Dell Inspiron N5010 Dell™ Technology Guide
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- Dell Inspiron N5010 | Dell™ Technology Guide - Page 1
Dell™ Technology Guide www.dell.com | support.dell.com - Dell Inspiron N5010 | Dell™ Technology Guide - Page 2
loss of data and tells you how to avoid the problem. CAUTION: A CAUTION indicates a potential for property XP Start button. Information in this document is subject to change without notice. Some of the information contained in this document may not apply to all Dell systems. © 2007-2008 Dell - Dell Inspiron N5010 | Dell™ Technology Guide - Page 3
Installed on Your Computer 28 Wireless Networking 28 Dell Support Website 29 Technical Support 29 Customer Service 30 Warranty Information 30 Dell Forums 31 Contact Us 31 BIOS (System Setup Program) Settings 31 2 Microsoft Windows Desktop 33 Overview 33 Taskbar 34 Contents 3 - Dell Inspiron N5010 | Dell™ Technology Guide - Page 4
Menus 38 Changing the Desktop Appearance 39 Windows Vista 39 Windows® XP 40 Setting up a Screen Saver 41 Windows Vista 41 Windows XP 41 Start Button (Menu 42 Overview 42 Customizing the Start Menu 43 Control Panel 44 Accessing and Using the Control Panel 45 Customizing Your Computer - Dell Inspiron N5010 | Dell™ Technology Guide - Page 5
XP 49 Troubleshooting 50 Choosing the Best Display Settings 50 Setting the Display Resolution for External LCD Monitors 50 Setting the Display for Multiple Monitors 51 Windows Vista 52 Windows XP 52 Using the Ambient Light Sensor in Bright or Low-Light Environments 53 Cables and Connections - Dell Inspiron N5010 | Dell™ Technology Guide - Page 6
Information 71 Changing Printer Settings 72 For Windows Vista 72 For Windows® XP 72 Setting up Printers 73 Adding a Printer 73 Setting the Default Printer 74 Sharing Printers on a Network 74 Installing a Printer Driver 75 6 Drives and Media 77 Freeing up Hard Drive Space 77 6 Contents - Dell Inspiron N5010 | Dell™ Technology Guide - Page 7
is the Source of a Device Problem 79 Replacing a Driver With a Previous Version of the Driver 79 Using the Drivers and Utilities Media to Reinstall a Driver 80 Manually Reinstalling a Driver 80 Drive Problems 81 Optical Drive Problems 82 Hard Drive Problems 82 Working with RAID 83 RAID - Dell Inspiron N5010 | Dell™ Technology Guide - Page 8
106 Starting Your Computer in Safe Mode 107 Restarting Your Computer After a Power Loss . . . . 108 8 Files and Folders 109 Navigating to Files 111 Selecting Several Random Files 111 Opening and Saving a File 112 Opening a Graphic Image (Picture or Art) . . . . 112 Finding Files 112 Searching - Dell Inspiron N5010 | Dell™ Technology Guide - Page 9
Running Windows Vista 116 Transferring Files Between Computers Running Windows XP 117 Backing up Files 117 Windows Vista 117 Windows XP 118 Running Backup When the Settings Have Been Preconfigured 118 Running Backup With Hidden Drives 119 Restoring Files 119 Windows Vista 119 Windows - Dell Inspiron N5010 | Dell™ Technology Guide - Page 10
127 Windows Vista 127 Windows® XP 128 Performance Tuning 129 System Setup Based Performance Tuning . . . . 129 Software Based Performance Tuning 129 NVIDIA Performance 129 NVIDIA Monitor 130 Cleaning Up Your Hard Drive 131 Defragmenting Your Hard Drive 132 Detecting and Repairing Disk - Dell Inspiron N5010 | Dell™ Technology Guide - Page 11
Vista 135 Windows® XP 137 Power Protection Devices 140 Surge Protector 140 Power Line Conditioner 140 Uninterruptible Power Supply (UPS 141 Laptop Computer Batteries 141 Using Your Laptop Computer for the First Time 142 Preserving the Life of a Battery 142 Replacing a Battery 143 Checking - Dell Inspiron N5010 | Dell™ Technology Guide - Page 12
Network Card 154 Reinstalling Software and Drivers for Your Wireless Network Card 154 Connection 160 Checking Your Mobile Broadband Card . . . . . 160 Connecting to a Mobile Broadband Network . . 160 Activating Mobile Broadband Service 160 Managing the Network With the Dell Mobile Broadband Card - Dell Inspiron N5010 | Dell™ Technology Guide - Page 13
171 Web Browsers for Viewing Internet Sites . . . . . 172 Web Addresses 173 Setting up Your Internet Connection 173 Windows Vista 173 Windows® XP 174 Troubleshooting Problems Connecting to the Internet 175 Web Browser Settings 175 Setting the Browser Home Page 175 Setting the Way the Browser - Dell Inspiron N5010 | Dell™ Technology Guide - Page 14
by Blocking and Deleting Cookies 189 14 E-mail 191 Setting up a new E-mail Account 191 Windows Vista 192 Windows® XP 192 Managing and Organizing E-mail Messages . . . . . 192 Windows Vista 192 Windows XP 194 Securing Your E-mail 194 Reducing Spam 195 Viruses and Phishing 196 14 Contents - Dell Inspiron N5010 | Dell™ Technology Guide - Page 15
Creating a Contact Group (Mailing List 198 Windows Vista 198 Windows XP 199 Backing Up E-mail Messages 200 Windows Vista 200 Windows XP 200 15 Multimedia (CDs/DVDs, 5.1 Audio, MP3s, TVs, Digital Cameras, and Projectors 203 Overview 203 CDs, DVDs, and Blu-ray Disc™ Media 204 Playing a CD - Dell Inspiron N5010 | Dell™ Technology Guide - Page 16
Audio Driver 211 Setting up the Cyberlink (CL) Headphones 211 Using a Digital Camera With Your Computer . . . . . 212 Using Windows Media Player 212 16 Connecting Your Computer to a TV and Adjusting Display Settings 215 Accessing a TV With Your Computer Using a TV Tuner Card 215 Connecting - Dell Inspiron N5010 | Dell™ Technology Guide - Page 17
Functions With the Advanced Button 245 Accessing the Video Card Control Features . . . . 245 Getting Help for Video Display Resolution Problems 245 Adjusting Display Settings With the Vendor Video Card Control Panel 246 Windows Vista 246 Windows XP 246 Using the Wizards 247 Using a Video - Dell Inspiron N5010 | Dell™ Technology Guide - Page 18
Using a TV Wizard to Configure Display Settings 248 Getting Help for Video Card Control Panels . . . 249 Troubleshooting Display Settings 249 Where to Find Help 249 Resolving Common Problems 249 17 Security and Privacy 251 Protecting Your Computer-Using Administrator Rights, User Groups, and - Dell Inspiron N5010 | Dell™ Technology Guide - Page 19
Image Restore 267 Windows Vista: Dell Factory Image Restore . . . . 268 Using the Operating System Media 269 Before you Begin 269 Reinstalling Windows XP or Windows Vista . . . . 269 20 Troubleshooting 271 Troubleshooting Tools 272 Power Lights for Desktop Computers 273 Diagnostic Lights for - Dell Inspiron N5010 | Dell™ Technology Guide - Page 20
292 Memory Problems 294 Mouse Problems 295 Network Problems 296 Power Problems 296 Printer Problems 298 Scanner Problems 299 Sound and Speaker Problems 299 Touch Pad or Mouse Problems for Laptop Computers 301 Video and Monitor Problems 302 Power Lights 304 Dell Technical Update Service - Dell Inspiron N5010 | Dell™ Technology Guide - Page 21
Changing Boot Sequence to a USB Device . . . . 310 Changing the BIOS Settings 310 Viewing the BIOS Settings 311 Upgrading the BIOS (Flashing the BIOS 311 22 Ports 313 USB Port 313 IEEE 1394 Port 314 RS232 Serial Port 315 Parallel Port 316 eSATA Port 317 Modem 318 Ethernet Port - Dell Inspiron N5010 | Dell™ Technology Guide - Page 22
S/PDIF Port (Toslink 328 Audio Ports 329 23 Getting Help 331 Obtaining Assistance 331 Dell Support Service 332 Technical Support and Customer Service . . . . 332 DellConnect 332 Online Services 333 AutoTech Service 334 Automated Order-Status Service 334 Problems With Your Order 334 Product - Dell Inspiron N5010 | Dell™ Technology Guide - Page 23
Information Start Button From the Microsoft® Windows® operating system desktop, you can click the Start button to access button menu, you can access: • Microsoft Windows Help and Support • Control Panel • Information About Installed Hardware • Device Manager • Programs Installed on Your - Dell Inspiron N5010 | Dell™ Technology Guide - Page 24
Microsoft Windows Help and Support This information center provides instructions, hints, and general Help and Support. 2 Click the topic or task you want to perform. 3 If the specific task is not listed, use the search option. In the Start Search field (or Search in Windows XP), type a - Dell Inspiron N5010 | Dell™ Technology Guide - Page 25
® Basic Computer Information Click Start → Control Panel→ System and Maintenance→ System to view your computer information. Windows® XP User's Guides To view the user's guides available on your computer, click Start → Help and Support→ Dell User and System guides (from the Pick a Topic options - Dell Inspiron N5010 | Dell™ Technology Guide - Page 26
INFORMATION: See Windows Help and Support: click Start or → Help and Support. Information About Installed Hardware Device Manager Use the Device Manager to view a list of all devices installed on your computer and to learn more about how a specific device is configured. 26 Finding Information - Dell Inspiron N5010 | Dell™ Technology Guide - Page 27
in Windows Help and Support: click Start or → Help and Support. Hardware Devices Installed on Your Computer Click Start or → All Programs→ Accessories→ System Tools→ System Information. Double click Components to expand the Components category. Device Specifications 1 Click Start or → All - Dell Inspiron N5010 | Dell™ Technology Guide - Page 28
is available in the following sources: Device guides Windows Help and Support See Microsoft Windows Help and Support to access device guide for the specific wireless card installed in your computer. The device guide provides helpful information about connecting to a wireless network, as well as - Dell Inspiron N5010 | Dell™ Technology Guide - Page 29
for Dell products. • Dell Forums: Information on forums for discussion and support of Dell products. • Contact Us: Information on various options available for contacting Dell. Technical Support • Drivers and Downloads • Enterprise Resource Center • Find Express Service Code • Manuals Finding - Dell Inspiron N5010 | Dell™ Technology Guide - Page 30
List • Security Center • Support History & Status • System Configuration • Technical Subscriptions • Troubleshooting Search • Windows Vista Center • Windows XP Support Center • Wireless Center Customer Service • Dell Financial Services • FAQs • Invoices • Missing, Wrong & Damaged • Order Status - Dell Inspiron N5010 | Dell™ Technology Guide - Page 31
Forums Contact Us • Customer Service • Financing Support • Sales Support • Technical Support • International Notebook Support BIOS (System Setup Program) Settings The BIOS is a utility that serves as an interface between the computer hardware and the operating system. You may need to update - Dell Inspiron N5010 | Dell™ Technology Guide - Page 32
32 Finding Information - Dell Inspiron N5010 | Dell™ Technology Guide - Page 33
shortcut icons Start button taskbar notification area Overview The Microsoft® Windows® desktop is the display screen area that appears after the Windows operating system starts up. The components of the desktop include a background, icons, shortcuts, and a taskbar that is usually located at - Dell Inspiron N5010 | Dell™ Technology Guide - Page 34
desktop, see "Windows Basics" in Windows Help and Support: click Start or → Help and Support. desktop, or to frequently-used programs, files, or utilities on your computer. The basic sections of the taskbar are: Start button Provides access to the Start menu, which lists the programs and system - Dell Inspiron N5010 | Dell™ Technology Guide - Page 35
FOR MORE INFORMATION: To learn more about the Windows desktop, see "Windows Basics" in Windows Help and Support: click Start or → Help and Support. Displaying the Taskbar 1 Right-click on an open area of the taskbar. 2 Click Properties to open the Taskbar and Start Menu Properties window. 3 On - Dell Inspiron N5010 | Dell™ Technology Guide - Page 36
Icons for program files, documents, or folders do not include an arrow graphic. HINT: For better performance of your computer, create shortcuts to files and folders rather than placing them on the desktop. Deleting an Icon From the Desktop 1 Right-click the icon, and click Delete. 2 Click Yes. 36 - Dell Inspiron N5010 | Dell™ Technology Guide - Page 37
link to the file. FOR MORE INFORMATION: To learn more about the Windows desktop, see "Windows Basics" in Windows Help and Support: click Start or → Help and Support. Creating and Deleting Program Shortcuts on the Desktop You can create a shortcut to a program, file, or folder by using: Windows - Dell Inspiron N5010 | Dell™ Technology Guide - Page 38
Shortcut Menus Create Shortcut Delete Rename Properties Shortcut menus are available for many components of the Windows desktop, including files and folders. These menus provide quick access to the most common commands for an item. To access the shortcut menus, position the cursor - Dell Inspiron N5010 | Dell™ Technology Guide - Page 39
the items you want to adjust. Windows Vista® From the desktop: 1 Right-click an open area of the desktop. 2 Click Personalize, and the Personalize appearance and sounds window appears. 3 Review the available options and follow the instructions provided. From the Start menu: Microsoft Windows - Dell Inspiron N5010 | Dell™ Technology Guide - Page 40
Start → Control Panel→ Appearance and Personalization. 2 Click Personalization. The Personalize appearance and sounds window appears. 3 Review the available options and follow the instructions provided. Windows® XP From the desktop: 1 Right-click an open area of the desktop. 2 Click Properties - Dell Inspiron N5010 | Dell™ Technology Guide - Page 41
a personal graphic. Windows Vista 1 Right-click an open area of the desktop. 2 Click Personalize. The Personalize appearance and sounds window appears. log-in again to access your computer. Windows XP 1 Right-click an open area of the desktop. 2 Click Properties. The Display Properties window appears - Dell Inspiron N5010 | Dell™ Technology Guide - Page 42
may need to log-in to access your computer. Start Button (Menu) Overview The Start button opens the Start menu, which provides access to: • Control Panel • Programs • Files • Computer settings • Tools that monitor your computer's performance • Windows Help and - Dell Inspiron N5010 | Dell™ Technology Guide - Page 43
the Start menu by dragging an icon from a program, folder, or file onto the Start button. FOR MORE INFORMATION: To learn more about the Windows desktop, see "Windows Basics" in Windows Help and Support: click Start or → Help and - Dell Inspiron N5010 | Dell™ Technology Guide - Page 44
• Set network and Internet preferences • Customize the appearance of your desktop • Set up printers and other devices • Perform maintenance to enhance performance HINT: A list of the items you can customize appears in the Control Panel screen. Hold your cursor over each item to display the pop-up - Dell Inspiron N5010 | Dell™ Technology Guide - Page 45
on your hard drive or rearrange items on your hard drive to make programs run faster, and so on to enhance the performance of your computer. See "Maintenance Tasks (Enhance Performance and Ensure Security)" on page 125 for related information. Windows Vista 1 Click Start → Control Panel→ System and - Dell Inspiron N5010 | Dell™ Technology Guide - Page 46
