Summary of the content on the page No. 1
2H767bk0.book Page 1 Friday, September 28, 2001 1:37 PM
Dell™ Inspiron™ 4100
Solutions Guide
www.dell.com | support.dell.com
Summary of the content on the page No. 2
2H767bk0.book Page 2 Friday, September 28, 2001 1:37 PM Hints, Notices, and Cautions HINT: A HINT indicates important information that helps you make better use of your computer. NOTICE: A NOTICE indicates either potential damage to hardware or loss of data and tells you how to avoid the problem. CAUTION: A CAUTION indicates a potential for property damage, personal injury, or death. Abbreviations and Acronyms For a complete list of abbreviations and acronyms, see the Tell Me How help
Summary of the content on the page No. 3
2H767bk0.book Page 3 Friday, September 28, 2001 1:37 PM Contents Safety and EMC Instructions: Portable Computers . . . . . . . . 9 Safety Instructions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9 EMC Instructions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13 When Using Your Computer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14 Ergonomic Computing Habits . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15 When Removing or Replacing Parts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17 Protecting Against Electrostat
Summary of the content on the page No. 4
2H767bk0.book Page 4 Friday, September 28, 2001 1:37 PM Setting Up the APR to Connect to a Network . . . . . . . . . . 28 Power Protection Devices . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28 Surge Protectors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28 Line Conditioners . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 29 Uninterruptible Power Supply Devices . . . . . . . . . . . . . 29 2 Solving Problems Finding Solutions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 32 Accessin
Summary of the content on the page No. 5
2H767bk0.book Page 5 Friday, September 28, 2001 1:37 PM Drive Problems . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 49 If you cannot save a file to a floppy disk . . . . . . . . . . . . . 49 If you cannot play a CD, CD-RW, or DVD . . . . . . . . . . . . 51 If you cannot play a DVD movie . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 52 If you cannot eject the CD, CD-RW, or DVD drive tray . . . . . 52 If you hear an unfamiliar scraping or grinding sound . . . . . . 52 If the CD-RW drive stops writ
Summary of the content on the page No. 6
2H767bk0.book Page 6 Friday, September 28, 2001 1:37 PM Restoring the Computer to an Earlier Operating State . . . . . 67 Undoing the Last System Restore . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 68 Reinstalling Windows XP . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 68 Reinstalling Windows Me . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 70 Reinstalling Windows 2000 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 72 Enabling Hibernate Support . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 73 3 Replacing Parts Using the Adv
Summary of the content on the page No. 7
2H767bk0.book Page 7 Friday, September 28, 2001 1:37 PM Dell Technical Support Policy (U.S. Only) . . . . . . . . . . . . 102 Definition of "Dell-Installed" Software and Peripherals . . . . . 103 Definition of "Third-Party" Software and Peripherals . . . . . . 103 Contacting Dell . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 103 Returning Items for Warranty Repair or Credit . . . . . . . . 118 Regulatory Information. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 118 FCC Notices (U.S.
Summary of the content on the page No. 8
2H767bk0.book Page 8 Friday, September 28, 2001 1:37 PM 8 Contents
Summary of the content on the page No. 9
2H767bk0.book Page 9 Friday, September 28, 2001 1:37 PM Safety and EMC Instructions: Portable Computers The following information defines the meaning of additional symbols used only in the Safety and Electromagnetic Compatibility (EMC) Instructions. Risk of explosion Aircraft Risk of fire Use of this feature may be prohibited on aircraft Risk of electric shock Safety Instructions General Do not attempt to service the computer yourself unless you are an authorized service technician. Alw
Summary of the content on the page No. 10
2H767bk0.book Page 10 Friday, September 28, 2001 1:37 PM Do not allow your portable computer to operate with the base resting directly on exposed skin for extended periods of time. The surface temperature of the base will rise during normal operation (particularly when AC power is present). Allowing sustained contact with exposed skin can cause discomfort or, eventually, a burn. Do not use your computer in a wet environment, for example, near a bath tub, sink, or swimming pool or i
Summary of the content on the page No. 11
