Dell XPS 630i (Early 2008) User Manual

www.dell.com | support.dell.comDell™ XPS™ 630i Owner’s ManualModel DCDR01book.book Page 1 Friday, April 25, 2008 3:58 PM

10 Contentsbook.book Page 10 Friday, April 25, 2008 3:58 PM

100 Troubleshooting Toolsbook.book Page 100 Friday, April 25, 2008 3:58 PM

Troubleshooting 101TroubleshootingFollow these tips when troubleshooting your computer:• If you added or removed a part before the problem started, re

102 TroubleshootingDrive Problems CAUTION: Before you begin any of the procedures in this section, follow the safety instructions in the Product Info

Troubleshooting 103Problems writing to an optical driveCLOSE OTHER PROGRAMS — The optical drive must receive a steady stream of data during the writin

104 TroubleshootingWindows XP:1Click Start→ Control Panel→ Add or Remove Programs→ Programs and Features.2Select the program you want to remove.3Click

Troubleshooting 105Windows Vista:1Click Start → Control Panel→ Hardware and Sound.2Click Device Manager.If your IEEE 1394 device is listed, Windows r

106 TroubleshootingLockups and Software Problems CAUTION: Before you begin any of the procedures in this section, follow the safety instructions in t

Troubleshooting 107Windows Vista:The Program Compatibility Wizard configures a program so that it runs in an environment similar to non-Windows Vista

108 TroubleshootingMemory Problems CAUTION: Before you begin any of the procedures in this section, follow the safety instructions in the Product Inf

Troubleshooting 109RESTART THE COMPUTER —1Simultaneously press <Ctrl><Esc> to display the Start menu.2Press <u>, press the up- and d

Finding Information 11Finding Information NOTE: Some features or media may be optional and may not ship with your computer. Some features or media ma

110 TroubleshootingPower Problems CAUTION: Before you begin any of the procedures in this section, follow the safety instructions in the Product Info

Troubleshooting 111CHECK THE PRINTER CABLE CONNECTIONS —• See the printer documentation for cable connection information.• Ensure that the printer cab

112 TroubleshootingVERIFY THAT THE SCANNER IS RECOGNIZED BY MICROSOFT WINDOWS —Windows XP:1Click Start→ Control Panel→ Printers and Other Hardware→ S

Troubleshooting 113REINSTALL THE SOUND DRIVER — See "Drivers" on page 117.RUN THE HARDWARE TROUBLESHOOTER — See "Troubleshooting Softwa

114 Troubleshooting• Swap the computer and monitor power cables to determine if the monitor’s power cable is defective.• Check the connectors for bent

Troubleshooting 1153D image quality is poorCHECK THE GRAPHICS CARD POWER CABLE CONNECTION — Ensure that the power cable for the graphics card(s) is c

116 Troubleshooting• If the power light is off, the computer is either turned off or is not receiving power.– Reseat the power cable into both the pow

Reinstalling Software 117Reinstalling SoftwareDriversWhat Is a Driver?A driver is a program that controls a device such as a printer, mouse, or keyboa

118 Reinstalling SoftwareWindows Vista®1Click the Windows Vista start button ™, and right-click Computer.2Click Properties→ Device Manager. NOTE: The

Reinstalling Software 1193Right-click the device for which the new driver was installed and click Properties.4Click the Drivers tab→ Roll Back Driver.

