Table of Contents
- Inspiron 5406 2-in-1 Service Manual
- Contents
- Working inside your computer
- Removing and installing components
- Drivers and downloads
- System setup
- Troubleshooting
- Getting help and contacting Dell
DELL 5406 2in1 User Manual
Displayed below is the user manual for 5406 2in1 by DELL which is a product in the Notebooks category. This manual has pages.
Related Manuals
Inspiron 5406 2-in-1
Service Manual
Regulatory Model: P126G
Regulatory Type: P126G004
July 2021
Rev. A01
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.
© 2020-2021 Dell Inc. or its subsidiaries. All rights reserved. Dell, EMC, and other trademarks are trademarks of Dell Inc. or its subsidiaries.
Other trademarks may be trademarks of their respective owners.
Chapter 1: Working inside your computer...................................................................................... 5
Before working inside your computer.............................................................................................................................5
Safety instructions.............................................................................................................................................................. 5
Electrostatic discharge—ESD protection..................................................................................................................... 6
ESD field service kit ........................................................................................................................................................... 6
Transporting sensitive components................................................................................................................................ 7
After working inside your computer................................................................................................................................7
Chapter 2: Removing and installing components........................................................................... 8
Recommended tools........................................................................................................................................................... 8
Screw list............................................................................................................................................................................... 8
Major components of Inspiron 5400 2n1....................................................................................................................... 9
Base cover............................................................................................................................................................................11
Removing the base cover........................................................................................................................................... 11
Installing the base cover.............................................................................................................................................13
Battery..................................................................................................................................................................................15
Lithium-ion battery precautions............................................................................................................................... 15
Removing the battery................................................................................................................................................. 15
Installing the battery....................................................................................................................................................16
Coin-cell battery................................................................................................................................................................. 17
Removing the coin-cell battery.................................................................................................................................17
Installing the coin-cell battery...................................................................................................................................18
Memory module..................................................................................................................................................................19
Removing the memory modules............................................................................................................................... 19
Installing the memory modules.................................................................................................................................20
Speakers.............................................................................................................................................................................. 22
Removing the speakers..............................................................................................................................................22
Installing the speakers................................................................................................................................................ 22
Heat sink..............................................................................................................................................................................23
Removing the heat sink..............................................................................................................................................23
Installing the heat sink................................................................................................................................................24
Power-adapter port..........................................................................................................................................................25
Removing the power-adapter port......................................................................................................................... 25
Installing the power-adapter port............................................................................................................................26
Touchpad.............................................................................................................................................................................27
Removing the touchpad............................................................................................................................................. 27
Installing the touchpad............................................................................................................................................... 28
Solid-state drive................................................................................................................................................................ 29
Removing the M.2 2230 solid-state drive............................................................................................................. 29
Installing the M.2 2230 solid-state drive............................................................................................................... 30
Removing the M.2 2280 solid-state drive............................................................................................................. 32
Installing the M.2 2280 solid-state drive............................................................................................................... 33
Fan........................................................................................................................................................................................ 35
Removing the fan........................................................................................................................................................ 35
Contents
Contents 3
Installing the fan.......................................................................................................................................................... 36
I/O board.............................................................................................................................................................................36
Removing the I/O board............................................................................................................................................ 36
Installing the I/O board.............................................................................................................................................. 37
Power button with fingerprint reader.......................................................................................................................... 38
Removing the power-button board.........................................................................................................................38
Installing the power-button board...........................................................................................................................39
Display assembly................................................................................................................................................................40
Removing the display assembly............................................................................................................................... 40
Installing the display assembly..................................................................................................................................43
System board..................................................................................................................................................................... 45
Removing the system board..................................................................................................................................... 45
Installing the system board....................................................................................................................................... 47
Palm-rest and keyboard assembly................................................................................................................................ 49
Removing the palm-rest and keyboard assembly................................................................................................ 49
Installing the palm-rest and keyboard assembly.................................................................................................. 50
Chapter 3: Drivers and downloads............................................................................................... 52
Chapter 4: System setup............................................................................................................. 53
Entering BIOS setup program........................................................................................................................................ 53
Navigation keys..................................................................................................................................................................53
Boot Sequence...................................................................................................................................................................53
One time boot menu.........................................................................................................................................................54
System setup options.......................................................................................................................................................54
Clearing CMOS settings.................................................................................................................................................. 64
Clearing BIOS (System Setup) and System passwords.......................................................................................... 64
Updating the BIOS............................................................................................................................................................ 65
Updating the BIOS in Windows environment....................................................................................................... 65
Updating the BIOS using the USB drive in Windows......................................................................................... 65
Updating the BIOS from the F12 One-Time boot menu.................................................................................... 65
Chapter 5: Troubleshooting......................................................................................................... 67
Handling swollen Lithium-ion batteries........................................................................................................................ 67
SupportAssist diagnostics............................................................................................................................................... 67
Locate the Service Tag or Express Service Code of your Dell computer ..............................................68
System diagnostic lights..................................................................................................................................................68
Built-in self-test (BIST)................................................................................................................................................... 69
Recovering the operating system................................................................................................................................. 69
Backup media and recovery options.............................................................................................................................69
WiFi power cycle............................................................................................................................................................... 70
Flea power release............................................................................................................................................................ 70
Chapter 6: Getting help and contacting Dell.................................................................................71
4Contents
Working inside your computer
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.
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 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.
1
Working inside your computer 5
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.
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.
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.
6Working inside your computer
●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.
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.
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.
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 7
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 may require the following tools:
●Phillips screwdrivers #0 and #1
●Plastic scribe
Screw list
NOTE: When removing screws from a component, it is recommended to note the screw type, the quantity of screws, and
then place them in a screw storage box. This is to ensure that the correct number of screws and correct screw type is
restored when the component is replaced.
NOTE: Some computers have magnetic surfaces. Ensure that the screws are not left attached to such surfaces when
replacing a component.
NOTE: Screw color may vary with the configuration ordered.
Table 1. Screw list
Component Secured to Screw type Quantity Screw image
Base cover Palm-rest and keyboard
assembly
M2x4 6
Battery Palm-rest and keyboard
assembly
M2x3 5 (For computers
shipped with a 4-cell
battery)
4 (For computers
shipped with a 3-cell
battery)
Wireless-card bracket Wireless card and
system board
M2x3 1
Solid-state drive
thermal bracket
Palm-rest and keyboard
assembly
M2x3 1
Solid-state drive Solid-state drive
bracket
M2x3 1
Fan Palm-rest and keyboard
assembly
M2x2 2
Touchpad bracket Palm-rest and keyboard
assembly
M2x2 3
2
8 Removing and installing components
Table 1. Screw list (continued)
Component Secured to Screw type Quantity Screw image
Touchpad Palm-rest and keyboard
assembly
M2x2 2
I/O board Palm-rest and keyboard
assembly
M2x3 1
Display hinges Palm-rest and keyboard
assembly
M2.5x 5 5
Power-button board Palm-rest and keyboard
assembly
M2x3 2
Power-button bracket
(Only available in
configurations with a
fingerprint reader)
Palm-rest and keyboard
assembly
M2x3 2
Power-adapter port Palm-rest and keyboard
assembly
M2x3 1
USB Type-C bracket Palm-rest and keyboard
assembly
M2x3 2
System board Palm-rest and keyboard
assembly
M2x2 2
Major components of Inspiron 5400 2n1
The following image shows the major components of Inspiron 5400 2n1.
