DELL inspiron 4100 User Manual

							Using the System Setup Program: Dell Inspiron 4150 
HINT: To see information about a specific item on a system setup screen, 
highlight the item and refer to the Help area on the screen. 
The system setup screens display the current setup information and setti\
ngs for your 
computer. On each screen, the system setup options are listed at the lef\
t. To the right 
of each option is a field that displays the setting or value for that op\
tion. You can 
change settings that appear as white type on the screen. Options or valu\
es that you 
cannot change (because they are determined by the computer) appear les\
s bright. 
A box in the upper-right corner of the screen displays help information \
for the 
currently highlighted option; a box in the lower-right corner displays i\
nformation 
about the computer. System setup key functions are listed across the bot\
tom of the 
screen.
The screens display such information as:
l     System configuration
l     Boot Order
l     Boot (start-up) configuration and docking-device configuration setting\
s
l     Basic device configuration settings
l     Battery charge status
l     Power management settings
l     System security and hard-drive password settings
Commonly Used Options
HINT: Certain options require that you reboot the computer for new settings to\
 
take effect. 
Changing the Boot Sequence 
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							Using the System Setup Program: Dell Inspiron 4150 
The boot sequence, or boot order, tells the computer where to look to find the 
software needed to start the operating system. You can control the boot \
sequence 
using the Boot Order page of the system setup program. 
The Boot Order page displays a general list of the bootable devices that may be 
installed in your computer, including but not limited to the following:
l     Diskette Drive
l     Modular bay HDD
l     Internal HDD
l     CD/DVD/CD-RW drive
During the boot routine, the computer starts at the top of the list and \
scans each 
enabled device for the operating system start-up files. When the compute\
r finds the 
files, it stops searching and starts the operating system. 
To control the boot sequence, you can select (highlight) devices (by \
pressing the 
 and  keys) and then enable or disable the device or change their order in 
the list.
l     To enable or disable a device, highlight the item and press  . 
Enabled items appear as white and display a small triangle to the left; \
disabled 
items appear blue or dimmed without a triangle.
l     To reorder a device in the list, highlight the device and then press  or  
(not case-sensitive) to move the highlighted device up or down.
Boot sequence changes take effect as soon as you save the changes and ex\
it the 
system setup program.
Performing a One-Time Boot
You can set a one-time-only boot sequence without going into the system \
setup 
program. (You can also use this procedure to boot to the Dell Diagnosti\
cs on the 
Diagnostics utility partition on your hard drive.)
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							Using the System Setup Program: Dell Inspiron 4150 
1.  Turn off the computer. 
2.  If the computer is connected to a docking device (docked), undock it. \
See the documentation that came with the docking device for instructions. 
3.  Connect the computer to an electrical outlet. 
4.  Turn on the computer. When the Dell logo appears, press 
 immediately. 
If you wait too long and the Windows® logo appears, continue to wait \
until you 
see the Windows desktop. Then shut down your computer and try again.
5.  When the boot device list appears, highlight the device from which you w\
ant to  boot and press 
 . 
The computer boots to the selected device.
The next time you reboot the computer, the normal boot order is restored\
.
HINT: You can only boot (start up) your computer from a CD, CD-RW, or DVD 
drive installed as a fixed optical drive. You cannot boot from one of th\
ese 
modules installed in the module bay. 
Changing Printer Modes 
Set the Parallel Mode option according to the type of printer or device connected to 
the parallel connector. To determine the correct mode to use, see the do\
cumentation 
that came with the device.
Setting Parallel Mode to Disabled disables the parallel port and the ports LPT 
address, freeing its interrupt for another device to use.
Changing COM Ports 
Serial Port allows you to map the serial port COM address or disable the serial por\
t 
and its address, freeing that interrupt for another device to use.
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							Using the System Setup Program: Dell Inspiron 4150 
Back to Contents Page
 
