Dell™ Dimension™ XPS Gen 3 headphone connector microphone connector USB 2.0 connectors (2) IEEE 1394 connector fans (2) serial port parallel port keyboard connector USB 2.
Notes, Notices, and Cautions NOTE: A NOTE indicates important information that helps you make better use of your computer. NOTICE: A NOTICE indicates either potential damage to hardware or loss of data and tells you how to avoid the problem. CAUTION: A CAUTION indicates a potential for property damage, personal injury, or death. Abbreviations and Acronyms For a complete list of abbreviations and acronyms, see the Dell Dimension Help file. To access the help file, see page 10.
Contents Finding Information 1 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Setting Up and Using Your Computer Opening the Drive Door . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15 Changing the Backlight Color Connecting Two Monitors Connecting Two Monitors With VGA Connectors . . . . . . . . Connecting One Monitor With a VGA connector and One Monitor With a DVI Connector . . .
3 Solving Problems Troubleshooting Tips . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 31 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 31 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 31 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 32 33 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 33 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
4 Advanced Troubleshooting Diagnostic Lights . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 47 Dell Diagnostics . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 50 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 50 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 53 When to Use the Dell Diagnostics Drivers What Is a Driver? . Identifying Drivers. Reinstalling Drivers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Cards . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . PCI Cards . . . . . PCI Express Cards. Drives . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 74 77 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 82 General Installation Guidelines. Connecting Drive Cables . . . Hard Drive . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 82 83 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
6 Appendix Specifications . System Setup . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 109 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 113 Overview . . . . . . . Entering System Setup. System Setup Options . Boot Sequence . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 113 114 115 118 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 119 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 120 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Contents
Finding Information What Are You Looking For? Find it Here • • • • How to access tutorials and other how to information How to get a copy of my invoice How to extend my warranty How to access Dell Support on my Microsoft® Windows® desktop (U.S.
www.dell.com | support.dell.
What Are You Looking For? Find it Here • Service Tag and Express Service Code • Microsoft Windows License Label Service Tag and Microsoft Windows License These labels are located on your computer. •Use the Service Tag to identify your computer when you use support.dell.com or contact technical support. • Enter the Express Service Code to direct your call when contacting technical support. The Express Service Code is not available in all countries.
www.dell.com | support.dell.com What Are You Looking For? Find it Here • How to reinstall my operating system Operating System CD The operating system is already installed on your computer. To reinstall your operating system, use the Operating System CD. See "Reinstalling Microsoft® Windows® XP" on page 57. After you reinstall your operating system, use the ResourceCD to reinstall drivers for the devices that came with your computer.
Setting Up and Using Your Computer Opening the Drive Door Changing the Backlight Color You can use this exclusive Dell™ Dimension™ XPS Gen 3 feature either to change the color of the backlight that illuminates the Dell name and displays around the badge on the front of your computer, or to turn off the backlight entirely.
www.dell.com | support.dell.com backlight badge There are several color choices: • Ruby • Emerald • Sapphire (default) • Amber • Amethyst • Topaz • Diamond CAUTION: Before you begin any of the procedures in this section, follow the safety instructions located in the Product Information Guide. NOTE: The backlight is not for diagnostic purposes. 14 1 Follow the procedures in "Before You Begin" on page 61. 2 Turn on (or restart) your computer. 3 Enter system setup (see page 114).
5 Click Front LED Color, and press . 6 Press the left- and right- arrow keys to scroll through the color options. The backlight color changes as you scroll through the options. 7 Select the color you want, and press . 8 Press , and press Save and Exit to save the new backlight color setting. Connecting Two Monitors CAUTION: Before you begin any of the procedures in this section, follow the safety instructions located in the Product Information Guide.
www.dell.com | support.dell.com optional DVI adapter DVI (white) connector TV-OUT connector VGA (blue) connector Connecting One Monitor With a VGA connector and One Monitor With a DVI Connector 1 Follow the procedures in "Before You Begin" on page 61. 2 Connect the VGA connector on the monitor to the VGA (blue) connector on the back of the computer. 3 Connect the DVI connector on the other monitor to the DVI (white) connector on the back of the computer.
Changing the Display Settings 1 After you connect the monitor(s) or TV, turn on the computer. The Microsoft® Windows® desktop displays on the primary monitor. 2 Enable clone mode or extended desktop mode in the display settings. • In clone mode, both monitors display the same image. • In extended desktop mode, you can drag objects from one screen to the other, effectively doubling the amount of viewable work space.
www.dell.com | support.dell.com RAID Level 0 RAID level 0 uses a storage technique known as "data striping" to provide a high data access rate. Data striping is a method of writing consecutive segments, or stripes, of data sequentially across the physical drives to create a large virtual drive. Data striping allows one of the drives to read data while the other drive is searching for and reading the next block.
serial ATA RAID configured for RAID level 1 segment 1 segment 1 duplicated segment 2 segment 2 duplicated segment 3 segment 3 duplicated segment 4 segment 4 duplicated segment 5 segment 5 duplicated segment 6 segment 6 duplicated hard drive 1 hard drive 2 If a drive failure occurs, subsequent read and write operations are directed to the surviving drive. A replacement drive can then be rebuilt using the data from the surviving drive.
www.dell.com | support.dell.com 5 Use the left- and right-arrow keys to highlight Save/Exit, and press to exit system setup and resume the boot process. Configuring for RAID Using the Intel(R) Option ROM Utility NOTE: Although any size drives may be used to create a RAID configuration using the Intel Option ROM utility, ideally the drives should be of equal size.
4 Enter a RAID volume name or accept the default, and press . 5 Use the up- and down-arrow keys to select RAID1(Mirror), and press . 6 If there are more than two hard disks available, use the up- and down-arrow keys and space bar to select the two disks you want to use to make up your array, and then press . 7 Select the desired capacity for the volume, and press . The default value is the maximum available size. 8 Press to create the volume.
www.dell.com | support.dell.com Creating a RAID 0 Volume NOTE: When you perform this operation, all data on the RAID drives will be lost. 1 Set your computer to RAID-enabled mode (see page 19). 2 Click Start and point to Programs→Intel(R) Application Accelerator→Intel Application Accelerator to launch the Intel(R) Storage Utility. NOTE: If you do not see an Actions menu option, you have not yet set your computer to RAID-enabled mode (see page 19).
