Dell Precision KP542 User manual

www.dell.com | support.dell.com
Dell Precision™ Workstation T3400
Quick Reference Guide
Model DCTA

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.
____________________
Information in this document is subject to change without notice.
© 2007 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 Dell Precision are trademarks of Dell Inc.;
Microsoft, Windows,and Windows Vista are either trademarks or registered trademarks of Microsoft
Corporation in the United States and/or other countries.
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 DCTA
August 2007 P/N KP542 Rev. A00

Contents 3
Contents
Finding Information . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5
About Your Computer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11
Front View (Tower Orientation) . . . . . . . . . . 11
Back View (Tower Orientation) . . . . . . . . . . 14
Front View (Desktop Orientation) . . . . . . . . . 15
Back View (Desktop Orientation) . . . . . . . . . 18
Back Panel Connectors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19
Setting Up Your Computer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21
Changing Between Tower and
Desktop Orientations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21
Installing Your Computer in an Enclosure . . . . . 22
Transferring Information to a New Computer . . . 25
Power Protection Devices . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28
Cleaning Your Computer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30
Computer, Keyboard, and Monitor . . . . . . . . . 30
Mouse (Non-Optical) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30
Floppy Drive . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 31
CDs and DVDs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 31
Troubleshooting Tools . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 31
Power Lights . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 31
Diagnostic Lights . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 33
Beep Codes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 37
System Messages . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 39
Hardware Troubleshooter . . . . . . . . . . . . . 41
Dell Diagnostics . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 41

4Contents
Troubleshooting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 45
Battery Problems . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 46
Drive Problems . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 46
E-Mail, Modem, and Internet Problems . . . . . . 48
Error Messages . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 49
IEEE 1394 Device Problems . . . . . . . . . . . . . 50
Keyboard Problems . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 51
Lockups and Software Problems . . . . . . . . . . 51
Memory Problems . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 53
Mouse Problems . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 54
Network Problems . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 55
Power Problems . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 55
Printer Problems . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 56
Scanner Problems . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 57
Sound and Speaker Problems . . . . . . . . . . . 58
Video and Monitor Problems . . . . . . . . . . . . 59
Index . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 61

Quick Reference Guide 5
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
• A diagnostic program for my computer
• Drivers for my computer
• Desktop System Software (DSS)
Drivers and Utilities Disc
NOTE: The Drivers and Utilities disc may
be optional and may not ship with your
computer.
Documentation and drivers are already
installed on your computer. You can use
the Drivers and Utilities disc to reinstall
drivers (see "Reinstalling Drivers and
Utilities" in your User’s Guide), or to run
the Dell Diagnostics (see "Dell Diagnostics"
on page 41).
Readme files may be included on your
disc to provide last-minute updates about
technical changes to your computer or
advanced technical-reference material for
technicians or experienced users.
Drivers and documentation updates can be
found at support.dell.com.

6Quick Reference Guide
• Warranty information
• Terms and Conditions (U.S. only)
• Safety instructions
• Regulatory information
• Ergonomics information
• End User License Agreement
Dell™ Product Information Guide
• How to remove and replace parts
• Specifications
• How to configure system settings
• How to troubleshoot and solve problems
Dell Precision™ User’s Guide
Microsoft®Windows®XP and Windows
Vista™Help and Support Center
1 Click Start → Help and Support →
Dell User and System Guides
→
System Guides .
2 Click the User’s Guide for your
computer.
What Are You Looking For? Find It Here

Quick Reference Guide 7
• Service Tag and Express Service Code
• Microsoft Windows Product Key
Service Tag and Microsoft Windows
Product Key
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.
NOTE: As an increased security measure,
the newly designed Microsoft Windows
license label incorporates a missing
portion, or hole, to discourage removal of
the label.
What Are You Looking For? Find It Here

8Quick Reference Guide
• Solutions — Troubleshooting hints and
tips, articles from technicians, online
courses, and frequently asked questions
• Community — Online discussion with
other Dell customers
• Upgrades — Upgrade information for
components, such as the memory, hard
drive, and operating system
• Customer Care — Contact information,
service call and order status, and
warranty and repair information
• Service and support — Service call
status, support history, service contract,
and online discussions with support
• Dell Technical Update Service —
Proactive e-mail notification of software
and hardware updates for your computer
• 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 or business
segment to view the appropriate support
site.
What Are You Looking For? Find It Here

Quick Reference Guide 9
• Desktop System Software (DSS)— If
you reinstall the operating system for
your computer, you should also reinstall
the DSS utility. DSS automatically
detects your computer and operating
system and installs the updates
appropriate for your configuration,
providing critical updates for your
operating system and support for
processors, optical drives, USB devices,
etc. DSS is necessary for correct
operation of your Dell computer.
To download Desktop System Software:
1 Go to support.dell.com , select your
country/region, and then click
Drivers
& Downloads
.
2 Click Select Model or Enter a Tag ,
make the appropriate selections or enter
the appropriate information for your
computer, and then click
Confirm .
3 Scroll down to System and
Configuration Utilities
→ Desktop
System Software
, and then click
Download Now.
NOTE: The support.dell.com user
interface may vary depending on your
selections.
• How to use Windows XP
• How to use Windows Vista
• 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

