Readme files may be included on your CD to provide last-minute updates about technical changes to your computer or advanced technical-reference material for technicians or experienced users.
NOTE: The Drivers and Utilities CD is optional and may not ship with all computers.
NOTE: Drivers and documentation updates can be found at support.dell.com.
How to set up my computer
How to care for my computer
Basic troubleshooting information
How to run the Dell Diagnostics
Error codes and diagnostic lights
How to remove and install parts
How to remove and replace my computer cover
Quick Reference Guide
NOTE: This document is available as a PDF at support.dell.com.
Warranty information
Terms and Conditions (U.S. only)
Safety instructions
Regulatory information
Ergonomics information
End User License Agreement
Dell™ Product Information Guide
How to remove and replace parts
Specifications
How to configure system settings
How to troubleshoot and solve problems
User's Guide
Microsoft® Windows® XP Help and Support Center
Click the Start button and click Help and Support.
Click User's and system guides and click User's guides.
Service Tag and Express Service Code
Microsoft Windows License Label
Service Tag and Microsoft® Windows® License
These labels are located on your computer.
Use the Service Tag to identify your computer when you use support.dell.com or contact technical support.
Enter the Express Service Code to direct your call when contacting technical support.
Solutions — Troubleshooting hints and tips, articles from technicians, online courses, frequently asked questions
Community — Online discussion with other Dell customers
Upgrades — Upgrade information for components, such as memory, the hard drive, and the operating system
Customer Care — Contact information, service call and order status, warranty, and repair information
Service and support — Service call status and support history, service contract, online discussions with technical support
Reference — Computer documentation, details on my computer configuration, product specifications, and white papers
Downloads — Certified drivers, patches, and software updates
Desktop System Software (DSS) — If you reinstall the operating system for your computer, you should also reinstall the DSS utility. DSS provides critical updates for your operating system and support for Dell™ 3.5-inch USB floppy drives, Intel® Pentium® M processors, optical drives, and USB devices. DSS is necessary for correct operation of your Dell computer. The software automatically detects your computer and operating system and installs the updates appropriate for your configuration.
To download Desktop System Software:
Go to support.dell.com and click Downloads.
Enter your Service Tag or product model.
In the Download Category drop-down menu, click All.
Select the operating system and operating system language for your computer, and click Submit.
Under Select a Device, scroll to System and Configuration Utilities, and click Dell Desktop System Software.
Dell Support Website — support.dell.com
NOTE: Select your region to view the appropriate support site.
NOTE: Corporate, government, and education customers can also use the customized Dell Premier Support website at premier.support.dell.com. The website may not be available in all regions.
How to use Windows XP
Documentation for my computer
Documentation for devices (such as a modem)
Windows Help and Support Center
Click the Start button and click Help and Support.
Type a word or phrase that describes your problem and click the arrow icon.
Click the topic that describes your problem.
Follow the instructions on the screen.
How to reinstall my operating system
Operating System CD
The operating system is already installed on your computer. To reinstall your operating system, use the Operating System CD. See Reinstalling Microsoft® Windows® XP for instructions.
After you reinstall your operating system, use the optional Drivers and Utilities CD to reinstall drivers for the devices that came with your computer.
Your operating system product key label is located on your computer.
NOTE: The Operating System CD and the Drivers and Utilities CD are optional and may not ship with all computers.
NOTE: The color of your CD varies based on the operating system you ordered.
How to use Linux
E-mail discussions with users of Dell Precision™ products and the Linux operating system
Additional information regarding Linux and my Dell Precision computer
You can use the bay for an optional CD/DVD drive or a fourth (SATA only) hard drive.
3
upper 3.5-inch drive bay
You can use the bay for an optional third hard drive (SATA or SAS), floppy drive or Media Card Reader.
4
lower 3.5-inch drive bay
You can use the bay for an optional floppy drive or Media Card Reader.
