Dell Dimension 4500S User manual

www.dell.com | support.dell.com

Dell™ Dimension™ 4500S

HINT: A HINT 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.

For a complete list of abbreviations and acronyms, see the Tell Me How help

file. To access help files, see page 26.

____________________

Information in this document is subject to change without notice.

Reproduction in any manner whatsoever without the written permission of Dell Computer

Corporation is strictly forbidden.

Trademarks used in this text: Dell, the DELL logo, Dimension, Inspiron, Latitude, OptiPlex, Dell

Precision, DellPlus, and DellNet are trademarks of Dell Computer Corporation; EMC is the

registered trademark of EMC Corporation; Intel, Celeron, and Pentium are registered trademarks

of Intel Corporation; Microsoft and Windows are registered trademarks of Microsoft Corporation.

Othertrademarksandtradenamesmaybeusedinthisdocumenttorefertoeithertheentitiesclaiming

themarksandnamesortheirproducts.DellComputerCorporationdisclaimsanyproprietaryinterest

in trademarks and trade names other than its own.

This product incorporates copyright protection technology that is protected by method claims of

certain U.S. patents and other intellectual property rights owned by Macrovision Corporation and

otherrightsowners.Use of this copyright protection technology must be authorized by Macrovision

Corporation, and is intended for home and other limited viewing uses only unless otherwise

authorized by Macrovision Corporation. Reverse engineering or disassembly is prohibited.

April 2002 P/N 7M291 Rev. A00

Contents 3

Safety Instructions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7

When Using Your Computer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7

When Working Inside Your Computer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9

Protecting Against Electrostatic Discharge . . . . . . . . . . . 10

Battery Disposal . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10

Finding Information for Your Computer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11

1Setting Up

Attaching and Removing the Computer Stand . . . . . . . . . . . 16

Connecting a Printer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18

Parallel Printer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18

USB Printer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19

Installing the Printer Driver . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19

Transferring Information to a New Computer . . . . . . . . . . . 20

Setting Up a Home and Office Network . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21

Connecting to a Network Adapter . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21

Network Setup Wizard . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21

Turning Off the Computer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22

2Solving Problems

Finding Solutions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24

Finding Help Information . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26

Battery Problems . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26

4Contents

Drive Problems . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27

Floppy drive problems . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27

CD drive problems . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28

Problems writing to a CD-RW drive . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 29

DVD drive problems . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 29

Hard drive problems . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 29

E-Mail, Modem, and Internet Problems . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30

Error Messages . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 31

General Problems . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 33

The computer stops responding . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 33

A program stops responding . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 33

A program crashes repeatedly . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 33

A program is designed for an earlier Windows

operating system . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 33

A solid blue screen appears . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 34

Other software problems . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 34

Other technical problems . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 35

General hardware problems . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 35

Keyboard Problems . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 36

Mouse Problems . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 37

Network Problems . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 38

Power Problems . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 39

Printer Problems . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 41

Scanner Problems . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 42

Sound and Speaker Problems . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 43

No sound from speakers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 43

No sound from headphones . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 44

Video and Monitor Problems . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 44

If the screen is blank . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 44

If the screen is difficult to read . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 45

Contents 5

3Advanced Troubleshooting

Diagnostic Lights . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 48

Using System Restore . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 50

Creating a Restore Point . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 50

Restoring the Computer to an Earlier Operating State . . . . . . 51

Undoing the Last System Restore . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 52

Reinstalling Drivers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 53

Using Windows®XP Device Driver Rollback . . . . . . . . . . 53

Using the Dell Dimension ResourceCD . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 53

Resolving Software and Hardware Incompatibilities . . . . . . . 54

Reinstalling Windows®XP . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 55

4Adding Parts

Front and Back View of the Computer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 60

Front View . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 60

Back View . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 61

Opening the Computer Cover . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 62

Looking Inside Your Computer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 64

System Board . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 65

Adding Cards . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 66

Adding Memory . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 70

Removing a Memory Module . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 71

Adding a Memory Module . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 71

Closing the Computer Cover . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 72

6Contents

5Appendix

Specifications . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 74

Standard Settings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 78

Viewing Settings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 79

System Setup Program Screens . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 79

Clearing Forgotten Passwords . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 80

Replacing the Battery . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 81

Dell Technical Support Policy (U.S. Only) . . . . . . . . . . . . 83

Definition of "Dell-Installed" Software and Peripherals . . . . . 83

Definition of "Third-Party" Software and Peripherals . . . . . . 84

Contacting Dell . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 84

Contact Numbers and Addresses . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 84

Returning Items for Warranty Repair or Credit . . . . . . . . . 99

Regulatory Information . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 99

FCC Notices (U.S. Only) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 101

NOM Information (Mexico Only) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 103

Limited Warranties and Return Policy . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 104

One-Year Limited Warranty (U.S. Only) . . . . . . . . . . . . 104

Two-Year Limited Warranty (U.S. Only) . . . . . . . . . . . . 106

Three-Year Limited Warranty (U.S. Only) . . . . . . . . . . . 110

Four-Year Limited Warranty (U.S. Only) . . . . . . . . . . . . 113

One-Year Limited Warranty (Canada Only) . . . . . . . . . . . 116

Two-Year Limited Warranty (Canada Only) . . . . . . . . . . . 118

Three-Year Limited Warranty (Canada Only) . . . . . . . . . . 121

"Total Satisfaction" Return Policy (U.S. Only) . . . . . . . . . . 125

One-Year End-User Manufacturer Guarantee

(Latin America and the Caribbean Only) . . . . . . . . . . . . 126

Index . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 129

Safety Instructions 7

Use the following safety guidelines to help protect your computer from

potential damage and to ensure your own personal safety.

