Dell Precision M70: Reinstalling Software
Reinstalling Software : Dell Precision M70
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Reinstalling Software
DellPrecision™MobileWorkstationM70User'sGuide
Drivers
Resolving Software and Hardware Incompatibilities
Using Microsoft®Windows®XP System Restore
Reinstalling Microsoft®Windows®XP
Drivers
What Is a Driver?
A driver is a program that controls a device such as a printer, mouse, or keyboard. All devices require a driver program.
A driver acts like a translator between the device and any other programs that use the device. Each device has its own set of specialized commands that only
its driver recognizes.
Dell ships your computer to you with required drivers already installed—no further installation or configuration is needed.
Many drivers, such as the keyboard driver, come with your Microsoft®Windows®operating system. You may need to install drivers if you:
l Upgrade your operating system.
l Reinstall your operating system.
l Connect or install a new device.
Identifying Drivers
If you experience a problem with any device, identify whether the driver is the source of your problem and, if necessary, update the driver.
Windows XP
1. Click the Start button and click Control Panel.
2. Under Pick a Category, click Performance and Maintenance.
3. Click System.
4. In the System Properties window, click the Hardware tab.
5. Click Device Manager.
6. Scroll down the list to see if any device has an exclamation point (a yellow circle with a [!]) on the device icon.
If an exclamation point is next to the device name, you may need to reinstall the driver or install a new driver.
Reinstalling Drivers and Utilities
Using the Windows XP Device Driver Rollback
If you install a new device driver that causes system instability, you can use the Windows XP Device Driver Rollback to replace the new device driver with the
previously installed version of the device driver. If you cannot reinstall your previous driver by using the Device Driver Rollback process, then use System
Restore to return your operating system to its previous operating state before you installed the new device driver. To use Device Driver Rollback:
1. Click the Start button and right-click My Computer.
NOTICE: TheDellSupportwebsiteatsupport.dell.comandyourDriversandUtilitiesCDprovideapproveddriversforDell™computers.Ifyouinstall
drivers obtained from other sources, your computer might not work correctly.
NOTE: The Drivers and Utilities CD is optional and may not ship with all computers.
2. Click Properties.
3. Click the Hardware tab and click Device Manager.
4. In the Device Manager window, right-click the device for which the new driver was installed and then click Properties.
5. Click the Drivers tab.
6. Click Roll Back Driver.
Using the Drivers and Utilities CD
If using Device Driver Rollback or System Restore does not resolve the problem, then reinstall the driver from the Drivers and Utilities CD (also known as the
ResourceCD).
1. Save and close any open files, and exit any open programs.
2. Insert the Drivers and Utilities CD.
In most cases, the CD starts running automatically. If it does not, start Windows Explorer, click your CD drive directory to display the CD contents, and
then double-click the autorcd.exe file. The first time that you run the CD, it might prompt you to install setup files. Click OK, and follow the instructions
on the screen to continue.
3. From the Language drop-down menu in the toolbar, select your preferred language for the driver or utility (if available). A welcome screen appears.
4. Click Next.
The CD automatically scans your hardware to detect drivers and utilities used by your computer.
5. After the CD completes the hardware scan, you can also detect other drivers and utilities. Under Search Criteria, select the appropriate categories from
the System Model, Operating System, and Topic drop-down menus.
A link or links appear(s) for the specific drivers and utilities used by your computer.
6. Click the link of a specific driver or utility to display information about the driver or utility that you want to install.
7. Click the Install button (if present) to begin installing the driver or utility. At the welcome screen, follow the screen prompts to complete the installation.
If no Install button is present, automatic installation is not an option. For installation instructions, either see the appropriate instructions in the following
subsections, or click Extract, follow the extracting instructions, and then read the readme file.
If instructed to navigate to the driver files, click the CD directory on the driver information window to display the files associated with that driver.
Manually Reinstalling Drivers for Windows XP
1. After copying the driver files to your hard drive, click the Start button and right-click My Computer.
2. Click Properties.
3. Click the Hardware tab and click Device Manager.
4. Double-click the type of device for which you are installing the driver (for example, Modems or Infrared devices).
5. Double-click the name of the device for which you are installing the driver.
6. Click the Driver tab and click Update Driver.
7. Click Install from a list or specific location (Advanced) and click Next.
8. Click Browse and browse to the location to which you previously copied the driver files.
NOTE: The Drivers and Utilities CD may contain drivers for operating systems that are not on your computer. Ensure that you are installing software
appropriate for your operating system.
NOTE: The Drivers and Utilities CD is optional and may not ship with all computers.
NOTE: If you are reinstalling an infrared sensor driver, you must first enable the infrared sensor in system setup before continuing with the driver
installation.
9. When the name of the appropriate driver appears, click Next.
10. Click Finish and restart your computer.
Manually Reinstalling Drivers for Windows 2000
1. After copying the driver files to your hard drive, click the Start button, point to Settings, and then click Control Panel.
