Dell Vostro 420 User Manual Download

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If the Dell Diagnostics identifies a faulty RIMM,

replace that RIMM

. If the Dell Diagnostics determines that the system board is faulty, or if the

Dell Diagnostics does not identify the cause of the problem and the problem is still not resolved, see "

Getting Help

" for instructions on

obtaining technical assistance.

Troubleshooting the Video Subsystem

Troubleshooting video problems involves determining which of the following is the source of the problem: the monitor, the monitor interface cable,
or the integrated video subsystem.

Before you attempt to troubleshoot the video subsystem, perform the procedure found in "

Troubleshooting the Monitor

" to determine whether the

monitor is the source of the problem.

If the monitor is not at fault, perform the following steps:

1. Check the monitor cable connections as indicated in "

Checking Connections and Switches

2. If the problem is not resolved, see your video card documentation for further troubleshooting instructions.

If any of the tests fail, see "

Getting Help

" for instructions on obtaining technical assistance.

Troubleshooting the System Board

A system board problem can result from a defective system board component, a faulty power supply, or a defective component connected to the
system board. If an error message indicates a system board problem, perform the following steps:

1. Insert the

Dell Precision ResourceCD

into the CD-ROM drive, and reboot the system. Run the

System Board Devices

test group in the

Dell Diagnostics

If any of the tests fail, see "

Getting Help

" for instructions on obtaining technical assistance.

2. Turn off the system, including any attached peripherals, and disconnect all the AC power cables from their electrical outlets. Also, disconnect

any telephone or telecommunication lines from the computer.

3. Remove the cover from your

desktop chassis

or from your

mini tower chassis

4. If you have a mini tower chassis, remove the AGP card brace according to the instructions in "

Removing and Replacing the AGP Card

Brace

5. Verify that the power cables from the power supply are firmly connected to the connectors on the system board.

6. If you have a mini tower chassis, replace the AGP card brace.

7. Replace the computer cover on your

desktop chassis

or on your

mini tower chassis

, reconnect the system to an electrical outlet, and turn it

on. If the problem is not resolved, proceed to step 8.

8. Perform the procedure in "

Troubleshooting Expansion Cards

." If the problem is not resolved, proceed to step 9.

9. Perform the procedure in "

Troubleshooting the Keyboard

." If the problem is not resolved, proceed to step 10.

10. Perform the procedure in "

Troubleshooting a Dead System Board With the RTCRST Jumper

11. If the problem is still not resolved, see "

Getting Help

" for instructions on obtaining technical assistance.

Troubleshooting a Dead System Board With the RTCRST Jumper

If the system cannot boot and you have exhausted all other troubleshooting options, perform the following steps:

NOTE: Dell Precision WorkStation 420 systems are equipped with

diagnostic LEDs

to help provide information about possible

problems. Make note of any LED codes you observe before contacting Dell for technical assistance.

NOTE: Dell Precision WorkStation 420 systems are equipped with

diagnostic LEDs

to help provide information about possible

problems. Make note of any LED codes you observe before contacting Dell for technical assistance.

CAUTION: Before you remove the computer cover, see "

Safety First

—

For You and Your Computer

NOTE: Dell Precision WorkStation 420 systems are equipped with

diagnostic LEDs

to help provide information about possible

problems. Make note of any LED codes you observe before contacting Dell for technical assistance.

Summary of Contents for Vostro 420

Page 1: ...s a registered trademark of 3Com Corporation IBM and OS 2 are registered trademarks of International Business Machines Corporation NetWare is a registered trademark of Novell Inc 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 Computer Corporation disclaims any proprietary interest in trademarks and t...

Page 2: ...peakers that have integrated amplifiers You can purchase speakers separately from Dell Connect the audio cable from the speakers to the line out jack see Figure 1 Overview Using Audio Utilities Connecting Audio Devices Installing Audio Drivers Adjusting Volume NOTE The instructions in this section apply to systems using the integrated audio controller If you are using a sound card use the connecti...

Page 3: ...modem to interface with the integrated audio system Connect the voice modem data cable to the TAPI connector on the system board Adjusting Volume Use the instructions in one of the following subsections to adjust the speaker balance and volume of an audio source that uses the integrated audio controller in your Dell computer Adjusting Volume in the Microsoft Windows 98 Operating System To adjust t...

Page 4: ...indows NT 4 0 use Sound Recorder under Multimedia in the Accessories program folder to control the input of devices from which you are recording wav data Record allows you to adjust your selected audio input device l Use Volume Control under Multimedia in the Accessories program folder opens the Master Out window to adjust sound levels from several different audio sources Installing Audio Drivers ...

Page 5: ...s in System Setup l Run the Dell Diagnostics Checking Connections and Switches Improperly set switches and controls and loose or improperly connected cables are the most likely source of problems for your computer monitor or other peripheral such as a printer keyboard mouse or other external equipment Complete the following steps in the order indicated to check all the connections and switches 1 T...

Page 6: ...or improperly seated RIMM l A solid green power indicator and no beep code and no video during POST indicate that the monitor or the integrated video controller may be faulty See Troubleshooting the Monitor If the monitor is operating properly and is correctly connected see Getting Help for instructions on getting technical assistance from Dell l A solid green power indicator and no beep code with...

Page 7: ...tion does not match the information recorded by System Setup an error message may appear on your screen This problem can happen if you changed your system s hardware configuration and forgot to run System Setup To correct this problem enter System Setup correct the setting for the corresponding System Setup program option and reboot your system If after checking the settings in System Setup you ha...

Page 8: ...connector cartridge 2 SECC2 package This section also includes instructions for replacing the system battery if necessary Use Figure 1 to locate the system board features Figure 1 System Board Features Overview Microprocessor Upgrades Expansion Cards Replacing the System Battery Adding Memory 1 CD ROM drive audio connector 2 Power connector desktop chassis 3 Diskette drive connector 4 Power connec...

Page 9: ...wer connector mini tower chassis 17 Power connector mini tower chassis 18 TAPI modem connector 19 Card cage area fan connector 20 Auxiliary sound input connector 21 PCI RAID expansion card slot 22 Auxiliary hard disk drive access LED connector 23 PCI expansion slots 24 AGP Pro50 4X graphics slot desktop chassis or AGP Pro110 4X graphics slot mini tower chassis 25 Wake on LAN connector 26 Processor...

