Dell Inspiron Inspiron 17R User manual

About Your Computer
Setting Up Your Computer
Using Your Computer
Ports and Connectors
Network
Software and Applications
Restoring Your Operating System
Diagnostics and Troubleshooting
BIOS
Getting Help and Contacting Dell
References
NOTE: A NOTE indicates important information that helps you make better use of your computer.
CAUTION: A CAUTION indicates potential damage to hardware or loss of data if instructions are not followed.
WARNING: A WARNING indicates a potential for property damage, personal injury, or death.
© 2011 Dell Inc. All rights reserved. Information in this document is subject to change without notice.
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, and Inspiron™ are trademarks of Dell Inc.; Intel®, Centrino®, Core™, and Atom™ are either trademarks or registered trademarks of
Intel Corporation in the U.S. and other countries; Microsoft®, Windows®, and Windows 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; Blu-ray Disc™ is a trademark owned by the Blu-ray Disc Association (BDA) and licensed for use on discs and players; 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.
2011 - 06 Rev. A00

About Your Computer
AC Adapter Storage
Battery About Storage
Laptop Battery Internal Storage
Coin-Cell Battery Removable Storage
Touchpad Memory Modules
About Touchpad System Board
Touchpad Gestures Processor
Display Computer Fan
About Display Heat Sink
3D Display Thermal Grease
Wireless Display Video Cards
Touchscreen Display TV Tuners
Keyboard Speakers
About Keyboard Webcam
Backlit Keyboard ExpressCards
Keyboard Connection Types Communication Devices
Related Information
Setting Up Your Computer
Using Your Computer
Software and Applications
Getting Help and Contacting Dell

Setting Up Your Computer
Setting Up Your Laptop Audio
Setting Up Your Desktop Setting Up 5.1 Audio
Display Setting Up 7.1 Audio
Setting Up Your Display Setting Up Printer
Setting Up 3D Display Setting Up Webcam
Setting Up Wireless Display Installing Your USB Wireless Adapter
Digital Visual Interface Connector Cables
Related Information
About Your Computer
Network
Software and Applications
Getting Help and Contacting Dell

Using Your Computer
Battery Touchpad
Charging Laptop Battery Using Your Touchpad
Improving Battery Performance Touchpad Gestures
Keyboard Touchscreen
Keyboard Shortcuts Using Touchscreen Display
Customizing Your Keyboard Using Touchscreen Gestures
Changing Keyboard Input Language
Using Numeric Keypad on a Laptop Computer
Related Information
About Your Computer
Setting Up Your Computer
Getting Help and Contacting Dell

Ports and Connectors
Audio Connectors
USB
Digital Visual Interface (DVI)
DisplayPort/Mini-DisplayPort
HDMI
eSATA Connector
S/PDIF
IEEE 1394
Related Information
About Your Computer
Setting Up Your Computer
Getting Help and Contacting Dell

Network
About Network
Setting Up Your Network
Setting Up LAN
Setting Up WLAN
Setting Up a Wired Internet Connection
Setting Up a Wireless Internet Connection
Related Information
Setting Up Your Computer
Ports and Connectors
Getting Help and Contacting Dell

Software and Applications
Dell Stage Computrace
About Dell Stage About Computrace
Customizing Dell Stage Enabling Computrace
Dell Dock Getting Help on Computrace
About Dell Dock My Dell Downloads
Personalize Dell Dock Dell Support Center
DellConnect Solution Station
About DellConnect Dell QuickSet
Using DellConnect NVIDIA 3DTV Play

Restoring Your Operating System
Restoring Your Operating System System Recovery Media
System Restore About System Recovery Media
About System Restore Restoring Your Computer Using System Recovery Media
Starting System Restore Dell Factory Image Restore
Undoing System Restore About Dell Factory Image Restore
Dell DataSafe Local Backup Starting Dell Factory Image Restore
About Dell DataSafe Local Backup Operating System Disc
Dell DataSafe Local Backup Basic About Operating System Disc
Dell DataSafe Local Backup Professional Reinstalling the Operating System Using the Operating System Disc
Related Information
Software and Applications
Diagnostics
BIOS
Troubleshooting
Getting Help and Contacting Dell

