Dell Mini Tower System User Manual
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Information in this doc um ent is subject to change without notice.
1997 Dell Computer Corporation. All rights reserved.
Reproduction in any m an ner whatsoever without the wri tt en permission of Dell Computer Corporation is strictly for bidden.
Trademarks used in this text: Dell, OptiPlex, and the DELL logo are registered tradem arks and DellWare is a registered service mark of Dell
Computer Corporation; Intel and Pentium are registered trademarks and MMX is a trademark of Intel Corporation; Microsoft, MS-DOS, Windows,
and Windows NT are registered tr ademarks and Windows for W orkgr oups is a trademark of Microsoft Corporation; IBM and OS/2 are register ed
trademarks of International Business Machines Corporation; 3Com is a registered trademark of 3Com Corporation; VESA is a registered trademark
of Video Electronics Standards Association; UNIX is a registered trademark of UNIX System Laboratories, Inc., a wholl y owned subsidiary of
Novell, Inc. As an Energy Star Partner, Dell Computer Corporation has determined that this product meets the Energy Star guidelines for energy
efficiency.
Other trademarks and trade names may be used in this document to refer to either the ent it ie s claiming the marks and na mes or their products.
Dell Computer Corporation disclaims any pro pri etary interest in trademarks and trade names other than its own.
November 1997 P/N 88763
Safety Instructions
U
se the following safety guidelines to help protect
your computer system from potential damage and to
ensure your own personal safety.
W
hen Using Your Computer
System
As you use your comput er s yst em, o bs erve the following
safety guidelines:
•
To help avoid damaging your computer, be sure the
voltage selection switch on the power supply is set to
match the alternating current (AC) power available
at your location:
— 115 volts (V)/60 hertz (Hz) in most of Nort h and
South America and some Far Eastern countries
such as Japan, South Korea, and Taiwan
— 230 V/50 Hz in most of Europe, the Middle
East, and the Far East
Also be sure your monitor and attached peripherals
are electrically rated to operate with the AC power
available in your location.
•
To help avoid possible damage to the system board,
wait 5 seconds after turning off the system before
removing a component from the system bo ard or disconnecting a peripheral device from the computer.
•
To help prevent electric shock, plug the computer
and peripheral power cables into properly grounded
power sources. These cables are equipped with
three-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 three-wire cable with properly grounded
plugs.
•
To help protect your computer system from sudden,
transient increases and decreases in electrical power,
use a surge suppressor, line conditioner, or uninterruptible power supply (UPS).
•
Be sure nothing r ests on your compu t er system’s
cables and that the cables are not located where they
can be stepped on or tripped over.
•
Do not spill food or liquids on your computer. If the
computer gets wet, consult your Diagnostics and
Troubleshooting Guide.
•
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.
E
rgonomic Computing Habits
WARNING: Improper or prolonged keyboard use
may result in injury.
For comfort and efficiency, observe the following ergonomic guidelines when setting up and using your
computer system:
•
Position your system so that the monitor and keyboard are directly in front of you as you work.
Special shelves are available (from Dell and other
sources) to help you correctly position your
keyboard.
v
•
Set the monitor at a comfortable viewing distance
(usually 510 to 610 millimeters [20 to 24 inches]
from your eyes).
•
Make sure the monitor screen is at eye level or
slightly lower when you are sitting in front of the
monitor.
•
Adjust the tilt of the monitor, its contrast and brightness settings, and the lighting around you (such as
overhead lights, desk lamps, and the curtains or
blinds on nearby windows) to minimize reflections
and glare on the monitor screen.
•
Use a chair that provides good lower back support.
•
Keep your forearms horizontal with your wrists in a
neutral, comfortable position while using the keyboard or mouse.
monitor screen at or below eye level
wrists relaxed and flat
•
Always leave space to rest your hands while using
the keyboard or mouse.
•
Let your upper arms hang naturally at your sides.
•
Sit erect, with your feet resting on th e flo or and your
thighs level.
•
When sitting, make sure the weight of your legs is on
your feet and not on the front of your chair seat.
Adjust your chair’s height or use a footrest, if necessary, to maintain proper posture.
•
Vary your work activities. Try to organize your work
so that you do not have to type for extended periods
of time. When you stop typing, try to do things that
use both hands.
monitor and keyboard
positioned directly
in front of user
arms at desk level
vi
feet flat on the floor
W
hen Working Inside Your
Computer
component such as a microprocessor chip by its
edges, not by its pins.
Before you remove the computer cover, perform the following steps in the sequence indicated.
CAUTIONS: Do not attempt to service the computer system yourself, except as explained in this
guide and elsewhere in Dell documentation. Always
follow installation and service instructions closely.
To help avoid possible damage to the system board,
wait 5 seconds after turning off the system before
removing a component from the system board or
disconnecting a peripheral device from the
computer.
1. Turn off your computer and any peripherals.
2. Disconnect your computer and peripherals from
their power sources. Also, disconnect any telephone or telecommunication lines from the
computer.
Doing so reduces the potential for personal injury or
shock.
3. T ouch 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.
In addition, take note of these safety guidel ines 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, make sure both connectors are
correctly oriented and aligned.
Handle components and cards with care. Don’t touch
•
the components or contacts on a card. Hold a card by
its edges or by its metal mounting bracket. Hold a
WARNING
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.
P
rotecting Against Electrostatic
Discharge
Static electricity can harm delicate components inside
your computer . T o prevent static damage, dischar ge static
electricity from your body before you touch any of your
computer’s electronic components, such as the microprocessor. You can do so b y t ou chi ng an unp ai nted met al
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):
When unpacking a static-sensitive component from
•
its shipping carton, do not remove the component
from the antistatic packing material until you are
ready to install the component in your computer. Just
before unwrapping the antistatic packaging, be sure
to discharge static electricity from your body.
When transporting a sensitive component, first place
•
it in an antistatic container or packaging.
Handle all sensitive components in a static-safe area.
•
If possible, use antistatic floor pads and workbench
pads.
