Dell 1510 - Vostro - Core 2 Duo 2.1 GHz User manual

www.dell.com | support.dell.com
Dell™ Vostro™ 1510
Setup and Quick Reference Guide
Model PP36L

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.
If you purchased a Dell™ 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.
© 2008 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 MediaDirect, DellConnect, and Vo s t r o are
trademarks of Dell Inc.; Intel, Core, and Celeron are registered trademarks 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. Bluetooth is a registered trademark of Bluetooth SIG Inc.
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 PP36L
April 2008 P/N F723F Rev. A00

Contents 3
Contents
1 About Your Computer. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7
Front View . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7
Back View . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8
Battery Removal . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9
Wireless Switch . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10
2 Setting Up Your Computer . . . . . . . . . . . . 11
Quick Setup . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11
Connecting to the Internet . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13
Setting Up Your Internet Connection . . . . . . . . 14
Transferring Information to a New Computer . . . . . . 15
Microsoft®Windows®XP Operating
System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15
Microsoft Windows Vista®. . . . . . . . . . . . . 18
3 Specifications . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19

4Contents
4 Troubleshooting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27
Tools . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27
Power Lights . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27
Beep Codes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27
Error Messages . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 29
Dell Diagnostics. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 34
Solving Problems . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 36
Power Problems . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 37
Memory Problems . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 38
Lockups and Software Problems . . . . . . . . . . 39
Dell Technical Update Service . . . . . . . . . . . 41
Dell Support Utility . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 41
5 Reinstalling Software . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 43
Drivers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 43
Identifying Drivers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 43
Reinstalling Drivers and Utilities . . . . . . . . . . 43
Restoring Your Operating System . . . . . . . . . . . . 46
Using Microsoft Windows System Restore . . . . . 46
Using Dell™ PC Restore and Dell Factory
Image Restore . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 48
Using the Operating System Media. . . . . . . . . 51
6 Finding Information . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 53

Contents 5
7 Getting Help. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 55
Obtaining Assistance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 55
Technical Support and Customer Service . . . . . 56
DellConnect™. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 56
Online Services . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 56
AutoTech Service. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 57
Automated Order-Status Service. . . . . . . . . . 57
Problems With Your Order. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 57
Product Information . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 58
Returning Items for Warranty Repair or Credit . . . . . 58
Before You Call . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 59
Contacting Dell . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 61
A Appendix . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 63
FCC Notice (U.S. Only) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 63
FCC Class B . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 63
Macrovision Product Notice . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 64
Index . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 65

6Contents

About Your Computer 7
About Your Computer
Front View
A
9
2
3
4
6
7
1
5
8
9
11
13
10
14
15
16
12

8About Your Computer
Back View
1display 2power button
3device status lights 4keyboard status lights
5media controls(volume,
forward, reverse, stop, play,
eject)
6keyboard
7security cable slot 8optical device/media bay
9USB connectors (2) 10 IEEE 1394 connector
11 fingerprint reader (optional) 12 touch pad
13 touch pad buttons (2) 14 8-in1 card reader slot
15 audio connectors (2) 16 power and battery charge
lights
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8

About Your Computer 9
CAUTION: Do not block, push objects into, or allow dust to accumulate in the air
vents. Do not store your Dell™ 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. The computer turns on the fan when the computer gets
hot. Fan noise is normal and does not indicate a problem with the fan or the
computer.
Battery Removal
CAUTION: Before you begin any of the procedures in this section, follow the
safety instructions that shipped with your computer.
CAUTION: Using an incompatible battery may increase the risk of fire or
explosion. Replace the battery only with a compatible battery purchased from
Dell. The battery is designed to work with your Dell™ computer. Do not use a
battery from other computers with your computer.
CAUTION: Before removing or replacing the battery, turn off the computer,
disconnect the AC adapter from the electrical outlet and the computer, disconnect
the modem from the wall connector and computer, and remove any other external
cables from the computer.
1wireless switch 2ExpressCard/54 slot
3USB connectors (2) 4air vents
5AC Adapter connector 6network connector
7video connector 8battery

10 About Your Computer
For more information about the battery, see the Dell Technology Guide on
your computer or at support.dell.com.
Wireless Switch
Use the wireless switch to locate networks or to enable or disable wireless
network devices. For more information about the wireless switch, see the
Dell Technology Guide on your computer or at support.dell.com. For
information about connecting to the Internet, see "Connecting to the
Internet" on page 13.

Setting Up Your Computer 11
Setting Up Your Computer
Quick Setup
CAUTION: Before you begin any of the procedures in this section, follow the
safety instructions that shipped with your computer.
CAUTION: The AC adapter works with electrical outlets worldwide. However,
power connectors and power strips vary among countries. Using an incompatible
cable or improperly connecting the cable to the power strip or electrical outlet
may cause fire or equipment damage.
NOTICE: When you disconnect the AC adapter cable from the computer, grasp the
connector, not the cable itself, and pull firmly but gently to avoid damaging the
cable. When you wrap the AC adapter cable, ensure that you follow the angle of the
connector on the AC adapter to avoid damaging the cable.
1 Connect the AC adapter to the AC adapter connector on the computer
and to the electrical outlet.
2 Connect the network cable (not provided) (optional).

