Dell DC01L, GX404 User Manual

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Dell™ XPS™ 420 Owner’s Manual

Model DC01L

www.dell.com | support.dell.com

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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, XPS, Dell TravelLite, the Dell Media Xcelerator,

Y ours Is Her e, and StrikeZone are trademarks of Dell Inc.; Intel, Pentium, Intel Core 2 Extreme , Intel Core 2 Duo, Intel Core 2 Quad, Intel SpeedStep, and Intel ViiV are either trademarks or registered trademarks of Intel Corporation; Microsoft, Windows, Windows Vista, Outlook, SideShow,and the Windows Vista Start button are either trademarks or registered trademarks of Microsoft Corporation in the United States and/or other countries; Blu-ray Disc is a trademark of the Blu-ray Disc Association; Bluetooth is a registered trademark owned by Bluetooth SIG, Inc. and is used by Dell under license.

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 DC01L

November 2007 P/N GX404 Rev. A01

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Contents

Finding Information . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11

1 Setting Up and Using Your Computer . . . 15

Front and Back View of the Computer . . . . . . . . . 15

Front View

Front I/O Connectors

Back View

Back I/O Connectors

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

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

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

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

Installing Your Computer in an Enclosure

Connecting Monitors

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24

Connecting a Monitor (Without an Adapter)

Connecting a Monitor (With an Adapter)

Connecting Two or More Monitors

Connecting a TV

Changing the Display Settings

About Your RAID Configuration

RAID Level 0 Configuration

RAID Level 1 Configuration

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

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

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

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

Configuring Your Computer for RAID

Using the Intel

Dell DataSafe (Optional)

RAID Option ROM Utility . . . . . 33

Application Accelerator . . . . . 36

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

. . . . . . . 22

. . . . 25

. . . . . 26

. . . . . . . . 28

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Contents 3

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Intel® Viiv™ Technology (Optional) . . . . . . . . . . . 41

Using Intel Viiv Quick Resume Technology (QRT)

Enabling the QRT Feature in System Setup

Enabling the QRT Feature in the Operating

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

System

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

. . . . 42

Using Multimedia

Playing CDs or DVDs

Copying Media

How to Copy a CD or DVD

How to Copy a Blu-ray Disc™ (BD) Media

Using Blank CDs and DVDs

Helpful Tips

Using a Media Card Reader

Understanding the Media Xcelerator™ (Optional)

Understanding Windows LCD display

Configuring the LCD display

Adding Gadgets To LCD Display Menu

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

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

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 44

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. . . . . 45

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

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

. . . 49

SideShow™ and the

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 50

. . . . . . . . . . . . 51

. . . . . . . 51

Setting Up a Printer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 52

Printer Cable

Connecting a USB Printer

Connecting to the Internet

Setting Up Your Internet Connection

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

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

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

. . . . . . . . 54

4 Contents

Network Setup Wizard

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

Transferring Information to a New Computer

. . . . . . 56

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Power Management Options in Windows Vista . . . . 56

Sleep Mode

Hybrid Sleep

Hibernate Mode

Configuring Power Management Settings

2 Optimizing for Greater Performance . . . . 59

Understanding Intel™ SpeedStep® Technology . . . . 59

3 Troubleshooting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 61

Solving Problems . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 61

Coin-Cell Battery Problems

Drive Problems

E-Mail, Modem, and Internet Problems

Error Messages

IEEE 1394a Device Problems

Keyboard Problems

Lockups and Software Problems

Memory Problems

Mouse Problems

Network Problems

Power Problems

Printer Problems

Scanner Problems

Sound and Speaker Problems

Video and Monitor Problems

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

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

. . . . . 57

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

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 62

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Power Lights

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

Diagnostic Lights

Beep Codes

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

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

Contents 5

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System Messages . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 83

Dell Diagnostics

When to Use Dell Diagnostics

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

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

Starting Dell Diagnostics From Your Hard Drive

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 87

Starting Dell Diagnostics From the Drivers and Utilities Media

Dell Diagnostics Main Menu

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 88

. . . . . . . . . . . . 88

Drivers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 90

What Is a Driver?

