Dell Insp 640 M Manual

							Troubleshooting91
SECTOR NOT FOUND—The operating system cannot locate a sector on the hard drive. You may have a 
defective sector or corrupted FAT on the hard drive. Run the Windows error-checking utility to check the 
file structure on the hard drive. See the Windows Help and Support Center for instructions. To access 
the Help and Support Center, see Windows Help and Support Center on page 13. If a large number of 
sectors are defective, back up the data (if possible), and then reformat the hard drive.
SEEK ERROR—The operating system cannot find a specific track on the hard drive. 
SHUTDOWN FAILURE—A chip on the system board may be malfunctioning. Run the System Set tests in 
the Dell Diagnostics (see page 81).
TIME-OF-DAY CLOCK LOST POWER—System configuration settings are corrupted. Connect your computer 
to an electrical outlet to charge the battery. If the problem persists, try to restore the data by entering the 
system setup program. Then immediately exit the program. See Using the System Setup Program on 
page 165. If the message reappears, contact Dell. See Contacting Dell on page 135.
TIME-OF-DAY CLOCK STOPPED—The reserve battery that supports the system configuration settings may 
require recharging. Connect your computer to an electrical outlet to charge the battery. If the problem 
persists, contact Dell. See Contacting Dell on page 135.
TIME-OF-DAY NOT SET-PLEASE RUN THE SYS T E M SETUP PROGRAM—The time or date stored in the system 
setup program does not match the system clock. Correct the settings for the Date and Time options. See 
Using the System Setup Program on page 165.
TIMER CHIP COUNTER 2 FAILED—A chip on the system board may be malfunctioning. Run the System 
Set tests in the Dell Diagnostics. See Dell Diagnostics on page 81.
UNEXPECTED INTERRUPT IN PROTECTED MODE—The keyboard controller may be malfunctioning, or a 
memory module may be loose. Run the System Memory tests and the Keyboard Controller test in the 
Dell Diagnostics. See Dell Diagnostics on page 81.
X: IS NOT ACCESSIBLE. THE DEVICE IS NOT READY—Insert a disk into the drive and try again.
WARNING: BATTERY IS CRITICALLY LOW—The battery is running out of charge. Replace the battery, or 
connect the computer to an electrical outlet. Otherwise, activate hibernate mode or shut down the 
computer.
ExpressCard Problems
 CAUTION: Before you begin any of the procedures in this section, follow the safety instructions in the Product 
Information Guide.
 
NOTE: The ExpressCard slot does not support PC cards. 
C
HECK THE EXPRESSCARD—Ensure that the ExpressCard is properly inserted into the connector.
ENSURE THAT THE CARD IS RECOGNIZED BY WINDOWS—Double-click the Safely Remove Hardware icon 
in the Windows taskbar. Ensure that the card is listed.
IF YOU HAVE PROBLEMS WITH A DELL-PROVIDED EXPRESSCARD—Contact Dell. See Contacting Dell on 
page 135. 
						

							92Troubleshooting
IF YOU HAVE PROBLEMS WITH AN EXPRESSCARD NOT PROVIDED BY DELL—Contact the ExpressCard 
manufacturer.
IEEE 1394 Device Problems
 CAUTION: Before you begin any of the procedures in this section, follow the safety instructions in the Product 
Information Guide.
E
NSURE THAT THE IEEE 1394 DEVICE IS RECOGNIZED BY WINDOWS—
1Click the Start button and click Control Panel.
2Click Printers and Other Hardware.
If your IEEE 1394 device is listed, Windows recognizes the device.
IF YOU HAVE PROBLEMS WITH A DELL-PROVIDED IEEE 1394 DEVICE—Contact Dell or the IEEE 1394 device 
manufacturer. See 
Contacting Dell on page 135. 
I
F YOU HAVE PROBLEMS WITH AN IEEE 1394 DEVICE NOT PROVIDED BY DELL—Contact Dell or the IEEE 1394 
device manufacturer. See 
Contacting Dell on page 135. 
E
NSURE THAT THE IEEE 1394 DEVICE IS PROPERLY INSERTED INTO THE CONNECTOR
Keyboard Problems
 CAUTION: Before you begin any of the procedures in this section, follow the safety instructions in the Product 
Information Guide.
 