Page 10: ...card for information on configuring the card making internal connections or otherwise customizing it for your system 2 If you have a mini tower chassis remove the AGP card brace according to the instructions in Removing and Replacing the AGP Card Brace Mini Tower Chassis Only 3 Unscrew and remove the metal filler bracket that covers the card slot opening for the expansion slot that you intend to u...

Page 11: ... computer and peripherals to their electrical outlets and turn them on 9 To reset the chassis intrusion detector enter the System Setup program and reset Chassis Intrusion to Enabled or Enabled Silent Removing an Expansion Card To remove an expansion card perform the following steps NOTICE See Protecting Against Electrostatic Discharge in your System Information Guide 1 Remove the computer cover a...

Page 12: ...um of four RIMMs for up to 2 gigabytes GB of total memory Figure 6 shows the RIMMs and RIMM sockets Figure 6 RIMMs and RIMM Sockets RIMM Installation Guidelines When you add system memory you must install RIMMs in matched pairs pairs of identical capacity If only one pair of RIMMs is installed they must occupy slots RIMMB_1 and RIMMA_2 and you must install continuity RIMMs C RIMMs in sockets RIMMB...

Page 13: ...e operating properly See your Diagnostics and Troubleshooting Guide for information on running the diagnostics and troubleshooting any problems that may occur Installing a RIMM If a RIMM is already installed in the socket you want to use you must remove it NOTICE To avoid damage to the memory module press the module straight down into the socket with equal force applied at each end of the module T...

Page 14: ...k the document that corresponds to the operating system you are running Each processor and its associated level 2 L2 cache memory are contained in an SECC2 cartridge that is installed in a dedicated connector on the system board In systems with only one processor a terminator card is installed in the secondary processor connector The following subsection describes how to install or replace an SECC...

Page 15: ...rtridge heat sink assembly into the system board connector Press the SECC2 cartridge firmly into its connector until it is fully seated and the latches snap into place You must use up to 25 lb of force to fully seat the SECC2 cartridge in its connector Install or replace the two large thumbscrews that secure the heat sink to the system board 7 Replace the airflow shroud 8 Rotate the power supply b...

Page 16: ... are replacing the battery you can refer to your written or printed copy of the system configuration information to restore the correct settings 2 Remove the computer cover according to the instructions in Removing the Computer Cover Desktop Chassis or Removing the Computer Cover Mini Tower Chassis NOTICE See Protecting Against Electrostatic Discharge in your System Information Guide 3 Desktop cha...

Page 17: ...nter the correct time and date through the System Setup program s Time and Date options Also restore the correct settings for the system configuration information using the copy made in step 1 10 While in the System Setup program reset the chassis intrusion detector by changing Chassis Intrusion to Enabled or Enabled Silent 11 Turn off your computer and unplug it for at least 10 minutes 12 After 1...

Page 18: ...es and city codes For example to call Paris France from Montpellier France dial the area code plus the local number as shown in the following illustration The codes required depend on where you are calling from as well as the destination of your call in addition each country has a different dialing protocol If you need assistance in determining which codes to use contact a local or an internationa...

Page 19: ...epartment Name or Service Area Code Local Number or Toll Free Number Brazil Customer Support Technical Support toll free 0800 90 3355 Sales toll free 0800 90 3366 Web site http www dell com br Canada North York Ontario Automated Order Status System toll free 1 800 433 9014 AutoTech Automated technical support toll free 1 800 247 9362 Customer Care From outside Toronto toll free 1 800 387 5759 Cust...

Page 20: ...s Customer Technical Support Return Material Authorization Numbers toll free 1 800 624 9896 Customer Technical Support Home sales purchased via http www dell com toll free 1 877 576 3355 Customer Service Credit Return Authorization Numbers toll free 1 800 624 9897 National Accounts systems purchased by established Dell national accounts have your account number handy medical institutions or value ...

Page 21: ...eb site http support euro dell com E mail tech_be dell com Czech Republic Prague Technical Support 02 22 83 27 27 Customer Care 02 22 83 27 11 Fax 02 22 83 27 14 TechFax 02 22 83 27 28 Switchboard 02 22 83 27 11 Web site http support euro dell com E mail czech_dell dell com Denmark Horsholm NOTE Customers in Denmark call Sweden for fax technical support Technical Support 45170182 Relational Custom...

Page 22: ... Large Accounts Customer Care 06103 766 9560 Public Accounts Customer Care 06103 766 9555 Switchboard 06103 766 7000 Web site http support euro dell com E mail tech_support_central_europe dell com Ireland Cherrywood Technical Support 0870 908 0800 Home User Customer Care 01 204 4095 Small Business Customer Care 01 204 4026 Corporate Customer Care 01 204 4003 Sales 01 286 0500 SalesFax 01 204 0144 ...

Page 23: ...itchboard 020 581 8818 Web site http support euro dell com E mail tech_nl dell com Norway Lysaker NOTE Customers in Norway call Sweden for fax technical support Technical Support 671 16882 Relational Customer Care 671 17514 Home Small Business Customer Care 231 62298 Switchboard 671 16800 Fax Technical Support Upplands Vasby Sweden 00 08 590 05 594 Fax Switchboard 671 16865 Web site http support e...

Page 24: ...rs Nordic_server_support dell com Switzerland Geneva Technical Support Home and Small Business 0844 811 411 Technical Support Corporate 0844 822 844 Customer Care Home and Small Business 0848 802 202 Customer Service Corporate 0848 821 721 Switchboard 022 799 01 01 Fax 022 799 01 90 Web site http support euro dell com E mail swisstech dell com U K Bracknell Technical Support Corporate Preferred Ac...

Page 25: ...alaysia for customer assistance Technical Support toll free 800 96 4107 Customer Service Penang Malaysia 633 4949 Transaction Sales toll free 800 96 4109 Corporate Sales toll free 800 96 4108 Japan Kawasaki Technical Support Server toll free 0120 1984 35 Technical Support Dimension and Inspiron Technical Support Outside of Japan Dimension and Inspiron 81 44 toll free 0120 1982 26 520 1435 Technica...

