321 Studios 8400 User Manual

Dell™ Dimension™ 8400 Series

CD or DVD activity light

CD or DVD drive eject button

floppy drive eject button*

floppy drive light*

USB 2.0 connectors (2)

headphone connector

Service Tag

power connector

voltage selection switch

serial connector

keyboard connector

center/LFE connector

line-out connector

microphone connector

USB 2.0 connectors (6)

VGA video connector

TV-OUT connector**

optional sound-card connectors**

hard drive light

power button

*On computers with a

floppy drive.

parallel connector

diagnostic lights

mouse connector

surround connector

line-in connector

network adapter

DVI connector

PCI card (3), PCI Express x1 card (1), PCI Express x16 card (1) slots

**Not present on all computers.

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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.

____________________

Reproduction in any manner whatsoever without the written permission of Dell Inc. is strictly forbidden. Trademarks used in this text: Dell, the DELL logo, Inspiron, Dell Precision, Dimension, OptiPlex, Latitude, PowerEdge, PowerVault,

PowerApp, DellNet, PowerConnect, and Axim are trademarks of Dell Inc.; Intel and Pentium are registered trademarks of Intel Corporation; Microsoft, Windows, and Outlook are registered trademarks of Microsoft Corporation.

Other trademarks and trade names may be used in this document to refer to either the entities claiming the marks and names or their products. Dell Inc. disclaims any proprietary interest in trademarks and trade names other than its own.

Model DHM

September 2004 P/N U7035 Rev. A00

Contents

Finding Information . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9

1 Setting Up and Using Your Computer

Setting Up a Printer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11

Printer Cable Connecting a USB Printer

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11

Connecting a Parallel Printer

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12

Connecting to the Internet

Setting Up Your Internet Connection

Playing CDs or DVDs

Adjusting the Volume Adjusting the Picture

Copying CDs and DVDs

How to Copy a CD or DVD Using Blank CD-Rs and CD-RWs Helpful Tips

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18

Connecting Two Monitors

Connecting Two Monitors With VGA Connectors

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19

. . . . . . . . . . . . 19

Connecting One Monitor With a VGA connector and One Monitor With a DVI Connector

Connecting a TV Changing the Display Settings

About Your RAID Configuration

RAID Level 0 RAID Level 1

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21

Configuring Your Computer for RAID

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22

Configuring for RAID Using the Intel(R) Option ROM Utility Configuring for RAID Using the Intel(R) Application Accelerator

. . . . . . . . 23

. . . . . 24

Setting Up a Home and Office Network

Connecting to a Network Adapter Network Setup Wizard

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 29

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28

Contents 3

Power Management . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 29

Overview Standby Mode Hibernate Mode Power Options Properties

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 29

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 29

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30

Hyper-Threading

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 31

2 Solving Problems

Troubleshooting Tips. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 33

Battery Problems

Card Fan Problems

Drive Problems

CD and DVD drive problems Hard drive problems

E-Mail, Modem, and Internet Problems

Error Messages

IEEE 1394 Device Problems

Keyboard Problems

Lockups and Software Problems

The computer does not start up The computer stops responding A program stops responding A program crashes repeatedly A program is designed for an earlier Windows operating system A solid blue screen appears Other software problems

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 33

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 34

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 34

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 35

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 35

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 36

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 37

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 38

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 38

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 38

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 39

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 39

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 39

. . . . . 39

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 39

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 40

4 Contents

Memory Problems

Mouse Problems

Network Problems

Power Problems

Printer Problems

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 40

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 41

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 42

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 42

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 43

Scanner Problems . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 44

Sound and Speaker Problems

No sound from speakers No sound from headphones

Video and Monitor Problems

If the screen is blank If the screen is difficult to read

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 45

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 45

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 46

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 46

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 46

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 47

3 Advanced Troubleshooting

Diagnostic Lights . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 49

Dell Diagnostics

Dell Diagnostics Main Menu

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 54

Drivers

What Is a Driver? Identifying Drivers Reinstalling Drivers

Restoring Your Operating System

Using Microsoft Using Dell PC Restore by Symantec

Resolving Software and Hardware Incompatibilities

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 52

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 53

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 54

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 55

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 56

Windows XP System Restore . . . . . . . . . . . . . 56

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 57

. . . . . . . . . . . . 58

4 Removing and Installing Parts

Before You Begin . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 59

Recommended Tools Turning Off Your Computer Before Working Inside Your Computer

Front View

Back View

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 61

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 63

Front-Panel Door and Hinge Arms

Reattaching the Hinge Arms Reattaching the Front Door

Opening the Computer Cover

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 59

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 59

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 60

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 65

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 65

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 68

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 69

Contents 5

Inside Your Computer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 70

System Board Components

Memory

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 72

DDR2 Memory Overview Addressing Memory With 4-GB Configurations Installing Memory Removing Memory

