Dell OPTIPLEX GX1 User Manual

Contents: Dell OptiPlex GX1 Small-Form-Factor System User's Guide

Dell™ OptiPlex™ GX1 Small-Form-Factor System User's Guide

Introduction
Setup and Operation
Using the System Setup Program
Installing Upgrades
Troubleshooting
Specifications

NOTE: You can obtain the latest version of this document from the Dell Web support site at http://

support.dell.com.

Model DCP

Notes, Notices, and Cautions

Throughout this guide, there may be blocks of text printed in bold type or in italic type. These blocks are notes, notices, and
cautions, and they are used as follows:

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

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 potentially hazardous situation which, if not avoided, may
result in minor or moderate injury.

Information in this document is subject to change without notice.
© 1999–2000 Dell Computer Corporation. All rights reserved.

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Contents: Dell OptiPlex GX1 Small-Form-Factor System User's Guide

Reproduction in any manner whatsoever without the written permission of Dell Computer Corporation is strictly forbidden.

Trademarks used in this text: Dell, OptiPlex, Dimension, Inspiron, Latitude, DellWare, Dell OpenManage, and the DELL logo
are trademarks of Dell Computer Corporation; Intel, Pentium, and LANDesk are registered trademarks and MMX is a trademark of Intel
Corporation; Microsoft, MS-DOS, Windows, Windows NT, and DirectX are registered trademarks and Windows for
Workgroups is a trademark of Microsoft Corporation; IBM and OS/2 are registered trademarks of International Business Machines
Corporation; 3Com is a registered trademark of 3Com Corporation; VESA is a registered trademark of Video Electronics Standards
Association. 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 entities claiming the marks and names or their
products. Dell Computer Corporation disclaims any proprietary interest in trademarks and trade names other than its own.

Initial release: 9 Jun 1999

Last revised: 17 Feb 2000

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Introduction: Dell OptiPlex GX1 Small-Form-Factor System User's Guide

Back to Contents Page

Introduction: Dell™ OptiPlex™ GX1 Small-Form-Factor System
User's Guide

Overview Manageability Features

System Features Security Features

Hardware Features ENERGY STAR® Compliance

Software Features

Overview

Dell OptiPlex GX1 small-form-factor systems are high-speed, expandable personal computers designed around the
Intel® Pentium® II or III microprocessor. Each computer system uses a high-performance Peripheral Component
Interconnect (PCI) design that allows you to configure the computer system to your initial requirements and then
add Dell-supported upgrades as necessary.

System Features

Your system offers the following features:

● An Intel Pentium II or Pentium III microprocessor.

The Intel Pentium II and Pentium III microprocessors include MMX™ technology designed to handle
complex 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.

● A keyboard command (<Ctrl><Alt><\>) that lets you switch between the microprocessor's rated speed and a

slower compatibility speed.

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NOTE: This keyboard command is not available under the Microsoft®
Windows NT® and IBM® OS/2® operating systems.

● A secondary cache of 512 KB of static random-access memory (SRAM) included within the single-edge

contact (SEC) cartridge, which also contains the microprocessor.

● System memory that can be increased up to 768 megabytes (MB) by installing 32-, 64-, 128-, or 256-MB

synchronous dynamic RAM (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 nonparity
DIMMs. See "System Memory" for details.

● Self-Monitoring and Analysis Reporting Technology II (SMART II) support, which warns you at system start-

up if your hard-disk drive has become unreliable. To take advantage of this technology, you must have a
SMART II-compliant hard-disk drive in your computer. All hard-disk drives shipped with OptiPlex GX1
systems are SMART II-compliant.

● A basic input/output system (BIOS), which resides in flash memory and can be upgraded by diskette or

remotely over a network, 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 expansion cards without
setting jumpers or switches or performing other configuration tasks. Also, because the system BIOS is
stored in flash memory, it can be updated to support future enhancements to the Plug and Play standard.

● Wakeup On LAN capability, which, when enabled in the System Setup program, allows the system to be

turned on from a server management console. Wakeup On LAN capability also allows remote computer
setup, software downloading and installation, file updates, and asset tracking after hours and on weekends
when network traffic is at a minimum.

● 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. USB-compliant 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.

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Hardware Features

The system board includes the following integrated features:

● Two 32-bit PCI expansion slots on a riser board (half-length PCI expansion cards only).

● 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 4 MB (upgradable to 8 MB) of
synchronous graphics RAM (SGRAM) video memory. Maximum resolutions are 1600 x 1200 with 65,536
colors noninterlaced and 1280 x 1024 and 1024 x 768 with true-colors noninterlaced. In 800 x 600 and 640
x 480 resolutions, 16.7 million colors are available for true-color graphics using a 32-bits per pixel (bpp)
format. True-color provides higher performance, but uses more graphics memory. Table 1 lists the video
memory requirements for the Microsoft Windows® 95 and Windows NT 4.0 operating systems.

Table 1. Video Memory Requirements

Video
Resolution

Maximum
Color
Depth

Maximum
Refresh
Rate

Maximum
SGRAM
Required

640 x 480 True-Color

(32 bpp)

85 hertz (Hz) 4 MB

800 x 600 True-color

(32 bpp)

85 Hz 4 MB

1024 x 768 True-color

(32 bpp)

85 Hz 4 MB

1280 x 1024 True-color

(32 bpp)

75 Hz 8 MB

1600 x 1200 65,536 colors

(16 bpp)

75 Hz 8 MB

2X AGP provides a dedicated bus from the video subsystem to the system chip set. AGP-based video
subsystems have two significant performance 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.

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● A diskette interface, which supports a 3.5-inch diskette 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 and EIDE CD-ROM 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® PCI 3C905B-TX Ethernet network

interface controller (NIC). The NIC is configured using software on the Dell ResourceCD.

● 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 more information, see the Dell ResourceCD.

Software Features

The following software is included with your Dell computer system:

● System utilities that safeguard your system and enhance the operation of its features. For more information,

see the Dell ResourceCD.

● Video drivers for displaying many popular applications in high-resolution modes. For more information, see

the Dell ResourceCD.

● Audio drivers for enabling the sound functions on the expansion sound card. For more information, see the

Dell ResourceCD.

● Bus-mastering EIDE drivers to improve performance by off-loading certain functions from the

microprocessor during multithreaded operation (when several application programs are running
simultaneously). For more information, see the Dell ResourceCD.

● The System Setup program for quickly viewing and changing the configuration information for your system.

For more information on this program, see "

System Setup Program."

● 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

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through the System Setup program. In addition, a customer-definable asset tag number can be assigned via
a software support utility and viewed on the System Setup screen. For more information, see "System

Setup Program."

● Advanced power management options that can reduce the energy consumption of your system. For more

information, see "System Setup Program."

● Dell Diagnostics for evaluating the computer's components and devices.

● Network device drivers for several network operating systems. For more information, see the Dell

ResourceCD.

● 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.

Manageability Features

Your system incorporates many hardware and software features to improve the manageability of the system.
Installed features include:

● Dell OpenManage™ program

● Fault management

● Configuration management

● Asset management

● Security management

● Preboot eXecution Environment (PXE)

● Wakeup On LAN

● Auto Power On

● Temperature monitoring

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Dell OpenManage Program

The Dell OpenManage program is the Dell software-management application interface for DMI. It allows you to
manage system-level information, such as system configuration information and management information format
(MIF) database values (see Figure 1).

Figure 1. Dell OpenManage Program

On systems running Windows 95, Windows 98, and Windows NT 4.0, the Dell OpenManage program is available in
client and administrator versions. The Dell OpenManage administrator version enables system administrators to
view, manage, and inventory remote systems in a Dell DMI client network and incorporates the following
manageability features, which are based on the DMI 2.0 specification.

Fault Management

Fault management features of Dell OpenManage include:

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● Alerts to warn you about events generated by SMART drives on a local or remote system and about thermal

errors

● An event log that stores events in a text file and reports information about the event under the following

options: System Name, Component Name, Date and Time, Event Type, Event
Severity, Event Class, Event System

Configuration Management

Configuration management features of Dell OpenManage include:

● Wakeup On LAN support, which allows network administrators to remotely turn on Managed PC systems

with Wakeup On LAN capability in a Dell DMI network.

● A System Properties window that enables network administrators to view, set, or disable certain

hardware configuration settings for the local and remote systems in a Dell DMI network.

● Support for the Microsoft System Management Server (SMS), which allows the exporting of one or more

groups to an SMS directory that the SMS administrator can access.

● A monitor component for systems running Windows 95 that have a display data channel (DDC)-compliant

video subsystem and monitor.

● Automated inventory control of one or more groups for the remote systems in a Dell DMI network. Network

administrators can automate inventory to occur every day, week, or month at a certain hour, on the hour; or
they can enable inventory as needed. Dell OpenManage creates a text file for the group(s) and saves it to a
user-defined directory.

● Support for the application program used to create user-definable attributes (UDAs).

Asset Management

Asset management features of Dell OpenManage include:

● Support that enables network administrators to remotely view, enter, and modify an asset tag for a remote

system in a Dell DMI network

● Automated and manual mapping of one or more groups to a user-defined directory

Security Management

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Security management features of Dell OpenManage include:

● Password security that enables network administrators to maintain standard attribute values for the local

and remote systems in a Dell DMI network

For more information about Dell OpenManage, refer to the online Dell OpenManage Help that accompanied
the software.

PXE

The Preboot eXecution Environment (PXE) allows a personal computer to be managed by one or more
configuration management servers running the Intel LANDesk® Configuration Manager (LCM) software, which
provides management services for the many Managed PC systems on the network. The LCM allows network
administrators to do the following:

● Provide preboot support for a new Managed PC system that depends on the server for its initial operating

system installation

● Service the network boot requests from the Managed PC systems

● Download diagnostics and BIOS update utilities

● Format the hard-disk drive, if required

● Download and install the operating system, based on previously established profiles

● Download and install application software

● Update the operating system and applications as required

For additional information about the Intel LCM, refer to the documentation that accompanied the software.

Wakeup On LAN

The Wakeup On LAN feature allows you to remotely turn on a Managed PC system that is in a sleep state. The
ability to turn on the Managed PC systems remotely allows you to perform remote computer setup, software
downloading and installation, file updates, and asset tracking after hours and on weekends when users are not
using the systems and network traffic is at a minimum.

To use the Wakeup On LAN feature, each Managed PC system must contain a NIC that supports Wakeup On LAN.
You must also enable the

Wakeup On LAN option in the System Setup program.

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Auto Power On

Auto Power On enables you to turn on the computer system automatically on certain days of the week at a preset
time. You can set Auto Power On to turn on the system either every day or every Monday through Friday.

NOTE: This feature does not work if the system is shut off using a power strip or surge
protector.

Temperature Monitoring

Your system includes temperature probes to sense when the processor becomes overheated. In such a case, a
message appears on the screen when Dell OpenManage is running or at the next system start-up notifying you of
the problem.

Security Features

Your system has the following integrated security features.

● Chassis intrusion

● Security cable slot and padlock ring

● Passwords

Chassis Intrusion

An integrated chassis intrusion alarm displays the status of the system chassis intrusion monitor. If the chassis has
been opened, the setting changes to Detected and the following message is displayed during the boot sequence
at system start-up:

Alert! Cover was previously removed.

The field can be cleared using the System Setup program to enable future intrusions to be detected. For more
information, see "

System Setup Program."

Security Cable Slot and Padlock Ring

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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.

On the back of the computer are a security cable slot and padlock ring (see

Figure 3 in "Setup and Operation") for

attaching commercially available antitheft devices. (The padlock ring is recessed inside the cover.) 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.

NOTES: Antitheft devices are of differing designs. Before purchasing such a device,
make sure it will work with the cable slot on your computer.

Installing a security cable with a locking device in the security cable slot also prevents
unauthorized access to the inside of the computer.

Passwords

The password feature enables you to set a user-defined password to restrict access to the system. Additional
protection is available through the System Setup program. When the Setup Password option is set to
Enabled, Password Status allows you to prevent the system password from being changed or disabled at
boot time. For more information, see "

System Setup Program."

ENERGY STAR® Compliance

Certain configurations of Dell computer systems comply with the requirements set forth by the Environmental
Protection Agency (EPA) for energy-efficient computers. If the front panel of your computer bears the ENERGY
STAR® Emblem (see Figure 2), your original configuration complied with these requirements and all ENERGY

STAR® power management features of the computer are enabled. To disable or change the operation of these
features, you must change the setting for the

Power Management option in the System Setup program.

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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® requirements as configured when shipped by Dell. Any
changes you make to this configuration (such as installing additional expansion cards
or drives) may increase the system's power consumption beyond the limits set by the
EPA's ENERGY STAR® Computers program.

Figure 2. 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 costs. In turn,
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.

Back to Contents Page

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Setup and Operation: Dell OptiPlex GX1 Small-Form-Factor System User's Guide

Back to Contents Page

Setup and Operation: Dell™ OptiPlex™ GX1 Small-Form-Factor
System User's Guide

Getting Started Security Cable Slot and Padlock Ring

Connecting Peripheral Devices Using the System Password Feature

Controls and Indicators Using the Setup Password Feature

Chassis Intrusion Disabling a Forgotten Password

Getting Started

If you need to set up your computer system yourself (rather than having it set up by a network administrator), see "Getting
Started" in the System Information Guide that accompanied your system for instructions on connecting cables and
turning on your system for the first time.

After you correctly connect all the cables to your system and turn it on, see the setup guide for your operating system to
complete its installation. When the operating system is installed, you can connect peripheral devices such as a printer or
install application programs not already installed by Dell.

Connecting Peripheral Devices

Figure 1 shows the connectors on the back of your computer for attaching external devices.

Figure 1. I/O Ports, Connectors, and Indicators

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1

Parallel port
connector

2

Mouse connector

3

USB connectors

4

Link integrity
indicator (see
"

Integrated NIC

Connector")

5

Activity indicator
(see "

Integrated

NIC Connector")

6

Audio connectors

7

Integrated NIC
connector

8

Video connector

9

Serial port 2
connector

10

Keyboard
connector

11

Serial port 1
connector

When you connect external devices to your computer's back panel, follow these guidelines:

● Check the documentation that accompanied the device for specific installation and configuration instructions.

For example, you must connect most devices to a particular input/output (I/O) port or connector to operate
properly. Also, external devices like a mouse or printer usually require you to load device drivers into
system memory before they will work.

● Always attach external devices while your computer is turned off. Then turn on the computer before

turning on any external devices, unless the documentation for the device specifies otherwise. (If the computer
does not seem to recognize the device, try turning on the device before turning on the computer.)

NOTICE: When you disconnect external devices from the back of the computer,

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wait 5 seconds after turning off the computer before you disconnect any devices
to avoid possible damage to the system board.

Parallel Port Connector

The integrated parallel port uses a 25-pin D-subminiature connector on the computer's back panel.

This I/O port sends data in parallel format (where eight data bits, or one byte, are sent simultaneously over eight separate
lines in a single cable). The parallel port is used primarily for printers.

The default designation of your computer's integrated parallel port is LPT1. Port designations are used, for example, in
software installation procedures to identify the port to which your printer is attached, thus telling your software where to
send its output. (An incorrect designation prevents the printer from printing or causes scrambled print.)

