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Information in this document is subject to change without notice. 1997 Dell Computer Corporation. All rights reserved. Reproduction in any manner whatsoever without the written permission of Dell Computer Corporation is strictly forbidden.
Safety Instructions U se the following safety guidelines to help protect your computer system from potential damage and to • To help protect your computer system from sudden, transient increases and decreases in electrical power, use a surge suppressor, line conditioner, or uninterruptible power supply (UPS). • Be sure nothing rests on your computer system’s cables and that the cables are not located where they can be stepped on or tripped over. • Do not spill food or liquids on your computer.
• Set the monitor at a comfortable viewing distance (usually 510 to 610 millimeters [20 to 24 inches] from your eyes). • Make sure the monitor screen is at eye level or slightly lower when you are sitting in front of the monitor. • Adjust the tilt of the monitor, its contrast and brightness settings, and the lighting around you (such as overhead lights, desk lamps, and the curtains or blinds on nearby windows) to minimize reflections and glare on the monitor screen.
When Working Inside Your component such as a microprocessor chip by its edges, not by its pins. Computer Before you remove the computer cover, perform the following steps in the sequence indicated. WARNING There is a danger of a new battery exploding if it is incorrectly installed. Replace the battery only with the same or equivalent type recommended by the manufacturer. Discard used batteries according to the manufacturer’s instructions.
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Preface About This Guide This guide is intended for anyone who uses a Dell OptiPlex GXa mini tower computer system. It can be used by both first-time and experienced computer users who want to learn about the features and operation of the systems or who want to upgrade their computers.
Other Documents You May Need Notational Conventions Besides this Reference and Installation Guide, the following documentation is included with your system: The following subsections describe notational conventions used in this document. • The Getting Started sheet provides step-by-step instructions for setting up your computer system. • The Windows-based online System User’s Guide contains important information about your computer system.
• Filenames and directory names are presented in lowercase bold. • Examples: autoexec.bat and c:\windows • Syntax lines consist of a command and all its possible parameters. Commands are displayed in lowercase bold; variable parameters (those for which you substitute a value) are displayed in lowercase italics; constant parameters are displayed in lowercase bold. The brackets indicate items that are optional.
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Contents Chapter 1 Introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-1 System Features. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-1 Using the Power Switch . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-4 Security Cable Slot and Padlock Ring . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-4 Energy Star Compliance . . .
Diskette First . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-7 Hard Disk Only . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-7 CD-ROM First . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-7 Device List . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-7 Setup Password . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Starting the ICU. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-3 Accessing Help. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-3 Making Selections in the ICU . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-3 Adding a Listed Card . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-4 Adding an Unlisted Card . . .
Removing and Replacing the Expansion-Card Cage . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Removing the Expansion-Card Cage . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Replacing the Expansion-Card Cage. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Rotating the Power Supply Away From the System Board . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-9 5-9 5-9 5-9 Chapter 6 Installing System Board Options . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Appendix A Technical Specifications . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . A-1 Appendix B ISA Configuration Utility Messages . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . B-1 ICU Error Messages . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .B-1 Configuration Manager Messages. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .B-5 Appendix C Regulatory Notices . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Figures Figure 1-1. Figure 1-2. Figure 1-3. Figure 2-1. Figure 2-2. Figure 3-1. Figure 3-2. Figure 3-3. Figure 3-4. Figure 3-5. Figure 3-6. Figure 3-7. Figure 3-8. Figure 3-9. Figure 3-10. Figure 3-11. Figure 4-1. Figure 5-1. Figure 5-2. Figure 5-3. Figure 5-4. Figure 5-5. Figure 5-6. Figure 5-7. Figure 5-8. Figure 6-1. Figure 6-2. Figure 6-3. Figure 6-4. Figure 6-5. Figure 6-6. Figure 6-7. Figure 6-8. Figure 6-9. Figure 6-10. Figure 6-11. Figure 7-1. xviii Dell Inspector Program . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Figure 7-2. Figure 7-3. Figure 7-4. Figure 7-5. Figure 7-6. Figure 7-7. Figure 7-8. Figure 7-9. Figure 7-10. Figure 7-11. Figure 7-12. Figure 7-13. Figure 7-14. Removing the Front Bezel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-2 Removing the Front-Panel Insert for a 5.25-Inch Bay . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-2 DC Power Cable Connector . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-3 Drive Interface Connectors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
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Chapter 1 Introduction D ell® OptiPlex ® GXa mini tower systems are highspeed, expandable personal computers designed around the Intel ® Pentium® II microprocessor. Each system uses a high-performance Peripheral Component Interconnect (PCI) design that allows you to configure the computer system to your initial requirements and then add Dellsupported upgrades as necessary. These systems also support the Industry-Standard Architecture (ISA) bus for older expansion devices.
• Utility (ICU) allows you to configure existing nonPlug and Play ISA expansion cards for conflict-free operation. Also, because the system BIOS is stored in flash memory, it can be updated to support future enhancements to the Plug and Play standard. subsystems have two significant performance advantages over PCI-based video subsystems: Wakeup On LAN capability, which, when enabled in the System Setup program, allows the system to be powered up from a server management console.
