Dell Precision T7400: instruction

Dell Precision™ T7400

Quick Reference Guide

Model DCDO

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.

____________________

Information in this document is subject to change without notice.

© 2007 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.;

Microsoft, Windows, and Windows Vista are either trademarks or registered trademarks of Microsoft

Corporation in the United States and/or other countries.

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 DCDO

September 2007 P/N GX691 Rev. A00

Contents

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

Setting Up Your Computer

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

Changing Between Tower and

Desktop Orientations

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

Installing Your Computer in an Enclosure

. . . . . 10

Transferring Information to a New Computer

. . . . 13

Power Protection Devices

. . . . . . . . . . . . . 16

About Your Computer

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

Front View (Tower Orientation)

. . . . . . . . . . 18

Back View (Tower Orientation)

. . . . . . . . . . 20

Back Panel Connectors

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

Cleaning Your Computer

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23

Computer, Keyboard, and Monitor

. . . . . . . . . 23

Mouse (Non-Optical)

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23

Floppy Drive

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

CDs and DVDs

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

Troubleshooting Tools

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

Power Lights

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

Diagnostic Lights

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26

Beep Codes

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

System Messages

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

Hardware Troubleshooter

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

Dell Diagnostics

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

Troubleshooting

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 36

Index . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 53

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 Disc

• Drivers for my computer

NOTE: The Drivers and Utilities disc may

be optional and may not ship with your

• My device documentation

computer.

• Desktop System Software (DSS)

Documentation and drivers are already

installed on your computer. You can use

the Drivers and Utilities disc to reinstall

drivers (see "Reinstalling Drivers and

Utilities" in your User’s Guide) and to run

the Dell™ Diagnostics (see "Dell

Diagnostics" on page 33).

NOTE: Drivers and documentation updates

can be found at support.dell.com.

• How to remove and replace parts

Dell Precision™ User’s Guide

®

®

•Specifications

Microsoft

Windows

XP and Microsoft

Windows Vista™ Help and Support Center

• How to configure system settings

1

Click

Start

→

Help and Support

→

• How to troubleshoot and solve problems

Dell User and System Guides

→

System Guides

.

2

Click the

User’s Guide

for your computer.

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

• Service Tag and Express Service Code

Service Tag and Microsoft Windows

®

®

Product Key

•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 Dell support.

• Enter the Express Service Code to direct

your call when contacting Dell support.

NOTE: As an increased security measure,

the newly designed Microsoft Windows

license label incorporates a missing portion,

or hole, to discourage removal of the label.

6 Quick Reference Guide

What Are You Looking For? Find It Here

• Solutions — Troubleshooting hints and

Dell Support Website — support.dell.com

tips, articles from technicians, online

NOTE: Select your region or business

courses, and frequently asked questions

segment to view the appropriate support site.

• 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

• Dell Technical Update Service — Proactive

e-mail notification of software and

hardware updates for your computer

• 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

To download Desktop System Software:

reinstall the operating system for your

1

Go to

support.dell.com

, select your

computer, you should also reinstall the

country/region, and then click

Drivers

DSS utility. DSS automatically detects

& Downloads

.

your computer and operating system and

2

Click

Select Model

or

Enter a Tag

,

installs the updates appropriate for your

make the appropriate selections or enter

configuration, providing critical updates

the appropriate information for your

for your operating system and support for

computer, and then click

Confirm

.

processors, optical drives, USB devices, for

3

Scroll down to

System and Configuration

example. DSS is necessary for correct

Utilities

→

Desktop System Software

,

operation of your Dell computer.

and then click

Download Now.

NOTE: The support.dell.com user interface

may vary depending on your selections.

Quick Reference Guide 7

What Are You Looking For? Find It Here

• How to use Windows XP

Windows Help and Support Center

1

Click

Start

→

Help and Support

.

• How to use Windows Vista

2

Type a word or phrase that describes

• How to work with programs and files

your problem and click the arrow icon.

