Latitude 3120 Service Manual
Contents
Working inside your computer
- Safety instructions
Removing and installing components
Drivers and downloads
System setup
Troubleshooting
Getting help and contacting Dell

DELL 3120 User Manual

Displayed below is the user manual for 3120 by DELL which is a product in the Notebooks category. This manual has pages.

Related Manuals

DELL 3120 Manual

Latitude 3120

Service Manual

Regulatory Model: P32T/P33T

Regulatory Type: P32T001/P33T001

August 2021

Rev. A02

Notes, cautions, and warnings

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

CAUTION: A CAUTION indicates either potential damage to hardware or loss of data and tells you how to avoid

the problem.

WARNING: A WARNING indicates a potential for property damage, personal injury, or death.

trademarks may be trademarks of their respective owners.

Chapter 1: Working inside your computer...................................................................................... 6

Safety instructions.............................................................................................................................................................. 6

Before working inside your computer.......................................................................................................................6

Safety precautions.........................................................................................................................................................7

Electrostatic discharge—ESD protection................................................................................................................7

ESD field service kit ..................................................................................................................................................... 8

After working inside your computer..........................................................................................................................9

Chapter 2: Removing and installing components.......................................................................... 10

Recommended tools..........................................................................................................................................................10

Screw List............................................................................................................................................................................ 10

Major components of your system................................................................................................................................ 12

Palmrest and Keyboard assembly.................................................................................................................................. 13

Removing the palmrest and keyboard.....................................................................................................................13

Installing the palmrest and keyboard.......................................................................................................................15

Solid-state drive................................................................................................................................................................. 17

Removing the solid-state drive................................................................................................................................. 17

Installing the solid-state drive................................................................................................................................... 18

Speakers...............................................................................................................................................................................19

Removing the speakers.............................................................................................................................................. 19

Installing the speaker..................................................................................................................................................20

Coin-cell battery.................................................................................................................................................................21

Removing the coin-cell battery.................................................................................................................................21

Installing the coin-cell battery.................................................................................................................................. 22

Audio board.........................................................................................................................................................................23

Removing the audio board.........................................................................................................................................23

Installing the audio board...........................................................................................................................................24

Battery................................................................................................................................................................................. 25

Lithium-ion battery precautions...............................................................................................................................25

Removing the 3-cell battery..................................................................................................................................... 25

Installing the 3-cell battery....................................................................................................................................... 26

Removing the 4-cell battery..................................................................................................................................... 27

Installing the 4-cell battery....................................................................................................................................... 28

Display assembly................................................................................................................................................................29

Removing the display assembly............................................................................................................................... 29

Installing the display assembly.................................................................................................................................. 31

Power-adapter port.......................................................................................................................................................... 33

Removing the power-adapter port..........................................................................................................................33

Installing the power-adapter port............................................................................................................................34

World-facing camera........................................................................................................................................................ 35

Removing the world-facing camera........................................................................................................................35

Installing the world-facing camera.......................................................................................................................... 36

Heatsink assembly.............................................................................................................................................................37

Removing the heatsink assembly.............................................................................................................................37

Contents

Contents 3

Installing the heatsink assembly...............................................................................................................................38

Dummy battery cell...........................................................................................................................................................39

Removing the dummy battery cell...........................................................................................................................39

Installing the dummy battery cell.............................................................................................................................40

System board...................................................................................................................................................................... 41

Removing the system board......................................................................................................................................41

Installing the system board....................................................................................................................................... 43

Touch-panel assembly......................................................................................................................................................46

Removing the touch-panel assembly......................................................................................................................46

Installing the touch-panel assembly........................................................................................................................48

Display bezel.......................................................................................................................................................................49

Removing the display bezel.......................................................................................................................................49

Installing the display bezel ........................................................................................................................................ 51

Display panel.......................................................................................................................................................................52

Removing the display panel...................................................................................................................................... 52

Installing the display panel ....................................................................................................................................... 54

Front facing camera......................................................................................................................................................... 56

Removing the front facing camera......................................................................................................................... 56

Installing the front facing camera............................................................................................................................57

Display cable.......................................................................................................................................................................58

Removing the display cable.......................................................................................................................................58

Installing the display cable ....................................................................................................................................... 59

Display hinges.....................................................................................................................................................................60

Removing the display hinge...................................................................................................................................... 60

Installing the display hinge ........................................................................................................................................ 61

Display back cover assembly.......................................................................................................................................... 63

Display back cover assembly.................................................................................................................................... 63

Base cover assembly........................................................................................................................................................ 64

Replacing the base cover assembly........................................................................................................................ 64

Chapter 3: Drivers and downloads............................................................................................... 66

Chapter 4: System setup............................................................................................................. 67

BIOS overview....................................................................................................................................................................67

Entering BIOS setup program........................................................................................................................................ 67

Boot menu...........................................................................................................................................................................67

Boot Sequence...................................................................................................................................................................68

Navigation keys..................................................................................................................................................................68

One time boot menu.........................................................................................................................................................68

System setup options.......................................................................................................................................................69

General options............................................................................................................................................................69

System information.....................................................................................................................................................69

Video...............................................................................................................................................................................70

Security...........................................................................................................................................................................71

Secure boot...................................................................................................................................................................72

Performance................................................................................................................................................................. 72

Power management.................................................................................................................................................... 73

POST behavior............................................................................................................................................................. 75

Virtualization support..................................................................................................................................................76

4Contents

Wireless.......................................................................................................................................................................... 77

Maintenance..................................................................................................................................................................77

System logs...................................................................................................................................................................78

SupportAssist System Resolution............................................................................................................................78

Updating the BIOS............................................................................................................................................................ 78

Updating the BIOS in Windows................................................................................................................................ 78

Updating the BIOS using the USB drive in Windows..........................................................................................79

Updating the BIOS from the F12 One-Time boot menu.....................................................................................79

System and setup password...........................................................................................................................................80

Assigning a system setup password....................................................................................................................... 80

Deleting or changing an existing system setup password..................................................................................81

Clearing CMOS settings............................................................................................................................................. 81

Clearing BIOS (System Setup) and System passwords..................................................................................... 81

Chapter 5: Troubleshooting.........................................................................................................82

Handling swollen Lithium-ion batteries........................................................................................................................ 82

Dell SupportAssist Pre-boot System Performance Check diagnostics................................................................82

Running the SupportAssist Pre-Boot System Performance Check................................................................83

Built-in self-test (BIST)................................................................................................................................................... 83

M-BIST...........................................................................................................................................................................83

LCD Power rail test (L-BIST)................................................................................................................................... 84

LCD Built-in Self Test (BIST)................................................................................................................................... 84

Diagnostic LED behavior..................................................................................................................................................84

Diagnostic error messages..............................................................................................................................................86

System error messages................................................................................................................................................... 89

Recovering the operating system................................................................................................................................. 90

Real-Time Clock (RTC Reset)........................................................................................................................................90

Flashing the BIOS..............................................................................................................................................................90

Backup media and recovery options.............................................................................................................................90

WiFi power cycle................................................................................................................................................................ 91

Drain residual flea power (perform hard reset).......................................................................................................... 91

Chapter 6: Getting help and contacting Dell................................................................................ 92

Contents 5

Working inside your computer

Safety instructions

Use the following safety guidelines to protect your computer from potential damage and to ensure your personal safety. Unless

otherwise noted, each procedure included in this document assumes that you have read the safety information that shipped

with your computer.

WARNING: Before working inside your computer, read the safety information that is shipped with your

computer. For more safety best practices, see the Regulatory Compliance home page at www.dell.com/

regulatory_compliance.

WARNING: Disconnect your computer from all power sources before opening the computer cover or panels.

After you finish working inside the computer, replace all covers, panels, and screws before connecting your

computer to an electrical outlet.

CAUTION: To avoid damaging the computer, ensure that the work surface is flat, dry, and clean.

CAUTION: To avoid damaging the components and cards, handle them by their edges, and avoid touching the

pins and the contacts.

CAUTION: You should only perform troubleshooting and repairs as authorized or directed by the Dell technical

assistance team. Damage due to servicing that is not authorized by Dell is not covered by your warranty. See the

safety instructions that is shipped with the product or at www.dell.com/regulatory_compliance.

CAUTION: Before touching anything inside your computer, ground yourself by touching an unpainted metal

surface, such as the metal at the back of the computer. While you work, periodically touch an unpainted metal

surface to dissipate static electricity which could harm internal components.

CAUTION: When you disconnect a cable, pull it by its connector or its pull tab, not the cable itself. Some cables

have connectors with locking tabs or thumbscrews that you must disengage before disconnecting the cable.

When disconnecting cables, keep them evenly aligned to avoid bending the connector pins. When connecting

cables, ensure that the ports and the connectors are correctly oriented and aligned.

CAUTION: Press and eject any installed card from the media-card reader.

CAUTION: Exercise caution when handling Lithium-ion batteries in laptops. Swollen batteries should not be used

and should be replaced and disposed properly.

NOTE: The color of your computer and certain components may appear differently than shown in this document.

Before working inside your computer

About this task

NOTE: The images in this document may differ from your computer depending on the configuration you ordered.

Steps

1. Save and close all open files and exit all open applications.

2. Shut down your computer. Click Start > Power > Shut down.

6 Working inside your computer

NOTE: If you are using a different operating system, see the documentation of your operating system for shut-down

instructions.

3. Disconnect your computer and all attached devices from their electrical outlets.

4. Disconnect all attached network devices and peripherals, such as keyboard, mouse, and monitor from your computer.

CAUTION: To disconnect a network cable, first unplug the cable from your computer and then unplug the

cable from the network device.

5. Remove any media card and optical disc from your computer, if applicable.

Safety precautions

The safety precautions chapter details the primary steps to be taken before performing any disassembly instructions.

Observe the following safety precautions before you perform any installation or break/fix procedures involving disassembly or

reassembly:

●Turn off the system and all attached peripherals.

●Disconnect the system and all attached peripherals from AC power.

●Disconnect all network cables, telephone, and telecommunications lines from the system.

●Use an ESD field service kit when working inside any to avoid electrostatic discharge (ESD) damage.

●After removing any system component, carefully place the removed component on an anti-static mat.

●Wear shoes with non-conductive rubber soles to reduce the chance of getting electrocuted.

Standby power

Dell products with standby power must be unplugged before you open the case. Systems that incorporate standby power are

essentially powered while turned off. The internal power enables the system to be remotely turned on (wake on LAN) and

suspended into a sleep mode and has other advanced power management features.

Unplugging, pressing and holding the power button for 20 seconds should discharge residual power in the system board.

Bonding

Bonding is a method for connecting two or more grounding conductors to the same electrical potential. This is done through

the use of a field service electrostatic discharge (ESD) kit. When connecting a bonding wire, ensure that it is connected to bare

metal and never to a painted or non-metal surface. The wrist strap should be secure and in full contact with your skin, and

ensure that you remove all jewelry such as watches, bracelets, or rings prior to bonding yourself and the equipment.

Electrostatic discharge—ESD protection

ESD is a major concern when you handle electronic components, especially sensitive components such as expansion cards,

processors, memory DIMMs, and system boards. Very slight charges can damage circuits in ways that may not be obvious, such

as intermittent problems or a shortened product life span. As the industry pushes for lower power requirements and increased

density, ESD protection is an increasing concern.

Due to the increased density of semiconductors used in recent Dell products, the sensitivity to static damage is now higher than

in previous Dell products. For this reason, some previously approved methods of handling parts are no longer applicable.

Two recognized types of ESD damage are catastrophic and intermittent failures.

●Catastrophic – Catastrophic failures represent approximately 20 percent of ESD-related failures. The damage causes

an immediate and complete loss of device functionality. An example of catastrophic failure is a memory DIMM that has

received a static shock and immediately generates a "No POST/No Video" symptom with a beep code emitted for missing or

nonfunctional memory.

●Intermittent – Intermittent failures represent approximately 80 percent of ESD-related failures. The high rate of

intermittent failures means that most of the time when damage occurs, it is not immediately recognizable. The DIMM

receives a static shock, but the tracing is merely weakened and does not immediately produce outward symptoms related to

the damage. The weakened trace may take weeks or months to melt, and in the meantime may cause degradation of memory

integrity, intermittent memory errors, etc.

Working inside your computer 7

The more difficult type of damage to recognize and troubleshoot is the intermittent (also called latent or "walking wounded")

failure.

Perform the following steps to prevent ESD damage:

●Use a wired ESD wrist strap that is properly grounded. The use of wireless anti-static straps is no longer allowed; they do not

provide adequate protection. Touching the chassis before handling parts does not ensure adequate ESD protection on parts

with increased sensitivity to ESD damage.

●Handle all static-sensitive components in a static-safe area. If possible, use anti-static floor pads and workbench pads.

●When unpacking a static-sensitive component from its shipping carton, do not remove the component from the anti-static

packing material until you are ready to install the component. Before unwrapping the anti-static packaging, ensure that you

discharge static electricity from your body.

●Before transporting a static-sensitive component, place it in an anti-static container or packaging.

ESD field service kit

The unmonitored Field Service kit is the most commonly used service kit. Each Field Service kit includes three main components:

anti-static mat, wrist strap, and bonding wire.

