User Guide

User Guide
Utilities and Drivers for Microsoft Windows NT: Dell Inspiron 7500

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Utilities and Drivers for Microsoft® Windows NT®: Dell™ Inspiron™ 7500

Overview Installing the Power Management Configuration Utility
Creating the Save-to-Disk Suspend Partition Installing the PC Card Configuration Utility
Installing the Video Driver Installing the Internal Modem Driver (Optional)
Installing the Audio Driver Installing the System Help
Installing the Touch Pad Driver    

Overview

This section explains how to install/reinstall device drivers and utilities on your Dell portable computer running the Microsoft Windows NT 4.0 operating system.

NOTICE: You must install the Windows NT service pack before installing device drivers.

To install the system software, you need the following items:

  • Dell Diagnostics and Utilities for Inspiron 7500 diskettes 1 and 2

  • Microsoft Windows NT 4.0 CD

  • Microsoft Windows NT 4.0 Service Pack 5 CD

  • System Software CD

  • CD-ROM drive (installed)

  • One formatted diskette

The following subsections describe the drivers and utilities that are provided on the System Software CD.

note.gif (515 bytes) NOTE: To install the drivers and utilities correctly, you must install them in the order presented in this document.

Creating the Save-to-Disk Suspend Partition

If you have installed a new hard-disk drive or are rebuilding a hard-disk drive that had corrupted software, you must create a save-to-disk suspend partition before creating any other partitions (but after deleting any existing partitions). To create a save-to-disk suspend partition, perform the following steps:

  1. Insert the Dell Diagnostics and Utilities for Inspiron 7500 diskette number 1 into the diskette drive and turn on the computer.

  2. When the message Insert Delldiag diskette 2 of 4 in drive A:... appears, type C to exit to MS-DOS®. Leave the Dell Diagnostics and Utilities for Inspiron 7500 diskette number 1 in the diskette drive.

  3. At the A:> prompt, type phdisk /create /partition and press <Enter>.
note.gif (515 bytes) NOTE: Make sure you insert a space before the slashes.

The utility calculates the size of the file in kilobytes (KB), based on the amount of system memory and video memory in your computer, and adds 2 megabytes (MB) to handle additional system requirements and creates a partition on the hard-disk drive to store the system state when put in the save-to-disk suspend mode.

  1. Follow the instructions provided in your Windows NT documentation to install the operating system on the drive.

Installing the Video Driver

The video driver controls features such as video resolution and color palette.

note.gif (515 bytes) NOTE: If you need to use extended video modes, check the documentation that accompanied the application program to determine if the driver is provided. If it is not, contact the software manufacturer to get the necessary driver.
  1. Save and close any open files, and exit any open application programs.

  2. Insert the System Software CD into the CD-ROM or DVD-ROM drive.

  3. Double-click the My Computer icon, and then double-click the CD-ROM drive icon.

  4. Double-click the WinNT folder, then double-click the Video folder.

  5. Double-click setup.exe.

  6. When prompted to restart, click Finish. The computer restarts automatically.
note.gif (515 bytes) NOTE: After the computer restarts, you may change the video resolution.

Changing Video Resolution

  1. After the computer restarts, log on as Administrator.

  2. Click OK in the Invalid Display Settings dialog box.

  3. In the Color palette area, highlight 65536 Colors. In the Desktop Area, drag the pointer to the right until 1024 by 768 pixels is shown. Make sure the Refresh Frequency is set to the optimum setting of 60 Hertz.

  4. Click Test.

  5. Click OK.

    A test bitmap appears for the selected resolution and color palette.

  6. Click Yes if the expected results appear.

  7. Click Apply to immediately accept these settings and configure your desktop.

  8. Click OK to close the Display Properties dialog box.

Installing the Audio Driver

The audio driver allows you to customize the sound features of your computer.

  1. Log on as Administrator.

  2. Insert the System Software CD into the CD-ROM drive.

  3. Click the Start button, and then click Run.

  4. In the Run dialog box, type x:\winnt\audio\setup.exe, where x is the DVD-ROM drive letter.

  5. Click OK.

  6. At the Welcome screen, click Next.

  7. At the Main Menu, the Install radio button is selected. Click Next. The audio files are copied to your hard-disk drive.

  8. When prompted, be sure that the Yes, I want to restart my computer now radio button is selected, and then click Finish.

Installing the Touch Pad Driver

The touch pad driver controls features such as touch pad and mouse functions, scrolling, touch features, and sensitivity.

  1. Log on as Administrator.

  2. Insert the System Software CD into the CD-ROM drive.

  3. Double-click the My Computer icon, and then double-click the CD-ROM drive icon.

  4. Double-click the WinNT folder, then double-click the Touchpad folder, and then double-click the English folder.

    NOTICE: Do not install the Japanese-language driver on a computer with a non-Japanese-language operating system.

    If you are using a Japanese-language version of Windows NT, double-click the WinNT folder, then double-click the Touchpad folder, and then double-click the Japanese folder.

