Alienware M14X User manual

ALIENWARE M14x MOBILE MANUAL

Notes, Cautions, and Warnings
NOTE: A NOTE indicates important information that helps you make better use of your computer.
CAUTION: A CAUTION indicates either potential damage to hardware or loss of data and tells you how
to avoid the problem.
WARNING: A WARNING indicates a potential for property damage, personal injury, or death.
This item incorporates copy protection technology that is protected by U.S. patents and other intellectual property
rights of Rovi Corporation. Reverse engineering and disassembly are prohibited.
__________________
The contents herein are subject to change without notice.
© 2010 Dell Inc. All rights reserved.
Reproduction of these materials in any manner whatsoever without the prior written permission of Dell Inc. is
strictly prohibited.
Trademarks used in this manual: Alienware®, AlienFX®, and the AlienHead logo are trademarks or registered
trademarks of Alienware Corporation; Dell™ is a trademark of Dell Inc.; Microsoft®, Windows®, and the Windows
start button logo are either trademarks or registered trademarks of Microsoft Corporation in the United States
and/or other countries; Intel®, Centrino®, and SpeedStep®are registered trademarks and Core™ is a trademark
of Intel Corporation in the U.S. and other countries; Blu‑ray Disc™ is a trademark of the Blu‑ray Disc Association;
Bluetooth®is a registered trademark owned by Bluetooth SIG, Inc.
Other trademarks and trade names may be used in this manual to refer to either the entities claiming the marks
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than its own.
Regulatory model: P18G Regulatory type: P18G001
Rev. A00 December 2010

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CHAPTER 1: SETTING UP YOUR LAPTOP ................................................9
Before Setting Up Your Laptop ....................................................10
Connect the AC Adapter...........................................................12
Press the Power Button ...........................................................13
Connect the Network Cable (Optional) .............................................14
Set Up Microsoft Windows ........................................................15
Set Up Wireless Display (Optional).................................................16
Connect to the Internet (Optional).................................................19
CHAPTER 2: GETTING TO KNOW YOUR LAPTOP ........................................23
Left View Features................................................................24
Right View Features ............................................................. 28
Back View Features .............................................................. 29
Display Features................................................................. 30
Computer Base and Keyboard Features ........................................... 32
Power Button ................................................................... 34
Function Keys . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 36
CONTENTS

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CONTENTS
CHAPTER 3: USING YOUR LAPTOP.................................................... 39
Alienware Command Center...................................................... 40
Connecting External Displays .................................................... 40
Using the Wireless Control ....................................................... 44
Battery Pack .................................................................... 45
Power Management ............................................................. 46
nVidia Optimus Technology ...................................................... 48
Free Fall Sensor ................................................................. 50
FastAccess Facial Recognition (Optional) ......................................... 50
Conguring the BIOS .............................................................51
CHAPTER 4: INSTALLING AND REPLACING COMPONENTS...............................65
Before You Begin ................................................................ 66
Replacing the Battery Pack........................................................70
Upgrading or Replacing Memory...................................................74
CHAPTER 5: TROUBLESHOOTING .....................................................79
Basic Hints and Tips ............................................................. 80
Backup and General Maintenance .................................................81
Software Diagnostic Tools ....................................................... 83
Answers to Common Problems ................................................... 85

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CONTENTS
CHAPTER 6: SYSTEM RECOVERY ..................................................... 93
AlienRespawn ................................................................... 94
My Dell Downloads .............................................................. 98
CHAPTER 7: SPECIFICATIONS ........................................................ 99
APPENDIX . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 113
GENERAL AND ELECTRICAL SAFETY PRECAUTIONS ................................114
Contacting Alienware ............................................................ 117

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Dear Valued Alienware Customer,
Welcome to the Alienware family. We are thrilled to include you among the growing number
of savvy high‑performance computer users.
e Alienware technicians who have crafted your machine have made certain that your
high‑performance system is properly optimized and performs to its fullest potential. We build
machines with one single unwavering purpose: Build It As If It Were Your Own. e technicians
will not rest until your new machine meets or exceeds our very demanding criteria!
We have tested your machine extensively in order to ensure that you enjoy the highest levels
of performance. In addition to a standard burn‑in period, your system has been evaluated
using real‑world tools such as synthetic performance benchmarks.
We invite you to share your experience with your new high‑performance computer with us, so
please do not hesitate to either e-mail or call Alienware with any questions or concerns. e
entire sta shares your enthusiasm for new technology and we hope that you enjoy using
your new computer as much as Alienware enjoyed building it for you.
Sincerely,
Alienware Sta

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