Components of an ESD field service kit

The components of an ESD field service kit are:

●Anti-Static Mat – The anti-static mat is dissipative and parts can be placed on it during service procedures. When using an

anti-static mat, your wrist strap should be snug and the bonding wire should be connected to the mat and to any bare metal

on the system being worked on. Once deployed properly, service parts can be removed from the ESD bag and placed directly

on the mat. ESD-sensitive items are safe in your hand, on the ESD mat, in the system, or inside a bag.

●Wrist Strap and Bonding Wire – The wrist strap and bonding wire can be either directly connected between your wrist

and bare metal on the hardware if the ESD mat is not required, or connected to the anti-static mat to protect hardware that

is temporarily placed on the mat. The physical connection of the wrist strap and bonding wire between your skin, the ESD

mat, and the hardware is known as bonding. Use only Field Service kits with a wrist strap, mat, and bonding wire. Never

use wireless wrist straps. Always be aware that the internal wires of a wrist strap are prone to damage from normal wear

and tear, and must be checked regularly with a wrist strap tester in order to avoid accidental ESD hardware damage. It is

recommended to test the wrist strap and bonding wire at least once per week.

●ESD Wrist Strap Tester – The wires inside of an ESD strap are prone to damage over time. When using an unmonitored

kit, it is a best practice to regularly test the strap prior to each service call, and at a minimum, test once per week. A

wrist strap tester is the best method for doing this test. If you do not have your own wrist strap tester, check with your

regional office to find out if they have one. To perform the test, plug the wrist-strap's bonding-wire into the tester while it is

strapped to your wrist and push the button to test. A green LED is lit if the test is successful; a red LED is lit and an alarm

sounds if the test fails.

●Insulator Elements – It is critical to keep ESD sensitive devices, such as plastic heat sink casings, away from internal parts

that are insulators and often highly charged.

●Working Environment – Before deploying the ESD Field Service kit, assess the situation at the customer location. For

example, deploying the kit for a server environment is different than for a desktop or portable environment. Servers are

typically installed in a rack within a data center; desktops or portables are typically placed on office desks or cubicles. Always

look for a large open flat work area that is free of clutter and large enough to deploy the ESD kit with additional space to

accommodate the type of system that is being repaired. The workspace should also be free of insulators that can cause an

ESD event. On the work area, insulators such as Styrofoam and other plastics should always be moved at least 12 inches or

30 centimeters away from sensitive parts before physically handling any hardware components

●ESD Packaging – All ESD-sensitive devices must be shipped and received in static-safe packaging. Metal, static-shielded

bags are preferred. However, you should always return the damaged part using the same ESD bag and packaging that the

new part arrived in. The ESD bag should be folded over and taped shut and all the same foam packing material should be

used in the original box that the new part arrived in. ESD-sensitive devices should be removed from packaging only at an

ESD-protected work surface, and parts should never be placed on top of the ESD bag because only the inside of the bag is

shielded. Always place parts in your hand, on the ESD mat, in the system, or inside an anti-static bag.

●Transporting Sensitive Components – When transporting ESD sensitive components such as replacement parts or parts

to be returned to Dell, it is critical to place these parts in anti-static bags for safe transport.

8Working inside your computer

ESD protection summary

It is recommended that all field service technicians use the traditional wired ESD grounding wrist strap and protective anti-static

mat at all times when servicing Dell products. In addition, it is critical that technicians keep sensitive parts separate from all

insulator parts while performing service and that they use anti-static bags for transporting sensitive components.

After working inside your computer

About this task

CAUTION: Leaving stray or loose screws inside your computer may severely damage your computer.

Steps

1. Replace all screws and ensure that no stray screws remain inside your computer.

2. Connect any external devices, peripherals, or cables you removed before working on your computer.

3. Replace any media cards, discs, or any other parts that you removed before working on your computer.

4. Connect your computer and all attached devices to their electrical outlets.

5. Turn on your computer.

Working inside your computer 9

Removing and installing components

NOTE: The images in this document may differ from your computer depending on the configuration you ordered.

Recommended tools

The procedures in this document require the following tools:

●Phillips #0 screwdriver

●Phillips #1 screwdriver

●Plastic scribe: Recommended for field technicians.

NOTE: The #0 screw driver is for screws 0-1 and the #1 screw driver is for screws 2-4.

Screw List

The following table shows the screw list and the image of the screws.

Table 1. Screw list

Component Screw type Quantity Image

3-cell battery M2x3 4

Dummy battery cell M2x3 2

4-cell battery M2x3 5

Audio board cable M2x3 2

Heatsink assembly M2x3 4

World-facing camera M2.5x2.5 1

Power-adapter port M2x4 2

WLAN bracket M2x3 1

10 Removing and installing components

Table 1. Screw list (continued)

Component Screw type Quantity Image

Display bracket M2x3 1

Solid-state drive bracket M2x3 1

Display hinge bracket (Latitude 3120 2-in-1) M2.5x2.5

M2x2

Display hinge bracket M2.5x5 6

N-lock M2x4 1

display hinge bracket (Latitude 3120) M2.5x2.5

M2x2.5

Display panel (Latitude 3120) M2x2.5 4

Display bezel (Latitude 3120) M2.5x3.8 4

System board with USB Type-C port

System board without USB Type-C port

M2x5

USB Type-C bracket M2x4 3

USB Type-A bracket M2x3.5 2

Base cover Captive screws 9

Removing and installing components 11

Major components of your system

1. Display assembly

12 Removing and installing components

2. Palmrest and keyboard assembly

3. Battery

4. Coin-cell battery

5. Solid-state drive thermal plate

6. Solid-state drive

7. System board

8. USB Type-A bracket

9. Speakers

10. Computer chassis

11. Power-adapter port

12. USB Type-C bracket

13. Heatsink

14. World-facing camera

NOTE: Dell provides a list of components and their part numbers for the original system configuration purchased. These

parts are available according to warranty coverages purchased by the customer. Contact your Dell sales representative for

purchase options.

Palmrest and Keyboard assembly

Removing the palmrest and keyboard

Prerequisites

Follow the procedure in before working inside your computer.

About this task

The following images indicate the location of the palmrest and keyboard, and provide a visual representation of the removal

procedure.

Removing and installing components 13

14 Removing and installing components

Steps

1. Loosen the nine captive screws that secure the palmrest assembly to the computer chassis.

2. Place the system on a flat surface with the keyboard facing up. Open the system to 180 degrees.

NOTE: The system will automatically power on when it is opened past 5-degree angle. Press the power button to turn

off the system and then proceed with the disassembly process.

3. Use a plastic scribe to pry open the palmrest assembly, starting from the U-shaped recesses near the hinges at the top edge

of the palmrest.

4. Use the scribe to pry open the top, left, and right sides of the palmrest.

5. Hold the left and right sides of the palmrest and open it to 45 degrees to release the palmrest assembly from the computer

chassis.

CAUTION: Do not open the palmrest assembly more than 60 degrees, as it may damage the keyboard Flexible

Printed Circuits (FPC) and touchpad Flexible Flat Cable (FFC).

6. Gently flip over the palmrest assembly with the keyboard facing downward.

CAUTION: Do not apply excess force to the palmrest assembly while flipping it over, as it may damage to the

keyboard FPC and touchpad FFC.

7. Disconnect the battery cable, keyboard FPC, and touchpad FFC from the system board.

8. Lift and remove the palmrest assembly and keyboard from the computer chassis.

Installing the palmrest and keyboard

Prerequisites

If you are replacing a component, remove the existing component before performing the installation procedure.

About this task

The following images indicate the location of the palmrest and keyboard, and provide a visual representation of the installation

procedure.

Removing and installing components 15

16 Removing and installing components

Steps

1. Connect the battery cable, keyboard Flexible Printed Circuits (FPC), and touchpad Flexible Flat Cable (FFC) to the system

board.

2. Place the palmrest assembly and the keyboard on the computer chassis.

3. Align and place the base cover on the computer, and snap the base cover latches into place.

4. Replace the nine captive screws that secure the palmrest assembly to the computer chassis.

Next steps

Follow the procedure in after working inside your computer.

Solid-state drive

Removing the solid-state drive

Prerequisites

1. Follow the procedure in before working inside your computer.

2. Remove the palmrest and keyboard assembly.

About this task

NOTE: The following steps are for the systems that are shipped with an M.2 solid-state drive (SSD).

Removing and installing components 17

The following images indicate the location of the SSD and provide a visual representation of the removal procedure.

Steps

1. Remove the single screw (M2x3) that secures the SSD thermal plate and remove the thermal plate from the SSD.

2. Slide and remove the SSD from the M.2 card slot on the system board.

Installing the solid-state drive

Prerequisites

If you are replacing a component, remove the existing component before performing the installation procedure.

About this task

NOTE: The following steps are for the systems that are shipped with an M.2 solid-state drive (SSD).

The following image indicates the location of the SSD and provides a visual representation of the installation procedure.

18 Removing and installing components

Steps

1. Align the notch on the SSD with the tab on the M.2 card slot and slide the SSD into the slot on the system board.

2. Replace the SSD thermal plate, press to fit it firmly to cover the SSD.

3. Replace the single screw (M2x3) to secure the SSD to the M.2 card slot on system board.

Next steps

1. Install the palmrest and keyboard assembly.

2. Follow the procedure in after working inside your computer.

Speakers

Removing the speakers

Prerequisites

1. Follow the procedure in before working inside your computer.

2. Remove the palmrest and keyboard assembly.

About this task

The following image indicates the location of the speakers and provides a visual representation of the removal procedure.

Removing and installing components 19

Steps

1. Disconnect the speaker cable from the connector on the system board.

2. Remove the adhesive tapes that secure the speaker cable to the system board.

3. Unroute the speaker cable from the routing channel.

4. Lift and remove the speakers from their slots on the computer chassis.

Installing the speaker

Prerequisites

If you are replacing a component, remove the existing component before performing the installation procedure.

About this task

The following image indicates the location of the speaker and provides a visual representation of the installation procedure.

20 Removing and installing components

Steps

1. Using the alignment posts and rubber grommets, replace the speaker into the slots on the computer chassis.

2. Route the speaker cable through the routing channel.

3. Affix the adhesive tapes to secure the speaker cable on the system board.

4. Connect the speaker cable to the connector on the system board.

Next steps

1. Install the palmrest and keyboard assembly.

2. Follow the procedure in after working inside your computer.

Coin-cell battery

Removing the coin-cell battery

Prerequisites

1. Follow the procedure in before working inside your computer.

2. Remove the palmrest and keyboard assembly.

Removing and installing components 21

About this task

The following image indicates the location of the coin-cell battery and provides a visual representation of the removal procedure.

Steps

1. Disconnect the coin cell battery cable from the connector on the system board.

2. Pry the coin cell battery to release it from the adhesive. Lift and remove it from the computer chassis.

Installing the coin-cell battery

Prerequisites

If you are replacing a component, remove the existing component before performing the installation procedure.

About this task

If you are replacing a component, remove the existing component before performing the installation procedure.

The following image indicates the location of the coin-cell battery and provides a visual representation of the installation

procedure.

22 Removing and installing components

Steps

1. Place the coin cell battery into the slot on the computer chassis.

2. Connect the coin cell battery cable to the connector on the system board.

Next steps

1. Install the palmrest and keyboard assembly.

2. Follow the procedure in after working inside your computer.

Audio board

Removing the audio board

Prerequisites

1. Follow the procedure in before working inside your computer.

2. Remove the palmrest and keyboard assembly.

3. Remove the speakers.

About this task

The following image indicates the location of the audio board and provides a visual representation of the removal procedure.

Removing and installing components 23

Steps

1. Disconnect the audio board cable from the connector on the system board.

2. Remove the two screws (M2x3) that secure the audio board to the computer chassis.

3. Lift and remove the audio board from the computer chassis.

Installing the audio board

Prerequisites

If you are replacing a component, remove the existing component before performing the installation procedure.

About this task

The following image indicates the location of the audio board and provides a visual representation of the installation procedure.

24 Removing and installing components

Steps

1. Using the alignment posts, replace the audio board into the slots on the computer chassis.

2. Replace the two screws (M2x3) that secure the audio board to the computer chassis.

3. Connect the audio cable to the connector on the system board.

Next steps

1. Install thespeakers.

2. Install the speakers.

3. Install the palmrest and keyboard assembly.

4. Follow the procedure in after working inside your computer.

Battery

Lithium-ion battery precautions

CAUTION:

●Exercise caution when handling Lithium-ion batteries.

●Discharge the battery completely before removing it. Disconnect the AC power adapter from the system and

operate the computer solely on battery power—the battery is fully discharged when the computer no longer

turns on when the power button is pressed.

●Do not crush, drop, mutilate, or penetrate the battery with foreign objects.

●Do not expose the battery to high temperatures, or disassemble battery packs and cells.

●Do not apply pressure to the surface of the battery.

●Do not bend the battery.

●Do not use tools of any kind to pry on or against the battery.

●Ensure any screws during the servicing of this product are not lost or misplaced, to prevent accidental

puncture or damage to the battery and other system components.

●If the battery gets stuck inside your computer as a result of swelling, do not try to release it as puncturing,

bending, or crushing a lithium-ion battery can be dangerous. In such an instance, contact Dell technical

support for assistance. See www.dell.com/contactdell.

●Always purchase genuine batteries from www.dell.com or authorized Dell partners and resellers.

Removing the 3-cell battery

Prerequisites

1. Follow the procedure in before working inside your computer.

2. Remove the palmrest and keyboard assembly.

NOTE: The following steps are for the systems that are shipped with a 3-cell battery.

