Dell Dimension PY349 User manual

www.dell.com | support.dell.com
Dell™ Dimension™ E521
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
book.book Page 1 Monday, July 23, 2007 3:47 PM

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.
Abbreviations and Acronyms
For a complete list of abbreviations and acronyms, see the "Glossary" on page 145.
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.
© 2006–2007 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, 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; Microsoft, Windows, and Outlook are either trademarks or registered trademarks of Microsoft
Corporation in the United States and/or other countries. ENERGY STAR is a registered trademark of the U.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
July 2007 P/N PY349 Rev. A03
book.book Page 2 Monday, July 23, 2007 3:47 PM

Contents 3
Contents
Finding Information . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9
1 Setting Up and Using Your Computer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11
Front View of the Computer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11
Back View of the Computer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13
Back Panel Connectors. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14
Setting Up a Printer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15
Printer Cable . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15
Connecting a Printer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15
Connecting to the Internet . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16
Setting Up Your Internet Connection . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17
Playing CDs and DVDs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18
Adjusting the Volume . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19
Adjusting the Picture . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19
Copying CDs and DVDs. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20
How to Copy a CD or DVD. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20
Using Blank CDs and DVDs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20
Helpful Tips . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21
Using a Media Card Reader (Optional) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22
Connecting Two Monitors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23
Connecting Two Monitors With VGA Connectors . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23
Connecting One Monitor With a VGA Connector and
One Monitor With a DVI Connector. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24
Connecting a TV . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24
Changing the Display Settings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25
Setting Up a Home and Office Network . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25
Connecting to a Network Adapter . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25
Network Setup Wizard . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26
book.book Page 3 Monday, July 23, 2007 3:47 PM

4Contents
Power Management . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26
Standby Mode . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26
Hibernate Mode. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27
Power Options Properties . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27
Enabling Cool ’n’ Quiet™ Technology . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28
About RAID Configurations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 29
RAID Level 1 Configuration . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 29
Configuring Your Hard Drives for RAID . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30
Using the Nvidia MediaShield ROM Utility . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30
Using Nvidia MediaShield . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 31
2 Solving Problems. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 33
Troubleshooting Tips. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 33
Battery Problems. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 33
Drive Problems . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 34
CD and DVD drive problems . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 34
Hard drive problems . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 35
E-Mail, Modem, and Internet Problems . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 35
Error Messages . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 36
Keyboard Problems . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 37
Lockups and Software Problems . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 38
The computer does not start up . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 38
The computer stops responding . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 38
A program stops responding . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 38
A program crashes repeatedly . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 39
A program is designed for an earlier
Microsoft®Windows®operating system . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 39
A solid blue screen appears . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 39
Other software problems . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 39
Media Card Reader Problems . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 40
Memory Problems . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 41
Mouse Problems . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 41
Network Problems . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 42
book.book Page 4 Monday, July 23, 2007 3:47 PM

Contents 5
Power Problems . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 43
Printer Problems . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 44
Scanner Problems . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 45
Sound and Speaker Problems . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 46
No sound from speakers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 46
No sound from headphones . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 47
Video and Monitor Problems . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 47
If the screen is blank . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 47
If the screen is difficult to read . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 48
3 Troubleshooting Tools . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 49
Diagnostic Lights. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 49
Dell Diagnostics . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 52
Dell Diagnostics Main Menu . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 52
Drivers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 53
What Is a Driver? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 53
Identifying Drivers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 53
Reinstalling Drivers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 54
Resolving Software and Hardware Incompatibilities . . . . . . . . . . . . . 55
Restoring Your Operating System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 55
Using Microsoft Windows XP System Restore . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 56
Using Dell PC Restore. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 57
Using the Operating System CD. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 59
4 Removing and Installing Parts. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 61
Before You Begin. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 61
Recommended Tools . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 61
Turning Off Your Computer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 61
Before Working Inside Your Computer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 62
Removing the Computer Cover. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 63
Inside View of Your Computer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 64
System Board Components. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 65
book.book Page 5 Monday, July 23, 2007 3:47 PM

