Dell Precision 690: instruction

Dell Precision™ Workstation 690

Quick Reference Guide

Model DCD0

www.dell.com | support.dell.com

Notes, Notices, and Cautions

NOTE: A NOTE 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.

Abbreviations and Acronyms

For a complete list of abbreviations and acronyms, see Glossary in your

User’s Guide

.

®

®

If you purchased a Dell™ n Series computer, any references in this document to Microsoft

Windows

operating systems are not applicable.

____________________

Information in this document is subject to change without notice.

© 2006 Dell Inc. All rights reserved.

Reproduction in any manner whatsoever without the written permission of Dell Inc. is strictly forbidden.

Trademarks used in this text: Dell, the DELL logo and Dell Precision are trademarks of Dell Inc.; Intel, Xeon, and Pentium are registered

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

Other trademarks and trade names may be used in this document to refer to either the entities claiming the marks and names or their products.

Dell Inc. disclaims any proprietary interest in trademarks and trade names other than its own.

Model DCD0

January 2006 P/N PD050 Rev. A00

Contents

Finding Information . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5

Setting Up Your Computer

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9

About Your Computer

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14

Front View

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15

Back View

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18

Back Panel Connectors

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19

Inside View

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21

System Board Components

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22

Locating Your User’s Guide

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24

Removing the Computer Cover

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24

Computer Stand

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27

Attaching the Computer Stand

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27

Removing the Computer Stand

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 29

Caring for Your Computer

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 29

Solving Problems

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 29

Troubleshooting Tips

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 29

Resolving Software and Hardware Incompatibilities

. . . . . . . . . . . 30

®

®

Using Microsoft

Windows

XP System Restore . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30

Using the Last Known Good Configuration

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 31

Dell Diagnostics

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 32

Before you start testing

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 33

Beep Codes

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 33

Error Messages

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 35

Diagnostic Lights

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 35

Diagnostic Light Codes Before POST

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 35

Diagnostic Light Codes During POST

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 37

Frequently Asked Questions

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 42

Index . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 43

Contents 3

4 Contents

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 and Utilities CD (also known as Resource CD)

• Drivers for my computer

Documentation and

• My computer documentation

drivers are already

• My device documentation

installed on your

computer. You can use

• Desktop System Software (DSS)

the CD to reinstall drivers,

run the Dell Diagnostics

or access your

documentation. Readme

files may be included on

your CD to provide last-

minute updates about

technical changes to your computer or advanced technical-

reference material for technicians or experienced users.

NOTE: Drivers and documentation updates can be found

at support.dell.com.

• How to set up my computer

Quick Reference Guide

• How to care for my computer

• Basic troubleshooting information

• How to run the Dell™ Diagnostics

• Error codes and diagnostic lights

• How to remove and install parts

• How to open my computer cover

NOTE: This document is available as a PDF at

support.dell.com.

Quick Reference Guide 5

What Are You Looking For? Find It Here

• Warranty information

Dell™ Product Information Guide

• Terms and Conditions (U.S. only)

• Safety instructions

• Regulatory information

• Ergonomics information

• End User License Agreement

• How to remove and replace parts

User’s Guide

• Specifications

®

®

Microsoft

Windows

XP Help and Support Center

• How to configure system settings

1

Click the Start button and click

Help and Support

• How to troubleshoot and solve problems

2

Click User’s and system guides and click

User’s Guide

The User’s Guide is also available on the Drivers and

Utilities CD.

®

®

• Service Tag and Express Service Code

Service Tag and Microsoft

Windows

License

• Microsoft Windows License Label

These labels are located on your computer.

• Use the Service Tag to

identify your computer

when you use

support.dell.com

or

contact technical

support.

• Enter the Express

Service Code to direct your call when contacting technical

support.

6 Quick Reference Guide

What Are You Looking For? Find It Here

• Solutions — Troubleshooting hints and tips, articles

Dell Support Website — support.dell.com

from technicians, and online courses, frequently asked

NOTE: Select your region or business segment to view

questions

the appropriate support site.

• Community — Online discussion with other Dell

NOTE: Corporate, government, and education customers

customers

can also use the customized Dell Premier support website at

• Upgrades — Upgrade information for components,

premier.support.dell.com. The website may not be available

such as memory, the hard drive, and the operating

in all regions.

system

• Customer Care — Contact information, service call

and order status, warranty, and repair information

• Service and support — Service call status and support

history, service contract, online discussions with

technical 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 for your computer, you should reinstall

the DSS utility prior to installing any of the drivers. DSS

provides critical updates for your operating system and

support for Dell™ 3.5-inch USB floppy drives, optical

drives, and USB devices. DSS is necessary for correct

operation of your Dell computer. The software

automatically detects your computer and operating

system and installs the updates appropriate for your

configuration.

• How to use Windows XP

Windows Help and Support Center

• How to work with programs and files

1

Click the

Start

button and click

Help and Support

.

• Documentation for devices (such as modem)

2

Type a word or phrase that describes your problem

and click the arrow icon.

3

Click the topic that describes your problem.

4

Follow the instructions on the screen.

Quick Reference Guide 7

What Are You Looking For? Find It Here

• 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

your User’s Guide for

instructions. After you

reinstall your operating

system, use the Drivers and

Utilities CD (ResourceCD)

to reinstall drivers for the

devices that came with your computer. Your operating

system product key label is located on your computer.

NOTE: The color of your CD varies based on the operating

system you ordered.

NOTE: The Operating System CD may be optional and may

not ship with your computer.

