Dell Dimension 2100 User Manual

Dell™ Dimension™ 2100

www.dell.com
support.dell.com

HINT: A HINT 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.

For a complete list of abbreviations and acronyms, see the Tell Me How help
file. To access help files, see page 24.

____________________

Information in this document is subject to change without notice.
© 2001 Dell Computer Corporation. All rights reserved.

Reproduction in any manner whatsoever without the written permission of Dell Computer
Corporation is strictly forbidden.

Trademarks used in this text: Dell, the DELL logo, Dimension, Inspiron, Dell Precision, OptiPlex,
Latitude, DellPlus, DellNet, and DellWare are trademarks of Dell Computer Corporation; Intel
and Pentium are registered trademarks and Celeron is a trademark 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 Computer Corporation disclaims any
proprietary interest in trademarks and trade names other than its own.

This product incorporates copyright protection technology that is protected by method claims of
certain U.S. patents and other intellectual property rights owned by Macrovision Corporation
and other rights owners. Use of this copyright protection technology must be authorized by
Macrovision Corporation, and is intended for home and other limited viewing uses only unless
otherwise authorized by Macrovision Corporation. Reverse engineering or disassembly is
prohibited.

September 2001 P/N 2H946 Rev. A00

Safety Instructions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7

When Using Your Computer

Ergonomic Computing Habits

When Working Inside Your Computer

Protecting Against Electrostatic Discharge

1 Setting Up

Connecting a Printer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14

Parallel Printer

USB Printer

Installing the Printer Driver

Transferring Information to a New Computer
(Windows XP Only)

Setting Up a Home and Office Network
(Windows XP Only)

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10

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

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

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

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

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

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

Turning Off the Computer

Windows XP

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

Windows Me and Windows 2000

2 Solving Problems

Finding Solutions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22

Accessing Help Files

Power Problems

Start-Up Error Messages

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25

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

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

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

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25

Contents 3

Video and Monitor Problems . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26

If the screen is blank

If the screen is difficult to read

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27

Sound and Speaker Problems

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

Printer Problems . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 29

If you cannot print to a parallel port printer

If you cannot print to a USB printer

Scanner Problems

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

. . . . . . . . . . 29

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

Modem Problems . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 32

Mouse Problems

Keyboard Problems

Drive Problems

If you cannot save a file to a floppy disk

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

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

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

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

If you cannot play a music CD or install a program
from a CD

If you cannot play a DVD movie

If the CD-RW drive stops writing

If you have a hard drive problem

Network Problems

Microsoft

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

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

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

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

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

®

Windows® Error Messages . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 39

4 Contents

General Program Problems

A program crashes

A program stops responding

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

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

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

A program is designed for an earlier Windows operating

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

system

A solid blue screen appears

Internet Connection Problems

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

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

If you have a problem with your Internet connection

E-Mail Problems

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

. . . . . . 41

Resolving Other Technical Problems . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 43

Reinstalling Drivers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 44

Using the Windows XP Device Driver Rollback

. . . . . . . . . 45

Resolving Software and Hardware Incompatibilities

Windows XP

Windows Me

Windows 2000

Using System Restore

Creating a Restore Point

Restoring the Computer to an Earlier Operating State

Undoing the Last System Restore

Reinstalling Windows XP

Reinstalling Windows Me . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 55

Reinstalling Windows 2000

3 Adding Parts

Removing the Computer Cover . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 60

Rotating the Power Supply

Looking Inside Your Computer

System Board

. . . . . . . 46

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

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

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 48

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 49

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

. . . . . . 51

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

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

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

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

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

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 66

Adding a 3.5-Inch Drive . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 67

Adding Cards

Removing Cards

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

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 77

Adding Memory . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 78

Replacing the Computer Cover

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 80

Contents 5

4 Appendix

Specifications . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 82

Standard Settings

Viewing Settings

System Setup Screens

Clearing Forgotten Passwords

Replacing the Battery

Dell Technical Support Policy (U.S. Only)

Definition of "Dell-Installed" Software and Peripherals

Definition of "Third-Party" Software and Peripherals

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

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

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

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

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

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

. . . . . 90

. . . . . . 91

Contacting Dell . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 92

Contact Numbers and Addresses

Returning Items for Warranty Repair or Credit

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

. . . . . . . . . 106

Regulatory Information . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 107

FCC Notices (U.S. Only)

Battery Disposal

NOM Information (Mexico Only)

Información para NOM (únicamente para México)

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

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 110

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

. . . . . . . 112

Limited Warranties and Return Policy . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 113

One-Year Limited Warranty (U.S. Only)

Two-Year Limited Warranty (U.S. Only)

Three-Year Limited Warranty (U.S. Only)

One-Year Limited Warranty (Canada Only)

Two-Year Limited Warranty (Canada Only)

Three-Year Limited Warranty (Canada Only)

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

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

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

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

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

. . . . . . . . . . 127

“Total Satisfaction” Return Policy
(U.S. and Canada Only)

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 131

One-Year End-User Manufacturer Guarantee
(Latin America and the Caribbean Only)

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

Index . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 135

6 Contents

Use the following safety guidelines to protect yourself and your computer.

When Using Your Computer

CAUTION: Do not operate your computer with any cover(s)

(including the computer cover, filler brackets, front-panel inserts,
and so on) removed.

• To help avoid damaging your computer, be sure that the voltage

selection switch is set to match the AC power available at your
location:

– 115 V/60 Hz in most of North and South America and some Far

Eastern countries such as South Korea and Taiwan

– 100 V/50 Hz in eastern Japan and 100 V/60 Hz in western Japan

– 230 V/50 Hz in most of Europe, the Middle East, and the Far East

11 5 V

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

• To avoid shorting out your computer when disconnecting a network

cable, first unplug the cable from the network adapter on the back of
your computer, and then from the network jack. When reconnecting a
network cable to your computer, first plug the cable into the network
jack, and then into the network adapter.

• To help avoid possible damage to the system board, wait 5 seconds

after turning off the computer before disconnecting or connecting a
non-USB device from the computer.

7

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• To help prevent electric shock, plug the computer and device power

cables into properly grounded power sources. These cables are
equipped with 3-prong plugs to help ensure proper grounding. Do not
use adapter plugs or remove the grounding prong from a cable. If you
must use an extension cable, use a 3-wire cable with properly grounded
plugs.

• To help protect your computer from sudden, transient increases and

decreases in electrical power, use a surge suppressor, line conditioner,
or uninterruptible power supply.

• Be sure that nothing rests on your computer’s cables and that the

cables are not located where they can be stepped on or tripped over.

• Do not spill food or liquids on your computer. If the computer gets

wet, contact Dell (see page 92).

• Do not push any objects into the openings of your computer. Doing so

can cause fire or electric shock by shorting out interior components.

• Keep your computer away from radiators and heat sources. Also, do not

block cooling vents. Avoid placing loose papers underneath your
computer; do not place your computer in a closed-in wall unit or on a
bed, sofa, or rug.

Ergonomic Computing Habits

CAUTION: Improper or prolonged keyboard use may result in

injury.

CAUTION: Viewing the monitor screen for extended periods of

time may result in eye strain.

For comfort and efficiency, observe the following ergonomic guidelines
when setting up and using your computer:

• Position your computer so that the monitor and keyboard are directly

in front of you as you work. Special shelves are available (from Dell and
other sources) to help you correctly position your keyboard.

• Set the monitor at a comfortable viewing distance (usually 510 to

610 millimeters [20 to 24 inches] from your eyes).

• Make sure the monitor screen is at eye level or slightly lower when you

are sitting in front of the monitor.

8

• Adjust the tilt of the monitor, its contrast and brightness settings, and

the lighting around you (such as overhead lights, desk lamps, and the
curtains or blinds on nearby windows) to minimize reflections and
glare on the monitor screen.

• Use a chair that provides good lower back support.

• Keep your forearms horizontal with your wrists in a neutral,

comfortable position while using the keyboard or mouse

• Always leave space to rest your hands while using the keyboard or

mouse.

• Let your upper arms hang naturally at your sides.

• Sit erect with your feet resting on the floor and your thighs level.

• When sitting, make sure the weight of your legs is on your feet and not

on the front of your chair seat. Adjust your chair’s height or use a
footrest, if necessary, to maintain proper posture.

• Vary your work activities. Try to organize your work so that you do not

have to type for extended periods of time. When you stop typing, try
to do things that use both hands.

9

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monitor screen at or
below eye level

wrists relaxed
and flat

computer positioned
directly in front of
user

arms at desk
level

feet flat on the
floor

When Working Inside Your Computer

Before you open the computer cover, perform the following steps in the
sequence indicated.

10

NOTICE: Do not attempt to service the computer yourself, except as

explained in this guide and elsewhere in Dell documentation or at the guidance
of a Dell support technician. Always follow installation and service instructions
closely.

Turn off your computer.

1

2 Turn off all devices.

3 Ground yourself by touching an unpainted metal surface at the back of

the computer before touching anything inside your computer.

While you work, periodically touch an unpainted metal surface on the
computer to dissipate any static electricity that might harm internal
components.

4 Disconnect any devices connected to the computer, including the

monitor, from their electrical outlets to reduce the potential for
personal injury or shock. Also, disconnect any telephone or
telecommunication lines from the computer.

5 Disconnect the power cable to your computer, and then press the

power button to ground the system board.

In addition, take note of these safety guidelines when appropriate:

• When you disconnect a cable, pull on its connector, not on the cable

itself. As you pull connectors apart, keep them evenly aligned to avoid
bending any pins. Also, before you connect a cable, make sure that
both connectors are correctly oriented and aligned.

• Handle components and cards with care. Don’t touch the components

on a card. Hold a card by its edges or by its metal bracket.

CAUTION: There is a danger of a new battery exploding if it is

incorrectly installed. Replace the battery only with the same or
equivalent type recommended by the manufacturer. Discard used
batteries according to the manufacturer’s instructions.

Protecting Against Electrostatic Discharge

To prevent static damage, discharge static electricity from your body before
you touch anything inside your computer and periodically while you work
inside the computer. You can do so by touching an unpainted metal surface
on the back of the computer.

You can also take the following steps to prevent static damage:

• Do not remove items from their antistatic packing material until you

are ready to install them in your computer. Just before unwrapping the
antistatic packaging, be sure to discharge static electricity from your
body.

• When transporting a sensitive component, first place it in an antistatic

container or packaging.

11

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12

SECTION 1

Connecting a Printer

Transferring Information to a New Computer (Windows

XP Only)

Setting Up a Home and Office Network (Windows XP

Only)

Turning Off the Computer

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See the documentation that came with the printer for any recommended
preparation procedures, such as:

• Removing the packaging

• Installing the toner or ink cartridge

• Loading paper

Then follow the instructions that came with the printer to connect it to the
computer. If no information is provided, see the following sections.

Parallel Printer

1 Turn off the computer (see page 18).

NOTICE: Use only a standard IEEE parallel cable measuring 3 m (10 ft) or

less to connect the printer to the computer. Use of a nonstandard cable may
prevent the printer from working.

Attach the parallel printer cable to the parallel connector on the

2

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

14 Setting Up

screws (2)

parallel connector on
computer

parallel
connector on
printer

parallel printer
cable

notches (2)

3 Turn on the printer and then turn on the computer. If the Add New

clips (2)

Hardware Wizard window appears, click Cancel.