Deleting a RAID Volume NOTE: While this procedure deletes the RAID 1 volume, it also splits the RAID 1 volume into two nonRAID hard drives with a partition, and leaves any existing data files intact. Deleting a RAID 0 volume, however, destroys all data on the volume. 1 Click the Start button and point to Programs→Intel(R) Application Accelerator→Intel Application Accelerator to launch the Intel(R) Storage Utility.
www.dell.com | support.dell.com 11 Click Finish to start migrating, or click Back to make changes. You can use your computer normally during the migration process. Migrating to a RAID 1 Volume 1 Set your computer to RAID-enabled mode (see page 19). 2 Click the Start button and point to All Programs→Intel(R) Application Accelerator→Intel Application Accelerator to launch the Intel(R) Storage Utility.
To Remove Spare Marking From a Spare Hard Drive: 1 Right-click the spare hard drive icon.
www.dell.com | support.dell.com 3 Under What do you want to do?, click Transfer files and settings. 4 On the Files and Settings Transfer Wizard welcome screen, click Next. 5 On the Which computer is this? screen, click Old Computer and click Next. 6 On the Select a transfer method screen, click the transfer method you prefer. 7 On the What do you want to transfer? screen, select the items you want to transfer and click Next.
NOTE: Most commercial DVDs have copyright protection and cannot be copied using Sonic RecordNow. 1 Click the Start button, point to All Programs→Sonic→RecordNow!→RecordNow! 2 Click either the audio tab or the data tab, depending on the kind of CD or DVD you are planning to copy. 3 Click Exact Copy. 4 To copy the CD or DVD: • If you have one CD or DVD drive, ensure that the settings are correct and click Copy.
www.dell.com | support.dell.com • Do not burn a blank CD-R or CD-RW to its maximum capacity; for example, do not copy a 650-MB file to a 650-MB blank CD. The CD-RW drive needs 1 or 2 MB of the blank CD to finalize the recording. • Use a blank CD-RW to practice CD recording until you are familiar with CD recording techniques. If you make a mistake, you can erase the data on the CD-RW and try again.
Optimizing Performance Hyper-Threading Hyper-Threading is an Intel® technology that can enhance overall computer performance by allowing one physical processor to function as two logical processors, capable of performing certain tasks simultaneously. It is recommended that you use the Microsoft® Windows® XP Service Pack 1 (SP1) or later operating system because Windows XP is optimized to take advantage of Hyper-Threading technology.
www.dell.com | support.dell.com PCI Express Cards PCI Express is the next generation technology for graphics cards and PCI cards. The dimensions of PCI Express card slots are different from PCXI card slots, and the cards are not interchangeable (you cannot install a PCI card in a PCI Express card slot, or a PCI Express card in a PCI card slot). The PCI Express x16 card slot replaces the AGP graphics card slot.
Solving Problems Troubleshooting Tips Follow these tips when you troubleshoot your computer: • If you added or removed a part before the problem started, review the installation procedures and ensure that the part is correctly installed. • If a peripheral device does not work, ensure that the device is properly connected. • If an error message appears on the screen, write down the exact message. This message may help technical support personnel diagnose and fix the problem(s).
www.dell.com | support.dell.com TE S T T H E D R I V E — • Insert another floppy disk, CD, or DVD to eliminate the possibility that the original one is defective. • Insert a bootable floppy disk and restart the computer. C L E A N T H E D R I V E O R D I S K — See "The Dell Dimension Help file" on page 10. CHECK THE CABLE CONNECTIONS R U N T H E H A R D W A R E TR O U B L E S H O O T E R — See page 57. R U N T H E D E L L D I A G N O S T I C S — See page 50.
Hard drive problems RUN CHECK DISK — 1 Click the Start button and click My Computer. 2 Right-click Local Disk C:. 3 Click Properties. 4 Click the Tools tab. 5 Under Error-checking, click Check Now. 6 Click Scan for and attempt recovery of bad sectors. 7 Click Start. E-Mail, Modem, and Internet Problems CAUTION: Before you begin any of the procedures in this section, follow the safety instructions located in the Product Information Guide. NOTE: Connect the modem to an analog telephone jack only.
www.dell.com | support.dell.com VE R I F Y T H A T T H E M O D E M I S C O M M U N I C A T I N G W I T H W I N D O W S — 1 Click the Start button and click Control Panel. 2 Click Printers and Other Hardware. 3 Click Phone and Modem Options. 4 Click the Modems tab. 5 Click the COM port for your modem. 6 Click Properties, click the Diagnostics tab, and then click Query Modem to verify that the modem is communicating with Windows. If all commands receive responses, the modem is operating properly.
N O N - S YS T E M D I S K E R R O R — Remove the floppy disk from the drive and restart your computer. N O T E N O U G H M E M O R Y O R R E S O U R C E S . C L O S E S O M E P R O G R A M S A N D T R Y A G A I N — Close all windows and open the program that you want to use. In some cases, you might have to restart your computer to restore computer resources. If so, run the program that you want to use first. O P E R A T I N G S YS T E M N O T F O U N D — Contact Dell (see page 121).
www.dell.com | support.dell.com TE S T T H E K E Y B O A R D — Connect a properly working keyboard to the computer, and try using the keyboard. R U N T H E H A R D W A R E TR O U B L E S H O O T E R — See page 57. Lockups and Software Problems CAUTION: Before you begin any of the procedures in this section, follow the safety instructions located in the Product Information Guide. The computer does not start up C H E C K T H E D I A G N O S T I C L I G H T S — See page 47.