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 75

Cards

PCI Cards

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 76

PCI Express Cards

Card Fan

Drives

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 86

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 89

General Installation Guidelines Connecting Drive Cables

Hard Drive

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 90

Removing a Hard Drive Installing a Hard Drive Adding a Second Hard Drive

Front-Panel Inserts

Floppy Drive

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 97

Removing a Floppy Drive Installing a Floppy Drive

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 71

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 72

. . . . . . . . . . . . . 73

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 73

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 75

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 81

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 89

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 89

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 91

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 92

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 93

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 94

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 97

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 98

6 Contents

CD/DVD Drive

Removing a CD/DVD Drive Installing a CD/DVD Drive

Battery

Replacing the Battery

Closing the Computer Cover

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 99

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 100

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 101

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 103

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 103

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 104

5 Appendix

Specifications . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 107

System Setup

Overview Entering System Setup System Setup Options Boot Sequence

Clearing Forgotten Passwords

Clearing CMOS Settings

Cleaning Your Computer

Computer, Keyboard, and Monitor Mouse Floppy Drive CDs and DVDs

Dell Technical Support Policy (U.S. Only)

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 111

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 112

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 113

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 116

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 117

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 119

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 119

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 119

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 120

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 120

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 120

Definition of "Dell-Installed" Software and Peripherals Definition of "Third-Party" Software and Peripherals

FCC Notices (U.S. Only)

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 122

Class A Class B

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 122

FCC Identification Information

Contacting Dell

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 121

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 122

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 123

. . . . . . . . 121

. . . . . . . . . 121

Index . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 141

Contents 7

8 Contents

Finding Information

What Are You Looking For? Find it Here

• Warranty information

• Safety instructions

• Regulatory information

• Ergonomics information

• End User License Agreement

Dell™ Product Information Guide

• How to set up my computer

Setup Diagram

Finding Information 9

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

• Enter the Express Service Code to direct your call when

www.dell.com | support.dell.com

• Latest drivers for my computer

• Answers to technical service and support questions

• Online discussions with other users and technical support

• Documentation for my computer

Dell Support Website — support.dell.com

NOTE: Select your region to view the appropriate support

site.

The Dell Support website provides several online tools, including:

• Solutions — Troubleshooting hints and tips, articles

• Community — Online discussion with other Dell

• Upgrades — Upgrade information for components, such

• Customer Care — Contact information, order status,

• Downloads — Drivers, patches, and software updates

• Reference — Computer documentation, product

• How to use Windows XP

• Documentation for my computer

• Documentation for devices (such as a modem)

Windows Help and Support Center

identify your computer when you use

support.dell.com

or contact technical support.

contacting technical support. The Express Service Code is not available in all countries.

from technicians, and online courses

customers

as memory, the hard drive, and the operating system

warranty, and repair information

specifications, and white papers

Click the

Start

button and click

Help and Support

Type a word or phrase that describes your problem and click the arrow icon.

Click the topic that describes your problem. Follow the instructions on the screen.

10 Finding Information

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 either a USB cable or a parallel cable. Your printer may not come with a printer cable, so if you purchase a cable separately, ensure that it is compatible with your printer. If you purchased a printer cable at the same time you purchased your computer, the cable may arrive in the computer box.

Connecting a USB Printer

NOTE: You can connect USB devices while the computer is turned on.

Complete the operating system setup, if you have not already done so.

Install the printer driver if necessary. See the documentation that came with your printer.

Attach the USB printer cable to the USB connectors on the computer and the printer. The USB connectors fit only one way.

Setting Up and Using Your Computer 11

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Connecting a Parallel Printer

Complete the operating system setup, if you have not already done so.

Turn off the computer (see page 59).

NOTICE: For best results, use a 3-m (10-ft) or shorter parallel cable.

Attach the parallel printer cable to the parallel connector on the computer and tighten the

two screws. Attach the cable to the connector on the printer and snap the two clips into the two notches.

USB connector on computer

USB printer cable

USB connector on printer

12 Setting Up and Using Your Computer

parallel connector on computer

connector on printer

screws (2)

parallel printer cable

notches (2)

Turn on the printer and then turn on the computer. If the

Cancel

window appears, click

Install the printer driver if necessary. See the documentation that came with your printer.

Add New Hardware Wizard

clips (2)

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. Dial-up connections are considerably slower than DSL and cable modem connections.

• DSL connections that provide high-speed Internet access through your existing telephone line. With a DSL connection, you can access the Internet and use your telephone on the same line simultaneously.

• Cable modem connections that provide high-speed Internet access through your local cable TV line.

If you are using a dial-up connection, connect a telephone line to the modem connector on your computer and to the telephone wall jack before you set up your Internet connection. If you are using a DSL or cable modem connection, contact your ISP for setup instructions.