The following caution may appear throughout this document to remind you of these precautions:
CAUTION: See “Protecting Against Electrostatic
Discharge” in the safety instructions at the front of
this guide.
vii
viii
Preface
A
bout This Guide
This guide is intended for anyone who uses a Dell OptiPlex GXa mini tower computer system. It can be u sed by
both first-time and experienced computer users who want
to learn about the features and operation of the systems or
who want to upgrade their computers. The chapters and
appendixes are summarized as follows:
•
Everyone should read Chapter 1, “Introduction,” for
an overview of the system features, instructions on
how to access the online System User’s Guide, and
information on where to get help if you need it.
•
Everyone should read the first several sections of
Chapter 2, “Using the System Setup Program,” to
familiarize themselves with th i s important program.
Only users who want to mak e configuration changes
to their system or who want to use the password features need to read the rest of Chapter 2.
•
Users who add or remove an Industry-Standard
Architecture (ISA) expansion card should read
Chapter 3, “Using the ISA Configuration Utility.”
•
Users who want to change the default configuration
of the system’s integrated video and audio controllers or who want to connect their system to a
network should read Chapter 4, “Using Integrated
Devices.” This chapter describes the configuration
software provided for the int egrated vid eo and audio
controllers and provides information on connecting
the system to a network, configurin g the network
interface controller (NIC), and installing drivers for
the NIC.
•
Chapter 5, “Working Inside Your Computer,”
Chapter 6, “Installing System Board Opt ions,” and
Chapter 7, “Installing Drives,” are intended for users
who want to install or remove options inside the
computer, such as dual in-line memory modules
(DIMMs), additional video memory, expansion
cards, or drives.
•
Appendix A, “Technical Specifications,” is intended
primarily as reference material for users interested in
learning more about the details of the system.
•
Appendix B, “ISA Configuration Utility Messages,”
describes e rror messages generated by the ISA
Configuration Utility (ICU), possible causes, and
corrective actions.
•
Appendix C, “Regulatory Notices,” is for users who
are interested in which regulatory agencies have
tested and approved the Dell OptiPlex GXa mini
tower systems.
•
Appendix D, “Warranties and Return Policy,”
describes the warranty for your Dell system and the
“Total Satisfaction” Return Policy.
W
arranty and Return Policy
Information
Dell Computer Corporation (“Dell”) manufactures its
hardware products from parts and components that are
new or equivalent to new in accordance with industrystandard practices. For information about the Dell
warranty for your system, see Appendix D, “Warranties
and Return Policy.”
ix
O
ther Documents You May Need
N
otational Conventions
Besides this Reference and Installation Guide, the
following documentation is inclu ded wit h you r syst em:
•
The Getting Started s heet provides step-by-step
instructions for setting up your computer system.
•
The Windows-based online System User’s Guide
contains important informat ion ab out y our comp uter
system. This document includes descriptions of
system features, instructions on installing and configuring drivers and utilities, information on the
System Setup program and ISA Configu rati on Utility, and instructions for attaching devices to the
connectors on your computer’s back panel.
•
The Frequently Asked Questions cards provide
detailed answers to questions that are often asked by
Dell computer users. Be sure to read these cards
before calling Dell for technical assistance.
•
The Diagnostics and Troubleshooting Guide
includes troubleshooting p rocedures and instructi ons
for using the Dell Diagnostics to test your computer
system.
You may also have one or more of the following
documents.
NOTE: Documentation updates are sometimes included
with your system to describe chan ges to your system or
software. Always read these updates
any other documentation because the updates often
contain the latest inf orma t ion.
•
Operating system documentation is included if you
ordered your operating system software from Dell.
This documentation describes ho w to install (if necessary), configure, and use your operating system
software.
•
Documentation is include d with any options you
purchase separately from your system. This documentation includes information that you need to
configure and install these options in your Dell computer. Installation instructions for the options are
included in this Reference and Installati on Guide.
•
Technical information files—sometimes called
“readme” files—may be installed on your hard-disk
drive to provide last-minute updates about technical
changes to your system or advanced technical
reference material intended for experienced users or
technicians.
before
consulting
The following subsections describe notational conventions used in this document.
Warnings, Cautions, and Notes
Throughout this guide, there may be blocks of text
printed in bold type within boxes or in italic type. These
blocks are warnings, cautions, and notes, and they are
used as follows:
WARNING: A WARNING indicates the potential
for bodily harm and tells you how to avoid the
problem.
CAUTION: A CAUTION indicates either potential
damage to hardware or loss of data and tells you
how to avoid the problem.
NOTE: A NOTE indicates importa nt information that
helps you make better use of your computer system.
Typographical Conventions
The following list defines (where appropriate) and illustrates typographical conventions used as visual cues for
specific elements of text throughout this document:
•
Keycaps, the labeling that appears on the keys on a
keyboard, are enclosed in angle brackets.
Example: <Enter>
•
Key combinations are series of keys to be pressed
simultaneously (unless otherwise indicated) to perform a single function.
Example: <Ctrl><Alt><Enter>
•
Commands presented in lowercase bold are for reference purposes only and are not intended to be typed
when referenced.
Example: “Use the format command to . . . .”
In contrast, commands presented in the Courier New
font are part of an instruction and intended to be
typed.
Example: “Type format a: to format the diskette
in drive A.”
x
•
Filenames and directory names are presented in
lowercase bold.
Examples: autoexec.bat and c:\windows
•
Syntax lines consist of a command and all its
possible parameters. Commands are displayed in
lowercase bold; variable parameters (those for which
you substitute a value) are displayed in lowercase
italics; constant parameters are displayed in lowercase bold. The brackets indicate items that are
optional.
Example: del [drive:] [path] filename [/p]
•
Command lines consist of a command and may
include one or more of the command’s possible
parameters. Command lines are presented in the
Courier New font.
Example: del c:\myfile.doc
•
Screen text is text that appears on the screen of your
monitor or display. It can be a system message, for
example, or it can be text that you are instructed to
type as part of a command (referred to as a command
line). Screen text is presented in the Courier New
font.
Example: The following message appears on your
screen:
No boot device available
Example: “Type md c:\programs and press
<Enter>.”
•
Variables are placeholders for which you substitu te a
value. They are presented in italics.
