Dell 745 User Manual

Dell™ OptiPlex™ 745

Quick Reference Guide

Models DCTR, DCNE, DCSM, and DCCY

www.dell.com | support.dell.com

Notes, Notices, and Cautions

NOTE: A NOTE indicates important information that helps you make better use of your computer.

NOTICE: A NOTICE indicates 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, and Dell OpenManage are trademarks of Dell Inc.; Intel, Pentium, and Celeron are registered trademarks of Intel Corporation; Microsoft and Windows 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.

Models DCTR, DCNE, DCSM, and DCCY

August 2006 P/N HH801 Rev. A00

Finding Information . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5

System Views

Mini Tower Computer — Front View Mini Tower Computer — Back View

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Mini Tower Computer — Back-Panel Connectors Desktop Computer — Front View Desktop Computer — Back View Desktop Computer — Back-Panel Connectors Small Form Factor Computer — Front View Small Form Factor Computer — Back View

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Small Form Factor Computer — Back-Panel Connectors Ultra-Small Form Factor Computer — Front View Ultra-Small Form Factor Computer — Side View Ultra-Small Form Factor Computer — Back View

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Ultra-Small Form Factor Computer — Back-Panel Connectors

Removing the Computer Cover

Before You Begin Mini Tower Computer Desktop Computer Small Form Factor Computer Ultra-Small Form Factor Computer

Inside Your Computer

Mini Tower Computer Desktop Computer Small Form Factor Computer Ultra-Small Form Factor Computer

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Setting Up Your Computer

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Set Up Your Keyboard and Mouse Set Up Your Monitor Power Connections

Solving Problems

Dell Diagnostics System Lights

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Contents 3

Diagnostic Lights . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 50

Beep Codes Resolving Software and Hardware Incompatibilities Using Microsoft Windows XP System Restore Reinstalling Microsoft Windows XP

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Using the Drivers and Utilities CD

Drivers for Your Computer

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Index . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 59

4 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

• A diagnostic program for my computer

• Drivers for my computer

• My computer documentation

• My device documentation

• Desktop System Software (DSS)

• How to remove and replace parts

• Specifications

• How to configure system settings

• How to troubleshoot and solve problems

Drivers and Utilities CD (ResourceCD)

NOTE: The Drivers and Utilities CD may be optional

and may not ship with your computer.

Documentation and drivers are already installed on your computer. You can use the CD to reinstall drivers (see "Using the Drivers and Utilities CD" on page 58), run the Dell Diagnostics (see "Dell Diagnostics" on page 46), or access your documentation.

Readme files may be included on your CD to provide lastminute updates about technical changes to your computer or advanced technical reference material for technicians or experienced users.

NOTE: Drivers and documentation updates can be

found at support.dell.com.

Dell™ OptiPlex™ User’s Guide

Microsoft Windows XP Help and Support Center

Click

Start→

Help and Support→ Dell User and

→

System Guides

Click the

The User’s Guide is also available on the optional Drivers and Utilities CD.

User’s Guide

System Guides

for your computer.

Quick Reference Guide 5

What Are You Looking For? Find It Here

• Warranty information

Dell™ Product Information Guide

• Terms and Conditions (U.S. only)

• Safety instructions

• Regulatory information

• Ergonomics information

• End User License Agreement

• How to reinstall my operating system

• How to use Windows XP

• How to work with programs and files

• How to personalize my desktop

Operating System CD

NOTE: The Operating System CD may be optional and

may not ship with your computer.

The operating system is already installed on your computer. To reinstall your operating system, use the Operating System CD (see "Reinstalling Microsoft Windows XP" on page 55).

After you reinstall your operating system, use the optional Drivers and Utilities CD (ResourceCD) to reinstall drivers for the devices that came with your computer. For more information, see

"Drivers and Utilities CD (ResourceCD)" on page 5.

Your operating system product key label is located on your computer (see "Service Tag and Microsoft Windows

Product Key" on page 7).

NOTE: The color of your Operating System CD varies

according to the operating system you ordered.

Windows Help and Support Center

Click

Start→

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.

6 Quick Reference Guide

What Are You Looking For? Find It Here

• Service Tag and Express Service Code

• Microsoft Windows Product Key Label

Service Tag and Microsoft® Windows® Product Key

These labels are located on your computer.

• Use the Service Tag to identify your computer when you use

support.dell.co

or contact

support.

• Enter the Express Service Code to direct your call when contacting support.

• Solutions — Troubleshooting hints and tips, articles from technicians, online courses, and frequently asked questions

Dell Support Website — support.dell.com

NOTE: Select your region or business segment to

view the appropriate support site.