Identifying Drivers

Reinstalling Drivers and Utilities

Using Windows Device Driver Rollback

Using the Drivers and Utilities Media

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

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

. . . . . . . . . . 91

. . . . . . 91

. . . . . . . 92

Troubleshooting Software and Hardware Problems in the Microsoft Windows Vista™ Operating System

Restoring Your Operating System

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

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

Using Microsoft

Using Dell Factory Image Restore

Using the Operating System Media

Windows System Restore . . . . 94

. . . . . . . . . 95

. . . . . . . . 96

4 Removing and Installing Parts . . . . . . . . 99

6 Contents

Troubleshooting LCD Display Problems

. . . . . . . . . 98

Before You Begin . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 99

Recommended Tools

Turning Off Your Computer

Before Working Inside Your Computer

Removing the Computer Cover

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

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

. . . . . . . 100

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

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Inside View of Your Computer . . . . . . . . . . . . . 102

System Board Components

Memory

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

Memory Overview

Installing Memory

Removing Memory

Cards

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 109

PCI Cards

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 109

PCI Express Cards

Drive Panels

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 124

Removing the Drive Panel

Removing the Drive-Panel Insert

Replacing the Drive-Panel Insert

Replacing the Drive Panel

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 128

Drives

General Installation Guidelines

Hard Drive

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 129

Removing a Hard Drive

Installing a Hard Drive

Adding a Second Hard Drive

Installing a Hard Drive in the FlexBay

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

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

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 106

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 108

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 115

. . . . . . . . . . . . . 124

. . . . . . . . . 125

. . . . . . . . . 126

. . . . . . . . . . . . . 127

. . . . . . . . . . 128

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 129

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 130

. . . . . . . . . . . . 132

. . . . . . . 134

Removing a Hard Drive From the FlexBay

. . . . . 135

Floppy Drive

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 136

Removing a Floppy Drive

Installing a Floppy Drive

Media Card Reader

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 140

Removing a Media Card Reader

Installing a Media Card Reader

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . 136

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . 138

. . . . . . . . . . 140

. . . . . . . . . . 142

Contents 7

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CD/DVD Drive . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 144

Removing a CD/DVD Drive

Installing a CD/DVD Drive

. . . . . . . . . . . . . 144

. . . . . . . . . . . . . 146

Processor Airflow Shroud

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 148

Removing the Processor Airflow Shroud Assembly

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 148

Installing the Processor Airflow Shroud Assembly

Fans

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 149

Removing the Processor Fan Cage

Installing the Processor Fan Cage

Removing the Processor Fan

Installing the Processor Fan

Removing the Card Fan

Installing the Card Fan

Processor

Removing the Processor

Installing the Processor

System Board

Removing the System Board

Installing the System Board

Power Supply

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 149

. . . . . . . . 149

. . . . . . . . . 150

. . . . . . . . . . . . 151

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. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 154

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. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 157

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. . . . . . . . . . . . 158

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 160

Power Supply (PSU) DC Connector Pin Assignments

Removing the Power Supply

Installing the Power Supply

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 160

. . . . . . . . . . . . 165

. . . . . . . . . . . . 166

8 Contents

Front I/O Panel

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 167

Front I/O-Panel Components

Removing the Front I/O Panel

Installing the Front I/O Panel

. . . . . . . . . . . . 167

. . . . . . . . . . . 168

. . . . . . . . . . . . 169

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Coin-Cell Battery . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 170

Replacing the Coin-Cell Battery

. . . . . . . . . . 170

Replacing the Computer Cover

. . . . . . . . . . . . . 172

A Appendix . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 173

Specifications . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 173

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

FCC Notices (U.S. Only)

Class A

Class B

FCC Identification Information

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 178

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 179

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 180

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 186

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. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 190

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. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 192

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 192

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. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 194

. . . . . . . . . . . 194

Getting Help

Obtaining Assistance

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 195

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 195

Technical Support and Customer Service

DellConnect

Online Services

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 196

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 196

. . . . . 196

Contents 9

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AutoTech Service . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 197

Automated Order-Status Service

. . . . . . . . . 197

Problems With Your Order

Product Information

Returning Items for Warranty Repair or Credit

Before You Call

Contacting Dell

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 198

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 200

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 197

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 197

. . . . . 198

Glossary . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 201

Index

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 219

10 Contents

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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 device documentation

• Desktop System Software (DSS)

Drivers and Utilities Media

Documentation and drivers are already installed on your computer. You can use the Drivers and Utilities media to reinstall drivers (see "Reinstalling Drivers and Utilities" on page 91), access your documentation, or run the Dell Diagnostics (see "Dell Diagnostics" on page 86).

