Dell Dimension 4300 User Manual

2H930bk1.book Page 1 Tuesday, November 20, 2001 5:02 PM

Dell™ Dimension™ 4300

Solutions Guide

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2H930bk1.book Page 2 Tuesday, November 20, 2001 5:02 PM

Hints, Notices, and Cautions

HINT: A HINT indicates important information that helps you make better

use of your computer.

NOTICE: A NOTICE ind icates either potential damage to hardware or loss of

data and tells you how to avoid the problem.

CAUTION: A CAUTION indicates a potent ial fo r prope rty dama ge,

personal injury, or death.

Abbreviations and Acronyms

F or a co mplete list of abb rev iations and acro nyms, see the Tell Me How help file. To access help files, see page24.

____________________

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

Dell

, the

DELL

logo,

Trademarks used in this text:

Precision, DellPlus

are registered trademarks of Intel Corporation; 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 disc la ims any proprietary interest in trad em arks 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 intellec tual property rights owned by Macrovision Corporati on and other rights owners. Use of this copyright pro tec ti on te chnology must be authorized by Macrovision Corporation, and is in ten de d for hom e and oth er lim ite d vi ew in g uses onl y unless otherwise auth orize d by Macro vi sion Corp oration. Reverse engineering or disassembly is prohibited.

November 2001 P/N 2H930 Rev. A01

, and

DellNet

are trademarks of Dell Computer Corporation;

Dimension, Inspiron, Latitude, OptiPlex, Dell

Microsoft

and

Windows

Intel

are registered

and

Pentium

2H930bk1.book Page 3 Tuesday, November 20, 2001 5:02 PM

Contents

Safety Instructions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9

When Using Your Computer

Ergonomic Computing Habits . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10

When Working Inside Your Computer Protecting Against Electrostatic Discharge

1 Setting Up

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9

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

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

Connecting a Printer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16

Parallel Printer

USB Printer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17

Installing the Printer Driver . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18

Transferring Information to a New Computer (Windows XP Only) 18 Setting Up a Home and Office Network (Windows XP Only) . . . 19 Turning Off the Computer

Windows XP

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

Windows Me and Windows 2000

2 Solving Problems

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

Accessing Help Files

Power Problems . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25

Start-Up Error Messages Video and Monitor Problems

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

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

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

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

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

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

Contents 3

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If the screen is blank . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26

If the screen is difficult to read . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 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 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30

. . . . . . . . . . 29

Scanner Problems Modem Problems

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

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 32

Mouse Problems . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 34

Keyboard Problems . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 35

Drive Problems

If you cannot save a file to a floppy disk If you cannot play a music CD or install a program from a CD

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

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

. 36

If you cannot play a DVD movie . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 37

If the CD-RW drive stops writing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 37

If you have a hard drive problem

Network Problems

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

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

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

General Program Problems . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 40

A program crashes A program stops responding A program error causes the system to lock up A solid blue screen appears

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

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

. . . . . . . . . 41

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

A program is designed for an earlier Windows operating system 41

4 Contents

Internet Connection Problems . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 42

If you have a problem with your Inte rnet connection

E-Mail Problems Resolving Other Technical Problems

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

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

. . . . . . 42

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

Using the Windows XP Device Driver Rollback

Resolving Software and Hardware Incompatibilities . . . . . . . 46

Windows XP

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

Windows Me . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 47

Windows 2000 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 48

Using System Restore . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 49

Creating a Restore Point

Restoring the Computer to an Earlier Operating State . . . . . . 51

Undoing the Last System Restore

. . . . . . . . . 45

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

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

Reinstalling Windows XP

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

Reinstalling Windows 2000 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 57

3 Adding Parts

Front and Back View of the Computer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 60

Reattaching the Front Door and Hinge Arms . . . . . . . . . . . 62

Reattaching the Front Door

Reattaching the Hinge Arms . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 63

Opening the Computer Cover . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 65

Looking Inside Your Computer

System Board

Adding Cards Removing Cards

Adding Memory . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 74

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

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

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 67

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

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

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

Replacing the AGP Card

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

Adding a Second Hard Drive

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

Contents 5

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Adding Other Drives . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 81

5.25-Inch Devices

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

3.5-Inch Devices . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 84

Closing the Computer Cover . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 87

4 Appendix

Specifications . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 90

Standard Settings

Viewing Settings System Setup Program Screens

Clearing Forgotten Passwords

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

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 95

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 95

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 95

Replacing the Battery . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 97

Dell Technical Support Policy (U.S. Only) . . . . . . . . . . . . 98

Definition of “Dell-Installed” Software and Peripherals

. . . . 98

Definition of “Third-Party” Software and Peripherals . . . . . 99

Contacting Dell . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 100

Contact Numbers and Addresses

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

Returning Items for Warranty Repair or Credit . . . . . . . . . 114

Regulatory Information . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 115

FCC Notices (U.S. Only) Battery Disposal NOM Information (Mexico Only) Información para NOM (únicamente para México)

Limited Warranties and Return Policy

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

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

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 118

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 118

. . . . . . . 119

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

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

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

Three-Year Limited Warranty (U.S. Only) . . . . . . . . . . . 126

Four-Year Limited Warranty (U.S. Only) One-Year Limited Warra nty (Canada Only)

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

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

Two-Yea r Limited Warranty (C anada Only) . . . . . . . . . . . 134

6 Contents

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Three-Year Limited Warranty (Canada Only) . . . . . . . . . 137

"Total Satisfaction" Return Policy (U.S. and Canada Only) . . . 141 One-Year End-User Manufacturer Guarantee (Latin America and the

Caribbean Only)

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

Index . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 145

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 142

Contents 7

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8 Contents

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Safety Instructions

As you use your computer, observe the following safe-handling guidelines.

