LegacySelect technology control offers legacy-full, legacy-reduced, or legacy-free solutions based on common platforms, hard-drive images, and help desk procedures. Control is provided to the administrator through system setup, Dell OpenManage™ IT Assistant, or Dell™ custom factory integration.
LegacySelect allows administrators to electronically activate or deactivate connectors and media devices that include serial and USB connectors, a parallel connector, a floppy drive, and a PS/2 mouse. Connectors and media devices that are deactivated make resources available. You must restart the computer for the changes to take effect.
ASF is a DMTF management standard that specifies "pre-operating system" or "operating system-absent" alerting techniques. It is designed to generate an alert on potential security and fault conditions when the operating system is in a sleep state or the computer is powered down. ASF is designed to supersede previous operating system-absent alerting technologies.
Your computer supports the following ASF alerts and remote capabilities:
For more information about Dell's ASF implementation, see the ASF User's Guide and the ASF Administrator's Guide, available on the Dell Support website at support.dell.com.
IT Assistant configures, manages, and monitors computers and other devices on a corporate network. IT Assistant manages assets, configurations, events (alerts), and security for computers equipped with industry-standard management software. It supports instrumentation that conforms to SNMP, DMI, and CIM industry standards.
Dell OpenManage Client instrumentation, which is based on DMI and CIM, is available for your computer. For information on IT Assistant, see the Dell OpenManage IT Assistant User's Guide available on the Dell Support website at support.dell.com.
Dell OpenManage Client Instrumentation is software that enables remote management 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
A managed system is one that has Dell OpenManage Client Instrumentation set up on a network that uses IT Assistant. For information about Dell OpenManage Client Instrumentation, see the Dell OpenManage Client Instrumentation User's Guide available on the Dell Support website at support.dell.com.
Enabled — If the computer cover is opened, the setting changes to Detected, and the following alert message displays during the boot routine at the next computer start-up:
Alert! Cover was previously removed.
To reset the Detected setting, enter system setup. 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) — If the computer cover is opened, the setting changes to Detected. No alert message appears during the boot sequence at the next computer start-up.
Disabled — No intrusion monitoring occurs and no messages appear.
Use one of the following methods to secure your computer:
Use a padlock alone or a padlock and looped security cable with the padlock ring.
A padlock alone prevents the computer from being opened.
A security cable looped around a stationary object is used in conjunction with a padlock to prevent unauthorized movement of the computer.
Attach a commercially available antitheft device to the security cable slot on the back of the computer.
NOTE: Before you purchase an antitheft device, ensure that it works with the security cable slot
on your computer.
Antitheft devices usually include a segment of metal-stranded cable with an attached locking device and key. A Kensington lock is recommended. The documentation that comes with the locking device contains instructions for installing 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.
To escape from the field without assigning a system password, press <Tab> or the <Shift><Tab> key combination to move to another field, or press <Esc> at any time before you complete step 5.
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. To erase a character when entering your password, press <Backspace> or the left-arrow key. The password is not case sensitive.
Certain key combinations are not valid. If you enter one of these combinations, the speaker emits a beep.
As you press each character key (or the spacebar for a blank space), a placeholder appears in the field.
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.
Exit system setup.
Password protection takes effect when you restart the computer.
When you start or restart your computer, one of the following prompts appears on the screen.
If 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:
Type the password and press <Enter>.
If you have assigned a setup password, the computer accepts your setup password as an alternate system password.
If you type a wrong or incomplete system password, the following message appears on the screen:
** Incorrect password. **
If you again type an incorrect or incomplete system password, the same message appears on the screen. The third and subsequent times you type 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 you type an incorrect or incomplete system password.
NOTE: You can use Password Status in conjunction with System Password and Setup Password
to further protect your computer from unauthorized changes.
Press <Ctrl><Enter> to disable the existing system password.
Confirm that Not Enabled is displayed for the System Password option.
If Not Enabled is displayed, the system password is deleted. If Not Enabled is not displayed, press <Alt><b> to restart the computer, and then repeat step 3 through step 5.
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.
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 type and verify the password. If a character is not permitted, the computer emits a beep.
Type and then verify the password.
After you verify the password, the Setup Password setting changes to Enabled. The next time you enter system setup, the computer prompts you for the setup password.
