HINT: See the Tell Me
How help file for
information on standby
mode (see "Accessing
Help").
Check the power light —
When the power light is lit or blinking, the computer has power. If the power light is blinking, the computer is in standby mode—press the power button to exit standby mode. If the light is off, press the power button to turn on the computer.
Charge the battery —
The battery charge may be depleted.
Reinstall the battery.
Use the AC adapter to connect the computer to an electrical outlet.
Turn on the computer.
Check the battery status light —
If the battery status light flashes orange or is a steady orange, the battery charge is low or depleted. Connect the computer to an electrical outlet.
If the battery status light is off, the battery is too hot to charge. Turn off the computer, disconnect the computer from the electrical outlet, and then let the battery and computer cool to room temperature.
If the battery status light rapidly flashes orange, the battery may be defective. for technical assistance (see "Contacting Dell" in the Dell Owner's Manual that came with your computer).
Test the electrical outlet —
Ensure that the electrical outlet is working by testing it with another device, such as a lamp.
Check the AC adapter —
Check the AC adapter cable connections. If the AC adapter has a light, ensure that the light is on.
Connect the computer directly to an electrical outlet —
Bypass power protection devices, power strips, and the extension cable to verify that the computer turns on.
Eliminate possible interference —
Turn off nearby fans, fluorescent lights, halogen lamps, or other appliances.
Adjust the power properties —
See the Tell Me How help file or search for the keyword standby in the Help and Support Center (Help in Windows 2000). See"Accessing Help."
Reseat the memory modules —
If your computer has 192 MB or more of RAM and the computer power light turns on but the display remains blank, reseat the memory modules. If your computer has less than 192 MB of RAM, you do not need to reseat the module.
To check how many MB of RAM your computer has:
In Windows XP, click Computer Information.
In Windows 2000, right-click the My Computer icon on your desktop, and then click the General tab.
If the message is not listed, see the documentation for the operating system or the program that was running at the time the message appeared.
Decreasing available memory —
Your memory module may be faulty or improperly seated. If your computer has 192 MB or more of RAM, reseat the memory modules and, if necessary, replace it. If your computer has less than 192 MB of RAM, you do not need to reseat the module.
To check how many MB of RAM your computer has:
In Windows XP, click Computer Information.
In Windows 2000, right-click the My Computer icon on your desktop, and then click the General tab.
The file being copied is too large for the destination drive —
The file that you are trying to copy is too large to fit on the disk, or the disk is too full. Try copying the file to a different disk or use a larger capacity disk.
Insert bootable media —
The operating system is trying to boot to a nonbootable floppy disk or CD. Insert a bootable floppy disk or CD.
Non-system disk or disk error —
A floppy disk is in the floppy drive. Remove the floppy disk and restart the computer.
Operating system not found —
Contact Dell for technical assistance (see "Contacting Dell" in the Dell Owner's Manual that came with your computer).
A required .DLL file was not found —
The program that you are trying to open is missing an essential file. Remove and then reinstall the program.
Microsoft® Windows® XP
Click the Start button.
ClickControl Panel.
Click Add or Remove Programs.
Select the program you want to remove.
Click the Change or Remove Program icon.
See the program documentation for installation instructions.
Windows 2000
Click the Start button, point to Settings, and then click Control Panel.
Double-click the Add/Remove Programs icon.
Select the program that you want to remove.
Click Change or Remove Programs and follow the prompts on the screen.
See the program documentation for installation instructions.
x:\ is not accessible. The device is not ready —
Insert a disk into the drive and try again.
HINT: If you are using a
program that requires a
higher resolution than
your computer supports,
Dell recommends that you
attach an external
monitor to your computer.
Check the
light —
When the
light is blinking, the computer has power.
If the
light is blinking, the computer is in standby mode—press the power button to exit standby mode.
If the
light is off, press the power button.
If the
light is on, your power management settings may have caused the display to turn off. Try pressing any key or move the cursor to exit standby mode.
Check the battery —
If you are using a battery to power your computer, the battery charge may be depleted. Connect the computer to an electrical outlet using the AC adapter, and turn on the computer.
