Dell OPTIPLEX GX50 User Manual

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Dell™ OptiPlex™ GX5 0 Sy stem s
User’s Guide
www.dell.com | support.dell.com
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Notes, Notices, and Cautions
NOTE: A NOTE indicates important information that helps you make better
use of your computer.
NOTICE: A NOTICE ind icates either potential damage to hardware or loss of
data and tells you how to avoid the probl e m.
personal injury, or death.
Abbreviations and Acronyms
For a complete list of abbreviations and acronyms, see the “Glossary.”
____________________
Information in this do cum e nt is subj ec t to change without notice. © 2001 Dell Computer Corporation. All rights reserved.
Reproduction in any manner whatsoever without the written pe rmission of Dell Computer Corporation is strictly forbidden.
Trademarks used in this text:
DellNet
, and
OptiPlex
trademark and and
Windows
trademark of 3Com Corporation; Machines Corporation; 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 discla ims any proprietary interest in trad em arks and trade names other than its own.
Models: DHS, DHP, and DHM
January 2002
January 2002 P/N 005VJ
January 2002January 2002
Celeron
are registered trademarks of Microsoft Corporation;
P/N 005VJ Rev. A03
P/N 005VJP/N 005VJ
Dell
, the
DELL
logo,
are trademarks of Dell Computer Corporation;
is a trademark of Intel Corporation;
IBM
NetWare
is a registered trademark of International Business
and
Novell
Rev. A03
Rev. A03Rev. A03
Inspiron, Dimension, Latitude, Dell Precision
Microsoft, Windows NT, MS-DOS,
3Com
are registered trademarks of Novell, Inc. As an
Intel
is a registered
is a registered
,
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Contents
Safety Instructions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9
When Working Inside Your Computer
Protecting Against Electrostatic Discharge . . . . . . . . . . . 10
Ergonomic Computing Habits

1 About Your Computer

Front View . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16
Front Panel Door
Speaker/Headphone Connector
Power Button . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20
Power Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22
Floppy Drive Access Light
Hard Drive Access Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23
Back View. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23
Connecting Devices
Parallel Connector . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27
Mouse Connector . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27
USB Connectors
Integrated Network Adapter Connector . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27
Network Cable Requirements Line-In Jack
Line-Out Ja ck . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28
Microphone Jack Serial Port Connectors
Keyboard Connector . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28
Video Connector
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28
Inside Your Computer
Inside Your Computer
Inside Your ComputerInside Your Computer
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 29
Contents iii
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System Board Components . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 32
Removing and Attaching the Computer Stand . . . . . . . . . . 35

2 Advanced Features

LegacySelect Technology Control . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 40
Manageability . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 40
Dell OpenManage IT Assistant
Dell OpenManage Client Instrumentation. . . . . . . . . . . . 41
Security . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 41
Chassis Intrusion Detection
Security Cable Sl ot and Padlock Ring . . . . . . . . . . . . . 42
Password Protection . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 42
System Password
Setup Password . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 45
Disabling a Forgotten Password
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 40
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 41
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 42
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 46
Computer Settings
Entering System Setup System Setup Screens
Changing the Boot Sequence . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 50
Additional System Setup Options . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 52
If You Have a Problem Jumper Settings
Software Installation and Configuration . . . . . . . . . . . . . 60

3 Installing Upgrades

Opening the Computer Cover . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 62
Closing the Computer Cover
Expansion Cards
Installing an Expansion Card
iv Contents
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 47
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 48
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 48
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 58
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 58
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 64
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 65
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 66
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Rem ovi n g an Expa ns io n Car d . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 73
Expansion Card Cage (Small Desktop Computer Only) . . . . . . 74
Removing the Expansion-Card Cage
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 74
Replacing the Expansion-Card Cage . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 75
Memory . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 76
Installing DIMMs
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 77
Removing DIMMs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 79
Microprocessor Front Panel Inserts
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 80
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 85
Removing Front P anel Inserts—Small Form-Factor and Small Desktop
Computers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 85
Removing Front Panel Inserts—Small Mini-Tower Computer . . 88
Replacing Front Panel Inserts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 89
Internal Drives . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 89
IDE Drive Addressing
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 92
Connecting Drives . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 93
Hard Drives . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 95
Detaching Hard Drive Cables
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 96
Removing a Hard Drive . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 99
Installing a Hard Drive
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 102
Reattaching Hard Drive Cables . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 103
Adding a Second Hard Drive — Small Mini-Tower Computer . 107
Floppy Drives
Detaching Floppy Drive Cables Removing a Floppy Drive Installing a Floppy Drive and Reattaching Cables
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 109
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 109
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 113
. . . . . . . 116
CD Drives
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 121
Detaching CD Drive Cables Removing a CD Drive
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 121
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 125
Installing a CD Drive and Reattaching Cables . . . . . . . . . 127
Contents v
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Battery . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 131
Replacing the Battery
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 132

4 Microsoft® Windows® XP Features

Overview . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 136
Help and Support Center
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 136
New User Interface
Switching to Classic View Clean Desktop Wizard
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 137
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 137
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 138
Taskbar Grouping . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 139
Notification Area Cleanup . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 139
Files and Settings Transfer Wizard . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 140
Application and Device Compatibil ity. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 141
Program Compatibility Wizard
System Restore
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 142
Using System Restore Restore Process
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 144
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 143
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 141
Driver Rollback . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 145
User Accounts and Fast User Swit ching . . . . . . . . . . . . . 146
How to Use Fast User Switching
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 146
What Happens When a Fast User Switch Occurs? . . . . . . . 147
Special Considerations With Fast User Switching . . . . . . . 147
How to Turn Off Fast User Switching
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . 148
How to Add Users . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 148
vi Contents
Home and Small Office Networking . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 149
Network Setup Wizard
Internet Connection Firewall
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 149
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 150
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5 Technical Specifications

6 Solving Problems

Finding Solutions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 162
Power P roblems
Video and Monitor Problems . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 163
Sound and Speaker Proble ms . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 165
Prin ter Problems Serial or Parallel Device Problems
Mouse Problems . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 169
Keyboard Problems
Floppy Drive Problems . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 171
Hard Drive Problems . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 173
Battery Problems
Expansion Card Problems . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 177
Recover From a Program That Is Not Responding . . . . . . . 178
Restart a Computer That Is Not Responding
Repairing a Wet Computer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 179
Repairing a Dropped or Damaged Computer . . . . . . . . . . 180
Hardware Conflicts
Computer Memory Problems . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 181
System Board Problems . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 182
Resetting a Damaged System Board
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 163
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 166
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 170
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 176
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 180
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . 167
. . . . . . . . . . 179
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . 183
Dell Diagnostics
When to Use the Dell Diagnostics Features
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 184
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 184
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 184
Before You Start Testing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 184
Running the Dell Diagnostics Advanced Testing
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 187
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 185
Advanced Testing Help Menu . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 188
Messages and Codes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 189
Computer Messages
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 189
Computer Beep Codes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 196
Contents vii
Page 8
Warning Messages . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 199
Diagnostics Messages . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 199
Diagnostic Lights
Front Panel Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 200
Back Panel Lights . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 201
Software Problems . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 203
Operating System Compatibility
Input Errors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 204
Error Messages Device Drivers
Memory-Resident Programs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 205
Program Conflicts
Memory Address Conflicts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 206
Interrupt Assignment Conflicts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 206
BIOS Recovery Utility . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 207

7 Getting Help

Help Overvie w . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 210
Technical Assistance
Help Tools . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 210
Problems With Your Order . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 213
Product Information
Returning Items for Warranty Repair or Credit . . . . . . . . . 213
Before You Call . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 214
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 199
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 204
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 204
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 205
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 205
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 210
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 213

8 Additional Information

viii Contents
Dell Contact Numbers
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 216
Regulatory Notices . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 232
FCC Notices (U.S. Only)
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 233
IC Notice (Canada Only) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 235
CE Notice (European Union)
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 235
Page 9
Battery Disposal . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 236
CCIB Notice (China Only) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 237
EN 55022 Compliance (Czech Republic Only)
. . . . . . . . . 237
VCCI Notice (Japan Only). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 238
MIC Notice (Republic of Korea Only) . . . . . . . . . . . . . 239
Polish Center for Testing and Certification Notice
. . . . . . . 241
Wymagania Polskiego Centrum BadaÒ i Certyfikacji . . . . . 241
PozostaŠe instrukcje bezpiec zeÒstwa . . . . . . . . . . . . . 242
BSMI Notice (Taiwan Only) NOM Information (Mexico Only)
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 244
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 245
Información para NOM (únicamente pa ra México) . . . . . . 246
ENERGY STAR® Compliance. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 247
Limited Warranty and Return Policy . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 248
Glossary . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 249
Contents ix
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x Contents
Page 11

Safety Instructions

When Working Inside Your Computer

Before you open the computer cover, perform the following steps in the sequence indicated.
NOTICE: Do not attempt to service the co mputer yourself, except as
explained in your online Dell documentation or otherwise provided to you. Always follow installation and service instructions closely.
NOTICE: To help avoid possible damage to the system board, wait 5 seconds
after turning off the computer before removing a compo nent from the system board or disconnecting a d evice from the computer.
1
Perform an orderly computer shutdown using the operating system menu.
2 Turn off your computer and any devices. 3 Ground yourself by touching an unpainted metal surface on the
chassis, such as the metal around the card-slot openings at the back of the computer, before touching anything inside your computer.
While you work, periodically touch an unpainted metal surface on the computer chassis to dissipate any static electricity that might harm internal components.
4 Disconnect your computer and devices from the ir power source s. Also,
disconnect any telephone or telecommunication lines from the computer.
Doing so reduces the potential for personal injury or shock.
In addition, take note of these safety gu idelines when appropriate:
When you disconnect a cable, pull on its connector or on its strain-
relief loop, not on the cable itself. Some cables have a connector with locking tabs; if you are disconnecting this type of cable, pre ss in on the locking tabs before disconnecting the cable. As you pull connectors apart, keep them evenly aligned to avoid bending any connector pins. Also, before you connect a cable, make sure both connectors are correctly oriented and aligned.
9
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Handle components and cards with care. Do not touch the
components or contacts on a card. Hold a card by its edges or by its metal mounting bracket. Hold a component such as a microprocessor chip by its edges, not by its pins.
CAUTION: There is a danger of a new battery exploding if it is
incorrectly installed. Replace the batter y only with the same or equivalent type recomme nded by the manufacture r. Discard used batteries according to the manufacturer’s instructio ns.