2. Double-click the System icon.
3. Click the Hardware tab.
4. Click Device Manager.
5. Double-click the type of device for which you are installing the driver (for example, Modems or Infrared devices).
6. Double-click the name of the device.
7. Click the Driver tab and click Update Driver.
8. Click Next.
9. Ensure that Search for a suitable driver for my device (recommended) is selected, and then click Next.
10. Ensure that the Specify a location check box is checked and that all other check boxes are unchecked, and click Next.
11. Click Browse to browse to the location to which you previously copied the driver files.
12. When the name of the appropriate driver appears, click Next.
13. Click Finish and restart your computer.
Resolving Software and Hardware Incompatibilities
If a device is either not detected during the operating system setup or is detected but incorrectly configured, you can use the Hardware Troubleshooter to
resolve the incompatibility.
Windows XP
To resolve incompatibilities using the Hardware Troubleshooter:
1. Click the Start button and click Help and Support.
2. Type hardware troubleshooter in the Search field and click the arrow to start the search.
3. Click Hardware Troubleshooter in the Search Results list.
4. In the Hardware Troubleshooter list, click I need to resolve a hardware conflict on my computer, and click Next.
Using Microsoft®Windows®XP System Restore
The Microsoft®Windows®XP operating system provides System Restore to allow you to return your computer to an earlier operating state (without affecting
data files) if changes to the hardware, software, or other system settings have left the computer in an undesirable operating state. See the Windows Help
and Support Center for information on using System Restore.
NOTE: If you are reinstalling an infrared driver, you must first enable the infrared sensor in the system setup program before continuing with the driver
installation.
NOTICE: Make regular backups of your data files. System Restore does not monitor your data files or recover them.
NOTE: TheproceduresinthisdocumentwerewrittenfortheWindowsdefaultview,sotheymaynotworkifyousetyourDell™computertothe
Windows Classic view.
Creating a Restore Point
1. Click the Start button and click Help and Support.
2. Click System Restore.
3. Follow the instructions on the screen.
Restoring the Computer to an Earlier Operating State
1. Click the Start button, point to All Programs® Accessories® System Tools, and then click System Restore.
2. Ensure that Restore my computer to an earlier time is selected and click Next.
3. Click a calendar date to which you want to restore your computer.
The Select a Restore Point screen provides a calendar that allows you to see and select restore points. All calendar dates with available restore points
appear in boldface type.
4. Select a restore point and click Next.
If a calendar date has only one restore point, then that restore point is automatically selected. If two or more restore points are available, click the
restore point that you prefer.
5. Click Next.
The Restoration Complete screen appears after System Restore finishes collecting data and then the computer restarts.
6. After the computer restarts, click OK.
To change the restore point, you can either repeat the steps using a different restore point, or you can undo the restoration.
Undoing the Last System Restore
1. Click the Start button, point to All Programs® Accessories® System Tools, and then click System Restore.
2. Click Undo my last restoration and click Next.
3. Click Next.
The System Restore screen appears and the computer restarts.
4. After the computer restarts, click OK.
Enabling System Restore
If you reinstall Windows XP with less than 200 MB of free hard-disk space available, System Restore is automatically disabled. To see if System Restore is
enabled:
1. Click the Start button and click Control Panel.
2. Click Performance and Maintenance.
3. Click System.
4. Click the System Restore tab.
NOTICE: Before you restore the computer to an earlier operating state, save and close any open files and exit any open programs. Do not alter, open,
or delete any files or programs until the system restoration is complete.
NOTICE: Before you undo the last system restore, save and close all open files and exit any open programs. Do not alter, open, or delete any files or
programs until the system restoration is complete.
5. Ensure that Turn off System Restore is unchecked.
Reinstalling Microsoft®Windows®XP
Before You Begin
If you are considering reinstalling the Windows XP operating system to correct a problem with a newly installed driver, first try using Windows XP Device Driver
Rollback. If Device Driver Rollback does not resolve the problem, then use System Restore to return your operating system to the operating state it was in
before you installed the new device driver.
To reinstall Windows XP, you need the following items:
l Dell™Operating System CD
l Dell™Drivers and Utilities CD
Reinstalling Windows XP
To reinstall Windows XP, perform all the steps in the following sections in the order in which they are listed.
The reinstallation process can take 1 to 2 hours to complete. After you reinstall the operating system, you must also reinstall the device drivers, virus
protection program, and other software.
Booting From the Operating System CD
1. Save and close any open files and exit any open programs.
2. Insert the Operating System CD. Click Exit if the Install Windows XP message appears.
3. Restart the computer.
4. Press<F12>immediatelyaftertheDELL™logoappears.
If the operating system logo appears, wait until you see the Windows desktop, and then shut down the computer and try again.
