Dell Studio XPS 435MT User manual

SETUP GUIDESETUP GUIDE

SETUP GUIDE
Model DCMMF

Notes, Cautions, and Warnings
NOTE: A NOTE indicates important information that helps you make better use of your
computer.
CAUTION: A CAUTION indicates either potential damage to hardware or loss of data and tells
you how to avoid the problem.
WARNING: A WARNING 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.
__________________
Information in this document is subject to change without notice.
© 2008 Dell Inc. All rights reserved.
Reproduction of these materials in any manner whatsoever without the written permission of Dell Inc. is strictly forbidden.
Trademarks used in this text:
Dell , the DELL logo, YOURS IS HERE, Studio XPS, Dell On Call, and DellConnect are
trademarks of Dell Inc.;
Intel is a registered trademark and Core is a trademark of Intel Corporation in the U.S. and
other countries;
Microsoft , Windows , Windows Vista, and Windows Vista Start button (color) are either trademarks or
registered trademarks of Microsoft Corporation in the United States and/or other countries.;
Blu-ray Disc is a trademark
of the Blu-ray Disc Association;
Bluetooth is a registered trademark owned by Bluetooth SIG, Inc. and is used by Dell
under license.
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.
October 2008 P/N P368K Rev. A00

3
Setting Up Your Studio XPS™435MT . . . . . .5
Before Setting Up Your Computer . . . . . . . . . 5
Connect the Display . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6
Connect the Video Cable to the Display . . . . 6
Connect the Keyboard and Mouse. . . . . . . . . 8
Connect the Network Cable (Optional) . . . . . 8
Connect the Power Cables for Your
Display and Computer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9
Windows Vista®Setup . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10
Connect to the Internet (Optional) . . . . . . . . 11
Using Your Studio XPS™435MT . . . . . . . . .14
Front View Features. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14
Back View Features. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17
Back Panel Connectors. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18
Software Features . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20
Solving Problems . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .22
Network Problems . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22
Power Problems. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23
Memory Problems . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25
Lockups and Software Problems . . . . . . . . . 25
Using Support Tools. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .28
Dell Support Center . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28
System Messages . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 29
Hardware Troubleshooter. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30
Dell Diagnostics . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 31
System Recovery Options . . . . . . . . . . . . . .33
System Restore . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 33
Dell Factory Image Restore . . . . . . . . . . . . . 34
Operating System Reinstallation . . . . . . . . . 36
Contents

4
Getting Help . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .38
Technical Support and Customer
Service . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 39
DellConnect™. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 39
Online Services . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 39
AutoTech Service. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 40
Product Information. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 41
Returning Items for Repair Under
Warranty or for Credit . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 41
Before You Call. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 42
Contacting Dell. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 43
Finding More Information and
Resources . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .44
Specifications . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .46
Appendix. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .52
Macrovision Product Notice. . . . . . . . . . . . . 52
Index . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .53

5
Setting Up Your Studio XPS™435MT
This section provides information about setting
up your Studio XPS 435MT and connecting
peripherals.
Before Setting Up Your Computer
When positioning your computer, ensure that
you allow easy access to a power source,
adequate ventilation, and a level surface to
place your computer.
Restricting airflow around your computer may
cause it to overheat. To prevent overheating
ensure that you leave at least 10.2 cm (4 inches)
at the back of the computer and a minimum
of 5.1 cm (2 inches) on all other sides. You
should never put your computer in an enclosed
space, such as a cabinet or drawer when it is
powered on.

6
Setting Up Your Studio XPS™ 435MT
Connect the Display
Your computer does not have an integrated
video connector. You can use the connector
available on the video card in the expansion
slot to connect to the display.
Connect the Video Cable to the
Display
Check your TV or monitor to see which type of
connectors are available. Refer to the following
table when identifying the connectors on your
display to select the connection type you
will use.
VGA
HDMI
DVI
Connect the display using either the VGA
connector, the HDMI connector, or the DVI
connector.
The HDMI connector is a high-performance
digital connector that carries both video and
audio signals for displays such as TVs and
monitors with integrated speakers. The VGA
connector carries only video signals for displays
such as monitors and projectors.
Connect Using the VGA Connector
Connect the display using a VGA cable (which
usually has blue connectors at both ends).