NOTE: The integrated parallel port is automatically disabled if the system detects an
installed expansion card containing a parallel port configured to the same address as
specified in the

Parallel Port option in the System Setup program.

Mouse Connector

Your system uses a Personal System/2 (PS/2)-compatible mouse. The mouse cable attaches to a 6-pin miniature
Deutsche Inductive Norm (DIN) connector on the back panel of your computer. Turn off the computer and any attached
peripherals before connecting a mouse to the computer.

A PS/2-compatible mouse works as does an industry-standard serial mouse or bus mouse except that it has its own
dedicated connector, which frees up the serial ports and does not require an expansion card. Mouse driver software gives
the mouse priority with the microprocessor by issuing interrupt request (IRQ) 12 whenever a new mouse movement is
made. The drivers also pass along the mouse data to the application that is in control.

USB Connectors

Your system contains two Universal Serial Bus (USB) connectors for attaching USB-compliant devices. USB-compliant
devices are typically peripherals such as keyboards, mice, printers, and computer speakers.

If you reconfigure your hardware, you may need pin number and signal information for the USB connectors. Click one of
the pins in the illustration for information on a particular signal.

Integrated NIC Connector

Your system has an integrated 10/100-megabit-per-second (Mbps) 3Com® Peripheral Component Interconnect (PCI)
3C905B-TX Ethernet network interface controller (NIC). The NIC provides all the functions of a separate network
expansion card and supports both the 10BASE-T and 100BASE-TX Ethernet standards.

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The NIC includes a Wakeup On LAN feature that enables the computer to be started by a special local area network
(LAN) signal from a server management console. Wakeup On LAN provides remote computer setup, software
downloading and installation, file updates, and asset tracking after hours and on weekends when LAN traffic is typically at
a minimum.

The NIC connector on the computer's back panel has the following indicators:

● A yellow activity indicator flashes when the system is transmitting or receiving network data. (A high volume of

network traffic may make this indicator appear to be in a steady "on" state.)

● A dual-colored link integrity indicator, which lights up green when there is a good connection between a 10-

Mbps network and the NIC, or it lights up orange when there is a good connection between a 100-Mbps network
and the NIC. When the green indicator is off, the computer is not detecting a physical connection to the network.

Audio Connectors

You can use the microphone jack to attach a standard personal computer microphone. Connect the audio cable from the
microphone to the microphone jack. The microphone input is a monaural source with maximum signal levels of 89
millivolts root-mean-squared (mVrms).

You can use the line-out jack to attach most computer speakers. The line-out jack is amplified, so speakers with
integrated amplifiers are not required. Connect the audio cable from the speakers to this jack.

You can use the line-in jack to attach record/playback devices such as cassette players, CD players, and VCRs. Connect
the line-out cable from any of these devices to the line-in jack on the back of your computer.

Video Connector

The system uses a 15-pin high-density D-subminiature connector on the back panel for attaching a video graphics array
(VGA)-compatible monitor to your system.

Serial Port Connectors

The serial ports use 9-pin D-subminiature connectors on the back panel. These ports support devices such as external
modems or plotters that require serial transmission (sending one bit of data at a time over one line).

The default designations for these integrated serial ports are COM1 for serial port 1 and COM2 for serial port 2. Port
designations are used in software installation procedures to identify the port used by a device—for example, specifying
the port used by a modem when installing communications software.

The system contains a reconfiguration feature to reassign the serial port's designation if you add an expansion card
containing a serial port using this designation.

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If you set the system’s integrated serial ports to Auto in the System Setup program and add an expansion card
containing a serial port configured to a specific designation, the computer automatically maps (assigns) the integrated

ports to the appropriate COM setting as necessary.

Before you add a card with a serial port, check the documentation that accompanied your software to make sure that the
software can be mapped to the new COM port designation.

Keyboard Connector

Your system uses a PS/2-style keyboard. The keyboard cable attaches to a 6-pin miniature DIN connector on the back
panel of your computer.

Network Cable Requirements

Your computer's NIC connector (an RJ45 connector located on the back panel) is designed for attaching an unshielded
twisted pair (UTP) Ethernet cable. Press one end of the UTP cable into the NIC connector until the cable snaps securely
into place.

Connect the other end of the cable to an RJ45 jack wall plate or to an RJ45 port on a UTP concentrator or hub,
depending on your network configuration.

Controls and Indicators

Figure 2 shows the controls and indicators on the front panel of your computer.

Figure 2. Controls and Indicators

1

Hard-disk drive access indicator

2

Power indicator

3

Power button

4

Diskette-drive access indicator

Hard-Disk Drive Access Indicator

The hard-disk drive access indicator lights up when a hard-disk drive is reading data from or writing data to the drive.

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Power Indicator

The power indicator in the center of the power button lights up when the computer is receiving power. Use the power
indicator to help you identify a system problem if the system does not boot when you press the power button to turn on
the computer.

CAUTION: Before you remove DIMMs, see "Safety First—For You and Your

Computer."

● A solid green power indicator and a beep code during power-on self-test (POST) indicate that a dual in-line

memory module (DIMM) may be faulty or is not properly seated.

Remove all DIMMs, install only one DIMM, and

then reboot. Repeat this procedure until you identify the faulty or improperly seated DIMM.

● A solid green power indicator and no beep code and no video during POST indicate that the monitor or the

integrated video controller may be faulty. See "

Troubleshooting the Monitor." If the monitor is operating properly

and is correctly connected, see "

Getting Help" for instructions on getting technical assistance from Dell.

● A solid green power indicator and no beep code with video during POST indicate that an integrated system board

device may be faulty. See "

Getting Help" for instructions on getting technical assistance from Dell.

Power Button

The power button controls the system's AC input power.

The Microsoft® Windows® 98 and Windows 98 Second Edition (SE) operating systems let you configure the function of
the power button through the Advanced Configuration and Power Interface (ACPI) feature (see Table 1).

NOTICE: To turn off your computer system, perform an orderly system shutdown using the
operating system menu when possible.

Table 1. Power Button Behavior Under Microsoft Windows 98 and Windows 98 SE Operating
Systems With ACPI

Action Results

System Turned On
and ACPI Enabled

System in Standby
Mode

System Turned Off

Press power button System goes into standby

mode or turns off
(depending on the
operating system setup)

System turns on Boots and system turns on

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Hold power button
for 6 seconds*

System turns off
immediately

System turns off
immediately

Boots and system turns on

* Pressing or holding the power button to shut down the system may result in data loss. Use the
power button to shut down the system only if the operating system is not responding.

Microsoft Windows 95 does not support ACPI. Table 2 shows power button functions for Windows 95 operating systems
and for Windows 98 operating systems that have the ACPI feature disabled.

Table 2. Power Button Behavior Under Microsoft Windows 95 and Windows 98 (With Dell
AutoShutdown Loaded)

Action Results

System Turned On System in Suspend

Mode

System Turned Off

Press power button System turns off System turns off Boots and system turns on
Hold power button for 6

seconds*

System turns off
immediately

System turns off
immediately

Boots and system turns on

* Pressing or holding the power button to shut down the system may result in data loss. Use the
power button to shut down the system only if the operating system is not responding.

Table 3 shows power button functions for Microsoft Windows NT® operating systems.

Table 3. Power Button Behavior Under Microsoft Windows NT (With Dell AutoShutdown
Loaded)

Action Results

System Turned On System Turned Off

Press power button System shuts down Boots and system turns on
Hold power button for 6 seconds* System turns off immediately Boots and system turns on

* Pressing or holding the power button to shut down the system may result in data loss. Use the
power button to shut down the system only if the operating system is not responding.

If the system does not turn off when you press the power button, the system may be hung. Press and hold the power
button until the system turns off completely (this process may take several seconds). Alternatively, press the reset button

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to reset the system and reboot. If the system is hung and both buttons fail to function properly, unplug the AC power
cable from the computer, wait for it to completely stop running, plug in the AC power cable, and if it the system does not
restart, press the power button to restart the system.

Diskette-Drive Access Indicator

The diskette-drive access indicator lights up when the drive is reading data from or writing data to a diskette. Wait until
the access indicator turns off before removing a diskette from the drive.

Chassis Intrusion

An integrated chassis intrusion alarm displays the status of the system chassis intrusion monitor. If the chassis has been
opened, the setting changes to Detected and the following message is displayed during the boot sequence at system
start-up:

Alert! Cover was previously removed.

Use the the

Chassis Intrusion options in the System Setup program to reset the alarm so that future intrusions are

detected.

Security Cable Slot and Padlock Ring

On the back of the computer are a security cable slot and padlock ring (see Figure 3) for attaching commercially available
antitheft devices. (The padlock ring is recessed inside the cover.) 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
sure it works with the cable slot on your computer.

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 3. Security Cable Slot and Padlock Ring

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1

Padlock ring

2

Security cable slot

Using the System Password Feature

NOTICE: The password features provide a basic level of security for the data on your
system. However, they are not foolproof. If your data requires more security, it is your
responsibility to obtain and use additional forms of protection, such as data encryption
programs.

Your Dell system is shipped to you without the system password feature enabled. If system security is a concern, operate
your system only with system password protection.

You can assign a system password, as described in "

Assigning a System Password," whenever you use the System

Setup program. After a system password is assigned, only those who know the password have full use of the system.

When the

System Password option is set to Enabled, the computer system prompts you for the system password

just after the system boots. See "

Using Your System Password to Secure Your System" for more information.

To change an existing system password, you must know the password (see "

Deleting or Changing an Existing System
Password"). If you assign and later forget a system password, you must remove the computer cover to change a jumper

setting that disables the system password feature (see "

Disabling a Forgotten Password"). Note that you erase the

setup password at the same time.

NOTICE: If you leave your system running and unattended without having a system
password assigned, or if you leave your computer unlocked so that someone can disable
the password by changing a jumper setting, anyone can access the data stored on your
hard-disk drive.

Assigning a System Password

Before you can assign a system password, you must enter the

System Setup program and check the System

Password option.

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When a system password is assigned, the setting shown in System Password is Enabled. When the system
password feature is disabled by a jumper setting on the system board, the setting shown is Disabled by Jumper.

You cannot change or enter a new system password if either of these options is displayed.

When no system password is assigned and the password jumper on the system board is in the Enabled position (its
default), the option shown for the

System Password option is Not Enabled. Only when System

Password is set to Not Enabled can you assign a system password, using the following procedure:

1. Verify that

Password Status is set to Unlocked.

2. Highlight

System Password, and then press the left- or right-arrow key.

The option heading changes to Enter Password, followed by an empty 32-character field in square brackets.

3. Type your new system password.

You can use up to 32 characters in your password.

As you press each character key (or the spacebar for a blank space), a placeholder appears in the field.
The password assignment operation recognizes keys by their location on the keyboard, without
distinguishing between lowercase and uppercase characters. For example, if you have an M in your
password, the system recognizes either M or m as correct.

Certain key combinations are not valid. If you enter one of these combinations, the speaker emits a beep.

To erase a character when entering your password, press the <Backspace> key or the left-arrow key.

NOTE: To escape from the field without assigning a system password, press
the <Tab> key or the <Shift><Tab> key combination to move to another field,
or press the <Esc> key at any time prior to completing step 5.

4. Press <Enter>.

If the new system password is less than 32 characters, the whole field fills with placeholders. Then the
option heading changes to Verify Password, followed by another empty 32-character field in square
brackets.

5. To confirm your password, type it a second time and press <Enter>.

The password setting changes to Enabled. Your system password is now set; you can exit the System
Setup program and begin using your system. Note, however, that password protection does not take

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effect until you reboot the system by pressing the reset button or by turning the system off and then on
again.

Using Your System Password to Secure Your System

Whenever you either turn on your system or press the reset button, or when you reboot the system by pressing the
<Ctrl><Alt><Del> key combination, the following prompt appears on the screen when

Password Status is set to

Unlocked:

Type in the password and

- press <ENTER> to leave password security enabled.

- press <CTRL><ENTER> to disable password security.
Enter password:

If

Password Status is set to Locked, the following prompt appears:

Type the password and press <Enter>.

After you type the correct system password and press <Enter>, your system boots and you can use the keyboard and/or
mouse to operate your system as usual.

NOTE: If you have assigned a setup password (see "Using the Setup Password Feature"),
the system accepts your setup password as an alternate system password.

If you enter a wrong or incomplete system password, the following message appears on the screen:

** Incorrect password. **

Enter password:

If you again enter an incorrect or incomplete system password, the same message appears on the screen.

The third and subsequent times you enter an incorrect or incomplete system password, the system displays the following
message:

** Incorrect password. **
Number of unsuccessful password attempts: 3
System halted! Must power down.

The number of unsuccessful attempts made to enter the correct system password can alert you to an unauthorized
person attempting to use your system.

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Even after your system is turned off and on, the previous message is displayed each time an incorrect or incomplete
system password is entered.

NOTE: You can use Password Status in conjunction with System Password and Setup

Password to further protect your system from unauthorized changes.

Deleting or Changing an Existing System Password

To delete or change an existing system password, perform the following steps:

1. Enter the

System Setup program, and verify that Password Status is set to Unlocked.

2. Reboot your system to force it to prompt you for a system password.

3. When prompted, type the system password.

4. Press <Ctrl><Enter> to disable the existing system password, instead of pressing <Enter> to continue with the

normal operation of your system.

5. Confirm that Not Enabled is displayed for the

System Password option of the System Setup program.

If Not Enabled appears in the System Password option, the system password has been deleted.
If you want to assign a new password, continue to step 6. If Not Enabled is not displayed for the
System Password option, press <Alt><B> to reboot the system, and then repeat steps 3 through 5.

6. To assign a new password, follow the procedure in "

Assigning a System Password."

Using the Setup Password Feature

Your Dell system is shipped to you without the setup password feature enabled. If system security is a concern, you
should operate your system with setup password protection.

You can assign a setup password, as described in "

Assigning a Setup Password," whenever you use the System Setup

program. After you assign a setup password, only those who know the password have full use of the System Setup
program. See "

Operating Your System With A Setup Password Enabled" for more information.

To change an existing setup password, you must know the setup password (see "

Deleting or Changing an Existing Setup
Password"). If you assign and later forget a setup password, you need to remove the computer cover to change a jumper

setting that disables the setup password feature (see "

Disabling a Forgotten Password"). Note that you erase the system

password at the same time.

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Assigning a Setup Password

You can assign a setup password only if

Setup Password is set to Not Enabled. To assign a setup password,

highlight Setup Password and press the left- or right-arrow key. The system prompts you to enter and verify the
password. If a character is illegal for password use, the system emits a beep.

NOTES: The setup password can be the same as the system password.

If the two passwords are different, the setup password can be used as an alternate system
password. However, the system password cannot be used in place of the setup password.

After you verify the password, the Setup Password setting changes to Enabled. The next time you enter the

System Setup program, the system prompts you for the setup password.

A change to Setup Password becomes effective immediately (rebooting the system is not required).

Operating Your System With a Setup Password Enabled

If

Setup Password is set to Enabled, you must enter the correct setup password before you can modify the

majority of the System Setup options.

When you start the

System Setup program, the System Setup screen appears with Setup Password highlighted,

prompting you to type the password.

If you do not enter the correct password in three tries, the system lets you view, but not modify, the System Setup
screen—with the following exceptions:

● You can still modify the Date, Time, CPU Speed, Num Lock, and Speaker options.