A program crashes repeatedly NOTE: Software usually includes installation instructions in its documentation or on a floppy disk or CD. C H E C K T H E S O F T W A R E D O C U M E N T A T I O N — If necessary, uninstall and then reinstall the program. — A program is designed for an earlier Windows operating system RUN THE PROGRAM COMPATIBILITY WIZARD — The Program Compatibility Wizard configures a program so it runs in an environment similar to nonWindows XP operating system environments.
www.dell.com | support.dell.com USE A VIRUS-SCANNING PROGRAM TO CHECK THE HARD DRIVE, FLOPPY DISKS, OR CDS SAVE AND CLOSE ANY OPEN FILES OR PROGRAMS AND SHUT DOWN YOUR COMPUTER THROUGH THE START MENU Memory Problems CAUTION: Before you begin any of the procedures in this section, follow the safety instructions located in the Product Information Guide.
RESTART THE COMPUTER — 1 Simultaneously press to display the Start menu. 2 Type u, press the keyboard arrow keys to highlight Shut down or Turn Off, and then press . 3 After the computer turns off, reconnect the mouse cable as shown on the on the setup diagram for your computer. 4 Start the computer. TE S T T H E M O U S E — Connect a properly working mouse to the computer, and try using the mouse.
www.dell.com | support.dell.com Power Problems CAUTION: Before you begin any of the procedures in this section, follow the safety instructions located in the Product Information Guide. I F T H E P O W E R L I G H T I S G R E E N A N D T H E C O M P U T E R I S N O T R E S P O N D I N G — See "Diagnostic Lights" on page 47. I F T H E P O W E R L I G H T I S B L I N K I N G G R E E N — The computer is in standby mode.
Printer Problems CAUTION: Before you begin any of the procedures in this section, follow the safety instructions located in the Product Information Guide. NOTE: If you need technical assistance for your printer, contact the printer’s manufacturer. C H E C K T H E P R I N T E R D O C U M E N T A T I O N — See the printer documentation for setup and troubleshooting information.
www.dell.com | support.dell.com U N L O C K T H E S C A N N E R — Ensure that your scanner is unlocked if it has a locking tab or button. RESTART THE COMPUTER AND TRY THE SCANNER AGAIN CHECK THE CABLE CONNECTIONS — • See the scanner documentation for cable connection information. • Ensure that the scanner cables are securely connected to the scanner and the computer.
D I S C O N N E C T H E A D P H O N E S F R O M T H E H E A D P H O N E C O N N E C T O R — Sound from the speakers is automatically disabled when headphones are connected to the computer’s front-panel headphone connector. TE S T T H E E L E C T R I C A L O U T L E T — Ensure that the electrical outlet is working by testing it with another device, such as a lamp. E L I M I N A T E P O S S I B L E I N T E R F E R E N C E — Turn off nearby fans, fluorescent lights, or halogen lamps to check for interference.
www.dell.com | support.dell.com Video and Monitor Problems CAUTION: Before you begin any of the procedures in this section, follow the safety instructions located in the Product Information Guide. If the screen is blank NOTE: See the monitor documentation for troubleshooting procedures. CHECK THE MONITOR CABLE CONNECTION — • Ensure that the graphics cable is connected as shown on the setup diagram for your computer.
ADJUST THE WINDOWS DISPLAY SETTINGS — 1 Click the Start button, click Control Panel, and then click Appearance and Themes. 2 Click Display and click the Settings tab. 3 Try different settings for Screen resolution and Color quality.
Solving Problems www.dell.com | support.dell.
Advanced Troubleshooting Diagnostic Lights CAUTION: Before you begin any of the procedures in this section, follow the safety instructions located in the Product Information Guide. To help you troubleshoot a problem, your computer has four lights labeled "A," "B," "C," and "D" on the back panel (see page 65). The lights can be yellow or green. When the computer starts normally, the lights flash. After the computer starts, all four lights display solid green.
www.dell.com | support.dell.com Light Pattern Problem Description Suggested Resolution Memory modules are detected, but a memory failure has occurred. • If you have two or more memory modules installed, remove the modules, reinstall one module (see page 71), and then restart the computer. If the computer starts normally, reinstall an additional module. Continue until you have identified a faulty module or reinstalled all modules without error.
Light Pattern Problem Description Suggested Resolution No memory modules are detected. • If you have two or more memory modules installed, remove the modules, reinstall one module (see page 71), and then restart the computer. If the computer starts normally, reinstall an additional module. Continue until you have identified a faulty module or reinstalled all modules without error. • If available, install properly working memory of the same type into your computer (see page 71).
www.dell.com | support.dell.com Light Pattern Problem Description Suggested Resolution Another failure has occurred. • Ensure that the cables are properly connected to the system board from the hard drive, CD drive, and DVD drive (see page 69). • If there is an error message on your screen identifying a problem with a device (such as the floppy drive or hard drive), check the device to make sure it is functioning properly.
Starting the Dell Diagnostics From Your Hard Drive 1 Turn on (or restart) your computer. 2 When the DELL™ logo appears, press immediately. NOTE: If you see a message stating that no diagnostics utility partition has been found, run the Dell Diagnostics from your ResourceCD (see page 51). If you wait too long and the operating system logo appears, continue to wait until you see the Microsoft® Windows® desktop. Then shut down your computer (see page 61) and try again.
www.dell.com | support.dell.com Dell Diagnostics Main Menu 1 2 After the Dell Diagnostics loads and the Main Menu screen appears, click the button for the option you want. Option Function Express Test Performs a quick test of devices. This test typically takes 10 to 20 minutes and requires no interaction on your part. Run Express Test first to increase the possibility of tracing the problem quickly. Extended Test Performs a thorough check of devices.
Tab Function Configuration Displays your hardware configuration for the selected device. The Dell Diagnostics obtains configuration information for all devices from system setup, memory, and various internal tests, and it displays the information in the device list in the left pane of the screen. The device list may not display the names of all the components installed on your computer or all devices attached to your computer. Parameters Allows you to customize the test by changing the test settings.
www.dell.com | support.dell.com Windows XP 1 Click the Start button and click Control Panel. 2 Under Pick a Category, click Performance and Maintenance. 3 Click System. 4 In the System Properties window, click the Hardware tab. 5 Click Device Manager. 6 Scroll down the list to see if any device has an exclamation point (a yellow circle with a [!]) on the device icon. If an exclamation point is next to the device name, you may need to reinstall the driver or install a new driver (see page 53).
