DELL inspiron 4100 User Manual

							Solving Problems: Dell Inspiron 4150 
Ensure that Windows® recognizes the drive — Click the Start button 
and 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. 
Reinstall the drive — 
1.  Save and close any open files, exit any open programs, and shut  down the computer. 
2.  Remove the drive. 
3.  Reinstall the drive. 
4.  Turn on the computer. 
Clean the drive or disc — See Cleaning Your Computer in the Tell Me 
How help file for instructions (see 
Accessing Help).
If you cannot eject the CD, CD-RW, or DVD drive 
tray 
1.  Ensure that the computer is turned off. 
2.  Straighten a paper clip and insert one end into the eject hole at th\
e  front of the drive; push firmly until the tray is partially ejected. 
3.  Gently pull out the tray until it stops. 
If you hear an unfamiliar scraping or grinding 
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							Solving Problems: Dell Inspiron 4150 
sound 
l     Ensure that the sound is not caused by the program that is running. 
l     Ensure that the disk or disc is inserted properly.
If the CD-RW drive stops writing 
Disable standby or hibernate mode in Windows before writing to a 
CD-RW — For more information on disabling power management modes, 
search for the keyword standby or hibernate in the Windows XP Help and 
Support Center (see 
Accessing Help).
Change the write speed to a slower rate — See the help files for your 
CD creation software.
Exit all other open programs — Exiting all other open programs before 
writing to the CD-RW may alleviate the problem.
If you have problems with a hard drive 
Allow the computer to cool before turning it on — A hot hard drive 
may prevent the operating system from starting. Try allowing the compute\
r 
to return to room temperature before turning it on.
Check the drive for errors —  1.  Click the Start button and click My Computer. 
2.  Right-click the drive letter (local disk) that you want to scan fo\
r  errors, and then click Properties. 
3.  Click the Tools tab. 
4.  Under Error-checking, click Check Now. 
5.  Click Start. 
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							Solving Problems: Dell Inspiron 4150 
PC Card Problems
Check the PC Card — Ensure that the PC Card is properly inserted into the 
connector. See the Tell Me How help file for more information (see 

Accessing Help).
Ensure that the card is recognized by Windows® — Double-click the 
Unplug or Eject Hardware icon in the Windows taskbar. Ensure that the 
card is listed.
If you have problems with a Dell-provided PC Card — Contact Dell. 
See your Owners Manual for contact information.
If you have problems with a PC Card not provided by Dell — Contact 
the PC Card manufacturer.
Network Problems
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.
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							Solving Problems: Dell Inspiron 4150 
Contact your network administrator — Verify that your network settings 
are correct and that the network is functioning.
General Program Problems
A program crashes 
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.
A program stops responding 
End the program — 
1.  Simultaneously press 
   . 
2.  Click the Applications tab, and then select the program that is no 
longer responding. 
3.  Click End Task. 
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 but\
ton 
again to restart the computer.
Error messages appear 
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							Solving Problems: Dell Inspiron 4150 
Review Error Messages — Look up the message and take the 
appropriate action. See the software documentation.
E-Mail Problems
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 Interne\
t.
If Your Computer Gets Wet
  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, Del\
l 
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.
1.  Shut down the computer, disconnect the AC adapter from the computer,\
 and  then disconnect the AC adapter from the electrical outlet. 
2.  Turn off any attached external devices, and disconnect them from the\
ir power  sources and then from the computer. 
3.  Ground yourself by touching one of the metal connectors on the back \
of the  computer. 
4.  Remove the module bay device and any installed PC Cards, and put the\
m in a  safe place to dry. 
5.  Remove the battery. 
6.  Wipe off the battery and put it in a safe place to dry. 
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							Solving Problems: Dell Inspiron 4150 
7.  Remove the hard drive. 
8.  
Remove the memory module(s). 
9.  Open the display and place the computer right-side up across two boo\
ks or  similar props to let air circulate all around it. Let the computer dry f\
or 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.
10.  Ground yourself by touching one of the metal connectors on the back\
 of the  computer. 
11.  
Replace the memory module(s), the memory module cover, and the screw(\
s). 
12.  
Replace the hard drive. 
13.  Replace the module bay device and any PC Cards you removed. 
14.  Replace the battery. 
15.  Turn on the computer and verify that it is working properly. 
HINT: See Limited Warranties and Return Policy in your Owners Manual for 
information on your warranty coverage. 
If the computer does not start, or if you cannot identify the damaged co\
mponents, 
contact Dell. See your Owners Manual for contact instructions.
If You Drop or Damage Your Computer
1.  Save and close any open files, exit any open programs, and shut down\
 the  computer. 
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							Solving Problems: Dell Inspiron 4150 
2.  Disconnect the AC adapter from the computer and from the electrical \
outlet. 
3.  Turn off any attached external devices, and disconnect them from the\
ir power sources and then from the computer. 
4.  Remove and reinstall the battery. 
5.  Turn on the computer. 
HINT: See Limited Warranties and Return Policy in your Owners Manual for 
information on your warranty coverage. 
If the computer does not start, or if you cannot identify the damaged co\
mponents, 
contact Dell. See your Owners Manual for contact instructions.
Resolving Other Technical Problems
Go to the Dell | Support website — Go to support.dell.com for help 
with general usage, installation, and troubleshooting questions. See De\
ll 
Technical Support Policy (U.S. Only) in your Owners Manual 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 your Owners Manual 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 your \
Owners Manual for contact information. See Dell Technical Support Policy 
(U.S. Only) in your Owners Manual for a description of the hardware and 
software support provided by Dell.
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							Solving Problems: Dell Inspiron 4150 
Back to Contents Page
 
