User manual DELL DIMENSION 8400

DellTM DimensionTM 8400 Series CD or DVD activity light CD or DVD drive eject button floppy drive eject button* floppy drive light* USB 2.0 connectors (2) headphone connector Service Tag hard drive light power button *On computers with a floppy drive. parallel connector diagnostic lights mouse connector surround connector center/LFE connector line-out connector microphone connector USB 2.0 connectors (6) VGA video connector TV-OUT connector** optional sound-card connectors** **Not present on all computers. line-in connector network adapter DVI connector PCI card (3), PCI Express x1 card (1), PCI Express x16 card (1) slots power connector voltage selection switch serial connector keyboard connector w w w. d e l l . c o m | s u p p o r t . d e l l . c o m Notes, Notices, and Cautions NOTE: A NOTE indicates important information that helps you make better use of your computer. NOTICE: A NOTICE indicates either potential damage to hardware or loss of data and tells you how to avoid the problem. CAUTION: A CAUTION indicates a potential for property damage, personal injury, or death. If you purchased a DellTM n Series computer, any references in this document to Microsoft® Windows® operating systems are not applicable. ____________________ Information in this document is subject to change without notice. © 2004 Dell Inc. All rights reserved. Reproduction in any manner whatsoever without the written permission of Dell Inc. is strictly forbidden. Trademarks used in this text: Dell, the DELL logo, Inspiron, Dell Precision, Dimension, OptiPlex, Latitude, PowerEdge, PowerVault, PowerApp, DellNet, PowerConnect, and Axim are trademarks of Dell Inc.; Intel and Pentium are registered trademarks of Intel Corporation; Microsoft, Windows, and Outlook are registered trademarks of Microsoft Corporation. Other trademarks and trade names may be used in this document to refer to either the entities claiming the marks and names or their products. Dell Inc. disclaims any proprietary interest in trademarks and trade names other than its own. Model DHM September 2004 P/N U7035 Rev. A00 Contents Finding Information ............................ 9 1 Setting Up and Using Your Computer Setting Up a Printer ............................ ..................... ..................... ..................... 11 11 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 17 17 18 18 19 19 20 20 20 20 21 21 22 23 24 28 28 29 Printer Cable . . . . . . . . Connecting a USB Printer . . Connecting a Parallel Printer Connecting to the Internet ......................... .................. Setting Up Your Internet Connection Playing CDs or DVDs . ........................... ......................... ......................... Adjusting the Volume Adjusting the Picture Copying CDs and DVDs. .......................... ................... ................... ................... How to Copy a CD or DVD . . . . Using Blank CD-Rs and CD-RWs . Helpful Tips . . . . . . . . . . . Connecting Two Monitors ......................... .... .... .... .... Connecting Two Monitors With VGA Connectors . . . . . . . . Connecting One Monitor With a VGA connector and One Monitor With a DVI Connector . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Connecting a TV . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Changing the Display Settings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . About Your RAID Configuration . ...................... ..... ..... ..... ..... ..... RAID Level 0 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . RAID Level 1 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Configuring Your Computer for RAID . . . . . . . . . . . . . Configuring for RAID Using the Intel(R) Option ROM Utility. . . Configuring for RAID Using the Intel(R) Application Accelerator Setting Up a Home and Office Network . Connecting to a Network Adapter Network Setup Wizard . . . . . .................. ................... ................... Contents 3 Power Management ............................ ....................... ....................... ....................... ....................... 29 29 29 30 30 31 Overview . . . . . . . . Standby Mode . . . . . Hibernate Mode. . . . . Power Options Properties Hyper-Threading. ............................. 2 Solving Problems Troubleshooting Tips. Battery Problems ........................... 33 33 33 34 34 35 35 36 37 38 38 38 39 39 39 39 39 40 40 41 42 42 43 ............................. ............................ Card Fan Problems. Drive Problems .............................. ...................... ...................... ................... CD and DVD drive problems Hard drive problems. . . . E-Mail, Modem, and Internet Problems Error Messages .............................. ........................ IEEE 1394 Device Problems. Keyboard Problems ............................ ...................... .... .... .... .... .... .... .... Lockups and Software Problems The computer does not start up . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . The computer stops responding . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . A program stops responding . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . A program crashes repeatedly . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . A program is designed for an earlier Windows operating system. A solid blue screen appears . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Other software problems . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Memory Problems Mouse Problems. ............................. ............................. ............................ Network Problems. Power Problems . Printer Problems. ............................. ............................. 4 Contents Scanner Problems . ............................ ....................... ...................... ...................... 44 45 45 46 46 46 47 Sound and Speaker Problems No sound from speakers. . No sound from headphones Video and Monitor Problems . ....................... .................... .................... If the screen is blank . . . . . If the screen is difficult to read. 3 Advanced Troubleshooting Diagnostic Lights Dell Diagnostics . ............................. ............................. ..................... 49 52 53 54 54 54 55 56 56 57 58 Dell Diagnostics Main Menu . Drivers .................................. .......................... .......................... .......................... ..................... ............. ............. ............ What Is a Driver? . Identifying Drivers. Reinstalling Drivers Restoring Your Operating System . Using Microsoft Windows XP System Restore Using Dell PC Restore by Symantec . . . . . Resolving Software and Hardware Incompatibilities 4 Removing and Installing Parts Before You Begin ............................. ................. ................. ................. 59 59 59 60 61 63 65 65 68 69 Recommended Tools . . . . . . . . Turning Off Your Computer . . . . . . Before Working Inside Your Computer Front View. Back View ................................ ................................ ..................... ..................... ..................... Front-Panel Door and Hinge Arms Reattaching the Hinge Arms . Reattaching the Front Door . Opening the Computer Cover . ....................... Contents 5 Inside Your Computer ........................... ........................ 70 71 72 72 73 73 75 75 76 81 86 89 89 89 90 91 92 93 94 97 97 98 99 100 101 103 103 104 System Board Components . Memory . ................................. ............. ............. ............. ............. DDR2 Memory Overview. . . . . . . . . . . Addressing Memory With 4-GB Configurations Installing Memory . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Removing Memory . . . . . . . . . . . . . Cards ................................... .......................... .......................... PCI Cards . . . . . PCI Express Cards. Card Fan. Drives . ................................. .................................. .................... .................... General Installation Guidelines. Connecting Drive Cables . . . Hard Drive. ................................ ..................... ..................... ..................... Removing a Hard Drive . . . Installing a Hard Drive. . . . Adding a Second Hard Drive . Front-Panel Inserts Floppy Drive . ............................ ............................... ....................... ....................... Removing a Floppy Drive Installing a Floppy Drive . CD/DVD Drive ............................... ..................... ..................... Removing a CD/DVD Drive . Installing a CD/DVD Drive . Battery ................................. ........................ ....................... Replacing the Battery Closing the Computer Cover 6 Contents 5 Appendix Specifications . System Setup ............................. 107 111 111 112 113 116 117 119 119 119 119 120 120 120 121 121 121 122 122 122 123 .............................. ....................... ....................... ....................... ....................... ...................... Overview . . . . . . . Entering System Setup. System Setup Options . Boot Sequence . . . . Clearing Forgotten Passwords Clearing CMOS Settings Cleaning Your Computer ......................... ......................... .................. .................. .................. .................. ................ ........ ........ Computer, Keyboard, and Monitor Mouse . . . . . . . . . . . . . Floppy Drive . . . . . . . . . . CDs and DVDs . . . . . . . . . Dell Technical Support Policy (U.S. Only) . Definition of "Dell-Installed" Software and Peripherals Definition of "Third-Party" Software and Peripherals . FCC Notices (U.S. Only) ......................... .................... .................... .................... Class A . . . . . . . . . . . Class B . . . . . . . . . . . FCC Identification Information Contacting Dell ............................. Index ................................... 141 Contents 7 8 Contents Finding Information What Are You Looking For? · · · · · Warranty information Safety instructions Regulatory information Ergonomics information End User License Agreement Find it Here DellTM Product Information Guide · How to set up my computer Setup Diagram Finding Information 9 www.dell.com | support.dell.com What Are You Looking For? · Service Tag and Express Service Code · Microsoft Windows License Label Find it Here 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. The Express Service Code is not available in all countries. · Latest drivers for my computer · Answers to technical service and support questions · Online discussions with other users and technical support · Documentation for my computer Dell Support Website -- support.dell.com NOTE: Select your region to view the appropriate support site. The Dell Support website provides several online tools, including: · Solutions -- Troubleshooting hints and tips, articles from technicians, and online courses · 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, order status, warranty, and repair information · Downloads -- Drivers, patches, and software updates · Reference -- Computer documentation, product specifications, and white papers Windows Help and Support Center 1 Click the Start button and click Help and Support. 2 Type a word or phrase that describes your problem and click the arrow icon. 3 Click the topic that describes your problem. 4 Follow the instructions on the screen. · How to use Windows XP · Documentation for my computer · Documentation for devices (such as a modem) 10 Finding Information Setting Up and Using Your Computer Setting Up a Printer NOTICE: Complete the operating system setup before you connect a printer to the computer. See the documentation that came with the printer for setup information, including how to: · · · · Obtain and install updated drivers. Connect the printer to the computer. Load paper and install the toner or ink cartridge. Contact the printer manufacturer for technical assistance. Printer Cable Your printer connects to your computer with either a USB cable or a parallel cable. Your printer may not come with a printer cable, so if you purchase a cable separately, ensure that it is compatible with your printer. If you purchased a printer cable at the same time you purchased your computer, the cable may arrive in the computer box. Connecting a USB Printer NOTE: You can connect USB devices while the computer is turned on. 1 2 3 Complete the operating system setup, if you have not already done so. Install the printer driver if necessary. See the documentation that came with your printer. Attach the USB printer cable to the USB connectors on the computer and the printer. The USB connectors fit only one way. Setting Up and Using Your Computer 11 www.dell.com | support.dell.com USB connector on computer USB printer cable USB connector on printer Connecting a Parallel Printer 1 2 3 Complete the operating system setup, if you have not already done so. Turn off the computer (see page 59). NOTICE: For best results, use a 3-m (10-ft) or shorter parallel cable. Attach the parallel printer cable to the parallel connector on the computer and tighten the two screws. Attach the cable to the connector on the printer and snap the two clips into the two notches. 