Removing and installing components 9
1. Base cover
2. Battery
3. Touchpad
4. Touchpad-bracket
5. Speaker
6. Power-adapter port
7. Memory module
8. Display assembly
9. Palm-rest and keyboard assembly
10. Coin-cell battery
11. Power button with optional fingerprint-reader bracket
12. Power button with optional fingerprint reader
13. I/O board
14. Heat sink
15. Wireless-card bracket
16. Wireless card
17. Fan
18. Solid-state drive
19. Solid-state drive thermal bracket
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.
10 Removing and installing components
12 Removing and installing components
Steps
1. Remove the six screws (M2x4) that secure the base cover to the palm-rest and keyboard assembly.
2. Loosen the three captive screws that secure the base cover to the palm-rest and keyboard assembly.
NOTE: Upon loosening the three captive screws, the base cover will pop up creating a gap between the base cover and
the palm-rest assembly.
3. Starting from the top-right corner, use a plastic scribe to pry the base cover to release the base cover from the palm-rest
and keyboard assembly.
NOTE: The following steps to disconnect the battery are applicable only if you want to further remove any other
component from your computer.
4. Peel the tape that secures the battery cable to the system board.
5. Disconnect the battery cable from the system board.
6. Turn your computer over and press the power button for 15 seconds to drain the flea power.
Installing the base cover
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 base cover and provide a visual representation of the installation procedure.
Removing and installing components 13
14 Removing and installing components
Steps
1. Connect the battery cable to the system board.
2. Adhere the tape that secures the battery cable to the system board.
3. Align the screw holes on the base cover with the screw holes on the palm-rest and keyboard assembly, and then snap the
base cover into place.
4. Replace the six screws (M2x4) that secure the base cover to the palm-rest and keyboard assembly.
5. Tighten the three captive screws that secure the base cover to the palm-rest and keyboard assembly.
Next steps
1. 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.
●Swollen batteries should not be used and should be replaced and disposed properly. For guidelines on how to
handle and replace swollen Lithium-ion batteries, see Handling swollen Lithium-ion batteries.
Removing the battery
Prerequisites
1. Follow the procedure in Before working inside your computer.
2. Remove the base cover.
About this task
The following image indicates the location of the battery and provides a visual representation of the removal procedure.
Removing and installing components 15
Steps
1. Peel the tape that secures the battery cable to the system board (applicable only if not peeled earlier).
2. Disconnect the battery cable from the system board (applicable only if not disconnected earlier).
3. Remove the five screws (M2x3) that secure the battery to the palm-rest and keyboard assembly.
4. Lift the battery off the palm-rest and keyboard assembly.
Installing the battery
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 battery and provides a visual representation of the installation procedure.
16 Removing and installing components
Steps
1. Using the alignment posts, place the battery on the palm-rest and keyboard assembly.
2. Replace the five screws (M2x3) that secure the battery to the palm-rest and keyboard assembly.
3. Connect the battery cable to the system board.
4. Adhere the tape that secures the battery cable to the system board.
Next steps
1. Install the base cover.
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.
NOTE: Removing the I/O-board cable is equivalent to removing the coin-cell battery. It resets the BIOS setup
program's settings to default. It is recommended that you note the BIOS setup program's settings before removing
the coin-cell battery.
2. Remove the base cover.
About this task
The following image indicates the location of the coin-cell battery and provides a visual representation of the removal procedure.
Removing and installing components 17
Steps
1. Disconnect the coin-cell battery from the I/O board.
2. Remove the coin-cell battery cable from the routing guide on the fan.
3. Using a plastic scribe, peel the coin-cell battery off the slot on the palm-rest and keyboard assembly.
Installing the coin-cell battery
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 coin-cell battery and provides a visual representation of the installation
procedure.
18 Removing and installing components
Steps
1. Adhere the coin-cell battery to the slot on the palm-rest and keyboard assembly.
2. Lift the speaker cable and route the coin-cell battery cable through the routing guide on the fan.
3. Connect the coin-cell battery cable to the I/O board.
Next steps
1. Install the base cover.
2. Follow the procedure in After working inside your computer.
Memory module
Removing the memory modules
Prerequisites
1. Follow the procedure in Before working inside your computer.
2. Remove the base cover.
About this task
The following image indicates the location of the memory modules and provides a visual representation of the removal
procedure.
Removing and installing components 19
Steps
1. Lift the flap to access the memory module.
2. Use your fingertips to carefully spread apart the securing-clips on each end of the memory-module slot until the memory
module pops up.
3. Slide and remove the memory module from the memory-module slot.
NOTE: Repeat step 2 to step 3 to remove any other memory modules installed in your computer.
Installing the memory modules
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 memory modules and provides a visual representation of the installation
procedure.
20 Removing and installing components
Steps
1. Lift the flap to access the memory-module slot.
2. Align the notch on the memory module with the tab on the memory-module slot.
3. Slide the memory module firmly at an angle, into the memory-module slot.
4. Press the memory module down until it clicks into place.
NOTE: If you do not hear the click, remove the memory module and reinstall it.
NOTE: Repeat step 2 to step 4 to install any other memory modules in your computer.
Next steps
1. Install the base cover.
2. Follow the procedure in After working inside your computer.
Removing and installing components 21
Speakers
Removing the speakers
Prerequisites
1. Follow the procedure in Before working inside your computer.
2. Remove the base cover.
About this task
The following image indicates the location of the speakers and provides a visual representation of the removal procedure.
Steps
1. Disconnect the speaker cable from the system board.
2. Note the speaker cable routing, and remove the speaker cable from the routing guides on the palm-rest and keyboard
assembly.
3. Lift the speakers along with the cables, off the palm-rest and keyboard assembly.
Installing the speakers
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 speakers and provides a visual representation of the installation procedure.
22 Removing and installing components
Steps
1. Using the alignment posts and rubber grommets, place the speakers on the slots of the palm-rest and keyboard assembly.
2. Route the speaker cable through the routing guides on the palm-rest and keyboard assembly.
3. Connect the speaker cable to the system board.
Next steps
1. Install the base cover.
2. Follow the procedure in After working inside your computer.
Heat sink
Removing the heat sink
Prerequisites
1. Follow the procedure in Before working inside your computer.
CAUTION: For maximum cooling of the processor, do not touch the heat transfer areas on the heat sink. The
oils in your skin can reduce the heat transfer capability of the thermal grease.
NOTE: The heat sink may become hot during normal operation. Allow sufficient time for the heat sink to cool before you
touch it.
2. Remove the base cover.
About this task
The following image indicates the location of the heat sink and provides a visual representation of the removal procedure.
Removing and installing components 23
Steps
1. In reverse sequential order (as indicated on the heat sink), loosen the seven captive screws that secure the heat sink to the
system board.
