LegacySelect technology control permits the deployment of legacy full, legacy reduced,
or legacy free solutions based on a common platform with common hard drive images and
common help desk procedures. Control is provided to the administrator through the system
setup program, Dell OpenManage™ IT Assistant, or Dell custom factory integration.
LegacySelect allows the administrator to electronically activate or deactivate specific
ports and media devices including: serial and USB ports, parallel port, floppy drive, PCI
slots, and PS/2 mouse. When the ports and media devices are deactivated, resources that
they might have used are available. Any changes that are made will take place after you
reboot the computer.
Dell OpenManage IT Assistant is the premier Dell™ systems management application
for configuring, managing, and monitoring computers and other devices on a corporate
network. IT Assistant employs the latest remote management technology to provide asset
management, configuration management, event (alert) management, and security management
for systems equipped with industry-standard management software. Software of this type is
called system management instrumentation.
IT Assistant supports instrumentation that conforms to the following industry
standards:
Simple Network Management Protocol (SNMP)
Desktop Management Interface (DMI)
Common Information Model (CIM)
The instrumentation available for your computer is Dell OpenManage Client
instrumentation, which is based on DMI and CIM. For more information on IT Assistant, see
the Dell OpenManage IT Assistant User's Guide available on the Dell website.
Dell OpenManage Client Instrumentation is software that enables remote management
application programs such as IT Assistant to do the following:
Access information about your computer, such as how many processors it has and what
operating system it is running
Monitor the status of your computer, such as listening for thermal alerts from
temperature probes or hard drive failure alerts from storage devices
Change the state of your computer, such as updating its BIOS or shutting it down
remotely
Dell OpenManage Client Instrumentation can be installed on computers like yours, which,
when set up on a network with IT Assistant, are called managed systems. For more
information about Dell OpenManage Client Instrumentation, see the Dell OpenManage
Client Instrumentation User's Guide available on the Dell website.
Enabled — When the computer cover is opened with this setting, a DMI event
is generated, the setting changes to Detected, and the following message appears
during the boot routine at the next computer start-up:
Alert! Cover was previously removed.
To reset the Detected setting, enter system setup during the
computer's power-on self-test (POST). In the Chassis Intrusion option, press the
left- or right-arrow key to select Reset, and then choose Enabled,
Enabled-Silent, or Disabled.
Enabled-Silent (default) — When the computer cover is opened with this
setting, a DMI event is generated and the setting changes to Detected, but the
alert message does not appear during the boot sequence at the next computer start-up.
Disabled — No intrusion monitoring occurs and no messages appear.
NOTE: When the setup password is
enabled, you must know the setup password before you can reset the Chassis Intrusion
option.
This ring is used to attach commercially available antitheft devices. To prevent
unauthorized removal of your computer, loop the galvanized security cable around an
immovable object, insert the attached locking device into the security cable slot on the
back of your computer, and lock the device with the key provided.
NOTE: Before your purchase an
antitheft device, make sure it works with the cable slot on your computer.
System passwords allow only those who know the password to have full use of the
computer. Your Dell computer does not have the system password feature enabled when you
receive it.
NOTICE: Although passwords
provide security for the data on your computer, they are not foolproof. If your data
requires more security, it is your responsibility to obtain and use additional forms of
protection, such as data encryption programs.
NOTICE: If you leave your
computer running and unattended without having a system password assigned, or if you leave
your computer unlocked so that someone can disable the password by changing a jumper
setting, anyone can access the data stored on your hard drive.
System Password settings in system setup:
Enabled — a system password is assigned
Disabled — system password feature is disabled by a jumper setting on the
system board
NOTE: You cannot change or enter
a new system password if either of these options is displayed.
Not Enabled — no system password is assigned and the password jumper on the
system board is in the enabled position (its default setting)
NOTE: You can only assign a
system password when System Password is set to Not Enabled.
Highlight SystemPassword and then press
the left- or right-arrow key.
The option heading changes to EnterPassword, followed by
an empty 32-character field in square brackets.
