Dell Precision M4300 User manual

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Dell Precision™ M4300
Quick Reference Guide
Model PP04X

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 the Glossary in your online User’s Guide .
If you purchased a Dell™ n Series computer, any references in this document to Microsoft
®
Windows
®
operating systems are not applicable.
NOTE: Some features or media may be optional and may not ship with your computer. Some features or media may not
be available in certain countries.
____________________
Information in this document is subject to change without notice.
© 2007 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, Dell Precision, Wi-Fi Catcher, and ExpressCharge are trademarks of Dell Inc.; Intel is a
registered trademark of Intel Corporation; Windows Vista is a trademark and Microsoft and Windows are registered trademarks of
Microsoft Corporation.
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 PP04X
April 2007 P/N XP474 Rev. A00

Contents 3
Contents
Finding Information . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5
Setting Up Your Computer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8
About Your Computer. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9
Front View. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9
Left View . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10
Right View. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10
Back View. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11
Bottom View . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11
Using a Battery . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12
Battery Performance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12
Checking the Battery Charge . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13
Conserving Battery Power . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14
Power Management Modes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14
Standby Mode . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14
Hibernate Mode. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15
Configuring Power Management Settings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16
Charging the Battery . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16
Replacing the Battery. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16
Storing a Battery . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17
Troubleshooting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18
Lockups and Software Problems . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18
Dell Diagnostics . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19
When to Use the Dell Diagnostics . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19
Starting the Dell Diagnostics From Your Hard Drive . . . . . . . . . . . . 20
Starting the Dell Diagnostics From the Drivers and Utilities Media . . . . 20
Dell Diagnostics Main Menu . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21
Index . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23

4Contents

Quick Reference Guide 5
Finding Information
NOTE: Some features or media may be optional and may not ship with your computer. Some features or media may
not be available in certain countries.
NOTE: Additional information may ship with your computer.
What Are You Looking For? Find It Here
• A diagnostic program for my computer
• Drivers for my computer
• My device documentation
• Notebook System Software (NSS)
Drivers and Utilities Media
NOTE: The Drivers and Utilities media may be optional and
may not ship with your computer.
Documentation and drivers are already installed on your
computer. You can use the media to reinstall drivers (see
"Reinstalling Drivers and Utilities" in your online User’s
Guide) or to run the Dell Diagnostics (see "Dell
Diagnostics" on page 19).
Readme files may be included
on your media to provide last-
minute updates about
technical changes to your
computer or advanced
technical-reference material
for technicians or experienced
users.
NOTE: Drivers and documentation updates can be found at
support.dell.com.
• Warranty information
• Terms and Conditions (U.S. only)
• Safety instructions
• Regulatory information
• Ergonomics information
• End User License Agreement
Dell™ Product Information Guide
• How to remove and replace parts
• Specifications
• How to configure system settings
• How to troubleshoot and solve problems
Dell™ Precision™ User’s Guide
Microsoft Windows Help and Support Center
1 Click Start or the Windows Vista ™ start button, →
Help and Support → Dell User and System Guides →
System Guides .
2 Click the User’s Guide for your computer.

6Quick Reference Guide
• Service Tag and Express Service Code
• Microsoft Windows License Label
Service Tag and Microsoft
®
Windows
®
License
These labels are located on your computer.
• Use the Service Tag to
identify your computer
when you use
support.dell.com or
contact support.
• Enter the Express Service Code to direct your call when
contacting support.
NOTE: The Microsoft Windows License label has been
redesigned with a hole, or "security portal," as an increased
security measure.
• Solutions — Troubleshooting hints and tips, articles
from technicians, online courses, and frequently
asked questions
• Community — Online discussion with other Dell
customers
• Upgrades — Upgrade information for components,
such as memory, the hard drive, and the operating
system
• Customer Care — Contact information, service call
and order status, warranty, and repair information
• Service and support — Service call status and
support history, service contract, online discussions
with technical support
• Reference — Computer documentation, details on
my computer configuration, product specifications,
and white papers
• Downloads — Certified drivers, patches, and
software updates
• Notebook System Software (NSS) — If you reinstall
the operating system for your computer, you should
also reinstall the NSS utility. NSS provides critical
updates for your operating system and support for
Dell™ 3.5-inch USB floppy drives, Intel
®
processors,
optical drives, and USB devices. NSS is necessary for
correct operation of your Dell computer. The
software automatically detects your computer and
operating system and installs the updates appropriate
for your configuration.
Dell Support Website — support.dell.com
NOTE: Select your region or business segment to view the
appropriate support site.
To download Notebook System Software:
1 Go to support.dell.com , select your region or business
segment, and enter your Service Tag.
2 Select Drivers & Downloads and click Go .
3 Click your operating system and search for the keyword
Notebook System Software .
NOTE: The support.dell.com user interface may vary
depending on your selections.
What Are You Looking For? Find It Here

