Dell EC280 manual

www .dell.com | support.dell.com Dell™ EC280 Owner’ s Manual Model EC280[...]

Notes, Notices, and Cautions NOTE: A NOTE indicates important info rmation that helps you make better use of your computer . NOTICE: A NOTICE indicates either potential damage to hardw are or loss of data and tells you how to avoid the problem. CAUTION: A CAUTION indicates a potential for pro perty damage, personal injury , or death. ______________[...]

Contents Finding Information . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7 1 Setting Up and Using Y our Com puter . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10 Front View of the Computer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . [...]

Power Options Properties . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22 Power Schemes T ab . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22 Advanced T ab . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . [...]

The screen is blank . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 36 The screen is difficult to read . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 36 3 Removing and Installing Parts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . [...]

5 Appendix . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 52 Specifications . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 52 Sy stem Setup . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . [...]

7 Finding Information NOTE: Some features or media may be optional and may not ship with your computer . Some features or media may not be availabl e in certain countries. NOTE: Additional information may ship with your computer . What Are Y ou Looking For? Find It Here • Drivers for m y computer • My dev ice docume ntation Drivers and Utilitie[...]

8 • Service T ag and Expr ess Service Code • Micro soft W indows Licens e Label (optional) Service T ag and Microsoft ® Windows ® License These labels are located on your computer . •U s e t h e S e r v i c e T a g t o identify your com puter when you use support.dell.com or contact support. • Enter th e Express Ser vice C o d e t o di re[...]

9 • How to r einstall my operating sy stem Operating Sy stem CD NOTE: The Operating Sy stem CD may be optional and may not ship with your computer . After you reinstall you r operating system, use the Drivers and Utilities CD ( Resource CD) to reinstall drivers for the devices that came w ith your computer . Y our operating system product key lab[...]

10 Setting Up and Using Y our Computer 1 Setting Up and Using Y our Computer CAUTION: Y our computer should only be mounted horiz ontally. Never mount it vertically . CAUTION: T o ensure adequate cooling, do not block any of the vents. • Ensure that there is a minimum of 2 inches of space between all vents and any object near these vents. • Kee[...]

Setting Up and Using Y our Computer 11 Front V iew of the Computer 1 CD or D VD drive T ype of drive depends on model 2 CD or DVD eject button P ress to eject a disk from the CD or DVD drive. 3 power button P ress to turn on the computer . NOTICE: T o avoid losing data, do not use the power button to turn off the computer . Instead, perform an oper[...]

12 Setting Up and Using Y our Computer Back V iew of the Computer 1 cable clip Use to hold DC-in or other cables. 2 line-out/headphone connector Use the (green) line-out connector to attach headphones and most speakers with integrated amplifiers. 3 line-in connector Use the (blue) line-in connector to at tach a recor d/playback device such as a cas[...]

Setting Up and Using Y our Computer 13 5 network adapter co nnector NOTICE: Do not plug a telephone cable into the network connector . Use the network adapter connector to attach your computer to a network or broadband device. Connect one end of a network cable to ei ther a network jack or your network or broadband device, and then connect the othe[...]

14 Setting Up and Using Y our Computer Installing Drivers for Y our Computer T o install drivers: 1 Insert Drivers and Utilities CD into CD /D VD drive. The instal lation starts auto matically and the installation screen appears. 2 Click on VGA Driver and follow the instructions to complete installation. 3 Click on Aud i o D r iv e r and follow the[...]

Setting Up and Using Y our Computer 15 Setting Up a Printer (USB type) NOTICE: Complete the operating sy stem setup before you connect a printer to the computer . See the documentation that came with the prin ter for setup information, including how to: • Obtain and install updated drivers • Connect the printer to the computer • Load paper an[...]

16 Setting Up and Using Y our Computer 3 T urn on the printer and then turn on the computer . If the Add New Hardware Wizard window appears, click Cancel . 4 Install the printer driver , if necessary . See the documentation that came with your printer . Connecting to the Internet NOTE: ISPs and ISP offering s vary by country . T o connect to the In[...]

