Dell G884D User Manual

Dell™ XPS™ 430

Quick Reference Guide

Model DC01L

www.dell.com | support.dell.com

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.

Macrovision Product Notice

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.

____________________

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Trademarks used in this text: Dell, the DELL logo, XPS, and Xcelerator are trademarks of Dell Inc.; Intel, Core, and Intel SpeedStep are either trademarks or registered trademarks of Intel Corporation in the U.S. and other countries; Microsoft, W indows, Windows V ista, and the W indows Vista start b utton logo are either trademarks or registered trademarks of Microsoft Corporation in the United States and/or other countries; Blu-ray Disc is a trademark of the Blu-ray Disc Association; Bluetooth is a re gistered trademark owned by Bluetooth SIG, Inc. and is used by Dell under license.

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 DC01L

July 2008 P/N G884D Rev. A00

1 About Your Computer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7

Front View of the Computer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7

Back View of the Computer

Front Panel Connectors

Back Panel Connectors

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

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

2 Setting Up Your Computer . . . . . . . . . . . . 11

Safety Instructions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11

Installing Your Computer in an Enclosure

Connecting to the Internet

Setting Up Your Internet Connection

Transferring Information to a New Computer

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

. . . . . . . 11

. . . . . . . . 13

. . . . . 14

3 Specifications . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15

4 Optimizing for Greater Performance

Understanding Intel® SpeedStep® Technology . . . . 23

. . . . 23

Contents 3

5 Troubleshooting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25

Safety Instructions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25

Troubleshooting Tools

Beep Codes

System Messages

Dell Diagnostics

When to Use Dell Diagnostics

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

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

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

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

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

Starting Dell Diagnostics From Your Hard Drive

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

Starting Dell Diagnostics From the Drivers and Utilities Media

Dell Diagnostics Main Menu

Troubleshooting Software and Hardware Problems in the Microsoft Windows Vista Operating System

Solving Problems

Power Problems

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

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

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

Memory Problems

Lockups and Software Problems

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

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

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

. . . . . . . . . . 37

6 Reinstalling Your Operating System . . . . 39

Drivers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 39

What Is a Driver?

Identifying Drivers

Reinstalling Drivers and Utilities

Using the Drivers and Utilities media

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

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

. . . . . . . . . . 40

. . . . . . . 41

4 Contents

Restoring Your Operating System

Using Microsoft

Windows System Restore . . . . 43

Using Dell Factory Image Restore

Using the Operating System Media

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

. . . . . . . . . 44

. . . . . . . . 45

7 Finding Information . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 47

8 Getting Help . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 49

Obtaining Assistance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 49

Technical Support and Customer Service

Online Services

AutoTech Service

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

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

Automated Order-Status Service

. . . . . 50

. . . . . . . . . 51

Problems With Your Order

Product Information

Returning Items for Warranty Repair or Credit

Before You Call

Contacting Dell

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

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

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

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

. . . . . 52

Index . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 55

Contents 5

6 Contents

About Your Computer

NOTE: For more information about the ports and connectors on your computer, see

"Specifications" on page 15.

Front View of the Computer

1 cover release latch 2 optical drive tray eject button (2)

3 vents 4 power button

5 front panel connectors 6 3.5-inch flexbays (2)

7 5.25-inch drive bays (2) 8 hard-drive activity light

About Your Computer 7

Back View of the Computer

1 2

1 power connector 2 voltage selector switch

3 back panel connectors 4 card slots

8 About Your Computer

Front Panel Connectors

12 43

1 microphone connector 2 headphone connector

3 USB 2.0 connectors (2) 4 IEEE 1394 connector

Back Panel Connectors

1 2 3

1 IEEE 1394 connector 2 eSATA connector

3 S/PDIF (RCA) connector 4 USB 2.0 connectors (3)

5 link integrity light 6 network adapter connector

7 network activity light 8 surround sound connector

9 line-in connector 10 line-out/headphone connector

11 S/PDIF (optical) connector 12 center/subwoofer LFE connector

13 side surround sound connector 14 USB 2.0 connectors (2)

4 5 6 7 8 9

11 13 1214

About Your Computer 9

10 About Your Computer

Setting Up Your Computer

Safety Instructions

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

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

information that shipped with your computer. For additional safety best practices information, see the Regulatory Compliance Homepage at www.dell.com/regulatory_compliance.

