Dell Inspiron 531 Page 61 Owner'S Manual Download

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Solving Problems

Summary of Contents for Inspiron 531

Page 1: ...w w w d e l l c o m s u p p o r t d e l l c o m Dell Inspiron 531 Owner s Manual Model DCMA ...

Page 2: ...ll Inc is strictly forbidden Trademarks used in this text Dell the DELL logo YOURS IS HERE Inspiron Dell TravelLite and Strike Zone are trademarks of Dell Inc Bluetooth is a registered trademark owned by Bluetooth SIG Inc and is used by Dell under license Microsoft Windows Windows Vista and Windows Vista start button logo are either trademarks or registered trademarks of Microsoft Corporation in t...

Page 3: ...Your Computer in an Enclosure 20 Setting Up a Printer 22 Printer Cable 22 Connecting a USB Printer 22 Playing CDs and DVDs 24 Adjusting the Volume 25 Adjusting the Picture 26 Copying CDs and DVDs 27 How to Copy a CD or DVD 27 Using Blank CDs and DVDs 28 Helpful Tips 29 Using a Media Card Reader Optional 30 Connecting Two Monitors 31 Connecting Two Monitors With VGA Connectors 31 ...

Page 4: ...Management Options in Windows Vista 36 Standby Mode 37 Hibernate Mode 38 Power Plan Properties 38 Enabling Cool n Quiet Technology 40 About RAID Configurations For Windows Vista only 40 RAID Level 1 Configuration 41 Configuring Your Hard Drives for RAID 42 Using the Nvidia MediaShield ROM Utility 43 Using Nvidia MediaShield 44 Transferring Information to a New Computer 44 Setting Up a Home and Off...

Page 5: ... and Software Problems 58 The computer does not start up 58 The computer stops responding 59 A program stops responding 59 A program crashes repeatedly 59 A program is designed for an earlier Microsoft Windows operating system 60 A solid blue screen appears 60 Other software problems 61 Media Card Reader Problems 62 Memory Problems 63 Mouse Problems 64 Network Problems 65 Power Problems 66 Printer...

Page 6: ... Use the Dell Diagnostics 80 Starting the Dell Diagnostics From Your Hard Drive 80 Starting the Dell Diagnostics From the Drivers and Utilities Media 81 Dell Diagnostics Main Menu 81 Drivers 83 What is a Driver 83 Identifying Drivers 84 Reinstalling Drivers and Utilities 84 Resolving Software and Hardware Incompatibilities 87 Restoring Your Operating System 88 Using Microsoft Windows System Restor...

Page 7: ...r Pin Assignments 104 Memory 107 Memory Installation Guidelines 108 Installing Memory 109 Removing Memory 111 Cards 111 PCI and PCI Express Cards 112 Bezel 118 Removing the Bezel 118 Replacing the Bezel 119 Drives 120 Recommended Drive Cable Connections 121 Connecting Drive Cables 121 Drive Interface Connectors 121 Connecting and Disconnecting Drive Cables 122 Hard Drives 122 Installing a Second H...

Page 8: ... Processor 148 I O Panel 151 Removing the I O Panel 151 Installing the I O Panel 152 Processor Fan 154 Removing the Processor Fan 154 Installing the Processor Fan 157 Chassis Fan 159 Removing the Chassis Fan 160 Replacing the Chassis Fan 161 System Board 162 Removing the System Board 162 Installing the System Board 164 Replacing the Computer Cover 164 ...

Page 9: ...9 Computer Keyboard and Monitor 179 Mouse 179 Floppy Drive 180 CDs and DVDs 180 Dell Technical Support Policy U S Only 180 Definition of Dell Installed Software and Peripherals 181 Definition of Third Party Software and Peripherals 181 FCC Notice U S Only 181 FCC Class B 181 Getting Help 183 Obtaining Assistance 183 Technical Support and Customer Service 183 DellConnect 184 Online Services 184 Aut...

Page 10: ...10 Contents Problems With Your Order 185 Product Information 185 Returning Items for Warranty Repair or Credit 186 Before You Call 186 Contacting Dell 188 Glossary 189 Index 205 ...

Page 11: ...nal information may ship with your computer What Are You Looking For Find it Here Warranty information Terms and Conditions U S only Safety instructions Regulatory information Ergonomics information End User License Agreement Dell Product Information Guide How to set up my computer Setup Diagram NOTE See the setup diagram that came with your system NOTE The appearance of your setup diagram may var...

Page 12: ...ter Use the Service Tag to identify your computer when you use support dell com or contact support Enter the Express Service Code to direct your call when contacting support NOTE As an increased security measure the newly designed Microsoft Windows license label incorporates a missing portion or hole to discourage removal of the label What Are You Looking For Find it Here ...

Page 13: ...te NOTE Corporate government and education customers can also use the customized Dell Premier Support website at premier support dell com Desktop System Software DSS If you reinstall the operating system for your computer you should also reinstall the DSS utility DSS provides critical updates for your operating system and support for Dell 3 5 inch USB floppy drives optical drives and USB devices D...

Page 14: ... 1 To access Windows Help and Support In Windows XP click Start and click Help and Support In Windows Vista click the Windows Vista start button and click Help and Support 2 Type a word or phrase that describes your problem and press Enter 3 Click the topic that describes your problem 4 Follow the instructions on the screen What Are You Looking For Find it Here ...

Page 15: ...r Use the Service Tag to identify your computer when you access the Dell Support website or call technical support 2 CD or DVD drive Use the CD DVD drive for playing a CD DVD 3 CD or DVD drive panel This panel covers the CD DVD drive Shown in open position 4 CD or DVD eject button Press to eject a disk from the CD or DVD drive 1 2 4 5 7 3 6 8 9 10 11 12 14 13 ...

Page 16: ...digital video cameras 10 headphone connector Use the headphone connector to attach headphones and most kinds of speakers 11 microphone connector Use the microphone connector to attach a personal computer microphone for voice or musical input into a sound or telephony program On computers with a sound card the microphone connector is on the card 12 front panel door grip Slide up the front panel doo...

Page 17: ...and PCI Express cards 5 padlock rings Padlock rings are for attaching a commercially available theft deterrent device The padlock rings allows you to secure the computer cover to the chassis with a padlock to prevent unauthorized access to the inside of the computer To use the padlock rings insert a commercially available padlock through the rings and then lock the padlock 6 security cable slot Se...

Page 18: ...d of the network cable to the network adapter connector on the back panel of your computer A click indicates that the network cable has been securely attached NOTE Do not plug a telephone cable into the network connector On computers with a network connector card use the connector on the card It is recommended that you use Category 5 wiring and connectors for your network If you must use Category ...

Page 19: ...eakers with integrated amplifiers On computers with a sound card use the connector on the card 7 microphone Use the pink connector to attach a personal computer microphone for voice or musical input into a sound or telephony program On computers with a sound card the microphone connector is on the card 8 side L R surround connector Use the gray connector to provide enhanced surround audio for comp...

Page 20: ...t room temperature is at 25 C 77 F depending on your computer s specifications you only have 5 to 10 C 9 to 18 F temperature margin before you reach your computer s maximum operating temperature For details about your computer s specifications see Specifications on page 167 Leave a 10 2 cm 4 inches minimum clearance on all vented sides of the computer to permit the airflow required for proper vent...

Page 21: ...Setting Up and Using Your Computer 21 Do not install your computer in an enclosure that does not allow airflow Restricting the airflow impacts your computer s performance possibly causing it to overheat ...

Page 22: ... 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 and computer If you purchased a printer cable at the same time you purchased your computer the cable may arrive in the computer s shipping box Connecting a USB Printer NO...

Page 23: ...tem and the Add New Hardware Wizard window appears click Cancel Windows XP Click Start Control Panel Printers and Faxes Add a printer to start the Add Printer Wizard Windows Vista Click Start and click Network Add a printer to start the Add Printer Wizard 5 Install the printer driver if necessary See Reinstalling Drivers and Utilities on page 84 and the documentation that came with your printer 1 ...

Page 24: ...the front of the drive 2 Place the disc label side up in the center of the tray 3 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 ...

Page 25: ... the Master Volume 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 Windows Vista 1 Click Start point to Control Panel Hardware and Sound Sound and then click Adjust System Volume 2 In the Volume Mixer window click and drag the bar in the Speakers column and slide it up or down to increase or de...

Page 26: ...e the screen resolution 4 In the Display Properties window click and drag the bar in Screen resolution to change the setting to 800 by 600 pixels 5 Under Color quality click the drop down menu and then click Medium 16 bit 6 Click OK Windows Vista 1 Click Start and click Control Panel 2 Click Appearance and Personalization 3 Under Personalization click Adjust screen resolution 4 In the Display Sett...

