Dell™ Dimension™ 3100C Owner’s Manual Service Tag FlexBay for optional floppy drive or Media Card Reader CD or DVD activity light CD or DVD eject button headphone connector USB 2.0 connectors (2) diagnostic lights hard drive activity light power button cover latch release power connector audio connectors USB 2.0 connectors (4) network adapter card slots for PCI (2), PCI Express x1 (1) Model DCNE w w w. d e l l . c o m | s u p p o r t . d e l l .
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. If you purchased a Dell™ n Series computer, any references in this document to Microsoft® Windows® operating systems are not applicable.
Contents Finding Information 1 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Setting Up and Using Your Computer Setting Up a Printer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Connecting to the Internet . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Drive Problems . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . CD and DVD drive problems Hard drive problems . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . E-Mail, Modem, and Internet Problems . Error Messages 29 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30 Keyboard Problems . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 31 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Drivers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . What Is a Driver? . . Identifying Drivers . Reinstalling Drivers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Resolving Software and Hardware Incompatibilities Restoring Your Operating System ® 47 48 48 . . . . . . . . . . . . . 49 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Media Card Reader . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . DVD Drive . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 81 82 82 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 83 Replacing the Battery . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Replacing the Computer Cover 5 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Glossary Index . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 121 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Contents
Finding Information NOTE: Some features or media may be optional and may not ship with your computer. Some features or media may not be available in certain countries. NOTE: Additional information may ship with your computer. What Are You Looking For? Find It Here • • • • • • Dell™ Product Information Guide Warranty information Terms and Conditions (U.S.
www.dell.com | support.dell.com 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.
What Are You Looking For? Find It Here • How to use Windows XP • How to work with programs and files • How to personalize my desktop Windows Help and Support Center 1 Click the Start button and click Help and Support. 2 Type a word or phrase that describes your problem and click the arrow icon. 3 Click the topic that describes your problem. 4 Follow the instructions on the screen.
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Setting Up and Using Your Computer Setting Up a Printer NOTICE: Complete the operating system setup before you connect a printer to the computer. See the documentation that came with the printer for setup information, including how to: • Obtain and install updated drivers • Connect the printer to the computer • Load paper and install the toner or ink cartridge • Contact the printer manufacturer for technical assistance Printer Cable Your printer connects to your computer with a USB cable.
www.dell.com | support.dell.com USB connector on computer USB printer cable USB connector on printer Connecting to the Internet NOTE: ISPs and ISP offerings vary by country. To connect to the Internet, you need a modem or network connection and an Internet service provider (ISP), such as AOL or MSN. Your ISP will offer one or more of the following Internet connection options: • Dial-up connections that provide Internet access through a telephone line.
Setting Up Your Internet Connection To set up an AOL or MSN connection: 1 Save and close any open files, and exit any open programs. 2 Double-click the MSN Explorer or AOL icon on the Microsoft® Windows® desktop. 3 Follow the instructions on the screen to complete the setup. If you do not have an MSN Explorer or AOL icon on your desktop or if you want to set up an Internet connection with a different ISP: 1 Save and close any open files, and exit any open programs.
www.dell.com | support.dell.com Playing CDs and DVDs NOTICE: Do not press down on the CD or DVD tray when you open or close it. Keep the tray closed when you are not using the drive. NOTICE: Do not move the computer when you are playing CDs or DVDs. 1 Press the eject button on the front of the drive. 2 Place the disc, label side up in the center of the tray 3 Press the disc into the center of the tray until it clicks into place. 4 Press the eject button or gently push in the tray.
Go to the previous track Eject Go to the next track A DVD player includes the following basic buttons: Stop Restart the current chapter Play Fast forward Pause Fast reverse Advance a single frame while in pause mode Go to the next title or chapter Continuously play the current title or chapter Go to the previous title or chapter Eject For more information on playing CDs or DVDs, click Help on the CD or DVD player (if available).
www.dell.com | support.dell.com Adjusting the Picture If an error message notifies you that the current resolution and color depth are using too much memory and preventing DVD playback, adjust the display properties: 1 Click the Start button and click Control Panel. 2 Under Pick a category, click Appearance and Themes. 3 Under Pick a task..., click Change the screen resolution. 4 In the Display Properties window, click and drag the bar in Screen resolution to change the setting to 800 by 600 pixels.