5. Press the arrow keys to select CD-ROM, and press <Enter>.
6. When the Press any key to boot from CD message appears, press any key.
Windows XP Setup
1. When the Windows XP Setup screen appears, press <Enter>.
2. Read the information on the Microsoft Windows Licensing Agreement screen, and press <F8> to accept the license agreement.
3. If your computer already has Windows XP installed and you want to recover your current Windows XP data, type r to select the repair option, and
remove the CD.
4. If you want to install a new copy of Windows XP, press <Esc> to select that option.
5. Press <Enter> to select the highlighted partition (recommended), and follow the instructions on the screen.
NOTICE: You must use Windows XP Service Pack 1 (SP1) or later when you reinstall Windows XP.
NOTICE: Before performing the installation, back up all data files on your primary hard drive. For conventional hard drive configurations, the primary
hard drive is the first drive detected by the computer.
NOTE: The Operating System CD and the Drivers and Utilities CD are optional and may not ship with all computers.
NOTE: The Drivers and Utilities CD contains drivers that were installed during assembly of the computer. Use the Drivers and Utilities CD to load any
required drivers, including the drivers required if your computer has a RAID controller.
NOTICE: The Operating System CD provides options for reinstalling Windows XP. The options can overwrite files and possibly affect programs installed
on your hard drive. Therefore, do not reinstall Windows XP unless a Dell technical support representative instructs you to do so.
NOTICE: To prevent conflicts with Windows XP, disable any virus protection software installed on your computer before you reinstall Windows XP. See
the documentation that came with the software for instructions.
The Windows XP Setup screen appears, and the operating system begins to copy files and install the devices. The computer automatically restarts
multiple times.
6. When the Regional and Language Options screen appears, select the settings for your location and click Next.
7. Enter your name and organization (optional) in the Personalize Your Software screen, and click Next.
8. At the Computer Name and Administrator Password window, enter a name for your computer (or accept the one provided) and a password, and click
Next.
9. If the Modem Dialing Information screen appears, enter the requested information and click Next.
10. Enter the date, time, and time zone in the Date and Time Settings window, and click Next.
11. If the Networking Settings screen appears, click Typical and click Next.
12. If you are reinstalling Windows XP Professional and you are prompted to provide further information regarding your network configuration, enter your
selections. If you are unsure of your settings, accept the default selections.
Windows XP installs the operating system components and configures the computer. The computer automatically restarts.
13. When the Welcome to Microsoft screen appears, click Next.
14. When the How will this computer connect to the Internet? message appears, click Skip.
15. When the Ready to register with Microsoft? screen appears, select No, not at this time and click Next.
16. When the Who will use this computer? screen appears, you can enter up to five users.
17. Click Next.
18. Click Finish to complete the setup, and remove the CD.
19. Reinstall the appropriate drivers with the Drivers and Utilities CD.
20. Reinstall the Notebook System Software (NSS) utility.
If you reinstall the operating system for your computer, you should also reinstall the Notebook System Software (NSS) utility. NSS provides critical
updates for your operating system and support for Dell™ 3.5-inch USB floppy drives, Intel® Pentium® M processors, optical drives, and USB devices.
NSS is necessary for correct operation of your Dell notebook computer. NSS automatically detects your computer and operating system and installs the
updates appropriate for your configuration.
If you do not have the Dell Drivers and Utilities CD, access the Dell product support website. Click Downloads and select System and Configuration Utilities
and Windows XP. Select Dell Notebook System Software and follow the instructions for downloading and installing the Dell Notebook System Software.
21. Reinstall your virus protection software.
22. Reinstall your programs.
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NOTICE: Do not press any key when the following message appears: Press any key to boot from the CD.
NOTE: The time required to complete the setup depends on the size of the hard drive and the speed of your computer.
NOTICE: Do not press any key when the following message appears: Press any key to boot from the CD.
NOTE: The Dell Drivers and Utilities CD is required for installation of the NSS utility. However, this CD is optional and may not ship with all computers.
NOTE: To reinstall and activate your Microsoft Office or Microsoft Works Suite programs, you need the Product Key number located on the back of the
Microsoft Office or Microsoft Works Suite CD sleeve.
Оглавление
- DellPrecision™MobileWorkstationM70User'sGuide
- About Your Computer
- Appendix
- Alert Standard Format (ASF)
- Using a Battery
- Using the Module Bay
- Using CDs, DVDs, and Other Module Bay Devices
- Cleaning Your Computer
- Using the Dell Diagnostics
- Using the Display
- Reinstalling Software
- Finding Information
- Getting Help
- Glossary
- Using the Keyboard and Touch Pad
- Passwords
- Using PC Cards
- Power Management
- Solving Problems
- Dell™QuickSetFeatures
- Adding and Replacing Parts
- Using the System Setup Program
- Using Smart Cards
- Specifications
- Traveling With Your Computer
- Connecting to a Wireless Local Area Network
- Using Microsoft®Windows®XP