Page 27: ...blems check for available software patches on the Sonic support website at www sonic com The DVD writable drives installed in Dell computers can write to and read DVD R DVD RW and DVD R DL dual layer media but cannot write to and may not read DVD RAM or DVD R DL media NOTE Most commercial DVDs have copyright protection and cannot be copied using Sonic DigitalMedia Windows XP 1 Click the Start butt...

Page 28: ...DVD the CD or DVD that you have created automatically ejects Using Blank CDs and DVDs CD RW drives can write to CD recording media only including high speed CD RW while DVD writable drives can write to both CD and DVD recording media 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 informa...

Page 29: ...ts supported by your DVD player see the documentation provided with your DVD player or contact the manufacturer 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 blank 650 MB CD The CD RW drive needs 1 2 MB of the blank space to finalize the recording Use a blank CD RW to practice CD recording until you are familiar with CD recording techniques If...

Page 30: ... to your computer The Media Card Reader supports the following memory types xD Picture Card SmartMedia SMC CompactFlash Type I and II CF I II MicroDrive Card SecureDigital Card SD MultiMediaCard MMC Memory Stick MS MS Pro For information on installing a Media Card Reader see Installing a Media Card Reader on page 134 1 3 4 2 ...

Page 31: ...ng two monitors that have VGA connectors you must have the optional DVI adapter to connect the cable 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 Connecting Two Monitors With VGA Connectors 1 Follow the procedures in Before You Begin on page 97 NOTE If your c...

Page 32: ...itor to the DVI white connector on the back of the computer Connecting a TV NOTE You must purchase an S video cable available at most consumer electronics stores to connect a TV to your computer It is not included with your computer 1 Follow the procedures in Before You Begin on page 97 2 Connect one end of the S video cable to the optional TV OUT connector on the back of the computer 1 optional D...

Page 33: ...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 it returns to the operating state it was in prior to entering 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 conn...

Page 34: ... turning off the computer When the computer exits from hibernate mode the desktop is restored to the state it was in prior to entering hibernate mode To activate hibernate mode 1 Click Start Control Panel Pick a category Performance and Maintenance 2 Under or pick a Control Panel icon click Power Options 3 Define your hibernate settings on the Power Schemes tab Advanced tab and Hibernate tab To ex...

Page 35: ...rting standby mode hibernate mode turning off the monitor and turning off the hard drive NOTICE If you set the hard drive 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 timeout before the hard drive The Power schemes drop down menu displays the following schemes...

Page 36: ...n 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 as 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 Click Start Help and Support Performance and maintenance 2 In the Performance and ma...

Page 37: ...ll show three power plans the top option is Dell Recommended this is the currently active plan There is also a show additional plans arrow underneath the three power plans You can have many power plans but only three are displayed and the top one is the active plan To immediately activate standby mode without a period of inactivity click Start then click the off button icon Windows Vista sets Stan...

Page 38: ...e 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 become...

Page 39: ... number of options are available on the left hand side of the Power Options dialog box Click Change Plan Settings just below any of the power plans to change settings such as Require a password on wakeup Choose what power buttons do Create a power plan you can choose the settings you want and create a custom power plan here Choose when to turn off the display Change when the computer sleeps Advanc...

Page 40: ...le Windows XP 1 Enter system setup see System Setup on page 172 2 Select Cool and Quiet from the Power Management group and change the setting to On 3 Click on the Start Settings Control Panel Power Options to access the Power Options Properties window 4 From the Power Schemes tab click the Power Schemes drop down menu and select Minimal Power Management and then click OK Cool n Quiet technology i...

Page 41: ...evel 1 configuration sacrifices high data access rates for its data redundancy advantages 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 NOTE In a RAID level 1 configuration the size of the configuration is equal to the size of the smallest drive in the configuration ...

Page 42: ...uter to RAID Enabled Mode 1 Enter the system setup see Entering System Setup on page 172 2 Press the left and right arrow keys to Advanced tab 3 Press the up and down arrow keys to highlight the Integrated Peripherals then press Enter 4 Press the up and down arrow keys to highlight the Serial ATA Configuration then press Enter 5 Press the up and down arrow keys to highlight RAID Enabled and then p...

Page 43: ...s desktop then shut down your computer and try again The Define a New Array window appears 4 Press Tab to navigate to the RAID Mode field To create a RAID 1 configuration use the arrow keys to select Mirroring 5 Press Tab to navigate to the Free Disks field 6 Use the up and down arrow keys to select a hard drive to include in the RAID array and then use the right arrow key to move the selected dri...

Page 44: ...s 4 Click Next 5 Select the hard drive you want to rebuild by clicking the checkbox beside it 6 Click Next 7 Click Finish The MediaShield RAID management utility window appears and displays the status of the rebuild process NOTE You can use your computer while the computer is rebuilding the array NOTE You can use any available RAID enabled free disk to rebuild an array Transferring Information to ...

Page 45: ...creen appears go to the source old computer that contains the data to be transferred Do not click Next at this time To copy data from the source computer 1 On the source computer insert the Windows XP Operating System CD 2 On the Welcome to Microsoft Windows XP screen click Perform additional tasks 3 Under What do you want to do click Transfer files and settings 4 On the Files and Settings Transfe...

Page 46: ...urce computer to a new computer You can transfer data such as User account Files and folders Program settings Internet settings and favorites E mail settings contacts and messages You can transfer the data to the new computer over a network or serial connection or you can store it on removable media such as a writable CD for transfer to the new computer There are two ways to access the Windows Eas...

Page 47: ...e until it clicks into place and then gently pull it to ensure that it is secure 2 Connect the other end of the network cable to a network device Network Setup Wizard The Microsoft Windows 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 Windows XP 1 Click Start point to...

Page 48: ...om a list of tasks to choose from such as Connect to the Internet Set Up a wireless router or access point and more Choose the task most appropriate for your network and follow the on screen prompts For more information access Help and Support use the search term Network Connecting to the Internet NOTE ISPs and ISP offerings vary by country To connect to the Internet you need a modem or network co...

Page 49: ... instructions on the screen to complete the setup If you do not have an ISP icon on your desktop or if you want to set up an Internet connection with a different ISP perform the steps in the following section that corresponds to the operating system your computer is using NOTE If you are having problems connecting to the Internet see E Mail Modem and Internet Problems on page 54 If you cannot conn...

Page 50: ...d close any open files and exit any open programs 2 Click Start and click Control Panel 3 Under Network and Internet click Connect to the Internet The Connect to the Internet window appears 4 Click either Broadband PPPoE or Dial up depending on how you want to connect Choose Broadband if you will use a DSL satellite modem cable TV modem or Bluetooth wireless technology connection Chose Dial up if ...

Page 51: ...l diagnose and fix the problem 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 pr...

Page 52: ...d remove viruses Viruses can sometimes prevent Windows from recognizing the drive ENSURE THAT THE DRIVE IS ENABLED IN THE SYSTEM SETUP PROGRAM See System Setup on page 172 TEST THE DRIVE Insert another floppy disk CD or DVD to eliminate the possibility that the original one is defective Insert bootable media and restart the computer CLEAN THE DRIVE OR DISK See Cleaning Your Computer on page 179 CH...

Page 53: ...cking any boxes that are checked CHECK THE SPEAKERS AND SUBWOOFER See Sound and Speaker Problems on page 70 CLOSE OTHER PROGRAMS The CD DVD RW drive must receive a steady stream of data when writing If the stream is interrupted an error occurs Try closing all programs before you write to the CD DVD RW TURN OFF STANDBY MODE IN WINDOWS BEFORE WRITING TO A CD DVD RW DISC Windows XP 1 Click the Start ...

Page 54: ...ick Scan for and attempt recovery of bad sectors and click Start Windows Vista 1 Click Start and click Computer 2 Right click Local Disk C 3 Click Properties 4 Click the Tools tab 5 Under Error checking click Check Now 6 Click Scan for and attempt recovery of bad sectors 7 Click Start NOTE You must be logged in with Administrator privileges to perform this procedure CHECK THE WINDOWS MAIL EXPRESS ...

Page 55: ... and connect it to a telephone Listen for a dial tone If you have other telephone devices sharing the line such as an answering machine fax machine surge protector or line splitter then bypass them and use the telephone to connect the modem directly to the telephone wall jack If you are using a line that is 3 m 10 ft or more in length try a shorter one RUN THE MODEM HELPER DIAGNOSTICS Windows XP C...

Page 56: ...rdware and Sound 3 Click Phone and Modem Options and click the Modems tab 4 Click the COM port for your modem 5 Click Properties click the Diagnostics tab and then click Query Modem to verify that the modem is communicating with Windows If all commands receive responses the modem is operating properly ENSURE THAT YOU ARE CONNECTED TO THE INTERNET Ensure that you have subscribed to an Internet prov...