3 To copy the CD or DVD: • If you have one CD or DVD drive, ensure that the settings are correct and click the Disc Copy button. The computer reads your source CD or DVD and copies the data to a temporary folder on your computer hard drive. When prompted, insert a blank CD or DVD into the drive and click OK. • If you have two CD or DVD drives, select the drive into which you have inserted your source CD or DVD and click the Disc Copy button.
www.dell.com | support.dell.com Media Type Read Write Rewritable DVD-R DL Maybe No No DVD-RAM Maybe No No Helpful Tips • Use Microsoft® Windows® Explorer to drag and drop files to a CD-R or CD-RW only after you start Sonic DigitalMedia and open a DigitalMedia project. • Use CD-Rs to burn music CDs that you want to play in regular stereos. CD-RWs do not play in most home or car stereos. • You cannot create audio DVDs with Sonic DigitalMedia.
For information on installing a Media Card Reader, see "Installing a Media Card Reader" on page 81. xD-Picture Card and SmartMedia (SMC) CompactFlash Type I and II (CF I/II) and MicroDrive Card Memory Stick (MS/MS Pro) SecureDigital Card (SD)/ MultiMediaCard (MMC) To use the Media Card Reader: 1 Check the media or card to determine the proper orientation for insertion. 2 Slide the media or card into the appropriate slot until it is completely seated in the connector.
www.dell.com | support.dell.com Setting Up a Home and Office Network Connecting to a Network Adapter NOTICE: Plug the network cable into the network adapter connector on the computer. Do not plug the network cable into the modem connector on the computer. NOTICE: Do not plug a network cable into a telephone wall jack. 1 Connect the network cable to the network adapter connector on the back of your computer. Insert the cable until it clicks into place, and then gently pull it to ensure that it is secure.
Power Management The Microsoft® Windows® XP power management features can reduce the amount of electricity your computer uses when it is on and you are not using it. You can reduce power to just the monitor or the hard drive, or you can use standby mode or hibernate mode to reduce power to the entire computer. When the computer exits from a power conservation mode, the Windows desktop is restored to the state it was in before it entered the mode.
www.dell.com | support.dell.com Because hibernate mode requires a special file on your hard drive with enough disk space to store the contents of the computer memory, Dell creates an appropriately sized hibernate mode file before shipping the computer to you. If the computer’s hard drive becomes corrupted, Windows XP recreates the hibernate file automatically.
Advanced Tab The Advanced tab allows you to: • Place the power options icon in the Windows taskbar for quick access. • Set the computer to prompt you for your Windows password before the computer exits from standby mode or hibernate mode. • Program the power button to activate standby mode, activate hibernate mode, or turn off the computer. To program these functions, select an option from the corresponding drop-down menu and click OK.
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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.
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 "Cleaning Your Computer" on page 99. 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 "Resolving Software and Hardware Incompatibilities" on page 49. R U N T H E D E L L D I A G N O S T I C S — See page 46.
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 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 102).
www.dell.com | support.dell.com Keyboard Problems CAUTION: Before you begin any of the procedures in this section, follow the safety instructions located in the Product Information Guide. CHECK THE KEYBOARD CABLE — • Ensure that the keyboard cable is firmly connected to the computer. • Shut down the computer (see page 53), reconnect the keyboard cable as shown on the setup diagram for your computer, and then restart the computer.
A program stops responding END THE PROGRAM — 1 Press simultaneously. 2 Click Applications. 3 Click the program that is no longer responding. 4 Click End Task. 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.
www.dell.com | support.dell.com Other software problems CHECK THE SOFTWARE DOCUMENTATION OR CONTACT THE SOFTWARE MANUFACTURER FOR TROUBLESHOOTING INFORMATION — • Ensure that the program is compatible with the operating system installed on your computer. • Ensure that your computer meets the minimum hardware requirements needed to run the software. See the software documentation for information. • Ensure that the program is installed and configured properly.
IF YOU EXPERIENCE OTHER MEMORY PROBLEMS — • Reseat the memory modules (see page 64) to ensure that your computer is successfully communicating with the memory. • Ensure that you are following the memory installation guidelines (see page 64). • Your computer supports DDR2 memory. For more information about the type of memory supported by your computer, see "Memory" on page 62. • Run the Dell Diagnostics (see page 46).
www.dell.com | support.dell.com Network Problems CAUTION: Before you begin any of the procedures in this section, follow the safety instructions located in the Product Information Guide. C H E C K T H E N E T W O R K C A B L E C O N N E C T O R — Ensure that the network cable is firmly inserted into both the network connector on the back of the computer and the network port or device.