Protecting Against Electrostatic Discharge

Static electricity can harm delicate components inside your computer. To
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prevent static damage, discharge static electricity from your body before you touch any of your computer’s electroni c components, such as the microprocessor. You can do so by touching an unpainted metal surface on the computer chassis.
As you continue to work inside the computer, periodically touch an unpainted metal surface to remove any static charge your body may have accumulated.
You can also take the following steps to prevent damage f r om electrostatic discharge (ESD):
When unpacking a static-sensitive component from its shipping
carton, do not remove the compon ent from the antistati c packing material until you are ready to install the component in your computer. Just before unwrapping the antistatic packaging, be sure to discharge static electricity from your body.
10
When transporting a sensitive component, first place it in an antistatic
container or packaging.
Handle all sensitive components in a static-safe area. If possible, use
antistatic floor pads and workbench pads.
The following notice may appear throughout this document to remind you of these precautions:
NOTICE: See "Protecting Against Electrostatic Discharge" in the safety
instructions at the front of this guide.
Page 13

Ergonomic Computing Habits

CAUTION: Improper or prolonged keyboard use may result i n
injury.
CAUTION: Viewing the monitor screen for extended periods of
time may result in eye strain.
For comfort a nd efficiency, observe the following ergonomic guidelines when setting up and using your computer:
Position your computer so that the monitor and keyboard are directly
in front of you as you work. Special shelves are available (from Dell and other sources) to help you correctly position your keyboard.
Set the monitor at a comforta ble viewing distance (u sually 510 to 610
millimeters [20 to 24 inches] from your eyes).
Make sure the monitor screen is at eye level or slightly lower when you
are sitting in front of the monitor.
Adjust the tilt of the monitor, its contrast and brightness settings, and
the lighting around you (such as overhead lights, desk lamps, and the curtains or blinds on nearby windows) to minimize reflections and glare on the monitor screen.
Use a chair that provides good lower back support.
Keep your forearms horizontal with your wrists in a neutral,
comfortable position while using the keyboard or mouse.
Always leave space to rest your hands while using the keyboard or
mouse.
Let your upper arms hang naturally at your sides.
Sit erect, with your feet resting on the floor and your thighs level.
When sitting, make sure the weight of your legs is on your feet and not
on the front of your chair seat. Adjust your chair’s height or use a footrest, if necessary, to maintain proper posture.
Vary your work activities. Try to organize your work so that you do not
have to type for extended periods of time. When you stop typing, try to do things that use both hands.
11
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1
5
2
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4
3
12
1 Monitor screen at or below eye level 4 Arms at desk level 2 Monitor and keyboard positioned directly in
5 Wrists relaxed and flat
front of the user
3 Feet flat on the floor
Page 15
SECTION 1

About Your Computer

Finding Information and Assistance Front View Back View Inside Your Computer Removing and Attaching the Computer Stand
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Page 16

Finding Information and Assistance

The following table lists the resources that Dell provides as support tools. Additional resources may be shipped with your computer system.
Resources Contents Using the Resource
Dell OptiPlex ResourceCD
•Dell Diagnostics
•Drivers
• Utilities
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•Computer and device documentation
Setup and Quick Reference Guide
• Getting started/setup
• Support tools
• Solving Problems
• Warranty information
From the main menu on the ResourceCD that was shipped with your computer, use the pull-down menu to make selections appropriate for your computer. You can perform the following tasks:
• Diagnose a problem
• Install or reinstall drivers
• Obtain information on your computer and devices
NOTE: User documentation and drivers are already
installed on your computer when shipped from Dell. You can use this CD to access docume ntation, reinst all drive rs, or run diagnostics tools. You must boot your computer from this CD to run the diagnostics, which may require changing your computer’s boot sequence (see Changing
the Boot Sequence).
Read the Setup and Quick Reference Guide for information on the following:
• Setting up your computer
• Finding and using support resources
• Diagnosing a problem
• Using tools and utilities
Service and Registration Labels—located on the front or side of your Dell™ computer.
• Express Service Code and Service Tag N umber
•Product Key (also called the Product ID or Certificate of Authenticity [COA])
14 About Your Computer
The Express Service Code and Service Tag Number are unique identifiers for your Dell computer.
You may need the Product K ey (or P ro duct ID ) numbe r to complete th e o p er ating system set u p.
Page 17
Resources Contents Using the Resource
Operating system CD Use the operating sys tem C D , which was shipped with
your computer, to reinstall your operating system.
NOTE: The operating system CD may not include all the
latest drivers for your computer. If you reinstall your operating system, use the ResourceCD to reinstall drivers for the devices shipped with your computer.
For more information about reinstalling your operating system, see the op er ating system inst allation guide tha t was shipped with your computer.
Operating system installatio n guide
Read the operating sys tem installation guide for information on reinstalling and configuring your operating system.
Click the Start button and select Help or Help and Support, depending on your operating system, to obtain more information on your operating system.
User’s Guides
User’s guides for your computer and devices
Depending on you r op er ating system, dou ble - cl ic k the User’s Guides icon on your desktop or click the Start button and then select Help and Support to access the electronic documentation stored on your hard drive. Obtain information o n the following:
• Using your computer
• Configuring system settings
• Removing and installing parts
• Installing and configuring software
• Diagnosing a problem
• Obtaining technical specifications
• Acquiring de vi ce documentation (on selected operating systems)
• Getting tech nical assistance
About Your Computer 15
Page 18
Resources Contents Using the Resource
Dell support website
• Technical support and information
• Downloads for your computer
•Order or delivery status
• Hints and tips, technology papers, service information
www.dell.com | support.dell.com
Dell Premier Support website
•Service call status
•Top technical issues by product
• Frequently asked questions by product number
• Customized servic e ta gs
• Syste m configuration detail
Go to support.dell.com.
• Get help with general usage, installation, and troubleshooting questions
• Obtain answers to technical service and support questions
• Get the latest ve rsions of the drivers for your computer
• Access documentation about your computer and devices
• Join online discussions with other Dell customers and Dell technical professionals
• Explore a list of online links to Dell's primary vendors
Go to premiersupport.dell.com: The Dell Premier Support website is customized for
corporate, government, education, and healthcare customers.
This site may not be available in all regions.

Front View

16 About Your Computer
The following figures show the controls, lights, and features located on the front panel of the small form-factor, small desktop, and small mini-tower computers.
Small Form-Factor Computer
12 345
Page 19
1USB connectors (2)
23
2 Headphone connector 3 Hard drive access lights 4 Power button 5Power light
Small Desktop Computer
1
1 Front panel door 2 Power button 3Power light 4 Hard drive access light 5 Flo p py drive access light
45
About Your Computer 17
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Small Mini-Tower Computer
1
2 3
4
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5
6
7
18 About Your Computer
1Removable CD drive panel 2 Flo p py drive access light 3 Removable floppy drive panel 4 Hard drive access light 5 Power button 6Power light 7 Front panel door
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Front Panel Door

Open the front panel doo r to access two Universal Serial Bus (USB) connectors and the headphone connector. This door is removable; if you remove it or accidentally knock it off its hinges, it snaps back in place.
Small Desktop Computer
213
1 USB connectors (2) 2 Head phone connector 3 Breakaway hinges (2)
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Small Mini-Tower Computer
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1
2
3
20 About Your Computer
1 Breakaway hinges (2) 2USB connectors (2) 3 Headphone connector

Speaker/Headphone Connector

Used to connect computer speakers, headphones, or other audio output devices. This connector is amplified to support headphones.

Power Button

The power button controls the computer's AC input power.
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The Microsoft® Windows® 98, Windows 98 Second Edition (SE), Windows 2000, and Windows XP operating systems let you configure the function of the power button through the Advanced Configuration and Power Interface (ACPI) feature, as shown in the following table.
NOTICE: To turn off your computer, perform an orderly computer shutdown
using the operating system menu when possible.
Power Button Functions for Windows 98, Windows 98 SE, Windows 2000, and Windows XP with ACPI
Action Results
Computer Turned On and ACPI Enabled
Press power button
Computer goes into standby mode or turns off (depending on the operating system setup)
Hold power
Computer turns off Computer button for 6 seconds*
*Pressing or holding the power button to shut down the computer may result in data loss. Use the power button to shut down the com pute r onl y if the ope r ati ng system is not responding.
Computer in Standby Mode
Computer turns on
turns off
Computer Turn ed Off
Boots and computer turns on
Boots and computer turns on
Power Button Functions for Windows 98, Windows 98 SE, Windows 2000, and Windows XP with ACPI Disabled
Action Results
Computer Tu rned On and ACPI Disabled
Press power button Computer turns off
immediately
Computer in Suspend Mode
Computer turns off immediately
Computer Turn ed Off
Boots and computer turns on
Hold power button for 6 seconds*
Computer turns off Computer turns
off
Boots and computer turns on
*Pressing or holding the power button to shut down the computer may result in data loss. Use the power button to shut down the computer only if the operating system is not responding.
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Power Button Functions for Mic rosoft Windows NT®
Action Results
Computer Tu rne d On
Press power button Computer shuts
down
Hold power button for 6 seconds* Computer turns
off
*Pressing or holding the power button to shut down the computer may result in data loss. Use the power button to shut down the com pute r onl y if the ope rati ng system is not responding.
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Computer Turned Off
Boots and computer turns on
Boots and computer turns on
If the computer does not turn off when you press the power button, the computer may be hung. Press and hold the power button until the computer turns off completely (this process may take several seconds). If the computer is hung and the power button fails to function properly, unplug the AC power cable from the computer, wait for the computer to completely stop running, and plug in the AC power cable. If the computer does not restart, press the power button to restart the computer.