• Community — Online discussion with other Dell customers

• Upgrades — Upgrade information for components, such as the memory, hard drive, and operating system

• Customer Care — Contact information, service call and order status, and warranty and repair information

• Service and support — Service call status, support history, service contract, and online discussions with support

• Reference — Computer documentation, details on my computer configuration, product specifications, and white papers

• Downloads — Certified drivers, patches, and software updates

• Desktop System Software (DSS)— If you reinstall the operating system on your computer, you should also reinstall the DSS utility. DSS automatically detects your computer and operating system and installs the updates appropriate for your configuration, providing critical updates for your operating system and support for Dell™

3.5-inch USB floppy drives, Intel

processors, optical drives, and USB devices. DSS is necessary for correct operation of your Dell computer.

To download Desktop System Software:

Go to

support.dell.com

business segment, then enter your Service Tag.

Select

Click your operating system, and then search for the keyword

NOTE: The support.dell.com user interface may vary

depending on your selections.

, select your region or

Drivers & Downloads

Desktop System Software

, then click Go.

Quick Reference Guide 7

System Views

Mini Tower Computer — Front View

5 6

8 Quick Reference Guide

1 5.25-inch drive bay Can contain an optical drive. Insert a CD or DVD (if supported) into this drive. 2 5.25-inch drive bay Can contain an optical drive. Insert a CD or DVD (if supported) into this drive. 3 3.5-inch drive bay Can contain an optional floppy drive or optional media card reader. 4 USB 2.0 connectors (2) Use the front USB connectors for devices that you connect occasionally, such as

joysticks or cameras, or for bootable USB devices (see your online User’s Guide for more information on booting to a USB device).

It is recommended that you use the back USB connectors for devices that typically remain connected, such as printers and keyboards.

5 LAN indicator light This light indicates that a LAN (local area network) connection is established. 6 diagnostic lights Use the lights to help you troubleshoot a computer problem based on the diagnostic

code. For more information, see "Diagnostic Lights" on page 50.

7 power button Press this button to turn on the computer.

NOTICE: To avoid losing data, do not turn off the computer by pressing the power

button. Instead, perform an operating system shutdown. See "Before You Begin" on page 25 for more information.

NOTICE: If your operating system has ACPI enabled, when you press the power

button the computer will perform an operating system shutdown.

8 power light The power light illuminates and blinks or remains solid to indicate different operating

modes:

• No light — The computer is turned off.

• Steady green — The computer is in a normal operating state.

• Blinking green — The computer is in a power-saving mode.

• Blinking or solid amber — See

To exit from a power-saving mode, press the power button or use the keyboard or the mouse if it is configured as a wake device in the Windows Device Manager. For more information about sleep modes and exiting from a power-saving mode, see your online User’s Guide.

See "System Lights" on page 49 for a description of light codes that can help you troubleshoot problems with your computer.

9 hard-drive activity light This light flickers when the hard drive is being accessed. 10 headphone connector Use the headphone connector to attach headphones and most kinds of speakers. 11 microphone connector Use the microphone connector to attach a microphone.

your online User’s Guide

Quick Reference Guide 9

Mini Tower Computer — Back View

2 3

1 cover-release latch This latch allows you to open the computer cover. 2 padlock ring Insert a padlock to lock the computer cover.

10 Quick Reference Guide

3 voltage selection switch Your computer is equipped with a manual voltage-selection switch.

To help avoid damaging a computer with a manual voltage-selection switch, set the switch for the voltage that most closely matches the AC power available in your location.

NOTICE: The voltage selection switch must be set to the 115-V position even

though the AC power available in Japan is 100 V.

Also, ensure that your monitor and attached devices are electrically rated to operate with the AC power available in your location.

4 power connector Insert the power cable. 5 back-panel connectors Plug serial, USB, and other devices into the appropriate connectors (see "Mini

Tower Computer — Back-Panel Connectors" on page 11).

6 card slots Access connectors for any installed PCI and PCI Express cards.

Mini Tower Computer — Back-Panel Connectors

98 7

1 parallel connector Connect a parallel device, such as a printer, to the parallel connector. If you have a

USB printer, plug it into a USB connector.

NOTE: The integrated parallel connector is automatically disabled if the computer

detects an installed card containing a parallel connector configured to the same address. For more information, see your online User’s Guide.

2 link integrity light

• Green — A good connection exists between a 10-Mbps network and the computer.

• Orange — A good connection exists between a 100-Mbps network and the computer.

