Dell Latitude E7440 Troubleshooting

The orange power indicator in the top right corner of the keyboard is not blinking when the power button is pressed.

Use a different AC adapter to charge the computer. Beforehand, ensure the device is rated to handle the output of the new power supply. Inspect the cable for visible damage to the exterior. If so, swap out the cable from the AC adapter.

Remove the battery and unplug the device from the AC adapter. Hold down the power button for 10-15 seconds to drain the system of all power stored within the device. Afterwards, insert the battery and reattach the AC adapter before attempting to power on the laptop again.

Plug the charger into the laptop and wait five minutes. If the laptop does not charge, see Replacing the Battery.

The computer is overheating and you may smell it burning.

Dust and dirt inside the system will restrict airflow and cause inefficient cooling. See Cleaning the Inside of the Computer.

Listen for fan noise when the computer is in use. If you don't hear anything, see Replacing the Fans.

The screen or part of the screen will not light up when the computer is powered on.

If the computer is powered on but the screen is blank, you can connect the computer to an external monitor to make sure it is the display that is faulty. If the external monitor works, your laptop's screen may need replacing. See Replacing the Screen.

This often happens when installing new updates. If you see the same screen issues on an external monitor, you must reinstall the operating system. See Resetting Your Computer.

No wifi networks are found by the computer, but they are found by other devices.

The WLAN card is responsible for picking up wifi signals for the computer. It may have malfunctioned during bootup. Try restarting your computer and allow it some time to look for wifi signals. If it still does not find signals, your WLAN card may be broken.

If restarting the laptop does not work, you may want to replace your WLAN card.

Moving your finger across the touchpad does not move the cursor properly if at all.

If the cursor seems to be lagging as you use the touchpad, the problem may be a result of a touchpad calibration malfunction. This seems complicated, but it is easy to fix. Ensure the touchpad is completely wiped down, removing any dust, dirt, or oil. Then, simply restart your laptop while keeping your hands off the touchpad until it has booted up.

Your device’s touchpad driver may be outdated. To update it, download Dell's updated touchpad driver. Once on Dell’s page, scroll down to the “Available Formats” heading. Under “Format Description,” you will find a blue download link titled “Download File.” After clicking on this, follow the installation instructions listed under “Installation instructions” near the bottom of the page. This will guide you through how to install the updated driver. If this fails, you likely have a faulty touchpad and may want to replace it. See the touchpad replacement guide.

The computer takes longer than normal to execute simple tasks.

Excess or unwanted software installations can slow down what would be a normally functioning device. Uninstall unused programs using the programs manager. Otherwise, a fresh installation of windows can clear your drive of unwanted or dangerous computer programs. See Installing Windows.

Over time, hard drives slow down as more data is saved or deleted. This may cause the computer to be excessively slow or unresponsive. If you notice long loading times on your laptop, you may need to replace the hard drive completely to speed up the system. If so, see Replacing the Hard Drive.

Your device may have a motherboard that has been damaged from normal wear and tear, excessive heating, or electrical spikes. If this is the case you will need to replace the motherboard.