Dell Dimension 4550 User Manual

Dell™ Dimension™ 4550 Series

CD or DVD volume
control dial

CD or DVD
activity light

CD or DVD drive
eject button

floppy drive
eject button*

floppy drive light*

USB 2.0
connectors (2)

headphone connector

service tag

power connector

voltage selection switch

keyboard connector

USB 2.0 connectors (2)

serial connector

parallel connector

diagnostic lights (4)

USB 2.0 connectors (2)

hard drive light

power button

*On computers
with an optional
floppy drive.

mouse connector

network adapter

microphone
connector

line-out
connector

line-in
connector

*

*

*

*

On computers with integrated audio.

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video connector

Hints, Notices, and Cautions

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.

Abbreviations and Acronyms

For a complete list of abbreviations and acronyms, see the Tell Me How help
file. To access help files, see page 38.

If you purchased a Dell™ n Series computer, any references in this
document to Microsoft

®

Windows® operating systems are not applicable.

____________________

Information in this document is subject to change without notice.
© 2003 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, Latitude, OptiPlex, Dell
Precision, and DellNet are trademarks of Dell Computer Corporation; Intel, Celeron, and Pentium
are registered trademarks of Intel Corporation; Microsoft and Windows are registered trademarks of
Microsoft Corporation.

Other trademarks and trade names may be used in this document to refer to either the entities claiming
the marks and names or their products. Dell Computer Corporation disclaims an y 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.

January 2003 P/N D0995 Rev. A00

Contents

CAUTION: Safety Instructions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9

General

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

When Using Your Computer

When Working Inside Your Computer

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

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

Protecting Against Electrostatic Discharge

Ergonomic Computing Habits

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

Battery Disposal . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14

Finding Information for Your Computer . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15

1 Setting Up and Using Your Computer

Setting Up a Printer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20

Printer Cable

Connecting a Parallel Printer

Connecting a USB Printer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21

Connecting Two Monitors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22

Connecting the Monitors to Your Computer

Enabling Clone Mode

Enabling Extended Desktop Mode

Transferring Information to a New Computer

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

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

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

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

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

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

. . . . . . . . . . 25

Setting Up a Home and Office Network . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27

Connecting to a Network Adapter

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

Network Setup Wizard . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28

Connecting to the Internet . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28

Setting Up Your Internet Connection

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

Contents 3

Copying CDs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30

Using Easy CD Creator Basic

Using Blank CD-R Discs or Blank CD-RW Discs

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

. . . . . . . . 31

Helpful Tips . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 31

How to Copy a CD

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

Hyper-Threading

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

Booting to a USB Device . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 34

Turning Off the Computer

2 Solving Problems

Finding Solutions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 36

Finding Help Information . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 38

Battery Problems

Drive Problems

Floppy drive problems

CD drive problems

Problems writing to a CD-RW drive

DVD drive problems . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 41

Hard drive problems

E-Mail, Modem, and Internet Problems

Error Messages

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

4 Contents

General Problems

A program stops responding

A program crashes repeatedly

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

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

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

A program is designed for an earlier
Windows operating system

A solid blue screen appears

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

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

Other software problems . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 46

Other technical problems

General hardware problems

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

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

Keyboard Problems . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 48

Mouse Problems

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

Network Problems . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 50

Power Problems

Printer Problems

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

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

Scanner Problems . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 54

Sound and Speaker Problems

No sound from speakers

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

No sound from headphones

Video and Monitor Problems

If the screen is blank

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

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

If the screen is difficult to read

3 Advanced Troubleshooting

Diagnostic Lights . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 60

Dell Diagnostics

When to Use the Dell Diagnostics

Starting the Dell Diagnostics

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

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

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

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

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

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

Drivers

Using System Restore

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

What Is a Driver?

Identifying Drivers

Reinstalling drivers

Creating a Restore Point

Restoring the Computer to an Earlier Operating State

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

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

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

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

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

. . . . . . 68

Undoing the Last System Restore . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 69

Resolving Software and Hardware Incompatibilities . . . . . . . 70

Contents 5

Reinstalling Microsoft® Windows® XP . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 70

Before You Reinstall

Reinstalling Windows XP

Reinstalling Drivers and Software . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 73

4 Adding Parts

Front and Back View of the Computer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 76

Front View

Back View . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 78

Reattaching the Front Door and Hinge Arms . . . . . . . . . . . 80

Reattaching the Hinge Arms

Reattaching the Front Door . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 82

Opening the Computer Cover . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 83

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 70

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

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

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

Looking Inside Your Computer

System Board

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 85

Installing and Removing Cards

Installing a Card

Removing a Card

Adding Memory

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

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

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

Removing a Memory Module

Adding a Memory Module

Adding or Replacing the AGP Card

Card Removal

Card Installation

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

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 96

Adding a Second Hard Drive

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 84

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

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

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

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

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

Adding a Floppy Drive . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 100

Removing the Front-Panel Insert

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

Installing a Floppy Drive . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 102

Closing the Computer Cover . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 104

6 Contents

5 Appendix

Specifications . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 106

Standard Settings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 110

Viewing Settings

System Setup Program Screens . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 111

Clearing Forgotten Passwords . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 112

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

Replacing the Battery

Dell Technical Support Policy (U.S. Only)

Definition of "Dell-Installed" Software and Peripherals

Definition of "Third-Party" Software and Peripherals

Contacting Dell

Contact Numbers and Addresses

Returning Items for Warranty Repair or Credit

Regulatory Information

NOM Information (Mexico Only)

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

. . . . . . . . . . . . 114

. . . . . 115

. . . . . . 115

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

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

. . . . . . . . 133

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 133

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 135

Limited Warranties and Return Policy . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 137

Limited Warranty for the U.S.

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 137

"Total Satisfaction" Return Policy (U.S. Only) . . . . . . . . . 140

Limited Warranty Terms for Canada

"Total Satisfaction" Return Policy (Canada Only)

. . . . . . . . . . . . . 141

. . . . . . . . 144

Dell Software and Peripherals (Canada Only) . . . . . . . . . 145

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

Intel® Warranty Statement for Pentium® and

®

Celeron

Processors Only (U.S. and Canada Only) . . . . . . . 147

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

Index . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 149

Contents 7

8 Contents

CAUTION: Safety Instructions

Use the following safety guidelines to help ensure your own personal safety and to help protect
your computer and working environment from potential damage.

General

• Do not attempt to service the computer yourself unless you are a trained service
technician. Always follow installation instructions closely.

• To help prevent electric shock, plug the computer and device power cables into properly
grounded electrical outlets. 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 avoid the potential hazard of electric shock, do not use your computer during an
electrical storm.

• To help avoid the potential hazard of electric shock, do not connect or disconnect any
cables or perform maintenance or reconfiguration of this product during an electrical
storm.

• If your computer includes a modem, the cable used with the modem should be
manufactured with a minimum wire size of 26 American wire gauge (AWG) and an FCC­compliant RJ-11 modular plug.

• Before you clean your computer, disconnect the computer from the electrical outlet.
Clean your computer with a soft cloth dampened with water. Do not use liquid or aerosol
cleaners, which may contain flammable substances.

• To help avoid possible damage to the system board, wait 5 seconds after turning off the
computer before disconnecting a device from the computer.

CAUTION: Safety Instructions 9

CAUTION: Safety Instructions

• 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 protect your computer from sudden, transient increases and decreases in
electrical power, use a surge suppressor, line conditioner, or uninterruptible power supply
(UPS).

• Ensure 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 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.

(continued)

10 CAUTION: Safety Instructions

When Using Your Computer

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

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

covers, bezels, filler brackets, front-panel inserts, and so on) removed.

• Your computer is equipped with one of the following:

– A fixed-voltage power supply — Computers with a fixed-voltage power supply do not

have a voltage selection switch on the back panel and operate at only one voltage (see
the regulatory label on the outside of the computer for its operating voltage).

– An auto-sensing voltage circuit — Computers with an auto-sensing voltage circuit do

not have a voltage selection switch on the back panel and automatically detect the
correct operating voltage.

– A manual voltage selection switch — Computers with a voltage selection switch on

the back panel must be manually set to operate at the correct operating voltage.

NOTICE: To help avoid damaging a computer with a manual voltage selection switch, set the

switch for the voltage that most closely matches the AC power available in your location. For Japan,
the voltage selection switch must be set to the 115-V position even though the AC power available in
Japan is 100 V. Also, ensure that your monitor and attached devices are electrically rated to
operate with the AC power available in your location.

• Before working inside the computer, unplug the computer to help prevent electric shock
or system board damage. Certain system board components continue to receive power
any time the computer is connected to AC power.

When Using Your Computer 11

When Using Your Computer

(continued)

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

your online Dell™ documentation or in instructions otherwise provided to you by
Dell. Always follow installation and service instructions closely.

NOTICE: To help avoid possible damage to the system board, wait 5 seconds after turning off the

computer before removing a component from the system board or disconnecting a device from the
computer.

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1 Perform an orderly computer shutdown using the operating system menu.

2 Turn off your computer and any devices connected to the computer.

3 Ground yourself by touching an unpainted metal surface on the chassis, such as the metal

around the card-slot openings at the back of the computer, before touching anything
inside your computer.

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

4 Disconnect your computer and devices, including the monitor, from their electrical

outlets. Also, disconnect any telephone or telecommunication lines from the computer.

Doing so reduces the potential for personal injury or shock.

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

• When you disconnect a cable, pull on its connector or on its strain-relief loop, not on the
cable itself. Some cables have a connector with locking tabs; if you are disconnecting this
type of cable, press in on the locking tabs before disconnecting the cable. As you pull
connectors apart, keep them evenly aligned to avoid bending any connector pins. Also,
before you connect a cable, ensure that both connectors are correctly oriented and
aligned.

12 When Using Your Computer

When Using Your Computer

• Handle components and cards with care. Do not touch the components or contacts on a
card. Hold a card by its edges or by its metal mounting bracket. Hold a component such
as a microprocessor chip by its edges, not by its pins.

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. Do not dispose of the battery along with household waste. Contact
your local waste disposal agency for the address of the nearest battery deposit site.

(continued)

Protecting Against Electrostatic Discharge

Static electricity can harm delicate components inside your computer. To prevent static
damage, discharge static electricity from your body before you touch any of your computer’s
electronic components, such as the microprocessor. You can do so by touching an unpainted
metal surface on the computer chassis.

As you continue to work inside the computer, periodically touch an unpainted metal surface to
remove any static charge your body may have accumulated.

You can also take the following steps to prevent damage from electrostatic discharge (ESD):

• Do not remove components from their antistatic packing material until you are ready to
install the component in your computer. Just before unwrapping the antistatic packaging,
discharge static electricity from your body.

• When transporting an electrostatic sensitive component, first place it in an antistatic
container or packaging.

• Handle all electrostatic sensitive components in a static-safe area. If possible, use
antistatic floor pads and workbench pads.

