Dell Inspiron G374R User manual

SETUP GUIDE
INSPIRON™

SETUP GUIDE
Model P04S series Regulatory type: P04S001
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.
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.
© 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, Inspiron, YOURS IS HERE , Dell On Call, and DellConnect are trademarks
of Dell Inc.; ATI Radeon is a trademark of Advanced Micro Devices, 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 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 owned by Bluetooth SIG, Inc. and is used by
Dell under license; SRS Premium Sound, SRS, and the symbol are trademarks of SRS Labs, 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.
May 2009 P/N G374R Rev. A00

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Setting Up Your Inspiron™Laptop. . . . . . . . .5
Before Setting Up Your Computer . . . . . . . . . 5
Connect the AC Adapter . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6
Connect the Network Cable (Optional) . . . . . 7
Press the Power Button . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .8
Set Up Microsoft®Windows Vista®. . . . . . . .9
Enable or Disable Wireless (Optional). . . . . 10
Connect to the Internet (Optional) . . . . . . . . 12
Using Your Inspiron Laptop. . . . . . . . . . . . .14
Right Side Features . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14
Left Side Features . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16
Computer Base Features. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18
Media Controls. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21
Display Features . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22
Removing and Replacing the Battery . . . . . 24
Software Features . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26
Solving Problems . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .29
Beep Codes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 29
Network Problems . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 31
Power Problems. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 32
Memory Problems . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 34
Lockups and Software Problems . . . . . . . . . 35
Using Support Tools. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .37
Dell Support Center . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 37
System Messages . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 38
Hardware Troubleshooter. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 40
Dell Diagnostics . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 40
Restoring Your Operating System . . . . . . .43
System Restore . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 44
Dell Factory Image Restore . . . . . . . . . . . . . 45
Operating System Reinstallation . . . . . . . . . 47
Contents

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Contents
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
Specifications . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .58
Appendix. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .67
Macrovision Product Notice. . . . . . . . . . . . . 67
Index . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .68

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This section provides information about setting
up your Inspiron 1320 laptop.
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 Inspiron
laptop 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.
WARNING: 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
powered on. 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.
CAUTION: Placing or stacking heavy or
sharp objects on the computer may result
in permanent damage to the computer.
Setting Up Your Inspiron™Laptop
INSPIRON

6
Setting Up Your Inspiron™ Laptop
Connect the AC Adapter
Connect the AC adapter to the computer and then plug the other end to an electrical outlet or surge
protector.
WARNING: 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 a power strip or electrical outlet may cause fire or permanent damage
to your computer.
NOTE: Use only Dell AC adapter family PA-12, PA-2E, and PA-3E with your computer.

7
Setting Up Your Inspiron™ Laptop
Connect the Network Cable (Optional)
To use a wired network connection, connect the network cable.

8
Setting Up Your Inspiron™ Laptop
Press the Power Button