Example: DIMM_x (where x represents the DIMM
socket designation).
xi
xii
Contents
Chapter 1
Introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-1
System Features. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .1-1
Using the Power Switch . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-4
Security Cable Slot and Padlock Ring . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-4
Energy Star Compliance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-5
Important Note for Windows 95 Users. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-5
Intel PIIX4 INF Update Installer for Windows 95 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-6
Accessing Online Documentation. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-6
Getting Help . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-7
Chapter 2
Using the System Setup Program . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-1
Entering the System Setup Program . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-1
System Setup Screens . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-2
Using the System Setup Program . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-2
System Setup Categories. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-4
Time . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-4
Date . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-4
Diskette Drive A and Diskette Drive B . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .2-4
Drives: Primary and Secondary . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-4
EIDE Devices . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-5
If You Have a Problem. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .2-5
Reserved Memory . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-5
CPU Speed. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-6
Num Lock. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-6
Keyboard Errors. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-6
System Password . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-6
Password Status . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-6
Boot Sequence . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-6
xiii
Diskette First . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-7
Hard Disk Only . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-7
CD-ROM First . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-7
Device List. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-7
Setup Password . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-8
Auto Power On . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-8
Power Management. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-9
Saving Monitor Power. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-9
Saving EIDE Hard-Disk Drive Power. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-9
Wakeup on LAN . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-10
Sound. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-10
NIC . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-10
Mouse . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-10
Serial Port 1 and Serial Port 2. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-10
Parallel Port. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-10
Parallel Mode . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-10
IDE Hard Disk. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-10
Diskette . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-11
Speaker . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-11
System Data Categories . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-11
Using the System Password Feature. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-11
Assigning a System Password. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-12
Using Your System Password to Secure Your System. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-12
Deleting or Changing an Existing System Password . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-13
Using the Setup Password Feature. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-13
Assigning a Setup Password . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-14
Operating With a Setup Password Enabled. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-14
Deleting or Changing an Existing Setup Password. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-14
Disabling a Forgotten Password. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-14
Responding to Error Messages. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-15
Chapter 3
Using the ISA Configuration Utility . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-1
Quick Start . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-1
About the ICU . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-2
ICU Database . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-2
When to Run the ICU. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-2
Preparing to Use the ICU . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-3
Backing Up the ICU Diskette . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-3
xiv
Starting the ICU. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-3
Accessing Help. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-3
Making Selections in the ICU . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-3
Adding a Listed Card . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-4
Adding an Unlisted Card. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-6
Modifying a Card . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-7
Removing a Card. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-8
Viewing Resources . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-8
Saving the System Configuration . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-9
Exiting From the ICU . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-9
Locking and Unlocking Cards. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-9
Locking and Unlocking All Resources . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .3-9
Locking and Unlocking Configuration Resources. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .3-10
Chapter 4
Using Integrated Devices . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-1
Video Controller . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-1
Audio Controller . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-1
Network Interface Controller . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .4-1
Network Cable Requirements . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-2
Configuring the NIC . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-2
Windows NT 4.0 NIC. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-2
Windows NT 3. 5x NIC . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-3
Windows for Workgroups NIC. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-4
Windows 95 NIC . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-4
MS-DOS NIC . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-6
Chapter 5
Working Inside Your Computer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-1
Before You Begin . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .5-1
Safety First—For You and Your Computer. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-1
Unpacking Your Hardware Option . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-2
Removing the Computer Cover. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-2
Replacing the Computer Cover. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-2
Inside Your Computer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-3
Jumpers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .5-4
Switches . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-4
System Board and Riser Board Labels. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-7
xv
Removing and Replacing the Expansion-Card Cage . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-9
Removing the Expansion-Card Cage . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-9
Replacing the Expansion-Card Cage. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-9
Rotating the Power Supply Away From the System Board . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-9
Chapter 6
Installing System Board Options. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-1
Expansion Cards. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-2
Expansion Slots. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-2
Installing an Expansion Card . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-2
Removing an Expansion Card. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-4
Adding Memory. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-4
Performing a Memory Upgrade . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-5
Installing a DIMM . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-6
Removing a DIMM . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-6
Adding Video Memory. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-6
Upgrading the Microprocessor. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-7
Replacing the System Battery . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-9
Chapter 7
Installing Drives. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-1
Removing and Replacing the Front Bezel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-1
Removing and Replacing Front-Panel Inserts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-2
Connecting Drives . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-3
Installing a Drive in a 5.25-Inch Drive Bay . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-3
Installing an EIDE Hard-Disk Drive . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-6
EIDE Drive Addressing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-6
Installing an EIDE Hard-Disk Drive in the Hard-Disk Drive Bracket . . . . 7-7
Partitioning and Logically Formatting Your EIDE Hard-Disk Drive. . . . . . . . . 7-9
Installing SCSI Devices . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-9
SCSI Configuration Guidelines. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-10
SCSI ID Numbers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-10
SCSI Cable and SCSI Termination . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-10
General Procedure for Installing SCSI Devices . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-11