Installing Your Computer in an Enclosure

Installing your computer in an enclosure can restrict the airflow and impact your computer’s performance, possibly causing it to overheat. Follow the guidelines below when installing your computer in an enclosure:

NOTICE: The operating temperature specifications indicated in this manual

reflects the maximum ambient operating temperature. The room ambient temperature needs to be a consideration when installing your computer in an enclosure. For example, if the ambient room temperature is at 25°C (77°F), depending on your computer’s specifications, you only have 5° to 10°C (9° to 18°F) temperature margin before you reach your computer’s maximum operating temperature. For details about your computer’s specifications, see "Specifications" on page 15.

• Leave a 10.2 cm (4 in) minimum clearance on all vented sides of the computer to permit the airflow required for proper ventilation.

• If your enclosure has doors, they need to be of a type that allows at least 30 percent airflow through the enclosure (front and back).

Setting Up Your Computer 11

• If your computer is installed in a corner on a desk or under a desk, leave at least 5.1 cm (2 in) clearance from the back of the computer to the wall to permit the airflow required for proper ventilation.

12 Setting Up Your Computer

NOTICE: Do not install your computer in an enclosure that does not allow airflow.

Restricting the airflow impacts your computer’s performance, possibly causing it to overheat.

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). Your ISP will offer one or more of the following Internet connection options:

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

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

• Satellite modem connections that provide high-speed Internet access through a satellite television system.

• Dial-up connections that provide Internet access through a telephone line. Dial-up connections are considerably slower than DSL and cable (or satellite) modem connections.

• Wireless connections that provide Internet access using WiFi, WiMax, or custom wireless technology.

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/satellite modem connection, contact your ISP or cellular telephone service for setup instructions.

Setting Up Your Internet Connection

To set up an Internet connection with a provided ISP desktop shortcut:

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

Double-click the ISP icon on the Microsoft® Windows® desktop.

Follow the instructions on the screen to complete the setup.

Setting Up Your Computer 13

If you do not have an ISP icon on your desktop or if you want to set up an Internet connection with a different ISP, perform the steps in the following section.

NOTE: 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.

NOTE: Have your ISP information ready. If you do not have an ISP, the Connect to

the Internet wizard can help you get one.

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

Click the Windows Vista start button ™, and click

Under

The

Click either

Network and Internet,

Connect to the Internet

Broadband (PPPoE)

click

Connect to the Internet

window appears.

Dial-up

, depending on how you want

Control Panel

to connect:

• Choose

Broadband

if you will use a DSL, satellite modem, cable TV

modem, or Bluetooth wireless technology connection.

• Chose

NOTE: If you do not know which type of connection to select, click Help me choose

or contact your ISP.

Follow the instructions on the screen and use the setup information

Dial-up

if you will use a dial-up modem or ISDN.

provided by your ISP to complete the setup.

Transferring Information to a New Computer

You can use your operating system "wizards" to help you transfer files and other data from one computer to another—for example, from an old computer to a new computer.

Click the Windows Vista start button , and then click

and settings

In the

Click

→ Start Windows Easy Transfer

User Account Control

Start a new transfer

dialog box, click

Continue a transfer in progress

Continue

Follow the instructions provided on the screen by the Windows Easy Transfer wizard.

14 Setting Up Your Computer

Transfer files

Specifications

NOTE: Offerings may vary by region. For more information regarding the

configuration of your computer, click Start→ Help and Support and select the option to view information about your computer.