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 ergonomic guidelines in the Tel l Me H ow help file when
setting up and using your computer.

When Using Your Computer 13

When Using Your Computer

Battery Disposal

Your computer uses a lithium coin-cell battery. The lithium coin-cell battery is a long-life
battery, and it is very possible that you will never need to replace it. However, should you need
to replace it, see page 113.

Do not dispose of the battery along with household waste. Contact your local waste disposal

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agency for the address of the nearest battery deposit site.

(continued)

14 When Using Your Computer

Finding Information for Your Computer

What Are You Looking For? Find it Here

• A diagnostic program for my computer

• Drivers for my computer

• My computer documentation

• My device documentation

• How to set up a printer

• How to troubleshoot and solve problems

• How to add parts

• How to contact Dell

•Warranty information

ResourceCD

You can use this CD to access documentation and reinstall drivers (see
page 65).

Owner’s Manual

• Express Service Code and Service Tag
Number

•Microsoft

®

Windows® License Label

Express Service Code and Product Key

Located on your computer.

Finding Information for Your Computer 15

What Are You Looking For? Find it Here

• How to reinstall my operating system Operating System CD

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• Latest drivers for my computer

• Answers to technical service and support
questions

• Online discussions with other users and
technical support

• Documentation for my computer

If you reinstall your operating system, use the ResourceCD to reinstall
drivers for the devices that came with your computer.

Dell Support website

The Dell Support website provides several online tools, including:

• Knowledge Base — hints, tips, and online courses

• Customer Forum — online discussion with other Dell customers

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

• Customer Care — contact information, order status, warranty, and
repair information

• Downloads — drivers, patches, and software updates

• Reference — computer documentation, product specifications, and
white papers

16 Finding Information for Your Computer

What Are You Looking For? Find it Here

• How to set up my computer Setup diagram

• Tips on using Windows

• How to clean my computer

• How to use my mouse and keyboard

• How to use Windows XP

• Documentation for my computer and
devices

Tell Me How help file

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 M e H ow.

Windows XP Help and Support Center

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.
4 Follow the instructions shown on the screen.

Finding Information for Your Computer 17

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18 Finding Information for Your Computer

SECTION 1

Setting Up and Using
Your Computer

Setting Up a Printer

Connecting Two Monitors

Transferring Information to a New Computer

Setting Up a Home and Office Network

Connecting to the Internet

1

Copying CDs

Hyper-Threading

Booting to a USB Device

Turning Off the Computer

Setting Up a Printer

NOTICE: Complete the operating system setup before you connect a printer to

the computer.

See the documentation that came with the printer for setup information,
including how to:

• Obtain and install updated drivers

• Connect the printer to the computer

• Load paper and install the toner or ink cartridge

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• Contact the printer manufacturer for technical assistance

Printer Cable

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

Connecting a Parallel Printer

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

2 Turn off the computer (see page 33).

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

Attach the parallel printer cable to the parallel connector on the

3

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

20 Setting Up and Using Your Computer

screws (2)

parallel printer
cable

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

parallel connector on computer

connector on
printer

clips (2)

notches (2)

Hardware Wizard window appears, click Cancel.

5 Install the printer driver if necessary. See the documentation that

came with your printer.

Connecting a USB Printer

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

2 Install the printer driver if necessary. See the documentation that

came with your printer.

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

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

Setting Up and Using Your Computer 21

HINT: You can connect

USB devices while the
computer is turned on.

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USB connector on
computer

USB connector
on printer

USB printer
cable

Connecting Two Monitors

If you purchased a video card that supports dual monitors, follow the
instructions in this section to connect and enable your monitors.

Connecting the Monitors to Your Computer

1 Save any open files, close any open programs, and shut down the

computer.

2 Connect the monitor cables to the connectors on the back of the

computer.

HINT: If both monitors

have VGA connectors, you
must have the optional
VGA adapter.

22 Setting Up and Using Your Computer

If both monitors have VGA connectors:

a Connect one of the monitors to the VGA (blue) connector on the

computer.

b Connect the other monitor to the optional VGA adapter, and then

connect the VGA adapter to the DVI (white) connector on the
computer.

optional VGA
adapter

If one monitor has a VGA connector and the other one has a DVI
connector:

a Connect the VGA connector on the monitor to the VGA (blue)

connector on the computer.

b Connect the DVI connector on the other monitor to the DVI

(white) connector on the computer.

Setting Up and Using Your Computer 23

HINT: If you are

connecting two flat-panel
monitors, at least one of
them must have a VGA
connector.

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3 Restart the computer.

The Microsoft

4 Use the instructions in the following sections to enable clone mode or

®

Windows® desktop displays on the primary monitor.

extended desktop mode in the display settings.

For more information on changing display settings, see the Help and
Support Center (click the Start button and click Help and Support).

Enabling Clone Mode

In clone mode, both monitors display the same image.

1 Right-click an empty spot on the desktop and click Properties.

2 Click the Settings tab and click Advanced.

3 Click the nView tab, click Clone, and click OK.

24 Setting Up and Using Your Computer

4 Click OK to continue.

The screen temporarily blacks out, and then the same image displays
on both monitors.

5 Click Ye s to accept the changes.

Enabling Extended Desktop Mode

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

1 Right-click an empty spot on the desktop and click Properties.

2 Click the Settings tab.

Two monitors are displayed on the Settings tab.

3 Click the grayed-out monitor icon.

4 Click Extend my Windows desktop onto this monitor, and click OK.

The screen temporarily blacks out, and then the desktop displays on both
monitors.

Transferring Information to a New
Computer

The Microsoft® Windows® XP operating system provides a Files and
Settings Transfer wizard to move data from the source computer to the new
computer. You can move data such as:

•E-mails

• Toolbar settings

• Window sizes

• Internet bookmarks

You can transfer the data to the new computer over a network or serial
connection, or you can store it on a removable medium, such as a writable
CD or floppy disk.

Setting Up and Using Your Computer 25

To prepare the new computer for the file transfer:

1 Click the Start button, point to All Programs→ Accessories→ System

To ol s , and then click Files and Settings Transfer Wizard.

2 When the Files and Settings Transfer Wizard welcome screen

appears, click Next.

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

then click Next.

4 On the Do you have a Windows XP CD? screen, click I will use the

wizard from the Windows XP CD, and then click Next.

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5 When the Now go to your old computer screen appears, go to your old

or source computer. Do not click Next at this time.

To copy data from the old computer:

1 On the old computer, insert the Windows XP Operating System CD

into your CD or DVD drive.

2 On the Welcome to Microsoft Windows XP screen, click Perform

additional tasks.

3 Under What do you want to do?, click Transfer files and settings.

4 On the Files and Settings Transfer Wizard welcome screen, click Next.

5 On the Which computer is this? screen, click Old Computer, and

then click Next.

6 On the Select a transfer method screen, click the transfer method you

prefer.

7 On the What do you want to transfer? screen, select the items you

want to transfer and then click Next.

After the information has been copied, the Completing the
Collection Phase screen appears.

8 Click Finish.

To transfer data to the new computer:

1 On the Now go to your old computer screen on the new computer,

click Next.

26 Setting Up and Using Your Computer

2 On the Where are the files and settings? screen, select the method you

chose for transferring your settings and files, and then click Next.

The wizard reads the collected files and settings and applies them to
your new computer.

When all of the settings and files have been applied, the Finished
screen appears.

3 Click Finished and restart the new computer.

Setting Up a Home and Office Network

Connecting to a Network Adapter

Before you connect your computer to a network, it must have a network
adapter installed and a network cable connected to it.

To connect a network cable:

1 Connect the network cable to the network adapter connector on the

back of your computer.

2 Connect the other end of the network cable to a network connection

device, such as a network wall jack.

network adapter
connector on
computer

network wall
jack

network cable

Setting Up and Using Your Computer 27

HINT: Insert the cable

until it clicks into place,
and then gently pull it to
ensure that it is secure.

HINT: Do not use a

network cable with a
telephone wall jack.

Network Setup Wizard

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.

3 Click checklist for creating a network.

HINT: Selecting the

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connection method This

computer connects
directly to the Internet

enables the integrated
firewall provided with
Windows XP.

Complete the checklist and required preparations, and return to the

4

Network Setup Wizard.

5 Follow the instructions on the screen.

Connecting to the Internet

To connect to the Internet, you need a modem or network connection and
an Internet service provider (ISP), such as AOL or MSN. Your ISP will offer
one or more of the following Internet connection options:

• Dial-up connections that provide Internet access through a phone line.
Dial-up connections are considerably slower than DSL and cable
modem connections.

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

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

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

28 Setting Up and Using Your Computer

Setting Up Your Internet Connection

To set up an AOL or MSN connection:

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

2 Double-click the MSN Explorer or AOL icon on the Windows

desktop.

3 Follow the instructions on the screen to complete the setup.

If you do not have an MSN Explorer or AOL icon on your desktop or if you
want to set up an Internet connection with a different ISP:

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

2 Click the Start button and click Internet Explorer.

The New Connection Wizard appears.

3 Click Connect to the Internet.

4 In the next window, click the appropriate option:

• If you do not have an ISP and want to select one, click Choose
from a list of Internet service providers (ISPs).

• If you have already obtained setup information from your ISP but
you did not receive a setup CD, click Set up my connection
manually.

• If you have a CD, click Use the CD I got from an ISP.

®

5 Click Next.

If you selected Set up my connection manually, continue to step 6.
Otherwise, follow the instructions on the screen to complete the
setup.

6 Click the appropriate option under How do you want to connect to

the Internet?, and then click Next.

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

If you are having problems connecting to the Internet, see "E-Mail, Modem,
and Internet Problems" on page 42. If you cannot connect to the Internet
but have successfully connected in the past, the ISP might have a service
outage. Contact your ISP to check the service status, or try connecting again
later.

Setting Up and Using Your Computer 29

HINT: If you do not know

which type of connection
to select, contact your
ISP.

Copying CDs

HINT: Ensure that you

follow all copyright laws
when you create CDs.

HINT: The information in

this section also applies to

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using Easy CD Creator
Basic with a DVD+RW or
a DVD+R drive.

This section applies only to computers that have a CD- or DVD-recording
device.

The information in this section is based on the Roxio Easy CD Creator
Basic documentation that came with your computer. See the following
section, "Using Easy CD Creator Basic," for instructions on how to locate
that documentation.

To burn CDs, you need to use CD-burner software. Roxio Easy CD Creator
Basic is your computer's CD-burner software. The software includes these
project programs that enable you to record specialty CDs for different types
of uses:

• DirectCD allows you to format a blank CD-R or CD-RW disc so that
you can use Microsoft

®

Windows® Explorer to drag and drop data
files to the CD-RW drive. You can use a DirectCD-formatted CD-RW
disc like another hard drive on your computer because CD-RW discs
are fully rewritable (CD-R discs can be used with DirectCD, but that
media type has overwriting limitations—see "Using Blank CD-R Discs
or Blank CD-RW Discs" for recording media differences).