Setting Up and Using Y our Computer 17 5 Click Next . If you selected Set up my conne ction manually , continue to step 6. Otherwise, follow the instructions on the screen to complete the setup. NOTE: If you do not know which type of connection to select, contact your ISP . 6 Click the appropriate option under How do you want to connect to the Inte[...]

18 Setting Up and Using Y our Computer T o format CDs for storing data, to create music CDs, or to copy CDs, see the CD software that came with your computer . NOTE: Ensure that you follow all copyri ght laws when you create CDs. A CD player includes the following basic buttons: A DVD player includes th e following basic buttons: F or more informat[...]

Setting Up and Using Y our Computer 19 Adjusting the V olume NOTE: When the speakers are muted, you do not hear the CD or DVD playing. 1 Click the Start button, point to All P rograms > Accessories>Entertainment , and then click Vo l u m e Control . 2 In the Vo l u m e C o n t r o l window , click and drag the bar in the Vo l u m e C o n t r [...]

20 Setting Up and Using Y our Computer Setting Up a Home and Office Network Connecting to a Network Adapter NOTICE: Plug the network cable into the network adapter connector on the computer . Do not plug the network cable into the modem connector on the comp uter . NOTICE: Do not plug a network cable into a telephone wall jack. 1 Connect the networ[...]

Setting Up and Using Y our Computer 21 Power Management The Microsoft ® Wi n d o w s ® XP power management featur es can re duce the amount of electricity your computer uses when it is on an d you are not using it. Y ou can r educe power to just the monitor or the hard drive, or you can use standb y mode or hibern ate mode to redu ce power to the[...]

22 Setting Up and Using Y our Computer T o e xit from hibernate mode, press the power button. The computer may tak e a short time to exit from hibernate mode. Pr essing a key on the k e yboard or mo ving the mouse does no t bring the computer out of hibernation because the keyboar d and the mouse do not function when the comp uter is in hibernate m[...]

Setting Up and Using Y our Computer 23 NOTICE: If you set the hard drive (hard disk) to time-out before the monitor does, your computer may appear to be locked up. T o recover , press any key on the keyboard or cl ick the mouse . T o avoid this problem, alway s set the monitor to time-out before the hard drive. Advanced T ab The Advanced tab allows[...]

24 Solving Problems 2 Solving Problems Troubleshooting T ips F ollow these tips when you troubleshoot your comp uter: • If you added or removed a part befor e the problem started, review the installation procedures and ensure that the part is corr ectly installed. • If a peripheral device does not work, ensu re that the device is properly conne[...]

Solving Problems 25 CD and DVD Drive Problems NOTE: High-speed CD or DVD drive vibration is normal and may cause noise, which does not indicate a defect in the drive or the CD or DVD. NOTE: Because of different regions worldwide and different disc formats, not all DV D titles work in all DVD drives. Problems writing to a CD/DVD-RW drive ENSURE THA [...]

26 Solving Problems Hard Drive Problems E-Mail, Modem, and Internet Problems CAUTION: Before you begin any of the procedures in this sect ion, follow the safety instructions located in "Safety , Environmental, and Er g onomic Instructions" on page 48. NOTE: Connect the modem to an analog telephone jack only . The modem does not operate wh[...]

Solving Problems 27 Error Messages If the message is not listed, see the docume ntation for the operating system or the program that was running when the message appeared. CHECK THE TELEPHONE LINE CONNECTION — CHECK THE TELEPHONE JACK — CONNECT THE MODEM DIRECTL Y TO THE TELEPHONE WALL JACK — USE A DIFFERENT TELEPHONE LINE — • V erify tha[...]

