Dell 5100, 5150 Finding Solutions

78 Solving Problems

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Finding Solutions

NOTE: If you have a problem with an external device, see the device documentation or contact

the manufacturer.

Sometimes it’s difficult to figure out where to go for answers. Use this chart to quickly find

the answers to your questions.

See page45.

See page80.

Get technical assistance from

Dell. See page126.

Press the power button to

exit standby mode. See the

Tell Me How

help file for

more information on

standby mode.

Contents

Main Notes, Notices, and Cautions Abbreviations and Acronyms ____________________ Contents 1A Tour of Your Computer 2Setting Up Your Computer 3Using a Battery 4Using the Keyboard and Touch Pad 5Using CDs, DVDs, and Other Multimedia 6Setting Up a Home and Office Network 7Solving Problems 8Adding and Replacing Parts 9Appendix Index . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 157 Page General Power Battery Air Travel EMC Instructions Page Ergonomic Computing Habits When Working Inside Your Computer Protecting Against Electrostatic Discharge Battery Disposal Page Page Front View Page Page Left Side V iew Right Side View Page Back View Page Page Bottom View Page Setting Up Your Computer Adjusting Font and Icon Sizes Adjusting Font Sizes Adjusting Icon Sizes Dell QuickSet Features Clicking the QuickSet Icon Connecting to the Internet Setting Up Your Internet Connection Modem and Internet Connection Problems E-Mail Problems Transferring Information to a New Computer Setting Up a Printer Printer Cable Connecting a USB Printer printer. The USB connectors fit only one way. Printer Problems Power Protection Devices Surge Protectors Line Conditioners Uninterruptible Power Supplies Turning Off Your Computer Using a Battery Battery Performance Checking the Battery Charge Power Meter Low-Battery Warning Charging the Battery Removing a Battery Installing a Battery Slide the battery into the battery bay until the latch clicks. Tell Me How Storing a Battery Battery and Power Problems If the battery is not charging If battery life is short Page Dell AccessDirect Button Reprogramming the Button Numeric Keypad Keyboard Shortcuts System Functions Display Functions Power Management Speaker Functions Microsoft Windows Logo Key Functions Tou ch Pa d Customizing the Touch Pad You can use the Mouse Properties window to disable the touch pad or adjust its settings. Hardware. the Mouse Properties window. Touch Pad or Mouse Problems External Keyboard Problems Unexpected Characters Page Page Using CDs and DVDs CD or DVD Problems If you cannot play a CD, CD-RW, DVD, or DVD+RW If you cannot eject the CD, CD-RW, DVD, or DVD+RW drive tray If you hear an unfamiliar scraping or grinding sound Sound and Speaker Problems If you have a problem with integrated speakers If you have a problem with external speakers Connecting a Television to the Computer S-Video Connection Page Composite Video Connection Page Enabling the Display Settings for a Television Page Page Page Connecting to a Network Adapter Network Setup Wizard Network Problems Connecting to Wireless Local Area Networks Determining Your Network Type Connecting to a Network in Windows XP Page Page Finalizing Your Network Connection (Security Settings) Page Page Page Page Page Solving Problems Finding Solutions Solving Problems 79 Accessing Help H M T Error Messages Video and Display Problems If the display is blank If the display is difficult to read If only part of the display is readable Scanner Problems Drive Problems Tell Me H ow If you cannot save a file to a floppy drive If you have problems with a hard drive PC Card Problems General Program Problems A program crashes Resolving Other Technical Problems A program stops responding Error messages appear If Your Computer Gets Wet If You Drop or Damage Your Computer Drivers What Is a Driver? Identifying Drivers Reinstalling Drivers Page Manually Reinstalling Drivers for Windows XP Resolving Software and Hardware Incompatibilities Using System Restore Creating a Restore Point Restoring the Computer to an Earlier Operating State Undoing the Last System Restore Reinstalling Microsoft Windows XP Before You Reinstall Reinstalling Windows XP Page Page Page Page Before You Add or Replace Parts Memory Page Modem and Mini PCI Card Adding a Modem Adding a Mini PCI Card Page PCI card into the connector until it clicks. Hard Drive Drivers and Utilities Operating System do not touch Page Returning a Hard Drive to Dell CD or DVD Drive Keyboard Page Page Page Appendix Specifications Page Page Page Page (continued) Page Using the System Setup Program Overview Viewing the System Setup Screens System Setup Screens Commonly Used Options Page System and Battery Performance Optimization System Performance Overview Optimizing Power Consumption and Battery Charge Time Variable Speed Fan Dell Technical Support Policy (U.S. Only) Definition of "Dell-Installed" Software and Peripherals Definition of "Third-Party" Software and Peripherals Contacting Dell Page Page Page Page Page Page Page Page Page Page Page Page Page Page Page Page Regulatory Notices NOM Information (Mexico Only) Limited Warranties and Return Policy Limited Warranty for Dell-Branded Hardware Products (U.S. Only) What is covered by this limited warranty? What is not covered by this limited warranty? How long does this limited warranty last? What do I do if I need warranty service? What will Dell do? NOTE: What if I purchased a service contract? How will you fix my product? May I transfer the limited warranty? "Total Satisfaction" Return Policy (U.S. Only) Limited Warranty Terms for Dell-Branded Hardware Products (Canada Only) What is covered by this limited warranty? What is not covered by this limited warranty? How long does this limited warranty last? What do I do if I need warranty service? What will Dell do? NOTE: What if I purchased a service contract? How will you fix my product? "Total Satisfaction" Return Policy (Canada Only) Dell Software and Peripherals (Canada Only) Third-Party Software and Peripherals Products Dell-Branded Peripheral Products Return Policy 1-Year End-User Manufacturer Guarantee (Latin America and the Caribbean Only) Guarantee Exclusions Making a Claim Limitation and Statutory Rights Page Intel Warranty Statement for Pentium and Celeron Processors Only (U.S. and Canada Only) www.dell.com | support.dell.com Index A B C D I K L M N T U V W