Date Address Phone number Service Tag barcode 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 connected to your computer Are you connected to the Internet Yes No Type of Internet con...

Page 120: ...age drive space back up and recover data and so on Clean your computer regularly using a soft dry cloth NOTE Do not use water or any other solvents to clean your computer Perform a virus scan regularly Back up your data regularly Run Disk Defragmenter regularily to improve your computer s performance Ensure that there is enough free space on your hard drive Not having enough free space may result ...

Page 121: ... monitor screen Use a chair that provides good lower back support Keep your forearms horizontal with your wrists in a neutral comfortable position while using the keyboard or mouse Always leave space to rest your hands while using the keyboard or mouse Let your upper arms hang naturally at your sides Sit erect with your feet resting on the floor and your thighs level When sitting ensure the weight...

Page 122: ...Related Information Ergonomic Instructions for Laptops Back to Contents Page ...

Page 123: ...e sitting in front of the monitor Adjust the tilt of the monitor its contrast and brightness settings and the lighting around you such as overhead lights desk lamps and the curtains or blinds on nearby windows to minimize reflections and glare on the monitor screen Use a chair that provides good lower back support Keep your forearms horizontal with your wrists in a neutral comfortable position whi...

Page 124: ...hat help minimize environmental effects Less packaging means less hassle for customers Recyclable packaging makes it easy to dispose And sustainable materials are good for our planet For easy disposal our bamboo packaging is biodegradable and certified compostable by the Soil Control Lab and currently cradles Dell s netbooks some phones and most Inspiron notebooks with more products to come in 201...

Page 125: ...Web site Contact Details for Regulatory Compliance Web site For any questions related to Product Safety EMC or Ergonomics send an e mail to Regulatory_Compliance dell com Additional Compliance Information The World Wide Trade Compliance Organization WWTC is responsible for managing Dell s compliance to import and export regulations including product classification Classification data for Dell manu...

Page 126: ...e list of results click Windows Easy Transfer The Windows Easy Transfer window appears Using Windows Easy Transfer you can transfer Files and folders E mail settings contacts and messages Program settings NOTE Windows Easy Transfer does not transfer the programs themselves only the user specified settings Also some programs may not work with Windows 7 Check your program documentation for more info...

Page 127: ...ry and draws a small amount of power hibernation puts your open documents and programs on your hard disk and then turns off your computer Of all the power saving states in Windows hibernation uses the least amount of power On a laptop use hibernation when you know that you won t use your laptop for an extended period and won t have an opportunity to charge the battery during that time Hybrid sleep...

Page 128: ...u may improve the battery performance by Using the computer while connected to an electrical outlet when possible Battery life reduces with the number of times the battery is discharged and recharged Configuring the power management settings using Microsoft Windows Power Options to optimize your computer s power usage see Power Management Using the Sleep power state when you leave the computer una...

Page 129: ...l up or down on the active window Move two fingers up or down at a fast pace to activate vertical auto scrolling Tap on the touchpad to stop auto scrolling Auto Scroll Horizontal Allows you to scroll left or right on the active window Move two fingers to your left or right at a fast pace to activate horizontal auto scrolling Tap on the touchpad to stop auto scrolling Circular Scroll Allows you to ...

Page 130: ... bringing them closer together on the touchpad To zoom in Move two fingers apart to enlarge the view of the active window To zoom out Move two fingers close together to reduce the view of the active window Rotate Allows you to rotate the active content on the screen The rotate feature includes Twist Allows you to rotate active content in 90 increments using two fingers where one finger is anchored...

Page 131: ... Favorites Allows you to open your favorite applications Tap three fingers on the touchpad The applications that are configured in the touchpad configuration tool launch Desktop Allows you to minimize all open windows so that the desktop is visible Place your hand on the touchpad in any orientation and briefly hold in place Related Information Touchpad Back to Contents Page ...

Page 132: ...tems and right click or left click by tapping the surface A touchpad has a touch sensitive surface that senses the motion and position of your finger s to a relative position on the computer screen Touchpads are available on laptop computers and some high end keyboards Related Information Touchpad Gestures Back to Contents Page ...

Page 133: ...m out Dwell Allows you to access additional information by simulating a right click Press and hold a finger on the touch screen to open context sensitive menus Flick Allows you to flip content forward or backward based on the direction of the flick Move a finger quickly in the desired direction to flip through content in the active window like pages in a book Flick also works vertically when navig...

Page 134: ...or left to activate horizontal scrolling Rotate Allows you to rotate the active content on the screen Twist Allows you to rotate the active content using two fingers Keeping a finger or thumb in place move the other finger in an arced direction right or left You can also rotate the active content by moving both the fingers in a circular motion Related Information Touch Screen Display Using Touch S...

Page 135: ...eyboard to a different computer if available 10 If the keyboard works on another computer or connector there may be a problem with the computer or connector Contact Dell for further assistance Laptop Keyboard 1 Shut down the computer 2 Restart the computer and test the keyboard 3 If the keyboard is still not working a Shut down the computer b Disconnect all the external devices c Test the keyboard...

Page 136: ...art Control Panel Device Manager 2 Click Imaging Devices and then double click Camera 3 Click Enable The webcam is now enabled Open the webcam software to use all features of the webcam Related Information Camera Setting Up Webcam Back to Contents Page ...

