Dell Dimension 2400 Series, Dimension 2400C, DIMENSION MTC2 Owner's Manual

service tag

CD or DVD headphone connector

CD or DVD volume control dial

floppy-drive activity light*

Dell™ Dimension™ 2400 Series

CD or DVD drive activity light

CD or DVD eject button

second bay for optional drive

floppy-drive eject button*

power light

power button

USB 2.0 connectors (2)

power connector

voltage selection switch

keyboard connector

serial connector

video connector

line-out connector

microphone connector

USB 2.0 connectors (4)

PCI card slots (3)

hard-drive activity light

headphone connector

*On computers with an optional floppy drive.

mouse connector

diagnostic lights (4)

parallel connector

line-in connector

cover latch

network adapter connector

Notes, Notices, and Cautions

NOTE: A NOTE indicates important information that helps you make better use of your computer.

NOTICE: A NOTICE indicates either potential damage to hardware or loss of data and tells you how to avoid the

problem.

CAUTION: A CAUTION indicates a potential for property damage, personal injury, or death.

Abbreviations and Acronyms

For a complete list of abbreviations and acronyms, see the

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

Tell Me How

help file. To access help files, see page 9.

Windows®

operating systems are not applicable.

____________________

Reproduction in any manner whatsoever without the written permission of Dell Inc. is strictly forbidden. Trademarks used in this text: Dell, the DELL logo, Inspiron, Dell Pr ecision, Dimension, OptiPlex, Axim, PowerApp, PowerEdge, PowerConnect,

PowerVault, and Latitude are trademarks of Dell Inc.; Intel, Pentium, and Celeron 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 Inc. disclaims any proprietary interest in trademarks and trade names other than its own.

Model MTC2

July 2004 P/N F7556 Rev. A00

Contents

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

Finding Information for Your Computer

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

1 Setting Up and Using Your Computer

Setting Up a Printer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11

Printer Cable Connecting a Parallel Printer Connecting a USB Printer

Setting Up a Home and Office Network

Connecting to a Network Adapter Network Setup Wizard

Connecting to the Internet

Setting Up Your Internet Connection

Copying CDs and DVDs

How to Copy a CD or DVD Using Blank CD-Rs and CD-RWs Helpful Tips

Hyper-Threading

Booting to a USB Device

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

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

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

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

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

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

Turning Off Your Computer

2 Solving Problems

Battery Problems . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19

Drive Problems

CD and DVD drive problems Hard drive problems

E-Mail, Modem, and Internet Problems

Error Messages

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

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

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

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

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21

Contents 3

IEEE 1394 Device Problems. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23

Keyboard Problems

Lockups and Software Problems

The computer does not start up The computer stops responding A program stops responding A program crashes repeatedly

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

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

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

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

A program is designed for an earlier Windows operating system A solid blue screen appears Other software problems

Memory Problems

Mouse Problems

Network Problems

Power Problems

Printer Problems

Scanner Problems

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

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

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

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

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

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

Sound and Speaker Problems

No sound from speakers No sound from headphones

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

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

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

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

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

. . . . . 25

3 Advanced Troubleshooting

4 Contents

Video and Monitor Problems

If the screen is blank If the screen is difficult to read

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

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

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

Diagnostic Lights . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 35

Dell Diagnostics

Starting the Dell Diagnostics

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

Drivers

Identifying Drivers Reinstalling Drivers

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

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

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

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

Restoring Your Operating System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 41

Using Microsoft Using Dell PC Restore by Symantec

Windows XP System Restore . . . . . . . . . . . . . 42

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

Resolving Software and Hardware Incompatibilities

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

4 Removing and Installing Parts

Front and Back View of the Computer. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 45

Front View Back View

Removing the Computer Cover

Looking Inside Your Computer

System Board Components

Adding Cards

Adding a Floppy Drive

Adding a Second CD or DVD Drive

Adding Memory

Installing Memory Removing Memory

Replacing the Battery

Replacing the Computer Cover

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

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

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

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

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

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

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 59

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 64

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

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

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

5 Appendix

Specifications . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 69

Standard Settings

Viewing Settings System Setup Program Screens Boot Sequence

Clearing Forgotten Passwords

Dell Technical Support Policy (U.S. Only)