● If System Password is not enabled and is not locked via the Password Status option, you can assign a

system password (however, you cannot disable or change an existing system password).

NOTE: You can use Password Status in conjunction with Setup Password to protect the
system password from unauthorized changes.

Deleting or Changing an Existing Setup Password

To delete or change an existing setup password, perform the following steps:

1. Enter the

System Setup program.

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2. Highlight

Setup Password and press the left- or right-arrow key to delete the existing setup password.

The setting changes to Not Enabled.

3. If you want to assign a new setup password, perform the steps in "

Assigning a Setup Password."

Disabling a Forgotten Password

If you forget your system or setup password, you cannot operate your system or change settings in the System Setup

program until you remove the computer cover, change the password jumper setting to disable the passwords, and erase

the existing passwords.

To disable a forgotten password, perform the following steps.

CAUTION: Before you remove the computer cover, see "Safety First—For You and

Your Computer."

1. Remove the computer cover according to the instructions in "

Removing and Replacing the Computer Cover."

2. Remove the jumper plug from the PSWD jumper to disable the password feature.

Refer to "

System Board Jumpers" for jumper information and to Figure 4 in "Inside Your Computer" for the

location of the password jumper (labeled "PSWD") on the system board.

3. Replace the computer cover.

4. Reconnect your computer and peripherals to an electrical outlet, and then turn them on.

Booting your system with the PSWD jumper plug removed erases the existing password(s).

5. Enter the System Setup program, and verify that the password is disabled. Proceed to step 6 if you want to
assign a new password.

NOTE: Before you assign a new system and/or setup password, you must
replace the PSWD jumper plug.

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CAUTION: Before you remove the computer cover, see "Safety First—For You and

Your Computer."

6. Remove the computer cover according to the instructions in "

Removing and Replacing the Computer Cover."

7. Replace the PSWD jumper plug.

8. Replace the computer cover, and then reconnect the computer and peripherals to an electrical outlet and turn

them on.

Booting your system with the PSWD jumper installed reenables the password feature. When you enter
the

System Setup program, both password options appear as Not Enabled, meaning that the

password feature is enabled but that no password has been assigned.

9. Assign a new system and/or setup password.

To assign a new system password, see "

Assigning a System Password." To assign a new setup

password, see "

Assigning a Setup Password."

Back to Contents Page

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Back to Contents Page

Using the System Setup Program: Dell™ OptiPlex™ GX1 Small-Form­Factor System User's Guide

Overview System Setup Navigation Keys

Entering the System Setup Program System Setup Options

System Setup Screens

Overview

Each time you turn on your computer system or press 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 the information 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 and is located in the Dell Accessories folder.

Entering the System Setup Program

To enter the System Setup program, perform the following steps:

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1. Turn on your system.

If your system is already on, shut it down and then turn it on again.

2. Press <F2> immediately when the F2 = Setup prompt appears in the upper-right corner of the Dell logo screen.

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 "

Responding to Error Messages."

System Setup Screens

The two System Setup screens, Page 1 and Page 2, display the current setup and configuration information and optional
settings for your system. (Typical examples are illustrated in Figure 1.)

Figure 1. Typical Examples of System Setup Screens (Page 1 and Page 2)

1

Configuration
options

2

Title box

3

Help

4

Key
functions

5

System data

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Information on the two System Setup screens is organized in five boxed areas:

● Configuration options

The box on the left half of both screens lists the options that define the installed hardware in your computer.

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Fields beside the options contain settings; those that appear bright on the screen can be changed. Settings that
you cannot change because they are determined by the system appear less bright.

Some options have multiple fields, which may show settings as bright or less bright depending on what options
or values you entered in other fields.

● Title box

The box at the top of both screens lists the system name, page number (Page 1 or Page 2), and the revision
number of the basic input/output system (BIOS).

● Help

The box on the upper-right half of both screens displays help information for the option with a currently
highlighted field.

● Key functions

The line of boxes across the bottom of both screens lists keys and their functions within the System Setup
program.

● System data

The box in the lower-right corner of both screens displays information about your system.

System Setup Navigation Keys

Table 1 lists the keys you use to view or change information on the System Setup screens and to exit the program.

Table 1. System-Setup Navigation Keys

Keys Action

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.

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Scrolls through help information.

Switches between Page 1 and Page 2.

Exits the System Setup program without rebooting the system and returns the
system to its previous state—the boot routine.

*

Exits the System Setup program and reboots the system, implementing any
changes you have made.

Resets the selected option to its default.

Enters the Device List screen when the Boot Devices menu option is set
to Device List. See

Table 2 in "System Setup Options" for more information

on the keys you use in the Device List screen.

*

For most of the options, any changes you make are recorded but do not take effect until the next time
you boot the system. For a few options (as noted in the help area), the changes take effect
immediately.

System Setup Options

See System Setup Options for information.

Back to Contents Page

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Back to Contents Page

Installing Upgrades: Dell™ OptiPlex™ GX1 Small-Form-Factor
System User's Guide

Inside Your Computer Microprocessor

Expansion Cards Battery

System Memory CD-ROM Drives

Video Memory Hard-Disk Drives

Back to Contents Page

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Troubleshooting: Dell OptiPlex GX1 Small-Form-Factor System User's Guide

Back to Contents Page

Troubleshooting: Dell™ OptiPlex™ GX1 Small-Form-Factor
System User's Guide

Basic Checks External Components
Messages and Codes Internal Components
Software Checks Getting Help
Dell Diagnostics

Back to Contents Page

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Specifications: Dell OptiPlex GX1 Small-Form-Factor System User's Guide

Back to Contents Page

Specifications: Dell™ OptiPlex™ GX1 Small-Form-Factor
System User's Guide

Processor Ports

Memory Key Combinations

System Information Controls and Indicators

Video Power

Audio Physical

Expansion Bus Environmental

Drives

Processor

Microprocessor type Intel® Pentium® II or Pentium III

microprocessor

Internal cache 32 kilobyte (KB) (16-KB data cache, 16-

KB instruction cache)

L2 cache memory 512-KB pipeline burst, 4-way set-

associative, write-back static random­access memory (SRAM)

Math coprocessor Internal to the microprocessor

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Memory

Architecture 64-bit (non-error checking and correction

[ECC]) or 72-bit (ECC), noninterleaved,

"PC100" 100 megahertz (MHz)
Dual inline memory module (DIMM) sockets Three (gold contacts)
DIMM capacities 32-, 64-, 128-, and 256-megabyte (MB)

synchronous dynamic random-access

memory (SDRAM)
System RAM 32–768 MB
Basic input/output system (BIOS) address F0000h

System Information

System chip set Intel 440BX PIIX4e
Data bus width 64 bits
Address bus width 32 bits
Direct memory access (DMA) channels Eight
Interrupts 15
System BIOS 2-megabit (Mb) flash chip
System clock 66 or 100 MHz (matches external bus

speed)

Video

Video type Integrated ATI Rage Pro (AGP 2X)

graphics

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Video memory 4 MB standard (upgradable to 8 MB)

synchronous graphics RAM (SGRAM)
Video resolutions 640 x 480; true-color (32 bits per pixel

[bpp]); 85 hertz (Hz); 4 MB SGRAM

800 x 600; true-color (32 bpp); 85 Hz; 4

MB SGRAM

1024 x 768; true-color (32 bpp); 85 Hz;

4 MB SGRAM

1280 x 1024; true-color (32 bpp); 85 Hz;

8 MB SGRAM

1600 x 1200; 65,535 colors (16 bpp); 75

Hz;

8 MB SGRAM

Audio

Model Crystal Semiconductor
Chip set CS4236

Expansion Bus

Bus types Peripheral Component Interconnect (PCI)
Bus speed 33 MHz
Expansion-card connectors: Two PCI expansion slots (half-length PCI

expansion cards only)

PCI expansion-card connector size 120 pins

PCI expansion-card connector data width (maximum) 32 bits

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Drives

Externally accessible bays One 3.5-inch bay for a 3.5-inch diskette

drive; one 5.25-inch bay for a removable

media device (slim-height devices only)
Internally accessible bays One bay for a 1-inch-high enhanced

integrated drive electronics (EIDE) hard-

disk drive

Ports

Externally accessible:

Serial (data terminal equipment [DTE]) Two 9-pin connectors; 16550-compatible

Parallel 25-hole connector (bidirectional)

Video 15-hole connector

Network interface controller (NIC) RJ45 connector

Personal System/2 (PS/2)-style keyboard 6-pin mini-Deutsche Industrie Norm (DIN)

PS/2-compatible mouse 6-pin mini-DIN

Universal Serial Bus (USB) Two USB-compliant connectors

Audio line-in Miniature audio jack

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Audio line-out
(amplified source)

Miniature audio jack

Microphone Miniature audio jack

Internally accessible:

Primary EIDE hard-disk drive 40-pin connector on PCI local bus

Secondary EIDE hard-disk drive 40-pin connector on PCI local bus

Diskette drive 34-pin connector

ATI multimedia 40-pin connector

Advanced Technology Attachment Packet Interface
(ATAPI)

4-pin connector

Key Combinations

<Ctrl><Alt><Del> Restarts (reboots) the system
<Ctrl><Alt><\> Toggles microprocessor speeds on 101-

key keyboard (in MS-DOS® real mode

only)
<Ctrl><Alt><#> Toggles microprocessor speeds on 102-

key keyboard (in MS-DOS real mode only)
<F2> or <Ctrl><Alt><Enter> Starts the System Setup program (during

power-on system test [POST] only)

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<F3> or <F12> Automatically starts (boots) the system

from the network environment specified by

the Managed Boot Agent (MBA) rather

than from one of the devices in the

System Setup Boot Sequence option

<F10> Launches the utility partition (if installed)

during system start-up

Controls and Indicators

Reset control No reset button on small-form-factor

systems
Power control Push button
Power indicators Green light-emitting diode (LED) on riser

board; blinking green in sleep state; dual-

color LED on front panel—green for

power, yellow for diagnostics
Hard-disk drive access indicator Green LED
Link integrity indicator (on NIC connector) Green LED for 10-Mb operation; orange

LED for 100-Mb operation
Activity indicator (on NIC connector) Yellow LED

Power

DC power supply:

Wattage Small-form-factor chassis: 110

Heat dissipation Small-form-factor chassis: 808 British

thermal units (BTU)/hr (nominal)

Voltage 90 to 135 volts (V) at 60 Hz; 180 to 265 V

at 50 Hz

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Backup battery 3-V CR2032 coin cell

Physical

Height 9.1 cm (3.6 inches)
Width 31.8 cm (12.5 inches)
Depth 37.8 cm (14.9 inches)
Weight 6.6 kilograms (kg) (14.5 pounds [lb])

Environmental

Temperature:

Operating 10° to 35°Celsius (C) (50° to 95°

Fahrenheit [F])

Storage –40° to 65°C (–40° to 149°F)

Relative humidity 20% to 80% (noncondensing)
Maximum vibration:

Operating 0.25 gravities (G) at 3 to 200 Hz at 1

octave/min

Storage 0.5 G at 3 to 200 Hz at 1 octave/min

Maximum shock:

Operating Bottom half-sine pulse with a change in

velocity of 20 inches/sec (50.8 cm/sec)

Storage 27-G faired square wave with a velocity

change of 200 inches/sec (508 cm/sec)
Altitude:

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Specifications: Dell OptiPlex GX1 Small-Form-Factor System User's Guide

Operating –16 to 3048 meters (m)* (–50 to 10,000

feet [ft])

Storage –16 to 10,600 m (–50 to 35,000 ft)

* The maximum operating temperature of 35°C (95°F) is for altitudes below 914.6 m (3000 ft). Above 914.6 m the
maximum operating temperature is reduced.

Back to Contents Page

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System Memory: Dell OptiPlex GX1 Small-Form-Factor System User's Guide

Back to Contents Page

System Memory: Dell™ OptiPlex™ GX1 Small-Form-Factor
System User's Guide

Overview Removing DIMMs

Installing DIMMs

Overview

You can increase system memory up to 768 megabytes (MB) by using synchronous dynamic random-access
memory (SDRAM) dual in-line memory modules (DIMMs). Figure 3 in "Inside Your Computer" shows the location of

the DIMM sockets on the system board.

When you add system memory, you may install DIMMs in any socket. For optimum operation, Dell recommends
that you install a DIMM in socket A first (closest to the processor) before installing a DIMM in another socket.

Installing DIMMs

To upgrade memory, perform the following steps.

CAUTION: To avoid the possibility of electric shock, turn off the computer and
any peripherals, disconnect them from electrical outlets, and then wait at least 5
seconds before you remove the computer cover. Also, before removing the
computer cover, see the other precautions in "Safety First—For You and Your

Computer."

1.

Remove the computer cover.

2. If necessary, remove any DIMMs that occupy sockets in which you plan to install the upgrade DIMMs.

3. Install the upgrade DIMMs.

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a. Locate the plastic securing clips at each end of the socket (see Figure 1).

b. Press the clips outward until they snap open.

c. Align the two slots on the bottom of the DIMM with the two ridges inside the socket.

NOTE: Make sure to insert the bottom of the DIMM into the socket.
The bottom of the DIMM has two slots.

d. Press the DIMM straight into the slot running down the center of the socket until the

securing clips snap into place around the ends of the DIMM.

NOTE: Press the top center of the DIMM, and then press the top
corners of the DIMM. This action firmly seats the DIMM in the
socket, which allows the securing clips to snap into place around
the end of the DIMM.

Figure 1. Installing a DIMM

1

Securing clips (2)

2

Slots (2)

4.

Replace the computer cover, and reconnect your computer and peripherals to their electrical outlets and

turn them on.

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NOTE: If Enabled, the Chassis Intrusion option will cause the following message
to be displayed at the next system start-up:

ALERT! Cover was previously removed.

The system detects that the new memory does not match the existing system configuration information and
generates the following message:

The amount of system memory has changed.
Strike the F1 key to continue, F2 to run the setup utility

5. Press <F2> to enter the

System Setup program, and check the value for System Memory.

The system should have already changed the value of System Memory to reflect the newly installed
memory modules. Verify the new total. If it is correct, skip to step 7.

6. If the memory total is incorrect, turn off and disconnect your computer and peripherals from their electrical
outlets. Remove the computer cover, and check the installed DIMMs to make sure that they are seated
properly in their sockets. Then repeat steps 4 and 5.

7. When the System Memory total is correct, press <Esc> to exit the System Setup program.

8. Run the

Dell Diagnostics to verify that the DIMMs are operating properly.

Removing DIMMs

To remove a DIMM, press the securing clips outward simultaneously until the DIMM disengages from the socket
(see Figure 2). It should pop out slightly.

Figure 2. Removing a DIMM

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1

Securing clips (2)

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Dell Diagnostics: Dell OptiPlex GX1 Small-Form-Factor System User's Guide

Back to Contents Page

Dell™ Diagnostics: Dell OptiPlex™ GX1 Small-Form-Factor System User's Guide

Overview Confirming the System Configuration Information

Features of the Dell Diagnostics How to Use the Menu

When to Use the Dell Diagnostics Main Menu Categories

Before You Start Testing Tests in the Dell Diagnostics

Starting the Dell Diagnostics Error Messages

How to Use the Dell Diagnostics

Overview

Unlike many diagnostic programs, the Dell Diagnostics helps you check your computer's hardware without any additional equipment and without destroying any data. By using the diagnostics, you
can have confidence in your computer system's operation. And if you find a problem you cannot solve by yourself, the diagnostic tests can provide you with important information you will need when
talking to Dell's service and support personnel.

