Dell H7228 User Manual

Dell™ Dimension™ 4600C

front door

power button

hard-drive light CD or DVD drive light

On computers with integrated IEEE 1394 connectors.

On computers with integrated PC Card connectors.

SPDIF-out connector

integrated video connector

diagnostic lights (4)

keyboard connector

center/LFE connector

microphone connector

USB 2.0 connectors (6)

breakaway hinge

IEEE 1394 connector*

PC Card connectors (2)**

breakaway hinge

USB 2.0 connectors (2)

headphone connector

parallel connector

mouse connector

surround connector

line-out connector

line-in connector

network adapter connector

optional video card connector (see the setup diagram)

IEEE 1394 connector

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modem connectors (2)

power connector

voltage selection switch

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

Tell Me How

help file. To access help files, see page 25.

____________________

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, DellNet, PowerApp, PowerVault, PowerEdge,

PowerConnect, Axim, 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 DHP

July 2004 P/N H7228 Rev. A00

Contents

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

Finding Information for Your Computer

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

1 Setting Up and Using Your Computer

Connecting the AC Adapter (Japan only) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11

Attaching and Removing the Computer Stand

Setting Up a Printer

Printer Cable Connecting a Parallel Printer Connecting a USB Printer

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

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15

Connecting an IEEE 1394 Device (Optional)

Setting Up a Home and Office Network

Connecting to a Network Adapter Network Setup Wizard

Connecting to the Internet

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

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

Setting Up Your Internet Connection

Copying CDs and DVDs

How to Copy a CD or DVD

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

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

Using Blank CD-Rs and CD-RWs Helpful Tips

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

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

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

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

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

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

Hyper-Threading

Booting to a USB Device

Turning Off Your Computer

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

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

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

2 Solving Problems

Finding Solutions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23

Finding Help Information

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

Contents 3

Battery Problems . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25

Drive Problems

CD drive problems

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

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

Problems writing to a CD-RW drive DVD drive problems Hard drive problems

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

E-Mail, Modem, and Internet Problems

Error Messages

General Problems

The computer stops responding A program stops responding A program crashes repeatedly

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

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

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

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

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

A program is designed for an earlier Microsoft operating system

A solid blue screen appears Other software problems Other technical problems General hardware problems

IEEE 1394 Device Problems

Keyboard Problems

Mouse Problems

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Windows®

4 Contents

Network Problems

PC Card Problems

Power Problems

Printer Problems

Scanner Problems

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

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

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 37

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

Sound and Speaker Problems

No sound from speakers No sound from headphones

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

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

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

Video and Monitor Problems . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 40

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

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

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

3 Advanced Troubleshooting

Diagnostic Lights . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 43

Dell Diagnostics

Starting the Dell Diagnostics

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 48

Drivers

What Is a Driver? Identifying Drivers Reinstalling Drivers

Restoring Your Operating System

Using Microsoft Using Dell PC Restore by Symantec

Resolving Software and Hardware Incompatibilities

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

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

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 48

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

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

Windows XP System Restore . . . . . . . . . . . . . 50

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

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

4 Adding Parts

Front and Back View of the Computer. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 53

Front View Back View

Reattaching the Front Door

Opening the Computer Cover

Looking Inside Your Computer

System Board

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

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

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

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

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 60

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 61

Adding PC Cards (Optional)

PC Card Types

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

Installing a PC Card Removing a PC Card

Adding Other Cards

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

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

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 63

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

Contents 5

Adding or Replacing a Video Card . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 66

Removing a Video Card Installing a Video Card

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

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

Adding Memory

DDR Memory Overview Installing Memory Removing Memory

Closing the Computer Cover

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

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

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

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

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

5 Appendix

Specifications . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 73

Standard Settings

Viewing Settings System Setup Screens

Clearing Forgotten Passwords

Replacing the Battery

Dell Technical Support Policy (U.S. Only)

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

FCC Notices (U.S. Only)

Class A Class B FCC Identification Information

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

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

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

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

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 79

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

. . . . . . . . . 81

. . . . . . . . . . 81

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 82

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 82

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 83

Index . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 101

6 Contents

Contacting Dell

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 83

Safety Instructions

See your Product Information Guide for safety instructions.

Safety Instructions 7

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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 H o w

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,

• 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,

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

• Downloads — Drivers, patches, and software updates

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• How to use Windows XP

• Documentation for my computer

• Documentation for devices (such as

• Reference — Computer documentation, product specifications, and

Windows Help and Support Center

amodem)

and online courses

the hard drive, and the operating system

repair information

white 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

Connecting the AC Adapter (Japan only)

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

Product Information Guide.