7
Setting Up Your Studio XPS™ 435MT
If your display has a DVI connector, use the
VGA cable (with blue connectors at both ends)
with a DVI-to-VGA adapter (white connector).
NOTE: You can purchase a DVI-to-VGA
adapter from the Dell website at dell.com.
Connect Using an HDMI Connector
Connect the display using an HDMI cable.
Connect Using an DVI Connector
Connect the display using an DVI cable.
NOTE: You can purchase additional HDMI
and DVI cables from the Dell website at
dell.com.

8
Setting Up Your Studio XPS™ 435MT
Connect the Keyboard and Mouse
Use the USB connectors on the back panel of
the computer to attach a USB keyboard and
mouse.
Connect the Network Cable
(Optional)

9
Setting Up Your Studio XPS™ 435MT
A network connection is not required to
complete your computer setup, but if you have
an existing network or Internet connection
that uses a cable connection (such as a
home cable modem or Ethernet jack), you can
connect it now. Use only an Ethernet cable
(RJ45 connector). Do not plug a telephone cable
(RJ11 connector) into the network connector.
To attach your computer to a network or
broadband device, connect one end of the
network cable to either a network port or a
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.
Connect the Power Cables for
Your Display and Computer

10
Setting Up Your Studio XPS™ 435MT
Press the Power Buttons on Your
Computer and Display
Windows Vista®Setup
To set up Windows Vista for the first time follow
the instructions on the screen. These steps are
mandatory and may take up to 15 minutes to
complete. The screens will take you through
several procedures including accepting license
agreements, setting preferences, and setting up
an Internet connection.
CAUTION: Do not interrupt the operating
system’s setup process. Doing so may
render your computer unusable.

11
Setting Up Your Studio XPS™ 435MT
Connect to the Internet (Optional)
NOTE: ISPs and ISP offerings vary by
country.
To connect to the Internet, you need an external
modem or network connection and an Internet
service provider (ISP). Your ISP will offer one
or more of the following Internet connection
options:
DSL connections that provide high-speed•
Internet access through your existing
telephone line or cellular telephone service.
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.
Satellite modem connections that provide•
high-speed Internet access through a
satellite television system.
Dial-• up connections that provide Internet
access through a telephone line. Dial-up
connections are considerably slower than DSL
and cable (or satellite) modem connections.
Your computer does not have an integrated
modem. An optional USB modem must be used
for dialup service with this computer.
Wireless LAN (WLAN)• connections that
provide Internet access using WiFi 802.11
technology. Wireless LAN support requires
optional internal components that may or
may not be installed in your computer based
on decisions made at the time of purchase.
NOTE: If an external USB modem or
WLAN adapter is not part of your original
order, you can purchase one from the Dell
website at dell.com.

12
Setting Up Your Studio XPS™ 435MT
Setting Up a Wired Internet Connection
If you are using a dial-up connection, connect
the telephone line to the external USB modem
(optional) and to the telephone wall jack before
you set up your Internet connection. If you are
using a DSL or cable/satellite modem connection,
contact your ISP or cellular telephone service for
setup instructions.
Setting Up a Wireless Connection
Before you can use your wireless Internet
connection, you need to connect to your
wireless router. To set up your connection to a
wireless router:
Save and close any open files, and exit any1.
open programs.
Click2. Start →Connect To.
Follow the instructions on the screen to3.
complete the setup.
Setting Up Your Internet Connection
To set up an Internet connection with a provided
ISP desktop shortcut:
Save and close any open files, and exit any1.
open programs.
Double-click the ISP icon on the Microsoft2. ®
Windows®desktop.
Follow the instructions on the screen to3.
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, perform the steps in the
following section.
NOTE: 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.
NOTE: Have your ISP information ready.
If you do not have an ISP, the Connect to
the Internet wizard can help you get one.

