Dell Dimension 2010 User manual

SETUP GUIDE
™

SETUP GUIDE
Model: D05M Series Type: D05M001
™

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.
If you purchased a Dell™ n Series computer, any references in this document to Microsoft®Windows®operating systems
are not applicable.
__________________
Information in this document is subject to change without notice.
© 2009-2010 Dell Inc. All rights reserved.
Reproduction of these materials in any manner whatsoever without the written permission of Dell Inc. is strictly forbidden.
Trademarks used in this text:
Dell , the DELL logo, YOURS IS HERE, Dell On Call, and DellConnect are trademarks of
Dell Inc.;
AMD and AMD Athlon are trademarks of Advanced Micro Devices, 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;
Bluetooth is a registered trademark owned by Bluetooth SIG, Inc. and is used by
Dell under license.
Other trademarks and trade names may be used in this document to refer to either the entities claiming the marks and
names or their products. Dell Inc. disclaims any proprietary interest in trademarks and trade names other than its own.
May 2010 Rev. A03

3
Setting Up Your Dimension Desktop . . . . . .5
Before Setting Up Your Computer . . . . . . . . . 5
Connect the Display. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6
Connect the Keyboard and Mouse. . . . . . . . . 8
Connect the Power Cable . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9
Connect the Network Cable (Optional) . . . . 10
Press the Power Button . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12
Set Up Microsoft Windows. . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13
Connect to the Internet (Optional) . . . . . . . . 14
Using Your Dimension Desktop . . . . . . . . .16
Front View Features. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16
Back View Features. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20
Back Panel Connectors. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22
Software Features . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24
Dell DataSafe Online Backup . . . . . . . . . . . . 28
Dell Dock . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 29
Solving Problems . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .30
Beep Codes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30
Network Problems . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 31
Power Problems. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 31
Memory Problems . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 33
Lockups and Software Problems . . . . . . . . . 34
Using Support Tools. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .36
Dell Support Center . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 36
System Messages . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 37
Hardware Troubleshooter. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 39
Dell Diagnostics . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 39
Restoring Your Operating System . . . . . . .43
System Restore . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 44
Dell DataSafe Local Backup. . . . . . . . . . . . . 45
Dell Factory Image Restore . . . . . . . . . . . . . 46
Operating System Reinstallation . . . . . . . . . 48
Contents

4
Contents
Getting Help . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .50
Technical Support and Customer
Service . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 51
DellConnect™. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 51
Online Services . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 51
Automated Order-Status Service . . . . . . . . . 52
Before You Call. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 53
Contacting Dell. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 54
Finding More Information and
Resources . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .56
Basic Specifications . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .58
Appendix. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .62
Macrovision Product Notice. . . . . . . . . . . . . 62
Appendix A: Safety, Environmental, and
Regulatory Information . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .64
General Safety Information . . . . . . . . . . . . . 64
When Working Inside Your Device. . . . . . . . 66
General Power Safety . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 67
Ergonomic Instructions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 68
Regulatory Notices . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 69
Export Regulations. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 70
Finding Additional Information . . . . . . . . . . . 70
Additional Country-Specific Environmental
Information. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 71
Appendix B: End User License
Agreement. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .76
Limited Warranty . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 78
Open Source Software . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 80
U.S. Government Restricted Rights . . . . . . . 80
General . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 81
Supplemental Terms for EMS Branded
Software . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 81
Index . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .82

5
This section provides information about setting
up your Dimension desktop.
WARNING: Before you begin any of the
procedures in this section, read the
safety information that shipped with
your computer. For additional safety best
practice information, see the Regulatory
Compliance Homepage at
www.dell.com/regulatory_compliance.
Before Setting Up Your
Computer
When positioning your computer, ensure that
you allow easy access to a power source,
adequate ventilation, and a level surface to
place your computer.
Restricting airflow around your computer may
cause it to overheat. To prevent overheating
ensure that you leave at least 10.2 cm (4 inches)
at the back of the computer and a minimum of
5.1 cm (2 inches) on all other sides. You should
never place your computer in an enclosed
space, such as a cabinet or drawer when it is
powered on.
Setting Up Your Dimension Desktop

6
Setting Up Your Dimension Desktop
Connect the Display
Your computer has an integrated VGA connector. You can use this connector to connect to the
display.
NOTE: A DVI, HDMI, or an additional VGA connector may be available on your computer if you
purchased an optional discrete graphics card. For best picture quality, it is recommended that
you use the connector on the discrete graphics card to connect to the display.
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. Refer to
the following table to identify the connectors on your computer and display.
NOTE: When connecting to a single display, connect the display to ONLY ONE of the connectors
on your computer.

7
Setting Up Your Dimension Desktop
Connection Type Computer Cable Display
VGA-to-VGA
(VGA cable)
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)

8
Setting Up Your Dimension Desktop
Connect the Keyboard and Mouse
Connect the USB keyboard and mouse to the USB connectors on the back panel of the computer.

