Dell Alienware Area-51 ALX User manual

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ALIENWARE®DESKTOP MANUAL

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e contents herein are subject to change without notice.
© 2009 Dell Inc. All rights reserved.
Reproduction of these materials in any manner whatsoever without the prior
written permission of Dell Inc. is strictly prohibited.
Trademarks used in this manual: Alienware, AlienRespawn, AlienFX, and the
AlienHead logo are trademarks or registered trademarks of Alienware Corporation.
Dell is a trademark of Dell Inc. Microsoft, Windows, Windows Vista, and Windows
Vista start button logo are either trademarks or registered trademarks of Microsoft
Corporation in the United States and/or other countries. Intel and SpeedStep are
registered trademarks and Core is a trademark of Intel Corporation in the U.S.
and other countries. Blu-ray Disc is a trademark of the Blu-ray Disc Association.
Bluetooth is a trademark owned by Bluetooth SIG, Inc. and is used by Dell Inc.
under license.
Other trademarks and trade names may be used in this manual see either the
entities claiming the marks and names or their products. Dell Inc. disclaims any
proprietary interest in trademarks and trade names other than its own.
Model: D0IX Type: D0IX001 P/N: K830R Rev:A00 August 2009
Notes, Cautions, and Warnings
NOTE: A NOTE indicates important information that helps you make better
use of your computer.
CAUTION: A CAUTION indicates either potential damage to hardware or
loss of data and tells you how to avoid the problem.
WARNING: A WARNING indicates a potential for property damage,
personal injury, or death.

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CONTENTS
INTRODUCTION ........................................................ 5
CHAPTER 1: SETTING UP YOUR DESKTOP ................................ 6
Before Setting Up Your Desktop ................................... 7
Connect the Display ...............................................8
Connect the Keyboard and Mouse..................................9
Connect the Network Cable (Optional)..............................9
Connect the Power Cable .........................................10
Press the Power Button ..........................................10
Set Up Microsoft Windows.........................................11
Connect to the Internet (Optional) .................................11
CHAPTER 2: GETTING TO KNOW YOUR DESKTOP .........................13
Front View Features .............................................. 14
Back View Features............................................... 15
Top View Features.................................................17
CHAPTER 3: CONNECTING DEVICES......................................19
Connecting Printers .............................................. 21
Connecting USB Devices..........................................22
Connecting IEEE 1394 (FireWire) Devices ..........................22
CHAPTER 4: USING YOUR DESKTOP ....................................23
Alienware Command Center ......................................24
Working With RAID ...............................................24
Optimizing Performance .........................................27
Conguring the BIOS .............................................28
CHAPTER 5: INSTALLING ADDITIONAL OR REPLACEMENT
COMPONENTS ..................................................35
Before You Begin .................................................36
Opening and Closing the Side Panel ...............................38
Inside View of Your Computer .....................................39
Removing and Replacing Memory Module(s).......................40
Removing and Replacing Hard Drive(s) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 42
Removing and Replacing Expansion Card(s) .......................44
CHAPTER 6: TROUBLESHOOTING ......................................46
Basic Hints and Tips..............................................47
Backup and General Maintenance.................................47
Software Diagnostic Tools ........................................48
Answers to Common Problems ...................................50

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CHAPTER 7: SYSTEM RECOVERY .......................................58
AlienRespawn v2.0...............................................59
Recovery Options ................................................60
Password Protection ............................................. 61
AlienRespawn v2.0 Disc ..........................................62
Dell DataSafe Local Backup .......................................62
CHAPTER 8: BASIC SPECIFICATIONS....................................64
APPENDIX A: GENERAL AND ELECTRICAL SAFETY PRECAUTIONS.........68
APPENDIX B: CONTACTING ALIENWARE ................................70
APPENDIX C: IMPORTANT INFORMATION ................................71
NVIDIA GeForce GTX 295 Graphics Cards............................71