2H767bk0.book Page 11 Friday, September 28, 2001 1:37 PM Power (Safety Instructions, continued) Use only the Dell-provided AC adapter approved for use with this computer. Use of another AC adapter may cause a fire or explosion. Before you connect the computer to an electrical outlet, check the AC adapter voltage rating to ensure that the required voltage and frequency match the available power source. To remove power from the computer, turn it off, remove the battery pack, and dis
Summary of the content on the page No. 12
2H767bk0.book Page 12 Friday, September 28, 2001 1:37 PM Battery (Safety Instructions, continued) Use only Dell battery modules that are approved for use with this computer. Use of other types may increase the risk of fire or explosion. Do not carry a battery pack in your pocket, purse, or other container where metal objects (such as car keys or paper clips) could short-circuit the battery terminals. The resulting excessive current flow can cause extremely high temperatures and may
Summary of the content on the page No. 13
2H767bk0.book Page 13 Friday, September 28, 2001 1:37 PM Air Travel (Safety Instructions, continued) Certain Federal Aviation Administration regulations and/or airline-specific restrictions may apply to the operation of your Dell™ computer while you are onboard an aircraft. For example, such regulations/restrictions may prohibit the use of any personal electronic device (PED) that has the capacity for intentional transmission of radio frequency or other electromagnetic signals while o
Summary of the content on the page No. 14
2H767bk0.book Page 14 Friday, September 28, 2001 1:37 PM When Using Your Computer Observe the following safety guidelines to prevent damage to your computer: When setting up the computer for work, place it on a level surface. When traveling, do not check the computer as baggage. You can put your computer through an X-ray security machine, but never put your computer through a metal detector. If you have the computer checked by hand, be sure to have a charged battery available in case
Summary of the content on the page No. 15
2H767bk0.book Page 15 Friday, September 28, 2001 1:37 PM When preparing to remove a memory module from the system board or disconnect a peripheral device from the computer, turn off the computer, disconnect the AC adapter cable, and then wait 5 seconds before proceeding to help avoid possible damage to the system board. Clean the display with a soft, clean cloth and commercial window cleaner that does not contain wax or abrasives. Apply the cleaner to the cloth; then stroke the cloth
Summary of the content on the page No. 16
2H767bk0.book Page 16 Friday, September 28, 2001 1:37 PM Always use the palm rest with the keyboard, touch pad, or track stick. Leave space to rest your hands when using an external mouse. Let your upper arms hang naturally at your sides. Sit erect with your feet resting on the floor and your thighs level. When sitting, make sure the weight of your legs is on your feet and not on the front of your chair seat. Adjust your chair’s height or use a footrest, if necessary, to maintain p
Summary of the content on the page No. 17
2H767bk0.book Page 17 Friday, September 28, 2001 1:37 PM When Removing or Replacing Parts Before removing or installing memory modules, or adding a modem or Mini PCI card, perform the following steps in the sequence indicated. NOTICE: The only time you should ever access the inside of your computer is when you are installing memory modules, or adding a modem or Mini PCI card. NOTICE: Wait 5 seconds after turning off the computer before disconnecting a peripheral device or removing a mem
Summary of the content on the page No. 18
2H767bk0.book Page 18 Friday, September 28, 2001 1:37 PM You can also take the following steps to prevent damage from electrostatic discharge (ESD): When unpacking a static-sensitive component from its shipping carton, do not remove the component from the antistatic packing material until you are ready to install the component. Just before unwrapping the antistatic packaging, be sure to discharge static electricity from your body. When transporting a sensitive component, first place
Summary of the content on the page No. 19
www.dell.com | support.dell.com 2H767bk0.book Page 19 Friday, September 28, 2001 1:37 PM 1 S E C T ION 1 Setting Up Connecting a Printer Transferring Information to a New Computer ® (Windows XP Only) Setting Up a Home and Office Network (Windows XP Only) Turning Off the Computer About the Module Bay Enabling the Infrared Sensor Setting Up the Dolby Headphone Setting Up the APR to Connect to a Network Power Protection Devices
Summary of the content on the page No. 20
2H767bk0.book Page 20 Friday, September 28, 2001 1:37 PM Connecting a Printer See the documentation that came with the printer for any recommended preparation procedures, such as: Removing the packaging Installing the toner or ink cartridge Loading paper Then follow the instructions that came with the printer to connect it to the computer. If no information is provided, see the following sections. HINT: For complete Parallel Printer printer driver installation 1 Turn off the compute