• MusicCD allows you to burn custom music CDs.

• DataCD allows you to copy a variety of your documents, such as
spreadsheet or accounting files, to a CD for permanent storage.

HINT: Some music and

game CDs are copy­protected. If you have a
CD that cannot be copied,
you must use the original
CD for everyday use.

• Disc Copier allows you to make a backup copy of almost any type of
CD. This program allows you to make a copy of a CD for everyday use
so that you can archive and save the original copy. (Disc Copier is
titled "CD Copier" in some versions of Roxio CD Creator Basic.)

All four project programs are available on the Easy CD Creator Basic Select

a Project menu screen. To view the Select a Project menu screen, click the
Start button, point to All Programs→ Roxio Easy CD Creator, and then
click Project Selector.

30 Setting Up and Using Your Computer

Using Easy CD Creator Basic

See the Easy CD Creator Basic documentation for instructions on how to
use the program, information about different recording techniques, and CD
media limitations. The Easy CD Creator Basic documentation is located in
the Microsoft
documentation is also provided on the Dell Dimension ResourceCD, which
is included with your computer. Each Easy CD Creator Basic project
program also has thorough online help files.

®

Windows® XP Help and Support Center (see page 17). The

Using Blank CD-R Discs or Blank CD-RW Discs

Your CD-RW drive writes to two different types of recording media—CD-R
and CD-RW discs. Use blank CD-R (CD-Recordable) disks to record music
or permanently store data files. After creating a CD-R disc, you cannot write
to that disc again without changing your method of recording (see the
Roxio documentation for more information). Use blank CD-RW
(CD-ReWritable) discs when you want to write, erase, rewrite, and update
your files onto CDs.

Helpful Tips

• You must use the Easy CD Creator Basic project programs to copy and
record all music and data CDs. You can use Windows Explorer to drag
and drop files to a CD-R or CD-RW disc only after you first use
DirectCD to format the disc.

• You must use CD-R discs to burn music CDs that you want to play in
regular stereos. CD-RW discs do not play in most home or car stereos.

• If you want to copy files from the Internet or files from a floppy or Zip
drive, copy those files to your hard drive first, and then burn your CD.
Your CD-RW drive requires a steady stream of data to properly record.
Direct Internet downloads, floppy drives, and Zip drives may not be
able to provide a steady data stream to your CD-RW drive.

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

• Ensure that you set the sampling rate to at least 128 Kbps when you
burn MP3 files to a CD. Otherwise, recording errors may occur.

Setting Up and Using Your Computer 31

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

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

• See the Roxio support website at support.roxio.com for additional
helpful tips.

How to Copy a CD

HINT: If you have a

DVD/CD-RW combo drive
and you experience
recording problems, first
check for available
software patches at the
Dell Support website at
support.dell.com and if
necessary, the Roxio
support website at
support.roxio.com.

This procedure assumes that your computer is equipped with a single
CD-RW drive (without an additional CD drive). If your computer is
equipped with both types of drives, see the Roxio documentation for
instructions on how to copy CDs from a CD drive to a CD-RW drive.

1 Click the Start button, point to All Programs→ Roxio Easy CD

Creator, and then click Project Selector.

The Select a Project window appears.

2 Click Disc Copier. (Disc Copier is titled "CD Copier" in some versions

of Easy CD Creator Basic.)

The Disc Copier window appears and displays your CD-RW drive in
the Copy from and the Record to lists.

3 Insert the source CD that you want to copy into the CD-RW drive.

The Disc Copier project program briefly checks the source CD in the
CD-RW drive to ensure that it is a readable CD.

4 Click Copy.

Depending on the size of the files that are being copied, the copy
process may take a few minutes.

5 After the source CD is copied, remove the source CD from the

CD-RW drive tray.

The CD-RW drive tray opens automatically after the source CD is
copied.

32 Setting Up and Using Your Computer

Insert a blank CD into the CD-RW drive and close the tray.

6

The recording starts automatically.

7 After the recording completes, click OK.

Hyper-Threading

Hyper-Threading is an Intel® technology that can enhance overall
performance by allowing one physical microprocessor to function as two
logical microprocessors, capable of performing certain tasks simultaneously.
It is recommended that you use the Microsoft® Windows® XP operating
system because Windows XP is optimized to take advantage of Hyper­Threading technology. While many programs will benefit from Hyper­Threading technology, some programs have not been optimized for Hyper­Threading, and may require an update from the software manufacturer.
Contact the software manufacturer for updates and information on using
your software with Hyper-Threading.

HINT: Yo u m u st us e

CD-R discs to burn music
CDs that you want to
play in regular stereos.
CD-RW discs do not play
in most home or car
stereos.

To determine if your computer is using Hyper-Threading technology:

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

Properties.

2 Click Hardware and click Device Manager.

3 In the Device Manager window, click the plus (+) sign next to the

processor type. If Hyper-Threading is enabled, the processor is listed
twice.

You can enable or disable Hyper-Threading through the system setup
program. For information on accessing the system setup program, see
page 110. For more information on Hyper-Threading, search the Knowledge
Base on the Dell Support website at support.dell.com.

HINT: Hyper-Threading

is supported only on
computers that have 3.06­GHz microprocessors (or
higher) installed.

Setting Up and Using Your Computer 33

Booting to a USB Device

HINT: To boot to a USB

device, the device must be
bootable. To make sure
that your device is
bootable, check the device
documentation.

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HINT: This procedure

changes the boot sequence
for one time only. On the
next start-up, the
computer boots according
to the devices specified in
the system setup program.

HINT: If you are having

difficulty turning off your
computer, see "General
Problems" on page 45.

To reboot your computer to a USB device such as a floppy drive, memory
key, or CD-RW drive:

1 Connect the USB device to a USB connector (see page 76 and

page 78).

2 Shut down (see the following section) and restart the computer.

3 Turn on the computer.

4 When the DELL™ logo appears, press <F12> immediately.

If you wait too long and the Microsoft

®

Windows® logo appears,
continue to wait until you see the Windows desktop. Then shut down
your computer through the Start menu and try again.

When the boot device list appears, highlight USB Flash Device and

5

press <Enter>.

The computer reboots to the connected USB device.

Turning Off the Computer

NOTICE: To avoid losing data, turn off your computer by performing a

Microsoft
than by pressing the power button.

Save and close any open files, exit any open programs, click the Start

1

button, and then click Turn Off Computer.

2 In the Turn off computer window, click Tu rn of f .

The computer turns off after the shutdown process finishes.

®

Windows® operating system shutdown, as described next, rather

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

34 Setting Up and Using Your Computer

SECTION 2

Solving Problems

Finding Solutions

Finding Help Information

Battery Problems

Drive Problems

E-Mail, Modem, and Internet Problems

Error Messages

Keyboard Problems

2

Mouse Problems

Network Problems

Power Problems

Printer Problems

Scanner Problems

Sound and Speaker Problems

Video and Monitor Problems

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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.

See page 51.

Press a key and move the
mouse. See the
help file for information on
standby mode.

Get technical assistance from
Dell. See page 116.

See page 44.

Tell Me How

36 Solving Problems

See page 57.

See page 55.

See page 53.

See page 42.

See page 49.

See page 48.

See page 39.

See page 50.

See page 54.

See page 44.

See page 45.

See page 45.

See page 42.

See page 42.

Solving Problems 37

Finding Help Information

www.dell.com | support.dell.com

TO ACCESS THE

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 M e Ho w.

TO ACCESS WINDOWS HELP —

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.
4 Follow the instructions shown on the screen.

TO LOCATE ADDITIONAL INFORMATION FOR YOUR COMPUTER — See

page 15.

Tell Me How

HELP FILE —

Battery Problems

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.

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

follow the safety instructions on page 9.

38 Solving Problems

REPLACE THE BATTERY — If you have to repeatedly reset time and date

information after turning on the computer, or if an incorrect time or date displays
during start-up, replace the battery (see page 113). If the battery still does not
work properly, contact Dell (see page 116).

Drive Problems

Floppy drive problems

ENSURE THAT WINDOWS® RECOGNIZES THE DRIVE — Click the Start

button, and then double-click My Computer. 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 —

• Eject and firmly reinsert the floppy disk.

• Insert another disk to eliminate the possibility that the original floppy disk is
defective.

• Insert a bootable floppy disk and reboot the computer.

ENSURE THAT THE DISK IS NOT FULL OR WRITE- PROTECTED —

Ensure that the disk has available space and that it is not write-protected
(locked). See the following illustration.

back of floppy disk

write-protected

not write­protected

Solving Problems 39

HINT: High-speed CD

drive vibration is normal
and may cause noise. This
does not indicate a defect

www.dell.com | support.dell.com

in the drive or the CD.

NOTICE: Do not attempt to clean drive heads with a swab. You may

accidentally misalign the heads, which can render the drive inoperable.

CLEAN THE DRIVE — Use a commercially available cleaning kit.

CD drive problems

ADJUST THE WINDOWS VOLUME CONTROL — Click the speaker icon in

the lower-right corner of your screen.

• Ensure that the volume is turned up by clicking the slidebar and dragging
it up.

• Ensure that the sound is not muted by clicking any boxes that are checked.

TEST THE DRIVE WITH ANOTHER CD — Insert another CD to eliminate
the possibility that the original CD is defective.

CHECK THE SPEAKERS AND SUBWOOFER — See "Sound and Speaker
Problems" on page 55.

ENSURE THAT WINDOWS RECOGNIZES THE DRIVE — Click the Start
button, and then double-click My Computer. If the CD 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.

40 Solving Problems

CLEAN THE DISC — See the Tel l M e H ow help file for instructions on

cleaning your CDs. To access help files, see page 38.

CHECK FOR INTERRUPT REQUEST CONFLICTS — See page 70.

Problems writing to a CD-RW drive

TURN OFF STANDBY MODE IN WINDOWS BEFORE WRITING TO A
CD-RW DISC — For information on power conservation modes, see the Tel l

Me How help file or search for the keyword standby in Windows Help. To access
help files, see page 38.

SEE THE CD-RW DOCUMENTATION FOR INSTRUCTIONS — The
CD-RW drive must receive a steady stream of data when writing. If the stream is
interrupted, an error occurs. Try closing all programs before writing to the
CD-RW.

DVD drive problems

TEST THE DRIVE WITH ANOTHER DVD — Insert another DVD to

eliminate the possibility that the original DVD is defective.

ENSURE THAT WINDOWS RECOGNIZES THE DRIVE — Click the Start
button, and then double-click My Computer. If the DVD 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.

HINT: If you disable

standby mode to write to a
CD-RW drive, remember
to reenable standby mode
when you finish writing to
the CD.

HINT: Because of

different regions
worldwide and different
disc formats, not all DVD
titles work in all DVD
drives.