I F T H E P O W E R L I G H T I S O F F — The computer is either turned off or is not receiving power. • Reseat the power cable into both the power connector on the back of the computer and the electrical outlet. • If the computer is plugged into a power strip, ensure that the power strip is plugged into an electrical outlet and that the power strip is turned on. Also bypass power protection devices, power strips, and power extension cables to verify that the computer turns on properly.
www.dell.com | support.dell.com CHECK THE PRINTER CABLE CONNECTIONS — • See the printer documentation for cable connection information. • Ensure that the printer cables are securely connected to the printer and the computer (see "Setting Up a Printer" on page 13). 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.
VE R I F Y T H A T T H E S C A N N E R I S R E C O G N I Z E D B Y M I C R O S O F T W I N D O W S — 1 Click the Start button, click Control Panel, and then click Printers and Other Hardware. 2 Click Scanners and Cameras. If your scanner is listed, Windows recognizes the scanner. R E I N S T A L L T H E S C A N N E R D R I V E R — See the scanner documentation for instructions.
www.dell.com | support.dell.com R E I N S T A L L T H E S O U N D D R I V E R — See "Reinstalling Drivers" on page 48. 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 "Resolving Software and Hardware Incompatibilities" on page 49. No sound from headphones C H E C K T H E H E A D P H O N E C A B L E C O N N E C T I O N — Ensure that the headphone cable is securely inserted into the headphone connector (see page 55).
If the screen is difficult to read C H E C K T H E M O N I T O R S E T T I N G S — See the monitor documentation for instructions on adjusting the contrast and brightness, demagnetizing (degaussing) the monitor, and running the monitor self-test. M O V E T H E S U B W O O F E R A W A Y F R O M T H E M O N I T O R — If your speaker system includes a subwoofer, ensure that the subwoofer is at least 60 cm (2 ft) away from the monitor.
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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. Your computer has four lights labeled "1," "2," "3," and "4" on the front panel to help you troubleshoot problems (see page 55). 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 A possible graphics failure has occurred. If the problem persists, contact Dell (see page 102). A possible floppy drive or hard drive failure has Reseat all power and data cables and restart occurred. the computer. 44 A possible USB failure has occurred. Reinstall all USB devices, check cable connections, and then restart the computer. No memory modules are detected.
Light Pattern Problem Description A possible expansion card failure has occurred. Suggested Resolution 1 Determine whether a conflict exists by removing a card and restarting the computer (see page 66). 2 If the problem persists, reinstall the card that you removed, remove a different card, and then restart the computer. 3 Repeat this process for each card. If the computer starts normally, troubleshoot the last card removed from the computer for resource conflicts (see page 49).
www.dell.com | support.dell.com Dell Diagnostics CAUTION: Before you begin any of the procedures in this section, follow the safety instructions located in the Product Information Guide. If you experience a problem with your computer, perform the checks in "Solving Problems" (see page 27) and run the Dell Diagnostics before you contact Dell for technical assistance. NOTICE: The Dell Diagnostics works only on Dell™ computers. 1 Turn on (or restart) your computer.
3 If you run a test from the Custom Test or Symptom Tree option, click the applicable tab described in the following table for more information. Tab Function Results Displays the results of the test and any error conditions encountered. Errors Displays error conditions encountered, error codes, and the problem description. Help Describes the test and may indicate requirements for running the test. Configuration Displays your hardware configuration for the selected device.
www.dell.com | support.dell.com Identifying Drivers If you experience a problem with any device, identify whether the driver is the source of your problem and, if necessary, update the driver. 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.
Manually Reinstalling Drivers 1 After copying the required driver files to your hard drive, click the Start button and right-click My Computer. 2 Click Properties. 3 Click the Hardware tab and click Device Manager. 4 Double-click the type of device for which you are installing the driver. 5 Double-click the name of the device for which you are installing the driver. 6 Click the Driver tab and click Update Driver. 7 Click Install from a list or specific location (Advanced) and click Next.
www.dell.com | support.dell.com Using Microsoft® Windows® XP System Restore The Microsoft Windows XP operating system provides System Restore to allow you to return your computer to an earlier operating state (without affecting data files) if changes to the hardware, software, or other system settings have left the computer in an undesirable operating state. See the Windows Help and Support Center for information on using System Restore. NOTICE: Make regular backups of your data files.
Undoing the Last System Restore NOTICE: Before you undo the last system restore, save and close all open files and exit any open programs. Do not alter, open, or delete any files or programs until the system restoration is complete. 1 Click the Start button, point to All Programs→ Accessories→ System Tools, and then click System Restore. 2 Click Undo my last restoration and click Next.
www.dell.com | support.dell.com 5 When prompted, click Finish to reboot the computer. NOTE: Do not manually shut down the computer. Click Finish and let the computer completely reboot. 6 When prompted, click Yes. The computer restarts. Because the computer is restored to its original operating state, the screens that appear, such as the End User License Agreement, are the same ones that appeared the first time the computer was turned on. 7 Click Next.