• Audio drivers for enabling the sound functions on the expansion sound card. For more information on these utilities, see your online System User’s Guide. • Network device drivers for several network operating systems. These drivers are described in Chapter 4, “Using Integrated Devices.” • Bus mastering EIDE drivers to improve performance by off-loading certain functions from the microprocessor during multithreaded operation (when several application programs are running simultaneously).
Inspector administrator version enables system administrators to view, manage, and inventory remote systems in a Dell DMI client network. Figure 1-1. Dell Inspector Program Using the Power Switch If the system does not turn off when the power switch is pressed, the system may be hung. Press and hold the power switch until the system turns off completely (this may take several seconds). Alternatively, press the reset button to turn the system off when it is hung.
TM make to this configuration (such as installing additional expansion cards or drives) may increase the system’s power consumption beyond the limits set by the EPA’s Energy Star Computers program. security cable slot Figure 1-3. Energy Star Emblem padlock ring The padlock ring allows you to secure the computer cover to the chassis to prevent unauthorized access to the inside of the computer. To use the padlock ring, insert a commercially available padlock through the ring and then lock the padlock.
If you are unable to reinstall your software from a tape backup of the hard-disk drive, you can reinstall the Windows 95 operating system from the system’s Windows 95 backup media (CD or diskettes) that you received from Dell or created from the Dell-installed software on your system. However, if you reinstall the Windows 95 operating system in this manner, the bus-mastering functionality of the Windows 95 EIDE driver, which was operative in your original configuration, will be disabled.
• • • • • • • • Using drivers and utilities Using the integrated audio controller 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. Using the System Setup program Configuring expansion cards Securing your computer Connecting external devices Maintaining the system Contacting Dell The guide also contains a glossary of commonly used terms and abbreviations.
1-8 Dell OptiPlex GXa Mini Tower Systems Reference and Installation Guide
Chapter 2 Using the System Setup Program ach time you turn on your computer system or press E the reset button, the system compares the hardware installed in the system to the hardware listed in the system configuration information stored in nonvolatile random-access memory (NVRAM) on the system board. If the system detects a discrepancy, it generates error messages that identify the incorrect configuration settings. The system then prompts you to enter the System Setup program to correct the setting.
System Setup Screens Using the System Setup Program The two System Setup screens, Page 1 and Page 2, display the current setup and configuration information and optional settings for your system. (Typical examples are illustrated in Figure 2-1.) Information on the two System Setup screens is organized in five boxed areas: Table 2-1 lists the keys you use to view or change information on the System Setup screens and to exit the program.
title box configuration options Dell Computer Corporation (www.dell.com) System OptiPlex GXa 233MTbr EM+ Setup Page 1 of 2 Time: 13:17:02 Date: Diskette Drive A: Diskette Drive B: Drives: Primary Type Cyls Hds Pre LZ Sec Drive 0:Auto 1023 64 -1 1023 63 Drive 1:None Secondary Drive 0:Auto CD-ROM Device Drive 1:None CPU Speed: Num Lock: BIOS Version: XXX Mon Sept 1, 1997 This category sets the time in 24-hour format (hours:minutes: seconds) for the internal clock/ calendar. 3.5 inch, 1.
System Setup Categories The following subsections explain in detail each of the categories on the System Setup screens. Time NOTE: Tape drives are not reflected in the Diskette Drive A and Diskette Drive B categories. For example, if you have a single diskette drive and a tape drive attached to the diskette/tape drive interface cable, set the Diskette Drive A category to match the characteristics of the diskette drive and set the Diskette Drive B category to Not Installed.
• Hds indicates the number of logical heads in the drive. • Pre (precompensation cylinder) is the cylinder number at which the electrical current for the drive head changes to compensate for differences in data density across the disk surface (this parameter has no effect for EIDE drives). • Lz is the cylinder number that is used as the drive’s landing zone for the heads when the drive is not in use.
The Reserved Memory category has the following options: • • • None (the default option) 512K - 640K 15M - 16M CPU Speed CPU Speed indicates the processor speed at which your system boots. Press the left- or right-arrow key to toggle the CPU Speed category between the resident microprocessor’s rated speed (the default) and a lower compatibility speed, which lets you accommodate speed-sensitive application programs. A change to this category takes effect immediately (rebooting the system is not required).
Diskette First Selecting Diskette First causes the system to try booting from drive A first. If the system finds a diskette that is not bootable in the drive or finds a problem with the drive itself, it displays an error message. If it does not find a diskette in the drive, the system tries to boot from the hard-disk drive (drive 0), then from the CD-ROM, and finally from the Plug and Play network adapters in the order found.
Dell Computer Corporation (www.dell.com) Device List System OptiPlex GXa 233MTbr EM+ Setup BIOS Version: XXX The DEVICE LIST contains devices that may be bootable. The system attempts to boot from the devices in the list as ordered. If you ESC or ALT-B from this menu, the displayed order becomes the boot selection.
Power Management • For certain types of monitors and most EIDE hard-disk drives, you can reduce system power consumption by enabling the power management feature. With Power Management enabled, these monitors and drives automatically switch into low-power mode during periods of system inactivity. Check your monitor documentation for information on how your monitor is designed to operate. Power Management can be implemented at three levels— Maximum, Regular, and Minimum.