5
hard-drive activity light
The hard drive light is on when the computer reads data from or writes data to the hard drive. The light might also be on when a device such as your CD player is operating.
6
IEEE 1394 connector (optional)
Use the optional IEEE 1394 connectors for high-speed data devices such as digital video cameras and external storage devices.
7
USB 2.0 connectors (2)
Use the front USB connectors for devices that you connect occasionally, such as flash memory keys or cameras, or for bootable USB devices (see System Setup for more information on booting to a USB device).
It is recommended that you use the back USB connectors for devices that typically remain connected, such as printers and keyboards.
8
Dell™ rotatable badge
To rotate the Dell badge for tower-to-desktop conversion; remove the front panel (see Removing the Front Panel), turn it over, and rotate the plastic handle behind the badge.
9
power button
Press to turn on the computer.
NOTICE: To avoid losing data, do not use the power button to turn off the computer. Instead, perform an operating system shutdown.
NOTE: The power button can also be used to wake the system or to place it into a power-saving state. See Power Management for more information.
10
power light
The power light illuminates and blinks or remains solid to indicate different states:
No light — The computer is turned off.
Steady green — The computer is in a normal operating state.
Blinking green — The computer is in a power-saving state.
To exit from a power-saving state, press the power button or use the keyboard or the mouse if it is configured as a wake device in the Windows Device Manager. For more information about sleep states and exiting from a power-saving state, see Power Management.
See Diagnostic Lights for a description of light codes that can help you troubleshoot problems with your computer.
11
microphone connector
Use the microphone connector to attach a personal computer microphone for voice or musical input into a sound or telephony program.
12
headphone connector
Use the headphone connector to attach headphones.
13
diagnostic lights (4)
Use these lights to help you troubleshoot a computer problem based on the diagnostic code. For more information, see Diagnostic Lights.
14
network link light
The network link light is on when a good connection exists between a 10-Mbps, 100-Mbps, or 1000-Mbps (1-Gbps) network and the computer.
Back View (Tower Orientation)
1
power connector
Insert the power cable.
2
voltage selection switch
See the safety instructions in the Product Information Guide for more information.
3
back panel connectors
Plug serial, USB, and other devices into the appropriate connector.
4
card slots
Access connectors for any installed PCI or PCI Express cards.
NOTE: The upper five connector slots support full-length cards; the connector slot at the bottom supports a half-length card.
NOTE: Check the documentation for cards to ensure that you can accommodate them in your configuration. Some cards that require more physical space and power (such as PCI Express graphics cards) may restrict the use of other cards.
Front View (Desktop Orientation)
1
upper 5.25-inch drive bay
Holds a CD/DVD drive.
2
lower 5.25-inch drive bay
Holds an optional CD/DVD drive or an optional third hard drive (SATA only).
3
3.5-inch drive bay
You can use the bay for a floppy drive or an optional Media Card Reader.
4
hard-drive activity light
The hard-drive activity light is on when the computer reads data from or writes data to the hard drive. The light might also be on when a device such as your CD player is operating.
5
IEEE 1394 connector (optional)
Use the optional IEEE 1394 connectors for high-speed data devices such as digital video cameras and external storage devices.
6
USB 2.0 connectors (2)
Use the front USB connectors for devices that you connect occasionally, such as flash memory keys or cameras, or for bootable USB devices (see System Setup for more information on booting to a USB device).
It is recommended that you use the back USB connectors for devices that typically remain connected, such as printers and keyboards.
7
power button
Press to turn on the computer.
NOTE: The power button can also be used to wake the system or to place it into a power-saving state. See Power Management for more information.
NOTICE: To avoid losing data, do not use the power button to turn off the computer. Instead, perform an operating system shutdown.
8
power light
The power light illuminates and blinks or remains solid to indicate different states:
No light — The computer is turned off.
Steady green — The computer is in a normal operating state.
Blinking green — The computer is in a power-saving state.