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 53) and "Before Working Inside Your Computer" (see page 54). • You have read the safety information in your Dell™ Product Information Guide.
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 View of the Computer 1 11 2 10 3 9 4 8 5 7 6 Removing and Installing Parts 55
1 cover latch release Use this latch to remove the cover. See "Removing the Computer Cover" on page 58. 2 DVD activity light The drive light is on when the computer reads data from the CD or DVD drive. 3 DVD eject button Press to eject a disk from the CD or DVD drive. 4 USB 2.
Back View of the Computer 1 2 3 4 5 6 1 power connector Insert the power cable. 2 audio connectors (3) • Line-in connector — Use the blue line-in connector to attach a record/playback device such as a cassette player, CD player, or VCR. • Line-out connector — Use the green line-out connector to attach headphones and most speakers with integrated amplifiers. • Microphone connector — Use the pink microphone connector to attach a personal computer microphone for voice or musical input. 3 USB 2.
4 network adapter connector To attach your computer to a network or broadband device, connect one end of a network cable to either a network port or your network or broadband device. Connect the other end of the network cable to the network adapter connector on your computer. A click indicates that the network cable is securely attached. NOTE: Do not plug a telephone cable into the network connector. On computers with a network connector card, use the connector on the card.
1 2 3 1 security cable slot 2 cover release latch 3 padlock ring Inside View of Your Computer CAUTION: Before you begin any of the procedures in this section, follow the safety instructions located in the Product Information Guide. CAUTION: To avoid electrical shock, always unplug your computer from the electrical outlet before removing the computer cover. NOTICE: Be careful when opening the computer cover to ensure that you do not accidentally disconnect cables from the system board.
2 1 3 4 6 60 5 1 drives bay (CD/DVD, floppy, and hard drive) 3 system board 5 heat sink assembly 2 power supply 4 card slots 6 front I/O panel Removing and Installing Parts
System Board Components 1 2 3 16 4 15 14 13 12 5 11 6 10 9 8 7 Removing and Installing Parts 61
1 fan connector (FAN) 9 PCI Express x1 card connector 2 processor connector (CPU) 10 PCI card connector (2) 3 power connector (12VPOWER) 11 FlexBay USB connector 4 memory module connectors (DIMM_1, DIMM_2) 12 piezo buzzer 5 serial ATA drive connector (SATA0) 13 password jumper (PSWD) 6 front-panel connector (FNT_PANEL) 14 floppy drive connector (DSKT) 7 power connector (POWER) 15 battery socket (BATT) 8 DVD drive connector (IDE) 16 RTC reset jumper (RTCRST) Memory If your com
1 2 matched pair of memory modules in DIMM connectors 1 and 2 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. Otherwise, your computer may not start properly.
Installing Memory 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. 1 Follow the procedures in "Before You Begin" on page 53.
3 Align the notch on the bottom of the module with the crossbar in the connector. 3 2 1 4 1 cutouts (2) 3 notch 2 memory module 4 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. 4 Insert the module into the connector until the module snaps into position. If you insert the module correctly, the securing clips snap into the cutouts at each end of the module. 5 Replace the computer cover.
Removing Memory 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. 1 Follow the procedures in "Before You Begin" on page 53.
If you are installing or replacing an expansion card, follow the procedures in the next section. If you are removing but not replacing an expansion card, see "Removing an Expansion Card" on page 70. If you are replacing a card, remove the current driver for the card from the operating system. Installing an Expansion Card 1 Follow the procedures in "Before You Begin" on page 53.
CAUTION: Some network adapters automatically start the computer when they are connected to a network. To guard against electrical shock, be sure to unplug your computer from its electrical outlet before installing any cards. 6 Place the card in the connector and press down firmly. Ensure that the card is fully seated in the slot.
5 1 4 2 3 1 release tab 3 filler bracket 2 card retention door 4 alignment guide 5 alignment bar 8 Close the card retention door by snapping it into place. 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.
12 If you installed an add-in network adapter and want to disable the integrated network adapter: a Enter system setup, select Network Controller, and then change the setting to Off (see page 91). b Connect the network cable to the add-in network adapter’s connectors. Do not connect the network cable to the integrated connector on the back panel. 13 Install any drivers required for the card as described in the card documentation.
