HP Compaq dx2100 MT Series User manual

Quick Setup & Getting Started
Business PCs
dx2100 Series Microtower
Document Part Number: 403285-001
September 2005
This guide provides basic information about setting up and
maintaining your computer.

© Copyright 2005 Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P.
The information contained herein is subject to change without notice.
Microsoft and Windows are trademarks of Microsoft Corporation in the
U.S. and other countries.
Adobe, Acrobat, and Acrobat Reader are trademarks or registered
trademarks of Adobe Systems Incorporated.
The only warranties for HP products and services are set forth in the
express warranty statements accompanying such products and services.
Nothing herein should be construed as constituting an additional warranty.
HP shall not be liable for technical or editorial errors or omissions
contained herein.
This document contains proprietary information that is protected by
copyright. No part of this document may be photocopied, reproduced, or
translated to another language without the prior written consent of
Hewlett-Packard Company.
ÅWARNING: Text set off in this manner indicates that failure to
follow directions could result in bodily harm or loss of life.
ÄCAUTION: Text set off in this manner indicates that failure to follow
directions could result in damage to equipment or loss of information.
Quick Setup & Getting Started
Business PCs
dx2100 Series Microtower
First Edition (September 2005)
Document Part Number: 403285-001

Quick Setup & Getting Started www.hp.com iii
Contents
1 Quick Setup
Step 1: Unpack the Computer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1–1
Step 2: Confirm the Voltage Setting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1–2
Step 3: Connect External Devices . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1–3
Step 4: Identify Front Panel Components . . . . . . . . . . . . 1–4
Step 5: Connect the Power Cords. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1–5
Step 6: Turn On the Computer and Install the Windows
Operating System. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1–6
Step 7: Turn Off the Computer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1–7
2 Getting Started
Accessibility. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2–1
Microsoft Security Updates . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2–1
Downloading Updates from the Microsoft Windows
Update Web Site . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2–1
File System Format . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2–2
Installing or Upgrading Device Drivers. . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2–3
Customizing the Monitor Display . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2–3
Protecting the Software . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2–4
Transferring Files and Settings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2–4
Restoring the Software. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2–4
Finding More Information . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2–5
Using the Documentation and Diagnostics CD . . . . . . . . 2–5
Basic Troubleshooting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2–6
Overview . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2–6
Helpful Hints . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2–7
Before You Call for Technical Support. . . . . . . . . . . 2–8

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1
Quick Setup
Step 1: Unpack the Computer
ÅWARNING: To reduce the risk of serious injury, read the Safety &
Comfort Guide. It describes proper workstation setup, posture, and health
and work habits for computer users, and provides important electrical and
mechanical safety information. This guide is located on the Web at
http://www.hp.com/ergo and on the hard drive or on the Documentation
and Diagnostics CD that is included with the product.

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Quick Setup
Step 2: Confirm the Voltage Setting
Ensure that the voltage select switch for the power supply is set to
the correct voltage for your region (115 volts or 230 volts).
ÄCAUTION: You should not need to change the voltage setting; however,
you should verify that the voltage selection is compatible with your local
power specifications. Failure to do so could result in damage to the
computer.

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Quick Setup & Getting Started www.hp.com 1-3
Step 3: Connect External Devices
Connect the monitor, mouse, keyboard, and network cables.
✎Arrangement and number of connectors may vary by model.
ÄCAUTION: Do not add optional hardware or third-party devices to the
computer until the operating system is successfully installed. Doing so may
cause errors and may prevent the operating system from installing properly.
1Power cord connector 7Parallel port connector
2Voltage select switch 8Monitor connector
3PS/2 Mouse connector
(green)
9Microphone connector
(pink)
4PS/2 Keyboard connector
(purple)
-Audio Line-out connector
(green)
5Universal Serial Bus (USB)
connectors
qAudio Line-in connector
(blue)
6Serial connector wRJ-45 Network connector

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Quick Setup
Step 4: Identify Front Panel
Components
1Optical disc drive 6Diskette drive eject button
2Optical disc drive activity light 7Dual-state power button
3Diskette drive (optional)* 8Power-on light
4Diskette drive activity light 9Hard drive activity light
5Optical disc drive eject button -USB connectors
*The 5.25" expansion bay can accommodate an optical drive or
a 3.5" diskette drive with a 5.25" adapter kit.