Page 57: ...m you want to remove 4 Click Uninstall Change or Repair 5 See the program documentation for installation instructions drive letter IS NOT ACCESSIBLE THE DEVICE IS NOT READY The drive cannot read the disk Insert a disk into the drive and try again INSERT BOOTABLE MEDIA Insert a bootable floppy disk or CD NON SYSTEM DISK ERROR Remove the floppy disk from the drive and restart your computer NOT ENOUG...

Page 58: ...mputer on page 98 reconnect the keyboard cable as shown on the setup diagram for your computer and then restart the computer Check the cable connector for bent or broken pins and for damaged or frayed cables Straighten bent pins Remove keyboard extension cables and connect the keyboard directly to the computer TEST THE KEYBOARD Connect a properly working keyboard to the computer and try using the ...

Page 59: ... floppy disk or CD TURN THE COMPUTER OFF If you are unable to get a response by pressing a key on your keyboard or moving your mouse press and hold the power button for at least 8 to 10 seconds until the computer turns off Then restart your computer END THE PROGRAM 1 Press Ctrl Shift Esc simultaneously 2 Click Applications 3 Click the program that is no longer responding 4 Click End Task CHECK THE...

Page 60: ...a Use the Program Compatibility Wizard to configure an operating environment similar to earlier versions of Windows This may improve the performance of programs designed for earlier versions of Windows 1 Click Start point to Control Panel Programs Programs and features 2 Under Programs and features click Use an older program with this version of windows 3 Follow the instructions on the screen TURN...

Page 61: ...nimum hardware requirements needed to run the software See the software documentation for information Ensure that the program is installed and configured properly Verify that the device drivers do not conflict with the program If necessary uninstall and then reinstall the program BACK UP YOUR FILES IMMEDIATELY USE A VIRUS SCANNING PROGRAM TO CHECK THE HARD DRIVE FLOPPY DISKS OR CDS SAVE AND CLOSE ...

Page 62: ...r assignment for the Media Card Reader 6 Click OK to confirm your selection Windows Vista To manually assign a drive for the Media Card Reader 1 Click Start right click Computer and select Manage 2 Click Continue if prompted 3 Expand the Storage object and select Disk Management 4 Right click the corresponding drive letter in the right pane that needs to be changed 5 Select Change Drive Letter and...

Page 63: ...ements If necessary install additional memory see Memory Installation Guidelines on page 108 Reseat the memory modules see Installing Memory on page 109 to ensure that your computer is successfully communicating with the memory Run the Dell Diagnostics see Starting the Dell Diagnostics From Your Hard Drive on page 80 IF YOU EXPERIENCE OTHER MEMORY PROBLEMS Reseat the memory modules see Installing ...

Page 64: ...ect the mouse cable as shown on the setup diagram for your computer RESTART THE COMPUTER 1 Simultaneously press Ctrl Esc to display the Start menu 2 Type u press the keyboard arrow keys to highlight Shut down or Turn Off and then press Enter 3 After the computer turns off reconnect the mouse cable as shown on the on the setup diagram for your computer 4 Start the computer ENSURE THAT THE USB PORTS...

Page 65: ...ettings REINSTALL THE MOUSE DRIVER See Reinstalling Drivers and Utilities on page 84 RUN THE HARDWARE TROUBLESHOOTER See Resolving Software and Hardware Incompatibilities on page 87 CHECK THE NETWORK CABLE CONNECTOR Ensure that the network cable is firmly inserted into both the network connector on the back of the computer and the network port or device CHECK THE NETWORK LIGHTS ON THE BACK OF THE ...

Page 66: ...Reseat the power cable into both the power connector on the back of the computer and the electrical outlet If the computer is plugged into a power strip ensure that the power strip is plugged into an electrical outlet and that the power strip is turned on Also bypass power protection devices power strips and power extension cables to verify that the computer turns on properly Ensure that the elect...

Page 67: ...ystem Board Components on page 102 IF THE POWER LIGHT IS BLINKING AMBER The computer is receiving electrical power a device might be malfunctioning or incorrectly installed Remove and then reinstall the memory modules see System Board Components on page 102 Remove and then reinstall any cards see Cards on page 111 Remove and then reinstall the graphics card if applicable see Removing a PCI PCI Exp...

Page 68: ...ick Start click Control Panel and then click Printers and Other Hardware 2 Click View installed printers or fax printers 3 If the printer is listed right click the printer icon 4 Click Properties then click the Ports tab For a USB printer ensure that Print to the following port s is set to USB Windows Vista 1 Click Start click Control Panel and then click Hardware and Sound 2 Click Printers If the...

Page 69: ...TRY THE SCANNER AGAIN CHECK THE CABLE CONNECTIONS See the scanner documentation for cable connection information Ensure that the scanner cables are securely connected to the scanner and the computer VERIFY THAT THE SCANNER IS RECOGNIZED BY MICROSOFT WINDOWS Windows XP 1 Click Start click Control Panel and then click Printers and Other Hardware 2 Click Scanners and Cameras If your scanner is listed...

Page 70: ... BIOS SETUP PROGRAM See System Setup on page 172 ENSURE THAT THE SUBWOOFER AND THE SPEAKERS ARE TURNED ON See the setup diagram supplied with the speakers If your speakers have volume controls adjust the volume bass or treble to eliminate distortion ADJUST THE WINDOWS VOLUME CONTROL Click or double click the speaker icon in the lower right corner of your screen Ensure that the volume is turned up ...

Page 71: ... THE HARDWARE TROUBLESHOOTER See Resolving Software and Hardware Incompatibilities on page 87 CHECK THE HEADPHONE CABLE CONNECTION Ensure that the headphone cable is securely inserted into the headphone connector see Front View of the Computer on page 15 ADJUST THE WINDOWS VOLUME CONTROL Click or double click the speaker icon in the lower right corner of your screen Ensure that the volume is turne...

Page 72: ...en pins It is normal for monitor cable connectors to have missing pins CHECK THE MONITOR POWER LIGHT If the power light is off firmly press the button to ensure that the monitor is turned on If the power light is lit or blinking the monitor has power If the power light is blinking press a key on the keyboard or move the mouse TEST THE ELECTRICAL OUTLET Ensure that the electrical outlet is working ...

Page 73: ... GLARE AND POSSIBLE INTERFERENCE ADJUST THE WINDOWS DISPLAY SETTINGS Windows XP 1 Click Start click Control Panel and then click Appearance and Themes 2 Click Display then click the Settings tab 3 Adjust Screen resolution and Color quality settings as needed Windows Vista 1 Click Start click Control Panel and then click Appearance and Personalization 2 Under Personalization click Adjust screen res...

Page 74: ...74 Solving Problems ...

Page 75: ...an electrical outlet and that the power strip is turned on Also bypass power protection devices power strips and power extension cables to verify that the computer turns on properly Ensure that the electrical outlet is working by testing it with another device such as a lamp If the power light is steady blue and the computer is not responding Ensure that the display is connected and powered on If ...

Page 76: ...ecurely connected to the system board see System Board Components on page 102 Ensure that the main power cable and front panel cable are securely connected to the system board see System Board Components on page 102 Beep Codes Your computer might emit a series of beeps during start up if the monitor cannot display errors or problems This series of beeps called a beep code identifies a problem One ...

Page 77: ...n page 108 2 Verify that the memory modules that you are installing are compatible with your computer see Memory Installation Guidelines on page 108 3 If the problem persists contact Dell 2 No memory modules are detected 1 If you have two or more memory modules installed remove the modules reinstall one module see Installing Memory on page 109 and then restart the computer If the computer starts n...

Page 78: ... on page 142 or see Getting Help on page 183 for assistance CPU FAN FAILURE CPU fan failure Replace CPU fan see Removing the Processor Fan on page 154 DISKETTE DRIVE 0 SEEK FAILURE A cable may be loose or the computer configuration information may not match the hardware configuration Check cable connections see Getting Help on page 183 for assistance DISKETTE READ FAILURE The floppy disk may be de...

Page 79: ...ystem board might be malfunctioning or motherboard failure see Getting Help on page 183 for assistance NON SYSTEM DISK OR DISK ERROR Replace the floppy disk with one that has a bootable operating system or remove the floppy disk from drive A and restart the computer NOT A BOOT DISKETTE Insert a bootable floppy disk and restart your computer USB OVER CURRENT ERROR Disconnect the USB device Use exte...

Page 80: ...ram and is active Start the Dell Diagnostics from your hard drive or from the Drivers and Utilities media Starting the Dell Diagnostics From Your Hard Drive The Dell Diagnostics is located on a hidden diagnostic utility partition on your hard drive NOTE If your computer cannot display a screen image see Getting Help on page 183 1 Ensure that the computer is connected to an electrical outlet that i...

Page 81: ...t device list appears highlight CD DVD CD RW and press Enter 4 Select the Boot from CD ROM option from the menu that appears and press Enter 5 Type 1 to start the CD menu and press Enter to proceed 6 Select Run the 32 Bit Dell Diagnostics from the numbered list If multiple versions are listed select the version appropriate for your computer 7 When the Dell Diagnostics Main Menu appears select the ...