Test the electrical outlet —
Ensure that the electrical outlet is working by testing it with another device, such as a lamp.
Check the AC adapter —
Check the AC adapter cable connections. If the AC adapter has a light, ensure that it is on.
Connect the computer directly to an electrical outlet —
Bypass power protection devices, power strips, and the extension cable to verify that the computer turns on.
Adjust the Power Properties —
See the Tell Me How help file or search for the keyword standby in the Help and Support Center (Help in Windows 2000). See"Accessing Help."
Switch the video image —
If your computer is attached to an external monitor, press
to switch the video image to the display.
Adjust the brightness —
See the Tell Me How help file for instructions on adjusting the brightness (see "Accessing Help").
Move the subwoofer away from the computer or monitor —
If your external speaker system includes a subwoofer, ensure that the subwoofer is at least 60 cm (2 ft) away from the computer or external monitor.
Eliminate possible interference —
Turn off nearby fans, fluorescent lights, halogen lamps, or other appliances.
Rotate the computer to face a different direction —
Eliminate sunlight glare, which can cause poor picture quality.
Adjust the Windows display settings
Windows XP
Click the Start button and then click Control Panel.
Click Appearance and Themes.
Click the area you want to change or click the Display icon.
Try different settings for Color quality and Screen resolution.
Windows 2000
Click the Start button, point to Settings, and then click Control Panel.
Double-click the Display icon and then click the Settings tab.
Try different settings for Colors, Screen area, and Advanced Settings.
See "Error Messages" —
If an error message appears, see "Error Messages."
Turn off your computer and connect an external monitor to the computer.
Turn on the computer and the monitor and adjust the monitor brightness and contrast controls.
If the external monitor works, the computer display or video controller may be defective. Contact Dell for technical assistance (see "Contacting Dell" in the Dell Owner's Manual that came with your computer).
Adjust the Windows® volume control —
Double-click the speaker icon in the lower-right corner of your screen. Ensure that the volume is turned up and that the sound is not muted. Adjust the volume, bass, or treble controls to eliminate distortion.
Adjust the volume using keyboard shortcuts —
Press
to disable (mute) or reenable the integrated speakers.
HINT: The volume
control in some MP3
players overrides the
Windows volume setting.
If you have been listening
to MP3 songs, make sure
that you did not turn the
player volume down or off.
Check the speaker cable connections —
See the setup diagram supplied with the speakers.
Test the electrical outlet —
Ensure that the electrical outlet is working by testing it with another device, such as a lamp.
Ensure that the speakers are turned on —
See the setup diagram supplied with the speakers.
Adjust the Windows volume control —
Double-click the speaker icon in the lower-right corner of your screen. Ensure that the volume is turned up and that the sound is not muted. Adjust the volume, bass, or treble controls to eliminate distortion.
Test the speakers —
Plug the speaker audio cable into the line-out connector on the computer. Ensure that the headphone volume control is turned up. Play a music CD.
Run the speaker self-test —
Some speaker systems have a self-test button on the subwoofer. See the speaker documentation for self-test instructions.
Eliminate possible interference —
Turn off nearby fans, fluorescent lights, or halogen lamps to check for interference.
NOTICE: Connect the modem to an analog telephone wall jack only.
Connecting the modem to a digital telephone network damages the modem.
NOTICE: Modem and network connectors look similar. Do not plug a
telephone line into the network connector.
HINT: If you can connect to your Internet service provider (ISP), your
modem is functioning properly. If you are sure that your modem is working properly and you
still experience problems, contact your ISP.
Check the telephone wall jack —
Disconnect the telephone line from the modem and connect it to a telephone. Listen for a dial tone. Ensure that you have touchtone telephone service. Try connecting the modem to a different telephone wall
jack. Slow connection speeds can be caused by telephone noise as well as by telephone line or network conditions. Contact your telephone company or network administrator for more information.
Connect the modem directly to the telephone wall jack —
If you have other telephone devices sharing the line, such as an answering machine, fax machine, surge protector, or line splitter, then bypass them and use the telephone line to connect the modem directly to the telephone wall jack.