Definition of "Dell-Installed" Software and Peripherals Definition of "Third-Party" Software and Peripherals

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

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

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 74

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 74

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

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

. . . . . . . . . 76

. . . . . . . . . . 77

Contents 5

FCC Notices (U.S. Only) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 77

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

Class A Class B

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

FCC Identification Information

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 78

Contacting Dell

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 78

Index . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 97

6 Contents

Safety Instructions

See your Product Information Guide for safety instructions.

Safety Instructions 7

www.dell.com | support.dell.com

8 Safety Instructions

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

• Express Service Code and Service Tag

• Microsoft

Windows® License Label

Tell Me How Help File

Click the

Click

Express Service Code and Product Key Label

Start

button and click

User and system guides Tell Me How

Help and Support

and click

These labels are located on your computer.

User’s guides

Finding Information for Your Computer 9

What are you looking for? Find It Here

• Latest drivers for my computer

• Answers to technical service and support questions

Dell Support Website — support.dell.com

The Dell Support website provides several online tools, including:

• Solutions — Troubleshooting hints and tips, articles from technicians, and

• Online discussions with other users and technical support

• Documentation for my computer

• Community Forum — Online discussion with other Dell customers

• Upgrades — Upgrade information for components, such as memory, the

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

• Downloads — Drivers, patches, and software updates

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• How to use Windows XP

• Documentation for my computer

• Documentation for devices (such as a

• Reference — Computer documentation, product specifications, and white

Windows Help and Support Center

modem)

online courses

hard drive, and the operating system

information

papers

Click the

Start

button and click

Help and Support

Type a word or phrase that describes your problem and click the arrow icon.

Click the topic that describes your problem. Follow the instructions on the screen.

10 Finding Information for Your Computer

Setting Up and Using Your 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.

• 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

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

Shut down the computer through the

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

Start

menu (see page 18).

Setting Up and Using Your Computer 11

parallel connector on computer

connector on printer

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Turn on the printer and then turn on the computer. If the window appears, click

Install the printer driver if necessary. See the documentation that came with your printer.

Connecting a USB Printer

NOTE: You can connect USB devices while the computer is turned on.

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

Install the printer driver if necessary. See the documentation that came with your printer.

Attach the USB printer cable to the USB connectors on the computer and the printer. The USB connectors fit only one way.

screws (2)

parallel printer cable

Cancel

notches (2)

clips (2)

Add New Hardware Wizard

12 Setting Up and Using Your Computer

USB connector on computer

USB connector

USB printer cable

on printer

Setting Up a Home and Office Network

Connecting to a Network Adapter

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

To connect a network cable, perform the following steps.

NOTE: Insert the cable until it clicks into place, and then gently pull it to ensure that it is secure.

Connect the network cable to the network adapter connector on the back of your computer.

NOTE: Do not use a network cable with a telephone wall jack.

Connect the other end of the network cable to a network connection device, such as a

network wall jack.

Setting Up and Using Your Computer 13

network adapter

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connector on computer

Network Setup Wizard

The Microsoft® Windows® XP operating system 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.

Click the click

Network Setup Wizard

On the welcome screen, click

Click

Checklist for creating a network

Start

button, point to

network cable

All Programs→ Accessories→ Communications

network wall jack

, and then

NOTE: Selecting the connection method This computer connects directly to the Internet enables the

integrated firewall provided with Windows XP.

Complete the checklist and required preparations.

Return to the Network Setup Wizard and follow the instructions on the screen.

Connecting to the Internet

NOTE: ISPs and ISP offerings vary by country.

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.

14 Setting Up and Using Your Computer

• 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 Your Internet Connection

To set up an AOL or MSN connection:

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

Double-click the

Follow the instructions on the screen to complete the setup.