Wakeup on LAN Wakeup on LAN determines whether the Wakeup on LAN feature is set to Off or On (Add-in NIC). You must reboot your system before a change takes effect. NOTE: An optional Wakeup On LAN-capable network card is required to use the Wakeup On LAN feature. 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 the optional integrated NIC is On or Off.
accommodate a controller card installed in an expansion slot. • Video Memory displays the amount of video memory detected in your system. As part of the boot routine, the system first checks for a primary hard-disk drive controller card installed in an expansion slot. If no card is found, the system enables the built-in EIDE interface to use IRQ14 and IRQ15. • Service Tag displays the system’s five-character service tag number, which was programmed into NVRAM by Dell during the manufacturing process.
The password assignment operation recognizes keys by their location on the keyboard, without distinguishing between lowercase and uppercase characters. For example, if you have an M in your password, the system recognizes either M or m as correct. jumper setting that disables the system password feature (see “Disabling a Forgotten Password” found later in this chapter). Note that you erase the setup password at the same time.
key combination to move to Page 2 of the System Setup screens. For instructions on changing the setting for Password Status, see “Password Status” found earlier in this chapter. If the Password Status category is set to Locked, the following prompt appears: Type the password and press . After you type the correct system password and press , your system boots and you can use the keyboard and/or mouse to operate your system as usual.
Assigning a Setup Password system password (however, you cannot disable or change an existing system password). A setup password can be assigned (or changed) only when the Setup Password category is set to Not Enabled. To assign a setup password, highlight the Setup Password category and press the left- or right-arrow key. The system prompts you to enter and verify the password. If a character is illegal for password use, the system emits a beep.
2. Not Enabled, meaning that the password feature is enabled but that no password has been assigned. Remove the jumper plug from the PSWD jumper to disable the password feature. Refer to “Jumpers” in Chapter 5 for jumper information and to Figure 5-6 for the location of the password jumper (labeled “PSWD”) on the system board. 3. Replace the computer cover. 4. Reconnect your computer and peripherals to their power sources, and turn them on. Proceed to step 5 if you want to assign a new password.
2-16 Dell OptiPlex GXa Mini Tower Systems Reference and Installation Guide
Chapter 3 Using the ISA Configuration Utility he ISA Configuration Utility (ICU) is used by the T system to track what expansion cards are installed and what resources are used. With this information, the system automatically configures Plug and Play expansion cards and Peripheral Component Interconnect (PCI) expansion cards and can tell you how to configure nonPlug and Play Industry-Standard Architecture (ISA) expansion cards manually by setting jumpers or switches.
4. Add, modify, or remove a card, or view resources for a card or other device. “Getting Help” in your Diagnostics and Troubleshooting Guide for information on accessing the BBS. Depending on what you need to accomplish with the ICU, you may need to perform one or more of these tasks: Whenever you add or remove a non-Plug and Play ISA expansion card, use the ICU to reconfigure your system. The utility reads the card’s corresponding configuration file (.
After you have run the ICU for your non-Plug and Play ISA expansion cards and it has configured all your Plug and Play and PCI expansion cards, you can use the utility to lock the configuration of your Plug and Play and PCI expansion cards so that they are always assigned the same resources. See your online System User’s Guide or “Locking and Unlocking Cards” found later in this chapter for details. Preparing to Use the ICU Before using the ICU for the first time, you must complete the following steps: 1.
You can maneuver through each menu and dialog box using a mouse. If a mouse is not available, you can use the keys shown in Table 3-1. 3. Click the name of the category of card that you want to add. If you clicked Add in step 2, click OK. A dialog box like the one in Figure 3-2 appears listing the names of all available cards of that type.
Figure 3-3. Card Configuration Dialog Box 7. To change any of the resource settings for the card, select the resource setting and then click Settings. The Configuration Settings dialog box (see Figure 3-4) displays the name of the resource that you selected in the upper-left corner of the box. The resource values currently associated with the selected function are displayed in the Resources for Choice box. The resource values displayed are IRQ, DMA, Memory (Hex), and I/O Port (Hex). Figure 3-4.
10. Click OK in the Configuration Settings dialog box when you have finished selecting resources for the function. NOTE: After modifying the system configuration, you must turn off the system to install, remove, or change jumper settings on the non-Plug and Play ISA expansion cards to match the settings you selected in the ICU. button, a Specify dialog box (in this case, Specify Interrupt) appears. Figure 3-7 shows the Configure Unlisted Card dialog box with the Specify Interrupt dialog box opened.
You can also use this feature to force Plug and Play or PCI expansion cards to use specific resource values. This procedure is called locking a card. You should lock a card only if it uses static device drivers. See “Locking and Unlocking Cards” found later in this chapter for more information. Figure 3-9. Specify I/O Port Dialog Box 8. When you have finished selecting resources for the unlisted card, click OK in the Configure Unlisted Card dialog box.