Exit system setup.
A change to Setup Password becomes effective immediately (no need to restart the computer).
CAUTION: Before you open the computer cover, see the safety instructions in the System Information Guide.
Open the computer cover.
Replace the PSWD jumper plug.
Close the computer cover and reconnect the computer and devices to electrical
outlets and turn them on.
This reenables the password feature. When you enter system setup, both password options appear as Not Enabled—the password feature is enabled but no password is assigned.
To set user-selectable options such as date and time or system password
To read the current amount of memory or set the type of hard drive installed
It is recommended that you print the system setup screens (by pressing <Print Screen>) or record the information for future reference.
Before you use system setup, you must know the kind of floppy drive(s) and hard drive(s) installed in your computer. To confirm this information, see the Manufacturing Test Report that came with your computer, or find this information in the online Dell Accessories folder.
When Press <F2> to Enter Setup appears in the upper-right corner of the screen,
press <F2> immediately.
If you wait too long and the Microsoft® Windows® logo appears, continue to wait until you see the Windows desktop. Then shut down your computer and try again.
NOTE: To ensure an orderly computer shutdown, consult the documentation that came with
your operating system.
System setup screens display current configuration information for your computer. Information on the screen is organized into four areas:
Title — The box at the top of all screens that lists the computer name
Computer data — Two boxes below the title box that display your computer processor, L2 cache, service tag, and the version number of the 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. The fields that you can change appear bright on the screen. The fields that 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
Normal — (Available only for the current boot process.) The computer attempts to boot from the sequence of devices specified in system setup.
Diskette Drive — The computer attempts to boot from the floppy drive. If the floppy disk in the drive is not bootable, or if no floppy disk is in the drive, the computer generates an error message.
Hard Disk Drive C: — The computer attempts to boot from the primary hard drive. If no operating system is on the drive, the computer generates an error message.
CD Drive — The computer attempts to boot from the CD drive. If no CD is in the drive, or if the CD has no operating system, the computer generates an error message.
Integrated NIC — As the computer boots, it prompts you to press <Ctrl><Alt><b>. Pressing this key combination causes a menu to display that allows you to select a method for booting from a network server. If a boot routine is not available from the network server, the computer attempts to boot from the next device in the boot sequence list.
USB Flash Device — Insert the key into a USB port and restart the computer. When F12 = Boot Menu appears in the upper-right corner of the screen, press <F12>. The BIOS detects the key and adds the USB key option to the boot menu.
You can use this feature, for example, to tell the computer to boot from the CD drive so you can run the Dell Diagnostics, and specify that the computer boots from the hard drive when the diagnostic tests are complete.
Turn on or restart your computer.
When F2 = Setup appears in the upper-right corner of the screen, press <F12>.
If you wait too long and the Microsoft Windows logo appears, continue to wait until you see the Windows desktop. Then shut down your computer and try again.
NOTE: To ensure an orderly computer shutdown, consult the documentation that came with
your operating system.
The Boot Device Menu appears, listing all available boot devices. Each device has a number next to it. At the bottom of the menu, enter the number of the device that is to be used for the current boot only.
CPU Speed — Processor speed at which the 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.
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 — Speed of the microprocessor's system bus
Processor ID — Manufacturer's identification code(s) for the installed microprocessor
Clock Speed — Core speed at which the microprocessor(s) operates
Cache Size — Size of the microprocessor's L2 cache
Hyper-Threading — Enables or disables Hyper-Threading technology for operating systems that support this feature. The default setting is Disabled.
Diskette Drive A — Type of floppy drive(s) installed in the 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 two options are 3.5 Inch, 1.44 MB, and Not Installed.
On (default) — Your computer boots faster by skipping certain configurations and tests.
Off — Your computer does not skip certain configurations and tests during the bootprocess.
Integrated Devices — Configures the following devices integrated with the system board:
Sound — Settings are On (default)or Off.
USB Controller — Settings are On or Off.
Network Interface Controller — Settings are On (default), Off, or Onw/ PXE.
Mouse Port — Settings are On or Off.
Serial Port 1 and Serial Port 2 — Settings are Off and Auto (default).
Auto automatically configures a connector to a particular designation (COM1 or COM3 for Serial Port 1; COM2 or COM4 for Serial Port 2).