12 Setting Up and Using Your Computer parallel connector on computer connector on printer screws (2) parallel printer cable clips (2) notches (2) 4 5 Turn on the printer and then turn on the computer. If the Add New Hardware Wizard window appears, click Cancel. Install the printer driver if necessary. See the documentation that came with your printer. Connecting to the Internet NOTE: ISPs and ISP offerings vary by country. To connect to the Internet, you need a modem or network connection and an Internet service provider (ISP), such as AOL or MSN. Your ISP will offer one or more of the following Internet connection options: · · Dial-up connections that provide Internet access through a telephone line. Dial-up connections are considerably slower than DSL and cable modem connections. DSL connections that provide high-speed Internet access through your existing telephone line. With a DSL connection, you can access the Internet and use your telephone on the same line simultaneously. Cable modem connections that provide high-speed Internet access through your local cable TV line. · If you are using a dial-up connection, connect a telephone line to the modem connector on your computer and to the telephone wall jack before you set up your Internet connection. If you are using a DSL or cable modem connection, contact your ISP for setup instructions. Setting Up and Using Your Computer 13 www.dell.com | support.dell.com Setting Up Your Internet Connection To set up an AOL or MSN connection: 1 2 3 Save and close any open files, and exit any open programs. Double-click the MSN Explorer or AOL icon on the Microsoft® Windows® desktop. Follow the instructions on the screen to complete the setup. If you do not have an MSN Explorer or AOL icon on your desktop or if you want to set up an Internet connection with a different ISP: 1 2 3 4 Save and close any open files, and exit any open programs. Click the Start button and click Internet Explorer. The New Connection Wizard appears. Click Connect to the Internet. In the next window, click the appropriate option: · · · If you do not have an ISP and want to select one, click Choose from a list of Internet service providers (ISPs). If you have already obtained setup information from your ISP but you did not receive a setup CD, click Set up my connection manually. If you have a CD, click Use the CD I got from an ISP. 5 Click Next. If you selected Set up my connection manually, continue to step 6. Otherwise, follow the instructions on the screen to complete the setup. NOTE: If you do not know which type of connection to select, contact your ISP. 6 7 Click the appropriate option under How do you want to connect to the Internet?, and then click Next. Use the setup information provided by your ISP to complete the setup. If you are having problems connecting to the Internet, see "E-Mail, Modem, and Internet Problems" on page 35. If you cannot connect to the Internet but have successfully connected in the past, the ISP might have a service outage. Contact your ISP to check the service status, or try connecting again later. 14 Setting Up and Using Your Computer Playing CDs or DVDs NOTICE: Do not press down on the CD or DVD tray when you open or close it. Keep the tray closed when you are not using the drive. NOTICE: Do not move the computer when you are playing CDs or DVDs. 1 2 Press the eject button on the front of the drive. Place the disc, label side up, in the center of the tray. 3 Press the eject button or gently push in the tray. To format CDs for storing data, to create music CDs, or to copy CDs, see the CD software that came with your computer. NOTE: Ensure that you follow all copyright laws when you create CDs. A CD player includes the following basic buttons: Play. Move backward within the current track. Pause. Move forward within the current track. Setting Up and Using Your Computer 15 www.dell.com | support.dell.com Stop. Go to the previous track. Eject. Go to the next track. A DVD player includes the following basic buttons: Stop. Restart the current chapter. Play. Fast forward. Pause. Fast reverse. Advance a single frame while in pause mode. Go to the next title or chapter. Continuously play the current title or chapter. Go to the previous title or chapter. Eject. For more information on playing CDs or DVDs, click Help on the CD or DVD player (if available). Adjusting the Volume NOTE: When the speakers are muted, you do not hear the CD or DVD playing. 1 2 Click the Start button, point to All Programs Accessories Entertainment, and then click Volume Control. In the Volume Control window, click and drag the bar in the Volume Control column and slide it up or down to increase or decrease the volume. For more information on volume control options, click Help in the Volume Control window. 16 Setting Up and Using Your Computer Adjusting the Picture If an error message notifies you that the current resolution and color depth are using too much memory and preventing DVD playback, adjust the display properties. 1 2 3 4 5 6 Click the Start button and click Control Panel. Under Pick a category, click Appearance and Themes. Under Pick a task..., click Change the screen resolution. In the Display Properties window, click and drag the bar in Screen resolution to change the setting to 800 by 600 pixels. Click the drop-down menu under Color quality, and then click Medium (16 bit). Click OK. Copying CDs and DVDs NOTE: Ensure that you follow all copyright laws when you create CDs or DVDs. This section applies only to computers that have a CD-R, CD-RW, DVD+RW, DVD+R, or DVD/CD-RW combo drive. NOTE: The types of CD or DVD drives offered by Dell may vary by country. The following instructions show how to make an exact copy of a CD or DVD. You can also use Sonic RecordNow for other purposes, including creating CDs from audio files on your computer and creating MP3 CDs. For instructions, see the Sonic RecordNow documentation that came with your computer. Open Sonic RecordNow, click the question mark icon in the upper-right corner of the window, and then click RecordNow Help or RecordNow Tutorial. How to Copy a CD or DVD NOTE: If you have a DVD/CD-RW combo drive and you experience recording problems, check for available software patches at the Sonic support website at support.sonic.com. Currently, five DVD-writable disc formats are available: DVD+R, DVD+RW, DVD-R, DVD-RW, and DVD-RAM. The DVD-writable drives installed in DellTM computers can write to DVD+R and DVD+RW media, and can read DVD-R and DVD-RW media. However, DVD-writable drives do not write to and might not read DVD-RAM media. In addition, commercially available DVD players for home theater systems might not read all five formats. NOTE: Most commercial DVDs have copyright protection and cannot be copied using Sonic RecordNow. 