HINT: Typically, to access the Device Manager: Windows Vista Click Start→ Control Panel→ System and Maintenance→ Administrative Tools→ Computer Management. Windows XP Click Start→ Control Panel→ Performance and Maintenance→ Administrative Tools→ Computer Management. OR Right-click My Computer and - Dell Inspiron N5010 | Dell™ Technology Guide - Page 47
computer. For additional safety best practices information, see the Regulatory Compliance Homepage at www.dell.com/regulatory_compliance. Cleaning Your Computer's Display Screen To clean the display for a desktop computer, wipe the screen with a soft cloth dampened with water. To clean the display - Dell Inspiron N5010 | Dell™ Technology Guide - Page 48
. NOTE: Use only the Dell recommended video drivers, which are designed to offer the best performance with your Dell-installed operating system. FOR MORE INFORMATION: To learn more about display resolution, see "Adjusting Display Settings With the Vendor Video Card Control Panel" on page 246. Also - Dell Inspiron N5010 | Dell™ Technology Guide - Page 49
specific resolution, both the video card and the display must support the resolution, and the necessary video drivers must be installed. Windows Vista® 1 Right-click an open area of the desktop. 2 Click Personalize. The Personalize appearance and sounds ® XP 1 Right-click an open area of the desktop. - Dell Inspiron N5010 | Dell™ Technology Guide - Page 50
resolution is ok, if not repeat step 4. 6 Click OK. Troubleshooting Blurry text: If you change the display resolution from the current settings to one not supported by your computer and display, the image may appear blurry or text may be hard to read. Unsupported resolution or color settings: If you - Dell Inspiron N5010 | Dell™ Technology Guide - Page 51
or right to select a screen resolution that matches the native resolution of the external LCD monitor. 6 Click OK. Windows® XP 1 Right-click an open area of the desktop. 2 Click Properties. The Display Properties window appears. 3 Select the Settings tab. 4 Select the external LCD monitor in the - Dell Inspiron N5010 | Dell™ Technology Guide - Page 52
card must support multiple monitors. See Windows Help and Support for information on the requirements for setting up multiple monitors. Windows Vista 1 Right-click an open area of the desktop. 2 Click Personalize, and the Personalize appearance and sounds XP 1 Right-click an open area of the desktop - Dell Inspiron N5010 | Dell™ Technology Guide - Page 53
the Display Properties window to configure multiple monitors, see "Control Panel" on page 44. For more detailed information about the Control Panel, see "Windows Basic" in Windows Help and Support: click Start or → Help and Support. Using the Ambient Light Sensor in Bright or LowLight Environments - Dell Inspiron N5010 | Dell™ Technology Guide - Page 54
-when enabled-automatically sets the display brightness to the minimum level. NOTE: The ambient light sensor is disabled when your computer is connected to an electrical outlet. Using the display brightness key combinations disables the ambient light sensor and the display brightness increases or - Dell Inspiron N5010 | Dell™ Technology Guide - Page 55
requirements, power and data. Your Dell monitor may support one or more of the following data connectors: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 Connector 1 VGA 2 DVI 3 Composite 4 Component 5 S-Video 6 HDMI 7 DisplayPort Signal Type Audio Support Connects to Analog No Monitor or Projector Digital No Monitor - Dell Inspiron N5010 | Dell™ Technology Guide - Page 56
for both external desktop monitors and internal display interfaces. By consolidating the internal and external signaling methods, DisplayPort enables the introduction of "direct drive" digital monitors, resulting in the most efficient means possible for delivering flat panel display technology to - Dell Inspiron N5010 | Dell™ Technology Guide - Page 57
can use a mouse, a keyboard, a touch pad, and a pointing stick (track stick) to navigate and make selections from the features available on your Microsoft® Windows® desktop. FOR MORE INFORMATION: To learn more about these devices, see the documentation for your computer. Also, see Windows Help and - Dell Inspiron N5010 | Dell™ Technology Guide - Page 58
→ Hardware and Sound→ Mouse. 2 On the Button tab in the Mouse Properties window, use the slide bar to select the speed that feels right for you. 3 Click OK. Windows® XP 1 Click Start → Control Panel→ Printers and Other Hardware→ Mouse. 2 On the Buttons tab of the Mouse Properties window, use - Dell Inspiron N5010 | Dell™ Technology Guide - Page 59
Wheel Windows Vista® 1 Click Start → Control Panel→ Hardware and Sound→ Mouse. 2 On the Wheel tab in the Mouse Properties window, set the options for how the scroll wheel on your mouse operates. 3 Click OK. Windows® XP 1 Click Start → Control Panel→ Printers and Other Hardware→ Mouse. 2 On - Dell Inspiron N5010 | Dell™ Technology Guide - Page 60
on the rollers. 7 Replace the ball and retainer ring guide or website for instructions. 3 Install the device, using the instructions in the following section that corresponds to the operating system installed in your computer. Windows Vista 1 Click Start → Control Panel. 2 Click Hardware and Sound - Dell Inspiron N5010 | Dell™ Technology Guide - Page 61
XP 1 Attach or turn on your Bluetooth-enabled adapter. 2 Make your mouse discoverable by pressing a button on the bottom of the mouse. See your mouse documentation for more information. 3 Click Start→ Control Panel mouse for any passkey instructions. 8 Follow the remaining instructions in the wizard. - Dell Inspiron N5010 | Dell™ Technology Guide - Page 62
pad button twice. Circular Scrolling NOTE: Your laptop computer may not support the circular scrolling feature. To configure the circular scrolling, double-click the Dell Touch pad icon in the notification area of your desktop. In the Scrolling tab, enable or disable scrolling or circular scrolling - Dell Inspiron N5010 | Dell™ Technology Guide - Page 63
Single Finger Zoom NOTE: Your laptop computer may not support single finger zoom feature. To change the zoom settings, double-click the Dell Touch Pad icon in the notification area of your desktop. In the Gestures tab, enable or disable the one-finger zoom (zoom in and out moving the finger upward - Dell Inspiron N5010 | Dell™ Technology Guide - Page 64
to install the appropriate drivers manually. FOR MORE INFORMATION: To learn more about using a USB pointing device, see the pointing device's manufacturer's guide for more information. Also, see Windows Help and Support: click Start or → Help and Support. Troubleshooting a USB Pointing Device You - Dell Inspiron N5010 | Dell™ Technology Guide - Page 65
System Restore see "Using Microsoft® Windows® System Restore" on page 265 HINT: If you still have problems with the pointing device, check the software driver for the device. You may have to reinstall the driver. See "Determining Whether a Device Driver on, for performing specific tasks • Navigation - Dell Inspiron N5010 | Dell™ Technology Guide - Page 66
Control Panel→ Hardware and Sound→ Keyboard. 2 Adjust the keyboard settings you want to change and click OK. Windows XP 1 Click Start → Control Panel→ toggle between the three lighting states (in the given order). The three lighting states are: 66 Navigation Devices (Mouse, Keyboard, Touch Pad - Dell Inspiron N5010 | Dell™ Technology Guide - Page 67
click Change keyboards. 4 Under Installed services, click Add. 5 Click the language you want to add, select the text services you want to add, and then layout button, and then select a keyboard layout. Windows XP 1 Click Start → Control Panel→ Date, Time, Language, and Regional Options→ Regional - Dell Inspiron N5010 | Dell™ Technology Guide - Page 68
Using the Numeric Keypad on a Laptop Computer numeric keypad Your laptop computer may have a numeric keypad integrated into the keyboard. The keypad corresponds to the keypad of an extended keyboard. • To type a number or symbol, press and hold and press the desired key. • To enable the - Dell Inspiron N5010 | Dell™ Technology Guide - Page 69
mode using the Advanced tab in the Power Options Properties window. Renames the selected item. Searches for a file or folder. Displays the Address bar list in Windows Explorer. Refreshes the active window. Cycles through screen elements in a window or on the desktop. Activates the menu bar in the - Dell Inspiron N5010 | Dell™ Technology Guide - Page 70
any arrow key Selects more than one item in a window or on the desktop, or select text within a document. Windows logo key and Minimizes all dialog box (if the computer is connected to a network). Windows logo key and Opens the System Properties dialog box. 70 Navigation Devices - Dell Inspiron N5010 | Dell™ Technology Guide - Page 71
your printer(s) through the Start button. From the Start menu, click Control Panel to access the hardware on your computer, including a list of printers connected to your computer. See your printer manufacturer's documentation for hardware-specific information. Printers-Settings and Drivers 71 - Dell Inspiron N5010 | Dell™ Technology Guide - Page 72
supported paper size, and so on. For Windows Vista® 1 Click Start Faxes. →Control Panel→ Hardware and Sound→ Printers and For Windows® XP Click Start → Control Panel you want to print pictures from a digital camera onto photo paper, use the Quality Type tab to select your photo paper type - Dell Inspiron N5010 | Dell™ Technology Guide - Page 73
Windows Vista® 1 Click Start → Control Panel→ Hardware and Sound→ Printers. For Windows XP Click Start → Control Panel→ Printers and Other Hardware→ Printers and Faxes. 2 Click Add a Printer. 3 Follow the instructions on the Add Printer Wizard screen. Printers-Settings and Drivers 73 - Dell Inspiron N5010 | Dell™ Technology Guide - Page 74
For instructions on installing a network service, see "Networks (LAN, Wireless, Mobile Broadband)" on page 149. Once your computer is connected to a network, you can add your printer to that connection. FOR MORE INFORMATION: To learn more about connecting to a network, see Windows Help and Support - Dell Inspiron N5010 | Dell™ Technology Guide - Page 75
CD along with the printer. You may need to install or reinstall printer drivers if you: • Upgrade your operating system • Reinstall your operating system • Connect or install a new printer To install a printer driver: 1 Insert your Drivers and Utilities media. If this is your first time to use your - Dell Inspiron N5010 | Dell™ Technology Guide - Page 76
5 When the Welcome Dell System Owner screen appears, click Next. A message appears, stating that the Drivers and Utilities program is detecting hardware in your computer. HINT: The drivers that are used by your computer are automatically displayed in the My Drivers-The Resource CD has identified - Dell Inspiron N5010 | Dell™ Technology Guide - Page 77
appears. The free space on drive C (the hard drive) is displayed. Shadow Storage Shadow Storage is space reserved on the hard drive for conducting a System Restore (see "Using Microsoft® Windows® System Restore" on page 265). To determine the amount of hard drive space used by Shadow Storage - Dell Inspiron N5010 | Dell™ Technology Guide - Page 78
to store persistent data. Solid-state is an electrical term that refers to electronic circuitry that is built entirely out of semiconductors whereas Hard Drives use a magnetic media. Unlike flash-based memory cards, an SSD emulates a hard disk drive, thus easily replacing it in most applications. An - Dell Inspiron N5010 | Dell™ Technology Guide - Page 79
Properties. 4 Click the Drivers tab→ Roll Back Driver. If Device Driver Rollback does not resolve the problem, use System Restore (see "Using Microsoft® Windows® System Restore" on page 265) to return your computer to the state that existed before you installed the new driver. Drives and Media 79 - Dell Inspiron N5010 | Dell™ Technology Guide - Page 80
follow the instructions on the screen. Manually Reinstalling a Driver 1 Download the driver for the device to your hard drive. 2 Click Start and right-click Computer. 3 Click Properties→ Device Manager. 4 Double-click the type of device for which you are installing the driver (for example, Audio or - Dell Inspiron N5010 | Dell™ Technology Guide - Page 81
restart your computer. HINT: The Dell Support website at support.dell.com and your Drivers and Utilities media provide approved drivers for Dell computers. If you install drivers obtained from other sources, your computer might not work correctly. Drive Problems CAUTION: Before you begin any of - Dell Inspiron N5010 | Dell™ Technology Guide - Page 82
makes a scraping or grinding sound • Ensure that the sound is not caused by a program. • Ensure that the disc is inserted properly. Hard Drive Problems A L L O W T H E C O M P U T E R T O C O O L B E F O R E T U R N I N G I T O N - A hot hard drive may prevent the operating system from starting. Try - Dell Inspiron N5010 | Dell™ Technology Guide - Page 83
. For Windows® XP: Click Start RAID requires multiple hard drives. The number of hard drives required varies support other RAID levels (5, 10, 50). For information about these levels, see support.dell.com. RAID Level 0 NOTICE: RAID level 0 provides no redundancy. Therefore, a failure of one drive - Dell Inspiron N5010 | Dell™ Technology Guide - Page 84
is searching for and reading the next block. RAID 0 uses the full storage capacities of both drives. For example, two 120GB hard drives combine to provide 240 GB of hard drive space on which to store data. NOTE: In a RAID 0 configuration, the size of the configuration is equal to the size of the - Dell Inspiron N5010 | Dell™ Technology Guide - Page 85
, read and write operations are directed to the remaining drive. A replacement drive can then be rebuilt using the data from the remaining drive. NOTE: In a RAID 1 configuration, the size of the configuration is equal to the size of the smallest drive in the configuration. Drives and Media 85 - Dell Inspiron N5010 | Dell™ Technology Guide - Page 86
and write operations are directed to the other surviving drives. A replacement drive can then be rebuilt using the data from the surviving drives. Also, because data is duplicated on the primary and additional drives, four 120-GB RAID level 1 drives collectively have a maximum of 240-GB on which to - Dell Inspiron N5010 | Dell™ Technology Guide - Page 87
mode. 1 Enter the system setup program (see "Entering the System Setup Program" on page 308). 2 Press the up- and down-arrow keys to highlight Drives, and then press . 3 Press the up- and down-arrow keys to highlight the applicable hard drive, and then press . Drives and Media 87 - Dell Inspiron N5010 | Dell™ Technology Guide - Page 88