NOTICE: Use the Dell Diagnostics to test only your Dell computer system. Using this program with other computers may cause incorrect computer
responses or result in error messages.

Features of the Dell Diagnostics

The Dell Diagnostics provides a series of menus and options from which you choose particular test groups or subtests. You can also control the sequence in which the tests are run. The diagnostic
test groups or subtests also have these helpful features:

● Options that let you run tests individually or collectively

● An option that allows you to choose the number of times a test group or subtest is repeated

● The ability to display or print out test results, or to save them in a file

● Options to temporarily suspend testing if an error is detected, or to terminate testing when an adjustable error limit is reached

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Dell Diagnostics: Dell OptiPlex GX1 Small-Form-Factor System User's Guide

● A menu category called Devices that briefly describes each test and its parameters

● A menu category called Config that describes the configuration of the devices in the selected device group

● Status messages that inform you whether test groups or subtests were completed successfully

● Error messages that appear if any problems are detected

When to Use the Dell Diagnostics

Whenever a major component or device in your computer system does not function properly, you may have a component failure. As long as the microprocessor and the input and output
components of your computer system (the monitor, keyboard, and diskette drive) are working, you can use the Dell Diagnostics. If you are experienced with computers and know what component(s)
you need to test, simply select the appropriate diagnostic test group(s) or subtest(s). If you are unsure about how to begin diagnosing a problem, read the rest of this section.

Before You Start Testing

Turn on your printer if one is attached, and make sure it is online. Also, you must create a copy of the Dell Diagnostics on diskette.

1. Enter the

System Setup program by restarting the computer and pressing <F2> when prompted.

2. Confirm that all ports are enabled, and make sure that the

Boot Sequence option is set to CD-ROM First.

3. Place the Dell ResourceCD in the CD-ROM drive, and press <Alt><b> to restart the system.

4. At the prompt, select the option to run the Dell Diagnostics.

5. Insert a blank diskette in drive A.

NOTE: Make sure that there is no data on the diskette that you want to keep. The diskette creation process will destroy any data on the diskette.

6. At the prompt, select the option for the 16-bit Dell Diagnostics, and type y to continue.
The Dell Diagnostics diskette is created from the Dell ResourceCD.

7. Restart the computer, enter the

System Setup program, change the Boot Sequence option to Diskette First, and press <Alt><b> to reboot the system.

Your computer boots from the Dell Diagnostics diskette in drive A, and the Dell Diagnostics automatically loads.

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NOTE: At your first opportunity, make a working copy of the Dell Diagnostics diskette. Refer to your operating system’s documentation for information on
how to duplicate diskettes. Label both diskettes as "Dell Diagnostics diskette," and put the original diskette away for safekeeping.

Starting the Dell Diagnostics

Perform the following steps to start the diagnostics:

1. Turn on the system.

2. Enter the

System Setup program by restarting the computer and pressing <F2> when prompted.

3. Confirm that all ports are enabled. Also, make sure that the

Boot Sequence option is set to Diskette First.

4. Place your Dell Diagnostics diskette in the diskette drive, and press <Alt><b> to restart the system.

5. At the MS-DOS® prompt, type delldiag and press <Enter>.

NOTE: Before you read the rest of this section, you may want to start the Dell Diagnostics so that you can see it on the screen of your monitor.

When you start the diagnostics, the Dell logo screen appears, followed by a message telling you that the diagnostics is loading.

After the diagnostics loads, the Diagnostics Menu appears (see

Figure 1). The menu allows you to run all or specific diagnostic tests or to exit to the MS-DOS prompt.

For a quick check of your system, select the Run Quick Tests option. This option runs only the subtests that do not require user interaction and that do not take a long time to run. Dell
recommends that you choose this option first to increase the odds of tracing the source of the problem quickly. For a thorough check of your system, select the Run All Tests option. To check a
particular area of your system, select the Run Specific Tests option.

To select an option from this menu, highlight the option and press <Enter>, or press the key that corresponds to the highlighted letter in the option you choose.

Figure 1. Diagnostics Menu

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Dell Diagnostics: Dell OptiPlex GX1 Small-Form-Factor System User's Guide

How to Use the Dell Diagnostics

When you select Run Specific Tests from the Diagnostics Menu, the main screen of the diagnostics appears (see Figure 2). The main screen lists the diagnostic test groups, gives
information about the configuration of your computer system, and allows you to select categories from a menu. From this screen, you can enter two other types of screens.

Information on the main screen of the diagnostics is presented in the following five areas:

● Two lines at the top of the screen identify the version number of the Dell Diagnostics.

● On the left side of the screen, the Available Test Group area lists the diagnostic test groups in the order they will run if you select All from the Run menu category. Press the up- or

down-arrow key to highlight a test group.

● On the right side of the screen, the System Configuration area lists the computer’s currently detected hardware and some of the relevant settings.

● The lower-right side of the screen displays information about your integrated drive electronics (IDE) hard-disk and CD-ROM drive(s).

● Two lines at the bottom of the screen make up the menu area. The first line lists the categories you can select; press the left- or right-arrow key to highlight a menu category. The second line

gives information about the category currently highlighted.

Figure 2. Dell Diagnostics Screen

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Confirming the System Configuration Information

When you boot your system from the Dell ResourceCD, the diagnostics checks your system configuration information and displays it in the System Configuration area on the main screen.

The following sources supply this configuration information for the diagnostics:

● The system configuration information settings (stored in nonvolatile random-access memory [NVRAM]) that you selected while using the System Setup program

● Identification tests of the microprocessor, the video controller, the keyboard controller, and other key components

● Basic input/output system (BIOS) configuration information temporarily saved in RAM

Do not be concerned if the System Configuration area does not list the names of all the components or devices you know are part of your computer system. For example, you may not see a
printer listed, although you know one is attached to your computer. Instead, the printer is listed as a parallel port. The computer recognizes the parallel port as LPT1, which is an address that tells
the computer where to send outgoing information and where to look for incoming information. Because your printer is a parallel communications device, the computer recognizes the printer by its
LPT1 address and identifies it as a parallel port.

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How to Use the Menu

One of the menu categories is already highlighted. You can move the highlight from one category to another by pressing the left- or right-arrow key. As you move from one menu category to
another, a brief explanation of the currently highlighted category appears on the bottom line of the screen.

If you want more information about a test group or subtest, move the highlight to the About option and press <Enter>. After reading the information, press the <Esc> key to return to the previous
screen.

Main Menu Categories

Eight categories are listed in the Main menu of the diagnostics main screen: Run, Select, Subtest, Options, Test Limits, About, Key-Help, and Quit.

NOTE: Before running any test groups or subtests (by selecting Run), you should consider setting global parameters within the Options category. They
offer you greater control over how the test groups or subtests are run and how their results are reported.

There are two ways to select a menu category:

● Look on the screen to see which letter in the category is capitalized, and type that letter (for example, type r to select the Run category).

● Move the highlight to the category you wish to select by pressing the left- or right-arrow key, and then press <Enter>.

Whenever one of the eight categories is selected, additional choices become available.

The following subsections explain the menu categories as listed from left to right in the Main menu.

Run

Run displays five categories: One, Selected, All, Key-Help, and Quit Menu. If you select One, all the subtests within the highlighted test group are run. If you choose Selected, only

the selected test groups or the subtests that you selected within the test groups are run. If you select All, all of the subtests in all of the test groups are run. (The test groups or subtests are run in
the same order as they are listed.)

The Key-Help category displays a list of key controls available for the particular category you have chosen.

The Quit Menu category returns you to the Main menu.

Select

Select allows you to select individual test groups to tailor the testing process to your particular needs. You can choose one or more test groups and run them sequentially or individually. When you
choose Select, five categories are displayed: All, One, Clear All, Key-Help, and Quit Menu.

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To select all the test groups, press <Enter> when All is highlighted in the Select menu.

To select an individual test group, highlight the test group and press the spacebar or highlight One and press <Enter>. Press the up- or down-arrow key to change the highlighted test group.

To reverse a test group selection, highlight the test group and press the spacebar. To clear all selections, select Clear All.

The Key-Help category displays a list of key controls available for the particular category you have chosen. The Quit Menu category returns you to the

Main menu.

Subtest

Most of the test groups consist of several subtests. Use the Subtest category to select individual subtests within the test group(s).

When you select Subtest, many of the same categories as those on the

Main menu are displayed: Run, Select, Options, Test Limits, About, Key-Help, and Quit Menu. Each of

these categories is explained in the following subsections.

● Run Under Subtest

Run in the Subtest menu displays five categories: One, Selected, All, Key-Help, and Quit Menu. If you select One, only the highlighted subtest is run. If you select Selected,
only the selected subtests are run. If you select All, all of the subtests listed on the screen are run. (The subtests are run in the same order as they are listed.)

The Key-Help category displays a list of key controls available. The Quit Menu category returns you to the previous menu.

● Select Under Subtest

Select in the Subtest menu allows you to select individual subtests to tailor the testing process to your particular needs. You can choose one or more subtests from the list. When you
choose Select, five categories are displayed: All, One, Clear All, Key-Help, and Quit Menu.

To select all the subtests, press <Enter> when All is highlighted in the Select menu. To select an individual subtest, highlight the subtest and press the spacebar or highlight One and
press <Enter>. Press the up- or down-arrow key to highlight a subtest to be selected.

To reverse a subtest selection, highlight the subtest and press the spacebar. To clear all selections, select Clear All.
The Key-Help category displays a list of key controls available. The Quit Menu category returns you to the previous menu.

● Options Under Subtest

The Options category in the Subtest menu functions the same way as the Options category in the

Main menu. For information on this category, see "Options."

● Test Limits Under Subtest

The Test Limits category in the Subtest menu functions the same way as the Test Limits category in the

Main menu. For information on this category, see "Test Limits."

● About Under Subtest

The About category in the Subtest menu displays information about the highlighted subtest.

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● Key-Help Under Subtest

The Key-Help category in the Subtest menu displays a list of key controls available.

● Quit Menu Under Subtest

The Quit Menu category in the Subtest menu returns you to the

Main menu.

Options

Table 1 lists all of the possible values for each global parameter of Options. A brief description of each parameter follows the table. To change Options parameters, press the spacebar, the left­and right- arrow keys, or the plus (+) and minus (-) keys.

Table 1. Option Parameters

Option Limit Possible Values
Number of Times to Repeat Test(s)

0001 through 9999, or 0000, which loops indefinitely until you press the <Ctrl> and <Break> keys. The default is 1.

Maximum Errors Allowed

0000 through 9999, where 0000 means that there is no error limit. The default is 1.

Pause For User Response

Yes, No

Allows you to decide whether tests will wait for user input.
The default is Yes to wait for user input.

Output Device for Status Messages

Display, Printer, File

If you have a printer attached to your computer, you can use it to print the status messages, if any, that are generated
when a test runs. (The printer must be turned on and in the online mode to print.) If you select File, the messages are
printed to a file named result on a diskette that you insert into drive A when prompted. If you are running the
diagnostics from a utility partition on your hard-disk drive, the result file is created on the hard-disk drive. The default is

Display.

Output Device for Error Messages

Display, Printer, File

This parameter has the same effect as the Output Device for Status Messages parameter, except that it
pertains only to error messages. The default is Display.

● Number of Times to Repeat Test(s)

This parameter specifies the number of times the tests run when you select Run. To change the default, type in the desired value. If you type 0 (zero), the tests will run indefinitely.

● Maximum Errors Allowed

This parameter specifies the maximum number of errors that can occur before testing is stopped. The error count begins from zero each time you run a subtest or test group individually or
each time you select All to run all of them. To change the default, type in the desired value. If you type 0 (zero), you are specifying that there be no limit on the number of errors that can
occur—testing will not be stopped, regardless of the number of errors.

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● Pause for User Response

If this parameter value is set to Yes, the diagnostics pauses when one of the following occurs:

❍ Your interaction is needed to verify the Video Test Group screens or the Keyboard Test Group key functions or other types of interaction such as inserting a diskette.
❍ The maximum error limit is reached.

If the Pause parameter is set to No, the diagnostics ignores some subtests that require your interaction; certain subtests can run only if this option is set to Yes because they require user
interaction. Use the Pause parameter in situations where you may want to prevent subtests that require user interaction from running—such as when you run the diagnostics overnight.

● Output Device for Status Messages

Ordinarily, all status messages appear only on the screen. This parameter allows you to direct status messages to either a printer or a file, in addition to the screen. If you choose the File
option, status messages are written to a file named result. This file is automatically created on a diskette that you insert into drive A when prompted. If you are running the diagnostics from
a utility partition on your hard-disk drive, the result file is created on the hard-disk drive. If the result file already exists, new status messages are added to it.

The result file is an ordinary American Standard Code for Information Interchange (ASCII) text file that you can open in any text viewer or word processor. You can also access the result
file with the MS-DOS type command as follows:

1. Select Quit to exit the diagnostics and return to the operating system prompt.

2. At the operating system prompt, type the appropriate command and press <Enter>:

type result
The contents of the file appear on the screen.

After running particular diagnostic tests and viewing the status messages generated by the tests in the result file, you can erase the contents of the file so that it is clear for the next set of
messages generated. Otherwise, the next messages are added at the end of the previous ones in the file.

● Output Device for Error Messages

Ordinarily, all error messages appear only on the screen. This parameter allows you to direct error messages to either a printer or a file, in addition to the screen. If you choose the File
option, error messages are written to the result file used for status messages. This file is automatically created on a diskette that you insert into drive A when prompted. If you are running
the diagnostics from a utility partition on your hard-disk drive, the result file is created on the hard-disk drive. If the result file already exists, new error messages are added to it.

The result file is an ordinary ASCII text file. You can access and review the result file as described in the previous subsection, "

Output Device for Status Messages."

After running particular diagnostic tests and viewing the error messages generated by the tests in the result file, you can erase the contents of the file so that it is clear for the next set of
messages generated. Otherwise, the next messages are added at the end of the previous ones in the file.

Test Limits

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NOTE: The Dell Diagnostics sets default limits on all tests. The only reason to change the default would be to limit the amount of testing done.

The

RAM Test Group, the Video Test Group, the Diskette Drives Test Group, the IDE (ATA/ATAPI) Devices Test Group, the Serial/Infrared Ports Test Group,

the

Parallel Ports Test Group, and the SCSI Devices Test Group allow you to designate limits. Whether you select Test Limits for a highlighted test group (from the Main menu)

or a subtest (from the

Subtest menu), you set the limits for all the subtests in that test group. When you select Test Limits, a new screen appears and the Key-Help area lists keys to use

with the new screen. Press <Page Down> to select the next menu or submenu. Press <Esc> to return to the main Test Limits window.

How you change a value for the limits of a test group or subtest depends on the type of parameter associated with it. Different keys are used to change values for different types of parameters. For
example, memory address limits specified for the

RAM Test Group are changed by typing in numbers over the digits of a given limit or by pressing the plus (+) or minus (-) keys to increase or

decrease the given limit. In contrast, to set limits for the

Serial/Infrared Ports Test Group, you use the spacebar to toggle between Yes and No.