2. Lift the heat sink off the system board.
Installing the heat sink
Prerequisites
If you are replacing a component, remove the existing component before performing the installation procedure.
CAUTION: Incorrect alignment of the heat sink can damage the system board and processor.
NOTE: If either the system board or the heat sink is replaced, use the thermal pad/paste provided in the kit to ensure that
thermal conductivity is achieved.
About this task
The following image indicates the location of the heat sink and provides a visual representation of the installation procedure.
24 Removing and installing components
Steps
1. Align the screw holes on the heat sink with the screw holes on the system board.
2. In sequential order (as indicated on the heat sink), tighten the seven captive screws that secure the heat sink to the system
board.
Next steps
1. Install the base cover.
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 base cover.
About this task
The following image indicates the location of the power-adapter port and provides a visual representation of the removal
procedure.
Removing and installing components 25
Steps
1. Remove the three screws (M2.5x5) that secure the right display-hinge to the palm-rest and keyboard assembly.
2. Open the right display-hinge at an angle of 90 degrees.
3. Peel the tape that secures the power-adapter port cable to the system board.
4. Disconnect the power-adapter port cable from the system board.
5. Remove the screw (M2x3) that secures the power-adapter port to the palm-rest and keyboard assembly.
6. Lift the power-adapter port along with its cable, off the palm-rest and keyboard assembly.
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.
26 Removing and installing components
Steps
1. Place the power-adapter port into the slot on the palm-rest and keyboard assembly.
2. Replace the screw (M2x3) that secures the power-adapter port to the palm-rest and keyboard assembly.
3. Route the power-adapter port cable through the routing guide on the palm-rest and keyboard assembly.
4. Connect the power-adapter port cable to the system board.
5. Adhere the tape that secures the power-adapter port cable to the system board.
6. Close the right display-hinge.
7. Replace the three screws (M2.5x5) that secure the right display-hinge to the palm-rest and keyboard assembly.
Next steps
1. Install the base cover.
2. Follow the procedure in After working inside your computer.
Touchpad
Removing the touchpad
Prerequisites
1. Follow the procedure in Before working inside your computer.
2. Remove the base cover.
3. Remove the battery.
About this task
The following image indicates the location of the touchpad and provides a visual representation of the removal procedure.
Removing and installing components 27
Steps
1. Remove the three screws (M2x2) that secure the touchpad bracket to the palm-rest and keyboard assembly.
2. Open the latch, and disconnect the touchpad cable from the touchpad.
3. Peel the tape that secures the touchpad to the palm-rest and keyboard assembly.
4. Remove the two screws (M2x2) that secure the touchpad to the palm-rest and keyboard assembly.
5. Slide and lift the touchpad off the palm-rest and keyboard assembly.
Installing the touchpad
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 touchpad and provides a visual representation of the installation procedure.
28 Removing and installing components
Steps
1. Slide the touchpad into the slot on the palm-rest and keyboard assembly.
2. Replace the two screws (M2x2) that secure the touchpad to the palm-rest and keyboard assembly.
3. Adhere the tape that secures the touchpad to the palm-rest and keyboard assembly.
4. Slide the touchpad cable into the connector on the touchpad and close the latch to secure the cable.
5. Place the touchpad bracket into the slot on the palm-rest and keyboard assembly.
6. Replace the three screws (M2x2) that secure the touchpad bracket to the palm-rest and keyboard assembly.
Next steps
1. Install the battery.
2. Install the base cover.
3. Follow the procedure in After working inside your computer.
Solid-state drive
Removing the M.2 2230 solid-state drive
Prerequisites
1. Follow the procedure in Before working inside your computer.
2. Remove the base cover.
About this task
The following image indicates the location of the M.2 2230 solid-state drive and provides a visual representation of the removal
procedure.
Removing and installing components 29
Steps
1. Remove the screw (M2x3) that secures the solid-state drive thermal bracket to the palm-rest and keyboard assembly.
2. Lift the solid-state drive thermal bracket off the palm-rest and keyboard assembly.
3. Remove the screw (M2x3) that secures the solid-state drive to the solid-state drive bracket.
4. Slide and remove the solid-state drive from the solid-state drive slot.
Installing the M.2 2230 solid-state drive
Prerequisites
If you are replacing a component, remove the existing component before performing the installation procedure.
About this task
This computer supports two solid-state drive form factors.
●M.2 2230
●M.2 2280
If you are replacing the M.2 2230 solid-state drive with an M.2 2280 solid-state drive, the following images indicate where to
install the solid-state drive bracket based on form factor.
30 Removing and installing components
The following image indicates the location of the M.2 2230 solid-state drive and provides a visual representation of the
installation procedure.
Removing and installing components 31
Steps
1. Remove the screw (M1.6x2.5) that secures the solid-state drive bracket to the palm-rest and keyboard assembly.
2. Turn the solid-state drive bracket at an angle of 180 degrees.
3. Insert the solid-state drive bracket into the other solid-state drive bracket slot on the palm-rest and keyboard assembly.
4. Replace the screw (M1.6x2.5) that secures the solid-state drive bracket to the palm-rest and keyboard assembly.
5. Align the notch on the solid-state drive with the tab on the solid-state drive slot.
6. Slide the solid-state drive firmly into the solid-state drive slot at an angle.
7. Replace the screw (M2x3) that secures the solid-state drive to the solid-state drive bracket.
8. Align the screw hole on the solid-state drive thermal bracket with the screw hole on the palm-rest and keyboard assembly.
9. Replace the screw (M2x3) that secures the solid-state drive thermal bracket to the palm-rest and keyboard assembly.
Next steps
1. Install the base cover.
2. Follow the procedure in After working inside your computer.
Removing the M.2 2280 solid-state drive
Prerequisites
1. Follow the procedure in Before working inside your computer.
2. Remove the base cover.
About this task
The following image indicates the location of the M.2 2280 solid-state drive and provides a visual representation of the removal
procedure.
32 Removing and installing components
Steps
1. Remove the screw (M2x3) that secures the solid-state drive thermal bracket to the palm-rest and keyboard assembly.
2. Lift the solid-state drive thermal bracket off the palm-rest and keyboard assembly.
3. Remove the screw (M2x3) that secures the solid-state drive to the solid-state drive bracket.
4. Slide and remove the solid-state drive from the solid-state drive slot.
Installing the M.2 2280 solid-state drive
Prerequisites
If you are replacing a component, remove the existing component before performing the installation procedure.
About this task
This computer supports two solid-state drive form factors.
●M.2 2230
●M.2 2280
If you are replacing the M.2 2280 solid-state drive with an M.2 2330 solid-state drive, the following images indicate where to
install the solid-state drive bracket based on form factor.
Removing and installing components 33
The following image indicates the location of the M.2 2280 solid-state drive and provides a visual representation of the
installation procedure.
NOTE: Perform step 1 to step 3 if you are replacing the M.2 2230 solid-state drive with an M.2 2280 solid-state drive.
34 Removing and installing components
Steps
1. Remove the screw (M1.6x2.5) that secures the solid-state drive bracket to the palm-rest and keyboard assembly.
2. Turn the solid-state drive bracket at an angle of 180 degrees.
3. Insert the solid-state drive bracket into the other solid-state drive bracket slot on the palm-rest and keyboard assembly.