• How to use Linux

Dell Supported Linux Sites

• E-mail discussions with users of Dell Precision™

• Linux.dell.com

products and the Linux operating system

• Lists.us.dell.com/mailman/listinfo/linux-precision

• Additional information regarding Linux

and my Dell Precision computer

8 Quick Reference Guide

Setting Up Your Computer

CAUTION: Before you begin any of the procedures in this section, follow the safety instructions

in the Product Information Guide.

You must complete all steps to properly set up your computer.

Connect the keyboard and the mouse.

1

Connect the modem or the network cable.

2

NOTICE: Do not connect a modem cable to

the network adapter. Voltage from telephone

communications can damage the network adapter.

NOTE: If your computer has a network card installed,

connect the network cable to the card.

Quick Reference Guide 9

1-3 5.25-inch drive bays Can hold a CD/DVD drive, or a Media Card Reader, floppy drive, or SATA hard

drive in a 5.25-inch drive bay carrier.

NOTE: The drive carriers are only for use in the 5.25-inch drive bays. The

floppy-drive/ Media Card Reader and hard-drive carriers are not interchangeable.

4 5.25-inch drive bay with

Can hold a CD/DVD drive, or a Media Card Reader, floppy drive, or SATA hard

special 3.5-inch drive

drive in a 5.25-inch drive bay carrier. The drive-panel plate shown here is only for

panel plate

use with a floppy drive or Media Card Reader; it can be installed in front of any of

the four 5.25-inch drive bays. For more information, see your User’s Guide.

NOTE: The drive carriers are only for use in the 5.25-inch drive bays. The floppy drive/

Media Card Reader and hard drive carriers are not interchangeable.

5 hard-drive activity light The hard drive light is on when the computer reads data from or writes data to the

hard drive. The light might also be on when a device such as your CD player is

operating.

6 IEEE 1394 connector Use the IEEE 1394 connector for high-speed data devices such as digital video

cameras and external storage devices.

16 Quick Reference Guide

7 USB 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 (see your User’s Guide for

more information).

It is recommended that you use the back USB connectors for devices that typically

remain connected, such as printers and keyboards.

8 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 your User’s Guide for more information.

9 power light The power light illuminates and blinks or remains solid to indicate different states:

• No light — The computer is turned off or in a hibernation mode.

• Steady green — The computer is in a normal operating state.

• Blinking green — The computer is in a power-saving state.

• Blinking or solid amber — See "Power Problems" in your

User’s Guide

.

To exit from a power-saving state, press the power button or use the keyboard or

the mouse if it is configured as a wake device in the Windows Device Manager.

For more information about sleep states and exiting from a power-saving state,

see your User’s Guide.

See "Diagnostic Lights" on page 35 for a description of light codes that can help

you troubleshoot problems with your computer.

10 microphone connector Use the microphone connector to attach a personal computer microphone

for voice or musical input into a sound or telephony program.

11 headphone connector Use the headphone connector to attach headphones.

12 network link light The network link light is on when a good connection exists between a 10-Mbps,

100-Mbps, or 1000-Mbps (or 1-Gbps) network and the computer.

13 diagnostic lights (4) Use these lights to help you troubleshoot a computer problem based on the

diagnostic code. For more information, see "Diagnostic Lights" on page 35.

Quick Reference Guide 17

Back View

18 Quick Reference Guide

2

3

1 power connector Insert the power cable. The appearance of this connector may differ from what is

pictured here.

2 card slots Access connectors for any installed PCI, PCI-X, or PCI Express cards.

NOTE: The center five connector slots support full-length cards: one PCI, one PCI

express x16, one PCI express x8 (wired as x4), and two PCI-X slots; the connector

slots at the top and at the bottom support half-length cards: two PCI express x8 slots

(wired as x4).

3 back panel connectors Plug serial, USB, and other devices into the

appropriate connector

(see "Back Panel Connectors" on page 19).

Back Panel Connectors

Quick Reference Guide 19

13 12 11 10 89

1 parallel connector Connect a parallel device, such as a printer, to the parallel connector. If you have

a USB printer, plug it into a USB connector.

NOTE: The integrated parallel connector is automatically disabled if the computer

detects an installed card containing a parallel connector configured to the same

address. For more information, see your User’s Guide.

2 line-out/ headphone

Use the green line-out connector to attach headphones and most speakers with

connector

integrated amplifiers.

On computers with a sound card, use the connector on the card.

3 mouse connector Plug a standard 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.

®

®

If your computer is running the Microsoft

Windows

XP operating system,

the necessary mouse drivers have been installed on your hard drive.

4 USB 2.0 connectors (3) 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.

Use the back USB connectors for devices that typically remain connected,

such as printers and keyboards.

5 link 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 (or 1-Gbps) network

and the computer.

• Off — The computer is not detecting a physical connection to the network.

6 network adapter

To attach your computer to a network or broadband device, connect one end

connector

of a network cable to either a network jack or your network or broadband device.

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.

NOTE: Do not plug a telephone cable into the network connector.

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).

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.

7 network 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.

8 USB 2.0 connectors (2) 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.

Use the back USB connectors for devices that typically remain connected,

such as printers and keyboards.

9 IEEE 1394 connector Use the IEEE 1394 connector for high-speed data devices such as digital video

cameras and external storage devices.

10 keyboard connector If you have a standard keyboard, plug it into the purple keyboard connector.

If you have a USB keyboard, plug it into a USB connector.

11 line-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.

12 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 your User’s

Guide for more information).

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 your User’s

Guide for more information).

20 Quick Reference Guide