After you are satisfied with the limits, return to the Dell Diagnostics main screen by pressing <Esc>. The values you selected under Test Limits remain in effect during all the test groups or
subtests you run, unless you change them. However, the values are reset to their defaults when you restart the diagnostics.

About

About in the

Main menu lists all of the subtests for the selected test group and displays information about the subtest that is highlighted.

Key-Help

Key-Help always displays a list of key controls available for the particular category you have selected.

Quit

Selecting Quit from the

Main menu exits the diagnostics and returns you to your operating system environment.

After you return to the operating system environment, remove your diagnostics diskette from drive A and reboot the computer.

NOTICE: It is important that you quit the diagnostics correctly because the program writes data to the computer’s memory that can cause problems
unless properly cleared.

Tests in the Dell Diagnostics

To troubleshoot components or devices, run the appropriate test (test group or subtest) in the diagnostics on your diagnostics diskette. The diagnostics exercises the functional components and
devices of your computer system more vigorously and thoroughly than they are exercised during normal operation. The diagnostics is organized by components into test groups and subtests within
each test group. Each subtest is designed to detect any errors that may interfere with the normal operation of a specific device of the computer.

NOTE: Some subtests requiring hardware not listed in the System Configuration area of the diagnostics screen appear to run, but they conclude with a
status message stating Component not present (or disabled).

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The diagnostic test groups, their subtests, and comments concerning their use are listed in Table 2.

Table 2. Dell Diagnostic Test Groups and Subtests

Test Group Subtest Comment

RAM Quick Memory Test

Comprehensive Memory Test
Secondary Cache Memory Test

Tests the RAM and cache. (Some computers include expanded or extended memory;
all memory is tested.)

System Set CMOS Confidence Test

CMEM Confidence Test
DMA Controller Test
Real-Time Clock Test
System Timers Test
Interrupt Controller Test
Reset Button Test
System Speaker Test

Tests the system board’s support chips, DMA controller, computer timer, NVRAM,
speaker controller, cache, and EISA configuration RAM chip, as appropriate.

Coprocessor Calculation Test
Coprocessor Error Exception Test

Tests the math coprocessor that is internal to the microprocessor.

PC Card Controller Test Tests the PC Card controller on the system board.
Thermal Control Test Checks the functionality of the thermal-monitoring and microprocessor speed-switching

device on the system board.

Multiprocessor Test For systems with multiprocessors, confirms that the secondary microprocessor is

operational.

USB Register Test Checks the onboard registers of the USB interface. This subtest does not test USB

peripherals.

USB Memory Structure Test Monitors the ability of a USB controller to process a simple set of memory-resident

instructions.

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Video Video Memory Test

Video Hardware Test
Text Mode Character Test
Text Mode Color Test
Text Mode Pages Test
Graphics Mode Test
Color Palettes Test
Solid Colors Test

Tests the video subsystem and monitor by checking various aspects of video output.

Keyboard Keyboard Controller Test

Keyboard Key Sequence Test
Keyboard Interactive Test
Stuck Key Test
External Key Pad Test

Tests the keyboard by checking the keyboard controller and by finding keys that stick or
respond incorrectly.

Mouse Mouse Tests the electronic pointing device (bus mouse, serial mouse, trackball, or PS/2

mouse).

Diskette Drives Change Line Test

Seek Test
Read Test
Write Test

Tests a drive that uses removable diskettes (3.5-inch or 5.25-inch). Also tests the
associated interface.

IDE (ATA/ATAPI) Devices Display Information

Confidence Test
Self Diagnostics Test
Seek Test
Read Test
Verify Test
Write Test
SMART Test
CD-ROM Audio Test
Media Eject Test
Tape Retension Test

Tests drives connected to the system IDE bus, including hard-disk drives and
removable media drives such as CD-ROM and tape drives.

Serial/Infrared Ports Serial/Infrared Baud Rate Test

Serial/Infrared Interrupt Test
Serial/Infrared Internal Transmission Test
Serial External Transmission Test

Tests the components through which peripherals that use the serial or infrared ports,
such as printers and communications devices, send and receive data.

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Parallel Ports Parallel Internal Test

Parallel External Loopback Test
Parallel External Interrupt Test
Parallel Printer Pattern Test

Tests the components through which peripherals that use the parallel port, such as
printers and communications devices, send and receive data.

SCSI Devices Internal Diagnostic

Seek Test
Read Test
Write Test
Audio Output Test
Eject Removable Media
Display Information

Tests any installed SCSI host adapters and all the SCSI devices attached to them. Also
can be used to remove CDs and tape cartridges from SCSI devices and to display
information about the types of SCSI devices installed and the resources allocated to
them.

Network Interface Registers Test

Internal Loopback Test
External Loopback Test
Shared RAM Test
Display Information

Tests the read and write access capability to the NIC registers. Also tests the ability of
the NIC to transmit and receive data.

Audio Software Reset Test

Compatibility ID Test
Interrupt Test
DMA Test
FIFO RAM Test
Initial Reset Status Test
Internal Register Test
Dual Channel Test

Tests the operation of the audio chip set.

FM Sound Playback Test
Analog Sound Playback Test
Record and Playback Test

Tests the record and playback ability
of the internal microphone and
speakers.

System Management BIOS BIOS Information

Environment Information
I/O Information
Memory Information
Processor Information
System Information

Tests the state of various system devices, such as the temperature of the processor.
Also displays system management information for various system devices.

RAM Test Group

The RAM Test Group subtests check all the directly addressable RAM.

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The RAM Test Group program has parameters for the subtests that you can set: Test Limits and Options.

Three subtests are available for RAM: the Quick Memory Test, the Comprehensive Memory Test, and the Secondary Cache Memory Test. The Quick Memory Test
performs an address check to determine whether the computer is properly setting and clearing individual bits in RAM and whether the RAM read and write operations are affecting more than one
memory address location at one time. This subtest checks all available RAM. The Comprehensive Memory Test also performs an address check, as well as the following:

● Data pattern checks, to look for RAM bits that are stuck high or low, short-circuited data lines, and some data pattern problems that are internal to the memory chips

● A parity check that verifies the ability of the memory subsystem to detect errors

● A refresh check, to verify that the dynamic RAM (DRAM) is being recharged properly

The Secondary Cache Memory Test confirms the functionality of the computer’s cache controller chip and the cache memory.

Why Run a RAM Test?

Faulty memory can cause a variety of problems that may not, at first glance, appear to be happening in RAM. If your computer is displaying one or more of the following symptoms, run the subtests
in the RAM Test Group to verify that the memory is not at fault:

● A program is not running as usual, or a proven piece of software appears to malfunction and you confirm that the software itself is not at fault. (You can confirm that the software is

functioning properly by moving it to another computer and running it there.)

● Your computer periodically locks up (becomes unusable and must be rebooted), especially at different places and times in different programs.

● You get parity errors (any error message that contains the word parity) at any time during operation. These errors are usually accompanied by a reference to an address—the location of the

portion of memory where the error occurred—which you should record on a copy of the Diagnostics Checklist.

System Set Test Group

The subtests in the System Set Test Group check the computer’s basic system board components and verify their related functions.

The subtests that constitute the System Set Test Group and the computer functions they confirm follow:

● CMOS Confidence Test

Checks the NVRAM for accessibility and reliability of data storage by performing a data pattern check and verifying the uniqueness of memory addresses.

● CMEM Confidence Test

Verifies the accessibility and reliability of the 8 kilobytes (KB) of RAM on the Extended Industry-Standard Architecture (EISA) Configuration RAM chip, which stores the EISA
hardware configuration information. On systems without flash RAM, performs a data pattern and address uniqueness test.

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NOTE: This test applies only to systems with an EISA bus.

● DMA Controller Test

Tests the direct memory access (DMA) controller and verifies the correct operation of its page and channel registers by writing patterns to the registers.

● Real-Time Clock Test

Confirms the functionality and accuracy of the computer’s real-time clock (RTC).

● System Timers Test

Checks the timers used by the microprocessor for event counting, frequency generation, and other functions. Only the functions that can be activated by software are tested.

● Interrupt Controller Test

Generates an interrupt on each interrupt request (IRQ) line to verify that devices using that line can communicate with the microprocessor and that the interrupt controllers send the
correct memory addresses to the microprocessor.

● Reset Button Test

Confirms that the reset button works.

● System Speaker Test

Checks the functionality of the speaker by generating eight tones.

● Coprocessor Calculation Test

Checks the use of different types of numbers and the math coprocessor’s ability to calculate correctly.

● Coprocessor Error Exception Test

Verifies the math coprocessor’s ability to handle errors and to send IRQs to the microprocessor.

● PC Card Controller Test

Tests the functionality of the PC Card controller on the system board.

● Thermal Control Test

Checks the functionality of the thermal-monitoring and microprocessor speed-switching device on the system board.

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● Multiprocessor Test

For systems with multiprocessors, confirms that the secondary microprocessor is operational.

● USB Register Test

Checks the onboard registers of the Universal Serial Bus (USB) interface. This subtest does not test USB peripherals.

● USB Memory Structure Test

Monitors the ability of a USB controller to process a simple set of memory-resident instructions.

Why Run a System Set Test?

The System Set subtests double-check many system board components, such as the computer’s input/output (I/O) circuitry, that are tested by other test groups or subtests in the diagnostics.
You should run the System Set Test Group if you are having a problem and cannot isolate the failure or malfunction to a particular system board component.

The System Set Test Group also verifies the proper operation of other computer components, such as the speaker, that are not tested elsewhere in the Dell Diagnostics.

The following symptoms usually suggest a problem with a component or subassembly that warrants running a System Set subtest:

● A program is not running as usual, or a proven piece of software appears to malfunction and you confirm that the software itself is not at fault. (You can confirm that the software is

functioning properly by moving it to another computer and running it there.)

● An option card you previously accessed can no longer be accessed.

● You get parity errors or page fault failures (any error message that contains the word parity or page fault) at any time during operation. These errors are usually accompanied by a

reference to an address, which you should record on a copy of the

Diagnostics Checklist.

● Correcting errors in the system configuration information in the System Setup program does not resolve a problem.

● The computer’s clock/calendar stops.

● The speaker no longer functions. The problem could be a failure of the system timers as well as a failure of the speaker itself. Run the System Timers Test, followed by the System

Speaker Test.

● If a peripheral device appears to malfunction, run the Interrupt Controllers Test.

● A spreadsheet program or other type of mathematical application runs abnormally slow, generates error messages concerning calculations or operations, runs incorrectly, or generates

incorrect results, or a proven piece of the program appears to malfunction and you confirm that the software itself is not at fault. (You can confirm that the software is not at fault by moving
the program to another computer and running it there.)

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● The computer periodically locks up, especially at different places and times in different programs.

● The computer halts in the middle of performing calculations or complex mathematical operations.

Video Test Group

The subtests in the Video Test Group verify the proper operation of the video controller and the video control circuitry installed in your computer. These subtests check for the correct operation
of the readable registers in the video circuitry and the controller. They write, read, and verify data patterns in the cursor registers of the controller. The Video Test Group also tests all the video
memory and provides additional subtests to test the color features of a color monitor.

The eight subtests in the Video Test Group confirm the following video functions:

● Video Memory Test

Checks the read/write capability of video memory in various video modes.

● Video Hardware Test

Checks the cursor registers and the horizontal and vertical retrace bit registers in the video controller.

● Text Mode Character Test

Checks the video subsystem’s ability to present data in text modes.

● Text Mode Color Test

Checks the video subsystem’s ability to present color in text modes.

● Text Mode Pages Test

Checks the video subsystem’s ability to map and present all available video pages on the screen, one page at a time.

● Graphics Mode Test

Checks the video subsystem’s ability to present data and color in graphics modes.

● Color Palettes Test

Checks the video subsystem’s ability to display all of the available colors.

● Solid Colors Test

Checks the video subsystem’s ability to show screens full of solid colors. Allows you to check for missing color subpixels.

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Many of these tests display characters or graphics on the screen for you to verify. Samples of these screens are shown in "Diagnostics Video Tests."

NOTE: The default limit for testing super video graphics array (SVGA) modes is No. If you are testing an external monitor, change the default to Yes.

Why Run a Video Test?

Many of the symptoms that would prompt you to run a subtest in the Video Test Group are obvious, because the monitor is the visual component of your computer system. Before you run the
Video Test Group or any of its subtests, you should make sure that the problem is not in your software or caused by a hardware change. You should also try running all of the software support

utilities provided for the monitor and the video subsystem.

If the following symptoms still occur, run the appropriate test(s) as follows:

● If your monitor shows a partially formed or distorted image, run all of the subtests in the Video Test Group.

● If the alignment of text or images is off, regardless of the program you are running, run the Text Mode Character Test, Text Mode Pages Test, and Graphics Mode Test.

● If you have a color monitor or a program that runs in color, but the color is intermittent or not displayed at all, run the Text Mode Color Test, Color Palettes Test, and Solid

Color Test.

● If your monitor malfunctions in one mode but works fine in another (for example, text is displayed correctly, but graphics are not), run the Text Mode Character Test, Text Mode

Color Test, Text Mode Pages Test, and Graphics Mode Test.

Keyboard Test Group

The subtests in the Keyboard Test Group verify the correct operation of your keyboard and the keyboard controller chip.

The five keyboard subtests confirm the following keyboard functions:

● Keyboard Controller Test

Confirms the ability of the keyboard controller chip to communicate with the keyboard and the programming of the controller chip

● Keyboard Key Sequence Test

Verifies that the keys on the keyboard function correctly when you press the keys in a predefined order

● Keyboard Interactive Test

Checks the internal microcode of the keyboard and the external interface of the keyboard controller chip for a malfunctioning key

● Stuck Key Test

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Checks the internal microcode of the keyboard and the external interface of the keyboard controller chip for a repeating key signal

● External Key Pad Test

Checks the contact beneath the key for an electrical impulse to ensure that the key is working properly

Why Run a Keyboard Test?

Keyboard problems are not always caused by the keyboard. For example, a complete lockup of the computer system, rendering the keyboard inoperable, is more likely caused elsewhere. There are
three symptoms that are likely to be keyboard-related. Sometimes, the configuration of a program changes the function of a key or key combination. Likewise, key configuration programs such as
ProKey can change a key’s function. Because these programs are memory resident, you should be sure to clear them out of your computer’s memory before running a subtest in the Keyboard
Test Group. (Clear them from memory by booting your computer from the diagnostics diskette.) When these possibilities have been eliminated, and if the following symptoms occur, you should
run one or more of the subtests in the Keyboard Test Group:

● When you press a key, the character represented by that key appears repeatedly; the key seems to be stuck. Run the Stuck Key Test.

● When you press a key and the response is different from the usual response or the response you anticipated, the key contact may be damaged. Run the Keyboard Interactive Test.

● When a key does not work at all, run all of the subtests in the Keyboard Test Group.

Mouse Test

The Mouse Test checks the functionality of the mouse controller (which coordinates cursor movement on the screen with corresponding movement of your mouse or touch pad) and the
operation of the mouse keys/touch pad.

There are no subtests for the Mouse Test Group.

Why Run the Mouse Test?