system is installed. Depending on your computer, you will use either the NVIDIA (see "Using the NVIDIA Utilities" on page 88) or Intel (see "Using the Intel Drives to a RAID Array Before Installing the Operating System NOTICE: The following procedure deletes all data on your hard drive(s). Back up - Dell Inspiron N5010 | Dell™ Technology Guide - Page 89
array. NOTE: The number of drives supported in each RAID array varies, depending on what computer you have. 7 After assigning the hard drives to an array, press . The Clear disk data prompt appears. NOTICE: You lose all data on the selected drives in the next step. Back up any data you want to - Dell Inspiron N5010 | Dell™ Technology Guide - Page 90
all data on your hard drive(s). Back up any data you want to keep before continuing. 1 Enable RAID on your hard drives (see "Setting Your Computer to RAIDEnabled Mode" on page 87). 2 After restarting your computer, launch Nvidia MediaShield. 3 Click Create under System Tasks. The NVIDIA Create - Dell Inspiron N5010 | Dell™ Technology Guide - Page 91
of the processor, the type and size of the hard drive being used, and the operating system. NOTICE: Additional hard drives to be used in the array must be no smaller than any of the drives in the current configuration. 1 Ensure that all drives to be used in the RAID configuration are RAIDenabled - Dell Inspiron N5010 | Dell™ Technology Guide - Page 92
If one of the hard drives in a RAID 1 array fails, you can rebuild the array by restoring the data to a replacement drive. 1 Launch Nvidia MediaShield. 2 Click to select your RAID configuration (Mirroring) in the management utility window. 3 Select Rebuild Array in the System Tasks pane. The NVIDIA - Dell Inspiron N5010 | Dell™ Technology Guide - Page 93
1 Configuration" on page 97. Configuring a RAID 0 or RAID 1 Array Before Installing the Operating System NOTICE: You lose any data on your hard drives when you create a RAID configuration using the following procedure. Back up data that you want to keep before continuing. NOTICE: Use the following - Dell Inspiron N5010 | Dell™ Technology Guide - Page 94
. Click Next. NOTE: To add a third hard drive in your RAID level 0 volume, follow the above step after selecting the third hard drive. 6 In the Specify Volume Size window, click the Volume Size desired, and then click Next. 7 Click Finish to create the volume, or click Back to make changes. 94 - Dell Inspiron N5010 | Dell™ Technology Guide - Page 95
create the volume, or click Back to make changes. 10 Follow the Microsoft Windows procedures for creating a partition on the new RAID volume. Recovering From a Single Hard Drive Failure (RAID 1) NOTE: Perform the following steps only after you have replaced the failed hard drive (see the appropriate - Dell Inspiron N5010 | Dell™ Technology Guide - Page 96
size, choose 128 KB as your stripe size. 8 On the Select Source Hard Drive screen, double-click the hard drive from which you want to migrate, and click Next. This drive should be the hard drive containing the data or operating system files that you want to keep on the RAID volume. 9 On the Select - Dell Inspiron N5010 | Dell™ Technology Guide - Page 97
that you want to keep on the RAID volume). 7 On the Select Source Hard Drive screen, double-click the hard drive from which you want to migrate, and click Next. This drive should be the hard drive containing the data or operating system files that you want to keep on the RAID volume. 8 On the Select - Dell Inspiron N5010 | Dell™ Technology Guide - Page 98
98 Drives and Media - Dell Inspiron N5010 | Dell™ Technology Guide - Page 99
Down Your Computer Ensure that you shut down the Microsoft® Windows® operating system before you turn off the computer. Windows Vista® 1 Save and close arrow next to the lock 3 Click Shut Down. Windows® XP 1 Save and close all open files and close all programs. Shutting Down Your Computer 99 - Dell Inspiron N5010 | Dell™ Technology Guide - Page 100
not operating properly, restarting Windows often solves the problem. FOR MORE INFORMATION: To learn more about turning off your computer properly in Windows, see Windows Help and Support: click Start or → Help and Support. NOTE: Windows operating systems start automatically when you turn on the - Dell Inspiron N5010 | Dell™ Technology Guide - Page 101
it. Because standby does not save your desktop state to disk, a power failure while on standby can cause a loss of unsaved information. Hibernation is a state in which your computer shuts down to save power but first saves everything in memory on your hard disk. When you restart the computer, your - Dell Inspiron N5010 | Dell™ Technology Guide - Page 102
a program on your computer stops responding or appears frozen, Windows will try to find the problem and fix it automatically. In order to continue work, you may have to end (terminate Task Manager, see Windows Help and Support: click Start or → Help and Support. 102 Shutting Down Your Computer - Dell Inspiron N5010 | Dell™ Technology Guide - Page 103
. A process can be a program, such as Windows Explorer, or a service, such as MSTask. 1 Right-click the taskbar, and click Task Manager→ unsaved data. If you end a process associated with a system service, some part of the system may not function properly. FOR MORE INFORMATION: To learn more - Dell Inspiron N5010 | Dell™ Technology Guide - Page 104
appear next to the device name. Windows XP 1 Click Start Maintenance. → Control Panel→ Performance and 2 Click Administrative Tools→ Computer Management→ Device Manager. OR Click System→ System Properties→ Hardware→ Device Manager. 3 Look for the System devices. If your computer is ACPI-enabled - Dell Inspiron N5010 | Dell™ Technology Guide - Page 105
system confirms that the computer is ready to be undocked. 3 Remove the computer from the docking station. HINT: 1) If the computer does not have power end all programs. If this is not successful, you may need to manually end a program and/or process using Task Manager. Shutting Down a Stalled - Dell Inspiron N5010 | Dell™ Technology Guide - Page 106
shutting down your computer, see Windows Help and Support: click Start or → Help and Support. Windows XP When you attempt to shut down, Windows may display When an operating system experiences an unrecoverable error, the computer displays a blue screen containing error codes, and all computer - Dell Inspiron N5010 | Dell™ Technology Guide - Page 107
and Ensure Security)" on page 125 • Your system administrator • support.dell.com. Starting Your Computer in Safe Mode Safe mode is a troubleshooting option for Windows that starts your computer in a limited state. Only the basic files and drivers necessary to run Windows are started. You may - Dell Inspiron N5010 | Dell™ Technology Guide - Page 108
Loss FOR MORE INFORMATION: To learn more about Safe Mode, see Windows Help and Support: click Start or → Help and Support. If your computer suffers a power loss, it may restart and display a series of messages. • If you were working in an application, a message may ask you to choose a version - Dell Inspiron N5010 | Dell™ Technology Guide - Page 109
Folders Files are documents, photos, or graphics stored on your computer. A folder is a group of multiple files. FOR MORE INFORMATION: To learn more about how to open, copy, and delete files and folders, see Windows Help and Support: click Start or → Help and Support. Files and Folders 109 - Dell Inspiron N5010 | Dell™ Technology Guide - Page 110
computer. FOR MORE INFORMATION: To learn more about using the Windows Explorer utility, see Windows Help and Support: click Start or → Help and Support. In Windows Explorer, use the Forward and Back buttons above the Address Bar to navigate to files you previously viewed. 110 Files and Folders - Dell Inspiron N5010 | Dell™ Technology Guide - Page 111
Selecting and Opening Files To open a file, you first need to select the file. To select a file, click the filename one time. Selected files appear highlighted. To open the file, doubleclick the selected filename. Selecting a Group of Files SHIFT Click the first file you want included in the group. - Dell Inspiron N5010 | Dell™ Technology Guide - Page 112
a different name, Click File→ Save As. Type a name for the file in the File name box and click Save. Opening a Graphic Image (Picture or Art) When you double-click on a graphic (such as a photo) to open it, it appears in the Windows Picture and Fax Viewer window. To make changes to the - Dell Inspiron N5010 | Dell™ Technology Guide - Page 113
picture: 1 Click Start → All Programs →Windows Photo Gallery. Windows® XP 1 Click Start → Search. 2 Under Search Companion, select the type and click Search. Renaming Files You should not rename files that the operating system or other programs require to operate. 1 Right-click the file you - Dell Inspiron N5010 | Dell™ Technology Guide - Page 114
HINT: When you delete a file, Windows places the file in the Recycle Bin in case you need to restore the file. To permanently delete a file, empty the Recycle Bin. To empty the Recycle Bin, double-click the Recycle Bin icon and select Empty Recycle Bin from the File menu. Sharing Files Windows - Dell Inspiron N5010 | Dell™ Technology Guide - Page 115
a link to the new location to those sharing the file or folder. Windows XP 1 Click Start → My Documents. 2 Select the file or folder that you Properties window. This action takes you to the Windows Help and Support screen. Sharing Files With Password Protection. If your computer is part - Dell Inspiron N5010 | Dell™ Technology Guide - Page 116
about setting permissions, see "Administrator Rights" on page 251. Transferring Files and Settings to a New Computer Transferring Files From a Computer Running Windows XP to a Computer Running Windows Vista 1 Install Windows Easy Transfer from the Windows Vista DVD on the computer running Windows - Dell Inspiron N5010 | Dell™ Technology Guide - Page 117
XP: 1 Click Start → All Programs → Accessories → System Tools. 2 Select Files and Settings Transfer Wizard. 3 Follow the instructions on the wizard. Backing up Files You can back up your entire computer or just certain files and folders. Windows Vista 1 Click Start → Control Panel → System - Dell Inspiron N5010 | Dell™ Technology Guide - Page 118
Programs → Accessories → System Tools → 2 Click Advanced Mode in the Backup or Restore Wizard. 3 On the Backup tab→ Job→ New. 4 Specify the files and folders you want to back up by selecting the check box to the left of a file or folder in Click to select the check box for any drive, folder, or - Dell Inspiron N5010 | Dell™ Technology Guide - Page 119
Windows Vista 1 Click Start → Control Panel → System and Maintenance → Backup and Restore Center. 2 Click either Restore files or Restore computer. 3 Click Continue on User Account Control dialog box and follow the instructions on the Restore Files wizard. Windows XP 1 Click Start Backup. → All - Dell Inspiron N5010 | Dell™ Technology Guide - Page 120
120 Files and Folders - Dell Inspiron N5010 | Dell™ Technology Guide - Page 121
on Your Computer Installing Applications From a CD or DVD With Microsoft® Windows® 1 Insert the CD or DVD into your computer. 2 Follow the instructions on your screen. If you are prompted for an administrator password or confirmation, type the password or provide confirmation. If an application - Dell Inspiron N5010 | Dell™ Technology Guide - Page 122
Select an application from the list, and click Install. 3 Follow the instructions on your screen. Type the administrator password or provide confirmation, if prompted. Windows® XP 1 Click Start → Control Panel→ Add or Remove Programs. 2 Click Add a program. 122 Managing Applications (Programs - Dell Inspiron N5010 | Dell™ Technology Guide - Page 123
Add. 5 Follow the instructions on your screen. Removing Applications From Your Computer Windows Vista 1 Click Start → Control Panel→ Programs→ Programs and password or provide confirmation, if prompted. Windows XP 1 Click Start → Control Panel→ Add or Remove Programs. 2 Click Remove - Dell Inspiron N5010 | Dell™ Technology Guide - Page 124
using the Add or Remove Programs utility, you may accidentally delete drivers needed by other programs. Ending an Application When it Does not End Task button If an application stops responding, Windows tries to find the problem and fix it automatically. You can also end (or close) the application - Dell Inspiron N5010 | Dell™ Technology Guide - Page 125
computer may begin to run slower over time. Slower performance can be caused by: • Disorganized files • Unnecessary software • Unused network drives • Too many programs that run automatically at startup In addition, viruses can cause serious damage and dramatically slow your computer's performance - Dell Inspiron N5010 | Dell™ Technology Guide - Page 126
and Support: click Start or → Help and Support. Cleaning Your Computer Before You Start Read the safety instructions available in the Dell™ an optical drive, and follow the instructions that come with the compressed-air product. Never touch the lens in the drive. If you notice problems, such as - Dell Inspiron N5010 | Dell™ Technology Guide - Page 127
provide some protection from dust, fingerprints, and scratches. Cleaning products for CDs are also safe to use on DVDs. Managing Your Computer Performance The control panel provides the tools for you to manage and improve your computer's performance. Windows Vista® 1 Click Start → Control - Dell Inspiron N5010 | Dell™ Technology Guide - Page 128
Management, and other storage, and service system utilities. Event Viewer - advanced system tool to view security, application, and system events to check for errors or problem areas. Local Security Policy - advanced security tool to manage and update system security for passwords, local policies - Dell Inspiron N5010 | Dell™ Technology Guide - Page 129
your system performance to detect problems. FOR MORE INFORMATION: To learn more about managing space on your hard drive by removing unused applications, see "Removing Applications From Your Computer" on page 123. Performance Tuning System Setup Based Performance Tuning For some Dell systems, the - Dell Inspiron N5010 | Dell™ Technology Guide - Page 130
effect on the next reboot. View System Information This section of the NVIDIA Control Panel allows you to view version information for the system and installed drivers. This information can be saved to a file for further review as well as technical support scenarios. Profile Policies The Profile - Dell Inspiron N5010 | Dell™ Technology Guide - Page 131
installed ESAcompatible devices such as CPUs, video cards, memory, system board, and chassis components. Selecting a component Cleaning Up Your Hard Drive 1 Click Start → All Programs → Accessories → System Tools → Disk Cleanup. 2 Disk Cleanup calculates how much space on your drive will be free - Dell Inspiron N5010 | Dell™ Technology Guide - Page 132
, the defragmenting process should take only 5 to 10 minutes. 1 Click Start → All Programs → Accessories → System Tools → Disk Defragmenter. The Disk Defragmenter window opens. This window lists the hard drives on your computer along with the storage capacity and the amount of free space. 132 - Dell Inspiron N5010 | Dell™ Technology Guide - Page 133