4 Install the printer driver if necessary (see page 16).

Setting Up 15

USB Printer

HINT: You can connect

USB devices while the
computer is turned on.

HINT: Your computer has

two USB connectors on
the back panel (see the
START HERE sheet for
their locations).

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Install the printer driver if necessary (see the following section).

1

2 Attach the USB printer cable to the USB connector on the computer

and the printer. The USB connectors only fit one way.

USB connector on
back of computer

USB printer
cable

USB connector
on printer

16 Setting Up

Installing the Printer Driver

If you need to install a printer driver, insert the printer installation CD into
the CD drive. Then follow the prompts on the screen using the instructions
that came with the printer.

If your printer installation CD does not automatically run, click the Start
button on the Microsoft

x:\setup.exe (where x is the letter of your CD drive [usually drive D]).

Then click OK and follow the prompts on your screen. If your printer
installation CD still does not run, check the documentation that came with
your printer for instructions on how to start the printer installation CD.

If you connect an older printer and it doesn’t work after you install the
driver, access the system setup program (see page 86) and ensure that the
parallel port is set to operate in bidirectional mode.

®

Windows® desktop, click Run, and type

To check if your printer driver is installed on a computer running the
Windows XP operating system, click the Start button, click Control Panel,
click Printers and Other Hardware, and then click View installed printers
or fax printers. If your computer runs either Windows 2000 or Windows
Millennium Edition (Me), click the Start button, point to Settings, and
then click Printers. If your printer is listed in the Printers window, the
printer is ready to use.

Windows XP provides a Files and Settings Transfer Wizard to move data,
such as e-mails, window sizes, toolbar settings, and Internet bookmarks,
from one computer to another. First you collect the data from the source
computer, and then you import the data to the new computer.

If the source computer uses another Windows operating system, the wizard
can be launched from the Windows XP operating system CD or from a
floppy disk created on the Windows XP computer. You may transfer the
data to the new computer over a network or serial connection, or you may
store it on a removable medium, such as a floppy disk, a Zip disk, or a
writable CD.

On the Windows XP computer, click the Start button, point to All

1

Programs—> Accessories—> System Tools, and then click Files and
Settings Transfer Wizard.

2 On the welcome screen, click Next.

3 On the Which computer is this? screen, select New Computer, and

then click Next.

4 Follow the instructions on the screen.

HINT: The CD that you

need to place in your CD
or DVD drive is titled
Operating System.

Setting Up 17

Windows XP 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.

1 Click the Start button, point to All Programs—> Accessories—>

Communications, and then click Network Setup Wizard.

2 On the welcome screen, click Next.

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HINT: Selecting the

connection method This

computer connects
directly to the Internet

enables the integrated
firewall provided with
Windows XP.

HINT: If you are having

difficulty turning off your
computer, see "General
Program Problems" on
page 40.

3 Click checklist for creating a network.

Complete the checklist and required preparations, and then return to

4

the Network Setup Wizard.

5 Follow the instructions on the screen.

NOTICE: To prevent data loss, you must turn off your computer through the

Start menu rather than by pressing the power button.

Windows XP

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

2 Click the Start button and then click Turn off Computer.

3 Click Tur n of f.

The computer automatically turns off after the shutdown process
finishes.

4 Turn off your monitor and any other devices connected to power.

Windows Me and Windows 2000

1 Save and exit any programs and files you have open.

18 Setting Up

2 Click the Start button, and then click Shut Down.

3 Click the pull-down menu under What do you want the computer to

do?.

4 Click Shut down and then click OK.

The computer automatically turns off after the shutdown process
finishes.

5 Turn off your monitor and any other devices connected to power.

Setting Up 19

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20 Setting Up

SECTION 2

Finding Solutions
Accessing Help Files
Power Problems
Start-Up Error Messages
Video and Monitor Problems
Sound and Speaker Problems
Printer Problems
Scanner Problems
Modem Problems
Mouse Problems
Keyboard Problems
Drive Problems
Network Problems
Microsoft
General Program Problems
Internet Connection Problems
E-Mail Problems
Resolving Other Technical Problems
Reinstalling Drivers
Resolving Software and Hardware Incompatibilities
Using System Restore
Reinstalling Windows XP
Reinstalling Windows Me
Reinstalling Windows 2000

®

Windows® Error Messages

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Sometimes it’s difficult to figure out where to go for answers. Use this chart
to help you quickly find the answers to your questions.

See page 25.

Get technical assistance from
Dell. See page 92.

See page 25.

22 Solving Problems

See page 26.

See page 28.

See page 29.

See page 32.

See page 34.

See page 35.

See page 35.

See page 39.

See page 31.

See page 39.

See page 40.

See page 43.

See page 41.

See page 43.

Solving Problems 23

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TO ACCESS THE Tell Me How HELP FILE

Microsoft® Windows® XP

1 Click the Start button, and then click Help and Support.
2 Click User and system guides, and then click User’s guides.
3 Click Tell Me How.

Windows Millennium Edition (Me) and Windows 2000

Click the Start button, point to Programs, point to User’s Guides, and then click
Tell Me How.

TO ACCESS HELP IN WINDOWS XP

1 Click the Start button, and then click Help and Support.
2 Type a word or phrase that describes your problem, and then click the arrow

icon.

3 Click the topic that describes your problem, and then click Display.
4 Follow the instructions shown on the screen.

TO ACCESS HELP IN WINDOWS ME

1 Click the Start button, and then click Help.
2 Type a word or phrase that describes your problem in the Search box, and then

click Go.

3 Click the topic that describes your problem, and then click Display.
4 Follow the instructions shown on the screen.

24 Solving Problems

TO ACCESS HELP IN WINDOWS 2000

1 Click the Start button, and then click Help.
2 Click the Search tab.
3 Type a word or phrase that describes your problem, and then click List Topics.
4 Click the topic that describes your problem, and then click Display.
5 Follow the instructions shown on the screen.

CHECK THE POWER LIGHT— When the power light is lit or blinking, the

computer has power. If the power light is blinking, the computer is in standby
mode—press a key on the keyboard or move the mouse.

TEST THE ELECTRICAL OUTLET— Ensure that the electrical outlet is working

by testing it with another device, such as a lamp.

CHECK THE POWER CABLE CONNECTION— Be sure that the power cable is

firmly inserted into the electrical outlet and the computer power connector.

CONNECT THE COMPUTER DIRECTLY TO AN ELECTRICAL OUTLET—

Bypass power protection devices, power strips, and the extension cable to verify
that the computer turns on.

SWAP THE COMPUTER AND MONITOR POWER CABLES— Swap the

computer and monitor power cables to determine if the power cable is defective.

CHECK FOR INTERFERENCE— Electrical appliances on the same circuit or

operating near the computer can cause interference. Other causes of
interference: power extension cables, keyboard and mouse extension cables, too
many devices on a power strip, or multiple power strips connected to the same
electrical outlet.

HINT: See the Tell Me

How help file for

information on the
standby mode.

CHECK THE POWER PROPERTIES— See the Tell Me How help file or search

for the keyword standby in Windows Help. To access help files, see page 24.

OPERATING SYSTEM NOT FOUND— Call Dell for technical assistance (see

page 92).

Solving Problems 25

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HINT: See the monitor

documentation for fault
indications and
troubleshooting
procedures specific to
your monitor.

INSERT BOOTABLE MEDIA— The operating system is trying to boot to a

nonbootable floppy disk or CD. Insert a bootable floppy disk or CD.

NON-SYSTEM DISK ERROR— There is a floppy disk in the floppy drive.

Remove the floppy disk and restart the computer.

If the screen is blank

CHECK THE VIDEO CABLE CONNECTION— Check for bent pins (most video

cable connectors have missing pins, but not bent pins). Ensure that the video
cable is connected as shown on the START HERE sheet for your computer.

PRESS THE MONITOR POWER BUTTON— Be sure that you firmly pressed the

monitor power button.

CHECK THE POWER LIGHT— When the power light is lit or blinking, the

monitor has power. If the power light is blinking, press a key on the keyboard or
move the mouse.

26 Solving Problems

TEST THE ELECTRICAL OUTLET— Ensure that the electrical outlet is working

by testing it with another device, such as a lamp.

SWAP THE COMPUTER AND MONITOR POWER CABLES— Swap the

computer and monitor power cables to determine if the power cable is defective.

TEST THE VIDEO EX TENSI ON CABLE (IF USED)— If you are using a video

extension cable and removing the cable solves the problem, the cable is defective.

TEST THE MONITOR— If another monitor is available, connect it to the

computer.

CHECK THE BACK PANEL LIGHTS— If all four lights below the serial port are

not green, call Dell for technical assistance (see page 92).

CHECK THE POWER PROPERTIES— See the Tell Me How help file or search

for the keyword standby in Windows Help. To access help files, see page 24.

If the screen is difficult to read

ADJUST THE CONTRAST AND BRIGHTNESS— See the monitor

documentation for instructions on adjusting the contrast and brightness.

MOVE THE SUBWOOFER AWAY FROM THE MONITOR— If your speaker

system includes a subwoofer, ensure that the subwoofer is at least 2 ft (60 cm)
away from the monitor.

ELIMINATE POSSIBLE INTERFERENCE— Turn off nearby fans, fluorescent

lights, or halogen lamps to check for interference.

ROTATE THE MONITOR TO FACE A DIFFERENT DIRECTION— Eliminate

sunlight glare, which can cause poor picture quality.

DEGAUSS (DEMAGNETIZE) THE MONITOR— See the monitor

documentation.

RUN THE MONITOR SELF -TEST— See the monitor documentation.

RESTORE THE RECOMMENDED SETTINGS— Restore the original resolution

and refresh rate settings. See the Tell Me How help file for instructions. To access
help files, see page 24.

CHECK FOR ADDITIONAL ADJUSTMENTS— See the monitor documentation

for any additional adjustments that your monitor may require.

Solving Problems 27

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HINT: The volume

control in some MP3
players overrides the
Windows volume setting.
If you have been listening
to MP3 songs, make sure
that you did not turn the
player volume down or off.

ADJUST THE WINDOWS DISPLAY SETTINGS

Windows XP

1 Click the Start button, and then click Control Panel.
2 Click Appearance and Themes.
3 Click Display, and then click the Settings tab.
4 Try different settings for Screen resolution and Color quality.

Windows Me and Windows 2000

1 Click the Start button, point to Settings, and then click Control Pan el .
2 Double-click the Display icon, and then click the Settings tab.
3 Try different settings for Colors and Screen area.

VERIFY THE SPEAKER CABLE CONNECTIONS— Ensure that the speakers

are connected as shown on the START HERE sheet for your computer and the
setup diagram supplied with the speakers.

TEST THE ELECTRICAL OUTLET— Ensure that the electrical outlet is working

by testing it with another device, such as a lamp.

28 Solving Problems

ENSURE THAT THE SPEAKERS ARE TURNED ON— See the setup diagram

supplied with the speakers.

ADJUST THE SPEAKER CONTROLS— Adjust the volume, bass, or treble

controls to eliminate distortion.

ADJUST THE WINDOWS VOLUME CONTROL— In Windows XP, click the

speaker icon in the lower-right corner of your screen. In Windows Me or 2000,
double-click the speaker icon in the lower-right corner of your screen. Be sure that
the volume is turned up and that the sound is not muted.

TEST THE SPEAKERS— If you are using Windows 98 SE or Windows 2000,

plug the speaker audio cable into the headphone jack of the CD or DVD drive.
Ensure that the headphone volume control is turned up. Play a music CD.