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 or opened.

• 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 ea stern Japan and 100 V/60 Hz in western J apan – 230 V/50 Hz in most of Europe, the Middle East, and the Far East

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 comp uter 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.

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• To help prevent electr i c 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.

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

wet, contact Dell (see page 100).

• Do not push an y ob jects into the o penin gs of your compu ter. 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 u se may resul t 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.

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• 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.

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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.

CAUTION: Do not attempt to service the computer yourself,

except as explained in this guide and elsewhere in Dell documentation. Always follow installation and service instructions closely.

Turn off the computer (see page 20).

1 2 Turn off all devices.

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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 in ternal 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 fr om 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 gu idelines when appropri ate:

• 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 batter y only with the same or equivalent type recomme nded by the manufacture r. Discard used batteries according to the manufacturer’s instructio ns.

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.

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SECTION 1

Setting Up

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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Connecting a Printer

See the documentation that came with the printer fo r 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.

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Parallel Printer

Follow the instructions that came with the parallel printer to connect it to the computer. If no information is provided, then follow the instructions in this section.

1 Turn off the computer (see page 20).

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

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.

screws (2)

parallel printer cable

parallel connector on computer

parallel connector on printer

clips (2)

16 Setting Up

notches (2)

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

Hardware Wizard window appears, click Cancel.

4 Install the printer driver if necessary (see "Insta lling the P rinter Drive r"

on page 18).

USB Printer

Follow the instructions that came with the USB pr inter to connect it to the computer. If no information is provided, then follow the instructions in this section.

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

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

USB printer cable

USB connector on printer

HINT: You can connect

USB devices while the computer is turned on.

HINT: Y our computer has

two USB connectors on the back panel (see page 61) and two USB connectors inside the door on the front panel (see page 61).

Setting Up 17

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Installing the Printer Driver

Follow the instructions that came with the printer to install printer drivers. If no information was provided with the printer, then refer to the following instructions.

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

If your printer installation CD does not automatical ly run, click the Start button on the Mic r os oft

x:\setup.exe (where x is the letter of your CD or DVD drive [usually

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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 printe r for instructions on how to sta r t 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 94) and ensure that the parallel port is set to operate in bidirectional mode.

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 Vi ew ins talle d pri nters 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® desktop, click Run, and type

Transferring Information to a New Computer (Windows XP Only)

18 Setting Up

Windows XP provides a Fi les and Settings Transfer Wizard to move data, such as e-m ails, windo w sizes, toolbar settings, and Inter net bookma rks, from one computer to another. First you collect the data from the source computer, and then you import the data to the new computer.

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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, cli ck the Start button, point to All 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.

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

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 W izard.

2 On the welcome screen, click Next. 3 Click checklist for creating a network.

Complete the checklist and required preparations, and then return to

the Network Setup Wizard.

5 Follow the instructions on the screen.

HINT: The CD that you

need to place in your CD or DVD drive is titled

Operating System

HINT: Selecting the

connection method This computer connects directly to the Internet

enables the integrated firewall provided with Windows XP.

Setting Up 19

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Turning Off the Computer

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

Start menu rather than by pressing the power button.

HINT: If you are having

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

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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 Turn off.

The computer automatically turns off after th e 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. 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 th e shutdown process finishes.

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

20 Setting Up

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SECTION 2

Solving Problems

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 Incompatibiliti es Using System Restore Reinstalling Windows XP Reinstalling Windows Me Reinstalling Windows 2000

Windows® Error Messages

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Finding Solutions

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 .

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See page 25.

Get technical assistance from Dell. See page 100.

22 Solving Problems

See page 25.

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See page 26.

See page 28.

See page 29.

See page 32.

See page 34.

See page 35.

See page 43.

See page 38.

See page 31.

See page 39.

See page 40.

See page 42.

See page 43.

Solving Problems 23

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Accessing Help Files

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.

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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 sho wn on the screen.

TO ACCESS HELP IN WINDOWS ME

1 Click the Start button, and then click Help. 2 T ype 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 sho wn 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 sho wn on the screen.

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Power Probl ems

CHECK THE POW ER 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. If the power light is off, the computer is either not turned on or is not receiving electrical power.

TEST THE ELECTRICAL OUTLET—Ensur e tha t the elec trica l outlet is worki ng

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

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

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

CONNECT THE COM PUTER 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 s a me electrical outlet.

HINT: See the

help file for

How

information on the standby mode.