12 Setting Up Your Computer
3 Connect USB devices, such as a mouse or keyboard (optional).
4 Connect IEEE 1394 devices, such as a media player (optional).
5 Open the computer display and press the power button to turn on the
computer.
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.

Setting Up Your Computer 13
6 Connect to the Internet (optional). See "Connecting to the Internet" on
page 13 for more information.
Connecting to the Internet
NOTE: ISPs and ISP offerings vary by country.
To connect to the Internet, you need a modem or network connection and an
Internet service provider (ISP). If you are using a dial-up connection, connect
a telephone line to the modem connector on your computer and to the
telephone wall connector before you set up your Internet connection. If you
are using a DSL or cable/satellite modem connection, contact your ISP or
cellular phone service for setup instructions.
1 Internet service 2 cable or DSL modem
3 wireless router 4 laptop computer with network
adapter
5 laptop computer with wireless
network card
1
2
3
1
2
3
4
5

14 Setting Up Your Computer
Setting Up Your Internet Connection
To set up an Internet connection with a desktop shortcut provided by your ISP:
1
Save and close any open files, and exit any open programs.
2 Double-click the ISP icon on the Microsoft
®
Windows
®
desktop.
3 Follow the instructions on the screen to complete the setup.
If you do not have an ISP icon on your desktop or if you want to set up an
Internet connection with a different ISP, perform the steps in the appropriate
section below.
NOTE: If you cannot connect to the Internet, see the Dell Technology Guide. If you
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.
NOTE: Have your ISP information ready. If you do not have an ISP, consult the
Connect to the Internet wizard.
Microsoft®Windows®XP Operating System
1 Save and close any open files, and exit any open programs.
2 Click Start → Internet Explorer → Connect to the Internet .
3 In the next window, click the appropriate option:
• If you do not have an ISP, click
Choose from a list of Internet service
providers (ISPs)
.
• If you have already obtained setup information from your ISP but you
did not receive a setup CD, click
Set up my connection manually .
• If you have a setup CD, click
Use the CD I got from an ISP .
4 Click Next .
If you selected
Set up my connection manually in step 3, continue to
step 5. Otherwise, follow the instructions on the screen to complete the
setup.
NOTE: If you do not know which type of connection to select, contact
your ISP.
5 Click the appropriate option under How do you want to connect to the
Internet?
, and click Next .
6 Use the setup information provided by your ISP to complete the setup.

Setting Up Your Computer 15
Microsoft Windows Vista®
1
Save and close any open files, and exit any open programs.
2 Click the Windows Vista Start button → Control Panel
3 Under Network and Internet, click Connect to the Internet .
4 In the Connect to the Internet window, click either Broadband (PPPoE)
or
Dial-up , depending on how you want to connect:
•Choose
Broadband if you will use a DSL, satellite modem, cable TV
modem, or Bluetooth wireless technology connection.
• Chose
Dial-up if you will use a dial-up modem or ISDN.
NOTE: If you do not know which type of connection to select, click Help me
choose or contact your ISP.
5 Follow the instructions on the screen and use the setup information
provided by your ISP to complete the setup.
Transferring Information to a New Computer
Microsoft®Windows®XP Operating System
Windows XP provides the Files and Settings Transfer Wizard to move data
from a source computer to a new computer.
You can transfer the data to the new computer over a network or serial
connection, or you can store it on removable media, such as a writable CD,
for transfer to the new computer.
NOTE: You can transfer information from an old computer to a new computer by
directly connecting a serial cable to the input/output (I/O) ports of the two
computers.
For instructions on setting up a direct cable connection between two computers,
see Microsoft Knowledge Base Article #305621, titled How to Set Up a Direct Cable
Connection Between Two Computers in Windows XP. This information may not be
available in certain countries.
For transferring information to a new computer, you must run the Files and
Settings Transfer Wizard.

16 Setting Up Your Computer
Running the Files and Settings Transfer Wizard With the Operating System Media
NOTE: This procedure requires the Operating System media. This media is optional
and may not be included with certain computers.
To prepare a new computer for the file transfer:
1
Open the Files and Settings Transfer Wizard: click Start → All Programs →
Accessories → System Tools → Files and Settings Transfer Wizard .
2 When the Files and Settings Transfer Wizard welcome screen appears,
click
Next .
3 On the Which computer is this? screen, click New Computer → Next .
4 On the Do you have a Windows XP CD? screen, click I will use the wizard
from the Windows XP CD
→ Next .
5 When the Now go to your old computer screen appears, go to your old or
source computer. Do
not click Next at this time.
To copy data from the old computer:
1
On the old computer, insert the Windows XP Operating System media.
2 On the Welcome to Microsoft Windows XP screen, click Perform
additional tasks
.
3 Under What do you want to do? , click Transfer files and settings → Next .
4 On the Which computer is this? screen, click Old Computer → Next .
5 On the Select a transfer method screen, click the transfer method you prefer.
6 On the What do you want to transfer? screen, select the items you want to
transfer and click
Next .
After the information has been copied, the
Completing the Collection
Phase
screen appears.
7 Click Finish .