6Contents
Memory. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 66
Memory Installation Guidelines . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 66
Addressing Memory With 4-GB Configurations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 67
Installing Memory. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 68
Removing Memory . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 69
Cards . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 70
PCI Cards . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 70
PCI Express Cards . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 76
Drive Panel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 81
Removing the Drive Panel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 81
Removing the Drive-Panel Insert . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 83
Replacing the Drive-Panel Insert . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 83
Replacing the Drive Panel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 84
Drives. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 85
Recommended Drive Cable Connections. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 85
Connecting Drive Cables . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 86
Drive Interface Connectors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 86
Connecting and Disconnecting Drive Cables. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 86
Hard Drives. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 87
Removing a Hard Drive . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 87
Installing a Hard Drive . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 88
Adding a Second Hard Drive . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 91
Floppy Drive . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 92
Removing a Floppy Drive . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 92
Installing a Floppy Drive . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 94
Media Card Reader . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 96
Removing a Media Card Reader . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 96
Installing a Media Card Reader. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 98
CD/DVD Drive. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 100
Removing a CD/DVD Drive . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 100
Installing a CD/DVD Drive. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 102
Battery . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 104
Replacing the Battery. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 104
Replacing the Computer Cover . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 105
book.book Page 6 Monday, July 23, 2007 3:47 PM

Contents 7
A Appendix . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 107
Specifications . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 107
System Setup . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 111
Overview . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 111
Entering System Setup . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 111
System Setup Options. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 112
Boot Sequence . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 116
Clearing Forgotten Passwords. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 118
Clearing CMOS Settings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 119
Cleaning Your Computer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 119
Computer, Keyboard, and Monitor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 119
Mouse. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 120
Floppy Drive . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 120
CDs and DVDs. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 120
Dell Technical Support Policy (U.S. Only) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 120
Definition of "Dell-Installed" Software and Peripherals . . . . . . . . . 121
Definition of "Third-Party" Software and Peripherals. . . . . . . . . . . 121
FCC Notice (U.S. Only) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 121
FCC Class B . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 121
Contacting Dell. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 122
Glossary . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 145
Index . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 155
book.book Page 7 Monday, July 23, 2007 3:47 PM

8Contents
book.book Page 8 Monday, July 23, 2007 3:47 PM

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
• 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.
book.book Page 9 Monday, July 23, 2007 3:47 PM

10 Finding Information
• 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, 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
.
• 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
book.book Page 10 Monday, July 23, 2007 3:47 PM

Setting Up and Using Your Computer 11
Setting Up and Using Your Computer
Front View of the Computer
1 cover latch release Use this latch to remove the cover. See "Removing the
Computer Cover" on page 63.
2 location of Service Tag Use the Service Tag to identify your computer when you access
the Dell Support website or call technical support.
3 CD or DVD eject button Press to eject a disk from the CD or DVD drive.
4 CD or DVD activity light The drive light is on when the computer reads data from the
CD or DVD drive.
2
1
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
book.book Page 11 Monday, July 23, 2007 3:47 PM

12 Setting Up and Using Your Computer
5 FlexBay drive Can contain an optional floppy drive or optional Media Card
Reader. For information on using the Media Card Reader, see
"Using a Media Card Reader (Optional)" on page 22.
6 microphone connector Use the microphone connector to attach a personal computer
microphone for voice or musical input into a sound or
telephony program.
On computers with a sound card, the microphone connector is
on the card.
7 headphone connector Use the headphone connector to attach headphones and most
kinds of speakers.
8 diagnostic lights (4) Use the lights to help you troubleshoot a computer problem
based on the diagnostic code. For more information, see
"Diagnostic Lights" on page 49.
9 hard-drive activity light The hard drive activity light is on when the computer reads
data from or writes data to the hard drive. The light might also
be on when a device such as a CD player is operating.
10 power button,
power light
Press the power button to turn on the computer. The light in
the center of this button indicates power state. See "Controls
and Lights" on page 109 for more information.
NOTICE: To avoid losing data, do not use the power button
to turn off the computer. Instead, perform an operating
system shutdown.
11 USB 2.0 connectors (2) Use the front USB connectors for devices that you connect
occasionally, such as joysticks or cameras, or for bootable USB
devices (see "System Setup Options" on page 112 for more
information on booting to a USB device).
It is recommended that you use the back USB connectors for
devices that typically remain connected, such as printers and
keyboards.
12 vents For adequate cooling, do not block any of the vents.
NOTICE: Ensure that there is a minimum of two inches of
space between all vents and any object near these vents.
NOTICE: Keep the vent area clean and dust-free to ensure
that the computer is adequately ventilated. Use only a dry
cloth to clean the vent area to avoid water damage to the
computer.
book.book Page 12 Monday, July 23, 2007 3:47 PM