1 2 3 Click the Start button, point to All Programs Sonic RecordNow!, and then click RecordNow! Click either the audio tab or the data tab, depending on the kind of CD or DVD you want to copy. Click Exact Copy. Setting Up and Using Your Computer 17 www.dell.com | support.dell.com 4 To copy the CD or DVD: · If you have one CD or DVD drive, ensure that the settings are correct and click Copy. The computer reads your source CD or DVD and copies it to a temporary folder on your computer hard drive. When prompted, insert a blank CD or DVD into the CD or DVD drive and click OK. · If you have two CD or DVD drives, select the drive into which you have inserted your source CD or DVD and click Copy. The computer copies the data on the CD or DVD to the blank CD or DVD. Once you have finished copying the source CD or DVD, the CD or DVD that you have created automatically ejects. Using Blank CD-Rs and CD-RWs Your CD-RW drive can write to two different types of recording media--CD-Rs and CD-RWs (including high-speed CD-RWs). Use blank CD-Rs to record music or permanently store data files. After creating a CD-R, you cannot write to that CD-R again (see the Sonic documentation for more information). Use blank CD-RWs to write to CDs or to erase, rewrite, or update data on CDs. Your DVD-writable drive can write to four different types of recording media--CD-Rs, CD-RWs (including high-speed CD-RWs), DVD+Rs, and DVD+RWs. Blank DVD+Rs can be used to permanently store large amounts of information. After you create a DVD+R disc, you may not be able to write to that disc again if the disc is "finalized" or "closed" during the final stage of the disc creation process. Use blank DVD+RWs if you plan to erase, rewrite, or update information on that disc later. Helpful Tips · · · · · Use Microsoft® Windows® Explorer to drag and drop files to a CD-R or CD-RW only after you start Sonic RecordNow and open a RecordNow project. You must use CD-Rs to burn music CDs that you want to play in regular stereos. CD-RWs do not play in most home or car stereos. You cannot create audio DVDs with Sonic RecordNow. Music MP3 files can be played only on MP3 players or on computers that have MP3 software installed. Do not burn a blank CD-R or CD-RW to its maximum capacity; for example, do not copy a 650-MB file to a 650-MB blank CD. The CD-RW drive needs 1 or 2 MB of the blank CD to finalize the recording. Use a blank CD-RW to practice CD recording until you are familiar with CD recording techniques. If you make a mistake, you can erase the data on the CD-RW and try again. You can also use blank CD-RWs to test music file projects before you record the project permanently to a blank CD-R. · See the Sonic support website at support.sonic.com for additional information. 18 Setting Up and Using Your Computer Connecting Two Monitors CAUTION: Before you begin any of the procedures in this section, follow the safety instructions located in the Product Information Guide. NOTE: If you are connecting two monitors that have VGA connectors, you must have the optional DVI adapter. If you are connecting two flat-panel monitors, at least one of them must have a VGA connector. If you are connecting a TV, you may connect only one monitor (VGA or DVI) in addition to the TV. If you purchased a graphics card that supports dual monitors, follow these instructions to connect and enable your monitors. The instructions tell you how to connect either two monitors (each with a VGA connector), one monitor with a VGA connector and one monitor with a DVI connector, or a TV. Connecting Two Monitors With VGA Connectors 1 Follow the procedures in "Before You Begin" on page 59. NOTE: If your computer has integrated video, do not connect either monitor to the integrated video connector. If the integrated video connector is covered by a cap, do not remove the cap to connect the monitor or the monitor will not function. 2 3 Connect one of the monitors to the VGA (blue) connector on the back of the computer. Connect the other monitor to the optional DVI adapter and connect the DVI adapter to the DVI (white) connector on the back of the computer. optional DVI adapter DVI (white) connector TV-OUT connector VGA (blue) connector Setting Up and Using Your Computer 19 www.dell.com | support.dell.com Connecting One Monitor With a VGA connector and One Monitor With a DVI Connector 1 2 3 Follow the procedures in "Before You Begin" on page 59. Connect the VGA connector on the monitor to the VGA (blue) connector on the back of the computer. Connect the DVI connector on the other monitor to the DVI (white) connector on the back of the computer. Connecting a TV NOTE: To connect a TV to your computer, you must purchase an S-video cable, which is available at most consumer electronics stores. An S-video cable is not included with your computer. 1 2 3 4 Follow the procedures in "Before You Begin" on page 59. Connect one end of the S-video cable to the TV-OUT connector on the back of the computer. Connect the other end of the S-video cable to the S-video input connector on your TV. Connect the VGA or DVI monitor. Changing the Display Settings 1 2 After you connect the monitor(s) or TV, turn on the computer. The Microsoft® Windows® desktop displays on the primary monitor. Enable clone mode or extended desktop mode in the display settings. · · In clone mode, both monitors display the same image. In extended desktop mode, you can drag objects from one screen to the other, effectively doubling the amount of viewable work space. For information on changing the display settings for your graphics card, see the user's guide in the Help and Support Center (click the Start button, click Help and Support, click User and system guides, click Device guides, and then click the guide for your graphics card). About Your RAID Configuration This section provides an overview of the RAID configuration that you might have selected when you purchased your computer. Although several RAID configurations are available, Dell offers