4. Replace the screw (M1.6x2.5) that secures the solid-state drive bracket to the palm-rest and keyboard assembly.
5. Align the notch on the solid-state drive with the tab on the solid-state drive slot.
6. Slide the solid-state drive firmly into the solid-state drive slot at an angle.
7. Replace the screw (M2x3) that secures the solid-state drive to the solid-state drive bracket.
8. Align the screw hole on the solid-state drive thermal bracket with the screw hole on the palm-rest and keyboard assembly.
9. Replace the screw (M2x3) that secures the solid-state drive thermal bracket to the palm-rest and keyboard assembly.
Next steps
1. Install the base cover.
2. Follow the procedure in After working inside your computer.
Fan
Removing the fan
Prerequisites
1. Follow the procedure in Before working inside your computer.
2. Remove the base cover.
About this task
The following image indicates the location of the fan and provides a visual representation of the removal procedure.
Steps
1. Disconnect the fan cable from the system board.
2. Remove the two screws (M2x2) that secure the fan to the palm-rest and keyboard assembly.
Removing and installing components 35
3. Lift the fan off the palm-rest and keyboard assembly.
Installing the fan
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 fan and provides a visual representation of the installation procedure.
Steps
1. Using the alignment posts, place the fan on the palm-rest and keyboard assembly.
2. Replace the two screws (M2x2) that secure the system fan to the palm-rest and keyboard assembly.
3. Connect the fan cable to the system board.
Next steps
1. Install the base cover.
2. Follow the procedure in After working inside your computer.
I/O board
Removing the I/O board
Prerequisites
1. Follow the procedure in Before working inside your computer.
2. Remove the base cover.
36 Removing and installing components
About this task
The following image indicates the location of the I/O-board and provides a visual representation of the removal procedure.
Steps
1. Remove the two screws (M2.5x5) that secure the left-display hinge to the palm-rest and keyboard assembly.
2. Open the left-display hinge at an angle of 90 degrees.
3. Peel the tape that secures the I/O-board cable to the I/O board.
4. Open the latch, and disconnect the I/O-board cable from the I/O board.
5. Open the latch, and disconnect the fingerprint reader-cable from the I/O board.
6. Disconnect the coin-cell battery cable from the I/O board.
7. Remove the screw (M2x3) that secures the I/O board to the palm-rest and keyboard assembly.
8. Slide and lift the I/O board off the palm-rest and keyboard assembly.
Installing the I/O 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 I/O board and provides a visual representation of the installation procedure.
Removing and installing components 37
Steps
1. Slide the I/O board into the slots on the palm-rest and keyboard assembly.
2. Align the screw hole on the I/O board with the screw hole on the palm-rest and keyboard assembly.
3. Replace the screw (M2x3) that secures the I/O board to the palm-rest and keyboard assembly.
4. Connect the I/O-board cable to the connector on the I/O board and close the latch to secure the cable.
5. Adhere the tape that secures the I/O-board cable to the I/O board.
6. Connect the fingerprint reader-cable to the connector on the I/O board and close the latch to secure the cable.
7. Connect the coin-cell battery cable to the I/O board.
8. Close the left display hinge.
9. Replace the two screws (M2.5x5) that secure the left-display hinge to the palm-rest and keyboard assembly.
Next steps
1. Install the base cover.
2. Follow the procedure in After working inside your computer.
Power button with fingerprint reader
Removing the power-button board
Prerequisites
1. Follow the procedure in Before working inside your computer.
2. Remove the base cover.
3. Remove the heat sink.
4. Remove the fan.
38 Removing and installing components
About this task
The following image indicates the location of the power button with fingerprint reader and provides a visual representation of
the removal procedure.
Steps
1. Remove the two screws (M2x3) that secure the power-button bracket to the palm-rest and keyboard assembly.
2. Lift the power-button bracket off the palm-rest and keyboard assembly.
3. Peel the tape that secures the I/O-board cable to the I/O board.
4. Open the latch, and disconnect the I/O-board cable from the I/O board.
5. Open the latch, and disconnect the fingerprint reader-cable from the I/O board.
6. Open the latch, and disconnect the power-button cable from the fingerprint reader-board.
7. Lift the power button, along with its cable, off the slot on the palm-rest and keyboard assembly.
Installing the power-button 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 power button with fingerprint reader and provides a visual representation of
the installation procedure.
Removing and installing components 39
Steps
1. Align and place the power button, along with its cable, on the slot of the palm-rest and keyboard assembly.
2. Slide the power-button cable into the connector on the fingerprint reader-board and close the latch to secure the cable.
3. Connect the fingerprint reader-cable to the connector on the I/O board and close the latch to secure the cable.
4. Connect the I/O-board cable to the connector on the I/O board and close the latch to secure the cable.
5. Adhere the tape that secures the I/O-board cable to the I/O board.
6. Align the screw holes on the power-button bracket with the screw holes on the palm-rest and keyboard assembly.
7. Replace the two screws (M2x3) that secure power-button bracket to the palm-rest and keyboard assembly.
Next steps
1. Install the fan.
2. Install the heat sink.
3. Install the base cover.
4. 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 base cover.
40 Removing and installing components
About this task
The following image indicates the location of the display assembly and provides a visual representation of the removal
procedure.
Removing and installing components 41
Steps
1. Peel the tape that secures the display cable to the system board.
2. Open the latch, and disconnect the display cable from the system board.
3. Remove the two screws (M2.5x5) that secure the left-display hinges to the palm-rest and keyboard assembly.
4. Remove the three screws (M2.5x5) that secure the right-display hinges to the palm-rest and keyboard assembly.
42 Removing and installing components
5. Lift at an angle and slide the display assembly off the palm-rest and keyboard assembly.
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 43
Steps
1. Slide the display assembly at an angle, and place the display assembly on the palm-rest and keyboard assembly.
2. Replace the two screws (M2.5x5) that secure the left-display hinge to the palm-rest and keyboard assembly.
3. Replace the three screws (M2.5x5) that secure the right-display hinge to the palm-rest and keyboard assembly.
4. Connect the display-cable connector to the system board and close the latch to secure the cable.
5. Adhere the tape that secures the display cable to the system board.
Next steps
1. Install the base cover.
2. Follow the procedure in After working inside your computer.
44 Removing and installing components
System board
Removing the system board
Prerequisites
1. Follow the procedure in Before working inside your computer.
2. Remove the base cover.
3. Remove the battery.
4. Remove the coin-cell battery.
5. Remove the memory modules.
6. Remove the M.2 2230 solid-state drive or M.2 2280 solid-state drive, as applicable.
7. Remove the heat sink.
About this task
The following image indicates the connectors on your system board.
Figure 1. System-board connectors
1. Power-adapter port cable 2. Display cable
3. Fan cable 4. I/O-board cable
5. Speaker cable 6. Touchpad cable
7. Keyboard cable 8. USB Type-C port bracket
The following image indicates the location of the system board and provides a visual representation of the removal procedure.