If you are providing a value for the IRQ or DMA resource, click the down arrow beneath Available Resources. Click the value you want to assign to the resource. If the resource can be shared with another card or device, click Sharable. Then click OK. NOTE: When you remove a Plug and Play or PCI expansion card from your computer, you do not need to run the ICU. To remove a Plug and Play or PCI expansion card, complete steps 2 through 9 in “Removing an Expansion Card” in Chapter 6.
Exiting From the ICU 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. Figure 3-10. System Resource Usage Dialog Box To determine which card uses a particular resource shown in the System Resource Usage dialog box, select the resource in question and then click Used By Card. The Card Resource Usage dialog box appears with the information.
2. Start the ICU. 3. See “Starting the ICU” found earlier in this chapter. 3. A check mark next to Locking Enabled signifies that the feature is active; a Lock button appears on the tool bar. Select Locking Enabled from the Advanced menu in the ICU window. A check mark next to Locking Enabled signifies that the feature is active; a Lock button appears on the tool bar. 4. Select the Plug and Play or PCI expansion card that you want to lock or unlock from the Cards Configured in System list. 5.
Chapter 4 Using Integrated Devices his chapter describes the configuration software proT vided with your system for the following integrated devices: • • • Video controller Audio controller Optional network interface controller (NIC) See the corresponding section in this chapter for the device you want to configure or reconfigure.
A green link integrity indicator lights up when there is a good connection between the network and the NIC. parallel port connector When the green indicator is off, the computer is not detecting a physical connection to the network. mouse connector link integrity indicator activity indicator microphone jack line-out jack line-in jack serial port 1 connector keyboard connector USB connectors serial port 2 connector video connector optional integrated NIC connector Figure 4-1.
2. 3. Connect the network cable to the back of your computer. Windows NT 3.5x NIC See “Network Cable Requirements” found earlier in this chapter for detailed instructions. To connect your system to and configure it for use on an Ethernet network, you must complete the following steps: Verify that the NIC is enabled in the System Setup program. 1.
13. Click Close in the Windows Welcome screen, and then click Close again in the Network window. 12. Insert the NIC driver diskette 1 into drive A, and click OK. 14. If you are prompted, enter information about your specific network. 13. In the Unlisted or Updated Network Adapter dialog box, select 3Com EtherLink XL/Fast EtherLink XL Adapter (3C90x) and click OK. See your system administrator for information. 15. Click Yes in the Network Settings Change window to restart your system.
Service Release 1. If your system version is 4.00.950 B, then your operating system is Windows 95 Service Release 2. For Windows 95 operating systems not installed by Dell, the system version is 4.00. NOTE: The instructions in the following two subsections are for the Windows 95 32-bit NDIS 3.0 driver. See “Using the NDIS 2.01 Driver With Windows 95” found later in this chapter for information on using the 16-bit NDIS 2.01 driver with Windows 95.
8. The Update Device Driver Wizard starts. 9. Windows 95 Operating Systems Not Installed by Dell” found earlier in this chapter. Click the Driver tab, and then click Update Driver. 2. Click the Start menu, point to Settings, and click the Control Panel. Then double-click the Network icon. 3. In the Network window, select 3Com Fast EtherLink XL 10/100Mb TX Ethernet Adapter, and then click Properties. 4. Select Real Mode (16bit) NDIS driver, and click OK to return to the Network window. 5.
Chapter 5 Working Inside Your Computer Y our Dell computer system supports a variety of internal options that expand system capabilities. This chapter prepares you to install options inside the computer. It describes how to remove and replace the computer cover and expansion-card cage, as well as rotate the power supply away from the system board. It also familiarizes you with the internal components you may handle if you install Dell hardware options.
Unpacking Your Hardware Option 3. Remove the cover. Facing the left side cover, press the release button (located at the bottom-left corner of the front bezel) and lift the bottom of the cover, allowing it to pivot up toward you (see Figure 5-2). When you remove an option from its shipping carton, you may find it wrapped in antistatic packing material designed to protect it from electrostatic damage. Do not remove the packing material until you are ready to install the option.
3. Replace the cover. top Facing the left side of the computer, hold the cover at a slight angle as shown in Figure 5-3, and then align the top of the cover with the top of the chassis. Insert the tabs on the cover into the recessed slots on the computer chassis so that the tabs catch the hooks inside the slots. Pivot the cover down toward the bottom of the chassis and into position. Make sure the securing hooks at the bottom of the cover click into place.
Jumpers the designations, default settings, and functions of your system’s jumpers. Jumpers are small blocks on a circuit board with two or more pins emerging from them. Switches Plastic plugs containing a wire fit down over the pins. The wire connects the pins and creates a circuit. To change a jumper setting, pull the plug off its pin(s) and carefully fit it down onto the pin(s) indicated. Switches control various circuits or functions in your computer system.
power supply security cable slot external drive bays AC power receptacle internal drive cage parallel port connector serial port 1 connector keyboard connector mouse connector interface cable USB connectors serial port 2 connector video connector optional integrated NIC connector microphone jack expansion-card cage line-out jack line-in jack padlock ring riser board system board Figure 5-5.
jumpered unjumpered Figure 5-6.
