Dell PowerEdge 4600 User Manual

Dell™PowerEdge™4600SystemsUser'sGuide

System Overview
Using the Dell OpenManage Server Assistant CD
Using the System Setup Program
Technical Specifications
I/O Ports and Connectors
Installing and Configuring SCSI Drivers
Glossary

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Notes, Notices, and Cautions

Throughout this guide, blocks of text may be accompanied by an icon and printed in bold type or in italic type. These blocks are notes, notices, and cautions
that are used as follows:

Model ECL

Information in this document is subject to change without notice.

©2001DellComputerCorporation.Allrightsreserved.

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

Trademarks used in this text: Dell, the DELL logo, PowerEdge, and Dell OpenManage are trademarks of Dell Computer Corporation; Intel is a registered trademark and Xeon is a
trademark of Intel Corporation; Microsoft, MS-DOS, Windows, and Windows NT are registered trademarks of Microsoft Corporation; Novell and NetWare are registered trademarks of
Novell, Inc.; UNIX is a registered trademark of The Open Group in the United States and other countries; OS/2 is a registered trademark of International Business Machines
Corporation; VESA is a registered trademark of Video Electronics Standards Association.

Other trademarks and trade names may be used in this document to refer to either the entities claiming the marks and names or their products. Dell Computer Corporation
disclaims any proprietary interest in trademarks and trade names other than its own.

1 Nov 01

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

NOTICE: A NOTICE indicates either potential damage to hardware or loss of data and tells you how to avoid the problem.

CAUTION: A CAUTION indicates a potential for property damage, personal injury, or death.

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Technical Specifications

Dell™PowerEdge™4600SystemsUser'sGuide

Microprocessor
Expansion Bus
Memory
Drives
Ports and Connectors
Video
Power
Physical
Environmental



Microprocessor

Microprocessor type

Intel®Xeon™microprocessorswithaninternaloperatingfrequencyofatleast1.8GHz

Front side bus (external)
speed

400 MHz
Internal cache

512-KB Level 2 cache

Expansion Bus

Bus type

PCI or PCI-X

Expansion slots

six 64-bit, 66-MHz slots (PCI) or
six 64-bit, 66-MHz/100-MHz slots (PCI-X)

one 32-bit, 33-MHz slot

Memory

Architecture

72-bit ECC PC-1600 DDR SDRAM DIMMs, with 4-way interleaving

Memory module sockets

12

Memory module capacities

128, 256, or 512 MB or 1 GB

Minimum RAM

512 MB (with 128-MB memory modules)

Maximum RAM

12 GB

Drives

Diskette drive

3.5-inch, 1.44-MB diskette drive

Tape drive

optional internal and external tape drives

SCSI devices

eight 1-inch, internal, hot-pluggable Ultra3 SCSI hard drive bays

CD-ROM/DVD-ROM drive

one IDE CD-ROM drive or one IDE DVD-ROM drive

Ports and Connectors

Externally accessible:

Serial (DTE)

two 9-pin connectors; 16550-compatible

Parallel

one 25-pin connector (bidirectional)

Video

one 15-pin connector

PS/2-style keyboard

6-pin mini-DIN connector

PS/2-compatible mouse

6-pin mini-DIN connector

USB

two USB-compliant 4-pin connectors

NIC

two RJ45 connectors for integrated NIC

Internally accessible:

SCSI channels

two 68-pin Ultra3 SCSI connectors and one Ultra2 SCSI connector

Video

Video type

ATI Rage XL video controller; VGA connector

Video memory

8 MB

Power

DC power supply:



Wattage

up to four 300-W power supplies in a 3 + 1 redundant configuration (900 usable watts)

Voltage

80 to 265 V at 47 to 63 Hz, autoranging

Heat dissipation

1540 BTU/hr maximum per power supply

Maximum inrush current

under typical line conditions and over the entire system ambient operating range, the inrush current may reach 50 A per
power supply

System battery

CR2032 3.0-V lithium coin cell

Physical

Tower Chassis

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

Height

44.45 cm (17.5 inches)

Width

31.14 cm (12.26 inches)

Depth

70.08 cm (27.59 inches)

Rack Chassis

Height

27.43 cm (10.8 inches [6 U])

Width

48.0 cm (18.9 inches)

Depth

70.08 cm (27.59 inches)

Weight

52.163 kg (115 lb), maximum configuration

Environmental

Temperature:



Operating

10°to35°C(50°to95°F)

Storage

–40°to70°C(–40°to158°F)

Relative humidity:



Operating

85%(noncondensingat40°C[104°F])

Storage

95%(noncondensingat55°C[131°F])

NOTE: For the full name of an abbreviation or acronym used in this table, see the "Glossary."

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I/O Ports and Connectors

Dell™PowerEdge™4600SystemsUser'sGuide

I/O Ports and Connectors
Serial and Parallel Ports
Keyboard and Mouse Connectors
Video Connector
USB Connectors
Integrated Network Interface Controller Connectors

I/O Ports and Connectors

The I/O ports and connectors on the back panel of the system are the gateways through which the system communicates with external devices, such as a
keyboard, mouse, printer, and monitor. FigureB-1 identifies the I/O ports and connectors for your system.

Figure B-1. I/O Ports and Connectors

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Serial and Parallel Ports

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

Most software uses the term COM (for communications) plus a number to designate a serial port (for example, COM1 or COM2). The default designations of
yoursystem'sintegratedserialportsareCOM1andCOM2.

The integrated parallel port uses a 25-pin D-subminiature connector on the system's back panel. This I/O port sends data in parallel format (where eight data
bits, or one byte, are sent simultaneously over eight separate lines in a single cable). The parallel port is used primarily for printers.

Most software uses the term LPT (for line printer) plus a number to designate a parallel port (for example, LPT1). The default designation of the system's
integrated parallel port is LPT1.

Port designations are used, for example, in software installation procedures that include a step in which you identify the port to which a printer is attached,
thus telling the software where to send its output. (An incorrect designation prevents the printer from printing or causes scrambled print.)

Adding an Expansion Card Containing Serial or Parallel Ports

The system has an autoconfiguration capability for the serial ports. This feature lets you add an expansion card containing a serial port that has the same
designation as one of the integrated ports, without having to reconfigure the card. When the system detects the duplicate serial port on the expansion card, it
remaps (reassigns) the integrated port to the next available port designation.

Both the new and the remapped COM ports share the same interrupt request (IRQ) setting, as follows:

COM1, COM3: IRQ4 (shared setting)
COM2, COM4: IRQ3 (shared setting)

These COM ports have the following I/O address settings:

COM1: 3F8h
COM2: 2F8h
COM3: 3E8h
COM4: 2E8h

For example, if you add an internal modem card with a port configured as COM1, the system then sees logical COM1 as the address on the modem card. It
automatically remaps the integrated serial port that was designated as COM1 to COM3, which shares the COM1 IRQ setting. (Note that when you have two
COM ports sharing 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 install one or
more expansion cards with serial ports designated as COM1 and COM3, the corresponding integrated serial port is disabled.

Before adding a card that remaps the COM ports, check the documentation that accompanied your software to make sure that the software can be mapped to
the new COM port designation.

To avoid autoconfiguration, you may be able to reset jumpers on the expansion card so that the card's port designation changes to the next available COM
number, leaving the designation for the integrated port as is. Alternatively, you can disable the integrated ports through the System Setup program. The
documentation for your expansion card should provide the card's default I/O address and allowable IRQ settings. It should also provide instructions for
readdressing the port and changing the IRQ setting, if necessary.

Ifyouadd an expansion card containing, for example, a parallel port configured as LPT1 (IRQ7, I/O address 378h), you must go into the System Setup
program to remap the integrated parallel port.

For general information on how your operating system handles serial and parallel ports, and for more detailed command procedures, see your operating
system documentation.

Serial Port Connectors

If you reconfigure your hardware, you may need pin number and signal information for the serial port connectors. FigureB-2 illustrates the pin numbers for the
serial port connectors and TableB-1 defines the pin assignments and interface signals for the serial port connector.

Figure B-2. Pin Numbers for the Serial Port Connectors

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Parallel Port Connector

If you reconfigure your hardware, you may need pin number and signal information for the parallel port connector. FigureB-3 illustrates the pin numbers for
the parallel port connector and TableB-2 defines the pin assignments and interface signals for the parallel port connector.

Figure B-3. Pin Numbers for the Parallel Port Connector

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Table B-

1. Pin Numbers for the Serial

PortConnectors

Pin

Signal

I/O

Definition

1

DCD I Data carrier detect

2

SIN I Serial input

3

SOUT O Serial output

4

DTR O Data terminal ready

5

GND

N/A

Signal ground

6

DSR I Data set ready

7

RTS O Request to send

8

CTS I Clear to send

9

RI I Ring indicator

Shell

N/A

N/A

Chassis ground



Keyboard and Mouse Connectors

The system uses a Personal System/2 (PS/2)-style keyboard and supports a PS/2-compatible mouse. Cables from both devices attach to 6-pin, miniature
Deutsche Industrie Norm (DIN) connectors on the back panel of your system.

Mouse driver software can give the mouse priority with the microprocessor by issuing IRQ12 whenever a new mouse movement is detected. The driver
software also passes along the mouse data to the application program that is in control.

Keyboard Connector

If you reconfigure your hardware, you may need pin number and signal information for the keyboard connector. FigureB-4 illustrates the pin numbers for the
keyboard connector and TableB-3 defines the pin assignments and interface signals for the keyboard connector.

Figure B-4. Pin Numbers for the Keyboard Connector

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Table B-2. Parallel Port Pin
Assignments

Pin

Signal

I/O

Definition

1

STB#

I/O

Strobe

2

PD0

I/O

Printer data bit 0

3

PD1

I/O

Printer data bit 1

4

PD2

I/O

Printer data bit 2

5

PD3

I/O

Printer data bit 3

6

PD4

I/O

Printer data bit 4

7

PD5

I/O

Printer data bit 5

8

PD6

I/O

Printer data bit 6

9

PD7

I/O

Printer data bit 7

10

ACK# I Acknowledge

11

BUSY I Busy

12

PE I Paper end

13

SLCT I Select

14

AFD# O Automatic feed

15

ERR# I Error

16

INIT#

O

Initialize printer

17

SLIN# O

Select in

18–25

GND

N/A

Signalground

Table B-3. Keyboard Connector Pin
Assignments

Pin

Signal

I/O

Definition

1

KBDATA

I/O

Keyboard data

2

NC

N/A

No connection

Mouse Connector

If you reconfigure your hardware, you may need pin number and signal information for the mouse connector. FigureB-5 illustrates the pin numbers for the
mouse connector, and TableB-4 defines the pin assignments and interface signals for the mouse connector.

Figure B-5. Pin Numbers for the Mouse Connector

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



Video Connector

The system uses a 15-pin high-density D-subminiature connector on the back panel for attaching a video graphics array (VGA)-compatible monitor to your
system. The video circuitry on the system board synchronizes the signals that drive the red, green, and blue electron guns in the monitor.

If you reconfigure your hardware, you may need pin number and signal information for the video connector. FigureB-6 illustrates the pin numbers for the video
connector, and TableB-5 defines the pin assignments and interface signals for the video connector.

Figure B-6. Pin Numbers for the Video Connector





3

GND

N/A

Signal ground

4

FVcc

N/A

Fused supply voltage

5

KBCLK

I/O

Keyboard clock

6

NC

N/A

No connection

Shell

N/A

N/A

Chassis ground

Table B-4. Mouse Connector Pin

Assignments

Pin

Signal

I/O

Definition

1

MFDATA

I/O

Mouse data

2

NC

N/A

No connection

3

GND

N/A

Signal ground

4

FVcc

N/A

Fusedsupplyvoltage

5

MFCLK

I/O

Mouse clock

6

NC

N/A

No connection

Shell

N/A

N/A

Chassis ground

NOTE: Installing a video card automatically disables the system's integrated video subsystem.