Page 26: ...a 04 633 4949 Transaction Sales toll free 800 6011 054 Corporate Sales toll free 800 6011 053 South Africa Johannesburg Technical Support 011 709 7710 Customer Care 011 709 7707 Sales 011 709 7700 Fax 011 706 0495 Switchboard 011 709 7700 Web site http support euro dell com E mail dell_za_support dell com Southeast Asian Pacific Countries excluding Australia Brunei China Hong Kong Japan Korea Maca...

Page 27: ...e testing when an adjustable error limit is reached l Access online Help screens that describe the tests and tell how to run them l Read status messages that inform you whether test groups or subtests completed successfully l Receive error messages that appear if problems are detected Before You Start Testing l Read Safety First For You and Your Computer and the safety instructions in your System ...

Page 28: ...ell Diagnostics l Program Options Allows you to change the settings of the Dell Diagnostics l Exit to MS DOS Exits to the MS DOS prompt 10 Select Quick Tests from the Test All Devices or Test One Device option to perform a quick check of your computer or a specific device Quick Tests runs only the subtests that run fast and do not require user interaction Dell recommends that you select Quick Test...

Page 29: ...not list in the Device Groups area the names of all components or devices that are part of your computer system For example it may not list a printer even though it is connected to your computer However the parallel port to which the printer is connected appears in the Device Groups list You can test your printer connection in the Parallel Ports tests NOTE The options displayed on your screen shou...

Page 30: ...power cable and interface cable from the back of the drive before sliding the bracket out of the bay To remove the old drive from the bracket turn the drive bracket assembly upside down and unscrew the four screws that secure the drive to the bracket see Figure 2 6 Attach the drive bracket to the new drive Turn the drive upside down and locate the four screw holes around its perimeter Fit the brac...

Page 31: ...w Drive Into the Drive Bay of the Mini Tower Chassis 8 Connect a DC power cable to the power input connector on the back of the drive see Figure 4 9 Connect the appropriate interface cable to the interface connector on the back of the drive see Figure 4 If your system came with an EIDE CD ROM or tape drive use the spare connector on the existing interface cable Otherwise use the EIDE interface cab...

Page 32: ...llowing steps 1 Unpack the drive and prepare it for installation NOTICE Ground yourself by touching an unpainted metal surface on the back of the computer Check the documentation that accompanied the drive to verify that the drive is configured for your computer system Change any settings necessary for your configuration 2 If you are installing an EIDE drive configure the drive for the Cable Selec...

Page 33: ... the drive up so that the bracket drops down into place To ensure proper installation all screw holes should be aligned and the tabs on the front of the bracket should be flush with the front of the drive see Figure 6 Figure 6 Attaching the Drive Bracket to the New Drive To further ensure proper positioning of the drive in the chassis insert and tighten all four screws in the order in which the ho...

Page 34: ... out of the way to provide airflow for the fan and cooling vents 10 If the 5 25 inch drive bay was previously empty remove the front panel insert from the computer cover Hold the cover with the inside facing toward you and press each end of the insert with your thumbs until it snaps free 11 Replace the computer cover reconnect your computer and peripherals to their power sources and turn them on 1...

Page 35: ...Back to Contents Page ...

Page 36: ... the Dell Precision ResourceCD in the CD ROM drive reboot the system and run the Video test group in the Dell Diagnostics 5 Turn off the system and disconnect it from the electrical outlet Swap the monitor with one of the same type that is working and reconnect the system to an electrical outlet 6 Reboot the system and run the Video test group again If the tests complete successfully the original ...

Page 37: ...tings in System Setup l Incorrect settings in the system s configuration files l Faulty I O port logic on the system board Troubleshooting Basic I O Functions If a system error message indicates an I O port problem or the device connected to the port does not function properly follow these steps in the order indicated until the problem is resolved 1 Enter System Setup and verify that the settings ...

Page 38: ... until the problem is resolved 1 Attach the serial device to the other serial port for example if it is currently connected to serial port 1 attach the device to serial port 2 If the problem is resolved the serial port on the system board is faulty See Getting Help for instructions on obtaining technical assistance 2 If the faulty device has a detachable serial cable replace the serial cable If th...

Page 39: ...Back to Contents Page Getting Help Dell Precision WorkStation 420 Systems User s Guide Back to Contents Page Help Overview Contacting Dell ...

Page 40: ...e enables AGP to deliver a smooth true color video image application program Software such as a spreadsheet or word processor designed to help you perform a specific task or series of tasks Application programs run from the operating system ASCII American Standard Code for Information Interchange A text file containing only characters from the ASCII character set usually created with a text editor...

Page 41: ...r For example one beep followed by a second beep and then a burst of three beeps is beep code 1 1 3 binary A base 2 numbering system that uses 0 and 1 to represent information The computer performs operations based on the ordering and calculation of these numbers BIOS basic input output system Your computer s BIOS contains programs stored on a flash memory chip The BIOS controls the following l Co...

Page 42: ... Therefore you must be careful when you configure software that runs a serial device so that you do not create an interrupt conflict component As they relate to DMI manageable components are operating systems computer systems expansion cards or peripheral devices that are compatible with DMI Each component is made up of groups and attributes that are defined as relevant to that component config sy...

Page 43: ...m that allows the operating system or some other program to interface correctly with a peripheral device such as a printer Most device drivers are installed when the operating system is installed DIMM dual in line memory module DIN Deutsche Industrie Norm DIP dual in line package A circuit board such as a system board or expansion card may contain DIP switches for configuring the circuit board DIP...

Page 44: ...he actual drive s installed in the computer The System Setup program also allows you to specify physical parameters logical cylinders logical heads cylinder number and logical sectors per pack for drives not included in the table of drive types stored in NVRAM DSP digital signal processing DTE data terminal equipment Any device such as a computer system that can send data in digital form by means ...