NOTE: Use the integrated keyboard when running the Dell Diagnostics or the system setup program. When you 
attach an external keyboard, the integrated keyboard remains fully functional.
External Keyboard problems
 NOTE: When you attach an external keyboard, the integrated keyboard remains fully functional.
C
HECK THE KEYBOARD CABLE—Shut down the computer. Disconnect the keyboard cable and check it for 
damage, and 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—
1Shut down the computer, wait 1 minute, and turn it on again.
2Verify that the numbers, capitals, and scroll lock lights on the keyboard blink during the boot routine.
3From the Windows desktop, click the Start button, point to All Programs→ Accessories, and then 
click 
Notepad. 
4Type 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.  
						

							Troubleshooting93
TO VERIFY THAT THE PROBLEM IS WITH THE EXTERNAL KEYBOARD, CHECK THE INTEGRATED KEYBOARD—
1Shut down the computer.
2Disconnect the external keyboard.
3Turn on the computer. 
4From the Windows desktop, click the Start button, point to All Programs→ Accessories, and click 
Notepad. 
5Type some characters on the internal 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 on page 135.
RUN THE KEYBOARD DIAGNOSTICS TESTS—Run the PC-AT Compatible Keyboards tests in the Dell 
Diagnostics. See Dell Diagnostics on page 81. If the tests indicate a defective external keyboard, 
contact Dell. See Contacting Dell on page 135.
Unexpected characters
DISABLE THE NUMERIC KEYPAD—Press  to disable the numeric keypad if numbers are 
displayed instead of letters. Verify that the numbers lock light is not lit.
Lockups and Software Problems
 CAUTION: Before you begin any of the procedures in this section, follow the safety instructions in the Product 
Information Guide.
The computer does not start up
ENSURE THAT THE AC ADAPTER IS FIRMLY CONNECTED TO THE COMPUTER AND TO THE ELECTRICAL OUTLET
The computer stops responding
 NOTICE: You might lose data if you are unable to perform an operating system shutdown.
T
URN THE COMPUTER OFF—If you are unable to get a response by pressing a key on your keyboard or 
moving your mouse, press and hold the power button for at least 8 to 10 seconds until the computer 
turns off. Then restart your computer. 
A program stops responding or crashes repeatedly
END THE PROGRAM—
1Press  simultaneously.
2Click the Applications tab and select the program that is no longer responding.
3Click End Task.
 NOTE: The chkdsk program may run when you restart the computer. Follow the instructions on the screen.  
						