Table B-5.VideoConnectorPinAssignments

Pin

Signal

I/O

Definition

1

RED O Red video

2

GREEN

O

Green video

3

BLUE O Blue video

4

NC

N/A

No connection

5–8, 10

GND

N/A

Signal ground

USB Connectors

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

If you reconfigure your hardware, you may need pin number and signal information for the USB connectors. FigureB-7 illustrates the USB connector and

TableB-6 defines the pin assignments and interface signals for the USB connector.

Figure B-7. Pin Numbers for the USB Connector

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Integrated Network Interface Controller Connectors

Your system has two integrated network interface controllers (NIC)—a 10/100–megabit-per-second (Mbps) NIC and a 10/100/1000-Mbps NIC.

The 10/100-Mbps NIC provides all the functions of a separate network expansion card and supports both the 10 Base-T and 100 Base-TX Ethernet standards.

The 10/100/1000-Mbps NIC provides faster communication between servers and workstations and efficient utilization of host resources, freeing more of the
system resources for other applications. It supports 10 Base-T, 100 Base-TX, and 1000 Base-T Ethernet standards.

Both NICs include a Wakeup On LAN feature that enables the system to be started by a special LAN signal from a server management console. Wakeup On
LAN provides remote system setup, software downloading and installation, file updates, and asset tracking after hours and on weekends when LAN traffic is
typically at a minimum.

Figure B-8. NIC Connector





Network Cable Requirements

Your system's RJ45 NIC connectors are designed for attaching an unshielded twisted pair (UTP) Ethernet cable equipped with standard RJ45-compatible plugs.
Press one end of the UTP cable into the NIC connector until the plug snaps securely into place. Connect the other end of the cable to an RJ45 jack wall plate or
to an RJ45 port on a UTP concentrator or hub, depending on your network configuration. Observe the following cabling restrictions for 10 Base-T, 100 Base-TX,
and 1000 Base-T networks.

l Use Category 5 or greater wiring and connectors.

9

VCC

N/A

Vcc

11

NC

N/A

No connection

12

DDC data out

O

Monitor detect data

13

HSYNC

O

Horizontal synchronization

14

VSYNC

O

Vertical synchronization

NOTICE: Do not attach a USB device or a combination of USB devices that draw a maximum current over 500 milliamperes (mA) per channel or +5 volts

(V). Attaching devices that exceed this threshold may cause the USB ports to shut down. See the documentation that accompanied the USB devices for
their maximum current ratings.

Table B-6. USB Connector Pin

Assignments

Pin

Signal

I/O

Definition

1

Vcc

N/A

Supply voltage

2

DATA I Data in

3

+DATA

O

Data out

4

GND

N/A

Signal ground

NOTICE: To avoid line interference, voice and data lines must be in separate sheaths.

l The maximum cable run length (from a workstation to a hub) is 328 ft (100 m).
l Guidelines for operation of a network can be found in "Systems Considerations of Multi-Segment Networks" in the IEEE 802.3 standard.

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Installing and Configuring SCSI Drivers

Dell™PowerEdge™4600SystemsUser'sGuide

The SCSISelect Utility
Troubleshooting for NetWare

This section describes how to install and configure the SCSI device drivers included with your system. These device drivers are designed to work with the
Adaptec AIC-7899Ultra160/mSCSI-3 controller on the system board. Each channel of the AIC-7899 supports up to eight internal SCSI hard drives via SCSI
backplane boards.

If you are using an optional RAID controller, see your RAID controller documentation for information on installing your SCSI device drivers.

For instructions on installing SCSI hardware devices such as hard drives, tape drives, or CD-ROM drives, see "Installing a Drive in the Peripheral Bay" in the
Installation and Troubleshooting Guide. After the SCSI devices are installed, install and configure any SCSI device drivers to enable them to communicate with
your operating system.

SCSI device drivers are provided for the following operating systems:

l Microsoft®Windows NT®Server 4.0
l Novell®NetWare®5.x

See "Using the Dell OpenManage Server Assistant CD" for instructions on creating a diskette of drivers for your operating system. For instructions on
configuring the SCSI device drivers, see the documentation that came with your operating system. You may also need to use the SCSISelect utility, discussed
in this section.

The SCSISelect Utility

The BIOS for the integrated Adaptec AIC-7899 SCSI controller includes the menu-driven SCSISelect configuration utility, which allows you to change SCSI
controller settings without opening the system. SCSISelect also contains SCSI disk utilities that let you low-level format or verify the disk media of your SCSI
hard drives.

Starting the SCSISelect Utility

You can start the SCSISelect utility by pressing <Ctrl><a> when the following prompt appears briefly during start-up:

Press<CTRL><A>forSCSISelect™Utility!

The first menu displays the Configure/View Host Adapter Settings and SCSI Disk Utilities options.

Using SCSISelect Menus

SCSISelect uses menus to list options that you can select. To select an option, press the up- and down-arrow keys to move the cursor to the option; then
press <Enter>.

In some cases, selecting an option displays another menu. You can return to the previous menu at any time by pressing <Esc>. To restore the original
SCSISelect default values, press <F6>.

SCSISelect Default Settings

Default settings for the integrated AIC-7899 SCSI controller are shown in TableC-1. These default settings are appropriate for most PCI systems. Run
SCSISelect only if you need to change any of the default settings.

For situations in which you might want or need to change the settings, see the description of each setting in the following subsections. To change any of the
default settings or to format or verify a disk, see "Using the SCSI Disk Utilities."



NOTE: To change the configuration settings, you must run the SCSISelect utility.

NOTE: Ifthehostadapterdoesnotcontrolthebootableharddrive,youmaywanttodisableitsBIOS.

Table C-1. AIC-7899 SCSI Controller Settings

Setting

Default

SCSIBusInterfaceDefinitions:

Host Adapter SCSI ID

7

SCSI Parity Checking

Enabled

Host Adapter SCSI Termination

Enabled or Automatic

BootDeviceOptions:

Boot Channel

A First

Boot SCSI ID

0

Boot LUN Number

0

SCSI Bus Interface Definitions

The basic host adapter settings are the SCSISelect settings most likely to require modification:

l Host Adapter SCSI ID — Sets the host adapter's SCSI ID. The default setting is SCSI ID 7, which allows the host adapter to support narrow SCSI

devices in addition to wide SCSI devices. Dell recommends that you leave the host adapter set to SCSI ID 7.

l SCSI Parity Checking — Determines whether the host adapter verifies the accuracy of data transfer on the SCSI bus. The default setting is Enabled.

You should disable SCSI Parity Checking if any SCSI device connected to the host adapter does not support SCSI parity; otherwise, leave it enabled.
Most SCSI devices support SCSI parity. If you are unsure whether a device supports SCSI parity, consult the documentation for the device.

l Host Adapter SCSI Termination — Sets termination on the host adapter. The default setting for the AIC-7899 host adapter is Enabled or Automatic.

Dell recommends that you leave this option set to the default.

Boot Device Options

The boot device options allow you to specify the device from which to boot your system:

l Boot SCSI ID — Specifies the boot channel (A or B) for the dual-channel Adaptec 7899 host adapter. The default is A First.
l Boot LUN Number — Allows you to specify a particular logical unit number (LUN) from which to boot your boot device if your boot device has multiple

LUNs and BIOS Multiple LUN Support is enabled (see "SCSI Device/Configuration Settings"). The default setting is LUN 0.

SCSI Device/Configuration Settings

The SCSI device/configuration settings allow you to configure certain parameters for each device on the SCSI bus. To configure a specific device, you must
know the SCSI ID assigned to that device. If you are not sure of the SCSI ID, see "Using the SCSI Disk Utilities."

l Sync Transfer Rate MB/sec — Sets the maximum synchronous data transfer rate that the host adapter supports.

The AIC-7899 host adapter supports rates up to 160 megabytes per second (MB/sec). The default for the AIC-7899 host adapter is 160 MB/sec.

If the host adapter is set to not negotiate for synchronous data transfer, the maximum synchronous transfer rate is the maximum rate that the host
adapter accepts from the device during negotiation. (This setting is standard SCSI protocol.)

l Initiate Wide Negotiation — Determines whether the host adapter attempts 16-bit data transfer instead of 8-bit data transfer. The default is Yes.

When this option is set to Yes, the host adapter attempts 16-bit data transfer. When this option is set to No, 8-bit data transfer is used unless the SCSI
device itself requests wide negotiation. The effective transfer rate is doubled when 16-bit data transfer is used because the data path for wide SCSI is
twice the size of normal 8-bit SCSI.

l Enable Disconnection (sometimes called disconnect/reconnect) — Determines whether the host adapter allows the SCSI device to disconnect from the

SCSI bus. Enabling disconnection allows the host adapter to perform other operations on the SCSI bus while the SCSI device is temporarily
disconnected. The default setting is Yes.

Leave Enable Disconnection set to Yes if two or more SCSI devices are connected to the host adapter. This optimizes SCSI bus performance. If only
one SCSI device is connected to the host adapter, set Enable Disconnection to No to achieve slightly better performance.

l Send Start Unit Command — Determines whether the start unit command is sent to the SCSI device during the boot routine. The default is Yes.

Setting this option to Yes reduces the load on your system's power supply by allowing the host adapter to start SCSI devices one at a time when you
boot your system. When this option is set to No, the devices are allowed to start at the same time. Most devices require you to set a jumper before they
can respond to this command.

SCSIDevice/Configuration:

Sync Transfer Rate MB/Sec

160

Initiate Wide Negotiation

Yes (Enabled)

Enable Disconnection

Yes (Enabled)

Send Start Unit Command

Yes (Enabled)

Enable Write Back Cache

Yes or N/C

BIOS Multiple LUN Support

No (Enabled)

Include in BIOS Scan

Yes(Enabled)

AdvancedConfiguration:

Reset SCSI Bus at IC Initialization

Enabled

Display <Ctrl><a> Message During BIOS Initialization

Enabled

Extended BIOS Translation For DOS Drivers > 1 GB

Enabled

Silent/Verbose Mode

Verbose

Host Adapter BIOS

Enabled

Domain Validation

Enabled

SupportRemovableDisksUnderBIOSAsFixedDisks

Boot Only

BIOS Support For Bootable CD-ROM

Enabled

BIOS Support For Int 13 Extensions

Enabled

Support For Ultra SCSI Speed

Enabled

NOTE: For the full name of an abbreviation or acronym used in this table, see the "Glossary."

NOTE: Some 8-bit SCSI devices may have trouble handling wide negotiation, which may result in erratic behavior or a hang condition. For these

devices, set Initiate Wide Negotiation to No.

l Enable Write Back Cache — Signals the completion of a write request as soon as the data is in cache. Actual writing to the disk occurs at a later time.

The default setting is N/C or Yes.

l BIOS Multiple LUN Support — Provides support for peripherals that contain multiple SCSI devices, such as autoloading tape drives and CD-ROM

changers.

l Include in BIOS Scan — Enables you to set whether the system BIOS scans this device during system start-up. The default is Yes.

