Dell XPS 700 User manual

Contents 3
Contents
Finding Information . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9
1 Setting Up and Using Your Computer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13
Front and Back View of the Computer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13
Front View. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13
Front I/O Connectors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15
Back View. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16
Back I/O Connectors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17
Attaching the Computer Stand. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18
Connecting Monitors. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20
Connecting a Monitor (Without an Adapter) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20
Connecting a Monitor (With an Adapter). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21
Connecting a Monitor in a Dual Graphics Card Configuration . . . . . . . 22
Connecting Two or More Monitors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23
Connecting a TV . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24
Changing the Display Settings to Support Two or More Monitors . . . . . 25
About Your RAID Configuration . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25
RAID Level 0 Configuration . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26
RAID Level 1 Configuration . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26
Configuring Your Hard Drives for RAID . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27
Using the Nvidia MediaShield ROM Utility . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28
Using Nvidia MediaShield . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 29
Playing CDs and DVDs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 32
Playing a CD or DVD . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 32
Adjusting the Volume . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 33
Adjusting the Picture . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 33
Copying CDs and DVDs. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 34
How to Copy a CD or DVD. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 34
Using Blank CDs and DVDs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 34
Helpful Tips . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 35
Using a Media Card Reader (Optional) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 36
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4Contents
Network Setup Wizard. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 38
Transferring Information to a New Computer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 38
Power Management . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 39
Overview . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 39
Standby Mode . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 39
Hibernate Mode. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 40
Power Options Properties . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 40
2 Optimizing Performance. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 43
Understanding Hyper-Threading. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 43
Understanding PCI Express Cards . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 43
Understanding Dual Graphics Technology . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 44
Understanding CPU Over-Clocking . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 44
3 Solving Problems. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 45
Troubleshooting Tips. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 45
Battery Problems. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 45
Drive Problems . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 45
CD and DVD drive problems . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 46
Hard drive problems . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 47
E-Mail, Modem, and Internet Problems . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 47
Error Messages . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 48
IEEE 1394 Device Problems . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 49
Keyboard Problems . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 49
Lockups and Software Problems . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 50
The computer does not start up . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 50
The computer stops responding . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 50
A program stops responding . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 51
A program crashes repeatedly . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 51
A program is designed for an earlier Windows operating system . . . . . 51
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Contents 5
A solid blue screen appears . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 51
Other software problems . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 52
Memory Problems . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 52
Mouse Problems . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 53
Network Problems . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 53
Power Problems . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 54
Printer Problems . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 55
Scanner Problems . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 56
Sound and Speaker Problems . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 56
No sound from speakers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 56
No sound from headphones . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 57
Video and Monitor Problems . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 58
The screen is blank . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 58
The screen is difficult to read. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 58
3-D image quality is poor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 59
4 Advanced Troubleshooting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 61
Diagnostic Lights. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 61
Dell Diagnostics . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 64
When to Use the Dell Diagnostics . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 64
Drivers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 67
What Is a Driver? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 67
Identifying Drivers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 67
Reinstalling Drivers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 67
Using Microsoft®Windows®XP System Restore . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 69
Creating a Restore Point . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 69
Restoring the Computer to an Earlier Operating State . . . . . . . . . . . 70
Undoing the Last System Restore. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 70
Resolving Software and Hardware Incompatibilities . . . . . . . . . . . . . 71
Reinstalling Microsoft®Windows®XP. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 71
Before You Begin . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 71
Reinstalling Windows XP . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 71
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6Contents
5 Removing and Installing Parts. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 75
Before You Begin. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 75
Recommended Tools . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 75
Preparing to Work Inside Your Computer. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 75
Removing the Computer Cover. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 76
Inside View of Your Computer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 78
System Board Components . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 79
Memory. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 81
DDR2 Memory Overview . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 81
Addressing Memory Configurations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 82
Installing Memory. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 82
Removing Memory . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 84
Cards . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 85
Removing PCI and PCI Express Cards . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 86
Installing PCI and PCI Express Cards. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 88
Removing a PCI Express Graphics Card from a Dual Configuration . . . . 91
Installing a PCI Express Graphics Card in a Dual Configuration . . . . . . 93
Network Adapter and Sound Card Settings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 96
Drives. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 97
About Serial ATA Drives . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 98
General Drive Installation Guidelines. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 98
Hard Drive . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 99
Removing a Hard Drive . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 99
Installing a Hard Drive . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 101
Drive Panel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 104
Removing the Drive Panel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 104
Replacing the Drive Panel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 105
Floppy Drive . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 106
Removing a Floppy Drive . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 106
Installing a Floppy Drive . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 108
Media Card Reader . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 110
Removing a Media Card Reader . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 110
Installing a Media Card Reader. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 112
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Contents 7
CD/DVD Drive. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 114
Removing a CD/DVD Drive . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 114
Installing a CD/DVD Drive. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 116
Processor Airflow Shroud . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 119
Removing the Processor Airflow Shroud. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 119
Installing the Processor Airflow Shroud . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 120
Processor. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 120
Removing the Processor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 120
Installing the Processor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 121
Battery . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 123
Replacing the Battery. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 123
Removing the Computer Stand. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 124
Replacing the Computer Cover . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 125
6 Appendix . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 127
Specifications . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 127
System Setup . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 132
Overview . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 132
Entering System Setup . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 132
System Setup Options. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 133
Boot Sequence . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 138
Clearing Forgotten Passwords. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 139
Clearing CMOS Settings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 141
Cleaning Your Computer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 141
Computer, Keyboard, and Monitor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 141
Mouse. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 142
Floppy Drive . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 142
CDs and DVDs. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 142
Dell Technical Support Policy (U.S. Only) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 142
Definition of "Dell-Installed" Software and Peripherals . . . . . . . . . 143
Definition of "Third-Party" Software and Peripherals. . . . . . . . . . . 143
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8Contents
FCC Notices (U.S. Only) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 143
Class A . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 144
Class B . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 144
FCC Identification Information . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 144
Contacting Dell. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 145
Glossary . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 163
Index . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 173
book.book Page 8 Thursday, July 20, 2006 11:10 AM

