Dell™ OptiPlex™ GX1 and GX1p Midsize Managed PC Systems Reference and Installation Guide Introduction Using the System Setup Program Using the ISA Configuration Utility Working Inside Your Computer Installing System Board Options Installing Drives Technical Specifications ISA Configuration Utility Messages NOTE: You can obtain the latest version of this document from the Dell Web support site at http://support.dell.com. Model DCM Information in this document is subject to change without notice.
Back to Contents Page Working Inside Your Computer: Dell™ OptiPlex™ GX1 and GX1p Midsize Managed PC Systems Overview Inside Your Computer Before You Begin Removing and Replacing the Expansion-Card Cage Removing the Computer Cover Rotating the Power Supply Away From the System Board Replacing the Computer Cover Overview Your Dell computer system supports a variety of internal options that expand system capabilities. This chapter prepares you to install options inside the computer.
3. Remove the cover. Face the back of the computer and slide the upper half of the padlock ring to unlock the cover release mechanism. Face the front of the computer and press in the two securing cover-release buttons that are located on the sides of the cover toward the back (see Figure 2). With the buttons depressed, lift the cover at the back, allowing it to pivot up toward you. Disengage the plastic hooks that secure the cover to the front of the chassis, and lift the cover away. Figure 2.
See "Using the Optional Stand for Vertical Orientation" for instructions. 5. If you are using a padlock to secure your system, reinstall the padlock. Inside Your Computer Figure 4 shows an overhead view of your computer to help orient you when installing hardware options. Unless otherwise specified, locations or directions relative to the computer are as shown. Figure 4. Computer Orientation View Figure 5 shows your computer with its cover removed.
NOTICE: Make sure your system is turned off before you change a jumper setting. Otherwise, damage to your system or unpredictable results may occur. A jumper is referred to as open or unjumpered when the plug is pushed down over only one pin or if there is no plug at all. When the plug is pushed down over two pins, the jumper is referred to as jumpered. In some documents, the jumper setting may be shown in text as two numbers, such as 1-2.
Table 2.
4. Slide the expansion-card cage out of the chassis. 5. Lift the expansion-card cage up and away from the chassis. Replacing the Expansion-Card Cage Use the following procedure to replace the expansion-card cage: 1. With the securing lever in the upright position, align the slots in the left side of the expansion-card cage with the tabs on the left side of the chassis (see Figure 7). 2. Rotate the securing lever downward until it is flush with the top of the chassis.
Back to Contents Page Installing Drives: Dell™ OptiPlex™ GX1 and GX1p Midsize Managed PC Systems Overview Installing a Drive in a 5.25-Inch Drive Bay Removing and Replacing Front-Panel Inserts Installing an EIDE Hard-Disk Drive Connecting Drives Installing SCSI Devices Overview Your Dell computer has five drive bays for installing the following types of drives (see Figure 1): l l The externally accessible drive bays at the front of the computer consist of one 3.5-inch drive bay (dedicated to a 3.
To replace a front-panel insert for a 5.25-inch bay, work from inside the cover. Position the insert behind the bay opening, insert the two ring-tabs (one on each end of the insert) over the posts on the inside of the opening, and firmly press both ends of the insert into place (see Figure 2). To remove the insert covering the 3.5-inch bay, follow these steps: 1. Complete steps 1 and 2 of the procedure for removing a 5.25-inch insert. 2. Inside the cover, locate the eject button mechanism for the 3.
attached to the connector on the system board. NOTICE: When connecting an interface cable, do not reverse the interface cable (do not place the colored strip away from pin 1 of the connector). Reversing the cable prevents the drive from operating and could damage the controller, the drive, or both. Most interface connectors are keyed for correct insertion; that is, a notch or a missing pin on one connector matches a tab or a filled-in hole on the other connector (see Figure 5).
4. Attach the bracket to the new drive. Turn the drive upside down, and locate the four screw holes around its perimeter. Fit the bracket over the drive, and then tilt the front of the drive up so that the bracket drops down into place. To ensure proper installation, all screw holes should be aligned and the tabs on the front of the bracket should be flush with the front of the drive (see Figure 7). Figure 7.