Setting Up and Using Your Computer 13

Setting Up Your Internet Connection

To set up an AOL or MSN connection:

Save and close any open files, and exit any open programs.

Double-click the

Follow the instructions on the screen to complete the setup.

If you do not have an Internet connection with a different ISP:

Save and close any open files, and exit any open programs.

Click the

The

www.dell.com | support.dell.com

New Connection Wizard

Click

Connect to the Internet

In the next window, click the appropriate option:

• If you do not have an ISP and want to select one, click

service providers (ISPs)

• If you have already obtained setup information from your ISP but you did not receive a setup CD, click

• If you have a CD, click

Click

If you selected instructions on the screen to complete the setup.

MSN Explorer

Start

button and click

AOL

Internet Explorer

appears.

Set up my connection manually

Use the CD I got from an ISP

Set up my connection manually

icon on the Microsoft® Windows® desktop.

icon on your desktop or if you want to set up an

Choose from a list of Internet

, continue to step 6. Otherwise, follow the

NOTE: If you do not know which type of connection to select, contact your ISP.

Click the appropriate option under

click

Use the setup information provided by your ISP to complete the setup.

If you are having problems connecting to the Internet, see "E-Mail, Modem, and Internet Problems" on page 35. If you cannot connect to the Internet but have successfully connected in the past, the ISP might have a service outage. Contact your ISP to check the service status, or try connecting again later.

14 Setting Up and Using Your Computer

How do you want to connect to the Internet?

, and then

Playing CDs or 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.

Press the eject button on the front of the drive.

Place the disc, label side up, in the center of the tray.

Press the eject button or gently push in the tray.

To format CDs for storing data, to create music CDs, or to copy CDs, see the CD software that came with your computer.

NOTE: Ensure that you follow all copyright laws when you create CDs.

A CD player includes the following basic buttons:

Play.

Move backward within the current track.

Pause.

Move forward within the current track.

Setting Up and Using Your Computer 15

Stop.

Go to the previous track.

Eject.

Go to the next track.

A DVD player includes the following basic buttons:

www.dell.com | support.dell.com

For more information on playing CDs or DVDs, click

Adjusting the Volume

NOTE: When the speakers are muted, you do not hear the CD or DVD playing.

Click the

Volume Control

In the

Volume Control

slide it up or down to increase or decrease the volume.

For more information on volume control options, click

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.

Start

button, point to

Help

on the CD or DVD player (if available).

All Programs→ Accessories→ Entertainment

window, click and drag the bar in the

Help

in the

Volume Control

, and then click

column and

window.

16 Setting Up and Using Your Computer

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.

Click the

Under

In the setting to

Click the drop-down menu under

Click OK.

Start

button and click

Pick a category

Pick a task...

, click

Display Properties

800 by 600 pixels

Control Panel

Appearance and Themes

Change the screen resolution

window, click and drag the bar in

Color quality

, and then click

Screen resolution

Medium (16 bit)

to change the

Copying CDs and DVDs

NOTE: Ensure that you follow all copyright laws when you create CDs or DVDs.

This section applies only to computers that have a CD-R, CD-RW, DVD+RW, DVD+R, or DVD/CD-RW combo drive.

NOTE: The types of CD or DVD drives offered by Dell may vary by country.

The following instructions show how to make an exact copy of a CD or DVD. You can also use Sonic RecordNow for other purposes, including creating CDs from audio files on your computer and creating MP3 CDs. For instructions, see the Sonic RecordNow documentation that came with your computer. Open Sonic RecordNow, click the question mark icon in the upper-right corner of the window, and then click

RecordNow Help

RecordNow Tutorial

How to Copy a CD or DVD

NOTE: If you have a DVD/CD-RW combo drive and you experience recording problems, check for

available software patches at the Sonic support website at support.sonic.com.

Currently, five DVD-writable disc formats are available: DVD+R, DVD+RW, DVD-R, DVD-RW, and DVD-RAM. The DVD-writable drives installed in Dell™ computers can write to DVD+R and DVD+RW media, and can read DVD-R and DVD-RW media. However, DVD-writable drives do not write to and might not read DVD-RAM media. In addition, commercially available DVD players for home theater systems might not read all five formats.

NOTE: Most commercial DVDs have copyright protection and cannot be copied using Sonic

RecordNow.

Click the

RecordNow!

Click either the audio tab or the data tab, depending on the kind of CD or DVD you want to copy.

Click

Start

button, point to

Exact Copy

All Programs→

Sonic→ RecordNow!

, and then click

Setting Up and Using Your Computer 17

To copy the CD or DVD:

•

If you have one CD or DVD drive

computer reads your source CD or DVD and copies it to a temporary folder on your computer hard drive.