Finding Information 9
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 device documentation
• Desktop System Software (DSS)
Drivers and Utilities CD (ResourceCD)
Documentation and drivers are already installed on your
computer. You can use the Drivers and Utilities CD to
reinstall drivers (see "Reinstalling Drivers" on page 67),
access your documentation or run the Dell Diagnostics
(see "Dell Diagnostics" on page 64).
Readme files may also be
included on your CD to
provide last-minute
updates about technical
changes to your computer
or advanced technical
reference material for
technicians and
experienced users.
NOTE: Drivers and documentation updates can be found at
support.dell.com.
• Warranty information
• Terms and Conditions (U.S. only)
• Safety instructions
• Regulatory information
• Ergonomics information
• End User License Agreement
Dell™ Product Information Guide
book.book Page 9 Thursday, July 20, 2006 11:10 AM

10 Finding Information
• How to set up my computer Setup Diagram
• Service Tag and Express Service Code
• Microsoft
®
Windows
®
Product Key Label
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.
What Are You Looking For? Find It Here
book.book Page 10 Thursday, July 20, 2006 11:10 AM

Finding Information 11
• 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
• 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 on 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 Dell™
3.5-inch USB floppy drives, Intel
®
Pentium
®
M
processors, optical drives, and USB devices. DSS is
necessary for correct operation of your Dell computer.
Dell Support Website — support.dell.com
NOTE: Select your region or business segment to view the
appropriate support site.
To download Desktop System Software:
1 Go to support.dell.com , select your business segment,
and then enter your Service Tag or product model.
2 Select Drivers & Downloads , and then click Go .
3 Select your operating system and language, and then
search for the keyword
Desktop System Software .
NOTE: The support.dell.com user interface may vary
depending on your selections.
• How to use Windows XP
• 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
then 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
book.book Page 11 Thursday, July 20, 2006 11:10 AM