NOTE: If the battery is disconnected from system board, there is delay during computer boot as the computer undergoes

Real Time Clock (RTC) reset.

NOTE: The double sided adhesive tapes are reusable.

About this task

The following images indicate the location of the 3-cell battery and provide a visual representation of the removal procedure.

Removing and installing components 25

Steps

1. Peel off the adhesive tapes that secure the 3-cell battery to the computer chassis.

2. Unroute the battery cable from the routing channels between the system board and 3-cell battery.

3. Remove the four screws (M2x3) that secure the 3-cell battery to the computer chassis.

4. Disconnect the battery cable from the system board.

5. Lift and remove the 3-cell battery from the computer chassis.

Installing the 3-cell battery

Prerequisites

If you are replacing a component, remove the existing component before performing the installation procedure.

About this task

NOTE: The following steps are for the systems that are shipped with a 3-cell battery.

NOTE: If the battery is disconnected from system board, there is delay during computer boot as the computer undergoes

Real Time Clock (RTC) reset.

NOTE: The double sided adhesive tapes are reusable.

The following image indicates the location of the 3-cell battery and provides a visual representation of the installation procedure.

26 Removing and installing components

Steps

1. Align and replace the 3-cell battery into the computer chassis.

2. Route the battery cable through the routing channels between the system board and 3-cell battery.

3. Affix the adhesive tapes to secure the 3-cell battery to the computer chassis.

4. Replace the four screws (M2x3) to secure the 3-cell battery in place.

5. Connect the battery cable to the system board.

Next steps

1. Install the palmrest and keyboard assembly.

2. Follow the procedure in after working inside your computer.

Removing the 4-cell battery

Prerequisites

1. Follow the procedure in before working inside your computer.

2. Remove the palmrest and keyboard assembly.

NOTE: The following steps are for the systems that are shipped with a 4-cell battery.

NOTE: If the battery is disconnected from system board, there is delay during computer boot as the computer undergoes

Real Time Clock (RTC) reset.

NOTE: The double sided adhesive tapes are reusable.

About this task

The following image indicates the location of the 4-cell battery and provides a visual representation of the removal procedure.

Removing and installing components 27

Steps

1. Peel off the adhesive tapes that secure the 4-cell battery to the computer chassis.

2. Unroute the battery cable from the routing channels between the system board and 4-cell battery.

3. Remove the five screws (M2x3) that secure the 4-cell battery to the computer chassis.

4. Disconnect the battery cable from the system board.

5. Lift and remove the 4-cell battery from the computer chassis.

Installing the 4-cell battery

Prerequisites

If you are replacing a component, remove the existing component before performing the installation procedure.

About this task

NOTE: The following steps are for the systems that are shipped with a 4-cell battery.

NOTE: If the battery is disconnected from system board, there is delay during computer boot as the computer undergoes

Real Time Clock (RTC) reset.

NOTE: The double sided adhesive tapes are reusable.

The following image indicates the location of the 4-cell battery and provides a visual representation of the installation procedure.

28 Removing and installing components

Steps

1. Align and replace the 4-cell battery into the computer chassis.

2. Route the battery cable through the routing channels between the system board and 4-cell battery.

3. Affix the adhesive tapes to secure the 4-cell battery to the computer chassis.

4. Replace the five screws (M2x3) to secure the 4-cell battery in place.

5. Connect the battery cable to the system board.

Next steps

1. Install the palmrest and keyboard assembly.

2. Follow the procedure in after working inside your computer.

Display assembly

Removing the display assembly

Prerequisites

1. Follow the procedure in before working inside your computer.

2. Remove the palmrest and keyboard assembly.

About this task

The following images indicate the location of the display assembly and provide a visual representation of the removal procedure.

Removing and installing components 29

30 Removing and installing components

Steps

1. Remove the singe screw (M2x3) that secures the WLAN antenna cable bracket to the system board.

2. Lift and remove the WLAN antenna cable bracket from the system board.

3. Disconnect the two antenna cables that are connected to the WLAN module on the system board.

4. Remove the singe screw (M2x3) that secures the display cable bracket to the system board. Lift and remove the display

cable bracket from the system board.

5. Open the latch and disconnect the display cable from the connector on the system board.

6. For 2-in-1 systems, disconnect the touch cable from the connector on the system board.

7. Open the system to 120 degrees.

8. Remove the single (M2x4) screw and six (M2.5x5) screws that secure the display assembly to the computer chassis.

9. Lift and remove the display assembly from the computer chassis.

Installing the display assembly

Prerequisites

If you are replacing a component, remove the existing component before performing the installation procedure.

About this task

The following image indicates the location of the display assembly and provides a visual representation of the installation

procedure.

Removing and installing components 31

32 Removing and installing components

Steps

1. Align and place the display assembly on the computer chassis.

2. Replace the single (M2x4) screw and six (M2.5x5) screws that secure the display assembly to the computer chassis.

3. For 2-in-1 systems, connect the touch cable to the connector on the system board.

4. Connect the display cable to the connector on the system board. Close the latch to secure the cable.

5. Replace the display cable bracket on the system board. Replace the singe screw (M2x3) to secure the display bracket to the

system board.

6. Connect the two antenna cables to the WLAN module on the system board.

7. Replace the WLAN antenna cable bracket on the system board.

8. Replace the singe screw (M2x3) that secures the WLAN antenna cable bracket to the system board.

Next steps

1. Install the palmrest and keyboard assembly.

2. Follow the procedure in after working inside your computer.

Power-adapter port

Removing the power-adapter port

Prerequisites

1. Follow the procedure in before working inside your computer.

2. Remove the palmrest and keyboard assembly.

Removing and installing components 33

About this task

The following image indicates the location of the power-adapter port and provides a visual representation of the removal

procedure.

Steps

1. Disconnect the power-adapter port cable from the system board.

2. Remove the two screws (M2x4) that secure the power-adapter port to the computer chassis.

3. Lift and remove the power-adapter port from the computer chassis.

Installing the power-adapter port

Prerequisites

If you are replacing a component, remove the existing component before performing the installation procedure.

About this task

The following image indicates the location of the power-adapter port and provides a visual representation of the installation

procedure.

34 Removing and installing components

Steps

1. Place the power-adapter port into the slot on the computer chassis.

2. Replace the two screws (M2x4) that secure the power-adapter port to the computer chassis.

3. Connect the power-adapter port cable to the connector on the system board.

Next steps

1. Install the palmrest and keyboard assembly.

2. Follow the procedure in after working inside your computer.

World-facing camera

Removing the world-facing camera

Prerequisites

NOTE: The following world-facing camera removal procedure is applicable for Latitude 3120 2-in-1 only.

CAUTION: This is a fragile component. Handle with care.

1. Follow the procedure in before working inside your computer.

2. Remove the palmrest and keyboard assembly.

About this task

The following images indicate the location of the world-facing camera and provide a visual representation of the removal

procedure.

Removing and installing components 35

Steps

1. Disconnect the world-facing camera cable from the connector on the camera module.

2. Remove the single screw (M2.5x2.5) that secures the front-facing camera module to the computer chassis.

3. Remove the world-facing camera module from the computer chassis.

4. Lift and remove the world-facing camera module from the computer chassis.

Installing the world-facing camera

Prerequisites

NOTE: The following world-facing camera installing procedure is applicable for Latitude 3120 2-in-1 only.

CAUTION: This is a fragile component. Handle with care.

About this task

The following image indicates the location of the front-facing camera and provides a visual representation of the installation

procedure.

36 Removing and installing components

Steps

1. Insert the world-facing camera module into the slot on the computer chassis.

2. Replace the single screw (M2.5x2.5) to secure the front-facing camera module to the computer chassis.

3. Connect the world-facing camera cable to the connector on the camera module.

Next steps

1. Install the palmrest and keyboard assembly.

2. Follow the procedure in after working inside your computer.

Heatsink assembly

Removing the heatsink assembly

Prerequisites

1. Follow the procedure in before working inside your computer.

2. Remove the palmrest and keyboard assembly.

About this task

The following images indicate the location of the heatsink assembly and provide a visual representation of the removal

procedure.

Removing and installing components 37

Steps

1. For systems shipped with an SSD: Remove the single screw (M2x3) that secures the SSD thermal plate to the system board.

Remove the thermal plate from the system board.

2. Remove the four screws (M2x3) that secure the heatsink assembly to the system board.

3. Lift and remove the heatsink assembly from the system board.

Installing the heatsink assembly

Prerequisites

If you are replacing a component, remove the existing component before performing the installation procedure.

About this task

The following image indicates the location of the heatsink assembly and provides a visual representation of the installation

procedure.

38 Removing and installing components

Steps

1. Align and replace the heatsink assembly into its slot on the system board.

2. Replace the four screws (M2x3) to secure the heatsink assembly to the system board.

3. For systems shipped with an SSD: Align and replace the single screw (M2x3) that secures the SSD thermal plate to the

system board.

Next steps

1. Install the palmrest and keyboard assembly.

2. Follow the procedure in after working inside your computer.

Dummy battery cell

Removing the dummy battery cell

Prerequisites

1. Follow the procedure in before working inside your computer.

2. Remove the palmrest and keyboard assembly.

Removing and installing components 39

About this task

NOTE: The following steps are for the systems that are shipped with a 3-cell battery.

The following image indicates the location of the dummy battery cell and provides a visual representation of the removal

procedure.

Steps

1. Peel off the adhesive tapes that secure the battery cable to the dummy battery cell.

2. Remove the two screws (M2x3) that secure the dummy battery cell to the system board.

3. Disconnect the battery cable from the system board.

4. Lift and remove the dummy battery cell from the computer chassis.

Installing the dummy battery cell

Prerequisites

If you are replacing a component, remove the existing component before performing the installation procedure.

About this task

NOTE: The following steps are for the systems that are shipped with a 3-cell battery.

The following image indicates the location of the dummy battery cell and provides a visual representation of the installation

procedure.

40 Removing and installing components

Steps

1. Align and place the dummy battery cell into the computer chassis.

2. Affix the adhesive tapes to secure the dummy battery cell to the system board.

3. Replace the two screws (M2x3) to secure the dummy battery cell in place.

4. Connect the battery cable to the connector on the system board.

Next steps

1. Install the palmrest and keyboard assembly.

2. Follow the procedure in after working inside your computer.

System board

Removing the system board

Prerequisites

1. Follow the procedure in before working inside your computer.

2. Remove the palmrest and keyboard assembly.

3. For systems that are shipped with a Solid State Drive (SSD), remove the solid-state drive.

4. Remove the heatsink assembly.

5. For systems shipped with a world-facing camera, remove the world-facing camera.

About this task

The following images indicate the location of the system board and provide a visual representation of the removal procedure.

Removing and installing components 41

42 Removing and installing components

Steps

1. Remove the singe screw (M2x3) that secures the WLAN antenna cable bracket to the system board.

2. Lift and remove the WLAN antenna cable bracket from the system board.

3. Disconnect the two antenna cables that are connected to the WLAN module on the system board.

4. Remove the singe screw (M2x3) that secures the display cable bracket to the system board. Lift and remove the display

cable bracket from the system board.

5. Open the latch and disconnect the display cable from the connector on the system board.

6. For 2-in-1 systems, disconnect the touch cable from the connector on the system board.

7. Disconnect the power adapter port cable from the connector on the system board.

8. Disconnect the speaker cable and the audio board cable from their connectors on the system board.

9. For systems that are shipped with a USB Type-C port, remove the three screws (M2x4) that secure the USB Type-C

bracket to the system board.

10. For systems that are shipped with a USB Type-C port, lift and remove the USB Type-C bracket from the system board.

11. Remove the two screws (M2x3) that secure the USB Type-A bracket to the system board.

12. Lift and remove the USB Type-A bracket from the system board.

13. For systems that are shipped with a USB Type-C port, remove the four screws (M2x3) that secure the system board to the

computer chassis.

14. For systems that are shipped without a USB Type-C port, remove the six screws (M2x3) that secure the system board to

the computer chassis.

15. Disconnect the coin cell battery cable from the connector on the system board.

16. Pry the coin cell battery to release it from the adhesive. Lift and remove it from the system board.

17. Carefully slide the system board out of the computer.

Installing the system board

Prerequisites

If you are replacing a component, remove the existing component before performing the installation procedure.

About this task

The following images indicate the location of the system board and provide a visual representation of the installation procedure.

Removing and installing components 43

44 Removing and installing components

Steps

1. Replace the system board into the computer chassis.

2. For systems that are shipped with a USB Type-C port, replace the four screws (M2x3) that secure the system board to the

computer chassis.

3. For systems that are not shipped with a USB Type-C port, replace the six screws (M2x3) that secure the system board to

the computer chassis.

4. Replace the coin cell battery into its sot on the system board.

5. Connect the coin cell battery cable to the connector on the system board.

6. Replace the USB Type-A bracket on the system board.

7. Replace the two screws (M2x3) to secure the USB Type-A bracket to the system board.

8. For systems that are shipped with a USB Type-C port, replace the USB Type-C bracket on the system board.

9. For systems that are shipped with a USB Type-C port, replace the three screws (M2x4) to secure the USB Type-C bracket

to the system board.

10. Connect the speaker cable and the audio board cable to their connectors on the system board.

11. Connect the power adapter port cable to its connector on the system board.

12. For 2-in-1 systems, connect the touch cable to the connector on the system board.

13. Connect the display cable to its connector on the system board. Close the latch to secure the cable.

14. Replace the display cable bracket on the system board. Replace the singe screw (M2x3) to secure the display bracket to the

system board.