Type your new system password.
You can use up to 32 characters.
As you press each character key (or the spacebar for a blank space), a
placeholder appears in the field. The password assignment operation recognizes keys by
their location on the keyboard, without distinguishing between lowercase and uppercase
characters. For example, if you have an M in your password, the computer recognizes
either M or m as correct.
Certain key combinations are not valid. If you enter one of these
combinations, the speaker emits a beep.
To erase a character when entering your password, press
<Backspace> or the left-arrow key.
NOTE: To escape from the field
without assigning a system password, press <Tab> or the <Shift><Tab>
combination to move to another field, or press <Esc> at any time prior to completing
step 5.
Press <Enter>.
If the new system password is less than 32 characters, the whole field
fills with placeholders. Then the option heading changes to Verify Password,
followed by another empty 32-character field in square brackets.
To confirm your password, type it a second time and
press <Enter>.
The password setting changes to Enabled. Your system password is
now set; you can exit system setup and begin using your computer. Password protection
takes effect when you reboot the computer by pressing the reset button or by turning the
computer off and then on again.
When you turn on your computer or press the reset button, or when you reboot the
computer by pressing the <Ctrl><Alt><Del> combination, the following
prompt appears on the screen when Password Status is set to Unlocked:
Type in the password and
- press <ENTER> to leave password security enabled.
- press <CTRL><ENTER> to disable password security.
Enter password:
If PasswordStatus is set to Locked, the following prompt appears:
Type the password and press <Enter>.
NOTE: If you have assigned a
setup password, the computer accepts your setup password as an alternate system password.
If you enter a wrong or incomplete system password, the following message appears on
the screen:
** Incorrect password. **
Enter password:
If you again enter an incorrect or incomplete system password, the same message appears
on the screen. The third and subsequent times you enter an incorrect or incomplete system
password, the computer displays the following message:
** Incorrect password. **
Number of unsuccessful password attempts: 3
System halted! Must power down.
Even after your computer is turned off and on, the previous message is displayed each
time an incorrect or incomplete system password is entered.
NOTE: You can use Password Status
in conjunction with System Password and Setup Password to further protect your computer
from unauthorized changes.
To delete or change an existing system password, perform the following steps:
Enter system setup program, and verify that Password
Status is set to Unlocked.
Reboot your computer to force it to prompt you for a
system password.
When prompted, type the system password.
Press <Ctrl><Enter> to disable the existing
system password, instead of pressing <Enter> to continue with the normal operation
of your computer.
Confirm that Not Enabled is displayed for the System
Password option.
If Not Enabled appears in the System Password option, the
system password has been deleted. If you want to assign a new password, continue to step
6. If Not Enabled is not displayed for the System Password option, press
<Alt><B> to reboot the computer, and then repeat steps 3 through 5.
Setup passwords allow only those who know the password to have full use of system
setup. Your Dell computer does not have the setup password feature enabled when you
receive it.
Setup Password options in system setup:
Enabled — does not allow assignment of setup passwords; users must enter a
setup password to make changes to system setup
Not Enabled — allows assignment of setup passwords; password feature is
enabled but no password is assigned
Enter system setup, and verify that Setup Password
is set to Not Enabled.
Highlight Setup Password and press the left- or
right-arrow key.
The computer prompts you to enter and verify the password. If a
character is illegal for password use, the computer emits a beep.
Type in and then verify the password.
After you verify the password, the Setup Password setting changes
to Enabled. The next time you attempt to enter system setup, the computer prompts
you for the setup password.
NOTE: The setup password can be
the same as the system password.
NOTE: 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.
A change to Setup Password becomes effective immediately (rebooting the computer
is not required).
Close the computer cover and reconnect the computer and
devices to an electrical outlet and turn them on.
Booting your computer with the PSWD jumper installed reenables the
password feature. When you enter system setup, both password options appear as Not
Enabled, meaning that the password feature is enabled but that no password is
assigned.