Diagnostics and Troubleshooting
Diagnostics
Troubleshooting

BIOS
System Setup (BIOS)
Entering System Setup (BIOS)
System Setup Screens
Changing the Boot Sequence for the Current Boot
Changing the Boot Sequence for Future Boots
Flashing the BIOS
Related Information
About Your Computer
Setting Up Your Computer
Ports and Connectors
Network
Software and Applications
Restoring Your Operating System
Diagnostics
Troubleshooting
Getting Help and Contacting Dell
References

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Getting Help and Contacting Dell
If you need information about Dell products or services, or if you experience problems using your computer, you can get help from one of the self-help
resources, or you can call Dell to get help from a Dell technician.
Self-Help Options
Access Windows Help and Support by clicking Start →Help and Support.
See www.microsoft.com for more information about your Microsoft Windows operating system.
You can learn about Dell product and services at the following websites:
www.dell.com
www.dell.com/ap (Asian/Pacific countries only)
www.dell.com/jp (Japan only)
www.euro.dell.com (Europe only)
www.dell.com/la (Latin American and Caribbean countries)
www.dell.ca (Canada only)
Dell Support website provides access to troubleshooting wizards, user manuals, technical help blogs, download Dell driver and software updates, and so on.
You can access Dell Support through the following websites and e-mail addresses:
Dell Support Websites
support.dell.com
support.jp.dell.com (Japan only)
support.euro.dell.com (Europe only)
supportapj.dell.com (Asia Pacific only)
Dell Support E-mail Addresses
[email protected]
[email protected]
la-[email protected] (Latin America and Caribbean countries only)
[email protected] (Asian/Pacific countries only)
Dell Marketing and Sales E-mail Addresses
[email protected] (Asian/Pacific countries only)
[email protected] (Canada only)
Contacting Dell
Customers in the United States, call 800-WWW-DELL (800-999-3355).
NOTE: If you do not have an active Internet connection, you can find contact information on your purchase invoice, packing slip, bill, or Dell product
catalog.
Dell provides several online and telephone based support and service options. Availability varies by country and product, and some services may not be
available in your area. To contact Dell for sales, technical support, or customer service issues:
1. Go to www.dell.com/ContactDell.
2. Select your country or region.
3. Select the appropriate service or support link based on your requirement.
4. Choose the method of contacting Dell that is convenient for you.
Related Information
About Your Computer
Setting Up Your Computer
Ports and Connectors
Network
Software and Applications
Restoring Your Operating System
Diagnostics
BIOS
Troubleshooting
References
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References
Before Calling Dell
Computer Maintenance
Ergonomic Instructions for Desktops
Ergonomic Instructions for Laptops
Dell and the Environment
Regulatory Compliance
Migrations Tips
Power Management
Related Information
About Your Computer
Setting Up Your Computer
Ports and Connectors
Network
Software and Applications
Restoring Your Operating System
Diagnostics
BIOS
Troubleshooting
Getting Help and Contacting Dell

