Contents
Dell Inspiron
Abbreviations and Acronyms
Contents
Checking the Charge on the Second Battery
Setting Up the Docking Device to Connect to a Network
Uninterruptible Power Supplies
Using the Keyboard and Touchpad
Removing and Installing Devices While
Connecting a Television to the Computer
Connecting to a Network Adapter
Connecting to Wireless Local Area Networks
Accessing Help Error Messages
105
107
108
109
Reinstalling Microsoft Windows XP 119
124
128
131
Limited Warranty Terms for Dell-Branded Hardware
Contents
General
Power
Battery
California Residents
Air Travel
EMC Instructions
When Using Your Computer
When Working Inside Your Computer
Ergonomic Computing Habits
Battery Disposal
Protecting Against Electrostatic Discharge
When Using Your Computer
Tour of Your Computer
Display latch Power button
Front View
Mute button
Track stick
Light is flashing
Tour of Your Computer
Y B O a R D S T a T U S L I G H T S
Left View
Air vents Security cable slot Ieee 1394 connector
PC Card slot Audio connectors Infrared sensor
D I O C O N N E C T O R S
Right View
Module bay
Back View
Video TV-out connector
Air vent Parallel connector Air vents USB connectors
I D E O TV-O U T C O N N E C T O R
Connects a parallel device, such as a printer
Tour of Your Computer
Battery-bay latch release
Bottom View
Hard drive
Fan
Tour of Your Computer
Setting Up Your Computer
Connecting to the Internet
Setting Up Your Internet Connection
Modem and Internet Connection Problems
If you have a CD, click Use the CD I got from an ISP
Transferring Information to a New Computer
Close the Phone and Modems Options window
Setting Up Your Computer
Printer Cable
Setting Up a Printer
Connecting a Parallel Printer
Connecting a USB Printer
Printer Problems
Click Control Panel Click Printers and Other Hardware
Surge Protectors
Setting Up the Docking Device to Connect to a Network
Power Protection Devices
Line Conditioners
Uninterruptible Power Supplies
Turning Off Your Computer
Using Batteries Module Bay Devices
Using a Battery
Battery Performance
Checking the Battery Charge
Dell QuickSet Battery Meter
Microsoft Windows Power Meter
Low-Battery Warning
Charge Gauge
Health Gauge
Charging the Battery
Removing a Battery
Installing a Battery
Removing and Installing a Reserve Battery
Reserve battery Connector
Power Problems
Storing a Battery
Checking the Charge on the Second Battery
About the Module Bay
Status button on the charge gauge Second battery top
If the Device Screw Is Not Installed
Device latch release
If the Device Screw Is Installed
Using Batteries and Module Bay Devices
If the Device Screw Is Not Installed
If the Device Screw Is Installed
Device latch release
Using Batteries and Module Bay Devices
Using the Keyboard and Touchpad
System Functions
Numeric Keypad
Keyboard Shortcuts
Radios Including Wireless Networking and Bluetooth
Power Management
CD or DVD Tray
Display Functions
Speaker Functions
Microsoft Windows Logo Key Functions
Touch Pad
Touch Pad or Mouse Problems
Customizing the Touch Pad
External Keyboard Problems
Unexpected Characters
Using the Keyboard and Touchpad
Using CDs, DVDs, Other Multimedia
If you cannot play a CD, CD-RW, or DVD
Using CDs and DVDs
CD or DVD problems
Sound and Speaker Problems
Copying CDs
Or off
Helpful Tips
Using Easy CD Creator Basic
Using Blank CD-R Discs or Blank CD-RW Discs
How to Copy a CD
Using CDs, DVDs, and Other Multimedia
Pdif digital audio connector
Connecting a Television to the Computer
Video TV-out connector TV/digital audio adapter cable
Video and Standard Audio
TV/digital audio adapter cable Video cable Audio cable
Using CDs, DVDs, and Other Multimedia
Video and Digital Audio
Using CDs, DVDs, and Other Multimedia
Composite Video and Standard Audio
Using CDs, DVDs, and Other Multimedia
Composite Video and Digital Audio
Enabling the Display Settings for a Television
ATI Video Controller
Enabling Dolby Digital 5.1 Audio for DVD Playback
Enabling S/PDIF Digital Audio
Nvidia Video Controller
Click Enable S/PDIF output
Click Advanced Click Enable S/PDIF
Enabling S/PDIF in the Windows Audio Driver
Using CDs, DVDs, and Other Multimedia
Setting Up a Home and Office Network
Connecting to a Network Adapter
Network adapter connector
On computer
Network cable
Network Setup Wizard
Network Problems
Infrastructure Network
Connecting to Wireless Local Area Networks
Determining your Network Type
Connecting to a Network in Windows XP
Wireless network properties window appears
Networks area
Setting Up a Home and Office Network
Finalizing your Network Connection Security Settings
Click Properties
Setting Up a Home and Office Network
Click Properties
100
Solving Problems
Finding Solutions
102
103
104
Accessing Help
Error Messages
Click Control Panel Click Add or Remove Programs
Video and Display Problems
If the display is blank
If the display is difficult to read
106
Click Appearance and Themes
Scanner Problems
If only part of the display is readable
Back of floppy disk Write-protected Not write-protected
Drive Problems
If you cannot save a file to a floppy drive
Under Error-checking, click Check Now Click Start
PC Card Problems
If you have problems with a hard drive
General Program Problems
Mail Problems
Error messages appear
Program crashes
If Your Computer Gets Wet
Resolving Other Technical Problems
If You Drop or Damage Your Computer
Identifying Drivers
What Is a Driver?