Page 82: ... from the Custom Test or Symptom Tree option click the applicable tab described in the following table for more information Option Function Express Test Performs a quick test of devices in the system This typically can take 10 to 20 minutes Extended Test Performs a thorough check of devices in the system This typically can take an hour or more Custom Test Use to test a specific device or customize...

Page 83: ...e Drivers and Utilities media may contain drivers for operating systems that are not on your computer Ensure that you are installing software appropriate for your operating system Many drivers such as the keyboard driver come with your Microsoft Windows operating system You may need to install drivers if you Upgrade your operating system Reinstall your operating system Connect or install a new dev...

Page 84: ...e Scroll down the list to see if any device has an exclamation point a yellow circle with a on the device icon If an exclamation point is next to the device name you may need to reinstall the driver or install a new driver see Reinstalling Drivers and Utilities on page 84 Reinstalling Drivers and Utilities NOTICE The Dell Support website at support dell com and your Drivers and Utilities media pro...

Page 85: ...then use System Restore Restoring Your Operating System on page 88 to return your computer to the operating state that existed before you installed the new driver Using the Drivers and Utilities media If using Device Driver Rollback or System Restore Restoring Your Operating System on page 88 does not resolve the problem then reinstall the driver from the Drivers and Utilities media 1 With the Win...

Page 86: ...iver that you want to reinstall and follow the instructions on the screen If a particular driver is not listed that driver is not required by your operating system Manually Reinstalling Drivers NOTE You must be logged in with Administrator privileges to perform this procedure After extracting the driver files to your hard drive as described in the previous section Windows XP 1 Click Start and then...

Page 87: ...r files 7 When the name of the appropriate driver appears click the name of the driver OK Next 8 Click Finish and restart your computer Resolving Software and Hardware Incompatibilities If a device is either not detected during the operating system setup or is detected but incorrectly configured you can use the Windows Operating systems Help And Support to assist you in resolving the incompatibili...

Page 88: ...move any programs installed after you received the computer Use Dell PC Restore or Dell Factory Image Restore only if System Restore did not resolve your operating system problem If you received an Operating System CD with your computer you can use it to restore your operating system Use the CD only if System Restore did not resolve your operating system problem Using Microsoft Windows System Rest...

Page 89: ...restore points at important events driver and application installs You can also manually create a restore point from the Windows Vista Back Up and Restore Center There are two ways to get to the Windows Vista Backup and Restore Center 1 Click Show all 14 items below the Connect to the Internet icon in the Welcome Center Click Back Up and Restore Center icon 2 Click Start All Programs Maintenance B...

Page 90: ...oldface type 4 Select a restore point then click Next If a calendar date has only one restore point that restore point is automatically selected If two or more restore points are available click the restore point that you prefer 5 Click Next The Restoration Complete screen appears after System Restore finishes collecting data then the computer restarts 6 After the computer restarts click OK Window...

Page 91: ...omputer Any programs or files added since you received your computer including data files are permanently deleted from the hard drive Data files include documents spreadsheets e mail messages digital photos music files and so on If possible back up all data before using PC Restore and Dell Factory Image Restore Windows XP Dell PC Restore 1 Turn on the computer During the boot process a blue bar wi...

Page 92: ...t 4 To access the recovery options log on as a local user To access the command prompt type administrator in the User name field then click OK 5 Click Dell Factory Image Restore NOTE Depending upon your configuration you may need to select Dell Factory Tools then Dell Factory Image Restore The Dell Factory Image Restore welcome screen appears 6 Click Next The Confirm Data Deletion screen appears N...

Page 93: ...cal administrator 2 In Windows Explorer go to c dell utilities DSR 3 Double click the filename DSRIRRemv2 exe NOTE If you do not log on as a local administrator a message appears stating that you must log on as administrator Click Quit and then log on as a local administrator NOTE If the partition for PC Restore does not exist on your computer s hard drive a message appears stating that the partit...

Page 94: ...d during assembly of the computer Use the Drivers and Utilities media to load any required drivers Depending on the region from where you ordered your computer or whether you requested the CDs or DVDs the Drivers and Utilities media and Operating System CD may not ship with your system Reinstalling Windows XP or Windows Vista The reinstallation process can take 1 to 2 hours to complete After you r...

Page 95: ...ing system logo appears wait until you see the Windows desktop and then shut down the computer and try again NOTE The next steps change the boot sequence for one time only On the next start up the computer boots according to the devices specified in the system setup program 4 When the boot device list appears highlight CD DVD CD RW Drive and press Enter 5 Press any key to Boot from CD ROM 6 Follow...

Page 96: ...96 Troubleshooting Tools ...

Page 97: ...u Begin This chapter provides procedures for removing and installing the components in your computer Unless otherwise noted each procedure assumes that the following conditions exist You have performed the steps in Turning Off Your Computer on page 98 and Before Working Inside Your Computer on page 98 You have read the safety information in the Dell Product Information Guide A component can be rep...

Page 98: ...hes 3 Ensure that the computer and any attached devices are turned off If your computer and attached devices did not automatically turn off when you shut down your operating system press and hold the power button for at least 8 to 10 seconds until the computer turns off Before Working Inside Your Computer Use the following safety guidelines to help protect your computer from potential damage and t...

Page 99: ...ical shock laceration by moving fan blades or other unexpected injuries always unplug your computer from the electrical outlet before opening the cover 4 Open the computer 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 diss...

Page 100: ...mbscrews securing the cover using a flat blade screwdriver 4 Release the computer cover by pulling it away from the front of the computer and lifting it up 5 Set the cover aside in a secure location 1 computer cover 2 front of computer 3 thumbscrew 2 1 2 3 ...

Page 101: ...ION Before you begin any of the procedures in this section follow the safety instructions in the Product Information Guide 1 CD or DVD drive 2 power supply 3 optional CD or DVD drive 4 floppy drive or Media Reader optional 5 hard drive 6 optional hard drive 1 2 3 6 5 4 ...

Page 102: ...102 Removing and Installing Parts System Board Components 1 3 19 12 18 20 9 11 2 14 21 17 15 23 25 29 4 7 8 10 16 24 26 27 28 5 6 13 22 30 31 ...

Page 103: ...sword jumper CLEAR_PW 12 CMOS jumper CLEAR CMOS 13 front panel connector F_PANEL 14 serial ATA drive connectors SATA1 15 serial ATA drive connectors SATA0 16 front USB connector F_USB3 17 front USB connector F_USB2 18 FlexBay connector F_USB1 19 PCI connector PCI3 20 PCI connector PCI2 21 IEEE connector 22 front audio F_AUDIO 23 battery socket 24 PCI Express x1 connector PCIE_X1 25 PCI Express x16...

Page 104: ...104 Removing and Installing Parts Power Supply DC Connector Pin Assignments DC Power Connector P1 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 ...

Page 105: ...AWG 6 5 V Red 20 AWG 7 RTN Black 20 AWG 8 POK Gray 22 AWG 9 5 V AUX Purple 20 AWG 10 12 V Yellow 20 AWG 11 12 V Yellow 20 AWG 12 3 3 V Orange 20 AWG 13 3 3 V Orange 20 AWG 14 12 V Blue 22 AWG 15 RTN Black 20 AWG 16 PS_ON Green 22 AWG 17 RTN Black 20 AWG 18 RTN Black 20 AWG 19 RTN Black 20 AWG 20 OPEN 21 5 V Red 20 AWG 22 5 V Red 20 AWG 23 5 V Red 20 AWG 24 RTN Black 20 AWG ...

Page 106: ...ector P2 DC Power Connectors P3 P5 P8 and P9 Pin Number Signal Name 18 AWG Wire 1 GND Black 2 GND Black 3 12 VADC Yellow 4 12 VADC Yellow Pin Number Signal name 18 AWG Wire 1 3 3 VDC Orange 2 GND Black 3 5 VDC Red 4 GND Black 5 12 VBDC White 3 1 4 2 ...

Page 107: ...the system board Your computer supports DDR2 memory For additional information on the type of memory supported by your computer see Memory on page 167 NOTICE Do not install ECC or buffered memory modules Only unbuffered non ECC memory is supported Pin Number Signal Name 22 AWG Wire 1 5 VDC Red 2 GND Black 3 GND Black 4 12 VADC Yellow ...

Page 108: ... if you install a mixed pair of DDR2 667 MHz and DDR2 800 MHz memory the modules function at the slowest speed installed NOTICE If you remove your original memory modules from the computer during a memory upgrade keep them separate from any new modules that you may have even if you purchased the new modules from Dell If possible do not pair an original memory module with a new memory module Otherw...