							94Troubleshooting
CHECK THE SOFTWARE DOCUMENTATION—If necessary, uninstall and then reinstall the program. Software 
usually includes installation instructions in its documentation or on a floppy disk or CD.
A program is designed for an earlier Microsoft® Windows® operating system
RUN THE PROGRAM COMPATIBILITY WIZARD—The Program Compatibility Wizard configures a program 
so it runs in an environment similar to non-Windows XP operating system environments.
1
Click the Start button, point to All Programs→ Accessories, and then click Program Compatibility 
Wizard
.
2In the welcome screen, click Next.
3Follow the instructions on the screen.
A solid blue screen appears
TURN THE COMPUTER OFF—If you are unable to get a response by pressing a key on your keyboard or 
moving your mouse, press and hold the power button for at least 8 to 10 seconds until the computer 
turns off. Then restart your computer. 
Dell MediaDirect problems
CHECK THE DELL MEDIADIRECT HELP FILE FOR INFORMATION—Click the question mark icon at the bottom 
of the Dell MediaDirect screen to access Help. 
TO PLAY MOVIES WITH DELL MEDIADIRECT, YOU MUST HAVE A DVD DRIVE AND THE DELL DVD PLAYER—If 
you purchased a DVD drive with your computer, this software should already be installed. 
VIDEO QUALITY PROBLEMS—Turn off the Use Hardware Acceleration option. This feature takes 
advantage of the special processing in some graphics cards to reduce processor requirements when 
playing DVDs and certain types of video files. 
CANNOT PLAY SOME MEDIA FILES—Because Dell MediaDirect provides access to media files outside the 
Windows XP operating system environment, access to licensed content is restricted. Licensed content is 
digital content that has Digital Rights Management (DRM) applied to it. The Dell MediaDirect 
environment cannot verify the DRM restrictions, so the licensed files cannot be played. Licensed music 
and video files have a lock icon next to them. You can access licensed files in the Windows XP operating 
system environment. 
ADJUSTING THE COLOR SETTINGS FOR MOVIES THAT CONTAIN SCENES THAT ARE TOO DARK OR TOO BRIGHT—
Click EagleVision to use a video enhancement technology that detects video content and dynamically 
adjusts the brightness/contrast/saturation ratios. 
 NOTICE: You cannot reinstall the Dell MediaDirect feature if you voluntarily reformat the hard drive. Contact Dell 
for assistance. See 
Contacting Dell on page 135.  
						

							Troubleshooting95
Other software problems
CHECK THE SOFTWARE DOCUMENTATION OR CONTACT THE SOFTWARE MANUFACTURER FOR TROUBLESHOOTING 
INFORMATION—
 Ensure that the program is compatible with the operating system installed on your computer.
 Ensure that your computer meets the minimum hardware requirements needed to run the software. 
See the software documentation for information.
 Ensure that the program is installed and configured properly.
 Verify that the device drivers do not conflict with the program.
 If necessary, uninstall and then reinstall the program.
BACK UP YOUR FILES IMMEDIATELY
USE A VIRUS-SCANNING PROGRAM TO CHECK THE HARD DRIVE, FLOPPY DISKS, OR CDS
SAVE AND CLOSE ANY OPEN FILES OR PROGRAMS AND SHUT DOWN YOUR COMPUTER THROUGH THE Start MENU
SCAN THE COMPUTER FOR SPYWARE—If you are experiencing slow computer performance, you frequently 
receive pop-up advertisements, or you are having problems connecting to the Internet, your computer 
might be infected with spyware. Use an anti-virus program that includes anti-spyware protection (your 
program may require an upgrade) to scan the computer and remove spyware. For more information, go to 
support.dell.com and search for the keyword spyware.
RUN THE DELL DIAGNOSTICS—If all tests run successfully, the error condition is related to a software 
problem. See Dell Diagnostics on page 81.
Memory Problems
 CAUTION: Before you begin any of the procedures in this section, follow the safety instructions in the Product 
Information Guide.
I
F YOU RECEIVE AN INSUFFICIENT MEMORY MESSAGE—
 Save and close any open files and exit any open programs you are not using to see if that resolves the 
problem.
 See the software documentation for minimum memory requirements. If necessary, install additional 
memory. 
See Optical Drives on page 114.
 Reseat the memory modules to ensure that your computer is successfully communicating with the 
memory. 
See Optical Drives on page 114.
 Run the Dell Diagnostics. 
See Dell Diagnostics on page 81. 
IF YOU EXPERIENCE OTHER MEMORY PROBLEMS—
 Reseat the memory modules to ensure that your computer is successfully communicating with the 
memory
 (see Optical Drives on page 114).
 Ensure that you are following the memory installation guidelines. 
See Optical Drives on page 114.
 Run the Dell Diagnostics. 
See Dell Diagnostics on page 81.  
						

