Dell Latitude 3000 Series User manual

www.dell.com | support.dell.com
Dell™ Dimension™ 3000
Owner’s Manual
Model DMC
keyboard connector
mouse connector
USB 2.0 connectors (4)
microphone connector*
line-in connector*
line-out connector*
parallel connector
serial connector
PCI card slots (3)
voltage selection switch
power connector
network adapter connector
diagnostic lights (4)
cover latch**
*On computers with integrated sound.
**May not be present on all computers.
integrated video connector
CD or DVD drive
activity light
CD or DVD eject button
floppy drive light
floppy drive eject button
hard-drive activity light
power button
power light
USB 2.0
connectors (2)
headphone connector
service tag

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 Dell Dimension Help file. To access the help file, see
"Finding Information" on page 7.
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.
Trademarks used in this text: Dell, the DELL logo, Inspiron, Dell Precision, Dimension, OptiPlex, Latitude, PowerEdge, PowerVault,
PowerApp, PowerConnect, and Dell OpenManage are trademarks of Dell Inc.; Intel, Pentium,and Celeron 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 DMC
September 2005 P/N J6758 Rev. A04

Contents 3
Contents
Finding Information . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7
1 Setting Up and Using Your Computer
Setting Up a Printer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9
Printer Cable . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9
Connecting a USB Printer. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9
Connecting a Parallel Printer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10
Setting Up a Home and Office Network . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11
Connecting to a Network Adapter . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11
Network Setup Wizard . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12
Connecting to the Internet . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12
Setting Up Your Internet Connection . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13
Copying CDs and DVDs. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14
How to Copy a CD or DVD. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14
Using Blank CDs and DVDs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14
Helpful Tips . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15
See the Sonic website at www.sonic.com for additional information. . . . . 16
Hyper-Threading . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16
2 Solving Problems
Troubleshooting Tips . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17
Battery Problems. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17
Drive Problems . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17
CD and DVD drive problems . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18
Hard drive problems . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19
E-Mail, Modem, and Internet Problems . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19
Error Messages . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20
IEEE 1394 Device Problems . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21

4Contents
Keyboard Problems . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22
Lockups and Software Problems . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22
The computer does not start up . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22
The computer stops responding . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22
A program stops responding . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23
A program crashes repeatedly . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23
A program is designed for an earlier Windows operating system . . . . . 23
A solid blue screen appears . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23
Other software problems . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24
Memory Problems . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24
Mouse Problems . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25
Network Problems . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26
Power Problems . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26
Printer Problems . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27
Scanner Problems . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28
Sound and Speaker Problems . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 29
No sound from speakers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 29
No sound from headphones . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30
Video and Monitor Problems . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30
If the screen is blank . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30
If the screen is difficult to read . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 31
3 Advanced Troubleshooting
Diagnostic Lights. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 33
Dell Diagnostics . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 36
Dell Diagnostics Main Menu . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 36
Drivers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 38
What Is a Driver? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 38
Identifying Drivers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 38
Reinstalling Drivers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 38

Contents 5
Restoring Your Operating System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 39
Using Microsoft Windows XP System Restore . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 40
Using Dell PC Restore by Symantec . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 41
Using the Operating System CD. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 43
Follow the instructions on the screen to complete the installation. . . . . . . 44
Resolving Software and Hardware Incompatibilities . . . . . . . . . . . . . 44
4 Removing and Installing Parts
Before You Begin. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 45
Recommended Tools . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 45
Turning Off Your Computer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 45
Before Working Inside Your Computer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 46
Front and Back View of the Computer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 47
Front View. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 47
Back View. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 48
Removing the Computer Cover. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 50
Inside View of Your Computer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 52
System Board Components. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 53
Memory. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 53
DDR Memory Overview . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 54
Memory Installation Guidelines . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 54
Installing Memory. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 55
Cards . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 56
PCI Cards . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 57
Front Panel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 60
Removing the Front Panel. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 60
Removing the Front-Panel Insert . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 61
Reattaching the Front Panel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 62
Drives. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 62
General Installation Guidelines . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 63
Connecting Drive Cables . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 63