Connect the AC adapter to the plug on the AC power cable.

CAUTION: If you decide to connect the green ground wire to an electrical outlet, do not permit contact

between the green ground wire and power leads because electrical shock, fire, or damage to your computer can occur (see the following figure).

If you decide

Connect the metal ground connector to the grounding source on the outlet (see the following figure):

Loosen the grounding source.

Slide the metal ground connector behind the grounding source, and then tighten the grounding source.

Connect the AC power cable to the outlet.

not

to connect the green ground wire to an electrical outlet, go to step 3.

grounding source

metal ground connector

Setting Up and Using Your Computer 11

Attaching and Removing the Computer Stand

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

Product Information Guide.

NOTE: Place your computer on a soft surface to prevent scratching the top cover.

To attach the stand:

Rotate the computer to an upside-down position.

Insert the screw into the bottom of the stand.

Align the two tabs and the screw on the stand with the tab holes and screw hole in the bottom of the computer.

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tabs (2)

tab holes (2)

screw

screw hole

12 Setting Up and Using Your Computer

Tighten the screw.

Place the computer in the upright position.

To remove the stand:

Turn the computer over so that the stand is at the top.

Loosen the screw and lift the stand away.

Place the computer in a horizontal position until you reattach the stand.

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.

Setting Up and Using Your Computer 13

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

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

Product Information Guide.

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

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Turn off the computer (see page 21).

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.

parallel connector on computer

connector on printer

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.

14 Setting Up and Using Your Computer

screws (2)

parallel printer cable

Cancel

notches (2)

clips (2)

Add New Hardware Wizard

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.

USB connector on computer

USB connector

USB printer cable

on printer

Setting Up and Using Your Computer 15

Connecting an IEEE 1394 Device (Optional)

IEEE 1394 devices can move large amounts of data between computers and peripheral devices and are ideal for use with multimedia devices, such as digital video cameras.

Your computer provides a IEEE 1394 connector on both the front and back panels (see "Front and Back View of the Computer" on page 53 for locations.)

NOTE: The connector can accept six-pin IEEE 1394 devices with the use of an adapter.

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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:

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

IEEE 1394 connector

IEEE 1394 cable

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

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

network wall jack.

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

16 Setting Up and Using Your Computer

network wall jack

network adapter connector on computer

network cable

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

On the welcome screen, click

Click

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

Start

button, point to

Network Setup Wizard

All Programs→ Accessories→ Communications

Checklist for creating a network

, and then

Setting Up and Using Your Computer 17

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.

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• 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

MSN Explorer

Start

button and click

AOL

icon on the Windows® desktop.

AOL

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

Internet Explorer

appears.

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

Set up my connection manually

• If you have a CD, click

Click

If you selected

Set up my connection manually

instructions on the screen to complete the setup.

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

18 Setting Up and Using Your Computer

Use the CD I got from an ISP

, continue to step 6. Otherwise, follow the

Choose from a list of Internet

Click the appropriate option under

click

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

How do you want to connect to the Internet?

, and then

If you are having problems connecting to the Internet, see "E-Mail, Modem, and Internet Problems" on page 27. 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.

Copying CDs and DVDs

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

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 click

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.

RecordNow Help

RecordNow Tutorial

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

Start

button, point to

All Programs→

Sonic→ RecordNow!→ RecordNow!.

to copy.

Click

Exact Copy

To copy the CD or DVD:

•

If you have one CD or DVD drive

, ensure that the settings are correct and click The 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

, select the drive into which you have inserted your

Copy

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

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.

Setting Up and Using Your Computer 19

Copy

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.

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.

www.dell.com | support.dell.com

• 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

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 Hyper-Threading 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 Hyper-Threading with your software.

20 Setting Up and Using Your Computer

XP operating system because Windows XP is optimized to take advantage of

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 78. For more information on Hyper-Threading, search the Knowledge Base on the Dell Support website at

support.dell.com

Booting to a USB Device

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

check the device documentation.

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

Connect the USB device to a USB connector (see page 54).

Shut down (see page 21) and restart the computer.

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 try again.

NOTE: This 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.

When the boot device list appears, highlight

The computer restarts to the connected USB device.

Windows® logo appears, continue to wait until you

Start

menu and

USB Flash Device

and press <Enter>.

Turning Off Your Computer

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

system shutdown, as described next, rather than by pressing the power button.