Removing and installing components 45
Steps
1. Remove the three screws (M2.5x5) that secure the right-display hinge to the palm-rest and keyboard assembly..
2. Open the hinge at an angle of 90 degrees.
3. Peel the tape that secures the USB Type-C port bracket to the system board.
4. Disconnect the fan cable from the system board.
46 Removing and installing components
5. Peel the tape that secures the I/O-board cable to the system board.
6. Open the latch, and disconnect the I/O-board cable from the system board.
7. Disconnect the speaker cable from the system board.
8. Open the latch, and disconnect the touchpad cable from the system board.
9. Open the latch, and disconnect the keyboard cable from the system board.
10. Remove the two screws (M2x3) that secure the USB Type-C bracket to the system board.
11. Lift the USB Type-C port bracket off the palm-rest and keyboard assembly.
12. Disconnect the power-adapter port cable from the system board.
13. Peel the tape that secures the display cable to the system board.
14. Open the latch, and disconnect the display cable from the system board.
15. Remove the two screws (M2x2) that secures the system board to the palm-rest and keyboard assembly.
16. Lift the system board off the palm-rest and keyboard assembly.
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 image indicates the connectors on your system board.
Figure 2. System-board connectors
1. Power-adapter port cable 2. Display cable
3. Fan cable 4. I/O-board cable
5. Speaker cable 6. Touchpad cable
7. Keyboard cable 8. USB Type-C port bracket
The following image indicates the location of the system board and provides a visual representation of the installation procedure.
Removing and installing components 47
Steps
1. Align and place the system board on the palm-rest and keyboard assembly.
2. Replace the two screws (M2x2) that secure the system board to the palm-rest and keyboard assembly.
3. Connect the display cable to the connector on the system board and close the latch to secure the cable.
4. Adhere the tape that secures the display cable to the system board.
48 Removing and installing components
5. Connect the power-adapter port cable to the connector on the system board.
6. Align the screw holes on the USB Type-C port bracket with the screw holes on the system board.
7. Adhere the tape that secures the USB Type-C port bracket to the system board.
8. Replace the two screws (M2x3) that secure the USB Type-C port bracket to the system board.
9. Connect the keyboard cable to the connector on the system board and close the latch to secure the cable.
10. Connect the touchpad cable to the connector on the system board and close the latch to secure the cable.
11. Connect the speaker cable to the system board.
12. Connect the I/O-board cable to the connector on the system board and close the latch to secure the cable.
13. Adhere the tape that secures the I/O-board cable to the system board.
14. Connect the fan cable to the system board.
15. Close the right display hinge.
16. Replace the three screws (M2.5x5) that secure the right display hinge to the system board.
Next steps
1. Install the heat sink.
2. Install the fan.
3. Install the M.2 2230 solid-state drive or M.2 2280 solid-state drive, as applicable.
4. Install the memory modules.
5. Install the coin-cell battery.
6. Install the battery.
7. Install the base cover.
8. Follow the procedure in After working inside your computer.
Palm-rest and keyboard assembly
Removing the palm-rest and keyboard assembly
Prerequisites
1. Follow the procedure in Before working inside your computer.
2. Remove the base cover.
3. Remove the battery.
4. Remove the coin-cell battery.
5. Remove the memory modules.
6. Remove the M.2 2230 solid-state drive or M.2 2280 solid-state drive, as applicable.
7. Remove the I/O board.
8. Remove the speakers.
9. Remove the heat sink.
10. Remove the fan.
11. Remove the touchpad.
12. Remove the power-adapter port.
13. Remove the power-button board.
14. Remove the display assembly.
15. Remove the system board.
NOTE: The system board can be removed or installed together with the heat sink attached. This simplifies the
procedure and avoids breaking the thermal bond between the system board and the heat sink.
About this task
The following image indicates the location of the palm-rest and keyboard assembly and provides a visual representation of the
removal procedure.
Removing and installing components 49
Steps
After performing the steps in the pre-requisites, you are left with the palm-rest and keyboard assembly.
Installing the palm-rest and keyboard 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 palm-rest and keyboard assembly and provides a visual representation of the
installation procedure.
50 Removing and installing components
Steps
Place the palm-rest and keyboard assembly on a clean and flat surface.
Next steps
1. Install the system board.
2. Install the display assembly.
3. Install the power-button board.
4. Install the touchpad.
5. Install the power-adapter port.
6. Install the fan.
7. Install the heat sink.
8. Install the speakers.
9. Install the I/O board.
10. Install the M.2 2230 solid-state drive or M.2 2280 solid-state drive, as applicable.
11. Install the memory modules.
12. Install the coin-cell battery.
13. Install the battery.
14. Install the base cover.
15. Follow the procedure in After working inside your computer.
Removing and installing components 51
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: Depending on the computer and its installed devices, the items listed in this section may or may not be displayed.
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.
Entering BIOS setup program
About this task
Turn on (or restart) your computer and press F2 immediately.
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.
Table 2. Navigation keys
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.
NOTE: For the standard graphics browser only.
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.
Boot Sequence
Boot Sequence allows 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
4
System setup 53
●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 (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.
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.
System setup options
NOTE: Depending on this computer and its installed devices, the items that are listed in this section may or may not be
displayed.
Table 3. System setup options—System information menu
Overview
Inspiron 5406 2-in-1
BIOS Version Displays the BIOS version number.
Service Tag Displays the Service Tag of the computer.
Asset Tag Displays the Asset Tag of the computer.
Manufacture Date Displays the manufacture date of the computer.
Ownership Date Displays the ownership date of the computer.
Express Service Code Displays the express service code of the computer.
Ownership Tag Displays the ownership tag of the computer.
Signed Firmware Update Displays whether the signed firmware update is enabled.
Default: Enabled
Battery Displays the battery health information.
Primary Displays the primary battery.
Battery Level Displays the battery level.
54 System setup
Table 3. System setup options—System information menu (continued)
Overview
Battery State Displays the battery state.
Health Displays the battery health.
AC Adapter Displays whether an AC adapter is connected. If connected, the AC adapter
type.
PROCESSOR
Processor Type Displays the processor type.
Maximum Clock Speed Displays the maximum processor clock speed.
Minimum Clock Speed Displays the minimum processor clock speed.
Current Clock Speed Displays the current processor clock speed.
Core Count Displays the number of cores on the processor.
Processor ID Displays the processor identification code.
Processor L2 Cache Displays the processor L2 Cache size.
Processor L3 Cache Displays the processor L3 Cache size.
Microcode Version Displays the microcode version.
Intel Hyper-Threading Capable Displays whether the processor is Hyper-Threading (HT) capable.
64-Bit Technology Displays whether 64-bit technology is used.
MEMORY
Memory Installed Displays the total computer memory installed.
Memory Available Displays the total computer memory available.
Memory Speed Displays the memory speed.
Memory Channel Mode Displays single or dual channel mode.
Memory Technology Displays the technology that is used for the memory.
DIMM_SLOT1 Displays the memory configuration of DIMM SLOT1.
DIMM_SLOT2 Displays the memory configuration of DIMM SLOT2.
DEVICES
Panel Type Displays the Panel Type of the computer.
Video Controller Displays the integrate graphics information of the computer.
Video Memory Displays the video memory information of the computer.