If you set a serial connector to Auto and add a card containing a connector configured to the same designation, the computer automatically remaps the integrated port to the next available connector designation that shares the same IRQ setting as follows:
COM1 (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 connectors share an IRQ setting, you can use either
connector 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 connectors at the same time. If the second
connector (COM3 or COM4) is also in use, the integrated connector is turned off.
Parallel Port — Thesettings are Mode, I/O Address, and DMA Channel.
Mode settings are PS/2, EPP, ECP, AT, or Off. Set the Mode option according to the type of device connected to the parallel connector. To determine the correct mode to use, see the documentation that came with the device.
I/O Address settings are 378h (default), 278h, or 3BCh. The settings are not availablewhen Mode is set to Off.
NOTE: You cannot set the parallel connector to 3BCh if Mode is set to EPP.
DMA Channel appears only when Mode is set to ECP. Settings are DMA 1, DMA 3, or Off.
IDE Drive Interface — The settings are Off and Auto (default).
Auto turns off the IDE interface when necessary to accommodate a controller card installed in an expansion slot.
Diskette Interface — The settings are Auto (default), Read Only, and Off.
Auto turns off the integrated floppy drive controller when necessary to accommodate a controller card installed in an expansion slot.
Read Only prevents the computer's integrated floppy drive controller from writing to floppy drives and activates Auto.
USB Emulation — The settings are On and Off.
Primary Video Controller — The settings are Auto and AGP (default).
Auto — If only an AGP card is installed, the computer uses the AGP card; if only a PCI card is installed, the computer uses the PCI card; if both AGP and PCI cards are installed, the computer uses the PCI card to boot.
AGP (default) — The computer uses the AGP card.
Video DAC Snoop — The settings are Off (default)and On.
On corrects video problems such as incorrect colors or blank windows that may occur when you use certain video cards.
Suspend Mode — Selects S1 or S3 (default) power management suspend mode
AC Power Recovery — Determines what happens when AC power is restored to the computer
Off — The computer remains off when AC power is restored.
On — The computer starts when AC power is restored.
Last — The computer returns to the AC power state existing at the time that AC power was lost.
Low Power Mode — Selects the amount of power used when the computer is in hibernate mode or off. Disabled is the default. When Enabled, Remote Wake-Up events no longer start the computer from hibernate mode or off.
NOTICE: Ensure that your computer is turned off and unplugged before you change the jumper
settings. Otherwise, damage to your computer or unpredictable results can occur.
To change a jumper setting, pull the plug off its pin(s) and carefully fit it down onto the pin(s) indicated.
NOTE: Pressing or holding the power button to shut down the computer may result in data loss. Use the
power button to shut down the computer only if the operating system is not responding.
NOTE: See the documentation that came with the TAPI-compliant card for more information
on using TAPI devices and to verify that the card works with your computer.
Your computer supports TAPI-compliant modem cards using the standard TAPI connector (the green connector labeled MODEM or TELEPHONY). If your modem supports voice features, you can connect your modem to the TAPI connector and then use your audio speakers and microphone as an answering machine or speakerphone. The microphone carries your voice into the computer and then through the TAPI system board connector to your modem card. The caller's voice enters through the modem card to the TAPI system board connector and then out to the speakers. You can also use this configuration to record and play audio files over the telephone by using third-party software.
CAUTION: Before you begin any of the procedures in this section, follow the safety instructions in the System Information Guide.
CAUTION: To guard against electrical shock, always unplug your computer from the electrical outlet before opening the cover.
Ensure that your computer and attached devices are turned off. If your computer and
attached devices did not automatically turn off when you shut down your computer,
turn them off now.
NOTICE: To disconnect a network cable, first unplug the cable from your computer and then
unplug it from the network wall jack.
Disconnect any telephone or telecommunication lines from the computer.
Disconnect your computer and all attached devices from electrical outlets, and then
press the power button to ground the system board.
If you have installed a padlock through the padlock ring on the back panel, remove the
padlock.
CAUTION: To guard against electrical shock, always unplug your computer from the electrical outlet before opening the cover.
NOTICE: Before touching anything inside your computer, ground yourself by touching an
unpainted metal surface, such as the metal at the back of the computer. While you work,
periodically touch an unpainted metal surface to dissipate any static electricity that could harm
internal components.