RUN THE SPEAKER DIAGNOSTICS— Some speaker systems have self-

contained diagnostics. See the speaker documentation for diagnostics
instructions.

ELIMINATE POSSIBLE INTERFERENCE— Turn off nearby fans, fluorescent

lights, or halogen lamps to check for interference.

REINSTALL THE SOUND (AUDIO) DRIVER— See page 44.

If you cannot print to a parallel port printer

VERIFY THE PRINTER CABLE CONNECTIONS— Ensure that the printer

cable is connected as described on page 14.

TEST THE ELECTRICAL OUTLET— Ensure that the electrical outlet is working

by testing it with another device, such as a lamp.

ENSURE THAT THE PRINTER IS TURNED ON— See the documentation

supplied with the printer.

HINT: If you need

technical assistance for
your printer, call the
printer’s manufacturer.
Dell does not cover the
printer’s warranty.

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VERIFY THAT THE PRINTER IS RECOGNIZED BY WINDOWS

Windows XP

1 Click the Start button.
2 Click Control Panel.
3 Click Printers and Other Hardware.
4 Click View installed printers or fax printers. If the printer is listed, right-click

the printer icon.

5 Click Properties, and then click the Port s tab. Ensure that the Print to the

following port(s): setting is LPT1 (Printer Port).

Windows Me and Windows 2000

1 Click the Start button, point to Settings, and then click Printers.

If the printer is listed, right-click the printer icon.

2 Click Properties, and then click the Details tab in Windows Me and the Ports

tab in Windows 2000. Ensure that the Print to the following port(s): setting is
LPT1 (Printer Port).

REINSTALL THE PRINTER DRIVER— See page 16.

If you cannot print to a USB printer

VERIFY THE PRINTER CABLE CONNECTIONS— Ensure that the printer

cable is connected as described on page 16.

30 Solving Problems

TEST THE ELECTRICAL OUTLET— Ensure that the electrical outlet is working

by testing it with another device, such as a lamp.

ENSURE THAT THE PRINTER IS TURNED ON— See the documentation

supplied with the printer.

VERIFY THAT THE PRINTER IS RECOGNIZED BY WINDOWS

Windows XP

1 Click the Start button.
2 Click Control Panel.
3 Click Printers and Other Hardware.
4 Click View installed printers or fax printers. If the printer is listed, right-click

the printer name.

5 Click Properties, and then click the Port s tab. Ensure that the Print to the

following port(s): setting is USB.

Windows Me and Windows 2000

1 Click the Start button, point to Settings, and then click Printers.

If the printer is listed, right-click the printer icon.

2 Click Properties, and then click the Details tab in Windows Me and the Ports

tab in Windows 2000. Ensure that the Print to the following port(s): setting is
USB.

REINSTALL THE PRINTER DRIVER— See page 16.

CHECK THE POWER CABLE CONNECTION— Ensure that the scanner power

cable is firmly connected to a working electrical power source and that the
scanner is turned on.

HINT: If you need

technical assistance for
your scanner, call the
scanner’s manufacturer.
Dell does not cover the
scanner’s warranty.

CHECK THE SCANNER CABLE CONNECTION— Ensure that the scanner

cable is firmly connected to the computer and to the scanner.

UNLOCK THE SCANNER— Ensure that your scanner is unlocked if it has a

locking tab or button.

REINSTALL THE SCANNER DRIVER— Reinstall the scanner driver. See the

scanner documentation for instructions.

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NOTICE: Connect the modem to an analog telephone jack only. Connecting

the modem to a digital telephone network damages the modem.

CHECK THE TELEPHONE JACK— Disconnect the telephone line from the

modem and connect it to a telephone. Listen for a dial tone.

CONNECT THE MODEM DIRECTLY TO THE TELEPHONE WALL JACK— If

you have other telephone devices sharing the line, such as an answering machine,
fax machine, surge protector, or line splitter, then bypass them and connect the
modem directly to the telephone wall jack with the telephone line.

CHECK THE CONNECTION— Verify that the telephone line is connected to the

green jack on the modem. (The green line-in jack has either a LINE IN label or a
connector-shaped icon next to it.)

CHECK THE TELEPHONE LINE— Try using a different telephone line. If you

are using a line that is 10 ft (3 m) or more in length, try a shorter one.

32 Solving Problems

VERIFY THAT THE MODEM IS COMMUNICATING WITH WINDOWS

Windows XP

1 Click the Start button.
2 Click Control Panel.
3 Click Network and Internet Connections.
4 Click Internet Options.
5 Click Network Diagnostics and perform the connectivity test.

Windows Me

1 Click the Start button, point to Settings, and click Control Panel.
2 In the Control Panel, double-click Modems.

If there are multiple entries for the same modem or modems listed that are
not installed, delete the entries and restart the computer.

3 Click the Diagnostics tab.
4 Click the COM port for your modem.
5 Click More Info to verify that the modem is communicating with Windows.

If all commands receive responses, the modem is operating properly.

Windows 2000

1 Click the Start button, point to Settings, and click Control Panel.
2 In the Control Panel, double-click Phone and Modem Options.

If there are multiple entries for the same modem or modems listed that are
not installed, delete the entries and restart the computer.

3 Click the Modems tab.
4 Click the COM port for your modem.
5 Click the Properties button.
6 Click the Diagnostics tab to verify that the modem is communicating with

Windows.
If all commands receive responses, the modem is operating properly.

Solving Problems 33

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IF YOU CONNECTED THE MOUSE BEFORE TURNING ON THE

COMPUTER, RECONNECT THE MOUSE CABLE

1 Press <Ctrl><Esc> to display the Start menu.
2 In Windows XP, type the letter u, and then type the letter u again. In

Windows Me and Windows 2000, use the keyboard arrow keys to highlight
Shut Down, and then press <Enter>.

3 After the computer turns off, reconnect the mouse cable as shown on the

START HERE sheet for your computer.

4 Start the computer.

IF YOU CONNECTED THE MOUSE AFTER TURNING ON THE COMPUTER,

REMOVE THE POWER CABLE, AND THEN RECONNECT THE MOUSE
CABLE— If the mouse is connected after the power is turned on, the mouse will

appear to be nonfunctional. To make the mouse function properly:

1 While your computer is on, remove the power cable from the back of the

computer.

2 Connect the mouse to the computer.
3 Reconnect the power cable.
4 Turn on your computer.

Pressing the power button does not clear the computer’s settings and does not
restore mouse functionality.

34 Solving Problems

CHECK THE MOUSE SETTINGS

Windows XP

1 Click the Start button, click Control Panel, and then click Printers and Other

Hardware.

2 Click Mouse.
3 Try adjusting the settings.

Windows Me and Windows 2000

1 Click the Start button, point to Settings, and then click Control Panel.
2 Double-click the Mouse icon.
3 Try adjusting the settings.

RECONNECT THE KEYBOARD CABLE— Shut down the computer (see

page 18), reconnect the keyboard cable as shown on the

START HERE sheet for

your computer, and then restart the computer.

If you cannot save a file to a floppy disk

ENSURE THAT WINDOWS RECOGNIZES THE DRIVE— In Windows XP,

Click the Start button, and then click My Computer. In Windows Me and
Windows 2000, double-click the My Computer icon on the Windows desktop. If
the floppy drive is not listed, perform a full scan with your antivirus software to
check for and remove viruses. Viruses can sometimes prevent Windows from
recognizing the drive.

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TEST THE DRIVE WITH ANOTHER FLOPPY DISK— Insert another floppy

disk to eliminate the possibility that the original floppy disk is defective.

CANNOT SAVE FILES TO A FLOPPY DISK— Ensure that the floppy disk is

not full or write-protected (locked). See the following illustration.

back of floppy disk

write-protected

not write­protected

If you cannot play a music CD or install a program from a CD

HINT: High-speed CD

drive vibration is normal
and may cause noise. This
does not indicate a defect
in the drive or the CD.

36 Solving Problems

ENSURE THAT WINDOWS RECOGNIZES THE DRIVE— In Windows XP,

Click the Start button, and then click My Computer. In Windows Me and
Windows 2000, double-click the My Computer icon on the Windows desktop. If
the floppy drive is not listed, perform a full scan with your antivirus software to
check for and remove viruses. Viruses can sometimes prevent Windows from
recognizing the drive.

TEST THE DRIVE WITH ANOTHER CD—Insert another CD to eliminate the

possibility that the original CD is defective.

CLEAN THE DISC— See the Tell Me How help file for instructions. To access

help files, see page 24.

ADJUST THE WINDOWS VOLUME CONTROL— In Windows XP, click the

speaker icon in the lower-right corner of your screen. In Windows Me or 2000,
double-click the speaker icon in the lower-right corner of your screen. Be sure that
the volume is turned up and that the sound is not muted.

If you cannot play a DVD movie

ENSURE THAT WINDOWS RECOGNIZES THE DRIVE— In Windows XP,

Click the Start button, and then click My Computer. In Windows Me and
Windows 2000, double-click the My Computer icon on the Windows desktop. If
the floppy drive is not listed, perform a full scan with your antivirus software to
check for and remove viruses. Viruses can sometimes prevent Windows from
recognizing the drive.

TEST THE DRIVE WITH ANOTHER DVD—Insert another DVD to eliminate

the possibility that the original DVD is defective.

HINT: Because of

different worldwide file
types, not all DVD titles
work in all DVD drives.

CLEAN THE DISC— See the Tell Me How help file for instructions.

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If the CD-RW drive stops writing

TURN OFF STANDBY IN WINDOWS BEFORE WRITING TO A CD-RW

DISC— See the Tell Me How help file or search for the keyword standby in Help

and Support (Help in Windows Me and Windows 2000). To access help files, see

page 24.

CHANGE THE WRITE SPEED TO A SLOWER RATE— The CD-RW drive

must receive a steady stream of data when writing. If the stream is interrupted, an
error occurs. Closing all programs before writing to the CD-RW may also
alleviate the problem.

If you have a hard drive problem

RUN SCAND ISK

Windows XP and Windows 2000

1 In Windows XP click the Start button, and then click My Computer. In

Windows 2000 double-click the My Computer icon on the Windows desktop.

2 Select the drive that you want to scan for errors.
3 Click Properties in the File menu.
4 Click the Tools tab.
5 Under Error-checking, click Check Now.
6 Click Start.

Windows Me

Click the Start button, point to Programs—> Accessories—> System Tools, and
then click ScanDisk.

38 Solving Problems

CHECK THE NETWORK CABLE CONNECTOR— Ensure that the network

cable connector is firmly connected to the connector on the computer and the
network wall jack as shown on the START HERE sheet for your computer.

CHECK THE NETWORK LIGHTS ON THE BACK OF THE COMPUTER—

Green indicates that the network connection is active. If the status light is not
green, try replacing the network cable.

RESTART THE COMPUTER— Try to log on to the network again.

CONTACT YOUR NETWORK ADMINISTRATOR— Verify that your network

settings are correct and that the network is functioning.

® ®

x:\ IS NOT ACCESSIBLE. THE DEVICE IS NOT READY— Insert a disk into

the drive and try again.

A FILENAME CANNOT CONTAIN ANY OF THE FOLLOWING

CHARACTERS: \ / : * ? “ < > |— Do not use these characters in

filenames.