Table 5-1. System-Board Jumper Settings Jumper Setting RSVD2 Description (default) Reserved (do not change). 300MHZ* Jumpered when the microprocessor’s internal speed is 300 MHz. 266MHZ* Jumpered when the microprocessor’s internal speed is 266 MHz. 233MHZ* Jumpered when the microprocessor’s internal speed is 233 MHz. BIOS (default) Reserved (do not change). PSWD (default) Password features are enabled. Password features are disabled.
Table 5-2.
Removing the Expansion-Card Cage 4. Slide the expansion-card cage out of the chassis. Use the following procedure to remove the expansioncard cage: 5. Lift the expansion-card cage up and away from the chassis. 1. Remove the computer cover as instructed in “Removing the Computer Cover” found earlier in this chapter. Replacing the Expansion-Card Cage 2. Check any cables connected to expansion cards through the back-panel openings.
power supply AC power receptacle AC power cable 3. Free the power supply from the securing tab labeled “RELEASE —>,” and rotate it upward until it locks in its extended position. DC power cables securing tab Figure 5-8.
Chapter 6 Installing System Board Options his chapter describes how to install the following T options: • • Video memory Microprocessor • Industry-Standard Architecture (ISA) and Peripheral Component Interconnect (PCI) expansion cards This chapter also includes instructions for replacing the system battery, if necessary. • System memory Use Figure 6-1 to locate the system board features.
Expansion Cards • Expansion cards are installed on the computer’s riser board (see Figure 6-3). The riser board plugs into the RISER connector on the system board (see Figure 6-1) and is considered an extension of the system board. Expansion-card connectors PCI1–PCI5 support 32-bit PCI expansion cards. NOTE: Because connector PCI4 shares expansionslot space with connector ISA1, and PCI5 shares with ISA2, only one card of either type can be installed in each of the two shared slots.
internal connections, or otherwise customizing the card for your system. 3. expansion card card-edge connector Remove the expansion-card cage as instructed in “Removing the Expansion-Card Cage” in Chapter 5. NOTE: Verify that the power LED on the riser board (see Figure 6-3) is off before removing the card cage 4. Unscrew and remove the metal filler bracket that covers the card-slot opening for the expansion slot you intend to use (see Figure 6-4).
Removing an Expansion Card Follow this general procedure to remove an expansion card: 1. If you are removing a non-Plug and Play ISA expansion card, enter the ICU and remove the expansion card from your configuration. See Chapter 3, “Using the ISA Configuration Utility,” for instructions. 2. Remove the computer cover according to the instructions in “Removing the Computer Cover” in Chapter 5. CAUTION: See “Protecting Against Electrostatic Discharge” in the safety instructions at the front of this guide.
Table 6-1 lists sample memory configurations and shows valid DIMM combinations and socket placement for each configuration. . Table 6-1. Sample DIMM Configuration Options Total Desired Memory Performing a Memory Upgrade Follow this procedure to perform a memory upgrade: 1.
7. Press to enter the System Setup program, and check the System Memory category in the lower-right corner of Page 1. The system should have already changed the value in the System Memory category to reflect the newly installed memory. Verify the new total. NOTES: If the memory total is incorrect, turn off your computer and peripherals and disconnect them from their power sources, remove the computer cover, and check the installed DIMMs to make sure that they are seated properly in their sockets.
To upgrade the video memory, perform the following steps: 1. Remove the computer cover according to the instructions in “Removing the Computer Cover” in Chapter 5. CAUTION: See “Protecting Against Electrostatic Discharge” in the safety instructions at the front of this guide. 2. 3. 5. As the system boots, it detects the presence of the new video memory and automatically changes the system configuration information in the System Setup program. 6.
2. Rotate the power supply out of the way according to the instructions in “Rotating the Power Supply Away From the System Board” in Chapter 5. 3. See Figure 6-1 to locate the SEC cartridge connector (labeled “SLOT1”) on the system board. 4. Press in on the heat sink clips that secure the cartridge/heat sink assembly to the metal standoffs on the system board (see Figure 6-10). 5. Remove the current SEC cartridge/heat sink assembly from its connector.
6. Insert the new SEC cartridge/heat sink assembly into the system board connector. Replacing the System Battery Press the SEC cartridge release latches outward until they snap into position. Orient the assembly with the heat sink facing toward the right (as you face the front of the chassis), and press the SEC cartridge firmly into its connector until it is fully seated. You must use up to 25 pounds of force to fully seat the SEC cartridge/heat sink assembly in the connector. A 3.
Use the following procedure to replace the system battery with another CR2032 coin-cell battery: 1. If you have not already done so, make a copy of your system configuration information in the System Setup program. If the settings are lost while you are replacing the battery, refer to your written or printed copy of the system configuration information to restore the correct settings. See Chapter 2, “Using the System Setup Program,” for instructions. 2.
Chapter 7 Installing Drives Y our Dell computer has six drive bays for installing the following types of drives (see Figure 7-1): • The externally accessible drive bays at the front of the computer consist of one 3.5-inch drive bay (dedicated to a 3.5-inch diskette drive) and three 5.25-inch bays that can hold up to three half-height, 5.25-inch devices—typically tape drives or CD-ROM drives. Alternately, 3.5-inch devices can be installed in the 5.25-inch bays using adapters available from Dell.