9
Setting Up Your Dimension Desktop
Connect the Power Cable

10
Setting Up Your Dimension Desktop
Connect the Network Cable (Optional)

11
Setting Up Your Dimension Desktop
A network connection is not required to complete your computer setup, but if you have an existing
network or Internet connection that uses a cable connection (such as a broadband device or
Ethernet jack), you can connect it now.
NOTE: Use only an Ethernet cable to connect to the network connector (RJ45 connector). Do
not plug a telephone cable (RJ11 connector) into the network connector.
To connect your computer to a network or a broadband device, connect one end of the network
cable to the network port or the broadband device. Connect the other end of the network cable to
the network connector (RJ45 connector) on the back panel of your computer. A click indicates that
the network cable has been securely attached.

12
Setting Up Your Dimension Desktop
Press the Power Button

13
Setting Up Your Dimension Desktop
Set Up Microsoft Windows
To set up Microsoft®Windows®for the first time, follow the instructions on the screen. These
steps are mandatory and may take some time to complete. The Windows setup screens will take
you through several procedures including accepting license agreements, setting preferences, and
setting up an Internet connection.
CAUTION: Do not interrupt the operating system’s setup process. Doing so may render your
computer unusable. You will need to reinstall the operating system.
NOTE: It is recommended that you download and install the latest BIOS and drivers for your
computer available at support.dell.com.

14
Setting Up Your Dimension Desktop
Connect to the Internet
(Optional)
To connect to the Internet, you need an external
modem or network connection and an Internet
service provider (ISP).
You can connect to the Internet using a wired
connection.
Setting Up a Wired Connection
•If you are using a dial-up connection,
connect the telephone line to the optional
external USB modem and to the telephone
wall connector before you set up your
Internet connection.
•If you are using a DSL or cable/satellite
modem connection, contact your ISP
or cellular telephone service for setup
instructions.
To complete setting up your wired Internet
connection, follow the instructions in
“Setting Up Your Internet Connection”.
Setting Up Your Internet Connection
ISPs and ISP offerings vary by country. Contact
your ISP for offerings available in your country.
If you cannot connect to the Internet but have
successfully connected in the past, the ISP
might have a service outage. Contact your ISP
to check the service status, or try connecting
again later.
Have your ISP information ready. If you do not
have an ISP, the Connect to the Internet wizard
can help you get one.

15
Setting Up Your Dimension Desktop
NOTE: The following instructions are
applicable to the Windows default view,
so they may not apply if you set your Dell™
computer to the Windows classic view.
Windows Vista
®
1. Save and close any open files, and exit any
open programs.
2. Click Start →Control Panel.
3. Click Network and Internet→Network
and Sharing Center→Setup a
Connection→Connect to the Internet.
The Connect to the Internet window appears.
NOTE: If you do not know which type of
connection to select, click Help me choose
or contact your ISP.
4. Follow the instructions on the screen and
use the setup information provided by your
ISP to complete the setup.
Windows
®
7
1. Save and close any open files, and exit any
open programs.
2. Click Start →Control Panel.
3. Click Network and Internet → Network and
Sharing Center →Set up a new connection
or network→ Connect to the Internet.
The Connect to the Internet window appears.
NOTE: If you do not know which type of
connection to select, click Help me choose
or contact your ISP.
4. Follow the instructions on the screen and
use the setup information provided by your
ISP to complete the setup.

16
Using Your Dimension Desktop
This section provides information about the features available on your Dimension 2010 desktop.
Front View Features
1
3
2
95
4
6
7
8
10

17
Using Your Dimension Desktop
1Optical drive — Plays or records CDs and DVDs. Ensure that you insert the disc with the
printed side facing upwards.
2Optical drive eject button — Opens the optical drive when pressed.
3Optional optical drive bay — Can contain an additional optical drive.
4USB 2.0 connectors (2) — Connects to USB devices such as memory keys, digital
cameras, and MP3 players.
5Headphone connector — Connects to headphones.
NOTE: To connect to a powered speaker or sound system, use the line out connector on the
back of your computer.
6Microphone connector — Connects to a microphone for voice or to an audio cable for
audio input.

18
Using Your Dimension Desktop
7Power button — Turns the computer on or off when pressed. The light in the center of
this button indicates the following power state:
Solid white — the computer is on.
Blinking amber — the computer has detected an error during the Power-on self-test (POST).
Solid amber — the computer is in standby or sleep state or there may be an issue with
either the system board or the power supply.
Off — the computer is either in hibernate mode or turned off or is not receiving power.
NOTE: For information on power problems, see “Power Problems” on page 31.
8Hard drive activity light — Turns on when the computer reads data from or writes
data to the hard drive.
9FlexBay slot — Supports a floppy drive and a Media Card Reader.
10 Service Tag and Express Service Code (located on top of your computer) — Used to
identify your computer when you access the Dell Support website or call technical support.