Dell G15 5511 Usage and Troubleshooting Guide
Summary: Learn how to use and troubleshoot issues that are related to your Dell G15 5511 Gaming laptop. Issues such as drivers, Windows, LCD, input devices, networking, webcam and more.
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Instructions
For help with issues such as wired and wireless networking, Windows, mouse, touchpad, keyboard, LCD, webcam, and downloading drivers, open one of the expanding sections below.
For specifications, browse to the Dell G15 5511 Online Manual Page. Touch or click View PDF under Dell G15 5511 Setup and Specifications (See the Specifications of Dell G15 5511 section).
For port locations, browse to the Dell G15 5511 Online Manual Page. Touch or click View PDF under Dell G15 5511 Setup and Specifications (See the Views of Dell G15 5511 section).
To view or download the Service Manual, browse to the Dell G15 5511 Online Manual Page. Touch or click View PDF to the right of Dell G15 5511 Service Manual.
To locate your Service Tag or Express Service Code, browse to the Where is the Service Tag located? page.
For how-to's and troubleshooting information about Wired and Wireless networking, browse to the Dell Networking and Wireless Support Center.
Learn How to Turn the Wireless Devices on a Dell Notebook On and Off.
- Using the SupportAssist application provides automatic computer updates and detects issues that it resolves for you. Let us take the effort out of maintaining your Dell Computer or Tablet. For more information about SupportAssist, browse to the SupportAssist for PCs and tablets page.
- Run online hardware diagnostics to ensure that your hardware is working correctly. Learn How to use the Dell PC Diagnostics. The article explains how to access the hardware diagnostics and the different kinds of tests available for your Dell computer or tablet.
NOTE: The diagnostics either fixes the problem automatically, or it guides you through the steps to resolve the problem. When the diagnostic identifies a failing part, depending on the failing part, it immediately starts the process for a free in-warranty replacement part.
- When the computer cannot access the Internet, you can run the onboard diagnostics (ePSA) on your computer. Learn how to Resolve Hardware Issues With Built-in and Online Diagnostics (ePSA or PSA Error Codes).
This section covers the Microsoft Windows operating system that is installed on your computer; select the tabs below to find out further information.
For help with using Microsoft Windows, go to the Dell Windows Support Center page. Select the operating system that you need help with.
When the computer stops responding or you are troubleshooting slow performance issues, perform the following steps:
- Press and hold the Power button for at least 15 seconds to ensure that the computer turns off.
- Disconnect all external peripherals including the keyboard, mouse, and external monitor. Peripherals also include external storage devices such as flash drives, USB devices, printers, cards so on
- Press the Power button to see if the computer turns on and boots correctly. If not, learn why the Dell Computer Does Not Turn On or Boot Into Windows.
- When the computer does boot up correctly, download and install SupportAssist. For more information about how to download and install SupportAssist, browse to the SupportAssist for PCs and tablets page.
- Perform computer maintenance on your computer. For more information, see the Dell knowledge base article Optimization and Maintenance of Microsoft Windows or How to Troubleshoot Slow Performance Issues.
- Connect the external devices one at a time, and check to see if the computer continues to respond.
Get help if the Computer restarts or shuts down intermittently, locks up, stops responding or an error occurs.
For information about the drivers available, browse to the Dell G15 5511 Drivers Page.
This section covers the hardware that is installed on your computer; select the tabs below to find out further information.
See the following Dell knowledge base articles for information about how to use or troubleshoot mouse, keyboard, or touchpad issues.
- Keyboard Usage and Troubleshooting Guide
- Mouse Usage and Troubleshooting Guide
- Touchpad Usage and Troubleshooting Guide
NOTE:
- Some keys on your keyboard have two symbols on them. These keys can be used to perform secondary functions. To perform secondary functions, press Fn and the desired key. Press and hold the Fn key. Then press the Esc key to switch the primary behavior of the function keys (F1-F12) between two modes. (multimedia key mode and function key mode.)
- When the computer is powered on, the battery LED also acts as the hard drive activity light. Press and hold the Fn key, and then press the h key to switch between the battery and the hard drive activity light function.
Learn more about Disabling or Enabling the Touchpad on a Dell Notebook.