Partitioning and Formatting SCSI Hard-Disk Drives . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-12
xvi
Appendix A
Technical Specifications. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . A-1
Appendix B
ISA Configuration Utility Messages. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . B-1
ICU Error Messages . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .B-1
Configuration Manager Messages. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . B-5
Appendix C
Regulatory Notices . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . C-1
FCC Notices (U.S. Only) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .C-1
Class A. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .C-1
Class B . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .C-1
IC Notice (Canada Only). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .C-2
EN 55022 Compliance (Czech Republic Only) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .C-2
CE Notice . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .C-2
VCCI Notices (Japan Only) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .C-3
Class A ITE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .C-3
Class B ITE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .C-3
Korean Regulatory Notice. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .C-3
Class A Device. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .C-3
Class B Device. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .C-4
Polish Center for Testing and Certification Notice . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .C-4
8ZNBHBOJB 1PMTLJFHP $FOUSVN #BEBË J $FSUZGJLBDKJ
1P[PTUBF JOTUSVLDKF CF[QJFD[FËTUXB
NOM 024 Information (Mexico Only) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .C-5
Información para NOM 024 (únicamente para México). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .C-5
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .C-4
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .C-4
Appendix D
Warranties and Return Policy. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . D-1
Limited Three-Year Warranty (U.S. and Canada Only) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .D-1
Coverage During Year One . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .D-1
Coverage During Years Two and Three . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .D-1
General. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .D-2
“Total Satisfaction” Return Policy (U.S. and Canada Only) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .D-2
Index
xvii
Figures
Figure 1-1. Dell Inspector Program . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-4
Figure 1-2. Security Cable Slot and Padlock Ring. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-5
Figure 1-3. Energy Star Emblem . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-5
Figure 2-1. System Setup Screens . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-3
Figure 2-2. Sample Device List Screen . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-8
Figure 3-1. ICU Window . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-3
Figure 3-2. Add Network Card Dialog Box . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-4
Figure 3-3. Card Configuration Dialog Box. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-5
Figure 3-4. Configuration Settings Dialog Box for Assigning an IRQ Line . . . . 3-5
Figure 3-5. Available Settings List Box . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-5
Figure 3-6. Configuration Settings Dialog Box
for Assigning a DMA Channel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-5
Figure 3-7. Specify Interrupt Dialog Box. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-6
Figure 3-8. Specify Interrupt List Box . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-6
Figure 3-9. Specify I/O Port Dialog Box . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-7
Figure 3-10. System Resource Usage Dialog Box . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-9
Figure 3-11. Card Resource Usage Dialog Box . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-9
Figure 4-1. I/O Ports and Connectors. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-2
Figure 5-1. Padlock Installed . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-2
Figure 5-2. Removing the Computer Cover. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-2
Figure 5-3. Replacing the Computer Cover . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-3
Figure 5-4. Computer Orientation View. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-3
Figure 5-5. Inside the Chassis. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-5
Figure 5-6. System Board Jumpers. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-6
Figure 5-7. Removing the Expansion-Card Cage. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-9
Figure 5-8. Rotating the Power Supply . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-10
Figure 6-1. System Board Features . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-1
Figure 6-2. Expansion Cards . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-2
Figure 6-3. Riser-Board Expansion-Card Connectors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-2
Figure 6-4. Removing the Filler Bracket . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-3
Figure 6-5. Installing an Expansion Card . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-3
Figure 6-6. DIMMs and DIMM Sockets . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-4
Figure 6-7. Installing a DIMM . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-6
Figure 6-8. Removing a DIMM . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-6
Figure 6-9. Installing a Video-Memory Upgrade Module . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-7
Figure 6-10. Removing the Shroud and SEC Cartridge/Heat Sink Assem bly . . . . 6-8
Figure 6-11. System Battery and Battery Socket . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-10
Figure 7-1. Drive Locations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-1
xviii
Figure 7-2. Removing the Front Bezel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-2
Figure 7-3. Removing the Front-Panel Insert for a 5.25-Inch Bay . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-2
Figure 7-4. DC Power Cable Connector . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-3
Figure 7-5. Drive Interface Connectors. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .7-3
Figure 7-6. Removing a Drive. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-4
Figure 7-7. Attaching the Drive Bracket to the New Drive. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-4
Figure 7-8. Inserting the New Drive Into the Drive Bay. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .7-5
Figure 7-9. Attaching Diskette Drive or Tape Drive Cables. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-5
Figure 7-10. Removing the Hard-Disk Drive Bracket . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-7
Figure 7-11. Inserting a 1.6-Inch Hard-Disk Drive in the Bracket . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-8
Figure 7-12. Inserting the Drive Bracket in the Chassis . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-8
Figure 7-13. Attaching Hard-Disk Drive Cables. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .7-8
Figure 7-14. Internal SCSI Cable . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-10
Tables
Table 2-1. System-Setup Navigation Keys . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-2
Table 2-2. Power Time-Out Periods . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-9
Table 3-1. ICU Keys . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-4
Table 5-1. System-Board Jumper Settings. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-7
Table 5-2. System Board and Riser Board Connectors and Sockets . . . . . . . . . . 5-7
Table 6-1. Sample DIMM Configuration Options. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-5
Table A-1. Technical Specifications. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . A-1
Table B-1. Configuration Utility Messages . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .B-1
Table B-2. Configuration Manager Messages . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .B-5
xix
xx
Chapter 1
Introduction
ell® OptiPlex® GXa mini tower systems are high-
D
speed, expandable personal computers designed around
the Intel
a high-performance Peripheral Component Interconnect
(PCI) design that allows you to configure the computer
system to your initial requirements and then add Dellsupported upgrades as necessary. These systems also
support the Industry-S tandard Architecture (ISA) bus for
older expansion devices.
This chapter describes the major hardware and software
features of your system, provides information about
accessing the online documentation, and tells you where
to find help if you need it.
S
Your system offers the following features:
•
®
Pentium® II microprocessor . Each system uses
ystem Features
An Intel Pentium II microprocessor that runs at an
internal speed of 233, 266, or 300 megahertz (MHz)
and an external speed of 66 MHz.
The Intel Pentium II microprocessor includes
™
MMX
multimedia and communications software. This
microprocessor incorporates new instructions and
data types as well as a technique called Single
Instruction, Multiple Data (SIMD) that allows the
microprocessor to process multiple data elements in
parallel, thereby improving overall system
performance.
The Pentium II microprocessor has a 16-kilobyte
(KB) internal data cache and a 16-KB internal
instruction cache, an internal math coprocessor, and
other advanced internal logic.
technology designed to handle complex
•
A keyboard command (<Ctrl><Alt><\>) that lets
you switch between the microprocessor’s rated
speed and a slower compatibility speed.
NOTE: This keyboard command is not available
under the Microsoft
OS/2®operating systems.
•
A secondary cache of 512 KB of static randomaccess memory (SRAM) included within the singleedge contact (SEC) cartridge, which also contains
the microprocessor .
•
System memory that can be increased up to
384 megabytes (MB) by installing 16-, 32-, 64-, or
128-MB synchronous dynamic random-access
memory (SDRAM) dual in-line memory modules
(DIMMs) in the three DIMM sockets on the system
board. The system also supports both error checking
and correction (ECC) and non-parity DIMMs. See
“Adding Memory” in Chapter 6 for details.