NOT ENOUGH MEMOR Y OR RESOURCES. CLOSE SOME PROGRAMS AND

TRY AGAIN— You have too many programs open. Close all windows and open

the program that you want to use. In some cases, you might have to restart your
computer to restore computer resources. If so, try running the program that you
want to use first.

THE FILE BEING COPIED IS TOO LARGE FOR THE DESTINATION

DRIVE— The file that you are trying to copy is too large to fit on the disk. Try

copying the file to a disk or use a larger capacity disk.

Solving Problems 39

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A REQUIRED .DLL FILE WAS NOT FOUND— The program that you are

trying to open is missing an essential file. To remove and then reinstall the
program:

Windows XP

1 Click the Start button.
2 Click Control Panel.
3 Click Add or Remove Programs.
4 Select the program you want to remove.
5 Click the Change or Remove Program icon.
6 See the program documentation for installation instructions.

Windows Me and Windows 2000

1 Click the Start button, point to Settings, and then click Control Panel.
2 Double-click the Add/Remove Programs icon.
3 Select the program that you want to remove.
4 Click Add/Remove in Windows Me and click Change/Remove in Windows

2000 and then follow the prompts on the screen.

5 See the program documentation for installation instructions.

A program crashes

40 Solving Problems

SEE THE SOFTWARE DOCUMENTATION— Many software manufacturers

maintain websites with information that may help you to solve the problem.

A program stops responding

END THE PROGRAM

1 Simultaneously press <Ctrl><Shift><Esc>.
2 In Windows XP and Windows 2000, click the Applications tab, and then

select the program that is no longer responding. In Windows Me, just select
the program that is no longer responding.

3 Click the End Task button.

A program is designed for an earlier Windows operating system

RUN THE PROGRAM COMPATIBILITY WIZARD

Windows XP provides a Program Compatibility Wizard that configures a
program to run in an environment more similar to older Windows operating
system environments.

1 Click the Start button, point to All Programs—> Accessories, and then click

Program Compatibility Wizard.

2 On the welcome screen, click Next.
3 Follow the instructions on the screen.

A solid blue screen appears

TURN THE COMPUTER OFF— If the computer does not respond to a keystroke

or a proper shutdown (see page 18), press the power button until the computer
turns off. Press the power button again to restart the computer. The solid blue
screen appears because you were not able to perform a proper Windows
shutdown. ScanDisk will automatically run during the start-up process. Follow
the instructions on the screen.

If you have a problem with your Internet connection

REVIEW “MODEM PROBLEMS”—See page 32.

Solving Problems 41

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TURN OFF CALL WAITING (CATCH- PHONE)—See your telephone directory

for instructions on deactivating this feature. Then adjust the dial-up networking
connection properties.

Windows XP

1 Click the Start button, and then click Control Panel.
2 Click Printers and Other Hardware, and then click Phone and Modem

Options.

3 Click to highlight your connection type in the displayed list.
4 Click the Dialing Rules tab, and then click the Edit button.
5 Click to place a checkmark in the To Disable Call Waiting box.
6 Select the disable code from the drop down menu (for example, *70).
7 Click Apply, and then click OK.

Windows Me

1 Click the Start button, point to Settings, and then click Control Panel.
2 Double-click the Modems icon.
3 In the Modems Properties window, click Dialing Properties.
4 Ensure that To disable call waiting, dial: is checked, and then select the

proper code according to the information in your telephone directory.

5 Click Apply, and then click OK.
6 Close the Modems Properties window.
7 Close the Control Panel.

Windows 2000

1 Click the Start button, point to Settings, and then click Control Panel.
2 Double-click the Phone and Modems Options icon.
3 In the Locations window, select the location for which you want to disable call

waiting, and then click Edit.

4 Ensure that To disable call waiting, dial: is checked and then select the proper

code according to the information in your telephone directory.

5 Click Apply and then click OK.
6 Close the Phone and Modems Options window.
7 Close the Control Panel.

42 Solving Problems

ENSURE THAT YOU ARE CONNECTED TO THE INTERNET— With the

Outlook Express e-mail program open, click File. If Work Offline has a check
next to it, click the check to remove it and connect to the Internet.

GO TO THE DELL SUPPORT WEBSITE— Go to http://support.dell.com for

help with general usage, installation, and troubleshooting questions. See "Dell
Technical Support Policy" on page 90 for a description of the hardware and
software support provided by Dell.

E-MAIL DELL— Go to http://support.dell.com, and then click E-Mail Dell in

the Communicate list. Send an e-mail message to Dell about your problem; you
can expect to receive an e-mail message from Dell within hours. See "Dell
Technical Support Policy" on page 90 for a description of the hardware and
software support provided by Dell.

CALL DELL— If you cannot solve your problem using the Dell support website

or e-mail service, call Dell for technical assistance (see page 92). See "Dell
Technical Support Policy" on page 90 for a description of the hardware and
software support provided by Dell.

Solving Problems 43

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NOTICE: The Dell support website, http://support.dell.com, and the Dell

Dimension ResourceCD provide approved drivers for Dell™ computers. If you

install drivers obtained from other sources, your computer might not work
correctly.

Dell installed the following drivers on your computer:

®

• Intel

800 Series Chip Set Driver — Installs the Microsoft Windows
operating system device installation files (.inf) that tell the operating
system how certain chip set components should be configured for
proper operation.

• Intel Security Driver — Provides a heightened level of security for

transmitting data across a network or across the Internet.

• Intel 810e Video Driver — Enables the built-in video controller to

function properly.

• Other Drivers — Control the devices, such as the modem and

network cards that might be installed in your computer. For
information on those drivers, click the Start button, point to
Programs—> User's Guides, and click the appropriate guide from the
list.

Sometimes you can fix a device problem by reinstalling its driver:

1 From the Windows desktop, insert the Dell Dimension ResourceCD

into the CD or DVD drive.

44 Solving Problems

If this is your first time to use the ResourceCD, go to step 2. If not, go
to step 5.

2 When the ResourceCD Installation program starts, follow the

prompts on the screen.

3 When the InstallShield Wizard Complete window appears, remove

the ResourceCD and click Finish to restart the computer.

4 When you see the Windows desktop, reinsert the ResourceCD into the

CD or DVD drive.

5 At the Welcome Dell System Owner screen, click Next.

The Please wait... the ResourceCD is detecting hardware in your
computer message appears.

The drivers that are used by your computer are automatically displayed
in the My Drivers—The ResourceCD has identified these
components in your system window.

6 Click the driver that you want to reinstall and follow the instructions

on the screen.

If a particular driver is not listed, then that driver is not required by
your operating system.

To view other contents on the ResourceCD:

1 Verify that your computer is selected in the System Model list.

2 Verify that your operating system is selected in the Operating System

list.

3 Select the type of device in the Device Type list.

NOTICE: The ResourceCD contains drivers for devices that are not part of

your computer. Only reinstall the specific drivers for hardware included in your
computer. Otherwise, your computer might not work correctly.

Select a topic in the Topic list.

4

If you select Drivers in the Topic list and a particular driver is not
listed, then that driver is not required by your operating system.

HINT: The Res ource CD

displays drivers only for
hardware that Dell
installed at the time of
purchase. If you installed
any additional hardware,
those drivers may not be
displayed by the
ResourceCD. If those
drivers are not displayed,
exit the ResourceCD
program and refer to the
documentation and
drivers that came with
that product.

Using the Windows XP Device Driver Rollback

If you install a new device driver that causes system instability and you need
to replace a device driver with a previously installed version, the Windows
XP Device Driver Rollback can replace the device driver. If you cannot
reinstall your previous driver with the Driver Rollback process, then use
System Restore (see page 49) to attempt to return your operating system to
its previous operating state before the new device driver installation:

1 Click the Start button, and then right-click My Computer.

2 Click Properties.

3 Click the Hardware tab, and then click Device Manager.

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4 In the Device Manager window, right-click the device for which the

new driver was installed, and then click Properties.

5 Click the Drivers tab.

6 Click Roll Back Driver.

Windows XP, Windows Me, and Windows 2000 IRQ conflicts occur if a
device either is not detected during the operating system setup or is
detected but incorrectly configured.

Windows XP

To check for conflicts on a computer running Windows XP:

1 Click the Start button, and then click Control Panel.

2 Click Performance and Maintenance, and then click System.

3 Click the Hardware tab, and then click the Device Manager button.

4 In the Device Manager list, check for conflicts with the other devices.

46 Solving Problems

Conflicts are indicated by a yellow exclamation point (

!) beside the

conflicting device or a red X if the device has been disabled.

5 Double-click any conflicting device listed to bring up the Properties

window so you can determine what needs to be reconfigured or
removed from the Device Manager.

Resolve these conflicts before checking specific devices.

6 Double-click the malfunctioning device type in the Device Manager

list.

7 Double-click the icon for the specific device in the expanded list.

The Properties window appears.

8 Resolve any IRQ conflicts.

If there is an IRQ conflict, the Device status area in the Properties
window reports what cards or devices are sharing the device's IRQ.

You can also use the Windows XP Hardware Troubleshooter. To use the
troubleshooter, click the Start button and click Help and Support. Type

hardware troubleshooter in the Search field, and then click the arrow

to start the search. Click Hardware Troubleshooter in the Search Results
list. In the Hardware Troubleshooter list, click I need to resolve a hardware
conflict on my computer, and then click Next.

Windows Me

To check for conflicts on a computer running Windows Me:

1 Click the Start button, point to Settings, and click Control Panel.

2 In the Control Panel, double-click System.

3 Click the Device Manager tab.

4 In the Device Manager list, check for conflicts with the other devices.

Conflicts are indicated by a yellow exclamation point (
conflicting device or a red

5 Double-click any conflicting device listed to bring up the Properties

X if the device has been disabled.

!) beside the

window so you can determine what needs to be reconfigured or
removed from the Device Manager.

Resolve these conflicts before checking specific devices.

6 Double-click the malfunctioning device type in the Device Manager

list.

7 Double-click the icon for the specific device in the expanded list.

The Properties window appears.

8 Resolve any IRQ conflicts.

If there is an IRQ conflict, the Device status area in the Properties
window reports what cards or devices are sharing the device's IRQ.

You can also use the Windows Me Hardware Troubleshooter. To use the
troubleshooter, click the Start button and click Help. Click

Troubleshooting in the What would you like help with? list, click Hardware
& system device problems, click Hardware, memory, & others, and then
click Hardware Troubleshooter. In the Hardware Troubleshooter list, click I
need to resolve a hardware conflict on my computer, and then click Next.

Solving Problems 47

Windows 2000

To check for conflicts on a computer running Windows 2000:

1 Click the Start button, point to Settings, and click Control Panel.

2 In the Control Panel, double-click System.

3 Click the Hardware tab.

4 Click Device Manager.

5 Click View, and then click Resources by connection.

www.dell.com | support.dell.com

6 Double-click Interrupt request (IRQ) to view the IRQ assignments.

Conflicts are indicated by a yellow exclamation point (

!) beside the

conflicting device or a red X if the device has been disabled.

7 Double-click any conflicting device listed to bring up the Properties

window so you can determine what needs to be reconfigured or
removed from the Device Manager. Resolve these conflicts before
checking specific devices.

8 Double-click the malfunctioning device type in the Device Manager

list.

9 Double-click the icon for the specific device in the expanded list.

The Properties window appears.

10 If there is an IRQ conflict, the Device status area in the Properties

window reports what cards or devices are sharing the device's IRQ.
Resolve the IRQ conflicts.