To remove the insert covering a 5.25-inch bay, follow these steps: tab release 1. Turn off the system, including any attached peripherals, and disconnect all the alternating current (AC) power cables from their power sources. 2. Remove the computer cover as instructed in “Removing the Computer Cover” in Chapter 5. 3. Remove the front bezel using the instructions in the previous section, “Removing and Replacing the Front Bezel.” 4.
Connecting Drives When installing a drive, you connect two cables— a direct current (DC) power cable and an interface cable—to the back of the drive. Your drive’s power input connector (to which you connect the DC power cable) resembles the connector shown in Figure 7-4. power input connector interface connector. For the location of pin 1 on the drive’s interface connector, see the documentation that came with the drive.
To install a drive in a 5.25-inch drive bay, follow these steps: 1. Unpack the drive and prepare it for installation. bracket tabs (2) CAUTION: Ground yourself by touching an unpainted metal surface on the back of the computer. 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. Figure 7-6.
7. If you are installing a drive that has its own controller card, install the controller card in an expansion slot. See “Installing an Expansion Card” in Chapter 6. bracket tabs (2) bracket Figure 7-7. Attaching the Drive Bracket to the New Drive 8. Connect a DC power cable to the power input connector on the back of the drive (see Figure 7-9). 9. Connect the appropriate interface cable to the interface connector on the back of the drive (see Figure 7-9).
CAUTION: You must match the colored strip on the cable with pin 1 on the drive’s interface connector to avoid possible damage to your system. interface connector power input connector DC power cable diskette/tape drive interface cable Figure 7-9. Attaching Diskette Drive or Tape Drive Cables 10. For an EIDE tape drive or CD-ROM drive, connect the other end of the interface cable to the interface connector labeled “IDE2” on the system board.
drive as instructed in the tape-drive software documentation that came with the tape drive. 11. If the 5.25-inch drive bay was previously empty, remove the front-panel insert from the front bezel. NOTE: The tape drives sold by Dell come with their own operating software and documentation. After you install a tape drive, refer to the documentation that came with the drive for instructions on installing and using the tape drive software.
• Remove the screw securing the hard-disk drive bracket to the drive cage in the chassis. If you did not purchase the drive from Dell, call the drive manufacturer. With the two EIDE interface connectors on the system board, your system can support up to four EIDE devices. EIDE hard-disk drives should be connected to the EIDE interface connector labeled “IDE1.” (EIDE tape drives and CD-ROM drives should be connected to the EIDE interface connector labeled “IDE2.
screws (4) sliding tab 8. Connect a DC power cable to the power input connector on the back of the drive (see Figure 7-13). Check all connectors to be certain that they are properly cabled and firmly seated. 9. Connect one of the device connectors on the EIDE cable to the 40-pin interface connector on the back of the hard-disk drive (see Figure 7-13). CAUTION: You must match the colored strip on the EIDE cable with pin 1 on the drive’s interface connector to avoid possible damage to your system. 1.
10. If it is not already connected, connect the other end of the EIDE cable to the IDE1 connector on the system board. CAUTION: You must match the colored strip on the EIDE cable with pin 1 on the IDE1 connector to avoid possible damage to your system. To locate the IDE1 connector, see Figure 6-1. 11. Replace the computer cover. Then reconnect your computer and peripherals to their power sources, and turn them on. 12.
Although SCSI devices are installed essentially the same way as other devices, their configuration requirements are different. 50-pin SCSI cable (to device in externally accessible drive bay) SCSI Configuration Guidelines For details on configuring your SCSI subsystem, refer to the documentation that came with your SCSI devices and/or your host adapter card. The following subsections offer some general guidelines.
tion is enabled on the external SCSI device and disabled for the SCSI host adapter and all internal SCSI devices. 4. CAUTION: Do not connect devices to all three connectors (internal narrow connector, internal wide connector, and external connector) on a single SCSI host adapter card. Such a configuration is a violation of the SCSI specification. You can safely connect devices to any two of these three connectors on a single SCSI host adapter card.
The connectors on narrow SCSI cables are keyed for proper positioning—a raised area on the outside of the header connector fits into a notch on the device connector. The connectors on wide SCSI cables are shaped so that they can be attached one way only. If you are installing an external SCSI device, connect one end of the external SCSI cable to the SCSI bus connector on the back of the device. 7. Attach the SCSI cable to the connector on the SCSI host adapter card.
partition of 500 MB (drive D). Hard-disk drives must be partitioned this way because MS-DOS–based operating systems (including Windows NT when using a FAT16 file system) do not support drive partitions larger than 2 GB.