Drives Your computer supports a combination of these devices: • One serial ATA hard drive • One FlexBay drive (floppy drive or Media Card Reader) • One CD or DVD drive 1 2 3 1 DVD drive 2 floppy drive 3 hard drive Connect DVD drives to the connector labeled "IDE" on the system board. Serial ATA hard drives should be connected to the connectors labeled "SATA0" or "SATA1" on the system board.
Drive Interface Connectors 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. Keyed connectors ensure that the pin1 wire in the cable (indicated by the colored stripe along one edge of the IDE cable—serial ATA cables do not use a colored stripe) goes to the pin-1 end of the connector.
Connecting and Disconnecting Drive Cables When removing an IDE drive data cable, grasp the colored pull tab and pull until the connector detaches. When connecting and disconnecting a serial ATA data cable, hold the cable by the black connector at each end. Like IDE connectors, the serial ATA 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.
4 Press in on the two plastic securing clips on each side of the drive and slide the drive towards the back of the computer. NOTICE: Do not pull the drive out of the computer by the drive cables. Doing so may cause damage to cables and the cable connectors. 5 Lift the drive out of the computer and disconnect the power and hard-drive cables from the drive.
1 2 3 1 hard drive 2 release tabs (2) plastic hard-drive bracket 3 4 Place the replacement hard drive in the bracket and press it in until it clicks into place.
5 Connect the power and hard-drive cables to the drive. 6 Locate the correct slot for the drive, and slide the drive into the bay until it clicks into place. 1 2 1 hard drive 2 slot verification number 7 Replace the floppy drive and DVD drive. 8 Check all connectors to be certain that they are properly cabled and firmly seated. 9 Replace the computer cover. 10 If the drive you just installed is the primary drive, insert a bootable medium into your boot drive. 11 Turn on the computer.
Floppy Drive CAUTION: Before you begin any of the procedures in this section, follow the safety instructions located in the Product Information Guide. CAUTION: To guard against electrical shock, always unplug your computer from the electrical outlet before removing the cover. NOTE: If you are adding a floppy drive, see "Installing a Floppy Drive" on page 78. Removing a Floppy Drive 1 Follow the procedures in "Before You Begin" on page 53.
Installing a Floppy Drive 1 If you are installing a new drive: a Use a small flat-edge screw driver on the back side of the drive-panel insert to gently pop off the insert. b Remove the four shoulder screws from the drive-panel insert. 2 If you are replacing an existing drive: Remove the four shoulder screws from the existing drive. 3 Insert the four shoulder screws into the sides of the new floppy drive and tighten them. 4 Attach the power and floppy-drive cables to the floppy drive.
6 Replace the DVD drive. 1 2 1 power cable 2 slot verification number 7 Check all cable connections, and fold cables out of the way to provide airflow for the fan and cooling vents. 8 Replace the computer cover. Media Card Reader For information on using the Media Card Reader, see "Using a Media Card Reader (Optional)" on page 20. Removing a Media Card Reader CAUTION: Before you begin any of the procedures in this section, follow the safety instructions located in the Product Information Guide.
2 Remove the DVD drive (see "Removing a DVD Drive" on page 82) and carefully set it aside. NOTICE: Do not pull the drive out of the computer by the drive cables. Doing so may cause damage to cables and the cable connectors. 3 Disconnect the USB cable on the back of the Media Card Reader from the FlexBay USB connector on the system board (see page 61) and route the cable through the clip on the shroud.
Installing a Media Card Reader 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. 1 Follow the procedures in "Before You Begin" on page 53.
Removing a DVD Drive 1 Follow the procedures in "Before You Begin" on page 53. NOTICE: Do not pull the drive out of the computer by the drive cables. Doing so may cause damage to cables and the cable connectors. 2 Pull up on the drive release latch and slide the drive towards the back of the computer. Then, lift up to remove the drive from the computer. 1 drive release latch 1 2 2 CD/DVD drive 3 Disconnect the power and DVD drive cables from the back of the drive.
3 If you are replacing an existing drive: a Press the two snaps on the top of the drive-panel insert and rotate the insert toward the front of the computer. b Remove the three shoulder screws from the existing drive. c Insert the three shoulder screws into the sides of the new drive and tighten them. 4 Connect the power and DVD drive cables to the drive. 5 Align the shoulder screws with the screw guides, and slide the drive into the bay until it clicks into place.
4 Remove the battery by carefully prying it out of its socket with your fingers or with a blunt, nonconducting object such as a plastic screwdriver. 5 Insert the new battery into the socket with the side labeled "+" facing up, and snap the battery into place. 1 2 1 battery 2 battery socket 6 Replace the computer cover (see page 84). NOTICE: To connect a network cable, first plug the cable into the network port or device, and then plug it into the computer.