Processor

Processor type Intel

Level 2 (L2) cache Intel Core2 Duo - 2 MB, 4 MB, or 6 MB

Memory

Type dual-channel 1066 and 1333 -MHz DDR3 (non-ECC

Memory connectors four

Memory capacities 1 GB or 2 GB

Minimum memory 2 GB

Maximum memory 8 GB (for a 64-bit operating system)

Core™2 Duo

Intel Core2 Extreme (dual-core and quad-core processor)

Intel Core2 Quad (quad-core processor)

Intel Core2 Extreme - 4 MB or 8 MB

Intel Core2 Quad - 6 MB, 8 MB, or 12 MB

memory only)

4 GB (for a 32-bit operating system)

Computer Information

Chipset Intel X48 Express Chipset/ ICH9R

DMA channels five

Interrupt levels 24

BIOS chip (EEPROM) 8 Mb

System clock 1066/1333 MHz (depending on the processor)

Specifications 15

Expansion Bus

Bus type PCI Express x1, x8, and x16

PCI 32-bit (PCI specification 2.3)

PCI

connectors

connector size

connector data width (maximum)

Bus speed

PCI Express

connector

connector size

connector data width (maximum)

Bus throughput

PCI Express

connector

connector size

connector data width (maximum)

Bus throughput

PCI Express

Connector

Connector size

Connector data width (maximum)

Bus throughput

two

124 pins

32-bit, version 2.3

33 MHz

two x1

36 pins

1 PCI Express lane

1 GB/s

one x16

164 pins

16 PCI Express lanes

32 GB/s

one x8 (electrically configured for an x4 card)

98 pins

8 PCI Express lanes

4 GB/s

16 Specifications

Drives

Externally accessible: two 3.5-inch flexbays

two 5.25-inch drive bays

Internally accessible two 3.5 HDD bays

Available devices Serial ATA (SATA) hard drive, memory devices, SATA

Blu-ray Disc™ (BD) writer, SATA BD/DVD combo drive, SATA DVD+/-RW drive, SATA DVD drive (2nd drive only), Media Card Reader, and Media Xcelerator™(optional)

Connectors

External connectors:

Network adapter

Integrated network interface capable of 10/100/1000 Mbps communication.

RJ-45 connector — To attach your computer to a network or broadband device, connect one end of a network cable to either a network port or your network or broadband device. Connect the other end of the network cable to the network adapter connector on the back panel of your computer. A click indicates that the network cable has been securely attached.

NOTE: Do not plug a telephone cable into the network

connector.

On computers with a network connector card, use the connector on the card. It is recommended that you use Category 5 wiring and connectors for your network. If you must use Category 3 wiring, force the network speed to 10 Mbps to ensure reliable operation.

Specifications 17

Connectors (continued)

Audio

HDA 7.1 channel

six connectors for 7.1 support

rear L/R surround connector — Use the black surround connector to attach multichannel-capable speakers. On computers with a sound card, use the connector on the card.

line-in connector — Use the blue line-in connector to attach a record/playback device such as a cassette player, CD player, or VCR. On computers with a sound card, use the connector on the card.

line-out/headphone connector — Use the green line-out connector to attach headphones and most speakers with integrated amplifiers. On computers with a sound card, use the connector on the card.

S/PDIF (optical) connector — Use the S/PDIF optical connector to transmit digital audio without going through an analog audio conversion process. On computers with a sound card, use the connector on the card.

center/subwoofer LFE connector — Use the orange center/subwoofer connector to attach a center speaker or a single subwoofer. On computers with a sound card, use the connector on the card.

The LFE (Low Frequency Effects) Audio channel, found in digital surround sound audio schemes, carries only low frequency information of 80 Hz and below. The LFE channel drives a subwoofer to provide extremely low bass extension. Systems not using subwoofers can shunt the LFE information to the main speakers in the surround sound setup.

18 Specifications

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