Quick Reference Guide 7
• Software upgrades and troubleshooting hints —
Frequently asked questions, hot topics, and general
health of your computing environment
Dell Support Utility
The Dell Support Utility is an automated upgrade and
notification system installed on your computer. This
support provides real-time health scans of your computing
environment, software updates, and relevant self-support
information. Access the Dell Support Utility from the
icon in the taskbar. For more information, see "Dell Support
Utility" in your
User’s Guide .
• How to use Windows
• How to work with programs and files
• How to personalize my desktop
Windows Help and Support Center
1 Click Start or → Help and Support .
2 Type a word or phrase that describes your problem and
click the arrow icon.
3 Click the topic that describes your problem.
4 Follow the instructions on the screen.
• Information on network activity, the Power
Management Wizard, hotkeys, and other items
controlled by Dell QuickSet.
Dell QuickSet Help
To view Dell QuickSet Help , right-click the QuickSet icon
in the Microsoft®Windows®taskbar.
For more information on Dell QuickSet, see "Dell™
QuickSet" in your online User’s Guide.
• How to reinstall my operating system Operating System Media
NOTE: The Operating System media may be optional and may
not ship with your computer.
The operating system is already installed on your computer.
To reinstall your operating system, use the Operating
System media. See "Restoring Your Operating System" in
your online User’s Guide.
After you reinstall your
operating system, use the
optional Drivers and
Utilities media to reinstall
drivers for the devices that
came with your computer.
Your operating system
product key label is located
on your computer.
NOTE: The color of your CD or DVD varies based on the
operating system you ordered.
What Are You Looking For? Find It Here

8Quick Reference Guide
Setting Up Your Computer
CAUTION: Before you begin any of the procedures in this section, follow the safety instructions in the
Product Information Guide.
1 Unpack the accessories box.
2 Set aside the contents of the accessories box, which you will need to complete the setup of your computer.
The accessories box also contains user documentation and any software or additional hardware
(such as PC Cards, drives, or batteries) that you have ordered.
3 Connect the AC adapter to the AC adapter connector on the computer and to the electrical outlet.
4 Open the computer display and press the power button to turn on the computer (see "Front View" on
page 9).
NOTE: It is recommended that you turn on and shut down your computer at least once before you install any cards
or connect the computer to a docking device or other external device, such as a printer.

Quick Reference Guide 9
About Your Computer
Front View
1 display latch 2 display 3 power button
4 omni-directional microphone 5 device status lights 6 speakers (2)
7 keyboard 8 touch pad 9 fingerprint reader (optional)
10 touch pad/track stick buttons 11 track stick 12 keyboard status lights
13 volume control buttons 14 mute button 15 ambient light sensor
1
6
2
12
8
13 5
14
3
7
10
15
11
9
4

10 Quick Reference Guide
Left View
Right View
CAUTION: Do not block, push objects into, or allow dust to accumulate in the air vents. Do not store your
computer in a low-airflow environment, such as a closed briefcase, while it is running. Restricting the airflow
can damage the computer or cause a fire.
1
security cable slot 2 air vents 3 IEEE 1394 connector
4 audio connectors 5 ExpressCard slot 6 wireless switch
7 Wi-Fi Catcher™ light 8 PC Card slot 9 smart card slot
1 media bay 2 USB connectors (2)
1 2 3 4 65 7 8 9
12