2 Select the drive you want to defragment and click Analyze to determine if you need to defragment the disk. Click Defragment to go ahead and defragment the disk. - Dell Inspiron N5010 | Dell™ Technology Guide - Page 134
viruses, see "Viruses" on page 179. Windows Defender is an antispyware application that: • Checks your computer hard drive for locations infected by the spyware • Checks all files on your hard disk for spyware • Checks all currently running programs for spyware FOR MORE INFORMATION: To learn more - Dell Inspiron N5010 | Dell™ Technology Guide - Page 135
High performance provides the highest level of performance by adapting processor speed to your activity and maximizing performance. To select a power plan: 1 Click Start Options. → Control Panel → System and Maintenance → Power Power (Power Settings, Power Protection Devices, and Batteries) 135 - Dell Inspiron N5010 | Dell™ Technology Guide - Page 136
display for a notebook computer. Hibernate Hibernate conserves power by copying system data to a reserved area on the hard drive and then completely turning off the computer. When the computer exits hibernate mode, it returns to the same operating state it was in before entering hibernate mode. 136 - Dell Inspiron N5010 | Dell™ Technology Guide - Page 137
charge level becomes critically low. To manually enter hibernate mode: • Click power options, see Windows Help and Support: click Start or → Help and Support. Windows® XP Configuring Your Power Settings 1 Click Start → Control Panel → Performance and Maintenance → Power Options. 2 In the Power - Dell Inspiron N5010 | Dell™ Technology Guide - Page 138
click Start or → Help and Support. Power Management Modes Standby Mode Standby conserves power by turning off the display and the hard drive after a predetermined period of inactivity (a time-out). When the computer exits standby, it returns to the same operating state it was in before entering - Dell Inspiron N5010 | Dell™ Technology Guide - Page 139
Hibernate Mode Hibernate conserves power by copying system data to a reserved area on the hard drive and then completely turning off the computer. When the computer exits hibernate, it returns to the same operating state it was in before entering hibernate. NOTICE: You cannot remove devices or - Dell Inspiron N5010 | Dell™ Technology Guide - Page 140
power line conditioners, uninterruptible power supplies provide protection for your computer. surge protector power line conditioner uninterruptible power supply Surge Protector Plug your computer power line into a surge protector or power for modem connection instructions. NOTICE: Not - Dell Inspiron N5010 | Dell™ Technology Guide - Page 141
run the equipment off battery power. Uninterruptible Power Supply (UPS) NOTICE: Loss of power while data is being saved to the hard drive may result in data loss or file damage. NOTE: To ensure maximum battery operating time, connect only your computer to a UPS. Connect other devices, such as - Dell Inspiron N5010 | Dell™ Technology Guide - Page 142
the Power Meter icon on the taskbar. NOTE: To preserve battery power, connect your computer drives • Using wireless communications devices, PC Cards, Express Cards, media memory cards Dell™ ControlPoint Power Manager" on page 146. 142 Power (Power Settings, Power Protection Devices, and Batteries) - Dell Inspiron N5010 | Dell™ Technology Guide - Page 143
Replace the battery only with a compatible battery purchased from Dell. The battery is designed to work with your Dell need to replace the battery in your laptop computer, follow these basic steps: 1 If the computer is connected to a Power (Power Settings, Power Protection Devices, and Batteries) 143 - Dell Inspiron N5010 | Dell™ Technology Guide - Page 144
charge capacity remains. Each light represents incremental degradation. If five lights appear, less than 60 percent of the charge capacity remains, and you should consider replacing the battery. 144 Power (Power Settings, Power Protection Devices, and Batteries) - Dell Inspiron N5010 | Dell™ Technology Guide - Page 145
settings using Microsoft Windows Power Options to optimize your computer's power usage (see "Setting Power Options" on page 135). • Use the Sleep power state when you leave the computer unattended for long periods of time. Charging the Battery When you connect the computer to an electrical - Dell Inspiron N5010 | Dell™ Technology Guide - Page 146
being in a hot environment, the battery may not charge when you connect the computer to an electrical outlet. The battery is too hot to Dell™ ControlPoint Power Manager You can access the Dell ControlPoint Power Manager for your laptop computer from the Dell ControlPoint (DCP) application. The Dell - Dell Inspiron N5010 | Dell™ Technology Guide - Page 147
using the options available under All Day Battery mode or Extended Battery Life mode. FOR MORE INFORMATION: To learn more about using the Dell ControlPoint application, see the Help available from the main ControlPoint screen. Power (Power Settings, Power Protection Devices, and Batteries) 147 - Dell Inspiron N5010 | Dell™ Technology Guide - Page 148
148 Power (Power Settings, Power Protection Devices, and Batteries) - Dell Inspiron N5010 | Dell™ Technology Guide - Page 149
LAN WLAN Overview A computer network provides connectivity between your computer and the Internet, another computer, or a peripheral such as a printer. For example, with a network set up in a home or small office, you can: • Print to a shared printer. • Access drives and files on another computer - Dell Inspiron N5010 | Dell™ Technology Guide - Page 150
Wizard guides you through the process of setting up a computer network and connecting to other networks. The Intel® Active Management Technology (Intel AMT or iAMT®) provides enhanced tools for management of networked computers. This Intel AMT software is available on some Dell computers. See - Dell Inspiron N5010 | Dell™ Technology Guide - Page 151
interface card. • Your existing phone line or cable television line is used to provide the broadband service; a new line is not required. Setting up a new LAN The following steps are general guidelines for setting up a typical LAN. See the documentation provided with your router for specific details - Dell Inspiron N5010 | Dell™ Technology Guide - Page 152
service provider (ISP) to obtain specific information about the connection troubleshooting information. Install the required software according to the instructions provided by the router manufacturer. Connecting to the Network From your computer's Control Panel, click Network and Internet connections - Dell Inspiron N5010 | Dell™ Technology Guide - Page 153
network cable connected to each computer. In a WLAN, a radio communications device (an access point or wireless router) connects the networked WWAN, see Windows Help and Support: click Start or → Help and Support. Also, see any device guides for the wireless cards that may have come with your - Dell Inspiron N5010 | Dell™ Technology Guide - Page 154
Drivers for Your Wireless Network Card If the software is removed or corrupted, follow the instructions in the user documentation for your wireless network card. Verify the type of wireless network card installed in your computer and then search for that name on the Dell Support website at support - Dell Inspiron N5010 | Dell™ Technology Guide - Page 155
which usually contains installation and troubleshooting information. Install the required software according to the instructions provided by the router manufacturer. Connecting to a WLAN NOTE: The following networking instructions do not apply to internal cards with Bluetooth® wireless technology or - Dell Inspiron N5010 | Dell™ Technology Guide - Page 156
a secured network. Some computers may even display a pop-up indicating that a public WLAN is within range of your computer. HINT: Follow the instructions for connecting to a public wireless network one time, and whenever you come into range of the same wireless network, your computer will detect it - Dell Inspiron N5010 | Dell™ Technology Guide - Page 157
may include a wireless switch. You can use this switch to turn your wireless card on or off. NOTE: By default, the wireless switch is turned Off while shipping your computer. The wireless switch must be turned On to detect and connect to a wireless network. On some computers, you can also use the - Dell Inspiron N5010 | Dell™ Technology Guide - Page 158
Some of the Dell wireless printers use an ad hoc network to configure the wireless adapter for the printer. The Windows Vista operating system provides an easy- 30 feet of the other computers you are connecting to. 3 Click Next to begin. 4 Follow the instructions on the screen. HINT: The ad hoc - Dell Inspiron N5010 | Dell™ Technology Guide - Page 159
-speed digital cellular service provider for coverage details. NOTE: Even if you are able to make a call from your cellular phone in a specific Support: click Start or → Help and Support • Any device guides for the Mobile Broadband cards that may have come with your computer • Any device guides - Dell Inspiron N5010 | Dell™ Technology Guide - Page 160
Information, Use Tools, or System Information to view your computer information and diagnose problems. HINT: The Mobile Broadband card is typically listed under Modems on Windows Help and Support. Connecting to a Mobile Broadband Network NOTE: These instructions only apply to Mobile Broadband - Dell Inspiron N5010 | Dell™ Technology Guide - Page 161
learn more about using the Dell Mobile Broadband Card Utility, see: • The user's guide typically available through Windows Help and Support: click Start or → Help and Support • The user's guide available on the Dell Support website at support.dell.com • The user's guide available on the media - Dell Inspiron N5010 | Dell™ Technology Guide - Page 162
on all computers. WPAN (Wireless Personal Area Network) helps interconnect wireless devices centered around your personal workspace. WPAN technology supports communication over a short distance. Bluetooth, used as the basis for a new standard, IEEE 802.15. is an example of WPAN. Managing Your - Dell Inspiron N5010 | Dell™ Technology Guide - Page 163
the Windows firewall is enabled: 1 Click Start→ Control Panel→ Network and Internet Connections. 2 Select the Windows Firewall icon. 3 If the Firewall option is disabled, select this option to enable the firewall. Software companies regularly update their products to add security fixes. Install the - Dell Inspiron N5010 | Dell™ Technology Guide - Page 164
router uses an administrator password and wireless network name (Service Set Identifier [SSID]), which are set to default values more secure than a password-based system because the encryption key changes dynamically. All hardware on your network must support the same encryption standard. To set - Dell Inspiron N5010 | Dell™ Technology Guide - Page 165
to wireless adapters with MAC addresses that you specify. 1 Open the Command Prompt window and type ipconfig/all. 2 Under the wireless network connection, note the 12-character hexadecimal Physical Address value. This value is the MAC address for the computer's wireless adapter. 3 Repeat step 1 and - Dell Inspiron N5010 | Dell™ Technology Guide - Page 166
Subscribe to a Virtual Private Network (VPN) or secure hotspot wireless service provider. Do not access online financial websites from a public WLAN. Before using public wireless networks, update your operating system and security software with the latest security patches and virus information. If - Dell Inspiron N5010 | Dell™ Technology Guide - Page 167
Wi-Fi network connections. You can accomplish this task through: • Dell ControlPoint Connection Manager • System BIOS, available through the system setup program (see "System Setup" on page 307) Dell ControlPoint Connection Manager You can access the Dell ControlPoint Connection Manager from the - Dell Inspiron N5010 | Dell™ Technology Guide - Page 168
Manage Connections and follow the instructions. For help, click the Connection Manager help? (question mark). FOR MORE INFORMATION: To learn more about using the Dell ControlPoint application, see the help available from the main ControlPoint screen. Managing Networked Computers With Intel® Active - Dell Inspiron N5010 | Dell™ Technology Guide - Page 169
and virus protection up to date across the network See the Dell™ Systems Management Administrator's Guide for details on the use of the Intel® Active Management Technology. This guide is available on the Dell Support website at support.dell.com. Networks (LAN, Wireless, Mobile Broadband) 169 - Dell Inspiron N5010 | Dell™ Technology Guide - Page 170
170 Networks (LAN, Wireless, Mobile Broadband) - Dell Inspiron N5010 | Dell™ Technology Guide - Page 171
connects computer networks (for both individual and organizational users) around the world. The Internet supports an Need to Connect to the Internet NOTE: ISPs and ISP offerings vary by country. To connect to the Internet, you need a modem or network connection and an Internet Service Provider (ISP - Dell Inspiron N5010 | Dell™ Technology Guide - Page 172
satellite modem connection, contact your ISP or cellular telephone service for setup instructions. Web Browsers for Viewing Internet Sites To view the Internet, you need a web browser, which is a software application (a program) that displays web pages. Web pages include text, graphics, sound, and - Dell Inspiron N5010 | Dell™ Technology Guide - Page 173
for information on the Dell Support website at support.dell.com. Setting up Your Internet Connection To connect to the Internet, you need a modem or network connection and an Internet Service provider (ISP). To set up an Internet connection with a provided ISP desktop shortcut: 1 Save and close - Dell Inspiron N5010 | Dell™ Technology Guide - Page 174
, or satellite modem. • Choose Wireless if you will use a wireless connection through a WLAN card. • Choose Dial-up if you will use a dial-up modem or ISDN (Integrated Services Digital Network). NOTE: If you do not know which type of connection to select, click Help me choose or contact your ISP - Dell Inspiron N5010 | Dell™ Technology Guide - Page 175
Troubleshooting Problems Connecting to the Internet If you are having problems connecting to the Internet, see the information that came from your Internet service provider and the information that came with any connection hardware. If you cannot connect Panel→ Network and Internet Connections→ - Dell Inspiron N5010 | Dell™ Technology Guide - Page 176
languages, font, and accessibility. 1 Click Start→ Control Panel→ Network and Internet Connections→ Internet Options. 2 Locate buttons to control web page text to the largest font size possible, and are still having trouble reading the text on a web page, try the Zoom feature at the - Dell Inspiron N5010 | Dell™ Technology Guide - Page 177