  1. Double-click Setup.

  2. In the Welcome window, click Next.

  3. In the Important Information window, click Next.

    Another Important Information window appears recommending that you create or update an emergency repair diskette before you install the touch pad driver.

  4. Ensure that the Run the Emergency Repair Disk utility before installing check box is selected, and then click Next.

  5. Click Next to install the files in the default directory.

  6. Click Next to begin copying the files.

  7. When prompted to create an emergency repair diskette, click Yes.

  8. Label a blank diskette �Emergency Repair Diskette,� insert it into the diskette drive, and then click OK.

  9. Click OK at the dialog box regarding sensitive information.

  10. After the appropriate files are copied onto the hard-disk drive and the emergency repair diskette is created, remove the Emergency Repair Diskette and select Yes, I want to restart my computer now. Do not remove the System Software CD.

  11. Click Finish to exit the installation and restart your computer.

    To prevent the Show this Dialog Box at Startup window from appearing when the computer restarts, remove the check from the check box.


Installing the Power Management Configuration Utility

The power management configuration utility allows you to adjust the way the computer uses the battery. The Softex Power Management icon appears in the Control Panel after you install the utility.

  1. Log on as Administrator.

  2. Insert the System Software CD into the CD-ROM drive.

  3. Double-click the My Computer icon, and then double-click the CD-ROM drive icon.

  4. Double-click the WinNT folder, and then double-click the APM folder.

  5. Double-click Setup. The Softex Power Management Control Setup screen appears, and then the Softex Power Management Control Setup window displays the license agreement.

  6. Read the agreement and click Accept.

    note.gif (515 bytes) NOTE: You must accept the license agreement to continue.
  1. Click the button in the Softex Power Management Control Setup window to accept the default installation directory. The Softex Power Management Control Setup window notifies you that the installation is complete.

  2. Click OK.

  3. Click Don�t Restart Now in the Softex Power Management Control Setup window.

Installing the PC Card Configuration Utility

The PC Card configuration utility allows you to view and change the properties of an installed PC Card. The Softex PC Card Controller icon appears in the Control Panel after you install the utility.

  1. Remove any PC Card(s) from the PC Card slot and restart the computer.

  2. Insert the System Software CD into the CD-ROM drive.

  3. Double-click the My Computer icon, and then double-click the CD-ROM drive icon.

  4. Double-click the WinNT folder, and then double-click the PCMCIA folder.

  5. Double-click Setup. The Softex PC Card Controller Setup screen appears, and then the Softex PC Card Controller Setup window displays the license agreement.

  6. Read the agreement and click Accept.

    note.gif (515 bytes) NOTE: You must accept the license agreement to continue.
  1. Click the button in the Softex PC Card Controller Setup window to accept the default installation directory.

    The Softex PC Card Controller Setup window monitors the installation and displays a status bar. The Creating Control Panel window appears and notifies you that the setup program will install the PC Card configuration in the Control Panel and that the Microsoft Windows PC Card (PCMCIA) icon will be disabled.

  2. Click I Understand.

  3. When the Softex PC Card Controller Setup window notifies you that the installation is complete, click OK.

    The Reboot Now window appears.

  4. Click Restart Now to restart the computer.

  5. Log on as Administrator.

    The Softex PC Card Controller Diagnostics window appears.

  6. Click Next, and then click Next again to start the diagnostics utility.

  7. When the Softex PC Card Controller Diagnostics window notifies you that the diagnostics are complete, click Finish.

  8. Verify that the computer restarts.

Installing the Internal Modem Driver (Optional)

The modem driver allows you to customize the operation of your optional internal modem.

NOTICE: Do not install this driver if the computer does not have an internal modem installed.

note.gif (515 bytes) NOTE: The internal modem is not available in all regions.
  1. Log on as Administrator.

  2. Insert the System Software CD into the CD-ROM drive.

  3. Double-click the My Computer icon, and then double-click the CD-ROM drive icon.

  4. Double-click the WinNT folder, and then double-click the Modem folder.

  5. Double-click Setup. The Installing Modem Drivers window appears. At the Modem Installation window, click Next.

  6. When prompted, select Install new modem driver and components and click Next.

  7. When prompted, select the Yes, I want to restart my computer now check box and click Finish to restart the computer.

Installing the System Help

The Dell Inspiron system Help is available on the System Software CD. You can also access it from the Documentation page.

note.gif (515 bytes) NOTE: You must install Microsoft Internet Explorer 4.01 from the Microsoft Windows NT 4.0 Service Pack 5 CD prior to installing the system Help.

Installing Help From the CD

To install the system Help from the System Software CD, perform the following steps:

  1. Insert the CD into the CD-ROM drive.

  2. Double-click the My Computer icon, and then double-click the CD-ROM drive icon.

  3. Double-click the Guide folder, and then double-click the appropriate language folder for the version of the Help you want to install.

  4. Right-click and hold 7500help and drag it to the Windows® desktop.

  5. Release the right mouse button.

  6. Left-click Copy Here.

  7. Double-click the 7500help icon to access the system Help.

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