Power Light

The power light illuminates in two colors and blinks or remains solid to indicate different states (normal and nonnormal). The following ar e normal lights:
22 About Your Computer
No light — computer is in the off state (S4, S5, or mechanical OFF)
Steady green — normal operating state
Blinking green — low-power state (S1 or S3)
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See “Diagnostic Lights” for a description of nonnormal indications.
213

Floppy Drive Access Light

The floppy drive access light lights when the drive is reading data from, or writing data to, a floppy disk. Wait until this light turns off before you remove the floppy from the drive.

Hard Drive Access Light

The hard drive access light lights when the computer is reading data from, or writing data to, the drive.

Back View

Small Form-Factor Computer
1 Half-height PCI expansion-card slot 2 AC adapter 3AC voltage switch
NOTE: Your computer
can resume from the S3 state (suspend to RAM) in several ways. Pressing the power button always works. Certain USB devices also wake the computer from S3, and the action required varies by device. Check your device documentation for details. Remote Wake Up also creates an S3 wake event if enabled in system setup and in your operating system. Personal System/2 (PS/2) wake events also vary depending on your operating system. For example, PS/2 mice will not wake from S3 in Windows 98 SE but will wake from S3 in Wi ndows 2000 or Windows XP if enabled in the operating system (OS). PS/2 keyboards will always wake the computer from S3 in Windows 98 SE and will wake from S3 in Windows 2000 or Windows XP if enabled in the operating system.
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Small Desktop Computer
21
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1PCI slots (2) 2AC adapter
24 About Your Computer
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Small Mini-Tower Computer
1
2
3
4
1 AC adapter 2AC voltage switch 3AGP slot 4PCI slots (4)
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I/O Panel—Small Form-Factor, Desktop, and Mini-Tower Computers
213456
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1 Parallel connector 8 Microphone connector 2 Keyboard conn ec tor 9 Audio lin e - in connector 3 Mouse connector 10 Audio line-out connector 4 Link in tegrity light 11 USB connectors (2) 5 Network adapter 12 Diagnostic lights 6 Activity light 13 Serial 2 connec to r 7 Video connector (1) 14 Serial 1 connector
14 13 12 11 910 8
7

Connecting Devices

When you connect external devices to your computer's back panel, follow these guidelines:
26 About Your Computer
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 computer 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.)
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NOTICE: When you disconnect external devices from the back of the
computer, wait 5 seconds after turning off the computer before you disconnect any devices to avoid possible damage to the system board.

Parallel Connector

This is used to connect printers. Default designation is LPT1.

Mouse Connector

Turn off the computer and any attached devices before connecting a mouse to the computer. If your computer uses Microsoft Windows Windows NT 4.0, Dell installed the necessary mouse drivers on your hard drive.
2000 or

USB Connectors

These are used to attach USB-compliant devices such as keyboards, mice, printers, and computer speakers to your computer.

Integrated Network Adapter Connector

The network adapter, which includes a Remote Wake Up feature, has the following lights:
A yell ow activity light flashes when the computer is transmitting or
receiving network data. (A high volume of network traffic may make this light appear to be in a steady "on" s t ate.)
A dual-colored link integrity light, which is green when there is a good
connection between a 10-megabit per second (Mbps) network and the network adapter and orange when there is a good connection between a 100-Mbps network and the network adapter. When the light is off, the computer is not detecting a physical connection to the network.
NOTE: The integrated
parallel port is automatically disabled if the computer detects an installed expansion card containing a paralle l po r t configured to the same address as specified in "Additional Syste m Setu p
Options."

Network Cable Requirements

The network adapter connector attaches an unshielded twisted pair (UTP) Ethernet cable to your computer. Pr ess one end of the UTP cable to an RJ45 jack wall plate or to an RJ45 port on a UTP concentrator or hub, depending on your network configuration, and press the other end of the UTP cable into the network adapter connector until the cable snaps securely into place
Dell recommends the use of Category 5 wiring and connectors for our customers’ networks.
About Your Computer 27
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Line-In Jack

This jack is used 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.

Line-Out Jack

This jack is used to attach computer speakers. This jack is amplified, so speakers with integrated amplifiers are not required. Connect the audio cable from the speakers to this jack.
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Microphone Jack

This jack is used to attach a standard personal computer microphone. Connect the audio cable from the microphone to the microphone jack.

Serial Port Connectors

Default port designations: COM1 for serial port 1 and COM2 for serial port
2. You can reassign the serial port's designation if you add an expansion card containing a serial port using this designation.
If you set the computer’s serial ports to Auto in system setup and add an expansion card containing a serial port configured to a specific designation, the computer automatic ally maps (assigns) the integrated ports to the appropriate COM setting as necessary.
Before you add a card with a serial port, che ck the documentation that accompanied your software to make sure that the software can be mapped to the new COM port designation.

Keyboard Connector

Attach the keyboard cable to the 6-pin connector on the back panel.

Video Connector

This connector is used to attach a video graphics array (VGA)-compatible monitor to your computer.
28 About Your Computer
NOTE: This connector can be used for a secondary display if multi-monitor is
supported and enabled in your operating system and you have an add-in PCI video card.
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Inside Your Computer

Small Form-Factor Computer
2
1
12
11
10
9
1 Hard drive 7 System board 2 3.5-inch floppy drive 8 Power supply 3CD drive 9 AC power connector 4 Cover release buttons (2) 10 I/O ports and connectors 5 Int ernal speaker 11 Padlock ring 6 Chassis intrusion switch 12 Heat sink assembly
8
3
4
5
6
7
NOTE: User service
access points are color­coded green.
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Small Desktop Computer
14
1
13
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2
12
11
3
4
10
5
6
9
8
7
1 Cover release buttons (2) 8 AC power connector 2 Hard drive 9 Padlock ring 3 Internal speaker 10 I/O ports and connectors 4 Ch assis intrusion switch 11 Heat sink assembly 5 Expansion-card cage 12 System board 6 Power supply 13 3.5-inch floppy drive 7 Expansion-card slots 14 CD drive
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Small Mini-Tower Computer
13
12
11
10
9
8
5
7
6
1 Cover release buttons (2) 8 AC power connector 2 Hard drive 9 Padlock ring 3 Intern a l speaker 10 Microprocesso r and airf low shroud 4 Chassis intrusion switch 11 Power supply 5 System board 12 3.5-inch floppy drive 6 Expansion-card slots 13 CD drive 7 I/O ports and connectors
1
2
3
4
About Your Computer 31
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Cable Colors
Hard drive Blue pull tab Floppy drive Black pull tab CD drive Orange pull tab ATA or IDE Gray Control panel Gray CD audio Blue Computer audio Black
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System Board Components

The following figure shows the principal connectors and components on the system board.
32 About Your Computer
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24
Front of Computer
4321
5
6
23
22
21
20
Back of Computer
7
8
9
10
1213141516171819
11
About Your Computer 33
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1 Floppy drive connector 13 Front panel audio connector 2 Battery 14 Video connector (upper) and audio
connectors (lower)
3 EIDE2 connector 15 Modem connector 4 EIDE1 connector 16 Network connector (upper) and USB
connectors (2) (lower)
5 Front panel connector 17 Keyboard (lower) and mouse (upper)
connectors
6 PCI riser board (small mini-
18 Diagnostic lights
tower computer only)
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7 Standby power light 19 Parallel port (upper) and serial port
(2)(lower) con nectors
8 PCI3 connector 20 Fan connector 9 PCI4 connector 21 Microprocessor and heat sink 10 PCI2 connector 22 Memory module (DIMM) connectors 11 PCI1 connector 23 DC power connector 12 CD audio connector 24 System board speaker
System Board Labels
Connector or Socket Description
AUDIO Line-in, line-out, and microphone jacks AUX_PWR Standby power light BATTERY Battery socket CD_IN CD drive audio cable connector DIAG_LED Diagnostic lights DIMM_A and
Dual in-line memory module (DIMM) sockets
DIMM_B DSKT Floppy drive interface co nnector FAN Microprocessor fan connector FRONTAUDIO Front panel audio connector for onboard audio FRONTPANEL Front panel cable connector IDE1 Primary IDE interface connector IDE2 Secondary IDE interface connector
34 About Your Computer
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Connector or Socket Description
KYBD_MOUSE Keyboard and mouse connectors MICROPROCESSOR Microprocessor connector MODEM Telephony connector MONITOR Video connector NIC_USB Integrated network adapter connector and USB
connectors PAR_SER1_SER2 Parallel and serial connectors PCI1, PCI2, PCI3, and
PCI4 POWER Main power input connector PSWD Password jumper H_RISER Horiz ontal riser board connector; vertical PCI cards V_RISER Vertical riser board connector; hori zontal PCI cards SPEAKER Internal speaker
PCI expansion card connectors

Removing and Attaching the Computer Stand

1 To remove the computer stand, perform the following steps:
a Turn the computer over so that the stand is at the top. b Loosen the thumb screw and lift the stand away (see t he following
figures).
c Place the computer in a horizontal position.
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Small Form-Factor Desktop Computer Stand
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36 About Your Computer
Page 39
Small Desktop Computer Stand
2
To attac h the c om puter stand, perform the followi ng steps:
a Place the computer on its right side so that the drive bays are at
the bottom.
b Fit the stand onto what was the left side of the computer. c Position the stand as shown in the figure by aligning the large
round hole in the stand with the securing button on the side of the cover and aligning the captive screw in the stand with the screw hole in the cover.
d When the stand is in p lac e, tighten the thumbscrew. e Rotate the computer so that the stand is at the bottom and the
drives are at the top.
About Your Computer 37
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38 About Your Computer
Page 41
SECTION 2

Advanced Features

LegacySelect Technology Control Manageability Security Password Protection Computer Settings Additional System Setup Options Jumper Settings Software Installation and Configuration
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LegacySelect Technology Control

LegacySelect technology control permits the deployment of legacy full, legacy reduced, or legacy free solutions based on a common platform with common hard drive images and common help desk procedures. Control is provided to the administrator through the system setup program, Dell OpenManage™ IT Assistant, or Dell custom factory integration.
LegacySelect allows the administr ator to electronically activate or deactivate specific ports and media devices including: serial and USB ports, parallel port, floppy drive, PCI slots, and PS/2 mouse. When the ports and media devices are deactivated, resources that they might have used are
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available. Any changes that are made will take place after you reboot the computer.