you visit in order to speed up the process of downloading graphics each time you re-visit a web page. You can delete or decrease the amount of space the history logs use. 1 Click Start→ Control Panel→ Network and Internet Connections→ Internet Options. 2 Delete the files in the browsing history by - Dell Inspiron N5010 | Dell™ Technology Guide - Page 178
, if you lower the Internet security settings to see everything, you risk the security of your computer. 1 Click Start→ Control Panel→ Network and Internet Connections→ Internet Options. 2 Open the Security tab. 3 While the Internet icon is highlighted, use the vertical slide bar in the security - Dell Inspiron N5010 | Dell™ Technology Guide - Page 179
189. See "Shopping Securely Over the Internet" on page 183. Viruses Viruses are programs that attack your computer, damaging data and system programs and compromising secure information. These viruses can attach themselves to files that you download or receive in e-mail attachments. Accessing the - Dell Inspiron N5010 | Dell™ Technology Guide - Page 180
web page located at support.dell.com. Updating Your Antivirus Programs Keep your antivirus program up to date since new viruses are discovered every day. Regularly check for updates to your antivirus program. Some antivirus programs can update automatically when you are connected to the Internet - Dell Inspiron N5010 | Dell™ Technology Guide - Page 181
Exceptions tab allows certain program types to operate without Windows Firewall interfering or sending a message that a program was blocked. The Advanced tab allows more specific settings. • The Network Connection Settings tab provides the option for Windows Firewall to be applied to any or all the - Dell Inspiron N5010 | Dell™ Technology Guide - Page 182
specific targets. It can also be used to discover information about individuals who do not protect their computers. Malware is software that is designed to corrupt data or hard drives on computers. Some malware can record every key you press, which may allow the capture of your credit card connected - Dell Inspiron N5010 | Dell™ Technology Guide - Page 183
in Windows Help and Support: click Start or → Help and Support: • "Remove spyware Obtain anti-spam programs from the Dell web page. Phishing Scams Phishing personal information, such as your credit card number. Protect yourself from phishers by reviews by other customers if you are - Dell Inspiron N5010 | Dell™ Technology Guide - Page 184
allow pop-ups from specified websites. 5 In the Notifications and Filter level section, place a checkmark in the two boxes if you would like to hear a sound when a pop-up is blocked, and if you want to see the information bar when a pop-up is blocked. 6 In the Filter level drop-down - Dell Inspiron N5010 | Dell™ Technology Guide - Page 185
disable it. Content Advisory/Parental Controls Internet Explorer has the ability to block content from the Internet. 1 Click Start→ Control Panel→ Network and Internet Connections→ Internet Options. 2 Open the Content tab. 3 Click Enable in the Content Advisory portion of the tab. Certain types of - Dell Inspiron N5010 | Dell™ Technology Guide - Page 186
engine to search for information. There are many search engines to choose from. Each search engine may behave differently. Read the Help sections for the specific search engine to learn how to use it. 1 Access a common search engine and type the word or combination of words you are searching for in - Dell Inspiron N5010 | Dell™ Technology Guide - Page 187
for your TCP/IP, see the documentation that came from your Internet Service Provider. Also, see Windows Help and Support for a better understanding of working with Internet settings: click Start or → Help and Support. Printing a Web Page Many websites provide a printer-friendly version of the pages - Dell Inspiron N5010 | Dell™ Technology Guide - Page 188
history files on the computer. 1 Click Start→ Control Panel→ Network and Internet Connections→ Internet Options. 2 In the browser history section, the amount of space by clicking Settings. 3 Reduce the number of MB in memory and/or reduce the number of days to keep information in the browsing history - Dell Inspiron N5010 | Dell™ Technology Guide - Page 189
Maintaining Privacy by Blocking and Deleting Cookies Cookies are small markers (pieces of code) placed on your computer when you visit a website. Companies on the Internet use cookies to track visits to their website. Some cookies simply enhance your - Dell Inspiron N5010 | Dell™ Technology Guide - Page 190
190 Accessing the Internet - Dell Inspiron N5010 | Dell™ Technology Guide - Page 191
, you can exchange e-mail messages with family, friends, and co-workers over the Internet. The e-mail software from most service providers offers an Internet Connection Wizard to help you connect to the Internet and set up your email account. You need the following information from your Internet - Dell Inspiron N5010 | Dell™ Technology Guide - Page 192
→ Help and Support. Windows Vista® To add (or remove) a Windows Mail account: 1 Click Start → All Programs→ Windows Mail. 2 Click Tools→ Accounts. 3 Click Add or Remove, choose the type of account you want to add or remove, click Next, and then follow the online instructions. Windows® XP To add - Dell Inspiron N5010 | Dell™ Technology Guide - Page 193
e-mail rule or applying a rule to downloaded e-mail messages, see "Organize e-mail using rules and folders" in Windows Help and Support: click Start or → Help and Support. To delete an e-mail message: 1 Select the message you want to delete, and click Delete. 2 To select multiple messages, hold - Dell Inspiron N5010 | Dell™ Technology Guide - Page 194
Windows XP To add an e-mail folder: 1 Click Start → Programs→ Outlook Express. 2 On the e-mail messages you receive are secure: • Set an appropriate security level through your e-mail service (see "Increasing Security for Your Computer While Accessing the Internet" on page 178). • Reduce spam - Dell Inspiron N5010 | Dell™ Technology Guide - Page 195
service provider. Reducing Spam Set an appropriate security level in your e-mail software (Windows Mail for Windows Vista or Outlook Express for Windows XP and want to block as many as possible. However, you should periodically review the messages in your junk e-mail folder to ensure that there are - Dell Inspiron N5010 | Dell™ Technology Guide - Page 196
reducing spam in your e- mail messages, see "Block spam and other unwanted e-mail" in Windows Help and Support: click Start or → Help and Support. Windows XP 1 Click Start → Programs→ Outlook Express. 2 Click Tools→ Options→ Security tab. 3 Under Download Images, click Block images and - Dell Inspiron N5010 | Dell™ Technology Guide - Page 197
by your e-mail service provider. Viewing E-mail Messages 1 Open your e-mail service by clicking the icon on your desktop or by clicking Start e-mail messages in Windows Mail" in Windows Help and Support: click Start or → Help and Support. Sending E-mail After you compose an e-mail message, - Dell Inspiron N5010 | Dell™ Technology Guide - Page 198
FOR MORE INFORMATION: To learn more about sending e-mail in Windows Mail, see "Write an e-mail message" in Help and Support: click Start or → Help and Support. Windows XP 1 Click Start → Programs→ Outlook Express. 2 On the toolbar, click Create Mail. 3 In the To box, type the e-mail name of - Dell Inspiron N5010 | Dell™ Technology Guide - Page 199
. FOR MORE INFORMATION: To learn more about creating e-mail messages, see "Create contact groups (mailing lists)" in Help and Support: click Start or → Help and Support. Windows XP 1 Click Start → Programs→ Outlook Express. 2 In the Address Book, select the folder in which you want to create - Dell Inspiron N5010 | Dell™ Technology Guide - Page 200
files" in Help and Support: click Start or → Help and Support. Windows XP 1 Click Start → Programs→ Outlook Express. 2 Select an e-mail folder. 3 Click File→ Folder→ Compact. 4 To back up the folder, copy it to a backup folder, optical media, or network drive. Outlook Express e-mail folders - Dell Inspiron N5010 | Dell™ Technology Guide - Page 201
FOR MORE INFORMATION: To learn more about backing up e-mail messages, see "To compact and back up e-mail folders" in Outlook Express Help. E-mail 201 - Dell Inspiron N5010 | Dell™ Technology Guide - Page 202
202 E-mail - Dell Inspiron N5010 | Dell™ Technology Guide - Page 203
Multimedia (CDs/DVDs, 5.1 Audio, MP3s, TVs, Digital Cameras, and Projectors) Overview Most Dell computers come with a CD/DVD player/recorder, which can be used for data, music or videos. Depending on the computer, you can also connect other media devices, such as digital cameras, projectors, MP3 - Dell Inspiron N5010 | Dell™ Technology Guide - Page 204
buttons for: • Playing various media • Transferring and backing up data • Entertainment For instructions on using these buttons see the documentation that came the tray if there is no spindle. 3 Push the tray back into the drive. 4 For those computers equipped with multimedia buttons, press the Play - Dell Inspiron N5010 | Dell™ Technology Guide - Page 205
cd. For the location of the eject button, see the documentation shipped with your computer. 2 Slide the disc, label side up, in the drive slot. 3 For those computers equipped with multimedia buttons, press the Play button. Some computers launch an auto-play selection window. Select the function for - Dell Inspiron N5010 | Dell™ Technology Guide - Page 206
instructions online. The computer reads your source disk and copies the data to a temporary folder on your hard drive. c When prompted, insert a blank disk into the drive may not be able to create audio DVDs with your CD/DVD software. See the manufacturer's instructions on the website for the media - Dell Inspiron N5010 | Dell™ Technology Guide - Page 207
or a satellite TV channel. Setting up the 5.1 Audio Connections To set up the 5.1 audio connections: Click Start →Control Panel→Additional Options. Run IDT Audio Control Panel. In the Jacks tab, there are three connector icons. Follow the instructions to finish the setup. 1 Click the microphone icon - Dell Inspiron N5010 | Dell™ Technology Guide - Page 208
Support: click Start or → Help and Support. Connecting a Laptop Media Device (MP3 Player) to Your Computer Follow the instructions that came with your media device to connect , when you connect the laptop media device to your computer in the future, Media Player updates the device. 208 Multimedia - Dell Inspiron N5010 | Dell™ Technology Guide - Page 209
you to switch between automatic and manual sync operations. Setting up the Laptop Media Device the First Time When you connect a media device for the first CD or Device feature to copy audio and video files from Media Library to your laptop media device or storage card. You can also copy licensed - Dell Inspiron N5010 | Dell™ Technology Guide - Page 210
more about Dell Travel Remote, see the Dell Support website at support.dell.com. Also, see the instructions that came with the Dell Travel Remote S/PDIF Digital Audio Through the Media Software If your computer has a DVD drive and supports digital audio (S/PDIF), you can enable digital audio for DVD - Dell Inspiron N5010 | Dell™ Technology Guide - Page 211
the Back button once, and then click the Back button again to return to the main menu screen. Enabling S/PDIF Digital Audio in the Windows Audio Driver 1 only if your computer has a DVD drive. If your computer has a DVD drive, you can enable digital audio through headphones for DVD playback. 1 Click - Dell Inspiron N5010 | Dell™ Technology Guide - Page 212
→ Help and Support. Using Windows Media Player Windows Media Player is Microsoft's native software for playing, recording, and organizing your multimedia files. You can use Windows Media Player for a variety of activities, including: • Playing digital media files, including audio and video files - Dell Inspiron N5010 | Dell™ Technology Guide - Page 213
and DVDs as well as copying music from CDs • Listening to radio stations • Searching and organizing your digital media files • Copying and syncing files to laptop devices • Shopping for digital media online FOR MORE INFORMATION: To learn more about using the Windows Media Player, see Windows Help - Dell Inspiron N5010 | Dell™ Technology Guide - Page 214
214 Multimedia - Dell Inspiron N5010 | Dell™ Technology Guide - Page 215
your computer. A TV tuner card may replace your current video card or it may work with your current video card. For more information about watching and recording TV on your computer, see the documentation that came with your TV tuner card. Connecting Your Computer to a TV or Audio Device There are - Dell Inspiron N5010 | Dell™ Technology Guide - Page 216
) In addition, possible audio connections to support the video connections vary from standard analog RCA jacks to S/PDIF digital audio and multi-channel digital audio through optical cable. All of these video and audio connection options vary for each computer and TV. Examine the back and sides of - Dell Inspiron N5010 | Dell™ Technology Guide - Page 217
Your computer may be equipped with a variety of video-out or TV-out connectors. Connector Description/Function An S-video connector allows you to connect digital/audio capable devices using the TV/digital audio adapter cable. Connecting Your Computer to a TV and Adjusting Display Settings 217 - Dell Inspiron N5010 | Dell™ Technology Guide - Page 218
analog), and DVI-I (digital and analog). NOTE: DVI-A, DVI-D, and DVI-I connectors are noninterchangeable. Cables for each are unique. Make sure that you know which format your computer supports. DisplayPort allows you to connect a computer and a home-theater system. For more information see - Dell Inspiron N5010 | Dell™ Technology Guide - Page 219
audio, S/PDIF digital audio, or multichannel analog audio. A headphone/line-in connector allows you to connect headphones to your computer. You can also use this connector for standard audio connection to speakers. HINT: DON'T FORGET THE AUDIO: Connect an audio cable if you want to hear the sound - Dell Inspiron N5010 | Dell™ Technology Guide - Page 220
a variety of configurations. NOTE: Video and audio cables for connecting your computer to a TV or other audio device may not be included with your computer. Cables and TV/digital audio adapter are available for purchase from Dell. NOTE: If video or audio adapters and cables came with your computer - Dell Inspiron N5010 | Dell™ Technology Guide - Page 221
Multi-Port Composite Adapter S-video TV-out connector Single-Port Composite Adapter S-video TV-out connector Component Adapter S-video TV-out connector composite adapter composite adapter component adapter Connecting Your Computer to a TV and Adjusting Display Settings 221 - Dell Inspiron N5010 | Dell™ Technology Guide - Page 222
cable DVI cable HDMI video cable DVI/HDMI converter cable Physically Connecting Your Computer to a TV or Audio Device If you want to connect your computer to a TV or audio device, it is recommended that you connect video and audio cables to your computer in one of the following combinations. 222 - Dell Inspiron N5010 | Dell™ Technology Guide - Page 223