6Contents
Hard Drive . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 64
Removing a Hard Drive . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 64
Installing a Hard Drive . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 66
Floppy Drive . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 67
Removing a Floppy Drive . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 67
Installing a Floppy Drive . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 68
CD/DVD Drive. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 69
Removing a CD/DVD Drive . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 70
Installing a CD/DVD Drive. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 71
Adding a Second CD or DVD Drive . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 71
Battery . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 73
Replacing the Computer Cover . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 75
5 Appendix
Specifications . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 77
System Setup . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 80
Overview . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 80
Entering System Setup . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 81
System Setup Options. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 82
Boot Sequence . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 85
Clearing Forgotten Passwords. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 86
Dell Technical Support Policy (U.S. Only) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 87
Definition of "Dell-Installed" Software and Peripherals . . . . . . . . . . 87
Definition of "Third-Party" Software and Peripherals. . . . . . . . . . . . 88
FCC Notices (U.S. Only) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 88
Class A . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 88
Class B . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 88
FCC Identification Information . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 89
Contacting Dell. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 89
Index . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 107

Finding Information 7
Finding Information
What Are You Looking For? Find It Here
• Warranty information
• Safety instructions
• Regulatory information
• Ergonomics information
• End User License Agreement
• Terms and Conditions
Dell™ Product Information Guide
• How to set up my computer Setup Diagram
• Tips on using Microsoft
®
Windows
®
XP
• How to play CDs and DVDs
• How to use standby mode and hibernate mode
• How to change my display resolution
• How to clean my computer
Dell Dimension Help File
1 Click the Start button and click Help and Support .
2 Click User and system guides and click User’s guides .
3 Click Dell Dimension Help .

8Finding 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 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.
• Latest drivers for my computer
• Answers to technical service and support questions
• Online discussions with other users and technical
support
• Documentation for my computer
Dell Support Website — support.dell.com
NOTE: Select your region to view the appropriate support
site.
The Dell Support website provides several online tools,
including:
• Solutions — Troubleshooting hints and tips, articles
from technicians, and online courses
• 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, order status,
warranty, and repair information
• Downloads — Drivers, patches, and software updates
• Reference — Computer documentation, product
specifications, and white papers
• How to use Windows XP
• Documentation for my computer
• Documentation for devices (such as a modem)
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

Setting Up and Using Your Computer 9
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 either a USB cable or a parallel 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 USB 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.

10 Setting Up and Using Your Computer
3 Attach the USB printer cable to the USB connectors on the computer and the printer. The USB
connectors fit only one way.
Connecting a Parallel Printer
1 Complete the operating system setup, if you have not already done so.
2 Turn off the computer (see page 45).
NOTICE: For best results, use a 3-m (10-ft) or shorter parallel cable.
3 Attach the parallel printer cable to the parallel connector on the computer and tighten the two screws.
Attach the cable to the connector on the printer and snap the two clips into the two notches.
USB printer
cable
USB connector on computer
USBconnector
on printer

Setting Up and Using Your Computer 11
4 Turn on the printer and then turn on the computer. If the Add New Hardware Wizard window
appears, click
Cancel .
5 Install the printer driver if necessary. See the documentation that came with your printer.
Setting Up a Home and Office Network
Connecting to a Network Adapter
NOTE: Plug the network cable into the network adapter connector on the computer. Do not plug the network cable
into the modem connector on the computer. Do not plug a network cable into a telephone wall jack.
1 Connect the network cable to the network adapter connector on the back of your computer.
Insert the cable until it clicks into place, and then gently pull it to ensure that it is secure.
2 Connect the other end of the network cable to a network device.
parallel printer cable
parallel connector on computer
connector on printer
screws (2)
clips (2)
notches (2)

12 Setting Up and Using Your Computer
Network Setup Wizard
The Microsoft
®
Windows
®
XP operating system provides a Network Setup Wizard to guide you through
the process of sharing files, printers, or an Internet connection between computers in a home or small office.
1 Click the Start button, point to All Programs → Accessories → Communications , and then click
Network Setup Wizard .
2 On the welcome screen, click Next .
3 Click Checklist for creating a network .
NOTE: Selecting the connection method This computer connects directly to the Internet enables the integrated
firewall provided with Windows XP Service Pack 1 (SP1).
4 Complete the checklist and required preparations.
5 Return to the Network Setup Wizard and follow the instructions on the screen.
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.
network device
network adapter connector on computer
network cable
network adapter connector

Setting Up and Using Your Computer 13
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.
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 19. 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.