When you experience a situation in which the computer does not start at all. Or it does turn on. (Lights turn on, and fans are spinning.) Does the computer show no image? Look at the Battery LED (On the left side of the computer, Figure 1) for a blinking amber and white pattern. You can determine the failures that are listed in Table 1.
Figure 1: Battery Charge and Status LED Location
NOTE:
The blinking patterns consist of two sets of numbers being represented by a group of Amber blinks, and then a group of White blinks.
First Group: The LED blinks with an Amber color between one to nine times, followed by a brief pause with the LED off for 1.5 seconds.
Second Group: The LED blinks with a White color between one to nine times. Followed by a longer pause before the next cycle starts again with the LED off for three seconds.
For example: For a No Memory Detected Error (2,3). The battery LED blinks two times with an Amber color, followed by a pause and then blinks three times with a White color. The battery LED will pause for three seconds before the next cycle repeats itself again. Each LED blink takes 0.5 seconds.
The computer does not shut down when displaying the Diagnostic Error Codes.
Diagnostic Error Codes supersedes any other use of the LED. For instance, on Notebooks, battery codes for Low Battery or Battery Failure situations are not displayed when the Diagnostic Error Codes are being displayed.
| Blinking Pattern |
Component | Description | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Amber | White | ||
| 1 | 1 | TPM detection error | Contact Technical Support. |
| 1 | 2 | SPI flash failure | Contact Technical Support. |
| 1 | 5 | EC unable to program i-fuse | Contact Technical Support. |
| 1 | 6 | EC code flow errors | Disconnect all power sources (AC Adapter, Battery, Coin Cell) and drain the flea power by holding down the power button. |
| 2 | 1 | CPU | CPU failure Contact Technical Support. |
| 2 | 2 | BIOS ROM failure | System board failure (included BIOS corruption or ROM error) Try to flash the BIOS to the latest version. Learn more about Dell BIOS Updates. |
| 2 | 3 | Memory | No memory or RAM detected. |
| 2 | 4 | Memory | Memory or RAM failure. |
| 2 | 5 | Memory | Invalid memory installed. |
| 2 | 6 | Chipset | System board or Chipset error Contact Technical Support. |
| 2 | 7 | LCD | LCD failure Contact Technical Support. |
| 2 | 8 | Display Failure | Contact Technical Support. |
| 3 | 1 | RTC power failure | CMOS battery failure Contact Technical Support. |
| 3 | 2 | PCI or Video | PCI or Video card or chip failure Contact Technical Support. |
| 3 | 3 | BIOS recovery image | Recovery image not found Try to flash the BIOS to the latest version. For more information, browse to Dell BIOS Updates (See the How do I update BIOS using a USB flash drive? section). |
| 3 | 4 | BIOS recovery image | Recovery image found but invalid Try to flash the BIOS to the latest version. Learn more about Dell BIOS Updates. |
| 3 | 5 | Power rail | Power rail failure Try to flash the BIOS to the latest version. For more information, browse to Dell BIOS Updates (See the How do I update BIOS using a USB flash drive? section). |
| 3 | 6 | BIOS recovery | BIOS Recovery Image not found while performing autorecovery Try to flash the BIOS to the latest version. Learn more about Dell BIOS Updates. |
| 3 | 7 | ME Error | Management Engine error during boot. Try to flash the BIOS to the latest version. Learn more about Dell BIOS Updates. |
Table 1: Repetitive Battery LED Codes
For additional help with your computer, Contact Technical Support.
When the Battery LED does not blink with an Amber and White pattern, perform the following steps:- Press the power button for at least 15 seconds to ensure that the computer turns off.
- Disconnect all external peripherals including the keyboard, mouse, and external monitor. Peripherals also include external storage devices such as flash drives, USB devices, printers, cards, so on
- Remove the AC adapter from the computer and unplug the AC adapter from the electrical outlet.
- Ensure the connections on the power cable and AC adapter are firmly pressed together.
- Insert the AC into the computer and a good electrical outlet (not on a surge protector or power strip).
- Press the Power button to see if the computer turns on and boots correctly. If not, see the Dell knowledge base article Dell Computer Does Not Turn On or Boot Into Windows .
- Start attaching devices one at a time and testing to see if the computer turns on.
There are times when changes to the settings in the System Setup (BIOS) prevent the computer from booting into Windows or connecting to the Internet. Setting the BIOS back to its defaults may help fix these issues.
