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Alienware Area-51 m5550 Technical Reference
Notice
The information in this user’s manual is subject to change without notice.
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CONTAINED IN THIS MANUAL AND SHALL NOT BE LIABLE FOR ANY CONSEQUENTIAL
DAMAGES WHICH MAY RESULT FROM THE PERFORMANCE OR USE OF THIS MANUAL.
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Alienware Area-51 m5550 Technical Reference TABLE OF CONTENTS PREFACE Symbols and Conventions Protecting Your Computer - Avoid Abusive Handling and Adverse Environments Chapter Summaries 1. GETTING TO KNOW THE BASICS Performance Features (10) System at a Glance (12) Top View (12) Front and Rear Views (15) Side Views (17) Bottom View (20) AC Adapter (23) LED Status Indicators (24) Keyboard Features (25) Function (Quick) Keys (25) Windows Keys (26) Embedded Numeric Keypad (26) Touch Pad (27) Grap
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Alienware Area-51 m5550 Technical Reference . BIO S SETUP AND SECURITY Entering the BIOS Setup Screen (33) Leaving the BIOS Setup Screen (33) BIOS Action Keys (33) Modifying the BIOS Settings (34) Main Setup (34) Boot Setup (34) Security Setup (36) Power Setup (37) Exit Setup (37) . B ATTERY POWER & POWER MANAGEMENT The Battery Pack (39) Lithium-Ion Battery Technology (39) Battery Low-Power Warning (39) Installing and Removing the Battery Pack (41) Charging the Battery and Charging Time (42)
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Alienware Area-51 m5550 Technical Reference . UPGRADING YOUR COMPUTER Upgrading the Hard Disk Drive (57) Upgrading the System Memory (60) Installing a memory module (DIMM) into the system (61) Adding a Mini-PCI Type Wireless LAN Card (Optional Device) (63) Installing a Mini PCI Card to the System (64) 5. TROUBLESHOOTING First Step (67) Audio Problems (68) Hard Disk Problems (69) Optical Drive Problems (71) Display Problems (72) Keyboard and Mouse Problems (73) CMOS Battery Problems (74) Memory
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Alienware Area-51 m5550 Technical Reference Preface Using This Manual This User’s Manual contains general information about the hardware and software setup, troubleshooting, and technical specifications of the notebook computer. Symbols and Conventions The following conventions and symbols are used in this manual: • When keys are to be pressed at the same time, a plus (+) symbol is used. For instance, Fn+F7 means holding Fn and F7 keys at the same time. • When a series of clicking actions is
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Alienware Area-51 m5550 Technical Reference Protecting Your Computer - Avoid Abusive Handling and Adverse Environments Following the advice below will help ensure that you get the most out of your investment. Your computer will serve you well if you take good care of it. • Do not expose the computer to direct sunlight or place it near sources of heat. • Do not subject it to temperatures below 0oC (32oF) or above 35oC (95oF). • Do not expose the computer to magnetic fields. • Do not expose the c
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Alienware Area-51 m5550 Technical Reference When cleaning the computer, observe these steps: 1. Power off the computer and remove the battery pack. 2. Disconnect the AC adapter. 3. Use a soft cloth dampened with water. Do not use liquid or aerosol cleaners. Contact your dealer or see your service technician if any of the following occurs: • Computer has been dropped or the body has been damaged. • Liquid has been spilled into the computer. • The computer does not operate normally. Cleaning the
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Alienware Area-51 m5550 Technical Reference Chapter Summaries The following is a summary of the available chapters and appendices in this manual. Chapter 1: Getting to Know the Basics In this chapter, you will learn the basic operations and features of your computer. It gives you a general understanding of the components of your computer. Chapter : BIOS Setup / Security In this chapter, you will learn how to change various firmware settings and what the settings mean. Also, you will learn how
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Alienware Area-51 m5550 Technical Reference CHAPTER ONE GETTING TO KNOW THE BASICS This chapter introduces the features and components of the computer. m5550-04-2007-techref.indd 9 4/6/2007 12:29:45 PM
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Alienware Area-51 m5550 Technical Reference Performance Features High Performance Processor with Calistoga Chipset The notebook PC is equipped with a powerful Mobile Intel Core 2 Duo processor. Together with the latest Calistoga chipset and technologies, the system offers advanced PC performance. Advanced Graphic Engine The PCI-Express high-end graphics engine offers excellent graphics performance for the most demanding professionals or gamers. The advanced graphics chip also incorporates a