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Step 5: Connect the Power Cords
Connect the power cords and monitor cord as shown. Turn on the
monitor, then turn on the computer.
ÅWARNING: To reduce the risk of electric shock or damage to the
equipment:
■Do not disable the power cord grounding plug. The grounding
plug is an important safety feature.
■Plug the power cord into a grounded (earthed) electrical outlet
that is easily accessible at all times.
■Disconnect power from the computer by unplugging the power
cord from either the electrical outlet or the computer.
ÄCAUTION: Be sure there is a 4-inch (10.2 cm) clearance on all vented
sides of the computer and monitor to permit the required airflow.

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Quick Setup
Step 6: Turn On the Computer and
Install the Windows Operating System
✎If the computer was not shipped with a Microsoft Windows XP
Professional/Home operating system, some portions of this
documentation do not apply. Refer to the operating system
documentation and online Help for operating instructions.
ÄCAUTION: Do not add optional hardware or third-party devices to the
computer until the operating system is successfully installed. Doing so may
cause errors and may prevent the operating system from installing properly.
Press the power button to turn on the computer.
The first time you turn on the computer, the operating system is
installed automatically. This process takes about 5 to 10 minutes,
depending on which operating system is being installed.
Carefully read and follow the instructions on the screen to
complete the installation.
ÄCAUTION: Once the automatic installation has begun, DO NOT TURN
OFF THE COMPUTER UNTIL THE PROCESS IS COMPLETE. Turning off the
computer during the installation process may damage the software that
runs the computer or prevent its proper installation. In the event that you
lose power during the installation process, run the Restore Plus! CD to
install the operating system. Refer to the “Restoring the Software” section
for more information on the Restore Plus! CD.
When the Welcome to Windows screen is displayed, the
Windows installation process is complete.

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Step 7: Turn Off the Computer
To properly turn off the computer, first shut down the operating
system software. In Microsoft Windows XP Professional, click
Start > Shut Down. In Microsoft Windows XP Home, click
Start > Turn Off Computer. The computer automatically shuts
down.
Depending on the operating system, pressing the power button
causes the computer to enter a low-power or “standby” state
instead of automatically turning the power off. This allows you to
conserve energy without closing software applications; later, you
can start using the computer immediately without having to
restart the operating system and without losing any data.
To force the computer off manually and bypass the “standby”
state, press and hold the power button for four seconds.
ÄCAUTION: Manually forcing the computer off will cause the loss of any
unsaved data.
On some models, you can use the Computer Setup utility to
reconfigure the power button to work in on/off mode instead of
standby mode. Refer to the Computer Setup (F10) Utility Guide
on the Documentation and Diagnostics CD for more information
about using Computer Setup.

Quick Setup & Getting Started www.hp.com 2-1
2
Getting Started
Accessibility
HP is committed to designing products, services, and programs
with improved usability and accessibility for all customers. HP
products with Microsoft Windows XP Professional/Home
preinstalled, or that are XP Ready, are designed for accessibility.
These products are tested with industry-leading Assistive
Technology products to ensure equal access—anytime,
anywhere... to anyone.
Microsoft Security Updates
This system has been delivered to you from the HP factory with
Microsoft Critical updates preinstalled on your system. HP and
Microsoft strongly recommend that you connect to the Microsoft
Windows update Web site to acquire any additional critical
Microsoft Security updates recommended for your operating
system.
Downloading Updates from the
Microsoft Windows Update Web Site
1. To set up your Internet connection, click Start > Internet
Explorer and follow the instructions on the screen.
2. Once an Internet connection has been established, click the
Start button.

2-2 www.hp.com Quick Setup & Getting Started
Getting Started
3. Select the All Programs menu.
4. Click on the Windows Update link at the top of the menu.
You will be directed to the Microsoft Windows Update Web
site.
5. You may see one or more pop-up windows that ask you to
install programs from http://www.microsoft.com. Click Ye s to
install the programs.
6. Click the Scan for Updates link when it appears.
7. After scanning, click the Critical Updates and Service
Packs link when it is displayed under the heading Pick
updates to install. A list of updates will be displayed with all
updates selected by default. It is recommended that you
install all of the updates listed in this section.
8. Click on the Review and Install Updates link.
9. Click the Install Now button. This will start downloading the
critical updates and automatically install them.
10. After the updates have been installed, Windows XP
Professional/Home will prompt you to reboot the computer.
Be sure to save any files or documents that you may have
open before rebooting. Then select Yes to reboot the
computer.
File System Format
✎Depending on your system, you may be prompted to select a file
system format during the initial setup of your system.
Hard drives can be configured in two basic formats: FAT32 (for
HDD partitions less than 8 GB) or NTFS (for HDD partitions up
to and greater than 8 GB), with variances of each, depending on
the operating system and hard drive support. To check the file