Manageability

Dell OpenManage IT Assistant

Dell OpenManage IT Assistant is the premier Dell™ systems management application for configuring, managing, and monitoring computers and other devices on a corporate network. IT Assistant employs the latest remote management technology to provide asset management, configuration management, event (alert) management, and security management for systems equipped with industry-standard management software. Software of this type is called system management instrumentation.
40 Advanced Features
IT Assistant supports instrumentation that conforms to the following industry standards:
Simple Network Management Protocol (SNMP)
Desktop Management Interface (DMI)
Common Information Model (CIM )
The instrumentation available for your computer is Dell OpenManage Client instrumentation, which is based on DMI and CIM. For more information on IT Assistant, see the Dell OpenManage IT As sistant User’s Guide available on the Dell website.
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Dell OpenManage Client Instrumentation

Dell OpenManage Client Instrumentation is software that enables remote management application programs such as IT Assistant to do the following:
Access information about your computer , such as how many processors
it has and what operating system it is running
Monitor the status of your computer, such as listening for thermal
alerts from temperature probes or hard drive failure alerts from storage devices
Change the state of your computer, such as updating its BIOS or
shutting it down remotely
Dell OpenManage Client Instrumentation can be installed on computers like yours, which, when set up on a network with IT Assistant, are called managed systems. For more information about Dell OpenManage Client Instrumentation, see the Dell OpenManage Client Instrumentation User’s Guide available on the Dell website.

Security

The computer provides the following methods of phys i c ally securing the chassis:
Chassis Intrusion Detection
Security Cable Slot and Padlock Ring

Chassis Intrusion Detection

The chassis intrusion monitor can detect when the chassis is opened. The Chassis Intrusion option in system setup displays the status of the monitor.
1 Enter system setup. 2 Press the down-arrow keys to move to the System Security option. 3 Press <Enter> to access the System Security option's pop-up menu. 4 Press the down-arrow keys to move to the Chassis Intrusion option. 5 Press the spacebar to select an option setting.
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Option settings:
Enabled — When the computer cover is opened with this setting, a
DMI event is generated, th e setting changes to Detected, and the following message appears during the boot routine at the next computer start-up:
Alert! Cover was previously removed.
To reset the Detected setting, enter system setup during the computer's power-on self-test (POST). In the Chassis Intrusion option, press the left- or right-arrow key to select Reset, and then choose Enabled, Enabled-Silent, or Disabled.
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NOTE: Before your
purchase an antitheft device, make sure it works with the cable slot on your computer.
Enabled-Silent (default) — When the computer cover is opened with
this setting, a DMI event is generated and the setting changes to Detected, but the alert message does not appear during the boot sequence at the next computer start-up.
Disabled — No intrusion monitoring occurs and no messages appear.
NOTE: When the setup password is enabled, you must know the setup
password before you can reset the Chassis Intrusion option.

Security Cable Slot and Padlock Ring

This ring is used to attach commercially available antitheft devices. To prevent unauthorized removal of your computer, loop the galvanized security cable around an immovable object, insert the attached locking device into the security cable slot on the back of your computer, and lock the device with the key provided.

Password Protection

The computer provides two types of password protection:
•System Password
•Setup Password

System Password

System passwords allow only those who know the password to have full use of the computer. Yo ur Dell computer does not have the system password feature enabled when you receive it.
42 Advanced Features
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NOTICE: Although passwords provide security for the data on your computer,
they are not foolproof. If your data requires more security, it is your responsibility to ob ta in and use additional forms of protection, such as data encryption programs.
NOTICE: If you leave your computer 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 drive.
System Password settings in system se tup:
Enabled — a system password is assigned
Disabled — system password feature is disabled by a jumpe r setting on
the system board
Not Enabled — no system password is assigned and the password
jumper on the system board is in the enabled position (its def ault setting)
Assigning a System Password
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. 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 computer 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 <Backspace> or the left-arrow key.
NOTE: You cannot
change or enter a new system password if either of these options is displayed.
NOTE: You can only
assign a system password when System Password is set to Not Enabled.
Advanced Features 43
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NOTE: To escape from
the field without assigning a system password, press <Tab> or the <Shift><Tab> combination to move to another field, or press <Esc> at any time prior to completing step 5.
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Press <Ente r> .
4
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 system setup and begin using your computer. Password protection takes effect when you reboot the computer by pressing the reset button or by turning the computer off and then on again.
Using Your System Password
When you turn on your computer or press the reset button, or when you reboot the computer by pressing the <Ctrl><Alt><Del> 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:
NOTE: If you have
assigned a setup password, the computer accepts your setup password as an alternate system password.
44 Advanced Features
Type the password and press <Enter>. 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 computer displays the following message:
** Incorrect password. ** Number of unsuccessful password attempts: 3 System halted! Must power down.
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Even after your computer is turned off and on, the previous message is displayed each time an incorrect or incomplete system password is entered.
Deleting or Changing an Existing System Password
To delete or change an existing system password, perform the following steps:
1 Enter system setup program, and verify that Password Status is set to
Unlocked.
2 Reboot your comput e r t o forc e it t o prom pt y o u fo r a sy st em 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 computer.
5 Confirm that Not Enabled is displayed for the System Password
option. 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 computer, and then repeat steps 3 through 5.
6 To assign anew pa ssword, follow the procedure in "Assigning a System
Password."
NOTE: You can use
Password Status in conjunction with System Password and Setup Password to further protect your computer from unauthoriz e d changes.

Setup Password

Setup passwords allow only those who know the password to have full use of system setup. Your Dell computer does not have the setup password feature enabled when you receive it.
Setup Password options in system setup:
Enabled — does not allow assignment of setup passwords; users must
enter a setup password to make changes to syste m setup
Not Enabled — allows assignment of setup passwords; password
feature is enabled but no password is assigned
Advanced Features 45
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NOTE: The setup
password can be the same as the system password.
Assigning a Setup Password
1 Enter syste m setup, and ve rify that Setup Password is set to Not
Enabled.
2 Highlight Setup Password and press the left- or right-arrow key.
The computer prompts you to enter and verify the password. If a character is illegal for password use, the computer emits a beep.
3 Type in and then verify the password.
After you verify the password, the Setup Password setting chan ges to Enabled. The next time you attempt to enter system setup, the
computer prompts you for the setup password.
NOTE: If the two
passwords are different, the setup password can be used as an alterna te system password. However, the system password cannot be used in place of the setup password.
NOTE: You can use
Password Status in conjunction with Se tup Password to protect the system password from unauthorized chan ges.
A change to Setup Password becomes effective immediately (rebooting the computer is not required).
Operating Your Computer With a Setup Password Enabled
When you start system setup, the Setup Password option is highlighted, prompting you to type the pa ssword.
If you do not enter the correct password, the computer lets you view, but not modify, system setup options.
Deleting or Changing an Existing Setup Password
To change an existing setup password, you must know the setup password.
1 Enter system setup. 2 If you have already assigned a setup password, type it at the prompt. 3 Highlight Setup Password and press the left- or right-arrow key to
delete the existing setup password. The setting changes to Not Enabled.
4 If you want to assign a new setup password, perform the steps in
"Assigning a System Password."

Disabling a Forgotten Password

46 Advanced Features
NOTICE: This process erases both the system and setup passwords.
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CAUTION: Before you open the computer cov er, see "Safety
Instructions."
Open the computer cover.
1 2 Remove the jumper plug from the PSWD jumper to disable the
password feature. See "Jumper Settings" to locate the password jumper (labeled
"PSWD") on the system board.
3 Close the computer cover. 4 Reconnect your computer and devices to an electrical outlet, and then
turn them on. This erases the existing password(s).
5 Enter system setup and verify that the pa ssword is disabled. P roceed t o
step 6 if you want to assign a new password.
CAUTION: Before you open the computer cov er, see "Safety
Instructions."
Open the computer cover.
1 2 Replace the PSWD jumper plug. 3 Close the computer cover and reconnect the computer and devices to
an electrical outlet and turn them on. Booting your computer with the PSWD jumper installed reenables the
password feature. When you enter system setup, both password options appear as Not Enabled, meaning that the password fe ature is enabled but that no password is assigned.
4 Assign a new system and/or setup password.

