Dell Xps Gen 2 Manual

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Power Problems
 CAUTION: Before you begin any of the procedures in this section, follow the safety instructions in the 
Product Information Guide.
 
NOTE: See the Dell Inspiron Help file for information on standby mode. To access the help file, see 
page 9.
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 icon in the Windows taskbar. Ensure that the card is listed.
IF YOU HAVE PROBLEMS WITH A DELL-PROVIDED PC CARD—Contact Dell. See Contacting Dell 
on page 113. 
IF YOU HAVE PROBLEMS WITH A PC CARD NOT PROVIDED BY DELL—Contact the PC Card 
manufacturer.
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.
1Reinstall the battery.
2Use the AC adapter to connect the computer to an electrical outlet.
3Turn on the computer.
NOTE: Battery operating time (the time a 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.
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 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 113. 
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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.
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.
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 Dell Inspiron Help file or search for the keyword standby 
in the Help and Support Center. To access help, see page 9.
RESEAT THE MEMORY MODULES—If the computer power light turns on but the display remains 
blank, reinstall the memory modules. See page 87. 
CHECK THE PRINTER DOCUMENTATION—See the printer documentation for setup and 
troubleshooting information.
ENSURE 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.
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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.
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 Po r t s tab. 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
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.
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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
No sound from external speakers
 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.
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 on page 78.
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.
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No sound from headphones
Touch Pad or Mouse Problems
Video and Display Problems
 CAUTION: Before you begin any of the procedures in this section, follow the safety instructions in the 
Product Information Guide.
REINSTALL THE AUDIO DRIVER—See Reinstalling Drivers on page 78.
RUN THE DELL DIAGNOSTICS—See When to Use the Dell Diagnostics on page 59. 
CHECK THE HEADPHONE CABLE CONNECTION—Ensure that the headphone cable is securely inserted 
into the headphone connector. For more information, 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.
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 on page 78.
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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.
If the display is difficult to read
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 help, see page 9.
SWITCH THE VIDEO IMAGE—If your computer is attached to an external monitor, press  
to switch the video image to the display.
CHECK THE SYSTEM FOR POWER—Ensure that the system has battery power or is plugged into an 
electrical outlet. 
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 60cm (2 ft) away from the 
computer or external monitor.
ELIMINATE POSSIBLE INTERFERENCE—Turn off nearby fans, fluorescent lights, halogen lamps, or 
other appliances.
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If only part of the display is readable
Drivers
What Is a Driver?
A driver is a program that controls a device such as a printer, mouse, or keyboard. All devices 
require a driver program. A driver acts like a translator between the device and any other 
programs that use the device. Each device has its own set of specialized commands that only its 
driver recognizes. Dell ships your computer to you with required drivers already installed—no 
further installation or configuration is needed.
Many drivers, such as the keyboard driver, come with your Microsoft
® Windows® operating 
system. You may need to install drivers if you:
 Upgrade your operating system.
 Reinstall your operating system.
 Connect or install a new device.
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 page 65.
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 113. 
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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 Start button and click Control Panel.
2Under Pick a Category, click Performance and Maintenance.
3Click System.
4In the System Properties window, click the Hardware tab.
5Click Device Manager.
6Scroll down the list to see if any device has an exclamation point (a yellow circle with a [!]) on 
the device icon.
If an exclamation point is next to the device name, you may need to reinstall the driver or 
install a new driver. See the following subsection, Reinstalling Drivers. 
Reinstalling Drivers
 NOTICE: The Dell Support website at support.dell.com provides approved drivers for Dell™ computers. 
If you install drivers obtained from other sources, your computer might not work correctly.
You can reinstall drivers in the following ways:
 Use Windows XP Device Driver Rollback.
 Reinstall drivers manually.
Using Windows XP Device Driver Rollback
If a problem occurs on your computer after you install or update a driver, use Windows XP 
Device Driver Rollback to replace the driver with the previously installed version.
1
Click the Start button and click Control Panel.
2Under Pick a Category, click Performance and Maintenance.
3Click System.
4In the System Properties window, click the Hardware tab.
5Click Device Manager.
6Right-click the device for which the new driver was installed and click Properties.
7Click the Drivers tab.
8Click Roll Back Driver.
If Device Driver Rollback does not resolve the problem, then use System Restore to return your 
computer to the operating state that existed before you installed the new driver. See Using 
Microsoft
 Windows XP System Restore on page 79.
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Manually Reinstalling Drivers 
1After copying the required driver files to your hard drive, click the Start button and right-click 
My Computer.
2Click Properties.
3Click the Hardware tab and click Device Manager.
4Double-click the type of device for which you are installing the driver (for example, Modems 
or 
Infrared devices).
5Double-click the name of the device for which you are installing the driver.
6Click the Driver tab and click Update Driver.
7Click Install from a list or specific location (Advanced) and click Next.
8Click Browse and browse to the location to which you previously copied the driver files.
9When the name of the appropriate driver appears, click Next.
10Click Finish and restart your computer.
Restoring Your Operating System
You can restore your operating system by using Microsoft Windows XP System Restore to return 
your computer to an earlier operating state without affecting data files.
Using Microsoft Windows XP System Restore
The Microsoft Windows XP operating system provides System Restore to allow you to return 
your computer to an earlier operating state if changes to the hardware, software, or other system 
settings have left the computer in an undesirable operating state. See the Windows Help and 
Support Center for information on using System Restore. To access help, see page 12.
 NOTICE: Make regular backups of your data files. System Restore does not monitor your data files or 
recover them.
 
NOTE: The procedures in this document were written for the Windows default view, so they may not 
work if you set your Dell™ computer to the Windows Classic view.
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Creating a Restore Point
1Click the Start button and click Help and Support.
2Click System Restore.
3Follow the instructions on the screen.
Restoring the Computer to an Earlier Operating State
If problems occur after you install a device driver, use Device Driver Rollback (see page 78) to 
resolve the problem. If that is unsuccessful, then use System Restore.
 NOTICE: Before you restore the computer to an earlier operating state, save and close any open files 
and exit any open programs. Do not alter, open, or delete any files or programs until the system 
restoration is complete.
1Click the Start button, point to All Programs→ Accessories→ System Tools, and then click 
System Restore.
2Ensure that Restore my computer to an earlier time is selected and click Next.
3Click a calendar date to which you want to restore your computer.
The 
Select a Restore Point screen provides a calendar that allows you to see and select restore 
points. All calendar dates with available restore points appear in boldface type. 
4Select a restore point and click Next. 
If a calendar date has only one restore point, then that restore point is automatically selected. 
If two or more restore points are available, click the restore point that you prefer.
5Click Next.
The 
Restoration Complete screen appears after System Restore finishes collecting data and 
then the computer restarts.
6After the computer restarts, click OK. 
To change the restore point, you can either repeat the steps using a different restore point, or 
you can undo the restoration.
Undoing the Last System Restore
 NOTICE: Before you undo the last system restore, save and close all open files and exit any open 
programs. Do not alter, open, or delete any files or programs until the system restoration is complete.
1Click the Start button, point to All Programs→ Accessories→ System Tools, and then click 
System Restore.
2Click Undo my last restoration and click Next.
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