You can also use the Windows 2000 Hardware Troubleshooter. To use the
troubleshooter, click the Start button and click Help. Click

Troubleshooting and Maintenance on the Contents tab, click Windows
2000 troubleshooters, and then click Hardware. In the Hardware
Troubleshooter list, click I need to resolve a hardware conflict on my
computer, and then click Next.

48 Solving Problems

Windows XP and Windows Me provide a System Restore feature that allows
you to return your computer to an earlier operating state if changes to the
computer’s hardware or software (including new hardware or program
installations), or other system settings, have left the computer in an
undesirable operating state. You can also undo the last System Restore.

System Restore automatically creates system checkpoints every 10 hours
that the computer remains turned on and every 24 hours of real time. You
can also manually create your own checkpoints by creating Restore Points.
To limit the amount of hard disk space used, older restore points will be
automatically purged.

If your computer experiences an operating system problem, you can use
System Restore from Safe Mode or Normal Mode to return your computer
to an earlier operating state.

System Restore does not cause you to lose personal files stored in the My
Documents folder, data files, or e-mail messages after restoring the
computer to an earlier time. If you restore the computer to a point before
you installed a program, the program’s data files won’t be lost, but you will
have to reinstall the actual program again.

NOTICE: It is important to make regular backups of your data files. System

Restore does not monitor changes to your data files nor does it recover your
data files. If the original data on the hard disk is accidentally erased or
overwritten, or becomes inaccessible because of a hard disk malfunction, you
will need your backup files to recover the lost or damaged data.

System Restore is enabled on your new computer. However, if you reinstall
Windows XP or Windows Me with less than 200 MB of free hard-disk space
available, System Restore is automatically disabled. To see if System Restore
is enabled:

Windows XP

1 Click the Start button, and then click Control Panel.

2 Click Performance and Maintenance.

3 Click System.

4 Click the System Restore tab.

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5 Make sure that Turn off System Restore is unchecked.

Windows Me

1 Click the Start button, point to Settings, and then click Control

Panel.

2 Double-click the System icon.

3 Click the Performance tab.

4 Click File System.

5 Click the Troubleshooting tab, and make sure that Disable System

Restore is unchecked.

Before proceeding with any System Restore function, Dell recommends that
you thoroughly read Microsoft’s information about using System Restore.
To access this information:

1 Click the Start button, point to All Programs (Programs in Windows

Me)—> Accessories—> System Tools, and then click System
Restore.

2 Click Help in the upper-right corner of the Welcome to System

Restore screen.

50 Solving Problems

Creating a Restore Point

Using the XP System Restore Wizard

In Windows XP you can manually create restore points or you can use the
System Restore Wizard to create the restore points for you. To use the
System Restore Wizard, click the Start button, point to Help and
Support—>System Restore, and follow the instructions on the screen. You
can also create and name a restore point if you are logged on as the
computer administrator or a user with administrator rights.

Manually Creating the Restore Points

1 Click the Start button, point to All Programs (Programs in Windows

Me)—> Accessories—> System Tools, and then click System
Restore.

2 Click Create a restore point.

3 Click Next.

4 Type a name for your new restore point in the Restore point

description field.

The present date and time are automatically added to your restore
point.

5 Click Create (click Next in Windows Me).

6 Click OK (click Close in Windows Me).

Restoring the Computer to an Earlier Operating State

If problems occur after installing a device driver, first try using Device
Driver Rollback (see page 45). If that is unsuccessful, then use System
Restore.

NOTICE: Before restoring the computer to an earlier time, save and close all

open files and close all open programs. Do not alter, open, or delete any files or
programs until the system restoration is complete.

Click the Start button, point to All Programs (Programs in

1

Windows Me)—> Accessories—> System Tools, and then click
System Restore.

2 Be sure Restore my computer to an earlier time is selected, and then

click Next.

3 Click a calendar date to which you want to restore your computer.

The Select a Restore Point (Choose a Restore Point in Windows Me)
screen provides a calendar that allows you to see and select restore
points. All calendar dates with available restore points appear in bold.

4 Select a restore point, and then click Next.

If a calendar date has only one restore point, then that restore point is
automatically selected. If two or more restore points are available, click
the restore point that you want to use.

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NOTICE: Save and close all open files and close all open programs. Do not

alter, open, or delete any files or programs until the system restoration is
complete.

Click Next (OK in Windows Me).

5

The Restoration Complete screen appears (the Restoration in
Progress screen in Windows Me) after System Restore completes

collecting data, and then the computer automatically restarts.

6 After the computer restarts, click OK.

To change the restore point, you can either repeat the steps using a
different restore point, or you can undo the restoration.

Undoing the Last System Restore

NOTICE: Before undoing the last system restore, save and close all open files

and close all open programs. Do not alter, open, or delete any files or programs
until the system restoration is complete.

Click the Start button, point to All Programs (Programs in Windows

1

Me)—> Accessories—> System Tools, and then click System
Restore.

2 Click Undo my last restoration and click Next.

NOTICE: Save and close all open files and close all open programs. Do not

alter, open, or delete any files or programs until the system restoration is
complete.

52 Solving Problems

Click Next (OK in Windows Me).

3

4 The System Restore (Undoing Last Restoration in Windows Me)

screen appears, and then the computer automatically restarts.

5 After the computer restarts, click OK.

Before reinstalling the Windows XP operating system to correct a problem,
try correcting the problem by performing a Windows System Restore (see
page 49).

NOTICE: The operating system CD provides options for reinstalling your

Windows XP operating system. The options can potentially overwrite files
installed by Dell and possibly affect programs installed on your hard drive.
Therefore, Dell does not recommend that you reinstall your operating system
unless instructed to do so by a Dell technical support representative.

Insert the operating system CD into the CD or DVD drive.

1

2 Turn off the computer (see page 18), and then turn the computer on

again.

3 Press any key when the Press any key to boot from CD message

appears on the screen.

4 When the Windows XP Setup screen appears, press <Enter> to

select To set up Windows now.

5 Read the information in the License Agreement window, and then

press <F8> on your keyboard to agree with the license information.

6 If your computer already has Windows XP installed and you want to

recover your current Windows XP data, type R to select the repair
option, and then go to step 14.

If you want to install a new copy of Windows XP, press <Esc> to
select the fresh copy option, and then press <Enter> on the next
screen to select the highlighted partition (recommended). Then follow
the instructions on the screen.

The Windows XP Setup screen appears and Windows XP begins to
copy files and install the devices. The computer automatically restarts
multiple times before it requires additional input.

7 When the Welcome to Microsoft screen appears, click the green arrow

icon at the bottom of the screen to continue. Follow the on-screen
directions to finish.

HINT: The CD that you

need to place in your CD
or DVD drive is titled
Operating System.

Solving Problems 53

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8 When the Regional Settings screen appears, select the settings for

your locale, and then click Next.

9 Enter your name and organization in the Personalize Your Software

screen, and then click Next.

10 If you are reinstalling Windows XP Home Edition, enter a name for

your computer when the Computer Name window appears, and then
click Next.

If you are reinstalling Windows XP Professional, enter a name for your
computer and a password when the Computer Name and
Administrator Password window appears, and then click Next.

11 If you have a modem installed and the Modem Dialing Information

screen appears, enter the requested information, and then click Next.

12 Enter the date, time, and time zone in the Date and Time Settings

window, and then click Next.

13 If you have a network card in your computer, select the appropriate

network settings. If you do not have a network card, this option does
not appear.

Windows XP begins to install its components and configure the
computer. The computer automatically restarts.

14 When the Welcome to Microsoft screen appears, click the green arrow

icon at the bottom of the screen to continue. Follow the on-screen
directions to finish.

54 Solving Problems

15 Remove the CD from the drive.

16 Reinstall the appropriate drivers (see page 44).

17 Reinstall your virus protection software.

NOTICE: The operating system CD provides options for reinstalling your

Windows Me operating system. The options can potentially overwrite files
installed by Dell and possibly affect programs installed on your hard drive.
Therefore, Dell does not recommend that you reinstall your operating system
unless instructed to do so by a Dell technical support representative.

NOTICE: To prevent conflicts with Windows Me, you must disable any virus

protection software installed on your computer before you reinstall Windows
Me.

Turn on the computer and enter the system setup program as directed

1

by a Dell technical support representative (see page 92).

2 In the system setup program Boot menu, write down the boot

sequence, and then change it so that the CD or DVD drive boots first.
Then place the operating system CD in the CD or DVD drive and
close the drive tray.

3 Exit the system setup program.

4 Select Boot From CD-ROM, and then press <Enter>.

If you wait too long to make this selection, the computer automatically
boots from the hard drive. If this occurs, allow the computer to boot
completely, and then restart it and try again.

5 Select Start Windows Setup from CD-ROM, and then press

<Enter>.

6 Press <Enter> again.

7 Select Continue Setup and replace your current operating system,

and then press <Enter>.

8 Press <Enter> again.

ScanDisk automatically starts and checks your hard drive.

9 Click Next in the Welcome to Windows Me window.

10 Select the directory in which Windows resides.

If C:\WINDOWS (recommended) is displayed, select it, and then
click Next.

If C:\WINDOWS.000 (recommended) is displayed, click Other,
change

C:\WINDOWS.000 to C:\WINDOWS, and then click Next.

Solving Problems 55

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11 Ensure that Typical is selected, and then click Next.

12 Specify a computer name, workgroup, and computer description, if

desired, and then click Next.

13 Select a country in the Country/Region window, and then click Next.

14 Specify a time zone in the Establish Time Zone window, and then

click Next.

15 Click Finish.

Windows Setup installs necessary files, and then restarts the computer.

16 Select Boot From Hard Drive, and then press <Enter>.

17 In the User Information window, type your name and, if applicable,

company name, and then click Next.

The Name field must be completed; the Company Name field is
optional.

The License Agreement window appears.

18 Click I accept the Agreement, and then click Next.

19 Type the Windows product key in the fields provided, and then click

Next.

The product key is the bar code number found on the Microsoft
Windows label, which is located on the side of your computer.

20 Click Finish.

56 Solving Problems

Windows Setup installs additional files, and then restarts the
computer.

21 Select Boot From Hard Drive, and then press <Enter>.

Windows Setup installs additional files, and then restarts the

computer.

22 Select Boot From Hard Drive, and then press <Enter>.

23 Enter a password in the Enter Network Password window, if desired,

and then click Next.

24 Remove the operating system CD from the CD or DVD drive.

25 Enter the system setup program as directed by a Dell technical support

representative.

26 In the system setup program Boot menu, change the boot sequence

back to the original boot sequence. Then, exit the system setup
program.

1 Insert the operating system CD into the CD or DVD drive.

2 Shut down the computer.

3 Start the computer.

4 Press any key when the Press any key to boot from CD message

appears on the screen.

5 When the Windows 2000 Setup screen appears, ensure that the To

setup Win2000 now, press ENTER option is highlighted. Then press

<Enter>.

6 Read the information in the License Agreement screen, and then press

<F8> to continue.

7 When the Windows 2000 Professional Setup screen appears, use the

arrow keys to select the Windows 2000 partition option that you want.
To continue, press the key specified in the partition option that you
chose.

8 When the Windows 2000 Professional Setup screen reappears, use the

arrow keys to select the type of file system that you want Windows
2000 to use, and then press <Enter>.

9 Press <Enter> again to restart your computer.

10 Click Next when the Welcome to the Windows 2000 Setup Wizard

screen appears.