10 Quick Reference Guide
• How to reinstall my operating system Operating System Media
The operating system is already installed
on your computer. To reinstall your
operating system, use the Operating
System reinstallation media that came
with your computer (see "Restoring Your
Operating System" in your User’s Guide).
After you reinstall your operating system,
use the optional Drivers and Utilities disc
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 operating system
installation media varies according to the
operating system you ordered.
• How to use Linux
• E-mail discussions with users of Dell
Precision products and the Linux
operating system
• Additional information regarding Linux
and my Dell Precision computer
Dell Supported Linux Sites
• linux.dell.com
• lists.us.dell.com/mailman/listinfo/linux-
precision
What Are You Looking For? Find It Here

Quick Reference Guide 11
About Your Computer
Front View (Tower Orientation)
1upper 5.25-inch drive
bay Supports an optical drive.
2lower 5.25-inch drive
bay Supports an optical drive or an additional hard drive (SATA only).
3upper 3.5-inch drive
bay Supports a floppy drive, a Media Card Reader, or an additional hard drive (SATA or SAS).
4lower 3.5-inch drive
bay Supports a floppy drive or a Media Card Reader.
1
9
10
11
12
13
14
4
5
6
7
8
3
2

12 Quick Reference Guide
5hard 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 may also be on when a device such as an optical
drive is in operation.
6IEEE 1394 connector
(optional) Use the optional IEEE 1394 connector for high-speed data devices such as digital video cameras and external
storage devices.
7USB 2.0 connectors
(2) Use the front USB connectors for devices that you connect occasionally, such as flash memory keys or
cameras, or for bootable USB devices (see "System
Setup" in your User’s Guide for more information on
booting to a USB device).
NOTE: It is recommended that you use the back USB
connectors for devices that typically remain connected,
such as printers and keyboards.
8Dell badge (rotatable) Use the plastic handle on the back of the Dell badge to
rotate the badge for tower-to-desktop or desktop-to-
tower conversion.
9power button Press to turn on the computer.
NOTICE: To avoid losing data, do not use the
power button to turn off the computer. Instead,
perform an operating system shutdown.
NOTICE: If your operating system has ACPI
enabled, when you press the power button the
computer will perform an operating system
shutdown.
NOTE: The power button can also be used to wake the
system or to place it into a power-saving state (see
"Power Management" in your User’s Guide).

Quick Reference Guide 13
10 power light The power light illuminates and blinks or remains solid
to indicate different states:
• No light — The computer is turned off (S4, S5, or
mechanical OFF).
• Steady green — The computer is in a normal
operating state.
• Blinking green — The computer is in a power-
saving state (S1 or S3).
• Blinking or solid amber — See "Power Problems" in
your
User’s Guide .
To exit from a power-saving state, press the power
button or use the keyboard or mouse if it is configured
as a wake device in the Windows Device Manager. For
more information about sleep states and exiting from
a power-saving state, see "Power Management" in your
User’s Guide .
For a description of diagnostic light codes for
troubleshooting problems with your computer, see
"Diagnostic Lights" on page 33.
11 microphone
connector Use the microphone connector to attach a personal computer microphone for voice or musical input into
a sound or telephony program.
12 headphone connector Use the headphone connector to attach headphones.
13 diagnostic lights (4) Use the diagnostic lights to help you troubleshoot
a problem with your computer (see "Diagnostic Lights"
on page 33).
14 network link light The network link light is on when a good connection
exists between a 10-Mbps, 100-Mbps, or 1000-Mbps
(1-Gbps) network and the computer.

14 Quick Reference Guide
Back View (Tower Orientation)
1power connector Insert the power cable.
2voltage selection
switch See the safety instructions in the Product Information Guide for more information.
NOTE: The voltage selection switch is available on the 375-W
PSU only.
3back panel
connectors Plug serial, USB, and other devices into the appropriate connector.
1
2
3
4

Quick Reference Guide 15
Front View (Desktop Orientation)
4card slots Access connectors for any installed PCI or PCI Express
cards.
NOTE: The upper five connector slots support full-length
cards; the connector slot at the bottom supports a half-length
card.
NOTE: Check the documentation for cards to ensure that you
can accommodate them in your configuration. Some cards
that require more physical space and power (such as PCI
Express graphics cards) may restrict the use of other cards.
1upper 5.25-inch drive
bay Supports an optical drive.
2lower 5.25-inch drive
bay Supports an optical drive or an additional hard drive (SATA only).
33.5-inch drive bay Supports a floppy drive or a Media Card Reader.
4hard 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 may also be on when a device such as an optical
drive is in operation.
1 2 7
8
9101112
345 6