Page 45: ...m board or riser board for plugging in an expansion card extended memory RAM above 1 MB Most software that can use it such as the Windows operating system requires that extended memory be under the control of an XMM external cache memory A RAM cache using SRAM chips Because SRAM chips operate at several times the speed of DRAM chips the microprocessor can retrieve data and instructions faster from...

Page 46: ...mal numbers from 0 through 16 for example is expressed in hexadecimal notation as 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 A B C D E F 10 In text hexadecimal numbers are often followed by h heat sink A metal plate with metal pegs or ribs that help dissipate heat Most microprocessors include a heat sink HMA high memory area The first 64 KB of extended memory above 1 MB A memory manager that conforms to the XMS can make...

Page 47: ...n 8 KB read write data cache IPX Internetwork Packet eXchange IPX SPX Internetwork Packet eXchange Sequenced Packet eXchange IRQ interrupt request A signal that data is about to be sent to or received by a peripheral device travels by an IRQ line to the microprocessor Each peripheral connection must be assigned an IRQ number For example the first serial port in your computer COM1 is assigned to IR...

Page 48: ...rrent is passed through it local bus On a computer with local bus expansion capability certain peripheral devices such as the video adapter circuitry can be designed to run much faster than they would with a traditional expansion bus Some local bus designs allow peripherals to run at the same speed and with the same width data path as the computer s microprocessor LPTn The device names for the fir...

Page 49: ...essor The primary computational chip inside the computer that controls the interpretation and execution of arithmetic and logic functions Software written for one microprocessor must usually be revised to run on another microprocessor CPU is a synonym for microprocessor MIDI musical instrument digital interface MIF management information format A MIF file contains information status and links to c...

Page 50: ...ch as a parity error noninterlaced A technique for decreasing screen flicker by sequentially refreshing each horizontal line on the screen ns nanosecond s one billionth of a second NTFS NT File System An option in the Windows NT operating system NVRAM nonvolatile random access memory Memory that does not lose its contents when you turn off your computer NVRAM is used for maintaining the date time ...

Page 51: ...onents such as RAM the disk drives and the keyboard ppm pages per minute PQFP plastic quad flat pack A type of microprocessor socket in which the microprocessor chip is permanently mounted Program Diskette Maker The Program Diskette Maker allows you to create program diskette sets or master copies of software that Dell installed on your computer system It is essential that you create these diskett...

Page 52: ... enhancements or corrections that have not yet been documented and list known problems or other things you need to be aware of as you use the software or hardware real mode An operating mode supported by 80286 or higher microprocessors real mode imitates the architecture of an 8086 microprocessor refresh rate The rate at which the monitor redraws the video image on the monitor screen More precisel...

Page 53: ... Self Monitoring Analysis and Reporting Technology A technology that allows hard disk drives to report errors and failures to the system BIOS which then displays an error message on the screen To take advantage of this technology you must have a SMART compliant hard disk drive and the proper support in the system BIOS SNMP Simple Network Management Protocol SNMP is an industry standard interface t...

Page 54: ...ontrol Panel settings or running the Windows Setup program may change options in the system ini file On other occasions you may need to change or add options to the system ini file manually with a text editor such as Notepad T termination Some devices must be terminated to prevent reflections and spurious signals in the cable When such devices are connected in a series you may need to enable or di...

Page 55: ...nning utility A program used to manage system resources memory disk drives or printers for example UTP unshielded twisted pair V V volt s VAC volt s alternating current VCCI Voluntary Control Council for Interference VCR videocassette recorder VDC volt s direct current VESA Video Electronics Standards Association VGA video graphics array VGA and SVGA are video standards for video adapters with gre...

Page 56: ... and graphics display modes Character based software displays in text modes that can be defined as x columns by y rows of characters Graphics based software displays in graphics modes that can be defined as x horizontal by y vertical pixels by z colors video resolution Video resolution 800 x 600 for example is expressed as the number of pixels across by the number of pixels up and down To display ...

Page 57: ...equire MS DOS and the provides advanced operating system performance improved ease of use enhanced workgroup functionality and simplified file management and browsing Windows NT High performance server and workstation operating system software developed by Microsoft that is intended for technical engineering and financial applications write protected Read only files are said to be write protected ...

Page 58: ......

Page 59: ...tower chassis perform the following steps 1 If you are replacing a hard disk drive that contains data you want to keep be sure to make a backup of your files before you begin this procedure 2 Prepare the drive for installation NOTICE Ground yourself by touching an unpainted metal surface on the back of the computer NOTICE When you unpack the drive do not set it on a hard surface which may damage t...

Page 60: ...t for the Mini Tower Chassis 7 Reinstall the hard disk drive bracket in the chassis see Figure 3 a Insert the bracket into the drive cage by sliding it in until the tabs snap into place b Rotate the drive door up and toward the chassis until it snaps securely into place Be sure to fold down the drive door handle see Figure 1 so that the bezel can be replaced on the chassis Figure 3 Inserting the D...

Page 61: ... strip on the EIDE cable with pin 1 on the primary EIDE connector to avoid possible damage to your system To locate the primary EIDE connector see Figure 1 in Installing System Board Options 11 Replace the computer cover reconnect your computer and peripherals to their power sources and turn them on 12 If the drive you just installed is the primary drive insert a bootable diskette into drive A 1 D...

Page 62: ...ve on a surface such as a foam pad that will sufficiently cushion it Check the documentation for the drive to verify that it is configured for your computer system 3 Remove the computer cover as instructed in Removing the Computer Cover Desktop Chassis 4 Remove the drive bracket from the chassis a If a hard disk drive is already installed in the drive bracket disconnect the DC power cable and EIDE...

Page 63: ...Connect one of the device connectors on the EIDE cable to the 40 pin interface connector on the back of the hard disk drive NOTICE You must match the colored strip on the EIDE cable with pin 1 on the drive s interface connector to avoid possible damage to your system Figure 8 Attaching Hard Disk Drive Cables in the Desktop Chassis 1 Hooks 3 2 Screws 4 3 1 inch drive back 4 Drive bracket 1 Screw 2 ...

Page 64: ...em Installing SCSI Devices This section describes how to configure and install small computer system interface SCSI devices in your system SCSI Configuration Guidelines Although you install SCSI devices essentially the same way as other devices their configuration requirements are different For details on configuring your particular SCSI subsystem refer to the documentation for your SCSI devices a...

