Dell Latitude E5410 Troubleshooting

Audio sounds strange or is unable to be heard

Test the sound through both the laptop's speakers and then a pair of headphones. If the sound cuts in and out only with headphone use, the audio jack may be loose or the headphones may be faulty. Be sure that the headphones are inserted all the way and that the audio jack doesn't seem to be loose.

Sometimes the volume may have been muted. Check the volume icon located on the lower right of your screen on the windows explorer toolbar. The icon looks like a speaker. From there you can click "mixer" to see the audio status of all your programs currently running. Sometimes a program can become accidentally muted and you can mute and unmute certain programs as desired.

In addition, a lack of sound can be due to an out of date or incorrect audio driver. Updated drivers can be installed from Dell's official website. It's a good idea to keep your unit up to date to ensure all components run smoothly.

The computer's operating system is unable to start or starts up incorrectly.

Sometimes when a computer virus strikes, a file is missing from the operating system or a new application or program was recently installed, it can cause the computer to fail to start up. The computer can attempt automatic startup repair on it's own where it can attempt fix some problems. However, the corruption might have damaged the operating system where files become damaged or deleted. You'll need to reinstall or repair the operating system from the original installation disc if automatic startup repair can't fix the problem.

With use over time, the hard drive inside the laptop will eventually fail and need to be replaced. When a hard drive is close to failing, it will make audible clicking noises. Once the hard drive dies out you'll see a message when booting up the laptop that reads "boot disc not found."

The screen might not turn on, display properly, etc.

Over time the bulb keeping the screen lit may burn out and need to be replaced. See your warranty status for service and part replacement options.

The screen may completely not working. Loose wires inside the machine connecting to the display can wear with use. To separate this screen problem with the possibility of a video card malfunction, connect an external monitor to see if it displays what would be otherwise on the laptop screen. If a picture shows on the external monitor there's nothing wrong with the video card.

Heat causes the system unit to fail by getting too hot without cooling down.

A slow fan or poor ventilation can lead to overheating. Regular upkeep cleaning out the inside of the laptop with a can of compressed air will eliminate dust that traps hot air inside the laptop. Don't use a damp rag to clean out your laptop.

Keeping the laptop on fabric such as a blanket or tablecloth instead of a hard flat surface can trap warm air inside the unit. Be sure to keep your device well-ventilated.

The device doesn't charge or doesn't stay powered up while unplugged on a charged battery. The battery's power drains quickly and is unable to hold a charge for long.

There's a battery shaped LED light on your laptop. If it lights up amber and flashes, it's a sign that the battery needs to be replaced. A white light indicates the battery is in optimal condition.

Worn out chargers can fail to charge a laptop. Check the cord for possible kinks or torn open sections.