11 When the Regional Settings screen appears, select the settings for

your locale, and then click Next.

12 Enter your name and organization in the Personalize Your Software

screen, and then click Next.

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13 When prompted, enter the Windows product key, which is printed on

the Microsoft label on your computer. Then click Next.

14 When the Computer Name and Administrator Password screen

appears, enter a name for your computer and a password, if desired.
Then click Next.

15 Enter the date and time in the Date and Time Settings screen, and

then click Next.

Windows 2000 now begins to install its components and configure the
computer.

16 When the Completing the Windows 2000 Setup Wizard screen

appears, remove the CD from the drive, and then click Finish.

The computer automatically restarts.

58 Solving Problems

SECTION 3

Removing the Computer Cover

Rotating the Power Supply

Looking Inside Your Computer

Adding a 3.5-Inch Drive

Adding Cards

Adding Memory

Replacing the Computer Cover

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

follow the safety instructions on page 7.

NOTICE: To avoid damaging the system board, disconnect the power cable

from the electrical outlet and from the back of the computer, and then press
the power button before you open the computer cover. The system board
continues to receive a small amount of power when the computer is turned off
and attached to an electrical outlet (the system-board power light [see
page 66] is on when power is detected).

Turn off the computer and attached devices, and disconnect them

1

from their electrical outlets.

NOTICE: To disconnect a network cable, first unplug the cable from your

computer and then unplug it from the network jack on the wall.

Briefly press the power button.

2

Pressing the power button when the computer is not connected to an
electrical outlet discharges residual electricity and can help prevent
system board damage.

60 Adding Parts

3 Face the front of the computer. Place your left hand on the left side of

the computer. Push back the release latch at the top-back edge of the
computer to release the computer cover into your left hand.

computer cover

release latch

CAUTION: Keep your hands clear of the metal edges on the

computer.

Lift the cover out from the curved hinge at the bottom of the

4

computer.

Adding Parts 61

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

follow the safety instructions on page 7.

To access components on the system board or to add parts to the computer,
you must rotate the power supply out of the way:

1 Turn off the computer and devices, and disconnect them from their

electrical outlets.

NOTICE: To disconnect a network cable, first unplug the cable from your

computer and then unplug it from the network jack on the wall.

Press the power button.

2

Pressing the power button when the computer is not connected to an
electrical outlet discharges residual electricity and can help prevent
system board damage.

3 Remove the computer cover (see page 60).

62 Adding Parts

4 Lay the computer on its side as shown in the following illustration.

Press the release latch while lifting the power supply. Rotate the power
supply out of the computer while keeping the drive power cables clear.

power supply

release latch

drive power cables

Adding Parts 63

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When you rotate the power supply back into the computer, gently lift the
and hold the drive cables out of the way. Rotate the power supply into
position until its release latch clicks. Lay the drive power cables along the
top of the latch.

power supply

drive power cables

64 Adding Parts

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

follow the safety instructions on page 7.

release latch and
padlock ring

I/O panel

drive bay

drive bay

hard drive

power supply

AC power receptacle

Adding Parts 65

System Board

In the illustration, the text in parentheses indicates how items are identified
on the system board.

keyboard
connector (KEYBD)

mouse connector
(MOUSE)

USB connectors
(USBn) page 16

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video connector
(VIDEO)

parallel
connector
(PARALLEL)

serial
connector (COM1)

PCI card connectors
(PCI1, PCI2, PCI3,
PCI4) page 73

power indicator

microprocessor
socket (J5H1)

DIMM sockets
(BANK0, BANK1)
page 78

fan connector (J3J1)

3.3-V power connector
(OPTIONAL POWER)

secondary IDE channel
connector (SEC IDE)
page 67

control panel
connector (J9F2)

floppy drive
interface connector
(FLOPPY)
primary IDE channel
connector (PRI IDE)
page 67

power input
connector (POWER)

battery socket
(BATTERY) page 88

Wakeup On LAN
connector (WOL)

speaker (LS9A1)

configuration jumper
(J7A1) page 87

66 Adding Parts

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

follow the safety instructions on page 7.

Your computer includes one 3.5-inch drive. To add a second 3.5-inch drive:

1 Turn off the computer and devices, and disconnect them from their

electrical outlets.

NOTICE: To disconnect a network cable, first unplug the cable from your

computer and then unplug it from the network jack on the wall.

2

Press the power button.

Pressing the power button when the computer is not connected to an
electrical outlet discharges residual electricity and can help prevent
system board damage.

3 Remove the computer cover (see page 60).

Adding Parts 67

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f

4 While facing the front of the computer, press the front-panel release

tab on the top of the computer.

Swing the front panel away from the computer, disengage the two
retaining hooks on the front panel, and carefully pull it away from the
computer.

ront-panel release tab

retaining hooks

68 Adding Parts

5 Remove the front-panel insert.

From the back of the front panel, press the release tab to the side.
Then rotate the insert toward you, and remove it from the front panel.

insert

tabs (2)

release tab

Adding Parts 69

6 Rotate the power supply (see page 62).

7 Remove the metal drive bay plate covering the bay.

Using a screwdriver, pop out the metal plate from the left or right side
of the computer.

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drive bay plate

70 Adding Parts

8 Remove the extra rails from the front of the computer frame (see the

f

illustration below).

Install the rail marked “L” on the left side of the drive and the rail
marked “R” on the right side of the drive.

ront of computer

left rail

right rail

9 Slide the drive assembly into the drive bay.

NOTICE: Dell does not recommend routing cables over cards because the

cables can restrict airflow, cause cooling problems, and interfere with
removing and replacing the computer cover. If you must route cables over
cards, be extremely cautious when removing and replacing the computer cover.

If you are installing a controller card, configure and install it in a

10

connector slot now (see page 73 for instructions).

Install the card as close as you can to the drive cage.

Adding Parts 71

11 Connect a power cable to the drive.

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power cable from
power supply

NOTICE: When you attach the extra connector to the new drive in the

following step, match the colored strip on the cable with pin 1 on the drive.

If you didn’t install a controller card in step 10, remove the tape from

12

the wide cable connector and reattach the connector to the original
drive. Then locate the extra connector on the cable and attach it to the
new drive. Be sure that the wide cable is properly connected to the
IDE connector on the system board.

If you installed a controller card in step 10, attach the other end of the
interface cable to the controller card rather than to the system board.

pin 1

cable

72 Adding Parts

13 Replace the front panel.

Fit the front panel’s two retaining hooks into their corresponding slots
on the computer (see page 68). Then, rotate the front panel toward
the computer until the front panel latches into position.

14 Make sure that no cable connections were loosened during the

procedure. Arrange cables so that they will not interfere with replacing
the power supply and computer cover.

15 Rotate the power supply back into place (see page 64).

16 Replace the computer cover (see page 80).

17 Plug your computer and devices into their electrical outlets, and turn

them on.

18 See the drive’s documentation for instructions on installing any

software required for drive operation.

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

follow the safety instructions on page 7.

To install a card:

1 Turn off the computer and devices, and disconnect them from their

electrical outlets.

NOTICE: To disconnect a network cable, first unplug the cable from your

computer and then unplug it from the network jack on the wall.

Press the power button.

2

Pressing the power button when the computer is not connected to an
electrical outlet discharges residual electricity and can help prevent
system board damage.

3 Remove the computer cover (see page 60).

4 Rotate the power supply (see page 62).

Adding Parts 73

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5 Unscrew and remove the filler bracket for the card slot you want to use.

filler bracket

74 Adding Parts

6 Align the cutout on the bottom of the card with the crossbar in the

system board connector. Gently rock the card into the connector until
it is fully seated.

If the card is full-length, insert the front end of the card into the
corresponding card guide at the front of the computer as you insert the
card into its connector.

card

card cutout

card connector
on system board

crossbar

Adding Parts 75

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Make sure that the card is fully seated and that its bracket is within the
card slot.

fully seated not fully seated

bracket within slot

bracket caught
outside of slot

76 Adding Parts

7 Secure the bracket on the end of the card with the screw you removed

in step 5.

8 Connect any cables required for the card as described in the card

documentation.

9 Rotate the power supply back into place (see page 64).

10 Replace the computer cover (see page 80).

11 Plug your computer and devices into their electrical outlets, and turn

them on.

12 Install any drivers required for the card as described in the card

documentation.

Removing Cards

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

follow the safety instructions on page 7.

Turn off the computer and devices, and disconnect them from their

1

electrical outlets.

NOTICE: To disconnect a network cable, first unplug the cable from your

computer and then unplug it from the network jack on the wall.

Press the power button.

2

Pressing the power button when the computer is not connected to an
electrical outlet discharges residual electricity and can help prevent
system board damage.

3 Remove the computer cover (see page 60).

4 Rotate the power supply (see page 62).

5 Disconnect any cables connected to the card.

6 Remove the screw from the card bracket.

7 Grasp the card by its top corners, and lift it from the system board.

8 If you are removing the card permanently, reinstall a filler bracket.

9 Rotate the power supply back into place (see page 64).

10 Replace the computer cover (see page 80).

11 Plug your computer and devices into their electrical outlets, and turn

them on.

Adding Parts 77

HINT: Memory

purchased from Dell is
covered under your
computer warranty.

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

follow the safety instructions on page 7.

You can increase your computer memory by installing memory modules on
the system board. See page 83 for information on the type of memory
supported by your computer.

1 Turn off the computer and devices, and disconnect them from their

electrical outlets.

NOTICE: To disconnect a network cable, first unplug the cable from your

computer and then unplug it from the network jack on the wall.

2

Press the power button.

Pressing the power button when the computer is not connected to an
electrical outlet discharges residual electricity and can help prevent
system board damage.

3 Open the computer cover (see page 60).

4 Rotate the power supply (see page 62).

5 If necessary, remove a memory module:

a Press out the securing clip at each end of the memory connector.

b Grasp the module and pull up.

If the module is difficult to remove, gently ease the module back
and forth to remove it from the connector.

78 Adding Parts

6 To insert a module, press out the securing clip at each end of the

memory connector.

system board
location

securing clips (2)

notches (2)

memory module

connector

cutouts (2)

step 6

step 7

step 8

1

2

3

4

10

7 Align the notches on the bottom of the module with the crossbars in

the connector.

NOTICE: To avoid breaking the memory module, do not press near the middle

of the module.

8

Insert the module straight down into the connector, making sure that
it fits into the vertical guides at each end of the connector.

Press firmly on the ends of the module until it snaps into place.

If you insert the module correctly, the securing clips snap into the
cutouts at each end of the module.

Adding Parts 79

HINT: The system

memory value reported by
the operating system is 1
or 2 MB less than the
memory installed because
that memory is reserved
for video functions.

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9 Rotate the power supply back into place (see page 64).

10 Replace the computer cover (see the following section).

Replace the computer cover:

1 Rotate the power supply back into place (see page 64).

2 Check all cable connections, especially those that might have come

loose during your work. Fold cables and unused connectors out of the
way so that they do not catch on the computer cover or interfere with
airflow inside the computer.

3 Check to see that no tools or extra parts (including screws) are left

inside the computer.

4 Place the computer upright with the front facing you. Align the

computer cover so its bottom hooks fit in the computer’s curved
hinge.

5 Lift up the cover, making sure to keep the bottom hooks aligned with

the curves in the computer.

6 Gently squeeze the right and left sides of the computer together until

the cover clicks into position.