13
Setting Up Your Studio XPS™ 435MT
Save and close any open files, and exit any1.
open programs.
Click2. Start →Control Panel.
Under3. Network and Internet, click Connect
to the Internet.
The Connect to the Internet window appears.
Click either4. Broadband (PPPoE) or Dial-up,
depending on how you want to connect:
Choosea. Broadband if you will use a
DSL, satellite modem, cable TV modem,
or Bluetooth®wireless technology
connection.
Choseb. Dial-up if you will use an optional
USB dial-up modem or ISDN.
NOTE: If you do not know which type of
connection to select, click Help me choose
or contact your ISP.
Follow the instructions on the screen and5.
use the setup information provided by your
ISP to complete the setup.

14
Your computer has indicators, buttons, and
features that provide information at-a-glance and
time-saving shortcuts for common tasks.
Front View Features
1 Service Tag (located on top of the
chassis towards the back) — Use the
Service Tag to identify your computer
when you access the Dell Support
website or call technical support.
2Optical drive — Plays or records only
standard-size (12 cm) CDs, DVDs, and
Blu-ray DiscTM.
3Optical-drive panel — This panel covers
the optical drive (shown in open position).
Using Your Studio XPS™435MT
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
11
12
13
10
1

15
Using Your Studio XPS™ 435MT
4Optical drive eject button — Press to
eject a disk from the optical drive.
5IEEE 1394 connector — Connects
to high-speed serial multimedia devices
such as digital video cameras.
6Headphone connector — Connects
to headphones.
NOTE: To connect to a powered
speaker or sound system, use the
audio out or S/PDIF connector on the
back of your computer.
7Line-in or microphone connector —
Connects to a microphone for voice or to
an audio cable for audio input.
8Power button and light — Turns the
power on or off when pressed. The light
in the center of this button indicates the
power state:
Blinking white — the computer is in•
sleep state.
Solid white — the computer is in•
power-on state.
Blinking amber — there may be a•
problem with the system board.
Solid amber — there may be a•
problem with either the system board
or power supply.
9Hard drive activity light — Turns on
when the computer reads or writes data.
A blinking blue light indicates hard drive
activity.
CAUTION: To avoid loss of data,
never turn off the computer while the
hard drive activity light is blinking.

16
Using Your Studio XPS™ 435MT
10 Front-panel door grip — Slide up the front
panel door grip to cover the FlexBay drive,
USB connectors, IEEE 1394 connector,
headphone connector, and microphone
connector.
11 FlexBay — Can contain an optional
FlexBay drive.
12 USB 2.0 connectors (4) — Connect
USB devices that are connected
occasionally such as memory keys,
digital cameras, and MP3 players.
13 Optional Optical drive bay — Can contain
an additional optical drive.

17
Using Your Studio XPS™ 435MT
Back View Features
1
2
5
3
6
7
4
1Security cable slot — Connects to a lock
for a security cable used as an anti-theft
device.
NOTE: Before you buy a lock, ensure
that it works with the security cable
slot on your computer.
2Padlock rings — Attach a commercially
available theft-deterrent device.
3Expansion card slots (4) — Access
connectors for any installed PCI and
PCI express cards.
4Back panel connectors — Plug USB,
audio, and other devices into the
appropriate connector.
5Power supply light — Indicates power
availability for power supply.
6Voltage selector switch — Select the
region specific voltage range.
7Power connector — Connects your
computer to the electrical outlet.

18
Using Your Studio XPS™ 435MT
Back Panel Connectors
1IEEE 1394 connector — Connects to
high-speed serial multimedia devices such
as digital video cameras.
2Network connector and light —
Connects your computer to a network
or broadband device. The network
activity light flashes when the computer
is transmitting or receiving data. A high
volume of network traffic may make this
light appear to be in a steady “on” state.
3Back L/R surround connector —
Connects to multichannel capable
speakers.
4Center/subwoofer connector —
Connects to a subwoofer.
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11