INTRODUCTION
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Dear Valued Alienware Customer,
Welcome to the Alienware family. We are thrilled to include you among the
growing number of savvy high-performance computer users.
e Alienware technicians who have crafted your computer have made certain
that your high-performance computer is properly optimized and performs to its
fullest potential. We build computers with a single unwavering purpose: Build
It As If It Were Your Own. e technicians will not rest until your new computer
meets or exceeds our very demanding criteria!
We have tested your computer extensively in order to ensure that you enjoy
the highest levels of performance. In addition to a standard burn-in period,
your computer has been evaluated using real-world tools such as synthetic
performance benchmarks.
We invite you to share your experience with your new high-performance computer
with us, so do not hesitate to either e-mail or call Alienware with any questions
or concerns. e entire sta shares your enthusiasm for new technology and we
hope that you enjoy using your new computer as much as Alienware enjoyed
building it for you.
Sincerely,
Alienware Sta
INTRODUCTION
INTRODUCTION

CHAPTER 1: SETTING UP YOUR DESKTOP
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CHAPTER 1: SETTING UP YOUR DESKTOP
CHAPTER 1: SETTING UP YOUR DESKTOP

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CHAPTER 1: SETTING UP YOUR DESKTOP
Product Documentation and Media
e documentation that ships with your Alienware® desktop is designed to
provide answers to many of the questions that may arise as you explore your
new desktop’s capabilities. See the documentation for technical information or
general use as required to answer questions in the future, or aid you in nding
answers and solutions. e media included with your desktop is referenced in
some sections of the documentation and may be needed to complete certain
tasks. As always, our technical support sta is available to assist you.
Placing Your Desktop
WARNING: Do not place the desktop near or over a radiator or heating
vent. If all or parts of your desktop are placed in a cabinet, ensure that
adequate ventilation is provided. Do not place the desktop in a humid
location or in any area where the desktop may be exposed to rain or
water. Be careful not to spill liquid of any kind on or into the desktop.
When placing your desktop, ensure that:
It is placed on a surface that is both level and stable. •
e power and other cable connectors are not jammed between the desktop •
and a wall – or any other object.
Nothing obstructs airow in front of, behind, or below the desktop.•
e desktop has enough room so that optical drives and other external •
storage drives can be easily accessed.
Before Setting Up Your Desktop
Congratulations on the purchase of your Alienware®Area-51!
Read all safety and setup instructions before connecting your new desktop. Begin
by carefully opening the box and removing all components that were shipped to
you. Before setting up your desktop or components, be sure to inspect all items
for any physical damage that may have occurred during shipment.
See the included invoice to verify that all items ordered are present. Report any
missing components to customer service within 5 days of receiving the shipment.
Anything reported missing after the rst 5 days of receiving a shipment will not
be honored. Some of the most common items to check for include:
Computer•
Microsoft• ®CD-key located at the back of the desktop
Keyboard (if ordered)•
Mouse (if ordered)•
Multimedia speakers and sub-woofer (if ordered)•
Joystick controllers (if ordered)•
You may also need a small athead and/or a Phillips head screwdriver for
connecting peripheral cables to the desktop.

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CHAPTER 1: SETTING UP YOUR DESKTOP
Connection Type Computer Cable Display
DVI-to-DVI
(DVI cable)
DVI-to-VGA
(DVI-to-VGA
adapter + VGA
cable)
HDMI-to-HDMI
(HDMI cable)
HDMI-to-DVI
(HDMI-to-DVI
adapter + DVI
cable)
DisplayPort-
to-DisplayPort
(DisplayPort
cable)
Connect the Display
Connect the display using the connector available on the graphics card on your
computer.
NOTE: A DVI, HDMI, or DisplayPort connector may be available on the
graphics card you purchased.
You can purchase the DVI-to-VGA adapter, HDMI-to-DVI adapter, and additional
HDMI or DVI cables on the Dell website at www.dell.com.
Use the appropriate cable based on the connectors available on your computer
and display.
NOTE: When connecting to a single display, connect the display to ONLY
ONE of the connectors on your computer.

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CHAPTER 1: SETTING UP YOUR DESKTOP
Connect the Network Cable (Optional)Connect the Keyboard and Mouse

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CHAPTER 1: SETTING UP YOUR DESKTOP
Press the Power Button
Press the power button on the top of the computer.
Connect the Power Cable
WARNING: e power connectors and power strips vary among
countries. Using an incompatible cable or improperly connecting the
cable to a power strip or electrical outlet may cause re or equipment
damage.