Page 65: ...d that will sufficiently cushion it Configure the device for a SCSI ID number and disable termination if necessary 3 Install the SCSI devices as appropriate l To install a SCSI hard disk drive complete steps 3 through 7 of Installing an EIDE Hard Disk Drive in the Mini Tower Chassis or Installing an EIDE Hard Disk Drive in the Desktop Chassis Then continue with step 4 of this procedure l To instal...

Page 66: ...channel such as a CD ROM or tape drive Secondary Drive 0 and or Secondary Drive 1 should be set to Auto If you have any SCSI devices on the second SCSI channel Secondary Drive 0 and or Secondary Drive 1 should be set to None 10 If you installed a SCSI hard disk drive partition and format the drive Then install the operating system For instructions see Partitioning and Formatting SCSI Hard Disk Dri...

Page 67: ... The wire connects the pins and creates a circuit Figure 1 Jumpers To change a jumper setting pull the plug off its pin s and carefully fit it down onto the pin s indicated NOTICE Make sure that your system is turned off before you change a jumper setting Otherwise damage to your system or unpredictable results may occur A jumper is referred to as open or unjumpered when the plug is pushed down ov...

Page 68: ...able see the Glossary Connector or Socket Description AUX_LED Hard disk drive access indicator connector BATTERY Battery socket CD IN AUX Analog audio input connector RIMMA_2 RIMMA_4 Memory RIMM sockets on channel A RIMMB_1 RIMMB_3 Memory RIMM sockets on channel B FAN_SYS System fan connector FAN_CCAG Expansion card cage area fan connector FLOPPY Floppy disk connector 34 pin HD_TEMP Hard disk driv...

Page 69: ...lus a number to designate a parallel port for example LPT1 The default designation of your computer s built in parallel port is LPT1 MOUSE PS 2 mouse connector NIC 10 100 Ethernet RJ45 connector PANEL Control panel connector PARALLEL SCSI Parallel connector over Wide SCSI connector stacked PCI1 PCI2 PCI3 PCI expansion card connectors on primary PCI bus PCI4 PCI5 PCI expansion card connectors on se...

Page 70: ...figure your hardware you may need pin number and signal information for the parallel port connector Figure 5 illustrates the pin numbers for the parallel port connector and Table 4 lists and defines the pin assignments and interface signals for the parallel port connector Figure 5 Pin Numbers for the Parallel Port Connector Table 4 Pin Assignments and Interface Signals for the Parallel Port Connec...

Page 71: ...2 PE I Paper end 13 SLCT I Select 14 AFD O Automatic feed 15 ERR I Error 16 INIT O Initialize printer 17 SLIN O Select in 18 25 GND N A Signal ground Pin Signal I O Definition 1 16 GND N A Signal ground 17 18 TRMPWR N A Terminator power 19 RSVD N A Reserved 20 34 GND N A Signal ground 35 D12 I O SCSI data bit 12 36 D13 I O SCSI data bit 13 37 D14 I O SCSI data bit 14 38 D15 I O SCSI data bit 15 39...

Page 72: ...for the keyboard connector Figure 7 illustrates the pin numbers for the keyboard connector and Table 6 lists and defines the pin assignments and interface signals for the keyboard connector Figure 7 Pin Numbers for the Keyboard Connector Table 6 Pin Assignments and Interface Signals for the Keyboard Connector Mouse Connector If you reconfigure your hardware you may need pin number and signal infor...

Page 73: ...lly peripherals such as keyboards mice printers and computer speakers NOTICE Do not attach a USB device or a combination of USB devices that draw a maximum current over 500 milliamperes mA per channel at 5 volts V Attaching devices that exceed this threshold may cause the USB ports to shut down See the documentation that came with the USB devices for their maximum current ratings If you reconfigur...

Page 74: ...ch as cassette players CD players and VCRs Connect the line out cable from any of these devices to the line in jack on the back of your computer Figure 13 Line In Jack Interrupt Assignments Problems can arise if two devices attempt to use the same IRQ line To avoid this type of conflict check the documentation for the default IRQ line setting for each installed device Then consult Table 9 to confi...

Page 75: ...hin the upper memory area it is physically addressing a location within one of these devices Table 11 Upper Memory Map IRQ4 COM1 and COM3 serial ports if enabled in System Setup program IRQ5 Available IRQ6 Diskette drive interface IRQ7 Parallel port if enabled in System Setup program IRQ8 RTC IRQ9 Available IRQ10 Available IRQ11 Available IRQ12 Mouse controller IRQ13 Math coprocessor IRQ14 Primary...

Page 76: ...000FFFFF System BIOS 00100000 0010FFEF High memory area 0010FFF0 3FFFFFFF Extended memory 40000000 FFF7FFFF Reserved FFF80000 FFFFFFFF BIOS ROM NOTE For the full name of an abbreviation or acronym used in this table see the Glossary ...

Page 77: ... Technical information Details on every aspect of your system including hardware specifications l Self diagnostic tools A system specific troubleshooting application for resolving many computer related issues by following interactive flowcharts l Drivers files and utilities The latest drivers and basic input output system BIOS updates to keep your system functioning at its best l Component support...

Page 78: ... you designate For the TechFax telephone number to call see the contact numbers for your region TechConnect BBS Use your modem to access Dell s TechConnect bulletin board service BBS 24 hours a day seven days a week The service is menu driven and fully interactive The protocol parameters for the BBS are 1200 to 19 2K baud 8 data bits no parity 1 stop bit Automated Order Status System You can call ...

Page 79: ... 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 our receiving dock and returned to you Before You Call Remember to fill out the Diagnostics Checklist If possible turn on your system before you call Dell for technical assistance and call from a ...

Page 80: ...ne 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 problem and troubleshooting procedures you performed ...

Page 81: ...ds after disconnecting the computer from the electrical outlet before disconnecting the peripheral or removing the component to avoid possible damage to the system board To verify that all power has been removed from the system make sure that the standby power light emitting diode LED on the system board has gone out For the location of this LED see Figure 1 in Installing System Board Options 4 To...

