Dell Precision M2300 (Late 2007) User Manual

DellPrecision™M2300User'sGuide Notes, Notices, and Cautions Information in this document is subject to change without notice. ©2007–2008De

3. Wipe the ball with a clean, lint-free cloth.  4. Blow carefully into the ball cage or use a can of compressed air to dislodge dust and lint.

connected to the computer.  AC Power Loss While the Computer Is Docked If a computer loses AC power while docked to the Dell D/Dock or Dell D/Port,

l See the scanner documentation for cable connection information. l Ensure that the scanner cables are securely connected to the scanner and the co

Eliminate possible interference — Turn off nearby fans, fluorescent lights, or halogen lamps to check for interference.  Reinstall the audio driver

Test the mouse controller — To test the mouse controller (which affects pointer movement) and the operation of the touch pad or mouse buttons, run th

Turn off nearby fans, fluorescent lights, halogen lamps, or other appliances.  Rotate the computer to face a different direction — Eliminate sunligh

If necessary, consult a representative of Dell Inc. or an experienced radio/television technician for additional suggestions. The following informat

Back to Contents Page  Using a Battery DellPrecision™M2300User'sGuide Battery Performance Checking the Battery Charge Conserving B

Microsoft®Windows®Power Meter The Windows Power Meter indicates the remaining battery charge. To check the Power Meter, double-click the battery met

inactivity (a time-out). When the computer exits standby or sleep mode, it returns to the same operating state it was in before entering standby or sl

battery charge and temperature. If necessary, the AC adapter then charges the battery and maintains the battery charge. If the battery is hot from bei

Back to Contents Page  Using Cards DellPrecision™M2300User'sGuide Card Types Installing a PC Card or ExpressCard Removing a Card o

PC Card  1. Hold the card with its orientation symbol pointing into the slot and the top side of the card facing up. The latch may need to be in the

Back to Contents Page  Using the Display DellPrecision™M2300User'sGuide Adjusting Brightness Using the Ambient Light Sensor Switch

computer display or the external device. Press <Fn><F8> to switch the video image between the display only, the external device only, or t

Back to Contents Page  About Your Computer DellPrecision™M2300User'sGuide Front View Left Side View Right Side View Back View

If necessary, press <Fn><F8> to bring the screen image back to the computer display. Swapping Primary and Secondary Displays To swap yo

Back to Contents Page  Finding Information DellPrecision™M2300User'sGuide NOTE: Some features or media may be optional and may not ship

     l Use the Service Tag to identify your computer when you use support.dell.com or contact support. l Enter the Express Service Code to dire

Back to Contents Page  Support. 2. In Search Help, type a word or phrase that describes your problem, and then press <Enter> or click the mag

Back to Contents Page  Glossary DellPrecision™M2300User'sGuide Terms in this Glossary are provided for informational purposes only and ma

CD-RW drive — A drive that can read CDs and write to CD-RW (rewritable CDs) and CD-R (recordable CDs) discs. You can write to CD-RW discs multiple tim

EMI — electromagnetic interference — Electrical interference caused by electromagnetic radiation. ENERGY STAR®— Environmental Protection Agency requi

off, or the operating system is not responding. IC — integrated circuit — A semiconductor wafer, or chip, on which thousands or millions of tiny elect

modem — A device that allows your computer to communicate with other computers over analog telephone lines. Three types of modems include: external, P

product enhancements or corrections that have not yet been documented. read-only — Data and/or files you can view but cannot edit or delete. A file ca

If the computer is connected to an electrical outlet, the light operates as follows: ¡ Solid green: The battery is charging. ¡ Flashing green: The

system board — The main circuit board in your computer. Also known as the motherboard. system setup — A utility that serves as an interface between th

write-protected — Files or media that cannot be changed. Use write-protection when you want to protect data from being changed or destroyed. To write-

Back to Contents Page  Getting Help DellPrecision™M2300User'sGuide Obtaining Assistance Problems With Your Order Product Informati

l Dell Support websites support.dell.com support.jp.dell.com (Japan only) support.euro.dell.com (Europe only) l Dell Support e-mail addresses mobi

5. Pack the equipment to be returned in the original (or equivalent) packing materials. You are responsible for paying shipping expenses. You are al

Back to Contents Page  Using the Keyboard DellPrecision™M2300User'sGuide Numeric Keypad Key Combinations Touch Pad Changing the

 Microsoft® Windows® Logo Key Functions To adjust keyboard operation, such as the character repeat rate, open the Control Panel, click Printers and O