If you do not have an Internet connection with a different ISP:

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

Click the

The

New Connection Wizard

Click

Connect to the Internet

In the next window, click the appropriate option:

• If you do not have an ISP and want to select one, click

service providers (ISPs)

• If you have already obtained setup information from your ISP but you did not receive a

setup CD, click

• If you have a CD, click

Click

If you selected instructions on the screen to complete the setup.

MSN Explorer

Start

button and click

AOL

Internet Explorer

appears.

Set up my connection manually

Use the CD I got from an ISP

Set up my connection manually

icon on the Microsoft® Windows® desktop.

icon on your desktop or if you want to set up an

Choose from a list of Internet

, continue to step 6. Otherwise, follow the

NOTE: If you do not know which type of connection to select, contact your ISP.

Click the appropriate option under

click

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 21. 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.

How do you want to connect to the Internet?

Setting Up and Using Your Computer 15

, and then

Copying CDs and DVDs

NOTE: Ensure that you follow all copyright laws when you create CDs or DVDs.

This section applies only to computers that have a CD-R, CD-RW, DVD+RW, DVD+R, or DVD/CD-RW combo drive.

The following instructions show how to make an exact copy of a CD or DVD. You can also use Sonic RecordNow for other purposes, including creating CDs from audio files on your computer and creating MP3 CDs. For instructions, see the Sonic RecordNow documentation that came with your computer. Open Sonic RecordNow, click the question mark icon in the upper-right corner of the window, and then click

RecordNow Help

RecordNow Tutorial

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How to Copy a CD or DVD

NOTE: If you have a DVD/CD-RW combo drive and you experience recording problems, check for

available software patches at the Sonic support website at support.sonic.com.

NOTE: Most commercial DVDs have copyright protection and cannot be copied using Sonic

RecordNow.

Click the

Click either the audio tab or the data tab, depending on the kind of CD you are planning to copy.

Click

Exact Copy

To copy the CD or DVD:

•

If you have one CD or DVD drive

computer reads your source CD or DVD and copies it to a temporary folder on your computer hard drive.

When prompted, insert a blank CD or DVD into the CD or DVD drive and click

•

If you have two CD or DVD drives

source CD or DVD and click the blank CD or DVD.

Once you have finished copying the source CD or DVD, the CD or DVD that you have created automatically ejects.

Using Blank CD-Rs and CD-RWs

Your CD-RW drive can write to two different types of recording media—CD-Rs and CD-RWs. Use blank CD-Rs to record music or permanently store data files. After creating a CD-R, you cannot write to that CD-R again without changing your method of recording (see the Sonic documentation for more information). Use blank CD-RWs to write to CDs or to erase, rewrite, or update data on CDs.

Start

button, point to

All Programs→

Sonic→ RecordNow!→ RecordNow!.

, ensure that the settings are correct and click

, select the drive into which you have inserted your

Copy

. The computer copies the data on the CD or DVD to

Copy

. The

16 Setting Up and Using Your Computer

Helpful Tips

• Use Microsoft® Windows® Explorer to drag and drop files to a CD-R or CD-RW only after you start Sonic RecordNow and open a RecordNow project.

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

• You cannot create audio DVDs with Sonic RecordNow.

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

• Do not burn a blank CD-R or CD-RW 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 to practice CD recording until you are familiar with CD recording techniques. If you make a mistake, you can erase the data on the CD-RW and try again. You can also use blank CD-RWs to test music file projects before you record the project permanently to a blank CD-R.

• See the Sonic support website at

support.sonic.com

for additional information.

Hyper-Threading

NOTE: Hyper-Threading is supported only on computers that have 3.06-GHz (or higher) microprocessors

installed.

Hyper-Threading is an Intel® technology that can enhance overall computer 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 can benefit from Hyper-Threading, some programs have not been optimized for Hyper-Threading and may require an update from the software manufacturer. Contact the software manufacturer for updates and information about using HyperThreading with your software.