To exit from a power-saving state, press the power button or use the keyboard or the mouse if it is configured as a wake device in the Windows Device Manager. For more information about sleep states and exiting from a power-saving state, see Power Management.
See Diagnostic Lights for a description of light codes that can help you troubleshoot problems with your computer.
9
diagnostic lights (4)
Use the lights to help you troubleshoot a computer problem based on the diagnostic code. For more information, see Diagnostic Lights.
10
microphone connector
Use the microphone connector to attach a personal computer microphone for voice or musical input into a sound or telephony program.
11
headphone connector
Use the headphone connector to attach headphones.
12
network link light
The network link light is on when a good connection exists between a 10-Mbps, 100-Mbps, or 1000-Mbps (or 1-Gbps) network and the computer.
Back View (Desktop Orientation)
1
card slots
Access connectors for any installed PCI or PCI Express cards.
NOTE: Check the documentation for cards to ensure that you can accommodate them in your configuration. Some cards that require more physical space and power (such as PCI Express graphics cards) may restrict the use of other cards.
2
power connector
Insert the power cable.
3
voltage selection switch
See the safety instructions in the Product Information Guide for more information.
4
back panel connectors
Plug serial, USB, and other devices into the appropriate connector.
Back Panel Connectors
1
mouse connector
Plug a standard mouse into the green mouse connector. Turn off the computer and any attached devices before you connect a mouse to the computer. If you have a USB mouse, plug it into a USB connector.
If your computer is running the Microsoft® Windows XP operating system, the necessary mouse drivers have been installed on your hard drive.
2
parallel connector
Connect a parallel device, such as a printer, to the parallel connector. If you have a USB printer, plug it into a USB connector.
NOTE: The integrated parallel connector is automatically disabled if the computer detects an installed card containing a parallel connector configured to the same address. For more information, see System Setup Options.
3
link integrity light
Green — A good connection exists between a 10-Mbps network and the computer.
Orange — A good connection exists between a 100-Mbps network and the computer.
Yellow — A good connection exists between a 1000-Mbps (or 1-Gbps) network and the computer.
Off — The computer is not detecting a physical connection to the network.
4
network adapter connector
To attach your computer to a network or broadband device, connect one end of a network cable to either a network jack or your network or broadband device. Connect the other end of the network cable to the network adapter connector on your computer. A click indicates that the network cable has been securely attached.
NOTE: Do not plug a telephone cable into the network connector.
On computers with an additional network connector card, use the connectors on the card and on the back of the computer when setting up multiple network connections (such as a separate intra- and extranet).
It is recommended that you use Category 5 wiring and connectors for your network. If you must use Category 3 wiring, force the network speed to 10 Mbps to ensure reliable operation.
5
network activity light
Flashes a yellow light when the computer is transmitting or receiving network data. A high volume of network traffic may make this light appear to be in a steady "on" state.
6
line-out connector
Use the green line-out connector to attach headphones and most speakers with integrated amplifiers.
On computers with a sound card, use the connector on the card.
7
line-in connector
Use the blue line-in connector to attach a record/playback device such as a cassette player, CD player, or VCR.
8
USB 2.0 connectors (2)
Use the back USB connectors for devices that typically remain connected, such as printers and keyboards.
It is recommended that you use the front USB connectors for devices that you connect occasionally, such as flash memory keys or cameras, or for bootable USB devices.
9
USB 2.0 connectors (3)
Use the back USB connectors for devices that typically remain connected, such as printers and keyboards.
It is recommended that you use the front USB connectors for devices that you connect occasionally, such as flash memory keys or cameras, or for bootable USB devices.