11. Replace the computer cover. If the bezel on your drive is not flush with the bezel on your computer, remove the drive and adjust the position of the drive on the bracket, making sure to insert and tighten the screws in the order marked. Replace the drive in the drive bay, and then replace the computer cover. 12. Reconnect your computer and peripherals to an electrical outlet, and turn them on.
NOTICE: When you unpack the drive, do not set it on a hard surface, which may damage the drive. Instead, set the drive on a surface, such as a foam pad, that will sufficiently cushion it. 2. 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 system. Change any settings necessary for your configuration.
NOTICE: You must match the colored strip on the EIDE cable with pin 1 on the system board IDE connector to avoid possible damage to your system. 9. If it is not already connected, connect the other end of the EIDE cable to the IDE connector on the system board. To locate the system board IDE connector, see "System Board Features." 10. Connect a DC power cable into the power input connector on the back of the drive (see Figure 12).
For MS-DOS, use the fdisk and format commands to perform these procedures. The fdisk and format commands are described in the MS-DOS reference documentation. NOTICE: If you format your hard-disk drive under the OS/2 High Performance File System (HPFS), you cannot reformat the drive for MS-DOS without losing all HPFS data. See your OS/2 documentation for details. For OS/2, see the discussion on partitioning and logical formatting in the documentation that came with the operating system.
devices. If you are installing both internal and external SCSI devices, verify that termination is enabled on the external SCSI device and disabled for the SCSI host adapter and all internal SCSI devices. General Procedure for Installing SCSI Devices CAUTION: To avoid the possibility of electric shock, turn off the computer and any peripherals, disconnect them from their electrical outlets, and then wait at least 5 seconds before you remove the computer cover.
For additional instructions, see the documentation that came with the adapter card. 9. Connect the SCSI device(s) to power. l If you are installing an internal SCSI device, connect a DC power cable to the power input connector on the SCSI device. l If you are installing an external SCSI device, connect the socket end of the power cable into the AC power receptacle on the back of the SCSI device. Connect the other end of the power cable into a standard electrical wall outlet.
Back to Contents Page Introduction: Dell™ OptiPlex™ GX1 and GX1p Midsize Managed PC Systems Overview Using the Power Switch System Features Using the Optional Stand for Vertical Orientation Hardware Features ENERGY STAR® Compliance Software Features Accessing Online Documentation Manageability Features Getting Help Connecting Peripheral Devices Overview Dell OptiPlex GX1 and GX1p midsize Managed PC systems are high-speed, expandable personal computers designed around the Intel® Pentium® II and
l (16-bit) expansion slots; the passive option includes two PCI expansion slots, two ISA expansion slots, and one shared PCI/ISA expansion slot. A 64-bit accelerated graphics port (AGP) video subsystem, which includes the ATI 3D Rage Pro super video graphics array (SVGA) video controller. On the Dell OptiPlex GX1, this video subsystem contains 4 MB (upgradable to 8 MB) of synchronous graphics random-access memory (SGRAM) video memory; the Dell OptiPlex GX1p comes with 8 MB of SGRAM video memory.
Your Dell OptiPlex GX1 or GX1p Managed PC system incorporates many hardware and software features to improve the manageability of the system. Installed features include: l l l l l l Dell OpenManage program Preboot eXecution Environment (PXE) Wakeup On LAN Auto Power On Temperature monitoring Security features Dell OpenManage Program The Dell OpenManage program is the Dell software-management application interface for DMI.
Security management features of Dell OpenManage include the following: l Password security that enables network administrators to maintain standard attribute values for the local and remote systems in a Dell DMI network For more information about the Dell OpenManage, refer to the online Dell OpenManage Help that accompanied the software.
Passwords The password feature enables you to set a user-defined password to restrict access to the system. Additional protection is available through the System Setup program. When the Setup Password option is set to Enabled, Password Status allows you to prevent the system password from being changed or disabled at boot time. For more information, see "Using the System Setup Program." Connecting Peripheral Devices Figure 3 shows the connectors on the back of your computer for attaching external devices.