15. Connect the two antenna cables to the WLAN module on the system board.

16. Replace the WLAN antenna cable bracket on the system board.

17. Replace the singe screw (M2x3) to secure the WLAN antenna cable bracket to the system board.

Next steps

1. For systems shipped with a world-facing camera, install the world-facing camera.

2. Install the heatsink assembly.

3. For systems that are shipped with a Solid State Drive (SSD), install the solid-state drive.

Removing and installing components 45

4. Install the palmrest and keyboard assembly.

5. Follow the procedure in after working inside your computer.

Touch-panel assembly

Removing the touch-panel assembly

Prerequisites

1. Follow the procedure in before working inside your computer.

2. Remove the palmrest and keyboard assembly.

3. Remove the display assembly.

About this task

NOTE: The following steps are for 2-in-1 systems.

The following images indicate the location of the touch-panel assembly and provide a visual representation of the removal

procedure.

46 Removing and installing components

Steps

1. Place the display assembly on a flat surface. Open the display hinge caps to 90 degrees and open the display hinges to 180

degrees.

2. Open the display hinge caps to 180 degrees and place the display hinges over the edge of the table.

3. Use a plastic scribe to pry open the display assembly, starting from the U-shaped recesses near the hinges at the bottom

edge of the display assembly.

4. Pry open the bottom side of the display assembly.

5. Adjust the display hinge caps to 90 degrees and the display hinges to 180 degrees so that the display assembly can lay flat on

the surface.

6. Lift and remove the touch-panel assembly from the display cover.

7. Gently flip over the display panel assembly and place it on a flat surface.

CAUTION: The display cable is not long enough to completely flatten the panel. Technicians must move the

touch-panel assembly underneath the display hinges.

8. Peel off the mylar tape that secures the display cable on the rear of the display panel.

9. Peel off the rubber sticker from the display cable connector.

10. Disconnect the display cable from the connector on the display panel.

11. Peel off the tape that secures the connector on the touch control board.

12. Disconnect the display cable from the connector on the touch control board.

13. Lift and remove the touch-panel assembly.

Removing and installing components 47

Installing the touch-panel assembly

Prerequisites

If you are replacing a component, remove the existing component before performing the installation procedure.

About this task

NOTE: The following steps are for 2-in-1 systems.

The following image indicates the location of the touch panel assembly and provides a visual representation of the installation

procedure.

48 Removing and installing components

Steps

1. Align and place the touch-panel assembly on the display cover.

2. Connect the display cable to the connector on the touch control board.

3. Affix the tape to secure the connector on the touch control board.

4. Connect the display cable to the connector on the display panel.

5. Affix the rubber sticker on the display cable connector.

6. Affix the mylar tape to secure the display cable on the rear of the display panel.

7. Gently snap the touch panel assembly into place.

Next steps

1. Install the display assembly.

2. Install the palmrest and keyboard assembly.

3. Follow the procedure in after working inside your computer.

Display bezel

Removing the display bezel

Prerequisites

NOTE: The following steps are for Latitude 3120 systems.

1. Follow the procedure in before working inside your computer.

2. Remove the palmrest and keyboard assembly.

3. Remove the display assembly.

About this task

The following images indicate the location of the display bezel and provide a visual representation of the removal procedure.

Removing and installing components 49

50 Removing and installing components

Steps

1. NOTE: The bezel screws are covered with disposable cosmetic mylar stickers that must not be peeled off before bezel

screw removal.

Remove the four screws (M2.5x3.8) that secure the display bezel on the display assembly.

2. Use a plastic scribe to carefully pry open the recesses near the left and right hinges on the bottom edge of the display bezel.

3. Use the scribe to pry open the top, left, and right sides of the display bezel.

4. Lift and remove the display bezel from the display assembly.

Installing the display bezel

Prerequisites

If you are replacing a component, remove the existing component before performing the installation procedure.

About this task

NOTE: The following steps are for Latitude 3120 systems.

The following images indicate the location of the display bezel and provide a visual representation of the installation procedure.

Removing and installing components 51

Steps

1. NOTE: Push the screwdriver directly into the stickers and turn counterclockwise to replace the screws. When replacing

the new display bezel, adhere the new stickers over the screws once the screws have been secured.

Align the display bezel with the display assembly. Gently snap the display bezel into place.

2. Replace the four screws (M2.5x3.8) to secure the display bezel on the display assembly.

Next steps

1. Install the display assembly.

2. Install the palmrest and keyboard assembly.

3. Follow the procedure in after working inside your computer.

Display panel

Removing the display panel

Prerequisites

NOTE: The following steps are for Latitude 3120 systems.

1. Follow the procedure in before working inside your computer.

2. Remove the palmrest and keyboard assembly.

3. Remove the display assembly.

52 Removing and installing components

4. Remove the display bezel.

About this task

The following images indicate the location of the display panel and provide a visual representation of the removal procedure.

Removing and installing components 53

Steps

1. Remove the four screws (M2x2.5) that secure the display panel on the display assembly.

2. Gently flip over the display panel.

3. Peel off the mylar tape that secures the display cable on the rear of the display panel.

4. Peel off the rubber sticker from the display cable connector.

5. Disconnect the display cable from the connector on the display panel.

6. Lift and remove the display panel from the display assembly.

Installing the display panel

Prerequisites

If you are replacing a component, remove the existing component before performing the installation procedure.

About this task

NOTE: The following steps are for Latitude 3120 systems.

The following images indicate the location of the display panel and provide a visual representation of the installation procedure.

54 Removing and installing components

Removing and installing components 55

Steps

1. Connect the display cable on the connector on the display panel.

2. Affix the rubber sticker on the display cable connector.

3. Affix the mylar tape to secure the display cable on the rear of the display panel.

4. Align the display panel with the display assembly. Gently snap the display bezel into place.

5. Replace the four screws (M2x2.5) to secure the display panel on the display assembly.

6. Gently flip over the display panel.

Next steps

1. Install the display bezel.

2. Install the display assembly.

3. Install the palmrest and keyboard assembly.

4. Follow the procedure in after working inside your computer.

Front facing camera

Removing the front facing camera

Prerequisites

1. Follow the procedure in before working inside your computer.

2. Remove the palmrest and keyboard assembly.

56 Removing and installing components

3. Remove the display assembly.

4. Remove the display bezel.

5. Remove the display panel.

About this task

The following image indicates the location of the front-facing camera, and provides a visual representation of the removal

procedure.

Steps

1. Peel off the adhesive tape that secures the display connector to the front-facing camera module.

2. Disconnect the display cable from the front-facing camera module.

3. Use a plastic scribe to pry the front-facing camera module from the display cover.

4. Lift and remove the front-facing camera module from the display cover.

Installing the front facing camera

Prerequisites

If you are replacing a component, remove the existing component before performing the installation procedure.

About this task

The following image indicates the location of the front-facing camera, and provides a visual representation of the installation

procedure.

Removing and installing components 57

Steps

1. Insert the front-facing camera module into the slot on the display cover.

2. Connect the display cable to the front-facing camera module.

3. Affix the adhesive tape to secure the display connector on the front-facing camera module.

Next steps

1. Install the display panel.

2. Install the display bezel.

3. Install the display assembly.

4. Install the palmrest and keyboard assembly.

5. Follow the procedure in after working inside your computer.

Display cable

Removing the display cable

Prerequisites

1. Follow the procedure in before working inside your computer.

2. Remove the palmrest and keyboard assembly.

3. Remove the display assembly.

4. Remove the display bezel.

5. Remove the display panel.

About this task

The following image indicates the location of the display cable and provides a visual representation of the removal procedure.

58 Removing and installing components

Steps

1. Peel off the tape that secures the display connector on the front-facing camera module.

2. Disconnect the display cable to the front-facing camera module.

3. Peel off the tape from the left hinge that secures the display cable.

4. Unroute the display cable from the routing channel on the bottom-left side of the display cover.

5. Peel off the display cable from the display cover.

Installing the display cable

Prerequisites

If you are replacing a component, remove the existing component before performing the installation procedure.

About this task

The following image indicates the location of the display cable and provides a visual representation of the installation procedure.

Removing and installing components 59

Steps

1. Align and affix the display cable on the display cover.

2. Route the display cable through the routing channel on the bottom-left side of the display cover.

3. Affix the tape from the left hinge to secure the display cable.

4. Connect the display cable to the front-facing camera module.

5. Affix the tape to secure the display connector on the front-facing camera module.

Next steps

1. Install the display panel.

2. Install the display bezel.

3. Install the display assembly.

4. Install the palmrest and keyboard assembly.

5. Follow the procedure in after working inside your computer.

Display hinges

Removing the display hinge

Prerequisites

1. Follow the procedure in before working inside your computer.

2. Remove the palmrest and keyboard assembly.

60 Removing and installing components

3. Remove the display assembly.

4. Remove the display bezel.

5. Remove the display panel.

About this task

The following image indicates the location of the display hinge and provides a visual representation of the removal procedure.

Steps

1. Peel off the tape from the left hinge that secures the display cable.

2. Peel off the tape from the right hinge that secures the WLAN antenna cables.

3. For Latitude 3120, remove the two (M2x2.5) screws and four (M2.5x2.5) screws that secure the display hinges to the

display assembly.

4. For Latitude 3120 2-in-1, remove the six (M2.5x2.5) screws and four (M2x2) screws that secure the display hinges to the

display assembly.

5. Open the display hinges to 45 degrees.

6. Remove the display hinges from the display assembly.

Installing the display hinge

Prerequisites

If you are replacing a component, remove the existing component before performing the installation procedure.

Removing and installing components 61

About this task

The following image indicates the location of the display hinge and provides a visual representation of the installation procedure.

Steps

1. Align and place the display hinges on the display assembly.

2. For Latitude 3120, replace the two (M2x2.5) screws and four (M2.5x2.5) screws to secure the display hinges to the display

assembly.

3. For Latitude 3120 2-in-1, replace the six (M2.5x2.5) screws and four (M2x2) screws to secure the display hinges to the

display assembly.

4. Affix the tape from the left hinge to secure the display cable.

5. Affix the tape from the right hinge to secure the WLAN antenna cables.

Next steps

1. Install the palmrest and keyboard assembly.

2. Install the display assembly.

3. Install the display bezel.

4. Install the display panel.

5. Follow the procedure in after working inside your computer.

62 Removing and installing components

Display back cover assembly

Prerequisites

1. Follow the procedure in before working inside your computer.

2. Remove the palmrest and keyboard assembly.

3. Remove the display assembly.

4. Remove the display bezel.

5. Remove the display panel.

6. For 2-in-1 systems, remove the touch-panel assembly.

7. Remove the front-facing camera.

8. Remove the display cable.

9. Remove the display hinges.

About this task

After performing the preceding steps, you are left with the display cover assembly.

Removing and installing components 63

Next steps

1. Install the display hinges.

2. Install the display cable.

3. Install the front-facing camera.

4. For 2-in-1 systems, install the touch-panel assembly

5. Install the display panel.

6. Install the display bezel.

7. Install the display assembly.

8. Install the palmrest and keyboard assembly.

9. Follow the procedure in after working inside your computer.

Base cover assembly

Replacing the base cover assembly

Prerequisites

1. Follow the procedure in before working inside your computer.

2. Remove the palmrest and keyboard assembly.

3. For systems that are shipped with a Solid State Drive (SSD), remove the solid-state drive.

4. Remove the speakers.

5. Remove the audio board.

6. Remove the 3-cell battery or the 4-cell battery depending on the system configuration.

7. Remove the display assembly.

8. Remove the power adapter port.

9. For systems shipped with a world-facing camera, remove the world-facing camera.

10. Remove the heatsink assembly.

11. For systems that are shipped with a 3-cell battery, remove the dummy battery cell.

12. Remove the system board.

About this task

After performing the preceding steps, you are left with the base cover assembly.

64 Removing and installing components

Next steps

1. Install the system board.

2. For systems that are shipped with a 3-cell battery, install the dummy battery cell.

3. Install the heatsink assembly.

4. For systems shipped with a world-facing camera, install the world-facing camera.

5. Install the power adapter port.

6. Install the display assembly.

7. Install the 3-cell battery or the4-cell battery depending on the system configuration.

8. Install the audio board.

9. Install the speakers.

10. For systems that are shipped with a Solid State Drive (SSD), install the solid-state drive.

11. Install the palmrest and keyboard assembly.

12. Follow the procedure in after working inside your computer.

Removing and installing components 65

Drivers and downloads

When troubleshooting, downloading or installing drivers it is recommended that you read the Dell Knowledge Based article,

Drivers and Downloads FAQ 000123347.

66 Drivers and downloads

System setup

CAUTION: Unless you are an expert computer user, do not change the settings in the BIOS Setup program.

Certain changes can make your computer work incorrectly.

NOTE: Before you change BIOS Setup program, it is recommended that you write down the BIOS Setup program screen

information for future reference.

Use the BIOS Setup program for the following purposes:

●Get information about the hardware installed in your computer, such as the amount of RAM and the size of the hard drive.

●Change the system configuration information.

●Set or change a user-selectable option, such as the user password, type of hard drive installed, and enabling or disabling

base devices.

BIOS overview

The BIOS manages data flow between the computer's operating system and attached devices such as hard disk, video adapter,

keyboard, mouse, and printer.