CLEAN THE DISC — See the Tel l M e H ow help file for instructions on
cleaning your DVDs. To access help files, see page 38.

CHECK FOR INTERRUPT REQUEST CONFLICTS — See page 70.

Solving Problems 41

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HINT: Connect the

modem to an analog
telephone jack only. The
modem does not operate
while it is connected to a
digital telephone network.

Hard drive problems

RUN CHECK DISK —

1 Click the Start button, and then double-click My Computer.
2 Right-click the drive letter (local disk) that you want to scan for errors, and

then click Properties.

3 Click the Tools tab.
4 Under Error-checking, click Check Now.
5 Click Start.

CHECK FOR INTERRUPT REQUEST CONFLICTS — See page 70.

E-Mail, Modem, and Internet Problems

CHECK THE TELEPHONE LINE CONNECTION — Verify that the telephone

line is connected to the jack on the modem. (The jack has either a green label or
a connector-shaped icon next to it.) Ensure that you hear a click when you insert
the telephone line connector into the modem.

CHECK THE TELEPHONE JACK — Disconnect the telephone line from the
modem and connect it to a telephone. Listen for a dial tone.

42 Solving Problems

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 use
the telephone to connect the modem directly to the telephone wall jack.

USE A DIFFERENT TELEPHONE LINE — If you are using a line that is 3 m
(10 ft) or more in length, try a shorter one.

RUN THE MODEM HELPER DIAGNOSTICS — Click the Start button, point
to Programs, and then click Modem Helper. Follow the instructions on the
screen to identify and resolve modem problems. (Modem Helper is not available
on all computers.)

VERIFY THAT THE MODEM IS COMMUNICATING WITH WINDOWS®—

1 Click the Start button, and then click Control Panel.
2 Click Printers and Other Hardware.
3 Click Phone and Modem Options.
4 Click the Modems tab.
5 Click the COM port for your modem.
6 Click Properties, click the Diagnostics tab, and then click Query Modem to

verify that the modem is communicating with Windows.
If all commands receive responses, the modem is operating properly.

TURN OFF CALL WAITING (CATCH-PHONE)—See your telephone
directory for instructions on deactivating this feature. Then adjust the dial-up
networking connection properties.

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

ENSURE THAT YOU ARE CONNECTED TO THE INTERNET — With the

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

ENSURE THAT YOU HAVE SUBSCRIBED TO AN INTERNET SERVICE

PROVIDER — Contact an Internet service provider to subscribe.

CONTACT YOUR INTERNET SERVICE PROVIDER — Contact your Internet

service provider for assistance.

CHECK FOR INTERRUPT REQUEST CONFLICTS — See page 70.

Solving Problems 43

www.dell.com | support.dell.com

Error Messages

A FILENAME CANNOT CONTAIN ANY OF THE FOLLOWING

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

filenames.

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:

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.

INSERT BOOTABLE MEDIA
NON-SYSTEM DISK ERROR
NTLOADER MISSING — A non-bootable floppy disk may be in the floppy

drive. Remove the floppy disk and restart the computer. Insert a bootable floppy
disk or CD.

NOT ENOUGH MEMORY 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.

44 Solving Problems

OPERATING SYSTEM NOT FOUND — Contact Dell (see page 116).

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 blank disk or using a larger-capacity disk.

x

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

into the drive and try again.

General Problems

A program stops responding

END THE PROGRAM —

1 Press <Ctrl><Shift><Esc> simultaneously.
2 Click the Applications tab.
3 Click the program that is no longer responding.
4 Click End Task.

TURN THE COMPUTER OFF — If your computer locks up and you are unable

to get a response by pressing a key on your keyboard or moving your mouse, press
and hold the power button for at least 8 to 10 seconds until the computer turns
off. Then press the power button again to turn on the computer. You might lose
data if you are unable to perform an operating system shutdown.

A program crashes repeatedly

CHECK THE SOFTWARE DOCUMENTATION — Many software

manufacturers maintain websites with information that may help you solve the
problem. Ensure that you properly installed and configured the program. If
necessary, uninstall and then reinstall the program.

HINT: Software usually

includes installation
instructions in its
documentation or on a
floppy disk or CD.

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 so it runs in an environment similar to non-Windows XP operating
system environments.

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

Program Compatibility Wizard.

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

Solving Problems 45

A solid blue screen appears

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

keystroke or a proper shutdown, press the power button for at least 8 to
10 seconds until the computer turns off. Press the power button again to restart
the computer. The chkdsk program automatically runs during the start-up
process. Follow the instructions on the screen.

Other software problems

www.dell.com | support.dell.com

CHECK THE SOFTWARE DOCUMENTATION OR CONTACT THE SOFTWARE

MANUFACTURER FOR TROUBLESHOOTING INFORMATION

BACK UP YOUR FILES IMMEDIATELY — If your computer has a CD-RW

drive or a zip drive installed, see the drive’s documentation for instructions.

ENSURE THAT YOU HAVE NOT MADE AN ERROR WHILE ENTERING

DATA — See the program documentation to make sure that the values or

characters you are entering are valid.

CHECK FOR VIRUSES — Use a virus-scanning program to check the hard
drive, floppy disks, or CDs.

RESTART THE COMPUTER — Save and close any open files, exit any open
programs, and then shut down your computer through the Start menu instead of
pressing the power button. Otherwise, you may lose data.

CHECK FOR COMPATIBILITY —

• Ensure that the program is compatible with the operating system installed on
your computer and that your computer meets the minimum hardware
requirements needed to run the software. See the software documentation for
information.

• If necessary, uninstall and then reinstall the program.

46 Solving Problems

ENSURE THAT YOU PROPERLY INSTALLED AND CONFIGURED THE

PROGRAM — See the software documentation for information. If necessary,

uninstall and then reinstall the program.

Other technical problems

GO TO THE DELL SUPPORT WEBSITE — Go to support.dell.com for help

with general usage, installation, and troubleshooting questions.The support
website offers several different tools to help you, such as Dell Forum—a chat
room where you can communicate with other Dell customers about their
computers and gain access to technical support through e-mail. See "Dell
Support website" on page 16 for more information about the website. See "Dell
Technical Support Policy (U.S. Only)" on page 114 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 116). See
"Dell Technical Support Policy (U.S. Only)" on page 114 for a description of the
hardware and software support provided by Dell.

General hardware problems

If your computer exhibits one or more of the following symptoms, a device
conflict may exist:

• Your computer locks up, particularly while using a specific device.

• A recently added device does not work.

• A sound card emits noise or demonstrates other problems.

• Unintelligible characters print from the printer.

• The mouse pointer does not move or "stutters" when it moves.

• Messages appear stating that the computer is not operating at
maximum performance.

• Errors occur and programs crash for no apparent reason.

• Nothing displays on the monitor.

REMOVE ANY RECENTLY ADDED HARDWARE TO SEE IF IT RESOLVES

THE CONFLICT — If removing the hardware resolves the conflict, see the

hardware documentation for configuration and troubleshooting instructions. If
the problem persists, contact the hardware manufacturer for technical assistance.

Solving Problems 47

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CHECK YOUR OPERATING SYSTEM DOCUMENTATION FOR ADDITIONAL

TROUBLESHOOTING INFORMATION

CHECK FOR INTERRUPT REQUEST CONFLICTS — See page 70.

Keyboard Problems

RESTART THE COMPUTER —

• If the mouse is functioning, shut down the computer (see page 34). After the
computer shuts down, press the power button to restart the computer.

• If the computer does not respond to a keystroke or the mouse, press the power
button for at least 8 to 10 seconds until the computer turns off. Press the
power button again to restart the computer.

CHECK THE KEYBOARD CABLE —

• Ensure that the keyboard cable is firmly connected to the computer.

• Shut down the computer (see page 34), reconnect the keyboard cable as
shown on the setup diagram for your computer, and then restart the computer.

• Check the cable connector for bent or broken pins and for damaged or frayed
cables. Straighten bent pins.

• Remove keyboard extension cables and connect the keyboard directly to the
computer.

48 Solving Problems

TEST THE KEYBOARD — Connect a properly working keyboard to the

computer, and try using the keyboard. If the new keyboard works, the original
keyboard is faulty.

IF THE KEYBOARD IS WIRELESS, REPLACE THE KEYBOARD

BATTERY —

See the wireless keyboard documentation for more information.

CHECK FOR INTERRUPT REQUEST CONFLICTS — See page 70.

Mouse Problems

RESTART THE COMPUTER —

1 Simultaneously press <Ctrl><Esc> to display the Start menu.
2 Ty p e u, press the keyboard arrow keys to highlight Shut down or Tur n O ff , and

then press <Enter>.

3 After the computer turns off, press the power button to restart the computer.

IF YOU CONNECTED THE MOUSE BEFORE TURNING ON THE

COMPUTER, RECONNECT THE MOUSE CABLE —

1 Simultaneously press <Ctrl><Esc> to display the Start menu.
2 Ty p e u, press the keyboard arrow keys to highlight Shut down or Tur n O ff , and

then press <Enter>.

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

setup diagram 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

appears 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.

CHECK THE MOUSE CABLE —

• Check the cable connector for bent or broken pins and for damaged or frayed
cables. Straighten bent pins.

• Ensure that the cable is firmly connected to the computer.

TEST THE MOUSE — Connect a properly working mouse to the computer, and
try using the mouse. If the new mouse works, the original mouse was faulty.

Solving Problems 49

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IF THE MOUSE IS WIRELESS, REPLACE THE MOUSE BATTERY —

See the wireless mouse documentation for more information.

CHECK THE MOUSE SETTINGS —

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

Hardware.

2 Click Mouse.
3 Try adjusting the settings.

REINSTALL THE MOUSE DRIVER — See page 65.

CHECK FOR INTERRUPT REQUEST CONFLICTS — See page 70.

Network Problems

CHECK THE NETWORK CABLE CONNECTOR — Ensure that the network

cable is connected as shown on page 27.

CHECK THE NETWORK LIGHTS ON THE BACK OF THE COMPUTER —

No light indicates that no network communication exists. Replace the network
cable.

50 Solving Problems

connection speed light

ENSURE THAT THE COMPUTER IS PLUGGED IN AND TURNED ON

RESTART THE COMPUTER AND TRY TO LOG ON TO THE NETWORK

AGAIN

network activity light

CHECK YOUR NETWORK SETTINGS — Contact your network administrator
or the person who set up your network to verify that your network settings are
correct and that the network is functioning.

CHECK FOR INTERRUPT REQUEST CONFLICTS — See page 70.

Power Problems

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

follow the safety instructions on page 9.

ADJUST THE POWER PROPERTIES — Your computer may be in standby or

hibernate mode. For information on power conservation modes, see the Tell Me
How help file, or search for the keyword standby or hibernate in Windows

To access help files, see page 38.

IF THE POWER LIGHT IS BLINKING GREEN — The computer is in standby
mode. Press a key on the keyboard and move the mouse to resume normal
operation.