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AC Adapter
AC adapters are used to supply power to portable computers and certain desktop computers. AC adapters convert AC current to DC current for supplying to
computers. The Dell AC-adapter kit consists of the AC adapter and the power cable. The AC-adapter power rating (65 W, 90 W, and so on) depends on the
computer it is designed for, and the power cable varies based on the country where the AC adapter is shipped.
CAUTION: It is recommended to use only the AC adapter that shipped with your computer or a Dell-approved replacement AC adapter,
to avoid damaging your computer.
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About Storage Devices
Storage devices allow you to store data for later use. Storage devices can be internal or external. Most of the storage devices store data till you manually
delete the data. Examples of storage devices are hard drives, optical drives, USB memory keys, and so on.
Related Information
Internal Storage Devices
Removable Storage Devices
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Laptop Battery
The following table compares the most commonly used batteries.
3-cell battery 6-cell battery 9-cell battery
Low cost Moderate cost High cost
Small in size Large in size Large in size
Low capacity Moderate capacity High capacity
Low weight Moderate weight Heavy
NOTE: When used under the same conditions, a low capacity battery will wear out faster than a moderate or high capacity battery because it has to
be charged more often.
Related Information
Improving the Battery Performance
Charging the Battery
Dell Knowledge Base Article: 405686
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Internal Storage Devices
Storage devices that are installed inside your computer are called internal storage devices. Generally, you cannot remove such devices when
the computer is powered on. The data stored on internal storage devices is generally stored till you manually delete it. Internal storage devices
include hard drives (HDD) and solid-state drives (SSD).
Hard Drives
An HDD contains magnetically coated platters that rotate on a motor-driven spindle, within a protective enclosure. Data is magnetically read from and
written to the platter by read/write heads that are present above the platters. The hard disk drive is the data center of your computer.
A typical HDD design consists of a spindle that holds flat circular disks called platters, onto which the data is recorded. The platters are made from a non-
magnetic material, usually aluminum alloy or glass, and are coated with a shallow layer of magnetic material, with an outer layer of carbon for protection.
Solid-State Drives
An SSD is a data storage device that uses solid-state (flash) memory to store data. SSDs contain no moving parts as data is stored in electrical circuits.
Compared to HDDs, SSDs are typically less susceptible to physical shock, are quieter, and have lower access time and latency. SSDs use the same interface
to connect to the computer as HDDs, making them compatible with most existing computers.
Related Information
Removable Storage
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Coin-Cell Battery
Coin-cell battery resides on the system board and provides power to the Complementary Metal Oxide Semiconductor (CMOS) chip while the computer is
turned off. The CMOS chip contains the time, date, and other configuration settings and the coin-cell battery helps preserve these settings while the
computer is switched off.
The coin-cell battery can last for several years. The factors that affect coin-cell battery life are type of system board, temperature, the time for which the
computer is powered off, and so on.
Related Information
System Board
Memory
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Removable Storage Devices
Removable storage devices that you can remove from your computer without turning the computer off are called removable storage devices. Commonly used
removal storage devices include:
Optical discs
Memory cards
Floppy disks/Zip disks
Magnetic tapes
Optical Discs
Some examples of optical discs are:
Blu-ray Disc — Blu-ray Disc (BD) was designed to supersede the DVD format. The standard physical medium is a 12 cm plastic optical disc, the same
size as DVDs and CDs. A Blu-ray Discs stores 25 GB (single layer) or 50 GB (dual layer).
DVD — A Digital Versatile Disc (DVD) stores data up to 4.7 GB (single layer) or 8.5 GB (dual layer).
CD — A Compact Disc (CD) stores data up to 800 MB.
Memory Cards
Memory cards, also referred to as flash cards, use flash memory to store digital information. They are re-writeable, fast, and retain data even when power
supply is cut off. Memory cards are commonly used in devices such as digital cameras, mobile phones, media players, gaming consoles, and so on.
Some common types of memory cards are:
Secure Digital (SD)/Secure Digital High Capacity (SDHC)
Memory Stick (MS)/Memory Stick Pro (MS Pro)
Extreme Digital (xD)
Multimedia Card (MMC)
Related Information
Internal Storage
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Memory Module
Memory modules are Printed Circuit Boards (PCB) with Random Access Memory (RAM) chips soldered on them. Memory modules provide RAM needed by your
computer. Based on the type of computer they are used in, memory modules are categorized as:
Dual In-line Memory Module (DIMM) — Used in desktop computers.
Small Outline Dual In-line Memory Module (SODIMM) — Smaller in size than DIMMs. Generally used in notebook computers, however, may also be
used in some compact desktops and all-in-one computers.
Related Information
Internal Storage
Removable Storage
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