Mouse or touch pad problems are as likely to originate in RAM as they are to be caused by a faulty mouse or touch pad. Three sources of RAM-related problems include the configuration of a
program (which changes the function of the mouse or touch pad), memory-resident programs such as Sidekick or ProKey, and failure of a device driver (the software that controls the function of the
mouse or touch pad). If these possibilities have been eliminated and the following symptoms persist, run the Mouse Test:

● When you press a mouse button or the touch pad, the function of the button (or touch pad) continues; that is, the button (or touch pad) seems to be stuck.

● If the response when you press a mouse button or the touch pad is different from the usual or anticipated response, the button (or touch pad) contact may be damaged.

● A mouse button or the touch pad does not work at all.

● The cursor does not respond on the screen in accordance with the movements you make with the mouse or touch pad.

Diskette Drives Test Group

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The subtests in the Diskette Drives Test Group allow you to test both 5.25-inch and 3.5-inch diskette drives of all capacities.

The four diskette drive subtests available in the Diskette Drives Test Group confirm the following drive functions:

● Change Line Test

Checks for bent pins on the diskette drive controller and for defective lines on the diskette cable

● Seek Test

Checks the drive’s ability to search for a specified track on the diskette and to position its read/write heads to all tracks

● Read Test

Positions the read/write heads at each cylinder of the diskette for reading data and verifies that all tracks on the diskette can be read correctly

● Write Test

Positions the read/write heads at each cylinder of the diskette and verifies that all tracks on the diskette can be written to correctly

Why Run a Diskette Drives Test?

Very often, a diskette drive problem may first appear to be a diskette problem. A box of defective diskettes might produce faulty-drive error messages. The test results can be confusing, so Dell
suggests running the subtests in the Diskette Drives Test Group more than once using diskettes from different sources.

Another possible cause of diskette drive problems is human error—typing a command in an incorrect form (usually called a syntax error). Be sure you have entered the command in the proper
form.

When the diskette(s) and command syntax are eliminated as causes, the following symptoms usually suggest a drive problem and warrant running a subtest in the Diskette Drives Test
Group:

● An error message appears on the screen stating that the computer cannot read from or write to a diskette.

● A diskette cannot be properly formatted, or format error messages appear on the screen.

● Data on diskettes is corrupted or lost; these problems may be intermittent.

IDE (ATA/ATAPI) Devices

The subtests in the IDE (ATA/ATAPI) Devices Test Group check the functionality of all drives connected to the system IDE bus, including hard-disk and removable media drives. Some of
the subtests listed in this section apply only to particular types of drives, such as the Tape Retension Test, which applies only to tape drives.

The eleven subtests in the IDE (ATA/ATAPI) Devices Test Group confirm the following drive functions:

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● Display Information

Displays information about any drives connected to the IDE bus.

● Confidence Test

Runs a quick test on any hard-disk drives to ensure that they are operating properly.

● Self Diagnostics Test

Uses the drive's internal test capability to determine whether the drive is functioning properly.

● Seek Test

Checks the drive's ability to search for each block on the device.

● Read Test

Positions the read heads at each block of the device for reading data and verifies that all blocks on the device can be read correctly.

● Verify Test

Similar to the Read Test, but no data is transferred from the drive to the system.

● Write Test

Positions the read/write heads at each block of the drive and verifies that all tracks on the drive can be written to correctly.

● SMART Test

Checks to see if a hard-disk drive's internal error thresholds have been exceeded, which might predict impending hard-disk drive failure. If any thresholds have been exceeded, the test fails.

● CD-ROM Audio Test

Attempts to play an audio track from a CD in a CD-ROM drive. If the system does not have speakers and an integrated audio controller or sound card, you must connect headphones to the
CD-ROM headphone jack to verify whether the test completes successfully.

● Media Eject Test

Attempts to electronically eject media from a removable media drive. If the drive does not support electronic media ejection, the test is meaningless.

● Tape Retension Test

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Performs a tape retension operation on a tape drive with a tape cartridge installed. Tape drive errors are sometimes due to a cartridge that needs to be retensioned.

Why Run an IDE (ATA/ATAPI) Devices Test?

NOTE: If you check your hard-disk drive to determine the amount of available space, your operating system will probably report problem areas. Problem
areas on hard-disk drives are common because most hard-disk drives have a small amount of space that is not usable. The hard-disk drive keeps a
record of this space so that your computer will not attempt to use it. Identification of unusable disk space, unless it is an unusually large amount (over five
percent of the possible total), should not be regarded as a cause for testing the hard-disk drive.

These are the most common symptoms that might prompt you to test an IDE drive:

● The drive fails during the boot routine.

● Seek errors are reported by the operating system or application programs.

● An error message appears on the screen stating that the computer cannot read from or write to the drive.

● Data on the drive is corrupted or lost; this problem may be intermittent. Once saved by a program, files cannot be properly recalled.

Serial/Infrared Ports Test Group

The subtests in the Serial/Infrared Ports Test Group check the computer’s interface with external devices, such as a printer and a mouse, that are connected to the computer through a
serial or infrared port. The subtests in this test group are not intended as a diagnostic test for the actual peripheral attached to each port.

NOTES: With certain modems installed, the Serial/ Infrared Ports Test Group subtests may fail because the modem appears to the Dell Diagnostics as
a serial or infrared port, but it cannot be tested as a serial or infrared port. If a modem is installed and one of the serial/ infrared ports subtests fails,
remove the modem and run the diagnostic tests again.

If an external loopback connector is not attached to a serial or infrared port, the Serial External Transmission Test will fail for that port and the results of
this test should therefore be ignored. An external modem connected to the port does not substitute for an external loopback connector.

The four subtests in the Serial/Infrared Ports Test Group confirm the following port functions:

● Serial/Infrared Baud Rate Test

Checks the baud rate generator in each serial communications chip against the computer’s clock

● Serial/Infrared Interrupt Test

Checks the serial port’s ability to send IRQs to the microprocessor

● Serial/Infrared Internal Transmission Test

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Checks several internal functions of the serial port using the internal loopback mode of the serial communications chip

● Serial External Transmission Test

If a loopback device is attached, checks the line control bits of the serial port and sends a test pattern at several baud rates, checking the returned values

Why Run a Serial/Infrared Ports Test?

If the Dell Diagnostics does not recognize your computer’s serial or infrared ports, enter the

System Setup program and check the Serial/infrared Port category to see whether the port has

been disabled. The subtests in the Serial/Infrared Ports Test Group cannot test a port unless it is enabled.

When a port is faulty, it may not be immediately evident that the port, and not the device connected to the port, is faulty. Instead, the peripheral (such as a printer or mouse) might behave erratically
or not operate at all. If the external device is not properly installed through your software, it also may not function properly. Try operating the peripheral from different programs or through the
operating system. If it still does not work, you can eliminate the software configuration as the cause of the problem.

Another possible cause for errors is the external device. Use the documentation that came with the peripheral to troubleshoot it and confirm that it is working properly. (Most printers have a self­test.)

After you eliminate incorrect system configuration information settings, peripheral malfunctions, and software errors as potential causes of port problems, you can run the subtests in the Serial/
Infrared Ports Test Group to check your hardware. Although the following symptoms can be caused by faulty peripherals or software errors, they might also suggest a port problem:

● If a peripheral works intermittently or produces intermittent errors, the port may be faulty.

● If the computer displays an error message that is related to the external device connected to a port, but corrections to the device do not resolve the error, run the appropriate subtest in the

Serial/Infrared Ports Test Group.

● If your software and the diagnostics do not recognize that you have a serial or infrared port, you should check the Serial/Infrared Port category in the System Setup program, and if

necessary, run the appropriate subtest in the Serial/Infrared Ports Test Group.

Parallel Ports Test Group

The subtests in the Parallel Ports Test Group check the computer’s interface with external devices, such as a printer, that are connected to the computer through a parallel port. The subtests
in this test group are not intended as a diagnostic test for the actual peripheral attached to each port. (The only exception is a printer, as described in the Parallel Internal Test.)

NOTE: If an external loopback connector is not attached to the parallel port, the Parallel External Loopback Test will fail for that port and the results of
this test should therefore be ignored.

The four subtests in the Parallel Ports Test Group confirm the following port functions:

● Parallel Internal Test

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Checks several internal functions of the parallel port

● Parallel External Loopback Test

Tests the functionality of the control lines through an external loopback connector, if an external loopback connector is available

● Parallel External Interrupt Test

Tests the parallel port’s ability to generate interrupts from all possible sources, if an external loopback connector or printer is available

● Parallel Printer Pattern Test

Tests a printer and tests the parallel port’s ability to send a pattern to the printer, if connected

Why Run a Parallel Ports Test?

If the Dell Diagnostics does not recognize your computer’s parallel port, enter the

System Setup program and check the Parallel Port category to see if the port has been disabled. The subtests

in the Parallel Ports Test Group cannot test a port unless it is enabled.

When a port is faulty, it may not be immediately evident that the port, and not the device connected to the port, is faulty. Instead, the peripheral (such as a printer) might behave erratically or not
operate at all. If the external device is not properly installed through your software, it also may not function properly. Try operating the peripheral from different programs or through the operating
system. If it still does not work, you can eliminate the software setup as the cause of the problem.

Another possible cause for errors is the external device. Use the documentation that came with the peripheral to troubleshoot it and confirm that it is working properly. (Most printers have a self­test.)

After you eliminate incorrect system configuration information settings, peripheral malfunctions, and software errors as potential causes of port problems, you can run the subtests in the Parallel
Ports Test Group to check your hardware. Although the following symptoms can be caused by faulty peripherals or software errors, they might also suggest a port problem:

● If a peripheral works intermittently or produces intermittent errors, the port may be faulty.

● If the computer displays an error message that is related to the external device connected to a port, but corrections to the device do not resolve the error, run the appropriate subtest in the

Parallel Ports Test Group.

● If your software and the Dell Diagnostics do not recognize that you have a parallel port, you should check the Parallel Port category in the System Setup program, and if necessary, run

the appropriate subtest in the Parallel Ports Test Group.

SCSI Devices Test Group

The subtests in the SCSI Devices Test Group check the functionality of up to four SCSI host adapters and all the SCSI devices attached to them.

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NOTES: Before conducting these subtests on CD-ROM drives, insert a CD with audio and data tracks (such as a multimedia CD) into each CD-ROM
drive. All of the subtests, except for the Audio Output Test, require a CD with data tracks. The Audio Output Test requires a CD with audio tracks.

If a CD-ROM drive is empty or if it contains a CD that does not have the required data or audio tracks (depending on the subtest[s] being conducted), the
subtest(s) will fail.

The seven subtests in the SCSI Devices Test Group confirm the following drive functions:

● Internal Diagnostic

Causes the device to run its internal self-test.

● Seek Test

Checks the device’s ability to search for a specified track on the device and to position its read/write heads to all tracks.

● Read Test

Positions the read/write heads at each block of the device for reading data and verifies that all tracks on the device can be read correctly.

● Write Test

Positions the read/write heads at each block of the device and verifies that all tracks on the device can be written to correctly.

● Audio Output Test

Causes the CD-ROM drive to begin playing the first audio track on an audio CD. To determine whether the test passed, listen to the audio output of the drive.

NOTE: To conduct the Audio Output Test, you must select it individually. It will not run as part of the test group.

● Eject Removable Media

Causes a CD-ROM drive to eject its CD or a SCSI tape drive to eject its tape cartridge.

● Display Information

Displays a screen of information about each SCSI host adapter in the computer, the resources allocated to each SCSI host adapter, and a list of target devices attached to the SCSI
host adapter.

Why Run a SCSI Devices Test?

If you check your SCSI hard-disk drive to determine the amount of available space, your operating system will probably report problem areas. Problem areas on hard-disk drives are common,

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because most hard-disk drives have a small amount of space that is not usable. The hard-disk drive keeps a record of this space so that your computer will not attempt to use it. Identification of
unusable disk space, unless it is an unusually large amount (over 5 percent of the possible total), should not be regarded as a cause for testing the hard-disk drive.

These are the most common symptoms that might prompt you to test a SCSI device:

● A SCSI hard-disk drive fails during the boot routine.

● Seek errors are reported by the operating system or application programs.

● An error message appears on the screen stating that the computer cannot read from or write to a SCSI device.

● Data on a SCSI device is corrupted or lost; this problem may be intermittent. Once saved by a program, files cannot be properly recalled.

Network Interface Test Group

The subtests in the Network Interface Test Group verify the basic operation of the network interface controller (NIC). They test its internal functions, including read and write access to its
registers and internal transmit and receive (loopback) capability.

The subtests in the Network Interface Test Group confirm the following functions:

● Registers Test

Writes patterns to the writable registers in the controller and reads the patterns back to verify whether they are accessible and able to retain data. This subtest also tests interrupt
generation and register-specific functionality based on the type of controller.

● Internal Loopback Test

Places the controller into its various internal loopback modes and tests its ability to transmit and receive data.

NOTE: For some controllers, this test is not applicable.

● External Loopback Test

Places the controller into its various external loopback modes and tests its ability to transmit and receive data. A loopback plug is required to perform this test.

NOTE: For some controllers, this test is not applicable.

● Shared RAM Test

Performs a memory test on controllers with memory-mapped shared RAM. On controllers with first-in first-out (FIFO)-shared RAM, writes a data pattern to all locations and reads the
pattern back to verify the operation. Some controllers do not support shared RAM tests.

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● Display Information

Displays addresses and configuration information about the NIC. This information includes the network address used for communication on the local area network (LAN).

Why Run a Network Interface Test?

Running a subtest in the Network Interface Test Group helps diagnose problems that may be encountered while the system is operating in a network environment. Most network failures are
caused by one of the following:

● Poor network connections

● Failure in the controller

● Interrupt conflict (the controller trying to use the same IRQ line as another device)

● Software configuration error

If a problem occurs while the system is operating in a network, the network connection should be inspected. If the connection is good, the Network Interface Test Group can be run to
indicate whether the NIC is functioning, and if the test group is run in a loop, it can be used to detect intermittent failures.

The Registers Test subtest checks the interrupt generation capability of the controller. The Display Information Test displays the controller’s IRQ level. You can then make sure there is
not an interrupt conflict by verifying that the IRQ level is not being used by another device in the system.

Audio Test Group

The subtests in the Audio Test Group check the functions of the audio controller and the computer’s recording and playback features.

NOTE: The following subtests are only applicable for systems with built-in speakers.

The eleven subtests in the Audio Test Group confirm the following functions:

● Software Reset Test

Checks for the presence of an active audio controller in your system

● Compatibility ID Test

Determines if the correct sound controller is installed in your system

● Interrupt Test

Checks to see if the audio controller is generating an interrupt on the IRQ line configured for that controller

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● DMA Test

Tests for the presence of a DMA channel on the system chip set, and determines if the DMA controller and audio controller can exchange signals

● FIFO RAM Test

Checks the read/write capabilities and status of the audio controller

● Initial Reset Status Test

Verifies the reset values of the extended registers on the audio controller

● Internal Register Test

Writes test patterns to the internal registers of the audio controller, then reads other registers to confirm that the patterns are correctly interpreted

● Dual Channel Test

Confirms the presence of a second DMA channel on the system chip set and determines if the DMA controller and audio controller can exchange signals on that second DMA
channel

● FM Sound Playback Test

Tests whether the system can synthesize sounds and play them through the built-in speakers

● Analog Sound Playback Test

Tests whether the system can play sampled sounds through the built-in speakers

● Record and Playback Test

Checks the ability of the audio controller to generate a sampled sound from signals received from the built-in microphone

Why Run an Audio Test?