Each time you start your computer, it compares the installed hardware with the computer
configuration information stored in nonvolatile random access memory (NVRAM). If the
computer detects a discrepancy, it generates an error messages for each incorrect
configuration setting.
You can use computer settings as follows:
To set user-selectable options such as date and time, or system password
To set the current configuration information such as the amount of memory or type of
hard drive installed
You can view the current settings at any time. Dell recommends that you print the
system setup screens (by pressing <Print Screen>) or record the information for
future reference.
Before you use system setup, you need to know the kind of floppy drive(s) and hard
drive(s) installed in your computer. If you are unsure of this information, see the
Manufacturing Test Report that was shipped with your computer and is located in the Dell
Accessories folder.
If your computer is already on, shut it down and then
turn it on again.
When Press <F2> to Enter
Setup appears in the upper-right corner of the screen, press <F2>.
If you wait too long and your operating system begins to load into
memory, let the computer complete the load operation; then shut down the computer
and try again.
NOTE: To ensure an orderly
computer shutdown, consult the documentation that accompanied your operating system.
The system setup screens display the current configuration information for your
computer. Information on the screen is organized into four areas:
Title — the box at the top of all screens lists the computer name.
Computer data — two boxes below the title box that display your computer processor,
level 2 (L2) cache, service tag, and the version number of the basic input/output system
(BIOS)
Options — a scrollable box listing options that define the configuration of your
computer, including installed hardware, power conservation, and security features.
Fields to the right of the option titles contain settings or values.
Those you can change appear bright on the screen. Those you cannot change (because they
are set by the computer) appear less bright. When <Enter> appears to the right of an
option title, press <Enter> to access a popup menu of additional options.
Key functions — a line of boxes across the bottom of all screens that lists keys
and their functions within system setup.
Help — press <F1> for information in the currently highlighted option.
The boot sequence allows you to specify the order of the devices from which the
computer will attempt to boot.
Press <Enter> to access the Boot Sequence
option's pop-up menu.
NOTE: Write down your current
boot sequence in case you want to restore it.
Press the up- and down-arrow keys to move through the
list of devices.
Press the spacebar to enable or disable a device
(enabled devices appear with a check mark).
Press plus (+) or minus (–) to move a selected
device up or down the list.
Option settings:
Diskette Drive A: — The computer will attempt to boot from the floppy drive.
If the computer finds a floppy in the drive that is not bootable, an error message will
appear. If no floppy is in the drive, the computer will attempt to boot from the next
device in the list.
Hard Drive — The computer will attempt to boot from the primary hard drive.
If the computer does not find an operating system on the drive, it will attempt to boot
from the next device in the list.
CD-ROM Device — The computer will attempt to boot from the CD drive. If the
computer does not find a CD in the drive or if there is not an operating system on the CD,
the computer will attempt to boot from the next device in the list.
MBA (Onboard NIC) — Selecting MBA UNDI allows the computer to boot
from the network server. The MBA UNDI option appears under Boot Sequence
only if the Network Interface Controlleroption is set to On w/MBA.
If the Network Interface Controller option is set to On or Off, set
it to On w/MBA and then press <Alt><b> to save the change and reboot
the computer. MBA UNDI then appears under Boot Sequence.
When you select this option, the computer prompts you to press
<Ctrl><Alt><b> at the Dell logo screen during computer boot. A menu then
appears that allows you to select PXE, RPL, BootP, or NetWare
as the active boot mode. If a boot routine is not available from the network server, the
computer tries to boot from the next device in the boot sequence list.
AC Power Recovery determines what happens when AC power is restored to the
computer.
When Off is selected, the computer remains off when AC power is
restored. When On is selected, the computer starts up when AC power is restored.
When Last is selected, the computer returns to the AC power state
existing at the time that AC power was lost. If the computer is on when AC power is lost,
the computer starts up when AC power is restored. If the computer is off when AC power is
lost, the computer remains off when AC power is restored.
Asset Tag displays the customer-programmable asset tag number for the computer if
an asset tag number is assigned. You can use the Asset Tag utility, which is included with
your software support utilities, to enter an asset tag number up to ten characters long
into nonvolatile random-access memory (NVRAM).
