Dimension 4550
www.dell.com | support.dell.com
Dell™ Dimension™ 4550 Series
CD or DVD
activity light
CD or DVD drive
eject button
floppy drive light*
floppy drive
eject button*
hard drive light
power button
CD or DVD volume
control dial
service tag
headphone connector
USB 2.0
connectors (2)
voltage selection switch
power connector
parallel connector
keyboard connector
USB 2.0 connectors (2)
microphone
connector
*
line-out
connector
*
line-in
connector
*
network adapter
video connector
serial connector
diagnostic lights (4)
USB 2.0 connectors (2)
*
On computers with integrated audio.
mouse connector
*On computers
with an optional
floppy drive.
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 3
Contents
CAUTION: Safety Instructions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9
General
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9
When Using Your Computer
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11
When Working Inside Your Computer
. . . . . . . . . . . . . 12
Protecting Against Electrostatic Discharge
. . . . . . . . . . . 13
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
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20
Connecting a Parallel Printer
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20
Connecting a USB Printer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21
Connecting Two Monitors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22
Connecting the Monitors to Your Computer
. . . . . . . . . . . 22
Enabling Clone Mode
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24
Enabling Extended Desktop Mode
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25
Transferring Information to a New Computer
. . . . . . . . . . 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
4 Contents
Copying CDs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30
Using Easy CD Creator Basic
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 31
Using Blank CD-R Discs or Blank CD-RW Discs
. . . . . . . . 31
Helpful Tips . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 31
How to Copy a CD
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 32
Hyper-Threading
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 33
Booting to a USB Device . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 34
Turning Off the Computer
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 34
2 Solving Problems
Finding Solutions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 36
Finding Help Information . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 38
Battery Problems
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 38
Drive Problems
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 39
Floppy drive problems
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 39
CD drive problems
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 40
Problems writing to a CD-RW drive
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . 41
DVD drive problems . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 41
Hard drive problems
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 42
E-Mail, Modem, and Internet Problems
. . . . . . . . . . . . . 42
Error Messages
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 44
General Problems
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 45
A program stops responding
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 45
A program crashes repeatedly
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 45
A program is designed for an earlier
Windows operating system
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 45
A solid blue screen appears
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 46
Other software problems . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 46
Other technical problems
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 47
General hardware problems
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 47
Contents 5
Keyboard Problems . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 48
Mouse Problems
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 49
Network Problems . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 50
Power Problems
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 51
Printer Problems
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 53
Scanner Problems . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 54
Sound and Speaker Problems
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 55
No sound from speakers
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 55
No sound from headphones
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 56
Video and Monitor Problems
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 57
If the screen is blank
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 57
If the screen is difficult to read
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 58
3 Advanced Troubleshooting
Diagnostic Lights . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 60
Dell Diagnostics
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 62
When to Use the Dell Diagnostics
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 62
Starting the Dell Diagnostics
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 62
Drivers
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 65
What Is a Driver?
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 65
Identifying Drivers
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 66
Reinstalling drivers
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 66
Using System Restore
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 68
Creating a Restore Point
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 68
Restoring the Computer to an Earlier Operating State
. . . . . . 68
Undoing the Last System Restore . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 69
Resolving Software and Hardware Incompatibilities . . . . . . . 70
6 Contents
Reinstalling Microsoft
®
Windows
®
XP . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 70
Before You Reinstall
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 70
Reinstalling Windows XP
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 71
Reinstalling Drivers and Software . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 73
4 Adding Parts
Front and Back View of the Computer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 76
Front View
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 76
Back View . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 78
Reattaching the Front Door and Hinge Arms . . . . . . . . . . . 80
Reattaching the Hinge Arms
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 80
Reattaching the Front Door . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 82
Opening the Computer Cover . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 83
Looking Inside Your Computer
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 84
System Board
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 85
Installing and Removing Cards
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 86
Installing a Card
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 86
Removing a Card
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 90
Adding Memory
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 92
Removing a Memory Module
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 92
Adding a Memory Module
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 93
Adding or Replacing the AGP Card
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 94
Card Removal
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 95
Card Installation
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 96
Adding a Second Hard Drive
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 97
Adding a Floppy Drive . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 100
Removing the Front-Panel Insert
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 100
Installing a Floppy Drive . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 102
Closing the Computer Cover . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 104
Contents 7
5 Appendix
Specifications . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 106
Standard Settings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 110
Viewing Settings
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 111
System Setup Program Screens . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 111
Clearing Forgotten Passwords . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 112
Replacing the Battery
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 113
Dell Technical Support Policy (U.S. Only)
. . . . . . . . . . . . 114
Definition of "Dell-Installed" Software and Peripherals
. . . . . 115
Definition of "Third-Party" Software and Peripherals
. . . . . . 115
Contacting Dell
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 116
Contact Numbers and Addresses
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 116
Returning Items for Warranty Repair or Credit
. . . . . . . . 133
Regulatory Information
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 133
NOM Information (Mexico Only)
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 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
. . . . . . . . . . . . . 141
"Total Satisfaction" Return Policy (Canada Only)
. . . . . . . . 144
Dell Software and Peripherals (Canada Only) . . . . . . . . . 145
One-Year End-User Manufacturer Guarantee
(Latin America and the Caribbean Only)
. . . . . . . . . . . . 146
Intel
®
Warranty Statement for Pentium
®
and
Celeron
®
Processors Only (U.S. and Canada Only) . . . . . . . 147
Index . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 149
8 Contents
CAUTION: Safety Instructions 9
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 FCC-
compliant 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.