When prompted, insert a blank CD or DVD into the CD or DVD drive and click

, ensure that the settings are correct and click

Copy

. The

If you have two CD or DVD drives

• source CD or DVD and click the blank CD or DVD.

Once you have finished copying the source CD or DVD, the CD or DVD that you have created automatically ejects.

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Using Blank CD-Rs and CD-RWs

Your CD-RW drive can write to two different types of recording media—CD-Rs and CD-RWs (including high-speed CD-RWs). Use blank CD-Rs to record music or permanently store data files. After creating a CD-R, you cannot write to that CD-R again (see the Sonic documentation for more information). Use blank CD-RWs to write to CDs or to erase, rewrite, or update data on CDs.

Your DVD-writable drive can write to four different types of recording media—CD-Rs, CD-RWs (including high-speed CD-RWs), DVD+Rs, and DVD+RWs. Blank DVD+Rs can be used to permanently store large amounts of information. After you create a DVD+R disc, you may not be able to write to that disc again if the disc is "finalized" or "closed" during the final stage of the disc creation process. Use blank DVD+RWs if you plan to erase, rewrite, or update information on that disc later.

Helpful Tips

• Use Microsoft® Windows® Explorer to drag and drop files to a CD-R or CD-RW only after you start Sonic RecordNow and open a RecordNow project.

• You must 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 RecordNow.

• Music MP3 files can be played only on MP3 players or on computers that have MP3 software installed.

• Do not burn a blank CD-R or CD-RW to its maximum capacity; for example, do not copy a 650-MB file to a 650-MB blank CD. The CD-RW drive needs 1 or 2 MB of the blank CD to finalize the recording.

• Use a blank CD-RW to practice CD recording until you are familiar with CD recording techniques. If you make a mistake, you can erase the data on the CD-RW and try again. You can also use blank CD-RWs to test music file projects before you record the project permanently to a blank CD-R.

See the Sonic support website at

, select the drive into which you have inserted your

Copy

. The computer copies the data on the CD or DVD to

support.sonic.com

for additional information.

18 Setting Up and Using Your Computer

Connecting Two Monitors

CAUTION: Before you begin any of the procedures in this section, follow the safety instructions

located in the Product Information Guide.

NOTE: If you are connecting two monitors that have VGA connectors, you must have the optional DVI

adapter. If you are connecting two flat-panel monitors, at least one of them must have a VGA connector. If you are connecting a TV, you may connect only one monitor (VGA or DVI) in addition to the TV.

If you purchased a graphics card that supports dual monitors, follow these instructions to connect and enable your monitors. The instructions tell you how to connect either two monitors (each with a VGA connector), one monitor with a VGA connector and one monitor with a DVI connector, or aTV.

Connecting Two Monitors With VGA Connectors

Follow the procedures in "Before You Begin" on page 59.

NOTE: If your computer has integrated video, do not connect either monitor to the integrated video

connector. If the integrated video connector is covered by a cap, do not remove the cap to connect the monitor or the monitor will not function.

Connect one of the monitors to the VGA (blue) connector on the back of the computer.

Connect the other monitor to the optional DVI adapter and connect the DVI adapter to the DVI (white) connector on the back of the computer.

optional DVI adapter

DVI (white) connector

TV-OUT connector

VGA (blue) connector

Setting Up and Using Your Computer 19

Connecting One Monitor With a VGA connector and One Monitor With a DVI Connector

Follow the procedures in "Before You Begin" on page 59.

Connect the VGA connector on the monitor to the VGA (blue) connector on the back of the computer.

Connect the DVI connector on the other monitor to the DVI (white) connector on the back of the computer.

Connecting a TV

NOTE: To connect a TV to your computer, you must purchase an S-video cable, which is available at

most consumer electronics stores. An S-video cable is not included with your computer.

www.dell.com | support.dell.com

Follow the procedures in "Before You Begin" on page 59.

Connect one end of the S-video cable to the TV-OUT connector on the back of the computer.

Connect the other end of the S-video cable to the S-video input connector on your TV.

Connect the VGA or DVI monitor.

Changing the Display Settings

After you connect the monitor(s) or TV, turn on the computer.

The Microsoft

Enable clone mode or extended desktop mode in the display settings.

• In clone mode, both monitors display the same image.

• In extended desktop mode, you can drag objects from one screen to the other, effectively

doubling the amount of viewable work space.

For information on changing the display settings for your graphics card, see the user’s guide in the Help and Support Center (click the

system guides

Windows® desktop displays on the primary monitor.

Start

, click

Device guides

button, click

, and then click the guide for your graphics card).

Help and Support

, click

User and

About Your RAID Configuration

This section provides an overview of the RAID configuration that you might have selected when you purchased your computer. Although several RAID configurations are available, Dell offers either RAID level 0 or RAID level 1 for its Dimension computers. A RAID level 0 configuration is recommended for high-performance gaming, and a RAID level 1 configuration is recommended for the data integrity requirements of digital photography and audio.