Readme files may also be included on your media to provide last-minute updates about technical changes to your computer or advanced technical reference material for technicians and experienced users.

NOTE: Drivers and documentation updates

can be found at support.dell.com.

Finding Information 11

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What Are You Looking For? Find It Here

• Warranty information

• Terms and Conditions (U.S. only)

• Safety instructions

• Regulatory information

• Ergonomics information

• End User License Agreement

Dell™ Product Information Guide

• How to set up my computer

• Service Tag and Express Service Code

• Microsoft Windows License Label

Setup Diagram

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 or contact support.

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

support.dell.com

NOTE: As an increased security measure,

the newly designed Microsoft Windows license label incorporates a missing portion or "hole" to discourage removal of the label.

12 Finding Information

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What Are You Looking For? Find It Here

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

• 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

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

Dell Support Website — support.dell.com

NOTE: Select your region or business

segment to view the appropriate support site.

To download Desktop System Software:

Go to

support.dell.com

, select your business segment, and then enter your Service Tag or product model.

Select

Drivers & Downloads

click

Select your operating system and

, and then

language, and then search for the keyword

Desktop System Software

NOTE: The support.dell.com user interface

may vary depending on your selections.

Finding Information 13

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What Are You Looking For? Find It Here

• How to use your Windows™ operating system

• How to work with programs and files

• How to personalize my desktop

• How to reinstall my operating system

Windows Help and Support

To access Windows Help and Support:

• In Windows Vista™, click the Windows Vista Start button

Help and Support

Type a word or phrase that describes your

™

and click

problem, and then click the arrow icon.

Click the topic that describes your problem.

Follow the instructions on the screen.

Operating System Media

The operating system is already installed on your computer. To reinstall your operating system, use the Operating System media (see "Restoring Your Operating System" on page 94).

After you reinstall the operating system, use the Drivers and Utilities media to reinstall drivers for the devices that came with your computer.

The operating system product key label is located on your computer.

NOTE: The color of your Operating System

CD varies according to the operating system

you ordered.

14 Finding Information

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Setting Up and Using Your Computer

Front and Back View of the Computer

Front View

Setting Up and Using Your Computer 15

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1 cover release latch Use this latch to remove the cover (see "Removing

the Computer Cover" on page 101).

2 storage space Use to stack CDs, place a digital camera while

transferring images to system and so on.

3 LCD display menu Use to scroll through the different menu options

available on LCD display.

4 LCD navigation

buttons

5 optical drive tray eject

button (2)

6 vents For adequate cooling, do not block any of the vents.

Use to navigate the menu options on LCD display. Use the buttons to scroll up and down, navigate options on left and right, or select.

Use to eject the drive tray of an optical drive.

NOTE: The self-tending doors on the optical drive open

automatically when the eject button is pressed.

NOTICE: Ensure that there is a minimum of

two inches of space between all vents and any object near the vents.

NOTICE: Keep the vent area clean and dust-free

to ensure that the system is adequately ventilated. Use only a dry cloth to clean the vent area to avoid water damage to the system.

7 IEEE 1394 connector Use the IEEE 1394 connector for high-speed data

devices such as digital video cameras and external storage devices.

8 power button Press to turn on the computer.

NOTICE: To avoid losing data, do not use the

power button to turn off the computer. Instead, perform an operating system shutdown.

NOTE: The power button can also be used to wake the

system or to place it into a power-saving state (see "Power Management Options in Windows Vista" on page 56).