Getting Started
Quick Setup & Getting Started www.hp.com 2-3
system format assigned to your hard drive (factory settings), open
My Computer, right-click on Local Disk (C:),then select
Properties.
Installing or Upgrading Device Drivers
When installing optional hardware devices after the operating
system installation is complete, you must also install the drivers
for each of the devices.
If prompted for the i386 directory, replace the path specification
with C:\i386, or use the Browse button of the dialog box to locate
the i386 folder. This action points the operating system to the
appropriate drivers.
Obtain the latest support software, including support software for
the operating system from http://www.hp.com/support. Select
your country and language, select Download drivers and
software, enter the model number of the computer, and press
Enter.
You can also obtain the latest support software on CDs. The
following Web site provides information on how to purchase a
support software CD subscription.
http://h18000.www1.hp.com/support/files/desktops/us/purcha
se.html
✎If the computer has a writable optical drive, you may need to
install the appropriate application to be able to write to the drive
(see the CDs that came with the system).
Customizing the Monitor Display
If you wish, you can select or change the monitor model, refresh
rates, screen resolution, color settings, font sizes, and power
management settings. To do so, right-click on the Windows

2-4 www.hp.com Quick Setup & Getting Started
Getting Started
Desktop and click Properties to change display settings. For
more information, refer to the online documentation provided
with the graphics controller utility or the documentation that
came with your monitor.
Protecting the Software
To protect the software from loss or damage, keep a backup copy
of all system software, applications, and related files stored on the
hard drive. Refer to the operating system or backup utility
documentation for instructions on making backup copies of your
data files.
Transferring Files and Settings
Use the Microsoft Windows XP Professional/Home Files and
Settings Transfer Wizard to move files and settings from the old
computer to the new one. Click Start > All Programs >
Accessories > System Tools > Files and Settings Transfer
Wizard.
Restoring the Software
You can restore the original operating system and
factory-installed software by using the Restore Plus! CD and any
other CDs that came with the computer. Carefully read and follow
the instructions provided for the restore solution that came with
the computer.
✎If you lose power during the operating system installation
process, run the Restore Plus! CD to install the operating system.

Getting Started
Quick Setup & Getting Started www.hp.com 2-5
Finding More Information
Refer to the Documentation and Diagnostics CD for the
following additional product documentation:
■Quick Setup & Getting Started (this book, in PDF Format)
■Hardware Reference Guide (PDF Format)
■Troubleshooting Guide (PDF Format)
■Computer Setup (F10) Utility Guide (PDF Format)
■Safety & Regulatory Information (PDF Format)
■Worldwide Telephone Numbers Guide (PDF format)
■Safety & Comfort Guide (PDF format)
✎If you do not have an optical drive capable of reading CDs, you
may download the product documentation from the Web at
http://www.hp.com/support.Select your country and language,
select See support and troubleshooting information, enter the
model number of the computer, and press Enter.
Using the Documentation and
Diagnostics CD
1. Insert the CD into the optical drive.
There may be a slight delay while the software on the CD
checks the Windows Regional Settings. If a recent version of
Adobe Acrobat or Acrobat Reader is not found on the
computer, it will be installed automatically from the CD.
2. Read and follow the prompts to complete the installation.

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Getting Started
The menu and books are displayed in the language chosen
during initial system setup or as specified later in the
Windows Regional Settings. If the Regional Settings do not
match one of the languages supported on the CD, the menu
and books are displayed in English.
3. Click the title of the book you want to read.
If there is no optical drive activity for two minutes or more, it may
be that Autorun is not enabled on the computer.
To run the Documentation and Diagnostics CD if it does not run
automatically:
1. Click Start > Run.
2. Type:
X:\DocLib.exe
(where X is the drive letter designator for the optical drive)
3. Click OK.
If the computer is running a Linux operating system, the
Documentation and Diagnostics CD will not autorun. To view the
documents on the CD, download and install Adobe Acrobat
Reader for Linux from http://www.adobe.com.
Basic Troubleshooting
Overview
This section concentrates on problems that you might encounter
during the initial setup process. A more comprehensive
Troubleshooting Guide is available on the Documentation and
Diagnostics CD and in the self-help resources at
http://www.hp.com/support.Select your country and language,
select See support and troubleshooting information, enter the
model number of the computer, and press Enter.