The Intel RAID controller on your computer can only create a RAID volume using two physical drives. If a third drive is present, then that drive cannot be made part of a RAID volume using the Intel RAID configuration program, although it can be used as a spare drive in a RAID 1 configuration (see "Creating a Spare Hard Drive" on page 27). However, if four drives are present in

20 Setting Up and Using Your Computer

your computer, then each pair of drives can be made into RAID level 0 or RAID level 1 volumes. The drives should be the same size in order to ensure that the larger drive does not contain unallocated (and therefore unusable) space.

NOTE: RAID levels do not represent a hierarchy. A RAID level 1 configuration is not inherently better or

worse than a RAID level 0 configuration.

RAID Level 0

RAID level 0 uses a storage technique known as "data striping" to provide a high data access rate. Data striping is a method of writing consecutive segments, or stripes, of data sequentially across the physical drives to create a large virtual drive. Data striping allows one of the drives to read data while the other drive is searching for and reading the next block.

serial ATA RAID configured for RAID level 0

segment 1

segment 3

segment 5

hard drive 1

segment 2

segment 4

segment 6

hard drive 2

Another advantage of a RAID level 0 configuration is that it utilizes the full capacities of the drives. For example, if you have two 120-GB drives installed, you have 240 GB on which to store data.

NOTICE: Because RAID level 0 provides no data redundancy, if one drive fails, then the data on the

other drive is also inaccessible. Therefore, ensure that you perform regular backups when you use a RAID level 0 configuration.

RAID Level 1

RAID level 1 uses a data-redundancy storage technique known as "mirroring." When data is written to the primary drive, it is then duplicated, or mirrored, on the other drive. A RAID level 1 configuration sacrifices high data access rates for its data redundancy advantages.

Setting Up and Using Your Computer 21

serial ATA RAID configured for RAID level 1

www.dell.com | support.dell.com

If a drive failure occurs, subsequent read and write operations are directed to the surviving drive. A replacement drive can then be rebuilt using the data from the surviving drive. Also, because data is duplicated on both drives, two 120-GB RAID level 1 drives collectively have a maximum of 120-GB on which to store data.

Configuring Your Computer for RAID

At some point you may want to configure your computer for RAID if you did not select a RAID configuration when you purchased your computer. You must have at least two hard drives installed in your computer to set up a RAID configuration. For instructions on how to install a hard drive, see page 92.

You can use one of two methods to configure RAID hard drive volumes. One method uses the Intel(R) Option ROM utility, and is performed hard drive. The second method uses the Intel Application Accelerator, or Intel Storage Utility, and this method is performed Utility. Both methods require that you set your computer to RAID-enabled mode before starting any of the RAID configuration procedures in this document.

segment 1

segment 2

segment 3

segment 4

segment 5

segment 6

hard drive 1

after

you have installed the operating system and the Intel Storage

segment 1 duplicated

segment 2 duplicated

segment 3 duplicated

segment 4 duplicated

segment 5 duplicated

segment 6 duplicated

hard drive 2

before

you install the operating system onto the

Setting Your Computer to RAID-Enabled Mode

Enter system setup (see page 112).

Use the up- and down-arrow keys to highlight

Use the left- and right-arrow keys to highlight press <Esc>.

22 Setting Up and Using Your Computer

Drives

, and press <Enter>.

Drive Controller

RAID On

, press <Enter>, and then

, and press <Enter>.

Use the left- and right-arrow keys to highlight

Save/Exit

, and press <Enter> to exit system

setup and resume the boot process.

Configuring for RAID Using the Intel(R) Option ROM Utility

NOTE: Although any size drives may be used to create a RAID configuration using the Intel Option ROM

utility, ideally the drives should be of equal size. In a RAID level 0 configuration, the size of the array will be the size of the smallest disk multiplied by the number (two) of disks in the array. In a RAID level 1 configuration, the size of the array will be the smaller of the two disks used.

Creating a RAID Level 0 Configuration

NOTICE: You will lose any data on your hard drives when you create a RAID configuration using the

following procedure. Back up data you want to keep before continuing.

NOTE: The following procedure should only be used if you are reinstalling your operating system. The

following procedure should not be used to migrate an existing storage configuration to RAID 0.

Set your computer to RAID-enabled mode (see page 22).

Press <Ctrl><i> when you are prompted to enter the Intel(R) RAID Option ROM utility.

Use the up- and down-arrow keys to highlight

Enter a RAID volume name or accept the default, and press <Enter>.

Use the up- and down-arrow keys to select

If there are more than two hard disks available, use the up- and down-arrow keys and space bar to select the two disks you want to use to make up your array, and then press <Enter>.

Create RAID Volume

RAID0(Stripe)

, and press <Enter>.