•
Self-Monitoring Analysis Repo rti ng Technology
(SMART) support, which warns you at system startup if your hard-disk drive has become unreliable. To
take advantage of this technology, you must have a
SMART-compliant hard-disk drive in your computer. All hard-disk drives shipped with OptiPlex
GXa systems are SMART-compliant.
•
A basic input/output system (BIO S), which resides
in flash memory and can be upgraded by diskette if
required.
•
Full compliance with PCI specification 2.1.
•
Full Plug and Play version 1.0a capability, which
greatly simplifies the installation of expansion cards.
Plug and Play support included in the system BIOS
allows you to install Plug and Play exp a nsion cards
without setting jumpers or switches or performing
other configuration tasks. The ISA Configuration
®
Windows NT® and IBM
®
Introduction 1-1
Utility (ICU) allows you to configure exis ting nonPlug and Play ISA expansion cards for conflict-f ree
operation. Also, because the system BIOS is stored
in flash memory, it can be updated to support future
enhancements to the Plug and Play standard.
•
W akeup On L AN capability , which , when enabled in
the System Setup program, allows the system to be
powered up from a server management console.
W akeup On LAN capability also allows remote computer setup, software downloading and installation,
file updates, and asset tracking after hours and on
weekends when LAN traffic is at a minimum.
NOTE: An optional Wakeup On LAN-capable network card is required to use the Wakeup On LAN
feature.
•
Universal Serial Bus (USB) capability, which can
simplify connecting peripheral devices such as mice,
printers, and computer speakers. The USB connectors on your computer’s back panel, which are
enabled by default, provide a single connection
point for multiple USB-compliant devices. USBcompliant devices can also be connected and
disconnected while the system is running.
•
A modular computer chassis with a minimum number of screws for easy disassembly and improved
serviceability.
The system board includes the following built-in
features:
•
Three 32-bit PCI expansion slots, two shared PCI
(32-bit)/ISA (16-bi t ) ex pans i on sl ots , and two 16-bit
ISA expansion slots on a riser board.
•
A 64-bit accelerated graphics port (AGP) video subsystem, which includes the ATI 3D Rage Pro super
video graphics array (SVGA) video controller. This
video subsystem contains 2MB, expandable up to
4 MB, of synchronous graphics random-access
memory (SGRAM) video memory. Maximum resolutions are 1600 x 1200 pixels with 256 colors
noninterlaced and 1024 x 768 pixels with 65,5 36
colors noninterlaced. In 800- x 600- and 640- x 480pixel resolutions, 16.7 million colors are available
for true-color graphics.
AGP provides a dedicated bus from the video subsystem to the system chip set. AGP-based video
subsystems have two signif icant perf orman ce advantages over PCI-based video subsystems:
— The AGP bus reduces bandwidth requirements
of the PCI bus, improving overall system
performance.
— The AGP bus allows a 3D video subsystem to
execute directly from main memory.
•
A diskette/tape drive interface, which supports a
3.5-inch diskette drive and, optiona lly, a second diskette drive or ta pe drive.
•
Enhanced integrated drive electronics (EIDE) support. The primary and secondary interface are both
located on the PCI bus to provide faster data
throughput. Each interface supports high-capacity
EIDE drives, as well as devices such as ATA 33
hard-disk drives, EIDE CD-ROM drives, and EIDE
tape drives.
•
Two high-performance serial ports and one
bidirectional parallel port for connecting external
devices. The parallel port is fully Enhanced Capabilities Port (ECP)-compliant.
•
A Personal System/2 (PS/ 2)- style keyboard port and
a PS/2-compatible mouse port.
•
An optional, integrated, 10/100-megabit-per-second
(Mbps) 3Com
(MAC) Ethernet network interface controller (NIC).
The NIC is configured using software described in
Chapter 4, “Using Integrated Devices.”
•
A 16-bit, integrated Plug and Play Crystal CS4236B
audio controller that provides all the sound functions
of the Sound Blaster Pro expansion card. For information, see your online
The following software is included with your Dell computer system:
•
Utilities that safeguard your system and enhance the
operation of its hardware features, such as maximizing your monitor’s resolution capabili ties. For
information on these utilities, see your online
User’s Guide
•
Video drivers for displaying many popular application programs in high-resolution modes. For more
information on these utilities, see your online
User’s Guide
®
PCI 3C916B media access controller
System User’s Guide
.
.
.
System
System
1-2 Dell OptiPlex GXa Mini Tower Systems Reference and Installation Guide
•
Audio drivers for enabling the sound functions on
the expansion sound card. For more information on
these utilities, see your online System User’s Guide.
•
Bus mastering EIDE dri vers to im prove performance
by off-loading certain functions from the microprocessor during multithreaded operation (when several
application programs are running simultaneously).
For more information on these utilities, see your
online System User’s Guide.
•
The System Setup program for quickly viewing and
changing the system configuration information for
your system. For more information on this program,
see Chapter 2, “Using the System Setup Program.”
•
An Auto Power On utility that enables your system
to perform routine tasks automatically in your
absence. For more information on this utility, see
your online System User’ s Guide.
•
Enhanced security features (a setup password, a
system password, a system-password lock option ,
a write-protect option for diskette drives, and
automatic display of the system’s service tag number) available through the Sy stem Setup pr ogr am. In
addition, a customer-definable asset tag number can
be assigned via a software s upport ut ility and viewed
on the System Setup screens. For more information,
see your online System User’s Guide and Chapter 2,
“Using the System Setup Program.”
•
Advanced power management options that can
reduce the energy consumption of your system. For
more information, see Chapter 2, “Using the System
Setup Program.”
•
The ICU, which tells you how to configure ISA
expansion cards manually. After resources have been
assigned to these cards, the system BIOS can assign
resources to PCI and Plug and Play expansion cards
for a conflict-free configuration. For more information, see Chapter 3, “Using the ISA Configuration
Utility.”
•
Dell Diagnostics for evaluating the computer’s components and devices. For information on using the
diagnostics, see the chapter titled “Running the Dell
Diagnostics” in the
Guide
.