Wi-Fi Device Displays the Wi-Fi device installed in the computer.
Native Resolution Displays the native resolution of the computer.
Video BIOS Version Displays the video BIOS version of the computer.
Audio Controller Displays the audio controller information of the computer.
Bluetooth Device Displays whether a Bluetooth device is installed in the computer.
GPU Video Controller Displays the discrete graphics controller.
Table 4. System setup options—Boot Configuration menu
Boot Configuration
Boot Sequence
Boot Mode: UEFI only Displays the boot mode of this computer.
Boot Sequence Enables or disables Windows Boot Manager and UEFI Hard Drive.
System setup 55
Table 4. System setup options—Boot Configuration menu (continued)
Boot Configuration
By default, Windows Boot Manager is selected
By default, UEFI Hard Drive is selected
Secure Boot
Enable Secure Boot Enables secure boot using only validated boot software.
Secure Boot Mode Displays the secure boot mode
Expert Key Management
Enable Custom Mode Allows the PK, KEK, db, and dbx security key databases to be modified.
Custom Mode Key Management Allows for selection of key database.
Table 5. System setup options—Integrated Devices menu
Integrated Devices
Date/Time
Date Sets the computer date in MM/DD/YYYY format. Changes to the date take
effect immediately.
Time Sets the computer time in HH/MM/SS 24-hour format. You can switch
between 12-hour and 24-hour clock. Changes to the time take effect
immediately.
Camera
Enable Camera Enables or disables the camera.
By default, Enable Camera is selected.
Audio
Enable Audio Enables or disables all integrated audio controller.
Default: ON
Enable Microphone Enables or disables microphone.
By default, Enable Microphone is selected.
Enable Internal Speaker Enables or disables internal speaker.
By default, Enable Internal Speaker is selected.
USB Configuration
Enable External USB Ports Enables or disables all external USB ports in an OS environment.
By default, Enable External USB Ports is selected.
Enable USB Boot Support Enables or disables booting from USB mass storage devices such as external
hard drive, optical drive, and USB drive.
By default, Enable USB Boot Support is selected.
Table 6. System setup options—Storage menu
Storage
SATA Operation
SATA Operation Configures operating mode of the integrated storage device controller.
Default: RAID On. Storage device is configured to support RAID functions.
When enabled, all NVMe and SATA devices will be mapped under VMD
controller. Windows RST (Intel Rapid Restore Technology) driver, or Linux
kernel VMD driver must be loaded in order to boot the OS.
56 System setup
Table 6. System setup options—Storage menu (continued)
Storage
Storage Interface
Port Enablement Enables or disables the onboard drives.
Default: ON
SMART Reporting
Enable SMART Reporting Enables or disables Self-Monitoring, Analysis, and Reporting Technology
(SMART).
Default: OFF
Drive Information Displays the information of various onboard drives.
Table 7. System setup options—Display menu
Display
Display Brightness
Brightness on battery power Sets the screen brightness when the computer is running on battery power.
Default: 50
Brightness on AC power Sets the screen brightness when the computer is running on AC power.
Default: 100
Touchscreen
Touchscreen Enables or disables the touchscreen.
Default: ON
EcoPower Enable EcoPower - Increases the battery life by reducing the display brightness
when appropriate.
Default: On
Full Screen Logo When turned on, the full screen logo is displayed if the image matches the
screen resolution.
Default: OFF
Table 8. System setup options—Connection menu
Connection
Wireless Device Enable
WLAN Enable or disable internal WLAN devices.
By default, WLAN is selected.
Bluetooth Enable or disable internal Bluetooth devices.
By default, Bluetooth is selected.
Enable UEFI Network Stack Enables or disables UEFI networking protocols, if they are installed and
available.
Default: ON
Table 9. System setup options—Power menu
Power
Battery Configuration Enables the computer to run on battery during power usage hours. Use the
below options to prevent AC power usage between certain times of each day.
System setup 57
Table 9. System setup options—Power menu (continued)
Power
Default: Adaptive. Battery settings are adaptively optimized based on your
typical battery usage pattern.
Advanced Configuration
Enable Advanced Battery Charge
Configuration
Enables Advanced Battery Charge Configuration from the beginning of the
day to a specified work period. Advanced Battery Charged maximizes battery
health while still supporting heavy use during the work day.
Default: OFF
Thermal Management Enables the cooling fan and processor heat management to adjust system
performance, noise, and temperature.
Default: Optimized. Standard settings for cooling fan and processor heat
management. This setting is a balance of performance, noise, and temperature.
USB Wake Support
Wake on Dell USB-C Dock Enables connecting a Dell USB-C Dock to wake the computer from Standby.
Default: ON
Block Sleep Blocks the computer from entering Sleep (S3) mode in the operating system.
Default: OFF
NOTE: If enabled, the computer will not go to sleep, Intel Rapid Start will
be disabled automatically, and the operating system power option will be
blank if it was set to Sleep.
Lid Switch
Enable Lid Switch Enable or disable the lid switch.
Default: ON
Power On Lid Open Enables the computer to power up from the off state whenever the lid is
opened.
Default: ON
Intel Speed Shift Technology Enables or disables the Intel Speed Shift Technology support. Setting this
option to enable allows the operating system to select the appropriate
processor performance automatically.
Default: ON
Table 10. System setup options—Security menu
Security
Intel Software Guard Extensions
Intel Software Guard Extensions Provides a secured environment for running code or storing sensitive
information in the context of the main OS.
Default: Software Control
Intel Platform Trust Technology
Intel Platform Trust Technology On Enable or disable the Intel Platform Trust Technology (PPT) feature in the OS.
Default: ON
PPI Bypass for Clear Commands Enables or disables the Trusted Platform Model (TPM) Physical Presence
Interface (PPI). When enabled, the OS will skip BIOS Physical Presence
Interface (PPI) user prompts when issuing the Clear command.
58 System setup
Table 10. System setup options—Security menu (continued)
Security
Default: OFF
Clear Enables or disables the computer to clear the PTT owner information, and
returns the PTT to the default state.
Default: OFF
SMM Security Mitigation Enables or disables additional UEFI SMM Security Mitigation protections.
Default: OFF
NOTE: This feature may cause compatibility issues or loss of functionality
with some legacy tools and applications.
Data Wipe on Next Boot When enabled, the BIOS will schedule a data wipe cycle for all storage devices
connected to the system board on the next reboot.
Default: OFF
Absolute Enables, disables or permanently disable the BIOS module interface of the
optional Absolute Persistence Module service from Absolute Software.
Default: Enabled
UEFI Boot Path Security Determines if the system will prompt the user to enter the admin password (if
set) when booting to a UEFI boot path device frim the F12 boot menu.
Default: Always Except Internal HDD.
Enable Admin Setup Lockout Enables or disables the user from entering BIOS Setup when an Admin
Password is set.
Default: OFF
Password Bypass Bypass the System (Boot) Password and the internal hard drive password
prompts during a system restart.
Default: Disabled
Enable Non-Admin Password Changes Enables or disables the user to change the system and hard drive password
without the need for admin password.