28 Solving Problems Keyboard Problems CAUTION: Before you begin any of the procedures in this sect ion, follow the safety instructions located in "Safety , Environmental, and Er g onomic Instructions" on page 48. A REQUIRED .DLL FILE WAS NOT FOUND — The program that you ar e trying to open is missing an essential file. T o r emove and t[...]

Solving Problems 29 Lockups and Software Problems CAUTION: Before you begin any of the procedures in this sect ion, follow the safety instructions located in "Safety , Environmental, and Er g onomic Instructions" on page 48. The computer doe s not start up The computer stops re sponding NOTICE: Y ou might lose data if you are unable to pe[...]

30 Solving Problems A program is designed for an earlier Windows opera ting sy stem A solid blue scre en appears Other software problems RUN THE PROGRAM COMP A TIBILI TY WIZARD — The P rogra m Compatibility W izard configures a program so it runs in an environment similar to non- Windows XP op erating system env ironments. 1 Click the Start butto[...]

Solving Problems 31 Memory Problems CAUTION: Before you begin any of the procedures in this sect ion, follow the safety instructions located in "Safety , Environmental, and Er g onomic Instructions" on page 48. Mouse Problems CAUTION: Before you begin any of the procedures in this sect ion, follow the safety instructions located in "[...]

32 Solving Problems Network Problems CAUTION: Before you begin any of the procedures in this sect ion, follow the safety instructions located in "Safety , Environmental, and Er g onomic Instructions" on page 48. Power Problems CAUTION: Before you begin any of the procedures in this sect ion, follow the safety instructions located in "[...]

Solving Problems 33 Printer Problems CAUTION: Before you begin any of the procedures in this sect ion, follow the safety instructions located in "Safety , Environmental, and Er g onomic Instructions" on page 48. NOTE: If you need technical assistance for your prin ter , contact the printer’ s manufacturer . IF THE POWER LIGHT IS OFF —[...]

34 Solving Problems Sound and Speaker Problems CAUTION: Before you begin any of the procedures in this sect ion, follow the safety instructions located in "Safety , Environmental, and Er g onomic Instructions" on page 48. No sound from speakers NOTE: The volume control in some MP3 players overrides t he Windows volume setting. If you have[...]

Solving Problems 35 No sound from headp hones V ideo and Monitor Problems CAUTION: Before you begin any of the procedures in this sect ion, follow the safety instructions located in "Safety , Environmental, and Er g onomic Instructions" on page 48. NOTE: See the monitor documentation for troubleshooting procedures. ADJUST THE WINDOWS VOLU[...]

36 Solving Problems The screen is blank The screen is difficult to read CHECK THE MONITOR CABLE CONNECTION — • Ensure that the graphics cable is connected as shown on the setup diagram for your computer . • If you are using a graphi cs extension cable and removing the cable solve s the problem, the cable is defective . • Check the connecto [...]

Removing and Installing Parts 37 3 Removing and Installing Parts Before Y ou Begin This chapter provides procedures for removing an d installing the components in your computer . Unless otherwise noted, each procedure assu mes that the following conditions exist: • Y ou have performed the steps in " T urning Off Y our Computer" on page [...]

38 Removing and Installing Parts Before Working Inside Y our Computer Use the following safet y guidelines to help protect your computer from potent ial damage and to help ensure your own personal safety . CAUTION: Before you begin any of the procedures in this sect ion, follow the safety instructions located in "Safety , Environmental, and Er[...]

Removing and Installing Parts 39 NOTICE: Work on a level, protected surface to avoid scratch i ng either the computer or the surface on which it rests. 2 Lay your computer horizontally , with the computer cove r facing up. NOTICE: Be careful when opening the computer cover to ensur e that you do not accident a l ly disconnect cables from the sy ste[...]

40 Removing and Installing Parts Inside Vi ew of Y our Computer CAUTION: Before you begin any of the procedures in this sect ion, follow the safety instructions located in "Safety , Environmental, and Er g onomic Instructions" on page 48. CAUTION: T o avoid electrical shock, alway s unplug your com puter from the electrical outlet before [...]

