Dell INSPIRON DCSLE User manual

SETUP GUIDE
INSPIRON™

SETUP GUIDE
Regulatory model: DCSLE
INSPIRON™

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.
__________________
Information in this document is subject to change without notice.
© 2010 Dell Inc. All rights reserved.
Reproduction of these materials in any manner whatsoever without the written permission of Dell Inc. is strictly forbidden.
Trademarks used in this text: Dell , the DELL logo, YOURS IS HERE, Inspiron, Solution Station, and DellConnect are
trademarks of Dell Inc.; Intel , Celeron , and Pentium are registered trademarks and Core is a trademark of Intel
Corporation in the U.S. and other countries; Microsoft , Windows , Windows Vista, and the Windows Vista start button
logo are either trademarks or registered trademarks of Microsoft Corporation in the United States and/or other countries;
Blu-ray Disc is a trademark of the Blu‑ray Disc Association; Bluetooth is a registered trademark owned by Bluetooth SIG,
Inc. and is used by Dell under license.
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.
March 2010 P/N C9NR5 Rev. A00

3
Setting Up Your Inspiron Desktop . . . . . . . .5
Before Setting Up Your Computer . . . . . . . . . 5
Extend the Rear Stabilizing Feet. . . . . . . . . . . 6
Connect the Keyboard and Mouse. . . . . . . . . 7
Connect the Display. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8
Connect the Network Cable (Optional) . . . . 10
Connect the Power Cable . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11
Press the Power Button . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12
Set Up Microsoft Windows. . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13
Create System Recovery Media
(Recommended). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13
Connect to the Internet (Optional) . . . . . . . . 14
Using Your Inspiron Desktop . . . . . . . . . . .18
Front View Features. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18
Back View Features. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20
Back Panel Connectors. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22
Software Features . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24
Dell Dock . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25
Dell DataSafe Online Backup . . . . . . . . . . . . 26
Solving Problems . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .27
Beep Codes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27
Network Problems . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28
Power Problems. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 29
Memory Problems . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 31
Lockups and Software Problems . . . . . . . . . 32
Using Support Tools. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .34
Dell Support Center . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 34
My Dell Downloads . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 35
System Messages . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 35
Hardware Troubleshooter. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 37
Dell Diagnostics . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 38
Contents

4
Contents
Restoring Your Operating System . . . . . . .42
System Restore . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 43
Dell DataSafe Local Backup. . . . . . . . . . . . . 44
System Recovery Media . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 46
Dell Factory Image Restore . . . . . . . . . . . . . 47
Getting Help . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .50
Technical Support and Customer
Service . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 51
DellConnect . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 51
Online Services . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 52
Automated Order‑Status Service . . . . . . . . . 53
Product Information. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 53
Returning Items for Repair Under
Warranty or for Credit . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 54
Before You Call. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 55
Contacting Dell. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 56
Finding More Information and
Resources . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .58
Basic Specifications . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .60
Appendix. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .64
Macrovision Product Notice. . . . . . . . . . . . . 64
Information for NOM, or Official
Mexican Standard (Only for Mexico). . . . . . 65
Index . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .66

5
This section provides information about
setting up your Inspiron™desktop.
WARNING: Before you begin any of the
procedures in this section, read the
safety information that shipped with
your computer. For additional safety best
practices information, see the Regulatory
Compliance Homepage at
www.dell.com/regulatory_compliance.
Before Setting Up Your
Computer
When positioning your computer, ensure that
you allow easy access to a power source,
adequate ventilation, and a level surface to
place your computer.
Restricting airflow around your computer may
cause it to overheat. To prevent overheating
ensure that you leave at least 10.2 cm (4 inches)
at the back of the computer and a minimum of
5.1 cm (2 inches) on all other sides. You should
never place your computer in an enclosed
space, such as a cabinet or drawer when it is
powered on.
Setting Up Your Inspiron Desktop
INSPIRON

6
Setting Up Your Inspiron Desktop
Extend the Rear Stabilizing Feet
With the computer sitting in an upright position, carefully lift the rear of the computer, and rotate the
stabilizing feet outwards. The extended feet ensure maximum system stability.

7
Setting Up Your Inspiron Desktop
Connect the Keyboard and Mouse
Connect the USB keyboard and mouse to the USB connectors on the back panel of your computer.

8
Setting Up Your Inspiron Desktop
Connect the Display
Your computer has integrated VGA and HDMI video connectors.
NOTE: A DVI connector may be available if you purchased a discrete graphics card.
You can purchase the HDMI‑to‑DVI adapter and additional HDMI or DVI cables at www.dell.com.
Use the appropriate cable based on the connectors available on your computer and display. Refer to
the following table to identify the connectors on your computer and display.
NOTE: When connecting to a single display, connect the display to ONLY ONE of the connectors
on your computer.

9
Setting Up Your Inspiron Desktop
Connection Type Computer Cable Display
VGA‑to‑VGA
(VGA cable)
DVI‑to‑DVI
(DVI cable)
HDMI‑to‑HDMI
(HDMI cable)
HDMI‑to‑DVI
(HDMI‑to‑DVI
adapter + DVI cable)

10
Setting Up Your Inspiron Desktop
Connect the Network Cable
(Optional)
A network connection is not required to
complete your computer setup, but if you have
an existing network or Internet connection that
uses a cable connection (such as a broadband
device or Ethernet jack), you can connect
it now.
NOTE: Use only an Ethernet cable to
connect to the network connector
(RJ45 connector). Connect the telephone
cable only to the modem connector
(RJ11 connector) and not to the network
connector (RJ45 connector).
To connect your computer to a network or a
broadband device, connect one end of the
network cable to the network port or the
broadband device. Connect the other end of
the network cable to the network connector
(RJ45 connector) on the back panel of your
computer.
A click indicates that the network cable has
been securely attached.

