Page 2 - Macrovision Product Notice
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 dama...
Page 3 - Contents; A b o u t Yo u r C o m p u t e r
Contents 3 Contents A b o u t Yo u r C o m p u t e r . . . . . . . . 7 Front View . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7 Right View . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8 Left View . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10 Battery Removal . . . . . . . . . . . . 12 Q u i c k S e t u p . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1 5...
Page 4 - R e i n s t a l l i n g S o f t w a r e
Contents 4 Lockups and Software Problems . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 47 Dell Technical Update Service . . . 49 Dell Support Center . . . . . . . . . . 49 R e i n s t a l l i n g S o f t w a r e . . . . . . . 5 1 Drivers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 51 Identifying Drivers . . . . . . . . . 51 ...
Page 5 - Before You Call
Contents 5 Before You Call . . . . . . . . . . . . . 67 Contacting Dell . . . . . . . . . . . . . 69 I n d e x . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7 1 book.book Page 5 Thursday, September 25, 2008 2:38 PM
Page 7 - About Your Computer; Front View
About Your Computer 7 About Your Computer Front View D E V I C E S T A T U S L I G H T S The lights located on the palm rest towards the front of the computer indicate the following: 1 device status lights 2 audio connectors 3 touch pad 1 3 2 Power light – Turns on when you turn on the computer, and...
Page 8 - Right View
About Your Computer 8 A U D I O C O N N E C T O R S T O U C H P A D — Provides the functionality of a mouse. Right View Attach headphones to the connector Attach a microphone to the connector 1 display 2 keyboard status lights 3 AC adapter connector 4 modem connector 5 keyboard 6 optical drive eject...
Page 9 - A C
About Your Computer 9 D I S P L A Y — For more information on the display, see Dell Technology Guide . K E Y B O A R D S T A T U S L I G H T S — The lights located above the keyboard indicate the following: A C A D A P T E R C O N N E C T O R — Attaches an AC adapter to the computer. The AC adapter ...
Page 10 - Left View; P C; U S B
About Your Computer 10 Left View P C C A R D S L O T — Supports one PC Card, such as a modem or network adapter. The computer ships with a blank installed in the slot to prevent foreign matter from entering the computer interior when a card is not installed. 3 - I N - 1 M E D I A C A R D R E A D E R...
Page 11 - V G A
About Your Computer 11 N E T W O R K C O N N E C T O R ( R J - 4 5 ) V G A C O N N E C T O R S E C U R I T Y C A B L E S L O T — Lets you attach a commercially available antitheft device to the computer. A I R V E N T S — The computer uses an internal fan to create airflow through the vents, which p...
Page 12 - Battery Removal
About Your Computer 12 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 ...
Page 15 - Quick Setup
Quick Setup 15 Quick Setup CAUTION: Before working inside your computer, read the safety information that shipped with your computer. For additional safety best practices information, see the Regulatory Compliance Homepage at www.dell.com/regulatory_compliance. CAUTION: The AC adapter works with ele...
Page 17 - Connecting to the Internet; Setting Up Your Internet Connection
Quick Setup 17 4 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. 5 Co...
Page 18 - Microsoft
Quick Setup 18 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 ha...
Page 21 - Specifications
Specifications 21 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 Vostro A840 Vostro A860 Processor type Intel ® Core™2 Duo In...
Page 33 - Troubleshooting; Error Messages
Troubleshooting 33 Troubleshooting CAUTION: To guard against the likelihood of electric shock, laceration by moving fan blades, or other expected injuries, always unplug your computer from the electrical outlet before opening the cover. CAUTION: Before working inside your computer, read the safety i...
Page 34 - P C M C I A
Troubleshooting 34 D I S K C : F A I L E D I N I T I A L I Z A T I O N — The hard drive failed initialization. Run the hard drive tests in the Dell Diagnostics (see "Dell Diagnostics" on page 42). D R I V E N O T R E A D Y — The operation requires a hard drive in the bay before it can contin...
Page 38 - R O M
Troubleshooting 38 N O T E N O U G H M E M O R Y O R R E S O U R C E S . E X I T S O M E P R O G R A M S A N D T R Y A G A I N — You have too many programs open. Close all windows and open the program that you want to use. O P E R A T I N G S YS T E M N O T F O U N D — Reinstall the hard drive (see ...
Page 40 - System Messages; C M O S; C P U
Troubleshooting 40 System Messages NOTE: If the message you received is not listed in the table, see the documentation for either the operating system or the program that was running when the message appeared. A L E R T ! P R E V I O U S A T T E M P T S A T B O O T I N G T H I S S YS T E M H A V E F...
Page 41 - hardware troubleshooter
Troubleshooting 41 N O T I M E R T I C K I N T E R R U P T — A chip on the system board might be malfunctioning or system board failure (see "Contacting Dell" on page 69 for assistance). U S B O V E R C U R R E N T E R R O R — Disconnect the USB device. Use external power source for the USB ...
Page 42 - Dell Diagnostics; When to Use the Dell Diagnostics
Troubleshooting 42 Dell Diagnostics CAUTION: Before working inside your computer, read the safety information that shipped with your computer. For additional safety best practices information, see the Regulatory Compliance Homepage at www.dell.com/regulatory_compliance. When to Use the Dell Diagnost...
Page 43 - Starting the Dell Diagnostics From the Dell
Troubleshooting 43 NOTICE: If you wait too long and the operating system logo appears, continue to wait until you see the Microsoft ® Windows ® desktop, and then shut down your computer and try again. NOTICE: If you see a message stating that no diagnostics utility partition has been found, run the ...