Computer Settings

Each time you start your computer, it compares the installed hardware with the computer configuration information stored in nonvolatile random access memory (NVRAM). If the computer detects a discrepancy, it generates an error messages for each incorrect configuration setting.
Yo u can use compute r settings as follows:
NOTE: B efore you assign
a new system and/or setup password, you must replace th e PSWD jumpe r plug to reenable the password feature.
Advanced Features 47
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To set user-selectable options such as date and time, or system
password
To set the current configuration information such as the amount of
memory or type of hard drive installed
You can view the current settings at any time. Dell recommends that you print the system setup screens (by pressing <Print Screen>) or record the information for future reference.
Before you use system setup, you need to know the kind of floppy drive(s) and hard drive(s) installed in your computer. If you are unsure of this information, see the Manufacturing Test Report that was shipped with your
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computer and is located in the Dell Accessories folder.

Entering System Setup

1 Turn on your computer. 2 If your computer is already on, shut it down and then turn it on again. 3 When Press <F2> to Enter Setup appears in the upper-right
corner of the screen, press <F2>. If you wait too long and your operating system begins to load into
memory, let the comp uter complete the load operation; the n shut down the computer and try again.
48 Advanced Features
NOTE: To ensure an orderly computer shutdown, consult the
documentation th at accompanied your opera ting system.

System Setup Screens

The system setup screens display the current configuration information for your computer. Information on the screen is organized into four areas:
Title — the box at the to p of all screens lists the computer name.
Computer data — two boxes below the title box that display your
computer processor, level 2 (L2) cache, service tag, and the version number of the basic input/output system (BIOS)
Options — a scrollable box listing options that define the
configuration of your computer, including installed hardware, power conservation, and security features.
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Fields to the right of the option titles contain settings or values. Those you can change appear bright on the screen. Those you cannot change (because they are set by the computer) appear less bright. When <Enter> appears to the right of an option title, press <Enter> to access a popup menu of additional options.
Key functions — a line of boxes across the bottom of all screens that
lists keys and their functions within system setup.
Help — press <F1> for information in the currently highlighted
option.
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System Setup Navigation Keys
Keys Acti o n
or
Moves to the nex t field.
Moves to the previous field.
or
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or
or
spacebar or
Cycles thr ough th e opt ions in a fie ld. In many field s, you can also type the appropriate value.
Scrolls through help info rmation.
Enters the selected field's pop-up options menu.
In the selected field's pop-up options menu, cycles through the options in a field.
or
Exits system setup without rebooting the system and returns the system to the boot routine.
Exits system setup and reboots the system, implementing any ch a nge s yo u ha ve mad e .
Resets the selected option to its default setting.

Changing the Boot Sequence

The boot sequence allows you to specify the order of the devices from which the computer will attempt to boot.
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1 Press <Enter> to access the Boot Sequence option's pop-up menu.
NOTE: Write down your current boot sequence in case you want to
restore it.
Press the up- and down-arrow keys to move through the list of devices.
2 3 Press the spacebar to enable or disable a device (enabled devices
appear with a check mark).
4 Press plus (+) or minus (–) to move a selected device up or down the
list.
Option settings:
Diskette Drive A: — The computer will attempt to boot from the
floppy drive. If the computer finds a floppy in the drive that is not bootable, an error message will appear. If no floppy is in the drive, the computer will attempt to boot from the next device in the list.
Hard Drive — The comput er will attempt to boot from the primary
hard drive. If the computer does not find an operating system on the drive, it will attempt t o boot from the next device in the list.
CD-ROM Device — The computer will at tem pt to b o ot f rom th e CD
drive. If the computer does not find a CD in the drive or if there is not an operating system on the CD, the computer will attempt to boot from the next device in the list.
MBA (Onboard NIC) — Selecting MBA UNDI allows the computer
to boot from the network server. The MBA UNDI option appears under Boot Sequence only if the Network Interface Controller option is set to On w/MBA. If the Network Interface Controller option is set to On or Off, set it to On w/MBA and then press <Alt><b> to sa ve the change and reboot the computer . MB A U NDI th en appears under Boot Sequence.
When you select this option, the computer prompts you to press <Ctrl><Alt><b> at the Dell logo screen during computer boot. A menu then appears that allows you to select PXE, RPL, BootP, or NetWare as the active boot mode. If a boot routine is not available from the network server , the computer tries to boot from the next device in the boot sequence list.
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Additional System Setup Options

AC Power Recovery determines what happens when AC power is
restored to the computer. When Off is selected, the computer remains off when AC power is
restored. When On is selected, the computer starts up when AC power is restored.
When Last is selected, the computer returns to the AC power state existing at the time that AC power was lost. If the computer is on when AC power is lost, the computer starts up when AC power is restored. If the computer is off when AC power is lost, the computer
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remain s off wh e n AC power is re st ored.
Asset Tag displays the customer-programmable asset tag number for
the computer if an asset tag number is assigned. You can use the Asset Tag utility, which is included with your software support utilities, to enter an asset tag number up to ten characters long into nonvolatile random-access memory (NVRAM).
Auto Power On allows you to se t th e t ime and d ays of the w ee k to tu rn
on the computer automatically. You can set Auto Power On to turn on the computer either every day or every Monday throug h Friday.
NOTE: This feature does not work if you turn off your computer using a
power strip or surge protector.
52 Advanced Features
Time is kept in a 24-hour format (hours:minutes). To change the start­up 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 the date and time fields.
The default for Auto Power On is Disabled.
CPU ID provides the manufacturer's identification code for the
installed microprocessor.
CPU Information
CPU Speed indicates the processor speed at which your computer
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 computer is not required).
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To toggle between the rated processor speed and the compatibility speed while the computer is running in real mode, press <Ctrl><Alt><\>. (For keyboards that do not use American English, press <Ctrl><Alt><#>.)
Bus Speed indicates the speed of the micro processor's system bus,
or front-side bus (FSB).
Processor ID provides the manufacturer's identification code(s)
for the installed microprocessor.
Clock Speed indicates the core speed at which the
microprocessor(s) operates.
Cache Size displays the size of the microprocessor's level 2 (L2)
cache.
Diskette Drive A identifies the type of floppy drives installed in your
computer. With the standard cabling configuration, Diskette Drive A (the boot floppy drive) is the 3.5-inch floppy drive installed in the top externally accessible drive bay.
The Diskette Drive A option has the following possible settings:
3.5 Inch, 1.44 MB – Not Installed
NOTE: Tape drives are not reflected in the Diskette Drive A option. For
example, if you ha ve a si ngle floppy drive and a tap e driv e attac hed to the floppy/tape drive interf ace cable, set Disket te Drive A to match the characteristics of the floppy drive.
Fastboot allows your computer to boot in 10 seconds or less. The
default setting is On. If you do not want your computer to skip certain configurations and tests during boot, you may set this option to Off.
Integrated Devices. This option configures the following devices
integrated with the system board: Press <Enter> to configure these options as explained in the
following subsections. – Sound determines whether the integrated audio controller is On
or Off. The default is On.
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USB Controller enables or disables the onboard USB controller.
The onboard USB controller is always enabled during the BIOS boot process. When set to On, the onboard USB controller remains enabled when control is passed to the operating system. When set to Off, the USB controller is disabled when control is passed to the operating system.
PCI Slots enable or disable the onboard PCI slots. PCI devices
plugged into the onboard PCI slots will not function or be detected by the operating system when this field is set to disabled.
Network Interface Controller determines whether the integrated
network adapter is On, Off, or On w/ MBA. The default is On. If
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you select On w/ MBA, you are prompted to press <Ctrl><Alt><b> at the Dell logo screen during computer boot. A menu then appears that allows you to select PXE, RPL, BootP, or NetWare as the active boot mode.
Mouse Port enables or disables the computer's integrated Personal
System/2 (PS/2)-compatible mouse port. Disabling the mouse allows an expansion card to use interrupt request (IRQ)12.This setting is used to control the use of this legacy device.
Serial P ort 1 and Serial P ort 2 configur e the computer's integrated
serial ports. You can set these options to Auto (the default) to automatically configure a port, to a particular designation (COM1 or COM3 for Serial P ort 1; COM2 or COM4 for Serial Port 2), or to Off to control the use of this legacy device or 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 computer automatically rema ps the integrated 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).
COM2 (I/O address 2F8h), which shares IRQ3 with COM4, is remapped to COM4 (I/O address 2E8h).
54 Advanced Features
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NOTE: 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 you are running the Microsoft® Windows® 95 or IBM® OS/2® operating system, you cannot use both serial ports at the same time. If the second port (COM3 or COM4) is also in use, the integrated port is turned off.
Parallel Port configures the computer's integrated parallel port. Press <Enter> to configure the Parallel Port options explained in the following subsections.
Mode: You can set this option to PS/2, EPP, ECP, AT , or Off to control the use of this legacy device or to disable the port. Set this option according to the type of device connected to the parallel port. To determine the correct mode to use, see the documentation that came with the device.
I/O Address: This option determines the I/O address used by the parallel port and appears e x ce p t when Mode is set to Off. You can set I/O Address to 378h (the default), 278h, or 3BCh.
NOTE: You cannot set the parallel port to 3BCh if Mode is set to EPP.
DMA Channel: This option determines the direct memory access (DMA) channel used by the parallel port and appears only when Mode is set to ECP. The available options are DMA 1, DMA 3, and Off.
IDE Drive Interface: enables or disables the computer's
integrated enhanced integrated drive electronics (EIDE) hard drive interface. With Auto (the default) selected, the computer turns off the integrated EIDE interface when necessary to accommodate a controller card installed in an expansion slot. As part of the boot routine, the computer first checks for a primary hard drive controller card installed in an expansion slot. If no card is found, the computer enables the integrated EIDE interface to use IRQ14 and IRQ15. If a primary controller is detected on the expansion bus, the integrated EIDE interface is disabled. Selecting Off disables the integrated EIDE interface.
Diskette Interface: controls the operation of the computer's
integrated floppy drive controller. With Auto (the default) selected, the computer turns off the integrated floppy drive controller when necessary to accommodate a controller card installed in an expansion slot.
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With Read Only selected, nothing can be written to any floppy drive or tape drive using the computer's integrated floppy/tape drive controller. (The computer can still read from the drives.) When Read Only is selecte d, Auto is also in effect, meaning that the computer turns off the integrated floppy drive controller as necessary.
Selecting Off turns off the integrated floppy/tape drive controller; this setting is used to control the use of this legacy device or for troubleshooting purposes.
USB Emulation: determines whether the computer's basic
input/output system (BIOS) controls Universal Serial Bus (USB)
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keyboards and mice. When On is selected (the default), the BIOS controls USB keyboards and mice until a USB driver is loaded by the operating system. When Off is selected, the BIOS does not control USB keyboards and mice, although they function during the boot routine. Set USB Emulation to Off if you are using a PS/2-compatible keyboard and mouse.
NOTE: For Windows NT®, Off is the default setting.
Primary Video Controller: determines which video controller to
use when the computer boots. When Auto is selected, the computer uses a video expansion card, if one is installed or the onboard video controller if a video expansion card is not installed. When Onboard is selected, the computer uses the onboard video controller even if a video expansion card is installed.
Video DAC Snoop: lets you correct vide o problems that may
occur when you use certain video expansion cards. The default is Off. If you are using a video expansion card and problems such as incorrect colors or blank windows occur, set Video DAC Snoop to On.
56 Advanced Features
Keyboard NumLock determines whether your computer 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 top of each key. When Num Lock mode is turned off, these keys provide cursor-control functions shown by the label on the bottom of each key.
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Memory Information indicates the amount of installed memory
detected in your computer, the computer memory speed, the amount of video memory, and the size of the display cache. After you add memory , check this option to confirm that the new memory is installed correctly and is recognized by the computer.
PCI IRQ Assignment specifies which IRQ lines are assigned to the
Peripheral Component Interconnect (PCI) devices installed in the computer. Press <Enter> to configure these devices. Then select the device whose IRQ line you want to change, and press the plus (+) or minus (–) key to scroll through the available IRQ lines. Normally you do not need to change the IRQ lines assigned to PCI devices unless a particular device, device driver, or operating system requires a specific IRQ line already in use by a PCI device.
Primary Drive n and Secondary Drive n
Primary Drive n identifies drives attached to the primary EIDE interface connector (labeled "IDE1") on the system board; Secondary Drive n identifies drives connected to the s ec ondary EIDE interface connector (labeled "IDE2"). Use the secondary EIDE interface connector for EIDE CD drives and EIDE tape drives.
NOTE: For all devices obtained from Dell that use the integrated EIDE
controller, set the appropriate Drive option to Auto.
NOTE: You must have an EIDE device connected to the primary EIDE
interface if you have an EIDE device connected to the secondary EIDE interface.
The following settings identify the type of EIDE devices installed in the computer:
Auto (use this setting for all EIDE devices from Dell)
–Off
To choose a setting for each option, press <Enter> to access the field's pop-up settings menu. Then type characters from the keyboard or press the left- or right-arrow key to cycle through the settings.
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NOTE: Operating
systems that bypass the computer BIOS may not obtain optimum hard drive performance.