16 Setting Up and Using Your Computer

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9 USB connectors (2) Use the front USB connectors for devices that you

connect occasionally, such as flash memory keys, cameras, or bootable USB devices. For more information on booting to a USB device, see "System Setup" on page 178.

NOTE: It is recommended that you use the back USB

connectors for devices that typically remain connected, such as printers and keyboards.

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 personal

computer microphone for voice or musical input into a sound or telephony program.

12 3.5-inch flexbays (2) Can hold an optional Media Card Reader, audio

input, video input, output device with or without a graphics accelerator device, floppy drive or an additional hard drive.

13 5.25-inch drive bays (2) Can hold CD-RW/DVD, audio or video input or

output with or without graphics accelerator device, DVD-RW or Blu-ray Disc™.

14 hard-drive activity light The hard drive light is on when the computer reads

data from or writes data to the hard drive. The light may also be on when a device such as your CD player is operating.

15 diagnostic lights(4) Use the sequence of these diagnostics lights to help

troubleshoot a problem with your computer (see "Dell Diagnostics" on page 86).

16 network indicator light The network link light is on when a good connection

exists between a network and the computer.

17 LCD display Displays a “Now playing” screen for audio and video

applications. Allows you to navigate, select, and launch devices available on your system.

Setting Up and Using Your Computer 17

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Front I/O Connectors

12 43

1 microphone

connector

2 headphone

connector

3 USB connectors (2) Use the front USB connectors for devices that you

4 IEEE 1394

connector

Use the microphone connector to attach a personal computer microphone for voice or musical input into a sound or telephony program.

Use the headphone connector to attach headphones.

connect occasionally, such as flash memory keys, cameras, or bootable USB devices. For more information on bootable USB devices see "Boot Sequence" on page 186.

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

Use the IEEE 1394 connector for high-speed data devices such as digital video cameras and external storage devices.

18 Setting Up and Using Your Computer

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Back View

1 power connector Insert the power cable. The appearance of this connector

may differ from what is pictured.

2 audio connectors Connect appropriate audio devices (see "Back I/O

Connectors" on page 20).

3 USB connectors Recommended for devices that typically remain connected,

such as printers and keyboards.

4 S/PDIF (RCA) Connects to external digital stereo speakers.

5 eSATA Use it to connect to additional storage devices.

4 5

Setting Up and Using Your Computer 19

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

NOTE: Some connector slots support full-length cards.

7 IEEE 1394 Use the IEEE 1394 connector for high-speed data devices

such as digital video cameras and external storage devices.

8 network adapter

connector

NOTICE: Do not plug a telephone cable into the network

connector.

Use the network adapter connector to attach your computer to a network or broadband device.

Back I/O Connectors

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8

1 IEEE 1394 Use the IEEE 1394 connector for high-speed data devices

such as digital video cameras and external storage devices.

2 eSATA Use this connector to connect to external SATA storage

devices.

3 S/PDIF (RCA) Connects to external digital stereo speakers.

4 USB connectors

(4)(rear quad)

Use the back, rear-quad USB connectors for devices that typically remain connected, such as printers and keyboards.

11 13 12

NOTE: It is recommended that you use the front USB

connectors for devices that you connect occasionally, such as joysticks, cameras, or bootable USB devices.

20 Setting Up and Using Your Computer

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5 link integrity

light

6 network adapter

connector

7 network activity

light

8 surround sound

connector

9 line-in

connector

10 line-

out/headphone connector

• 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 1000-Mbps (1-Gbps) network and the computer.

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

NOTICE: Do not plug a telephone cable into the network

adapter connector.

Use the 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, and then connect the other end of the network cable to the network adapter connector on your computer. A click indicates that the network cable has been securely attached.

On computers with an additional network connector card, use the connectors on the card and on the back of the computer when setting up multiple network connections (such as a separate intra- and extranet).

NOTE: 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.

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.

Use the (black) surround sound connector to attach multichannel-capable speakers.

On computers with a sound card, use the connector on the card.

Use the (blue) line-in connector to attach a record/playback device such as a cassette player, CD player, or VCR.

On computers with a sound card, use the connector on the card.

