Manuals

System Setup Options: OptiPlex 4xxLe (4XXDL)

Time | Date | Diskette Drive A and Diskette Drive B | Hard Disk: Drive 0 and Drive 1| Base Memory | Board Memory | Extended Memory | Fast Video BIOS | CPU Speed | Num Lock | Speaker | Keyboard Errors | System Password | Boot Sequence | Setup Password | Power Management | Serial Port 1 and Serial Port 2 | Parallel Port | Parallel Mode | Hard Disk | Diskette | System Data Categories | Asset Tag Utility | Keyboard Password Utility

Screen 1
Screen 2

Time

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

Time is kept in a 24-hour format (hours:minutes:seconds). To change the time, press the right-arrow key to increase the number in the highlighted field or press the left-arrow key to decrease the number. Or, numbers can be typed in each of the appropriate fields.

Date

Date resets the date on the computer's internal calendar.

The system automatically displays the day of the week corresponding to the settings in the 3 fields that follow (month, day-of-the-month, and year).

To change the date, press the right-arrow key to increase the number in the highlighted field or press the left-arrow key to decrease the number. Or numbers can be typed in the month and day-of-the-month fields.

Diskette Drive A and Diskette Drive B

Diskette Drive A and Diskette Drive B identify the type of diskette drives installed in the drive cage. The category names always match the physical locations of the drives in the computerthe first drive listed in the System Setup program is the top drive in the computer.

The options are:

• 5.25 inch, 360 KB
  
  
• 5.25 inch, 1.2 MB
  
  
• 3.5 inch, 720 KB
  
  
• 3.5 inch, 1.44 MB
  
  
• Not Installed

Hard Disk: Drive 0 and Drive 1

The Hard Disk: Drive 0 and Drive 1 categories refer to the type of hard-disk drive installed in the computer. Drive 0 and Drive 1 can be set to Auto to automatically identify the type of IDE drive installed; alternatively, one of the User settings can be used to manually set the parameters for an IDE hard-disk drive.

For Drive 0 and Drive 1, the options are:

• Auto
  
  
• User
  
  
• None

IDE Devices

For most IDE hard-disk drives, the system provides an automatic drive-type detect feature.

During the POST, the BIOS identifies the manufacturer, capacity, and model number of the installed IDE hard-disk drive and displays that information on the screen. If a drive lacks the necessary identification code, the POST message indicates only that a drive is installed.

For other types of IDE devices (such as IDE CD-ROM drives and IDE tape drives) that are using the build-in IDE controller, set the appropriate Hard Disk: Drive category to None.

Using the Automatic Drive-Type Detect Feature

The IDE drive connected to the IDE interface connector (IDE) is the boot drive.

Highlight the Drive 0 category and type:

a

to set the Type parameter to Auto. After the system reboots, it automatically sets the correct drive-type number and parameters for the drive.

Assigning the Drive-Type Parameters Manually

If the IDE hard-disk drive does not support automatic drive-type detection, use one of the User settings, which allow up to two different sets of parameters to be defined manually and assigned to installed drives.

For example, to define a set of parameters as the User parameters and assign them to a drive, do the following:

Highlight the appropriate drive category, and type:

u

to set the Type parameter to User.

For each of the following parameters, press the <Tab> key to highlight the field and type in the appropriate number, using information from the documentation that came with the drive:

• Cyls is the number of logical cylinders.
  
  
• Hds is the number of logical heads in the drive.
  
  
• Sec is the number of logical sectors per track.

The remaining parameters Pre, Lz, and MB (which indicates the capacity of the drive in millions of bytes) are automatically displayed and have no user-selectable options.

Base Memory

Base Memory displays the amount of memory available to MS-DOS� programs that do not use extended or expanded memory. This category has no user-selectable options.

The default value for the Base Memory category is 640 KB, which includes 1 KB reserved for system use.

Board Memory

Board Memory specifies how much of the system's base memory is to be derived from SIMMs on the system board (usually 640 KB).

The default setting should be changed only under special circumstances. For example, a memory expansion card needs to be addressed starting at 80000h (512 KB). To use the card, specify that only part of the base memory come from the SIMMs on the system board, with the remainder of the 640 KB coming from the memory expansion card.