either RAID level 0 or RAID level 1 for its Dimension computers. A RAID level 0 configuration is recommended for high-performance gaming, and a RAID level 1 configuration is recommended for the data integrity requirements of digital photography and audio. The Intel RAID controller on your computer can only create a RAID volume using two physical drives. If a third drive is present, then that drive cannot be made part of a RAID volume using the Intel RAID configuration program, although it can be used as a spare drive in a RAID 1 configuration (see "Creating a Spare Hard Drive" on page 27). However, if four drives are present in 20 Setting Up and Using Your Computer your computer, then each pair of drives can be made into RAID level 0 or RAID level 1 volumes. The drives should be the same size in order to ensure that the larger drive does not contain unallocated (and therefore unusable) space. NOTE: RAID levels do not represent a hierarchy. A RAID level 1 configuration is not inherently better or worse than a RAID level 0 configuration. RAID Level 0 RAID level 0 uses a storage technique known as "data striping" to provide a high data access rate. Data striping is a method of writing consecutive segments, or stripes, of data sequentially across the physical drives to create a large virtual drive. Data striping allows one of the drives to read data while the other drive is searching for and reading the next block. serial ATA RAID configured for RAID level 0 segment 1 segment 3 segment 5 hard drive 1 segment 2 segment 4 segment 6 hard drive 2 Another advantage of a RAID level 0 configuration is that it utilizes the full capacities of the drives. For example, if you have two 120-GB drives installed, you have 240 GB on which to store data. NOTICE: Because RAID level 0 provides no data redundancy, if one drive fails, then the data on the other drive is also inaccessible. Therefore, ensure that you perform regular backups when you use a RAID level 0 configuration. RAID Level 1 RAID level 1 uses a data-redundancy storage technique known as "mirroring." When data is written to the primary drive, it is then duplicated, or mirrored, on the other drive. A RAID level 1 configuration sacrifices high data access rates for its data redundancy advantages. Setting Up and Using Your Computer 21 www.dell.com | support.dell.com serial ATA RAID configured for RAID level 1 segment 1 segment 2 segment 3 segment 4 segment 5 segment 6 hard drive 1 segment 1 duplicated segment 2 duplicated segment 3 duplicated segment 4 duplicated segment 5 duplicated segment 6 duplicated hard drive 2 If a drive failure occurs, subsequent read and write operations are directed to the surviving drive. A replacement drive can then be rebuilt using the data from the surviving drive. Also, because data is duplicated on both drives, two 120-GB RAID level 1 drives collectively have a maximum of 120-GB on which to store data. Configuring Your Computer for RAID At some point you may want to configure your computer for RAID if you did not select a RAID configuration when you purchased your computer. You must have at least two hard drives installed in your computer to set up a RAID configuration. For instructions on how to install a hard drive, see page 92. You can use one of two methods to configure RAID hard drive volumes. One method uses the Intel(R) Option ROM utility, and is performed before you install the operating system onto the hard drive. The second method uses the Intel Application Accelerator, or Intel Storage Utility, and this method is performed after you have installed the operating system and the Intel Storage Utility. Both methods require that you set your computer to RAID-enabled mode before starting any of the RAID configuration procedures in this document. Setting Your Computer to RAID-Enabled Mode 1 2 3 4 Enter system setup (see page 112). Use the up- and down-arrow keys to highlight Drives, and press . Use the up- and down-arrow keys to highlight Drive Controller, and press . Use the left- and right-arrow keys to highlight RAID On, press , and then press . 22 Setting Up and Using Your Computer 5 Use the left- and right-arrow keys to highlight Save/Exit, and press to exit system setup and resume the boot process. Configuring for RAID Using the Intel(R) Option ROM Utility NOTE: Although any size drives may be used to create a RAID configuration using the Intel Option ROM utility, ideally the drives should be of equal size. In a RAID level 0 configuration, the size of the array will be the size of the smallest disk multiplied by the number (two) of disks in the array. In a RAID level 1 configuration, the size of the array will be the smaller of the two disks used. Creating a RAID Level 0 Configuration NOTICE: You will lose any data on your hard drives when you create a RAID configuration using the following procedure. Back up data you want to keep before continuing. NOTE: The following procedure should only be used if you are reinstalling your operating system. The following procedure should not be used to migrate an existing storage configuration to RAID 0. 1 2 3 4 5 6 Set your computer to RAID-enabled mode (see page 22). Press when you are prompted to enter the Intel(R) RAID Option ROM utility. Use the up- and down-arrow keys to highlight Create RAID Volume, and press . Enter a RAID volume name or accept the default, and press . Use the up- and down-arrow keys to select RAID0(Stripe), and press . If there are more than two hard disks available, use the up- and down-arrow keys and space bar to select the two disks you want to use to make up your array, and then press . NOTE: Select the strip size closest to the size of the average file you want to store on the RAID volume. If you do not know the average file size, choose 128 as your strip size. 