Advanced Configuration Settings

The advanced host adapter settings should not be changed unless absolutely necessary. These values are set by Dell, and changing them may cause conflicts
with the SCSI devices.

l Reset SCSI Bus at IC Initialization — Enables the SCSI bus to be reset when the controller is initialized. The default is Enabled.
l Display <Ctrl><a> Message During BIOS Initialization — Determines whether the Press <CTRL><A> for SCSISelect (TM) Utility! message appears

on your screen during system start-up. The default setting is Enabled. If this setting is disabled, you can still run the SCSISelect utility by pressing
<Ctrl><a> after the host adapter BIOS banner appears.

l Extended BIOS Translation For DOS Drives > 1 GB — Determines whether extended translation is available for SCSI hard drives with capacities

greaterthan1GB.ThedefaultsettingisEnabled.

The standard translation scheme for SCSI host adapters provides a maximum accessible capacity of 1 GB. To support hard drives larger than 1 GB, the
78xx series host adapters include an extended translation scheme that supports hard drives as large as 8 GB, with a maximum partition size of 2 GB
under the DOS operating system.

It is not necessary to enable the Extended BIOS Translation setting if you are using another operating system, such as Novell NetWare.

When you partition a hard drive larger than 1 GB, use the MS-DOS®fdisk utility as you normally would. Because the cylinder size increases to 8 MB
under extended translation, the partition size you choose must be a multiple of 8 MB. If you request a size that is not a multiple of 8 MB, fdisk rounds up
tothenearestwholemultipleof8MB.

l Silent/Verbose Mode — Displays the host adapter information during system start-up. The default is Verbose.
l Host Adapter BIOS — Enables or disables the host adapter BIOS. The default setting is Enabled.

If you are booting from a SCSI hard drive connected to the host adapter, the BIOS must be enabled. You should disable the host adapter BIOS if the
peripherals on the SCSI bus (for example, CD-ROM drives) are all controlled by device drivers and do not need the BIOS.

l Domain Validation — Instructs the host adapter not to accept a negotiated speed until a validation test is successfully performed. After determining the

speed that a target device is capable of, the host adapter sends a Write Buffer command to the target device. The data transfer occurs at the full

speedinitially.Theinitiatorreadsandteststhedataandidentifiesanyparityorcyclicredundancycheck(CRC)errors.Ifthetestfails,theinitiator

lowers its speed and repeats the test. In this manner, a compatible speed will be found and locked in before user data transfers begin. The default is
Enabled.

l Support Removable Disks Under BIOS As Fixed Disks — Controls which removable-media drives are supported by the host adapter BIOS. The default

setting is Boot Only. The following choices are available.

¡ Boot Only — Only the removable-media drive designated as the boot device is treated as a hard drive.
¡ All Disks — All removable-media drives supported by the BIOS are treated as hard drives.
¡ Disabled — No removable-media drives are treated as hard drives. In this situation, software drivers are needed because the drives are not

controlled by the BIOS.

l BIOS Support For Bootable CD-ROM — Determines whether the host adapter BIOS provides support for booting from a CD-ROM drive. The default

setting is Enabled.

l BIOS Support For Int 13 Extensions — Determines whether the host adapter BIOS supports disks with more than 1024 cylinders. The default setting is

Enabled.

l Support For Ultra SCSI Speed — Determines whether the host adapter supports the fast transfer rates (20–40 MB/sec). The default setting is Enabled.

Using the SCSI Disk Utilities

To access the SCSI disk utilities, select SCSI Disk Utilities from the menu that appears when you start SCSISelect. When the option is selected, SCSISelect
immediately scans the SCSI bus (to determine the devices installed) and displays a list of all SCSI IDs and the device assigned to each ID.

When you select a specific ID and device, a menu appears, displaying the Format Disk and Verify Disk Media options.

NOTE: For many devices, if Send Start Unit Command is set to Yes, the boot routine time will vary depending on how long it takes each drive to

start.

NOTE: The setting for BIOS Multiple LUN Support must be No or Enabled (default) if a tape autoloader is connected.

NOTICE: Back up your hard drive before you change the translation scheme. All data is erased when you change from one translation scheme to

another.

NOTE: Several SCSISelect options are not valid unless the host adapter BIOS is enabled.

NOTICE: If a removable-media SCSI device is controlled by the host adapter BIOS, do not remove the media while the drive is on or you may lose data.

If you want to be able to remove media while the drive is on, install your removable-media device driver and set this option to Disabled.

NOTICE: The Format Disk option destroys all data on the hard drive.

l Format Disk — Runs a utility that allows you to perform a low-level format on a hard drive. Most SCSI disk drives are formatted at the factory and do

not need to be formatted again. The Adaptec Format Disk utility is compatible with the majority of SCSI disk drives.

l Verify Disk Media — Runs a utility that allows you to scan the media of a hard drive for defects. If the utility finds bad blocks on the media, it prompts

you to reassign them; if you select Yes, those blocks are no longer used. You can press <Esc> at any time to exit the utility.

Exiting SCSISelect

To exit SCSISelect, press <Esc> until a message prompts you to exit. (If you changed any 78xx series host adapter settings, you are prompted to save the
changes before you exit.) At the prompt, select Yes to exit, and then press any key to reboot the system. Any changes that you made in SCSISelect take effect
after the system boots. (You can select No at the prompt if you are not ready to exit SCSISelect.)

Troubleshooting for NetWare

Any error that occurs while the driver is initializing prevents it from loading. If an error does occur, the driver causes the system to beep and then display the
following numbered error message:

xxx message

The xxx indicates the error code and message is a line of text describing the error. The error codes are divided into three categories:

l 000–099 — Non–host-adapter specific
l 100–299 — Host-adapter specific
l 300–999 — Reserved

Specific error codes, such as those in the following subsections, appear only if you have installed the host adapters and drivers that generate them.

Non–Host-Adapter Specific Error Codes

The following error codes alert you to error conditions caused by factors not related to the host adapter:

000 Failed ParseDriverParameters call

A call to NetWare's ParseDriverParameters routine has failed for some unknown reason. The command line contains errors, or you pressed <Esc> at the port
or slot prompt.

001 Unable to reserve hardware, possible conflict

The driver failed in its attempt to reserve the host adapter's hardware settings (that is, direct memory access [DMA] and interrupt request [IRQ] settings).
Another card in your system may be causing a conflict with the host adapter.

002 NetWare rejected card Failed AddDiskSystem call

The driver failed in its attempt to register the host adapter with NetWare. The file server may not have enough memory.

003 Invalid command line option entered > option

An invalid option was entered on the command line. The invalid option that was entered is also displayed.

004 Invalid command line, please enter correctly

The driver was unable to understand the command line options that you entered. Be sure that you have entered these options correctly.

Host-Adapter Specific Error Codes

The following error codes alert you to error conditions caused by factors related to the host adapter:

200 No host adapter found for this driver to register

No Adaptec 78xx host adapter was found in your system for the driver to register. Be sure that the host adapter is properly configured and properly seated in
the slot.

203 Invalid 'device' setting

You have entered an invalid slot setting on the command line. You can only enter slot numbers for valid host adapters. If you load without the slot option, you
will be prompted to enter a valid value.

204 Invalid 'verbose' setting, use 'y'

You can only enter y for this option (verbose=y).

205 Invalid 'removable' setting, use 'off'

You can only enter off for this option (removable=off).

206 Invalid 'fixed_disk' setting, use 'off'

You can only enter off for this option (fixed_disk=off).

208 SCSI present but not enabled/configured for PCI

A host adapter is present, but its bus or device entry has not been enabled.

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System Overview

Dell™PowerEdge™4600SystemsUser'sGuide

System Orientation
Bezel Indicators
Front-Panel Indicators and Features
Back-Panel Features
System Features
Supported Operating Systems
Power Protection Devices
Other Documents You May Need
Getting Help

Your system, equipped with one or two Intel®Xeon™microprocessors,isafull-featured server that can be mounted either in a rack or in a tower form factor
case. The system provides the latest in high-performance technology, an enhanced set of available features, and a high level of scalability.

This section describes the major hardware and software features of the system, provides information about the indicators on the system's front panel, and
discusses connecting external devices to the system. It also provides information on obtaining technical assistance.

System Orientation

Figure1-1 shows the rack and tower versions of your system. The illustrations in this document are based on the tower version with the system laying on its

side.

Figure 1-1. System Orientation



Bezel Indicators

When the bezel is in place on the system, it has two indicators (see Figure1-2). The top status indicator is blue when the system is operating correctly. The
caution indicator is amber when the system needs attention. The amber caution light indicates a problem with power, system fan or power supply fan,
temperature, or hard drive or that the PCI expansion cards need attention. An LED on the back of the system provides the same functionality as the bezel
indicators.

Figure 1-2. Bezel Indicators



Front-Panel Indicators and Features

Indicators on the front of the system are located on the power supplies, hard drives, and LCD error display (see Figure1-3). The CD-ROM and diskette drives
have green activity indicators.

Figure 1-3. Front-Panel Features



Back-Panel Features

Figure1-4 shows the back-panel features of the system.

Figure 1-4. Back-Panel Features



When connecting external devices to your system, follow these guidelines:

l Check the documentation that accompanied the device for specific installation and configuration instructions. For example, most devices must be

connected to a particular connector to operate properly. Also, external devices usually require you to install device drivers before they will work. Device
drivers are normally included with your operating system software or with the device itself.

l Always attach external devices while your system is turned off. Then turn on any external devices before turning on the system unless the

documentation for the device specifies otherwise. If the system does not seem to recognize the device, try turning on the system before turning on the
device.

For information about enabling, disabling, or configuring I/O ports and connectors, see "Using the System Setup Program."

System Features

Your system offers the following features:

l One or two Intel Xeon microprocessors with a front-side(external)busspeedof400MHzandaninternaloperatingspeedofatleast1.8GHz
l Level 2 cache of 512 KB
l Support for SMP, which is available by installing an additional microprocessor. SMP greatly improves overall system performance by dividing

microprocessor operations among the independent microprocessors. To take advantage of this feature, you must use an operating system that
supports multiprocessing.

l A minimum of 512 MB of system memory, upgradable to a maximum of 12 GB by installing combinations of 128-MB, 256-MB, 512-MB, or 1-GB registered

PC-1600 dual data rate (DDR) memory modules, grouped in sets of four, into the twelve sockets on the two memory cards.

l Support for up to ten 1-inch, internal, hot-pluggable Ultra3 SCSI hard drives (eight 1-inchharddrivesviaa1x8SCSIbackplaneboard,andsupportfor

two 1-inch hard drives via an optional 1 x 2 SCSI backplane board). An optional daughter card provides support for a 2 x 4 split backplane.

l Up to four hot-pluggable, 300-W power supplies in a 3 + 1 redundant configuration.
l Six redundant, hot-pluggable system cooling fans.

The system board includes the following built-in features:

l Seven PCI slots located on the system board. PCI slots 2 through 7 are hot-pluggable 64-bit, 100- or 66-MHz slots. Slots 2 through 7 also support PCI-X

functionality. Slot 1 is a 32-bit, 33-MHz slot that can be used for the optional DRAC III or other PCI-compatible options.

l An integrated VGA-compatible video subsystem with an ATI RAGE XL video controller. This video subsystem contains 8 MB of SDRAM video memory

(nonupgradable). Maximum resolutions are 1,600 x 1,200 x 65,000 colors (noninterlaced). In 1,280 x 1,024-pixel, 1,024 x 768-pixel, 800 x 600-pixel, and
640 x 480-pixel resolutions, 16.7 million colors are available for true-color graphics.

l One embedded dual-channel Ultra3 SCSI controller and one embedded Ultra2 SCSI controller.
l An on-board ROMB is activated by using a 128-MB cache memory module, a RAID key, and RAID battery.
l An optional integrated dual-channel RAID controller card supports RAID levels 0, 1, 5, and 10.