Removing and Installing Parts 41 After removing the har d drive, you will have access to the memory mo dule and the battery , as shown in the following image. 2 1 1 battery 2 memory module[...]

42 Removing and Installing Parts Sy stem Board Components Memory Y our computer has one memory module installed on the system board. Y ou can increase your computer memory by replacing t his with a larger memory module. Y ou must re m ove the old memory module before r eplacing with new memory . Y our computer supports SODIMM DDRI memory . F or add[...]

Removing and Installing Parts 43 See the label on the module to determine the module’s capacity . NOTICE: Do not install ECC or buffered memory modules. Only unbuffered, non-ECC memory is supported. NOTE: Memory purchased from Dell is covered under your computer warranty . Removing Memory CAUTION: Before you begin any of the procedures in this se[...]

44 Removing and Installing Parts 3 P ull module back to release. If the module is difficult to remove, gently ease the module back an d forth to remove it from the connector . Installing Memory CAUTION: Before you begin any of the procedures in this sect ion, follow the safety instructions located in "Safety , Environmental, and Er g onomic In[...]

Removing and Installing Parts 45 NOTICE: T o avoid damage to the memory module, press the module straight down in to the connector while you apply equal force to each end of the module. 4 P ush the module forward into the connector (1), then pr ess down until the modu le snaps into position (2). If you insert the module corr ectly , the securing cl[...]

46 Removing and Installing Parts NOTICE: T o prevent static damage to components inside your com puter , discharge static electricity from your body before you touch any of your computer’ s elect ronic components. Y ou can do so by touching an unpainted metal surface on the computer chassis. A coin-cell battery maintains comput er configuration, [...]

Removing and Installing Parts 47 Replacing the Computer Cover CAUTION: Before you begin any of the procedures in this sect ion, follow the safety instructions located in "Safety , Environmental, and Er g onomic Instructions" on page 48. 1 Ensure that all cables ar e connected, and fold cables out of the way . 2 Ensure that no tools or ext[...]

48 Safety , Environmental, and Ergonomic Instructions 4 Safety , Environmental, and Ergonomic Instructions Use the following safety guidelines to he lp ensure your own personal safety and to help protect your device (computer , port r eplicator , media base, do cking station, and similar devices) and working environment from potential damage. Safet[...]

Safety , Environmental, and Ergonomic Instructions 49 • Do not spill food or liquids on your computer . • Before you clean your device, disconnect the device fr om the electrical outlet. Clean your device with a soft cloth dampened with water . Do not use liquid or aerosol cleaners, which may contain flammable substances. • Ensure that nothin[...]

50 Safety , Environmental, and Ergonomic Instructions Battery Safety CAUTION: Using an incompatible battery may increase the risk of fire or explosion. Replace the battery only with a compatible battery purchased from Dell that is designed to work with your Dell computer . Do not use a battery from other compute rs with your computer . • Do not c[...]

Safety , Environmental, and Ergonomic Instructions 51 • Clean the display with a soft, clean cl oth and water . Apply the water to the cloth; then strok e the cloth across the display in one direction, moving from the top of the display to the bottom. Remove moisture from the display quickly and keep the di splay dry . Long-term exposur e to mois[...]

52 Appendix 5 Appendix Specifications Microprocessor Microprocessor type Intel Celeron M processor Memory T ype 333 MHz SODIMM DDRI Memory Socket x1 Memory modules supported 256 MB, 512 MB, or 1 GB non-ECC Minimum memory 256 MB Maximum memory 1 GB Computer Information Chipset SisM661GX DMA channels six BIOS chip LPC Flash 4 Mb NIC integrated networ[...]

Appendix 53 Controllers Drives two P A T A controllers supporting two devices Drives Externally accessible one 3.5-inch drive bay one 5.25-inch drive bay Available devices P A T A hard drive, CD drive, DVD drive, D VD +/- RW drive, and CD-R W/DVD Combo drive Connectors External connectors: Po w e r DC Jack Vid e o 15-hole VGA connector Network adap[...]