Check the connection —
Verify that the telephone line is connected to the modem.
Check the telephone line —
Try using a different telephone line. If you are using a line that is 3 m (10 ft) or more in length, try a shorter one.
Irregular dial tone —
If you have voice mail service, you might hear an irregular dial tone when you have messages. Contact your telephone company for instructions on restoring a dial tone.
Turn off call waiting (catch-phone) —
See your telephone directory for instructions on deactivating this feature. Then adjust the dial-up networking connection properties.
Windows® XP
Click the Start button and click Control Panel.
Click Printers and Other Hardware, click Phone and Modem Options, click the Dialing Rules tab, and then click Edit....
In the Edit Location window, ensure that To disable call waiting, dial: is checked, and then select the proper code as listed in your telephone directory.
Click Apply and click OK.
Close the Phone and Modems Options window.
Close the Control Panel window.
Windows 2000
Click the Start button, point to Settings, and then click Control Panel.
Double-click the Modems icon.
Click Dialing Properties.
Ensure that To disable call waiting, dial: is checked, and then select the proper code as listed in your telephone directory.
Click Apply and click OK.
Close the Modems Properties window.
Close the Control Panel window.
Verify that the modem is communicating with Windows
XP
Click the Start button and click Control Panel.
Click Printers and Other Hardware and click Phone and Modem Options.
Click the Modems tab.
Click the COM port for your modem.
Click Properties, click the Diagnostics tab, and then click Query Modem to verify that the modem is communicating with Windows.
If all commands receive responses, the modem is operating properly.
Windows 2000
Click the Start button, point to Settings, and then click Control Panel.
Double-click Phone and Modem Options.
If multiple entries for the same modem or modems are listed but not installed, delete the entries, restart the computer, and repeat steps 1 and 2.
Click the Diagnostics tab.
Click the COM port for your modem.
Click Query Modem to verify that the modem is communicating with Windows.
If all commands receive responses, the modem is operating properly.
Scanner Problems
Check the power cable connection —
Ensure that the scanner power cable is firmly connected to a working electrical power source and that the scanner is turned on. If the device is plugged into a surge protector, try plugging it directly into an electrical outlet.
Check the scanner cable connection —
Ensure that the scanner cable is firmly connected to the computer and to the scanner.
Unlock the scanner —
Ensure that your scanner is unlocked if it has a locking tab or button.
Reinstall the scanner driver —
See the scanner documentation for instructions.
Check the PC Card —
Ensure that the PC Card is properly inserted into the connector.
Ensure that the card is recognized by Windows® —
Double-click the Safely Remove Hardware (Unplug or Eject Hardware in
Windows 2000) icon in the Windows taskbar. Ensure that the card is listed.
If you have problems with a Dell-provided PC Card —
Contact Dell for technical assistance (see "Contacting Dell" in the Dell Owner's Manual that came with your computer).
If you have problems with a PC Card not provided by Dell —
Contact the PC Card manufacturer.
Click the Start button, click Control Panel, and then click Printers and Other Hardware.
Click Mouse.
Try adjusting the settings.
Windows 2000
Click the Start button, point to Settings, and then click Control Panel.
Double-click the Mouse icon.
Try adjusting the settings.
Check the mouse cable —
Shut down the computer. Disconnect the mouse cable and check it for damage. For PS/2 cables, check the cable connector for bent or broken pins. Firmly reconnect the cable.
If you are using a mouse extension cable, disconnect it and connect the mouse directly to the computer.
To verify that the problem is with the mouse, check the touch pad
Turn off the computer.
Disconnect the mouse.
Turn on the computer.
At the Windows desktop, use the touch pad to move the cursor around, select an icon, and open it.
If the touch pad operates correctly, the mouse may be defective.
HINT: When you attach
an external keyboard, the
integrated keyboard
remains fully functional.
Check the keyboard cable —
Shut down the computer. Disconnect the keyboard cable and check it for damage. For PS/2 cables, check the cable connector for bent or broken pins. Firmly reconnect the cable.
If you are using a keyboard extension cable, disconnect it and connect the keyboard directly to the computer.