3 When the InstallShield Wizard Complete window appears, remove the ResourceCD and click Finish to restart the computer. 4 When you see the Windows desktop, reinsert the ResourceCD. 5 At the Welcome Dell System Owner screen, click Next. NOTE: The ResourceCD displays drivers only for hardware that came installed in your computer. If you installed additional hardware, the drivers for the new hardware might not be displayed by the ResourceCD.
www.dell.com | support.dell.com Creating a Restore Point 1 Click the Start button and click Help and Support. 2 Click System Restore. 3 Follow the instructions on the screen. Restoring the Computer to an Earlier Operating State If problems occur after you install a device driver, use Device Driver Rollback (see page 54) to resolve the problem. If that is unsuccessful, then use System Restore.
3 Click Next. The System Restore screen appears and the computer restarts. 4 After the computer restarts, click OK. Enabling System Restore If you reinstall Windows XP with less than 200 MB of free hard-disk space available, System Restore is automatically disabled. To see if System Restore is enabled: 1 Click the Start button and click Control Panel. 2 Click Performance and Maintenance. 3 Click System. 4 Click the System Restore tab. 5 Ensure that Turn off System Restore is unchecked.
www.dell.com | support.dell.com To reinstall Windows XP, you need the following items: • Dell™ Operating System CD • Dell ResourceCD NOTE: The ResourceCD contains drivers that were installed during assembly of the computer. Use the ResourceCD to load any required drivers. Reinstalling Windows XP To reinstall Windows XP, perform all the steps in the following sections in the order in which they are listed. The reinstallation process can take 1 to 2 hours to complete.
5 Press to select the highlighted partition (recommended), and follow the instructions on the screen. The Windows XP Setup screen appears, and the operating system begins to copy files and install the devices. The computer automatically restarts multiple times. NOTE: The time required to complete the setup depends on the size of the hard drive and the speed of your computer. NOTICE: Do not press any key when the following message appears: Press any key to boot from the CD.
www.dell.com | support.dell.com 19 Reinstall the appropriate drivers with the ResourceCD (see page 54). 20 Reinstall your virus protection software. 21 Reinstall your programs. NOTE: To reinstall and activate your Microsoft Office or Microsoft Works Suite programs, you need the Product Key number located on the back of the Microsoft Office or Microsoft Works Suite CD sleeve.
Removing and Installing Parts Before You Begin This chapter provides procedures for removing and installing the components in your computer. Unless otherwise noted, each procedure assumes that the following conditions exist: • You have performed the steps in "Turning Off Your Computer" (see page 61) and "Before Working Inside Your Computer" (see page 62). • You have read the safety information in your Dell™ Product Information Guide.
www.dell.com | support.dell.com Before Working Inside Your Computer Use the following safety guidelines to help protect your computer from potential damage and to help ensure your own personal safety. CAUTION: Before you begin any of the procedures in this section, follow the safety instructions located in the Product Information Guide. CAUTION: Handle components and cards with care. Do not touch the components or contacts on a card. Hold a card by its edges or by its metal mounting bracket.
Front and Back View of the Computer Front View 1 2 3 4 1 hard-drive activity light The hard-drive light is on when the computer reads data from or writes data to the hard drive. The light might also be on when a device such as your CD player is operating. 2 power button Press to turn on the computer. NOTICE: To avoid losing data, do not use the power button to turn off the computer. Instead, perform an operating system shutdown.
www.dell.com | support.dell.com Front View (Doors Open) 1 2 3 4 1 headphone connector Use the headphone connector to attach headphones and most kinds of speakers. 2 microphone connector Use the microphone connector to attach a personal computer microphone for voice or musical input into a sound or telephony program. 3 USB 2.0 connectors (2) Use the front USB connectors for devices that you connect occasionally, such as joysticks or cameras.
Back View 12 1 13 14 2 15 16 17 3 4 5 18 6 7 8 9 10 19 11 1 processor fans (2) For optimal cooling, two processor fans are provided. Do not block the vents. 2 cover latch release To open the computer, lay the computer on its side with the cover latch release at the top and then push the latch to the left. See "Opening the Computer Cover" on page 67.
www.dell.com | support.dell.com 4 TV-OUT connector Connects your computer to a TV. For more information, see "Connecting Two Monitors" on page 15. 5 DVI video connector If your monitor has a DVI connector, plug it into the DVI connector on the computer. If your monitor has a VGA connector, plug it into the VGA connector on the computer. 6 VGA video connector If your monitor has a DVI connector, plug it into the DVI connector on the computer.
Opening the Computer Cover CAUTION: Before you begin any of the procedures in this section, follow the safety instructions located in the Product Information Guide. CAUTION: To prevent static damage to components inside your computer, discharge static electricity from your body before you touch any of your computer’s electronic components. You can do so by touching an unpainted metal surface on the computer chassis. 1 Follow the procedures in "Before You Begin" (see page 61).
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System Board Components hard-drive connector (PRI_IDE) floppy-drive connector (FLOPPY) serial ATA connectors (SATA-0, SATA-1, SATA-2, SATA-3) main power connector (PWR) auxiliary power LED (AUX_PWR) SCSI LED header (SCSI LED) front-panel connector (FRONT PANEL) internal speaker (SPKR) card fan connector (PCI_FAN) clear CMOS jumper (CMOS) backlight connector (LED) memory module connectors (2, 4) memory module connectors (1, 3) IEEE 1394 connector (1394) processor fan (CPU FAN) battery socket (BATTERY)
www.dell.com | support.dell.com Memory You can increase your computer memory by installing memory modules on the system board. Your computer supports DDR2 memory. For additional information on the type of memory supported by your computer, see "Memory" on page 109. DDR2 Memory Overview • DDR2 memory modules should be installed in pairs of matched memory size, speed, and technology.
matched pair of memory modules in DIMM connectors 3 and 4 (black securing clips) matched pair of modules in DIMM connectors 1 and 2 (white securing clips) NOTE: Memory purchased from Dell is covered under your computer warranty. NOTICE: If you remove your original memory modules from the computer during a memory upgrade, keep them separate from any new modules that you may have, even if you purchased the new modules from Dell. If possible, do not pair an original memory module with a new memory module.
www.dell.com | support.dell.com 3 Press out the securing clip at each end of the memory module connector. memory connector closest to processor securing clips (2) connector 4 Align the notch on the bottom of the module with the crossbar in the connector. notch memory module cutouts (2) crossbar NOTICE: To avoid damage to the memory module, press the module straight down into the connector while you apply equal force to each end of the module.