Diagnostics and T r oubles hooting
•
Network device drivers for several network operating systems. These drivers are described in
Chapter 4, “Using Integrated Devices.”
•
Desktop Management Interface (DMI) support,
which enables the management of your computer
system’s software and hardware. DMI defines the
software, interfaces, and data files that enable your
system to determine and report information about
system components.
If your system has a Dell-installed Microsoft
Windows
dows NT operating system, DMI is already installed
on your system’s hard-disk drive. To learn more
about DMI, double-click the DMI icon in the Windows Control Pa nel.
If you ordered Dell-installed software with your system, such as MS-DOS
other program s, Dell provides a m enu that allows
you to make program diskette sets of your Dellinstalled software. A
uninstalled version of a software package that you
can use to reinstall or reconfigure the software. You
can use this same menu to remove
files
in a program diskette set) to reclaim space on the
computer’s hard-d isk drive. F or more informati on on
making program diskette sets, see the online help
provided in the Dell Program Diskette Maker, which
is available in the Dell Accessories program group or
folder .
•
The Dell Inspector program, which is a DMI
browser that allows you to view your computer’s
current hardware configu ration and opera ting system
version (see Figure 1-1). The Dell Inspector provides
information you may need if you call Dell for technical assistance or if you install hardware or software
in your system. The Dell Inspector program is
located in the Dell Accessories program group or
folder.
The Dell Inspector program is available in client and
administrator versions. In addition to the client features described in the preceding paragraph, the Dell
®
, Windows for Workgroups™, or Win-
®
, Microsoft Windows, or
program diskette set
diskette image
(individual files that correspond to each diskette
is an
Introduction 1-3
Inspector administrator version enables system
administrators to view, manage, and inventory
remote systems in a Dell DMI client network.
Figure 1-1. Dell Inspector Program
U
sing the Power Switch
If the system does not turn off when the power switch is
pressed, the system may be hung. Press and hold the
power switch until the system turns off completely (this
may take several seconds). Alternatively, press the reset
button to turn the system off when it is hung.
1-4 Dell OptiPlex GXa Mini Tower Systems Reference and Installation Guide
S
ecurity Cable Slot and Padlock
Ring
On the back of the computer are a security cable slot and
padlock ring (see Figure 1-2) for attachi ng commercial l y
available antitheft devices. Security cables for personal
computers usually include a segment of galvanized cable
with an attached locking device and key. To prevent
unauthorized removal of your computer, loop the cable
around an immovable object, insert the locking device
into the security cable slot on the back of your computer,
and lock the device with the key provided. Complete
instructions for installing this kind of antitheft device are
usually included with the device.
NOTE: Antitheft devices are of differing designs. Before
purchasing such a device, make sur e it will work with the
cable slot on your computer.
TM
security cable slot
padlock ring
The padlock ring allows you to secure the computer
cover to the chassis to prevent unauthorized access to the
inside of the computer. To use the padlock ring, insert a
commercially available padlock through the ring and
then lock the padlock.
Figure 1-2. Security Cable Slot and Padlock
Ring
E
nergy Star Compliance
Certain configuration s of Dell com puter systems comply
with the requirements set forth by the Environmental
Protection Agency (EPA) for energy-ef ficient comput ers.
If the front panel of your computer bears the Energy Star
Emblem (see Figure 1-3), your original configuration
complied with these requirements and all Energy Star
power management features of the co mputer ar e enabled.
To disable or change the operation of these features, you
must change the setting for the Power Management category in the System Setup program. For instructions, see
Chapter 2, “Using the System Setup Program.”
NOTES: As an Energy Star Partner, Dell Computer Corporation has determined that this product meets the
Energy Star guidelines for energy efficiency.
Any Dell computer bearing the Energy Star Emblem is
certified to comply with EPA Energy Star requir ements as
configured when shipped by Dell. Any changes you
make to this configuration (such as installing additi onal
expansion cards or drives) may increase the system’s
power consumption beyond the limits set by the EPA’s
Energy Star Computers program.
Figure 1-3. Energy Star Emblem
The EPA’s Energy Star Computers program is a joint
effort between the EPA and computer manufacturers to
reduce air pollution by promoting energy-efficient computer products. The EPA estimates that use of Energy
Star computer products can save computer users up to
two billion dollars annually in electricity cos ts. In tu rn,
this reduction in electricity usage can reduce emissions of
carbon dioxide, the gas primarily responsible for the
greenhouse effect, and sulfur dioxide and nitrogen
oxides, which are the two primary causes of acid rain.
Computer users can also help to reduce electricity usage
and its side effects by turning off their computer systems
when they are not in use for extended periods of time—
particularly at night and on weekends.
I
mportant Note for Windows 95
Users
Your system was co nfigured by Dell to optimize the
Microsoft Windows 95 operating system features. To
ensure that all of these features are maintained on your
system, you must use the version of the Windows 95
operating system that Dell installed on yo ur hard-disk
drive.
Should you need to reinstall the Windows 95 operating
system on an OptiPlex GXa system for any reason, you
must be sure to reinstall the correct version. Dell recommends performing a periodic ta pe backup of t he system’s
entire hard-disk drive so that, if necessary, the operating
system, drivers, and other software can be reinstalled as
originally configured with a minimum of d owntime.
Introduction 1-5
If you are unable to reinstall your software from a tape
backup of the hard-disk drive, you can reinstall the Windows 95 operating system from the system’s W indows 95
backup media (CD or diskettes) that you received from
Dell or created from the Dell-installed software on your
system. However, if you reinstall the Windows 95 operat-
ing system in this manner , the bus-mastering functionality
of the Windows 95 EIDE driver, which was operative in
your original configuration, will be disabled. (Your sys-
tem will operate without the bus-mastering fun c tionality
with only a small degradation in performance. For information on the advantag es of u sing bu s-mast erin g drivers ,
see “Bus-Mastering EIDE Drivers” in the “Using Drivers
and Utilities” section of your onlin e System User’s
Guide.) You may also need to reinstall your system’s
video, audio, and NIC drivers from the diskettes created
from the Dell-installed software on your system.
NOTE: If you are a system administrator of corporate
networks and you must download the Windows 95 operating system from a server to client systems, make sure
that you have the Windows 95 backup media for the OptiPlex GXa system on your server before downloading.
