DellTM InspironTM 6400/E1505 Owner's Manual Model PP20L 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. Abbreviations and Acronyms For a complete list of abbreviations and acronyms, see "Glossary" on page 169. If you purchased a DellTM n Series computer, any references in this document to Microsoft® Windows® operating systems are not applicable. ____________________ Information in this document is subject to change without notice. © 2005­2006 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, DellNet, OptiPlex, Latitude, PowerEdge, PowerConnect, PowerVault, PowerApp, Dell TravelLite, ExpressCharge, Dell Media Experience, MediaDirect, XPS, and Strike Zone are trademarks of Dell Inc.; Core is a trademark and Intel and Celeron are registered trademarks of Intel Corporation; Microsoft, Outlook, and Windows are registered trademarks of Microsoft Corporation; Bluetooth is a registered trademark owned by Bluetooth SIG, Inc. and is used by Dell under license; IBM is a registered trademark of IBM Corporation; EMC is a registered trademark of EMC Corporation; ENERGY STAR is a registered trademark of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. 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 PP20L August 2006 P/N MD402 Rev. A03 Contents Finding Information ............................... 11 1 About Your Computer . Front View .......................... .................. 15 15 16 20 21 22 24 Determining Your Computer's Configuration .................................... .................................. ................................. Left Side View Right Side View Back View .................................... ................................... Bottom View 2 Setting Up Your Computer. Connecting to the Internet . ....................... 25 25 25 26 26 27 29 29 29 30 30 31 31 ........................... .................... ................. ....... ....... Setting Up Your Internet Connection Transferring Information to a New Computer . Running the Files and Settings Transfer Wizard With the Operating System CD . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Running the Files and Settings Transfer Wizard Without the Operating System CD . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Setting Up a Printer ............................... ......................... ......................... Printer Cable . . . . . . . Connecting a USB Printer. Power Protection Devices . ........................... ...................... ...................... ...................... Surge Protectors . . . . . . . . Line Conditioners . . . . . . . . Uninterruptible Power Supplies Contents 3 3 Using the Display. Adjusting Brightness. ............................. 33 33 33 33 .............................. ........................... ........................... Switching the Video Image Setting Display Resolution. 4 Using the Keyboard and Touch Pad . Numeric Keypad Key Combinations ................ 35 35 36 36 36 36 36 37 37 37 38 38 ................................. ................................ ................ ................ ................ ................ ................ ................ ................ System Functions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Display Functions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Power Management . . . . . . . . . . . . Speaker Functions . . . . . . . . . . . . . Microsoft® Windows® Logo Key Functions QuickSet Key Combinations . . . . . . . . Adjusting Keyboard Settings . . . . . . . . Touch Pad .................................... ........................ Customizing the Touch Pad . 5 Using a Battery . Battery Performance . .............................. .............................. .......................... ................... ................... ................... ................... 39 39 40 40 40 40 41 41 41 43 43 43 44 Checking the Battery Charge DellTM QuickSet Battery Meter . . . . Microsoft® Windows® Power Meter Charge Gauge. . . . . . . . . . . . . Low-Battery Warning . . . . . . . . . Conserving Battery Power . ........................... ................. ................. Power Management Modes . . . . . . . Configuring Power Management Settings Charging the Battery . Replacing the Battery Storing a Battery . .............................. .............................. ................................ 4 Contents 6 Using Multimedia Playing CDs or DVDs . Copying CDs and DVDs. ............................. 45 45 46 46 47 47 48 49 49 49 49 50 50 52 53 55 56 58 60 62 63 .............................. ............................. ........................ ........................ ........................ How to Copy a CD or DVD. . Using Blank CDs and DVDs . Helpful Tips . . . . . . . . . Adjusting the Volume Adjusting the Picture .............................. .............................. ........... Using Dell Media ExperienceTM and Dell MediaDirectTM If the computer is turned on or in standby mode . . If the computer is turned off or in hibernate mode . Dell MediaDirect and Dell Media Experience Help Connecting Your Computer to a TV or Audio Device S-Video and Standard Audio . . . . . . . . S-Video and S/PDIF Digital Audio. . . . . . Composite Video and Standard Audio . . . Composite Video and S/PDIF Digital Audio . Component Video and Standard Audio . . . Component Video and S/PDIF Digital Audio Setting Up the Cyberlink (CL) Headphones . Enabling the Display Settings for a TV . . . ............ ............ ............ .............. ................ ................ ................ ................ ................ ................ ................ ................ 7 Using Cards ExpressCards. ................................. 65 65 65 65 66 67 67 68 .................................. .................... .................... .................... ExpressCard Blanks. . . . . . . . . Installing an ExpressCard. . . . . . Removing an ExpressCard or Blank Media Memory Cards .............................. ..................... ..................... Installing a Media Memory Card . Removing a Media Memory Card. Contents 5 8 Setting Up a Network. Network Setup Wizard. .......................... .......... 