Dell Dimension E510 User manual

www.dell.com | support.dell.com
Dell™ Dimension™ 5150/E510
Owner’s Manual
Model DCSM
FlexBay for optional
floppy drive or Media
Card Reader
hard-drive activity light
microphone connector
headphone connector
CD or DVD activity light
CD or DVD eject button
diagnostic lights
USB 2.0 connectors (2)
cover latch
release
Service Tag
power button/
power activity light
power connector
USB 2.0 connectors (5)
VGA video connector (integrated)
network
adapter
sound connectors (integrated) (5)
card slots for PCI Express x16 (1),
PCI (2), PCI Express x1 (1)

Notes, Notices, and Cautions
NOTE: A NOTE indicates important information that helps you make better use of your computer.
NOTICE: A NOTICE indicates either potential damage to hardware or loss of data and tells you how to avoid the
problem.
CAUTION: A CAUTION indicates a potential for property damage, personal injury, or death.
If you purchased a 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.
© 2005 Dell Inc. All rights reserved.
Reproduction in any manner whatsoever without the written permission of Dell Inc. is strictly forbidden.
Trademarksusedinthistext:Dell,theDELLlogo,Inspiron,DellPrecision,Dimension,OptiPlex,Latitude,PowerEdge,PowerVault,PowerApp,
DellNet, and PowerConnect are trademarks of Dell Inc.; Intel and Pentium are registered trademarks of Intel Corporation; Microsoft, Windows,
and Outlook are registered trademarks of Microsoft Corporation.
Other trademarks and trade names may be used in this document to refer to either the entities claiming the marks and names or their products.
Dell Inc. disclaims any proprietary interest in trademarks and trade names other than its own.
Model DCSM
October 2005 P/N WD846 Rev. A01

Contents 3
Contents
Finding Information . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9
1 Setting Up and Using Your Computer
Setting Up a Printer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13
Printer Cable . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13
Connecting a Printer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13
Connecting to the Internet . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14
Setting Up Your Internet Connection . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14
Playing CDs and DVDs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16
Adjusting the Volume . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17
Adjusting the Picture . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17
Copying CDs and DVDs. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18
How to Copy a CD or DVD . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18
Using Blank CDs and DVDs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18
Helpful Tips . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19
Using a Media Card Reader (Optional) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20
Connecting Two Monitors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21
Connecting Two Monitors With VGA Connectors . . . . . . . . . . . . 22
Connecting One Monitor With a VGA Connector and One
Monitor With a DVI Connector . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22
Connecting a TV . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23
Changing the Display Settings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23
Setting Up a Home and Office Network . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23
Connecting to a Network Adapter . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23
Network Setup Wizard . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24
Power Management . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24
Standby Mode . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25
Hibernate Mode. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25
Power Options Properties . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25
Hyper-Threading. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27

4Contents
About RAID Configurations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27
Determining If RAID Is Working . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28
RAID Level 1 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28
Troubleshooting RAID . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 29
Recovering From a Multiple Hard Drive Failure Using the Intel®
RAID Option ROM Utility . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 29
Recovering From a Single Hard Drive Failure Using the Intel
Matrix Storage Manager . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 29
Setting Your Computer to RAID-Enabled Mode . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30
Press the left- and right-arrow keys to highlight Save/Exit, and
press <Enter> to exit system setup and resume the boot process. . . . . 30
2 Solving Problems
Troubleshooting Tips. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 31
Battery Problems . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 31
Drive Problems . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 31
CD and DVD drive problems . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 32
Hard drive problems. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 33
E-Mail, Modem, and Internet Problems . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 33
Error Messages . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 34
Media Card Reader Problems . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 35
Keyboard Problems . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 35
Lockups and Software Problems . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 36
The computer does not start up . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 36
The computer stops responding . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 36
A program stops responding . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 37
A program crashes repeatedly. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 37
A program is designed for an earlier Microsoft®Windows®
operating system . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 37
A solid blue screen appears . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 37
Other software problems . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 38
Memory Problems . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 38
Mouse Problems. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 39
Network Problems. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 40