6 Close the computer cover. NOTICE: To connect a network cable, first plug the cable into the network wall jack and then plug it into the computer. 7 Connect your computer and devices to electrical outlets, and turn them on. 8 Right-click the My Computer icon and click Properties. 9 Click the General tab. 10 To verify that the memory is installed correctly, check the amount of memory (RAM) listed.
www.dell.com | support.dell.com Your Dell™ computer provides the following slots for PCI and PCI Express cards: • Four PCI card slots • One PCI Express x16 card slot • One PCI Express x1 card slot PCI Cards If you are installing or replacing a card, follow the procedures in the next section. If you are removing but not replacing a card, see "Removing a PCI Card" on page 76. If you are replacing a card, remove the current driver for the card from the operating system.
3 If you are installing a new card, remove the filler bracket to create a card-slot opening. Then continue with step 5. 4 If you are replacing a card that is already installed in the computer, remove the card. If necessary, disconnect any cables connected to the card. Grasp the card by its top corners, and ease it out of its connector. 5 Prepare the card for installation.
www.dell.com | support.dell.com retention arm alignment guide alignment bar filler bracket NOTICE: Do not route card cables over or behind the cards. Cables routed over the cards can prevent the computer cover from closing properly or cause damage to the equipment. 9 Connect any cables that should be attached to the card. See the documentation for the card for information about the card’s cable connections.
5 If you are removing the card permanently, install a filler bracket in the empty card-slot opening. If you need a filler bracket, contact Dell (see page 121). NOTE: Installing filler brackets over empty card-slot openings is necessary to maintain FCC certification of the computer. The brackets also keep dust and dirt out of your computer. 6 Lower the retention arm and press it into place, securing the card(s) in the computer.
www.dell.com | support.dell.com Installing a PCI Express Card 1 Follow the procedures in "Before You Begin" on page 61. 2 Press the lever on the card retention arm and raise the retention arm.
3 If you are installing a new card, remove the filler bracket to create a card-slot opening. Then continue with step 5. 4 If you are replacing a card that is already installed in the computer, remove the card. If necessary, disconnect any cables connected to the card. If your card includes a retention mechanism, remove the top of the retention mechanism by pressing the tab and pulling up on the top. Gently pull the securing tab, grasp the card by its top corners, and ease it out of its connector.
www.dell.com | support.dell.com 8 If you replaced a card that was already installed in the computer and you removed the top of the retention mechanism, you can reinstall the top. 9 Before you lower the retention arm, ensure that: 10 • The tops of all cards and filler brackets are flush with the alignment bar. • The notch in the top of the card or filler bracket fits around the alignment guide. Press the retention arm into place, securing the card(s) in the computer.
Removing a PCI Express Card 1 Follow the procedures in "Before You Begin" on page 61. 2 Press the lever on the card retention arm and raise the retention arm. 3 If necessary, disconnect any cables connected to the card. 4 If your card includes a retention mechanism, remove the top of the retention mechanism by pressing the tab and pulling up on the top. 5 Gently pull back the securing tab, grasp the card by its top corners, and then ease it out of its connector.
www.dell.com | support.dell.com Drives Your computer supports a combination of these devices: • Up to three hard drives • One floppy drive • Up to two CD or DVD drives floppy drive CD/DVD drive(s) hard drive(s) General Installation Guidelines Connect serial ATA hard drives to the system board connectors labeled SATA-0, SATA-1, SATA-2, or SATA-3. Connect CD/DVD drives to the connector labeled PRI IDE.
Connecting Drive Cables When you install a drive, you connect two cables—a DC power cable and a data cable—to the back of the drive and to the system board. Some drives may also have an audio connector; one end of the audio cable attaches to the drive connector and the other end attaches to the system board.
www.dell.com | support.dell.com Power Cable Connector power input connector power cable Hard Drive CAUTION: Before you begin any of the procedures in this section, follow the safety instructions located in the Product Information Guide. NOTICE: To avoid damage to the drive, do not set it on a hard surface. Instead, set the drive on a surface, such as a foam pad, that will sufficiently cushion it.
3 Disconnect the power and hard-drive cables from the drive and from the system board. hard-drive cable power cable tabs (2) hard drive system board connector 4 Press in on the tabs on each side of the drive and slide the drive up and out. Installing a Hard Drive 1 Unpack the replacement hard drive, and prepare it for installation. 2 Check the documentation for the drive to verify that it is configured for your computer.
www.dell.com | support.dell.com drive bracket rails (2) screws (4) 4 Install the hard drive into the computer by gently sliding the drive into place until the tabs securely click into position. NOTE: If you are installing a hard drive in the lower bay, place the drive in the bay so that the power connector is on the left-hand side (opposite of the top hard drive) . hard-drive cable power cable tabs (2) hard drive system board connector 86 5 Connect a power cable to the drive.