When Using Your Computer

As you use your computer, observe the following safe-handling guidelines.

CAUTION: Do not operate your computer with any cover(s)

(including the computer cover, filler brackets, front-panel inserts,

and so on) removed or opened.

•Your computer is equipped with one of the following:

– A fixed-voltage power supply — Computers with a fixed-voltage

power supply do not have a voltage selection switch on the back

panel and operate at only one voltage (see the regulatory label on

the outside of the computer for its operating voltage).

– An auto-sensing voltage circuit — Computers with an auto-

sensing voltage circuit do not have a voltage selection switch on

the back panel and automatically detect the correct operating

voltage.

– A manual voltage selection switch — Computers with a voltage

selection switch on the back panel must be manually set to

operate at the correct operating voltage.

•To help avoid damaging a computer with a manual voltage selection

switch, be sure that the voltage selection switch is set to match the AC

power available at your location:

– 115 V/60 Hz in most of North and South America and some Far

Eastern countries such as South Korea and Taiwan

– 100 V/50 Hz in eastern Japan and 100 V/60 Hz in western Japan

NOTE: The voltage selection switch must be set to the 115V position

even though the AC supply in Japan is 100 V.

8Safety Instructions

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– 230 V/50 Hz in some regions in the Caribbean and South America

and most of Europe, the Middle East, and the Far East

NOTE: Fixed-voltage power supplies and auto-select power supplies do

not require a voltage selection switch. Your power supply may not have

this switch. Check the regulatory label on the outside of the computer for

your power supply type.

Also be sure that your monitor and attached devices are electrically

rated to operate with the AC power available in your location.

•To avoid shorting out your computer when disconnecting a network

cable, first unplug the cable from the network adapter on the back of

your computer, and then from the network jack. When reconnecting a

network cable to your computer, first plug the cable into the network

jack, and then into the network adapter.

•To help avoid possible damage to the system board, wait 5 seconds

after turning off the computer before disconnecting or connecting a

non-USB device from the computer.

•To help prevent electric shock, plug the computer and device power

cables into properly grounded power sources. These cables are

equipped with three-prong plugs to help ensure proper grounding. Do

not use adapter plugs or remove the grounding prong from a cable. If

you must use an extension cable, use a three-wire cable with properly

grounded plugs.

Safety Instructions 9

•To help protect your computer from sudden, transient increases and

decreases in electrical power, use a surge suppressor, line conditioner,

or uninterruptible power supply.

•Be sure that nothing rests on your computer’s cables and that the

cables are not located where they can be stepped on or tripped over.

•Do not spill food or liquids on your computer. If the computer gets

wet, contact Dell (see page 84).

•Do not push any objects into the openings of your computer. Doing so

can cause fire or electric shock by shorting out interior components.

•Keep your computer away from radiators and heat sources. Also, do not

block cooling vents. Avoid placing loose papers underneath your

computer; do not place your computer in a closed-in wall unit or on a

bed, sofa, or rug.

When Working Inside Your Computer

Before you open the computer cover, perform the following steps in the

sequence indicated.

CAUTION: Do not attempt to service the computer yourself,

except as explained in this guide and elsewhere in Dell

documentation. Always follow installation and service

instructions closely.

1Perform an orderly computer shutdown using the operating system

menu (see page 22).

2Turn off your computer and any devices.

3Ground yourself by touching an unpainted metal surface at the back of

the computer before touching anything inside your computer.

While you work, periodically touch an unpainted metal surface on the

computer to dissipate any static electricity that might harm internal

components.

4Disconnect any devices connected to the computer, including the

monitor, from their electrical outlets to reduce the potential for

personal injury or shock. Also, disconnect any telephone or

telecommunication lines from the computer.

5Disconnect the power cable to your computer, and then press the

power button to ground the system board.

10 Safety Instructions

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In addition, take note of these safety guidelines when appropriate:

•When you disconnect a cable, pull on its connector, not on the cable

itself. As you pull connectors apart, keep them evenly aligned to avoid

bending any pins. Also, before you connect a cable, make sure that

both connectors are correctly oriented and aligned.

•Handle components and cards with care. Don’t touch the components

on a card. Hold a card by its edges or by its metal bracket.

CAUTION: There is a danger of a new battery exploding if it is

incorrectly installed. Replace the battery only with the same or

equivalent type recommended by the manufacturer. Discard used

batteries according to the manufacturer’s instructions.

Protecting Against Electrostatic Discharge

To prevent static damage, discharge static electricity from your body before

you touch anything inside your computer and periodically while you work

inside the computer. You can do so by touching an unpainted metal surface

on the back of the computer.

You can also take the following steps to prevent static damage:

•Do not remove items from their antistatic packing material until you

are ready to install them in your computer. Just before unwrapping the

antistatic packaging, be sure to discharge static electricity from your

body.

•When transporting a sensitive component, first place it in an antistatic

container or packaging.

Battery Disposal

Your computer uses a lithium battery. For instructions about replacing the

lithium battery in your computer, see page 81. The lithium battery is a long-

life battery, and it is very possible that you will never need to replace it.

Do not dispose of the battery along with household waste. Contact your

local waste disposal agency for the address of the nearest battery deposit

site.

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