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Alienware Area-51 m5550 Technical Reference The built-in 4-in-1 card reader lets you access many of the portable media formats (SD Card, MMC Card, MS Card, and MS Pro Card). Ethernet Port The system provides a built-in 10/100/1000Mbps Ethernet network adapter for high bandwidth network connection. Firewire (IEEE1 / 1a) and USB.0 Ports In addition to a full array of built-in I/O ports, the computer offers IEEE1394 for ultra high-speed connection to high bandwidth digital video devices
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Alienware Area-51 m5550 Technical Reference System At A Glance Top View 1. LCD Latch The LCD latches lock / unlock the LCD panel. . LCD Display The panel is where the system content is displayed. 1 m5550-04-2007-techref.indd 12 4/6/2007 12:29:45 PM
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Alienware Area-51 m5550 Technical Reference . Keyboard The keyboard is used to enter data. It has an embedded numeric keypad and cursor control keys. (See Keyboard Section for details.) . Touch Pad The touch pad is a built-in pointing device with functions similar to a mouse. 5. Built-in Microphone The built-in microphone records sound. . Touch Pad Disable / Enable Button The button enables or disables the Touch Pad function. . Built-in Stereo Speakers The built-in speakers output the sound
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Alienware Area-51 m5550 Technical Reference Note: When the system power is initially turned on, the Scroll-lock, Cap-lock, and Numeric keypad LED indicators will light up momentarily to indicate the start of the Power-On sequence. 10. Silent Mode Button Pressing the key enables the system to lower its power usage; therefore the fan speed is reduced to achieve the lowest operating noise. You may need to go to BIOS Setup to enable Silent Mode for this button. See Chapter 2 for details. 11. Ou
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Alienware Area-51 m5550 Technical Reference Front and Rear View Warning: Do not place any heavy objects on the top of the notebook. This may damage the display 1. Wireless On/Off Switch Use the switch to disable or enable the Wireless function. . Power Jack (DC-in) The DC-out jack of the AC Adapter connects here and powers the computer. . Modem P ort This is where you plug the phone jack (RJ-11) for fax/modem functions. . Battery Pack The battery pack is a built-in power source for the no
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Alienware Area-51 m5550 Technical Reference 5. Ventilation Grill The fan grill is where air is exchanged to dissipate the internal heat. Do not block this airway. . Kensington Lock Key Hole A Kensington-type security lock latches to this keyhole for anti-theft purposes. 1 m5550-04-2007-techref.indd 16 4/6/2007 12:29:46 PM
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Alienware Area-51 m5550 Technical Reference Side Views Warning: Do not place any heavy objects on the top of your notebook. This may damage the display 1. Audio Volume Dial Use the volume dial to control the loudness of the speakers. . Stereo Headphone / SPDIF-out Jack The stereo headphone jack (3.5-mm diameter) is where you connect the headphones or external speakers. Alternatively, you may connect the SPDIF output to an external DTS, AC3, or PCM sound processor / decoder in your home ster
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Alienware Area-51 m5550 Technical Reference 5. USB.0 Port (x) The Universal Serial Bus (USB2.0-compliant) port allows you to connect a wide variety of devices to your computer at a rate of up to 480 Mbps. This port conforms to the latest USB2.0 plug-and-play standards. . D VI-I Port The DVI-I video output port is for connecting the external LCD monitor or projector. . TV (S-Video) Port The S-Video port permits you to redirect the screen output to a television set or any analog video pla
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Alienware Area-51 m5550 Technical Reference 1. Expr essCard Slot The slot is where ExpressCard (Type 54) is inserted. ExpressCard Type 54 allows insertion of 54mm and 34mm cards. ExpressCard integrates both the PCI-Express bus technology and USB2.0 standards. 1 m5550-04-2007-techref.indd 19 4/6/2007 12:29:46 PM
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Alienware Area-51 m5550 Technical Reference Bottom View 1. Battery Pack and Battery Latch The battery pack is a built-in power source for the notebook. Slide the battery latch to release the battery pack. . Hard Disk Drive Cover The system’s hard disk drive is located under the cover. The HDD can be upgraded to a larger capacity. (See Chapter 4 for instructions on an HDD upgrade.) 0 m5550-04-2007-techref.indd 20 4/6/2007 12:29:46 PM