NOTICE: When replacing the hard-drive shroud, ensure that all the cables are properly routed. 8 Insert the bottom tabs of the shroud in to the holes on the drive cage and rotate the shroud up. 9 Press in on the top tabs and lock them in to place. 10 Gently press on the shroud to ensure it is secure. 11 Close the computer cover (see page 108). NOTICE: To connect a network cable, first plug the cable into the network wall jack and then plug it into the computer.
www.dell.com | support.dell.com 16 Exit system setup, and restart the computer. 17 Partition and logically format your drive before you proceed to the next step. See the documentation for your operating system for instructions. 18 Test the hard drive by running the Dell Diagnostics (see page 50). 19 If the drive you just installed is the primary drive, install your operating system on the hard drive.
rail tabs (2) second hard drive in upper bay first hard drive in lower bay hard drive bay 7 Connect a power cable to the drive. 8 Connect the hard-drive cable to the drive and to the system board (see page 69). 9 Close the computer cover (see page 108). NOTICE: To connect a network cable, first plug the cable into the network device and then plug it into the computer. 10 Connect your computer and devices to their electrical outlets, and turn them on.
www.dell.com | support.dell.com data cable power cable tabs (2) floppy drive 3 Press inward on the two tabs on the sides of the drive, slide the drive upward, and remove it from the floppy-drive bay. Installing a Floppy Drive 1 90 If you are replacing a drive and the new drive does not have the bracket rails attached, remove the rails from the old drive by removing the two screws that secure each rail to the drive.
drive bracket rails (2) screws (4) 2 Gently slide the drive into place until the tabs securely click into position.
www.dell.com | support.dell.com 3 Attach the power and data cables to the floppy drive. 4 Connect the other end of the data cable to the connector labled FLOPPY on the system board (see page 69). 5 Check all cable connections, and fold cables out of the way to provide airflow for the fan and cooling vents. 6 Close the computer cover (see page 108). NOTICE: To connect a network cable, first plug the cable into the network wall jack and then plug it into the computer.
power cable tabs (2) data cable CD/DVD drive 3 Press inward on the two tabs on the sides of the drive, and then slide the drive upward and remove it from the drive bay. Installing a CD/DVD Drive 1 If you are installing a new drive, unpack the drive and prepare it for installation. Check the documentation that accompanied the drive to verify that the drive is configured for your computer. If you are installing an IDE drive, configure the drive for the cable select setting.
www.dell.com | support.dell.com 3 If you are installing a replacement drive and the new drive does not have the bracket rails attached, remove the rails from the old drive by removing the two screws that secure each rail to the drive. Attach the bracket to the new drive by aligning the screw holes on the drive with the screw holes on the bracket rails and then inserting and tightening all four screws (two screws on each rail).
power cable tabs (2) data cable CD/DVD drive 6 Check all cable connections, and fold cables out of the way to provide airflow for the fan and cooling vents. 7 Close the computer cover (see page 108). NOTICE: To connect a network cable, first plug the cable into the network wall jack and then plug it into the computer. 8 Connect your computer and devices to electrical outlets, and turn them on.
www.dell.com | support.dell.com Processor Airflow Shroud Removing the Processor Airflow Shroud CAUTION: Before you perform this procedure, follow the safety instructions located in the Product Information Guide. CAUTION: To prevent static damage to components inside your computer, discharge static electricity from your body before you touch any of your computer’s electronic components. You can do so by touching an unpainted metal surface on the computer chassis.
Installing the Processor Airflow Shroud 1 Attach both fan power cables to the connectors on the system board. 2 Align the anchor tabs with the securing slots. 3 Gently press the shroud until the anchor tabs snap securely into place. 4 Close the computer cover. NOTICE: To connect a network cable, first plug the cable into the network wall jack and then plug it into the computer. 5 Connect your computer and devices to electrical outlets, and turn them on.
www.dell.com | support.dell.com shroud release lever anchor tabs (3) CAUTION: The heat sink can get very hot during normal operation. Be sure that the heat sink has had sufficient time to cool before you touch it. 5 Remove the heat sink: a 98 Remove the retention module clips. Press the tabs toward the center of the clip and lift up.
b On the retention base locate the tab opposite the power supply. Press on the retention base tab until the heat sink pops up slightly. c Press out on the second retention tab while lifting the heat sink up and out of the retention base. NOTICE: Lay the heat sink down on its side. NOTICE: If you are installing a processor upgrade kit from Dell, discard the original heat sink.
www.dell.com | support.dell.com processor cover processor socket release lever 8 Remove the processor from the socket. Leave the release lever extended in the release position so that the socket is ready for the new processor. Installing the Processor NOTICE: Ground yourself by touching an unpainted metal surface on the back of the computer. 1 Unpack the new processor.
processor pin-1 indicator release lever processor processor socket socket pin-1 indicator NOTICE: Socket pins are delicate. To avoid damage, ensure that the processor is aligned properly with the socket, and do not use excessive force when you install the process. Be careful not to touch or bend the pins on the system board. 4 Set the processor lightly in the socket and ensure that the processor is level in the socket.
www.dell.com | support.dell.com 7 Install the heat sink: a Slide one end of the heat sink under the retention tab. b Pull out the other retention tab and lower the heat sink until it fits securely in the base. NOTICE: Ensure the heat sink is correctly seated and secure. 8 Reinstall the retention module clips. 9 Lower the airflow shroud over the heat sink. 10 Reconnect the cooling fan power cable to the REAR FAN1 connector (see "System Board Components" on page 69) on the system board.
4 Close the computer cover halfway and pull the front panel away from the computer. Replacing the Front Panel To replace the front panel, perform the removal procedure in reverse.
www.dell.com | support.dell.com Drive Door CAUTION: Before you begin any of the procedures in this section, follow the safety instructions located in the Product Information Guide. Removing the Drive Door 1 104 Open the drive door.
2 Unsnap the top bracket hinge and pull the top of the drive door outward, away from the computer. top bracket hinge bottom bracket hinge 3 Lift the bottom bracket hinge away from the computer. Replacing the Drive Door To prevent damage to your computer, the drive door is designed to "break away" from the computer if it is opened too far. If the drive door detaches from the computer without disassembling, perform the removal procedure in reverse.
www.dell.com | support.dell.com hinge tab door hinges (2) door bracket 2 Attach the door bracket/door hinge assembly to the door, starting with the lower part of each door hinge. door bracket/door hinge assembly door lower part of the door hinge 3 106 Attach the drive door to the computer, starting with the bottom bracket hinge.