10 CAUTION: Safety Instructions
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• 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.
• 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.
CAUTION: Safety Instructions
(continued)
When Using Your Computer 11
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.
12 When Using Your Computer
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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.
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.
When Using Your Computer
(continued)
When Using Your Computer 13
• 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.
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
(continued)
14 When Using Your Computer
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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
agency for the address of the nearest battery deposit site.
When Using Your Computer
(continued)
Finding Information for Your Computer 15
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
ResourceCD
You can use this CD to access documentation and reinstall drivers (see
page 65).
• How to set up a printer
• How to troubleshoot and solve problems
• How to add parts
• How to contact Dell
•Warranty information
Owner’s Manual
• Express Service Code and Service Tag
Number
•Microsoft
®
Windows
®
License Label
Express Service Code and Product Key
Located on your computer.
16 Finding Information for Your Computer
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• How to reinstall my operating system Operating System CD
If you reinstall your operating system, use the ResourceCD to reinstall
drivers for the devices that came with your computer.
• Latest drivers for my computer
• Answers to technical service and support
questions
• Online discussions with other users and
technical support
• Documentation for my 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
What Are You Looking For? Find it Here
Finding Information for Your Computer 17
• How to set up my computer Setup diagram
• Tips on using Windows
• How to clean my computer
• How to use my mouse and keyboard
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.
• How to use Windows XP
• Documentation for my computer and
devices
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.
What Are You Looking For? Find it Here
18 Finding Information for Your Computer
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1
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
Copying CDs
Hyper-Threading
Booting to a USB Device
Turning Off the Computer
20 Setting Up and Using Your Computer
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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
• 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.
3
Attach the parallel printer cable to the parallel connector on the
computer and tighten the two screws. Attach the cable to the
connector on the printer and snap the two clips into the two notches.
Setting Up and Using Your Computer 21
4 Turn on the printer and then turn on the computer. If the Add New
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
HINT: You can connect
USB devices while the
computer is turned on.
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.
parallel printer
cable
parallel connector on computer
connector on
printer
screws (2)
clips (2)
notches (2)
22 Setting Up and Using Your Computer
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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.
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.
USB printer
cable
USB connector on
computer
USB connector
on printer
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.
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.
optional VGA
adapter
24 Setting Up and Using Your Computer
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3 Restart the computer.
The Microsoft
®
Windows
®
desktop displays on the primary monitor.
4 Use the instructions in the following sections to enable clone mode or
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.
Setting Up and Using Your Computer 25
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.
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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.
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.
Setting Up and Using Your Computer 27
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.
HINT: Insert the cable
until it clicks into place,
and then gently pull it to
ensure that it is secure.
2 Connect the other end of the network cable to a network connection
device, such as a network wall jack.
HINT: Do not use a
network cable with a
telephone wall jack.
network adapter
connector on
computer
network cable
network wall
jack
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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
connection method This
computer connects
directly to the Internet
enables the integrated
firewall provided with
Windows XP.
4
Complete the checklist and required preparations, and return to the
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.
Setting Up and Using Your Computer 29
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.
HINT: If you do not know
which type of connection
to select, contact your
ISP.
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.
30 Setting Up and Using Your Computer
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Copying CDs
HINT: Ensure that you
follow all copyright laws
when you create CDs.
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.
HINT: The information in
this section also applies to
using Easy CD Creator
Basic with a DVD+RW or
a DVD+R drive.
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 copy-
protected. 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.
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