Entering BIOS setup program

Steps

1. Turn on your computer.

2. Press F2 immediately to enter the BIOS setup program.

NOTE: If you wait too long and the operating system logo appears, continue to wait until you see the desktop. Then,

turn off your computer and try again.

Boot menu

To initiate a one-time boot menu with a list of the valid boot devices for the system, press <F12> when the Dell logo is displayed.

Diagnostics and BIOS Setup options are also in this menu. The devices that are listed on the boot menu depend on the bootable

devices in the system. This menu is useful when you are attempting to boot to a particular device or to bring up the diagnostics

for the system. Using the boot menu, do not change the boot order that is stored in the BIOS.

The options are:

●Legacy External Device Boot

○Onboard NIC

●UEFI Boot:

○UEFI: TOSHIBA MQ01ACF050

●Other Options:

○BIOS Setup

○Device Configuration

○BIOS Flash Update

○Diagnostics

○Intel (R) Management Engine BIOS Extension (MEBx)

○Change Boot Mode Settings

System setup 67

Boot Sequence

Boot sequence enables you to bypass the System Setup–defined boot device order and boot directly to a specific device (for

example: optical drive or hard drive). During the Power-on Self-Test (POST), when the Dell logo appears, you can:

●Access System Setup by pressing F2 key

●Bring up the one-time boot menu by pressing F12 key.

The one-time boot menu displays the devices that you can boot from including the diagnostic option. The boot menu options

are:

●Removable Drive (if available)

●STXXXX Drive

NOTE: XXXX denotes the SATA drive number.

●Optical Drive (if available)

●SATA Hard Drive (if available)

●Diagnostics

NOTE: Choosing Diagnostics, displays the SupportAssist screen.

The boot sequence screen also displays the option to access the System Setup screen.

Navigation keys

NOTE: For most of the System Setup options, changes that you make are recorded but do not take effect until you restart

the system.

Keys Navigation

Up arrow Moves to the previous field.

Down arrow Moves to the next field.

Enter Selects a value in the selected field (if applicable) or follow the link in the field.

Spacebar Expands or collapses a drop-down list, if applicable.

Tab Moves to the next focus area.

Esc Moves to the previous page until you view the main screen. Pressing Esc in the main screen displays a

message that prompts you to save any unsaved changes and restarts the system.

One time boot menu

To enter one time boot menu, turn on your computer, and then press F12 immediately.

NOTE: It is recommended to shutdown the computer if it is on.

The one-time boot menu displays the devices that you can boot from including the diagnostic option. The boot menu options

are:

●Removable Drive (if available)

●STXXXX Drive (if available)

NOTE: XXX denotes the SATA drive number.

●Optical Drive (if available)

●SATA Hard Drive (if available)

●Diagnostics

The boot sequence screen also displays the option to access the System Setup screen.

68 System setup

System setup options

NOTE: Depending on the and its installed devices, the items listed in this section may or may not appear.

General options

Table 2. General

Option Description

System Information Displays the following information:

●System Information: Displays BIOS Version, Service Tag, Asset Tag, Ownership Tag,

Manufacture Date, Ownership Date, and Express Service Code

Signed Firmware Update is enabled.

●Memory Information: Displays Memory Installed, Memory Available, Memory Speed,

Memory Channel Mode, and Memory Technology

NOTE: Due to an amount of memory being assigned for system use, 'Memory Available'

is less than 'Memory Installed'.

NOTE: Certain operating systems may not be able to use all the available memory.

●Processor Information: Displays Processor Type, Core Count, Processor ID, Current

Clock Speed, Minimum Clock Speed, Maximum Clock Speed, Processor L2 Cache,

Processor L3 Cache, HT Capable, and 64-Bit Technology.

●Device Information: Displays M.2 PCIe SSD-0, Passthrough MAC Address, Video

Controller, Video BIOS Version, Video Memory, Panel type, Native Resolution,

Audio Controller, Wi-Fi Device, and Bluetooth Device.

Battery Information Displays the battery status health and whether the AC adapter is installed.

Boot Sequence Allows you to specify the order in which the computer attempts to find an operating system

from the devices specified in this list.

Advanced Boot Options Allows you to enable UEFI Network Stack. If enabled, UEFI Networking Protocols are

installed and available, allowing pre-OS and early OS networking features to use any enabled

NICs.

UEFI Boot Path Security This option controls whether or not the system will prompt the user to enter the Admin

password when booting a UEFI boot path from the F12 Boot Menu.

●Always, Except Internal HDD (enabled by default)

●Always, Except Internal HDD&PXE

●Always

●Never

Date/Time Allows you to set the date and time settings. Changes to the system date and time take

effect immediately.

System information

Table 3. System Configuration

Option Description

SATA Operation Allows you to configure the operating mode of the integrated SATA hard drive controller.

●Disabled = The SATA controllers are hidden.

●AHCI = SATA is configured for AHCI mode (enabled by default).

Drives Allows you to enable or disable the various drives on-board: The M.2 PCIe SSD-0 is enabled

by default.

System setup 69

Table 3. System Configuration (continued)

Option Description

Smart Reporting This field controls whether hard drive errors for integrated drives are reported during system

startup. The Enable Smart Reporting option is disabled by default.

USB Configuration Allows you to enable or disable the integrated USB controller for:

●Enable USB Boot Support (enabled by default)

NOTE: If the Fastboot option is set to 'Minimal', the 'Enable USB Boot Support' setting

is ignored, and the system will not boot from any Pre-boot USB devices.

●Enable External USB Port (enabled by default)

NOTE: A USB keyboard and/ mouse connected to the platform's USB ports will continue

to function within the BIOS Setup if this option is disabled.

USB PowerShare This option configures the USB PowerShare feature behavior.

●Enable USB PowerShare (disabled by default)

This feature is intended to allow users to power or charge external devices, such as

phones and portable music players, using the stored system battery power through the USN

PowerShare port on the notebook, while the notebook is in a sleep state.

When this option is disabled, the USB PowerShare feature will be turned off and devices

attached to the USB PowerShare port will not be powered/charged when the device is in

sleep state.

Audio Allows you to enable or disable the integrated audio controller. The option Enable Audio is

enabled by default.

●Enable Microphone (enabled by default)

●Enable Internal Speaker (enabled by default)

Touchscreen (2-in-1 only) Allows you to enable or disable touchscreen. The Touchscreen is enabled by default.

Miscellaneous Devices Allows you to enable or disable the following devices:

Laptop:

Enable Camera (enabled by default)

2-in-1:

●Enable User-Facing Camera (enabled by default)

●Enable World-Facing Camera (enabled by default)

MAC Address Pass-Through The feature replaces the external NIC MAC address (in a supported dock or dongle) with the

selected MAC address from the system. The default option is to use the Passthrough MAC

address.

●System Unique MAC Address (enabled by default)

●Disabled

Video

Table 4. Video

Option Description

LCD Brightness Allows you to set the display brightness depending up on the

power source—On Battery and On AC. The LCD brightness is

independent for battery and AC adapter. It can be set using

the slider.

70 System setup

Security

Table 5. Security

Option Description

Admin Password Allows you to set, change, and delete the admin password.

NOTE: If you delete the admin password, the system password, if set, is also deleted.

The admin password can be used to delete the HDD password. For this reason, you

cannot set an admin password if a system password or HDD password is already set. The

admin password must be set first if an admin password is used with a system password

and/or HDD password.

System Password Allows you to set, change, and delete the system password.

Password Configuration Allows you to control the rules when setting a password. The value of characters cannot be

less than 4.

●Lower Caste Letter

●Upper Case Letter

●Digit

●Special Character

All options are disabled by default.

●Minimum Characters (Set at 4 by default)

Password Bypass This option lets you bypass the System (Boot) Password and the internal HDD password

prompts during a system restart.

●Disabled — Always prompt for the system and internal HDD password when they are set.

This option is enabled by default.

●Reboot Bypass — Bypass the password prompts on Restarts (warm boots).

NOTE: The system will always prompt for the system and internal HDD passwords when

powered on from the off state (a cold boot). Also, the system will always prompt for

passwords on any module bay HDDs that may be present.

Password Change This option lets you determine whether changes to the System and Hard Disk passwords are

permitted when an administrator password is set.

TheAllow Non-Admin Password Changes option is enabled by default.

UEFI Capsule Firmware

Updates

This option controls whether this system allows BIOS updates via UEFI capsule update

packages. The Enable UEFI Capsule Firmware Updates option is selected by default.

NOTE: Disabling this option will block BIOS updates from services such as Microsoft

Windows Update and Linux Vendor Firmware Service (LVFS)

PTT Security ●PTT On (enabled by default) — This option allows you to control whether the Platform

Trust technology (PTT) is visible to the operating system.

NOTE: Disabling this option does not change any settings you have made to the PTT,

nor does it delete or change any information or keys you may have stored in the PTT.

Changes to this setting take effect immediately.

●Clear — This setting clears the PTT owner information, and returns the PTT to the

default state. Changes to this setting will be latched in BIOS after checking "apply", but

will not take effect in the PTT until after exiting the BIOS setup menu.

●PPI Bypass for Clear Commands — This option controls the PTT Physical Presence

Interface (PPI). When enabled, this setting will allow the OS to skip BIOS PPI

user prompts when issuing the Clear command. Changes to this setting take effect

immediately.

Absolute This field lets you Enable, Disable or Permanently Disable the BIOS module interface of the

optional Absolute Persistence Module service from Absolute Software.

●Enabled (enabled by default) — Enable the Absolute Persistence and load the firmware

Persistence Module.

System setup 71

Table 5. Security (continued)

Option Description

●Disabled — Disable Absolute Persistence. The firmware Persistence Module is not

installed.

●Permanently Disabled — Permanently disables Absolute Persistence module interface

from farther use.

WARNING: The Permanently Disabled option can only be selected once. When

Permanently Disabled is selected, Absolute Persistence cannot be re-enabled.

No further changes to the Enabled/Disabled state are allowed.

Admin Setup Lockout Allows you to prevent users from entering Setup when an Admin password is set. This option

is not set by default.

Master Password Lockout Allows you to disable master password support. Hard Disk passwords need to be cleared

before the settings can be changed. This option is not set by default.

SMM Security Mitigation Allows you to enable or disable additional UEFI SMM Security Mitigation protections. This

option is not set by default.

Secure boot

Table 6. Secure Boot

Option Description

Secure Boot Enable Allows you to enable or disable the Secure Boot feature. The Secure Boot Enable option

is enabled by default.

Secure Boot Mode Allows you to modify the behavior of Secure Boot to allow evaluation or enforcement of

UEFI driver signatures.

●Deployed Mode (enabled by default)

●Audit Mode

Expert key Management Allows you to manipulate the security key databases only if the system is in Custom Mode.

The Enable Custom Mode option is disabled by default. The options for Custom Mode

Key Management are:

●PK (enabled by default)

●KEK

●db

●dbx

If you enable the Custom Mode, the relevant options for PK, KEK, db, and dbx appear.

The options are:

●Save to File- Saves the key to a user-selected file

●Replace from File- Replaces the current key with a key from a user-selected file

●Append from File- Adds a key to the current database from a user-selected file

●Delete- Deletes the selected key

●Reset All Keys- Resets all keys to default setting

NOTE: If you disable the Custom Mode, all the changes made will be erased and the

keys will restore to default settings.

Performance

Table 7. Performance

Option Description

Multi Core Support This field specifies whether the processor has one or all cores

enabled. The performance of some applications will improve

with the additional cores.

72 System setup

Table 7. Performance (continued)

Option Description

●All( enabled by default)

●1

●2

●3

Intel SpeedStep Allows you to enable or disable the Intel SpeedStep mode of

the processor.

The Enable Intel SpeedStep option is enabled by default. If

the option is disabled, it places the processor into the highest

performance state and prevents the Intel SpeedStep applet or

native operating system driver from adjusting the processor's

performance. If the option is enabled, it allows the Intel

SpeedStep-enabled CPU to operate in multiple performance

states.

C-States Control Allows you to enable or disable the additional processor sleep

states. The operating system may optionally use these for

additional power savings when idle.

The C states option is enabled by default.

Intel TurboBoost Allows you to enable or disable the Intel TurboBoost mode of

the processor.

The Enable Intel TurboBoost option is enabled by default. If

the option is disabled, it does not allow the TurboBoost driver

to increase the performance state of the processor above the

standard performance. If the option is enabled, it allows the

Intel TurboBoost driver to increase the performance of the

CPU/graphics processor.

Power management

Table 8. Power management

Option Description

Lid Switch ●Enable Lit Switch(enabled by default) — allows you to

disable the lid switch so the screen does not shut off when

the lid is closed.

●Power On Lid Open(enabled by default) — when

enabled, this option allows the system to power up from

the off state whenever the lid is opened. The system will

power on when powered either by the AC adapter or by

the system battery.

AC Behavior Allows the system (if Off or in Hibernate) to power-on

automatically, when AC is inserted. The Wake on AC option is

disabled by default.

Enable Intel Speed Shift Technology Allows you to enable.disable Intel Spped Shift Technology

support. Setting this option to enable allows the operating

system to select the appropriate processor performance

automatically. The Enable Intel Speed Shift Technology

option is enabled by default.

Auto On Time Allows you to set the time at which the computer must turn

on automatically.

●Disabled (enabled by default)

●Every Day

●Weekdays

System setup 73

Table 8. Power management (continued)

Option Description

●Select Days

USB Wake Support Allows you to enable USB devices to wake the system from

S3.