14 Setting Up and Using Your Computer
Copying CDs and DVDs
NOTE: Please 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 will read your source CD or DVD and copy 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 will
automatically eject.
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 15
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 refer to 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
DVD-R DL Maybe No No
DVD-RAM Maybe No No

16 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.
Hyper-Threading
Hyper-Threading is an Intel
®
technology that can enhance overall computer performance by allowing one
physical processor to function as two logical processors, capable of performing certain tasks simultaneously.
It is recommended that you use the Microsoft
®
Windows
®
XP Service Pack 1 (SP1) or later operating
system because Windows XP is optimized to take advantage of
Hyper-Threading technology. While many programs can benefit from Hyper-Threading, some programs have
not been optimized for Hyper-Threading and may require an update from the software manufacturer.
Contact the software manufacturer for updates and information about using Hyper-Threading with your
software.
To determine if your computer is using Hyper-Threading technology:
1 Click the Start button, right-click My Computer , and then click Properties .
2 Click Hardware and click Device Manager .
3 In the Device Manager window, click the plus (+) sign next to Processors . If Hyper-Threading is
enabled, the processor is listed twice.
You can enable or disable Hyper-Threading through system setup. For more information on accessing system
setup, see "Entering System Setup" on page 81. For more information on Hyper-Threading, search the
Knowledge Base on the Dell Support website at
support.dell.com .

Solving Problems 17
Solving Problems
Troubleshooting Tips
Follow these tips when you troubleshoot your computer:
• If you added or removed a part before the problem started, review the installation procedures and
ensure that the part is correctly installed.
• If a peripheral device does not work, ensure that the device is properly connected.
• If an error message appears on the screen, write down the exact message. This message may help
technical support personnel diagnose and fix the problem(s).
• If an error message occurs in a program, see the program’s documentation.
Battery Problems
CAUTION: There is a danger of a new battery exploding if it is incorrectly installed. Replace the battery
only with the same or equivalent type recommended by the manufacturer. Discard used batteries according
to the manufacturer's instructions.
CAUTION: Before you begin any of the procedures in this section, follow the safety instructions located in
the Product Information Guide.
Drive Problems
CAUTION: Before you begin any of the procedures in this section, follow the safety instructions located in
the Product Information Guide.
REPLACE THE BATTERY —If you have to repeatedly reset time and date information after turning on
the computer, or if an incorrect time or date displays during start-up, replace the battery (see page 73).
If the battery still does not work properly, contact Dell (see "Contacting Dell" on page 89).
ENSURE THAT MICROSOFT®WINDOWS®RECOGNIZES THE DRIVE —Click the Start button and
click My Computer. If the floppy, CD, or DVD drive, is not listed, perform a full scan with your
antivirus software to check for and remove viruses. Viruses can sometimes prevent Windows from
recognizing the drive.

18 Solving Problems
CD and DVD drive problems
NOTE: High-speed CD or DVD drive vibration is normal and may cause noise, which does not indicate a defect in
the drive or the CD or DVD.
NOTE: Because of different regions worldwide and different disc formats, not all DVD titles work in all DVD drives.
Problems writing to a CD/DVD-RW drive
TEST THE DRIVE —
• Insert another floppy disk, CD, or DVD to eliminate the possibility that the original one is defective.
• Insert a bootable floppy disk and restart the computer.
CLEAN THE DRIVE OR DISK —See the Dell Dimension Help file. T o access help files, see page 7.
CHECK THE CABLE CONNECTIONS
CHECK FOR RUN THE HARDWARE TROUBLESHOOTER —See page 44.
RUN THE DELL DIAGNOSTICS —See page 36.
ADJUST THE WINDOWS VOLUME CONTROL —
• Click the speaker icon in the lower-right corner of your screen.
• Ensure that the volume is turned up by clicking the slidebar and dragging it up.
• Ensure that the sound is not muted by clicking any boxes that are checked.
CHECK THE SPEAKERS AND SUBWOOFER —See "Sound and Speaker Problems" on page 29.
CLOSE OTHER PROGRAMS —The CD/DVD-RW drive must receive a steady stream of data when
writing. If the stream is interrupted, an error occurs. Try closing all programs before you write to the
CD/DVD-RW.
TURN OFF STANDBY MODE IN WINDOWS BEFORE WRITING TO ACD/DVD-RW DISC —See the Dell
Dimension Help file (
see page 7) or search for the keyword standby in Windows Help (see page 8) for
information on power management modes.