Appendix A Technical Specifications Table A-1. Technical Specifications Microprocessor Microprocessor type . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Intel Pentium II microprocessor that runs at 233 MHz internally/66 MHz externally, at 266 MHz internally/66 MHz externally, or at 300 MHz internally/66 MHz externally. Design provides for future Dell-supported upgrades. A slower compatibility speed can be set through the System Setup program. Internal cache . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Table A-1. Technical Specifications (continued) Expansion Bus Bus types. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . PCI and ISA Bus speed . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . PCI: 33 MHz ISA: 8.33 MHz PCI expansion-card connectors . . . . . . . . . five (two PCI connectors share card-slot openings with ISA connectors) ISA expansion-card connectors. . . . . . . . . . four (two ISA connectors share card-slot openings with PCI connectors) ISA expansion-card connector size. . . . . . .
Table A-1. Technical Specifications (continued) Ports Externally accessible: Serial (DTE). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . two 9-pin connectors; 16550-compatible Parallel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . one 25-hole connector (bidirectional) Video . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . one 15-hole connector Optional integrated NIC . . . . . . . . . . . RJ45 connector PS/2-style keyboard . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-pin mini-DIN PS/2-compatible mouse . . . . . . . .
Table A-1. Technical Specifications (continued) Controls and Indicators Reset control . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . push button Power control . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . push button Power indicators . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . green LEDs (one on front panel, one on riser board) Hard-disk drive access indicator. . . . . . . . . green LED Link integrity indicator (on optional integrated NIC connector) . . .
Table A-1. Technical Specifications (continued) Environmental Temperature: Operating . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10° to 35°C (50° to 95°F) Storage . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . –40° to 65°C (–40° to 149°F) Relative humidity . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8% to 80% (noncondensing) Maximum vibration: Operating . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 0.25 G at 3 to 200 Hz at 1 octave/min Storage . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 0.
A-6 Dell OptiPlex GXa Mini Tower Systems Reference and Installation Guide
Appendix B ISA Configuration Utility Messages he ISA Configuration Utility (ICU) and its ConfiguT ration Manager are capable of identifying problems and ICU Error Messages alerting you to them. Both utilities can alert you to problems with card configuration as well as problems that prevent proper operation of the utility. This appendix describes each type of message and lists the possible causes and actions you can take to resolve any problems indicated by a message.
Table B-1. Configuration Utility Messages (continued) Message Probable Cause Corrective Action At least one Plug and Play card in your system is not configured due to conflicts. These are marked “config err” in the list of configured cards. The Configuration Manager or the ICU cannot configure at least one Plug and Play expansion card because of resource conflicts with one or more cards. You must reconfigure the conflicting card(s). To find the conflicting card, perform the following steps: 1.
Table B-1. Configuration Utility Messages (continued) Message Probable Cause Corrective Action No more DMA values can be added. No more values are available for the resource you are trying to add or modify. The maximum number of values for each resource is as follows: No more interrupt values can be added. No more memory values can be added.
Table B-1. Configuration Utility Messages (continued) Message Probable Cause Corrective Action The configuration (.cfg) file used by the ICU for this card is now invalid or does not exist. Do you wish to load the file? This message appears when you try to add a listed card and the configuration file for this card has been corrupted or deleted from the database.
Configuration Manager Messages The Configuration Manager for the ICU identifies problems following system boot and generates messages if necessary. These messages alert you to any unsuccessful attempts to configure Plug and Play or Peripheral Component Interconnect (PCI) expansion cards, as well as any problems that interfere with the operation of the Configuration Manager.
Table B-2. Configuration Manager Messages (continued) Message Probable Cause Corrective Action ERROR: Could not read NVS, Error=Internal Error Code. An attempt to read the NVRAM failed. See the chapter titled “Getting Help” in your Diagnostics and Troubleshooting Guide for instructions. ERROR: Failed NVS write. Error=Internal Error Code. An attempt to write to NVRAM failed. Run the Dell Diagnostics to verify the integrity of your system NVRAM.
Table B-2. Configuration Manager Messages (continued) Message Probable Cause Corrective Action WARNING: Could not configure Plug and Play Card Name. The card(s) mentioned are not fully configured due to resource conflicts. If you have documentation that lists the allowable resource values for your Plug and Play or PCI expansion card, you can use the following procedure to locate and resolve the resource conflict. WARNING: Could not configure PCI device, ID=DeviceID.
Table B-2. Configuration Manager Messages (continued) Message Probable Cause Corrective Action WARNING: Could not configure Plug and Play Card Name. The card(s) mentioned are not fully configured due to resource conflicts. If you do not know the allowable resource values for your Plug and Play or PCI expansion card, use the following procedure to locate and resolve the resource conflict: WARNING: Could not configure PCI device, ID=DeviceID. 1. Remove all card configurations from the ICU.
Appendix C Regulatory Notices FCC Notices (U.S. Only) Class A Most Dell computer systems are classified by the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) as Class B digital devices. However, the inclusion of certain options changes the rating of some configurations to Class A. To determine which classification applies to your computer system, examine all FCC registration labels located on the back panel of your computer, on card-mounting brackets, and on the cards themselves.
• Plug the computer into a different outlet so that the computer and the receiver are on different branch circuits. This Class B (or Class A, if so indicated on the registration label) digital apparatus meets the requirements of the Canadian Interference-Causing Equipment Regulations. If necessary, consult a representative of Dell Computer Corporation or an experienced radio/television technician for additional suggestions.