Page 82: ...ng the Computer Cover Desktop Chassis 1 Check all cable connections especially those that might have come loose during your work Fold cables out of the way so that they do not catch on the computer cover Make sure cables are not routed over the drive cage they will prevent the cover from closing properly 2 Check to see that no tools or extra parts including screws are left inside the computer s ch...

Page 83: ...he back panel see Figure 4 remove the padlock and slide the padlock ring to the open position Figure 4 Padlock Ring and Cable Slot 3 Facing the left side cover press the release button located at the bottom left corner of the front bezel and lift the bottom of the cover allowing it to pivot up toward you see Figure 5 4 Disengage the hooks that secure the cover to the top of the chassis and lift th...

Page 84: ...rked with the icon see Figure 6 Figure 6 Removing the Front Bezel While pressing the tab release tilt the bezel away from the chassis disengage the two retaining hooks at the bottom of the bezel and carefully pull the bezel away from the chassis To replace the bezel fit the two retaining hooks on the bezel into their corresponding slots at the bottom of the chassis see Figure 6 Then rotate the top...

Page 85: ...Mini Tower Chassis 6 If you are using a padlock to secure your system reinstall the padlock 7 Reset the chassis intrusion detector by entering the System Setup program and setting Chassis Intrusion to Enabled or Enabled Silent Removing and Replacing the AGP Card Brace Mini Tower Chassis Only To access any expansion cards in the mini tower chassis you must first remove the accelerated graphics port...

Page 86: ...res the brace to the chassis Inside Your Computer Figure 9 shows a top view of a desktop chassis computer to help you orient yourself when installing hardware options Unless otherwise specified locations or directions relative to the computer are as shown Figure 9 Computer Orientation View Desktop Chassis Figure 10 shows a top view of a mini tower chassis computer to help you orient yourself when ...

Page 87: ...s guide Figure 12 Inside the Chassis Mini Tower Chassis Rotating the Power Supply Away From the System Board Desktop Chassis 1 Externally accessible drive bays 2 Hard disk drive bracket 3 Power supply 4 System board 1 Externally accessible drive bays 2 Hard disk drive cage 3 System board 4 Expansion card slots 5 Padlock ring 6 I O panel connectors 7 Security cable slot 8 AC power receptacle 9 Powe...

Page 88: ...power supply out of the way To rotate the power supply perform the following steps 1 Remove the computer cover as instructed in Removing the Computer Cover Mini Tower Chassis 2 Disconnect the AC power cable from the AC power receptacle on the back of the power supply see Figure 12 3 Free the power supply by rotating the power supply release handle outward and then slide the power supply toward the...

Page 89: ... release handle towards the back of the system until it is closed Make sure that the handle latches onto the power supply properly and the power supply slides slightly to the back of the system and locks in place 3 Replace the cover 4 Reconnect the AC power cable to the AC power receptacle on the back of the power supply Back to Contents Page 1 Power supply release handle 2 Power supply ...

Page 90: ...he computer cover see Figure 1 and Figure 2 for the location of this label on the mini tower and desktop chassis respectively This label shows the location of components within the chassis and locations of system board components and connectors It also contains an important notice that provides instructions you need to follow to help prevent damage to your system board while you troubleshoot your ...

Page 91: ...s wet contact the manufacturer for instructions If your computer gets wet perform the following steps 1 Turn off the system including any attached peripherals and disconnect all the AC power cables from their electrical outlets Also disconnect any telephone or telecommunication lines from the computer 2 Remove the cover from your desktop chassis or from your mini tower chassis 3 Let the computer d...

Page 92: ...ly your system is operating properly If any of the tests fail see Getting Help for instructions on obtaining technical assistance Troubleshooting the Battery If an error message indicates a problem with the battery or if System Setup loses the system configuration information when the computer is turned off the battery may be discharged To troubleshoot the battery perform the following steps 1 Tur...

Page 93: ...If you have replaced all the expansion cards removed previously and the expansion card problem is not resolved see Getting Help for information on obtaining technical assistance Troubleshooting System Memory A computer memory problem can be a faulty Rambus in line memory module RIMM or a faulty system board If a random access memory RAM error message appears the computer may have a memory problem ...

Page 94: ...ation lines from the computer 3 Remove the cover from your desktop chassis or from your mini tower chassis 4 If you have a mini tower chassis remove the AGP card brace according to the instructions in Removing and Replacing the AGP Card Brace 5 Verify that the power cables from the power supply are firmly connected to the connectors on the system board 6 If you have a mini tower chassis replace th...

Page 95: ...ets Also disconnect any telephone or telecommunication lines from the computer 3 Remove the cover from your desktop chassis or from your mini tower chassis 4 Verify that the DC power cables from the power supply are firmly connected to the connectors on each drive Also verify that the interface cable for each drive is firmly connected to the drive and to the system board 5 Replace the computer cov...

Page 96: ...ting systems that support multiprocessing such as the Microsoft Windows NT 4 0 and Windows 2000 operating systems l A secondary cache of static random access memory SRAM integrated in the microprocessor l Self Monitoring Analysis and Reporting Technology SMART support which warns you at system start up if the hard disk drive may be becoming unreliable To take advantage of this technology you must ...

Page 97: ... as scanners and for internal Narrow SCSI devices such as CD ROM drives tape drives and optical drives The maximum total length of the external cable on the secondary channel is 5 m with eight devices or 1 m with four devices l Two high performance serial ports and one bidirectional parallel port for connecting external devices l A Personal System 2 PS 2 style keyboard port and a PS 2 compatible m...

Page 98: ...plemental items to return the system to its full functionality See Reinstalling Windows NT 4 0 or Reinstalling Windows 98 Reinstalling Windows NT 4 0 To reinstall the Windows NT 4 0 operating system you must have the following items l Dell Precision ResourceCD l Windows NT 4 0 CD from Dell l Windows NT 4 0 SCSI controller driver diskettes l Windows NT 4 0 Service Pack 4 or later CD See the Dell Mi...