- Reboot the computer.
- When you see the Dell logo during POST, press the F2 key to enter the setup screen.
- On the System Setup screen, click Load Defaults.
- Ensure that the BIOS Defaults are selected and click OK (when asked).
- Click OK on the Warning window (when asked).
- Click Exit, the computer restarts.
This section covers the hardware that is installed on your computer; select the tabs below to find out further information.
Learn more about Understanding and Troubleshooting the Hard Disk Drive (HDD) or Solid-State Drive (HDD or SSD) on a Dell Computer.
NOTE: When the computer is powered on, the battery LED also acts as the hard drive activity light. Press and hold the Fn key, and then press the h key to switch between the battery and the hard drive activity light function.
For information about and help with resolving Audio issues, See the Speakers and Headphones Support site.
Power LED
There is no power button LED indicator light. See the Battery LED indicator on the left-hand side of the computer. (See Figure.2)
|
Power Source
|
LED behavior
|
System Power State
|
Battery Charge Level
|
|---|---|---|---|
|
AC Adapter
|
Solid White
|
S4/S5
|
< Fully Charged
|
|
AC Adapter
|
Off
|
S4/S5
|
Fully Charged
|
|
Battery
|
Solid Amber
|
S0
|
< = 10%
|
|
Battery
|
Off
|
S0
|
> 10%
|
Table 1: Power LED State
- S0 (ON)—System is turned on.
- S4 (Hibernate)—The computer consumes the least power compared to all other sleep states. The computer is almost at an OFF state, expect for a trickle power. The context data is written to hard drive.
- S5 (OFF)—The computer is in a shutdown state.
Battery Charge and Status LED
The battery charge and status indicator LED is on the left side of the computer Figure 2. See Table 2 for the description of the LED.
Figure 2: Battery Charge and Status LED Location
| Power LED State | Description |
|---|---|
| Solid White | Battery Charge is Low |
| Solid Amber | Battery Charge is Critical |
| Off | Battery is Fully Charged |
Table 2: Battery Charge and Status LED Indicator
- S0 (ON)—System is turned on.
- S4 (Hibernate)—The computer consumes the least power compared to all other sleep states. The computer is almost at an OFF state, expect for a trickle power. The context data is written to hard drive.
- S5 (OFF)—The computer is in a shutdown state.
NOTE:
- For models with a fingerprint reader (where no Power LED is on the power button), the LED illuminates white immediately once the power button is pressed.
- When the computer is powered on, the battery LED also acts as the hard drive activity light. Press and hold the Fn key, and then press the h key to switch between the battery and the hard drive activity light function.
For additional information and help with resolving battery issues, See the Dell Battery Support site.
This section covers the software that may be installed on your computer; select the tabs below to find out further information.
The Dell Windows Backup Media and Recovery Options page provides information about backing up your Windows Operating System. It includes recovery options for when Windows does not start correctly.
The Dell Download Center provides information about software you may have bought and software that is already installed on your computer. Such as Dell Backup Solutions and Dell SupportAssist for PCs and tablets.
Some of the software that is sold at the time of purchase has to be downloaded once you receive your computer. You can download and install those programs by using Dell Digital Delivery, for more information see the following links:
A free PDF reader (Acrobat Reader DC) is available for free from Adobe. You need this program to view any PDF files such as the Quick Start Guides or Owner's Manuals. 
This article provides help with Microsoft Office programs, A Guide to the various Microsoft Office programs available on your Dell PC.
- The Skype software can be downloaded from the Skype website. This website also offers instructional videos on how to use the Skype program.
- To uninstall Skype, perform the following steps:
- Close Skype and ensure it is not running in the background.
- In the Search bar type appwiz.cpl
- Touch or click appwiz.cpl (Control panel item) to open the Programs and Features window.
- Touch and hold or right-click Skype from the list and select either Remove or Uninstall.
- Reboot your computer and check to ensure that the application has been uninstalled.
To access the Dell Security and Virus Support Page click on the following link:
Your computer comes preinstalled with an anti-virus program. Get Useful Information about the Third Party Antivirus programs that ship with a Dell PC.
More information about Viruses, Spyware, and Malware can be found at the following links:
Affected Products
Dell G15 5511Article Properties
Article Number: 000197192
Article Type: How To
Last Modified: 25 Mar 2022
Version: 5
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