Page 109: ...age 111 NOTICE To prevent static damage to components inside your computer discharge static electricity from your body before you touch any of your computer s electronic components You can do so by touching an unpainted metal surface on the computer chassis 1 Follow the procedures in Before You Begin on page 97 2 Press the securing clip at each end of the memory module connector 1 memory connector...

Page 110: ...nto the connector until the module snaps into position If you insert the module correctly the securing clips snap into the cutouts at each end of the module 5 Replace the PCI Express x16 card see Cards on page 111 6 Replace the computer cover NOTICE To connect a network cable first plug the cable into the network device and then plug it into the computer 7 Connect your computer and devices to elec...

Page 111: ...puter chassis 1 Follow the procedures in Before You Begin on page 97 2 Press out the securing clip at each end of the memory module connector 3 Grasp the module at the end of the board and lift up 4 Replace the PCI Express x16 card see Cards on page 111 Cards CAUTION Before you begin any of the procedures in this section follow the safety instructions in the Product Information Guide NOTICE To pre...

Page 112: ... procedures in the next section If you are removing but not replacing a card see Removing a PCI PCI Express Card on page 116 If you are replacing a card remove the current driver for the card from the operating system Installing a PCI PCI Express Card 1 Follow the procedures in Before You Begin on page 97 2 Remove the computer cover see Removing the Computer Cover on page 99 1 card retention brack...

Page 113: ...by its top corners and then ease it out of its connector NOTE The position of the card shown in the illustration is indicative and may vary from the original 7 Prepare the card for installation See the documentation that came with the card for information on configuring the card making internal connections or otherwise customizing it for your computer CAUTION Some network adapters automatically st...

Page 114: ...ce the card in the connector and press down firmly Ensure that the card is fully seated in the slot 1 alignment bar 2 fully seated card 3 not fully seated card 4 alignment guide 5 bracket within slot 6 bracket caught outside of slot 1 PCI Express x16 card 2 PCI Express x16 card slot 3 securing tab 4 PCI Express x1 card slot 5 PCI Express x1 card 6 securing slot 2 3 6 5 4 1 1 3 4 2 5 6 ...

Page 115: ...s of all cards and filler brackets are flush with the alignment bar The notch in the top of the card or filler bracket fits around the alignment guide 12 Fix the card retention bracket by replacing and tightening the screw 1 alignment guide 2 filler bracket 3 alignment bar 4 card retention bracket 5 guide clamp 2 6 guide notch 2 1 2 3 4 5 6 ...

Page 116: ...ices to the sound card s connectors Do not connect external audio devices to the microphone speaker headphone or line in connectors on the back panel see Back Panel Connectors on page 18 16 If you installed an add in network adapter and want to disable the integrated network adapter a Enter system setup see System Setup on page 172 go to Onboard Devices and select Integrated NIC and then change th...

Page 117: ...The notch in the top of the card or filler bracket fits around the alignment guide 8 Fix the card retention bracket by replacing and tightening the screw NOTICE To connect a network cable first plug the cable into the network device and then plug it into the computer 9 Replace the computer cover reconnect the computer and devices to electrical outlets and then turn them on 10 Remove the card s dri...

Page 118: ... electrical shock laceration by moving fan blades or other unexpected injuries always unplug your computer from the electrical outlet before opening the cover Removing the Bezel 1 Follow the procedures in Before You Begin on page 97 2 Remove the computer cover see Removing the Computer Cover on page 99 1 bezel grip 3 2 bezel 3 bezel clamp 3 4 bezel clamp slot 3 5 back of computer 3 2 1 4 5 ...

Page 119: ... of the computer to release bezel clamps from bezel clamp slot 5 Set aside the bezel in a secure location Replacing the Bezel 1 Align and insert the bezel clamps in the bezel clamp slots 2 Rotate the bezel toward the computer until it snaps into place on the front panel 1 bezel grip 3 2 bezel 3 bezel clamp 3 4 bezel clamp slot 3 5 back side of computer 3 2 1 4 5 ...

Page 120: ...bination of these devices Up to two serial ATA hard drives One optional floppy drive or an optional Media Card Reader Up to two CD or DVD drives 1 CD or DVD drive 2 optional CD or DVD drive 3 floppy drive or Media Card Reader 4 optional hard drive 5 hard drive 1 2 3 5 4 ...

Page 121: ...e system board Connecting Drive Cables When you install a drive you connect two cables a DC power cable and a data cable to the back of the drive Drive Interface Connectors The drive cable connectors are keyed for correct insertion Properly align the cable connector key on the cable and the drive before connecting 1 power cable 2 power input connector 1 interface cable 2 interface connector 1 2 Po...

Page 122: ...ving fan blades or other unexpected injuries always unplug your computer from the electrical outlet before opening the cover NOTICE To avoid damage to the drive do not set it on a hard surface Instead set the drive on a surface such as a foam pad that will sufficiently cushion it NOTICE If you are replacing a hard drive that contains data you want to keep back up your files before you begin this p...

Page 123: ...stem setup When you restart your computer enter system setup see System Setup on page 172 then go to the Drives section of the system setup and under Drive 0 through 3 set the Drive to the correct configuration 8 Replace the computer cover see Replacing the Computer Cover on page 164 9 Connect computer and other devices to an electrical outlet 1 hard drive 2 power cable 3 serial ATA data cable 4 s...

Page 124: ...entation for the drive to verify that it is configured for your computer 4 Slide the hard drive into the hard drive bay 5 Align the slots in the hard drive with the guides in the hard drive bay 6 Replace and tighten the four screws to secure the hard drive 7 Connect the power and data cables to the drive 1 hard drive 2 power cable 3 serial ATA data cable 4 system board connector 5 screws 4 2 4 3 1...

Page 125: ...Installing a Second Hard Drive CAUTION Before you begin any of the procedures in this section follow the safety instructions in the Product Information Guide CAUTION To guard against electrical shock laceration by moving fan blades or other unexpected injuries always unplug your computer from the electrical outlet before opening the cover NOTICE To avoid damage to the drive do not set it on a hard...

Page 126: ...9 Check all cables to be certain that they are properly connected and firmly seated 10 Replace the computer cover see Replacing the Computer Cover on page 164 NOTICE To connect a network cable first plug the cable into the network port or device and then plug it into the computer 1 second hard drive optional 2 serial ATA data cable 3 power cable 4 system board connector 5 screws 4 2 4 3 1 5 ...

Page 127: ...in any of the procedures in this section follow the safety instructions in the Product Information Guide CAUTION To guard against electrical shock laceration by moving fan blades or other unexpected injuries always unplug your computer from the electrical outlet before opening the cover NOTE If you are adding a floppy drive see Installing a Floppy Drive on page 129 Removing a Floppy Drive 1 Follow...

Page 128: ...nnectors Remove this card before disconnecting the floppy drive cables see Removing a PCI PCI Express Card on page 116 5 Disconnect the data cable from the system board 6 Remove the two screws securing the floppy drive 7 Slide the floppy drive out through the front of the computer 1 floppy drive 2 data cable 3 power cable 4 system board connector 5 screws 2 Not present on all computers 2 4 3 1 5 ...

Page 129: ... Remove the computer cover see Removing the Computer Cover on page 99 3 Remove the bezel see Removing the Bezel on page 118 4 If you are installing a new floppy drive rather than replacing a drive remove the break away metal plate from the FlexBay see Removing the FlexBay Break Away Metal Plate on page 131 5 Gently slide the floppy drive into place in the FlexBay slot 6 Align the screw slots in th...

Page 130: ...ts 11 Replace the bezel see Replacing the Bezel on page 119 12 Replace the computer cover see Replacing the Computer Cover on page 164 NOTICE To connect a network cable first plug the cable into the network device and then plug it into the computer 1 floppy drive 2 data cable 3 power cable 4 system board connector 5 screws 2 6 screw slots 2 2 4 3 1 5 6 ...

Page 131: ...rive operation 14 Enter system setup see System Setup on page 172 and select the appropriate Diskette Drive option 15 Verify that your computer works correctly by running the Dell Diagnostics see Dell Diagnostics on page 80 Removing the FlexBay Break Away Metal Plate Align the tip of a Phillips screwdriver with the slot on the break away metal plate and rotate the screwdriver outwards to break and...

Page 132: ...ert Drive panel insert is locked in place NOTE To comply with FCC regulations it is recommended that you replace the drive panel insert whenever the floppy drive is removed from the computer Removing the Drive Panel Insert Release the drive panel insert by pushing it out of the chassis Drive panel insert is released 1 drive panel insert optional 2 back of the computer 2 1 ...

Page 133: ... blades or other unexpected injuries always unplug your computer from the electrical outlet before opening the cover Removing a Media Card Reader 1 Follow the procedures in Before You Begin on page 97 2 Remove the computer cover see Removing the Computer Cover on page 99 3 Remove the bezel see Removing the Bezel on page 118 1 Media Card Reader 2 data cable 3 power cable 4 system board connector 5 ...