Check the external keyboard
Turn off the computer, wait 1 minute, and turn it on again.
Verify that the numbers, capitals, and scroll lock lights on the keyboard blink during the boot routine.
From the Windows® desktop, click the Start button, point to Programs (AllPrograms in Windows XP), point to Accessories, and click Notepad.
Type some characters on the external keyboard and verify that they appear on the display.
If you cannot verify these steps, you may have a defective external keyboard.
To verify that the problem is with the external keyboard, check the integrated keyboard
Turn off the computer.
Disconnect the external keyboard.
Turn on the computer.
From the Windows desktop, click the Start button, point to Programs, point to Accessories, and click Notepad.
Type some characters on the integrated keyboard and verify that they appear on the display.
If the characters appear now but did not with the external keyboard, you may have a defective external keyboard. Contact Dell (see "Contacting Dell" in the Dell Owner's Manual that came with your computer).
Ensure that Windows® recognizes the drive —In Windows XP, click the Start button and click My Computer. In Windows 2000, double-click My Computer. If the drive is not listed, perform a full scan with your antivirus software to check for and remove viruses. Viruses can sometimes prevent Windows from recognizing the drive. Insert a bootable disk and restart the computer. Verify that the
light is blinking, indicating normal operation.
Ensure that the disk is not write-protected —
You cannot save data to a write-protected disk. See the following figure.
Try another floppy disk —
Insert another disk to eliminate the possibility that the original disk is defective.
Check the drive for errors —
If the drive is a fixed drive:
Remove the hard drive.
Insert the Drivers and Utilities CD for your computer and turn on the computer.
Verify that the light is blinking, indicating normal operation. If a drive error message appears, see "Error
Messages" for an explanation.
HINT: Because of
different worldwide file
types, not all DVD titles
work in all DVD drives.
High-speed CD drive vibration is normal and may cause noise. This noise does not indicate a defect with the drive or the CD.
Ensure that Windows® recognizes the drive —In Windows XP, click the Start button and click My Computer. In Windows 2000, double-click My Computer. If the drive is not listed, perform a full scan with your antivirus software to check for and remove viruses. Viruses can sometimes prevent Windows from recognizing the drive. Insert a bootable disk and restart the computer. Verify that the
light is blinking, indicating normal operation.
Try another disc —
Insert another disc to eliminate the possibility that the original disc is defective.
Adjust the Windows volume control —
Double-click the speaker icon in the lower-right corner of your screen. Ensure that the volume is turned up and that the sound is not muted.
Clean the drive or disc —
See "Cleaning Your Computer" in the Tell Me How help file for instructions (see "Accessing Help").
Disable standby mode in Windows before writing to a CD-RW —
See the Tell Me How help file or search for the keyword standby in the Windows XP Help and Support Center (Help in Windows 2000). See"Accessing Help."
Change the write speed to a slower rate —
See the help files for your CD creation software.
Close all other open programs —
Closing all other open programs before writing to the CD-RW may alleviate the problem.
Allow the computer to cool before turning it on —
A hot hard drive may prevent the operating system from starting. Try allowing the computer to return to room temperature before turning it on.
Check the drive for errors
In Windows XP, click the Start button and click My Computer. In Windows 2000, double-click My Computer.
Right-click the drive letter (local disk) that you want to scan for errors, and then click Properties.
Check the network cable connector —
Ensure that the network cable connector is firmly connected to the connector on the computer and the network wall jack.
Check the network lights on the network connector —
Green indicates that the network connection is active. If the status light is not green, try replacing the network cable. Amber indicates that the network adapter driver is loaded and the adapter is detecting activity.
Restart the computer —
Try to log on to the network again.
Contact your network administrator —
Verify that your network settings are correct and that the network is functioning.
HINT: Software usually
includes installation
instructions in its
documentation or on a
floppy disk or CD.
See the software documentation —
Many software manufacturers maintain websites with information that may help you solve the problem. Ensure that you properly installed and configured the program. Reinstall the program if necessary.