69 69 70 70 70 70 71 72 74 74 74 74 75 Physically Connecting to a Network or Broadband Modem ............................. ..................... .... .... .... .... .... .... Wireless Local Area Network (WLAN) What You Need to Establish a WLAN Connection . . . . . . . . . Checking Your Wireless Network Card . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Setting Up a New WLAN . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Connecting to a Wireless Local Area Network. . . . . . . . . . . Enabling/Disabling the Wireless Network Card . . . . . . . . . . Monitoring the Status of Wireless Network Connections Through DellTM QuickSet . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Mobile Broadband or Wireless Wide Area Network (WWAN). What You Need to Establish a Mobile Broadband Network Connection . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Connecting to a Mobile Broadband Network . . . . . . . ........ ........ ........ 9 Securing Your Computer. Security Cable Lock Passwords ........................ 77 77 77 78 78 ............................... .................................... .......................... ....................... Computer Tracking Software If Your Computer Is Lost or Stolen . 10 Solving Problems. Dell Diagnostics ............................. 79 79 82 82 82 82 83 83 83 84 84 ................................. ............................... ................... ................... ................... Dell Support Utility. Accessing the Dell Support Utility . . Clicking the Dell Support Icon . . . . Double-Clicking the Dell Support Icon Drive Problems . ................................. ..... ..... ..... ..... CD and DVD drive problems . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . If you cannot eject the CD, CD-RW, DVD, or DVD+RW drive tray If you hear an unfamiliar scraping or grinding sound . . . . . . Hard drive problems . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6 Contents E-Mail, Modem, and Internet Problems . Error Messages .................... 84 85 89 89 90 90 90 91 91 91 91 91 91 92 92 93 93 93 94 95 95 96 97 97 97 97 98 98 98 99 99 ................................. ............................. ........................... ExpressCard Problems . IEEE 1394 Device Problems Keyboard Problems ............................... ........................ ........................ ........................ ....... ....... ....... ....... ....... ....... ....... External Keyboard problems Unexpected characters. . . Lockups and Software Problems The computer does not start up . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . The computer stops responding . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . A program stops responding or crashes repeatedly . . . . . A program is designed for an earlier Microsoft® Windows® operating system . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . A solid blue screen appears . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Dell MediaDirect problems . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Other software problems . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Memory Problems ................................ ............................... ....... Network Problems . Mobile Broadband (Wireless Wide Area Network [WWAN]) Power Problems ................................. ............... Ensuring Sufficient Power for Your Computer Printer Problems . Scanner Problems ................................ ................................ ......................... .................... .................... .................... Sound and Speaker Problems . No sound from integrated speakers No sound from external speakers . No sound from headphones . . . . Touch Pad or Mouse Problems Video and Display Problems . ......................... .......................... ................... ................... ................... If the display is blank . . . . . . . . . If the display is difficult to read . . . . If only part of the display is readable . Contents 7 Drivers ...................................... ...................... ..................... ..................... ............ 99 99 100 100 102 102 103 104 106 What Is a Driver? . . . . . . . . Identifying Drivers . . . . . . . Reinstalling Drivers and Utilities Resolving Software and Hardware Incompatibilities Restoring Your Operating System ....................... ............. ............. ............. Using Microsoft Windows XP System Restore . Using Dell PC Restore by Symantec . . . . . . Using the Operating System CD. . . . . . . . . 11 Adding and Replacing Parts . Before You Begin. .................... 109 109 109 109 110 111 112 114 114 117 118 119 121 124 125 127 ............................... ................. ................. ................. Recommended Tools . . . . . . . . . . Turning Off Your Computer . . . . . . . Before Working Inside Your Computer . Optical Drive . Hard Drive ................................. ................................... ...................... Returning a Hard Drive to Dell Memory. Modem .................................... ..................................... .................................. Hinge Cover Keyboard .................................... .............................. Wireless Mini-Card Coin-Cell Battery . Display ............................... ..................................... ............ Internal Card With Bluetooth® Wireless Technology. 8 Contents 12 DellTM QuickSet Features ....................... 129 131 131 131 132 132 13 Traveling With Your Computer. Identifying Your Computer . Packing the Computer Travel Tips ................... .......................... ............................. ................................... .............................. Traveling by Air 14 Contacting Dell . 15 Specifications . 16 Appendix ............................. 133 155 163 163 163 163 164 165 165 165 166 166 166 167 167 167 167 168 .............................. .................................. ....................... .................... .................... .................... Using the System Setup Program Viewing the System Setu ...