12 Finding Information
• 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 "Reinstalling Microsoft®Windows®XP"
on page 71).
After you reinstall the
operating system, use the
Drivers and Utilities CD to
reinstall drivers for the
devices that came with
your computer.
The operating system
product key label is located
on your computer.
NOTE: The color of your Operating System CD varies
according to the operating system you ordered.
What Are You Looking For? Find It Here
book.book Page 12 Thursday, July 20, 2006 11:10 AM

Setting Up and Using Your Computer 13
Setting Up and Using Your Computer
Front and Back View of the Computer
Front View
6
8
1
10
2
3
4
5
11
7
12
9
book.book Page 13 Thursday, July 20, 2006 11:10 AM

14 Setting Up and Using Your Computer
1front I/O connectors Plug USB and other devices into the appropriate connectors ( see "Front I/O
Connectors" on page 15).
23.5-inch drive bays (2) Can hold an optional Media Card Reader or floppy drive.
3-6 5.25-inch drive bays (4) Can hold a CD/DVD drive, or a SATA hard drive in a 5.25-inch drive bay carrier.
NOTE: The hard-drive carrier is only for use in the 5.25-inch drive bays. The
floppy-drive/Media Card Reader and hard-drive carriers are not interchangeable.
7front panel LEDs (4) Multi-colored lights provide illumination for the front of the computer.
NOTE: The color of the front panel LEDs can be adjusted in system setup (see
"System Setup" on page 132).
8CD/DVD drive tray eject
button (4)
Use to eject the drive tray of a CD/DVD drive.
NOTE: The CD/DVD drive tray eject button is not a handle. The self-tending doors
open automatically when the eject button is pressed and the drive tray is ejected.
9front panel LEDs (4) Multi-colored lights provide illumination for the front of the computer.
NOTE: The color of the front panel LEDs can be adjusted in system setup (see
"System Setup" on page 132).
10 power 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.
NOTE: The power button can also be used to wake the system or to place it into a
power-saving state (see "Power Management" on page 39).
11 power light The power light illuminates and blinks or remains solid to indicate different states:
• No light — The computer is turned off.
• Steady green — The computer is in a normal operating state.
• Blinking green — The computer is in a power-saving state.
• Steady amber — There may be a problem with an installed device (see "Solving
Problems" on page 45).
• Blinking amber — An internal power problem may exist (see "Power Problems"
on page 54).
12 computer stand Attach the computer stand to provide stability to the system.
CAUTION: The computer stand should be installed at all times to ensure
maximum system stability. Failure to install the stand could result in the
computer tipping over, potentially resulting in bodily injury or damage to the
computer.
book.book Page 14 Thursday, July 20, 2006 11:10 AM

Setting Up and Using Your Computer 15
Front I/O Connectors
4567213
1microphone connector Use the microphone connector to attach a personal computer microphone for
voice or musical input into a sound or telephony program.
2headphone connector Use the headphone connector to attach headphones.
3diagnostic lights (4) Use the sequence of these diagnostics lights to help troubleshoot a problem with
your computer (see "Diagnostic Lights" on page 61).
4hard-drive activity light The hard drive 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 your CD player is
operating.
5network link light The network link light is on when a good connection exists between a network and
the computer.
6USB 2.0 connectors (2) Use the front USB connectors for devices that you connect occasionally, such as
flash memory keys, cameras, or bootable USB devices. For more information on
bootable USB devices see "Boot Sequence" on page 138.
It is recommended that you use the back USB connectors for devices that typically
remain connected, such as printers and keyboards.
7IEEE 1394 connector Use the IEEE 1394 connector for high-speed data devices such as digital video
cameras and external storage devices.
book.book Page 15 Thursday, July 20, 2006 11:10 AM