							96Troubleshooting
Network Problems
 CAUTION: Before you begin any of the procedures in this section, follow the safety instructions in the Product 
Information Guide.
C
HECK THE NETWORK CABLE CONNECTOR—Ensure that the network cable is firmly inserted into both the 
network connector on the side of the computer and the network port or device.
CHECK THE NETWORK LIGHTS ON THE NETWORK CONNECTOR—No light indicates that no network 
communication exists. Replace the network cable.
RESTART THE COMPUTER AND LOG ON TO THE NETWORK AGAIN
CHECK YOUR NETWORK SETTINGS—Contact your network administrator or the person who set up your 
network to verify that your network settings are correct and that the network is functioning.
Power Problems
 CAUTION: Before you begin any of the procedures in this section, follow the safety instructions in the Product 
Information Guide.
C
HECK 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.
 NOTE: For information on standby mode, see Power Management Modes on page 39.
C
HARGE THE BATTERY—The battery charge may be depleted.
1
Reinstall the battery.
2Use the AC adapter to connect the computer to an electrical outlet.
3Turn on the computer.
 NOTE: Battery operating time (the time the battery can hold a charge) decreases over time. Depending on how 
often the battery is used and the conditions under which it is used, you may need to purchase a new battery during 
the life of your computer.
C
HECK 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 flashes green and orange, the battery is too hot to charge. Shut down 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. Contact Dell. See 
Contacting Dell on page 135.
CHECK THE BATTERY TEMPERATURE—If the battery temperature is below 0°C (32°F), the computer will 
not start up.
TEST THE ELECTRICAL OUTLET—Ensure that the electrical outlet is working by testing it with another 
device, such as a lamp. 
						

							Troubleshooting97
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 Power Management Modes on page 39.
RESEAT THE MEMORY MODULES—If the computer power light turns on but the display remains blank, 
reinstall the memory modules (see Optical Drives on page 114).
Printer Problems
 CAUTION: Before you begin any of the procedures in this section, follow the safety instructions in the Product 
Information Guide.
 
NOTE: If you need technical assistance for your printer, contact the printer’s manufacturer.
E
NSURE THAT THE PRINTER IS TURNED ON
CHECK THE PRINTER CABLE CONNECTIONS—
 See the printer documentation for cable connection information.
 Ensure that the printer cables are securely connected to the printer and the computer. 
TEST THE ELECTRICAL OUTLET—Ensure that the electrical outlet is working by testing it with another 
device, such as a lamp.
VERIFY THAT THE PRINTER IS RECOGNIZED BY WINDOWS—
1Click the Start button, click Control Panel, and then click Printers and Other Hardware.
2Click View installed printers or fax printers.
If the printer is listed, right-click the printer icon.
3Click Properties and click the Por t s tab. For a parallel printer, ensure that the Print to the following 
port(s):
 setting is LPT1 (Printer Port). For a USB printer, ensure that the Print to the following 
port(s):
 setting is USB.
REINSTALL THE PRINTER DRIVER—See the printer documentation for instructions
Scanner Problems
 CAUTION: Before you begin any of the procedures in this section, follow the safety instructions in the Product 
Information Guide.
 
NOTE: If you need technical assistance for your scanner, contact the scanner’s manufacturer.
C
HECK THE PRINTER DOCUMENTATION—See the printer documentation for setup and troubleshooting 
information. 
						

