Dell INSPIRON DCSLF User manual

SETUP GUIDE
INSPIRON™

SETUP GUIDE
Regulatory model: DCSLF
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.
© 2009 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, Dell On Call, and DellConnect are trademarks
of Dell Inc.; Intel 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 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.
November 2009 P/N 048WNF Rev. A01

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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
Connect to the Internet (Optional) . . . . . . . . 13
Using Your Inspiron Desktop . . . . . . . . . . .16
Front View Features. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16
Back View Features. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18
Back Panel Connectors. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20
Software Features . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22
Dell DataSafe Online Backup . . . . . . . . . . . . 25
Dell Dock . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 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
System Messages . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 35
Hardware Troubleshooter. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 37
Dell Diagnostics . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 37
Contents

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Contents
Restoring Your Operating System . . . . . . .41
System Restore . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 42
Dell DataSafe Local Backup. . . . . . . . . . . . . 43
Dell Factory Image Restore . . . . . . . . . . . . . 45
Operating System Reinstallation . . . . . . . . . 47
Getting Help . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .49
Technical Support and Customer
Service . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 50
DellConnect . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 50
Online Services . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 51
Automated Order‑Status Service . . . . . . . . . 52
Product Information. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 52
Returning Items for Repair Under
Warranty or for Credit . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 53
Before You Call. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 54
Contacting Dell. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 55
Finding More Information and
Resources . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .56
Basic Specifications . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .58
Appendix. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .62
Macrovision Product Notice. . . . . . . . . . . . . 62
Information for NOM, or Official Mexican
Standard (Only for Mexico). . . . . . . . . . . . . . 63
Index . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .64

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 18.

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.
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 14.

14
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→Network
and Internet→ Network and Sharing
Center→ Connect to a network.
Follow the instructions on the screen to3.
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.

15
Setting Up Your Inspiron Desktop
To set up your Internet connection:
Windows Vista
NOTE: The following instructions are
applicable for the Windows default view,
so they may not apply if you set your Dell™
computer to the Windows classic view.
Save and close any open files, and exit any1.
open programs.
Click2. Start →Control Panel.
Click3. Network and Internet→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.
Click3. Network and Internet→ 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.

16
Front View Features
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.
4USB 2.0 connectors (2) — Connects
to USB devices that are connected
occasionally such as memory keys,
digital cameras, and MP3 players.
Using Your Inspiron Desktop
This section provides information about the features available on your Inspiron™desktop.
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INSPIRON

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Using Your Inspiron Desktop
5Headphone connector — Connects
to headphones.
NOTE: To connect to a powered
speaker or sound system, use the
audio connectors on the back of your
computer.
6Line-in or microphone
connector — Connects to a microphone
for voice or to an audio cable for audio
input.
7Hard-drive activity light — Turns on
when the computer reads or writes data.
A blinking white light indicates hard‑drive
activity.
CAUTION: To avoid loss of data,
never turn off the computer while
the hard-drive activity light is
blinking.
8Optical drive — Plays or records CDs,
DVDs, and Blu‑ray Discs (optional).
Ensure that the side with print or writing
is facing upward when placing the disc
on the optical drive tray.
9Optical drive eject button — Ejects the
optical drive tray when pressed.
10 Service Tag and Express Service
Code (located on top of the chassis
towards the back) — Helps to identify
your computer when you access the
Dell Support website or call technical
support.

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Using Your Inspiron Desktop
Back View Features
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