Use the (green) line-out connector to attach headphones and most speakers with integrated amplifiers.

On computers with a sound card, use the connector on the card.

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11 S/PDIF

(optical) connector

12 center/subwoof

er LFE connector

13 side surround

sound connector

14 USB 2.0

connectors (2) (rear dual)

Use the S/PDIF optical connector to transmit digital audio without going through an analog audio conversion process.

On computers with a sound card, use the connector on the card.

Use the (orange) center/subwoofer connector to attach a center speaker or a single subwoofer.

On computers with a sound card, use the connector on the card.

NOTE: The LFE (Low Frequency Effects) Audio channel, found

in digital surround sound audio schemes, carries only low frequency information of 80 Hz and below. The LFE channel drives a subwoofer to provide extremely low bass extension. Systems not using subwoofers can shunt the LFE information to the main speakers in the surround sound setup.

Use the (gray) side surround sound connector to attach multichannel-capable speakers. The side-surround output provides enhanced surround audio for computers with

7.1 speakers.

On computers with a sound card, use the connector on the card.

Use the back, rear-dual USB connectors for devices that typically remain connected, such as printers and keyboards.

NOTE: It is recommended that you use the front USB

connectors for devices that you connect occasionally, such as joysticks, cameras, or bootable USB devices.

Installing Your Computer in an Enclosure

Installing your computer in an enclosure can restrict the airflow and impact your computer’s performance, possibly causing it to overheat. Follow the guidelines below when installing your computer in an enclosure:

NOTICE: The operating temperature specifications indicated in your Owner’s

Manual reflect the maximum ambient operating temperature. The room’s ambient temperature needs to be a consideration when installing your computer in an enclosure. For example, if the ambient room temperature is at 25° C (77° F), depending on your computer’s specifications, you only have 5° to 10° C (9° to 18° F) temperature margin before you reach your computer’s maximum operating temperature. For details about your computer’s specifications, see "Specifications" on page 173.

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• Leave a 10.2 centimeter (4 inch) minimum clearance on all vented sides of the computer to permit the airflow required for proper ventilation.

• If your enclosure has doors, they need to be of a type that allows at least 30% airflow through the enclosure (front and back).

• If your computer is installed in a corner on a desk or under a desk, leave at least 5.1 centimeters (2 inch) of clearance from the back of the computer to the wall to permit the airflow required for proper ventilation.

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• Do not install your computer in an enclosure that does not allow airflow.

Restricting the airflow impacts your computer’s performance, possibly causing it to overheat.

Connecting Monitors

CAUTION: Before you perform any of the procedures in this section, follow the

safety instructions in the Product Information Guide.

CAUTION: To reduce the risk of fire, electric shock, or injury, do not overload an

electrical outlet, power strip, or convenience receptacle. The total ampere rating of all products plugged into an electrical outlet, power strip, or other receptacle should not exceed 80 percent of the branch circuit rating.

NOTE: Your video card has three different ports: a DVI (White) port, a DVI-I (Black)

port , and a VGA (Blue) port.

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1 DVI (white) connector 2 TV-OUT connector 3 VGA (blue) connector

Connecting a Monitor (Without an Adapter)

CAUTION: Before you perform any of the procedures in this section, follow the

safety instructions in the Product Information Guide.

Save and close all open files and exit all open programs.

Shut down the operating system:

• In Windows Vista™, click the Windows Vista Start button

the arrow in the lower-right corner of the Start menu as shown below, and then click

Shut Down

The computer turns off after the operating system shutdown process is complete.

Ensure that the computer and all attached devices are turned off. If your computer and attached devices did not automatically turn off when you shut down your operating system, press and hold the power button for about 4 seconds to turn them off.Disconnect the computer and all attached devices from their electrical outlets.

Setting Up and Using Your Computer 25

™ c

lick

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Connect the DVI or VGA connector of your monitor to the appropriate connector on the back of the computer:

To connect a monitor with a DVI connector, use the (white) DVI port on your computer.

To connect a monitor with a VGA connector, use the (blue) VGA port on your computer.

