Dell INSPIRON P17F User manual

SETUP GUIDE
INSPIRON™

SETUP GUIDE
Regulatory model: P17F Regulatory type: P17F001
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 the Microsoft Windows operating systems are
not applicable.
This item incorporates copy protection technology that is protected by U.S. patents and other intellectual property rights of
Rovi Corporation. Reverse engineering and disassembly are prohibited.
__________________
Information in this document is subject to change without notice.
© 2011–2012 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™, and DellConnect™are trademarks of DellInc. Intel®, Pentium®, and
Core™are either registered trademarks or trademarks of Intel Corporation in the U.S. and other countries. AMD®and Radeon™
are either trademarks or registered trademarks of Advanced Micro Devices, Inc. Microsoft®, Windows®, and the 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 of the Blu-ray Disc Association.
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.
2012 - 01 P/N HXN3V Rev. A03

3
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 the Operating System . . . . . . . . . .9
Create System Recovery Media
(Recommended). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10
Install the SIM Card (Optional) . . . . . . . . 12
Enable or Disable Wireless (Optional). . . 14
Set Up Wireless Display (Optional) . . . . . 16
Connect to the Internet (Optional). . . . . 17
Using Your Inspiron Laptop. . . . . . . 20
Right View Features . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .20
Left View Features . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .22
Back View Features . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .26
Front View Features . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .28
Status Lights and Indicators. . . . . . . . . . .30
Disabling Battery Charging . . . . . . . . . . . 31
Computer Base and Keyboard
Features. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .32
Touch Pad Gestures . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .36
Multimedia Control Keys . . . . . . . . . . . . .38
Using the Optical Drive . . . . . . . . . . . . . .40
Display Features . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .42
Removing and Replacing the
Top Cover (Optional) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .44
Removing and Replacing
the Battery. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .48
Software Features. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .50
Dell DataSafe Online Backup. . . . . . . . . . 51
Dell Stage . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 52
Contents

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Contents
Solving Problems . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 54
Beep Codes. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .54
Network Problems . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 55
Power Problems . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .56
Memory Problems . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .58
Lockups and Software Problems. . . . . . .58
Using Support Tools . . . . . . . . . . . . . 62
Dell Support Center . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .62
My Dell Downloads . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .63
Hardware Troubleshooter . . . . . . . . . . . .64
Dell Diagnostics . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .64
Restoring Your Operating
System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 66
System Restore. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 67
Dell DataSafe Local Backup. . . . . . . . . . .68
System Recovery Media . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 71
Dell Factory Image Restore . . . . . . . . . . . 72
Getting Help. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 74
Technical Support and Customer
Service. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 75
DellConnect . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 75
Online Services. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 76
Automated Order-Status Service . . . . . . 77
Product Information. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 77
Returning Items for Repair Under
Warranty or for Credit . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 78
Before You Call. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .80
Contacting Dell. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .82
Finding More Information and
Resources . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 84
Specifications . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 86
Appendix. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 93
Information for NOM, or Official
Mexican Standard (Only for Mexico). . . .93
Index . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 94

5
This section provides information about
setting up your Dell Inspiron 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 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 place your Dell
computer in a low-airflow environment,
such as a closed briefcase, or on fabric
surfaces, such as carpets or rugs, while
it is powered on. Restricting the airflow
can damage the computer, deteriorate
the computer performance, 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 it into 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.

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