Dell Dimension E520 User manual

www.dell.com | support.dell.com
Dell™ Dimension™ E520
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 (6)
optional VGA video connector
(integrated)
network
adapter
sound connectors (integrated) (6)
card slots for PCI Express x16 (1),
PCI (2), PCI Express x1 (1)
PCI Express graphics card

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.
Abbreviations and Acronyms
For a complete list of abbreviations and acronyms, see the "Glossary" on page 147.
____________________
Information in this document is subject to change without notice.
© 2006 Dell Inc. All rights reserved.
Reproduction in any manner whatsoever without the written permission of Dell Inc. is strictly forbidden.
Trademarks used in this text: Dell, the DELL logo, Inspiron, Dell Precision, Dimension, OptiPlex, Latitude, PowerEdge, PowerVault,
PowerApp, DellNet, Dell TravelLite, Strike Zone, and PowerConnect are trademarks of Dell Inc.; Bluetooth is a registered trademark owned
by Bluetooth SIG, Inc. and is used by Dell under license; Intel and Pentium are registered trademarks of Intel Corporation; Microsoft, Windows,
andOutlookareregisteredtrademarksofMicrosoftCorporation;ENERGYSTARisaregisteredtrademarkoftheU.S.Environmental Protection
Agency.
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
August 2006 P/N NH730 Rev. A01

Contents 3
Contents
Finding Information . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9
1 Setting Up and Using Your Computer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13
Setting Up a Printer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13
Printer Cable . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13
Connecting a Printer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13
Connecting to the Internet . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14
Setting Up Your Internet Connection . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15
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 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22
Connecting Two Monitors With VGA Connectors . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22
Connecting One Monitor With a VGA Connector and One
Monitor With a DVI Connector . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23
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 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26
Hyper-Threading . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27

4Contents
About RAID Configurations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27
Verifying That 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
Dell™ DataSafe (Optional). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30
2 Solving Problems. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 31
Troubleshooting Tips. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 31
Battery Problems. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 31
Drive Problems . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 32
CD and DVD drive problems . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 32
Hard drive problems . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 33
E-Mail, Modem, and Internet Problems . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 33
Error Messages . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 34
Keyboard Problems . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 35
Lockups and Software Problems . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 36
The computer does not start up . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 36
The computer stops responding . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 36
A program stops responding . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 36
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 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 37
Media Card Reader Problems . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 38
Memory Problems . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 39
Mouse Problems . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 39
Network Problems . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 40

Contents 5
Power Problems . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 41
Printer Problems . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 42
Scanner Problems . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 43
Sound and Speaker Problems . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 43
No sound from speakers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 43
No sound from headphones . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 44
Video and Monitor Problems . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 45
If the screen is blank . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 45
If the screen is difficult to read . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 45
3 Troubleshooting Tools . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 47
Diagnostic Lights. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 47
Dell Diagnostics . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 50
Dell Diagnostics Main Menu . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 50
Drivers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 51
What Is a Driver? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 51
Identifying Drivers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 52
Reinstalling Drivers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 52
Resolving Software and Hardware Incompatibilities . . . . . . . . . . . . . 53
Restoring Your Operating System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 53
Using Microsoft Windows XP System Restore . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 54
Using Dell PC Restore by Symantec . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 55
Using the Operating System CD. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 57
4 Removing and Installing Parts. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 59
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
Back Panel Connectors. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 64

6Contents
Removing the Computer Cover. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 65
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 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 73
PCI Cards . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 73
PCI Express Cards . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 77
Drive Panel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 82
Removing the Drive Panel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 83
Removing the Drive-Panel Insert . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 84
Replacing the Drive-Panel Insert . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 84
Replacing the Drive Panel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 85
Drives. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 86
Connecting Drive Cables . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 87
Drive Interface Connectors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 87
Connecting and Disconnecting Drive Cables. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 88
Hard Drive . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 88
Removing a Hard Drive . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 88
Installing a Hard Drive . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 90
Adding a Second Hard Drive . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 91
Floppy Drive . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 93
Removing a Floppy Drive . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 93
Installing a Floppy Drive . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 94
Media Card Reader . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 97
Removing a Media Card Reader . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 97
Installing a Media Card Reader. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 99
CD/DVD Drive. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 100
Removing a CD/DVD Drive . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 100
Installing a CD/DVD Drive. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 102

Contents 7
Battery . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 105
Replacing the Battery. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 105
Replacing the Computer Cover . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 106
5 Appendix . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 109
Specifications . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 109
System Setup . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 113
Overview . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 113
Entering System Setup . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 113
System Setup Options. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 114
Boot Sequence . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 119
Clearing Forgotten Passwords. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 120
Clearing CMOS Settings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 121
Cleaning Your Computer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 121
Computer, Keyboard, and Monitor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 121
Mouse. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 122
Floppy Drive . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 122
CDs and DVDs. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 122
Dell Technical Support Policy (U.S. Only) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 123
Definition of "Dell-Installed" Software and Peripherals . . . . . . . . . 123
Definition of "Third-Party" Software and Peripherals. . . . . . . . . . . 123
FCC Notice (U.S. Only) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 123
FCC Class B . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 123
Contacting Dell. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 124
Glossary . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 147
Index . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 157

8Contents

Finding Information 9
Finding Information
NOTE: Some features or media may be optional and may not ship with your computer. Some features or media
may not be available in certain countries.
NOTE: Additional information may ship with your computer.
What Are You Looking For? Find it Here
• Warranty information
• Terms and Conditions (U.S. only)
• Safety instructions
• Regulatory information
• Ergonomics information
• End User License Agreement
Dell™ Product Information Guide
• How to set up my computer Setup Diagram

10 Finding Information
• 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 support.
•Enter the Express
Service Code to direct
your call when
contacting support.
• 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
®
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

Finding Information 11
• How to use Windows XP
• How to work with programs and files
• How to personalize my desktop
Windows Help and Support Center
1 Click Start → 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

12 Finding Information

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.
For technical assistance, refer to the printer owner's manual or contact the printer manufacturer.
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 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
3 Turn on the printer and then turn on the computer. If the Add New Hardware Wizard window
appears, click
Cancel .
4 Install the printer driver if necessary. See the documentation that came with your printer.
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). 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.
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.
1USB connector on computer 2USB printer cable 3USB connector on printer
2
1
3

Setting Up and Using Your Computer 15
Setting Up Your Internet Connection
To set up an Internet connection with a provided ISP desktop shortcut:
1
Save and close any open files, and exit any open programs.
2 Double-click the ISP icon on the Microsoft
®
Windows
®
desktop.
3 Follow the instructions on the screen to complete the setup.
If you do not have an ISP icon on your desktop or if you want to set up an Internet connection with a
different ISP:
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 Start → All Programs → Sonic → DigitalMedia Projects → Copy → Disc Copy .
2 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.
CD-Writable Drives
DVD-Writable Drives
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.
Media Type Read Write Rewritable
CD-R Yes Yes No
CD-RW Yes Yes Yes
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

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 99.