Page 99: ...r the power button can be configured to put the computer in a low power sleep state When the system is on the power indicator LED displays a solid green When the system is in a software induced sleep state the power indicator displays a blinking green When you press the power button to turn off the system the power indicator turns off however the power supply maintains a low voltage standby curren...

Page 100: ...ire you to load software files called device drivers into system memory before they will work These device drivers help the computer recognize the external device and direct its operation l Dell recommends that you attach external devices only while the computer is turned off unless you are instructed otherwise in the documentation for the particular device Then turn the computer on before turning...

Page 101: ... the chassis to prevent unauthorized access to the inside of the computer To use the padlock ring slide the padlock ring to its closed position insert a commercially available padlock through the ring and then lock the padlock Figure 3 Desktop Chassis Security Cable Slot and Padlock Ring Figure 4 Mini Tower Chassis Security Cable Slot and Padlock Ring Getting Help If at any time you do not underst...

Page 102: ...xpansion card cage fan is installed and connected to the system board Alert Cover was previously removed The computer cover was removed Reset Chassis Intrusion in System Setup Alert Hard drive thermal probe not detected No hard disk drive thermal probe is installed system has a defective thermal probe thermal probe cable is not connected to the control panel Ensure that an operational hard disk dr...

Page 103: ... on system board Alert Single bit memory error previously detected in XXXXh Faulty or improperly seated RIMMs or defective system board See Troubleshooting System Memory See Troubleshooting the System Board Alert System battery voltage is low System battery is providing inadequate voltage See Troubleshooting the Battery Alert System fan not detected No system fan is installed system fan has failed...

Page 104: ...re Keyboard failure Keyboard stuck key failure A cable or connector may be loose or the keyboard or keyboard mouse controller may be faulty See Troubleshooting the Keyboard Memory address line failure at address read value expecting value One or more RIMMs may be faulty or improperly seated See Troubleshooting System Memory Memory allocation error The software you are attempting to run is conflict...

Page 105: ...error The operating system is unable to find a specific track on the diskette or hard disk drive If the error is on the diskette drive try another diskette in the drive Shutdown failure A chip on the system board might be malfunctioning Run the System Board Devices tests in the Dell Diagnostics Time of day clock stopped The battery may be dead Enter System Setup and correct the date or time If the...

Page 106: ...em Memory 3 1 1 Slave DMA register failure Run the System Board Devices tests in the Dell Diagnostics if possible 3 1 2 Master DMA register failure Run the System Board Devices tests in the Dell Diagnostics if possible 3 1 3 Master interrupt mask register failure See Getting Help for instructions on obtaining technical assistance 3 1 4 Slave interrupt mask register failure See Getting Help for ins...

Page 107: ...chnology and timing 5 2 2 3 RDRAM levelization failure Reseat RIMMs and C RIMMs or replace faulty or unsupported RIMMs NOTE For the full name of an abbreviation or acronym used in this table see the Glossary NOTE Warning messages are generated by either your application programs or your operating system See Software Checks and the documentation that came with your operating system and application ...

Page 108: ...r computer is displaying with one of the patterns shown in Table 4 Table 4 Back Panel Diagnostic LED Codes Key Led OFF LED Yellow LED Green State LED pattern Problem Description Suggested Resolution S0 Normal off condition or possible pre BIOS failure Check the power LED on the front panel to determine if the system is receiving proper power See Table 3 for front panel LED codes S1 BIOS checksum f...

Page 109: ...d resource conflict Remove any internal options recently added and restart the system to retest S12 Possible system board resource conflict Remove any internal options recently added and restart the system to retest S14 Possible system board resource conflict Remove any internal options recently added and restart the system to retest S15 Normal operating condition after POST None NOTE For the full...

Page 110: ... lights up green when there is a good connection between a 10 Mbps network and the NIC or it lights up orange when there is a good connection between a 100 Mbps network and the NIC When the orange or green indicator is off the computer is not detecting a physical connection to the network Figure 1 NIC Connector and Indicators Overview Connecting to a Network Reinstalling the NIC Drivers NOTES The ...

Page 111: ...orkstation to a concentrator is 100 meters m 328 feet ft l The maximum number of workstations not counting concentrators on a network is 1024 l The maximum number of daisy chained concentrators on one network segment is four Setting the Network Frame Type This section describes how to set the network frame type for an Internetwork Packet eXchange Sequenced Packet eXchange IPX SPX compatible networ...

Page 112: ...on 420 Systems User s Guide Help Overview Dell Precision WorkStation 420 Systems User s Guide Contents Dell Precision WorkStation 420 Systems User s Guide Working Inside Your Computer Dell Precision WorkStation 420 Systems User s Guide Internal Components Dell Precision WorkStation 420 Systems User s Guide Introduction Dell Precision WorkStation 420 Systems User s Guide Messages and Codes Dell Pre...

Page 113: ...removable drive bracket that can contain two 1 6 inch hard disk drives Figure 1 Internal Drive Bays Desktop Chassis The mini tower chassis has four internal drive bays located in the drive cage beneath the externally accessible drive bays see Figure 2 that can accommodate either two EIDE hard disk drives or four SCSI hard disk drives Internal hard disk drives are mounted vertically in a removable ...

Page 114: ...f these drivers are provided on the Dell Precision ResourceCD If your system s SCSI drivers are ever inadvertently erased or corrupted you must reinstall them For instructions on reinstalling these drivers refer to the documentation that came with your Dell Precision Resource CD Back to Contents Page 1 Four bay hard disk drive cage internal NOTE SCSI Drivers for the Linux operating system are incl...

Page 115: ...o set the order of the devices from which the system attempts to boot The term boot refers to the system s start up procedure When turned on the system bootstraps itself into an operational state by loading into memory a small program which in turn loads the necessary operating system Boot Sequence tells the system where to look for the files that it needs to load To set the boot device order pres...

Page 116: ... clock speed of the installed microprocessor s Set this option to Normal for the rated speed or to Compatible for a slower compatibility speed Bus Speed displays the front side bus external speed of the installed microprocessor s Processor 0 ID displays the processor serial number of processor 0 Clock Speed under Processor 0 ID displays the rated internal speed of processor 0 Cache Size under Proc...