12 Finding Information• Warranty information• Terms and Conditions (U.S. only)• Safety instructions• Regulatory information• Ergonomics information• E

120 Reinstalling SoftwareManually Reinstalling Drivers After extracting the driver files to your hard drive as described in the previous section:Windo

Reinstalling Software 121Troubleshooting Software and Hardware Problems in the Microsoft® Windows® XP and Windows Vista® Operating SystemsIf a device

122 Reinstalling SoftwareRestoring Your Operating SystemYou can restore your operating system in the following ways:• System Restore returns your comp

Reinstalling Software 123Starting System RestoreWindows XP: NOTICE: Before you restore the computer to an earlier operating state, save and close any

124 Reinstalling SoftwareEnabling System Restore NOTE: Windows Vista does not disable System Restore; regardless of low disk space. Therefore, the st

Reinstalling Software 125Windows XP: Dell PC RestoreUsing PC Restore:1Turn on the computer.During the boot process, a blue bar with www.dell.com appea

126 Reinstalling Software1Log on to the computer as a local administrator.2In Microsoft Windows Explorer, go to c:\dell\utilities\DSR.3Double-click th

Reinstalling Software 1276Click Next.The Confirm Data Deletion screen appears. NOTICE: If you do not want to proceed with Factory Image Restore, cli

128 Reinstalling SoftwareReinstalling Windows XP or Windows VistaThe reinstallation process can take 1 to 2 hours to complete. After you reinstall the

Specifications 129Specifications NOTE: Offerings may vary by region. For more information regarding the configuration of your computer, click Start→

Finding Information 13• Service Tag and Express Service Code• Microsoft Windows License LabelService Tag and Microsoft® Windows® LicenseNOTE: Your com

130 SpecificationsMemoryMemory module connector four user-accessible DDR2 socketsMemory module capacities 128, 256, 512 MB, 1 GB, or 2 GB non-ECCMemor

Specifications 131Ports and ConnectorsExternal ConnectorsAudiomicrophone, line-in, line-out, side-surround, center/LFE, rear-surroundIEEE 13946-pin se

132 SpecificationsControls and LightsPower control push buttonPower light white light — Solid white for power on stateblinking white light — Blinking

Specifications 133VideoVideo type PCI ExpressAudioAudio type HDA 7.1 channelPowerDC power supply CAUTION: To reduce the risk of fire, electric shock,

134 SpecificationsEnvironmentalTemperature range:Operating0° to 40°C (32° to 104°F)Storage–40° to 65°C (–40° to 149°F)Relative humidity (maximum):Oper

Getting Help 135Getting HelpObtaining Assistance CAUTION: If you need to remove the computer cover, first disconnect the computer power and modem cab

136 Getting HelpFor instructions on using the Dell Support, see "Technical Support and Customer Service" on page 136. NOTE: Some of the fol

Getting Help 137• Dell Support e-mail [email protected]@us.dell.com [email protected] (Latin America and Caribbean coun

138 Getting HelpProduct InformationIf you need information about additional products available from Dell, or if you would like to place an order, visi

Getting Help 139Before You Call NOTE: Have your Express Service Code ready when you call. The code helps Dell’s automated-support telephone system di

14 Finding Information• Solutions — Troubleshooting hints and tips, articles from technicians, and online courses, frequently asked questions• Communi

140 Getting HelpDiagnostics ChecklistName:Date:Address:Phone number:Service Tag (bar code on the back or bottom of the computer):Express Service Code:

Getting Help 141Contacting DellFor customers in the United States, call 800-WWW-DELL (800-999-3355). NOTE: If you do not have an active Internet conn

142 Getting Helpbook.book Page 142 Friday, April 25, 2008 3:58 PM

Appendix 143AppendixFCC Notice (U.S. Only)FCC Class BThis equipment generates, uses, and can radiate radio frequency energy and, if not installed and

144 AppendixThe following information is provided on the device or devices covered in this document in compliance with the FCC regulations: • Product

Glossary 145GlossaryTerms in this Glossary are provided for informational purposes only and may or may not describe features included with your partic

146 Glossarybit — The smallest unit of data interpreted by your computer.Blu-ray Disc™ (BD)— An optical storage technology offering storage capacity o

Glossary 147CD-RW drive — A drive that can read CDs and write to CD-RW (rewritable CDs) and CD-R (recordable CDs) discs. You can write to CD-RW discs