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							Reinstalling Drivers and Utilities: Dell Inspiron 4150 
Back to Contents Page 
Reinstalling Drivers and Utilities 
Dell™ Inspiron™ 4150 
  Overview
  Resolving Software and Hardware Incompatibilities
  Using Microsoft® Windows® XP System Restore
Overview
Dell ships your computer to you with required drivers and utilities alre\
ady 
installed—no further installation or configuration is needed.
NOTICE: The Drivers and Utilities CD may contain drivers for operating systems 
that are not on your computer. Ensure that you are installing software 
appropriate for your operating system. 
To reinstall drivers for optional devices such as wireless communication\
s, DVD drives, 
and ZIP drives, you may need the CD and documentation that came with tho\
se 
devices.
NOTICE: The Dell | Support website, support.dell.com, and the Drivers and 
Utilities CD provide approved drivers for Dell™ computers. If you install drive\
rs 
from other sources, your computer might not work correctly. 
To reinstall a driver or utility from your Drivers and Utilities CD: 1.  Save and close any open files, and exit any open programs. 
2.  Insert the Drivers and Utilities CD. 
In most cases, the CD starts running automatically. If it does not, star\
t 
Microsoft® Windows® Explorer, click your CD drive directory to dis\
play the CD 
contents, and then double-click the autocd.exe file. The first time that you run 
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							Reinstalling Drivers and Utilities: Dell Inspiron 4150 
the CD, it might prompt you to install setup files. Click OK, and follow the 
instructions on the screen to continue.
3.  From the Language drop-down menu in the toolbar, select your preferred  language for the driver or utility (if available). 
A welcome screen appears.
4.  Click Next. The CD automatically scans your hardware to detect drivers and  utilities used by your computer. 
After the CD completes the hardware scan, you can also detect other driv\
ers and 
utilities. Under Search Criteria, select the appropriate categories from the 
System Model, Operating System, and Topic drop-down menus.
A link or links appear(s) for the specific drivers and utilities used \
by your 
computer.
5.  Click the link of a specific driver or utility to display information ab\
out the driver  or utility that you want to install. 
6.  Click the Install button (if present) to begin installing the driver or utility. At  the welcome screen, follow the screen prompts to complete the installati\
on. 
If no Install button is present, automatic installation is not an option. For 
installation instructions, either see the appropriate instructions in th\
e following 
subsections, or click Extract, follow the extracting instructions, and read the 
readme file.
If instructed to navigate to the driver files, click the CD directory on\
 the driver 
information window to display the files associated with that driver.
Manually Reinstalling Drivers for Windows XP 
HINT: If you are reinstalling an infrared sensor driver, you must first enable\
 the 
infrared sensor in the system setup program (see 
Using the System Setup 
Program) before continuing with the driver installation. 
1.  After extracting the driver files to your hard drive as described in the\
 previous 
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