• How to personalize my desktop

3

Click the topic that describes

your problem.

4

Follow the instructions on the screen.

• How to reinstall my operating system

Operating System Disc

The operating system is already installed

on your computer. To reinstall your

operating system, use the Operating System

disc that came with your computer (see

"Restoring Your Operating System" in your

User’s Guide).

After you reinstall your operating system,

use the optional Drivers and Utilities disc

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 operating system

installation disc varies according to the

operating system you ordered.

8 Quick Reference Guide

What Are You Looking For? Find It Here

• How to use Linux

Dell Supported Linux Sites

• E-mail discussions with users of Dell

• linux.dell.com

Precision products and the Linux

• lists.us.dell.com/mailman/listinfo/linux-

operating system

precision

• Additional information regarding Linux

and my Dell Precision computer

Setting Up Your Computer

Changing Between Tower and Desktop Orientations

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

safety instructions in the

Product Information Guide

.

NOTE: To change your computer to either the tower or the desktop orientation, you

must use an optional kit available from Dell. See "Product Information" in your

User’s Guide for more details on ordering from Dell.

NOTE: The tower computer supports one more 3.5-inch drive in the front than does

the desktop computer.

1

Follow the procedures in "Before You Begin" in your

User’s Guide

.

2

Remove the computer cover (see "Removing the Computer Cover" in your

User’s Guide

).

3

Remove the front panel (see "Removing the Front Panel" in your

User’s Guide

).

4

Remove the drive panel and prepare the drive panel by adding or removing

inserts, as needed (see "Drive Panels" in your

User’s Guide

).

Switching From Tower to Desktop Orientation

1

Remove all installed floppy drives or media card readers by following the steps

in "Removing a Floppy Drive or Media Card Reader (Tower Computer)" in

your

User’s Guide

, and then reinstall a single floppy drive or media card reader

by following the steps in "Installing a Floppy Drive or Media Card Reader

(Desktop Computer)" in your

User’s Guide

.

2

Remove all installed optical drives by following the steps in "Removing an

Optical Drive (Tower Computer)" in your

User’s Guide

, and then reinstall

the drives by following the steps in "Installing an Optical Drive (Desktop

Computer)" in your

User’s Guide

.

Quick Reference Guide 9

6

Under

What do you want to transfer?

, click to select the data you want to

transfer, and then click

Next

.

The selected data is copied and the

Completing the Collection Phase

screen appears.

7

Click

Finish

.

TRANSFER DATA TO THE DESTINATION COMPUTER —

1

Go to the destination computer.

2

Under

Now go to your old computer

, click

Next

.

3

Under

Where are the files and settings?

, click to select the method you chose

for transferring your settings and files, and then click

Next

.

The wizard reads the collected files and settings and applies them to the

destination computer. When the transfer is complete, the

Finished

screen appears.

4

Click

Finished

, and then restart the computer.

Microsoft Windows Vista

1

Click the Windows Vista Start button , and then click

Transfer files

and settings

→

Start Windows Easy Transfer.

2

In the

User Account Control

dialog box, click

Continue

.

3

Click

Start a new transfer

or

Continue a transfer in progress

.

Follow the instructions provided on the screen by the Windows Easy Transfer

wizard.

Power Protection Devices

Several devices are available to protect against power fluctuations and failures:

• Surge protectors

• Line conditioners

• Uninterruptible power supplies (UPS)

16 Quick Reference Guide

Surge Protectors

Surge protectors and power strips equipped with surge protection help prevent

damage to your computer from voltage spikes that can occur during electrical

storms or after power interruptions. Some surge protector manufacturers include

warranty coverage for certain types of damage. Carefully read the device warranty

when choosing a surge protector and compare joule ratings to determine the

relative effectiveness of different devices. A device with a higher joule rating

offers more protection.