NOTE: As an alternative to turning off your computer, you can set your computer to enter 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 the Windows XP Help and Support Center. To access help files,

see page 25.

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

Turn Off Computer

In the

Turn off computer

window, click

Tur n off

The computer turns off after the shutdown process finishes.

Start

button, and then click

Setting Up and Using Your Computer 21

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22 Setting Up and Using Your Computer

Solving Problems

Finding Solutions

Sometimes it is difficult to figure out where to go for answers. Use this chart to help you quickly find the answers to your questions.

See page 36.

Press a key or move the mouse. See the Tell Me How help file for information on standby mode. For more information, see page 25.

Get technical assistance from Dell. See page 83.

See page 29.

Solving Problems 23

www.dell.com | support.dell.com

See page 40.

See page 39

See page 37.

See page 27

See page 34

See page 33.

See page 26.

See page 35.

See page 38.

See page 29.

See page 30.

24 Solving Problems

See page 27.

See page 30.

Finding Help Information

TO ACCESS THE TELL ME HOW HELP FILE —

Click the

Click

TO ACCESS WINDOWS HELP —

Click the

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

Click the topic that describes your problem.

Follow the instructions shown on the screen.

TO LOCATE ADDITIONAL INFORMATION FOR YOUR COMPUTER — See page 9.

Start

button and click

User and system guides Tell Me H o w

Start

button and click

Help and Support

and click

User’s guides

Help and Support

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 79). If the battery still does not work properly, contact Dell (see page 83).

Solving Problems 25

Drive Problems

CD drive problems

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

in the drive or the CD.

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.

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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 39.

ENSURE THAT WINDOWS RECOGNIZES THE DRIVE — Click the Start button and 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 the Microsoft recognizing the drive.

CLEAN THE DISC — See the Tell Me How help file for instructions on cleaning your CDs. To access help files, see page 25.

Problems writing to a CD-RW drive

CLOSE OTHER PROGRAMS — 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.

TURN OFF STANDBY MODE IN WINDOWS BEFORE WRITING TO A CD-RW DISC — For information on power conservation modes, see the Tell Me How help file or search for the keyword standby in the Windows XP Help and Support Center. To access help files, see page 25.

Windows® operating system from

26 Solving Problems

DVD drive problems

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

DVD drives.

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 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.

CLEAN THE DISC — See the Tell Me How help file for instructions on cleaning your DVDs. To access help files, see page 25.

CHECK FOR INTERRUPT REQUEST CONFLICTS — See page 52.

Hard drive problems

RUN CHECK DISK —

Click the

Right-click the drive letter (local disk) that you want to scan for errors, and then click

Click the

Under

Click

Start

button and click

Tools

tab.

Error-checking

Start.

, click

My Computer

Check Now

Properties

E-Mail, Modem, and Internet Problems

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 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.

Solving Problems 27

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 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.)

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VERIFY THAT THE MODEM IS COMMUNICATING WITH WINDOWS® —

Click the

Click

Printers and Other Hardware

Click

Phone and Modem Options

Click the

Click the COM port for your modem.

Click

Properties

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.

Click the

Click

Printers and Other Hardware

Click your connection type to highlight it.

Click the

Select the disable code from the drop-down menu (for example, *70).

Click

Apply

Start

button and click

Modems

Start

Dialing Rules

tab.

, click the

Diagnostics

button and click

tab and click

To Disable Call Waiting

and click OK.

Control Panel

tab, and then click

Query Modem

Control Panel.

, and then click

Edit

Phone and Modem Options.

box to place a checkmark in it.

to verify that the modem

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.

28 Solving Problems

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.

Error Messages

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

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

Click

Select the program you want to remove.

Click the

See the program documentation for installation instructions.

INSERT BOOTABLE MEDIA — The operating system is trying to boot to a nonbootable CD. Insert a bootable CD.

Start

button and click

Add or Remove Programs

Change or Remove Program

Control Panel

icon.

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, run the program that you want to use first.

OPERATING SYSTEM NOT FOUND — Contact Dell (see page 83).

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 disc into the drive and try again.

Solving Problems 29

General Problems

The computer stops responding

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 stops responding

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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 CD.

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.

A program is designed for an earlier Microsoft® 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.

Click the

Compatibility Wizard

In the welcome screen, click

Follow the instructions on the screen.

30 Solving Problems

Start

button, point to

All Programs→ Accessories

, and then click

Program

+ 74 hidden pages

Dell H7228 User Manual

Specifications and Main Features

Frequently Asked Questions

User Manual