Getting Started
Quick Setup & Getting Started www.hp.com 2-7
Helpful Hints
If you encounter problems with the computer, monitor, or
software, see the following list of general suggestions before
taking further action:
■Check that the computer and monitor are plugged into a
working electrical outlet.
■Check to see that the computer is turned on and the green
power light is on.
■Check to see that the monitor is turned on and the green
monitor light is on.
■Turn up the brightness and contrast controls of the monitor if
the monitor is dim.
■Press and hold any key. If the system beeps, the keyboard
should be operating correctly.
■Check all cable connections for loose connections or
incorrect connections.
■Wake the computer by pressing any key on the keyboard or
pressing the power button. If the system remains in standby
mode, shut down the computer by pressing and holding the
power button for at least four seconds then press the power
button again to restart the computer. If the system will not
shut down, unplug the power cord, wait a few seconds, then
plug it in again. The computer will restart if automatic start
on power loss is set in Computer Setup. If it does not restart,
press the power button to start the computer.
■Reconfigure the computer after installing a non–plug and
play expansion board or other option.
■Be sure that all the needed device drivers have been installed.
For example, if you are using a printer, you need a driver for
that model printer.

2-8 www.hp.com Quick Setup & Getting Started
Getting Started
■Remove all bootable media (diskette, CD, or USB device)
from the system before turning it on.
■If you have installed an operating system other than the
factory-installed operating system, check to be sure that it is
supported on the system.
■If the system has multiple video sources (embedded, PCI, or
PCI-Express adapters) installed (PCI-Express on some
models only) and a single monitor, the monitor must be
plugged into the monitor connector on the source selected as
the primary VGA adapter. During boot, the other monitor
connectors are disabled and if the monitor is connected into
these ports, the monitor will not function. You can select
which source will be the default VGA source in Computer
Setup.
ÄCAUTION: When the computer is plugged into an AC power source,
there is always voltage applied to the system board. You must disconnect
the power cord from the power source before opening the computer to
prevent system board or component damage.
Before You Call for Technical Support
If you are having problems with the computer, try the appropriate
solutions below to try to isolate the exact problem before calling
for technical support.
■Run the diagnostics utility. Refer to the Troubleshooting
Guide on the Documentation and Diagnostics CD for more
information.
■Run the Drive Protection System (DPS) Self-Test in
Computer Setup. Refer to the Computer Setup (F10) Utility
Guide on the Documentation and Diagnostics CD for more
information.

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Quick Setup & Getting Started www.hp.com 2-9
✎The Drive Protection System (DPS) Self-Test software is
available on some models only.
■Check the power LED on the front of the computer to see if it
is flashing. The flashing lights are error codes that will help
you diagnose the problem. Refer to the Troubleshooting
Guide on the Documentation and Diagnostics CD to interpret
the codes.
■If the screen is blank, plug the monitor into a different video
port on the computer if one is available. Or, change out the
monitor with a monitor that you know is functioning
properly.
■If you are working on a network, plug another computer with
a different cable into the network connection. There may be a
problem with the network plug or cable.
■If you recently added new hardware, remove the hardware
and see if the computer functions properly.
■If you recently installed new software, uninstall the software
and see if the computer functions properly.
■Boot the computer to the Safe Mode to see if it will boot
without all of the drivers loaded. When booting the operating
system, use “Last Known Configuration.”
■Refer to the comprehensive online technical support at
http://www.hp.com/support.
■Refer to “Helpful Hints” in this guide for more general
suggestions.
■Refer to the comprehensive Troubleshooting Guide on the
Documentation and Diagnostics CD for more detailed
information.
■Run the Restore Plus! CD to restore the original operating
system and factory-installed software.

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Getting Started
ÄCAUTION: Running the Restore Plus! CD will erase all data on the hard
drive.
To assist you in resolving problems online, HP Instant Support
Professional Edition provides you with self-solve diagnostics. If
you need to contact HP support, use HP Instant Support
Professional Edition's online chat feature. Access HP Instant
Support Professional Edition at http://www.hp.com/go/ispe.
Access the Business Support Center (BSC) at
http://www.hp.com/go/bizsupport for the latest online support
information, software and drivers, proactive notification, and
worldwide community of peers and HP experts.
If it becomes necessary to call for technical assistance, be
prepared to do the following to ensure that your service call is
handled properly:
■Be in front of your computer when you call.
■Write down the computer serial number and product ID
number, and the monitor serial number before calling.
■Spend time troubleshooting the problem with the service
technician.
■Remove any hardware that was recently added to your
system.
■Remove any software that was recently installed.
■Run the Restore Plus! CD.
ÄCAUTION: Running the Restore Plus! CD will erase all data on the hard
drive.
✎For sales information and warranty upgrades (HP Care Pack
Services), call your local authorized service provider or dealer.