Drivers
Reinstalling Drivers and Utilities
Using Windows XP Device Driver Rollback
Using the Drivers and Utilities CD
114
Manually Reinstalling Drivers for Windows XP
115
Restoring the Computer to an Earlier Operating State
Using System Restore
Creating a Restore Point
117
Undoing the Last System Restore
Enabling System Restore
Click Performance and Maintenance and click System
Resolving Software and Hardware Incompatibilities
Reinstalling Microsoft Windows XP
Before You Reinstall
Reinstalling Windows XP
Booting From the Operating System CD
Windows XP Setup
120
Reinstalling Drivers and Software
121
Solving Problems
Adding and Replacing Parts
Adding Memory
Captive screw
125
Securing clips Per connector Memory module
126
Replace the cover
127
Adding a Mini PCI Card
Mini PCI card/modem cover Captive screw
129
Mini PCI card
130
Adding a Modem
132
Pull-tabscrew Modem Modem cable
133
Replacing the Hard Drive
Hard drive screw
135
Adding and Replacing Parts
P e n d i
Specifications
Microprocessor
System Information
PC Card
139
Ports and Connectors
Communications
Video
Audio
Display
140
Keyboard
141
142
Battery
AC Adapter
Physical
143
Environmental
144
Overview
Standard Settings
Viewing the System Setup Screens
System Setup Screens
Changing the Boot Sequence
Commonly Used Options
146
147
Changing Printer Modes
Changing COM Ports
Enabling the Infrared Sensor
148
Definition of Dell-Installed Software and Peripherals
Dell Technical Support Policy U.S. Only
Contacting Dell
Definition of Third-Party Software and Peripherals
Anguilla
Antigua and Barbuda
151
152
Canada North York, Ontario
Cayman Islands
Chile Santiago
153
China Xiamen
Colombia
Costa Rica
Czech Republic Prague Website support.euro.dell.com
155
156
Hong Kong
India
Ireland Cherrywood Website support.euro.dell.com
157
Italy Milan Website support.euro.dell.com
Jamaica
Area Codes Local Numbers, Toll-Free Numbers
158
159
Japan Kawasaki Website support.jp.dell.com
Korea Seoul
Latin America
Luxembourg Website support.euro.dell.com
Macao
Malaysia Penang
Mexico
Montserrat
Netherlands Antilles
Netherlands Amsterdam Website support.euro.dell.com
162
163
164
Spain Madrid Website support.euro.dell.com
Sweden Upplands Vasby Website support.euro.dell.com
165
Dell.co.uk/lca/customerservices
Bracknell Website support.euro.dell.com
Uruguay
166
A. Austin, Texas
Business
Virgin Islands
Venezuela
Regulatory Notices
NOM Information Mexico Only
169
Limited Warranties and Return Policy
What is covered by this limited warranty?
What is not covered by this limited warranty?
How long does this limited warranty last?
171
172
What do I do if I need warranty service?
What will Dell do?
What if I purchased a service contract?
May I transfer the limited warranty?
How will you fix my product?
173
Total Satisfaction Return Policy U.S. Only
174
175
176
177
Total Satisfaction Return Policy Canada Only
Dell Software and Peripherals Canada Only
Third-Party Software and Peripherals Products
178
Guarantee
Dell-Branded Peripheral Products
Return Policy
Exclusions
180
Making a Claim
Limitation and Statutory Rights
Intel’s Three Year Limited Warranty
181
182
What are Errata?
D ex
183
184
185
186