Setting Up Your Computer 17
To transfer data to the new computer:
1
On the Now go to your old computer screen on the new computer,
click
Next .
2 On the Where are the files and settings? screen, select the method you
chose for transferring your settings and files and click
Next .
The wizard reads the collected files and settings and applies them to your
new computer.
When all of the settings and files have been applied, the
Finished
screen appears.
3 Click Finished and restart the new computer.
Running the Files and Settings Transfer Wizard Without the Operating
System Media
To run the Files and Settings Transfer Wizard without the Operating System
media, you must create a wizard disk that will allow you to create a backup
image file to removable media.
To create a wizard disk, use your new computer with Windows XP and
perform the following steps:
1
Open the Files and Settings Transfer Wizard: click Start → All Programs →
Accessories → System Tools → Files and Settings Transfer Wizard .
2 When the Files and Settings Transfer Wizard welcome screen appears,
click
Next .
3 On the Which computer is this? screen, click New Computer → Next .
4 On the Do you have a Windows XP CD? screen, click I want to create a
Wizard Disk in the following drive
→ Next.
5 Insert the removable media, such as a writable CD, and click OK .
6 When the disk creation completes and the Now go to your old
computer
message appears, do not click Next .
7 Go to the old computer.
To copy data from the old computer:
1
On the old computer, insert the wizard disk, and click Start → Run .
2 In the Open field on the Run window, browse to the path for fastwiz (on
the appropriate removable media) and click
OK .

18 Setting Up Your Computer
3 On the Files and Settings Transfer Wizard welcome screen, click Next .
4 On the Which computer is this? screen, click Old Computer → Next .
5 On the Select a transfer method screen, click the transfer method you prefer.
6 On the What do you want to transfer? screen, select the items you want to
transfer and click
Next .
After the information has been copied, the
Completing the Collection
Phase
screen appears.
7 Click Finish .
To transfer data to the new computer:
1
On the Now go to your old computer screen on the new computer,
click
Next .
2 On the Where are the files and settings? screen, select the method you
chose for transferring your settings and files and click
Next . Follow the
instructions on the screen.
The wizard reads the collected files and settings and applies them to your
new computer.
When all of the settings and files have been applied, the
Finished screen
appears.
3 Click Finished and restart the new computer.
NOTE: For more information about this procedure, search support.dell.com for
document #154781 (What Are The Different Methods To Transfer Files From My Old
Computer To My New Dell™ Computer Using the Microsoft®Windows®XP
Operating System?).
NOTE: Access to the Dell™ Knowledge Base document may not be available in
certain countries.
Microsoft Windows Vista®
1 Click the Windows Vista Start button , and then click Transfer files
and settings
→ Start Windows Easy Transfer.
2 In the User Account Control dialog box, click Continue .
3 Click Start a new transfer or Continue a transfer in progress .
Follow the instructions provided on the screen by the Windows Easy
Transfer wizard.

Specifications 19
Specifications
NOTE: Offerings may vary by region. For more information regarding the
configuration of your computer, click Start→ Help and Support and select the
option to view information about your computer.
Processor
Processor type Intel®Core™2 Duo (1.4–2.6 GHz)
Intel®Celeron® (1.8–2.0 GHz)
L2 cache 2 MB, 3 MB, 4 MB, or 6 MB (Intel Core 2
Duo)
1 MB (Intel Celeron)
Front-side bus frequency 533 MHz, 667 MHz, or 800 MHz
System Information
System chipset Intel GM965 Express for integrated graphics
Data bus width 64 bit
DRAM bus width dual channel (2) 64-bit buses
Processor address bus width 32 bit
Flash EPROM 1 MB
ExpressCard
NOTE: The ExpressCard slot is designed only for ExpressCards. It does NOT support
PC Cards.
ExpressCard controller integrated
ExpressCard connector 54-mm ExpressCard slot (supports both
USB- and PCIe-based interfaces)
Cards supported ExpressCard/54 (54 mm) (2.126 inches)
ExpressCard connector size 54 mm (2.126 inches)

20 Specifications
8-in-1 Memory Card Reader
8-in-1 memory card controller O2MICRO OZ129
8-in-1 memory card connector 8-in-1 combo card connector
Cards supported
• Secure Digital (SD)
•SDIO
• MultiMediaCard (MMC)
•MemoryStick
• Memory Stick Pro
• xD-Picture Card
• Hi Speed-SD
• Hi Density-SD
Memory
Memory module connector 2 DIMM slots
Memory module capacity 512 MB, 1 GB, or 2 GB
Memory type DDR2 667 MHz
Minimum memory 512 MB
Maximum memory 4 GB
NOTE: In order to take advantage of the dual-channel bandwidth capability, both
memory slots must be populated.
NOTE: The available memory displayed does not reflect the complete maximum
memory installed because some memory is reserved for system files.