Solving Problems 19
Hard drive problems
E-Mail, Modem, and Internet Problems
CAUTION: Before you begin any of the procedures in this section, follow the safety instructions located in the
Product Information Guide.
NOTE: Connect the modem to an analog telephone jack only. The modem does not operate while it is connected to
a digital telephone network.
RUN CHECK DISK —
1 Click the Start button and click My Computer .
2 Right-click Local Disk C: .
3 Click Properties .
4 Click the Tools tab.
5 Under Error-checking , click Check Now .
6 Click Scan for and attempt recovery of bad sectors .
7 Click Start .
CHECK THE MICROSOFT OUTLOOK®EXPRESS SECURITY SETTINGS —If you cannot open your
e-mail attachments:
1 In Outlook Express, click Tools , click Options , and then click Security .
2 Click Do not allow attachments to remove the checkmark.
CHECK THE TELEPHONE LINE CONNECTION —
CHECK THE TELEPHONE JACK —
CONNECT THE MODEM DIRECTLY TO THE TELEPHONE WALL JACK —
USE ADIFFERENT TELEPHONE LINE —
• Verify that the telephone line is connected to the jack on the modem. (The jack has either a green label
or a connector-shaped icon next to it.)
• Ensure that you hear a click when you insert the telephone line connector into the modem.
• Disconnect the telephone line from the modem and connect it to a telephone. Listen for a dial tone.
• If you have other telephone devices sharing the line, such as an answering machine, fax machine, surge
protector, or line splitter, then bypass them and use the telephone to connect the modem directly to the
telephone wall jack. If you are using a line that is 3 m (10 ft) or more in length, try a shorter one.
RUN THE MODEM HELPER DIAGNOSTICS —Click the Start button, point to All Programs, and then
click Modem Helper. Follow the instructions on the screen to identify and resolve modem problems.
(Modem Helper is not available on all computers.)

20 Solving Problems
Error Messages
CAUTION: Before you begin any of the procedures in this section, follow the safety instructions located in the
Product Information Guide.
If the message is not listed, see the documentation for the operating system or the program that was running
when the message appeared.
VERIFY THAT THE MODEM IS COMMUNICATING WITH WINDOWS —
1 Click the Start button and click Control Panel .
2 Click Printers and Other Hardware .
3 Click Phone and Modem Options .
4 Click the Modems tab.
5 Click the COM port for your modem.
6 Click Properties , click the Diagnostics tab, and then click Query Modem to verify that the modem is
communicating with Windows.
If all commands receive responses, the modem is operating properly.
ENSURE THAT YOU ARE CONNECTED TO THE INTERNET —Ensure that you have subscribed to an
Internet provider. With the Outlook Express e-mail program open, click File. If Work Offline has a
checkmark next to it, click the checkmark to remove it and connect to the Internet. For help, contact
your Internet service provider.
SCAN THE COMPUTER FOR SPYWARE —If you are experiencing slow computer performance, you frequently
receive pop-up advertisements, or you are having problems connecting to the Internet, your computer
might be infected with spyware. Use an antivirus program that includes anti-spyware protection (your
program may require an upgrade) to scan the computer and remove spyware. For more information, go
to support.dell.com and search for the keyword spyware.
A FILENAME CANNOT CONTAIN ANY OF THE FOLLOWING CHARACTERS:\/:*?“<>|—Do not
use these characters in filenames.
A REQUIRED .DLL FILE WAS NOT FOUND —The program that you are trying to open is missing an
essential file. To remove and then reinstall the program:
1 Click the Start button, click Control Panel , and then click Add or Remove Programs .
2 Select the program you want to remove.
3 Click the Change or Remove Program icon.
4 See the program documentation for installation instructions.