Page 44 - Troubleshooting Tips; Power Problems
Troubleshooting 44 5 Type 1 to start the CD menu and press <Enter> to proceed. 6 Select Run the 32 Bit Dell Diagnostics from the numbered list. If multiple versions are listed, select the version that is appropriate for your computer. 7 When the Dell Diagnostics Main Menu appears, select the t...
Page 46 - Memory Problems
Troubleshooting 46 • Ensure that the processor power cable is securely connected to the system board power connector (see your Service Manual at support.dell.com ). • Ensure that the main power cable and the front panel cable are securely connected to the system board connector (see your Service Man...
Page 47 - Lockups and Software Problems; The computer does not start up
Troubleshooting 47 • Reseat the memory modules (see your Service Manual at support.dell.com ) to ensure that your computer is successfully communicating with the memory. • Run the Dell Diagnostics (see "Dell Diagnostics" on page 42). I F Y O U E X P E R I E N C E O T H E R M E M O R Y P R O ...
Page 48 - A program stops responding
Troubleshooting 48 A program stops responding E N D T H E P R O G R A M — 1 Press <Ctrl><Shift><Esc> simultaneously to access the Task Manager, and click the Applications tab. 2 Click to select the program that is no longer responding, and click End Task . A program crashes repeate...
Page 49 - Other software problems; Dell Technical Update Service; Dell Support Center
Troubleshooting 49 Other software problems C H E C K T H E S O F T W A R E D O C U M E N T A T I O N O R C O N T A C T T H E S O F T W A R E M A N U F A C T U R E R F O R T R O U B L E S H O O T I N G I N F O R M A T I O N — • Ensure that the program is compatible with the operating system installed...
Page 51 - Reinstalling Software; Drivers; Identifying Drivers
Reinstalling Software 51 Reinstalling Software Drivers Identifying Drivers If you experience a problem with any device, identify whether the driver is the source of your problem and, if necessary, update the driver. 1 Click the Windows Vista Start button™ , and right-click Computer . 2 Click Propert...
Page 52 - Using the Drivers and Utilities Media
Reinstalling Software 52 NOTE: The User Account Control window may appear. If you are an administrator on the computer, click Continue ; otherwise, contact your administrator to enter the Device Manager. 3 Right-click the device for which the new driver was installed and click Properties . 4 Click t...
Page 53 - Manually Reinstalling Drivers
Reinstalling Software 53 5 At the Welcome Dell System Owner screen, click Next . NOTE: The Drivers and Utilities program displays drivers only for hardware that came installed in your computer. If you installed additional hardware, the drivers for the new hardware might not be displayed. If those dr...
Page 54 - Restoring Your Operating System; Using Microsoft
Reinstalling Software 54 6 Click Browse and browse to the location to which you previously copied the driver files. 7 When the name of the appropriate driver appears, click the name of the driver → OK → Next . 8 Click Finish and restart your computer. Restoring Your Operating System You can restore ...
Page 55 - Starting System Restore; Undoing the Last System Restore; Using the Operating System Media; Before you Begin
Reinstalling Software 55 Starting System Restore 1 Click Start . 2 In the Start Search box, type System Restore and press <Enter>. NOTE: The User Account Control window may appear. If you are an administrator on the computer, click Continue ; otherwise, contact your administrator to continue t...
Page 56 - Reinstalling Windows
Reinstalling Software 56 operating system to the operating state it was in before you installed the new device driver. See "Using Microsoft ® Windows ® System Restore" on page 54. NOTICE: Before performing the installation, back up all data files on your primary hard drive. For conventional ...
Page 59 - Finding Information
Finding Information 59 Finding Information NOTE: Some features or media may be optional and may not ship with your computer. Some features or media may not be available in certain countries. NOTE: Additional information may ship with your computer. Document/Media/Label Contents Service Tag/Express S...
Page 63 - Getting Help; Obtaining Assistance
Getting Help 63 Getting Help Obtaining Assistance CAUTION: If you need to remove the computer cover, first disconnect the computer power and modem cables from all electrical outlets. Follow the safety instructions that shipped with your computer. If you experience a problem with your computer, you c...
Page 64 - Technical Support and Customer Service
Getting Help 64 the Dell Accessories folder, double-click the Express Service Code icon, and follow the directions. For instructions on using the Dell Support, see "Technical Support and Customer Service" on page 64. NOTE: Some of the following services are not always available in all locati...
Page 65 - AutoTech Service
Getting Help 65 You can access Dell Support through the following websites and e-mail addresses: • Dell Support websites: support.dell.com support.apj.dell.com (Asia Pacific and Japan only) support.jp.dell.com (Japan only) support.euro.dell.com (Europe only) • Dell Support e-mail addresses: mobile_s...
Page 66 - Automated Order-Status Service; Problems With Your Order
Getting Help 66 Automated Order-Status Service To check on the status of any Dell products that you have ordered, you can go to support.dell.com , or you can call the automated order-status service. A recording prompts you for the information needed to locate and report on your order. For the teleph...
Page 69 - Contacting Dell
Getting Help 69 Contacting Dell 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...
Page 71 - Index
Index 71 Index B battery removal, 12 C connecting AC adapter, 16Internet, 17network, 17network cable, 16USB devices, 16 contacting Dell, 63, 69 D Dell contacting, 63, 69software updates, 49Support Utility, 49technical support and customer service, 64 Technical Update Service, 49 Dell Diagnostics, 42...