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

Click the

Click

In the

Start

button, right-click

Hardware

and click

Device Manager

My Computer

Device Manager

, and then click

Properties

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 more information on accessing the system setup program, see page 74. For more information on HyperThreading, search the Knowledge Base on the Dell Support website at

support.dell.com

Setting Up and Using Your Computer 17

Booting to a USB Device

NOTE: To boot to a USB device, the device must be bootable. To ensure that your device is bootable,

check the device documentation.

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

Connect the USB device to a USB connector (see page 46).

Shut down the computer through the

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

If you wait too long and the Microsoft see the Windows desktop. Then shut down your computer through the

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again.

NOTE: These steps change 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.

When the boot device list appears, highlight

The computer reboots to the connected USB device.

Turning Off Your Computer

NOTICE: To avoid losing data, turn off your computer by performing a Microsoft® Windows® operating

system shutdown, as described in this section, rather than by pressing the power button.

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

Turn Off Computer

In the

Turn off computer

The computer turns off after the shutdown process finishes.

window, click

Start

menu (see page 18).

Windows® logo appears, continue to wait until you

Start

menu and try

USB Flash Device

Turn off

and press <Enter>.

Start

button, and then click

18 Setting Up and Using Your Computer

Solving Problems

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 in the

Product Information Guide.

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 66). If the battery still does not work properly, contact Dell (see page 78).

Drive Problems

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

Product Information Guide

ENSURE THAT MICROSOFT® WINDOWS® RECOGNIZES THE DRIVE — Click the Start button and click My Computer. If the floppy, CD, or 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.

TEST THE DRIVE —

• Insert another floppy disk, CD, or DVD to eliminate the possibility that the original one is defective.

• Insert a bootable floppy disk and restart the computer.

CLEAN THE DRIVE OR DISK — See the Tell Me How help file.

CHECK THE CABLE CONNECTIONS

To access help files, see page 9.

Solving Problems 19

CHECK FOR INTERRUPT REQUEST CONFLICTS. — See page 44.

RUN THE DELL DIAGNOSTICS — See page 38.

CD and DVD drive problems

NOTE: High-speed CD or DVD drive vibration is normal and may cause noise, which does not indicate a

defect in the drive or the CD or DVD.

NOTE: Because of different regions worldwide and different disc formats, not all DVD titles work in all

DVD drives.

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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.

CHECK THE SPEAKERS AND SUBWOOFER — See "Sound and Speaker Problems" on page 31.

Problems writing to a CD/DVD-RW drive

CLOSE OTHER PROGRAMS — The CD/DVD-RW drive must receive a steady stream of data when writing. If the stream is interrupted, an error occurs. Try closing all programs before you write to the CD/DVD-RW.

TURN OFF STANDBY MODE IN WINDOWS BEFORE WRITING TO A CD/DVD-RW DISC — See the Tell Me How help file or search for the keyword standby in Windows Help for information on power management modes. To access help files, see page 9.

20 Solving Problems

Hard drive problems

RUN CHECK DISK —

Windows XP

Click the

Right-click

Click

Click the

Under

Click

Start

button and click

Local Disk C:

Properties

Tools

tab.

Error-checking

, click

My Computer

Check Now

Scan for and attempt recovery of bad sectors Start

E-Mail, Modem, and Internet Problems

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

Product Information Guide.

NOTE: Connect the modem to an analog telephone jack only. The modem does not operate while it is

connected to a digital telephone network.

CHECK THE MICROSOFT OUTLOOK® EXPRESS SECURITY SETTINGS — If you cannot open your e-mail attachments:

In Outlook Express, click

Click

Do not allow attachments

To ol s

, click

Options

to remove the checkmark.

, and then click

Security

CHECK THE TELEPHONE LINE CONNECTION —

HECK THE TELEPHONE JACK —

ONNECT THE MODEM DIRECTLY TO THE TELEPHONE WALL JACK —

SE A DIFFERENT TELEPHONE LINE —

• 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.

• Disconnect the telephone line from the modem and connect it to a telephone. Listen for a dial tone.