Auto Power On allows you to set the time and days of the week to turn on the
computer automatically. You can set Auto Power On to turn on the computer either
every day or every Monday through Friday.
NOTE: This feature does not work
if you turn off your computer using a power strip or surge protector.
Time is kept in a 24-hour format (hours:minutes). To change the
start-up time, press the right-arrow key to increase the number in the highlighted field
or press the left-arrow key to decrease the number. If you prefer, you can type numbers in
both the date and time fields.
The default for Auto Power On is Disabled.
CPU ID provides the manufacturer's identification code for the installed
microprocessor.
CPU Information
CPU Speed indicates the processor speed at which your computer
boots.
Press the left- or right-arrow key to toggle the CPU Speed
option between the resident microprocessor's rated speed (the default) and a lower
compatibility speed, which lets you accommodate speed-sensitive application programs. A
change to this option takes effect immediately (rebooting the computer is not required).
To toggle between the rated processor speed and the compatibility
speed while the computer is running in real mode, press <Ctrl><Alt><\>.
(For keyboards that do not use American English, press <Ctrl><Alt><#>.)
Bus Speed indicates the speed of the microprocessor's system bus,
or front-side bus (FSB).
Processor ID provides the manufacturer's identification code(s) for
the installed microprocessor.
Clock Speed indicates the core speed at which the microprocessor(s)
operates.
Cache Size displays the size of the microprocessor's level 2 (L2)
cache.
Diskette Drive A identifies the type of floppy drives installed in your computer.
With the standard cabling configuration, Diskette Drive A (the boot floppy drive)
is the 3.5-inch floppy drive installed in the top externally accessible drive bay.
The Diskette Drive A option has the following possible settings:
3.5 Inch, 1.44 MB
Not Installed
NOTE: Tape drives are not
reflected in the Diskette Drive A option. For example, if you have a single floppy
drive and a tape drive attached to the floppy/tape drive interface cable, set Diskette
Drive A to match the characteristics of the floppy drive.
Fastboot allows your computer to boot in 10 seconds or less. The default setting
is On. If you do not want your computer to skip certain configurations and tests
during boot, you may set this option to Off.
Integrated Devices. This option configures the following devices integrated with
the system board:
Press <Enter> to configure these options as explained in the
following subsections.
Sound determines whether the integrated audio controller is On
or Off. The default is On.
USB Controller enables or disables the onboard USB controller. The
onboard USB controller is always enabled during the BIOS boot process. When set to On,
the onboard USB controller remains enabled when control is passed to the operating system.
When set to Off, the USB controller is disabled when control is passed to the
operating system.
PCI Slots enable or disable the onboard PCI slots. PCI devices
plugged into the onboard PCI slots will not function or be detected by the operating
system when this field is set to disabled.
Network Interface Controller determines whether the integrated
network adapter is On, Off, or Onw/ MBA. The default is On.
If you select On w/ MBA, you are prompted to press <Ctrl><Alt><b>
at the Dell logo screen during computer boot. A menu then appears that allows you to
select PXE, RPL, BootP, or NetWare as the active boot mode.
Mouse Port enables or disables the computer's integrated Personal
System/2 (PS/2)-compatible mouse port. Disabling the mouse allows an expansion card to use
interrupt request (IRQ)12.This setting is used to control the use of this legacy device.
Serial Port 1 and Serial Port 2 configure the computer's integrated
serial ports. You can set these options to Auto (the default) to automatically
configure a port, to a particular designation (COM1 or COM3 for Serial
Port 1; COM2 or COM4 for Serial Port 2), or to Off to
control the use of this legacy device or to disable the port.
If you set a serial port to Auto and add an expansion card
containing a port configured to the same designation, the computer automatically remaps
the integrated port to the next available port designation that shares the same IRQ
setting as follows:
COM1 (input/output [I/O] address 3F8h), which shares IRQ4 with
COM3, is remapped to COM3 (I/O address 3E8h).