NOTE: If you decide to upgrade your system by installing a second microprocessor, you must order the microprocessor upgrade kits from Dell. Not

all versions of the microprocessor will work properly as additional microprocessors. The upgrade kit from Dell contains the correct version of the

microprocessoraswellastheinstructionsforperformingtheupgrade.Bothmicroprocessorsmusthavethesameinternaloperatingfrequencyand

cache size.

l Two integrated NICs (one 10/100 and one 10/100/1000), which provide an Ethernet interface.
l Server management circuitry that monitors operation of the system fans as well as critical system voltages and temperatures. The server management

circuitry works in conjunction with the server agent.

Systems include an IDE CD-ROM drive and a diskette drive installed in the externally accessible bays.

The following software is included with your system:

l A System Setup program for quickly viewing and changing the system configuration information for your system. For more information on this program,

see "Using the System Setup Program."

l Enhanced security features, including a system password and a setup password, available through the System Setup program.
l System diagnostics for evaluating your system's components and devices. For information on using the system diagnostics, see "Running the System

Diagnostics" in your Installation and Troubleshooting Guide.

Supported Operating Systems

Dell supports the following operating systems for use on your system:

l Microsoft®Windows NT®4.0 Server
l Microsoft Windows®2000 Server and Advanced Server
l Red Hat Linux 7.x
l Novell®NetWare®version 5.x

Power Protection Devices

A number of devices are available to protect your system from the effects of power problems such as power surges, transients, and power failures. The
following subsections describe some of these devices.

Surge Protectors

Surge protectors are available in a variety of types and usually provide a level of protection commensurate with the cost of the device. Surge protectors
prevent overvoltage spikes, such as those that may occur during an electrical storm, from entering the system through the electrical outlet. Surge protectors
do not offer protection against brownouts, which occur when the voltage drops more than 20 percent below the normal AC line voltage level.

Line Conditioners

Line conditioners go beyond the overvoltage protection of surge protectors. Line conditioners keep a system's AC power source voltage at a fairly constant
level and provide protection from brownouts of short duration. Because of this added protection, line conditioners cost more than surge protectors—up to
several hundred dollars. However, these devices cannot protect against a complete loss of power.

Uninterruptible Power Supplies

UPS systems offer the most complete protection against variations in power because they use battery power to keep the system running when AC power is
unavailable or unusable. The battery is charged by the AC power while it is available so that once AC power is lost, the battery can provide power to the
system for a limited amount of time—from 15 minutes to an hour or so—depending on the UPS system.

UPS systems range in price from a few hundred dollars to several thousand dollars, with the more expensive units allowing you to run larger systems for a
longer period of time when AC power is lost. UPS systems that provide only 5 minutes of battery power let you conduct an orderly shutdown of the system but
are not intended to provide continued operation. Surge protectors should be used with all UPS systems, and the UPS system should be UL safety approved.

Integrated AC Transfer Switch

The integrated AC transfer switch provides redundant power. Two AC inputs are available to the switch. One of the inputs is designated as primary and is
used for powering the system. The system can operate from either input and will automatically switch from an AC input that fails to the other AC input. This
feature allows a system administrator to assign a system to a selected power circuit in multi-circuit data centers.

Other Documents You May Need

In addition to this User's Guide, the following documentation is included with your system:

l The Setting Up Your System document provides general instructions for setting up your system.
l The Installation and Troubleshooting Guide describes how to upgrade and troubleshoot your system.
l The Rack Installation Guide describes how to unpack and install systems in the rack.
l The System Information document provides important safety, regulatory, and warranty information.
l The server management documentation describes the server management software, including alert messages issued by the software.

You may also have one or more of the following documents.

l Operating system documentation is included with the system. This documentation describes how to install (if necessary), configure, and use your

operating system software.

l Documentation is included with any options you purchase separately from your system. This documentation includes information that you need to

configure and install these options in your system. Installation instructions for some options are included in this User's Guide.

l Technical information files—sometimes called "readme" files—may be installed on your hard drive to provide last-minute updates about technical

changes to your system or advanced technical reference material intended for experienced users or technicians.

Getting Help

If at any time you do not understand a procedure described in this guide or if your system does not perform as expected, a number of tools are provided to
help you. For more information on these help tools, see "Getting Help" in your Installation and Troubleshooting Guide.

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NOTE: Documentation updates are sometimes included with your system to describe changes to your system or software. Always read these updates

before consulting any other documentation because the updates often contain the latest information.

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Using the Dell OpenManage Server Assistant CD

Dell™PowerEdge™4600SystemsUser'sGuide

StartingtheDellOpenManageServerAssistantCD
Navigating the CD
Setting Up Your Server
Utility Partition
Asset Tag Utility

The Dell OpenManage Server Assistant CD contains utilities, diagnostics, drivers, and other items that can help you configure your system to best meet your
needs. Some of the functions available on the Dell OpenManage Server Assistant CD are also available on a bootable utility partition that is installed on your
hard drive. This section describes how to use the Dell OpenManage Server Assistant CD. It also describes the utility partition and its options and provides
instructions for reinstalling the partition (if necessary).

Starting the Dell OpenManage Server AssistantCD

TheDellOpenManage™ServerAssistant application program has two modes of operation: a setup mode for setting up your system and installing your
operating system and a service mode for creating diskettes and viewing information. Documentation is available on the online documentation CD.

In both setup mode and service mode, the Dell OpenManage Server Assistant main screen gives you the option to choose one of the supported languages
as the language for the screen text. You can choose a language at any time from the main screen.

Setup Mode

To set up your system and install your operating system, insert the Dell OpenManage Server Assistant CD into your CD-ROM drive, and turn on or reboot the
system. The Dell OpenManage Server Assistant main page appears.

If the CD does not boot, verify that the CD-ROM drive is specified first in the Boot Sequence option in the System Setup program (see "Using the System Setup

Program").

Service Mode

You can create system diskettes and view information on any system that has Microsoft®Internet Explorer 4.0 (or later). When you insert the CD in a system
that uses the Microsoft Windows NT®or Windows®2000 Server operating system, the system automatically starts the browser software and displays the

Dell OpenManage Server Assistant main page.

Navigating the CD

The Dell OpenManage Server Assistant CD utilizes a standard Web browser interface. Navigating the CD is accomplished by clicking the mouse on the various
icons and text hyperlinks.

Click the Back icon to return to the previous screen. Click the Exit icon to exit the program. Exiting the program causes the system to reboot to the standard
operating-system boot partition.

Setting Up Your Server

If you purchase a system that does not have an operating system preinstalled by Dell or if you install an operating system at a later date, you should use the
Server Setup option to configure your system or install your operating system.

Server Setup

Use the Server Setup program for most situations, including installing and reinstalling an operating system. The Dell OpenManage Server Assistant CD guides
you through the operating system setup and configuration process. The program prompts you to select the operating system used on the drive and leads you
through a step-by-step process to install the operating system.

To start the Server Setup program, perform the following steps:

1. Click the SETUP icon at the top of the screen.

2. Click Server Setup.

AfteryoustarttheServerSetupprogram,followthedirectionsonthescreentocompletetheinstallationandconfigurationprocess.TheServerSetupprogram

takes you through the following tasks:

l Configuring your RAID controller (if applicable)
l Entering operating system and hard drive information
l Entering operating system configuration
l Installing an operating system

Utility Partition

The utility partition is a bootable partition on the hard drive that contains system configuration and diagnostic utilities. When implemented, the partition boots
andprovidesanexecutableenvironmentforthepartition's utilities. When the utility partition is not booted, it is designated as a non–MS-DOS®partition.

To start the utility partition, turn on or reboot the system. During POST, the following message appears:

<F10> = Utility Mode

The utility partition provides a text-based interface from which you can run the partition's utilities. To select a menu option, you can either use the arrow keys
to highlight the option and press <Enter> or type the number of the menu option. To exit the utility partition, press <Esc> from the Utility Partition main
menu.

Table2-1 provides a sample list and explanation of the options that appear on the utility partition menu even when the Dell OpenManage Server Assistant CD is

not in the CD-ROM drive. The options displayed on your system may vary depending on the configuration.



Running the System Diagnostics

From the Utility Partition main menu, select Run System Diagnostics. To run the diagnostics from a set of diskettes, create diagnostics diskettes from the Dell
OpenManage Server Assistant CD.

The system hardware diagnostics are described in "Running the System Diagnostics" in your Installation and Troubleshooting Guide.

Asset Tag Utility

The Asset Tag utility allows you to enter an asset tag number for your system.

Using the Asset Tag Utility

To create the Asset Tag utility diskette and boot the system, perform the following steps:

1. If you have not already done so, create a bootable Asset Tag Utility diskette from the Dell OpenManage Server Assistant CD using the Create Diskettes
option.

2. Insert the diskette into the diskette drive and reboot the system.

Assigning and Deleting an Asset Tag Number

An asset tag number can have up to 10 characters. Any combination of characters, excluding spaces, is valid.

To assign or change an asset tag number, perform the following steps:

1. Perform the steps in "Using the Asset Tag Utility."

2. Type asset and a space followed by the new number.

For example, type the following command:

asset 1234567890

3. Press <Enter>.

4. When you are prompted to verify the asset tag number, type y and press <Enter>.

The system then displays the new or modified asset tag number and the service tag number.

To delete the asset tag number without assigning a new one, type asset /d and press <Enter>.

Table2-2 lists the command-line options that you can use with the Asset Tag utility. To use one of these options, type asset and a space followed by the

NOTE: The utility partition provides only limited MS-DOS functionality and cannot be used as a general-purpose MS-DOS partition.

Table 2-1. Utility Partition Main Menu Options

Option

Description

Run System Diagnostics

Runs the system hardware diagnostics.

Run RAID Configuration Utility

Runs the RAID controller configuration utility if a RAID controller card is installed.

NOTE: The options displayed on your system depend on your system configuration and may not include all of those listed here. For the full name of an

abbreviation or acronym used in this table, see the Glossary.

NOTE: The Asset Tag utility works only on systems running MS-DOS.

NOTE: The Asset Tag utility diskette contains CD-ROM drivers that provide access to the CD-ROM drive when you boot from the diskette.

option.

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Table 2-2. Asset Tag Command-Line Options

Asset Tag Option

Description

/d

Deletes the asset tag number

/?

Displays the Asset Tag utility help screen

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Using the System Setup Program

Dell™PowerEdge™4600SystemsUser'sGuide

Entering the System Setup Program
System Setup Options
Using the System Password Feature
Using the Setup Password Feature
Disabling a Forgotten Password

Each time you turn on your system, the system compares the configuration of the hardware installed in the system to the hardware listed in the system
configuration information stored in NVRAM on the system board. If the system detects a discrepancy, it generates error messages that identify the incorrect
configuration settings. The system then prompts you to enter the System Setup program to correct the settings.

You can use the System Setup program as follows:

l To change the system configuration information after you add, change, or remove any hardware in your system
l To set or change user-selectable options—forexample,thetimeordateonyoursystem
l To enable or disable any integrated device in your system

After you set up your system, run the System Setup program to familiarize yourself with your system configuration information and optional settings. Print the
System Setup screens (by pressing the <Print Screen> key) or record the information for future reference.

Entering the System Setup Program

Enter the System Setup program as follows:

1. Turn on your system.

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

2. Press <F2> immediately after you see the following message in the upper-right corner of the screen:

<F2> = System Setup

You can also press <F10> to enter Utility Mode or <F12> for PXE Boot. PXE Boot forces a system boot from the network.

If you wait too long and your operating system begins to load into memory, let the system complete the load operation, and then shut down the system
and try again.

You can also enter the System Setup program by responding to certain error messages. See "Responding to Error Messages."