Turn the computer off —
If the computer does not respond to a keystroke or a proper shutdown, press the power button until the computer turns off. Press the power button again to restart the computer. The solid blue screen appears because you were not able to perform a proper Windows® shutdown. ScanDisk automatically runs during the start-up process. Follow the instructions on the screen.
Ensure that you are connected to the Internet —
With the Outlook Express e-mail program open, click File. If Work Offline has a check mark next to it, click the check mark to remove it and connect to the Internet.
Be sure that you have subscribed to an Internet service provider —
Contact an Internet service provider to subscribe.
Contact your Internet service provider —
Contact your Internet service provider for assistance.
CAUTION: Perform this procedure only after you are certain that it is safe to do so. If the computer is connected to an electrical outlet, Dell recommends that you turn off AC power at the circuit breaker before attempting to remove the power cables from the electrical outlet. Use the utmost caution when removing wet cables from a live power source.
Turn off the computer (see "Accessing Help"), disconnect the AC
adapter from the computer, and then disconnect the AC adapter from
the electrical outlet.
Turn off any attached external devices, and disconnect them from
their power sources and then from the computer.
Ground yourself by touching one of the metal connectors on the back
of the computer.
Remove any installed PC Cards, and put them in a safe place to dry.
Remove the battery.
Wipe off the battery and put it in a safe place to dry.
Remove the hard drive.
Remove the memory module.
Open the display and place the computer right-side up across two
books or similar props to let air circulate all around it. Let the
computer dry for at least 24 hours in a dry area at room temperature.
NOTICE: Do not use artificial means, such as a hair dryer or a fan, to speed
the drying process.
CAUTION: To help prevent electrical shock, verify that the computer is thoroughly dry before continuing with the rest of this procedure.
Ground yourself by touching one of the metal connectors on the back
of the computer.
Replace the memory module, the memory module cover, and the
screw.
Replace the hard drive.
Replace any PC Cards you removed.
Replace the battery.
Turn on the computer and verify that it is working properly.
If the computer does not start, or if you cannot identify the damaged components, contact Dell for technical assistance (see "Contacting Dell" in the Dell Owner's Manual that came with your computer).
Save and close any open files, exit any open programs, and shut down
the computer.
Disconnect the AC adapter from the computer and from the electrical
outlet.
Turn off any attached external devices, and disconnect them from
their power sources and then from the computer.
Remove and reinstall the battery.
Turn on the computer.
HINT: See "Limited
Warranties and Return
Policy" in the Dell
Owner's Manual that
came with your computer
for information on your
warranty coverage.
If the computer does not start, or if you cannot identify the damaged components, contact Dell for technical assistance (see "Contacting Dell" in the Dell Owner's Manual that came with your computer).
Go to the Dell Support website —
Go to support.dell.com for help with general usage, installation, and troubleshooting questions. See "Dell Technical Support Policy (U.S. Only)" in the Owner's Manual that came with your computer for a description of the hardware and software support provided by Dell.
E-mail Dell —
Go to support.dell.com and then click E-Mail Dell in the Communicate list. Send an e-mail message to Dell about your problem; you can expect to receive an e-mail message from Dell within hours. See "Dell Technical Support Policy (U.S. Only)" in the Owner's Manual that came with your computer for a description of the hardware and software support provided by Dell.
Contact Dell —
If you cannot solve your problem using the Dell Support website or e-mail service, call Dell for technical assistance (see "Contacting Dell" in the Dell Owner's Manual that came with your computer). See "Dell Technical Support Policy (U.S. Only)" in the Owner's Manual that came with your computer for a description of the hardware and software support provided by Dell.
light —
light is blinking, the computer has power. 
light is blinking, the computer is in standby mode—press the power button to exit standby mode. 
light is off, press the power button.
light is on, your power management settings may have caused the display to turn off. Try pressing any key or move the cursor to exit standby mode.
to switch the video image to the display.
to disable (mute) or reenable the integrated speakers.
to disable the numeric keypad. Verify that the numbers lock light 
is not lit.
light is blinking, indicating normal operation.
light is blinking, indicating normal operation. If a drive error message appears, see "
light is blinking, indicating normal operation.
.