							98Troubleshooting
CHECK THE SCANNER DOCUMENTATION—See the scanner documentation for setup and troubleshooting 
information.
UNLOCK THE SCANNER—Ensure that your scanner is unlocked if it has a locking tab or button.
RESTART THE COMPUTER AND TRY THE SCANNER AGAIN
CHECK THE CABLE CONNECTIONS—
 See the scanner documentation for cable connection information.
 Ensure that the scanner cables are securely connected to the scanner and the computer.
VERIFY THAT THE SCANNER IS RECOGNIZED BY MICROSOFT WINDOWS—
1Click the Start button, click Control Panel, and then click Printers and Other Hardware.
2Click Scanners and Cameras.
If your scanner is listed, Windows recognizes the scanner.
REINSTALL THE SCANNER DRIVER—See the scanner documentation for instructions.
Sound and Speaker Problems
 CAUTION: Before you begin any of the procedures in this section, follow the safety instructions in the Product 
Information Guide.
No sound from integrated 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.
ADJUST THE VOLUME USING KEYBOARD SHORTCUTS—Press  to disable (mute) or reenable 
the integrated speakers.
REINSTALL THE SOUND (AUDIO) DRIVER—See Reinstalling Drivers and Utilities on page 101.
No sound from external speakers
ENSURE THAT THE SUBWOOFER AND THE SPEAKERS ARE TURNED ON—See the setup diagram supplied with 
the speakers. If your speakers have volume controls, adjust the volume, bass, or treble to eliminate 
distortion.
ADJUST THE WINDOWS VOLUME CONTROL—Click or 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.
DISCONNECT HEADPHONES FROM THE HEADPHONE CONNECTOR—Sound from the speakers is automatically 
disabled when headphones are connected to the computer’s front-panel headphone connector.
TEST THE ELECTRICAL OUTLET—Ensure that the electrical outlet is working by testing it with another 
device, such as a lamp.
ELIMINATE POSSIBLE INTERFERENCE—Turn off nearby fans, fluorescent lights, or halogen lamps to check 
for interference. 
						

							Troubleshooting99
REINSTALL THE AUDIO DRIVER—See Reinstalling Drivers and Utilities on page 101. 
RUN THE DELL DIAGNOSTICS —See Dell Diagnostics on page 81.
 NOTE: The volume control in some MP3 players overrides the Windows volume setting. If you have been listening 
to MP3 songs, ensure that you did not turn the player volume down or off.
No sound from headphones
CHECK THE HEADPHONE CABLE CONNECTION—Ensure that the headphone cable is securely inserted into 
the headphone connector (see audio connectors on page 20).
ADJUST THE WINDOWS VOLUME CONTROL—Click or 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.
Touch Pad or Mouse Problems
CHECK THE TOUCH PAD SETTINGS—
1Click the Start button, click Control Panel, and then click Printers and Other Hardware.
2Click Mouse.
3Try adjusting the settings.
CHECK THE MOUSE CABLE—Shut down the computer. Disconnect the mouse cable, check it for damage, 
and 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—
1Shut down the computer.
2Disconnect the mouse.
3Turn on the computer. 
4At 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.
REINSTALL THE TOUCH PAD DRIVER—See Reinstalling Drivers and Utilities on page 101.
Video and Display Problems
 CAUTION: Before you begin any of the procedures in this section, follow the safety instructions in the Product 
Information Guide.
If the display is blank
 NOTE: If you are using a program that requires a higher resolution than your computer supports, it is 
recommended that you attach an external monitor to your computer. 
						

							100Troubleshooting
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 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.
ADJUST THE POWER PROPERTIES—Search for the keyword standby in the Windows Help and Support 
Center. To access the Help and Support Center, see Windows Help and Support Center on page 13.
SWITCH THE VIDEO IMAGE—If your computer is attached to an external monitor, press  to 
switch the video image to the display.
If the display is difficult to read
ADJUST THE BRIGHTNESS—Press  and the up- or down-arrow key
MOVE THE EXTERNAL 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—
1Click the Start button and then click Control Panel.
2Click Appearance and Themes.
3Click the area you want to change or click the Display icon.
4Try different settings for Color quality and Screen resolution.
SEE ERROR MESSAGES—If an error message appears, see Error Messages on page 88.
If only part of the display is readable
CONNECT AN EXTERNAL MONITOR—
1Shut down your computer and connect an external monitor to the computer.
2Turn 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. 
See Contacting Dell on page 135.