Default: ON
Non-Admin Setup Changes
TPM 2.0 Security On Select whether or not the Trusted Platform Model (TPM) is visible to the OS.
Default: ON
PPI Bypass for Enable Commands Enables or disables the OS to skip BIOS Physical Presence Interface (PPI) user
prompts when issuing TPM PPI enabled and activate commands.
Default: OFF
PPI Bypass for Disable Commands Enables or disables The OS to skip BIOS PPI user prompts when issuing TPM
PPI Disable and Deactivate commands.
Default: OFF
Attestation Enable Enables to control whether the TPM Endorsement Hierarchy is available to the
OS. Disabling this setting restricts the ability to use the TPM for signature
operations.
Default: ON
Key Storage Enable Enables to control whether the TPM Endorsement Hierarchy is available to the
OS. Disabling this setting restricts the ability to use the TPM for storing owner
data.
System setup 59
Table 10. System setup options—Security menu (continued)
Security
Default: ON
SHA-256 Enables or disables the BIOS and the TPM to use the SHA-256 hash algorithm
to extend measurements into the TPM PCRs during BIOS boot.
Default: ON
Clear Enables or disables the computer to clear the PTT owner information, and
returns the PTT to the default state.
Default: OFF
TPM State Enables or disables the TPM. This is the normal operating state for the TPM
when you want to use its complete array of capabilities.
Default: Enabled
SMM Security Mitigation Enables or disables additional UEFI SMM Security Mitigation protections.
Default: OFF
NOTE: This feature may cause compatibility issues or loss of functionality
with some legacy tools and applications.
Intel SGX Enables or disables the Intel Software Guard Extensions (SGX) to provide a
secured environment for running code/storing sensitive information.
Default: Software Control
Table 11. System setup options—Passwords menu
Passwords
Admin Password Enables the user to set, change, or delete the administrator (admin) password.
The admin password enables several security features
System Password Enables the user to set, change, or delete the system password.
Password Configuration
Upper Case Letter Enforces password restriction that the password must contain at least one
upper case letter.
Default: OFF
Lower Case Letter Enforces password restriction that the password must contain at least one
lower case letter.
Default: OFF
Digit Enforces password restriction that the password must contain at least one
digit.
Default: OFF
Special Character Enforces password restriction that the password must contain at least one
special character.
Default: OFF
Minimum Characters Controls the minimum number of characters allowed for password.
Default: 04
Password Bypass Bypass the System (Boot) Password and the internal hard drive password
prompts during a system restart.
Default: Disabled
Password Changes
60 System setup
Table 11. System setup options—Passwords menu (continued)
Passwords
Enable Non-Admin Password Changes Enables or disables the user to change the system and hard drive password
without the need for admin password.
Default: ON
Admin Setup Lockout
Enable Admin Setup Lockout Enables or disables the user from entering BIOS Setup when an Admin
Password is set.
Default: OFF
Master Password Lockout
Enable Master Password Lockout Enables or disables master password support.
Default: OFF
NOTE: Hard drive passwords must be cleared before the setting can be
changed.
Table 12. System setup options—Update,Recovery menu
Wireless
UEFI Capsule Firmware Updates Enable or disable internal WLAN/Bluetooth devices.
By default, WLAN is selected.
By default, Bluetooth is selected.
Enable UEFI Capsule Firmware Updates Enables or disables BIOS updates through UEFI capsule update packages.
Default: ON
BIOS Recovery from Hard Drive Enables the computer to recover from a bad BIOS image, as long as the Boot
Block portion is intact and functioning.
Default: ON
NOTE: BIOS recovery is designed to fix the main BIOS block and cannot
work if the Boot Block is damaged. In addition, this feature cannot work
in the event of EC corruption, ME corruption, or a hardware issue. The
recovery image must exist on an unencrypted partition on the drive.
BIOS Downgrade
Allow BIOS Downgrade Controls flashing of the system firmware to previous revisions.
Default: ON
SupportAssist OS Recovery Enables or disables the boot flow for SupportAssist OS Recovery tool, in the
event of certain system error.
Default: ON
BIOSConnect Enables or disables cloud Service OS recovery if the main OS fails to boot
within the number of failures equal or greater than the value specified by
Dell Auto OS Recovery Threshold, and local Service does not boot, or is not
installed.
Default: ON
Dell Auto OS Recovery Threshold Controls the automatic boot flow for SupportAssist System Resolution Console
and for Dell operating system Recovery tool.
Default: 2.
System setup 61
Table 13. System setup options—System Management menu
System Management
Service Tag Displays the Service Tag of the computer.
Asset Tag Creates a system Asset Tag that can be used by an IT administrator to
uniquely identify a particular system. Once set in BIOS, the Asset Tag cannot
be changed.
AC Behavior
Wake on AC Enables or disables basic checks when AC power is applied to the device. The
checks include determining how the AC Recovery option is set. The system will
boot up if Wake on AC is enabled, the system will power off, if Wake on AC is
disabled.
Default: OFF
Auto On Time Controls automatic powering up of system for defined days and times.
Default: Disabled
Table 14. System setup options—Keyboard menu
Keyboard
Numlock Enable
Enable Numlock Enables or disables Numlock when the computer boots.
Default: ON
Fn Lock Options Enables or disables the Fn lock mode.
Default: ON
Lock Mode Controls operation of function keys F1-F12.
Default: Lock Mode Secondary
Keyboard Illumination Enables the user to change the keyboard illumination settings.
Default: Bright
Keyboard Backlight Timeout on AC Enables the user to define the timeout value for the keyboard backlight when
an AC adapter is plugged into the system.
Default: Bright
Keyboard Backlight Timeout on
Battery
Enables the user to define the timeout value for the keyboard backlight when
the system is operating only on battery power.
Default: 1 minute
Table 15. System setup options—Pre-boot Behavior menu
Pre-boot Behavior
Adapter warnings
Enable Adapter warnings Enables or disables the computer to display adapter warning messages when
adapters with too little power capacity are detected.
Default: ON
Warnings and Errors Selects an action on encountering a warning or error during boot.
Default: Prompt on Warnings and Errors. Stop, prompt, and wait for user input
when warnings or errors are detected.
NOTE: Errors deemed critical to the operation of the computer hardware
will always halt the computer.
USB-C Warnings Specify the maximum number of characters allowed for Admin password.
62 System setup
Table 15. System setup options—Pre-boot Behavior menu (continued)
Pre-boot Behavior
Default: 32
Enable Dock warning messages Enable or disable dock warning messages.
Default: ON
Fastboot Configures the speed of the UEFI boot process.
Default: Thorough. Performs complete hardware and configuration initialization
during boot.
Extend BIOS POST Time Configures the BIOS POST (Power-On Self-Test) load time.
Default: 0 seconds
Table 16. System setup options—Virtualization menu
Virtualization
Intel Virtualization Technology
Enable Intel Virtualization Technology
(VT)
Enables the computer to run a virtual machine monitor (VMM).
Default: ON
VT for Direct I/O
Enable Intel VT for Direct I/O Enables the computer to perform Virtualization Technology for Direct I/O (VT-
d). VT-d is an Intel method that provides virtualization for memory map I/O.