Battery Replacing the Battery CAUTION: Before you begin any of the procedures in this section, follow the safety instructions located in the Product Information Guide. NOTICE: To prevent static damage to components inside your computer, discharge static electricity from your body before you touch any of your computer’s electronic components. You can do so by touching an unpainted metal surface on the computer chassis. A coin-cell battery maintains computer configuration, date, and time information.
www.dell.com | support.dell.com NOTICE: To connect a network cable, first plug the cable into the network device and then plug it into the computer. 7 Connect your computer and devices to electrical outlets, and turn them on. 8 Enter system setup (see page 113) and restore the settings you recorded in step 1. 9 Properly dispose of the old battery. See the Product Information Guide for battery disposal information.
Appendix Specifications Processor Processor type Intel® Pentium® 4 with HT Technology NOTE: Not all Pentium 4 processors support Hyper-Threading technology.
www.dell.com | support.dell.com Video Type PCI Express Expansion Bus Bus type Bus speed PCI 2.
Drives (continued) Internally accessible: two bays for 1-inch high hard drives Connectors External connectors: Serial 9-pin connector; 16550C-compatible Parallel 25-hole connector (bidirectional) IEEE 1394 front-panel 4-pin serial connector Video 15-hole connector Network adapter RJ45 connector PS/2 (keyboard and mouse) two 6-pin mini-DIN USB two front-panel and six back-panel USB 2.
www.dell.com | support.dell.com Controls and Lights (continued) Link integrity light (on integrated network adapter) green light — A good connection exists between a 10-Mbps network and the computer. orange light — A good connection exists between a 100-Mbps network and the computer. yellow light — A good connection exists between a 1 GB (or 1000-Mbps) connection. off (no light) — The computer is not detecting a physical connection to the network.
Environmental Temperature: Operating 10° to 35°C (50° to 95°F) NOTE: At 35°C (95°F), the maximum operating altitude is 914 m (3000 ft). Storage Relative humidity –40° to 65°C (–40° to 149°F) 20% to 80% (noncondensing) Maximum vibration: Operating 0.25 G at 3 to 200 Hz at 0.5 octave/min Storage 0.5 G at 3 to 200 Hz at 1 octave/min Maximum shock: Operating bottom half-sine pulse with a change in velocity of 20 inches/sec (50.
www.dell.com | support.dell.com Entering System Setup 1 Turn on (or restart) your computer. 2 When the blue DELL™ logo appears, press immediately. If you wait too long and the operating system logo appears, continue to wait until you see the Microsoft® Windows® desktop. Then shut down your computer (see page 61) and try again. System Setup Screens The system setup screen displays current or changeable configuration information for your computer.
System Setup Options NOTE: Depending on your computer and installed devices, the items listed in this section may not appear, or may not appear exactly as listed. System System Info Lists system information such as the computer name, the BIOS version number and date, system tags, and other system-specific information. CPU Info Identifies whether the computer’s processor supports Hyper-Threading and lists the processor bus speed, processor ID, clock speed, and L2 cache.
www.dell.com | support.dell.com LPT Port Mode Identifies and defines the parallel port settings. You can set the parallel port to Off, AT, PS/2, EPP, or ECP. LPT Port Address Identifies the address for the parallel port. LPT Port DMA Identifies and defines the parallel port DMA settings. You can set the parallel port DMA to Off, DMA1, or DMA3. Serial Port #1 Identifies and defines the serial port settings.
Auto Power On Sets the computer to automatically turn on. Choices are every day or every Monday through Friday. The default setting is Off. This feature does not work if you turn off your computer using a power strip or surge protector. Auto Power Time Sets time to automatically turn on the computer. Time is kept in a 24-hour format (hours:minutes). Change the start-up time by pressing the right- or left-arrow key to increase or decrease the numbers, or type numbers in both the date and time fields.
www.dell.com | support.dell.com POST Hotkeys This option allows you to specify the function keys to display on the screen when the computer starts. Keyboard Errors This option disables or enables keyboard error reporting when the computer starts. Boot Sequence This feature allows you to change the boot sequence for devices. Option Settings • Diskette Drive — The computer attempts to boot from the floppy drive.
4 At the bottom of the menu, enter the number of the device that is to be used for the current boot only. For example, if you are booting to a USB memory key, highlight USB Flash Device and press . NOTE: To boot to a USB device, the device must be bootable. To make sure that your device is bootable, check the device documentation. Changing Boot Sequence for Future Boots 1 Enter system setup (see page 114).
www.dell.com | support.dell.com 2 Locate the 3-pin password jumper (PSWD) on the system board (see page 69), and attach the jumper plug to pins 2 and 3 to clear the password. NOTE: When you receive your computer, the jumper plug is attached to pins 1 and 2. 3 Close the computer cover. 4 Connect your computer and monitor to electrical outlets, and turn them on. 5 After the Microsoft® Windows® desktop appears on your computer, shut down the computer (see page 61).
Dell Technical Support Policy (U.S. Only) Technician-assisted technical support requires the cooperation and participation of the customer in the troubleshooting process and provides for restoration of the operating system, software programs, and hardware drivers to the original default configuration as shipped from Dell, as well as the verification of appropriate functionality of the computer and all Dell-installed hardware.
www.dell.com | support.dell.com NOTE: Toll-free numbers are for use within the country for which they are listed. When you need to contact Dell, use the electronic addresses, telephone numbers, and codes provided in the following table. If you need assistance in determining which codes to use, contact a local or an international operator.
Country (City) International Access Code Country Code City Code Bahamas Department Name or Service Area, Website and E-Mail Address Area Codes, Local Numbers, and Toll-Free Numbers General Support toll-free: 1-866-278-6818 Barbados General Support 1-800-534-3066 Belgium (Brussels) Website: support.euro.dell.com International Access Code: 00 E-mail: tech_be@dell.com Country Code: 32 E-mail for French Speaking Customers: support.euro.dell.
www.dell.com | support.dell.com Country (City) International Access Code Country Code City Code Department Name or Service Area, Website and E-Mail Address Area Codes, Local Numbers, and Toll-Free Numbers Canada (North York, Ontario) Online Order Status: www.dell.ca/ostatus International Access Code: 011 AutoTech (automated technical support) toll-free: 1-800-247-9362 TechFax toll-free: 1-800-950-1329 Customer Care (Home Sales/Small Business) toll-free: 1-800-847-4096 Customer Care (med.