If You Have a Problem

If the computer generates a drive error message the first ti me you boot yo ur computer after you install an EIDE drive, your drive may not work with the automatic drive-type detect feature. Press <Alt> <d> in any hard drive field to set the hard drive autoconfiguration feature. During POST the computer scans the IDE channels for supported devices and generates a summary message. For example, if it finds a hard drive connected to the Primary channel and a CD drive connected to the Secondary channel, it generates the following message:
Performing automatic IDE configuration...
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Primary Master: IDE Disk Drive Secondary Master: CD-ROM Reader
If it detects a device during the scan, it sets the device to Auto in system setup. If no device is lis ted, it sets the device setting to Off in system se tup.
If your computer does not reset after you perform these steps, enter system setup and reset the computer to its original Dell setti n gs.
1 Restart your computer. 2 As the system rebo ots, press <F2> to enter system setup. 3 When the system setup screen appears, press <Alt><F> to load the
Dell default settings. The computer beeps when the settings are restored.
NOTE: Verify that the time, date, and year are correct and that the
Secondary Drive 0 option is set to Auto.
4
Press <Esc> and then press <Enter> to save your changes and exit. The computer reboots.

Jumper Settings

The following figure shows the jumper on the system board.
58 Advanced Features
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System Board Jumper
NOTICE: Make sure that your computer is turned off and unplugged before
you change the jumper setting. Otherwise, damage to your computer or unpredictable results may occur.
To change the jumper setting to disabled, pull the plug off its pins. To reenable the setting, carefully fit the plug onto the pins indicated.
System-Board Jumper Settings
Jumper Setting Description
PSWD (default) Password features are enabled.
Password features are disabled.
jumpered unjumpered
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Software Install a ti on a nd Configuration

When you obtain softwar e, che ck it for v iruse s with virus-scanning software before installing it on your computer's hard drive. Vi ruses, which are pieces of code that can replicate themselves, can quickly use all available computer memory, damage or destroy data stored on the hard drive, and permanently affect the performance of the programs they infect. Several commercial virus-scanning programs are availabl e for pu rchase, and most bul letin board services (BBSs) archive freely distributed virus-scanning pro g rams that you can download with a modem.
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Before you install a program, read its documentation to learn how the program works, what hardware it requires, and what its defaults are. A program usually includes installation instructions in its accompanying documentation and a software installation routine on its program floppy disks or CD (s).
The software installation routine assists you in transferring the appropriate program files to your computer's hard drive. Installation instructions may provide details about how to configure your operating system to successfully run the program. Always read the installation instructions before running a program's installation routine. You may be instructed to modify some operating system start-up files, such as config.sys and autoexec.bat, or the installation routine may modify start-up files automatically.
60 Advanced Features
When you run the installation routine, be prepared to respond to prompts for information about how your computer's operating system is configured, what type of computer you have, and what devices are connected to your computer.
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SECTION 3

Installing Upgrades

Computer Cover Expansion Cards Expansion Card Cage (Small Desktop Computer Only) Memory Microprocessor Front Panel Inserts Internal Drives Hard Drives Floppy Drives CD Drives Battery
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NOTE: On the small
form-factor and small desktop computers, remove the stand before you open the computer cover .

Computer Cover

CAUTION: Before you open the computer co ver, see "Safety
Instructions."

Opening the Computer Cover

1 Turn off your computer and devices, and observe the caution for your
personal safety and protection of your equipment described in "Safety
Instructions."
2 If you have installed a padlock through the padlock ring on the back
panel, remove the padlock.
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NOTICE: Do not open the cover if the computer is on the edge of a desk or
table. Doing so may cause the computer to tip over and fall. Make sure that the computer is situated so that there is at least 12 inches of desk- or table-top for the cover to rest on.
Press the two release buttons until the cover is free to swing up. On the
3
small mini-tower computer, pr ess the upper part, not the center, of the buttons to release the cover.
4 Raise the back of the cover, and pivot it toward the front of the
computer.
Small Form-Factor Computer Cover
1
2
3
62 Installing Upgrades
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1 Security cable slot 2 Padlock ring 3 Release buttons (one on each side)
Small Desktop Computer
1
2
1 Security cable slot 2 Padlock ring 3 Release buttons (one on each side)
3
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Small Mini-Tower Computer
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1
2
3
1 Security cable slot 2 Padlock ring 3 Release buttons (one on each side)
64 Installing Upgrades

Closing the Computer Cover

1 Check all cable connections, especially those that might have come
loose during your work. Fold cables out of the way so that they do not catch on the computer cover. Make s ur e cables ar e not routed over the drive cage—they will prevent the cover from closing properly.
2 Check to see that no tools or extra parts are left inside the computer's
chassis.
3 Close the computer cover by pivoting the cover down toward the back
of the chassis and into position. Make sure that the release buttons click into place.
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4 If you are using a padlock to secure your computer, reinstall the
padlock.

Expansion Cards

Yo ur computer pro vides expansion slots for the following cards:
In the small form-factor computer, one low-profile, 32-bit, 33-
megahertz (MHz) Peripheral Component Interconnect (PCI) card.
In the small desktop computer, up to two 32-bit, 33-MHz PCI cards.
In the small mini-tower computer, up to four 32-bit, 33-MHz PCI
cards.
Expansion Card Types
1
1 Low-profile 32-bit PCI card 2 32-bit PCI card
2
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NOTE: To meet PC99
requirements, your Dell computer uses only PCI expansion sl ots . In du s t ry­Standard Architecture (ISA) expansion cards are not supported.
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NOTICE: Before disconnecting a device from the computer or removing a
component from the system board, verify that the standby power lig ht on the
system board has turned off.

