Mouse
If your screen cursor skips or moves abnormally, clean the mouse. To clean a
1Turn the retainer ring on the underside of your mouse counterclockwise, and then remove the ball.
2Wipe the ball with a clean,
3Blow carefully into the ball cage to dislodge dust and lint.
4If the rollers inside the ball cage are dirty, clean the rollers with a cotton swab moistened lightly with isopropyl alcohol.
5Recenter the rollers in their channels if they are misaligned. Ensure that fluff from the swab is not left on the rollers.
6Replace the ball and retainer ring, and turn the retainer ring clockwise until it clicks into place.
Floppy Drive
NOTICE: Do not attempt to clean drive heads with a swab. You might accidentally misalign the heads, which prevents the drive from operating.
Clean your floppy drive using a commercially available cleaning kit. These kits contain pretreated floppies to remove contaminants that accumulate during normal operation.
CDs and DVDs
NOTICE: Always use compressed air to clean the lens in the CD/DVD drive, and follow the instructions that come with the compressed air. Never touch the lens in the drive.
If you notice problems, such as skipping, with the playback quality of your CDs or DVDs, try cleaning the discs.
1Hold the disc by its outer edge. You can also touch the inside edge of the center hole.
NOTICE: To prevent damaging the surface, do not wipe in a circular motion around the disc.
2With a soft,
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 safe to use on DVDs.
Dell Technical Support Policy (U.S. Only)
Appendix