• Yellow — A good connection exists between a 1-Gbps (or 1000-Mbps) network and the computer.

• Off — The computer is not detecting a physical connection to the network.

Quick Reference Guide 11

3 network adapter

connector

To attach your computer to a network or broadband device, connect one end of a network cable to either a network jack or your network or broadband device. Connect the other end of the network cable to the network adapter connector on the back panel of your computer. A click indicates that the network cable has been 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.

It is recommended that you use Category 5 wiring and connectors for your network. If you must use Category 3 wiring, force the network speed to 10 Mbps to ensure reliable operation.

4 network activity light Flashes a yellow light when the computer is transmitting or receiving network

data. A high volume of network traffic may make this light appear to be in a steady "on" state.

5 line-out connector Use the green line-out connector to attach most speakers with integrated

amplifiers.

6 line-in/microphone

connector

7 USB 2.0 connectors (6) Use the back USB connectors for devices that typically remain connected, such as

8 video connector Plug the cable from your VGA-compatible monitor into the blue connector.

Use the blue and pink line-in/microphone connector to attach a record/playback device such as a cassette player, CD player, or VCR.; or a personal computer microphone for voice or musical input into a sound or telephony program.

printers and keyboards.

NOTE: If you purchased an optional graphics card, this connector will be covered by

a cap. Connect your monitor to the connector on the graphics card. Do not remove the cap.

NOTE: If you are using a graphics card that supports dual monitors, use the y-cable

that came with your computer.

9 serial connector Connect a serial device, such as a handheld device, to the serial port. The default

designations are COM1 for serial connector 1 and COM2 for serial connector 2.

For more information, see your online User’s Guide.

12 Quick Reference Guide

Desktop Computer — Front View

1 USB 2.0 connectors (2) Use the front USB connectors for devices that you connect occasionally, such as

joysticks or cameras, or for bootable USB devices (see your online User’s Guide for more information about booting to a USB device).

It is recommended that you use the back USB connectors for devices that typically remain connected, such as printers and keyboards.

2 LAN indicator light This light indicates that a LAN (local area network) connection is established. 3 power button Press this button to turn on the computer.

NOTICE: To avoid losing data, do not turn off the computer by pressing the

power button. Instead, perform an operating system shutdown. See "Before You Begin" on page 25 for more information.

514611 10

NOTICE: If your operating system has ACPI enabled, when you press the

power button the computer will perform an operating system shutdown.

4 Dell badge This badge can be rotated to match the orientation of your computer. To rotate,

place fingers around the outside of the badge, press firmly, and turn the badge. You can also rotate the badge using the slot provided near the bottom of the badge.

Quick Reference Guide 13

5 power light The power light illuminates and blinks or remains solid to indicate different

operating states:

• No light — The computer is turned off.

• Steady green — The computer is in a normal operating state.

• Blinking green — The computer is in a power-saving mode.

• Blinking or solid amber — See

See "System Lights" on page 49 for a description of light codes that can help you troubleshoot problems with your computer.

6 diagnostic lights Use the lights to help you troubleshoot a computer problem based on the

diagnostic code. For more information, see "Diagnostic Lights" on page 50.

7 hard-drive activity light This light flickers when the hard drive is being accessed. 8 headphone connector Use the headphone connector to attach headphones and most kinds of speakers. 9 microphone connector Use the microphone connector to attach a microphone. 10 3.5-inch drive bay Can contain an optional floppy drive or optional Media Card Reader. 11 5.25-inch drive bay Can contain an optical drive. Insert a CD or DVD (if supported) into this drive.

your online User’s Guide

Desktop Computer — Back View

14 Quick Reference Guide

2 3 4 6

1 card slots Access connectors for any installed PCI and PCI Express cards. 2 back-panel connectors Plug serial, USB, and other devices into the appropriate connectors (see "Desktop

Computer — Back-Panel Connectors" on page 15).

3 power connector Insert the power cable. 4 voltage selection switch Your computer is equipped with a manual voltage selection switch.

To help avoid damaging a computer with a manual voltage selection switch, set the switch for the voltage that most closely matches the AC power available in your location.

NOTICE: The voltage selection switch must be set to the 115-V position even

though the AC power available in Japan is 100 V.

Also, ensure that your monitor and attached devices are electrically rated to operate with the AC power available in your location.

5 padlock ring Insert a padlock to lock the computer cover. 6 cover-release latch Allows you to open the computer cover.

Desktop Computer — Back-Panel Connectors

98 7

Quick Reference Guide 15