Open the computer cover.
Install the TAPI-compliant modem card:
Connect the 4-pin TAPI cable to the TAPI system board connector.
To locate the TAPI connector on the system board, see the system board components illustration for your computer (for the Dell Precision 450 computer, see "System Board Components" or for the Dell Precision 650 computer, see "System Board Components").
Connect the other end of the cable to the TAPI connector on the modem card.
To locate the TAPI connector on the card, see the documentation for the card.
Close the computer cover.
Reconnect the computer and devices to electrical outlets, and turn them on.
Install the appropriate modem driver and voice program.
For more information, see the manufacturer's documentation and your Microsoft® Windows® documentation.
You can connect your modem to a TAPI-compliant sound card connector (typically labeled TAD) and then use the audio capabilities as a speakerphone.
Shut down the computer through the Start menu.
Ensure that your computer and attached devices are turned off. If your computer and
attached devices did not automatically turn off when you shut down your computer,
turn them off now.
NOTICE: To disconnect a network cable, first unplug the cable from your computer and then
unplug it from the network wall jack.
Disconnect any telephone or telecommunication lines from the computer.
Disconnect your computer and all attached devices from electrical outlets, and then
press the power button to ground the system board.
If you have installed a padlock through the padlock ring on the back panel, remove the
padlock.
CAUTION: To guard against electrical shock, always unplug your computer from the electrical outlet before opening the cover.
NOTICE: Before touching anything inside your computer, ground yourself by touching an
unpainted metal surface, such as the metal at the back of the computer. While you work,
periodically touch an unpainted metal surface to dissipate any static electricity that could harm
internal components.
Open the computer cover.
Install the TAPI-compliant sound card.
Connect external audio devices to the sound card's connectors. Do not connect
external audio devices to the microphone, speaker/headphone, or line-in connectors
on the front or back panel of your computer.
Connect the 4-pin TAPI cable to the TAPI sound card connector.
To locate the TAPI connector on the sound card, see the documentation for the card.
Connect the other end of the cable to the TAPI connector on the modem card.
To locate the TAPI connector on the card, see the documentation for the card.
Close the computer cover.
Reconnect the computer and devices to electrical outlets, and turn them on.
Enter system setup, go to Integrated Devices, and change the setting for Sound to
Off.
Install the appropriate drivers for the new devices.
For more information, see the manufacturer's documentation and your Windows documentation.
Hyper-Threading is an Intel® technology that can enhance overall performance by allowing one physical microprocessor to function as two logical microprocessors, capable of performing certain tasks simultaneously. It is recommended that you use the Windows XP operating system because Windows XP is optimized to take advantage of Hyper-Threading technology. While many programs can benefit from Hyper-Threading technology, some programs have not been optimized for Hyper-Threading and may require an update from the software manufacturer. Contact the software manufacturer for updates and information on using your software with Hyper-Threading.
To determine if your computer is using Hyper-Threading technology:
Click the Start button, right-click My Computer, and then click Properties.
Click Hardware and click Device Manager.
In the Device Manager window, click the plus (+) sign next to the processor type. If
Hyper-Threading is enabled, the processor is listed twice.
You can enable or disable Hyper-Threading through system setup. For more information on Hyper-Threading, search the Knowledge Base on the Dell Support website at support.dell.com.
IEEE 1394 is a digital interface that can move large amounts of data between computers and peripheral devices. IEEE 1394 is ideal for use with multimedia devices because it speeds the transfer of data and large files, which enables a computer to connect directly to devices such as digital video cameras.
The Dell Precision 650 computer provides a standard IEEE 1394 connector on both the front and back panels (see "About Your Computer—Dell Precision 650").
The U320 SCSI controller is PCI-X based and operates in a low voltage differential (LVD) mode while running at U320 (320 MBps) speeds. The bus is backward compatible and can run at U160 (160 MBps), Ultra2 (80 MBps), Ultra (40 MBps) speeds.
If single-ended (SE)devices are connected to the same bus as the LVD devices (such as U320, U160, or Ultra2), the SCSI bus operates in SE mode and runs at maximum of Ultra (40 MBps) speed.
For more information installing a SCSI device and SCSI ID settings for the Dell Precision 650, see "Drives."