Default: ON
Table 17. System setup options—Performance menu
Performance
Multi-Core Support
Active Cores Changes the number of CPU cores available to the operating system. The
default value is set to the maximum number of cores.
Default: All Cores
Intel SpeedStep
Enable Intel SpeedStep Technology Enables or disables the Intel SpeedStep Technology to dynamically adjust
processor voltage and core frequency, decreasing average power consumption
and heat production.
Default: ON
C-States Control
Enable C-State Control Enables or disables the CPU's ability to enter and exit low-power states.
Default: ON
Enable Adaptive C-States for Discrete
Graphics
Allows to dynamically detect high usage of discrete graphics and adjust system
parameters for higher performance during that time period.
Default: ON
Intel Turbo Boost Technology
Enable Intel Turbo Boost Technology Enabled or disabled the Intel TurboBoost mode of the processor. If enabled,
the Intel TurboBoost driver increases the performance of the CPU or graphics
processor.
Default: ON
Intel Hyper-Threading Technology
System setup 63
Table 17. System setup options—Performance menu (continued)
Performance
Enable Intel Hyper-Threading Technology Enabled or disabled the Intel Hyper-Threading mode of the processor. If
enabled, the Intel Hyper-Threading increases the efficiency of the processor
resources when multiple threads run on each core.
Default: ON
Table 18. System setup options—System Logs menu
System Logs
BIOS Event Log
Clear Bios Event Log Select keep or clear BIOS events.
Default: Keep
Power Event Log
Clear POWER Event Log Select keep or clear Power events.
Default: Keep
Thermal Event Log
Clear Thermal Event Log Select keep or clear Thermal events.
Default: Keep
Clearing CMOS settings
About this task
CAUTION: Clearing CMOS settings will reset the BIOS settings on your computer.
Steps
1. Turn off your computer.
2. Remove the base cover.
NOTE: The battery must be disconnected from the system board (see Step 4 in Removing the base cover.
3. Press and hold the power button for 15 seconds to drain the flea power.
4. Before you turn on your computer, follow the steps in Installing the base cover.
5. Turn on your computer.
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.
64 System setup
Updating the BIOS
Updating the BIOS in Windows environment
About this task
Follow these steps to update the BIOS:
Steps
1. Turn on your computer.
2. Go to www.dell.com/support.
3. 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 product ID or manually browse for your computer model.
4. Click Drivers & Downloads. Expand Find drivers.
5. Select the operating system installed on your computer.
6. Scroll down the page and expand BIOS.
7. In the Category drop-down list, select BIOS.
The latest version of BIOS is displayed.
8. Select the update and click Download to download the latest version of the BIOS for your computer.
9. After the download is complete, browse the folder where you saved the BIOS update file.
10. Double-click the BIOS update file icon and follow the on-screen instructions.
Updating the BIOS using the USB drive in Windows
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
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.
System setup 65
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
●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.
66 System setup
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.
SupportAssist diagnostics
About this task
The SupportAssist diagnostics (previously known as ePSA diagnostics) performs a complete check of your hardware. The
SupportAssist diagnostics is embedded in the BIOS and is launched by it internally. The SupportAssist diagnostics provides a set
of options for particular devices or device groups. It allows you to:
●Run tests automatically or in an interactive mode.
●Repeat tests
●Display or save test results
5
Troubleshooting 67
●Run thorough tests to introduce additional test options and provide extra information about the failed device(s)
●View status messages that indicate if the tests are completed successfully
●View error messages that indicate if problems were encountered during the test
NOTE: Some tests are meant for specific devices and require user interaction. Ensure that you are present in front of the
computer when the diagnostic tests are performed.
For more information, see SupportAssist Pre-Boot System Performance Check.
Locate the Service Tag or Express Service Code of
your Dell computer
Your Dell computer is uniquely identified by a Service Tag or Express Service Code. To view relevant support resources for your
Dell computer, we recommend entering 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 for your Dell Laptop.
System diagnostic lights
Battery-status light
Indicates the power and battery-charge status.
Solid white — Power adapter is connected and the battery has more than 5 percent charge.
Amber — Computer is running on battery and the battery has less than 5 percent charge.
Off
●Power adapter is connected, and the battery is fully charged.
●Computer is running on battery, and the battery has more than 5 percent charge.
●Computer is in sleep state, hibernation, or turned off.
The battery-status light blinks amber along with beep codes indicating failures.
For example, the battery-status light blinks amber two times followed by a pause, and then blinks white three times followed by
a pause. This 2,3 pattern continues until the computer is turned off indicating no memory or RAM is detected.
The following table shows different power and battery-status light patterns and associated problems.
Table 19. LED codes
Diagnostic light codes Problem description
2,1 Processor failure
2,2 System board: BIOS or ROM (Read-Only
Memory) failure
2,3 No memory or RAM (Random-Access Memory)
detected
2,4 Memory or RAM (Random-Access Memory)
failure
2,5 Invalid memory installed
2,6 System-board or chipset error
2,7 Display failure
3,1 Coin-cell battery failure
3,2 PCI, video card/chip failure
3,3 Recovery image not found
3,4 Recovery image found but invalid
Camera status light: Indicates whether the camera is in use.
68 Troubleshooting
●Solid white — Camera is in use.
●Off — Camera is not in use.
Caps Lock status light: Indicates whether Caps Lock is enabled or disabled.
●Solid white — Caps Lock enabled.
●Off — Caps Lock disabled.
Built-in self-test (BIST)
About this task
There are three different types of BIST to check the performance of display, power rail, and system board. These tests are
important to evaluate if an LCD or system board needs a replacement.
1. M-BIST: M-BIST is the system board built-in self-test diagnostics tool that improves the diagnostics accuracy of system
board embedded controller (EC) failures. M-BIST must be manually initiated before POST and can also run on a dead
system .
2. L-BIST: L-BIST is an enhancement to the single LED error code diagnostics and is automatically initiated during POST.
3. LCD-BIST: LCD BIST is an enhanced diagnostic test that is introduced through Preboot System Assessment (PSA) on legacy
systems.
Table 20. Functions
M-BIST L-BIST
Purpose Evaluates the health condition of the
system board.
Checks if the system board is supplying
power to the LCD by performing an LCD
Power Rail test.
Trigger Press the <M> key and the power
button.
Integrated into the single LED error
code diagnostics. Automatically initiated
during POST.
Indicator of fault Battery LED light with Solid Amber Battery LED error code of [2,8] blinks
Amber x2, then pause, then blinks White
x8.
Repair instruction Indicates a problem with the system
board.
Indicates a problem with the system
board.
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.
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.
Troubleshooting 69
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.
Flea power release
About this task
Flea power is the residual static electricity that remains on the computer even after it has been powered off and the battery has
been disconnected from the system board. The following procedure provides the instructions on how to release the flea power:
Steps
1. Turn off your computer.
2. Remove the base cover.
NOTE: The battery must be disconnected from the system board. See Step 4 in removing the base cover .
3. Press and hold the power button for 15 seconds to drain the flea power.
4. Install the base cover.
5. Turn on your computer.
70 Troubleshooting
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 21. 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.
6
Getting help and contacting Dell 71