Responding to Error Messages

If an error message appears on your monitor screen while the system is starting up, make a note of the message. Then, before entering the System Setup
program, see "System Beep Codes" and "System Messages" in your Installation and Troubleshooting Guide for an explanation of the message and suggestions
for correcting any errors.

If you are given an option of pressing either <F1> to continue or <F2> to run the System Setup program, press the <F2> key.

Using the System Setup Program

Table3-1 lists the keys that you use to view or change information on the System Setup screens and to exit the program.



NOTE: To ensure an orderly system shutdown, consult the documentation that accompanied your operating system.

NOTE: For help using the System Setup program, press <F1> while in the program.

NOTE: It is normal to receive an error message the first time you start your system after installing a memory upgrade. In that situation, do not refer to

"System Beep Codes" and "System Messages." Instead, see "Adding Memory" in your Installation and Troubleshooting Guide for instructions.)

Table 3-1.SystemSetupNavigationKeys

Keys

Action

Down arrow or <Tab>

Moves to the next field.

Up arrow or <Shift + Tab>

Moves to the previous field.

Left and right arrows or <Space>

Cycles through the settings in a field. In many fields, you can also type the appropriate value.

<Esc>

Exits the System Setup program and restarts the system if any changes were made.

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

System Setup Options

The following subsections outline the options on the System Setup screens.

Main Screen

When the System Setup program runs, the main program screen appears (see Figure3-1).

Figure 3-1. Main System Setup Screen



The following options and information fields appear on the main System Setup screen:

l System Time — Resets the time on the system's internal clock.
l System Date — Resets the date on the system's internal calendar.
l Diskette Drive A: — Allows you to specify the type of diskette drive for your system.
l System Memory — Displays the amount of system memory. This option has no user-selectable settings.
l Video Memory — Displays the amount of video memory. This option has no user-selectable settings.
l OS Install Mode — Determines the maximum amount of memory available to the operating system. On sets the maximum memory available to the

operating system to 256 MB. Off (default) makes all of the system memory available to the operating system. Some operating systems will not install
with more than 2 GB of system memory. Turn this option On during operating system installation and Off after installation.

l CPU Information — Displays information related to the microprocessor bus and microprocessors. This screen has no user-selectable settings.
l Boot Sequence — Displays the Boot Sequence screen, discussed later in this section.
l Hard-Disk Drive Sequence — Displays the Hard-Disk Drive Sequence screen, discussed later in this section.
l Integrated Devices — Displays the Integrated Devices screen, discussed later in this section.
l PCI IRQ Assignment — Displays a screen that allows you to change the IRQ allocated to each of the integrated devices on the PCI bus, as well as any

installed expansion cards that require an IRQ.

l PCI Hot-Plug Slot Information — Displays information about the hot-plug PCI-X slots such as the operating frequency, whether or not they are

occupied, and whether they are in PCI or PCI-X mode. This screen has no user-selectable settings.

l Console Redirection — Displays a screen that allows you to configure console redirection. The sub-menu allows you to turn the feature on or off, select

the remote terminal type, and enable or disable redirection after booting.

l Embedded Server Management — Displays the Embedded Server Management screen, discussed later in this section.
l System Security — Displays a screen that allows you to configure the system password and setup password features. See "Using the System

Password Feature" and "Using the Setup Password Feature" for more information.

l Keyboard Numlock — Determines whether your system starts up with the Num Lock mode activated on 101- or 102-key keyboards (does not apply to

84-key keyboards).

l Report Keyboard Error — Enables or disables reporting of keyboard errors during the POST. This option is useful when applied to self-starting servers

or host systems that have no permanently attached keyboard. In these situations, selecting Do Not Report suppresses all error messages relating to
the keyboard or keyboard controller during POST. This setting does not affect the operation of the keyboard itself if a keyboard is attached to the
system.

l Asset Tag — Displays the customer-programmable asset tag number for the system if an asset tag number has been assigned. To enter an asset tag

numberofupto10charactersintoNVRAM,see"Asset Tag Utility" in "Using the Dell OpenManage Server Assistant CD."

Boot Sequence Screen

The Boot Sequence screen options determine the order in which the system looks for the files that it needs to load during system startup. Available options
include the diskette drive, CD-ROM drive, network, and hard drive. You can enable or disable a device by selecting it and pressing the spacebar. To change the
order in which devices are searched, use the <+> and <–> keys.

Hard-Disk Drive Sequence Screen

The Hard-Disk Drive Sequence screen options determine the order in which the system searches the hard drives for the files that it needs to load during

system startup. The choices depend on the particular hard drives installed in your system. You can enable or disable a device by selecting it and pressing the
spacebar. To change the order in which devices are searched, use the <+> and <–> keys.

Integrated Devices Screen

This screen is used to configure the following devices:

l Embedded RAID Controller — If the system has RAID, Channel A and Channel B operate independently. Channel A and Channel B can be set to RAID

or SCSI. If the system is SCSI only, the Embedded RAID Controller field changes to Primary SCSI Controller. Channel A and Channel B turn the
respective SCSI controller on or off. Selecting On (the default setting) enables the integrated PCI SCSI controller and scans the associated ROM. For the
system to start from a drive attached to the integrated SCSI controller, the drive must be enabled. Selecting Off causes the BIOS to mask the presence
of a device.

l Secondary SCSI Controller — Enables or disables the secondary SCSI controller.
l IDE CD-ROM Controller — Enables or disables the system's IDE CD-ROM interface.
l Diskette Controller — Enables or disables the system's diskette drive controller. When Auto (default) is selected, the system turns off the controller

when necessary to accommodate a controller card installed in an expansion slot.

l USB Controller — Enables or disables the system's USB ports. Disabling the USB ports makes system resources available for other devices.
l BIOS USB Support -— Enables BIOS support for a USB keyboard or mouse.
l Embedded 10/100 NIC— Enables or disables the system's two integrated NICs. Options are Enabled without PXE, Enabled with PXE, and Disabled.

PXE support allows the system to boot from the network. Changes take effect after system reboot.

l MAC Address — Displays the MAC address for the 10/100 NIC that is used by the corresponding integrated NIC. This field has no user-selectable

settings.

l Embedded 10/100/1000 NIC— Enables or disables the system's two integrated NICs. Options are Enabled without PXE, Enabled with PXE, and

Disabled. PXE support allows the system to boot from the network. Changes take effect after system reboot.

l MAC Address — Displays the address of the MAC address for the 10/100/1000 NIC that is used by the corresponding integrated NIC. This field has no

user-selectable settings.

l Mouse Controller — Enables or disables the system's mouse controller. Disabling the mouse controller allows an expansion card to use IRQ12.
l Serial Port 1, Serial Port 2 — Configures the system's integrated serial ports. The options can be set to Auto (the default) to automatically configure a

port, to a particular designation, or to Off to disable the port.

If you set a serial port to Auto and add an expansion card with a port configured to the same designation, the system automatically remaps the
integrated port to the next available port designation that shares the same IRQ setting.

l Parallel Port — Configures the system's integrated parallel port.
l Parallel Port Mode — Controls whether the system's integrated parallel port acts as an AT-compatible (unidirectional) or PS/2-compatible (bidirectional)

port. To determine the correct mode to use, see the documentation that came with the peripheral device connected to the serial port.

l Speaker — Toggles the integrated speaker On (the default) or Off. A change to this option takes effect immediately (rebooting the system is not

required).

Embedded Server Management Screen

You can set the following features through the Embedded Server Management screen:

l Fan Speed — Sets the fan speed to Full Speed or Normal Speed.
l Front Panel LCD Options — Controls the type of information displayed on the front-panel LCD. Options are None, Default, or User-Defined String.
l User String — Allows the user to enter a five-character string in Line 1 and a sixteen-character string in Line 2.

System Security Screen

You can set the following security features through the System Security screen:

l System Password — Displays the current status of your system's password security feature and allows you to assign and verify a new system

password.

l Setup Password — Allows you to restrict access to the System Setup program in the same way that you restrict access to your system with the system

password feature.

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

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

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

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

l Password Status — When Setup Password is set to Enabled, this feature allows you to prevent the system password from being changed or disabled

at system start-up.

To lock the system password, you must first assign a setup password in the Setup Password option and then change the Password Status option to
Locked. In this state, the system password cannot be changed through the System Password option and cannot be disabled at system start-up by
pressing <Ctrl><Enter>.

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

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

l Power Button — When this option is set to Enabled,youcanusethepowerbuttontoturnthesystemofforshutdownthesystemifyouarerunning

Microsoft®Windows®2000 or another operating system that is compliant with the ACPI specification. When this option is set to Disabled, you cannot
use the power button to turn off the system or perform other system events.

l NMI Button — This button may be used for troubleshooting software and device drivers when running certain operating systems. If a malfunction occurs

when NMI Button set to Enabled, an NMI interrupt alerts the system. Enable this button only when directed to do so by the operating system's

documentation.

Exit Screen

After you press <Esc> to exit the System Setup program, the Exit screen displays the following choices:

l Save Changes and Exit
l Discard Changes and Exit
l Return to Setup

Using the System Password Feature

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

You can assign a system password whenever you use the System Setup program. After a system password is assigned, only those who know the password
have full use of the system.

When the System Password option is set to Enabled, the system prompts you for the system password just after the system starts.

To change an existing system password, you must know the password (see "Deleting or Changing an Existing System Password"). If you assign and later
forget a system password, a trained service technician must remove the system cover to change a jumper setting that disables the system password feature
(see "Disabling a Forgotten Password"). Note that this erases the setup password at the same time.

Assigning a System Password

Before you can assign a system password, you must enter the System Setup program and check the System Password option.

When a system password is assigned, the setting shown for the System Password option is Enabled. If the Password Status option is Unlocked, you can
change the system password. If the Password Status option is Locked, you cannot change the system password. When the system password feature is
disabled by a jumper setting on the system board, the setting shown is Disabled, and you cannot change or enter a new system password.

When no system password is assigned and the password jumper on the system board is in the enabled (default) position, the setting shown for the System
Password option is Not Enabled and the Password Status field is Unlocked. To assign a system password, use the following procedure:

1. Verify that the Password Status option is set to Unlocked.

2. Highlight the System Password option and then press <Enter>.

3. Type your new system password.

You can use up to 32 characters in your password.

As you press each character key (or the spacebar key for a blank space), a placeholder appears in the field.

The password assignment operation recognizes keys by their location on the keyboard without distinguishing between lowercase and uppercase
characters. For example, if you have an M in your password, the system recognizes either M or m as correct. Certain key combinations are not valid. If
you enter one of these combinations, the speaker emits a beep. To erase a character when entering your password, press the <Backspace> key or the
left-arrow key.

4. Press <Enter>.

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

NOTE: You can still turn a system on using the power button, even if the Power Button option is set to Disabled.

NOTICE: The password features provide a basic level of security for the data on your system. However, they are not foolproof. If your data requires

more security, it is your responsibility to obtain and use additional forms of protection, such as data encryption programs.

NOTICE: If you leave your system running and unattended without having a system password assigned or if you leave your system unlocked so that

someone can disable the password by changing a jumper setting, anyone can access the data stored on your hard drive.

NOTE: To escape from the field without assigning a system password, press <Enter> to move to another field, or press <Esc> at any time prior to

completing step 5.

The System Password option changes to Enabled. Your system password is now set. You can exit the System Setup program and begin using your
system.

Using Your System Password to Secure Your System

Whenever you turn on or reboot your system by pressing the <Ctrl><Alt><Del> key combination, the following prompt appears on the screen when the
Password Status option is set to Unlocked:

Type in the password and... -- press <ENTER> to leave password security enabled. -- press <CTRL><ENTER> to disable password security. Enter
password:

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

Type the password and press <Enter>.