Your Dell Precision 650 computer supports integrated striping for a minimum of two hard drives to a maximum of four hard drives on the Integrated Ultra320 SCSI channel. Integrated striping writes data across multiple hard drives rather than writing to one hard drive by partitioning each hard drive's storage space into stripes. The stripe volume can be created and deleted through a SCSI BIOS configuration utility.
NOTICE: Creating a stripe volume deletes all information that is currently on your hard drives.
Save all data before you begin this procedure.
Press <Ctrl><a> during system start-up when the following message appears: Press
Cntl-A to start LSI Logic Configuration Utility.
NOTE: Key combinations for the utility are listed at the bottom of the configuration screen.
Select the drive controller and press <Enter>.
Use the arrow keys to select Add RAID Array and press <Enter>.
Use the <+> key to select YES for each drive that you want to be part of a stripe
volume. Use the <-> key to select NO for each drive that you do not want to be part
of a stripe volume.
NOTE: Multiple warning screens may appear if you have a valid partition on the drives selected
or if the drives selected to be part of the stripe are different sizes.
Press <F3> to save the changes.
Press any key to continue.
If you do not want to create the stripe volume, select Discard Changes Then Exit this
Menu.
If you are ready to create the stripe volume, Select Save Changes Then Exit This Menu and press <Enter>.
While the configuration utility establishes the stripe volume, the following message appears: Processing...takes upto one minute. The main menu appears once the stripe volume is created.
Press <Esc>, exit the configuration utility, and then press <Enter>.
The stripe volume can be used as a boot volume or as a data volume. For more information, see your operating system documentation.
NOTE: If you choose unequal drive sizes to be part of the stripe volume, the available size of the
stripe volume is equal to the number of drives in the volume multiplied by the smallest drive size
in the volume. The unused space in the larger drive is unusable.
NOTICE: Deleting stripe volume deletes all information that is currently on your stripe volume.
Save all data before you begin this procedure.
Press <Ctrl><a> during system start-up when the following message appears: Press
Cntl-A to start LSI Logic Configuration Utility.
NOTE: Key combinations for the utility are listed at the bottom of the configuration screen.
Select the drive controller and press <Enter>.
Using the arrow keys, select Activate/Delete RAID Array and press <Enter>.
If more than one stripe volume is present on the controller, press any key to continue and press <F2> to return to the top menu.
Select Delete Array and press <Enter>.
Press <F3> to delete the stripe volume.
While the configuration utility deletes the stripe volume, the following message appears: Processing...takes upto one minute. The main menu appears once the stripe volume is deleted.
NOTE: A controller supports only one stripe volume. If more than one stripe volume is
connected to a controller, you can activate the stripe volume you want to use through the
configuration utility.
Press <Ctrl><a> during system start-up when the following message appears: Press
Cntl-A to start LSI Logic Configuration Utility.
NOTE: Key combinations for the utility are listed at the bottom of the configuration screen.
Select the drive controller and press <Enter>.
Using the arrow keys, select Activate/Delete RAID Array and press <Enter>.
Press any key to continue.
Use the <Page Up>or the <Page Down> keys to select the volume to be activated.
Press <F2> to return to the top menu.
Select Activate Array and press <Enter>.
Press any key to continue.
While the configuration utility activates the stripe volume and deactivates the other stripe volumes, the following message appears: Processing...takes upto one minute. The main menu appears once the stripe volume is activated.
NOTE: If a partial stripe volume is present and no longer part of a good array, the partial stripe
volume can be deleted, see "Deleting a Stripe Volume."
Not pressing <F6> at the correct time during the operating system installation
Restart the computer and operating system installation. Press <F6> when prompted during the Microsoft Windows operating system installation to load the drivers using the driver diskette for the SCSI controller.
NOTE: To create the driver diskette, use your Drivers and Utilities CD.
IRQ or I/O address conflict
Remove any third party components that were added.
Boot order configuration
Ensure that the SCSI is part of the boot order configuration in system setup.
Master Boot Record Infection
Use a virus scanning program to determine if a virus has infected the master boot record of the boot device. For help resolving virus issues, see the Knowledge Base at support.dell.com.
A hard drive is recognized as seven different devices when only one is physically connected to the SCSI bus —
(default)
jumpered 
unjumpered