3 To replace the cover: a Align the bottom of the cover with the hinge tabs located along the bottom edge of the computer. b Using the hinge tabs as leverage, rotate the cover downward to close it. c Snap the cover into place by pulling back on the cover release latch and then releasing the latch when the cover is properly seated. d Ensure that the cover is seated correctly before moving the computer.
Removing and Installing Parts
Appendix Specifications Processor Processor type Intel® Pentium® or Celeron® processors Level 1 (L1) cache 32 KB Level 2 (L2) cache 256K, 1, MB, or 2 MB (dependent upon your computer configuration) pipelined-burst, eight-way set associative, write-back SRAM Memory Type 400- and 533-MHz DDR2 unbuffered SDRAM Memory connectors two Memory capacities 256 MB, 512 MB, or 1 GB non-ECC Minimum memory 256 MB Maximum memory 2 GB BIOS address F0000h Computer Information Chipset Intel 915GV DMA chan
www.dell.com | support.dell.com Audio Type HDA 2 Expansion Bus Bus type Bus speed PCI 2.3 PCI Express x1 PCI: 33 MHz PCI Express: 500 MB/s bidirectional speed PCI connectors two connector size 120 pins connector data width (maximum) 32 bits PCI Express connector one x1 connector size 36 pins connector data width (maximum) 1 PCI Express lane Drives Externally accessible: one 3.5-inch drive bay (FlexBay) one 5.
Connectors System board connectors: Primary IDE drive 40-pin connector on PCI local bus Serial ATA one 7-pin connector FlexBay Drive USB 10-pin header for optional floppy drive or optional Media Card Reader (3.5-inch bay devices) Fan one 5-pin connector PCI 2.3 two 120-pin connectors PCI Express x1 36-pin connector Controls and Lights Power control push button Power light green light — Blinking green in sleep state; solid green for power-on state.
www.dell.com | support.dell.com Power Voltage (see the safety instructions 100 to 240V located in the Product Information Guide for important voltage setting information) Backup battery 3-V CR2032 lithium coin cell Physical Height 36.1 cm (14.2 inches) Width 11.4 cm (4.5 inches) Depth 39.9 cm (15.7 inches) Weight 9.07 kg (20 lb.
System Setup Overview Use system setup as follows: • To change the system configuration information after you add, change, or remove any hardware in your computer • To set or change a user-selectable option such as the user password • To read the current amount of memory or set the type of hard drive installed Before you use system setup, it is recommended that you write down the system setup screen information for future reference.
www.dell.com | support.dell.com Options List — This field appears on the left side of the system setup window. The field is a scrollable list containing features that define the configuration of your computer, including installed hardware, power conservation, and security features. Option Field — This field contains information about each option. In this field you can view your current settings and make changes to your settings. Use the right and left arrow keys to highlight an option.
Boot Sequence The computer attempts to boot from the sequence of devices specified in this list. NOTE: If you insert a boot device and restart the computer, this option appears in the system setup menu. To boot from a USB memory device, select the USB device and move it so it becomes the first device in the list. Drives Diskette Drive Identifies and defines the floppy drive attached to the FLOPPY connector on the system board as Off, USB, Internal, or Read Only.
www.dell.com | support.dell.com Performance HyperThreading If your computer’s processor supports Hyper-Threading, this option appears in the Options List. Hard Drive Acoustics • Bypass (default) — Your computer does not test or change the current acoustics mode setting. • Quiet — The hard drive operates at its most quiet setting. • Suggested — The hard drive operates at the level suggested by the drive manufacturer. • Performance — The hard drive operates at its maximum speed.
Suspend Mode The options are S1, a suspend state where the computer is running in a lowpower mode, and S3, a standby state where the power is reduced or turned off for most components, however, system memory remains active. Maintenance CMOS Defaults This setting restores the computer’s default settings. Event Log Displays the system event log. POST Behavior Fastboot When set to On (default), your computer starts more quickly because it skips certain configurations and tests.
www.dell.com | support.dell.com Changing Boot Sequence for the Current Boot You can use this feature, for example, to restart your computer to a USB device such as a floppy drive, memory key, or CD-RW drive. NOTE: If you are booting to a USB floppy drive, you must first set Diskette Drive to OFF in system setup (see page 91). 1 If you are booting to a USB device, connect the USB device to a USB connector (see page 88). 2 Turn on (or restart) your computer.