®

Help.

HINT: If the power light

on the front is green and
your computer is not
responding, see
"Diagnostic Lights" on
page 60.

Solving Problems 51

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IF THE POWER LIGHT IS OFF — The computer is either turned off or is not
receiving power.

• Ensure that the power cable is firmly inserted into both the power connector
on the back of the computer and the electrical outlet.

• If the computer is plugged into a power strip, ensure that the power strip is
plugged into an electrical outlet and that the power strip is turned on.

• Ensure that the electrical outlet is working by testing it with another device,
such as a lamp.

• Ensure that the voltage selection switch is set to match the AC power at your
location (see page 11).

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

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

• Ensure that the microprocessor power cable is securely connected to the
system board (see page 85).

• Ensure that the power supply cables are securely connected to the system
board (see page 85).

• Remove and then reinstall the memory modules (see page 92).

• Remove and then reinstall any cards (see page 86).

• Remove and then reinstall the video card, if applicable (see page 94).

• If the problem persists, contact Dell (see page 116).

IF THE POWER LIGHT IS AMBER AND GREEN — The computer is
receiving electrical power, but an internal power problem might exist.

• Ensure that the microprocessor power cable is securely connected to the
system board (see page 85).

• If the problem persists, contact Dell (see page 116).

52 Solving Problems

ELIMINATE INTERFERENCE — Electrical appliances on the same circuit or

operating near the computer can cause interference. Other causes of interference
are:

•Power extension cables

• Keyboard and mouse extension cables

• Too many devices on a power strip

• Multiple power strips connected to the same electrical outlet

Printer Problems

CHECK THE PRINTER DOCUMENTATION — See the printer documentation

for setup and troubleshooting information.

ENSURE THAT THE PRINTER IS TURNED ON — See the printer
documentation for power button information.

VERIFY THE PRINTER CABLE CONNECTIONS —

• See the printer documentation for cable connection information.

• Ensure that the printer cable is connected as described on page 20.

• Ensure that the printer cables are securely connected to the printer and the
computer.

TEST THE ELECTRICAL OUTLET — Ensure that the electrical outlet is
working by testing it with another device, such as a lamp.

VERIFY THAT THE PRINTER IS RECOGNIZED BY WINDOWS®—

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 select the Ports tab. For a parallel printer, ensure

that the Print to the following port(s): setting is LPT1 (Printer Port). For a
USB printer, ensure that the Print to the following port(s): setting is USB.

HINT: Dell does not

cover the printer’s
warranty. If you need
technical assistance for
your printer, call the
printer’s manufacturer.
See the printer
documentation for the
correct phone number.

REINSTALL THE PRINTER DRIVER — See page 65.

CHECK FOR INTERRUPT REQUEST CONFLICTS — See page 70.

Solving Problems 53

HINT: Dell does not

cover the scanner’s
warranty. If you need
technical assistance for
your scanner, call the
scanner’s manufacturer.
See the scanner
documentation for the
correct phone number.

Scanner Problems

CHECK THE SCANNER DOCUMENTATION — See the scanner

documentation for setup and troubleshooting information.

UNLOCK THE SCANNER — Ensure that your scanner is unlocked if it has a
locking tab or button.

RESTART THE COMPUTER AND TRY THE SCANNER AGAIN

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CHECK THE CABLE CONNECTIONS —

• If your scanner has a power cable, ensure that the power cable is firmly
connected to a working electrical outlet and that the scanner is turned on.

• Ensure that the scanner cable is firmly connected to the computer and to the
scanner.

VERIFY THAT THE SCANNER IS RECOGNIZED BY MICROSOFT®

INDOWS

W

1 Click the Start button.
2 Click Control Panel.
3 Click Printers and Other Hardware.
4 Click Scanners and Cameras. If your scanner is listed, Windows recognizes

the scanner.

REINSTALL THE SCANNER DRIVER — See the scanner documentation for
instructions.

®

—

54 Solving Problems

Sound and Speaker Problems

No sound from speakers

CHECK THE SPEAKER CABLE CONNECTIONS — Ensure that the speakers

are connected as shown on the setup diagram supplied with the speakers.

ENSURE THAT THE SUBWOOFER AND THE SPEAKERS ARE TURNED

ON — See the setup diagram supplied with the speakers. If your speakers have

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

ADJUST THE WINDOWS VOLUME CONTROL — Click or double-click the
speaker icon in the lower-right corner of your screen. Ensure that the volume is
turned up and that the sound is not muted.

DISCONNECT HEADPHONES FROM THE HEADPHONE CONNECTOR —

Sound from the speakers is automatically disabled when headphones are
connected to the computer’s front-panel headphone connector.

TEST THE ELECTRICAL OUTLET — Ensure that the electrical outlet is
working by testing it with another device, such as a lamp.

HINT: The volume

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

®

volume

ENABLE DIGITAL MODE — Your speakers do not work if the CD drive is
operating in analog mode. To enable digital mode:

1 Click the Start button, click Control Pan el, and then click Sounds, Speech,

and Audio Devices.

2 Click Sounds and Audio Devices.
3 Click the Hardware tab.
4 Double-click the name of your CD drive.
5 Click the Properties tab.
6 Check the Enable digital CD audio for this CD-ROM device box.

ELIMINATE POSSIBLE INTERFERENCE — Turn off nearby fans, fluorescent

lights, or halogen lamps to check for interference.

Solving Problems 55

RUN THE SPEAKER DIAGNOSTICS — Some speaker systems have self-

diagnostics. See the speaker documentation for diagnostics instructions.

REINSTALL THE AUDIO (SOUND) DRIVER — See page 65.

CHECK FOR INTERRUPT REQUEST CONFLICTS — See page 70.

No sound from headphones

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CHECK THE HEADPHONE CABLE CONNECTION — If your computer has a
front-panel headphone connector, ensure that the headphone cable is securely
inserted into that connector (see page 76).

ADJUST THE WINDOWS VOLUME CONTROL — Click or double-click the
speaker icon in the lower-right corner of your screen. Ensure that the volume is
turned up and that the sound is not muted.

DISABLE DIGITAL MODE — Your headphones do not work if the CD drive is
operating in digital mode. To disable digital mode:

1 Click the Start button, click Control Panel, and then click Sounds, Speech,

and Audio Devices.

2 Click Sounds and Audio Devices.
3 Click the Hardware tab.
4 Double-click the name of your CD drive.
5 Click the Properties tab.
6 Uncheck the Enable digital CD audio for this CD-ROM device box.

56 Solving Problems

Video and Monitor Problems

If the screen is blank

CHECK THE MONITOR POWER LIGHT — If 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.

PRESS THE MONITOR POWER BUTTON — Firmly press the button to
ensure that the monitor is turned on.

CHECK THE MONITOR CABLE CONNECTION — Check the connector for
bent or broken pins. (It is normal for monitor cable connectors to have missing
pins.) Ensure that the video cable is connected as shown on the setup diagram for
your computer.

TEST THE ELECTRICAL OUTLET — Ensure that the electrical outlet is
working by testing it with another device, such as a lamp.

SWAP THE POWER CABLES — Swap the computer and monitor power
cables to determine if the power cable is defective.

HINT: See the monitor

documentation for
troubleshooting
procedures.

TEST THE VIDEO EXTENSION CABLE (IF USED)—If you are using a
video extension cable and removing the cable solves the problem, the cable is
defective.

TEST ANOTHER MONITOR — If another monitor is available, connect it to
the computer.

CHECK THE DIAGNOSTIC LIGHTS — See page 60.

Solving Problems 57

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If the screen is difficult to read

CHECK THE MONITOR SETTINGS — See the monitor documentation for

instructions on adjusting the contrast and brightness, demagnetizing
(degaussing) the monitor, and running the monitor self-test.

MOVE THE SUBWOOFER AWAY FROM THE MONITOR — If your speaker
system includes a subwoofer, ensure that the subwoofer is at least 60 cm (2 ft)
away from the monitor.

MOVE THE MONITOR AWAY FROM EXTERNAL POWER SOURCES —

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 FACE A DIFFERENT DIRECTION — Eliminate
sunlight glare, which can cause poor picture quality.

ADJUST THE WINDOWS® DISPLAY SETTINGS —

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.

58 Solving Problems

RESTORE THE RECOMMENDED SETTINGS — Restore the original

resolution and refresh rate settings. See the Tel l M e Ho w help file for instructions.
To access help files, see page 38.

CHECK FOR INTERRUPT REQUEST CONFLICTS — See page 70.

SECTION 3

Advanced
Troubleshooting

Diagnostic Lights

Dell Diagnostics

Drivers

Using System Restore

Resolving Software and Hardware Incompatibilities

Reinstalling Microsoft

®

Windows® XP

3

Diagnostic Lights

To help you troubleshoot a problem, your computer is equipped with four
lights on the back panel labeled "A," "B," "C," and "D" (see page 78). These
lights can be yellow or green. When the computer starts normally, the lights
flash. After the computer starts, the lights remain green. If the computer
malfunctions, the color and sequence of the lights identify the problem.

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

follow the safety instructions on page 9.

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Diagnostic Code Definition Corrective Action

YYGG

ABCD

GYGY

ABCD

Memory modules
are detected, but a
memory failure has
occurred.

Memory modules
are detected, but a
memory
configuration or
compatibility error
exists.

• If you have one memory module
installed, reinstall it (see page 92), and
then restart the computer.

• If you have two or more memory
modules installed, remove the modules,
reinstall one module (see page 92), and
then restart the computer. If the
computer starts normally, reinstall an
additional module. Continue until you
identify a faulty module or reinstall all
modules without error.

• If available, install properly working
memory of the same type into your
computer (see page 92).

• If the problem persists, contact Dell
(see page 116).

• Be sure that there are no special
memory module/memory connector
placement requirements (see page 92).

• Verify that the memory modules that
you are installing are compatible with
the computer (see page 107).

• If the problem persists, contact Dell
(see page 116).

60 Advanced Troubleshooting

Diagnostic Code Definition Corrective Action

GGGY

ABCD

YGYY

ABCD

YGYG

ABCD

Other failure. • Ensure that the cables are properly

connected from the hard drive,
CD drive, and DVD drive to the system
board (see page 85).

• If the problem persists, contact Dell
(see page 116).

PCI bus failure has
occurred.

1 Determine if a conflict exists by

removing a card (not the video card)
(see page 90) and then restarting the
computer.

2 If the problem persists, reinstall the card

that you removed, remove a different
card (see page 90), and then restart the
computer.

3 Repeat this process for each card. If the

computer starts normally, troubleshoot
the last card removed from the
computer for resource conflicts (see
"Resolving Software and Hardware
Incompatibilities" on page 70).

4 If the problem persists, contact Dell

(see page 116).

Video controller
failure.

• If the computer has a video card,
remove the card and reinstall it (see
page 94).

• If the problem persists or the computer
has integrated video, contact Dell (see
page 116).