NOTE: Select the strip size closest to the size of the average file you want to store on the RAID volume. If

you do not know the average file size, choose 128 as your strip size.

Use the up- and down-arrow keys to change the strip size, and press <Enter>.

Select the desired capacity for the volume, and press <Enter>. The default value is the maximum available size.

Press <Enter> to create the volume.

Press <y> to confirm that you want to create the RAID volume.

Confirm that the correct volume configuration is displayed on the main Intel Option ROM screen.

Use the up- and down-arrow keys to select

Install the operating system.

Creating a RAID Level 1 Configuration

Set your computer to RAID-enabled mode (see page 22).

Press <Ctrl><i> when you are prompted to enter Intel RAID Option ROM.

Use the up- and down-arrow keys to highlight

Exit

, and press <Enter>.

Create RAID Volume

, and press <Enter>.

Setting Up and Using Your Computer 23

Enter a RAID volume name or accept the default, and press <Enter>.

Use the up- and down-arrow keys to select

If there are more than two hard disks available, use the up- and down-arrow keys and space bar to select the two disks you want to use to make up your array, and then press <Enter>.

Select the desired capacity for the volume, and press <Enter>. The default value is the maximum available size.

Press <Enter> to create the volume.

Press <y> to confirm that you want to create the RAID volume.

Confirm that the correct volume configuration is displayed on the main Intel Option ROM screen.

www.dell.com | support.dell.com

Use the up- and down-arrow keys to select

Install the operating system.

Deleting a RAID Volume

NOTE: When you perform this operation, all data on the RAID drives will be lost.

NOTE: If your computer currently boots to RAID and you delete the RAID volume in the Intel RAID Option

ROM, your computer will become unbootable.

Press <Ctrl><i> when you are prompted to enter the Intel RAID Option ROM utility.

Use the up- and down-arrow keys to highlight

Use the up- and down-arrow keys to highlight the RAID volume you want to delete, and press <Delete>.

Press <y> to confirm the deletion of the RAID volume.

Press <Esc> to exit the Intel Option ROM utility.

RAID1(Mirror)

Exit

, and press <Enter>.

Delete RAID Volume

, and press <Enter>.

Configuring for RAID Using the Intel(R) Application Accelerator

If you already have one hard drive with the operating system installed on it, and you want to add a second hard drive and reconfigure both drives into a RAID volume without losing the existing operating system and any data, you need to use the migrating option (see "Migrating to a RAID 0 Volume" on page 26 or "Migrating to a RAID 1 Volume" on page 27). Create a RAID 0 Volume or RAID 1 Volume only when:

• You are adding two new drives to an existing single-drive computer (and the operating system is on the single drive), and you want to configure the two new drives into a RAID volume.

• You already have a two-hard drive computer configured into an array, but you still have some space left on the array that you want to designate as a second RAID volume.

24 Setting Up and Using Your Computer

Creating a RAID 0 Volume

NOTE: When you perform this operation, all data on the RAID drives will be lost.

Set your computer to RAID-enabled mode (see page 22).

Click

Start

and point to

Accelerator

NOTE: If you do not see an Actions menu option, you have not yet set your computer to RAID-enabled

mode (see page 22).

On the

to launch the Intel(R) Storage Utility.

Actions

menu, select

Wizard, and then click

On the

Select Volume Location

Programs→ Intel(R) Application Accelerator→ Intel Application

Create RAID Volume

to launch the Create RAID Volume

screen, click the first hard drive you want to include in your RAID 0 volume, and then click the right arrow. Click a second hard drive until two drives appear in the

In the

Click

Finish

Creating a RAID 1 Volume

NOTE: When you perform this operation, all data on the RAID drives will be lost.

Set your computer to RAID-enabled mode (see page 22).

Click the

Application Accelerator

Selected

Specify Volume Size

window, and then click

window, click the

to create the volume, or click

Start

button and point to

to launch the Intel(R) Storage Utility.

Volume Size

Back

to make changes.

desired, and then click

Programs→ Intel(R) Application Accelerator→ Intel

NOTE: If you do not see an Actions menu option, you have not yet set your computer to RAID-enabled

mode (see page 22).

On the

Actions

menu, select

Create RAID Volume

to launch the Create RAID Volume

Wizard.

Click

at the first screen.

Confirm the volume name, select

On the

Select Volume Location

RAID 1

as the RAID level, and then click

to continue.

screen, click the first hard drive you want to use to create your RAID 0 volume, and then click the right arrow. Click a second hard drive until two drives appear in the

In the

Click

Finish

Follow Microsoft Windows procedures for creating a partition on the new RAID volume.