80 Adding Parts

SECTION 4

Specifications

Standard Settings

Dell Technical Support Policy (U.S. Only)

Contacting Dell

Regulatory Information

Limited Warranties and Return Policy

www.dell.com | support.dell.com

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Microprocessor

®

Microprocessor type Intel

Pentium® III that runs at an external
speed of 100 or 133 MHz or an Intel
Celeron™ microprocessor that runs at
external speed of 66 or 100 MHz

L1 cache 32 KB (16-KB data cache; 16-KB instruction

cache)

L2 cache:

Pentium III processors 256-KB Advanced Transfer Cache that resides

in the processor core. The L2 cache runs at
the processor internal clock speed

Celeron processors 128-KB SRAM that resides in the processor’s

core. The L2 cache runs at the processor’s
internal clock speed

System Information

System chip set Intel 810e or Intel 810

DMA channels two

Interrupt levels 15

System BIOS chip 4 Mb (512 KB)

Expansion Bus

Bus types PCI (version 2.2)

Bus speed PCI: 33 MHz

PCI connectors supports four three-quarter–length cards

PCI connector size 120 pins

PCI connector data width

32 bits

(maximum)

82 Appendix

Memory

Architecture non-ECC SDRAM modules

Memory connectors two; gold contacts

Memory capacities 32, 64, 128, and 256 MB (non-ECC)

Minimum memory

1

64 MB (non-ECC)

Maximum memory 512 MB (non-ECC)

Frequency 100 MHz

Voltage 3.3 V

Data bus width 64 bits

Drives

Externally accessible one 5.25-inch bay

two 3.5-inch bays

Internally accessible one bay for 1-inch–high IDE hard drive

Available devices ATA-66 or ATA-100 Ultra DMA hard drive,

CD drive, and CD-RW drive (DVD drive is
available only on computers with the Intel
810e chip set)

Ports and Connectors

Externally accessible:

Serial 9-pin connector; 16550C-compatible

Parallel 25-hole connector (bidirectional)

Video 15-hole connector

Keyboard 6-pin mini-DIN connector or USB connector

Mouse 6-pin mini-DIN connector or USB connector

USB two USB-compliant connectors

1

Microsoft requires a minimum of 128 MB of memory for Windows® XP.

Appendix 83

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Ports and Connectors (continued)

Internally accessible:

Primary EIDE channel 40-pin connector on PCI local bus

Secondary EIDE channel 40-pin connector on PCI local bus

Floppy drive 34-pin connector

Video

Video controller Intel 810e chip set with Dynamic Video

Memory and 4-MB, 133-MHz display cache
or Intel 810 chip set with Dynamic Video
Memory

Controls and Lights

Power control push button

Power light green

Hard-drive access light green

Diagnostic code lights four bicolor (amber and green) located on

back panel

Power

DC power supply:

Wattage 145 W

Heat dissipation 700 BTU (fully loaded computer without

monitor)

Voltage (switch-selectable
on back panel)

90 to 135 V at 60 Hz;180 to 265 V at 50 Hz;
100 V at 50 to 60 Hz for Japanese computers

Backup battery 3-V CR2032 coin cell

84 Appendix

Physical

Height x Width x Depth 39 x 16.8 x 34 cm

(15.375 x 6.625 x 13.375 inches)

Weight 9.9 Kg (22 lbs)

Environmental

Temperature:

Operating 10° to 35°C (50° to 95°F)

2

Storage –40° to 65°C (–40° to 149°F)

Relative humidity 20% to 80% (noncondensing)

Maximum vibration:

Operating 0.25 G at 3 to 200 Hz at 1/2 octave/min

Storage 0.5 G at 3 to 200 Hz at 1/2 octave/min

Maximum shock:

Operating bottom half-sine pulse with a change in

velocity of 50.8 cm/sec (20 inches/sec)

Storage 23-G faired-square wave with a velocity

change of 508 cm/sec (200 inches/sec)

Altitude:

Operating –15.2 to 3048 m (–50 to 10,000 ft)

Storage –15.2 to 10,600 m (–50 to 35,000 ft)

2

At 35°C (95°F), the maximum operating altitude is 914 m (3000 ft)

2

Appendix 85

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The system setup program contains the standard settings for your
computer.

NOTICE: Unless you are an expert computer user, don’t change the settings

for this program. Certain changes might make your computer work incorrectly.

See the following figure for an example of the Main screen of the program.

86 Appendix

Viewing Settings

1 Turn on (or restart) your computer.

2 When the blue Dell logo appears, press <Del> immediately.

If you wait too long and the operating system logo appears, continue to
wait until you see the Microsoft
down your computer and try again.

®

Windows® desktop. Then shut

System Setup Screens

The system setup screens are organized into the following sections:

• The menu bar at the top provides access to the main program screens:

– Main provides settings for the basic computer configuration.

– Advanced provides detailed settings for some computer features.

– Security provides indications and settings for user and setup

passwords.

– Boot provides information about how the computer starts.

– Exit provides selections for saving and loading the program

settings.

• The left side lists configuration options and their settings for the

hardware installed in your computer.

You can change settings enclosed in brackets, but not those that are
grayed out. Options identified by an arrowhead (>) provide access to
submenus.

• The top-right side displays help information for a highlighted option.

• The bottom-right side lists keys and their functions for the displayed

screen.

Clearing Forgotten Passwords

If you forget your user or setup password, you cannot operate your computer
or change settings in the system setup program until you clear the forgotten
password(s).

NOTICE: The following procedure resets all standard settings for your

computer. Before proceeding, record or print (by pressing <Print Screen>) all
current settings so that you can restore them when you finish this procedure.

Remove the computer cover (see page 60).

1

2 Rotate the power supply (see page 62).

3 Locate jumper J7A1 on the system board (see page 66) and move the

jumper plug so that pins 2 and 3 are jumpered.

4 Rotate the power supply back into place (see page 64).

Appendix 87

www.dell.com | support.dell.com

5 Replace the computer cover (see page 80), plug your computer into an

electrical outlet, and turn on the computer.

6 Press <Enter> at the Maintenance screen and then click Yes to clear

all passwords.

7 Press <F10> to save your changes and exit the system setup program.

8 Remove the computer cover again.

9 Rotate the power supply (see page 62).

10 Move the jumper plug so that pins 1 and 2 are jumpered (standard

setting).

11 Rotate the power supply back into place (see page 64).

12 Replace the computer cover, plug your computer into an electrical

outlet, and turn on the computer.

Replacing the Battery

A coin-cell battery maintains computer configuration, date, and time
information. The battery can last several years.

If you have to repeatedly reset time and date information after turning on
the computer, replace the battery.

88 Appendix

CAUTION: A new battery can explode if it is incorrectly installed.

Replace the 3-V CR2032 battery only with the same or equivalent
type recommended by the manufacturer. Discard used batteries
according to the manufacturer’s instructions.

Record all the screens in the system setup program so that you can

1

restore the correct settings in step 8.

2 Remove the computer cover (see page 60).

3 Rotate the power supply (see page 62).

NOTICE: To avoid damage to the system board while you pry the battery

loose, be sure to insert the plastic screwdriver between the battery and the
socket (not the system board).

4

Locate the battery socket BATTERY (see page 66) and pry the battery
out of its socket with your fingers or with a plastic screwdriver.

5 Insert the battery into the socket with the side labeled “+” facing up.

battery socket
(BATTERY)

6 Rotate the power supply back into place (see page 64).

7 Replace the computer cover (see page 80), and plug your computer

battery

and devices into their electrical outlets.

8 Access the system setup program and restore the settings you recorded

in step 1.

Appendix 89

www.dell.com | support.dell.com

Technician-assisted technical support requires the cooperation and
participation of the customer in the troubleshooting process and provides
for restoration of the operating system, application software, and hardware
drivers to the original default configuration as shipped from Dell, as well as
the verification of appropriate functionality of the computer and all Dell­installed hardware. In addition to this technician-assisted technical support,
online technical support is available at support.dell.com. Additional
technical support options may be available for purchase.

Dell provides limited technical support for the computer and any "Dell-

1

installed" software and peripherals

. Support for third-party software and
peripherals is provided by the original manufacturer, including those
purchased and/or installed through Dell Software & Peripherals

2

(DellWare™), Readyware, and Custom Factory Integration (DellPlus™)

1

Repair services are provided pursuant to the terms and conditions of your
limited warranty and any optional support service contract purchased with the
computer.

2

All Dell-standard components included in a Custom Factory Integration (CFI)
project are covered by the standard Dell limited warranty for your computer.
However, Dell also extends a parts replacement program to cover all nonstand­ard, third-party hardware components integrated through CFI for the duration
of the computer's service contract.

.

Definition of "Dell-Installed" Software and Peripherals

Dell-installed software includes the operating system and some of the
application software that is preinstalled on the computer during the
manufacturing process (Microsoft Office, Norton Antivirus, and so on).

90 Appendix

Dell-installed peripherals include any internal expansion cards, or Dell­branded modular bay or PC Card accessories. In addition, any Dell-branded
monitors, keyboards, mice, speakers, microphones for telephonic modems,
docking stations/port replicators, networking products, and all associated
cabling are included.

Definition of "Third-Party" Software and Peripherals

Third-party software and peripherals include any peripheral, accessory, or
application software sold by Dell not under the Dell brand (printers,
scanners, cameras, games, and so on). Support for all third-party software
and peripherals is provided by the original manufacturer of the product.

Appendix 91

HINT: Toll-free numbers

are for use within the
country for which they are
listed.

www.dell.com | support.dell.com

Country (City)
International Access Code
Country Code
City Code

Antigua and Barbuda General Support 1-800-805-5924

Australia (Sydney)

International Access Code: 0011

Country Code: 61

City Code: 2

Austria (Vienna)

International Access Code: 900

Country Code: 43

City Code: 1

Barbados General Support 1-800-534-3066

When you need to contact Dell, use the telephone numbers, codes, and
electronic addresses provided in the following tables. If you need assistance
in determining which codes to use, contact a local or an international
operator.

See "Dell Technical Support Policy" on page 90 for a description of the
hardware and software support provided by Dell.