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 Use the up- and down-arrow keys to change the strip size, and press . Select the desired capacity for the volume, and press . The default value is the maximum available size. Press to create the volume. Press to confirm that you want to create the RAID volume. Confirm that the correct volume configuration is displayed on the main Intel Option ROM screen. Use the up- and down-arrow keys to select Exit, and press . Install the operating system. Creating a RAID Level 1 Configuration 1 2 3 Set your computer to RAID-enabled mode (see page 22). Press when you are prompted to enter Intel RAID Option ROM. Use the up- and down-arrow keys to highlight Create RAID Volume, and press . Setting Up and Using Your Computer 23 www.dell.com | support.dell.com 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 Enter a RAID volume name or accept the default, and press . Use the up- and down-arrow keys to select RAID1(Mirror), and press . If there are more than two hard disks available, use the up- and down-arrow keys and space bar to select the two disks you want to use to make up your array, and then press . Select the desired capacity for the volume, and press . The default value is the maximum available size. Press to create the volume. Press to confirm that you want to create the RAID volume. Confirm that the correct volume configuration is displayed on the main Intel Option ROM screen. Use the up- and down-arrow keys to select Exit, and press . Install the operating system. Deleting a RAID Volume NOTE: When you perform this operation, all data on the RAID drives will be lost. NOTE: If your computer currently boots to RAID and you delete the RAID volume in the Intel RAID Option ROM, your computer will become unbootable. 1 2 3 4 5 Press when you are prompted to enter the Intel RAID Option ROM utility. Use the up- and down-arrow keys to highlight Delete RAID Volume, and press . Use the up- and down-arrow keys to highlight the RAID volume you want to delete, and press . Press to confirm the deletion of the RAID volume. Press to exit the Intel Option ROM utility. Configuring for RAID Using the Intel(R) Application Accelerator If you already have one hard drive with the operating system installed on it, and you want to add a second hard drive and reconfigure both drives into a RAID volume without losing the existing operating system and any data, you need to use the migrating option (see "Migrating to a RAID 0 Volume" on page 26 or "Migrating to a RAID 1 Volume" on page 27). Create a RAID 0 Volume or RAID 1 Volume only when: · · You are adding two new drives to an existing single-drive computer (and the operating system is on the single drive), and you want to configure the two new drives into a RAID volume. You already have a two-hard drive computer configured into an array, but you still have some space left on the array that you want to designate as a second RAID volume. 24 Setting Up and Using Your Computer Creating a RAID 0 Volume NOTE: When you perform this operation, all data on the RAID drives will be lost. 1 2 Set your computer to RAID-enabled mode (see page 22). Click Start and point to Programs Intel(R) Application Accelerator Intel Application Accelerator to launch the Intel(R) Storage Utility. NOTE: If you do not see an Actions menu option, you have not yet set your computer to RAID-enabled mode (see page 22). 3 4 On the Actions menu, select Create RAID Volume to launch the Create RAID Volume Wizard, and then click Next. On the Select Volume Location screen, click the first hard drive you want to include in your RAID 0 volume, and then click the right arrow. Click a second hard drive until two drives appear in the Selected window, and then click Next. In the Specify Volume Size window, click the Volume Size desired, and then click Next. Click Finish to create the volume, or click Back to make changes. 5 6 Creating a RAID 1 Volume NOTE: When you perform this operation, all data on the RAID drives will be lost. 1 2 Set your computer to RAID-enabled mode (see page 22). Click the Start button and point to Programs Intel(R) Application Accelerator Intel Application Accelerator to launch the Intel(R) Storage Utility. NOTE: If you do not see an Actions menu option, you have not yet set your computer to RAID-enabled mode (see page 22). 3 4 5 6 On the Actions menu, select Create RAID Volume to launch the Create RAID Volume Wizard. Click Next at the first screen. Confirm the volume name, select RAID 1 as the RAID level, and then click Next to continue. On the Select Volume Location screen, click the first hard drive you want to use to create your RAID 0 volume, and then click the right arrow. Click a second hard drive until two drives appear in the Selected window, and then click Next. In the Specify Volume Size window, select the Volume Size desired and click Next. Click Finish to create the volume, or click Back to make changes. Follow Microsoft Windows procedures for creating a partition on the new RAID volume. 7 8 9 Setting Up and Using Your Computer 25 www.dell.com | support.dell.com Deleting a RAID Volume NOTE: While this procedure deletes the RAID 1 volume, it also splits the RAID 1 volume into two nonRAID hard drives with a partition, and leaves any existing data files intact. Deleting a RAID 0 volume, however, destroys all data on the volume. 1 2 3 4 5 Click the Start button and point to Programs Intel(R) Application Accelerator Intel Application Accelerator to launch the Intel(R) Storage Utility. Right-click the Volume icon of the RAID volume you want to delete, and select Delete Volume. On the Delete RAID Volume Wizard screen, click Next. Highlight the RAID volume you want to delete in the Available box, click the right-arrow button to move the highlighted RAID volume into the Selected box, and then click Next. Click Finish to delete the volume. Migrating to a RAID 0 Volume 1 2 Set your computer to RAID-enabled mode (see page 22). Click the Start button and point to All Programs Intel(R) Application Accelerator Intel Application Accelerator to launch the Intel(R) Storage Utility. NOTE: If you do not see an Actions menu option, you have not yet set your computer to RAID-enabled mode (see page 22). 3 4 5 6 On the Actions menu, select Create RAID Volume From Existing Hard Drive to launch the Migration Wizard. Click Next on the Migration Wizard screen. Enter a RAID volume name or accept the default. From the drop-down box, select RAID 0 as the RAID level. NOTE: Select the strip size closest to the size of the average file you want to store on the RAID volume. If you do not know the average file size, choose 128 as your strip size. 7 Select the appropriate strip size from the drop-down box, and then click Next. NOTE: Select the hard drive that you want to use as your source hard drive (it should be the hard drive containing the data or operating system files that you want to keep on the RAID volume). 8 9 10 On the Select Source Hard Drive screen, double-click the hard drive from which you want to migrate, and click Next. On the Select Member Hard Drive screen, double-click the hard drive to select the member drive to span the stripe array, and click Next. On the Specify Volume Size screen, select the Volume Size you want, and click Next. 26 Setting Up and Using Your Computer NOTE: In the following step, you will lose all data contained on the member drive. 