Page 134: ...ia Card Reader 1 Follow the procedures in Before You Begin on page 97 2 Remove the computer cover see Removing the Computer Cover on page 99 3 Remove the bezel see Removing the Bezel on page 118 4 If you are installing a new Media Card Reader rather than replacing a Media Card Reader remove the break away metal plate from the FlexBay see Removing the FlexBay Break Away Metal Plate on page 131 5 Re...

Page 135: ... on page 119 11 Replace the computer cover see Replacing the Computer Cover on page 164 12 Connect your computer and devices to electrical outlets and then turn them on 1 Media Card Reader 2 data cable 3 power cable 4 system board connector 5 screws 2 6 screw slots 2 2 4 3 1 5 6 ...

Page 136: ... from the electrical outlet before opening the cover Removing a CD or DVD Drive 1 Follow the procedures in Before You Begin on page 97 2 Remove the computer cover see Removing the Computer Cover on page 99 3 Remove the bezel see Removing the Bezel on page 118 4 Disconnect the CD or DVD drive data cable from the system board connector 5 Disconnect the power cable and the CD or DVD drive data cable ...

Page 137: ...r computer and devices to electrical outlets and then turn them on 13 Configure the drives in system setup see Entering System Setup on page 172 Installing a CD or DVD Drive 1 Follow the procedures in Before You Begin on page 97 2 Remove the computer cover see Removing the Computer Cover on page 99 3 Remove the bezel see Removing the Bezel on page 118 4 Gently slide the CD or DVD drive into place ...

Page 138: ... computer and devices to their electrical outlets and turn them on See the documentation that came with the drive for instructions on installing any software required for drive operation 12 Enter system setup see System Setup on page 172 and select the appropriate Drive option 13 Verify that your computer works correctly by running the Dell Diagnostics see Dell Diagnostics on page 80 1 CD or DVD d...

Page 139: ...the tip of a Phillips screwdriver with the slot on the break away metal plate and rotate the screwdriver outwards to break the metal plate 5 Gently slide the drive into place 6 Align the screw slots in the CD or DVD drive with the screw slots in the CD or DVD drive bay 7 Replace and tighten the two screws securing the CD or DVD drive 8 Connect the power and data cables to the drive 9 Connect the d...

Page 140: ...r cover see Replacing the Computer Cover on page 164 NOTICE To connect a network cable first plug the cable into the network device and then plug it into the computer 14 Connect your computer and devices to their electrical outlets and turn them on See the documentation that came with the drive for instructions on installing any software required for drive operation 1 CD or DVD drive 2 power cable...

Page 141: ...he CD or DVD panel insert along the edges of the empty slot for CD or DVD 2 Push the panel CD or DVD panel insert is locked in place NOTE To comply with FCC regulations it is recommended that you replace the CD or DVD panel insert whenever the CD or DVD is removed from the computer Removing the CD or DVD Panel Insert Release the CD or DVD panel insert by pushing it out of the chassis CD or DVD pan...

Page 142: ...ter replace the battery CAUTION A new battery can explode 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 To replace the battery 1 Record all the screens in system setup see System Setup on page 172 so that you can restore the correct settings in step 9 2 Fol...

Page 143: ...afety instructions located in the Product Information Guide NOTICE To prevent static damage to components inside your computer discharge static electricity from your body before you touch any of your computer s electronic components You can do so by touching an unpainted metal surface on the computer chassis Replacing the Power Supply 1 Follow the procedures in Before You Begin on page 97 2 Remove...

Page 144: ...nding NOTICE Route the DC power cables under the chassis tabs The cables must be properly routed to prevent the cables from being damaged 9 Reconnect the DC power cables to the system board and drives 10 Secure the hard drive cable CD or DVD drive data cable and the front panel ribbon cable to the securing clip on the side of the power supply NOTE Double check all cable connections to make sure th...

Page 145: ...fully disconnect and move any cables that are routed over the heat sink assembly 4 Rotate the clamp lever 180 degrees counter clockwise to release the clamp grip from the bracket projection 5 Release the clamp grip from the bracket projection on the opposite side CAUTION Despite having a plastic shield the heat sink assembly may be very hot during normal operation Be sure that it has had sufficien...

Page 146: ...equired for the new processor reuse the original heat sink assembly when you replace the processor 7 Pull the release lever straight up until the processor is released 1 fan 2 fan cover 3 heat sink 4 bracket 5 clamp grip 6 bracket projection 7 clamp lever 1 2 3 4 7 6 5 ...

Page 147: ...cessor 8 Remove the processor from the socket Leave the release lever extended in the release position so that the socket is ready for the new processor NOTICE After removing the processor be careful not to get any thermal grease on the processor pins Thermal grease on the pins can permanently damage the processor 1 processor 2 release lever 3 socket 2 3 1 ...

Page 148: ...e processor Bending the pins can permanently damage the processor 2 Unpack the new processor being careful not to bend any of the processor pins 3 Extend the release lever on the socket fully NOTICE You must position the processor correctly in the socket to avoid permanent damage to the processor and the computer when you turn on the computer 4 Align the pin 1 corner of the processor and socket 1 ...

Page 149: ...l grease New thermal grease is critical for ensuring adequate thermal bonding which is a requirement for optimal processor operation 8 Apply the new thermal grease to the top of the processor NOTICE Ensure that the floppy drive and audio cables are not routed so that they are pinched when the heat sink assembly is installed 9 Install the heat sink assembly a Place the heat sink and fan assembly ba...

Page 150: ...ver see Replacing the Computer Cover on page 164 12 Connect your computer and devices to an electrical outlet and turn them on 13 Verify that the computer works correctly by running the Dell Diagnostics see Dell Diagnostics on page 80 1 clamp lever 2 bracket projection 3 clamp grip 4 bracket 5 heat sink 6 fan cover 7 fan 1 2 3 4 7 6 5 ...

Page 151: ...computer s electronic components You can do so by touching an unpainted metal surface on the computer chassis Removing the I O Panel NOTE Note the routing of all cables as you remove them so that you can re route them correctly when installing the new I O panel 1 Follow the procedures in Before You Begin on page 97 2 Remove the computer cover see Removing the Computer Cover on page 99 3 Remove the...

Page 152: ...routing clips when sliding the I O panel into the computer 2 Align and slide the I O panel clamp in the I O panel clamp slot 3 Replace and tighten the screw that secures the I O panel 4 Reconnect the cables to the system board 5 Replace the bezel see Replacing the Bezel on page 119 1 I O panel clamp 2 I O panel 3 screw 4 cables 5 I O panel clamp slot 3 2 1 4 5 ...

Page 153: ...uter Cover on page 164 7 Connect your computer and devices to an electrical outlet and turn them on 8 Verify that the computer works correctly by running the Dell Diagnostics see Dell Diagnostics on page 80 1 I O panel clamp 2 I O panel 3 screw 4 cables 5 I O panel clamp slot 3 2 1 4 5 ...

Page 154: ... s electronic components You can do so by touching an unpainted metal surface on the computer chassis Removing the Processor Fan 1 Follow the procedures in Before You Begin on page 97 2 Remove the computer cover see Removing the Computer Cover on page 99 3 Carefully disconnect and move any cables that are routed over the heat sink assembly CAUTION Despite having a plastic shield the heat sink asse...

Page 155: ...Removing and Installing Parts 155 8 Hold the heat sink firmly in one hand and using moderate force pull up the fan cover to separate it from the heat sink 1 fan 2 fan cover 3 heat sink 1 2 3 ...

Page 156: ...fan blades 9 Pull outwards the two fan cover grips on one side and slightly lift the fan from the fan cover 10 Pull outwards the other two fan cover grips on the other side and lift the fan to release the fan from the fan cover 1 fan 2 fan cover guide 2 3 fan cover 4 fan cover grips 4 1 2 3 4 ...

Page 157: ...fan ensure that you do not pinch the wires that run between the system board and the fan 1 Align the holes in the fan with the guides on the fan cover 2 Press the fan and fan cover together till the fan cover grips snap in place 1 fan 2 fan cover guide 2 3 fan cover 4 fan cover grips 4 1 2 3 4 ...

Page 158: ...ink and fan assembly till both snap in place 4 Replace the heat sink assembly see step 9 of Installing the Processor on page 148 5 Replace the cables that were removed from the routing clips on top of the processor fan assembly 1 fan 2 fan cover 3 heat sink 1 2 3 ...

Page 159: ...he Product Information Guide CAUTION To guard against electrical shock laceration by moving fan blades or other unexpected injuries always unplug your computer from the electrical outlet before opening the cover CAUTION The heat sink assembly power supply and other components may be very hot during normal operation Be sure that they have had sufficient time to cool before you touch them NOTICE To ...