Clearing Forgotten Passwords and CMOS Settings CAUTION: Before you begin any of the procedures in this section, follow the safety instructions located in the Product Information Guide. 1 Follow the procedures in "Before You Begin" on page 53. Jumper Locations PSWD Jumper Setting PSWD RTCRST Description Password features are enabled (default). 1 2 3 Password features are disabled. RTCRST The real-time clock has not been reset. 3 2 1 The real-time clock is being reset (jumpered temporarily).
www.dell.com | support.dell.com Clearing Password Settings 1 Follow the procedures in "Before You Begin" on page 53. 2 Locate the 3-pin password jumper (PSWD) on the system board (see page 97), 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 (see page 84). 4 Connect your computer and monitor to electrical outlets, and turn them on.
Cleaning Your Computer CAUTION: Before you begin any of the procedures in this section, follow the safety instructions located in the Product Information Guide. Computer, Keyboard, and Monitor CAUTION: Before you clean your computer, disconnect the computer from the electrical outlet. Clean your computer with a soft cloth dampened with water. Do not use liquid or aerosol cleaners, which may contain flammable substances.
www.dell.com | support.dell.com CDs and DVDs NOTICE: Always use compressed air to clean the lens in the DVD drive, and follow the instructions that come with the compressed air. Never touch the lens in the drive. If you notice problems, such as skipping, with the playback quality of your CDs or DVDs, try cleaning the discs. 1 Hold the disc by its outer edge. You can also touch the inside edge of the center hole. NOTICE: To prevent damaging the surface, do not wipe in a circular motion around the disc.
Definition of "Third-Party" Software and Peripherals Third-party software and peripherals include any peripheral, accessory, or software program sold by Dell not under the Dell brand (printers, scanners, cameras, games, and so on). Support for all thirdparty software and peripherals is provided by the original manufacturer of the product. FCC Notices (U.S. Only) Most Dell computer systems are classified by the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) as Class B digital devices.
www.dell.com | support.dell.com harmful interference to radio or television reception, which can be determined by turning the equipment off and on, you are encouraged to try to correct the interference by one or more of the following measures: • Reorient or relocate the receiving antenna. • Increase the separation between the equipment and the receiver. • Connect the equipment into an outlet on a circuit different from that to which the receiver is connected.
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 Anguilla General Support toll-free: 800-335-0031 Antigua and Barbuda General Support 1-800-805-5924 Argentina (Buenos Aires) Website: www.dell.com.ar International Access Code: 00 E-mail: us_latin_services@dell.com Country Code: 54 E-mail for desktop and portable computers: la-techsupport@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 Austria (Vienna) Website: support.euro.dell.com International Access Code: 900 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 Brunei Customer Technical Support (Penang, Malaysia) 604 633 4966 Country Code: 673 Customer Service (Penang, Malaysia) 604 633 4949 Transaction Sales (Penang, Malaysia) 604 633 4955 Canada (North York, Ontario) Online Order Status: www.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 China (Xiamen) Technical Support website: support.dell.com.cn Country Code: 86 Technical Support E-mail: cn_support@dell.com City Code: 592 Customer Care E-mail: customer_cn@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 Czech Republic (Prague) Website: support.euro.dell.com International Access Code: 00 E-mail: czech_dell@dell.com Country Code: 420 Technical Support 22537 2727 Customer Care 22537 2707 Fax 22537 2714 Tech Fax 22537 2728 Switchboard 22537 2711 Denmark (Copenhagen) 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 Area Codes, Local Numbers, and Toll-Free Numbers France (Paris) (Montpellier) 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 Greece 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 Area Codes, Local Numbers, and Toll-Free Numbers Ireland (Cherrywood) Website: support.euro.dell.com International Access Code: 16 E-mail: dell_direct_support@dell.com Country Code: 353 Technical Support for XPS portable computers only 1850 200 722 City Code: 1 Technical Support for all other Dell computers 1850 543 543 U.K.
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.
www.dell.com | support.dell.com 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.
Country (City) International Access Code Country Code City Code Mexico Department Name or Service Area, Website and E-Mail Address Customer Technical Support 001-877-384-8979 or 001-877-269-3383 International Access Code: 00 Country Code: 52 Area Codes, Local Numbers, and Toll-Free Numbers 50-81-8800 Sales or 01-800-888-3355 Customer Service 001-877-384-8979 or 001-877-269-3383 50-81-8800 Main or 01-800-888-3355 General Support toll-free: 1-866-278-6822 Netherlands Antilles General Support 00
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 001-800-220-1006 Nicaragua General Support Norway (Lysaker) 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 Singapore (Singapore) Website: support.ap.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 Spain (Madrid) 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 Taiwan Website: support.ap.dell.com International Access Code: 002 E-mail: ap_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.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 118 E-mail: dell_direct_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 U.S.A.