Selected

Specify Volume Size

window, and then click

window, select the

to create the volume, or click

Volu m e S ize

Back

to make changes.

desired and click

Setting Up and Using Your Computer 25

Deleting a RAID Volume

NOTE: While this procedure deletes the RAID 1 volume, it also splits the RAID 1 volume into two non-

RAID hard drives with a partition, and leaves any existing data files intact. Deleting a RAID 0 volume, however, destroys all data on the volume.

Click the

Application Accelerator

Right-click the

Vol um e

On the

Highlight the RAID volume you want to delete in the

www.dell.com | support.dell.com

button to move the highlighted RAID volume into the

Click

Finish

Migrating to a RAID 0 Volume

Set your computer to RAID-enabled mode (see page 22).

Click the

Application Accelerator

NOTE: If you do not see an Actions menu option, you have not yet set your computer to RAID-enabled

mode (see page 22).

On the

Migration Wizard.

Click

Enter a RAID volume name or accept the default.

From the drop-down box, select

Start

button and point to

Programs→ Intel(R) Application Accelerator→ Intel

to launch the Intel(R) Storage Utility.

Vol um e

icon of the RAID volume you want to delete, and select

Delete RAID Volume Wizard

to delete the volume.

Start

button and point to

All Programs→ Intel(R) Application Accelerator→ Intel

to launch the Intel(R) Storage Utility.

Actions

menu, select

Create RAID Volume From Existing Hard Drive to

on the Migration Wizard screen.

RAID 0

screen, click

as the RAID level

Available

Selected

Delete

box, click the right-arrow

box, and then click

launch the

NOTE: Select the strip size closest to the size of the average file you want to store on the RAID volume. If

you do not know the average file size, choose 128 as your strip size.

Select the appropriate strip size from the drop-down box, and then click

NOTE: Select the hard drive that you want to use as your source hard drive (it should be the hard drive

containing the data or operating system files that you want to keep on the RAID volume).

On the migrate, and click

On the

Select Source Hard Drive

Select Member Hard Drive

drive to span the stripe array, and click

On the

Specify Volume Size

26 Setting Up and Using Your Computer

screen, double-click the hard drive from which you want to

screen, select the

screen, double-click the hard drive to select the member

Volu m e S ize

you want, and click

NOTE: In the following step, you will lose all data contained on the member drive.

Click

Finish

to start migrating, or click

Back

to make changes. You can use your computer

normally during the migration process.

Migrating to a RAID 1 Volume

Set your computer to RAID-enabled mode (see page 22).

Click the

Application Accelerator

NOTE: If you do not see an Actions menu option, you have not yet set your computer to RAID-enabled

mode (see page 22).

On the

Start

button and point to

Actions

menu, click

All Programs→ Intel(R) Application Accelerator→ Intel

to launch the Intel(R) Storage Utility.

Create RAID Volume From Existing Hard Drive

to launch the

Migration Wizard.

Click

on the first Migration Wizard screen.

Enter a RAID volume name or accept the default.

From the drop-down box, select

NOTE: Select the hard drive that already has the data or operating system files that you want to maintain

on the RAID volume as your source hard drive.

On the

migrate, and click

On the

Select Source Hard Drive

Select Member Hard Drive

drive that you want to act as the mirror in the array, and click

On the

Specify Volume Size

RAID 1

as the RAID level

screen, double-click the hard drive from which you want to

screen, double-click the hard drive to select the member

screen, select the volume size you want, and click

NOTE: In the following step, you will lose all data contained on the member drive.

Click

Finish

to start migrating, or click

Back

to make changes. You can use your computer

normally during migration process.

Creating a Spare Hard Drive

A spare hard drive may be created with a RAID 1 array. The spare hard drive will not be recognized by the operating system, but you will be able to see the spare drive from within Disk Manager or the Intel Option ROM Utility. When a member of the RAID 1 array is broken, the computer automatically rebuilds the mirror array using the spare hard drive as the broken member’s replacement.

To Mark a Drive as a Spare Hard Drive:

Click the

Application Accelerator

Right-click the hard drive you want to mark as a spare hard drive.

Click

Start

button and point to

Mark as Spare

Programs→ Intel(R) Application Accelerator→ Intel

to launch the Intel(R) Storage Utility.

Setting Up and Using Your Computer 27

To Remove Spare Marking From a Spare Hard Drive:

Right-click the spare hard drive icon.

Click

Reset Hard Drive to Non-RAID

Rebuilding a Degraded RAID 1 Volume

If your computer does not have a spare hard drive, and the computer has reported a degraded RAID 1 volume, you can manually rebuild the computer’s redundancy mirror to a new hard drive by performing the following steps:

Click the

Application Accelerator

www.dell.com | support.dell.com

Right-click the available hard drive to which you want to rebuild the RAID 1 volume, and

Rebuild to this Disk

click

You can use your computer while the computer is rebuilding the RAID 1 volume.

Setting Up a Home and Office Network

Connecting to a Network Adapter

NOTE: 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. Do not plug a network cable into a telephone wall jack.