NOTICE: Most surge protectors do not protect against power fluctuations or

power interruptions caused by nearby lightning strikes. When lightning occurs in

your area, disconnect the telephone line from the telephone wall jack and

disconnect your computer from the electrical outlet.

Many surge protectors have a telephone jack for modem protection. See the

surge protector documentation for modem connection instructions.

NOTICE: Not all surge protectors offer network adapter protection. Disconnect the

network cable from the network wall jack during electrical storms.

Line Conditioners

NOTICE: Line conditioners do not protect against power interruptions.

Line conditioners are designed to maintain AC voltage at a fairly constant level.

Uninterruptible Power Supplies

NOTICE: Loss of power while data is being saved to the hard drive may result in

data loss or file damage.

NOTE: To ensure maximum battery operating time, connect only your computer to

a UPS. Connect other devices, such as a printer, to a separate power strip that

provides surge protection.

A UPS protects against power fluctuations and interruptions. UPS devices contain

a battery that provides temporary power to connected devices when AC power

is interrupted. The battery charges while AC power is available. See the UPS

manufacturer documentation for information on battery operating time and to

ensure that the device is approved by Underwriters Laboratories (UL).

Quick Reference Guide 17

About Your Computer

Front View (Tower Orientation)

1

2

3

4

13

5

12

6

11

7

10

8

9

1–3 5.25-inch

Can hold a CD/DVD drive, or a media card reader, floppy

drive bays

drive, or a SATA hard drive in a 5.25-inch drive bay carrier.

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.

18 Quick Reference Guide

4 5.25-inch drive

Can hold a CD/DVD drive, or a media card reader, a floppy

bay with special

drive, or a SATA hard drive in a 5.25-inch drive bay carrier. The

3.5-inch drive

drive-panel plate shown here is only for use with a floppy drive

panel plate

or media card reader; you can install the plate in front of any of

the four 5.25-inch drive bays. For more information, see "Drive

Panels" in your User’s Guide.

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.

5 hard-drive

The hard drive light is on when the computer reads data from

activity light

or writes data to the hard drive. The light might also be on

when a device such as your CD drive is operating.

6 IEEE 1394

Use the IEEE 1394 connector for high-speed data devices

connector

such as digital video cameras and external storage devices.

7USB 2.0

Use the front USB connectors for devices that you connect

connectors (2)

occasionally, such as flash memory keys, cameras, or bootable

USB devices.

Dell recommends that you use the back USB connectors for

devices that typically remain connected, such as printers

and keyboards.

8 power button,

Press the power button to turn on the computer. The light in

power light

the center of this button indicates the power state. For more

information, see "Controls and Lights" in your User’s Guide.

NOTE: To avoid losing data, do not use the power button to

turn off the computer. Instead, perform an operating system

shutdown.

9 Dell badge You can rotate the Dell badge so that "Dell" is read horizontally,

depending on whether you use the desktop or tower orientation.

10 headphone

Use the headphone connector to attach headphones.

connector

11 microphone

Use the microphone connector to attach a personal

connector

computer microphone for voice or musical input into a sound

or telephony program.

12 diagnostic

Use these lights to help you troubleshoot a computer problem

lights (4)

based on the diagnostic code. For more information, see

"Diagnostic Lights" in your User’s Guide.

13 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.

Quick Reference Guide 19

Back View (Tower Orientation)

1

2

3

1 power connector Connect the power cable.

2 card slots Slots 2–6 support full-length cards, including one PCI, two PCI

Express 2.0 x16, and two PCI-X slots. Slots 1 and 7 support

half-length cards, including one PCI Express x8 (wired as x4)

and one PCI-X slot.

3 back panel

Plug USB, audio, and other devices into the appropriate

connectors

connector (see "Back Panel Connectors" on page 21 for more

information).

CAUTION: Ensure that none of the computer air vents are blocked. Blocking them

can cause serious thermal problems.

20 Quick Reference Guide