Appendix www.dell.com | support.dell.
Glossary Terms in this Glossary are provided for informational purposes only and may or may not describe features included with your particular computer. — An internal power source used to operate portable computers when not connected to an AC adapter and an electrical outlet. BATTERY — The length of time (years) during which a portable computer battery is able to be depleted and recharged.
www.dell.com | support.dell.com — The speed, given in MHz, that indicates how fast a bus can transfer information. BUS SPEED B Y T E — The basic data unit used by your computer. A byte is usually equal to 8 bits. C C — Celsius — A temperature measurement system where 0° is the freezing point and 100° is the boiling point of water. — A special high-speed storage mechanism which can be either a reserved section of main memory or an independent high-speed storage device.
— A technique for spreading data over multiple disk drives. Disk striping can speed up operations that retrieve data from disk storage. Computers that use disk striping generally allow the user to select the data unit size or stripe width. then erased and written over (rewritten). (DVD+RW technology is different from DVD-RW technology.) D M A — direct memory access — A channel that allows certain types of data transfer between RAM and a device to bypass the processor.
www.dell.com | support.dell.com E X P R E S S S E R V I C E C O D E — A numeric code located on a sticker on your Dell™ computer. Use the Express Service Code when contacting Dell for assistance. Express Service Code service may not be available in some countries. — A display setting that allows you to use a second monitor as an extension of your display. Also referred to as dual display mode.
H Z — hertz — A unit of frequency measurement that equals 1 cycle per second. Computers and electronic devices are often measured in kilohertz (kHz), megahertz (MHz), gigahertz (GHz), or terahertz (THz). I I C — Industry Canada — The Canadian regulatory body responsible for regulating emissions from electronic equipment, much as the FCC does in the United States.
www.dell.com | support.dell.com M B P S — megabits per second — (written as Mbps) One million bits per second. This measurement is typically used for transmission speeds for networks and modems. M B — megabyte — A measurement of data storage that equals 1,048,576 bytes. 1 MB equals 1024 KB. When used to refer to hard drive storage, the term is often rounded to 1,000,000 bytes. M B / S E C — megabytes per second — One million bytes per second. This measurement is typically used for data transfer ratings.
P A R T I T I O N — A physical storage area on a hard drive that is assigned to one or more logical storage areas known as logical drives. Each partition can contain multiple logical drives. P C C A R D — A removable I/O card adhering to the PCMCIA standard. Modems and network adapters are common types of PC Cards.
www.dell.com | support.dell.com lower end of the electromagnetic frequency spectrum and are more likely to have interference than the higher frequency radiations, such as infrared and light. R O M — read-only memory — Memory that stores data and programs that cannot be deleted or written to by the computer. ROM, unlike RAM, retains its contents after you shut down your computer. Some programs essential to the operation of your computer reside in ROM.
S X G A — super-extended graphics array — A video standard for video cards and controllers that supports resolutions up to 1280 x 1024. suppression and may also provide voltage regulation. Small UPS systems provide battery power for a few minutes to enable you to shut down your computer. S X G A + — super-extended graphics array plus — A video standard for video cards and controllers that supports resolutions up to 1400 x 1050.
www.dell.com | support.dell.com V I R U S — A program that is designed to inconvenience you or to destroy data stored on your computer. A virus program moves from one computer to another through an infected disk, software downloaded from the Internet, or e-mail attachments. When an infected program starts, its embedded virus also starts. W R I T E - P R O T E C T E D — Files or media that cannot be changed. Use write-protection when you want to protect data from being changed or destroyed.
Index A audio connectors, 57 audio.
Index documentation (continued) Product Information Guide, 9 regulatory, 9 safety, 9 warranty, 9 Flex Bay drive Media Card Reader, 56 floppy drive removing, 77 drive panel, 56 drivers about, 47 identifying, 48 drives, 71 hard drive, 73 problems, 27 removing floppy, 77 serial ATA, 73 DVD drive problems, 28 DVDs, 18 playing, 16 H hard drive activity light, 56 problems, 29 hardware Dell Diagnostics, 46 Hardware Troubleshooter, 49 headphone connector, 56 help file Windows Help and Support Center, 11 hi
Microsoft Windows label, 10 modem problems, 29 monitor blank, 40 hard to read, 41 motherboard.
Index S standby mode, 23 V safety instructions, 9 support contacting Dell, 102 policy, 100 vents, 56 front panel, 56 SATA.