Country (City) International Access Code Country Code City Code Department Name or Service Area, Website and E-Mail Address China (Xiamen) Tech Support website: support.dell.com.cn Country Code: 86 Tech Support E-mail: cn_support@dell.
www.dell.com | support.dell.com Country (City) International Access Code Country Code City Code Department Name or Service Area, Website and E-Mail Address Area Codes, Local Numbers, and Toll-Free Numbers Czech Republic (Prague) Website: support.euro.dell.com International Access Code: 00 E-mail: czech_dell@dell.
Country (City) International Access Code Country Code City Code Department Name or Service Area, Website and E-Mail Address Finland (Helsinki) Website: support.euro.dell.com International Access Code: 990 E-mail: fin_support@dell.com Country Code: 358 E-mail Support (servers): Nordic_support@dell.
www.dell.com | support.dell.com Country (City) International Access Code Country Code City Code Department Name or Service Area, Website and E-Mail Address Germany (Langen) Website: support.euro.dell.com International Access Code: 00 E-mail: tech_support_central_europe@dell.
Country (City) International Access Code Country Code City Code Department Name or Service Area, Website and E-Mail Address Area Codes, Local Numbers, and Toll-Free Numbers India Technical Support 1600 33 8045 Sales 1600 33 8044 Ireland (Cherrywood) Website: support.euro.dell.com International Access Code: 16 E-mail: dell_direct_support@dell.com Country Code: 353 Technical Support City Code: 1 U.K. Technical Support (dial within U.K.
www.dell.com | support.dell.com Country (City) International Access Code Country Code City Code Department Name or Service Area, Website and E-Mail Address Japan (Kawasaki) Website: support.jp.dell.
Country (City) International Access Code Country Code City Code Latin America Department Name or Service Area, Website and E-Mail Address Area Codes, Local Numbers, and Toll-Free Numbers Customer Technical Support (Austin, Texas, U.S.A.) 512 728-4093 Customer Service (Austin, Texas, U.S.A.) 512 728-3619 Fax (Technical Support and Customer Service) (Austin, Texas, U.S.A.) 512 728-3883 Sales (Austin, Texas, U.S.A.) 512 728-4397 SalesFax (Austin, Texas, U.S.A.
www.dell.com | support.dell.
Country (City) International Access Code Country Code City Code Department Name or Service Area, Website and E-Mail Address Area Codes, Local Numbers, and Toll-Free Numbers New Zealand E-mail (New Zealand): nz_tech_support@dell.com International Access Code: 00 E-mail (Australia): au_tech_support@dell.com Country Code: 64 Home and Small Business 0800 446 255 Government and Business 0800 444 617 Sales 0800 441 567 Fax Nicaragua General Support Norway (Lysaker) Website: support.euro.dell.
www.dell.com | support.dell.com Country (City) International Access Code Country Code City Code Department Name or Service Area, Website and E-Mail Address Portugal Website: support.euro.dell.com International Access Code: 00 E-mail: support.euro.dell.
Country (City) International Access Code Country Code City Code Department Name or Service Area, Website and E-Mail Address Area Codes, Local Numbers, and Toll-Free Numbers Spain (Madrid) Website: support.euro.dell.com International Access Code: 00 E-mail: support.euro.dell.
www.dell.com | support.dell.com Country (City) International Access Code Country Code City Code Department Name or Service Area, Website and E-Mail Address Switzerland (Geneva) Website: support.euro.dell.com International Access Code: 00 E-mail: Tech_support_central_Europe@dell.com Country Code: 41 E-mail for French-speaking HSB and Corporate Customers: support.euro.dell.
Country (City) International Access Code Country Code City Code Department Name or Service Area, Website and E-Mail Address Area Codes, Local Numbers, and Toll-Free Numbers U.K. (Bracknell) Website: support.euro.dell.com International Access Code: 00 Customer Care website: support.euro.dell.com/uk/en/ECare/Form/Home.asp Country Code: 44 City Code: 1344 Uruguay E-mail: dell_direct_support@dell.
www.dell.com | support.dell.com Country (City) International Access Code Country Code City Code Department Name or Service Area, Website and E-Mail Address Area Codes, Local Numbers, and Toll-Free Numbers U.S.A.
Index A audio.
Index diagnostics Dell, 50 lights, 47 display.
K keyboard connector, 66 problems, 35 L labels Microsoft Windows, 11 Service Tag, 11 lights back of computer, 47 diagnostic, 47 hard-drive activity, 63 monitor blank, 44 clone mode, 17 connect DVI, 15-16 connect TV, 15-16 connect two, 15-16 connect VGA, 15-16 display settings, 17 extended desktop mode, 17 hard to read, 44 problems, 44 P motherboard.
Index problems (continued) hard drive, 33 IEEE 1394, 35 Internet, 33 keyboard, 35 memory, 38 modem, 33 monitor hard to read, 44 monitor is blank, 44 mouse, 38 network, 39 power, 40 power light conditions, 40 printer, 41 program crashes, 37 program stops responding, 36 programs and Windows compatibility, 37 restore to previous state, 55 scanner, 41 screen hard to read, 44 screen is blank, 44 software, 36-37 sound and speakers, 42 technical support policy, 121 troubleshooting tips, 31 video and monitor,
troubleshooting Dell Diagnostics, 50 diagnostic lights, 47 Hardware Troubleshooter, 57 Help and Support Center, 11 restore to previous state, 55 tips, 31 TV connect to computer, 15-16, 66 U USB booting to devices, 118 connectors, 64, 66 V VGA connector, 66 W warranty information, 10 Windows XP Device Driver Rollback, 54 Files and Settings Transfer Wizard, 25 Hardware Troubleshooter, 57 Help and Support Center, 11 Hyper-Threading, 29 Network Setup Wizard, 28 Program Compatibility Wizard, 37 reinstalling,
Index 144 Index