COM2 (I/O address 2F8h), which shares IRQ3 with COM4,
is remapped to COM4 (I/O address 2E8h).
NOTE: When two COM ports share an
IRQ setting, you can use either port as necessary, but you may not be able to use them
both at the same time. If you are running the Microsoft� Windows� 95 or IBM� OS/2�
operating system, you cannot use both serial ports at the same time. If the second port
(COM3 or COM4) is also in use, the integrated port is turned off.
Parallel Port configures the computer's integrated parallel port. Press
<Enter> to configure the Parallel Port options explained in the following
subsections.
Mode: You can set this option to PS/2, EPP, ECP,
AT, or Off to control the use of this legacy device or to disable the port.
Set this option according to the type of device connected to the parallel port. To
determine the correct mode to use, see the documentation that came with the device.
I/O Address: This option determines the I/O address used by
the parallel port and appears except when Mode is set to Off. You can set I/O
Address to 378h (the default), 278h, or 3BCh.
NOTE: You cannot set the parallel
port to 3BCh if Mode is set to EPP.
DMA Channel: This option determines the direct memory access
(DMA) channel used by the parallel port and appears only when Mode is set to ECP.
The available options are DMA 1, DMA 3, and Off.
IDE Drive Interface: enables or disables the computer's integrated
enhanced integrated drive electronics (EIDE) hard drive interface. With Auto (the
default) selected, the computer turns off the integrated EIDE interface when necessary to
accommodate a controller card installed in an expansion slot. As part of the boot routine,
the computer first checks for a primary hard drive controller card installed in an
expansion slot. If no card is found, the computer enables the integrated EIDE interface to
use IRQ14 and IRQ15. If a primary controller is detected on the expansion bus, the
integrated EIDE interface is disabled. Selecting Off disables the integrated EIDE
interface.
Diskette Interface: controls the operation of the computer's
integrated floppy drive controller. With Auto (the default) selected, the computer
turns off the integrated floppy drive controller when necessary to accommodate a
controller card installed in an expansion slot.
With Read Only selected, nothing can be written to any floppy
drive or tape drive using the computer's integrated floppy/tape drive controller. (The
computer can still read from the drives.) When Read Only is selected, Auto
is also in effect, meaning that the computer turns off the integrated floppy drive
controller as necessary.
Selecting Off turns off the integrated floppy/tape drive
controller; this setting is used to control the use of this legacy device or for
troubleshooting purposes.
USB Emulation: determines whether the computer's basic input/output
system (BIOS) controls Universal Serial Bus (USB) keyboards and mice. When On is
selected (the default), the BIOS controls USB keyboards and mice until a USB driver is
loaded by the operating system. When Off is selected, the BIOS does not control USB
keyboards and mice, although they function during the boot routine. Set USB Emulation to Off
if you are using a PS/2-compatible keyboard and mouse.
NOTE: For Windows NT�, Off
is the default setting.
Primary Video Controller: determines which video controller to use
when the computer boots. When Auto is selected, the computer uses a video expansion
card, if one is installed or the onboard video controller if a video expansion card is not
installed. When Onboard is selected, the computer uses the onboard video controller
even if a video expansion card is installed.
Video DAC Snoop: lets you correct video problems that may occur
when you use certain video expansion cards. The default is Off. If you are using a
video expansion card and problems such as incorrect colors or blank windows occur, set Video
DAC Snoop to On.
Keyboard NumLock determines whether your computer boots with the Num Lock mode
activated on 101- or 102-key keyboards (it does not apply to 84-key keyboards). When Num
Lock mode is activated, the rightmost bank of keys on your keyboard provides the
mathematical and numeric functions shown at the top of each key. When Num Lock mode is
turned off, these keys provide cursor-control functions shown by the label on the bottom
of each key.
Memory Information indicates the amount of installed memory detected in your
computer, the computer memory speed, the amount of video memory, and the size of the
display cache. After you add memory, check this option to confirm that the new memory is
installed correctly and is recognized by the computer.
