User Guide

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Preface: Dell™ Latitude™ LS Portable Computers User's Guide

	About This Guide		Notational Conventions
	Warranty and Return Policy Information		Typographical Conventions
	Other Documents You May Need

About This Guide

This guide is intended for anyone who uses the Dell Latitude LS portable computers. It can be used by both first-time and experienced computer users who want to learn about the features of the computer. This guide also provides basic troubleshooting procedures and instructions for using the Dell Diagnostics to test your computer and its components. The sections are summarized as follows:

• "Introduction" — overview of the computer features and available upgrades

• "Setup and Operation" — instructions on operating your computer

• "Powering Your Computer" — instructions and options on how to power your computer

• "Traveling With Your Computer" — suggestions on how to travel safely with your computer

• "Drivers" — instructions on how to install driver software on your computer

• "Customizing Your Computer" — instructions on accessing the system setup program, power management software, and the Suspend-to-Disk utility, all of which allow you to change system settings affecting your computer's power conservation features

• "Replacing the Hard-Disk Drive" — instructions on how to remove and install hard-disk drives

• "Troubleshooting Your Computer" — initial checks and procedures that can be used to solve basic computer problems; general guidelines on analyzing software problems and messages

• "Technical Specifications" — reference material about the details of your computer

• "Getting Help" — help tools Dell provides to assist you if you have a problem with the computer; information on how and when to call Dell for technical assistance.

Warranty and Return Policy Information

Dell Computer Corporation ("Dell") manufactures its hardware products from parts and components that are new or equivalent to new in accordance with industry-standard practices.

For information about the Dell warranty and return policy, see your Dell Latitude System Information guide.

Other Documents You May Need

Besides this User's Guide, the following documentation is included with your computer.

NOTE: Documentation updates are sometimes included with your computer to describe changes to your computer or software. Always read these updates before consulting any other documentation because the updates contain the latest information.

• The operating system Setup Guide, which describes how to set up the Dell-installed operating system on your computer.

• Microsoft® Windows 95®, Windows 98, and Windows NT® operating system documentation is included if you ordered your operating system from Dell. This documentation describes how to configure and use your operating system software.

• Online documentation is included for your computer devices (such as the modem) and for any options you purchase separately from your computer. To access this supplemental documentation, double-click the Dell Documents icon on the Windows desktop, click System Information, and then click System Documentation.

• "Readme" files may be installed on your hard-disk drive to provide last-minute updates about technical changes to your computer or advanced technical reference material intended for experienced users or technicians.

Notational Conventions

The following subsections list notational conventions used in this document.

Notes, Notices, and Cautions

Throughout this guide, blocks of text may be accompanied by an icon and printed in bold type or in italic type. These blocks are notes, notices, and cautions, and they are used as follows:

NOTE: A NOTE indicates important information that helps you make better use of your computer.

CAUTION: A CAUTION indicates the potential for bodily harm and tells you how to avoid the problem.

Typographical Conventions

The following list defines (where appropriate) and illustrates typographical conventions used as visual cues for specific elements of text throughout this document:

• Interface components are window titles, button and icon names, menu names and selections, and other options that appear on the monitor screen or display. They are presented in bold.

Example: Click OK.

• Keycaps, the labeling that appears on the keys on a keyboard, are enclosed in angle brackets.

  Example: <Enter>
  

• Key combinations are series of keys to be pressed simultaneously (unless otherwise indicated) to perform a single function.
  

Example: <Ctrl><Alt><Enter>

• Commands presented in lowercase bold are for reference purposes only and are not intended to be typed at that particular point in the discussion.
  

  Example: "Use the setup command to . . . ."

  In contrast, commands presented in the Courier New font are intended to be typed as part of an instruction.

  Example: "Type format a: to format the diskette in drive A."
  
  

• Filenames and directory names are presented in lowercase bold.
  

  Examples: autoexec.bat and c:\windows
  

• Syntax lines consist of a command and all its possible parameters. Commands are displayed in lowercase bold; variable parameters (those for which you substitute a value) are displayed in lowercase italics; constant parameters are displayed in lowercase bold. The brackets indicate items that are optional.
  

  Example: del [drive:] [[path]filename] [/p]

• Command lines consist of a command and may include one or more of the command's possible parameters. Command lines are presented in the Courier New font.
  

Example: del c:\myfile.doc



• Screen text is text that appears on the screen of your display or external monitor. It can be a system message, for example, or it can be text that you are instructed to type as part of a command (referred to as a command line). Screen text is presented in the Courier New font.

Example: The following message appears on your screen:

No boot device available

• Variables are symbols for which you substitute a value. They are presented in italics.

Example: module n (where n represents the memory module number)

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