Dell OptiPlex W6987 User manual

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Dell™ OptiPlex™ 170L
Quick Reference Guide
Models MTC2 and DHS

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.
The
Drivers and Utilities CD (ResourceCD), operating system media, and Quick Reference Guides are optional
and may not ship with all computers.
____________________
Information in this document is subject to change without notice.
© 2004 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, and OptiPlex are trademarks of Dell Inc.; Microsoft and Windows 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.
Models MTC2 and DHS
September 2004 P/N W6987 Rev. A00

Contents 3
Contents
Finding Information for Your Computer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5
About Your Small Desktop Computer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8
Front and Back Views . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8
Inside Your Computer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9
Attaching and Removing the Computer Stand. . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10
About Your Mini-Tower Computer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11
Front and Back Views . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11
Inside Your Computer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12
Setting Up Your Computer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13
Small Desktop Computer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14
Mini-tower Computer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15
Completed Setup . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16
Small Desktop Computer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16
Mini-Tower Computer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16
Solving Problems . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17
Dell Diagnostics. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17
System Lights . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19
Diagnostic Lights . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20
Beep Codes. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22
Running the Dell™ IDE Hard Drive Diagnostics . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23
Resolving Software and Hardware Incompatibilities . . . . . . . . . . 24
Using Microsoft®Windows®XP System Restore . . . . . . . . . . . . 25
Reinstalling Microsoft®Windows®XP . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26
Using the Drivers and Utilities CD . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 29
Index . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 31

4Contents

Quick Reference Guide 5
Finding Information for Your Computer
What Are You Looking For? Find It Here
• A diagnostic program for my computer
• Drivers for my computer
• My computer documentation
• My device documentation
• Desktop System Software (DSS)
Drivers and Utilities CD (also known as the ResourceCD)
Documentation and drivers are already installed on your
computer. You can use the CD to reinstall drivers, run the
Dell Diagnostics, or access your documentation.
Readme files may be
included on your CD to
provide last-minute
updates about technical
changes to your
computer or advanced
technical-reference
material for technicians
or experienced users.
NOTE: The latest drivers and documentation updates can
be found at support.dell.com.
NOTE: The Drivers and Utilities CD is optional and may not
ship with all computers.
• OS updates and patches Desktop System Software
Located on the Drivers and Utilities CD and the Dell
Support website at support.dell.com.
• Warranty information
• Safety instructions
• Regulatory information
• Ergonomics information
• End User License Agreement
Product Information Guide
• How to remove and replace parts
• Technical specifications
• How to configure system settings
• How to troubleshoot and solve problems
Dell™ OptiPlex™ User’s Guide
Microsoft®Windows®XP Help and Support Center
1 Click the Start button and click Help and Support.
2 Click User’s and system guides and click User’s guides .
The User’s Guide is also available on the Drivers and
Utilities
CD .

6Quick Reference Guide
www.dell.com | support.dell.com
• 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
• Service call status and support history
• Top technical issues for my computer
• Frequently asked questions
• File downloads
• Details on my computer configuration
• Service contract for my computer
Dell Premier Support Website — premiersupport.dell.com
The Dell Premier Support website is customized for
corporate, government, and education customers. This
website may not be available in all regions.
What Are You Looking For? Find It Here

Quick Reference Guide 7
• 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.
• How to reinstall my operating system
Operating System CD
The operating system is already installed on your
computer. To reinstall your operating system, use the
Operating System CD. See your OptiPlex User’s Guide for
instructions.
After you reinstall your
operating system, use the
Drivers and Utilities CD
to reinstall drivers for the
devices that came with
your computer.
Your operating system
product key
label is
located on your
computer.
NOTE: The color of your CD varies based on the operating
system you ordered.
NOTE: The operating system media are optional and may
not ship with all computers.
• Regulatory Model Information and Chassis Type DHS — Small desktop chassis
MTC2
— Mini-tower chassis
What Are You Looking For? Find It Here

8Quick Reference Guide
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About Your Small Desktop Computer
Front and Back Views
CD/DVD-drive
eject button
floppy-drive eject button
floppy-drive activity light
hard-drive activity light
power button
Microsoft
Windows
Product Key
service tag
CD/DVD drive
eject button
USB 2.0 connectors (2)
headphone connector
power light
front panel door
front panel door
optional card
slots (2)
power
connector
network activity light
serial
connector
parallel
connector
microphone connector
network adapter connector
line-in connector
line-out connector
USB 2.0 connectors (4)
link integrity light
video
connector
diagnostic lights
A B C D
mouse
connector
low-profile PCI card slot

Quick Reference Guide 9
Inside Your Computer
CAUTION: Before you begin any of the procedures in this section, follow the safety instructions in the
Product Information Guide.
CAUTION: To avoid electrical shock, always unplug your computer from the electrical outlet before
opening the cover.
NOTICE: Be careful when opening the computer cover to ensure that you do not accidently disconnect
cables from the system board.
heat sink and
blower assembly
system board
padlock ring
power supply
floppy drive
CD/DVD drive
optional internal
speaker
hard drive
optional card cage
NOTE: Your computer may have a metal bracket
instead of a card cage
low-profile
PCI card slot

10 Quick Reference Guide
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Attaching and Removing the Computer Stand
CAUTION: Before you begin any of the procedures in this
section, follow the safety instructions in the Product
Information Guide.
NOTE: Place your computer on a soft surface to prevent
scratching the top cover.
Your computer can be used in either a vertical or
horizontal position.
To use the computer in a vertical position, you must
attach the computer stand:
1 Place the computer on its right side so that the drive
bays are at the bottom and fit the stand onto what
was the left side of the computer:
a Position the stand as shown in the following
figure by aligning the large round hole in the
stand with the securing button on the side of the
cover.
b Align the captive screw in the stand with the
screw hole in the cover, and tighten the
thumbscrew.
2 Rotate the computer so that the stand is at the
bottom and the drives are at the top.