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

If a wrong or incomplete system password is entered, the following message appears:

** Incorrect password. **

Enter password:

If an incorrect or incomplete system password is entered again, the same message appears.

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

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

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

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

Deleting or Changing an Existing System Password

1. When prompted, press <Ctrl><Enter> to disable the existing system password, instead of pressing <Enter> to continue with the normal operation of
your system.

If you are asked to enter your setup password, you may need to contact your network administrator who has the setup password.

2. Enter the System Setup program by pressing <F2> during POST.

3. Select the System Security screen field to verify that the Password Status option is set to Unlocked.

4. When prompted, type the system password.

5. Confirm that Not Enabled is displayed for the System Password option.

If Not Enabled is displayed for the System Password option, the system password has been deleted. If you want to assign a new password, continue
tostep6.IfNot Enabled is not displayed for the System Password option, press the <Alt><b> key combination to restart the system, and then repeat
steps 2 through 6.

6. To assign a new password, follow the procedure in "Assigning a System Password."

Using the Setup Password Feature

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

You can assign a setup password whenever you use the System Setup program. After a setup password is assigned, only those who know the password
have full use of the System Setup program.

To change an existing setup password, you must know the setup password (see "Deleting or Changing an Existing Setup Password"). If you assign and later
forget a setup password, you cannot operate your system or change settings in the System Setup program until a trained service technician opens the system

chassis,changesthepasswordjumpersettingtodisablethepasswords,anderasestheexistingpasswords.ThisprocedureisdescribedintheInstallation
and Troubleshooting Guide.

Assigning a Setup Password

NOTE: Password protection does not take effect until you restart the system by turning the system off and then on again.

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

system password.

NOTE: You can use the Password Status option in conjunction with the System Password and Setup Password options to further protect your system

from unauthorized changes.

A setup password can be assigned (or changed) only when the Setup Password option is set to Not Enabled. To assign a setup password, highlight the
Setup Password option and press the left- or right-arrow key. The system prompts you to enter and verify the password. If a character is illegal for password
use, the system emits a beep.

After you verify the password, the Setup Password setting changes to Enabled. The next time you enter the System Setup program, the system prompts you
for the setup password.

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

Operating With a Setup Password Enabled

If Setup Password is set to Enabled, you must enter the correct setup password before you can modify the majority of the System Setup options. When you
start the System Setup program, the program prompts you to type the password.

If you do not enter the correct password in three tries, the system lets you view, but not modify, the System Setup screens—with the following exception. If
System Password is not set to Enabled and is not locked via the Password Status option, you can assign a system password (however, you cannot disable
or change an existing system password).

Deleting or Changing an Existing Setup Password

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

1. Enter the System Setup program and select the System Security option.

2. Highlight the Setup Password option, press <Enter> to access the setup password window, and press <Enter> two more times to clear the existing
setup password.

The setting changes to Not Enabled.

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

Disabling a Forgotten Password

If you forget your system or setup password, you cannot operate your system or change settings in the System Setup program until a trained service
technician opens the system chassis, changes the password jumper setting to disable the passwords, and erases the existing passwords. This procedure is
described in the Installation and Troubleshooting Guide.

Back to Contents Page







NOTE: The setup password can be the same as the system password. If the two passwords are different, the setup password can be used as an

alternate system password. However, the system password cannot be used in place of the setup password.

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

changes.

Back to Contents Page

Glossary

Dell™PowerEdge™4600SystemsUser'sGuide

The following list defines or identifies technical terms, abbreviations, and acronyms used in your system documents.

A

Abbreviation for ampere(s).

AC

Abbreviation for alternating current.

adapter card

An expansion card that plugs into an expansion-card connector on the computer's system board. An adapter card adds some specialized function to the
system by providing an interface between the expansion bus and a peripheral device. Examples of adapter cards include network cards, sound cards, and
SCSI adapters.

application program

Software, such as a spreadsheet or word processor, designed to help you perform a specific task or series of tasks. Application programs run from the
operating system.

asset tag code

An individual code assigned to a system, usually by a system administrator, for security or tracking purposes.

backup

A copy of a program or data file. As a precaution, you should back up your system's hard drive on a regular basis. Before making a change to the configuration
of your system, you should back up important start-up files from your operating system.

backup battery

The backup battery maintains system configuration, date, and time information in a special section of memory when the system is turned off.

beep code

A diagnostic message in the form of a pattern of beeps from your system's speaker. For example, one beep, followed by a second beep, and then a burst of
three beeps is beep code 1-1-3.

BIOS

Acronym for basic input/output system. Your system's BIOS contains programs stored on a flash memory chip. The BIOS controls the following:

l Communications between the microprocessor and peripheral devices, such as the keyboard and the video adapter
l Miscellaneous functions, such as system messages

bit

The smallest unit of information interpreted by your system.

boot routine

When you start your system, it clears all memory, initializes devices, and loads the operating system. Unless the operating system fails to respond, you can
reboot(alsocalledwarm boot) your system by pressing <Ctrl><Alt><Del>; otherwise, you must perform a cold boot by pressing the reset button or by turning
the system off and then back on.

bootable diskette

You can start your system from a diskette. To make a bootable diskette, insert a diskette in the diskette drive, type sys a: at the command line prompt, and
press <Enter>. Use this bootable diskette if your system will not boot from the hard drive.

bps

Abbreviation for bits per second.

BTU

Abbreviation for British thermal unit.

bus

An information pathway between the components of a system. Your system contains an expansion bus that allows the microprocessor to communicate with
controllers for all the various peripheral devices connected to the system. Your system also contains an address bus and a data bus for communications
between the microprocessor and RAM.

byte

Eight contiguous bits of information, the basic data unit used by your system.

C

Abbreviation for Celsius.

cache

A fast storage area that keeps a copy of data or instructions for quicker data retrieval. For example, your system's BIOS may cache ROM code in faster RAM.
Or, a disk-cache utility may reserve RAM in which to store frequently accessed information from your system's disk drives; when a program makes a request to
a disk drive for data that is in the cache, the disk-cache utility can retrieve the data from RAM faster than from the disk drive.

card-edge connector

The metal-contact section on the bottom of an expansion card that plugs into an expansion-card connector.

CD-ROM

Abbreviation for compact disc read-only memory. CD-ROM drives use optical technology to read data from CDs. CDs are read-only storage devices; you cannot
write new data to a CD with standard CD-ROM drives.

COMn

The device names for the first through fourth serial ports on your system are COM1, COM2, COM3, and COM4. The default interrupt for COM1 and COM3 is
IRQ4, and the default interrupt for COM2 and COM4 is IRQ3. Therefore, you must be careful when configuring software that runs a serial device so that you
don't create an interrupt conflict.

component

As they relate to DMI, manageable components are operating systems, computer systems, expansion cards, and peripherals that are compatible with DMI.
Each component is made up of groups and attributes that are defined as relevant to that component.

controller

A chip that controls the transfer of data between the microprocessor and memory or between the micro-processor and a peripheral device such as a disk drive
or the keyboard.

control panel

The part of the system that contains indicators and controls, such as the power switch, hard drive access indicator, and power indicator.

conventional memory

The first 640 KB of RAM. Conventional memory is found in all systems. Unless they are specially designed, MS-DOS®programs are limited to running in
conventional memory.

coprocessor

A chip that relieves the system's microprocessor of specific processing tasks. A math coprocessor, for example, handles numeric processing. A graphics
coprocessor handles video rendering.

cpi

Abbreviation for characters per inch.

CPU

Abbreviation for central processing unit. See also microprocessor.

dB

Abbreviation for decibel(s).

dBA

Abbreviation for adjusted decibel(s).

DC

Abbreviation for direct current.

DDR

Abbreviation for dual data rate.

device driver

A program that allows the operating system or some other program to interface correctly with a peripheral device, such as a printer. Some device drivers—
such as network drivers—must be loaded from the config.sys file (with a device= statement) or as memory-resident programs (usually, from the autoexec.bat
file). Others—such as video drivers—must load when you start the program for which they were designed.

Diagnostics

A comprehensive set of tests for your system. Refer to your Installation and Troubleshooting Guide for more information about using diagnostics.

DIMM

Acronym for dual in-line memory module. A small circuit board containing DRAM chips that connects to the system board.

DIN

Acronym for Deutsche Industrie Norm.

DIP

Acronym for dual in-line package. A circuit board, such as a system board or expansion card, may contain DIP switches for configuring the circuit board. DIP
switches are always toggle switches, with an ON position and an OFF position.

directory

Directories help keep related files organized on a disk in a hierarchical, "inverted tree" structure. Each disk has a "root" directory; for example, a c:\> prompt
normally indicates that you are at the root directory of hard drive C. Additional directories that branch off the root directory are called subdirectories.
Subdirectories may contain additional directories branching off them.

DMA

Abbreviation for direct memory access. A DMA channel allows certain types of data transfer between RAM and a device to bypass the microprocessor.

DMI

Abbreviation for Desktop Management Interface. DMI enables the management of your system's software and hardware. DMI collects information about the
system's components, such as the operating system, memory, peripherals, expansion cards, and asset tag. Information about the system's components is
displayed as a MIF file.

DPMS

Abbreviation for Display Power Management Signaling. A standard developed by the Video Electronics Standards Association (VESA®) that defines the
hardware signals sent by a video controller to activate power management states in a monitor. A monitor is said to be DPMS-compliant when it is designed to
enter a power management state after receiving the appropriate signal from a system's video controller.

DRAC III

Acronym for Dell Remote Access Card III.

DRAM

Abbreviation for dynamic random-access memory. A system's RAM is usually made up entirely of DRAM chips. Because DRAM chips cannot store an electrical
charge indefinitely, your system continually refreshes each DRAM microprocessor in the system.

drive-type number

Your system can recognize a number of specific hard drives. Each is assigned a drive-type number that is stored in NVRAM. The hard drive(s) specified in your
System Setup program must match the actual drive(s) installed in the system. The System Setup program also allows you to specify physical parameters
(logical cylinders, logical heads, cylinder number, and logical sectors per pack) for drives not included in the table of drive types stored in NVRAM.

DTE

Abbreviation for data terminal equipment. Any device, such as a system, that can send data in digital form by means of a cable or communications line. The DTE
is connected to the cable or communications line through a data communications equipment (DCE) device, such as a modem.

ECC

Abbreviation for error checking and correction.

ECP

Abbreviation for Extended Capabilities Port.

EEPROM

Acronym for electrically erasable programmable read-only memory.

EIDE

Abbreviation for enhanced integrated drive electronics. EIDE devices add one or more of the following enhancements to the traditional IDE standard:

l Data transfer rates of up to 16 MB/sec
l Support for drives other than just hard drives, such as CD-ROM and tape drives
l Support for hard drives with capacities greater than 528 MB
l Support for up to two controllers, each with up to two devices attached

EISA

Acronym for Extended Industry-Standard Architecture, a 32-bit expansion-bus design. The expansion-card connectors in an EISA system are also compatible
with 8- or 16-bit ISA expansion cards.

To avoid a configuration conflict when installing an EISA expansion card, you must use the EISA Configuration Utility. This utility allows you to specify which
expansion slot contains the card and obtains information about the card's required system resources from a corresponding EISA configuration file.

EMC

Abbreviation for Electromagnetic Compatibility.

EMI

Abbreviation for electromagnetic interference.

EMM

Abbreviation for expanded memory manager. A utility that uses extended memory to emulate expanded memory on systems.

EMS

Abbreviation for Expanded Memory Specification.

EPROM

Acronym for erasable programmable read-only memory.