NOTE: To connect a monitor with a VGA connector to the DVI-I (black) port on

your computer, use a dongle.

Connecting a Monitor (With an Adapter)

CAUTION: Before you perform any of the procedures in this section, follow the

safety instructions in the Product Information Guide.

NOTE: In order to connect a monitor with a VGA connector to the DVI port on the

back of your computer, a DVI-to-VGA adapter is required.

Save and close all open files and exit all open programs.

Shut down the operating system:

click

• In Windows Vista, corner of the Start menu as shown below, and then click

Start

, click the arrow in the lower-right

Shut Down

The computer turns off after the operating system shutdown process is complete.

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Connect the DVI-to-VGA adapter to the VGA connector on your monitor, and then connect the other end of the adapter to the (white) DVI port on the back of the computer.

1 DVI (white) connector 2 DVI-to-VGA adapter

(optional)

Setting Up and Using Your Computer 27

3 TV-OUT connector

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Connecting Two or More Monitors

CAUTION: Before you perform any of the procedures in this section, follow the

safety instructions in the Product Information Guide.

NOTE: Your video card has one DVI (white) port, one DVI-I (black) port, and one

VGA (blue) port.

Save and close all open files and exit all open programs.

Shut down the operating system:

• In Windows Vista, click corner of the Start menu as shown below, and then click

The computer turns off after the operating system shutdown process is complete.

Start

click the arrow in the lower-right

Shut Down

Connect two or more monitors to the appropriate DVI or VGA ports on the back of the computer.

NOTE: In order to connect a monitor with a VGA connector to the DVI port on

the back of your computer, a DVI-to-VGA adapter is required.

To connect two or more monitors directly to the DVI or VGA ports on your computer, see "Connecting a Monitor (Without an Adapter)" on page 25.

To connect the VGA connectors of one or more monitors to the DVI port(s) on your computer, see "Connecting a Monitor (With an Adapter)" on page 26.

NOTE: To connect a monitor with a VGA connector to the DVI-I (black) port on

your computer, use a dongle.

Change the display settings to support multiple monitors (see "Changing the Display Settings" on page 30).

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Connecting a TV

CAUTION: Before you perform any of the procedures in this section, follow the

safety instructions in the Product Information Guide.

NOTE: If you are connecting a TV to your computer, you may connect only one

monitor (VGA or DVI) in addition to the TV.

NOTE: See the documentation that came with your TV to ensure that you properly

configure and connect the TV.

To connect a TV to your computer, an S-video cable is required. If you do not have an S-video cable, you may purchase one at most consumer electronics stores. An S-video cable is not included with your computer.

Save and close all open files and exit all open programs.

Shut down the operating system:

• In Windows Vista, click corner of the Start menu as shown below, and then click

Start

click the arrow in the lower-right

Shut Down

The computer turns off after the operating system shutdown process is complete.

Disconnect the computer and all attached devices from their electrical outlets.

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 one monitor, as needed, with a DVI or VGA connector as described in "Connecting Monitors" on page 24.

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Changing the Display Settings

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

The Microsoft

Enable extended desktop mode in the display settings. In extended

Windows® desktop displays on the primary monitor.

desktop mode, you can drag objects from one screen to the other, effectively doubling the amount of viewable work space.

About Your RAID Configuration

This section provides an overview of the RAID configuration you may have selected when you purchased your computer. There are several RAID configurations available in the computer industry for different types of uses. Your computer supports RAID level 0 and RAID level 1. A RAID level 0 configuration is recommended for high-performance programs or gaming, and a RAID level 1 configuration is recommended for users who require a high level of data integrity. For example, those in the digital photography and audio industries.

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.

The drives in a RAID configuration should be the same size in order to ensure that the larger drive does not contain unallocated (and therefore unusable) space.

RAID Level 0 Configuration

NOTICE: Because RAID level 0 configurations provide no data redundancy, a

failure of one drive results in the loss of all data (the data on the remaining drive is also inaccessible). Therefore, ensure that you perform regular backups when you use a RAID level 0 configuration.

A RAID level 0 configuration 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.

30 Setting Up and Using Your Computer

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