Your system contains two USB connectors for attaching USB-compliant devices. USB-compliant devices are typically peripherals such as keyboards, mice, printers, and computer speakers. If you reconfigure your hardware, you may need pin number and signal information for the USB connectors. Integrated NIC Connector Your system has an integrated 10/100-Mbps 3Com PCI 3C905B-TX Ethernet NIC.
NOTICE: When you turn off your computer system, perform an orderly system shutdown using the operating system menu when possible. Table 2.
As you lower the stand into place, make sure that the locator pin (see Figure 4) fits into the corner hole of the hole pattern as shown. When the stand is in place, tighten the thumbscrew. 3. Rotate the computer so that the stand is at the bottom and the drives are at the top. To remove the stand, turn the computer over so the stand is at the top, loosen the screw, lift the stand away, and place the computer in a horizontal position.
The System User's Guide is located in the Dell Accessories folder. To print any of the topics from this guide, display the topic you want on your screen and select Print Topic from the File menu. Getting Help Dell provides a number of tools to help you if you don't understand a procedure described in this guide or if your system does not perform as expected.
Back to Contents Page ISA Configuration Utility Messages: Dell™ OptiPlex™ GX1 and GX1p Midsize Managed PC Systems Overview Configuration Manager Messages ICU Error Messages Overview The ISA Configuration Utility (ICU) and its Configuration Manager are capable of identifying problems and alerting you to them. Both utilities can alert you to problems with card configuration as well as to problems that prevent proper operation of the utility.
with card card_name. The conflicting resource is resource_name. To fix, reconfigure the conflicting card. already being used by another device. The ICU has successfully configured all Plug and Play cards in your system. For the new configuration to take effect, save the configuration, then reboot your system. The ICU has successfully configured all of the Plug and Play expansion cards that were not configured by the Configuration Manager. The loaded card is not a category card. Press OK to proceed.
4. Copy the configuration file from the original ICU diskette to the backup diskette. This is an EISA system. Use an ECU, not the ICU, to configure your system. This message appears if you attempt to run the ICU on an EISA system. You have added a card using This message can appear in two settings different from factory situations: default. Reconfigure the card to the settings in the next display l You added an ISA expansion (see the card's manual) before card, selected OK, and the installing it.
ERROR: Failed to activate device, CSN=Card Select Number. A Plug and Play expansion card Use the following procedure: could not be activated. 1. Exit the ICU and turn off your system. 2. Remove the Plug and Play expansion card that could not be activated. Follow steps 2 through 6 of "Removing an Expansion Card" and then return to this procedure. 3. Reinstall the Plug and Play expansion card. Follow steps 5 through 10 of "Installing an Expansion Card" and then return to this procedure.
See "Adding a Listed Card" for instructions. If your Plug and Play or PCI expansion card is not automatically configured when you reboot the system with all other cards removed, you should contact the manufacturer of the card or see "Getting Help" in your Diagnostics and Troubleshooting Guide. WARNING: Boot Device conflict detected! CSN=Card Select Number Error=Error. One of the devices is attempting to use one or more resources assigned to the system's boot device. Perform the following procedure: 1.
Back to Contents Page Installing System Board Options: Dell™ OptiPlex™ GX1 and GX1p Midsize Managed PC Systems Overview Adding Video Memory (OptiPlex GX1 Only) Expansion Cards Upgrading the Microprocessor Adding Memory Replacing the System Battery Overview This chapter describes how to install the following options: l l l l Industry-Standard Architecture (ISA) and Peripheral Component Interconnect (PCI) expansion cards System memory Video memory (GX1 only) Microprocessor This chapter also includes
Expansion Slots Two riser board options are available (Figure 3). l l With the active riser board option, seven expansion-card connectors reside on the riser board. Because two expansion slots are shared, a maximum of five expansion cards can be installed on the riser board. l Expansion-card connectors ISA1–ISA2 support 8- or 16-bit ISA expansion cards. l Expansion-card connectors PCI1–PCI5 support 32-bit PCI expansion cards.