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.

Start

button and point to

to launch the Intel(R) Storage Utility.

Programs→ Intel(R) Application Accelerator→ Intel

Connect the other end of the network cable to a network device.

network adapter connector

network adapter connector on computer

28 Setting Up and Using Your Computer

network device

network cable

Network Setup Wizard

The Microsoft® Windows® XP operating system provides a Network Setup Wizard to guide you through the process of sharing files, printers, or an Internet connection between computers in a home or small office.

Click the click

On the welcome screen, click

Click

NOTE: Selecting the connection method This computer connects directly to the Internet enables the

integrated firewall provided with Windows XP Service Pack 1 (SP1).

Complete the checklist and required preparations.

Return to the Network Setup Wizard and follow the instructions on the screen.

Start

button, point to

Network Setup Wizard

All Programs→ Accessories→ Communications

Checklist for creating a network

, and then

Power Management

Overview

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.

NOTE: Windows XP Professional includes security and networking features not available in

Windows XP Home Edition. When a Windows XP Professional computer is connected to a network, different options related to security and networking appear in certain windows.

Standby Mode

Standby mode conserves power by turning off the display and the hard drive after a time-out. When the computer exits from standby mode, it returns to the operating state it was in before it entered standby mode.

To set standby mode to automatically activate after a defined period of inactivity:

Click the

Under

To immediately activate standby mode without a period of inactivity, click the

Turn Off Computer

To exit from standby mode, press a key on the keyboard or move the mouse.

NOTICE: If your computer loses power while in standby mode, it may lose data.

Start

button and click

Pick a category

, click

Control Panel

Performance and Maintenance

or pick a Control Panel icon

, and then click

Stand by

, click

Power Options

Start

button, click

Setting Up and Using Your Computer 29

Hibernate Mode

Hibernate mode conserves power by copying system data to a reserved area on the hard drive and then completely turning off the computer. When the computer exits from hibernate mode, the desktop is restored to the state it was in

To activate hibernate mode:

Click the

Under

Pick a category

Under

or pick a Control Panel icon

Define your hibernate settings on the

www.dell.com | support.dell.com

To exit from hibernate mode from hibernate mode. Pressing a key on the keyboard or moving the mouse does not bring the computer out of hibernation, because the keyboard and the mouse do not function when the computer is in hibernate mode.

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.

Power Options Properties

Define your standby mode settings, hibernate mode settings, and other power settings in the

Options Properties

Click the

Under

Pick a category

Under

or pick a Control Panel icon

Define your power settings on the

Start

button and click

, click

press the power button. The computer may take a short time to exit

window. To access the

Start

button and click

, click

before it entered hibernate mode.

Control Panel

Performance and Maintenance

, click

Power Options

Power Schemes

tab,

Power Options Properties

Control Panel

Performance and Maintenance

, click

Power Schemes

Power Options

tab,

Advanced

window:

tab, and

Hibernate

Power

tab.

Power Schemes Tab

Each standard power setting is called a scheme. If you want to select one of the standard Windows schemes installed on your computer, choose a scheme from the The settings for each scheme appear in the fields below the scheme name. Each scheme has different settings for starting standby mode or hibernate mode, turning off the monitor, and turning off the hard drive.

The

Power schemes

•

Always On

Home/Office Desk

•

(default) — If you want to use your computer with no power conservation.

drop-down menu displays the following schemes:

— If you use your computer as a home or office computer and you require

minimal power conservation.

•

Portable/Laptop

— If your computer is a portable computer that you use for traveling.

30 Setting Up and Using Your Computer

Power schemes

drop-down menu.

+ 116 hidden pages

321 Studios 8400 User Manual

Specifications and Main Features

Frequently Asked Questions

User Manual

Finding Information

Setting Up and Using Your Computer

Setting Up a Printer

Printer Cable

Connecting a USB Printer

Connecting a Parallel Printer

Connecting to the Internet

Setting Up Your Internet Connection

Playing CDs or DVDs

Adjusting the Volume

Adjusting the Picture

Copying CDs and DVDs

How to Copy a CD or DVD

Using Blank CD-Rs and CD-RWs

Helpful Tips

Connecting Two Monitors

Connecting Two Monitors With VGA Connectors

Connecting One Monitor With a VGA connector and One Monitor With a DVI Connector

Connecting a TV

Changing the Display Settings

About Your RAID Configuration

RAID Level 0

RAID Level 1

Configuring Your Computer for RAID

Configuring for RAID Using the Intel(R) Option ROM Utility

Configuring for RAID Using the Intel(R) Application Accelerator

Setting Up a Home and Office Network

Connecting to a Network Adapter

Network Setup Wizard

Power Management

Overview

Standby Mode

Hibernate Mode

Power Options Properties