PCI IRQ Assignment specifies which IRQ lines are assigned to the Peripheral
Component Interconnect (PCI) devices installed in the computer. Press <Enter> to
configure these devices. Then select the device whose IRQ line you want to change, and
press the plus (+) or minus (–) key to scroll through the available IRQ lines.
Normally you do not need to change the IRQ lines assigned to PCI devices unless a
particular device, device driver, or operating system requires a specific IRQ line already
in use by a PCI device.
Primary Drive n identifies drives attached to the primary EIDE
interface connector (labeled "IDE1") on the system board; Secondary Drive n
identifies drives connected to the secondary EIDE interface connector (labeled
"IDE2"). Use the secondary EIDE interface connector for EIDE CD drives and EIDE
tape drives.
NOTE: For all devices obtained
from Dell that use the integrated EIDE controller, set the appropriate Drive option to
Auto.
NOTE: You must have an EIDE
device connected to the primary EIDE interface if you have an EIDE device connected to the
secondary EIDE interface.
The following settings identify the type of EIDE devices installed in the computer:
Auto (use this setting for all EIDE devices from Dell)
Off
To choose a setting for each option, press <Enter> to access the field's pop-up
settings menu. Then type characters from the keyboard or press the left- or right-arrow
key to cycle through the settings.
NOTE: Operating systems that
bypass the computer BIOS may not obtain optimum hard drive performance.
If the computer generates a drive error message the first time you boot your computer
after you install an EIDE drive, it may mean that your particular drive does not work with
the automatic drive-type detect feature. If you suspect that your problem is related to
drive type, press <Alt> <d> in any of the hard drive fields to set the hard
drive autoconfiguration feature. During POST the IDE channels will be scanned for
supported devices and a message will appear detailing what was found. For example, if you
had a hard drive connected to the Primary channel and a CD drive connected to the
Secondary channel, this message would be displayed:
Performing automatic IDE configuration...
Primary Master: IDE Disk Drive
Secondary Master: CD-ROM Reader
If it detects a device during the scan, it sets the device to Auto in system
setup. If no device is listed, it sets the device setting to Off in system setup.
If your computer does not reset after you perform these steps, enter system setup and
reset the computer to its original Dell settings.
Restart your computer.
As the system reboots, press <F2> to enter system setup.
When the system setup screen appears, press <Alt><F> to load the Dell
default settings.
The computer beeps when the settings are restored.
NOTE: Verify that the time, date,
and year are correct and that the Secondary Drive 0 option is set to Auto.
Press <Esc> and then press <Enter> to save your changes and
exit.
The following figure shows the jumper on the system board.
System Board Jumper
NOTICE: Make sure that your
computer is turned off and unplugged before you change the jumper setting. Otherwise,
damage to your computer or unpredictable results may occur.
To change the jumper setting to disabled, pull the plug off its pins. To reenable the
setting, carefully fit the plug onto the pins indicated.
When you obtain software, check it for viruses with virus-scanning software before
installing it on your computer's hard drive. Viruses, which are pieces of code that can
replicate themselves, can quickly use all available computer memory, damage or destroy
data stored on the hard drive, and permanently affect the performance of the programs they
infect. Several commercial virus-scanning programs are available for purchase, and most
bulletin board services (BBSs) archive freely distributed virus-scanning programs that you
can download with a modem.
Before you install a program, read its documentation to learn how the program works,
what hardware it requires, and what its defaults are. A program usually includes
installation instructions in its accompanying documentation and a software installation
routine on its program floppy disks or CD(s).
The software installation routine assists you in transferring the appropriate program
files to your computer's hard drive. Installation instructions may provide details about
how to configure your operating system to successfully run the program. Always read the
installation instructions before running a program's installation routine. You may be
instructed to modify some operating system start-up files, such as config.sys and autoexec.bat,
or the installation routine may modify start-up files automatically.
When you run the installation routine, be prepared to respond to prompts for
information about how your computer's operating system is configured, what type of
computer you have, and what devices are connected to your computer.
(default)
jumpered 
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