The Board Memory category has the following options:

• 640 KB (the default option)
  
  
• 512 KB

Extended Memory

Extended Memory (which has no user-selectable options) indicates the amount of system memory available as extended memory.

The value given in the Extended Memory category is in kilobytes rather than megabytes. To convert kilobytes to megabytes, divide the kilobyte total by 1024.

Fast Video BIOS

Fast Video BIOS allows the user to shadow and cache the BIOS for a VGA card installed in an expansion slot. Options are On (the default setting) and Off.

If this category is set to On, when the system boots it immediately copies the video card's BIOS code into write-protected memory locations in fast RAM (shadowing) and also allows the BIOS code to be cached. Caching speeds system performance by retaining the most recently accessed data and instructions in an intermediate storage of SRAM, which is faster than system RAM.

Although Fast Video BIOS should normally be set to On, some video cards are not designed to be shadowed or cached. If this category is set to On and video problems occur, try setting Fast Video BIOS to Off.

CPU Speed

CPU Speed specifies the processor speed at which the system boots and runs.

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

Num Lock

Num Lock chooses whether the system boots with the Num Lock mode activated on 101- or 102-key keyboards (it does not apply to 84-key keyboards).

Speaker

Speaker determines whether the on-board speaker is On (the default value) or Off. A change to this category takes effect immediately (rebooting the system is not required).

Keyboard Errors

Keyboards Errors enables or disables reporting of keyboard errors during the POST.

This category is useful when applied to self-starting servers or host systems that have no permanently attached keyboard.

The default setting is Report. Selecting Do Not Report suppresses all POST error messages relating to the keyboard or the keyboard controller. However, an attached keyboard will still operate properly.

System Password

System Password displays the current status of the system's password security feature and allows the user to assign and verify a new system password when this category is set to Not Enabled.
The current status options that can be displayed in the System Password category are:

• Not Enabled (the default)
• Enabled
• Disabled By Jumper

A new system password cannot be assigned unless the current status is Not Enabled, which is displayed in bright characters. See Using the System Password Feature.

Boot Sequence

NOTE: This feature is available only on OptiPlex� systems.

Boot Sequence can be set to Diskette First (the default option) or Hard Disk Only.

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

Selecting Hard Disk Only causes the system to boot only from the hard-disk drive, even if there is a bootable diskette in drive A. For example, the user might select the Hard Disk Only option to prevent an unauthorized person from accessing the system by booting from a diskette.

Setup Password

NOTE: This feature is available only on OptiPlex systems.

Setup Password can restrict access to the computer's System Setup program in the same way that access can be restricted to the system with the system password feature.

The options are:

• Not Enabled (the default option)
  
  
• Enabled
  
  
• Disabled By Jumper

See Assigning a Setup Password.

Power Management

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

Power Management can be implemented at 3 levels:

• Maximum
  
  
• Regular
  
  
• Minimum

If the monitor is VESA� DPMS-compliant, enabling Power Management reduces monitor power consumption during periods of keyboard and mouse inactivity.

CAUTION: If the monitor is not DPMS-compliant and this option is enabled, there is risk of damaging the monitor.

All hard-disk drives shipped with Energy Star systems support the power management feature. In low-power mode, the disks inside the drive stop spinning and remain idle until the drive is accessed again. It may take a few seconds for the disks to regain their full speed, so there may be a slight delay.

Serial Port 1 and Serial Port 2

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

If a serial port is set to Auto and an expansion card containing a port configured to the same designation is added, the system automatically remaps the built-in port to the next available port designation that shares the same IRQ setting. That is, COM1 is remapped to COM3; COM2 is remapped to COM4. Note that when two COM ports share an IRQ setting, either port can be used as necessary, but not both at the same time. If the alternate port address (COM3 or COM4) is also in use, the built-in port is turned off.

Parallel Port

Parallel Port configures the system's built-in parallel port. This category can be set to 378h (the default primary port), 278H, or 3BCH, or to Off to disable the port.

Parallel Mode

Parallel Mode controls the mode used by the system's built-in parallel port. The options are AT (the default) and PS/2.

Set this category according to the type of device connected to the parallel port:

• Select AT for a unidirectional device.
  