See the documentation that came with the expansion card for information on configuring the card, making internal connections, or otherwise customizing the card for your system. CAUTION: Some network cards automatically start up the system when they are connected. To guard against electrical shock, be sure to unplug your computer from its electrical outlet before you install any expansion cards. 3. Remove the expansion-card cage as instructed in "Removing the Expansion-Card Cage." 4.
3. 4. 5. 6. 7. If necessary, disconnect any cables connected to the card. Remove the expansion-card cage as instructed in "Removing the Expansion-Card Cage." Unscrew the mounting bracket of the card you want to remove. Grasp the card by its outside corners, and ease it out of its connector. If you are removing the card permanently, install a metal filler bracket over the empty card-slot opening.
768 MB 256 MB 256 MB 256 MB Performing a Memory Upgrade CAUTION: To avoid the possibility of electric shock, turn off the computer and any peripherals, disconnect them from their electrical outlets, and then wait at least 5 seconds before you remove the computer cover. Also, before you install an expansion card, see "Safety First — For You and Your Computer." Follow this procedure to perform a memory upgrade: 1. Remove the computer cover according to the instructions in "Removing the Computer Cover." 2.
To remove a DIMM, press the securing clips outward (see Figure 8) simultaneously until the DIMM disengages from the socket (it should pop up slightly). Figure 8. Removing a DIMM Adding Video Memory (OptiPlex GX1 Only) You can upgrade video memory on an OptiPlex GX1 from 4 to 8 MB by installing a video-memory upgrade module (OptiPlex GX1p systems come with 8 MB of video memory).
Upgrading the Microprocessor To take advantage of future options in speed and functionality, you can replace the microprocessor on your system board with any Dell-supported microprocessor upgrade. Call your Dell sales representative for information on available microprocessor upgrades. The microprocessor upgrade kit includes a new single-edge contact (SEC) cartridge with heat sink assembly and an airflow shroud. CAUTION: Before you remove the computer cover, see "Safety First — For You and Your Computer.
ALERT! Cover was previously removed. 10. Enter the System Setup program and confirm that the installed microprocessor is correctly identified. As the system boots, it detects the new microprocessor and automatically changes the system configuration information in the System Setup program. 11. Run the Dell Diagnostics to verify that the new microprocessor is operating correctly.
6. Replace the expansion-card cage as described in "Replacing the Expansion-Card Cage." 7. Replace the computer cover, and reconnect your computer and peripherals to their electrical outlets and turn them on. NOTE: If Enabled, the Chassis Intrusion option will cause the following message to be displayed at the next system start-up: ALERT! Cover was previously removed. 8. Enter the System Setup program and confirm that the battery is operating properly. 9.
Back to Contents Page Using the System Setup Program: Dell™ OptiPlex™ GX1 and GX1p Midsize Managed PC Systems Overview Using the System Password Feature Entering the System Setup Program Using the Setup Password Feature System Setup Screens Disabling a Forgotten Password Using the System Setup Program Responding to Error Messages System Setup Options Overview Each time you turn on your computer system or press the reset button, the system compares the hardware installed in the system to the hardw
Figure 1. System Setup Screens Information on the two System Setup screens is organized in five boxed areas: l Title box The box at the top of both screens lists the system name, page number (Page 1 or Page 2), and the revision number of the basic input/output system (BIOS). l Configuration options The box on the left half of both screens lists the options that define the installed hardware in your computer.
The line of boxes across the bottom of both screens lists keys and their functions within the System Setup program. Using the System Setup Program Table 1 lists the keys you use to view or change information on the System Setup screens and to exit the program. Table 1. System-Setup Navigation Keys Keys Action Moves to the next field. Moves to the previous field. Cycles through the options in a field. In many fields, you can also type the appropriate value. Scrolls through help information.
l l l l l 5.25 Inch, 360 KB 5.25 Inch, 1.2 MB 3.5 Inch, 720 KB 3.5 Inch, 1.44 MB Not Installed The diskette option labeled "Use ZIP as A or B" is used to control the operation of an internally installed ATAPI Zip drive. The options are On and Off. When set On, the Zip drive operates as a diskette drive and can be booted. When set to Off, the Zip drive operates as a normal ATAPI device. You can have a total of two diskette devices, either diskette drives or Zip drives.