16 Setting Up and Using Your Computer
Back View
1
3
4
2
1power connector Insert the power cable. The appearance of this connector may differ from what is
pictured.
2back panel LEDs (2) Multi-colored lights provide illumination for the I/O panel on the back of the
computer.
NOTE: The color of the back panel LEDs can be adjusted in system setup (see
"System Setup" on page 132).
3back I/O connectors Plug serial, USB, and other devices into the
appropriate connectors (see "Back I/O
Connectors" on page 17).
4card slots Access connectors for any installed PCI or PCI Express cards.
NOTE: Some connector slots support full-length cards.
book.book Page 16 Thursday, July 20, 2006 11:10 AM

Setting Up and Using Your Computer 17
Back I/O Connectors
14 1213
15
9
10
11
45 6 7 8
213
1link 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.
2network adapter
connector
NOTICE: Do not plug a telephone cable into the network adapter connector.
Use the network 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, and then 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.
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).
NOTE: 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.
3network activity light Flashes a yellow light 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.
4keyboard connector Plug a standard PS/2 keyboard into the purple keyboard connector. Turn off the
computer and any attached devices before you connect a keyboard to the
computer. If you have a USB keyboard, plug it into a USB connector.
5mouse connector Plug a standard 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.
book.book Page 17 Thursday, July 20, 2006 11:10 AM

18 Setting Up and Using Your Computer
Attaching the Computer Stand
CAUTION: Before you begin any of the procedures in this section, follow the safety instructions in the Product
Information Guide.
CAUTION: Your computer is heavy and can be difficult to maneuver. Seek assistance before attempting to lift,
move, or tilt the computer and always lift correctly to avoid injury; avoid bending over while lifting.
6side surround sound
connector
Use the (silver) side surround connector to attach additional speakers.
7center subwoofer/LFE
connector
Use the (orange) subwoofer connector to attach a single subwoofer.
NOTE: The LFE (Low Frequency Effects) Audio channel, found in digital surround
sound audio schemes, carries only low frequency information of 80 Hz and below. The
LFE channel drives a subwoofer to provide extremely low bass extension. Systems
not using subwoofers can shunt the LFE information to the main speakers in the
surround sound setup.
8surround sound
connector
Use the (black) surround sound connector to attach multichannel-capable
speakers.
9line-in connector Use the (blue) line-in connector to attach a record/playback device such as a
cassette player, CD player, or VCR.
On computers with a sound card, use the connector on the card.
10 line-out/headphone
connector
Use the (green) line-out connector to attach headphones and speakers with
integrated amplifiers.
On computers with a sound card, use the connector on the card.
11 microphone connector Use the (pink) microphone connector to attach a personal computer microphone
for voice or musical input into a sound or telephony program.
12 S/PDIF connector Use the S/PDIF connector to transmit digital audio without going through an
analog audio conversion process.
13 serial connector Connect a serial device, such as a handheld device, to the serial port. If necessary,
the address for this port can be modified through system setup (see "System
Setup" on page 132).
14 USB 2.0 connectors (6) 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, cameras, or bootable USB devices.
15 IEEE 1394 connector Use the IEEE 1394 connector for high-speed data devices such as digital video
cameras and external storage devices.
book.book Page 18 Thursday, July 20, 2006 11:10 AM

Setting Up and Using Your Computer 19
CAUTION: The computer stand should be installed at all times to ensure maximum system stability. Failure to
install the stand could result in the computer tipping over, potentially resulting in bodily injury or damage to the
computer.
1 Follow the procedures in "Before You Begin" on page 75.
2 Remove the thumb screw that is installed on the base of the computer.
NOTE: If the thumb screw is not already installed in the stand, it has been packaged separately.
3 Insert the six alignment tabs into the corresponding slots on the base of the computer, then slide the
stand forward until all six tabs catch in the slots.
4 Ensure that the screw hole on the stand is aligned with the screw hole on the base of the computer.
5 Insert the captive screw into the screwhole, then tighten the screw to secure the stand to the base of
the computer.
6 With the help of an assistant, carefully set the computer upright.
7 Carefully, lift the rear of the computer and slide the stabilizing feet outward into the open position.
1captive screw 2stabilizing feet (closed) 3computer stand
4slots (6)
3
4
1
2
book.book Page 19 Thursday, July 20, 2006 11:10 AM