adapter and multi-channel connect analog audio adapter Composite Video Okay • Composite adapter with standard audio Quality may be lower than component video or S-video • Composite adapter with S/PDIF digital audio • Composite adapter with multichannel analog audio adapter Component Video - Dell Inspiron N5010 | Dell™ Technology Guide - Page 224
you finish connecting the video and audio cables between your computer and your TV, you must enable your computer to work with the TV. A variety of methods are available to set up the display arrangement: • Vendor video card control panel - Preferred From the operating system Control Panel, click - Dell Inspiron N5010 | Dell™ Technology Guide - Page 225
S/PDIF Digital Audio in the Windows Audio Driver" on page 211). Tips Action Remember Adjusting display settings Use the vendor control panel for the video card to set the display configuration. This method provides the best coordination for video card and TV display resolution. Connecting Your - Dell Inspiron N5010 | Dell™ Technology Guide - Page 226
recognizes the TV as an available external display. Before selecting S/PDIF digital audio, ensure that your computer supports S/PDIF. If you are connecting to a TV that has multiple video and audio connectors available, connect the audio cables to the same row of connectors as the video cables. For - Dell Inspiron N5010 | Dell™ Technology Guide - Page 227
that corresponds to the input that you have connected from your computer to the TV. For example, your TV menu may show a screen similar to the following example: TV Menu Example Input Select Back 1. VGA 2. HDMI 1 3. HDMI 2 4. TV 5. DIGITAL TV 6. AVI (Composite 1) 7. AV2 (Composite 2) 8. AV3 (S-Video - Dell Inspiron N5010 | Dell™ Technology Guide - Page 228
. 9 Use the vendor video card control panel to select the appropriate display settings. FOR MORE INFORMATION: To learn more about using a video card control panel, see "Using a Video Card Wizard to Configure Display Settings" on page 247. 228 Connecting Your Computer to a TV and Adjusting Display - Dell Inspiron N5010 | Dell™ Technology Guide - Page 229
NOTE: You can connect an S-video cable directly to the S-video TV-out connector on the computer (without the TV/digital audio adapter cable) if your TV or audio device supports S-video but not S/PDIF digital audio. 1 Plug one end of the S-video cable into the S-video output connector on the - Dell Inspiron N5010 | Dell™ Technology Guide - Page 230
composite video adapter S-video TV-out connector standard audio connector NOTE: Depending on the computer, the composite video adapter may be a single port or multi-port dongle. See the documentation shipped with your computer. 1 Connect the composite video adapter to the S-video TV-out connector - Dell Inspiron N5010 | Dell™ Technology Guide - Page 231
TV. 4 Plug the single-connector end of the audio cable into the headphone connector on the computer. 5 Plug the two RCA connectors on the other end of the audio cable into the audio input connectors on your TV or other audio device. Connecting Your Computer to a TV and Adjusting Display Settings - Dell Inspiron N5010 | Dell™ Technology Guide - Page 232
Video and S/PDIF Digital Audio composite video adapter S-video TV-out connector NOTE: Depending on the computer, the composite S-video adapter may be a single port or multi-port dongle. For more information, see the documentation shipped with your computer. 1 Connect the composite S-video - Dell Inspiron N5010 | Dell™ Technology Guide - Page 233
. 5 Plug the other end of the digital audio cable into the S/PDIF input connector on your TV or other audio device. Composite Video and Multi-Channel Analog Audio composite video adapter S-video TV-out connector multi-channel analog audio adapter Connecting Your Computer to a TV and Adjusting - Dell Inspiron N5010 | Dell™ Technology Guide - Page 234
Plug one end of the multi-channel analog audio adapter into the audio connector on the computer. 5 Plug the other end of the multi-channel analog audio adapter cable into the audio input connector on your TV or other audio device. 234 Connecting Your Computer to a TV and Adjusting Display Settings - Dell Inspiron N5010 | Dell™ Technology Guide - Page 235
component video adapter S-video TV-out connector standard audio connector 1 Connect the component S-video adapter to the S-video TV-out connector on your computer. 2 Plug all three ends of the component video cable into the component video-output connectors on the component video adapter. Make - Dell Inspiron N5010 | Dell™ Technology Guide - Page 236
the computer. 5 Plug the two RCA connectors on the other end of the audio cable into the audio input connectors on your TV or audio device. Component Video and S/PDIF Digital Audio component video adapter S-video TV-out connector 236 Connecting Your Computer to a TV and Adjusting Display Settings - Dell Inspiron N5010 | Dell™ Technology Guide - Page 237
input connectors. 4 Plug one end of the S/PDIF digital audio cable into the S/PDIF audio connector on the component video adapter. 5 Plug the other end of the digital audio cable into the S/PDIF input connector on your TV or other audio device. Connecting Your Computer to a TV and Adjusting Display - Dell Inspiron N5010 | Dell™ Technology Guide - Page 238
the TV. 3 Plug the single-connector end of the audio cable into the headphone connector on the computer. 4 Plug the two RCA connectors on the other end of the audio cable into the audio input connectors on your TV or audio device. 238 Connecting Your Computer to a TV and Adjusting Display Settings - Dell Inspiron N5010 | Dell™ Technology Guide - Page 239
settings. For more information on physical connections, see "Physically Connecting Your Computer to a TV or Audio Device" on page 222. Verify the monitor for: • Extended desktop • A clone of the desktop (an exact copy of the primary display) • Primary display Connecting Your Computer to a TV and - Dell Inspiron N5010 | Dell™ Technology Guide - Page 240
of this option may vary for different versions of the operating systems.) 3 Double-click Display. The Display Properties menu appears. Note that tabs on this menu include: • Themes • Screen Saver • Settings • Desktop • Appearance 240 Connecting Your Computer to a TV and Adjusting Display Settings - Dell Inspiron N5010 | Dell™ Technology Guide - Page 241
will not be able to select it. Recheck your computer-to-TV connections. 5 Under the Display: section, select the appropriate option for using either supported values. For more information, see your operating system documentation. 4 Click the monitor 2 icon, select the Extend my Windows desktop onto - Dell Inspiron N5010 | Dell™ Technology Guide - Page 242
desktop onto this monitor check box, and click Apply. If necessary, press to bring the screen image back with your video card or see "Adjusting Display Settings With the Vendor Video Card Control Panel" on page display settings for your computer when connecting your computer to a TV. FOR - Dell Inspiron N5010 | Dell™ Technology Guide - Page 243
Display Settings With the Vendor Video Card Control Panel" on page 246. NOTE: To display a program at a specific resolution, both the video card and the display device must support the program, and the necessary video drivers must be installed. Connecting Your Computer to a TV and Adjusting - Dell Inspiron N5010 | Dell™ Technology Guide - Page 244
Right-click an open area of the desktop. 2 Click Personalize. The Personalize appearance and sounds window appears. 3 Click Display Settings. 4 a Troubleshoot button, which takes you to Windows Help and Support. 3 Try different settings for Color quality and Screen resolution. 244 Connecting Your - Dell Inspiron N5010 | Dell™ Technology Guide - Page 245
HINT: The capacities of your display and video card determine how much you can change the screen resolution Support. For help with specific problems, click the Troubleshoot button from the Settings tab. This action takes you to the Video Display Troubleshooter in Windows Help and Support. Connecting - Dell Inspiron N5010 | Dell™ Technology Guide - Page 246
appearance and sounds window appears. 3 Click Display Settings→ Advanced Settings. 4 Click the tab for the video card installed in your computer. This tab will display the manufacturer's name for the video card. Windows XP 1 Access the Display Properties menu through the Control Panel. 2 Click the - Dell Inspiron N5010 | Dell™ Technology Guide - Page 247
1 Right-click an open area of the desktop. 2 Click Personalize. The Personalize appearance and sounds window appears. 3 Click Display Settings→ Advanced Settings. 4 Click the tab for the Nvidia video card. 5 Launch the Nvidia Control Panel. Connecting Your Computer to a TV and Adjusting Display - Dell Inspiron N5010 | Dell™ Technology Guide - Page 248
Multi-Display Setup Wizard takes you through selections for resolutions and desktop setup. See the detailed help information available through the Nvidia Control Panel. Using a TV Wizard to Configure Display Settings The video card control panel may also offer a TV wizard to help you configure the - Dell Inspiron N5010 | Dell™ Technology Guide - Page 249
or has other display problems, you can find help from a variety of sources: • Television user's guide • Television Menu Help • Documentation shipped with your computer • Microsoft Windows Help and Support for display properties • Video-card control panel troubleshooting Depending on the video - Dell Inspiron N5010 | Dell™ Technology Guide - Page 250
. TV Colors are not True Use the control panel for the video card vendor to adjust color settings. This method provides the best coordination for video card and TV display. Use this same control panel to adjust display resolution. 250 Connecting Your Computer to a TV and Adjusting Display Settings - Dell Inspiron N5010 | Dell™ Technology Guide - Page 251
that let you control access to your computer and the information stored on your computer. Administrator Rights An administrator can make system-wide changes to the computer, change security settings, install software, and access all files on the computer. A person with a computer administrator - Dell Inspiron N5010 | Dell™ Technology Guide - Page 252
about administrator rights, see Windows Help and Support: click Start or → Help and Support. Setting Access Permissions on Folders or Files operate the computer and save documents, but cannot install programs or change system settings. EXAMPLE: If more than one person in your office shares - Dell Inspiron N5010 | Dell™ Technology Guide - Page 253
. FOR MORE INFORMATION: To learn more about assigning users to groups, see Windows Help and Support: click Start or → Help and Support. NOTE: Some operating systems allow you to choose which hours your children can use the computer by setting the hours allowed for each day of the week and blocking - Dell Inspiron N5010 | Dell™ Technology Guide - Page 254
, see Windows Help and Support: click Start or → Help and Support. Smart Cards NOTE: The smart card feature may not be available on your computer. Smart cards are laptop credit-card shaped devices with internal integrated circuits. Using smart cards can improve system security by combining something - Dell Inspiron N5010 | Dell™ Technology Guide - Page 255
software may not be available on your computer. Using a digital image from the camera in your computer, the facial recognition Windows Vista® 1 Click Start → Control Panel→ Security→ Windows Firewall. For Windows® XP Click Start Firewall. → Control Panel→ Security Center→ Windows 2 Turn the - Dell Inspiron N5010 | Dell™ Technology Guide - Page 256
then click OK. FOR MORE INFORMATION: To learn more about encryption, see "Encryption: recommended links" in Windows Help and Support: click Start or → Help and Support. Using Antivirus Software By using an antivirus software program, you can protect your computer from computer viruses. Computer - Dell Inspiron N5010 | Dell™ Technology Guide - Page 257
If the network key is automatically provided by your system administrator, the connection is made automatically. • If the network key Support: click Start or → Help and Support. • To find a public wireless network location • Manually add a wireless network to the Preferred Networks list • Connect - Dell Inspiron N5010 | Dell™ Technology Guide - Page 258
FOR MORE INFORMATION: To learn more about viruses and how to protect against them, see the following topics in Windows Help and Support: click Start or → Help and Support. • How do I remove a computer virus? • How can I tell if my computer has a virus? Dealing With Cookies Cookies are used by - Dell Inspiron N5010 | Dell™ Technology Guide - Page 259
about spyware and malware, see "Spyware and Malware" on page 182. Also, see the following topics in Windows Help and Support: click Start or → Help and Support • Remove spyware from your computer • Using anti-malware software to help protect your computer • When to trust a website Security and - Dell Inspiron N5010 | Dell™ Technology Guide - Page 260
260 Security and Privacy - Dell Inspiron N5010 | Dell™ Technology Guide - Page 261
location to a computer running the Microsoft Windows XP Professional operating system, enabling you to work on your computer from anywhere, anytime. Enabling Remote Desktop on the Host Computer Before using Remote Desktop, you must enable the Remote Desktop feature on the host computer so that you - Dell Inspiron N5010 | Dell™ Technology Guide - Page 262
the appropriate computer. 2 If the ISP assigns a dynamic IP address, then another solution is to set up an account with one of the dynamic naming services that map a fully qualified domain name to the IP. 262 Microsoft®Windows® XP Pro Remote Desktop - Dell Inspiron N5010 | Dell™ Technology Guide - Page 263
users take advantage of a free service from No-IP.com. The No Desktop host computer using the fully qualified domain name. FOR MORE INFORMATION: To learn more about using the Remote Desktop feature, see "Windows XP Pro Remote Desktop configuration, use, and troubleshooting tips" in your Windows XP - Dell Inspiron N5010 | Dell™ Technology Guide - Page 264
264 Microsoft®Windows® XP Pro Remote Desktop - Dell Inspiron N5010 | Dell™ Technology Guide - Page 265
the operating state it was in when you purchased the computer. Both permanently delete all data on the hard drive and remove any programs installed after you received the computer. Use Dell PC Restore or Dell Factory Image Restore only if System Restore did not resolve your operating system problem - Dell Inspiron N5010 | Dell™ Technology Guide - Page 266
Dell™ computer to the Windows Classic view. Starting System Restore NOTICE: Before you restore the computer to an earlier operating state, System Restore did not resolve the issue, you may undo the last system restore. Windows® XP 1 Click Start System Restore. → All Programs→ Accessories→ System - Dell Inspiron N5010 | Dell™ Technology Guide - Page 267