Setting Up and Using Your Computer 13
Back View of the Computer
1 voltage selection switch See the safety instructions in the Product Information Guide for more
information.
2 power connector Insert the power cable.
3 back panel connectors Plug USB, audio, and other devices into the appropriate connector.
See "Back Panel Connectors" on page 14 for more information.
4 card slots Access connectors for any installed PCI and PCI Express cards.
1
3
4
2
book.book Page 13 Monday, July 23, 2007 3:47 PM

14 Setting Up and Using Your Computer
Back Panel Connectors
1 link integrity light • Green — A good connection exists between a 10-Mbps network and the computer.
• Orange — A good connection exists between a 100-Mbps network and the computer.
• Off — The computer is not detecting a physical connection to the network.
2 network adapter
connector
To attach your computer to a network or broadband device, connect one end of a
network cable to either a network port or your network or broadband device.
Connect the other end of the network cable to the network adapter connector on
the back panel of your computer. A click indicates that the network cable has been
securely attached.
NOTE: Do not plug a telephone cable into the network connector.
On computers with a network connector card, use the connector on the card.
It is recommended that you use Category 5 wiring and connectors for your
network. If you must use Category 3 wiring, force the network speed to 10 Mbps
to ensure reliable operation.
3 network activity light Flashes a yellow light when the computer is transmitting or receiving network
data. A high volume of network traffic may make this light appear to be in a
steady "on" state.
4 surround connector Use the black surround connector to attach multichannel-capable speakers.
5 line-in connector Use the blue line-in connector to attach a record/playback device such as a
cassette player, CD player, or VCR.
On computers with a sound card, use the connector on the card.
6 line-out connector Use the green line-out connector (available on computers with integrated sound)
to attach headphones and most speakers with integrated amplifiers.
On computers with a sound card, use the connector on the card.
7 microphone Use the pink connector to attach a personal computer microphone for voice or
musical input into a sound or telephony program.
On computers with a sound card, the microphone connector is on the card.
1
2
8
7
3
4
5
6
10
11 9
book.book Page 14 Monday, July 23, 2007 3:47 PM

Setting Up and Using Your Computer 15
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.
8 side surround connector Use the silver connector to provide enhanced surround audio for computers with
7.1 speakers.
On computers with a sound card, the microphone connector is on the card.
9 center/subwoofer
connector
Use the yellow connector to attach a speaker to a Low Frequency Effects (LFE)
audio channel.
10 USB 2.0 connectors (4) Use the back USB connectors for devices that typically remain connected, such as
printers and keyboards.
It is recommended that you use the front USB connectors for devices that you
connect occasionally, such as joysticks or cameras.
11 VGA video connector Connect the monitor’s VGA cable to the VGA connector on the computer.
On computers with a video card, use the connector on the card.
book.book Page 15 Monday, July 23, 2007 3:47 PM

16 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.
1 USB connector on computer 2 USB printer cable 3 USB connector on printer
2
1
3
book.book Page 16 Monday, July 23, 2007 3:47 PM

Setting Up and Using Your Computer 17
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 35. 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.
book.book Page 17 Monday, July 23, 2007 3:47 PM

18 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
book.book Page 18 Monday, July 23, 2007 3:47 PM

Setting Up and Using Your Computer 19
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
book.book Page 19 Monday, July 23, 2007 3:47 PM

20 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.
book.book Page 20 Monday, July 23, 2007 3:47 PM