• or back panel of your computer, on card-mounting brackets, or on the cards themselves) carries an FCC Class A rating, the following warning applies to your system. considered to be VCCI Class A ITE. If all labels carry either an FCC Class B identification number or the FCC logo ( ), your system is considered to be VCCI Class B ITE. WARNING: This is a Class A product. In a domestic environment this product may cause radio interference in which case the user may be required to take adequate measures.
interference. If you find that this device is not suitable for your use, you may exchange it for a device that has been approved for use in residential as well as business environments.
NOM 024 Information Información para NOM 024 (Mexico Only) (únicamente para México) The following information is provided on the device(s) described in this document in compliance with the requirements of the official Mexican standards (NOM 024): La información siguiente se proporciona en el dispositivo o en los dispositivos descritos en este documento, en cumplimiento con los requisitos de la Norma Oficial Mexicana (NOM 024): Exporter: Dell Computer Corporation One Dell Way Round Rock, TX 78682 Exp
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Appendix D Warranties and Return Policy Limited Three-Year Warranty (U.S. and Canada Only) Dell Computer Corporation (“Dell”) manufactures its hardware products from parts and components that are new or equivalent to new in accordance with industrystandard practices. Dell warrants that the hardware products it manufactures will be free from defects in materials and workmanship. The warranty term is three years beginning on the date of invoice, as described in the following text.
to obtain Dell’s concurrence that a part should be replaced and to have Dell ship the replacement part. Dell will ship parts (freight prepaid) if you use an address in the continental U.S. Shipments to other locations will be made freight collect. Dell will include a prepaid shipping container with each replacement part for your use in returning the replaced part to Dell. Replacement parts are new or reconditioned. Dell may provide replacement parts made by various manufacturers when supplying parts to you.
Returned products must be in as-new condition, and all of the manuals, diskette(s), CD(s), power cables, and other items included with a product must be returned with it. This “Total Satisfaction” Return Policy does not apply to DellWare products, which may be returned under DellWare’s current return policy.
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Index A C AC power receptacle, 5-5 cables connector types, 7-3 DC power, 5-3, 7-3 drive interface, 5-3, 5-5, 7-3 SCSI cables, 7-10 accelerated graphics port. See AGP AGP, 1-2 alternating current.
connectors (continued) hard-disk drive LED, 6-2 header, 7-3 keyboard, 4-1, 5-5, 6-1 list of, 5-7 microphone, 4-1, 5-5, 6-1 microprocessor fan, 6-1 mouse, 4-1, 5-5, 6-1 NIC, 4-2, 5-5, 6-1 parallel port, 4-1, 5-5, 6-1 power input, 6-1 riser board, 6-1 SEC cartridge, 6-1 serial ports, 4-1, 5-5, 6-1 USB, 4-1, 5-5, 6-1 video, 4-1, 5-5, 6-1 direct current See DC control panel connector, 6-1 cover removing and replacing, 5-2 drive bays about, 7-1 installing drives, 7-3 CPU Speed category, 2-6 drivers for inte
E fixed disk. See drives; EIDE hard-disk drives; SCSI devices ECC, 1-1 fixing problems, 1-7 EDO, 1-1 floppy drives. See diskette drives EIDE hard-disk drives addressing, 7-6 disabling the built-in interface, 2-11 Drive 0 and Drive 1 categories, 2-4 drive-type parameters, 2-5 formatting, 7-9 installing, 7-6 interface connectors, 6-1 partitioning, 7-9 formatting EIDE hard-disk drives, 7-9 SCSI hard-disk drives, 7-12 front-panel inserts, 7-2 G electrostatic discharge.
I ID numbers, 7-10 IDE Hard Disk category, 2-10 indicators NIC activity, 4-1 Industry-Standard Architecture. See ISA inserts front panel, 7-2 installing DIMMs, 6-4, 6-6 drives, 7-3 expansion cards, 6-2 microprocessor, 6-7 SCSI devices, 7-9 system battery, 6-9 integrated devices, 4-1 integrated drive electronics.
L N Level 2 Cache category, 2-11 NDIS network driver, 4-6 line-in jack, 4-2, 5-5, 6-1 Network Driver Interface Specification. See NDIS line-out jack, 4-2, 5-5, 6-1 low-level formatting, 7-12 network drivers MS-DOS, 4-6 Windows 95, 4-4 Windows for Workgroups, 4-4 Windows NT 3.5x, 4-3 Windows NT 4.0, 4-2 M network interface controller.
Password Status category, 2-6 ribbon cables, 7-3 password.
setup password about, 2-8 assigning, 2-14 changing or deleting an existing password, 2-14 disabling a forgotten password, 2-14 using, 2-14 Setup Password category, 2-8 small computer system interface.
USB about, 1-2 connectors, 4-2, 5-5, 6-1 W V warnings, x, 5-1 Wakeup on LAN about, 1-2 category, 2-10 warranty information, ix, D-1 VESA and power management, 2-9 video connector, 4-2, 5-5, 6-1 video controller, 4-1 Video Electronics Standards Association. See VESA video memory adding, 6-6 upgrade socket, 6-1 Video Memory category, 2-11 8 Windows 95 NDIS 2.
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