11 Click Finish to start migrating, or click Back to make changes. You can use your computer normally during the migration process. Migrating to a RAID 1 Volume 1 2 Set your computer to RAID-enabled mode (see page 22). Click the Start button and point to All Programs Intel(R) Application Accelerator Intel Application Accelerator to launch the Intel(R) Storage Utility. NOTE: If you do not see an Actions menu option, you have not yet set your computer to RAID-enabled mode (see page 22). 3 4 5 6 On the Actions menu, click Create RAID Volume From Existing Hard Drive to launch the Migration Wizard. Click Next on the first Migration Wizard screen. Enter a RAID volume name or accept the default. From the drop-down box, select RAID 1 as the RAID level. NOTE: Select the hard drive that already has the data or operating system files that you want to maintain on the RAID volume as your source hard drive. 7 8 9 10 On the Select Source Hard Drive screen, double-click the hard drive from which you want to migrate, and click Next. On the Select Member Hard Drive screen, double-click the hard drive to select the member drive that you want to act as the mirror in the array, and click Next. On the Specify Volume Size screen, select the volume size you want, and click Next. NOTE: In the following step, you will lose all data contained on the member drive. Click Finish to start migrating, or click Back to make changes. You can use your computer normally during migration process. Creating a Spare Hard Drive A spare hard drive may be created with a RAID 1 array. The spare hard drive will not be recognized by the operating system, but you will be able to see the spare drive from within Disk Manager or the Intel Option ROM Utility. When a member of the RAID 1 array is broken, the computer automatically rebuilds the mirror array using the spare hard drive as the broken member's replacement. To Mark a Drive as a Spare Hard Drive: 1 2 3 Click the Start button and point to Programs Intel(R) Application Accelerator Intel Application Accelerator to launch the Intel(R) Storage Utility. Right-click the hard drive you want to mark as a spare hard drive. Click Mark as Spare. Setting Up and Using Your Computer 27 www.dell.com | support.dell.com To Remove Spare Marking From a Spare Hard Drive: 1 2 Right-click the spare hard drive icon. Click Reset Hard Drive to Non-RAID Rebuilding a Degraded RAID 1 Volume If your computer does not have a spare hard drive, and the computer has reported a degraded RAID 1 volume, you can manually rebuild the computer's redundancy mirror to a new hard drive by performing the following steps: 1 2 3 Click the Start button and point to Programs Intel(R) Application Accelerator Intel Application Accelerator to launch the Intel(R) Storage Utility. Right-click the available hard drive to which you want to rebuild the RAID 1 volume, and click Rebuild to this Disk. You can use your computer while the computer is rebuilding the RAID 1 volume. Setting Up a Home and Office Network Connecting to a Network Adapter NOTE: Plug the network cable into the network adapter connector on the computer. Do not plug the network cable into the modem connector on the computer. Do not plug a network cable into a telephone wall jack. 1 2 Connect the network cable to the network adapter connector on the back of your computer. Insert the cable until it clicks into place, and then gently pull it to ensure that it is secure. Connect the other end of the network cable to a network device. network device network adapter connector network adapter connector on computer network cable 28 Setting Up and Using Your Computer Network Setup Wizard The Microsoft® Windows® XP operating system provides a Network Setup Wizard to guide you through the process of sharing files, printers, or an Internet connection between computers in a home or small office. 1 2 3 Click the Start button, point to All Programs Accessories Communications, and then click Network Setup Wizard. On the welcome screen, click Next. Click Checklist for creating a network. NOTE: Selecting the connection method This computer connects directly to the Internet enables the integrated firewall provided with Windows XP Service Pack 1 (SP1). 4 5 Complete the checklist and required preparations. Return to the Network Setup Wizard and follow the instructions on the screen. Power Management Overview The Microsoft® Windows® XP power management features can reduce the amount of electricity your computer uses when it is on and you are not using it. You can reduce power to just the monitor or the hard drive, or you can use standby mode or hibernate mode to reduce power to the entire computer. When the computer exits from a power conservation mode, the Windows desktop is restored to the state it was in before it entered the mode. NOTE: Windows XP Professional includes security and networking features not available in Windows XP Home Edition. When a Windows XP Professional computer is connected to a network, different options related to security and networking appear in certain windows. Standby Mode Standby mode conserves power by turning off the display and the hard drive after a time-out. When the computer exits from standby mode, it returns to the operating state it was in before it entered standby mode. To set standby mode to automatically activate after a defined period of inactivity: 1 2 3 Click the Start button and click Control Panel. Under Pick a category, click Performance and Maintenance. Under or pick a Control Panel icon, click Power Options. To immediately activate standby mode without a period of inactivity, click the Start button, click Turn Off Computer, and then click Stand by. To exit from standby mode, press a key on the keyboard or move the mouse. NOTICE: If your computer loses power while in standby mode, it may lose data. Setting Up and Using Your Computer 29 www.dell.com | support.dell.com Hibernate Mode Hibernate mode conserves power by copying system data to a reserved area on the hard drive and then completely turning off the computer. When the computer exits from hibernate mode, the desktop is restored to the state it was in before it entered hibernate mode. To activate hibernate mode: 1 2 3 4 Click the Start button and click Control Panel. Under Pick a category, click Performance and Maintenance. Under or pick a Control Panel icon, click Power Options. Define your hibernate