I
ntel PIIX4 INF Update Installer for
Windows 95
NOTE: The following procedure applies only to versions
of the Microsoft Windows 95 operating system installed
by Dell.
If you must reinstall Windows 95 on your computer system, you also need to run the Intel PIIX4 INF Update
Installer for Windows 95 immediately after installing the
operating system. Doing so enables Windows 95 to
detect and configure PCI devices controlled by the integrated 82371AB component.
Before you can perform the update, yo u mu st make a dis kette copy of the update software from the d isk im age o n
the hard-disk drive. To make the diskette copy, use the
Program Diskette Maker, which is located in the Dell
Accessories folder on your system. Refer to the online
System User’s Guide for information about using the Program Diskette Maker.
The following procedure describes how to install the
update:
1. Insert the Windows 95 Intel Support Driver Ver.
A00 diskette into drive A.
2. Click the St art bu t ton and click Run.
3. Type a:\setup.exe and press Enter.
4. Click Next on the Welcome Screen.
The license agreement opens in the Notepad application program.
5. View the text file and close the Notepad application program when you are ready to proceed.
6. Click Yes to continue.
The next dialog box lists the information (.inf) files
on your system that will be revised by the update
software.
7. Click Next to continue.
8. Click OK to start the update.
9. When the update is complete, remove the diskette
from the diskette drive and click OK to restart
your system.
During start-up, the operating system detects new
hardware and the Update Device Driver Wizard
screen appears.
10. Click Next to continue.
The system finds the hardware device driver on the
hard-disk drive and installs it.
11. Click Finish to continue.
The system continues its start-up routine. When
Windows 95 finishes loading, a dialog box appears
and informs you that the system configuration settings have changed and asks if you want to restart
your system.
12. Click OK to restart the system.
A
ccessing Online
Documentation
The online System User’s Guide installed on your hard-
disk drive contains information on the follo wing topics:
How to use the online System User’s Guide
•
System features
•
1-6 Dell OptiPlex GXa Mini Tower Systems Reference and Installation Guide
•
Using drivers and utilities
•
Using the integrated audio controller
•
Using the System Setup program
•
Configuring expansion cards
•
Securing your computer
•
Connecting external devices
•
Maintaining the system
•
Contacting Dell
The guide also contains a glossary of commonly used
terms and abbreviations.
The System User’s Guide is located in the Dell Accesso-
ries program group or folder.
To print any of the topics from this guide, display the
topic you want on your screen and select Print Topic
from the File menu.
G
etting Help
Dell provides a number of tools to help you if you don’t
understand a procedure described in this guide or if your
system does not perform as expected. For inf orm ation on
these help tools, see the chapter titled “Getting Help” in
your Diagnostics and Troubleshooting Guide or the
“Contacting Dell” section in the online System User’s
Guide.
Introduction 1-7
1-8 Dell OptiPlex GXa Mini Tower Systems Reference and Installation Guide
Chapter 2
g
Using the System Setup Program
ach time you turn on your computer system or press
E
the reset button, the system compares the hardware
installed in the system to the hardware listed in the
system configuration information stored in nonvolatile
random-access memory (NVRAM) on the system board.
If the system detects a discrepancy, it generates error
messages that identify the incorrect configuration
settings. The system then prompts you to enter the
System Setup program to correct the setting.
You can use the System Setup program as follows:
•
To change the system configuration information
after you add, change, or remove any hardware in
your system
•
To set or change user-selectable options—for
example, the time or date on your system
You can view the current settings at any time. When you
change a setting, in many cases you must reboot the
system before the change takes effect.
After you set up your system, run the System Setup
program to familiarize yourself with your system
configuration information and optional settings. Dell
recommends that you print the System Setup screens (by
pressing the <Print Screen> key) or write down t he info rmation for future reference.
Before you use the System Setup program, you need to
know the kind of diskette drive(s) and hard-disk drive(s)
installed in your computer. If you are unsure of any of
this information, see the Manufacturing Test Report that
was shipped with your system. You can access the
Manufacturing Test Report from the Dell Accessories
folder or program group.
E
ntering the System Setup
Pro
Enter the System Setup program as follows:
1. Turn on your system.
2. Press <Ctrl><Alt><Enter> immediately after you
If you wait too long and your operating system begins to
load into memory, let the system complete the load
operation; then shut down the system and try again.
NOTE: To ensure an orderly system shutdown, consult
the documentation that accompanied your operating
system.
You can also enter the System Setup program by
responding to certain error messages. See “Respondin g to
Error Messages” at the end of this chapter.
ram
If your system is already on, shut it down and then
turn it on again.
see the following message:
Press <Ctrl><Alt><Enter> for System
Setup
Using the System Setup Program 2-1
S
ystem Setup Screens
U
sing the System Setup Program
The two System Setup screens, Page 1 and Page 2,
display the current setup and configu ration information
and optional settings for your system. (Typical examples
are illustrated in Figure 2-1.) Information on the two
System Setup screens is organized in five boxed areas:
•
Title box
The box at the top of both screens lists the system
name, page n umber (Page 1 or Page 2), and the
revision number of the basic input/output system
(BIOS).
•
Configuration options
T
he box on the left half of both screens lists the
categories that define the installed hardware in your
computer.
Fields beside the categories contain options or
values; those that appear bright on the screen can be
changed. Options or values that you cannot change
because they are determined by the system appear
less bright.
Some categories have multiple fields, which may
show options or values as bright or less bright
depending upon what options or values you entered
in other fields.
•
Help
T
he box on the upper-right half of both screens
displays help information for the cate gory with a
currently highlighted field.
•
System data
The box in the lower-right corner of both screens
displays information about your system.
•
Key functions
The line of boxes across the bottom of both screens
lists keys and their functions within the System
Setup program.
Table 2-1 lists the keys you use to view or change
information on the System Setup screens and to exit the
program.
Table 2-1. System-Setup Navigation Keys
Keys Action
or
or
or
or
Moves to the next field.
Moves to the previous field.
Cycles through the options in a
field. In many fields, you can
also type the appropriate value.
