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Help Overview: Dell Latitude CPx H-Series/J-Series User's Guide
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Help Overview: Dell™ Latitude™ CPt C-Series Portable Computers User's Guide
If you need assistance with a technical problem, perform the following steps:
- Run the Dell Diagnostics.
- Make a copy of the Diagnostics Checklist and fill
it out.
- Use Dell's extensive suite of online services available at Dell's World Wide Web site (http://www.dell.com)
for help with installation and troubleshooting procedures.
- If the preceding steps have not resolved the problem, call Dell for technical
assistance.
When prompted by Dell's automated 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.
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NOTE: Dell's Express Service Code system may not
be available in all countries. |
For instructions on using the technical support service, see "Technical Support Service" and "Before You Call."
Dell provides a number of tools to assist you. These tools are described in the
following sections.
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NOTE: Some of the following tools are not always
available in all locations outside the continental U.S. Please call your local Dell
representative for information on availability. |
World Wide Web
The Internet is your most powerful tool for obtaining information about
your computer and other Dell products. Through the Internet, you can access most of the
services described in this section, including AutoTech, TechFax, order status, technical
support, and product information.
You can access Dell’s support Web site at http://support.dell.com.
Click the map that appears to select your country and the Welcome to
support.dell.com page opens. Enter your system information to access help tools
and information such as:
Support Your Dell — From this
page you can access a number of tools and information such as system documentation,
drivers and BIOS updates, and self-diagnostic tools for resolving many computer-related
issues by following interactive flowcharts.
Ask Dudley — Enter a question about your computer or about software. This
tool searches the Dell Knowledge Base and Dell Support for answers and related topics.
Communicate With Dell — Use Dell
Talk Forum, a public discussion moderated by Dell technical support specialists, to obtain
technical information or submit requests via e-mail to Dell Support.
You can contact Dell electronically by using the following addresses:
http://www.dell.com/
http://www.dell.com/ap/ (for
Asian/Pacific countries only)
http://www.euro.dell.com (for Europe
only)
http://www.dell.com/la/ (for
Latin American countries)
- Anonymous file transfer protocol (FTP)
ftp.dell.com/
Log in as user: anonymous, and use your e-mail address as your password.
- Electronic Support Service
mobile_support@us.dell.com
apsupport@dell.com (for Asian/Pacific countries only)
support.euro.dell.com (for Europe only)
sales@dell.com
apmarketing@dell.com (for Asian/Pacific countries only)
- Electronic Information Service
info@dell.com
AutoTech Service
Dell's automated technical support service—AutoTech—provides recorded answers
to the questions most frequently asked by Dell customers.
When you call AutoTech, you use your touch-tone telephone to select the subjects that
correspond to your questions. You can even interrupt an AutoTech session and continue the
session later. The code number that the AutoTech service gives you allows you to continue
your session where you ended it.
The AutoTech service is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week. You can also
access this service through the technical support service. For the telephone number to
call, see the contact numbers for your region.
TechFax Service
Dell takes full advantage of fax technology to serve you better. Twenty-four hours a
day, seven days a week, you can call the Dell TechFax line toll-free for all kinds of
technical information.
Using a touch-tone phone, you can select from a full directory of topics. The technical
information you request is sent within minutes to the fax number you designate. For the
TechFax telephone number to call, see the contact numbers for
your region.
TechConnect BBS
Use your modem to access Dell's TechConnect bulletin board service (BBS) 24 hours a
day, seven days a week. The service is menu-driven and fully interactive. The protocol
parameters for the BBS are 1200 to 19.2K baud, 8 data bits, no parity, 1 stop bit.
Automated Order-Status System
You can call this automated service to check on the status of any Dell products that
you have ordered. A recording prompts you for the information needed to locate and report
on your order. For the telephone number to call, see the contact
numbers for your region.
Dell's industry-leading hardware technical support service is available 24 hours a day,
seven days a week, to answer your questions about Dell hardware.
Our technical support staff pride themselves on their track record: more than 90
percent of all problems and questions are taken care of in just one toll-free call,
usually in less than 10 minutes. When you call, our experts can refer to records kept on
your Dell system to better understand your particular question. Our technical support
staff use computer-based diagnostics to provide fast, accurate answers to questions.
To contact Dell's technical support service, see "Before
You Call" and then call the number for your country as
listed in " Contacting Dell."
If you have a problem with your order, such as missing parts, wrong parts, or incorrect
billing, contact Dell for customer assistance. Have your invoice or packing slip handy
when you call. For the telephone number to call, see the contact
numbers for your region.
If you need information about additional products available from Dell, or if you would
like to place an order, visit Dell's World Wide Web site at http://www.dell.com.
For the telephone number to call to speak to a sales specialist, see " Contacting Dell."
Prepare all items being returned, whether for repair or credit, as follows:
- Call Dell to obtain an authorization number, and write it clearly and prominently on the
outside of the box.
For the telephone number to call, see the contact numbers for
your region.
- Include a copy of the invoice and a letter describing the reason for the return.
- Include a copy of the Diagnostics Checklist
indicating the tests you have run and any error messages reported by the Dell Diagnostics.
- Include any accessories that belong with the item(s) being returned (power cables,
software diskettes, guides, and so on) if the return is for credit.
- Pack the equipment to be returned in the original (or equivalent) packing materials.
You are responsible for paying shipping expenses. You are also responsible for insuring
any product returned, and you assume the risk of loss during shipment to Dell. Collect On
Delivery (C.O.D.) packages are not accepted.
Returns that are missing any of the preceding requirements will be refused at our
receiving dock and returned to you.
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NOTE: Have your Express Service Code ready when
you call. The code helps Dell's automated-support telephone system direct your call more
efficiently. |
Remember to fill out the Diagnostics Checklist. If
possible, turn on your system before you call
Dell for technical assistance and call from a telephone at
or near the computer. You may be asked to type some commands at the keyboard, relay
detailed information during operations, or try other troubleshooting steps possible only
at the computer system itself. Make sure the system documentation is available.
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CAUTION: If you need to remove the computer
covers, be sure to first disconnect the computer system's power and modem cables from all
electrical outlets. |
| Date: |
| Name: |
| Address: |
| Phone number: |
| Service tag (bar code on the back of the computer): |
| Express Service Code: |
| Return Material Authorization Number (if provided by Dell support
technician): |
| Operating system and version: |
| Peripherals:
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| Expansion cards: |
| Are you connected to a network? Yes No |
| Network, version, and network card: |
| Programs and versions:
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| Refer to your operating system documentation to 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:
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