54 Appendix Sy stem Setup Overview Use system setup as follow s: • T o change the system configuration information af ter you add, change, or remove any hardware in your computer • T o set or change a user -selectable option such as the user password • T o r ead the current amount of memory or set the type of hard drive installed Before you u[...]

Appendix 55 NOTE: The “Enter Boot Menu” prompt i ndicates that the ke yboard has initialized. This prompt can appear very quickly , so you must watch for it to display , and then press <Del>. If you press <Del> before you are prompted, this key stroke will be lost. 3 If you wait too long and the operatin g system logo appears, conti[...]

56 Appendix Boot Sequence The computer attempts to boot from the sequence of devices specified in this list. System Info Lists the computer name, BIOS V ersion and Service T ag. None of these fields can be modified. Drives P rimary IDE Master Identifies, enables and disable s the drives attached to the IDE connectors on the system board and lists t[...]

Appendix 57 P assword Changes (Unlocked default) Determines the interaction between the System passwor d and the Admin password. Locked prevents a user with out a valid Admin password from being able to modify the System password. Unlock ed allows a user with a valid System password to modify the system password. Power Management AC R ec ov e ry (O[...]

58 Appendix Boot Menu This feature allows you to change the boot sequence for devices. Option Settings • Bootable Hard Drive — The computer attempts to boot from the primary hard drive. If no operating system is on the drive, the computer generates an error message. • Onboard CD-ROM Drive — The computer attempts to boot from the CD drive. I[...]

Appendix 59 The Boot Menu appears, listing all available boot devices. 5 Use the arrow keys to select the appropri ate device (for the current boot only). NOTE: T o boot to a USB device, the device must be bootable . T o ensure that a device is bootable, check the device documentation. Changing Boot Sequence for Future Boots 1 Enter system setup, s[...]

60 Appendix Jumper Location Clearing CMOS and Password Settings CAUTION: Before you begin any of the procedures in this sect ion, follow the safety instructions located in "Safety , Environmental, and Er g onomic Instructions" on page 48. 1 F ollow the procedures in "Before Y ou Begin" on page 37. 2 Reset the current CMOS settin[...]

Appendix 61 Cleaning Y our Computer CAUTION: Before you begin any of the procedures in this secti on, follow the safety in structions in "Safety , Environmental, and Ergonomic Instructions" on page 48. Computer , Keyboard, and Monitor CAUTION: Before you clean your computer , disconnect the com puter from the electrical outlet. Clean your[...]

62 Appendix CDs and DVDs NOTICE: Alway s use compressed air to clean the lens in the CD/DVD drive, and follow the instructions that come with the compressed-air product. Neve r touch the lens in the drive. If you notice problems, such as skipping, with the playback quality of your CDs or D VDs, try cleaning the discs. 1 Hold the disc by its outer e[...]

Appendix 63 Contacting Dell When you need to contact D ell, use the electronic addresses, telephone numbers, and codes provided in the following table. If you need assistance in de termining which codes to use, contact a local or international operat or . Country (City) International Access Code Country Code City Code Department Name or Service Are[...]

64 Glossary Glossary T erms in this Glossary ar e provi ded for informational purposes only and may or may not describe features included with your particula r computer . A AC — alternating curr ent — The form of electrici ty that powers your computer when you plug the AC adapter power cable in to an electrical outlet. ACPI — advanced configu[...]

Glossary 65 BTU — British thermal unit — A measurement of heat output. bus — A communication pathway between the components in your computer . bus speed — The speed, give n in MHz, that indicates how fast a bus can tr ansfer information. byte — The basi c data unit used by yo ur co mput er . A byte is usually equal to 8 bits. C C — Cels[...]