NOTE: This feature is only functional when the AC power

adapter is connected. If the AC power adapter is removed

during Standby, the system setup removes power from all

the USB ports to conserve battery power.

●Wake on Dell USB-C Dock (enabled by default) —

allows the system to automatically wake up when

connecting to a Dell USB-C dock.

●Enable USB Wake Support (disabled by default)

Wireless Radio Control If Enabled, this feature will sense the connection of the

system to a wired network and subsequently disable the

selected wireless radios (WLAN and/ or WWAN). Upon

disconnection from the wired network, the selected wireless

radios will be re-enabled. The Control WLAN radio option is

disabled by default.

Wake on LAN Allows you to enable or disable the feature that powers on

the computer from the Off state when triggered by a LAN

signal or special Dell USB-C Dock LAN signal. Wakeup from

the standby state is unaffected by this setting and must be

enabled in the operating system. This feature only works when

the computer is connected to AC.

●Disabled (enabled by default)

●LAN Only

●LAN with PXE Boot

Block Sleep This option allows you to block entering to sleep in OS

environment. When enabled system won't go to sleep, Intel

Rapid Start will be disabled automatically and OS Power

option will be blank if it was set to sleep. The Block Sleep

option is disabled by default.

Peak Shift This option enables you to minimize the AC power

consumption at the times of peak demand. When enabled with

user set daily times and threshold value:

●from Peak Shift Start until Peak Shift End, AC power is

not used unless Battery Threshold is reached.

●from Peak Shift End until Peak Shift Charge Start, AC

power is used when available but the battery does not

charge.

●At all other times, AC power is used when available and the

batter is able to charge.

The Enable Peak Shift option is disabled by default. The

battery threshold (15% to 100%) is set to 15% by default.

Advanced Battery Charge Configuration This option enables you to maximize the battery health while

supporting heavy use during the work day. The following takes

place using the user set daily times and time periods:

●from Beginning of Day and lasting for Work Period,

ExpressCharge is used for accelerated battery charging.

●At all other times Standard Charge is used for maximum

battery health.

●Setting Work Period to zero disables this feature for that

day.

74 System setup

Table 8. Power management (continued)

Option Description

The Enable Advanced Battery Charge Mode option is

disabled by default.

Primary Battery Charge Configuration Allows you to select the charging mode for the battery. The

options are:

●Adaptive (enabled by default) — battery settings are

adaptively optimized based on your typical battery usage

patter.

●Standard (disabled by default) — fully charges your

battery at a standard rate.

●ExpressCharge (disabled by default) — the battery

charges over a shorter time using Dell’s fast charging

technology.

●Primarily AC use (disabled by default) — Extends

battery lifespan for users who primarily operate their

system while plugged into an external power source.

●Custom (disabled by default) — Custom select when

battery starts and stops charging

The Custom Charge Start is set at 50 by default. The

Custom Charge Stop is set at 90 by default.

NOTE: Battery settings may not be available for all

battery types. In order to enable this option, Advanced

Battery Charge Mode must be disabled.

POST behavior

Table 9. POST behavior

Option Description

Adapter Warnings Allows you to enable or disable the system setup (BIOS)

warning messages when you use certain power adapters.

The Enable Adapter Warnings option is enabled by default.

USB-C Warnings Allows you to choose one of the following two methods to

enable the keypad that is embedded in the internal keyboard.

The Enable Dock Warning Messages option is enabled by

default.

Keypad (Embedded) Allows you to choose whether the system displays warning

messages for USB-C devices.

●Fn Key Only — the keypad is enabled when you hold down

the Fn key (enabled by default).

●By Numlock — the keypad is enabled when 1) the Numlock

LED is on, and 2) no external keyboard is detached

(disabled by default).

NOTE: When Setup is running, this option has no effect.

Setup works in the Fn Key Only mode.

Fn Lock Options Allows you to let hot key combinations Fn + Esc toggle

the primary behavior of F1–F12, between their standard and

secondary functions. If you disable this option, you cannot

toggle dynamically the primary behavior of these keys. The

available options are:

●Fn Lock (enabled by default)

System setup 75

Table 9. POST behavior (continued)

Option Description

●Lock Mode Disable/Standard — The F1-F2 keys behave

as function keys. Holding Fn is required to access their

secondary functions (enabled by default).

●Lock Mode Enable/Secondary — The F1-F2 keys control

the secondary functions. Fn is required to access the

standard functions (disabled by default).

Fastboot Allows you to speed up the boot process by bypassing some

of the compatibility steps. The options are:

●Minimal — reduces boot time by skipping certain hardware

and configuration initialization during boot (enabled by

default).

●Thorough — performs complete hardware and

configuration initialization during boot (disabled by

default).

●Auto — allows the BIOS to decide configuration

initialization performed during boot (disabled by default).

Extended BIOS POST Time Allows you to create an additional pre-boot delay. This allows

the user to see POST status messages. The options are:

●0 seconds (enabled by default)

●5 seconds

●10 seconds

Full Screen Log Allows you to display full screen logo if your image matches

the screen resolution.

TheEnable Full Screen Logo option is disabled by default.

Warnings and Errors Allows the boot process to only pause when warnings or

errors are detected, rather than stop. Users may select to

have the Power On Self Test (POST) process either stop,

prompt and wait for the user input when warnings/errors

are detected, or continue when warnings are detected but

pause on errors, or continue when either warnings or errors

are detected during the POST process.

●Prompt on warnings and errors (enabled by default)

●Continue on warnings (disabled by default)

●Continue on warnings and errors (disabled by default)

NOTE: The errors deemed critical to the operation of the

system hardware will always halt the system.

Virtualization support

Table 10. Virtualization support

Option Description

Virtualization This field specifies whether a Virtual Machine Monitor (VMM)

can utilize the conditional hardware capabilities provided by

Intel Virtualization Technology.

NOTE: Trusted Execution requires Virtualization

Technology to be enabled.

The Enable Intel Virtualization Technology option is

enabled by default.

VT for Direct I/O Enables or disables the Virtual Machine Monitor (VMM) from

utilizing the additional hardware capabilities provided by Intel

Virtualization technology for direct I/O.

76 System setup

Table 10. Virtualization support (continued)

Option Description

NOTE: Trusted Execution requires VT for Direct I/O to be

enabled.

The Enable VT for Direct I/O option is enabled by default.

Wireless

Table 11. Wireless

Option Description

Wireless Device Enable Allows you to enable or disable the internal wireless devices.

●WLAN

●Bluetooth

All the options are enabled by default.

Maintenance

Table 12. Maintenance

Option Description

Service Tag Displays the Service Tag of your computer. If, for some

reason, the service tag was not already set, you would be able

to use this field to set it.

Asset Tag Allows you to create a system asset tag if an asset tag is not

already set, it is limited to 64 characters. This option is not set

by default.

BIOS Downgrade This controls flashing of the system firmware to previous

revisions. The Allow BIOS downgrade option is enabled by

default.

Data Wipe This field allows users to erase the data securely from all

internal storage devices. The Wipe on Next boot option is

disabled by default. The following is a list of devices affected:

●Internal SATA HDD/SSD

●Internal M.2 SATA SDD

●Internal M.2 PCIe SSD

●Internal eMMC

NOTE: To preserve the data on a specific device, please

remove any of the above devices prior to initiating this

process.

WARNING: This operation will permanently delete all

data from the device(s).

BIOS Recovery This field allows you to recover from certain corrupted BIOS

conditions from a recover file on the user primary hard drive

or an external USB key. The BIOS Recovery from Hard

Drive option is enabled by default. Bios Recovery from Hard

Drive is not available for Self-encrypting drives (SED).

System setup 77

System logs

Table 13. System logs

Option Description

BIOS Events Allows you to view and clear the System Setup (BIOS) POST

events.

Thermal and Self-Test Events Allows you to view and clear the System Setup (Thermal)

events.

Power Events Allows you to view and clear the System Setup (Power)

events.

SupportAssist System Resolution

Table 14. SupportAssist System Resolution

Option Description

Auto OS Recovery Threshold Allows you to control the automatic boot flow for

SupportAssist System Resolution Console and for Dell OS

Recovery Tool. The options are:

●Off

●1

●2 (Enabled by default)

●3

SupportAssist OS Recovery Allows you to enable or disable the boot flow for

SupportAssist OS Recovery tool in the event of certain

system errors. The SupportAssist OS Recovery option is

enabled by default.

BIOSConnect Allows you to enable or disable cloud Service OS upon

absence of Local OS Recovery. The BIOSConnect option is

enabled by default.

Updating the BIOS

Updating the BIOS in Windows

About this task

CAUTION: If BitLocker is not suspended before updating the BIOS, the next time you reboot the system it

will not recognize the BitLocker key. You will then be prompted to enter the recovery key to progress and the

system will ask for this on each reboot. If the recovery key is not known this can result in data loss or an

unnecessary operating system re-install. For more information on this subject, see Knowledge Article: https://

www.dell.com/support/article/sln153694

Steps

1. Go to www.dell.com/support.

2. Click Product support. In the Search support box, enter the Service Tag of your computer, and then click Search.

NOTE: If you do not have the Service Tag, use the SupportAssist feature to automatically identify your computer. You

can also use the product ID or manually browse for your computer model.

3. Click Drivers & Downloads. Expand Find drivers.

4. Select the operating system installed on your computer.

78 System setup

5. In the Category drop-down list, select BIOS.

6. Select the latest version of BIOS, and click Download to download the BIOS file for your computer.

7. After the download is complete, browse the folder where you saved the BIOS update file.

8. Double-click the BIOS update file icon and follow the on-screen instructions.

For more information, see knowledge base article 000124211 at www.dell.com/support.

Updating the BIOS using the USB drive in Windows

About this task

CAUTION: If BitLocker is not suspended before updating the BIOS, the next time you reboot the system it

will not recognize the BitLocker key. You will then be prompted to enter the recovery key to progress and the

system will ask for this on each reboot. If the recovery key is not known this can result in data loss or an

unnecessary operating system re-install. For more information on this subject, see Knowledge Article: https://

www.dell.com/support/article/sln153694

Steps

1. Follow the procedure from step 1 to step 6 in Updating the BIOS in Windows to download the latest BIOS setup program file.

2. Create a bootable USB drive. For more information, see the knowledge base article 000145519 at www.dell.com/support.

3. Copy the BIOS setup program file to the bootable USB drive.

4. Connect the bootable USB drive to the computer that needs the BIOS update.

5. Restart the computer and press F12 .

6. Select the USB drive from the One Time Boot Menu.

7. Type the BIOS setup program filename and press Enter.

The BIOS Update Utility appears.

8. Follow the on-screen instructions to complete the BIOS update.

Updating the BIOS from the F12 One-Time boot menu

Update your computer BIOS using the BIOS update.exe file that is copied to a FAT32 USB drive and booting from the F12

One-Time boot menu.

About this task

CAUTION: If BitLocker is not suspended before updating the BIOS, the next time you reboot the system it

will not recognize the BitLocker key. You will then be prompted to enter the recovery key to progress and the

system will ask for this on each reboot. If the recovery key is not known this can result in data loss or an

unnecessary operating system re-install. For more information on this subject, see Knowledge Article: https://

www.dell.com/support/article/sln153694

BIOS Update

You can run the BIOS update file from Windows using a bootable USB drive or you can also update the BIOS from the F12

One-Time boot menu on the computer.

Most of the Dell computers built after 2012 have this capability, and you can confirm by booting your computer to the F12

One-Time Boot Menu to see if BIOS FLASH UPDATE is listed as a boot option for your computer. If the option is listed, then the

BIOS supports this BIOS update option.

NOTE: Only computers with BIOS Flash Update option in the F12 One-Time boot menu can use this function.

Updating from the One-Time boot menu

To update your BIOS from the F12 One-Time boot menu, you need the following:

●USB drive formatted to the FAT32 file system (key does not have to be bootable)

●BIOS executable file that you downloaded from the Dell Support website and copied to the root of the USB drive

●AC power adapter that is connected to the computer

System setup 79

●Functional computer battery to flash the BIOS

Perform the following steps to perform the BIOS update flash process from the F12 menu:

CAUTION: Do not turn off the computer during the BIOS update process. The computer may not boot if you turn

off your computer.

Steps

1. From a turn off state, insert the USB drive where you copied the flash into a USB port of the computer.

2. Turn on the computer and press F12 to access the One-Time Boot Menu, select BIOS Update using the mouse or arrow keys

then press Enter.

The flash BIOS menu is displayed.

3. Click Flash from file.

4. Select external USB device.

5. Select the file and double-click the flash target file, and then click Submit.

6. Click Update BIOS. The computer restarts to flash the BIOS.

7. The computer will restart after the BIOS update is completed.

System and setup password

Table 15. System and setup password

Password type Description

System password Password that you must enter to log on to your system.

Setup password Password that you must enter to access and make changes to

the BIOS settings of your computer.

You can create a system password and a setup password to secure your computer.

CAUTION: The password features provide a basic level of security for the data on your computer.

CAUTION: Anyone can access the data stored on your computer if it is not locked and left unattended.

NOTE: System and setup password feature is disabled.

Assigning a system setup password

Prerequisites

You can assign a new System or Admin Password only when the status is in Not Set.

About this task

To enter the system setup, press F12 immediately after a power-on or reboot.

Steps

1. In the System BIOS or System Setup screen, select Security and press Enter.

The Security screen is displayed.