148 GlossaryDIMM — dual in-line memory module — A circuit board with memory chips that connects to a memory module on the system board.DIN connector —

Glossary 149DVD+RW drive — drive that can read DVDs and most CD media and write to DVD+RW (rewritable DVDs) discs.DVI — digital video interface — A st

Finding Information 15• How to find information about my computer and its components• How to connect to the Internet• How to add user accounts for dif

150 GlossaryFFahrenheit — A temperature measurement scale where 32° is the freezing point and 212° is the boiling point of water.FBD — fully-buffered

Glossary 151Hhard drive — A drive that reads and writes data on a hard disk. The terms hard drive and hard disk are often used interchangeably.heat si

152 GlossaryI/O address — An address in RAM that is associated with a specific device (such as a serial connector, parallel connector, or expansion sl

Glossary 153MMb — megabit — A measurement of memory chip capacity that equals 1024 Kb.Mbps — megabits per second — One million bits per second. This m

154 GlossaryMP — megapixel — A measure of image resolution used for digital cameras.ms — millisecond — A measure of time that equals one thousandth of

Glossary 155PCI Express — A modification to the PCI interface that boosts the data transfer rate between the processor and the devices attached to it.

156 Glossaryread-only — Data and/or files you can view but cannot edit or delete. A file can have read-only status if:• It resides on a physically wri

Glossary 157SDRAM — synchronous dynamic random-access memory — A type of DRAM that is synchronized with the optimal clock speed of the processor.seria

158 GlossarySVGA — super-video graphics array — A video standard for video cards and controllers. Typical SVGA resolutions are 800 x 600 and 1024 x 76

Glossary 159UPS — uninterruptible power supply — A backup power source used when the electrical power fails or drops to an unacceptable voltage level.

16 Finding Information• How to reinstall my operating systemOperating System MediaThe operating system is already installed on your computer. To reins

160 GlossaryA common type of virus is a boot virus, which is stored in the boot sectors of a floppy disk. If the floppy disk is left in the drive when

Glossary 161ZZIF — zero insertion force — A type of socket or connector that allows a computer chip to be installed or removed with no stress applied

162 Glossarybook.book Page 162 Friday, April 25, 2008 3:58 PM

Index 163IndexAaudio deviceconnecting, 48enabling, 62Bbatteryproblems, 101beep codes, 90BIOS, 77boot sequencechanging, 82-83option settings, 82booting

164 Indexdiagnosticsbeep codes, 90Dell, 95documentationEnd User License Agreement, 12ergonomics, 12online, 14Product Information Guide, 12regulatory,

Index 165LlabelsMicrosoft Windows, 13Service Tag, 13Mmedia card readerusing, 64memoryproblems, 108messageserror, 103monitorblank, 113clone mode, 37con

166 Indexprintercable, 34connecting, 27, 33problems, 110setting up, 27, 33USB, 34problemsbattery, 101beep codes, 90blue screen, 107CD-RW drive, 103com

Index 167specifications, 129standby mode, 39Starting the Dell Diagnostics From the Drivers and Utilities CD, 97Starting the Dell Diagnostics From Your

168 Indexbook.book Page 168 Friday, April 25, 2008 3:58 PM

About Your Computer 17About Your ComputerFront View of the Computer1 front-panel LEDs (3) Multi-colored lights provide illumination for the front of t

18 About Your Computer3 optional optical-drive baySupports an optical drive.4 FlexBay drive Supports a floppy drive, a Media Card Reader, or an additi

About Your Computer 19Back View of the Computer54321book.book Page 19 Friday, April 25, 2008 3:58 PM

Notes, Notices, and Cautions NOTE: A NOTE indicates important information that helps you make better use of your computer. NOTICE: A NOTICE indicates

20 About Your ComputerFront-Panel Connectors1 power supply test switchUsed to test the power supply.2 power supply diagnostic LEDIndicates power avail