66 Glossary DIMM — dual in-line memory module — A circuit board with memory chips that connects to a memory module on the system board. DIN connector — A round, six -pin connector that conforms to DIN (Deutsche Industrie-Norm) standards; it is typically used to connect PS/2 keyboar d or mouse cable connectors. disk striping — A techniqu e f[...]

Glossary 67 ESD — electrostatic discharge — A rapid dischar ge of static electricity . ESD can damage integrated circuits found in computer and communications equ ipment. expansion card — A circuit board that installs in an expansion slot on the system board in some computers, expanding the capabilities of the computer . Examples include vide[...]

68 Glossary Most programs that operate on the W indows operating systems are GUIs. H hard drive — A drive that reads and writes data on a hard disk. The terms hard drive and ha rd disk ar e often used interchangeably . heat sink — A metal plate on some processors that helps dissipate heat. hibernate mode — A power management mode that saves e[...]

Glossary 69 kHz — kilohertz — A measurement of frequency t hat equals 1000 Hz. L LAN — local area network — A computer network covering a small area. A LAN usually is confined to a building or a few nea rby buildings. A LAN can be connected to another LAN over any distance through telephone lines and radio waves to form a wide ar ea network[...]

70 Glossary ms — millisecond — A measure of time that equals one thousandth of a second . Access times of stora ge devices are often measur ed in ms. N network adapter — A chip that provides network capabilities. A computer may include a network adapter on its system board, or it may contain a PC Card with an adapter on it. A n etwork adapter[...]

Glossary 71 memory , hard drives, and video . If no problems are detected during POST , the computer continue s the start-up. processor — A computer chip that interpr ets and ex ecutes program instru ctions. Sometimes the processor is referr ed to as the CPU (central processing unit). PS/2 — personal system/2 — A typ e of connector for attach[...]

72 Glossary ScanDisk — A Microsoft utility that checks files, folders, and the hard disk’s surface for errors. ScanDisk often runs whe n you restart the computer after it has stopp ed responding. SCSI — small computer system interface — A high- speed interface used to connect de vices to a computer , such as hard drives, CD drives, printers[...]

Glossary 73 SXGA+ — super -extended grap hics array plus — A video standard for video car ds and controllers that supports resolutions up to 1400 x 105 0. system board — The main circuit board in your computer . Also known as the motherboard. system setup — A util ity that serves as an inte rface between the computer har dware and the opera[...]

74 Glossary video memory — Memory that consists of memory chips dedicated to video functions. Video memory is usually faster tha n system memory . The amount of video memory installed primarily influences the number of colors that a program can display . video mode — A mode that describes how text and graphics are displayed on a monitor . Grap [...]

Index 75 Index B battery problems, 2 4 replacing, 4 5 BIOS, 54 boot sequence about, 5 8 changing, 5 8 option settings, 5 8 booting to a USB device, 5 9 C CD/DVD playing, 1 7 CD/DVD drive eject button, 1 1 problems, 2 5 CDs operating system, 9 Check Disk, 26 CMOS settings clearing, 5 9 computer crashes, 2 9 - 3 0 inside view , 4 0 stops responding, [...]

76 Index problems, 2 8 L labels Microsoft W indows, 8 Service T a g, 8 M memory installing, 4 4 overview , 4 2 problems, 3 1 rem ov in g , 4 3 messages error , 2 7 monitor problems, 3 5 motherboard, 42 mouse problems, 3 1 N Network Network Setup W izard, 20 network problems, 3 2 setting up, 2 0 Network Setup W izard, 20 O operating system reinstall[...]

Index 77 standby m ode, 21 support website, 8 system boa rd, 42 system setu p entering, 5 4 options, 5 5 overview , 5 4 screen, 5 5 T troubleshooting Help and Support Center , 8 tips, 2 4 U USB booting to devices, 5 9 connectors, 1 1 , 1 3 V VGA connector , 1 3 video connector , 1 3 volume adjusting, 3 5 W warranty information, 7 Wi n d o w s X P H[...]