Changing the Track Stick Cap You can replace your track stick cap if it wears down from prolonged use or if you prefer a different color. You can pu

Back to Contents Page  Using Multimedia DellPrecision™M2300User'sGuide Playing Media Copying Media Adjusting the Volume Adjusti

A DVD player includes the following basic buttons: For more information on playing media, click Help on the CD or DVD player (if available). Copying

 fingerprint reader (optional) — HelpstokeepyourDell™computersecure.Whenyouslideyourfingeroverthereader,itusesyouruniquefingerprin

the disc is finalized or closed during the final stage of the disc creation process. Use blank DVD+/-RWs if you plan to erase, rewrite, or update info

When the meter is enabled, adjust the volume with the volume control buttons. For more information about QuickSet, right-click the icon in the taskbar

Back to Contents Page  Setting Up and Using Networks DellPrecision™M2300User'sGuide Connecting a Network or Broadband Modem Cable Set

Wireless Local Area Network A wireless local area network (WLAN) is a series of interconnected computers that communicate with each other over the a

 6. Disconnect the network cable from the computer and the modem.  7. Disconnect the AC adapter cable from your wireless router to ensure that t

For specific information about the wireless configuration utility installed on your computer, see your wireless network documentation in the Windows

 2. Under Tools, click My Computer Information® Find information about the hardware installed on this computer. On the My Computer Information - H

BIOS (system setup program) to control WiFi network connections. Because the Wi-Fi Catcher Network Locator is disabled and not configured for use whe

Back to Contents Page  Adding and Replacing Parts DellPrecision™M2300User'sGuide Before You Begin This chapter provides procedures for

 2. Turn off your computer (see Turning Off Your Computer).  3. If the computer is connected to a docking device (docked), undock it. See the d

wireless switch — When enabled through Dell QuickSet, this switch can scan for a wireless LAN (WLAN) in your vicinity. You can also use it to rapidly

 1. Follow the instructions in Before You Begin.  2. Remove the hinge cover (see Hinge Cover).  3. Remove the three screws across the top of

 3. Carefully remove the card cable from its routing guide.  4. While grasping the card cable with one hand, use a plastic scribe to gently pry

 4. Remove the battery connector from the connector on the system board.  5. Being careful not to break the plastic, slightly raise the corner

4. If you are replacing a memory module, ground yourself and remove the existing module: a. Use your fingertips to carefully spread apart the secur

3. If you are replacing a memory module, ground yourself and remove the existing module: a. Use your fingertips to carefully spread apart the secur

 3. Remove the keyboard (see Keyboard).  4. If a WLAN card is not already installed, go to step 5. If you are replacing a WLAN card, remove the

c. Connect the antenna cables to the WLAN card, ensuring that you route the cables correctly. Mobile Broadband Card If you ordered a Mobile Bro

 4. If a Mobile Broadband card is not already installed, go to step 5. If you are replacing a Mobile Broadband card, remove the existing card: a. 

 1. Remove the battery (see Replacing the Battery).  2. With the cut-off corner on the card facing away from the card slot, insert the SIM card

 3. Slide the hard drive out of the computer.  4. Remove the new drive from its packaging. Save the original packaging for storing or shipping

Back View   network connector (RJ-45)  modem connector (RJ-11)  USB connectors  serial connector  video connector  AC adapter connecto

 1. Follow the procedures in Before You Begin.  2. Remove the hinge cover (see Hinge Cover).  3. Remove the keyboard (see Keyboard).  4.

Back to Contents Page Dell™QuickSet DellPrecision™M2300User'sGuide Dell™QuickSetprovidesyouwitheasyaccesstoconfigureorviewth

Back to Contents Page  Securing Your Computer DellPrecision™M2300User'sGuide Security Cable Lock Smart Card Passwords Trusted P

 2. Slide the smart card into the smart card slot until the card is completely seated in its connector. The smart card will protrude approximately

If you forget any of your passwords, contact Dell (see Contacting Dell). For your protection, Dell technical support staff will ask you for proof of y

After assigning a hard drive password, you must enter it each time you turn on the computer and each time you restore the computer to normal operation

Activating the Security Management Software  1. Enable the TPM feature (see Enabling the TPM Feature).  2. Load the security management software:

Back to Contents Page  System Setup Program DellPrecision™M2300User'sGuide Overview Viewing the System Setup Screens System Setup

The Boot Order page displays a general list of the bootable devices that may be installed in your computer, including but not limited to the following