ESD

Abbreviation for electrostatic discharge.

expanded memory

A technique for accessing RAM above 1 MB. To enable expanded memory on your system, you must use an EMM. You should configure your system to support
expanded memory only if you run application programs that can use (or require) expanded memory.

expansion bus

Your system contains an expansion bus that allows the microprocessor to communicate with controllers for peripheral devices, such as a network card or an
internal modem.

expansion-card connector

A connector on the system board or riser board for plugging in an expansion card.

extended memory

RAM above 1 MB. Most software that can use it, such as the Microsoft®Windows®operating system, requires that extended memory be under the control of
an XMM.

external cache memory

A RAM cache using SRAM chips. Because SRAM chips operate at several times the speed of DRAM chips, the microprocessor can retrieve data and instructions
faster from external cache memory than from RAM.

F

Abbreviation for Fahrenheit.

FAT

Acronym for file allocation table. The file system structure used by MS-DOS to organize and keep track of file storage. The Windows NT®and OS/2®operating
systems can optionally use a FAT file system structure.

FCC

Abbreviation for Federal Communications Commission.

flash memory

A type of EEPROM chip that can be reprogrammed from a utility on diskette while still installed in a system; most EEPROM chips can only be rewritten with
special programming equipment.

format

To prepare a hard drive or diskette for storing files. An unconditional format deletes all data stored on the disk.

ft

Abbreviation for feet.

FTP

Abbreviation for file transfer protocol.

g

Abbreviation for gram(s).

G

Abbreviation for gravities.

GB

Abbreviationforgigabyte(s).Agigabyteequals1,024megabytesor1,073,741,824bytes.

graphics coprocessor

See coprocessor.

graphics mode

A video mode that can be defined as x horizontal by y vertical pixels by z colors.

group

As it relates to DMI, a group is a data structure that defines common information, or attributes, about a manageable component.

GUI

Acronym for graphical user interface.

h

Abbreviation for hexadecimal. A base-16 numbering system, often used in programming to identify addresses in the system's RAM and I/O memory addresses
for devices. The sequence of decimal numbers from 0 through 16, for example, is expressed in hexadecimal notation as 0, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, A, B, C, D, E,
F, 10. In text, hexadecimal numbers are often followed by h.

heat sink

A metal plate with metal pegs or ribs that help dissipate heat. Most microprocessors include a heat sink.

HMA

Abbreviation for high memory area. The first 64 KB of extended memory above 1 MB. A memory manager that conforms to the XMS can make the HMA a direct
extension of conventional memory. See also upper memory area and XMM.

host adapter

A host adapter implements communication between the system's bus and the controller for a peripheral device. (Hard drive controller subsystems include
integrated host adapter circuitry.) To add a SCSI expansion bus to your system, you must install or connect the appropriate host adapter.

HPFS

Abbreviation for the High Performance File System option in the OS/2 and Windows NT operating systems.

Hz

Abbreviation for hertz.

ICES

Abbreviation for Interface-Causing Equipment Standard (in Canada).

ICU

Abbreviation for ISA Configuration Utility.

IDE

integrated drive electronics

I/O

Abbreviation for input/output. A keyboard is an input device, and a printer is an output device. In general, I/O activity can be differentiated from computational
activity. For example, when a program sends a document to the printer, it is engaging in output activity; when the program sorts a list of terms, it is engaging
in computational activity.

ID

Abbreviation for identification.

interlacing

A technique for increasing video resolution by only up-dating alternate horizontal lines on the screen. Because interlacing can result in noticeable screen
flicker, most users prefer noninterlaced video adapter resolutions.

internal microprocessor cache

An instruction and data cache built in to the microprocessor. The Intel Pentium microprocessor includes a 16-KB internal cache, which is set up as an 8-KB read­only instruction cache and an 8-KB read/write data cache.

IPX

Acronym for internetwork packet exchange.

IRQ

Abbreviation for interrupt request. A signal that data is about to be sent to or received by a peripheral device travels by an IRQ line to the microprocessor.
Each peripheral connection must be assigned an IRQ number. For example, the first serial port in your system (COM1) is assigned to IRQ4 by default. Two
devices can share the same IRQ assignment, but you cannot operate both devices simultaneously.

ISA

Acronym for Industry-Standard Architecture. A 16-bit expansion bus design. The expansion-card connectors in an ISA system are also compatible with 8-bit ISA
expansion cards.

ITE

Abbreviation for information technology equipment.

jumper

Jumpers are small blocks on a circuit board with two or more pins emerging from them. Plastic plugs containing a wire fit down over the pins. The wire connects
the pins and creates a circuit. Jumpers provide a simple and reversible method of changing the circuitry in a printed circuit board.

K

Abbreviation for kilo-, indicating 1,000.

KB

Abbreviation for kilobyte(s), 1,024 bytes.

KB/sec

Abbreviation for kilobyte(s) per second.

Kbit(s)

Abbreviation for kilobit(s), 1,024 bits.

Kbit(s)/sec

Abbreviation for kilobit(s) per second.

key combination

A command requiring you to press multiple keys at the same time. For example, you can reboot your system by pressing the <Ctrl><Alt><Del> key
combination.

kg

Abbreviation for kilogram(s), 1,000 grams.

kHz

Abbreviation for kilohertz, 1,000 hertz.

LAN

Acronym for local area network. A LAN system is usually confined to the same building or a few nearby buildings, with all equipment linked by wiring dedicated
specifically to the LAN.

lb

Abbreviation for pound(s).

LED

Abbreviation for light-emitting diode. An electronic device that lights up when a current is passed through it.

local bus

On a system with local-bus expansion capability, certain peripheral devices (such as the video adapter circuitry) can be designed to run much faster than they
would with a traditional expansion bus. Some local-bus designs allow peripherals to run at the same speed and with the same width data path as the
system's microprocessor.

LPTn

The device names for the first through third parallel printer ports on your system are LPT1, LPT2, and LPT3.

m

Abbreviation for meter(s).

mA

Abbreviation for milliampere(s).

mAh

Abbreviation for milliampere-hour(s).

math coprocessor

See coprocessor.

Mb

Abbreviation for megabit.

MB

Abbreviation for megabyte(s). The term megabyte means 1,048,576 bytes; however, when referring to hard drive storage, the term is often rounded to mean
1,000,000 bytes.

MB/sec

Abbreviation for megabytes per second.

Mbps

Abbreviation for megabits per second.

MBR

Abbreviation for master boot record.

memory

A system can contain several different forms of memory, such as RAM, ROM, and video memory. Frequently, the word memory is used as a synonym for RAM;
for example, an unqualified statement such as "a system with 16 MB of memory" refers to a system with 16 MB of RAM.

memory address

A specific location, usually expressed as a hexadecimal number, in the system's RAM.

memory manager

A utility that controls the implementation of memory in addition to conventional memory, such as extended or expanded memory.

memory module

A small circuit board containing DRAM chips that connects to the system board.

MHz

Abbreviation for megahertz.

microprocessor

The primary computational chip inside the system that controls the interpretation and execution of arithmetic and logic functions. Software written for one
microprocessor must usually be revised to run on another microprocessor. CPU is a synonym for microprocessor.

MIDI

Abbreviation for musical instrument digital interface.

MIF

Acronym for management information format. A MIF file contains information, status, and links to component instrumentation. MIF files are installed into the MIF
database by the DMI service layer. The content of a MIF is defined by a DTMF working committee and is published in the form of a MIF definition document. This
document identifies the groups and attributes that are relevant to DMI-manageable components.

mm

Abbreviation for millimeter(s).

modem

A device that allows your system to communicate with other systems over telephone lines.

mouse

A pointing device that controls the movement of the cursor on a screen. Mouse-aware software allows you to activate commands by clicking a mouse button
while pointing at objects displayed on the screen.

MPEG

Acronym for Motion Picture Experts Group. MPEG is a digital video file format.

ms

Abbreviation for millisecond(s).

MS-DOS

Abbreviation for Microsoft Disk Operating System.

MTBF

Abbreviation for mean time between failures.

multifrequency monitor

A monitor that supports several video standards. A multifrequency monitor can adjust to the frequency range of the signal from a variety of video adapters.

mV

Abbreviation for millivolt(s).

NDIS

Abbreviation for Network Driver Interface Specification.

NIC

Acronym for network interface controller.

NLM

Abbreviation for NetWare®Loadable Module.

NMI

Abbreviation for nonmaskable interrupt. A device sends an NMI to signal the microprocessor about hardware errors, such as a parity error.

noninterlaced

A technique for decreasing screen flicker by sequentially refreshing each horizontal line on the screen.

ns

Abbreviation for nanosecond(s), one billionth of a second.

NTFS

Abbreviation for the NT File System option in the Windows NT operating system.

NVRAM

Abbreviation for nonvolatile random-access memory. Memory that does not lose its contents when you turn off your system. NVRAM is used for maintaining the
date, time, and system configuration information.

online access service

A service that typically provides access to the Internet, e-mail, bulletin boards, chat rooms, and file libraries.

OS/2

Abbreviation for Operating System/2.

OTP

Abbreviation for one-time programmable.

parallel port

An I/O port used most often to connect a parallel printer to your system. You can usually identify a parallel port on your system by its 25-hole connector.

parameter

A value or option that you specify to a program. A parameter is sometimes called a switch or an argument.

partition

You can divide a hard drive into multiple physical sections called partitions with the fdisk command. Each partition can contain multiple logical drives.

After partitioning the hard drive, you must format each logical drive with the format command.

PCI

Abbreviation for Peripheral Component Interconnect. A standard for local-bus implementation developed by Intel Corporation.

peripheral device

An internal or external device—such as a printer, a disk drive, or a keyboard—connected to a system.

PGA

Abbreviation for pin grid array, a type of microprocessor socket that allows you to remove the microprocessor chip.

pixel

A single point on a video display. Pixels are arranged in rows and columns to create an image. A video resolution, such as 640 x 480, is expressed as the
number of pixels across by the number of pixels up and down.

Plug and Play

An industry-standard specification that makes it easier to add hardware devices to personal systems. Plug and Play provides automatic installation and
configuration, compatibility with existing hardware, and dynamic support of mobile computing environments.

POST

Acronym for power-on self-test. Before the operating system loads when you turn on your system, the POST tests various system components such as RAM,
the disk drives, and the keyboard.

ppm

Abbreviation for pages per minute.

PQFP

Abbreviation for plastic quad flat pack, a type of microprocessor socket in which the microprocessor chip is permanently mounted.

Program Diskette Maker

The Program Diskette Maker allows you to create program diskette sets, or master copies, of software that Dell installed on your system. It is essential that
you create these diskette sets as soon as possible. You may need a set of master diskettes if you ever experience problems with your hard drive and need to
reinstall your Dell-installed software. If your system includes Dell-installed software, you can select this program from the Dell Accessories program folder.

program diskette set

The set of diskettes from which you can perform a complete installation of an operating system or application program. When you reconfigure a program, you
often need its program diskette set.

protected mode

An operating mode supported by 80286 or higher microprocessors, protected mode allows operating systems to implement:

l A memory address space of 16 MB (80286 micro--processor) to 4 GB (Intel386 or higher micro-processor)
l Multitasking
l Virtual memory, a method for increasing addressable memory by using the hard drive

The Windows NT, OS/2, and UNIX®32-bit operating systems run in protected mode. MS-DOS cannot run in protected mode; however, some programs that
you can start from MS-DOS, such as the Windows operating system, are able to put the system into protected mode.

PS/2

Abbreviation for Personal System/2.

PXE

Acronym for Preboot Execution Environment.

RAID

Acronym for redundant array of independent disks.