20 Setting Up and Using Your Computer
Connecting Monitors
CAUTION: Before you perform any of the procedures in this section, follow the safety instructions in the Product
Information Guide.
CAUTION: To reduce the risk of fire, electric shock, or injury, do not overload an electrical outlet, power strip, or
convenience receptacle. The total ampere rating of all products plugged into an electrical outlet, power strip, or
other receptacle should not exceed 80 percent of the branch circuit rating.
NOTE: Depending on the options selected when you purchased your computer, your video card may have two DVI
ports, or one DVI and one VGA port.
Connecting a Monitor (Without an Adapter)
CAUTION: Before you perform any of the procedures in this section, follow the safety instructions in the Product
Information Guide.
NOTE: If your monitor has a VGA connector and your computer does not have a VGA port, follow the instructions in
"Connecting a Monitor (With an Adapter)" on page 21.
1 Turn off the computer and all attached devices:
a Click Start , then click Turn Off Computer .
b In the Turn off computer window, click Turn off .
The computer performs a shutdown of the operating system, and then turns off.
NOTE: Ensure that the computer is off and not in a power management mode. If you cannot shut down the
computer using the operating system, press and hold the power button for 4 seconds.
1DVI (white) connector 2TV-OUT connector 3VGA (blue) connector
3
1
2
book.book Page 20 Thursday, July 20, 2006 11:10 AM

Setting Up and Using Your Computer 21
2 Disconnect the computer and all attached devices from their electrical outlets.
3 Connect the DVI or VGA connector of your monitor to the appropriate connector on the back of the
computer:
To connect a monitor with a DVI connector, use the (white) DVI port on your computer.
To connect a monitor with a VGA connector, use the (blue) VGA port on your computer.
Connecting a Monitor (With an Adapter)
CAUTION: Before you perform any of the procedures in this section, follow the safety instructions in the Product
Information Guide.
NOTE: In order to connect a monitor with a VGA connector to the DVI port on the back of your computer, a DVI-to-
VGA adapter is required.
1 Turn off the computer and all attached devices:
a Click Start , then click Turn Off Computer .
b In the Turn off computer window, click Turn off .
The computer performs a shutdown of the operating system, and then turns off.
NOTE: Ensure that the computer is off and not in a power management mode. If you cannot shut down the
computer using the operating system, press and hold the power button for 4 seconds.
2 Disconnect the computer and all attached devices from their electrical outlets.
3 Connect the DVI-to-VGA adapter to the VGA connector on your monitor, and then connect the other
end of the adapter to the (white) DVI port on the back of the computer.
book.book Page 21 Thursday, July 20, 2006 11:10 AM

22 Setting Up and Using Your Computer
Connecting a Monitor in a Dual Graphics Card Configuration
CAUTION: Before you perform any of the procedures in this section, follow the safety instructions in the Product
Information Guide.
Dual graphics card configurations with multi-GPU technology enabled support only a single monitor.
The monitor must be connected to the primary graphics card in order to function.
NOTE: If your primary graphics card is equipped with two DVI ports and you are using a monitor with a VGA
connector, a DVI-to-VGA adapter is required to connect the monitor (see "Connecting a Monitor (With an Adapter)"
on page 21).
1DVI (white) connector 2DVI-to-VGA adapter
(optional)
3TV-OUT connector
2
1
3
book.book Page 22 Thursday, July 20, 2006 11:10 AM