2. Select System/Admin Password and create a password in the Enter the new password field.

Use the following guidelines to assign the system password:

●At least one special character: ! " # $ % & ' ( ) * + , - . / : ; < = > ? @ [ \ ] ^ _ ` { | }

●Numbers 0 through 9.

●Upper case letters from A to Z.

●Lower case letters from a to z.

3. Type the system password that you entered earlier in the Confirm new password field and click OK.

80 System setup

4. Press Esc and save the changes as prompted by the pop-up message.

5. Press Y to save the changes.

The computer restarts.

Deleting or changing an existing system setup password

Prerequisites

Ensure that the Password Status is Unlocked (in the System Setup) before attempting to delete or change the existing

System and Setup password. You cannot delete or change an existing System or Setup password, if the Password Status is

Locked.

About this task

To enter the System Setup, press F2 immediately after a power-on or reboot.

Steps

1. In the System BIOS or System Setup screen, select System Security and press Enter.

The System Security screen is displayed.

2. In the System Security screen, verify that Password Status is Unlocked.

3. Select System Password, alter or delete the existing system password and press Enter or Tab.

4. Select Setup Password, alter or delete the existing setup password and press Enter or Tab.

NOTE: If you change the System and/or Setup password, re enter the new password when prompted. If you delete the

System and Setup password, confirm the deletion when prompted.

5. Press Esc and a message prompts you to save the changes.

6. Press Y to save the changes and exit from System Setup.

The computer restarts.

Clearing CMOS settings

About this task

CAUTION: Clearing CMOS settings will reset the BIOS settings on your computer.

Steps

1. Remove the palmrest and keyboard assembly.

2. Disconnect the battery cable from the system board.

3. Remove the coin-cell battery.

4. Wait for one minute.

5. Replace the coin-cell battery.

6. Connect the battery cable to the system board.

7. Replace the palmrest and keyboard assembly.

Clearing BIOS (System Setup) and System passwords

About this task

To clear the system or BIOS passwords, contact Dell technical support as described at www.dell.com/contactdell.

NOTE: For information on how to reset Windows or application passwords, refer to the documentation accompanying

Windows or your application.

System setup 81

Troubleshooting

Handling swollen Lithium-ion batteries

Like most laptops, Dell laptops use lithium-ion batteries. One type of lithium-ion battery is the lithium-ion polymer battery.

Lithium-ion polymer batteries have increased in popularity in recent years and have become standard in the electronics industry

due to customer preferences for a slim form factor (especially with newer ultra-thin laptops) and long battery life. Inherent to

lithium-ion polymer battery technology is the potential for swelling of the battery cells.

Swollen battery may impact the performance of the laptop. To prevent possible further damage to the device enclosure or

internal components leading to malfunction, discontinue the use of the laptop and discharge it by disconnecting the AC adapter

and letting the battery drain.

Swollen batteries should not be used and should be replaced and disposed of properly. We recommend contacting Dell product

support for options to replace a swollen battery under the terms of the applicable warranty or service contract, including options

for replacement by a Dell authorized service technician.

The guidelines for handling and replacing Lithium-ion batteries are as follows:

●Exercise caution when handling Lithium-ion batteries.

●Discharge the battery before removing it from the system. To discharge the battery, unplug the AC adapter from the system

and operate the system only on battery power. When the system will no longer power on when the power button is pressed,

the battery is fully discharged.

●Do not crush, drop, mutilate, or penetrate the battery with foreign objects.

●Do not expose the battery to high temperatures, or disassemble battery packs and cells.

●Do not apply pressure to the surface of the battery.

●Do not bend the battery.

●Do not use tools of any type to pry on or against the battery.

●If a battery gets stuck in a device as a result of swelling, do not try to free it as puncturing, bending, or crushing a battery

can be dangerous.

●Do not attempt to reassemble a damaged or swollen battery into a laptop.

●Swollen batteries that are covered under warranty should be returned to Dell in an approved shipping container (provided

by Dell)—this is to comply with transportation regulations. Swollen batteries that are not covered under warranty should be

disposed of at an approved recycling center. Contact Dell product support at https://www.dell.com/support for assistance

and further instructions.

●Using a non-Dell or incompatible battery may increase the risk of fire or explosion. Replace the battery only with a

compatible battery purchased from Dell that is designed to work with your Dell computer. Do not use a battery from other

computers with your computer. Always purchase genuine batteries from https://www.dell.com or otherwise directly from

Dell.

Lithium-ion batteries can swell for various reasons such as age, number of charge cycles, or exposure to high heat. For more

information on how to improve the performance and lifespan of the laptop battery and to minimize the possibility of occurrence

of the issue, see Dell Laptop Battery - Frequently Asked Questions.

Dell SupportAssist Pre-boot System Performance

Check diagnostics

About this task

SupportAssist diagnostics (also known as system diagnostics) performs a complete check of your hardware. The Dell

SupportAssist Pre-boot System Performance Check diagnostics is embedded with the BIOS and is launched by the BIOS

internally. The embedded system diagnostics provides a set of options for particular devices or device groups allowing you to:

●Run tests automatically or in an interactive mode

●Repeat tests

82 Troubleshooting

●Display or save test results

●Run thorough tests to introduce additional test options to provide extra information about the failed device(s)

●View status messages that inform you if tests are completed successfully

●View error messages that inform you of problems encountered during testing

NOTE: Some tests for specific devices require user interaction. Always ensure that you are present at the computer

terminal when the diagnostic tests are performed.

For more information, see Resolve Hardware Issues With Built-in and Online Diagnostics (SupportAssist ePSA, ePSA or PSA

Error Codes) .

Running the SupportAssist Pre-Boot System Performance Check

Steps

1. Turn on your computer.

2. As the computer boots, press the F12 key as the Dell logo appears.

3. On the boot menu screen, select the Diagnostics option.

4. Click the arrow at the bottom left corner.

Diagnostics front page is displayed.

5. Click the arrow in the lower-right corner to go to the page listing.

The items detected are listed.

6. To run a diagnostic test on a specific device, press Esc and click Yes to stop the diagnostic test.

7. Select the device from the left pane and click Run Tests.

8. If there are any issues, error codes are displayed.

Note the error code and validation number and contact Dell.

Built-in self-test (BIST)

M-BIST

M-BIST (Built In Self-Test) is the system board's built-in self-test diagnostics tool that improves the diagnostics accuracy of

system board embedded controller (EC) failures.

NOTE: M-BIST can be manually initiated before POST (Power On Self Test).

How to run M-BIST

NOTE: M-BIST must be initiated on the system from a power-off state either connected to AC power or with battery only.

1. Press and hold both the M key on the keyboard and the power button to initiate M-BIST.

2. With both the M key and the power button held down, the battery indicator LED may exhibit two states:

a. OFF: No fault detected with the system board

b. AMBER: Indicates a problem with the system board

3. If there is a failure with the system board, the battery status LED will flash one of the following error codes for 30 seconds:

Table 16. LED error codes

Blinking Pattern Possible Problem

Amber White

2 1 CPU Failure

2 8 LCD Power Rail Failure

1 1 TPM Detection Failure

2 4 Unrecoverable SPI Failure

Troubleshooting 83

4. If there is no failure with the system board, the LCD will cycle through the solid color screens described in the LCD-BIST

section for 30 seconds and then power off.

LCD Power rail test (L-BIST)

L-BIST is an enhancement to the single LED error code diagnostics and is automatically initiated during POST. L-BIST will check

the LCD power rail. If there is no power being supplied to the LCD (i.e., the L-BIST circuit fails), the battery status LED will flash

either an error code [2,8] or an error code [2,7].

NOTE: If L-BIST fails, LCD-BIST cannot function as no power will be supplied to the LCD.

How to invoke L-BIST Test:

1. Press the power button to start the system.

2. If the system does not start up normally, look at the battery status LED:

●If the battery status LED flashes an error code [2,7], the display cable may not be connected properly.

●If the battery status LED flashes an error code [2,8], there is a failure on the LCD power rail of the system board, hence

there is no power supplied to the LCD.

3. For cases, when a [2,7] error code is shown, check to see if the display cable is properly connected.

4. For cases when a [2,8] error code is shown, replace the system board.

LCD Built-in Self Test (BIST)

Dell laptops have a built-in diagnostic tool that helps you determine if the screen abnormality you are experiencing is an inherent

problem with the LCD (screen) of the Dell laptop or with the video card (GPU) and PC settings.

When you notice screen abnormalities like flickering, distortion, clarity issues, fuzzy or blurry image, horizontal or vertical lines,

color fade etc., it is always a good practice to isolate the LCD (screen) by running the Built-In Self Test (BIST).

How to invoke LCD BIST Test

1. Power off the Dell laptop.

2. Disconnect any peripherals that are connected to the laptop. Connect only the AC adapter (charger) to the laptop.

3. Ensure that the LCD (screen) is clean (no dust particles on the surface of the screen).

4. Press and hold D key and Power on the laptop to enter LCD built-in self test (BIST) mode. Continue to hold the D key, until

the system boots up.

5. The screen will display solid colors and change colors on the entire screen to white, black, red, green, and blue twice.

6. Then it will display the colors white, black and red.

7. Carefully inspect the screen for abnormalities (any lines, fuzzy color or distortion on the screen).

8. At the end of the last solid color (red), the system will shut down.

NOTE: Dell SupportAssist Pre-boot diagnostics upon launch, initiates an LCD BIST first, expecting a user intervention

confirm functionality of the LCD.

Diagnostic LED behavior

Table 17. Diagnostic LED behavior

Blinking pattern

Problem description Suggested resolutionAmber White

1 1 TPM detection failure Replace the system board.

1 2 Unrecoverable SPI Flash

Failure Replace the system board.

84 Troubleshooting

Table 17. Diagnostic LED behavior (continued)

Blinking pattern

Problem description Suggested resolutionAmber White

1 5 EC unable to program i-Fuse Replace the system board.

1 6 Generic catch-all for

ungraceful EC code flow

errors

Disconnect all power source

(AC, battery, coin cell) and

drain flea power by pressing

and holding down power

button for 3~5 seconds.

2 1 CPU failure ●Run the Dell Support

Assist/Dell Diagnostics

tool.

●If problem persists,

replace the system board.

2 2 System board failure (included

BIOS corruption or ROM

error)

●Flash latest BIOS version

●If problem persists,

replace the system board.

2 3 No memory/RAM detected ●Confirm that the memory

module is installed

properly.

●If problem persists,

replace the memory

module.

2 4 Memory/RAM failure ●Reset and swap memory

modules among the slots.

●If problem persists,

replace the memory

module.

2 5 Invalid memory installed ●Reset and swap memory

modules among the slots.

●If problem persists,

replace the memory

module.

2 6 System board/Chipset Error Replace the system board.

2 7 LCD failure (SBIOS message) Replace the LCD module.

2 8 LCD failure (EC detection of

power rail failure) Replace the system board.

3 1 CMOS battery failure ●Reset the main battery

connection.

●If problem persists,

replace the main battery.

3 2 PCI or Video card/chip failure Replace the system board.

3 3 BIOS Recovery image not

found

●Flash latest BIOS version

●If problem persists,

replace the system board.

3 4 BIOS Recovery image found

but invalid

●Flash latest BIOS version

●If problem persists,

replace the system board.

3 5 Power rail failure Replace the system board.

Troubleshooting 85

Table 17. Diagnostic LED behavior (continued)

Blinking pattern

Problem description Suggested resolutionAmber White

3 6 Flash corruption detected by

SBIOS.

●Press power button for

over 25 seconds to do

RTC reset. If problem

persists, replace the

system board.

●Disconnect all power

source (AC, battery, coin

cell) and drain flea power

by pressing and holding

down power button 3~5

seconds to ensure all

power are drained.

●Run "BIOS recovery from

USB", and the instructions

are in the website Dell

support.

●If problem persists,

replace the system board.

3 7 Timeout waiting on ME to

reply to HECI message. Replace the system board.

NOTE: Blinking 3-3-3 LEDs on Lock LED (Caps-Lock or Nums-Lock), Power button LED (without Fingerprint reader), and

Diagnostic LED indicates failure to provide input during LCD panel test on Dell SupportAssist Pre-boot System Performance

Check diagnostics.

Diagnostic error messages

Table 18. Diagnostic error messages

Error messages Description

AUXILIARY DEVICE FAILURE The touchpad or external mouse may be faulty. For an

external mouse, check the cable connection. Enable the

Pointing Device option in the System Setup program.

BAD COMMAND OR FILE NAME Ensure that you have spelled the command correctly, put

spaces in the proper place, and used the correct path name.

CACHE DISABLED DUE TO FAILURE The primary cache internal to the microprocessor has failed.

Contact Dell

CD DRIVE CONTROLLER FAILURE The optical drive does not respond to commands from the

computer.

DATA ERROR The hard drive cannot read the data.

DECREASING AVAILABLE MEMORY One or more memory modules may be faulty or improperly

seated. Reinstall the memory modules or, if necessary, replace

them.

DISK C: FAILED INITIALIZATION The hard drive failed initialization. Run the hard drive tests in

Dell Diagnostics.

DRIVE NOT READY The operation requires a hard drive in the bay before it can

continue. Install a hard drive in the hard drive bay.

ERROR READING PCMCIA CARD The computer cannot identify the ExpressCard. Reinsert the

card or try another card.