16 Quick Reference Guide
5IEEE 1394 connector
(optional) Use the optional IEEE 1394 connector for high-speed data devices such as digital video cameras and external
storage devices.
6USB 2.0 connectors
(2) Use the front USB connectors for devices that you connect occasionally, such as flash memory keys or
cameras, or for bootable USB devices (see "System
Setup" in your User’s Guide for more information on
booting to a USB device).
NOTE: It is recommended that you use the back USB
connectors for devices that typically remain connected,
such as printers and keyboards.
7power button Press to turn on the computer.
NOTICE: To avoid losing data, do not use the
power button to turn off the computer. Instead,
perform an operating system shutdown.
NOTICE: If your operating system has ACPI
enabled, when you press the power button the
computer will perform an operating system
shutdown.
NOTE: The power button can also be used to wake the
system or to place it into a power-saving state (see
"Power Management" in your User’s Guide).

Quick Reference Guide 17
8power light The power light illuminates and blinks or remains solid
to indicate different states:
• No light — The computer is turned off (S4, S5, or
mechanical OFF).
• Steady green — The computer is in a normal
operating state.
• Blinking green — The computer is in a power-
saving state (S1 or S3).
• Blinking or solid amber — See "Power Problems"
in
your User’s Guide
.
To exit from a power-saving state, press the power
button or use the keyboard or mouse if it is configured
as a wake device in the Windows Device Manager. For
more information about sleep states and exiting from
a power-saving state, see "Power Management" in your
User’s Guide.
For a description of diagnostic light codes for
troubleshooting problems with your computer, see
"Diagnostic Lights" on page 33.
9diagnostic lights (4) Use the diagnostic lights to help you troubleshoot
a problem with your computer (see "Diagnostic Lights"
on page 33).
10 microphone
connector Use the microphone connector to attach a personal computer microphone for voice or musical input into
a sound or telephony program.
11 headphone connector Use the headphone connector to attach headphones.
12 network link light The network link light is on when a good connection
exists between a 10-Mbps, 100-Mbps, or 1000-Mbps
(or 1-Gbps) network and the computer.

18 Quick Reference Guide
Back View (Desktop Orientation)
1card slots Access connectors for any installed PCI or PCI Express
cards.
NOTE: Check the documentation for cards to ensure that
you can accommodate them in your configuration. Some
cards that require more physical space and power (such
as PCI Express graphics cards) may restrict the use of
other cards.
2power connector Insert the power cable.
3voltage selection
switch See the safety instructions in the Product Information Guide for more information.
NOTE: The voltage selection switch is available on the
375-W PSU only.
4back panel connectors Plug serial, USB, and other devices into the
appropriate connector.
32
4
1

Quick Reference Guide 19
Back Panel Connectors
1mouse connector Plug a PS/2 mouse into the green mouse connector. Turn off
the computer and any attached devices before you connect
a mouse to the computer. If you have a USB mouse, plug it
into a USB connector.
2parallel
connector Connect a parallel device, such as a printer, to the parallel connector. If you have a USB printer, plug it into a USB
connector.
NOTE: The integrated parallel connector is automatically
disabled if the computer detects an installed card containing
a parallel connector configured to the same address. For more
information, see "System Setup Options" in your User’s Guide.
3link 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.
• Yellow — A good connection exists between a 1000-Mbps
(1-Gbps) network and the computer.
• Off — The computer is not detecting a physical
connection to the network.
12345
891011
6
7

20 Quick Reference Guide
4network adapter
connector To attach your computer to a network or broadband device, connect one end of a network cable to either a network jack
or your network or broadband device. Connect the other
end of the network cable to the network adapter connector
on your computer. A click indicates that the network cable
has been securely attached.
NOTICE: Do not plug a telephone cable into the network
connector.
On computers with an additional network connector card,
use the connectors on the card and on the back of the
computer when setting up multiple network connections
(such as a separate intra- and extranet).
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.
5network activity
light The network activity light is on (flashing) 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.
6line-out
connector Use the green line-out connector to attach headphones and most speakers with integrated amplifiers.
On computers with a sound card, use the connector on the
card.
7line-in connector Use the blue line-in connector to attach a record/playback
device such as a microphone, cassette player, CD player,
or VCR.
On computers with a sound card, use the connector on the
card.
8Rear Dual USB
2.0 connectors
(2)
Use the back USB connectors for devices that typically
remain connected, such as printers and keyboards.
NOTE: It is recommended that you use the front USB
connectors for devices that you connect occasionally, such as
flash memory keys or cameras, or for bootable USB devices.