Contents 5
Power Problems . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 40
Printer Problems. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 41
Scanner Problems . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 42
Sound and Speaker Problems . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 43
No sound from speakers. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 43
No sound from headphones . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 44
Video and Monitor Problems . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 44
If the screen is blank . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 44
If the screen is difficult to read. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 45
3 Troubleshooting Tools
Diagnostic Lights . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 47
Dell Diagnostics . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 49
Dell Diagnostics Main Menu . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 50
Drivers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 51
What Is a Driver? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 51
Identifying Drivers. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 51
Reinstalling Drivers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 52
Resolving Software and Hardware Incompatibilities . . . . . . . . . . . . 53
Restoring Your Operating System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 53
Using Microsoft Windows XP System Restore . . . . . . . . . . . . . 53
Using Dell PC Restore by Symantec . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 55
Using the Operating System CD . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 57
4 Removing and Installing Parts
Before You Begin . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 59
Recommended Tools . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 59
Turning Off Your Computer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 59
Before Working Inside Your Computer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 59
Front View of the Computer. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 61
Back View of the Computer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 63
Removing the Computer Cover . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 65

6Contents
Inside View of Your Computer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 67
System Board Components . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 68
Memory . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 69
DDR2 Memory Overview. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 69
Addressing Memory With 4-GB Configurations . . . . . . . . . . . . . 70
Installing Memory . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 70
Removing Memory . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 72
Cards . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 72
PCI Cards. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 73
PCI Express Cards. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 76
Drive Panel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 80
Removing the Drive Panel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 81
Removing the Drive-Panel Insert . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 82
Replacing the Drive-Panel Insert. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 82
Replacing the Drive Panel.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 83
Drives . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 83
IDE Drive Addressing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 84
Connecting Drive Cables . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 84
Drive Interface Connectors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 85
Power Cable Connector . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 85
Connecting and Disconnecting Drive Cables . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 85
Hard Drive. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 86
Removing a Hard Drive . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 86
Installing a Hard Drive. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 87
Adding a Second Hard Drive . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 89
Floppy Drive . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 90
Removing a Floppy Drive . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 90
Installing a Floppy Drive . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 91
Media Card Reader . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 94
Removing a Media Card Reader . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 94
Installing a Media Card Reader . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 96
CD/DVD Drive . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 97
Removing a CD/DVD Drive . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 97
Installing a CD/DVD Drive . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 99

Contents 7
Battery . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 101
Replacing the Battery . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 101
Replacing the Computer Cover . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 102
5 Appendix
Specifications . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 105
System Setup . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 109
Overview . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 109
Entering System Setup. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 109
System Setup Options . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 110
Boot Sequence . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 115
Clearing Forgotten Passwords . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 117
Clearing CMOS Settings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 118
Cleaning Your Computer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 118
Computer, Keyboard, and Monitor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 118
Mouse . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 119
Floppy Drive . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 119
CDs and DVDs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 119
Dell Technical Support Policy (U.S. Only) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 120
Definition of "Dell-Installed" Software and Peripherals . . . . . . . . 120
Definition of "Third-Party" Software and Peripherals . . . . . . . . . 120
FCC Notices (U.S. Only) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 120
Class A . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 121
Class B . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 121
FCC Identification Information . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 122
Contacting Dell . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 122
Index . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 141

8Contents

31
Finding Information
NOTE: Additional documentation may be included with your computer, depending on your country.
What Are You Looking For? Find it Here
• Warranty information
• Safety instructions
• Regulatory information
• Ergonomics information
• End User License Agreement
Dell™ Product Information Guide
• How to set up my computer Setup Diagram

32
• Service Tag and Express Service Code
• Microsoft Windows License Label
Service Tag and Microsoft Windows License
These labels are located on your computer.
• Use the Service Tag to
identify your computer
when you use
support.dell.com or
contact technical
support.
• Enter the Express Service Code to direct your call when
contacting technical support. The Express Service Code
is not available in all countries.
• Solutions — Troubleshooting hints and tips, articles
from technicians, and online courses, frequently asked
questions
• Community — Online discussion with other Dell
customers
• Upgrades — Upgrade information for components, such
as memory, the hard drive, and the operating system
• Customer Care — Contact information, service call and
order status, warranty, and repair information
• Service and support — Service call status and support
history, service contract, online discussions with
technical support
• Reference — Computer documentation, details on my
computer configuration, product specifications, and
white papers
• Downloads — Certified drivers, patches, and software
updates
Dell Support Website — support.dell.com
NOTE: Select your region to view the appropriate support
site.
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, Intel
®
Pentium
®
M
processors, optical drives, and USB devices. DSS is
necessary for correct operation of your Dell computer.
The software automatically detects your computer and
operating system and installs the updates appropriate
for your configuration.
To download Desktop System Software:
1 Go to support.dell.com and click Downloads .
2 Enter your Service Tag or product model.
3 In the Download Category drop-down menu, click All .
4 Select the operating system and operating system
language for your computer, and click
Submit.
5 Under Select a Device , scroll to System and
Configuration Utilities
, and click Dell Desktop System
Software
.
What Are You Looking For? Find it Here