86 Troubleshooting

Table 18. Diagnostic error messages (continued)

Error messages Description

EXTENDED MEMORY SIZE HAS CHANGED The amount of memory recorded in non-volatile memory

(NVRAM) does not match the memory module installed in the

computer. Restart the computer. If the error appears again,

Contact Dell

THE FILE BEING COPIED IS TOO LARGE FOR THE

DESTINATION DRIVE

The file that you are trying to copy is too large to fit on the

disk, or the disk is full. Try copying the file to a different disk

or use a larger capacity disk.

A FILENAME CANNOT CONTAIN ANY OF THE

FOLLOWING CHARACTERS: \ / : * ? " < > | -

Do not use these characters in filenames.

GATE A20 FAILURE A memory module may be loose. Reinstall the memory module

or, if necessary, replace it.

GENERAL FAILURE The operating system is unable to carry out the command.

The message is usually followed by specific information.

For example, Printer out of paper. Take the

appropriate action.

HARD-DISK DRIVE CONFIGURATION ERROR The computer cannot identify the drive type. Shut down the

computer, remove the hard drive, and boot the computer from

an optical drive. Then, shut down the computer, reinstall the

hard drive, and restart the computer. Run the Hard Disk

Drive tests in Dell Diagnostics.

HARD-DISK DRIVE CONTROLLER FAILURE 0 The hard drive does not respond to commands from the

computer. Shut down the computer, remove the hard drive,

and boot the computer from an optical drive. Then, shut

down the computer, reinstall the hard drive, and restart the

computer. If the problem persists, try another drive. Run the

Hard Disk Drive tests in Dell Diagnostics.

HARD-DISK DRIVE FAILURE The hard drive does not respond to commands from the

computer. Shut down the computer, remove the hard drive,

and boot the computer from an optical drive. Then, shut

down the computer, reinstall the hard drive, and restart the

computer. If the problem persists, try another drive. Run the

Hard Disk Drive tests in Dell Diagnostics.

HARD-DISK DRIVE READ FAILURE The hard drive may be defective. Shut down the computer,

remove the hard drive, and boot the computer from an

optical. Then, shut down the computer, reinstall the hard

drive, and restart the computer. If the problem persists,

try another drive. Run the Hard Disk Drive tests in Dell

Diagnostics.

INSERT BOOTABLE MEDIA The operating system is trying to boot to non-bootable media,

such as an optical drive. Insert bootable media.

INVALID CONFIGURATION INFORMATION-PLEASE RUN

SYSTEM SETUP PROGRAM

The system configuration information does not match the

hardware configuration. The message is most likely to occur

after a memory module is installed. Correct the appropriate

options in the system setup program.

KEYBOARD CLOCK LINE FAILURE For external keyboards, check the cable connection. Run the

Keyboard Controller test in Dell Diagnostics.

KEYBOARD CONTROLLER FAILURE For external keyboards, check the cable connection. Restart

the computer, and avoid touching the keyboard or the mouse

during the boot routine. Run the Keyboard Controller test in

Dell Diagnostics.

KEYBOARD DATA LINE FAILURE For external keyboards, check the cable connection. Run the

Keyboard Controller test in Dell Diagnostics.

Troubleshooting 87

Table 18. Diagnostic error messages (continued)

Error messages Description

KEYBOARD STUCK KEY FAILURE For external keyboards or keypads, check the cable

connection. Restart the computer, and avoid touching the

keyboard or keys during the boot routine. Run the Stuck Key

test in Dell Diagnostics.

LICENSED CONTENT IS NOT ACCESSIBLE IN

MEDIADIRECT

Dell MediaDirect cannot verify the Digital Rights Management

(DRM) restrictions on the file, so the file cannot be played.

MEMORY ADDRESS LINE FAILURE AT ADDRESS, READ

VALUE EXPECTING VALUE

A memory module may be faulty or improperly seated.

Reinstall the memory module or, if necessary, replace it.

MEMORY ALLOCATION ERROR The software you are attempting to run is conflicting with the

operating system, another program, or a utility. Shut down

the computer, wait for 30 seconds, and then restart it. Run

the program again. If the error message still appears, see the

software documentation.

MEMORY DOUBLE WORD LOGIC FAILURE AT ADDRESS,

READ VALUE EXPECTING VALUE

A memory module may be faulty or improperly seated.

Reinstall the memory module or, if necessary, replace it.

MEMORY ODD/EVEN LOGIC FAILURE AT ADDRESS,

READ VALUE EXPECTING VALUE

A memory module may be faulty or improperly seated.

Reinstall the memory module or, if necessary, replace it.

MEMORY WRITE/READ FAILURE AT ADDRESS, READ

VALUE EXPECTING VALUE

A memory module may be faulty or improperly seated.

Reinstall the memory module or, if necessary, replace it.

NO BOOT DEVICE AVAILABLE The computer cannot find the hard drive. If the hard drive is

your boot device, ensure that the drive is installed, properly

seated, and partitioned as a boot device.

NO BOOT SECTOR ON HARD DRIVE The operating system may be corrupted, Contact Dell.

NO TIMER TICK INTERRUPT A chip on the system board may be malfunctioning. Run the

System Set tests in Dell Diagnostics.

NOT ENOUGH MEMORY OR RESOURCES. EXIT SOME

PROGRAMS AND TRY AGAIN

You have too many programs open. Close all windows and

open the program that you want to use.

OPERATING SYSTEM NOT FOUND Reinstall the operating system. If the problem persists,

Contact Dell.

OPTIONAL ROM BAD CHECKSUM The optional ROM has failed. Contact Dell.

SECTOR NOT FOUND The operating system cannot locate a sector on the hard

drive. You may have a defective sector or corrupted File

Allocation Table (FAT) on the hard drive. Run the Windows

error-checking utility to check the file structure on the hard

drive. See Windows Help and Support for instructions (click

Start > Help and Support). If a large number of sectors are

defective, back up the data (if possible), and then format the

hard drive.

SEEK ERROR The operating system cannot find a specific track on the hard

drive.

SHUTDOWN FAILURE A chip on the system board may be malfunctioning. Run

the System Set tests in Dell Diagnostics. If the message

reappears, Contact Dell.

TIME-OF-DAY CLOCK LOST POWER System configuration settings are corrupted. Connect your

computer to an electrical outlet to charge the battery. If

the problem persists, try to restore the data by entering the

System Setup program, then immediately exit the program. If

the message reappears, Contact Dell.

TIME-OF-DAY CLOCK STOPPED The reserve battery that supports the system configuration

settings may require recharging. Connect your computer to an

88 Troubleshooting

Table 18. Diagnostic error messages (continued)

Error messages Description

electrical outlet to charge the battery. If the problem persists,

Contact Dell.

TIME-OF-DAY NOT SET-PLEASE RUN THE SYSTEM

SETUP PROGRAM

The time or date stored in the system setup program does

not match the system clock. Correct the settings for the Date

and Time options.

TIMER CHIP COUNTER 2 FAILED A chip on the system board may be malfunctioning. Run the

System Set tests in Dell Diagnostics.

UNEXPECTED INTERRUPT IN PROTECTED MODE The keyboard controller may be malfunctioning, or a memory

module may be loose. Run the System Memory tests and the

Keyboard Controller test in Dell Diagnostics or Contact

Dell.

X:\ IS NOT ACCESSIBLE. THE DEVICE IS NOT

READY

Insert a disk into the drive and try again.

System error messages

Table 19. System error messages

System message Description

Alert! Previous attempts at booting this

system have failed at checkpoint [nnnn]. For

help in resolving this problem, please note

this checkpoint and contact Dell Technical

Support

The computer failed to complete the boot routine three

consecutive times for the same error.

CMOS checksum error RTC is reset, BIOS Setup default has been loaded.

CPU fan failure CPU fan has failed.

System fan failure System fan has failed.

Hard-disk drive failure Possible hard disk drive failure during POST.

Keyboard failure Keyboard failure or loose cable. If reseating the cable does not

solve the problem, replace the keyboard.

No boot device available No bootable partition on hard disk drive, the hard disk drive

cable is loose, or no bootable device exists.

●If the hard drive is your boot device, ensure that the

cables are connected and that the drive is installed

properly and partitioned as a boot device.

●Enter system setup and ensure that the boot sequence

information is correct.

No timer tick interrupt A chip on the system board might be malfunctioning or

motherboard failure.

NOTICE - Hard Drive SELF MONITORING SYSTEM

has reported that a parameter has exceeded

its normal operating range. Dell recommends

that you back up your data regularly. A

parameter out of range may or may not

indicate a potential hard drive problem

S.M.A.R.T error, possible hard disk drive failure.

Troubleshooting 89

Recovering the operating system

When your computer is unable to boot to the operating system even after repeated attempts, it automatically starts Dell

SupportAssist OS Recovery.

Dell SupportAssist OS Recovery is a standalone tool that is preinstalled in all Dell computers installed with Windows operating

system. It consists of tools to diagnose and troubleshoot issues that may occur before your computer boots to the operating

system. It enables you to diagnose hardware issues, repair your computer, back up your files, or restore your computer to its

factory state.

You can also download it from the Dell Support website to troubleshoot and fix your computer when it fails to boot into their

primary operating system due to software or hardware failures.

For more information about the Dell SupportAssist OS Recovery, see Dell SupportAssist OS Recovery User's Guide at

www.dell.com/serviceabilitytools. Click SupportAssist and then, click SupportAssist OS Recovery.

Real-Time Clock (RTC Reset)

The Real Time Clock (RTC) reset function allows you or the service technician to recover Dell Inspiron, systems from No

POST/No Power/No Boot situations. The legacy jumper enabled RTC reset has been retired on these models.

Start the RTC reset with the system powered off and connected to AC power. Press and hold the power button for thirty (30)

seconds. The system RTC Reset occurs after you release the power button.

Flashing the BIOS

About this task

You may need to flash (update) the BIOS when an update is available or when you replace the system board.

Follow these steps to flash the BIOS:

Steps

1. Turn on your computer.

2. Go to www.dell.com/support.

3. Click Product support, enter the Service Tag of your computer, and then click Search.

NOTE: If you do not have the Service Tag, use the product ID or manually browse for your computer model.

4. Click Drivers & downloads > Find drivers.

5. Select the operating system installed on your computer.

6. Scroll down the page and expand BIOS.

7. Click Download to download the latest version of the BIOS for your computer.

8. After the download is complete, navigate to the folder where you saved the BIOS update file.

9. Double-click the BIOS update file icon and follow the instructions on the screen.

Backup media and recovery options

It is recommended to create a recovery drive to troubleshoot and fix problems that may occur with Windows. Dell proposes

multiple options for recovering Windows operating system on your Dell PC. For more information. see Dell Windows Backup

Media and Recovery Options.

90 Troubleshooting

WiFi power cycle

About this task

If your computer is unable to access the internet due to WiFi connectivity issues a WiFi power cycle procedure may be

performed. The following procedure provides the instructions on how to conduct a WiFi power cycle:

NOTE: Some ISPs (Internet Service Providers) provide a modem/router combo device.

Steps

1. Turn off your computer.

2. Turn off the modem.

3. Turn off the wireless router.

4. Wait for 30 seconds.

5. Turn on the wireless router.

6. Turn on the modem.

7. Turn on your computer.

Drain residual flea power (perform hard reset)

About this task

Flea power is the residual static electricity that remains in the computer even after it has been powered off and the battery is

removed.

For your safety, and to protect the sensitive electronic components in your computer, you are requested to drain residual flea

power before removing or replacing any components in your computer.

Draining residual flea power, also known as a performing a "hard reset", is also a common troubleshooting step if your computer

does not power on or boot into the operating system.

To drain residual flea power (perform a hard reset)

Steps

1. Turn off your computer.

2. Disconnect the power adapter from your computer.

3. Remove the base cover.

4. Remove the battery.

5. Press and hold the power button for 20 seconds to drain the flea power.

6. Install the battery.

7. Install the base cover.

8. Connect the power adapter to your computer.

9. Turn on your computer.

NOTE: For more information about performing a hard reset, see the knowledge base article 000130881 at

www.dell.com/support.

Troubleshooting 91

Getting help and contacting Dell

Self-help resources

You can get information and help on Dell products and services using these self-help resources:

Table 20. Self-help resources

Self-help resources Resource location

Information about Dell products and services www.dell.com

My Dell app

Tips

Contact Support In Windows search, type Contact Support, and press

Enter.

Online help for operating system www.dell.com/support/windows

Access top solutions, diagnostics, drivers and downloads, and

learn more about your computer through videos, manuals and

documents.

Your Dell computer is uniquely identified by a Service Tag or

Express Service Code. To view relevant support resources for

your Dell computer, enter the Service Tag or Express Service

Code at www.dell.com/support.

For more information on how to find the Service Tag for your

computer, see Locate the Service Tag on your computer.

Dell knowledge base articles for a variety of computer

concerns 1. Go to www.dell.com/support.

2. On the menu bar at the top of the Support page, select

Support > Knowledge Base.

3. In the Search field on the Knowledge Base page, type the

keyword, topic, or model number, and then click or tap the

search icon to view the related articles.

Contacting Dell

To contact Dell for sales, technical support, or customer service issues, see www.dell.com/contactdell.

NOTE: Availability varies by country/region and product, and some services may not be available in your country/region.

NOTE: If you do not have an active Internet connection, you can find contact information about your purchase invoice,

packing slip, bill, or Dell product catalog.

92 Getting help and contacting Dell

Table of Contents

DELL 3120 User Manual

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