Easy (lazy) way to get your serial number for your Dell, or other OEM system?

Need your serial number?  Laptop’s docked, or workstation not easily accessible?

Here’s an easy way to get your vendor serial number:

1. Start a command prompt, click start, type “cmd”, hit enter
2. type “wmic bios get serialnumber”

This will return your Dell, Lenovo, etc serial number.

Note: If you have a custom or home built system, you’re not likely to get an serial number, you’ll probably see something like  “system serial number” or “to be filled in by o.e.m”

Dell Windows Recovery Images via the web

There are apparently a lot of people that don’t know about this, (or maybe google)?, so here’s a little publicity for Dell.

You can download the Windows recovery image for your Dell computer here:

http://www.dell.com/support/home/us/en/19/Drivers/OSISO

All you need is your service tag…and having purchased your Dell with Windows.

Here’s the full text of the site:

Recovery Image of Microsoft Windows

Download the recovery image

Download a recovery image of Microsoft Windows Operating System customized for your Dell product. Dell customization of the Windows image includes:

• Updated patches that address common issues for Dell systems.
• Dell support information.

The image provided in this download was configured to be bootable from either a DVD or USB.
Note: The recovery image contains the version of Windows that came installed on your computer. If you have upgraded your operating system, you will need to reinstall the upgrade after you have restored your system to the factory settings.

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Identify your Dell PC

To ensure that we provided the correct image available for your Dell PC, provide the Service Tag of the system to which the image will be installed.

Dell’s Hosted Recovery Image is designed to work with Dell systems. It is not designed to be supported on non-Dell PCs.

Dell Wireless TouchPad

I purchased the Dell Wireless Touchpad sometime last year after I moved my primary workstation to Windows 8.  I didn’t really start using it much until lately.

I’ve found it’s a great add-on to the mouse and keyboard when working with Windows 8 on a multi-screen setup.

I mainly use it for the left and right edge sweep to get to the Charms bar or to switch between programs.  I wouldn’t give up my mouse for this, but it’s definitely a value add for only $30.

 

 

 

 

Charms Bar

Dell 7×40, e-port advanced, dual external monitors==blank screen

I recently purchased a new e7440 for an employee and swapped out her old e6410.  She has an e-port+ advanced dock and 2 22″ monitors.  The setup worked great for years.

Shortly after she started using the e7440 the secondary monitor seem to go to sleep. Power cycling it fixed it.  I swapped the monitors around to see if it was the DVI port on the dock or the monitor.  Same behavior.

I swapped out the dock for a standard e-port+, same behavior.

I finally got around to googling to see if it was just this e7440.  Unfortunately, or fortunately, it’s not.

I found this post E7440 Display Problems (http://en.community.dell.com/support-forums/laptop/f/3518/t/19532685.aspx)

While the issue in the post was flickering, this fix resolved my issue as well

http://www.dell.com/support/drivers/us/en/19/DriverDetails/Product/latitude-e7440-ultrabook?driverId=1XFPM&osCode=W864&fileId=3330366653&languageCode=en&categoryId=VI

Fixes & Enhancements

Firmware update to fix flickering screen seen on external monitors attached to dock.

NOTE: For E7440/E7240 only, this update applies when using a dock. If your configuration does not include a dock, the update is not for you and will fail to install

keywords: e7740, e7x40, dell, dock, replicator, blank screen, black screen, firmware