Back to Contents Page  Reinstalling Software DellPrecision™M2300User'sGuide Drivers Using the Hardware Troubleshooter Tool Restori

The AC adapter converts AC power to the DC power required by the computer. You can connect the AC adapter with your computer turned either on or off

Installing Drivers in the Correct Order Microsoft Windows XP (with service pack 2 and later) does not require a system driver installation order. How

 4. At the welcome screen, click Next and wait for the media to complete the hardware scan.  5. To detect other drivers and utilities, under Se

If a device is either not detected during the operating system setup or is detected but incorrectly configured, you can use the Hardware Troubleshoote

 3. Click Next and follow the remaining prompts on the screen. In the event that System Restore did not resolve the issue, you may undo the last sy

 1. Save and close any open files and exit any open programs.  2. Insert the Operating System media.  3. Click Exit if the Install Windows me

Back to Contents Page  Specifications DellPrecision™M2300User'sGuide NOTE: Offerings may vary by region. For more information regarding

 PortsandConnectors Serial 9-pin connector; 16550C-compatible, 16-byte buffer connector Audio microphone connector, stereo headphone/speakers conn

Pixel pitch 0.2109 Power Consumption (panel with backlight) (typical) 7.5 W (max) with no inverter losses  Keyboard Number of keys 87 (U.S. and Cana

Back to Contents Page  Dimensions:  Height 32 mm (1.27 inches) Width 337 mm (13.31 inches) Depth 238 mm (9.3 inches) Temperature range:  Operati

Back to Contents Page DellPrecision™M2300User'sGuide Model PP18L IfyoupurchasedaDell™nSeriescomputer,anyreferencesinthisdocumen

docking-device connector — Lets you attach your computer to a docking device. See the Dell documentation that came with your docking device for more i

Back to Contents Page  Transferring Information to a New Computer DellPrecision™M2300User'sGuide Microsoft®Windows®XP Microsoft Win

8. Click Finish. To transfer data to the new computer:  1. On the Now go to your old computer screen on the new computer, click Next.  2. On th

Microsoft Windows Vista®  Easy Transfer Cable for Windows Vista  1. Insert the Easy Transfer Cable for Windows Vista Application Software media in

Back to Contents Page  Traveling With Your Computer DellPrecision™M2300User'sGuide Identifying Your Computer Packing the Computer 

l Prior to entering the airplane, verify that using a computer is permitted. Some airlines forbid the use of electronic devices during flight. All ai

Back to Contents Page  Troubleshooting DellPrecision™M2300User'sGuide Dell™TechnicalUpdateService The Dell Technical Update service

l Press and hold the <Fn> key while powering the computer on. The computer runs the Pre-boot System Assessment, a series of initial tests of y

 4. When the tests are completed, if you are running the Dell Diagnostics from the Drivers and Utilities media, remove the media.  5. When the te

  Ensure that Microsoft®Windows®recognizes the drive — Click the Start button and click My Computer. If the floppy, CD, or DVD drive is not liste

Hard drive problems  Allow the computer to cool before turning it on — A hot hard drive may prevent the operating system from starting. Try allowing

Back to Contents Page  Appendix DellPrecision™M2300User'sGuide Cleaning Your Computer FCC Notice (U.S. Only) Macrovision Product N

2. Click Printers and Other Hardware.  3. Click Phone and Modem Options.  4. Click the Modems tab.  5. Click the COM port for your modem.

Drive not ready — The operation requires a hard drive in the bay before it can continue. Install a hard drive in the hard drive bay (see Drive Proble

 Keyboard clock line failure — For external keyboards, check the cable connection. Run the Keyboard Controller test in the Dell Diagnostics (see Del

 Operating system not found — Reinstall the hard drive (see Drive Problems). If the problem persists, contact Dell (see Obtaining Assistance).  Opt

x:\ is not accessible. The device is not ready — Insert a disk into the drive and try again.  Warning: Battery is critically low — The battery is r

If you cannot verify these steps, you may have a defective external keyboard.  To verify that the problem is with the external keyboard, check the i

3. Click the program that is no longer responding.  4. Click End Task.  Check the software documentation — If necessary, uninstall and then r

 If you receive an insufficient memory message — l Save and close any open files and exit any open programs you are not using to see if that resolv

Contact your Mobile Broadband service carrier to verify coverage plan and supported services.  Check the status in the Dell Mobile Broadband Card Uti

 1. Reinstall the battery.  2. Use the AC adapter to connect the computer to an electrical outlet.  3. Turn on the computer.  Check the ba