data on the hard drive and removes any programs or drivers installed after you received your computer. If possible, back up the data before using these options. Use PC Restore or Dell Factory Image Restore only if System Restore did not resolve your operating system problem. NOTE: Dell PC Restore by - Dell Inspiron N5010 | Dell™ Technology Guide - Page 268
data files-are permanently deleted from the hard drive. Data files include documents, spreadsheets, e-mail messages, digital photos, music files, and so on. If possible, back up all data before using PC Restore or Factory Image Restore. Windows Vista: Dell Factory Image Restore 1 Turn on the - Dell Inspiron N5010 | Dell™ Technology Guide - Page 269
the problem, then use System Restore to return your operating system to the operating state it was in before you installed the new device driver (see "Using Microsoft® Windows® System Restore" on page 265). NOTICE: Before performing the installation, back up all data files on your primary hard drive - Dell Inspiron N5010 | Dell™ Technology Guide - Page 270
-up, the computer boots according to the devices specified in the system setup program. 5 When the boot device list appears, highlight CD/DVD/CD-RW Drive and press . 6 Press any key to Boot from CD-ROM. 7 Follow the instructions on the screen to complete the installation. 270 Restoring Your - Dell Inspiron N5010 | Dell™ Technology Guide - Page 271
basic tips when troubleshooting your computer. 1 If you added or removed a part before the problem started, review the installation procedures connected. 3 If an error message appears on the screen, write down the exact message. This message may help support personnel diagnose and fix the problem - Dell Inspiron N5010 | Dell™ Technology Guide - Page 272
computers System messages Windows Hardware Troubleshooter Dell Diagnostics Function The power button light illuminates and blinks or remains solid to indicate different power states, such as power, no power, or standby. This light can also indicate internal power problems. See your Service Manual - Dell Inspiron N5010 | Dell™ Technology Guide - Page 273
Dell Support Utility Use this support utility for self-support information, software updates, and health scans of your computing environment. Power Lights for Desktop Computers CAUTION: Before you begin any of the procedures in this section, follow the safety instructions shipped with your - Dell Inspiron N5010 | Dell™ Technology Guide - Page 274
lamp. - Ensure that the main power cable and front panel cable are securely connected to the system board (see the Service Manual for your computer). • If the power light is blinking amber, the computer is receiving electrical power, but an internal power problem may exist. - Ensure that the voltage - Dell Inspiron N5010 | Dell™ Technology Guide - Page 275
to learn more about the meaning of the various keyboard status lights displayed, see the Service Manual for your computer or search for the topic on the Dell Support website support.dell.com. System Messages for Desktop Computers NOTE: If the message you received is not listed in the table, see the - Dell Inspiron N5010 | Dell™ Technology Guide - Page 276
on the system board might be malfunctioning or the system board itself may have a failure (see "Contacting Dell" on page 337 for assistance). NOTICE - HARD DRIVE SELF MONITORING SYSTEM HAS REPORTED THAT A PARAMETER HAS EXCEEDED ITS NORMAL OPERATING RANGE. DELL RECOMMENDS THAT YOU BACK UP YOUR DATA - Dell Inspiron N5010 | Dell™ Technology Guide - Page 277
computers that support multiple hard drives. See "Drive Problems" on page 287. R T C M O D E F I X E D - T I M E A N D D A T E M A Y B E W R O N G - Enter the system setup program and correct the date or time (see "Entering the System Setup Program" on page 308). If the problem persists, replace the - Dell Inspiron N5010 | Dell™ Technology Guide - Page 278
RUN THE SETUP UTILITY. PRESS F5 TO RUN ONBOARD DIAGNOSTICS. - • Reseat the memory (for instructions, see your computer's Service Manual). • If memory was not removed or installed, memory module or system board failure may have occurred. Contact Dell for assistance (see "Contacting Dell" on page 337 - Dell Inspiron N5010 | Dell™ Technology Guide - Page 279
IS OPERATING OUTSIDE OF NORMAL SPECIFICATIONS. IT IS ADVISABLE TO IMMEDIATELY BACK UP YOUR DATA AND REPLACE YOUR HARD DRIVE BY CALLING YOUR SUPPORT DESK OR D E L L. - Contact Dell for assistance (see "Contacting Dell" on page 337). YOUR POWER ADAPTER DOES NOT SUPPLY ENOUGH POWER TO RUN THE ATTACHED - Dell Inspiron N5010 | Dell™ Technology Guide - Page 280
FROM THE SYSTEM FAN VENTS. IF THE PROBLEM R E C U R S , P L E A S E C A L L D E L L S U P P O R T W I T H E R R O R C O D E # M 1 0 0 4 . - Contact Dell for assistance (see "Contacting Dell" on page 337). ***PROCESSOR SSDT DATA NOT FOUND*** OPERATING SYSTEM POWER MANAGEMENT FOR MULTI CORE PROCESSORS - Dell Inspiron N5010 | Dell™ Technology Guide - Page 281
information, and ensure that the device that you want to test displays in the system setup program and is active. Start the Dell Diagnostics from your hard drive or from the Drivers and Utilities media. NOTE: The Drivers and Utilities media is optional and may not ship with your computer. Starting - Dell Inspiron N5010 | Dell™ Technology Guide - Page 282
: If you see a message stating that no diagnostics utility partition has been found, run the Dell Diagnostics from the Drivers and Utilities media. The computer runs the Pre-boot System Assessment (PSA), a series of initial tests of your system board, keyboard, display, memory, hard drive, and so on - Dell Inspiron N5010 | Dell™ Technology Guide - Page 283
: If you see a message stating that no diagnostics utility partition has been found, run the Dell Diagnostics from the Drivers and Utilities media. 4 Press any key to start the Dell Diagnostics from the diagnostics utility partition on your hard drive. 5 When the Dell Diagnostics Main Menu appears - Dell Inspiron N5010 | Dell™ Technology Guide - Page 284
with an error code and a description of the problem. Write down the error code and problem description and see "Contacting Dell" on page 337. NOTE: The Service Tag for your computer is located at the top of each test screen. If you contact Dell, technical support will ask for your Service Tag. 4 If - Dell Inspiron N5010 | Dell™ Technology Guide - Page 285
available from the Dell Support Center icon on the taskbar or from the Start button. The software automatically identifies your Service Tag Number, PC Model Number, Express Service Code, your Warranty Information and provides you with support options for your computer such as drivers and downloads - Dell Inspiron N5010 | Dell™ Technology Guide - Page 286
computer. • Dell Datasafe™ Online Backup - Click to access online backup and recovery service offered by Dell for your computer. • ContactUs - Click to access multiple options for contacting Dell. • Feedback - Click to provide your feedback for Dell Support Center application. 286 Troubleshooting - Dell Inspiron N5010 | Dell™ Technology Guide - Page 287
, or if an incorrect time or date displays during start-up, replace the battery (see the instructions that came with your computer). If the battery still does not work properly, contact Dell (see "Contacting Dell" on page 337). Drive Problems CAUTION: Before you begin any of the procedures in this - Dell Inspiron N5010 | Dell™ Technology Guide - Page 288
Settings" on page 137 or search for the keyword standby in Windows Help and Support for information on power management modes. Hard Drive Problems RUN CHECK DISK - Windows Vista 1 Click Start and click Computer. 2 Right-click Local Disk C:. 3 Click Properties→ Tools→ Check Now. 288 Troubleshooting - Dell Inspiron N5010 | Dell™ Technology Guide - Page 289
Internet Problems CAUTION: Before you begin any of the procedures in this section, follow the safety instructions dell.com/regulatory_compliance. NOTE: If your computer has a modem, connect the modem to an analog telephone jack only. The modem does not operate while it is connected to a digital - Dell Inspiron N5010 | Dell™ Technology Guide - Page 290
Diagnostic Tool. 2 Follow the instructions on the screen to identify and resolve modem problems. Modem Helper is not available on certain computers. VERIFY THAT THE MODEM IS COMMUNICATING WITH WINDOWS - Windows Vista 1 Click Start → Control Panel→ Hardware and Sound→ Phone and Modem Options→ Modems - Dell Inspiron N5010 | Dell™ Technology Guide - Page 291
E V I C E I S E N A B L E D I N S YS T E M S E T U P - See "Working With Options on the System Setup Program Screen" on page 308. ENSURE THAT THE IEEE 1394 DEVICE IS RECOGNIZED BY WINDOWS - Windows Vista 1 Click Start → Control Panel→ Hardware and Sound. 2 Click Device Manager. Troubleshooting 291 - Dell Inspiron N5010 | Dell™ Technology Guide - Page 292
Hardware Troubleshooter" on page 280. Lockups and Software Problems CAUTION: Before you begin any of the procedures in this section, follow the safety instructions shipped with your computer. For additional safety best practices information, see the Regulatory Compliance Homepage at www.dell.com - Dell Inspiron N5010 | Dell™ Technology Guide - Page 293
it runs in an environment similar to non-Windows Vista operating system environments. 1 Click Start → Control Panel→ Programs→ Programs and Features→ Use an older program with this version of Windows. 2 In the welcome screen, click Next. 3 Follow the instructions on the screen. Troubleshooting 293 - Dell Inspiron N5010 | Dell™ Technology Guide - Page 294
A VIRUS-SCANNING PROGRAM TO CHECK THE HARD DRIVE, CDS, OR DVDS SAVE AND CLOSE ANY OPEN FILES OR PROGRAMS AND SHUT DOWN YOUR COMPUTER THROUGH THE START MENU Memory Problems CAUTION: Before you begin any of the procedures in this section, follow the safety instructions shipped with your computer. For - Dell Inspiron N5010 | Dell™ Technology Guide - Page 295
the type of memory supported by your computer, see the documentation shipped with your computer. • Run the Dell Diagnostics (see "Running the Dell Diagnostics" on page 281). Mouse Problems CAUTION: Before you begin any of the procedures in this section, follow the safety instructions shipped with - Dell Inspiron N5010 | Dell™ Technology Guide - Page 296
E R - See "Installing Drivers for Media Drives" on page 79. R U N T H E H A R D W A R E TR O U B L E S H O O T E R - See "Windows Hardware Troubleshooter" on page 280. Network Problems CAUTION: Before you begin any of the procedures in this section, follow the safety instructions shipped with your - Dell Inspiron N5010 | Dell™ Technology Guide - Page 297
• Ensure that the main power cable and front panel cable are securely connected to the system board (see the Service Manual for your computer). I F T H E P O W E R L I G H T I S B L I N K I N G A M B E R - The computer is receiving electrical power, but an internal power problem may exist. • Ensure - Dell Inspiron N5010 | Dell™ Technology Guide - Page 298
power strips connected to the same electrical outlet Printer Problems CAUTION: Before you begin any of the procedures in this section, follow the safety instructions shipped with your computer. For additional safety best practices information, see the Regulatory Compliance Homepage at www.dell - Dell Inspiron N5010 | Dell™ Technology Guide - Page 299
. Windows XP 1 Click Start → Control Panel→ Printers and Other Hardware→ Scanners and Cameras. 2 If your scanner is listed, Windows recognizes the scanner. R E I N S T A L L T H E S C A N N E R D R I V E R - See the scanner documentation for instructions. Sound and Speaker Problems CAUTION - Dell Inspiron N5010 | Dell™ Technology Guide - Page 300
nearby fans, fluorescent lights, or halogen lamps to check for interference. RUN THE SPEAKER DIAGNOSTICS R E I N S T A L L T H E S O U N D D R I V E R - See "Installing Drivers for Media Drives" on page 79. R U N T H E H A R D W A R E TR O U B L E S H O O T E R - See"Windows Hardware Troubleshooter - Dell Inspiron N5010 | Dell™ Technology Guide - Page 301
connect the mouse directly to the computer. TO VERIFY THAT THE PROBLEM that the system setup program lists Dell Diagnostics (see "Running the Dell Diagnostics" on page 281). R E I N S T A L L T H E T O U C H P A D D R I V E R - See "Installing Drivers for Media Drives" on page 79. Troubleshooting - Dell Inspiron N5010 | Dell™ Technology Guide - Page 302
graphics card, go to support.dell.com. The Screen is Blank NOTE: For troubleshooting procedures, see the monitor's documentation. The Screen is Difficult to Read CHECK THE MONITOR CABLE CONNECTION - • Ensure that the monitor cable is connected to the correct graphics card (for dual graphics card - Dell Inspiron N5010 | Dell™ Technology Guide - Page 303
C O N N E C T I O N - Ensure that the power cable for the graphics card(s) is correctly attached to the card. C H E C K T H E M O N I T O R S E T T I N G S - See the monitor documentation for instructions on adjusting the contrast and brightness, demagnetizing (degaussing) the monitor, and running - Dell Inspiron N5010 | Dell™ Technology Guide - Page 304
a lamp. - Ensure that the main power cable and front panel cable are securely connected to the system board (see the Service Manual for your computer). • If the power light is blinking amber, the computer is receiving electrical power, but an internal power problem might exist. 304 Troubleshooting - Dell Inspiron N5010 | Dell™ Technology Guide - Page 305
. - Ensure that the processor power cable is securely connected to the system board (see the Service Manual for your computer.) • If the power light is steady amber, a device may be malfunctioning or incorrectly installed. - Remove and then reinstall the memory modules (see the Documentation for - Dell Inspiron N5010 | Dell™ Technology Guide - Page 306
306 Troubleshooting - Dell Inspiron N5010 | Dell™ Technology Guide - Page 307
system memory Run the system setup program to become familiar with your system configuration information and optional settings. Write down the information for future reference. NOTE: Unless you are an expert computer user or are directed to do so by Dell technical support, do not change the system - Dell Inspiron N5010 | Dell™ Technology Guide - Page 308
across the bottom of the screen. The system setup screens display the current setup information and settings for your computer, such as: • System configuration • Boot order • Boot (start-up) configuration • Basic device configuration settings • System security and hard drive password settings 308 - Dell Inspiron N5010 | Dell™ Technology Guide - Page 309
HDD • USB Storage Device • CD/DVD/CD-RW drive • Modular Bay HDD NOTE: Only devices that are preceded by a number are bootable. 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 computer finds the - Dell Inspiron N5010 | Dell™ Technology Guide - Page 310