Contact Numbers and Addresses

Department Name or Service Area,

Website and E-mail Address

Home and Small Business 1-300-65-55-33

Government and Business toll free: 1-800-633-559

Preferred Accounts Division (PAD) toll free: 1-800-060-889

Customer Care toll free: 1-800-819-339

Corporate Sales toll free: 1-800-808-385

Transaction Sales toll free: 1-800-808-312

Fax toll free: 1-800-818-341

Home/Small Business Sales 01 795 67602

Home/Small Business Fax [phone]

Home/Small Business Customer Care 01 795 67603

Preferred Accounts/Corporate Customer Care 0660 8056

Home/Small Business Technical Support 01 795 67604

Preferred Accounts/Corporate Technical Support 0660 8779

Switchboard 01 491 04 0

Website: http://support.euro.dell.com

E-mail: [e-mail]

Local Numbers, and

Area Codes,

Toll Free Numbers

92 Appendix

Country (City)
International Access Code
Country Code

Department Name or Service Area,

Website and E-mail Address

Area Codes,

Local Numbers, and

Toll Free Numbers

City Code

Belgium (Brussels)

International Access Code: 00

Country Code: 32

City Code: 2

Technical Support 02 481 92 88

Customer Care 02 481 91 19

Home/Small Business Sales toll free: 0800 16884

Corporate Sales 02 481 91 00

Fax [phone]

Switchboard 02 481 91 00

Website: http://support.euro.dell.com

E-mail: [e-mail]

E-mail for French Speaking Customers:
http://support.euro.dell.com/be/fr/emaildell/

Bermuda General Support 1-800-342-0671

Brazil

International Access Code: 0021

Country Code: 55

City Code: 51

Brunei

Country Code: 673

Customer Support, Technical Support 0800 90 3355

Tech Support Fax [phone]

Sales 0800 90 3366

Website: http://www.dell.com/br

Customer Technical Support (Penang, Malaysia) 604 633 4966

Customer Service (Penang, Malaysia) 604 633 4949

Transaction Sales (Penang, Malaysia) 604 633 4955

Canada (North York, Ontario)

International Access Code: 011

Automated Order-Status System toll free: 1-800-433-9014

AutoTech (Automated technical support) toll free: 1-800-247-9362

Customer Care (From outside Toronto) toll free: 1-800-387-5759

Customer Care (From within Toronto) 416 758-2400

Customer Technical Support toll free: 1-800-847-4096

Sales (Direct Sales—from outside Toronto) toll free: 1-800-387-5752

Sales (Direct Sales—from within Toronto) 416 758-2200

Sales (Federal government, education, and

toll free: 1-800-567-7542

medical)

Sales (Major Accounts) toll free: 1-800-387-5755

TechFax toll free: 1-800-950-1329

Cayman Islands General Support 1-800-805-7541

Appendix 93

Country (City)
International Access Code
Country Code
City Code

Chile (Santiago)

Country Code: 56

City Code: 2

China (Xiamen)

Country Code: 86

City Code: 592

www.dell.com | support.dell.com

Colombia General Support 980-9-15-3978

Costa Rica General Support 0800-012-0435

Czech Republic (Prague)

International Access Code: 00

Country Code: 420

City Code: 2

Department Name or Service Area,

Website and E-mail Address

Local Numbers, and

Area Codes,

Toll Free Numbers

Sales, Customer Support, and Technical Support toll free: 1230-020-4823

Home and Small Business Technical Support toll free: 800 858 2437

Corporate Accounts Technical Support toll free: 800 858 2333

Customer Experience toll free: 800 858 2060

Home and Small Business toll free: 800 858 2222

Preferred Accounts Division toll free: 800 858 2062

Large Corporate Accounts North toll free: 800 858 2999

Large Corporate Accounts East toll free: 800 858 2020

Large Corporate Accounts South toll free: 800 858 2355

Large Corporate Accounts GCP toll free: 800 858 2055

Large Corporate Accounts HK toll free: 800 964108

Large Corporate Accounts GCP HK toll free: 800 907308

Technical Support 02 22 83 27 27

Customer Care 02 22 83 27 11

Fax [phone]

TechFax 02 22 83 27 28

Switchboard 02 22 83 27 11

Website: http://support.euro.dell.com

E-mail: [e-mail]

94 Appendix

Country (City)
International Access Code
Country Code
City Code

Denmark (Horsholm)

International Access Code: 00

Country Code: 45

Dominican Republic General Support 1-800-148-0530

El Salvador General Support 01-899-753-0777

Finland (Helsinki)

International Access Code: 990

Country Code: 358

City Code: 9

Department Name or Service Area,

Website and E-mail Address

Technical Support 45170182

Relational Customer Care 45170184

Home/Small Business Customer Care 32875505

Switchboard 45170100

Fax Technical Support (Upplands Vasby, Sweden) 46 0 859005594

Fax Switchboard 45170117

Website: http://support.euro.dell.com

E-mail: [e-mail]

E-mail Support for Servers:
[e-mail]

Technical Support 09 253 313 60

Technical Support Fax [phone]

Relational Customer Care 09 253 313 38

Home/Small Business Customer Care 09 693 791 94

Fax [phone]

Switchboard 09 253 313 00

Website: http://support.euro.dell.com

E-mail: [e-mail]

Local Numbers, and

Area Codes,

Toll Free Numbers

Appendix 95

Country (City)
International Access Code
Country Code
City Code

France (Paris/Montpellier)

International Access Code: 00

Country Code: 33

City Code: (1) (4)

www.dell.com | support.dell.com

Germany (Langen)

International Access Code: 00

Country Code: 49

City Code: 6103

Guatemala General Support 1-800-999-0136

Department Name or Service Area,

Website and E-mail Address

Local Numbers, and

Area Codes,

Toll Free Numbers

Home and Small Business

Technical Support 0825 387 270

Customer Care 0825 823 833

Switchboard 0825 004 700

Switchboard (Alternative) 04 99 75 40 00

Sales 0825 004 700

Fax [phone]

Fax (Alternative) 04 99 75 40 01

Website: http://support.euro.dell.com

E-mail: http://support.euro.dell.com/fr/fr/emaildell/

Corporate

Technical Support 0825 004 719

Customer Care 0825 338 339

Switchboard 01 55 94 71 00

Sales 0155947100

Fax [phone]

Website: http://support.euro.dell.com

E-mail: http://support.euro.dell.com/fr/fr/emaildell/

Technical Support 06103 766-7200

Home/Small Business Customer Care 0180-5-224400

Global Segment Customer Care 06103 766-9570

Preferred Accounts Customer Care 06103 766-9420

Large Accounts Customer Care 06103 766-9560

Public Accounts Customer Care 06103 766-9555

Switchboard 06103 766-7000

Website: http://support.euro.dell.com

E-mail: [e-mail]

96 Appendix

Country (City)
International Access Code
Country Code

Department Name or Service Area,

Website and E-mail Address

Area Codes,

Local Numbers, and

Toll Free Numbers

City Code

Hong Kong

International Access Code: 001

Country Code: 852

Technical Support toll free: 800 96 4107

Customer Service (Penang, Malaysia) 604 633 4949

Transaction Sales toll free: 800 96 4109

Corporate Sales toll free: 800 96 4108

Ireland (Cherrywood)

International Access Code: 16

Country Code: 353

City Code: 1

Technical Support 1850 543 543

Home User Customer Care 01 204 4095

Small Business Customer Care 01 204 4026

Corporate Customer Care 01 279 5011

Sales 01 204 4444

SalesFax 01 204 0144

Fax [phone]

Switchboard 01 204 4444

Website: http://support.euro.dell.com

E-mail: [e-mail]

Italy (Milan)

International Access Code: 00

Country Code: 39

City Code: 02

Home and Small Business

Technical Support 02 577 826 90

Customer Care 02 696 821 14

Fax [phone]

Switchboard 02 696 821 12

Website: http://support.euro.dell.com

E-mail: http://support.euro.dell.com/it/it/emaildell/

Corporate

Technical Support 02 577 826 90

Customer Care 02 577 825 55

Fax [phone]

Switchboard 02 577 821

Website: http://support.euro.dell.com

E-mail: http://support.euro.dell.com/it/it/emaildell/

Jamaica General Support 1-800-682-3639

Appendix 97

Country (City)
International Access Code
Country Code
City Code

Japan (Kawasaki)

International Access Code: 001

Country Code: 81

City Code: 44

www.dell.com | support.dell.com

Korea (Seoul)

International Access Code: 001

Country Code: 82

City Code: 2

Department Name or Service Area,

Website and E-mail Address

Local Numbers, and

Area Codes,

Toll Free Numbers

Technical Support (Server)

Technical Support Outside of Japan (Server)

Technical Support (Dimension™ and Inspiron™)

toll free: 0120-1984-35

81-44-556-4152

toll free: 0120-1982-26

Technical Support Outside of Japan (Dimension
and Inspiron)

Technical Support (Dell Precision™, OptiPlex™

81-44-520-1435

toll free: 0120-1984-33

and Latitude™)

Technical Support Outside of Japan (Dell

81-44-556-3894

Precision, OptiPlex, and Latitude)

24-Hour Automated Order Service 044 556-3801

Customer Care 044 556-4240

Business Sales Division (up to 400 employees) 044 556 3494

Preferred Accounts Division Sales (over 400

044 556-3433

employees)

Large Corporate Accounts Sales (over 3500

044 556-3440

employees)

Public Sales (Government Agencies, Educational

044 556 3440

Institutions, and Medical Institutions)

Global Segment Japan 044 556 3469

Individual User 044 556 1657

Faxbox Service 044 556-3490

Switchboard 044 556-4300

Website: http://support.jp.dell.com

Technical Support toll free: 080-200-3800

Sales toll free: 080-200-3600

Customer Service (Seoul, Korea) toll free: 080-200-3800

Customer Service (Penang, Malaysia) 604 633 4949

Fax [phone]

Switchboard 2194-6000

98 Appendix

Country (City)
International Access Code
Country Code
City Code

Latin America Customer Technical Support (Austin, Texas,

Luxembourg

International Access Code: 00

Country Code: 352

Macau

Country Code: 853

Malaysia (Penang)

International Access Code: 00

Country Code: 60

City Code: 4

Department Name or Service Area,

Website and E-mail Address

U.S.A.)

Customer Service (Austin, Texas, U.S.A.) 512 728-3619

Fax (Technical Support and Customer
Service)(Austin, Texas, U.S.A.)

Sales (Austin, Texas, U.S.A.) 512 728-4397

SalesFax (Austin, Texas, U.S.A.) 512 728-4600

Technical Support (Brussels, Belgium) 02 481 92 88

Home/Small Business Sales (Brussels, Belgium) toll free: 080016884

Corporate Sales (Brussels, Belgium) 02 481 91 00

Customer Care (Brussels, Belgium) 02 481 91 19

Fax (Brussels, Belgium) 02 481 92 99

Switchboard (Brussels, Belgium) 02 481 91 00

Website: http://support.euro.dell.com

E-mail: [e-mail]

Technical Support toll free: 0800 582

Customer Service (Penang, Malaysia) 604 633 4949

Transaction Sales toll free: 0800 581

Technical Support toll free: 1 800 888 298

Customer Service 04 633 4949

Transaction Sales toll free: 1 800 888 202

Corporate Sales toll free: 1 800 888 213

Area Codes,

Local Numbers, and

Toll Free Numbers

512 728-4093

512 728-3883

or 512 728-3772

Appendix 99

Country (City)
International Access Code
Country Code
City Code

Mexico

International Access Code: 00

Country Code: 52

www.dell.com | support.dell.com

Netherlands Antilles General Support 001-800-882-1519

Netherlands (Amsterdam)

International Access Code: 00

Country Code: 31

City Code: 20

New Zealand

International Access Code: 00

Country Code: 64

Nicaragua General Support 001-800-220-1006

Department Name or Service Area,

Website and E-mail Address

Local Numbers, and

Area Codes,

Toll Free Numbers

Customer Technical Support 001-877-384-8979

or 001-877-269-3383

Sales 50-81-8800

or 01-800-888-3355

Customer Service 001-877-384-8979

or 001-877-269-3383

Main 50-81-8800

or 01-800-888-3355

Technical Support 020 581 8838

Customer Care 020 581 8740

Home/Small Business Sales toll free: 0800-0663

Home/Small Business Sales Fax [phone]

Corporate Sales 020 581 8818

Corporate Sales Fax [phone]

Fax [phone]

Switchboard 020 581 8818

Website: http://support.euro.dell.com

E-mail: [e-mail]

Home and Small Business 0800 446 255

Government and Business 0800 444 617

Sales 0800 441 567

Fax [phone]

100 Appendix