RAM

Acronym for random-access memory. The system's primary temporary storage area for program instructions and data. Each location in RAM is identified by a
number called a memory address. Any information stored in RAM is lost when you turn off your system.

RAMDAC

Acronym for random-access memory digital-to-analog converter.

read-only file

A read-only file is one that you are prohibited from editing or deleting. A file can have read-only status if:

l Its read-only attribute is enabled.
l It resides on a physically write-protected diskette or on a diskette in a write-protected drive.
l It is located on a network in a directory to which the system administrator has assigned read-only rights to you.

readme file

A text file included with a software package or hardware product that contains information supplementing or updating the documentation for the software or
hardware. Typically, readme files provide installation information, describe new product enhancements or corrections that have not yet been documented, and
list known problems or other things you need to be aware of as you use the software or hardware.

real mode

An operating mode supported by 80286 or higher microprocessors, real mode imitates the architecture of an 8086 microprocessor.

refresh rate

The rate at which the monitor redraws the video image on the monitor screen. More precisely, the refresh rate is the frequency, measured in Hz, at which the
screen's horizontal lines are recharged (sometimes also referred to as its vertical frequency). The higher the refresh rate, the less video flicker can be seen by
the human eye. The higher refresh rates are also noninterlaced.

RFI

Abbreviation for radio frequency interference.

RGB

Abbreviation for red/green/blue.

ROM

Acronym for read-only memory. Your system contains some programs essential to its operation in ROM code. Unlike RAM, a ROM chip retains its contents even
after you turn off your system. Examples of code in ROM include the program that initiates your system's boot routine and the POST.

rpm

Abbreviation for revolutions per minute.

RTC

Abbreviation for real-time clock. Battery-powered clock circuitry inside the system that keeps the date and time after you turn off the system.

SCSI

Acronym for small computer system interface. An I/O bus interface with faster data transmission rates than standard ports. You can connect up to seven
devices (15 for some newer SCSI types) to one SCSI interface.

SDMS

Abbreviation for SCSI device management system.

SDRAM

Acronym for synchronous dynamic random-access memory.

sec

Abbreviation for second(s).

SEC

Abbreviation for single-edge contact.

serial port

An I/O port used most often to connect a modem to your system. You can usually identify a serial port on your system by its 9-pin connector.

service tag number

A bar code label on the system that identifies it when you call Dell for customer or technical support.

shadowing

A computer's system and video BIOS code is usually stored on ROM chips. Shadowing refers to the
performance-enhancementtechniquethatcopiesBIOScodetofasterRAMchipsintheuppermemoryarea(above640KB)duringthebootroutine.

SIMD

Abbreviation for Single Instruction Multiple Data.

SIMM

Acronym for single in-line memory module. A small circuit board containing DRAM chips that connects to the system board.

SMART

Acronym for Self-Monitoring Analysis and Reporting Technology. A technology that allows hard drives to report errors and failures to the system BIOS, which
then displays an error message on the screen. To take advantage of this technology, you must have a SMART-compliant hard drive and the proper support in
the system BIOS.

SNMP

Abbreviation for Simple Network Management Protocol. SNMP is an industry-standard interface that allows a network manager to remotely monitor and
manage workstations.

SRAM

Abbreviation for static random-access memory. Because SRAM chips do not require continual refreshing, they are substantially faster than DRAM chips.

SVGA

Abbreviation for super video graphics array. VGA and SVGA are video standards for video adapters with greater resolution and color display capabilities than
previous standards.

To display a program at a specific resolution, you must install the appropriate video drivers and your monitor must support the resolution. Similarly, the number
of colors that a program can display depends on the capabilities of the monitor, the video driver, and the amount of video memory installed in the system.

switch

On a system board, switches control various circuits or functions in your system. These switches are known as DIP switches; they are normally packaged in
groups of two or more switches in a plastic case. Two common DIP switches are used on system boards: slide switches and rocker switches. The names of the
switches are based on how the settings (on and off) of the switches are changed.

syntax

The rules that dictate how you must type a command or instruction so that the system understands it.

system board

As the main circuit board, the system board usually contains most of your system's integral components, such as the following:

l Microprocessor
l RAM
l Controllers for standard peripheral devices, such as the keyboard
l Various ROM chips

Frequently used synonyms for system board are motherboard and logic board.

system configuration information

Data stored in memory that tells a system what hardware is installed and how the system should be configured for operation.

system diskette

System diskette is a synonym for bootable diskette.

system memory

System memory is a synonym for RAM.

System Setup program

A BIOS-based program that allows you to configure your system's hardware and customize the system's operation by setting such features as password
protection and energy management. Some options in the System Setup program require that you reboot the system (or the system may reboot automatically)
in order to make a hardware configuration change. Because the System Setup program is stored in NVRAM, any settings remain in effect until you change them
again.

system.ini file

A start-up file for the Windows operating system. When you start Windows, it consults the system.ini file to determine a variety of options for the Windows
operating environment. Among other things, the system.ini file records which video, mouse, and keyboard drivers are installed for Windows.

Running the Control Panel or Windows Setup program may change options in the system.ini file. On other occasions, you may need to change or add options

to the system.ini file manually with a text editor, such as Notepad.

termination

Some devices (such as the last device at each end of a SCSI cable) must be terminated to prevent reflections and spurious signals in the cable. When such
devices are connected in a series, you may need to enable or disable the termination on these devices by changing jumper or switch settings on the devices
or by changing settings in the configuration software for the devices.

text editor

An application program for editing text files consisting exclusively of ASCII characters. Windows Notepad is a text editor, for example. Most word processors
use proprietary file formats containing binary characters, although some can read and write text files.

text mode

A video mode that can be defined as x columns by y rows of characters.

time-out

A specified period of system inactivity that must occur before an energy conservation feature is activated.

tpi

Abbreviation for tracks per inch.

TSR

Abbreviation for terminate-and-stay-resident. A TSR program runs "in the background." Most TSR programs implement a predefined key combination
(sometimes referred to as a hot key) that allows you to activate the TSR program's interface while running another program. When you finish using the TSR
program, you can return to the other application program and leave the TSR program resident in memory for later use.

TSR programs can sometimes cause memory conflicts. When troubleshooting, rule out the possibility of such a conflict by rebooting your system without
starting any TSR programs.

UL

Abbreviation for Underwriters Laboratories.

UMB

Abbreviation for upper memory blocks.

upper memory area

The384KBofRAMlocatedbetween640KBand1MB.IfthesystemhasanIntel386orhighermicroprocessor,autilitycalledamemory manager can create
UMBs in the upper memory area, in which you can load device drivers and memory-resident programs.

UPS

Abbreviation for uninterruptible power supply. A battery-powered unit that automatically supplies power to your system in the event of an electrical failure.

USB

Abbreviation for Universal Serial Bus. A USB connector provides a single connection point for multiple USB-compliant devices, such as mice, keyboards, printers,
and system speakers. USB devices can also be connected and disconnected while the system is running.

utility

A program used to manage system resources—memory, disk drives, or printers, for example.

UTP

Abbreviation for unshielded twisted pair.

V

Abbreviation for volt(s).

VAC

Abbreviation for volt(s) alternating current.

VCCI

Abbreviation for Voluntary Control Council for Interference.

VCR

Abbreviation for video cassette recorder.

VDC

Abbreviation for volt(s) direct current.

VESA

Acronym for Video Electronics Standards Association.

VGA

Abbreviation for video graphics array. VGA and SVGA are video standards for video adapters with greater resolution and color display capabilities than
previous standards.

To display a program at a specific resolution, you must install the appropriate video drivers and your monitor must support the resolution. Similarly, the number
of colors that a program can display depends on the capabilities of the monitor, the video driver, and the amount of video memory installed for the video
adapter.

VGA feature connector

On some systems with a built-in VGA video adapter, a VGA feature connector allows you to add an enhancement adapter, such as a video accelerator, to your
system. A VGA feature connector can also be called a VGA pass-through connector.

video adapter

The logical circuitry that provides—in combination with the monitor—your system's video capabilities. A video adapter may support more or fewer features than
a specific monitor offers. Typically, a video adapter comes with video drivers for displaying popular application programs and operating systems in a variety of
video modes.

On some Dell systems, a video adapter is integrated into the system board. Also available are many video adapter cards that plug into an expansion-card
connector.

Video adapters often include memory separate from RAM on the system board. The amount of video memory, along with the adapter's video drivers, may
affect the number of colors that can be simultaneously displayed. Video adapters can also include their own coprocessor for faster graphics rendering.

video driver

A program that allows graphics-mode application programs and operating systems to display at a chosen resolution with the desired number of colors. A
software package may include some "generic" video drivers. Any additional video drivers may need to match the video adapter installed in the system.

video memory

Most VGA and SVGA video adapters include memory chips in addition to your system's RAM. The amount of video memory installed primarily influences the
number of colors that a program can display (with the appropriate video drivers and monitor capabilities).

video mode

Video adapters normally support multiple text and graphics display modes. Character-based software displays in text modes that can be defined as x columns
by y rows of characters. Graphics-based software displays in graphics modes that can be defined as x horizontal by y vertical pixels by z colors.

video resolution

Video resolution—800 x 600, for example—is expressed as the number of pixels across by the number of pixels up and down. To display a program at a
specific graphics resolution, you must install the appropriate video drivers and your monitor must support the resolution.

virtual memory

AmethodforincreasingaddressableRAMbyusingtheharddrive.Forexample,inasystemwith16MBofRAMand16MBofvirtualmemorysetuponthehard

drive, the operating system would manage the system as though it had 32 MB of physical RAM.

virus

A self-starting program designed to inconvenience you. Virus programs have been known to corrupt the files stored on a hard drive or to replicate themselves
until a system or network runs out of memory.

The most common way that virus programs move from one system to another is via "infected" diskettes, from which they copy themselves to the hard drive. To
guard against virus programs, you should do the following:

l Periodically run a virus-checking utility on your system's hard drive
l Always run a virus-checking utility on any diskettes (including commercially sold software) before using them

VLSI

Abbreviation for very-large-scale integration.

Vpp

Abbreviation for peak-point voltage.

VRAM

Abbreviation for video random-access memory. Some video adapters use VRAM chips (or a combination of VRAM and DRAM) to improve video performance.
VRAM is dual-ported, allowing the video adapter to update the screen and receive new image data at the same time.

W

Abbreviation for watt(s).

WH

Abbreviation for watt-hour(s).

win.ini file

A start-up file for the Windows operating system. When you start Windows, it consults the win.ini file to determine a variety of options for the Windows
operating environment. Among other things, the win.ini file records what printer(s) and fonts are installed for Windows. The win.ini file also usually includes
sections that contain optional settings for Windows application programs that are installed on the hard drive.

Running the Control Panel or Windows Setup program may change options in the win.ini file. On other occasions, you may need to change or add options to
the win.ini file manually with a text editor such as Notepad.

Windows 2000

An integrated and complete Microsoft Windows operating system that does not require MS-DOS and that provides advanced operating system performance,
improved ease of use, enhanced workgroup functionality, and simplified file management and browsing.

Windows NT

High-performance server and workstation operating system software developed by Microsoft that is intended for technical, engineering, and financial
applications.

write-protected

Read-only files are said to be write-protected. You can write-protect a 3.5-inch diskette by sliding its write-protect tab to the open position or by setting the
write-protect feature in the System Setup program.

XMM

Abbreviation for extended memory manager, a utility that allows application programs and operating systems to use extended memory in accordance with the
XMS.

XMS

Abbreviation for eXtended Memory Specification.

ZIF

Acronym for zero insertion force. Some systems use ZIF sockets and connectors to allow devices such as the microprocessor chip to be installed or removed
with no stress applied to the device.

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