Page 117: ...signation COM1 or COM3 for Serial Port 1 COM2 or COM4 for Serial Port 2 or to Off to disable the port If you set a serial port to Auto and add an expansion card containing a port configured to the same designation the system automatically remaps the integrated port to the next available port designation that shares the same IRQ setting as follows l COM1 input output I O address 3F8h which shares I...

Page 118: ...and tape drives using the system s integrated diskette tape drive controller The system can still read from the drives When Read Only is selected Auto whereby the system turns off the integrated diskette drive controller as necessary is also in effect Selecting Off turns off the integrated diskette tape drive controller this setting is used primarily for troubleshooting purposes USB Emulation USB ...

Page 119: ...with the automatic drive type detect feature If you suspect that your problem is related to drive type try entering your drive type information in one of the following ways l If you know the drive type number Use the drive type number you found in the documentation that came with the drive or if the drive was installed by Dell when you purchased your system access the Manufacturing Test Report fro...

Page 120: ...processor to see if the problem is isolated to this microprocessor This option appears only if the system has two microprocessors System Data The following information about the system is displayed in the system data area of the System Setup screen l The microprocessor type and BIOS level l The size of the integrated level 2 L2 cache l The system s five character service tag number which was progr...

Page 121: ...assword option Setup Password Setup Password lets you restrict access to System Setup in the same way that you restrict access to your system with the system password feature The settings are l Not Enabled the default l Enabled l Disabled by Jumper Chassis Intrusion Chassis Intrusion displays the status of the system chassis intrusion monitor and can be set to Enabled Enabled Silent or Disabled Th...

Page 122: ...o change the time press the left or right arrow key to select a field and then press plus or minus to increase or decrease the number If you prefer you can type numbers in each of the fields ZIP Floppy Support ZIP Floppy Support enables or disables the support of Advanced Technology Attachment Packet Interface ATAPI ZIP devices by the system BIOS When Enabled is selected ATAPI ZIP devices are supp...

Page 123: ...re it requires and what its defaults are A program usually includes installation instructions in its accompanying documentation and a software installation routine on its program diskette s or CD s The software installation routine assists you in transferring the appropriate program files to your computer s hard disk drive Installation instructions may provide details about how to configure your o...

Page 124: ...fails To resolve this type of conflict you can change the address of one of the devices For example in the case of the network expansion card and expanded memory page frame address conflict you can move the network card to an address block in the range of CC000h through D0000h To reassign the expansion card s address block refer to the documentation for the card Interrupt Assignment Conflicts Prob...

Page 125: ...terrupts 15 System basic input output system BIOS year 2000 Y2K Desktop Management Interface DMI 2 0s system management SM BIOS 2 3 compliant BIOS in 4 megabit Mb firmware hub Audio controller integrated Crystal SoundFusion CS4614 Peripheral Component Interconnect PCI audio controller audio controller Integrated dual channel PCI small computer system interface SCSI controller Adaptec 7899 Ultra 16...

Page 126: ...kette drive three 5 25 inch bays for removable media devices Internally accessible bays Desktop chassis two 1 6 inch bays for 1 6 inch high hard disk drives Mini tower chassis three 1 6 inch bays for 1 6 inch high hard disk drives four 1 inch bays for 1 inch high hard disk drives Ports and Connectors Externally accessible Serial data terminal equipment DTE two 9 pin connectors 16550 compatible Par...

Page 127: ...e option F10 launches the utility partition if installed during system start up Controls and Indicators Reset control push button Power control push button Power indicators green light emitting diode LED on system board by control panel connector to indicate standby power green LED on system board by memory steady when system is on blinking in sleep state dual color LED on front panel steady green...

Page 128: ...re Operating 10 to 35 Celsius C 50 to 95 Fahrenheit F Storage 40 to 65 C 40 to 149 F Relative humidity 20 to 80 noncondensing Maximum vibration Operating 0 25 gravities G at 3 to 200 Hz at 1 octave minute min Storage 0 5 G at 3 to 200 Hz at 1 octave min Maximum shock Operating bottom half sine pulse with a velocity change of 50 8 centimeters second cm sec 20 inches sec Storage 27 G faired square w...

Page 129: ...Back to Contents Page System Setup Dell Precision WorkStation 420 Systems User s Guide Back to Contents Page Using System Setup System Setup Options ...

Page 130: ...r system is already on shut it down and then turn it on again 2 When the Press F2 to Enter Setup window appears in the upper right corner of the screen press F2 If you wait too long to press F2 and cannot enter System Setup let the system complete the startup operation then shut down the system and try again System Setup Screen The System Setup screen displays the current setup and configuration i...

Page 131: ...fields you can also type the appropriate value or Scrolls through help information Enters the selected field s pop up options menu spacebar or or In the selected field s pop up options menu cycles through the options in a field Saves the selected settings in a field s pop up settings menu and returns to the main System Setup screen For a few options as noted in the help area the changes take effec...

Page 132: ...up to seven characters in the password As you press each character key or the spacebar for a blank space a placeholder appears in the field The password assignment operation recognizes keys by their location on the keyboard without distinguishing between lowercase and uppercase characters For example if you have an M in your password the system recognizes either M or m as correct Certain key combi...

Page 133: ...m Setup program 6 Confirm that Not Enabled is displayed for System Password in the System Setup program If Not Enabled appears the system password has been deleted If you want to assign a new password go to step 7 If Not Enabled is not displayed press the Alt b key combination to reboot the system and then repeat steps 3 through 6 7 Assign a system password Using the Setup Password Feature Your De...

Page 134: ...program respectively until you open the computer change the password jumper setting to disable the passwords and erase the existing passwords To disable a forgotten password perform the following steps 1 Remove the computer cover of your desktop or mini tower chassis 2 Refer to Jumpers for jumper information and to Figure 2 in Hardware Configuration Features for the location of the password jumper...

Page 135: ...9 Assign a new system password and or setup password 10 Reset the chassis intrusion detector Back to Contents Page ...

Page 136: ...tents Page Troubleshooting Dell Precision WorkStation 420 Systems User s Guide Back to Contents Page Basic Checks External Components Messages and Codes Internal Components Software Checks Getting Help Diagnostics ...

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