10
serial connector
Connect a serial device, such as a handheld device, to the serial port. The default designations are COM1 for serial connector 1 and COM2 for the optional serial connector 2.
integrated serial ATA (4), with RAID 0/1/5/10 and command queuing
integrated ATA-100 (1 channel)
Expansion Bus
Bus type
three PCI 2.2 one PCI Express x16 up to 150 W one PCI Express x8, wired as x4 one PCI Express x1 eight USB 2.0 (2 front, 5 back, 1 internal)
Bus speed
PCI: 33 MHz
PCI Express:
x1 slot bidirectional speed - 500 MB/s
x 4 slot bidirectional speed - 2 GB/s
x16 slot bidirectional speed - 8 GB/s
Card slots
The upper five connector slots support full-length cards, and the connector slot at the bottom supports a half-length card.
NOTE: Check the documentation for cards to ensure that you can accommodate them in your configuration. Some cards that require more physical space and power (such as PCI Express graphics cards) may restrict the use of other cards.
PCI:
connectors
three
connector size
120 pins
connector data width (maximum)
32 bits
PCI Express:
connectors
one x1
connector size
36 pins
connector data width (maximum)
1 PCI Express lane
PCI Express:
connectors
one x4 full-length slot (supports x8, x4, and x1)
connector size
98 pins
connector data width (maximum)
4 PCI Express lanes
PCI Express:
connectors
one x16 slot (supports x16 and x1 modes/cards; x8 and x4 modes/cards are not supported)
connector size
164 pins
connector data width (maximum)
16 PCI Express lanes
Drives
Externally accessible:
one 3.5-inch drive bay (FlexBay) in desktop orientation, or two 3.5-inch drive bays (FlexBay) in tower orientation
two 5.25-inch bays
Available devices
serial ATA drive, SAS drive, floppy drive, Media Card Reader, USB memory devices, CD drive, CD-RW drive, DVD drive, DVD+RW drive, and DVD and CD-RW combo drive
Internally accessible:
two 3.5-inch hard drive bays
Connectors
External connectors:
Serial
one 9-pin connector (optional 2nd connector); 16550C-compatible
Parallel
one 25-hole connector (bidirectional)
IEEE 1394a
one front-panel 6-pin serial connector (with optional card)
Video
VGA or DVI connector on graphic card
Network adapter
RJ45 connector
PS/2 (keyboard and mouse)
two 6-pin mini-DIN
USB
two front-panel, one internal, and five back-panel USB 2.0–compliant connectors
Audio
two rear connectors for line-in and line-out; two front-panel connectors for headphones and microphone
System board connectors:
Primary IDE drive
40-pin connector on PCI local bus
Serial ATA (4)
7-pin connector
Key Combinations
<Ctrl><Alt><Del>
launches the task manager
<F2>
starts embedded system setup (during start-up only)
<F12> or <Ctrl><Alt><F8>
boots from the network (during start-up only)
<Ctrl><Alt><F10>
launches the utility partition (if installed) during computer start-up
<Ctrl><Alt><d>
launches the hard-drive diagnostics utility during computer start-up
Controls and Lights
Power control
push button
Power light
green light — blinking green in sleep state; solid green for power-on state
amber light — solid amber indicates a problem with an installed device; blinking amber indicates an internal power problem (see Power Problems)
Hard-drive access light
green
Link integrity light (on integrated network adapter and on front panel)
on back panel integrated network adapter: green light for 10-Mb operation; orange light for 100-Mb operation; yellow light for a 1000-Mb (1-Gb) operation
on front panel: displays solid green when a network connection is present
Activity light (on integrated network adapter)
yellow blinking light when there is network activity
NOTE: Heat dissipation is calculated based upon the power supply wattage rating.