Num Lock Num Lock determines whether your system boots with the Num Lock mode activated on 101- or 102-key keyboards (it does not apply to 84-key keyboards). When Num Lock mode is activated, the rightmost bank of keys on your keyboard provides the mathematical and numeric functions shown at the tops of the keys. When Num Lock mode is turned off, these keys provide cursor-control functions according to the label on the bottom of each key.
to Locked. In this state, the system password cannot be changed through the System Password option and cannot be disabled at system start-up by pressing . To unlock the system password, you must enter the setup password in the Setup Password option and then change the Password Status option to Unlocked. In this state, the system password can be disabled at system start-up by pressing and then changed through the System Password option.
l Boot Device Priority The Boot Device Priority option lists all bootable devices (hard-disk drives, CD-ROM drives, and so on) that are controlled by the system BIOS and any Plug and Play network adapters installed in the computer. l Exclude From Boot Device Priority The Exclude From Boot Device Priority option allows you to remove from the Boot Device Priority option any boot devices that you want the system to ignore during system start-up.
Auto Power On allows you to set the time and days of the week to turn on the computer system automatically. You can set Auto Power On to turn on the system either every day or every Monday through Friday. NOTE: This feature does not work if you turn off your system using a power strip or surge protector. Time is kept in a 24-hour format (hours:minutes). To change the start-up time, press the right-arrow key to increase the number in the highlighted field or press the left-arrow key to decrease the number.
Minimum 20 minutes 1 hour Never Wakeup On LAN Wakeup On LAN determines whether the Wakeup On LAN feature is set to On or Off. You must reboot your system before a change takes effect. Sound Sound determines whether the integrated audio controller is On or Off. You must reboot your system before a change takes effect. NIC NIC determines whether an integrated network interface controller (NIC) is On or Off. You must reboot your system before a change takes effect.
Diskette controls the operation of the system's built-in diskette drive controller. With Auto (the default) selected, the system turns off the built-in diskette drive controller when necessary to accommodate a controller card installed in an expansion slot. With Write Protect selected, nothing can be written to diskette drives and tape drives using the system's built-in diskette drive controller. (The system can still read from the drives.
The option heading changes to Enter Password, followed by an empty seven-character field in square brackets. 3. Type your new system password. You can use up to seven characters in your password. As you press each character key (or the spacebar for a blank space), a placeholder appears in the field. The password assignment operation recognizes keys by their location on the keyboard, without distinguishing between lowercase and uppercase characters.
To delete or change an existing system password, perform the following steps: 1. Enter the System Setup program, and verify that the Password Status option is set to Unlocked. Refer to "Entering the System Setup Program." For instructions on changing the setting for Password Status, see "Password Status." 2. Reboot your system to force it to prompt you for a system password. 3. When prompted, type the system password. 4.
you cannot disable or change an existing system password). NOTE: You can use the Password Status option in conjunction with Setup Password to protect the system password from unauthorized changes. For more information, see "Password Status." Deleting or Changing an Existing Setup Password To delete or change an existing setup password, perform the following steps: 1. Enter the System Setup program and go to Page 2 of the System Setup screens. Refer to "Entering the System Setup Program.
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Back to Contents Page Technical Specifications: Dell™ OptiPlex™ GX1 and GX1p Midsize Managed PC Systems Microprocessor Video System Information Key Combinations Expansion Bus Controls and Indicators Memory Power Drives Physical Ports Environmental Microprocessor Microprocessor type Intel® Pentium® II or Pentium III microprocessor Internal cache 32 KB (16-KB data cache, 16-KB instruction cache) L2 cache memory 512-KB pipeline burst, 4-way set-associative, write-back SRAM Math coprocessor
DIMM sockets three DIMM capacities 32-, 64-, 128-, and 256-MB SDRAM Standard RAM 32 MB (GX1) or 128 MB (GX1p) minimum Maximum RAM 768 MB BIOS address F0000h Drives Externally accessible bays two 5.25-inch bays for diskette, tape, or CD-ROM drives; one 3.5-inch bay for a diskette drive Internally accessible bays two 3.5-inch bays: one for a 1-inch-high hard-disk drive and one for a 1.