Scrolls through help
information.
Switches between Pages 1
and 2.
Exits the System Setup program
without rebooting the system
and returns the system to its previous state—the boot
routine.
For most of the categories, any
changes you make are recorded
but do not take effect until the
next time you boot the system.
For a few categories (as noted in
the help area) the changes take
effect immediately.
Exits the System Setup program and reboots the system,
implementing any changes you
have made.
2-2 Dell OptiPlex GXa Mini Tower Systems Reference and Installation Guide
configuration options
Page 1 of 2
Dell Computer Corporation (www.dell.com)
System OptiPlex GXa 233MTbr EM+ Setup
title box
BIOS Version:
help
XXX
Time: 13:17:02
Diskette Drive A:
Diskette Drive B:
Date: Mon Sept 1, 1997
3.5 inch, 1.44 MB
Not Installed
Drives:
Primary Type Cyls Hds Pre LZ Sec Size
Drive 0:Auto 1023 64 -1 1023 63 2111
Drive 1:None
Secondary
Drive 0:Auto CD-ROM Device
Drive 1:None
Reserved Memory:
CPU Speed:
Num Lock:
Tab,Shift-Tab change fields
Page 2 of 2
Keyboard Errors:
System Password:
Password Status:
Boot Sequence:
Setup Password:
Auto Power On:
Power Management:
Wakeup On LAN:
Integrated Devices
Sound:
NIC:
Serial Port 1:
Serial Port 2:
Parallel Port:
Parallel Mode:
IDE Hard Disk:
Tab,Shift-Tab change fields
Mouse:
Diskette:
Speaker:
None
233 MHz
On
,
change values Esc exit
key functions
Dell Computer Corporation (www.dell.com)
System OptiPlex GXa 233MTbr EM+ Setup
Report
Not Enabled
Unlocked
Diskette First
Not Enabled
Disabled 00:00
Disabled
On (Add-in NIC)
On
On
On
Auto
Auto
378h
AT
Auto
Auto
On
,
change values
This category sets the time in
24-hour format (hours:minutes:
seconds) for the internal clock/
calendar.
To change the value in a field,
enter a number or use the leftor right-arrow key.
Changes take effect immediately.
Pentium
Level 2 Cache:
System Memory:
Video Memory:
Asset Tag:
Alt-P next
®
II Processor 233 MHz
512 KB Integrated
16 MB SDRAM
2 MB SGRAM
Service Tag:
XXXXX
XXXXX
system data
BIOS Version:
Alt-B reboot
This category sets whether keyboardrelated error messages are reported
at system startup.
Pentium® II Processor 233 MHz
Level 2 Cache:
System Memory:
Video Memory:
Service Tag:
Asset Tag:
Alt-P next
512 KB Integrated
16 MB SDRAM
2 MB SGRAM
XXXXX
XXXXX
Esc exit
Alt-B reboot
XXX
Figure 2-1. System Setup Screens
Using the System Setup Program 2-3
S
ystem Setup Categories
The following subsections explain in detail each of the
categories on the System Setup screens.
Time
Time resets the time on the computer’s internal clock.
Time is kept in a 24-hour format (hours:minutes:sec-
onds). To change the time, press the right-arrow key to
increase the number in the highlighted field or press the
left-arrow key to decrease the number. If you prefer, you
can type numbers in each of the appropriate fields.
Date
Date resets the date on the computer’s internal calendar.
Your system automa tically displays the day of the week
corresponding to the settings in the three fields that
follow (month, day-of-month, and year).
To change the date, press the right-arrow key to increase
the number in the highlighted field or press the left-arrow
key to decrease the number. If you prefer, you can type
numbers in the month and day-of-month fields.
Diskette Drive A and Diskette Drive B
Diskette Drive A and Diskette Drive B identify the type
of diskette drives installed in your computer. With the
standard cabling configuration, Diskette Drive A (the
boot diskette drive) is the 3.5-inch diskette drive installed
in the top externally accessible drive bay; Diskette Drive
B is any drive installed in the bottom externally accessible drive bay that is connected to the system’s diskette/
tape drive interface.
The category options always match the physical locations
of the drives in your computer—the first drive listed on
Page 1 of the System Setup screens is the top drive in
your computer.
The options are:
•
5.25 Inch, 360 KB
•
5.25 Inch, 1.2 MB
•
3.5 Inch, 720 KB
•
3.5 Inch, 1.44 MB
•
Not Installed
NOTE: Tape drives are not reflected in the
Drive A and Diskette Drive B categories. For example, if
you have a single diskett e drive and a t ape drive attach ed
to the diskette/tape drive interface cable, set the Diskette
Drive A
diskette drive and set the Diskette Drive B category to
Not Installed.
category to match the characteristics of the
Diskette
Drives: Primary and Secondary
Primary identifies drives attached to the primary
enhanced integrated drive electronics (EIDE) interface
connector (labeled “IDE1”) on the system board;
Secondary identifies drives connected to the secondary
EIDE interface connector (labeled “IDE2”). It is recommended that you use the secondary EIDE interface
connector for EIDE CD-ROM and EIDE tape drives.
NOTES: For all devices from Dell that use the built-in
EIDE controller, set the appropriate
Auto.
You must have an EIDE device connected to the primary
EIDE interface if you have an EIDE device connected to
the secondary EIDE interface.
For both the Primary and Seco ndary d r i v e s ections, t h e
Drive 0 and Drive 1 categories identify the type of EIDE
devices installed in the computer. For each drive, seven
parameters can be chosen as a group by drive-type
number, entered individually from the keyboard or set
automatically. A drive-type number sp ecifies the
parameters of a hard-disk dr ive, based on a table r ecorded
in the system’s BIOS.
To choose a setting for these categories, type characters
from the keyboard or use the left- or right-arrow key to
cycle through the choices. The options are:
•
Auto (use this setting for all EIDE devices from
Dell)
•
None
•
USR1 or USR2
•
A specific drive-type number
NOTE: Operating system s that bypass the system BIOS
may not obtain optimum hard-disk drive performance.
Drive category to
2-4 Dell OptiPlex GXa Mini Tower Systems Reference and Installation Guide
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