GYYY

ABCD

No memory
modules are
detected.

• Reinstall all memory modules (see
page 92) and then restart the computer.

• If the problem persists, contact Dell
(see page 116).

Advanced Troubleshooting 61

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Dell Diagnostics

When to Use the Dell Diagnostics

If you experience a problem with your computer, perform the checks in
"Solving Problems" (see page 35) and run the Dell Diagnostics before you
contact Dell for technical assistance. Running the Dell Diagnostics may
help you resolve the problem without contacting Dell. If you do contact
Dell, the test results can provide important information for Dell's service
and support personnel.

The Dell Diagnostics allows you to:

• Perform express, extended, or custom tests on one or all devices.

• Select tests based on a symptom of the problem you are having.

• Choose how many times a test is run.

• Display test results.

• Suspend testing if an error is detected.

• Access online help information that describes the tests and devices.

• Receive status messages that tell you whether tests completed
successfully.

• Receive error messages if problems are detected.

Starting the Dell Diagnostics

Start the Dell Diagnostics from either your hard drive (see page 63) or from
the Dell Dimension ResourceCD (see page 63).

62 Advanced Troubleshooting

NOTICE: Only use the Dell Diagnostics to test your Dell™ computer. Using

this program with other computers can result in error messages.

Starting the Dell Diagnostics From Your Hard Drive

1 Shut down and restart the computer.

2 When the DELL™ logo appears, press <F12> immediately.

If you wait too long and the Microsoft® Windows® logo appears,
continue to wait until you see the Windows desktop. Then shut down
your computer through the Start menu and try again.

3 When the boot device list appears, highlight Boot to Utility Partition

and press <Enter>.

4 When the Dell Diagnostics Main Menu appears, select the test you

want to run (see page 64).

Starting the Dell Diagnostics From the ResourceCD

1 Insert the ResourceCD into the CD drive.

2 Shut down and restart the computer.

When the DELL™ logo appears, press <F12> immediately.

If you wait too long and the Windows logo appears, continue to wait
until you see the Windows desktop. Then shut down your computer
through the Start menu and try again.

When the boot device list appears, highlight IDE CD-ROM Device

3

and press <Enter>.

4 Select the IDE CD-ROM Device option from the CD boot menu.

5 Select the Boot from CD-ROM option from the menu that appears.

6 Ty p e 1 to start the ResourceCD menu.

HINT: If you receive a

message stating that no
Diagnostics utility
partition has been found,
follow the instructions to
run the Dell Diagnostics
from your ResourceCD
(see page 63).

HINT: This procedure

changes the boot sequence
for one time only. On the
next start-up, the
computer boots according
to the devices specified in
the system setup program.

7 Ty p e 2 to start the Dell Diagnostics.

8 Select Run the 32 Bit Dell Diagnostics from the numbered list. If

multiple versions are listed, select the version appropriate for your
platform.

9 When the Dell Diagnostics Main Menu appears, select the test you

want to run (see page 64).

Advanced Troubleshooting 63

HINT: The Service Tag

number for your computer
is located at the top of
each test screen.

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Dell Diagnostics Main Menu

1 After the Dell Diagnostics loads and the Main Menu screen appears,

click the button for the option you want.

Option Function

Express
Te st

Extended
Te st

Custom
Te st

Symptom
Tr ee

If a problem is encountered during a test, a message displaying the

2

Performs a quick test of devices. This test typically takes 10
to 20 minutes and requires no interaction on your part.
Run Express Test first to increase the possibility of tracing
the problem quickly.

Performs a thorough check of devices. This test typically
takes an hour or more and requires you to answer questions
periodically.

Tests a specific device. You can customize the tests you
want to run.

Lists the most common symptoms encountered and allows
you to select a test based on the symptom of the problem
you are having.

error code and a description of the problem appear. Write down the
error code and problem description and follow the instructions on the
screen.

3 If you run a test from the Custom Test or Symptom Tree option, click

64 Advanced Troubleshooting

If you cannot resolve the error condition, contact Dell (see page 116).

the applicable tab described in the following table for more
information.

Tab Function

Results Displays the results of the test and any error conditions

encountered.

Errors Displays error conditions encountered, error codes, and

problem description.

Help Describes the test and may indicate requirements for

running the test.

Tab Fu nc tion

Configuration Displays your hardware configuration for the selected

device.

The Dell Diagnostics obtains your configuration
information for all devices from the system setup
program, memory, and various internal tests and displays
it in the device list in the left pane of the screen. The
device list may not display the names of all the
components installed on your computer or all devices
attached to your computer.

Parameters Allows you to customize the test by changing the test

settings.

4 When the tests are completed, if you are running the Dell Diagnostics

from the ResourceCD, remove the CD.

5 Close the test screen to return to the Main Menu screen. To exit the

Dell Diagnostics and restart the computer, close the Main Menu
screen.

Drivers

What Is a Driver?

A driver is a program that controls a device such as a printer, mouse, or
keyboard. All devices require a driver program.

A driver acts like a translator between the device and the programs that use
the device. Each device has its own set of specialized commands that only
its driver recognizes.

Many drivers such as the keyboard driver come with your Microsoft

®

Windows

operating system. You may need to install drivers if you:

®

• Upgrade your operating system

• Reinstall your operating system

• Connect or install a new device

If you experience a problem with any device, perform the steps in the
following sections to identify whether the driver is the source of your
problem and if necessary, to update the driver.

Advanced Troubleshooting 65

Identifying Drivers

1 Click the Start button and click Control Panel.

2 Under Pick a Category, click Performance and Maintenance.

3 Click System.

4 In the System Properties screen, click the Hardware tab.

5 Click Device Manager.

6 In the Device Manager window, scroll down the list to see if any device

has an exclamation point (a yellow circle with a [!]) on the device icon.

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If an exclamation point is next to the device name, you may need to
reinstall the driver or install a new driver.

Reinstalling drivers

NOTICE: The Dell Support website and your

provide approved drivers for Dell™ computers. If you install drivers obtained
from other sources, your computer might not work correctly.

Using Windows XP Device Driver Rollback

If a problem occurs on your computer after you install or update a driver,
use Windows XP Device Driver Rollback to replace the driver with the
previously installed version.

To use Device Driver Rollback:

1 Click the Start button and click Control Panel.

2 Under Pick a Category, click Performance and Maintenance.

3 Click System.

4 In the System Properties screen, click the Hardware tab.

5 Click Device Manager.

6 Right-click the device for which the new driver was installed, and then

click Properties.

Dell Dimension ResourceCD

7 Click the Drivers tab.

8 Click Roll Back Driver.

66 Advanced Troubleshooting

If Device Driver Rollback does not resolve the problem, then use System
Restore (see page 69) to return your computer to the operating state that
existed before you installed the new driver.

Using the Dell Dimension ResourceCD

If using Device Driver Rollback or System Restore (see page 69) does not
resolve the problem, then reinstall the driver from the Dell Dimension
ResourceCD:

1 With the Windows desktop displayed, insert the ResourceCD into the

CD or DVD drive.

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.

A message stating that the ResourceCD is detecting hardware in your
computer 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.

Advanced Troubleshooting 67

HINT: The ResourceCD

displays drivers only for
hardware that came on
your computer. If you
installed additional
hardware, the drivers for
the new hardware might
not be displayed by the
ResourceCD. If those
drivers are not displayed,
exit the ResourceCD
program. For drivers
information, see the
documentation that came
with that product.

Using System Restore

The Microsoft® Windows® XP operating system provides System Restore
to allow you to return your computer to an earlier operating state (without
affecting data files) if changes to the hardware, software, or other system
settings have left the computer in an undesirable operating state. See
Windows Help for information on using System Restore. To access
Windows Help, see page 17.

NOTICE: Make regular backups of your data files. System Restore does not

monitor your data files or recover them.

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Creating a Restore Point

1 Click the Start button and click Help and Support.

2 Click System Restore.

3 Follow the instructions on the screen.

Restoring the Computer to an Earlier Operating State

If problems occur after installing a device driver, use Device Driver Rollback
(see page 66) to resolve the problem. If that is unsuccessful, then use
System Restore.

NOTICE: Before you restore the computer to an earlier operating state, 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→ Accessories→ System

1

To ol s , and then click System Restore.

2 Ensure that Restore my computer to an earlier time is selected and

click Next.

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

The Select a Restore Point 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 click Next.

68 Advanced Troubleshooting

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 prefer.

5 Click Next.

The Restoration Complete screen appears after System Restore
finishes 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 you undo 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→ Accessories→ System

1

To ol s , and then click System Restore.

2 Select Undo my last restoration and click Next.

3 Click Next.

The System Restore screen appears and the computer restarts.

4 After the computer restarts, click OK.

Enabling System Restore

If you reinstall Windows XP with less than 200 MB of free hard-disk space
available, System Restore is automatically disabled. To see if System Restore
is enabled:

1 Click the Start button and click Control Pan el.

2 Click Performance and Maintenance.

3 Click System.

4 Click the System Restore tab.

5 Make sure that Turn off System Restore is unchecked.

Advanced Troubleshooting 69

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Resolving Software and Hardware
Incompatibilities

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

To check for conflicts on a computer running Windows XP:

1 Click the Start button and click Control Panel.

2 Click Performance and Maintenance and click System.

3 Click the Hardware tab and click Device Manager.

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 conflict to display the Properties window.

If an IRQ conflict exists, the Device status area in the Properties
window reports the cards or devices that share the device's IRQ.

6 Resolve conflicts by reconfiguring the devices or removing the devices

from the Device Manager.

To use the Windows XP Hardware Troubleshooter:

1 Click the Start button and click Help and Support.

2 Ty p e hardware troubleshooter in the Search field and click the

arrow to start the search.

3 Click Hardware Troubleshooter in the Search Results list.

4 In the Hardware Troubleshooter list, click I need to resolve a hardware

conflict on my computer, and click Next.

X if the device has been disabled.

!) beside the

Reinstalling Microsoft® Windows® XP

Before You Reinstall

If you are reinstalling the Windows XP operating system to correct a
problem with a newly installed driver, use Windows XP Device Driver
Rollback (see page 66) to replace the device driver with the previously
installed version.

70 Advanced Troubleshooting

If Device Driver Rollback does not resolve the problem, then use System
Restore (see page 68) to return your operating system to the operating state
it was in before you installed the new device driver.

Reinstalling Windows XP

To reinstall Windows XP, perform the steps in the following sections in the
order in which they are listed.

The reinstallation process can take 1 to 2 hours to complete. After the
reinstallation is complete, you will need to reinstall the device drivers, virus
protection program, and other software.

NOTICE: The

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

NOTICE: To prevent conflicts with Windows XP, disable any virus protection

software installed on your computer before you reinstall Windows XP. See the
documentation that came with the software for instructions.

