CAUTION: Before you begin any of the procedures in this section, follow the safety instructions in the Product Information Guide.
Windows XP:
• Click Start and click My Computer.
Windows Vista™:
• Click the Windows Vista Start button and click Computer.
If the drive is not listed, perform a full scan with your antivirus software to check for and remove viruses. Viruses can sometimes prevent Windows from recognizing the drive.
TE S T T H E D RI V E —
• Insert another disc to eliminate the possibility that the original drive is defective. • Insert a bootable floppy disk and restart the computer.
CL E A N T H E DRI VE O R D I S K— See "Cleaning Your Computer" on page 105.
CH E C K T H E CA BLE C O N N E CT I O N S
RU N T H E HA R D W A R E TR O U B L E S H O O T E R— See "Troubleshooting Software and Hardware Problems in the Microsoft® Windows® XP and Microsoft Windows Vista™
Operating Systems" on page 143.
RU N T H E DE L L DI A G N O S T I C S — See "Dell Diagnostics" on page 136.
Optical drive problems
NOTE: High-speed optical drive vibration is normal and may cause noise, which does not indicate a defect in the drive or the media.
NOTE: Because of different regions worldwide and different disc formats, not all DVD titles work in all DVD drives.
AD J U S T T H E WI N D O W S VO LUM E C O N T RO L—
• Click the speaker icon in the lower-right corner of your screen.
• Ensure that the volume is turned up by clicking the slidebar and dragging it up. • Ensure that the sound is not muted by clicking any boxes that are checked.
Problems writing to an optical drive
CL O S E O T H E R P RO G RA M S— The optical drive must receive a steady stream of data
during the writing process. If the stream is interrupted, an error occurs. Try closing all programs before you write to the optical.
TU RN O F F S T A N D B Y M O D E I N WI N D O W S B E F O R E W R I T I N G T O A D I S K — See "Power Management" on page 47 or search for the keyword standby in Windows Help
Hard drive problems RU N CHECK DI S K — Windows XP:
1Click Start and click My Computer.
2Right-click Local Disk C:.
3Click Properties→ Tools→Check Now.
4Click Scan for and attempt recovery of bad sectors and click Start.
Windows Vista:
1Click Start and click Computer.
2Right-click Local Disk C:.
3Click Properties→ Tools→Check Now.
The User Account Control window may appear. If you are an administrator on the computer, click Continue; otherwise, contact your administrator to continue the desired action.
4Follow the instructions on the screen.
E-Mail and Internet Problems
CAUTION: Before you begin any of the procedures in this section, follow the safety instructions in the Product Information Guide.
CH E C K T H E MIC RO SOF T OU T L O O K ® EX P RE S S SE C U R I T Y SE T T I N G S — If you cannot open your e-mail attachments:
1In Outlook Express, click Tools→Options→Security.
2Click Do not allow attachments to remove the checkmark, as needed.
CH E C K T H E T E L E P H O N E L I N E CO NN E C T I O N CH E C K T H E T E L E P H O N E J A C K
CO N N E C T T H E M O D E M D I R EC T L Y T O T H E T E L E PH O N E WA LL J A C K US E A D I F F E R E N T T E L E P H O N E L I N E —
• Verify that the telephone line is connected to the jack on the modem (the jack has either a green label or a connector-shaped icon next to it).
• Ensure that you hear a click when you insert the telephone line connector into the modem.
• Disconnect the telephone line from the modem and connect it to a telephone, then listen for a dial tone.
• If you have other telephone devices sharing the line, such as an answering machine, fax machine, surge protector, or line splitter, bypass them and use the telephone to connect the modem directly to the telephone wall jack. If you are using a line that is 3 meters (10 feet) or more in length, try a shorter one.
RU N T H E MO D E M D I A G N O S T I C TO O L — Windows XP:
1Click Start→AllPrograms→Modem Helper.
2Follow the instructions on the screen to identify and resolve modem problems. Modem Helper is not available on certain computers.
Windows Vista:
1Click Start → All Programs→ Modem Diagnostic Tool.
2Follow the instructions on the screen to identify and resolve modem problems. Modem diagnostics are not available on all computers.
VE R I F Y T H A T T H E M O D E M I S C O M M U N I C A T I N G WI T H WI N DOWS — Windows XP:
1Click Start→Control Panel→Printers and Other Hardware→ Phone and Modem Options→ Modems.
2Click the COM port for your modem→ Properties→ Diagnostics→Query Modem to verify that the modem is communicating with Windows.
If all commands receive responses, the modem is operating properly.
Windows Vista:
1Click Start →Control Panel→Hardware and Sound→Phone and Modem Options→ Modems.
2Click the COM port for your modem→Properties→Diagnostics→Query Modem
to verify that the modem is communicating with Windows. If all commands receive responses, the modem is operating properly.
EN S U R E T H A T Y O U A R E CO N N EC T E D T O T H E IN T ER N E T — Ensure that you have subscribed to an Internet provider. With the Outlook Express e-mail program open, click File. If Work Offline has a checkmark next to it, click the checkmark to remove it and connect to the Internet. For help, contact your Internet service provider.