11
Setting Up Your Inspiron Desktop
Connect the Power Cable
CAUTION: To help avoid damaging your
computer, ensure that the voltage selector
switch is set for the voltage that most
closely matches the AC power available in
your location.
To locate the voltage selector switch, see “Back
View Features” on page 20.

12
Setting Up Your Inspiron Desktop
Press the Power Button

13
Setting Up Your Inspiron Desktop
Set Up Microsoft Windows
Your Dell computer is preconfigured with Microsoft®Windows®operating system. To set up
Windows for the first time, follow the instructions on the screen. These steps are mandatory
and may take some time to complete. The Windows setup screens will take you through several
procedures including accepting license agreements, setting preferences, and setting up an Internet
connection.
CAUTION: Do not interrupt the operating system’s setup process. Doing so may render your
computer unusable and you will need to reinstall the operating system.
NOTE: For optimal performance of your computer, it is recommended that you download and
install the latest BIOS and drivers for your computer available at support.dell.com.
NOTE: For more information on the operating system and features, see
support.dell.com/MyNewDell.

14
Setting Up Your Inspiron Desktop
Create System Recovery
Media (Recommended)
NOTE: It is recommended that you create a
system recovery media as soon as you set
up Microsoft Windows.
The system recovery media can be used to
restore your computer to the operating state it
was in when you purchased the computer, while
preserving data files (without the need of the
Operating System disc). You can use the system
recovery media if changes to the hardware,
software, drivers, or other system settings have
left the computer in an undesirable operating
state.
You will require the following to create the
system recovery media:
Dell DataSafe Local Backup•
USB key with a minimum capacity of 8 GB or•
DVD‑R/DVD+R/Blu‑ray Disc™
NOTE: Dell DataSafe Local Backup does
not support rewritable discs.
To create a system recovery media:
Ensure that the computer is turned on.1.
Insert the disc or USB key in the computer.2.
Click3. Start → Programs→Dell DataSafe
Local Backup.
Click4. Create Recovery Media.
Follow the instructions on the screen.5.
NOTE: For information on using the system
recovery media, see “System Recovery
Media” on page 46.

15
Setting Up Your Inspiron Desktop
Connect to the Internet
(Optional)
To connect to the Internet, you need an external
modem or network connection and an Internet
service provider (ISP).
If an external USB modem or WLAN adapter is
not part of your original order, you can purchase
one at www.dell.com.
Setting Up a Wired Connection
If you are using a dial‑up connection, connect•
the telephone cable to the optional modem
and to the telephone wall jack before you set
up your Internet connection.
If you are using a DSL or cable/satellite•
modem connection, contact your ISP
or cellular telephone service for setup
instructions.
To complete setting up your wired Internet
connection, follow the instructions in
“Setting Up Your Internet Connection”
on page 16.

16
Setting Up Your Inspiron Desktop
Setting Up a Wireless Connection
NOTE: To set up your wireless router, see the
documentation that shipped with your router.
Before you can use your wireless Internet
connection, you need to connect to your
wireless router.
To set up your connection to a wireless router:
Windows Vista
®
Save and close any open files, and exit any1.
open programs.
Click2. Start →Connect To.
Follow the instructions on the screen to3.
complete the setup.
Windows
®
7
Save and close any open files, and exit any1.
open programs.
Click2. Start →Control Panel.
In the search box, type3. network, and
then click Network and Sharing Center→
Connect to a network.
Follow the instructions on the screen to4.
complete the setup.
Setting Up Your Internet Connection
ISPs and ISP offerings vary by country. Contact
your ISP for offerings available in your country.
If you cannot connect to the Internet but have
successfully connected in the past, the ISP
might have a service outage. Contact your ISP
to check the service status, or try connecting
again later.
Have your ISP information ready. If you do not
have an ISP, the Connect to the Internet wizard
can help you get one.

17
Setting Up Your Inspiron Desktop
To set up your Internet connection:
Windows Vista
Save and close any open files, and exit any1.
open programs.
Click2. Start →Control Panel.
In the search box, type3. network, and then
click Network and Sharing Center→ Set up
a connection or network→Connect to the
Internet.
The Connect to the Internet window appears.
NOTE: If you do not know which type of
connection to select, click Help me choose
or contact your ISP.
Follow the instructions on the screen and4.
use the setup information provided by your
ISP to complete the setup.
Windows 7
Save and close any open files, and exit any1.
open programs.
Click2. Start →Control Panel.
In the search box, type3. network, and then
click Network and Sharing Center→Set up
a new connection or network→Connect to
the Internet.
The Connect to the Internet window appears.
NOTE: If you do not know which type of
connection to select, click Help me choose
or contact your ISP.
Follow the instructions on the screen and4.
use the setup information provided by your
ISP to complete the setup.

18
Using Your Inspiron Desktop
This section provides information about the features available on your Inspiron™desktop.
Front View Features
10
9
8
7
3
4
5
6
1
2
1FlexBay drive eject button — Opens the
FlexBay cover when pressed.
2FlexBay slot — Can support an optional
Media Card Reader or an additional hard
drive.
3Power button — Turns the computer
on or off when pressed. The light in the
center of this button indicates the power
state.
NOTE: For information on power problems,
see “Power Problems” on page 29.
INSPIRON