Preparing to Boot From the Operating System CD

1 Insert the Operating System CD into the CD or DVD drive.

2 Exit any program or utility that might run after you insert the CD.

3 Shut down (see page 33) and restart the computer.

4 Press <F12> immediately after the DELL™ logo appears.

Operating System

CD provides options for reinstalling

If the operating system logo appears, wait until you see the Windows
desktop, and then shut down the computer and try again.

5 Use the arrow keys to select CD-ROM, and then press <Enter>.

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

appears on the screen.

Starting Windows XP Setup

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

select To set up Windows now.

2 Read the information in the Microsoft Windows Licensing

Agreement screen, and then press <F8> on your keyboard to accept

the license agreement.

Advanced Troubleshooting 71

3 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 remove the CD from the drive.

4 If you want to install a new copy of Windows XP, press <Esc> to

select the fresh copy option.

5 Press <Enter> to select the highlighted partition (recommended),

and then follow the instructions on the screen.

HINT: The time required

to complete the setup
depends on the size of the
hard drive and the speed

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of your computer.

The Windows XP Setup screen appears, and the operating system
begins to copy files and install the devices. The computer restarts
multiple times.

Completing the GUI Setup

NOTICE: When the computer restarts, the following message appears:

Do not

Press any key to boot from the CD.
message appears.

When the Regional and Language Options screen appears, select the

1

press any key when this

settings for your location and click Next.

2 Enter your name and organization (optional) in the Personalize Your

Software screen and click Next.

3 If you are reinstalling Windows XP Home Edition, at the What's your

computer's name

window, enter a name for your computer (or accept

the name provided) and click Next.

If you are reinstalling Windows XP Professional, at the Computer
Name and Administrator Password window, enter a name for your

computer (or accept the one provided) and a password, and then click
Next.

4 If you have a modem installed, enter the requested information and

click Next when the Modem Dialing Information screen appears.

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

6 If your computer has a network adapter, select Ty p i c a l in the

72 Advanced Troubleshooting

window and click Next.

Networking Settings screen and click Next.

If your computer does not have a network adapter, this option does not
appear.

7 If you are reinstalling Windows XP Professional, you may be prompted

to provide further network information regarding your network
configuration, such as the domain name or workgroup name. If you are
unsure of your settings, accept the default selections.

Windows XP installs the operating system components, configures the
computer, and then restarts the computer.

Completing the Operating System Setup

NOTICE: When the computer restarts, you will see the following message:

Do not

Press any key to boot from the CD.
message appears.

When the Welcome to Microsoft screen appears, click Next.

1

2 When the How will this computer connect to the

Internet?

3 When the Ready to register with Microsoft? screen appears, select No,

message appears, click Skip.

press any key when this

not at this time and click Next.

When the Who will use this computer? screen appears, you can enter
up to five users.

4 Click Next.

5 Click Finish to complete the setup and remove the CD from the drive.

Reinstalling Drivers and Software

1 Reinstall the appropriate drivers (see page 66).

2 Reinstall your virus protection software. See the documentation that

came with the software for instructions.

3 Reinstall your other software programs. See the documentation that

came with the software for instructions.

Advanced Troubleshooting 73

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74 Advanced Troubleshooting

SECTION 4

Adding Parts

Front and Back View of the Computer

Reattaching the Front Door and Hinge Arms

Opening the Computer Cover

Looking Inside Your Computer

Installing and Removing Cards

Adding Memory

Adding or Replacing the AGP Card

4

Adding a Second Hard Drive

Adding a Floppy Drive

Closing the Computer Cover

Front and Back View of the Computer

Front View

The front-panel door is removable; if you remove it or accidentally knock it
off its hinges, it snaps back in place. For instructions on how to reattach the
door, see page 80.

1

2

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11

10

3

4*

5*

6

7

9

8

*On computers with an optional floppy drive.

76 Adding Parts

1 CD or DVD volume

control dial

2 CD or DVD drive

activity light

3 CD or DVD eject button Press this button to eject your CD from the CD or DVD drive.

4 floppy-drive eject

button*

5 floppy-drive light

button*

6 hard drive light The hard-drive light is on when the computer reads data from or writes data to the

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

8 service tag The tag is used to identify your computer when you access the Dell Support

9 headphone connector Attach headphones.Use the headphone connector to attach headphones and most

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

11 front-panel door Open the door to use the front-panel connectors.

*On computers with an optional floppy drive.

Move the dial to adjust the volume of your audio CD or DVD disc.

The drive activity light is on when the computer reads data from the CD or DVD
drive.

Press this button to eject a floppy disk from the floppy drive.

The floppy-drive light is on when the computer reads data from or writes data to
the floppy drive. Wait until this light turns off before you remove the floppy disk
from the drive.

hard drive. The light might also be on when devices such as your CD player are
operating.

NOTICE: To avoid losing data, do not use the power button to turn off the

computer. Instead, perform a Windows shutdown.

website or call technical support.

kinds of speakers. You can then hear all of the sounds your computer emits, such
as system beeps and CDs.

joysticks or cameras.

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

Adding Parts 77

Back View

21

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14

13

12

11

10

9*

8*

3

4

5

6*

7

*On computers with integrated audio.

78 Adding Parts

1 power connector The connection for the power cable.

2 voltage selection switch

(may not be available on
all computers)

3 mouse connector Plug a standard mouse into the green mouse connector. Turn off the computer

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

5 network adapter Attach the UTP cable to an RJ45 jack wall plate or to an RJ45 port on a UTP

6 line-in connector* Use the blue line-in connector (available on computers with integrated sound) to

7 video connector Plug the cable from your monitor into the blue connector.

8 line-out connector* Use the green line-out connector (available on computers with integrated sound)

9 microphone connector* Use the pink microphone connector (available on computers with integrated

10 USB 2.0 connectors (2) Connect a USB device such as a mouse, keyboard, printer, joystick, or speaker

11 diagnostic lights (4) Use the lights to help you troubleshoot a computer problem based on the

12 serial connector Connect a serial device, such as a handheld device, to the serial port.

13 USB 2.0 connectors (2) Connect a USB device such as a mouse, keyboard, printer, joystick, or speaker

14 keyboard connector If you have a standard keyboard, plug it into the purple keyboard connector. If you

*On computers with integrated audio.

Set the switch for the voltage that most closely matches the AC power available in
your location. See "When Using Your Computer" on page 11 for additional
information.

and any attached devices before you connect a mouse to the computer. If you have
a USB mouse, plug it into a USB connector.

USB printer, plug it into a USB connector.

concentrator or hub and press the other end of the UTP cable into the network
adapter connector until the cable snaps securely into place.

Dell recommends the use of Category 5 wiring and connectors for our customers’
networks.

attach a record/playback device such as a cassette player, CD player, or VCR.

On computers with a sound card, the line-in connector is on the card.

to attach headphones and most speakers with integrated amplifiers.

On computers with a sound card, the line-out connector is on the card.

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

On computers with a sound card, the microphone connector is on the card.

system into any of the USB connectors.

diagnostic code. For more information, see page 60.

system into any of the USB connectors.

have a USB keyboard, plug it into a USB connector.

Adding Parts 79

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Reattaching the Front Door and Hinge
Arms

To prevent damage to your computer, the front-panel door is designed to
"break away" if it is lifted up too far. If the front-panel door is open and it is
pushed inward too hard, the hinge arms may also break away (the hinge
arms are loose when they are detached).

Reattaching the Hinge Arms

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

follow the safety instructions listed in "When Working Inside Your
Computer" on page 12.

Shut down the computer through the Start menu (see page 33).

1

2 Disconnect the computer power cable from the electrical outlet.

3 Remove the front-panel door by gently snapping it off the two hinge

arms.

4 Remove the front-panel insert above the door bay area by pulling the

bottom of the insert with your fingers.

front-panel
insert

80 Adding Parts

use fingers
to pull here

5 Lift both hinge arms to the horizontal position.

6 Use the two view slots to align the pivot bar with the two pivot-bar

slots.

view slots (2)

hinge arms in
horizontal
position

pivot-bar slots (2)

pivot bar

NOTICE: Before touching anything inside your computer, ground yourself by

touching an unpainted metal surface, such as the metal at the back of the
computer. While you work, periodically touch an unpainted metal surface to
dissipate any static electricity that could harm internal components.

Pull the arms toward you until they snap into position.

7

If the hinge arms do not snap back into position on the first attempt,
slightly reposition the arms and try again.

8 After the hinge arms snap into position, lower and raise the arms two

or three times to properly seat them.

9 Reattach the front-panel insert.

Adding Parts 81

10 Reconnect the computer power cable to the electrical outlet.

11 Reattach the front door (see page 80).

Reattaching the Front Door

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

follow the safety instructions listed in "When Working Inside Your
Computer" on page 12.

Shut down the computer through the Start menu (see page 33).

1

2 Disconnect the computer power cable from the electrical outlet.

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3 Lower the hinge arms to the vertical position.

4 Align the two clips on the inside of the front door with the two hinge

arms.

5 Press inward on the front door until it clips to both hinge arms.

front-door
clips (2)

hinge arms (2)
in vertical
position

front-panel
door

82 Adding Parts

Opening the Computer Cover

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

follow the safety instructions on page 9.

CAUTION: To guard against electrical shock, always unplug your

computer from the electrical outlet before opening the cover.

1

Shut down the computer (see page 33).

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

computer and then unplug it from the network wall jack.

Turn off any attached devices and disconnect them from their

2

electrical outlets.

3 Disconnect the computer power cable from the wall outlet, and then

press the power button to ground the system board.

NOTICE: Ensure that sufficient space exists to support the open cover—at

least 30 cm (1 ft) of desktop space.

Lay the computer on its side so that the arrow on the bottom of the

4

computer points up.

5 Locate the two release buttons shown in the illustration, and then

press the two release buttons as you lift the cover.

release
button

arrow

release button

Adding Parts 83

Looking Inside Your Computer

HINT: The AGP card is

removed from the
following illustration to
provide a better view of
the inside of your
computer.

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power supply

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

follow the safety instructions on page 9.

CAUTION: To guard against electrical shock, always unplug your

computer from the electrical outlet before opening the cover.

NOTICE: Be careful when opening the computer cover to ensure that you do

not inadvertently disconnect cables from the system board.

computer cover*
(page 83 and
page 104)

drive cables

power cables

hard drive
(page 97)

filler brackets for
empty card slots (4)
(page 86)

84 Adding Parts

system board
(page 85)

*Depending on the types of drives installed in your computer, the cover

may not open as widely as shown in the figure.

System Board

floppy drive
connector (FLOPPY)

main power connector
(MAIN POWER)

standby power light

(CR4G1)

memory module
connectors
(DIMM 0, DIMM 1)
page 92

microprocessor fan
connector (J1F1)

microprocessor
connector (J2E1)

CD drive connector
(SEC IDE)

hard drive connector
(PRI IDE)

front panel switch
connector (J9H2)

configuration jumper
(J8H1) page 112

AGP slot connector
(AGP SLOT) page 94

battery socket
(BATTERY) page 113

PCI card connectors
(PCI SLOTS 1–4)
page 86

front panel audio
cable connector

(J9A1)

12-V power
connector (J5C1)

CD audio connector
(J6B2)

*

On computers with integrated audio.

telephony voice modem
connector (J6B1)

*

Adding Parts 85

*

Installing and Removing Cards

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

follow the safety instructions on page 9.