33
• How to use Windows XP
• How to work with programs and files
• How to personalize my desktop
Windows Help and Support Center
1 Click the Start button and click Help and Support .
2 Type a word or phrase that describes your problem and
click the arrow icon.
3 Click the topic that describes your problem.
4 Follow the instructions on the screen.
What Are You Looking For? Find it Here

34

Setting Up and Using Your Computer 13
Setting Up and Using Your Computer
Setting Up a Printer
NOTICE: Complete the operating system setup before you connect a printer to the computer.
See the documentation that came with the printer for setup information, including how to:
• Obtain and install updated drivers
• Connect the printer to the computer
• Load paper and install the toner or ink cartridge
• Contact the printer manufacturer for technical assistance
Printer Cable
Your printer connects to your computer with a USB cable. Your printer may not come with a printer
cable, so if you purchase a cable separately, ensure that it is compatible with your printer. If you
purchased a printer cable at the same time you purchased your computer, the cable may arrive in the
computer box.
Connecting a Printer
NOTE: You can connect USB devices while the computer is turned on.
1 Complete the operating system setup, if you have not already done so.
2 Install the printer driver if necessary. See the documentation that came with your printer.
3 Attach the USB printer cable to the USB connectors on the computer and the printer. The USB
connectors fit only one way.

14 Setting Up and Using Your Computer
Connecting to the Internet
NOTE: ISPs and ISP offerings vary by country.
To connect to the Internet, you need a modem or network connection and an Internet service provider
(ISP), such as AOL or MSN. Your ISP will offer one or more of the following Internet connection options:
• Dial-up connections that provide Internet access through a telephone line. Dial-up connections are
considerably slower than DSL and cable modem connections.
• DSL connections that provide high-speed Internet access through your existing telephone line. With a
DSL connection, you can access the Internet and use your telephone on the same line simultaneously.
• Cable modem connections that provide high-speed Internet access through your local cable TV line.
NOTE: If you use a dial-up connection, you need an add-in PCI modem expansion card.
If you are using a dial-up connection, connect a telephone line to the modem connector on your
computer and to the telephone wall jack before you set up your Internet connection. If you are using a
DSL or cable modem connection, contact your ISP for setup instructions.
Setting Up Your Internet Connection
To set up an AOL or MSN connection:
1
Save and close any open files, and exit any open programs.
2 Double-click the MSN Explorer or AOL icon on the Microsoft
®
Windows
®
desktop.
3 Follow the instructions on the screen to complete the setup.
USB printer cable
USB connector on computer
USB connector
on printer

Setting Up and Using Your Computer 15
If you do not have an MSN Explorer or AOL icon on your desktop or if you want to set up an Internet
connection with a different ISP:
1
Save and close any open files, and exit any open programs.
2 Click the Start button and click Internet Explorer .
The
New Connection Wizard appears.
3 Click Connect to the Internet .
4 In the next window, click the appropriate option:
• If you do not have an ISP and want to select one, click
Choose from a list of Internet service
providers (ISPs)
.
• If you have already obtained setup information from your ISP but you did not receive a setup CD,
click
Set up my connection manually .
• If you have a CD, click
Use the CD I got from an ISP .
5 Click Next .
If you selected
Set up my connection manually , continue to step 6. Otherwise, follow the instructions
on the screen to complete the setup.
NOTE: If you do not know which type of connection to select, contact your ISP.
6 Click the appropriate option under How do you want to connect to the Internet? , and then click Next .
7 Use the setup information provided by your ISP to complete the setup.
If you are having problems connecting to the Internet, see "E-Mail, Modem, and Internet Problems" on
page 33. 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.

16 Setting Up and Using Your Computer
Playing CDs and DVDs
NOTICE: Do not press down on the CD or DVD tray when you open or close it. Keep the tray closed when you are
not using the drive.
NOTICE: Do not move the computer when you are playing CDs or DVDs.
1 Press the eject button on the front of the drive.
2 Place the disc, label side up, in the center of the tray.
3 Press the eject button or gently push in the tray.
To format CDs for storing data, to create music CDs, or to copy CDs, see the CD software that came
with your computer.
NOTE: Ensure that you follow all copyright laws when you create CDs.
A CD player includes the following basic buttons:
Play
Move backward within the current track
Pause
Move forward within the current track
Stop
Go to the previous track
Eject
Go to the next track