settings on the Power Schemes tab, Advanced tab, and Hibernate tab. To exit from hibernate mode, press the power button. The computer may take a short time to exit from hibernate mode. Pressing a key on the keyboard or moving the mouse does not bring the computer out of hibernation, because the keyboard and the mouse do not function when the computer is in hibernate mode. Because hibernate mode requires a special file on your hard drive with enough disk space to store the contents of the computer memory, Dell creates an appropriately sized hibernate mode file before shipping the computer to you. If the computer's hard drive becomes corrupted, Windows XP recreates the hibernate file automatically. Power Options Properties Define your standby mode settings, hibernate mode settings, and other power settings in the Power Options Properties window. To access the Power Options Properties window: 1 2 3 4 Click the Start button and click Control Panel. Under Pick a category, click Performance and Maintenance. Under or pick a Control Panel icon, click Power Options. Define your power settings on the Power Schemes tab, Advanced tab, and Hibernate tab. Power Schemes Tab Each standard power setting is called a scheme. If you want to select one of the standard Windows schemes installed on your computer, choose a scheme from the Power schemes drop-down menu. The settings for each scheme appear in the fields below the scheme name. Each scheme has different settings for starting standby mode or hibernate mode, turning off the monitor, and turning off the hard drive. The Power schemes drop-down menu displays the following schemes: · · · 30 Always On (default) -- If you want to use your computer with no power conservation. Home/Office Desk -- If you use your computer as a home or office computer and you require minimal power conservation. Portable/Laptop -- If your computer is a portable computer that you use for traveling. Setting Up and Using Your Computer · · · Presentation -- If you want your computer to run without interruption (using no power conservation). Minimal Power Management -- If you want your computer to run with minimal power conservation. Max Battery -- If your computer is a portable computer and you run your computer from batteries for extended periods of time. If you want to change the default settings for a scheme, click the drop-down menu in the Turn off monitor, Turn off hard disks, System stand by, or System hibernates field, and then select a timeout from the displayed list. Changing the time-out for a scheme field permanently changes the default settings for that scheme, unless you click Save As and enter a new name for the changed scheme. NOTICE: If you set the hard drive (hard disk) to time-out before the monitor does, your computer may appear to be locked up. To recover, press any key on the keyboard or click the mouse. To avoid this problem, always set the monitor to time-out before the hard drive. Advanced Tab The Advanced tab allows you to: · · · Place the power options icon in the Windows taskbar for quick access. Set the computer to prompt you for your Windows password before the computer exits from standby mode or hibernate mode. Program the power button to activate standby mode, activate hibernate mode, or turn off the computer. To program these functions, click an option from the corresponding drop-down menu and click OK. Hibernate Tab The Hibernate tab allows you to enable hibernate mode. If you want to use the hibernate settings you defined on the Power Schemes tab, click the Enable hibernate support check box on the Hibernate tab. For more information on power management options: 1 2 3 Click the Start button and click Help and Support. In the Help and Support window, click Performance and maintenance. In the Performance and maintenance window, click Conserving power on your computer. Hyper-Threading Hyper-Threading is an Intel® technology that can enhance overall computer performance by allowing one physical processor to function as two logical processors, capable of performing certain tasks simultaneously. It is recommended that you use the Microsoft® Windows® XP Service Pack 1 Setting Up and Using Your Computer 31 www.dell.com | support.dell.com (SP1) or later operating system because Windows XP is optimized to take advantage of Hyper-Threading technology. While many programs can benefit from Hyper-Threading, 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 about using Hyper-Threading with your software. To determine if your computer is using Hyper-Threading technology: 1 2 3 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 Processors. If Hyper-Threading is enabled, the processor is listed twice. You can enable or disable Hyper-Threading through system setup. For more information on accessing system setup, see page 111. For more information on Hyper-Threading, search the Knowledge Base on the Dell Support website at support.dell.com. 32 Setting Up and Using Your Computer Solving Problems Troubleshooting Tips Follow these tips when you troubleshoot your computer: · · · · If you added or removed a part before the problem started, review the installation procedures and ensure that the part is correctly installed. If a peripheral device does not work, ensure that the device is properly connected. If an error message appears on the screen, write down the exact message. This message may help technical support personnel diagnose and fix the problem(s). If an error message occurs in a program, see the program's documentation. Battery Problems CAUTION: There is a danger of a new battery exploding if it is incorrectly installed. Replace the battery only with the same or equivalent type recommended by the manufacturer. Discard used batteries according to the manufacturer's instructions. CAUTION: Before you begin any of the procedures in this section, follow the safety instructions located in the Product Information Guide. R E P L A C E T H E B A T T E R Y -- If you have to repeatedly reset time and date information after turning on the computer, or if an incorrect time or date displays during start-up, replace the battery (see page 103). If the battery still does not work properly, contact Dell (see page 123). Card Fan Problems CAUTION: Before you begin any of the procedures in this section, follow the safety instructions located in the Product Information Guide. C H E C K T H E C A B L E C O N N E C T I O N S -- Ensure that the card fan cable is connected firmly to the card fan connector on the system board (see page 71).