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

Solving Problems 21

RUN THE MODEM HELPER DIAGNOSTICS — Click the Start button, point to All 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 —

Click the

Click

Click the

Click the COM port for your modem.

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Click communicating with Windows.

Start Printers and Other Hardware Phone and Modem Options

Modems

Properties

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

ENSURE THAT YOU ARE CONNECTED TO THE INTERNET — Ensure that you have subscribed to an Internet provider. 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. For help, contact your Internet service provider.

Error Messages

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

Product Information Guide.

If the message is not listed, see the documentation for the operating system or the program that was running when the message appeared.

button and click

tab.

, click the

Diagnostics

Control Panel

tab, and then click

Query Modem

to verify that the modem is

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:

Click the

Select the program you want to remove.

Click the

See the program documentation for installation instructions.

Start

button, click

Change or Remove Program

INSERT BOOTABLE MEDIA — Insert a bootable floppy disk or CD.

22 Solving Problems

Control Panel

icon.

, and then click

Add or Remove Programs

NON-SYSTEM DISK ERROR — Remove the floppy disk from the drive and restart your computer.

NOT ENOUGH MEMORY OR RESOURCES. CLOSE SOME PROGRAMS AND TRY AGAIN — 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, run the program that you want to use first.

OPERATING SYSTEM NOT FOUND — Contact Dell (see page 78).

x:\ IS NOT ACCESSIBLE. THE DEVICE IS NOT READY — The floppy drive cannot read the disk. Insert a floppy disk into the drive and try again.

IEEE 1394 Device Problems

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

Product Information Guide.

ENSURE THAT THE IEEE 1394 DEVICE IS PROPERLY INSERTED INTO THE CONNECTOR

ENSURE THAT THE IEEE 1394 DEVICE IS RECOGNIZED BY WINDOWS —

Windows XP

Click the

Click If your IEEE 1394 device is listed, Windows recognizes the device.

Start

button and click

Printers and Other Hardware

Control Panel

IF YOU HAVE PROBLEMS WITH A DELL-PROVIDED IEEE 1394 DEVICE —

F YOU HAVE PROBLEMS WITH AN IEEE 1394 DEVICE NOT PROVIDED BY DELL —

Contact Dell (see page 78) or the IEEE 1394 device manufacturer.

Solving Problems 23

Keyboard Problems

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

Product Information Guide.

CHECK THE KEYBOARD CABLE —

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

• Shut down the computer (see page 18), 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.

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

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.

CHECK FOR INTERRUPT REQUEST CONFLICTS — See page 44.

Lockups and Software Problems

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

Product Information Guide.

The computer does not start up

CHECK THE DIAGNOSTIC LIGHTS — See page 35.

ENSURE THAT THE POWER CABLE IS FIRMLY CONNECTED TO THE COMPUTER AND TO THE ELECTRICAL OUTLET

The computer stops responding

NOTICE: You might lose data if you are unable to perform an operating system shutdown.

TURN THE COMPUTER OFF — If 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 restart your computer.

24 Solving Problems

A program stops responding

END THE PROGRAM —

Press <Ctrl><Shift><Esc> simultaneously.

Click

Applications

Click the program that is no longer responding.

Click

End Task

A program crashes repeatedly

NOTE: Software usually includes installation instructions in its documentation or on a floppy disk or CD.

CHECK THE SOFTWARE DOCUMENTATION — If necessary, uninstall and then reinstall the program.

A program is designed for an earlier Windows operating system

RUN THE PROGRAM COMPATIBILITY WIZARD —

The Program Compatibility Wizard configures a program so it runs in an environment similar to nonWindows XP operating system environments.

Click the

Wizard

In the welcome screen, click

Follow the instructions on the screen.

Start

button, point to

All Programs→ Accessories

, and then click

Program Compatibility

A solid blue screen appears

TURN THE COMPUTER OFF — If 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 restart your computer.

Solving Problems 25

Dell Dimension 2400 Series, Dimension 2400C, DIMENSION MTC2 Owner's Manual

Specifications and Main Features

Frequently Asked Questions

User Manual