Installing an Expansion Card

CAUTION: Before you perform this procedure, see “Safety
Instructions.”
NOTICE: Before disconnecting a device from the computer, wait 10 to 20
seconds after disconnecting the computer from its electri cal outlet. Before removing a component from the system board, verify that the standby power light on the system board has turned off. To locate this light, see “System
Board Components.”
If you are replacing an expansion card, remove the current driver for
1
the expansion card from the operating system.
2 Turn off the computer and devices, disconnect them from their
electrical outlets, wait 10 to 20 seconds.
3 Open the computer cover. 4 If you have a small desktop computer, remove the exp ans ion - car d ca ge .
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5 Press the lever on the expansion card retention arm and raise the
retention arm.
Small Form-Factor Computer
1
2
3
4
5
1 card-edge connector 2 expansion card 3 hinged lever 4 retention arm 5 expansion-card connector
Installing Upgrades 67
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Small Desktop Computer
1
2
3
4
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5
6
7
8
1 lever 5 card-edge connector 2 retention arm 6 expansion-card connector 3 filler bracket 7 riser board 4 expansion card 8 expansion-card cage
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Small Mini-Tower Computer
5
4
1 expansion card 2 card-edge connector 3 expansion-card connector 4 retention arm 5 lever
1
2
3
6
If you are installing a new expansion card, r emove the filler bracket for an empty card-slot opening. Then continue with step 8.
7 If you are replacing an expansion card that is already installed in the
computer, remove the expansion card. If necessary, disconnect any cables connected to the card. Grasp the
card by its top corners, a nd ease it out of its connector.
8 Prepare the expansion card for installation.
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See the documentation that came with the expansion card for information on configuring the card, making internal connections, or otherwise customizing it for your computer.
CAUTION: Some network adapters automatically start the
computer when they are connected to a network. To guard against electrical shock, be sure to unplug your com puter from its electrical outlet before installing any expansion cards. Verify that the standby power light on the system board is off. To locate this light, see “System Board Compon ents.”
Place the expansion card on the connector and press down firmly.
9
Make sure that the card is fully seated in the slot.
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If the expansion card is full-length, insert the end of the card into the expansion-card guide bracket as you lower the card tow a rd its connector on the system board. Insert the card firmly into the expansion-card connector on the system board.
Expansion Card Connection
4
3
2
1
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1 Bracket within slot 2 Bracke t ca u g ht ou ts ide of slot 3 Fully seated card 4 Not fully seated card
10 Before lowering the retention arm, make sure of the following:
Tops of all expansion cards and filler brackets are flush with the
alignment bar
Notch in the top of the card or filler bracket fits around the
alignment guide
Press the arm into place, securing the expansion card(s) in the computer.
Retention Arm Closure
4
3
1
2
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1 Fi ller bracket 2 Alignment guide 3 Alignment bar 4 Retention arm
11 If you have a small desktop computer, replace the expansion-card cage. 12 Connect any cables that should be attached to the card.
See the documentation for the card for information about the card’s cable connections.
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NOTICE: Do not route expansion card cables over or behind the expansion
cards. Cables routed over the expansion cards can prevent the computer cover from closing properly or cause damage to the equipment.
13 Close the computer cover, reconnect the computer and devices to
their electrical outlets, and turn them on.
NOTE: After you open and close the cover, the chassis intrusion detector
causes the following message to appear on the screen at the next computer start-up:
ALERT! Cover was previously removed.
14
Reset the chassis intrusion detector by changing Chassis Intrusion to
Enabled or Enabled-Silent.
NOTE: If a setup password has been assigned by someone else, contact
your network administrator for infor mation on resetting the chassis intrusion detector.
If you installed a sound card, enter sys tem setup, perform the followin g
15
steps:
a Enter system setup, select Integrated D evi ce s, and change the
setting for Sound to Off.
b Connect external audio devices to the sound card’s connectors.
Do not connect external audio devices to the microphone, speaker/headphone, or line-in connectors on the I/O panel (see “I/O Panel—Small Form-Factor, Desktop, and Mini-Tower
Computers”).
72 Installing Upgrades
16 If you installed an add-in network adapter , perform the following steps:
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a Enter system setup, select Integrated Devices and change the
setting for Network Interface Card to Off.
b Connect the networ k c ab l e to the add-in network adapter’s
connectors. Do not connect the network cable to the integrated connector on the I/O panel (see “I/O Panel—Small Form-Factor,
Desktop, and Mini-Tower Computers”).

Removing an Expansion Card

CAUTION: Before you perform this procedure, see “Safety
Instructions.”
NOTICE: Before disconnecting a device from the computer, wait 10 to 20
seconds after disconnecting the computer from its electri cal outlet. Before removing a component from th e system board, verify that the stan dby power light on the system board has turned off. To locate this light, see “System
Board Components.”
Turn off the computer and devices, disconnect them from their
1
electrical outlets, and wait 10 to 20 seconds.
2 Open the computer cover. 3 In the small desktop computer, remove the expansion-card cage. 4 Press the lever on the expansion card retention arm and raise the
retention arm (see the illustration for your computer in “Installing an
Expansion Card”).
5 If necessary, disconnect any cables connected to the card. 6 Grasp the card by its top corners, and ease it out of its connector. 7 If you are removing the card permanently, install a filler bracket in the
empty card-slot opening. If you need a filler bracket, contact Dell.
NOTE: Installing filler brackets over empty card-slot openings is
necessary to maintain Federal Communications Commission (FCC) certification of the computer. The brackets also keep dust and dirt out of your computer.
Lower the retention arm and press it into place, securing the
8
expansion card(s) in the computer.
9 If you have a small desktop computer, replace the ex pansion- c ar d c a g e .
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10 Close the computer cover, reconnect the computer and devices to
their electrical outlets, and turn them on.
NOTE: After you open and close the cover, the chassis intrusion detector
causes the following message to appear on the screen at the next computer start-up:
ALERT! Cover was previously removed.
11
Reset the chassis intrusion detector by changing Chassis Intrusion to
Enabled or Enabled-Silent.
NOTE: If a setup password has been assigned by someone else, contact
your network administrator for infor mation on resetting the chassis
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12 If you remove d a sound card, enter system setup, perform the
intrusion detector.
following steps:
a Enter system setup, select Integrated D evi ce s, and change the
setting for Sound to On.
b Connect external audio devices to the audio connectors on the I/O
panel (see “I/O Panel—Small Form-Factor, Desktop, and Mini-
Tower Computers”).
13 If you removed an add-in network adapter, perform the following steps:
a Enter system setup, select Integrated D evi ce s and change the
setting for Network Interface Card to On.
74 Installing Upgrades
b Connect the network cable to the integrated connector on the I/O
panel (see “I/O Panel—Small Form-Factor, Desktop, and Mini-
Tower Computers”).

Expansion Card Cage (Small Desktop Computer Only)

Removing the Expansion-Card Cage

CAUTION: Before you perform this procedure, see “Safety
Instructions.”
Open the computer cover.
1
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2 Check any cables connected to expansion cards through the back-
panel openings. Disconnect any cables that will not reach the expansion-card cage once it is removed from the computer.
3 Gently pull on the handle and lift the expansion-card cage up and
away from the computer.
Expansion-Card Cage Removal
1
1 Expansion-card cage

Replacing the Expansion-Card Cage

1 Align the slots in the side of the expansion-card cage with the tabs on
the side of the computer, and slide the expansion-card cage down into place.
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Expansion-Card Cage Replacement
1
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1 Expansion-card cage
Make sure that the riser board is fully seated in the connector on the
2
system board.
76 Installing Upgrades
3 Reconnect any cables that you removed in step 2 of the previous
procedure.

Memory

You can increase memory up to 512 MB by using synchronous dynamic random-access memory (SDRAM) dual in-line memory modules (D IMMs). The system board illustration shows the location of the DIMM sockets on the system board (DIMMs must be non-error checking and correction [non­ECC]).
When you add memory, you may install DIMMs in either socket. For optimum operation, Dell reco mmends that yo u ins tal l a DI MM in s ocket A first (closest to the processor) before installing a DIMM in socket B.
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Installing DIMMs

CAUTION: To avoid the possibility of electric shock, turn off the
computer and any devices, disconnect them from their electrical outlets, and then wait at least 5 seconds before you open the computer cover. Also, before you upgrade memory, see the other precautions in "Safety Instructions."
Open the computer cover.
1 2 If necessary, remove any DIMMs that occupy sockets in which you
plan to install the upgrade DIMMs.
3 Install the upgrade DIMMs.
a Locate the plastic securing clips at each end of the socket. b Press the clips outward until they snap open.
c Align the slots on the bottom of the memory module wi th the
ridges inside the socket.
NOTICE: To avoid damage to the memory module, press the module straight
down into the socket with equal force applied at each end of the module.
d Press the DIMM straight down into the socket until the securing
clips snap into place at the ends of the DIMM.
NOTE: If you install a
PC133 DIMM, it will operate at 100 MHz.
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DIMM Installation
3
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2
1
78 Installing Upgrades
1 Socket 2 Securing clip 3 Slot
Close the computer cover, reconnect your computer and devices to
4
their electrical outlets, and turn them on.
NOTE: After you open and close the cover, the chassis intrusion detector
causes the following message to appear on the screen at the next computer start-up:
ALERT! Cover was previously removed.
You will need to reset the chassis intrusion detector. The computer detects that the new memory does not match the
existing configuration information and generates the following message:
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The amount of system memory has changed. Strike the F1 key to continue, F2 to run the setup utility
Press <F2> to enter system setup, and check the value for System
5
Memory. The computer should have already changed the value of System
Memory to reflect the newly installed memory. 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 devices from their electrical outlets. Open the computer
cover, and check the installed DIMMs to make sure that they are
seated properly in their sockets. Then repeat steps 3, 4, and 5.
7 Reset the chassis intrusion detector by changing Chassis Intrusion to
Enabled or Enabled-Silent.
NOTE: If a setup password has been assigned by someone else, contact
your network administrator for information on resetting the chassis intrusio n detector.
8
When the System Memory total is correct, p ress <Esc> to e xit system setup.
9 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 and pops out slightly from the socket.
NOTICE: To avoid damage to the memory module, press the securing clips
with equal force applied at each end of the socket.
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DIMM Removal
2
1
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1 Socket 2 Securing clips (2)