Setting Up and Using Your Computer 17
A DVD player includes the following basic buttons:
For more information on playing CDs or DVDs, click Help on the CD or DVD player (if available).
Adjusting the Volume
NOTE: When the speakers are muted, you do not hear the CD or DVD playing.
1 Click the Start button, point to All Programs → Accessories → Entertainment , and then click Volume
Control
.
2 In the Volume Control window, click and drag the bar in the Volume Control column and slide it up
or down to increase or decrease the volume.
For more information on volume control options, click Help in the Volume Control window.
Adjusting the Picture
If an error message notifies you that the current resolution and color depth are using too much memory
and preventing DVD playback, adjust the display properties:
1
Click the Start button and click Control Panel .
2 Under Pick a category , click Appearance and Themes .
3 Under Pick a task... , click Change 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 Click the drop-down menu under Color quality , and then click Medium (16 bit) .
6 Click OK .
Stop
Restart the current chapter
Play
Fast forward
Pause
Fast reverse
Advance a single frame while in pause mode
Go to the next title or chapter
Continuously play the current title or chapter
Go to the previous title or chapter
Eject

18 Setting Up and Using Your Computer
Copying CDs and DVDs
NOTE: Ensure that you observe all copyright laws when creating CDs or DVDs.
This section applies only to computers that have a CD-RW, DVD+/-RW, or CD-RW/DVD (combo)
drive.
NOTE: The types of CD or DVD drives offered by Dell™may vary by country.
The following instructions explain how to make an exact copy of a CD or DVD. You can also use Sonic
DigitalMedia for other purposes, such as creating music CDs from audio files stored on your computer or
backing up important data. For help, open Sonic DigitalMedia and then click the question mark icon in
the upper-right corner of the window.
How to Copy a CD or DVD
NOTE: CD-RW/DVD combo drives cannot write to DVD media. If you have a CD-RW/DVD combo drive and you
experience recording problems, 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.
1 Click the Start button, point to All Programs → Sonic → DigitalMedia Projects , and then click Copy .
2 Under the Copy tab, click Disc Copy .
3 To copy the CD or DVD:
•
If you have one CD or DVD drive , ensure that the settings are correct and click the Disc Copy
button. The computer reads your source CD or DVD and copies the data to a temporary folder on
your computer hard drive.
When prompted, insert a blank CD or DVD into the drive and click
OK .
•
If you have two CD or DVD drives , select the drive into which you have inserted your source CD or
DVD and click the
Disc Copy button. The computer copies the data from the source CD or DVD
to the blank CD or DVD.
Once you have finished copying the source CD or DVD, the CD or DVD that you have created
automatically ejects.
Using Blank 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 information). Use blank CD-RWs to
write to CDs or to erase, rewrite, or update data on CDs.

Setting Up and Using Your Computer 19
Blank DVD+/-Rs can be used to permanently store large amounts of information. After you create a
DVD+/-R disc, you may not be able to write to that disc again if the disc is "finalized" or "closed" during
the final stage of the disc creation process. Use blank DVD+/-RWs if you plan to erase, rewrite, or
update information on that disc later.
Helpful Tips
• Use Microsoft
®
Windows
®
Explorer to drag and drop files to a CD-R or CD-RW only after you start
Sonic DigitalMedia and open a DigitalMedia project.
• Use CD-Rs to burn music CDs that you want to play in regular stereos. CD-RWs do not play in most
home or car stereos.
• You cannot create audio DVDs with Sonic DigitalMedia.
• Music MP3 files can be played only on MP3 players or on computers that have MP3 software installed.
• Commercially available DVD players used in home theater systems may not support all available DVD
formats. For a list of formats 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.
CD-Writable Drives
Media Type Read Write Rewritable
CD-R Yes Yes No
CD-RW Yes Yes Yes
DVD-Writable Drives
Media Type Read Write Rewritable
CD-R Yes Yes No
CD-RW Yes Yes Yes
DVD+R Yes Yes No
DVD-R Yes Yes No
DVD+RW Yes Yes Yes
DVD-RW Yes Yes Yes
DVD+R DL Yes Yes No
DVD-R DL Maybe No No
DVD-RAM Maybe No No

20 Setting Up and Using Your Computer
• Use a blank CD-RW to practice CD recording until you are familiar with CD recording techniques. If
you make a mistake, you can erase the data on the CD-RW and try again. You can also use blank
CD-RWs to test music file projects before you record the project permanently to a blank CD-R.
• See the Sonic website at
www.sonic.com for additional information.
Using a Media Card Reader (Optional)
Use the Media Card Reader to transfer data directly to your computer.
The Media Card Reader supports the following memory types:
•xD-PictureCard
• 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 96.