. To ensure that a device is bootable, check the device documentation. Changing the BIOS Settings The BIOS is a utility that serves as an interface between the computer hardware and the operating system. The BIOS settings may need to be updated for certain hardware replacements. 310 System Setup - Dell Inspiron N5010 | Dell™ Technology Guide - Page 311
and date. Upgrading the BIOS (Flashing the BIOS) The BIOS may require flashing when an update is available or when replacing the system board. NOTE: It is recommended that you review specifics about the BIOS update to determine if it applies to your system. Some updates contain changes that impact - Dell Inspiron N5010 | Dell™ Technology Guide - Page 312
7 Click Close when the Download Complete window appears. The file icon appears on your desktop and is titled the same as the downloaded BIOS update file. 8 Double-click the file icon on the desktop and follow the instructions on the screen. 312 System Setup - Dell Inspiron N5010 | Dell™ Technology Guide - Page 313
data transfer rates of 480 Mbps in case of USB 2.0. USB gives you a single, standardized way to connect many devices to your computer. USB also supports Plug-and-Play installation and hot swapping. The USB standard uses A and B connectors to avoid confusion: • Connectors A head upstream toward - Dell Inspiron N5010 | Dell™ Technology Guide - Page 314
hot swapping. While the USB 2.0 technology supports speed only upto 480 Mbps, the IEEE 1394b supports speed upto 800 Mbps. IEEE 1394 is preferred for high bandwidth applications such as connecting digital video cameras and external hard drives. . Pin Signal 1 TPB- 2 TPB+ 3 TPA- 4 TPA+ 314 Ports - Dell Inspiron N5010 | Dell™ Technology Guide - Page 315
RS232 Serial Port A serial port is a serial communication physical interface through which information transfers in or out one bit at a time. Serial port is usually identified with RS-232 standard compliant hardware. Some of the devices that commonly use serial port are dial-up modems, printers, and - Dell Inspiron N5010 | Dell™ Technology Guide - Page 316
transmitted serially (all in a single row) through a serial port. A parallel port is also known as a printer port or Centronics port and is commonly used to connect to a printer. Pin Signal 1 /STROBE 2 D0 3 D1 4 D2 5 D3 6 D4 7 D5 8 D6 9 D7 10 /ACK 11 BUSY 12 PE 13 SEL Pin Signal 14 /AUTOFD - Dell Inspiron N5010 | Dell™ Technology Guide - Page 317
between a computer and mass storage devices such as hard disk drives and optical drives. External SATA or eSATA, users can now utilize eSATA is commonly used for External Direct Attached Storage for notebooks, desktop, consumer electronics and entry servers. Pin Signal 1 GND 2 DR+ 3 DR4 - Dell Inspiron N5010 | Dell™ Technology Guide - Page 318
a computer to the Internet by making a data call over phone lines to an Internet Service Provider (ISP). Usually, there are two modem ports side by side. The one marked line (or with a line symbol) is connected to the telephone line connector. The one marked phone (or with a phone symbol) can - Dell Inspiron N5010 | Dell™ Technology Guide - Page 319
, or a DSL modem or to an Internet gateway which shares a fast Internet connection between computers. Data moves through these at speeds of either 10 Mbps, 100 Mbps, or 1000 Mbps depending on the speed supported by the network card in the computer. When in use, lights on these devices flicker. The - Dell Inspiron N5010 | Dell™ Technology Guide - Page 320
Keyboard and Mouse Port (PS2) The PS/2 standard, introduced by IBM in 1987, stands for Personal System/2. PS/2 port is commonly used to plug in a keyboard or mouse. Pin Signal 1 Keyboard/mouse data 2 (Reserved) 3 Ground 4 Keyboard/mouse power (+5 V) 5 Keyboard/mouse clock 6 (Reserved) 320 Ports - Dell Inspiron N5010 | Dell™ Technology Guide - Page 321
VGA Port Video Graphics Array (VGA) port supports the basic graphic hardware before a device-specific driver is loaded into the computer. Pin Signal 1 RED Video 2 GREEN Video 3 BLUE Video 4 NC 5 GND 6 RED Video GND 7 GREEN Video GND 8 BLUE Video GND Pin - Dell Inspiron N5010 | Dell™ Technology Guide - Page 322
analog one, but it will not transmit crossovers of either one (digital-to-analog or analog-to-digital). If you have a DVI-I port on your video card, you can connect most DVI-D (Digital Video InterfaceDigital) or DVI-A (Digital Video Interface-Analogue) devices without the need for a separate adapter - Dell Inspiron N5010 | Dell™ Technology Guide - Page 323
) and chroma (color). S-Video supports a standard definition video, but does not carry audio on the same cable. S-Video provides sharp images when using a clean DVD source. S-Video commonly connects to consumer TVs, DVD players, highend video cassette recorders, digital TV receivers, DVRs, and game - Dell Inspiron N5010 | Dell™ Technology Guide - Page 324
the Y, Y-B, and Y-R combination. Component video inputs are available on modern high-end television sets and DVD players, providing a signal quality that is superior to earlier systems such as RF, composite, and so on. Pin Red Blue Green Signal Y-R (Pr) Y-B (Pb) Y 324 Ports - Dell Inspiron N5010 | Dell™ Technology Guide - Page 325
LUMA represents the brightness or luminance of the picture and includes synchronizing or SYNC pulses. CHROMA carries the color information. Composite video interface usually connects a VHS tape player, DVD player, or game console to a television. Composite Video Pin Signal 1 GND 2 CVBS Ports 325 - Dell Inspiron N5010 | Dell™ Technology Guide - Page 326
supports PC or TV video formats such as standard, enhanced, and high-definition video along with up to 8 channels of digital audio. It is independent of the various digital television standards. HDMI connects digital audio SDA 17 DDC/CEC Ground 18 +5 V Power (max 50 mA) 19 Hot Plug Detect 326 Ports - Dell Inspiron N5010 | Dell™ Technology Guide - Page 327
Standards Association (VESA). It defines a new license-free, royalty-free, digital audio/video interconnect, intended to be used primarily between a computer and its display monitor, or a computer and a hometheater system. For more information see "DisplayPort™ - Features and Benefits" on page - Dell Inspiron N5010 | Dell™ Technology Guide - Page 328
Format (S/PDIF) is a serial interface for transferring digital audio from CD and DVD players to amplifiers and TVs information. S/PDIF is typically used to transmit PCM and Dolby Digital 5.1, but is not tied to any sampling rate or audio standard. S/PDIF Port (Toslink) Toslink usually refers to the - Dell Inspiron N5010 | Dell™ Technology Guide - Page 329
single subwoofer. NOTE: The LFE (Low Frequency Effects) Audio channel, found in digital surround sound audio schemes, carries only low frequency information of 80 Hz and below. The LFE channel drives a subwoofer to provide extremely low bass extension. Systems not using subwoofers can shunt the LFE - Dell Inspiron N5010 | Dell™ Technology Guide - Page 330
330 Ports - Dell Inspiron N5010 | Dell™ Technology Guide - Page 331
that pertain to the problem your computer is experiencing. 2 Run the Dell Diagnostics (see "Running the Dell Diagnostics" on page 281). 3 Fill out the "Diagnostics Checklist" on page 336. This checklist helps you to organize information Dell's support services will need to troubleshoot your computer - Dell Inspiron N5010 | Dell™ Technology Guide - Page 332
telephone system, enter your Express Service Code to route the call directly to the proper support personnel. If you do not have an Express Service Code, open the Dell Accessories folder, double-click the Express Service Code icon, and follow the directions. For instructions on using Dell Support - Dell Inspiron N5010 | Dell™ Technology Guide - Page 333
about Dell products and services on the following websites: www.dell.com www.dell.com/ap (Asian/Pacific countries only) www.dell.com/jp (Japan only) www.euro.dell.com (Europe only) www.dell.com/la (Latin American and Caribbean countries) www.dell.ca (Canada only) You can access Dell Support through - Dell Inspiron N5010 | Dell™ Technology Guide - Page 334
, you can go to support.dell.com, or you can call the automated order-status service. A recorded message prompts you for the information needed to locate and report on your order. For the telephone number to call for your region, see "Contacting Dell" on page 337. Problems With Your Order If you - Dell Inspiron N5010 | Dell™ Technology Guide - Page 335
. Before You Call NOTE: Have your Express Service Code ready when you call. The code helps Dell's automated-support telephone system direct your call more efficiently. You may also be asked for your Service Tag (typically located on the bottom or back of your computer). Remember to fill out the - Dell Inspiron N5010 | Dell™ Technology Guide - Page 336
determine the contents of the system's start-up files. If the computer is connected to a printer, print each file. Otherwise, record the contents of each file before calling Dell. Error message, beep code, or diagnostic code: Description of problem and troubleshooting procedures you performed: 336 - Dell Inspiron N5010 | Dell™ Technology Guide - Page 337
United States, call 800-WWW-DELL (800-999-3355). 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 - Dell Inspiron N5010 | Dell™ Technology Guide - Page 338
338 Getting Help - Dell Inspiron N5010 | Dell™ Technology Guide - Page 339
computer memory. AHCI - Advanced Host Controller Interface - An interface for a SATA hard drive Host Controller which allows the storage driver to enable (minutes or hours) that a laptop computer battery powers the computer. BIOS - basic input/output system - A program (or utility) that serves as - Dell Inspiron N5010 | Dell™ Technology Guide - Page 340
computer. In case your hard drive is damaged or your computer has a virus, ensure that you always have a bootable CD available. Your Drivers and Utilities (or ResourceCD mechanism which can be either a reserved section of main memory or an independent high-speed storage device. The cache enhances - Dell Inspiron N5010 | Dell™ Technology Guide - Page 341
MHz. device - Hardware such as a disk drive, printer, or keyboard that is installed in or connected to your computer. device driver - See driver. DIMM - dual in-line memory module - A circuit board with memory chips that connects to a memory module on the system board. DIN connector - A round, six - Dell Inspiron N5010 | Dell™ Technology Guide - Page 342
the operating system to control a device such as a printer. Many devices do not work properly if the correct driver is not installed in the computer. DSL - Digital Subscriber Line - A technology that provides a constant, high-speed Internet connection through an analog telephone line. dual-core - Dell Inspiron N5010 | Dell™ Technology Guide - Page 343
, connecting it to the system bus. ExpressCard - A removable I/O card adhering to the PCMCIA standard. Modems and network adapters are common types of ExpressCards. ExpressCards support both the PCI Express and USB 2.0 standard. Express Service Code - A numeric code located on a sticker on your Dell - Dell Inspiron N5010 | Dell™ Technology Guide - Page 344
systems are GUIs. H hard drive - A drive that reads and writes data on a hard disk. The terms hard drive and hard disk are often used interchangeably. heat sink - A metal plate on some processors that helps dissipate heat. hibernate mode - A power management mode that saves everything in memory - Dell Inspiron N5010 | Dell™ Technology Guide - Page 345
devices in which the controller is integrated into the hard drive or CD drive. IEEE 1394 - Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers, Inc. - A highperformance serial bus used to connect IEEE 1394-compatible devices, such as digital cameras and DVD players, to the computer. infrared sensor - Dell Inspiron N5010 | Dell™ Technology Guide - Page 346
to hard drive storage, the term is often rounded to 1,000,000 bytes. MB/sec - megabytes per second - One million bytes per second. This measurement is typically used for data transfer ratings. media bay - A bay that supports devices such as optical drives, a second battery, or a Dell TravelLite - Dell Inspiron N5010 | Dell™ Technology Guide - Page 347
access. memory module - A small circuit board containing memory chips, which connects to the system board. MHz Card, and internal. You typically use your modem to connect to the Internet and exchange e-mail. module bay - See media bay. MP - megapixel - A measure of image resolution used for digital - Dell Inspiron N5010 | Dell™ Technology Guide - Page 348
random access memory - A type of memory that stores data when the computer is turned off or loses its external power source. NVRAM is used for maintaining computer configuration information such as date, time, and other system setup options that you can set. O optical drive - A drive that uses - Dell Inspiron N5010 | Dell™ Technology Guide - Page 349
, such as memory, hard drives, and video. If no problems are detected during POST, the computer continues the start-up. processor - A computer chip that interprets and executes program instructions. Sometimes the processor is referred to as the CPU (central processing unit). PS/2 - personal system - Dell Inspiron N5010 | Dell™ Technology Guide - Page 350
often used to connect devices such as a handheld digital device or digital camera to your computer. Service Tag - A bar code label on your computer that identifies your computer when you access Dell Support at support.dell.com or when you call Dell for customer service or technical support. Also see - Dell Inspiron N5010 | Dell™ Technology Guide - Page 351
controller and its drivers, and the amount of video memory installed in the computer. S-video TV-out - A connector used to attach a TV or digital audio device to the computer. SXGA - super-extended graphics array - A video standard for video cards and controllers that supports resolutions up to - Dell Inspiron N5010 | Dell™ Technology Guide - Page 352
memory allocation - System memory dynamically allocated to video. UPS - uninterruptible power supply - A backup power source used when the electrical power multi-port hub that plugs in to your computer. USB devices can be connected and disconnected while the computer is turned on, and they can also - Dell Inspiron N5010 | Dell™ Technology Guide - Page 353
how text and graphics are displayed on a monitor. Graphics-based software, such as Windows operating systems, displays in supply 66 W of power for 1 hour or 33 W for 2 hours. wallpaper - The background pattern or picture on the Windows desktop. Change your wallpaper through the Windows Control Panel - Dell Inspiron N5010 | Dell™ Technology Guide - Page 354
X XGA - extended graphics array - A video standard for video cards and controllers that supports resolutions up to 1024 x 768. Z ZIF unzip a self-extracting file by double-clicking it. Zip drive - A high-capacity floppy drive developed by Iomega Corporation that uses 3.5-inch removable disks called
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Dell™ Technology Guide