If you do not hear sounds from your built-in speakers when you expect to, it is possible that your operating system or sound application uses resource settings different from those of the audio
controller in the computer. In the absence of an expected sound, first check the documentation that accompanied your operating system or sound application to see if the sound features are
correctly configured to work with the computer. The default settings for the audio controller are:

● DMA channel: 1

● IRQ line: 5

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● Port address: 220h

If necessary, change the resource settings in your operating system or sound application to match these default settings.

If you still do not hear sound when you expect to, run the Audio Test Group.

NOTE: Before running the Audio Test Group, make sure to enable the built-in speaker(s), and make sure that the speaker volume has not been muted.

System Management BIOS Test Group

The subtests in the System Management BIOS Test Group test the state of various system devices, such as the temperature of the processor, and display information about these
system devices.

The six subtests in the System Management BIOS Test Group test and display information about the following system devices:

● BIOS Information

Covers general BIOS information, language support, hardware security, and system power controls

● Environment Information

Covers cooling devices, voltage probe states, and temperature probe states

● I/O Information

Covers port information, system expansion slots, and integrated devices

● Memory Information

Covers physical memory array information, memory device information, memory array mapped address information, and memory device mapped address information

● Processor Information

Covers processor states and cache information

● System Information

Covers general system information, chassis information, and system configuration options

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Error Messages

When you run a test group or subtest in the Dell Diagnostics, error messages may result. These particular error messages are not covered in this section because the errors that generate these
messages can be resolved only with Dell technical assistance. Record the messages on a copy of the Diagnostics Checklist. For instructions on obtaining technical assistance and for informing the

support technician of these messages, also see "

Contacting Dell."

Back to Contents Page

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Back to Contents Page

System Setup Options: Dell™ OptiPlex™ GX1 Small-Form­Factor System User's Guide

Time Power Management
Date Wakeup On LAN
Diskette Drive A, Diskette Drive B, and Use ZIP as

A or B

Sound

Drives: Primary and Secondary NIC
Reserved Memory Mouse
CPU Speed Serial Port 1 and Serial Port 2
Num Lock Parallel Port
Chassis Intrusion Parallel Mode
DAC Snoop IDE Hard Disk
ACPI Diskette
Keyboard Errors Speaker
System Password System Data Options
Password Status Using the System Password Feature
Boot Sequence Using the Setup Password Feature
Setup Password Disabling a Forgotten Password
Auto Power On Responding to Error Messages

Time

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Time resets the time on the computer’s internal clock.

Time is kept in a 24-hour format (hours:minutes:seconds). 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 automatically 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, Diskette Drive B, and Use ZIP as A or 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 option settings 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

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● Not Installed

Use ZIP as A or B is used to control the operation of an internally installed Advanced Technology Attachment
Packet Interface (ATAPI) Zip drive. The options are On and Off. When set to On, the Zip drive operates as a
diskette drive and can be booted. When set to Off, the Zip drive operates as a normal ATAPI device.

You can have a total of two diskette devices, either diskette drives or Zip drives.

NOTE: Tape drives are not reflected in the Diskette Drive A and Diskette Drive B
options. For example, if you have a single diskette drive and a tape drive attached to
the diskette/tape drive interface cable, set the Diskette Drive A option to match the
characteristics of the diskette drive and set the Diskette Drive B option to Not
Installed.

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"). Dell recommends that you use the secondary EIDE interface connector for EIDE CD­ROM and EIDE tape drives.

The System Setup program reports hard-disk drives in one of two ways:

● Newer hard-disk drives and all hard-disk drives over 8 gigabytes (GB) are reported as an EIDE Drive,

without details on type, cylinders, heads, cylinder numbers, and sectors. See

Figure 1 in "Using the System

Setup Program" for an example.

● Older hard-disk drives are reported with full details about type, cylinders, heads, cylinder numbers, sectors,

and size.

NOTE: For all Dell-installed hard-disk drives, set the appropriate drive option to Auto.

Use one of the following options if you have an older EIDE hard-disk drive not shipped with the system from Dell
and with less than 528 megabytes (MB) in capacity:

● A specific drive-type number

● Usr1 or Usr2

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For each drive, you can choose the seven parameters as a group by drive-type number or you can enter the
parameters individually from the keyboard. A drive-type number specifies the parameters of a hard-disk drive,
based on a table recorded in the system’s basic input/output system (BIOS).

NOTE: Operating systems that bypass the system BIOS may not obtain optimum hard­disk drive performance

If you choose the Usr1 or Usr2 option, you must supply the following parameters for the drive:

● Type is the drive-type number for the selected hard-disk drive (in this case, Usr1 or Usr2).

● Cyls is the number of logical cylinders.

● Hds indicates the number of logical heads in the drive.

● Pre (precompensation cylinder) is the cylinder number at which the electrical current for the drive

head changes to compensate for differences in data density across the disk surface (this parameter has no
effect for EIDE drives).

● LZ is the cylinder number that is used as the drive’s landing zone for the heads when the drive is not in use.

● Sec is the number of logical sectors per track.

● Size (automatically calculated by the system) indicates the number of millions of bytes of storage provided

by the drive.

Reserved Memory

Reserved Memory allows you to designate a region of system board memory that can be supplied by an

expansion card. You should not enable the reserved memory feature unless you are using an expansion card that
requires special addressing.

For example, you may have a memory expansion card that needs to be addressed starting at 15 MB. Selecting the
15M - 16M option in the Reserved Memory option specifies that the base memory from 15 to 16 MB comes
from the memory expansion card (the base memory below the 15-MB address comes from the dual in-line memory
modules [DIMMs] on the system board).

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The Reserved Memory option has the following settings:

● None (the default option)

● 512K - 640K

● 15M - 16M

CPU Speed

CPU Speed indicates the processor speed at which your system boots.

Press the left- or right-arrow key to toggle the CPU Speed option between the resident microprocessor’s rated
speed (the default) and a lower compatibility speed, which lets you accommodate speed-sensitive application
programs. A change to this option takes effect immediately (rebooting the system is not required).

You can also toggle between the rated processor speed and the compatibility speed while the system is running in
real mode by pressing <Ctrl><Alt><\>. (For keyboards that do not use American English, press <Ctrl><Alt><#>.)

Num Lock

Num Lock determines whether your system boots with the Num Lock mode activated on 101- or 102-key

keyboards (it does not apply to 84-key keyboards).

When Num Lock mode is activated, the rightmost bank of keys on your keyboard provides the mathematical and
numeric functions shown at the tops of the keys. When Num Lock mode is turned off, these keys provide cursor­control functions according to the label on the bottom of each key.

Chassis Intrusion

Chassis Intrusion displays the status of the system chassis intrusion monitor. The settings for this option are
Enabled, Enabled-Silent, or Disabled. The default is Enabled.

If the computer cover is removed while the intrusion monitor is set to Enabled, the setting changes to Detected,

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and the following message appears during the boot sequence at the next system start-up:

Alert! Cover was previously removed.

If the computer cover is removed while the intrusion monitor is set to Enabled-Silent, the setting changes to
Detected, but the alert message is not displayed during the boot sequence at the next system start-up.

If the intrusion monitor is set to Disabled, no intrusion monitoring occurs and no messages are displayed.

To reset the Detected setting, enter the

System Setup program during the system’s power-on self-test (POST).

Highlight the Chassis Intrusion option and press the left- or right-arrow key to choose Enabled, Enabled-
Silent, or Disabled.

NOTE: When the setup password is enabled, you must enter the setup password
before you can reset the Chassis Intrusion option.

DAC Snoop

DAC Snoop lets you correct video problems that may occur when certain video add-in cards are used. The

default is Off. If you are using a video add-in card and problems such as incorrect colors or blank windows occur,
set DAC Snoop to On.

ACPI

This option controls the operation of the system’s Advanced Configuration and Power Interface (ACPI) feature.

When ACPI is set to On, momentarily pressing the power button places the system in a power-saving mode. To
turn the system off completely, press the power button for more than 4 seconds. When ACPI is set to On,
interrupt request (IRQ) line 9 is not available for use by an expansion card.

When ACPI is set to Off, momentarily pressing the power button turns off the system completely. With this
setting, IRQ9 is available for use by an expansion card.

Keyboard Errors

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Keyboard Errors enables or disables reporting of keyboard errors during the POST, which is a series of tests
that the system performs on the hardware each time you turn on the system or press the reset button.

This option is useful when applied to self-starting servers or host systems that have no permanently attached
keyboard. In these situations, selecting Do Not Report suppresses all error messages relating to the keyboard
or to the keyboard controller during POST. This option does not affect the operation of the keyboard itself if a
keyboard is attached to the computer.

System Password

System Password displays the current status of your system’s password security feature and allows you to

assign and verify a new password. No one can assign a new password unless the current status is Not Enabled,
which is displayed in bright characters.

The settings for the System Password option are:

● Not Enabled (the default)

● Enabled

● Disabled by Jumper

NOTE: See "Using the System Password Feature" for instructions on assigning a
system password and using or changing an existing system password. See "

Disabling

a Forgotten Password" for instructions on disabling a forgotten system password.

Password Status

When Setup Password is set to Enabled, Password Status allows you to prevent the system password
from being changed or disabled at system start-up.

To lock the system password, you must first assign a setup password in the Setup Password option and then
change the Password Status setting to Locked. In this state, the system password cannot be changed
through the

System Password option and cannot be disabled at system start-up by pressing <Ctrl><Enter>.

To unlock the system password, you must enter the setup password in the Setup Password option and then

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change the Password Status setting to Unlocked. In this state, the system password can be disabled at
system start-up by pressing <Ctrl><Enter> and then changed through the System Password option.

Boot Sequence

Boot Sequence can be set to Diskette First (the default), Hard Disk Only, CD-ROM First, or

Device List.

The term boot refers to the system’s start-up procedure. When turned on, the system "bootstraps" itself into an
operational state by loading into memory a small program, which in turn loads the necessary operating system.

Boot Sequence tells the system where to look for the files that it needs to load.

Diskette First

Selecting Diskette First causes the system to try booting from drive A first. If the system finds a diskette that is
not bootable in the drive or finds a problem with the drive itself, it displays an error message. If it does not find a
diskette in the drive, the system tries to boot from the hard-disk drive (drive 0), then from the CD-ROM drive, and
finally from the Plug and Play network adapters in the order found.

Hard Disk Only

Selecting Hard Disk Only causes the system to attempt to boot first from the hard-disk drive and then from the
Plug and Play network adapters in the order found.

CD-ROM First

Selecting CD-ROM First causes the system to try booting from the CD-ROM drive first. If the system finds a CD
that is not bootable in the drive or finds a problem with the drive itself, it displays an error message. If it does not
find a CD in the drive, the system tries to boot from drive A, then from drive C, and finally from the Plug and Play
network adapters in the order found.

Device List

Device List provides access to the Device List screen where you can choose from a list of available boot

devices to boot from and specify the order in which your computer attempts to boot from these devices. To view the
Device List screen (see

Figure 1), press <Ctrl> and the right-arrow key. Table 2 lists other navigation keys used

on the Device List screen.

Table 2. Device-List Screen Navigation Keys

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Keys Action

Returns the boot device lists to the default settings

Moves the selected item up or down in the boot sequence

Exits to Page 2 of the System Setup screens

Moves the selected item from one Boot Device Priority list to the other

NOTICE: Only a technically knowledgeable person should change the settings in the
Device List screen.

The Device List screen (see Figure 1) provides three options for listing and prioritizing the available boot devices
in your system.

Figure 1. Sample Device List Screen

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● Boot Device Priority

The Boot Device Priority option lists all bootable devices (hard-disk drives, CD-ROM drives,
and so on) that are controlled by the system BIOS and any Plug and Play network adapters installed
in the computer.

● Exclude From Boot Device Priority

The Exclude From Boot Device Priority option allows you to remove from the Boot
Device Priority option any boot devices that you want the system to ignore during system start-

up.

● Device Controller Priority

The Device Controller Priority option lists the system BIOS controller; any non-Plug and
Play devices, such as network adapter cards; and any secondary controller cards, such as a small
computer system interface (SCSI) adapter, installed in the computer.

NOTE: Non-Plug and Play devices appear in this list as Adapters without
ID support.

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When determining the order of devices to boot from, the system first considers the order of the devices listed under
the Device Controller Priority option, then the order of devices under Boot Device Priority.

To specify your priority preferences, order the devices under these options so that the highest-priority controller is at
the top of the Device Controller Priority option and the highest-priority device is at the top of the Boot
Device Priority option. Order the remainder of the devices in the Boot Device Priority option according to
your preferences. Move any devices that you want the system to ignore during system start-up into the Exclude
From Boot Device Priority option.

NOTE: The system defines drive C in the Boot Device Priority option as the first hard­disk drive attached to the highest-priority device controller. Therefore, if you have a
SCSI adapter installed in your computer and you want the SCSI drive 0 to be drive C,
you must move the SCSI adapter item to the top of the Device Controller Priority
option.

To change the order of the devices, press <Ctrl> and the up- or down-arrow key. If you want to revert to the original
Boot Device Priority option settings, press <Ctrl><Del>.

NOTE: If you exit the Device List option by pressing <Esc> or <Alt><b> without
making any changes, the Boot Sequence option is set to the Device List option.

Setup Password

Setup Password indicates whether a password is required before you can change option settings on the
System Setup screen. The settings for this option are normally Enabled or Not Enabled. A third setting,
Disabled By Jumper, displays if the Setup Password option is deactivated. (You can set a jumper on the

system board to deactivate the Setup Password option.)

If Setup Password is set to Enabled, you must enter the correct setup password before you can change the
settings for the majority of the System Setup options. If you do not enter the correct password in three tries, the
system lets you view, but not change, the settings on the System Setup screen, with one exception: if

Password

Status is Unlocked, you may change the system password.

NOTE: See "Using the Setup Password Feature" for instructions on assigning a setup
password and using or changing an existing setup password. See "

Disabling a

Forgotten Password" for instructions on disabling a forgotten setup password.

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Auto Power On

Auto Power On allows you to set the time and days of the week to turn on the computer system automatically.
You can set Auto Power On to turn on the system either every day or every Monday through Friday.

NOTE: This feature does not work if you turn off your system using a power strip or
surge protector.

Time is kept in a 24-hour format (hours:minutes). To change the start-up 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 both fields.

The default for Auto Power On is Disabled. For more information, see the System Utilities on the Dell

ResourceCD.

Power Management

This section explains the following topics:

● Saving Monitor Power

● Saving EIDE Hard-Disk Drive Power

For certain types of monitors and most EIDE hard-disk drives, you can reduce system power consumption by
enabling the power management feature. With Power Management enabled, these monitors and drives
automatically switch into low-power mode during periods of system inactivity.

Power Management can be implemented at three levels—Maximum, Regular, and Minimum. (The
different levels apply to the monitor only; hard-disk drive operation is the same for all three.) The default for this
option is Disabled.

Saving Monitor Power

If you have a Video Electronics Standards Association (VESA®) Display Power Management Signaling (DPMS)­compliant monitor, enabling the Power Management option reduces monitor power consumption during
periods of keyboard and mouse inactivity

NOTICE: Check your monitor documentation to make sure you have a DPMS-compliant

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monitor before you enable this feature. Otherwise, you risk damaging the monitor.