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							Power Management: Dell Inspiron 4150 
Back to Contents Page 
Power Management 
Dell™ Inspiron™ 4150 
  Power Management Tips
  Power Management Modes
  Power Options Properties
Power Management Tips
HINT: See Using a Battery in the Tell Me How help file for more information 
on conserving battery power (see 
Accessing Help). 
l     Connect the computer to an electrical outlet when possible because the b\
attery 
life expectancy is largely determined by the number of times the battery\
 is 
charged.
l     Place the computer in standby mode or hibernate mode when you leave the 
computer unattended for long periods of time.
l     To exit a power management mode, press the power button.
Power Management Modes
Standby Mode 
Standby mode conserves power by turning off the display and the hard dri\
ve after a 
predetermined period of inactivity (a time-out). When the computer exi\
ts standby 
mode, it returns to the same operating state it was in before entering s\
tandby mode.
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							Power Management: Dell Inspiron 4150 
NOTICE: If your computer loses AC and battery power while in standby mode, 
it may lose data. 
To enter standby mode:
l     Click the Start button, click Turn off computer, and then click Stand by.
or
l     Depending on how you set the power management options on the Advanced 
tab in the Power Options Properties window, use one of the following 
methods:
m     Press the power button.
m     Close the display.
m     Press   .
To exit standby mode, press the power button or open the display dependi\
ng on how 
you set the options on the 
Advanced tab. You cannot make the computer exit 
standby mode by pressing a key or touching the touch pad or track stick.\
Hibernate Mode 
Hibernate mode conserves power by copying system data to a reserved area\
 on the 
hard drive and then completely turning off the computer. When the comput\
er exits 
hibernate mode, it returns to the same operating state it was in before \
entering 
hibernate mode.
NOTICE: You cannot remove devices or undock your computer while your 
computer is in hibernate mode. 
Your computer enters hibernate mode if the battery charge level becomes \
critically 
low.
Depending on how you set the power management options on the 
Advanced tab in 
the Power Options Properties window, use one of the following methods to enter 
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							Power Management: Dell Inspiron 4150 
hibernate mode:
l     Press the power button.
l     Close the display.
l     Press   .
HINT: Some PC Cards may not operate correctly after the computer exits 
hibernate mode. Remove and reinsert the card, or simply restart (reboot\
) your 
computer. 
To exit hibernate mode, press the power button. The computer may take a \
short time 
to exit hibernate mode. You cannot make the computer exit hibernate mode\
 by 
pressing a key or touching the touch pad or track stick. For more inform\
ation on 
hibernate mode, see the documentation that came with your operating syst\
em.
Power Options Properties
To access the Microsoft® Windows® Power Options Properties window: 1.  Click the Start button and click Control Panel. 
2.  Under Pick a category, click Performance and Maintenance. 
3.  Under or pick a Control Panel icon, click Power Options. 
Power Schemes Tab 
The Power schemes drop-down menu displays the selected preset power scheme. 
Depending on your operating system, typical power schemes are:
l     Portable/Laptop
l     Home/Office
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							Power Management: Dell Inspiron 4150 
l     Always On
l     Presentation
l     Minimal Power Management
l     Max Battery
HINT: Use the Portable/Laptop power scheme to maximize battery power. 
Windows XP controls the performance level of the processor depending on \
the power 
scheme you select. You do not need to make any further adjustments to se\
t the 
performance level.
Each preset power scheme has different time-out settings for entering st\
andby mode, 
turning off the display, and turning off the hard drive. For more inform\
ation on power 
management options, see the Windows XP Help and Support Center (see 
Accessing 
Help).
Alarms Tab 
HINT: To enable audible alarms, click each Alarm Action button and select 
Sound alarm. 
The Low battery alarm and Critical battery alarm settings alert you with a 
message when the battery charge falls below a certain percentage. When y\
ou receive 
your computer, the Low battery alarm and Critical battery alarm check boxes are 
selected. Dell recommends that you continue to use these settings.
Power Meter Tab 
The Power Meter tab displays the current power source and amount of battery 
charge remaining.
Advanced Tab 
The Advanced tab allows you to:
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							Power Management: Dell Inspiron 4150 
l     Set power icon and standby mode password options.
l     Program the following functions (depending on your operating system):
m     Prompt a user for an action (Ask me what to do).
m     Enter standby mode.
m     Enter hibernate mode.
m     Shut down Windows and turn off the computer.
m     Choose no action (None or Do nothing).
To program these functions, click an option from the corresponding drop-\
down menu 
and then click OK.
Hibernate Tab 
The Hibernate tab lets you enable hibernate mode by clicking the Enable hibernate 
support check box.
Back to Contents Page
 
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							Using the Dell Diagnostics: Dell Inspiron 4150 
Back to Contents Page 
Using the Dell Diagnostics 
Dell™ Inspiron™ 4150 
  When to Use the Dell Diagnostics
  Features of the Dell Diagnostics
  Starting the Dell Diagnostics
  Advanced Testing
  Confirming the System Configuration Information
When to Use the Dell Diagnostics
Whenever a major component or device in your computer does not function \
properly, 
you may have a component failure. If you are experiencing a problem with\
 your 
computer, perform the checks in 
Solving Problems and run the Dell Diagnostics 
before you call Dell for technical assistance. Running the Dell Diagnostics ma\
y help 
you to resolve the problem yourself quickly without having to contact De\
ll for 
assistance.
If you are experienced with computers and know what component(s) you n\
eed to test, 
simply select the appropriate diagnostic test group(s) or subtest(s)\
. If you are unsure 
about how to begin diagnosing a problem, see 
Starting the Dell Diagnostics and 

Advanced Testing.
Features of the Dell Diagnostics
The Dell Diagnostics helps you check your computers hardware without an\
y additional 
equipment and without destroying any data. By using the diagnostics, you\
 can have 
confidence in your computers operation. And if you find a problem you c\
annot solve 
by yourself, the diagnostic tests can provide you with important informa\
tion you will 
need when talking to Dells service and support personnel.
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