Page 160: ...Remove the computer cover see Removing the Computer Cover on page 99 3 Disconnect the chassis fan cable from the system board see System Board Components on page 102 4 Remove the four screws securing the chassis fan 5 Slide the chassis fan towards the front of the computer and lift it up 1 chassis fan 2 screws 4 1 2 ...

Page 161: ...emoving the Computer Cover on page 99 3 Slide the chassis fan in place towards the back of the computer 4 Connect the chassis fan cable to the system board see System Board Components on page 102 5 Tighten the four screws to secure the chassis fan 6 Replace the computer cover see Replacing the Computer Cover on page 164 1 chassis fan 2 screws 4 1 2 ...

Page 162: ...ted metal surface to dissipate any static electricity that could harm internal components 1 Follow the procedures in Before You Begin on page 97 2 Remove the computer cover see Removing the Computer Cover on page 99 3 Remove any add in cards on the system board see Cards on page 111 4 Remove the processor and heat sink assembly see Processor on page 145 5 Remove the memory modules see Removing Mem...

Page 163: ...oving and Installing Parts 163 System Board Screws 9 Place the system board that you just removed next to the replacement system board to compare and ensure they are identical 1 screws 8 2 system board 1 2 ...

Page 164: ...puter cover see Replacing the Computer Cover on page 164 8 Connect your computer and devices to an electrical outlet and turn them on 9 Verify that the computer works correctly by running the Dell Diagnostics see Dell Diagnostics on page 80 Replacing the Computer Cover CAUTION Before you begin any of the procedures in this section follow the safety instructions located in the Product Information G...

Page 165: ...lade screwdriver 7 Move the computer to the upright position NOTICE To connect a network cable first plug the cable into the network device and then plug it into the computer NOTICE Ensure that none of the air vents of the system are blocked 1 computer cover tab 2 slot 3 computer cover 4 front of the computer 4 3 1 2 ...

Page 166: ...166 Removing and Installing Parts ...

Page 167: ...mory Type 667 MHz 800 MHz DDR2 SDRAM Memory connectors four Memory capacities 512 MB or 1 GB Minimum memory 512 MB Maximum memory 4 GB Computer Information Chipset Nvidia MCP 61 RAID Support RAID 1 Mirroring For Windows Vista only DMA channels seven Interrupt levels 24 BIOS chip NVRAM 4 Mb NIC Integrated network interface capable of 10 100 communication Video Type Nvidia integrated video DirectX 9...

Page 168: ...6 slot bidirectional speed 8GB s SATA 1 5 Gbps and 3 0 Gbps USB 480 Mbps high speed 12 Mbps full speed 1 2 Mbps low speed PCI connectors two connector size 124 pins connector data width maximum 32 bits PCI Express connector one x1 connector size 36 pins connector data width maximum 1 PCI Express lane PCI Express connector one x16 connector size 164 pins connector data width maximum 16 PCI Express ...

Page 169: ...nt panel and four back panel USB 2 0 compliant connectors Audio six connectors for 7 1 support System board connectors Serial ATA four 7 pin connectors Internal USB device one 10 pin connector supports two USB ports Floppy drive one 34 pin connector Processor fan one 4 pin connector Chassis fan one 3 pin connector PCI 2 3 two 124 pin connectors PCI Express x1 one 36 pin connector PCI Express x16 o...

Page 170: ... power supply problem see Power Problems on page 66 Drive activity light blue light A blinking blue light indicates the computer is reading data from or writing data to the SATA hard drive CD DVD or HDD Rear of computer Link integrity light on integrated network adapter green light A good connection exists between the network and the computer off no light The computer is not detecting a physical c...

Page 171: ...ng 10 to 35 C 50 to 95 F Storage 40 to 65 C 40 to 149 F Relative humidity 20 to 80 noncondensing Maximum vibration Operating 5 to 350 Hz at 0 0002 G2 Hz Storage 5 to 500 Hz at 0 001 to 0 01 G2 Hz Maximum shock Operating 40 G 5 with pulse duration of 2 msec 10 equivalent to 20 in sec 51 cm sec Storage 105 G 5 with pulse duration of 2 msec 10 equivalent to 50 in sec 127 cm sec Altitude Operating 15 ...

Page 172: ...he settings for this program Certain changes can make your computer work incorrectly Entering System Setup 1 Turn on or restart your computer 2 When the blue DELL logo is displayed you must watch for the F2 prompt to appear 3 Once this F2 prompt appears press F2 immediately NOTE The F2 prompt indicates that the keyboard has initialized This prompt can appear very quickly so you must watch for it t...

Page 173: ...on and security features Option Field This field contains information about each option In this field you can view your current settings and make changes to your settings Use the right and left arrow keys to highlight an option Press Enter to make that selection active Help Field This field provides context sensitive help based on the options selected Key Functions This field appears below the Opt...

Page 174: ...igurations Displays information about the features of the CPU such as AMD Live AMD Cool n Quiet Function and AMD Virtualization USB Configurations Displays whether the USB controller is enabled or disabled Power Power Management Setup Displays options for Power Management Setup options such as ACPI Suspend Type Remote Wake Up Wake Up by Ring Auto Power On Auto Power On Date Auto Power On Time and ...

Page 175: ...or 2 Turn on or restart your computer 3 When F2 Setup F12 Boot Menu appears in the upper right corner of the screen press F12 If you wait too long and the operating system logo appears continue to wait until you see the Microsoft Windows desktop then shut down your computer see Turning Off Your Computer on page 98 and try again 4 The Boot Menu appears listing all available boot devices 5 Use the a...

Page 176: ... of the procedures in this section follow the safety instructions located in the Product Information Guide 1 Follow the procedures in Before You Begin on page 97 2 Remove the computer cover see Removing the Computer Cover on page 99 3 Locate the 3 pin password connector CLEAR P W on the system board and remove the 2 pin jumper plug from pins 2 and 3 and fix it on pins 1 and 2 and wait for approxim...

Page 177: ...o clear the CMOS setting 2 Remove the computer cover see Removing the Computer Cover on page 99 3 Reset the current CMOS settings a Locate the 3 pin CMOS jumper CLEAR CMOS on the system board see System Board Components on page 102 b Remove the jumper plug from the CMOS jumper CLEAR CMOS pins 2 and 3 c Place the jumper plug on the CMOS jumper CLEAR CMOS pins 1 and 2 and wait approximately five sec...

Page 178: ...aimer window appears click Yes I Accept this Agreement The File Download window appears 5 Click Save this program to disk and then click OK The Save In window appears 6 Click the down arrow to view the Save In menu select Desktop and then click Save The file downloads to your desktop 7 Click Close when the Download Complete window appears The file icon appears on your desktop and is titled the sam...

Page 179: ...cial screen cleaning tissue or solution suitable for the monitor s antistatic coating Wipe the keyboard computer and plastic part of the monitor with a soft cleaning cloth moistened with a solution of three parts water and one part dishwashing detergent NOTICE Do not soak the cloth or let water drip inside your computer or keyboard Mouse If your screen cursor skips or moves abnormally clean the mo...

Page 180: ...2 With a soft lint free cloth gently wipe the bottom of the disc the unlabeled side in a straight line from the center to the outer edge of the disc For stubborn dirt try using water or a diluted solution of water and mild soap You can also purchase commercial products that clean discs and provide some protection from dust fingerprints and scratches Cleaning products for CDs are safe to use on DVD...

Page 181: ... of the software programs that are installed on the computer during the manufacturing process Microsoft Office Norton Antivirus and so on Dell installed peripherals include any internal expansion cards or Dell branded module bay or PC Card accessories In addition any Dell branded monitors keyboards mice speakers microphones for telephonic modems docking stations port replicators networking product...

Page 182: ...television reception which can be determined by turning the equipment off and on you are encouraged to try to correct the interference by one or more of the following measures Reorient the receiving antenna Relocate the system with respect to the receiver Move the system away from the receiver Plug the system into a different outlet so that the system and the receiver are on different branch circu...

Page 183: ...esolved the problem see Contacting Dell on page 188 NOTE Call Dell Support from a telephone near or at the computer so that the support staff can assist you with any necessary procedures NOTE Dell s Express Service Code system may not be available in all countries When prompted by Dell s automated telephone system enter your Express Service Code to route the call directly to the proper support per...

Page 184: ...e Services You can learn about Dell products and services on the following websites www dell com www dell com ap Asian Pacific countries only www dell com jp Japan only www euro dell com Europe only www dell com la Latin American and Caribbean countries www dell ca Canada only You can access Dell Support through the following websites and e mail addresses Dell Support websites support dell com sup...

Page 185: ...n the status of any Dell products that you have ordered you can go to support dell com or you can call the automated order status service A recording prompts you for the information needed to locate and report on your order For the telephone number to call for your region see Contacting Dell on page 188 Problems With Your Order If you have a problem with your order such as missing parts wrong part...

