Dell Precision ND224 User manual

www.dell.com | support.dell.com
Dell Precision™ Workstation 490
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.
Abbreviations and Acronyms
For a complete list of abbreviations and acronyms, see the Glossary in your User’s Guide .
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 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.; Intel, Xeon, and Pentium are registered
trademarks of Intel Corporation; 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.
Model DCTA
January 2006 P/N ND224 Rev. A00

Contents 3
Contents
Finding Information . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5
Setting Up Your Computer (Tower Orientation) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9
Setting Up Your Computer (Desktop Orientation) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14
About Your Computer. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19
Front View (Tower Orientation) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19
Back View (Tower Orientation) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21
Back Panel Connectors. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22
Front View (Desktop Orientation) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24
Back View (Desktop Orientation) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25
Inside View . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26
Inside View – Hard Drive Bay Rotated Out . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27
System Board Components . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28
Cable Colors. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 29
Locating Your User’s Guide . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 29
Removing the Computer Cover. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30
Caring for Your Computer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 32
Solving Problems . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 32
Troubleshooting Tips . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 32
Resolving Software and Hardware Incompatibilities . . . . . . . . . . . 32
Using Microsoft®Windows®XP System Restore . . . . . . . . . . . . . 33
Using the Last Known Good Configuration . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 34
Dell Diagnostics. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 35
Before You Start Testing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 36
Beep Codes. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 36
Error Messages . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 38
Diagnostic Lights. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 38
Diagnostic Light Codes Before POST. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 38
Diagnostic Light Codes During POST . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 40
Frequently Asked Questions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 43
Index . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 45

4Contents

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
• My computer documentation
• My device documentation
• Desktop System Software (DSS)
Drivers and Utilities CD (also known as Resource CD)
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: Drivers and documentation updates can be found
at support.dell.com.
• How to set up my computer
• How to care for my computer
• Basic troubleshooting information
• How to run the Dell Diagnostics
• Error codes and diagnostic lights
• How to remove and install parts
• How to open my computer cover
Quick Reference Guide
NOTE: This document is available as a PDF 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
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 Guide
The User’s Guide is also available on the Drivers and
Utilities CD.
• 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.
What Are You Looking For? Find It Here

Quick Reference Guide 7
• 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
• Desktop System Software (DSS)— If you reinstall
the operating system for your computer, you should
reinstall the DSS utility prior to installing any of the
drivers. 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.
Dell Support Website — support.dell.com
NOTE: Select your region or business segment 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. The website may not be available
in all regions.
• How to use Windows XP
• How to work with programs and files
• Documentation for devices (such as 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

8Quick Reference Guide
• 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 User’s Guide for
instructions. After you
reinstall your operating
system, use the Drivers and
Utilities CD (Resource 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 CD may be optional and may
not ship with your computer.
• 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 9
Setting Up Your Computer (Tower Orientation)
CAUTION: Before you begin any of the procedures in this section, follow the safety instructions
in the Product Information Guide.
You must complete all steps to properly set up your computer.
1Connect the keyboard and the mouse.
2
NOTICE: Do not connect a modem cable to the
network adapter. Voltage from telephone
communications can damage the network adapter.
NOTE: If your computer has a network card installed,
connect the network cable to the card.
Connect the modem or the network cable.

10 Quick Reference Guide
3
Depending on your graphics
card, you can connect your
monitor in various ways.
NOTE: You may need to use
the provided adapter or
cable to connect your
monitor to the computer.
Connect the monitor.