About Your Computer 21Back-Panel Connectors1 IEEE 1394 connector Use the optional IEEE 1394 connector for high-speed data devices such as digital vid

22 About Your Computer1 mouse connector Plug a standard PS/2 mouse into the green mouse connector. Turn off the computer and any attached devices bef

About Your Computer 237 line-in connector Use the (blue) line-in connector to attach a record/playback device such as a cassette player, CD player, o

24 About Your Computerbook.book Page 24 Friday, April 25, 2008 3:58 PM

Setting Up Your Computer 25Setting Up Your ComputerInstalling Your Computer in an EnclosureInstalling your computer in an enclosure can restrict the a

26 Setting Up Your Computer• If your computer is installed in a corner on a desk or under a desk, leave at least 5.1 cm (2 in) clearance from the back

Setting Up Your Computer 27 NOTICE: Do not install your computer in an enclosure that does not allow airflow. Restricting the airflow impacts your co

28 Setting Up Your Computer• Dial-up connections that provide Internet access through a telephone line. Dial-up connections are considerably slower th

Setting Up Your Computer 295Click Next.If you selected Set up my connection manually, continue to step 6. Otherwise, follow the instructions on the sc

Contents 3ContentsFinding Information . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 111 About Your Computer. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17Front View of

30 Setting Up Your ComputerMicrosoft® Windows® XP The Microsoft Windows XP operating system provides the Files and Settings Transfer Wizard to move da

Setting Up Your Computer 313On the Which computer is this? screen, click New Computer→ Next.4On the Do you have a Windows XP CD? screen, click I will

32 Setting Up Your ComputerRunning the Files and Settings Transfer Wizard Without the Operating System MediaTo run the Files and Settings Transfer Wiz

Setting Up Your Computer 33To transfer data to the new computer:1On the Now go to your old computer screen on the new computer, click Next.2On the Whe

34 Setting Up Your ComputerFor technical assistance, refer to the printer owner's manual or contact the printer manufacturer. Printer CableYour p

Setting Up Your Computer 353Turn on the printer and then turn on the computer. 4Depending on your computer’s operating system, a printer wizard may be

36 Setting Up Your ComputerConnecting One Monitor With a VGA Connector and One Monitor With a DVI Connector1Shutdown your system.2Connect the VGA conn

Setting Up Your Computer 37Connecting a TV NOTE: You must purchase an S-video cable, available at most consumer electronics stores, to connect a TV t

38 Setting Up Your Computer NOTICE: Most surge protectors do not protect against power fluctuations or power interruptions caused by nearby lightning

Setting Up Your Computer 39 NOTE: Windows XP Professional includes security and networking features not available in Windows XP Home Edition. When a

4 ContentsConnecting Two Monitors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 35Connecting Two Monitors With VGA Connectors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

40 Setting Up Your ComputerTo exit from hibernate mode, press the power button. The computer may take a short time to exit from hibernate mode. Becaus

Setting Up Your Computer 41•Portable/Laptop — If your computer is a portable computer that you use for traveling.•Presentation — If you want your comp

42 Setting Up Your ComputerPower Management Options in Windows VistaThe Microsoft Vista power management features can reduce the amount of electricity

Using Multimedia 43Using MultimediaPlaying CDs or DVDs NOTICE: Do not press down on the CD/DVD tray when you open or close it. Keep the tray closed w

44 Using MultimediaA CD player includes the following basic buttons:A DVD player includes the following basic buttons:For more information on playing

Using Multimedia 45Copying CDs and DVDs NOTE: Ensure that you observe all copyright laws when creating CDs or DVDs.This section applies only to compu

46 Using MultimediaUsing Blank CDs and DVDsCD-RW drives can write to CD recording media only (including high-speed CD-RW media) while DVD-writable dri

Using Multimedia 47Helpful Tips• Use Microsoft® Windows® Explorer to drag and drop files to a CD-R or CD-RW only after you start Roxio Creator Plus an