Page 186: ...shipping expenses You are also responsible for insuring any product returned and you assume the risk of loss during shipment to Dell Collect On Delivery C O D packages are not accepted Returns that are missing any of the preceding requirements will be refused at Dell s receiving dock and returned to you Before You Call NOTE Have your Express Service Code ready when you call The code helps Dell s a...

Page 187: ...n Devices Expansion cards Are you connected to a network Yes No Network version and network adapter Programs and versions See your operating system documentation to determine the contents of the system s start up files If the computer is connected to a printer print each file Otherwise record the contents of each file before calling Dell Error message beep code or diagnostic code Description of pr...

Page 188: ...pport and service options Availability varies by country and product and some services may not be available in your area To contact Dell for sales technical support or customer service issues 1 Visit support dell com 2 Verify your country or region in the Choose A Country Region drop down menu at the bottom of the page 3 Click Contact Us on the left side of the page 4 Select the appropriate servic...

Page 189: ...d graphics port A dedicated graphics port that allows system memory to be used for video related tasks AGP delivers a smooth true color video image because of the faster interface between the video circuitry and the computer memory AHCI Advanced Host Controller Interface An interface for a SATA hard drive Host Controller which allows the storage driver to enable technologies such as Native Command...

Page 190: ...hard drive is damaged or your computer has a virus ensure that you always have a bootable CD or floppy disk available Your Drivers and Utilities or ResourceCD is a bootable CD bootable disk A disk that you can use to start your computer In case your hard drive is damaged or your computer has a virus ensure that you always have a bootable CD or floppy disk available bps bits per second The standard...

Page 191: ...ou can write to CD R discs only once clock speed The speed given in MHz that indicates how fast computer components that are connected to the system bus operate COA Certificate of Authenticity The Windows alpha numeric code located on a sticker on your computer Also referred to as the Product Key or Product ID Control Panel A Windows utility that allows you to modify operating system and hardware ...

Page 192: ...n a network that are administered as a unit with common rules and procedures for use by a specific group of users A user logs on to the domain to gain access to the resources DRAM dynamic random access memory Memory that stores information in integrated circuits containing capacitors driver Software that allows the operating system to control a device such as a printer Many devices do not work pro...

Page 193: ...tatic discharge A rapid discharge of static electricity ESD can damage integrated circuits found in computer and communications equipment expansion card A circuit board that installs in an expansion slot on the system board in some computers expanding the capabilities of the computer Examples include video modem and sound cards expansion slot A connector on the system board in some computers where...

Page 194: ...or disk for file storage When a drive or disk is formatted the existing information on it is lost FSB front side bus The data path and physical interface between the processor and RAM FTP file transfer protocol A standard Internet protocol used to exchange files between computers connected to the Internet G G gravity A measurement of weight and force GB gigabyte A measurement of data storage that ...

Page 195: ...d for use in computer audio and video equipment IDE integrated device electronics An interface for mass storage devices in which the controller is integrated into the hard drive or CD drive IEEE 1394 Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers Inc A high performance serial bus used to connect IEEE 1394 compatible devices such as digital cameras and DVD players to the computer infrared sensor...

Page 196: ...ommand requiring you to press multiple keys at the same time kHz kilohertz A measurement of frequency that equals 1000 Hz L LAN local area network A computer network covering a small area A LAN usually is confined to a building or a few nearby buildings A LAN can be connected to another LAN over any distance through telephone lines and radio waves to form a wide area network WAN LCD liquid crystal...

Page 197: ...start up Devices and software can then identify information that the processor can access memory module A small circuit board containing memory chips which connects to the system board MHz megahertz A measure of frequency that equals 1 million cycles per second The speeds for computer processors buses and interfaces are often measured in MHz Mini PCI A standard for integrated peripheral devices wi...

Page 198: ...technology to read or write data from CDs DVDs or DVD RWs Example of optical drives include CD drives DVD drives CD RW drives and CD RW DVD combo drives P partition A physical storage area on a hard drive that is assigned to one or more logical storage areas known as logical drives Each partition can contain multiple logical drives PC Card A removable I O card adhering to the PCMCIA standard Modem...

Page 199: ...ferred to as the CPU central processing unit PS 2 personal system 2 A type of connector for attaching a PS 2 compatible keyboard mouse or keypad PXE pre boot execution environment A WfM Wired for Management standard that allows networked computers that do not have an operating system to be configured and started remotely R RAID redundant array of independent disks A method of providing data redund...

Page 200: ...minute Hard drive speed is often measured in rpm RTC real time clock Battery powered clock on the system board that keeps the date and time after you shut down the computer RTCRST real time clock reset A jumper on the system board of some computers that can often be used for troubleshooting problems S SAS serial attached SCSI A faster serial version of the SCSI interface as opposed to the original...

Page 201: ...fer file format that allows the transfer of audio from one file to another without converting it to and from an analog format which could degrade the quality of the file standby mode A power management mode that shuts down all unnecessary computer operations to save energy Strike Zone Reinforced area of the platform base that protects the hard drive by acting as a dampening device when a computer ...

Page 202: ...example Windows Notepad uses a text editor Text editors do not usually provide word wrap or formatting functionality the option to underline change fonts and so on TPM trusted platform module A hardware based security feature that when combined with security software enhances network and computer security by enabling features such as file and e mail protection travel module A plastic device design...

Page 203: ...er of colors that a program can display video mode A mode that describes how text and graphics are displayed on a monitor Graphics based software such as Windows operating systems displays in video modes that can be defined as x horizontal pixels by y vertical pixels by z colors Character based software such as text editors displays in video modes that can be defined as x columns by y rows of char...

Page 204: ...eless wide area network A wireless high speed data network using cellular technology and covering a much larger geographic area than WLAN WXGA wide aspect extended graphics array A video standard for video cards and controllers that supports resolutions up to 1280 x 800 X XGA extended graphics array A video standard for video cards and controllers that supports resolutions up to 1024 x 768 Z ZIF z...

Page 205: ...removing PCI 116 slots 111 types supported 111 CD DVD drive installing 137 139 problems 53 removing 136 CD RW drive problems 53 CDs 27 playing 24 Check Disk 54 CMOS settings clearing 177 computer beep codes 76 components inside 101 crashes 58 60 inside view 101 restore to previous state 88 stops responding 58 59 conflicts software and hardware incompatibilities 87 contacting Dell 188 copying CDs g...

Page 206: ...ranty 11 drive panel 118 drive panel insert removing 132 141 replacing 132 141 Drivers manually reinstalling 86 drivers 83 about 83 identifying 84 reinstalling 84 Drivers and Utilities CD 85 Drivers and Utilities media 85 drives 120 hard drive 122 installing CD DVD 137 139 installing floppy 129 installing hard drive 124 problems 52 removing CD DVD 136 removing floppy 127 removing hard drive 122 se...

Page 207: ... 76 conflicts 87 Dell Diagnostics 80 Help and Support Center 14 help file Windows Help and Support Center 14 hibernate mode 38 I I O panel replacing 152 installing parts before you begin 97 recommended tools 97 Internet problems 54 Internet connection about 48 options 48 setting up 49 IRQ conflicts 87 K keyboard problems 58 L labels Microsoft Windows 12 Service Tag 12 15 M Media Card Reader instal...

Page 208: ...k Setup Wizard 47 problems 65 setting up 47 Network Setup Wizard 47 P password clearing 176 jumper 176 PCI cards installing 112 removing 116 phone numbers 188 playing CDs and DVDs 24 power button 16 hibernate mode 38 options advanced 39 problems 66 standby mode 33 power light conditions 66 Power Plan in Vista 38 printer cable 22 connecting 22 problems 67 setting up 22 USB 22 problems battery 51 be...

Page 209: ...tate 88 scanner 69 screen is blank 72 screen is hard to read 72 software 59 61 sound and speakers 70 technical support policy 180 troubleshooting tips 51 volume adjusting 70 Product Information Guide 11 Program Compatibility Wizard 60 R RAID array creating 44 regulatory information 11 Removing Memory 111 Removing the FlexBay Break Away Metal Plate 131 Removing the FlexBay break away metal plate 13...

Page 210: ...vers and Utilities CD 81 Starting the Dell Diagnostics From Your Hard Drive 80 support contacting Dell 183 188 policy 180 support website 13 system board 102 System Restore 88 system setup about 172 entering 172 options 173 screens 173 T technical support policy 180 telephone numbers 188 transferring information to a new computer 44 troubleshooting conflicts 87 Dell Diagnostics 80 Hardware Trouble...

Page 211: ...ollback 84 Files and Settings Transfer Wizard 44 Hardware Troubleshooter 87 Help and Support Center 14 Network Setup Wizard 47 Program Compatibility Wizard 60 scanner 69 System Restore 88 wizards Files and Settings Transfer Wizard 44 Network Setup Wizard 47 Program Compatibility Wizard 60 ...

Page 212: ...212 Index ...

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Dell Inspiron 531, Owner'S Manual

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