Voltage
manual selection power supplies—90 to 135 V at 50/60 Hz; 180 to 265 V at 50/60 Hz
Backup battery
3-V CR2032 lithium coin cell
Physical
Height
44.8 cm (17.6 inches)
Width
17.1 cm (6.8 inches)
Depth
46.7 cm (18.4 inches)
Weight
17.7 kg (39 lb)
Supported monitor weight (in desktop orientation)
45.4 kg (100 lb)
Environmental
Temperature:
Operating
10° to 35°C (50° to 95°F)
Storage
–40° to 65°C (–40° to 149°F)
Relative humidity
20% to 80% (noncondensing)
Maximum vibration:
Operating
0.25 G at 3 to 200 Hz at 0.5 octave/min
Storage
0.5 G at 3 to 200 Hz at 1 octave/min
Maximum shock:
Operating
bottom half-sine pulse with a change in velocity of 50.8 cm/sec (20 inches/sec)
Storage
27-G faired square wave with a velocity change of 508 cm/sec (200 inches/sec)
Altitude:
Operating
–15.2 to 3048 m (–50 to 10,000 ft)
Storage
–15.2 to 10,668 m (–50 to 35,000 ft)
Caring for Your Computer
To help maintain your computer, follow these suggestions:
To avoid losing or corrupting data, never turn off your computer when the hard drive light is on.
Schedule regular virus scans using virus software.
Manage hard drive space by periodically deleting unnecessary files and defragmenting the drive.
Back up files on a regular basis.
Periodically clean your monitor screen, mouse, and keyboard.
Cleaning Your Computer
Before You Clean Your Computer
CAUTION: Before you begin any of the procedures in this section, follow the safety instructions in the Product Information Guide.
Computer, Keyboard, and Monitor
CAUTION: Before you clean your computer, disconnect the computer from the electrical outlet. Clean your computer with a soft cloth dampened with water. Do not use liquid or aerosol cleaners, which may contain flammable substances.
Use a vacuum cleaner with a brush attachment to gently remove dust from the slots and holes on your computer and from between the keys on the keyboard.
NOTICE: Do not wipe the display screen with any soap or alcohol solution. Doing so may damage the antiglare coating.
To clean your monitor screen, lightly dampen a soft, clean cloth with water. If possible, use a special screen-cleaning tissue or solution suitable for the monitor's antistatic coating.
Wipe the keyboard, computer, and plastic part of the monitor with a soft cleaning cloth moistened with a solution of three parts water and one part dishwashing detergent.
Do not soak the cloth or let water drip inside your computer or keyboard.
Non-Optical Mouse
If your screen cursor skips or moves abnormally, clean the mouse. To clean a non-optical mouse:
Turn the retainer ring on the underside of your mouse counterclockwise, and then remove the ball.
Wipe the ball with a clean, lint-free cloth.
Blow carefully into the ball cage to dislodge dust and lint.
If the rollers inside the ball cage are dirty, clean the rollers with a cotton swab moistened lightly with
isopropyl alcohol.
Recenter the rollers in their channels if they are misaligned. Ensure that fluff from the swab is not left
on the rollers.
Replace the ball and retainer ring, and turn the retainer ring clockwise until it clicks into place.
Floppy Drive
NOTICE: Do not attempt to clean drive heads with a swab. You might accidentally misalign the heads, which prevents the drive from operating.
Clean your floppy drive using a commercially available cleaning kit. These kits contain pretreated floppy disks to remove contaminants that accumulate during normal operation.
CDs and DVDs
NOTICE: Always use compressed air to clean the lens in the CD/DVD drive, and follow the instructions that come with the compressed air. Never touch the lens in the drive.
If you notice problems, such as skipping, with the playback quality of your CDs or DVDs, try cleaning the discs.
Hold the disc by its outer edge. You can also touch the inside edge of the center hole.
NOTICE: To prevent damaging the surface, do not wipe in a circular motion around the disc.
With a soft, lint-free cloth, gently wipe the bottom of the disc (the unlabeled side) in a straight line
from the center to the outer edge of the disc.
For stubborn dirt, try using water or a diluted solution of water and mild soap. You can also purchase commercial products that clean discs and provide some protection from dust, fingerprints, and scratches. Cleaning products for CDs are safe to use on DVDs.