CAUTION: To guard against electrical shock, always unplug your

computer from the electrical outlet before opening the cover.

The computer’s card connectors allow you to install different types of
devices such as modems, network adapters, and video cards.

Installing a Card

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

follow the safety instructions on page 9.

1 If you are replacing a card, remove the current driver for the card from

the operating system.

2 Shut down the computer (see page 33).

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

computer and then unplug it from the network wall jack.

Turn off any attached devices and disconnect them from their

3

electrical outlets.

4 Disconnect the computer power cable from the wall outlet, and then

press the power button to ground the system board.

5 Open the computer cover (see page 83).

86 Adding Parts

6 Press the tab on the card retention arm and raise the retention arm.

card

edge
connector

card
connector

filler bracket

tab

card retention arm

7 If you are installing a new card, remove the filler bracket to create a

card-slot opening. Then continue with step 9.

8 If you are replacing a card that is already installed in the computer,

remove the card (see page 90).

If necessary, disconnect any cables connected to the card. Grasp the
card by its top corners, and ease it out of its connector.

9 Prepare the card for installation.

See the documentation that came with the card for information on
configuring the card, making internal connections, or otherwise
customizing it for your computer.

Adding Parts 87

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bracket caught
outside of slot

10 Place the card in the connector and press down firmly. Ensure that the

card is fully seated in the slot.

If the card is full-length, insert the end of the card into the card guide
bracket as you lower the card toward its connector on the system
board. Insert the card firmly into the card connector on the system
board.

11 Before you lower the retention arm, ensure that:

• The tops of all cards and filler brackets are flush with the

alignment bar.

• The notch in the top of the card or filler bracket fits around the

alignment guide.

not fully seated card

fully seated card

bracket
within slot

88 Adding Parts

12 Press the arm into place, securing the card(s) in the computer.

card retention arm

alignment guide

alignment bar

filler
bracket

NOTICE: Do not route card cables over or behind the cards. Cables routed

over the cards can prevent the computer cover from closing properly or cause
damage to the equipment.

Connect any cables that should be attached to the card.

13

See the documentation for the card for information about the card’s
cable connections.

NOTICE: To connect a network cable, first plug the cable into the network

wall jack and then plug it into the computer.

Close the computer cover (see page 104), reconnect the computer and

14

devices to electrical outlets, and turn them on.

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

documentation.

Adding Parts 89

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Removing a Card

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

follow the safety instructions on page 9.

CAUTION: To guard against electrical shock, always unplug your

computer from the electrical outlet before opening the cover.

Shut down the computer (see page 33).

1

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

computer and then unplug it from the network wall jack.

Turn off any attached devices and disconnect them from their

2

electrical outlets.

3 Disconnect the computer power cable from the wall outlet, and then

press the power button to ground the system board.

4 Press the tab on the card retention arm and raise the retention arm.

tab

card retention arm

card
bracket

90 Adding Parts

latch

5 If necessary, disconnect any cables connected to the card.

6 Grasp the card by its top corners, and ease it out of its connector.

7 If you are removing the card permanently, install a filler bracket in the

empty card-slot opening.

card

card bracket

slot connector

system board

filler bracket in empty
card-slot opening

If you need a filler bracket, contact Dell.

NOTICE: Installing filler brackets over empty card-slot openings is necessary

to maintain FCC certification of the computer. The brackets also keep dust and
dirt out of your computer.

Lower the retention arm and press it into place, securing the card(s) in

8

the computer.

NOTICE: To connect a network cable, first plug the cable into the network

wall jack and then plug it into the computer.

Close the computer cover, reconnect the computer and devices to

9

electrical outlets, and turn them on.

10 Remove the card’s driver from the operating system.

Adding Parts 91

Adding Memory

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

follow the safety instructions on page 9.

CAUTION: To guard against electrical shock, always unplug your

computer from the electrical outlet before opening the cover.

You can increase your computer memory by installing memory modules on
the system board. For information on the type of memory supported by your
computer, look under "Memory" in "Technical Specifications" on page 107.

HINT: Memory

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purchased from Dell is
covered under your
computer warranty.

1 Shut down the computer (see page 33).

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

computer and then unplug it from the network wall jack.

Turn off any attached devices and disconnect them from their

2

electrical outlets.

3 Disconnect the computer power cable from the wall outlet, and then

press the power button to ground the system board.

4 Open the computer cover (see page 83).

Removing a Memory Module

1 If your computer has an AGP card, remove it (see page 94).

2 Press out the securing clip at each end of the memory module

connector.

3 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.

92 Adding Parts

Adding a Memory Module

1 Press out the securing clip at each end of the memory module

connector.

memory module connectors

securing clips (2)

notch

memory module

connector

cutouts (2)

step 1

step 2

step 3

2 Align the notch on the bottom of the module with the crossbars in the

connector.

NOTICE: To avoid damage to the memory module, press the module straight

down into the socket with equal force applied at each end of the module.

Insert the module straight down into the connector, ensuring that it

3

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.

4 Close the computer cover (see page 104).

Adding Parts 93

NOTICE: To connect a network cable, first plug the cable into the network

wall jack and then plug it into the computer.

Connect your computer and devices to electrical outlets, and turn

5

them on.

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

Properties.

7 Click the General tab.

8 To verify that the memory is installed correctly, check the amount of

memory (RAM) listed (see page 110).

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Adding or Replacing the AGP Card

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

follow the safety instructions on page 9.

CAUTION: To guard against electrical shock, always unplug your

computer from the electrical outlet before opening the cover.

Your Dell™ computer provides a connector for an AGP card.

1 Shut down the computer (see page 33).

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

computer and then unplug it from the network wall jack.

Turn off any attached devices and disconnect them from their

2

electrical outlets.

3 Disconnect the computer power cable from the wall outlet, and then

press the power button to ground the system board.

4 Open the computer cover (see page 83).

94 Adding Parts

Card Removal

1 Some AGP cards require a power cable. If the card has a power cable

attached to it, disconnect the cable from the card.

2 Remove the filler bracket by raising the card retention arm and sliding

the bracket up.

tab

filler bracket

3 On the card clip, press the tab toward the card slot.

4 Pull the card up and out of the card clip.

AGP card

card clip
lever

card clip

slot connector

Adding Parts 95

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Card Installation

1 To add or replace the card, gently press it down into the slot connector

until it clicks into place.

AGP card

card clip
lever

card clip

slot connector

2 Release the card clip lever, ensuring that the tab on the card clip lever

fits into the notch on the front end of the card.

3 Secure the card by lowering the hinged lever on the back panel.

4 If you disconnected a power cable from the card in step 1 of the

previous procedure, reconnect the cable to the card.

96 Adding Parts

5 Close the computer cover (see page 104).

NOTICE: To connect a network cable, first plug the cable into the network

wall jack and then plug it into the computer.

Connect your computer and devices to electrical outlets, and turn

6

them on.

Adding a Second Hard Drive

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

follow the safety instructions on page 9.

CAUTION: To guard against electrical shock, always unplug your

computer from the electrical outlet before opening the cover.

NOTICE: To avoid damage to the drive, do not set it on a hard surface.

Instead, set the drive on a surface, such as a foam pad, that will sufficiently
cushion it.

Check the documentation for the drive to verify that it is configured

1

for your computer.

2 Perform an orderly computer shutdown using the operating system

menu.

3 Turn off your computer and any devices.

4 Ground yourself by touching an unpainted metal surface on the

chassis, such as the metal around the card-slot openings at the back of
the computer, before touching anything inside your computer.

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

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

computer and then unplug it from the network wall jack.

Disconnect your computer and devices from their power sources. Also,

5

disconnect any telephone or telecommunication lines from the
computer.

6 Disconnect the computer power cable from the wall outlet, and then

press the power button to ground the system board.

7 Open the computer cover (see page 83).

8 Remove the two green plastic rails from the inside of the hard-drive

bay by gently pulling the rails up and out of the bay.

9 Attach the rails to the hard drive using the two screws attached to the

rails.

Ensure that the rail tabs are positioned at the back of the hard drive.

NOTICE: Do not install any drive into the lower hard-drive bay until you have

removed the green drive rails from the inside of the hard-drive bay.

Adding Parts 97

10 Remove the first hard drive from the upper bay and install it in the

lower bay:

a Disconnect the power and the hard-drive cables from the back of

the first hard drive.

b Press in the two green rail tabs and pull the first hard drive out of

the upper bay.

c Gently slide the first hard drive into the lower bay until you hear a

click.

d Reconnect the power and hard-drive cables to the back of the first

hard drive.

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11 Gently slide the new hard drive into the upper bay until you hear a

click.

rail tabs (2)

second hard drive
in upper bay

first hard drive in
lower bay

hard drive bay

12 Connect a power cable to the drive.

NOTICE: Match the colored strip on the cable with pin 1 on the drive.

13 Locate the extra connector on the drive cable that is attached to your

first hard drive and attach the connector to the second hard drive.

98 Adding Parts

Your computer uses cable-select drive cables, which means that the
device connected to the end connector of the drive cable is the master
device and the device connected to the middle connector is the slave
device. Ensure that the jumper setting on the new device is set for

"cable select" (see the documentation that came with the drive for
information).

power cable

second hard-drive
cable (secondary
drive)

first hard-drive
cable (primary
boot drive)

14 Close the computer cover (see page 104).

NOTICE: To connect a network cable, first plug the cable into the network

wall jack and then plug it into the computer.

Connect your computer and devices to electrical outlets, and turn

15

them on.

16 See the documentation that came with the drive for instructions on

installing any software required for drive operation.

Adding Parts 99

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Adding a Floppy Drive

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

follow the safety instructions on page 9.

CAUTION: To guard against electrical shock, always unplug your

computer from the electrical outlet before opening the cover.

1

Perform an orderly computer shutdown using the operating system
menu.

2 Turn off your computer and any devices.

3 Ground yourself by touching an unpainted metal surface on the

computer, such as the metal around the card-slot openings on the back
of the computer, before you touch 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.

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

computer and then unplug it from the network wall jack.

Disconnect your computer and devices from their electrical outlets

4

and disconnect any telephone or telecommunication lines from the
computer.

5 Disconnect the computer power cable from the electrical outlet and

press the power button to ground the system board.

100 Adding Parts

Removing the Front-Panel Insert

Remove the front-panel insert before you install the floppy drive:

1 Open the computer cover to a 90-degree angle (see page 83).

2 Locate the insert in front of the floppy-drive bay.

3 From inside the computer, push in the release tab of the insert.