48 Using MultimediaWindows Vista® Operating System1Click the Windows Vista Start button , click Control Panel, and then click Appearance and Personali

Using Multimedia 49If you want to connect your computer to a TV or audio device, it is recommended that you connect video and audio cables to your com

Contents 5Component Video and Standard Audio. . . . . . . 57Component Video and S/PDIF Digital Audio . . . . 59Setting Up the Cyberlink (CL) Headp

50 Using MultimediaWhen you finish connecting the video and audio cables between your computer and your TV, you must enable your computer to work with

Using Multimedia 511Turn off the computer and the TV and/or audio device that you want to connect. NOTE: If your TV or audio device supports S-video

52 Using Multimedia1Turn off the computer and the TV and/or the audio device that you want to connect.2Connect the composite video adapter to the S-vi

Using Multimedia 536Plug the other end of the S/PDIF digital audio cable into the audio input connector on your TV or audio device.7Turn on the TV, tu

54 Using Multimedia1Turn off the computer and the TV and/or audio device that you want to connect.2Connect the composite video adapter to the S-video

Using Multimedia 555Plug the single-connector end of the audio cable into the headphone connector on the computer. 6Plug the two RCA connectors on the

56 Using Multimedia1Turn off the computer and the TV and/or audio device that you want to connect.2Connect the composite video adapter to the S-video

Using Multimedia 576Plug the other end of the digital audio cable into the S/PDIF input connector on your TV or other audio device.7Turn on the TV, tu

58 Using Multimedia1Turn off the computer and the TV and/or audio device that you want to connect.2Connect the component video adapter to the S-video

Using Multimedia 594Plug all three connectors from the other end of the component video cable into the component video-input connectors on the TV. Mak

6 Contents6 System Setup . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 77Overview . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 77Entering System

60 Using Multimedia1Turn off the computer and the TV and/or audio device that you want to connect.2Connect the component video adapter to the S-video

Using Multimedia 614Plug all three connectors from the other end of the component video cable into the component video-input connectors on the TV. Mak

62 Using MultimediaEnabling S/PDIF Digital AudioIf your computer has a DVD drive, you can enable digital audio for DVD playback.1Launch the Cyberlink

Using Multimedia 634Click the DVD option.5Click the DVD Audio Setting icon.6Click the arrows beside the Speaker Configuration setting to scroll throug

64 Using Multimedia4Click the tab for your video card. NOTE: To determine the type of video card installed in your computer, see the Windows Help and

Using Multimedia 651 xD-Picture card and SmartMedia Card (SMC)2 Memory Stick (MS/MS Pro/MS Duo/MS Pro Duo)3 Secure Digital card (SD/miniSD)/MultiMedia

66 Using Multimedia1Inspect the media card to determine the proper orientation for insertion.2Slide the media card into the appropriate slot of the me

About RAID Configurations 67About RAID Configurations NOTICE: In order to use the migrating option to convert a RAID configuration without losing dat

68 About RAID ConfigurationsAnother advantage of a RAID level 0 configuration is that it utilizes the full storage capacities of the drives. For examp

About RAID Configurations 69Configuring Your Hard Drives for RAIDYour computer can be configured for RAID, even if you did not select a RAID configura

Contents 7Dell Diagnostics . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 95When to Use the Dell Diagnostics . . . . . . . . . 95Starting the Dell Diag

70 About RAID Configurations3Press the up- and down-arrow keys to highlight the applicable SATA drive, then press <Enter>.4Press the left- and r

About RAID Configurations 716Use the up- and down-arrow keys to select a hard drive to include in the RAID array and then use the right-arrow key to m

72 About RAID Configurations1Enable RAID on your hard drives (see "Setting Your Computer to RAID-Enabled Mode" on page 69).2After rebooting

About RAID Configurations 733Click Delete Array in the System Tasks pane.The NVIDIA Delete Array Wizard appears.4Click Next.A confirmation screen appe