Tell Me

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

for the keyword standby in the Help and Support Center in Windows XP and Windows Me (Help in Windows 2000). To access help files, see page 24.

Start-Up Error Messages

OPERATING SYSTEM NOT FOUND— Call Dell for technical assistan ce (see

page 100).

Solving Problems 25

2H930bk1.book Page 26 Tuesday, November 20, 2001 5:02 PM

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.

Video and Monitor Problems

If the screen is blank

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HINT: See the

documentatio n that come with your monitor for fault indications and troubleshooting procedures specific to your monitor.

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 pr esse d the

monitor power button.

26 Solving Problems

CHECK THE POW ER 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.

TEST THE ELECTRICAL OUTLET—Ensur e tha t the elec trica l outlet is worki ng

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

SWAP THE COM PUTER AND MONITOR POWER CABLES —Swap the

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

TEST THE VIDEO EXT ENSI ON CABLE (IF USED)— If you are us ing 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.

2H930bk1.book Page 27 Tuesday, November 20, 2001 5:02 PM

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

connector (see page 61) are not green, call Dell for technical assistance (see page 100).

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

for the keyword standby in the Help and Support Center in Windows XP and Windows Me (Help in Windows 2000). To access help files, see page 24.

If the screen is difficult to read

ADJUST THE CO NTRAST AND BRIGHTNESS— See the documentation that

came with your monitor for instructions on adjusting the contrast and brightness.

MOVE THE SUBWOOFER AW AY FROM THE MONITOR— If your speaker

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

MOVE THE MONITOR AWAY FROM EXTE RNAL POWER SOURCE S—Fans,

fluorescent lights, halogen lamps, and other electrical devices can cause the screen image to appear “shaky.” Turn off nearby devices to check for interference.

ROTATE THE MONITOR TO F ACE A DIFFE RENT DIRECTION— Eliminate

sunlight glare, which can cause poor picture quality.

DEGAUSS (DEMAGNETIZE) THE MONIT OR—See the documentation that

came with your monitor.

RUN THE MONITOR SELF-TEST—See the documentation that came with

your monitor.

RESTORE THE RECOMMENDED S ETTINGS—Restore the original resolution

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

Solving Problems 27

2H930bk1.book Page 28 Tuesday, November 20, 2001 5:02 PM

CHECK FOR ADDITIONAL ADJUSTMENTS—See the documentation that

came with your monitor for any additional adjustments that your monitor may require.

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.

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Windows Me and Windows 2000

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

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.

CHECK FOR INTERRUPT REQUEST CONFLICTS— See page 46.

Sound and Speaker Problems

ENSURE THAT THE SUBWOOFER AND THE SPEAKERS ARE TURN ED

ON—See the setup diagram supplied wit h the speakers.

ADJUST THE SPEAKER CONTR OLS—If your speakers have volume controls,

adjust the volume, bass, or treble to eliminate distortion.

VERI FY THE SPEAKER CABLE CONNECTIONS— Ensure that the speakers

are connected as shown on the START HERE sheet for your comp u te r an d th e setup diagram supplied with the speakers.

BE SURE THAT HEAD PHONES ARE NOT CONNEC TED TO THE FRONT-

PANEL HEADPHONE JACK— Sound from the speakers is automatically

disabled when headphones are connected to th e computer’s front-panel headphone jack.

28 Solving Problems

2H930bk1.book Page 29 Tuesday, November 20, 2001 5:02 PM

ADJUST THE WINDOWS VOLUME CONTR OL—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.

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.

TEST THE ELECTRICAL OUTLET—Ensur e tha t the elec trica l outlet is worki ng

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

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

CHECK FOR INTERRUPT REQUEST CONFLICTS— See page 46.

Printer Problems

If you cannot print to a parallel port printer

VERI FY THE PRINTER CABLE CONNECTIONS— Ensure that th e printer

cable is connec te d a s de sc r ibed on page 16.

ENSURE THAT THE PRINTER IS TURNED ON—See the do c umentation

supplied with the printer.

HINT: If you need

technical assistance for your printer, call the printer’s manufacturer (see the documentation that came with the printer for the correct phone number). Dell does not cover the printer’s warranty.

Solving Problems 29

2H930bk1.book Page 30 Tuesday, November 20, 2001 5:02 PM

VERI FY THAT THE PRINTER IS RECOGNIZED BY WINDOWS

Windows XP

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

the printer icon.

5 Click Properties, and then select the Ports tab. Ensure that the Print to the

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

Windows Me and Windows 2000

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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 select the Details tab in Windows Me and the

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

TEST THE ELECTRICAL OUTLET—Ensur e tha t the elec trica l outlet is worki ng

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

REINSTALL THE PRINTER DRIVER— See page 18.

CHECK FOR INTERRUPT REQUEST CONFLICTS— See page 46.

If you cannot print to a USB printer

VERI FY THE PRINTER CABLE CONNECTIONS— Ensure that th e p rinter

cable is connected as described on page 17.

ENSURE THAT THE PRINTER IS TURNED ON—See the documentation

supplied with the printer.

30 Solving Problems

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