Microprocessor

NOTE: Dell recommends
that only a technically knowledgeable person perform the following procedure.
CAUTION: To avoid the possibility of electric shock, turn off the
computer and any devices, disconnect them from their electrical outlets, and then wait at least 5 seconds before you open the computer cover. Also, before you upgrade the microprocessor, see the other precautions in "Safety Instructions."
1
Turn off the computer and devices, disconnect them from their electrical outlets, wait 10 to 20 seconds, and then open the computer
cover.
CAUTION: The microprocessor and heat sin k assembly can get
extremely hot. Be sure the assembly has had sufficient time to cool before you touch it.
2
Disconnect the fan cable from the system board.
3 On the small mini-tower computer, remove the airflow shroud as
shown in the following illustration.
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Airflow Shroud Removal—Small Mini-Tower Computer
1
1 Anchor tabs
Remove the cooling fan/heat sink assembly.
4
a Remove the memory module closest to the heat sink assembly. b Pull down on the toggle clip lever until you can unhook the ends of
the clip from the tabs on each side of the ZIF socket.
c Remove the clip from the socket, and then lift the heat sink from
the microprocessor.
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Microproce ssor Heat Sink Removal
1
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1 ZIF socket tab 2 Toggle lever
5
Remove the microprocessor chip from the socket.
NOTICE: Be careful not to bend any of the pins when you remove the
microprocessor chip from its socket. Bending the pins can permanently damage the mi c r o p r o ce s s or chip.
2
Your microprocessor socket is a zero insertion force (ZIF) sock et with a lever-type handle that secures the chip in, or releases it from, the socket.
To remove the chip, pull the microprocessor-socket release lever straight up until the chip is released, and then remove the chip from the socket.
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Leave the release lever extended so that the socket is ready for the new microprocessor.
Microproce ssor Removal
1
2
3
1 Microprocessor chip 2 Release lever 3 Microprocessor socket
NOTICE: Ground yourself by touching an unpainted metal surface on the
back of the computer.
NOTICE: Be careful not to bend an y of the pins when you unpack the
microprocessor. Bending the pins can permanently damage the microprocessor.
6
Unpack the new microprocessor. If any of the pins on the chip appear to be bent, see "Getting Help" for
instructions on obtaining technical assistance.
7 Align the pin-1 corner of the microprocessor chip with the pin-1 corner
of the microprocessor socket.
NOTE: You must identify the pin-1 corner to correctl y position the chip.
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The pin-1 corner of the microprocessor is the beveled corner. The pin-1 corner of the socket, labeled "1," is the front-left corner of the socket as you face the front of the computer.
Microprocessor Chip Installation
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1
1 Pin -1 corners of chip and socket aligned
84 Installing Upgrades
NOTICE: You must position the microprocessor chip correctly in the socket to
avoid permanent damage to the chip and the computer when you turn on the computer.
8
Install the microprocessor chip in the socket.
a If the release lever on the microprocessor socket is not fully
extended, move it to that position now.
b With the pin-1 corners of the chip and socket aligned, align the
pins on the chip with the holes in the socket.
NOTICE: When you place the microprocessor chip in the socket, be sure that
all of the pins go into the corresponding holes on all sides of the socket. Be careful not to bend the pins.
c Set the chip lightly in the socket and make sure all pins are headed
into the correct holes. Because your computer uses a ZIF microprocessor socket, there is no need to use force (which could
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bend the pins if the chip is misaligned). When the chip is positioned correctly, press it with minimal pressure to seat it.
d When the chip is fully seated in the socket, pivot the
microprocessor-socket release lever back toward the socket until it snaps into place, securing the chip.
NOTICE: Ground yourself by touching an unpainted metal surface on the
back of the computer.
Replace the fan/heat sink assembly.
9
NOTICE: On the new heat sink, remove the plastic tab covering the thermal
grease before placing the assembly on the microprocessor.
a Place the unit on top of the microprocessor chip. b Orient the securing clip as shown in "Microprocessor Heat Sink
Removal" and hook the unhinged end of the clip over the tab on
the top edge of the socket.
c Rotate the lever upward until it snaps into place.
10 Plug the fan cable into its connector on the system board. 11 Close the comput er cover, reconnect your computer and devices to
their electrical outlets, and turn them on. As the computer boots, it detects the presence of the new
microprocessor and automatically changes the configuration information in system setup.
12 Enter sy stem setup and confirm that th e Microprocessor option
correctly identifies the installed microprocessor.
13 Run the Dell Diagnostics to verify that the new microp rocessor is
operating correctly.

Front Panel Inserts

Removing Front Panel Inserts—Small Form-Factor and Small Desktop Computers

1 Open the computer cover. 2 Facing the front of the computer, use your fingers to remove the front
panel cover.
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Front Panel Cover Removal—Small Form-Factor Computer
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Front Panel Insert Removal—Small Form-Factor Computer
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Front Panel Cover Removal—Small Desktop Computer
Front Panel Insert Removal—Small Desktop Computer
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3 Press on the insert until it pops free of the front panel cover.

Removing Front Panel Inserts—Small Mini-Tower Computer

1 Open the computer cover to a 45-degree angle and disconnect the CD
drive data cable.
2 Open the cover to a 90-degree angle and press on the insert tabs t o
release them.
Small Mini-Tower Computer
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88 Installing Upgrades
1
1 Insert tabs
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Front Panel Insert Removal—Small Mini-Tower Computer

Replacing Front Panel Inserts

To replace a front panel insert, follow the “Removing Front Panel Inserts” procedures in reverse.

Internal Drives

This computer may support the following internal drives:
Small form-factor: one enhanced integrated drive electronics (IDE)
hard drive; one floppy or optional Zip drive; and one optional CD drive.
Small desktop: one enhanced IDE hard drive; one floppy or optional
Zip drive; and one optional CD drive.
Small mini-tower: two enhanced IDE hard drives; two floppy or
optional Zip drives; and two optional CD drives.
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Small Form-Factor Computer
1
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3
1 CD drive 2 Floppy drive 3 Hard drive
2
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Small Desktop Computer
1
2
3
1 CD drive 2 Floppy drive 3 Hard drive
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Small Mini-Tower Computer
2
1
3
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1 CD drive(s) 2 Floppy drive(s) 3 Hard drive(s)
92 Installing Upgrades

IDE Drive Addressing

All IDE devices require that you configure the cable select setting, which assigns master and slave status to devices according to their position on the interface cable. You usually configure a drive for cable select by setting a jumper or switch, depending on the drive. Refer to t he drive documentation in your upgrade kit for information on configuring devices for the cable select setting. When you connect two IDE devices to a single IDE int erface cable and configure them for the cable select setting, the device attached to the last connector on the interface cable is the master or boot device (drive
0), and the device attached to the middle connector on the interface cable is the slave device (drive 1).
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With the two IDE interface connectors on the system board, your computer supports up to two IDE devices. IDE hard drives should be connected to the IDE interface connector labeled “IDE1.” (Always connect CD drives to the IDE interface connector labeled “IDE2.”)

Connecting Drives

When you install a drive, you connect two cables—a DC power cable and an interface cable—to the back of the drive. Your drive’s power input connector (to which you connect the DC power cable) resembles the following connector.
Power Cable Connector
2
1
1 Power cable 2 Power input connector
The drive’s interface connector is a card-edge connector or a header connector, as shown in the following figure.
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Drive Interface Connectors
1
2
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1 Header connector 2 Colored stripe on the cable 3 Interface cable
3
When you attach the interface cable to a drive, be sure to match the colored stripe on the cable to pin 1 of the drive’s interface connector. For the location of pin 1 on the drive’s interface connector, see the docume ntation that came with the drive.
When you disconnect an interface cable from the system board, be sure to press in on the locking tabs on the cable connector before you disconnect the cable. When you attach an interface cable to the system board, be sure that the locking tabs snap into place so that the cable is firmly attached to the connector on the system board.
Most interface connectors are keyed for correct insertion; that is, a notch or a missing pin on one connector matches a tab or a filled-in hole on the other connector. Keyed connectors ensure that the pin-1 wire in the cable (indicated by the colored stripe along one edge of the cable) goes to the pin-1 end of the connector. The pin-1 end of a connector on a board or a card is usually indicated by a silk-screened “1” printed directly on the board or card.
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NOTICE: When you connect an interface cable, do not reverse the interface
cable (do not place the colored stripe away from pin 1 of the connector). Reversing the cable prevents the drive from operating and could damage the controller, the drive, or both.

Hard Drives

CAUTION: To avoid the possibility of electric shock, turn off the
computer and any devices, disconnect them from electric al outlets, and then wait at least 5 seconds before you open the computer cover. Also, before you install a drive, see the other precautions in "Safety Instructions."
1
If you are replacing a hard drive that contains data you want to keep, be sure to make a backup of your files before you begin this procedure.
2 If you have a small mini-tower computer and you are adding an
additional hard drive, see “Adding a Second Hard Drive — Small
Mini-Tower Computer.”
NOTICE: Ground yourself by touching an unpainted metal surface on the
back of the computer.
NOTICE: When you unpack the drive, do not set it on a hard surface, which
may damage the drive. Instead, set the drive on a surface, such as a foam pad, that will sufficiently cushion it.
Unpack the drive, and prepare it for installation.
3
Check the documentation for the drive to verify that it is configured for your computer.
4 Open the computer cover. 5 On the small desktop computer, remove the plastic shroud covering
the hard drive by pressing in on the indented tab at the top of the shroud and lifting the shroud away.
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Hard-Drive Shroud Removal
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Detaching Hard Drive Cables

1 Disconnect the power cable and hard drive cable from the drive.
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Small Form-Factor Computer
1
2
1 Pow er cable 2 Hard drive cable
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Small Desktop Computer
1
2
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1 Hard drive cable 2 Power cable
98 Installing Upgrades
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