NOTE: The power management feature monitors activity of a mouse connected to the
Personal System/2 (PS/2)-compatible mouse port.

By setting Power Management to Maximum, Regular, or Minimum, you can set predefined time-out
periods (see

Table 3) for the two successive monitor shutdown stages, standby and off.

NOTE: Each monitor manufacturer defines the details of the shutdown stages for its
own monitors. But in all cases, power consumption decreases with each stage from
"on" (full power) to "standby" (reduced power; the display image usually disappears) to
"off" (where power consumption is minimal). To define these stages for your monitor,
see the documentation that came with the monitor.

From either shutdown stage, you can return full power to the monitor in one of the following ways:

● For most DPMS-compliant monitors, any subsequent activity—including moving the mouse—should return

full power to the monitor.

● A few DPMS-compliant monitors require that you turn monitor power off and then on again to return to full

power.

Check your monitor documentation for information on how your monitor is designed to operate.

Saving EIDE Hard-Disk Drive Power

For most systems, enabling Power Management at any level causes EIDE hard-disk drives to switch to low­power mode after about 20 minutes of system inactivity (see

Table 3).

NOTES: All EIDE drives shipped with your system support this feature. (For more
information, see "ENERGY STAR® Compliance.")

However, not all EIDE hard-disk drives support this feature. Enabling this feature for
drives that do not support it may cause the EIDE drive to become inoperable until the
computer is restarted and the Power Management option is disabled.

In low-power mode, the disks inside the drive stop spinning. They remain idle until the next drive access, which
causes them to start spinning again. (Because the disks take a few seconds to regain full speed, you may notice a
slight delay when you next access the hard-disk drive.)

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When Power Management is set to Disabled (the default), the disks spin constantly as long as the system
is turned on.

Table 3. Power Time-Out Periods

Power
Management
Setting

EIDE Drive
Spindown
Time-Outs

Monitor Standby
Time-Outs

Monitor Off
Time-Outs

Disabled Never Never Never
Maximum 20 minutes 10 minutes 1 hour
Regular 20 minutes 20 minutes 1 hour
Minimum 20 minutes 1 hour Never

Wakeup On LAN

Wakeup On LAN determines whether the Wakeup On LAN feature is set to On or Off. You must reboot your

system before a change takes effect.

Sound

Sound determines whether the integrated audio controller is On or Off. You must reboot your system before a

change takes effect.

NIC

NIC determines whether an integrated network interface controller (NIC) is On or Off. You must reboot your

system before a change takes effect.

Mouse

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Mouse enables or disables the system’s built-in PS/2-compatible mouse port. Disabling the mouse allows an
expansion card to use IRQ 12.

Serial Port 1 and Serial Port 2

Serial Port 1 and Serial Port 2 configure the system’s built-in serial ports. These options can be set to Auto
(the default) to automatically configure a port, to a particular designation (COM1 or COM3 for Serial Port 1;
COM2 or COM4 for Serial Port 2), or to Off to disable the port.

If you set a serial port to Auto and add an expansion card containing a port configured to the same designation,
the system automatically remaps the built-in port to the next available port designation that shares the same IRQ
setting as follows:

● COM1 (input/output [I/O] address 3F8h), which shares IRQ4 with COM3, is remapped to COM3 (I/O

address 3E8h).

● Likewise, COM2 (I/O address 2F8h), which shares IRQ3 with COM4, is remapped to COM4 (I/O

address 2E8h).

NOTES: When two COM ports share an IRQ setting, you can use either port as
necessary, but you may not be able to use them both at the same time. If the
second port (COM3 or COM4) is also in use, the built-in port is turned off.

If you are using the Microsoft® Windows® 95 or IBM® OS/2® operating system, you
cannot use both serial ports at the same time.

Parallel Port

Parallel Port configures the system’s built-in parallel port. This option can be set to 378h (the default), to
alternate addresses 278h or 3BCh, or to Off to disable the port.

NOTE: Do not set Parallel Port to 278h if you have an Enhanced Capabilities Port
(ECP) device connected to the port.

Parallel Mode

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Parallel Mode controls whether the system’s built-in parallel port acts as an AT-compatible (unidirectional) or
PS/2-compatible (bidirectional) port.

Your system also supports ECP mode, which can be used by Windows 95 and Windows 98. Windows 95 and
Windows 98 use ECP protocol automatically if the operating system detects an ECP-capable device, eliminating the
need for an ECP setting in this option.

Set this option according to the type of peripheral device connected to the parallel port. To determine the correct
mode to use, see the documentation that came with the device.

IDE Hard Disk

IDE Hard Disk enables or disables the system’s built-in EIDE hard-disk drive interface.

With Auto (the default option) selected, the system turns off the built-in EIDE interface when necessary to
accommodate a controller card installed in an expansion slot.

As part of the boot routine, the system first checks for a primary hard-disk drive controller card installed in an
expansion slot. If no card is found, the system enables the built-in EIDE interface to use IRQ14 and IRQ15.

If a primary controller is detected on the expansion bus, the built-in EIDE interface is disabled.

Selecting Off disables the built-in EIDE interface.

Diskette

Diskette controls the operation of the system’s built-in diskette drive controller.

With Auto (the default) selected, the system turns off the built-in diskette drive controller when necessary to
accommodate a controller card installed in an expansion slot.

With Write Protect selected, nothing can be written to diskette drives and tape drives using the system’s built-in
diskette drive controller. (The system can still read from the drives.) When this option is selected, the Auto option
(whereby the system turns off the built-in diskette drive controller as necessary) is also in effect.

Selecting Off turns off the built-in diskette/tape drive controller; this option is used primarily for troubleshooting
purposes.

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Speaker

Speaker determines whether the on-board speaker is On (the default) or Off. A change to this option takes

effect immediately (rebooting the system is not required).

System Data Options

The following options, which are not selectable, display information about the system. The microprocessor type is
also listed in the System Data box.

● Level 2 Cache displays the size of the integrated cache (512 kilobytes [KB]).

● System Memory indicates the entire amount of installed memory detected in your system, except for

memory on Expanded Memory Specification (EMS) expansion cards. After adding memory, check this
option to confirm that the new memory is installed correctly and is recognized by the system.

● Video Memory displays the amount of video memory detected in your system.

● Service Tag displays the system’s five-character service tag number, which was programmed into

nonvolatile random-access memory (NVRAM) by Dell during the manufacturing process. Refer to this
number during technical assistance or service calls. The service tag number is also accessed by certain
Dell support software, including the diagnostics software.

● Asset Tag displays the customer-programmable asset tag number for the system if an asset tag number

has been assigned. You can use the Asset Tag utility, which is included with your system utilities, to enter
an asset tag number up to ten characters long into NVRAM. For information on using the utility, see the
Dell ResourceCD User's Guide.

Using the System Password Feature

NOTICE: The password features provide a basic level of security for the data on your
system. However, they are not foolproof. If your data requires more security, it is your
responsibility to obtain and use additional forms of protection, such as data encryption
programs.

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System Setup Options: Dell OptiPlex GX1 Small-Form-Factor System User's Guide

Your Dell system is shipped to you without the system password feature enabled. If system security is a concern,
you should operate your system only with system password protection.

You can assign a system password, as described in "

Assigning a System Password," whenever you use the
System Setup program. After a system password is assigned, only those who know the password have full use of

the system.

When the System Password option is set to Enabled, the computer system prompts you for the system
password just after the system boots.

To change an existing system password, you must know the password (see "

Deleting or Changing an Existing
System Password"). If you assign and later forget a system password, you need to be able to remove the

computer cover to change a jumper setting that disables the system password feature (see "

Disabling a Forgotten

Password"). Note that you erase the setup password at the same time.

Assigning a System Password

NOTICE: If you leave your system running and unattended without having a system
password assigned, or if you leave your computer unlocked so that someone can
disable the password by changing a jumper setting, anyone can access the data stored
on your hard-disk drive.

Before you can assign a system password, you must enter the System Setup program and check the System
Password option.

When a system password is assigned, the option shown in the System Password option is Enabled. When
the system password feature is disabled by a jumper setting on the system board, the option shown is Disabled
by Jumper. You cannot change or enter a new system password if either of these options is displayed.

When no system password is assigned and the password jumper on the system board is in the enabled position (its
default), the option shown for the System Password option is Not Enabled. Only when this option is set to

Not Enabled can you assign a system password, using the following procedure:

1. Verify that the

Password Status option is set to Unlocked.

2. Highlight the System Password option, and then press the left- or right-arrow key.

The option heading changes to Enter Password, followed by an empty seven-character field in
square brackets.

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System Setup Options: Dell OptiPlex GX1 Small-Form-Factor System User's Guide

3. Type your new system password.

You can use up to seven characters in your password.

As you press each character key (or the spacebar for a blank space), a placeholder appears in the
field.

The password assignment operation recognizes keys by their location on the keyboard, without
distinguishing between lowercase and uppercase characters. For example, if you have an M in your
password, the system recognizes either M or m as correct.

Certain key combinations are not valid. If you enter one of these combinations, the speaker emits a
beep.

To erase a character when entering your password, press the <Backspace> key or the left-arrow
key.

NOTE: To escape from the field without assigning a system password,
press the <Tab> key or the <Shift><Tab> key combination to move to
another field, or press the <Esc> key at any time prior to completing step

5.

4. Press <Enter>.

If the new system password is less than seven characters, the whole field fills with placeholders.
Then the option heading changes to Verify Password, followed by another empty seven­character field in square brackets.

5. To confirm your password, type it a second time and press <Enter>.

The password setting changes to Enabled. Your system password is now set; you can exit the
System Setup program and begin using your system. Note, however, that password protection does
not take effect until you reboot the system by pressing the reset button or by turning the system off
and then on again.

Using Your System Password to Secure Your System

Whenever you turn on your system, press the reset button, or reboot the system by pressing the <Ctrl><Alt><Del>
key combination, the following prompt appears on the screen when the Password Status option is set to
Unlocked:

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System Setup Options: Dell OptiPlex GX1 Small-Form-Factor System User's Guide

Type in the password and...
— press <ENTER> to leave password security enabled.
— press <CTRL><ENTER> to disable password security.
Enter password:

If the Password Status option is set to Locked, the following prompt appears:

Type the password and press <Enter>.

After you type the correct system password and press <Enter>, your system boots and you can use the keyboard
and/or mouse to operate your system as usual.

NOTE: If you have assigned a setup password (see "Using the Setup Password

Feature") the system accepts your setup password as an alternate system password.

If a wrong or incomplete system password is entered, the following message appears on the screen:

** Incorrect password. **

Enter password:

If an incorrect or incomplete system password is entered again, the same message appears on the screen.

The third and subsequent times an incorrect or incomplete system password is entered, the system displays the
following message:

** Incorrect password. **
Number of unsuccessful password attempts: 3
System halted! Must power down.

The number of unsuccessful attempts made to enter the correct system password can alert you to an unauthorized
person attempting to use your system.

Even after your system is turned off and on, the previous message is displayed each time an incorrect or
incomplete system password is entered.

NOTE: You can use the Password Status option in conjunction with System
Password and Setup Password to further protect your system from unauthorized

changes.

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System Setup Options: Dell OptiPlex GX1 Small-Form-Factor System User's Guide

Deleting or Changing an Existing System Password

To delete or change an existing system password, perform the following steps:

1. Press the <F2> key to enter the

System Setup program, and verify that the Password Status option is

set to Unlocked.

Press the <Alt><p> key combination to move to Page 2 of the

System Setup screens.

2. Reboot your system to force it to prompt you for a system password.

3. When prompted, type the system password.

4. Press the <Ctrl><Enter> key combination to disable the existing system password, instead of pressing

<Enter> to continue with the normal operation of your system.

5. Confirm that Not Enabled is displayed for the System Password option of the System Setup program.

If Not Enabled appears in the System Password option, the system password has been
deleted. If you want to assign a new password, continue to step 6. If Not Enabled is not
displayed for the System Password option, press the <Alt><p> key combination to reboot the
system, and then repeat steps 3 through 5.

6. To assign a new password, follow the procedure in "

Assigning a System Password."

Using the Setup Password Feature

Your Dell system is shipped to you without the setup password feature enabled. If system security is a concern, you
should operate your system with setup password protection.

You can

assign a setup password whenever you use the System Setup program. After a setup password is

assigned, only those who know the password have full use of the System Setup program.

To change an existing password, you must know the setup password. If you assign and later forget a setup

password, you need to remove the computer cover to change a jumper setting that

disables the setup password

feature. Note that you erase the system password at the same time.

Assigning a Setup Password

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System Setup Options: Dell OptiPlex GX1 Small-Form-Factor System User's Guide

A setup password can be assigned (or changed) only when the Setup Password option is set to Not
Enabled. To assign a setup password, perform the following steps:

1. Enter the

System Setup program and go to Page 2 of the System Setup screens.

2. Highlight the Setup Password option and press the left- or right-arrow key.

The system prompts you to enter and verify the password. If a character is illegal for password use,
the system emits a beep.

NOTES: The setup password can be the same as the system password.

If the two passwords are different, the setup password can be used as an
alternate system password. However, the system password cannot be
used in place of the setup password.

3. Enter and verify the password and click OK.

After you verify the password, the Setup Password setting changes to Enabled. The next
time you enter the System Setup program, the system will prompt you for the setup password.

A change to the Setup Password option becomes effective immediately (rebooting the system
is not required).

Operating With a Setup Password Enabled

If Setup Password is set to Enabled, you must enter the correct setup password before you can modify the
majority of the System Setup options.

When you start the

System Setup program, Page 2 of the System Setup screens appears with the Setup

Password option highlighted, prompting you to type the password.

If you do not enter the correct password in three tries, the system lets you view, but not modify, the System Setup
screens—with the following exceptions:

If

System Password is not enabled and is not locked via the Password Status option, you

can assign a system password (however, you cannot disable or change an existing system
password).

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System Setup Options: Dell OptiPlex GX1 Small-Form-Factor System User's Guide

NOTE: You can use the Password Status option in conjunction with
Setup Password to protect the system password from unauthorized

changes.

Deleting or Changing an Existing Setup Password

To delete or change an existing setup password, perform the following steps:

1. Enter the

System Setup program and go to Page 2 of the System Setup screens.

2. Highlight the Setup Password option, type in the setup password, and press the left- or right-arrow key
to delete the existing setup password.

The setting changes to Not Enabled.

3. If you want to assign a new setup password, follow the procedure in "

Assigning a Setup Password."

Disabling a Forgotten Password

If you forget your system or setup password, you cannot operate your system or change settings in the System
Setup program until you remove the computer cover, change the password jumper setting to disable the passwords,
and erase the existing passwords.

To disable a forgotten password, perform the following steps.

CAUTION: To avoid the possibility of electric shock, turn off the computer and
any peripherals, disconnect them from electrical outlets, and then wait at least 5
seconds before you remove the computer cover. Also, before removing the
computer cover, see the other precautions in "Safety First—For You and Your

Computer."

1.

Remove the computer cover.

NOTICE: Verify that the AC power cable is removed before changing any
jumper settings.

2. Remove the

jumper plug from the PSWD jumper to disable the password feature.

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