74 About RAID Configurations5Under RAID Mode Selection, select Mirroring or Striping from the drop-down menu.6Click Next. NOTICE: You will lose all d

Cleaning Your Computer 75Cleaning Your Computer CAUTION: Before you begin any of the procedures in this section, follow the safety instructions in th

76 Cleaning Your Computer5Recenter the rollers in their channels, as needed. Ensure that fluff from the swab is not left on the rollers.6Replace the b

System Setup 77System SetupOverviewUse System Setup: • To change the system configuration information after you add, change, or remove any hardware in

78 System SetupMenu — Appears on top of the System Setup window. This field provides a menu to access to the System Setup options. Press <>and&

System Setup 79System Setup Options NOTE: Depending on your computer and installed devices, the items listed in this section may not appear, or may n

8 ContentsTroubleshooting Software and Hardware Problems in the Microsoft® Windows® XP and Windows Vista® Operating Systems . . . . . . . . . 121Re

80 System SetupAdvancedCPU Feature Allows you to enable or disable the CPU features that enhance the performance of the system.Integrated PeripheralsA

System Setup 81PowerACPI Suspend TypeSpecifies the ACPI suspend type. The default is S3.AC Recovery Specifies the behaviour of the system after recove

82 System SetupBoot SequenceThis feature allows you to change the boot sequence for the bootable devices installed on your computer.Option Settings•Di

System Setup 833When the DELL logo appears, press <F12> immediately. NOTE: Keyboard failure may result when a key on the keyboard is held down

84 System Setupbook.book Page 84 Friday, April 25, 2008 3:58 PM

Clearing Passwords and CMOS Settings 85Clearing Passwords and CMOS SettingsClearing Passwords CAUTION: Before you begin any of the procedures in this

86 Clearing Passwords and CMOS Settings5Replace the computer cover (see "Replacing the Computer Cover" in the Service Manual on the Dell Sup

Clearing Passwords and CMOS Settings 87Clearing CMOS Settings CAUTION: Before you begin any of the procedures in this section, follow the safety inst

88 Clearing Passwords and CMOS SettingsFlashing the BIOSThe BIOS may require flashing when an update is available or when replacing the system board.1

Troubleshooting Tools 89Troubleshooting ToolsPower Lights CAUTION: Before you begin any of the procedures in this section, follow the safety instruct

Contents 9A Appendix . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 143FCC Notice (U.S. Only) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 143FCC Class B. .

90 Troubleshooting ToolsThe power supply diagnostic LED located on the back of the computer indicates different states of the power supply. To test th

Troubleshooting Tools 91Code(repetitive short beeps)Description Suggested Remedy1 BIOS checksum failure. Possible motherboard failure.Contact Dell (se

92 Troubleshooting Tools3 Chipset error. Contact Dell (see "Contacting Dell" on page 141).Time-of-day clock test failure.• Replace the batte

Troubleshooting Tools 93System Messages NOTE: If the message you received is not listed in the table, see the documentation for either the operating

94 Troubleshooting ToolsDISKETTE SUBSYSTEM RESET FAILURE — Possible floppy disk controller failure.DISKETTE READ FAILURE — The floppy disk may be defe

Troubleshooting Tools 95Hardware TroubleshooterIf a device is either not detected during the operating system setup or is detected, but incorrectly co

96 Troubleshooting ToolsIt is recommended that you print these procedures before you begin. NOTICE: The Dell Diagnostics works only on Dell™ computer

Troubleshooting Tools 97Starting the Dell Diagnostics From the Drivers and Utilities Media1Insert the Drivers and Utilities media.2Shut down and resta

98 Troubleshooting ToolsDell Diagnostics Main Menu1After the Dell Diagnostics loads and the Main Menu screen appears, click the button for the option

Troubleshooting Tools 993If a problem is encountered during a test, a message appears with an error code and a description of the problem. Write down