Controls and Indicators Reset control push button Power control push button Power indicators green LEDs (one on front panel, one on riser board); blinking green in sleep state Hard-disk drive access indicator green LED Link integrity indicator (on optional integrated NIC connector) green LED Activity indicator (on optional integrated NIC connector) yellow LED Power DC power supply: Wattage 200 W Heat dissipation 913 BTUs (fully loaded system without monitor) Voltage 90 to 135 V at 60 Hz; 18
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Back to Contents Page Using the ISA Configuration Utility: Dell™ OptiPlex™ GX1 and GX1p Midsize Managed PC Systems Overview Adding an Unlisted Card Quick Start Modifying a Card About the ICU Removing a Card When to Run the ICU Viewing Resources Preparing to Use the ICU Saving the System Configuration Starting the ICU Exiting From the ICU Adding a Listed Card Locking and Unlocking Cards Overview The ISA Configuration Utility (ICU) is used by the system to track what expansion cards are instal
If you are adding a non-Plug and Play ISA expansion card, see your online System User's Guide or "Adding a Listed Card" for detailed instructions. If the card you are adding does not have a configuration file, see your online System User's Guide or "Adding an Unlisted Card" for detailed instructions. l If you are modifying a card that is already installed, see your online System User's Guide or "Modifying a Card" for detailed instructions.
Backing Up the ICU Diskette Before using the ICU, make a backup copy of the ICU diskette by performing the following steps. NOTE: If you received an ISA Configuration Utility Diskette with your system, use this procedure to create a backup of that diskette. 1. Make sure you have a blank, high-density, 3.5-inch diskette. 2. Turn on your computer system if it is not already on. 3. Make a copy of the ICU program diskette. See your operating system documentation for instructions on making a copy of a diskette.
Adding a Listed Card NOTE: If you want to add a configuration file that you received on diskette with a new expansion card, you must copy the configuration file to the \db subdirectory on the backup copy of the ICU diskette. You should then reboot your system and perform the following procedure to add the expansion card. Use the following procedure to add a listed card with the ICU: 1. Start the ICU as described in "Starting the ICU." 2.
8. To change the resource settings, click the down arrow next to the Configuration Choice box. Then click the new resource setting from the list of available settings (see Figure 5). You cannot manually enter a value; you must choose a setting from the list. If there is only one setting listed, no other settings are available. The setting that you select may affect the resources available.
5. Click No when the ICU asks if you have a configuration file for the card. The Configure Unlisted Card dialog box appears with blank fields. 6. Enter the name of the card that you want to add in the Card Name field. 7. For each resource you want to assign to the card, click the box beneath the name of the resource to be assigned and then click Add. For example, if you click the box beneath IRQ, the button changes to Add Interrupt.
Modifying a Card Modifying a card allows you to change the system resources used by a card. This feature is helpful when you want to add a card that requires resources already in use by other cards or devices in your computer. You can allocate different resources to the cards currently in your computer to free the resources necessary for the card you want to install. You can also use this feature to force Plug and Play or PCI expansion cards to use specific resource values.
1. Start the ICU as described in "Starting the ICU." 2. Select the card from the current system configuration list in the ICU window. 3. Select Remove Card from the Configuration menu, or click Remove. The ICU requests verification that you want to remove the card. 4. Click Yes to free the resources allocated to the card and remove the card name from the list of active cards, or click No to cancel the operation. The ICU returns to the ICU window.
At the ICU window, select Exit from the File menu to exit the utility. If you have made any changes to the system configuration, you are asked whether you want to save the changes. If you click Yes, the ICU saves the updated system configuration information into NVRAM. If you click No, you exit the ICU without saving any of your configuration changes. If you click Cancel, nothing is saved and the utility continues to operate.
10. Repeat steps 6 through 9 for any other configuration settings that you want to lock or unlock. 11. Click OK in the Card Configuration dialog box when you have finished making your selections.