  
• Select PS/2 for a bidirectional device.

See the documentation that came with the peripheral device to determine the correct mode for the parallel port.

NOTE: The system also provides hardware support for Enhanced Parallel Port (EPP) and Extended Capabilities Port (ECP) modes. Options that use EPP or ECP mode may come with special drivers that need to be installed in order to use these modes.

Hard Disk

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

Selecting Auto allows the system to turn off the IDE interface, as necessary, to accommodate a controller card installed in an expansion slot. During the boot routine, the system first checks for a primary hard-disk drive controller card in an expansion slot. If no card is found, the built-in IDE interface is enabled and the controller on the master IDE drive is designated as the primary controller, using IRQ14.

Selecting Off disables the built-in IDE interface.

Diskette

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

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

With Write-Protect selected, nothing can be written to the diskette drives and tape drives using the built-in controller. However, the system can still read from the drives. When this option is enabled, the Auto option is also in effect.

Selecting Off turns off the built-in diskette drive controller. This option is used primarily for troubleshooting purposes.

System Data Categories

The following categories, which are not selectable, display information about the system:

• Microprocessor displays the type of microprocessor installed in the computer.
  
  
• External Cache displays the amount of external cache memory.
  
  
• System Memory displays the entire amount of installed memory detected in the computer, except for memory installed on Expanded Memory Specification (EMS) expansion cards.
  
  
• Service Tag displays the system's service tag number, which Dell programmed into NVRAM during the manufacturing process.
  
  
• Asset Tag displays the customer-programmable asset tag number for the system if an asset tag number has been assigned. Use the Asset Tag utility (asset.com), included with the software support utilities, to enter an asset tag number up to 10 characters long into the NVRAM.

Asset Tag Utility

NOTE: This feature is only available on OptiPlex systems.

The Asset Tag utility allows the user to enter an asset tag number for the computer and reenter, if necessary, the computer's service tag number. Both numbers are entered into NVRAM, from which they become viewable on the System Setup screens.

The procedure for installing the Asset Tag utility is the same as for all the system utilities.
If the path statement in the autoexec.bat file does not contain the directory in which the Asset Tag utility is installed, modify the path statement to include that directory.

Using the Asset Tag Utility

After installing the Asset Tag utility, use the asset command from the system prompt. To view existing asset and service tag numbers, type:

asset

and press <Enter>.

Assigning/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, type:

asset

and then a space followed by the new number, and then press <Enter>.

For example:

asset 1234567890 

<Enter>.

When the system asks:

... Are you sure? [y, n]

type:

y

The system then displays the new or modified asset tag number as well as the service tag number. To delete the asset tag number without assigning a new one, type:

asset /d

Asset Tag Options

Reentering a Service Tag Number

Before the system was shipped, the 5-digit number from the service tag on the back of the computer was entered into NVRAM. If the service tag number needs to be reentered, type:

asset /s

and then a space followed by the number, and then press <Enter>.

Keyboard Password Utility

NOTE: This feature is only available on OptiPlex systems.

The Keyboard Password utility can be used to disable the keyboard, thereby preventing data input to the computer. The procedure for installing the utility is the same for all the system utilities.

NOTE: The Keyboard Password utility works only on systems running MS-DOS�.

The keyboard and the PS/2-compatible mouse can be locked by using Keyboard Password commands. After the keyboard is locked, the system beeps once and the keyboard remains locked until the system password is typed. The system then beeps again and the keyboard unlocks.

NOTE: If the keyboard is locked, access to the system can be gained by turning the computer off and then on again. To maximize system security, use this utility with the system password enabled through the System Setup program.

To lock the keyboard and the PS/2-compatible mouse, go to the directory where the utilities are installed and type:

kp

and press <Enter>. If the system password was not enabled, the computer prompts for a temporary password. To reactivate the keyboard and PS/2-compatible mouse, type the password and press <Enter>.

To use the utility while running the Microsoft� Windows� 3.0 or 3.1 operating system, first edit the system.ini file to include the following statement in the [386Enh] category:

kybdpasswd=true

Below is a list of command line options. To use one of these options, type a space after the kp command followed by the option.