Page 137: ...r monitor to the computer ensure that the adapter is connected correctly to the monitor and computer 7 Ensure that there are no bent of broken pins on the video cable connectors 8 If you have another monitor that works connect it to the computer to check if the monitor is defective 9 Contact Dell Laptop 1 Adjust the resolution of the screen For more information click Start Help and Support 2 Downl...

Page 138: ... to determine if the power cable is defective 3 If the computer is receiving power a Adjust the display brightness See the monitor documentation at support dell com manuals b Ensure that the monitor video cable is connected to the correct connector on the computer NOTE If your computer supports both integrated and discrete video cards you must connect your monitor to the discrete video card c Remo...

Page 139: ...ary based on the selections you made while purchasing your computer You may have a built in webcam or you may need to buy an external webcam External webcams connect to your computer using the USB connector A camera quality is generally defined by the number of pixels it can capture Related Information Setting Up Webcam Enabling a Disabled Webcam Back to Contents Page ...

Page 140: ...t avatars for video chat apply audio filters or use emoticon style emotions with the video avatars Create Avatar Create a unique avatar using the Live Cam Avatar Creator software for video chat Access Dell Webcam Manager 1 Click Start All Programs or Programs 2 Click Dell Webcam Dell Webcam Manager The Dell Webcam Manager window appears Enable the Digital Array Microphone in the Dell Webcam Center...

Page 141: ... when the computer is turned off The internal circuitry of the battery prevents the battery from overcharging 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 NOTE You can operate your computer while the battery is charging For laptop battery related FAQs see the Article ID 405686 a...

Page 142: ...ou to download songs when connected to the Internet Youpaint Draw and edit pictures Games Play touch enabled games Documents Provides quick access to the Documents folder on your computer Photo View organize or edit your pictures You can create slideshows and collections of your pictures and upload them to Facebook or Flickr when connected to the Internet Video View videos The optional CinemaNow a...

Page 143: ...Back to Contents Page Types of IEEE 1394 Cables 4 pin connector 6 pin connector 9 pin connector Related Information IEEE 1394 Comparing USB and IEEE 1394 Back to Contents Page ...

Page 144: ... 12 Mbps USB 2 0 480 Mbps IEEE 1394a 400 Mbps IEEE 1394b 800 Mbps Number of devices 127 63 Plug and play Yes Yes Hot pluggable Yes Yes Isochronous devices Yes Yes Bus type Serial Serial Network topology Hub Daisy chain Related Information IEEE 1394 USB Types of IEEE 1394 Cables Back to Contents Page ...

Page 145: ... Security tab and then select Computrace R 4 Select Activate to enable or Deactivate to disable the Computrace option NOTE Once you enable or disable the Computrace option in the BIOS settings you will be unable to change this setting in future This is to prevent from somebody else enabling or disabling this option NOTE You will need to install the Computrace software in Windows for the software t...

Page 146: ...to the next test press y to retest the component that failed press r If you receive error code s during PSA note the error code s and contact Dell If the PSA completes successfully the following message appears on your screen Do you want to run the remaining memory tests This will take about 30 minutes or more Do you want to continue Recommended Press y to continue if you are experiencing memory i...

Page 147: ...ength of the tests To the left of the Control window is the completion bar that indicates the overall completion of the tests To test selected devices click Run Tests To exit the ePSA and restart your computer click Exit Status Appears on the right of the ePSA home screen The status area has four tabs Configuration Displays detailed configuration and status information about all devices under ePSA...

Page 148: ...u receive error code s during the ePSA tests write down the error code s and contact Dell If the ePSA completes successfully the following message appears No problems have been found with this system so far Do you want to run the remaining memory tests This will take about 30 minutes or more Do you want to continue Recommended If you are experiencing memory issues click Yes otherwise press No The ...

Page 149: ...r Beep Codes Possible Problem One Possible system board failure BIOS ROM checksum failure Two No RAM detected NOTE If you installed or replaced the memory module ensure that the memory module is seated properly Three Possible system board failure Chipset error Four RAM read write failure Five Real Time Clock failure Six Video card or chip failure Seven Processor failure NOTE This beep code is supp...

Page 150: ...ation on the label is Portable computers Bottom of the portable computer Desktop computer Back or top of the computer chassis Using Dell s Online System Profiler If your computer is powered on and you have access to the Internet you can use Dell s online System Profiler to scan for the Service Tag and Express Service code To scan for the Service Tag follow the steps below Go to support dell com Cl...

Page 151: ...settings in Windows 7 1 Click Start Control Panel Power Options 2 You can choose from Balanced Power saver or High performance depending on your computer usage 3 To modify the power settings click Change plan settings Related Information Power Management Dell Quickset Back to Contents Page ...

Page 152: ...r Beep Codes Possible Problem One Possible system board failure BIOS ROM checksum failure Two No RAM detected NOTE If you installed or replaced the memory module ensure that the memory module is seated properly Three Possible system board failure Chipset error Four RAM read write failure Five Real Time Clock failure Six Video card or chip failure Seven Processor failure NOTE This beep code is supp...

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