Lenovo ThinkCentre 3231 manual

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T hinkC e n tr e Us er G u ide[...]

Note Before using this information and the pr oduct it supports, be sure to read and understand the ThinkCentre Safety and Warranty Guide and “Notices,” on page 77. Third Edition (October 2009) © Copyright Lenovo 2009. LENOVO products, data, computer softwar e, and services have been developed exclusively at private expense and are sold to gov[...]

Contents Important safety information ...... v Chapter 1. Product overview ...... 1 Features ................ 1 Specifications .............. 4 Software overview ............ 5 Software pr ovided with your W indows operating system ............... 5 Locations ............... 7 Locating connectors on the front of your computer 7 Locating connectors [...]

Calling for service ........... 7 3 Using other services .......... 7 4 Purchasing additional services ....... 7 5 Appendix. Notices .......... 7 7 T elevision output notice .......... 7 8 European conformance CE mark ....... 7 8 T rademarks .............. 7 8 Index ............... 7 9 iv User Guide[...]

Important safety information CAUTION: Before using this manual, be sure to read and understand all the related safety information for this product. Refer to the ThinkCentre Safety and W arranty Guide that you received with this product for the latest safety information. Reading and understanding this safety information reduces the risk of personal [...]

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Chapter 1. Product overview This chapter describes the computer features, specifications, pr einstalled software programs, and part and connector locations. Features This section provides an overview of the computer featur es. System information The following information covers a variety of models. For information about your specific model, use the[...]

Audio subsystem v High Definition (HD) with ADI 1882 Audio Codec v Audio line-in connector , audio line-out connector , and microphone connector on the rear panel v Microphone connector and headphone connector on the fr ont panel v Internal speaker (some models) Connectivity v 10/100/1000 Mbps integrated Ethernet controller v PCI V .90 Data/Fax mod[...]

Power v 280-watt auto-sensing power supply (some models) v 280-watt power supply with manual voltage-selection switch (some models) v 320-watt auto-sensing power supply (some models) v 450-watt auto-sensing power supply (some models) v Automatic 50/60 Hz input frequency switching v Advanced Configuration and Power Interface (ACPI) support Security [...]

Specifications This section lists the physical specifications for your computer . Dimensions W idth: 175 mm (6.89 inches) Height: 402 mm (15.83 inches) Depth: 440 mm (17.32 inches) W eight Maximum configuration as shipped: 1 1 kg (24.25 lbs) Environment Air temperature: Operating: 10° to 35°C (50° to 95°F) Non-operating: -40° to 60°C (-40° t[...]

Software overview This section describes the software pr einstalled on the computers that have an internal hard disk drive and an operating system fr om Lenovo. Software provided with your Windows operating system This section describes the W indows applications included with your computer . Software provided by Lenovo The following software pr ogr[...]

keep updated are pr ograms provided by Lenovo, such as the Rescue and Recovery program and the Pr oductivity Center program. ThinkV antage Power Manager: The ThinkV antage Power Manager program provides convenient, flexible, and complete power management for your ThinkCentre ® computer . By using the ThinkV antage Power Manager program, you can ad[...]

Locations Locating connectors on the front of your computer Figure 1 shows the locations of the connectors on the front of your computer . Note: Not all computer models have the following connectors. 1 USB connector 3 Microphone connector 2 Headphone connector 4 USB connector Figure 1. Front connector locations Chapter 1. Pr[...]

Locating connectors on the rear of your computer Figure 2 shows the locations of the connectors on the rear of your computer . Some connectors on the rear of your computer ar e color-coded to help you determine where to connect the cables on your computer . 1 V oltage-selection switch (some models) 10 USB connectors (2) 2 Power co[...]

Connector Description Audio line-in connector Used to receive audio signals fr om an external audio device, such as a stereo system. When you attach an external audio device, a cable is connected between the audio line-out connector of the device and the audio line-in connector of the computer . Audio line-out connector Used to send audio signals f[...]

Locating components Figure 3 shows the locations of the various components in your computer . T o remove the computer cover , see “Removing the computer cover” on page 14. 1 Micropr ocessor , heat sink, and heat sink fan assembly 6 PCI Express x16 graphics car d slot 2 Memory slots (4) 7 Cover presence switch (also calle[...]

Locating parts on the system board Figure 4 shows the locations of the parts on the system board. 1 Micropr ocessor 15 Front USB connector 1 2 Micropr ocessor fan connector 16 Front USB connector 2 3 Memory slot 1 17 Clear CMOS (Complementary Metal Oxide Semiconductor)/Recovery jumper 4 Memory slot 2 18?[...]

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Chapter 2. Installing options and replacing hardware This chapter provides instr uctions for installing options and replacing hardwar e for your computer . Y ou can expand the capabilities of your computer by adding memory modules, PCI cards, or drives. When installing or r eplacing an option, use these instructions along with the instructions that[...]

Installing external options External speakers, a printer , or a scanner can be connected to your computer . For some external options, you must install additional software in addition to making the physical connection. When installing an external option, see “Locating connectors on the front of your computer” on page 7 and “Locating connector[...]

6. Press the cover -release button on the side of the computer cover and slide the computer cover to the rear to r emove. Removing and installing the front bezel This section provides instr uctions on how to remove and install the front bezel. T o remove and install the fr ont bezel: 1. Remove the computer cover . See “Removing the computer cover[...]

2. Release the three plastic tabs on the left side and pivot the fr ont bezel outward to remove it. Car efully set the bezel to the side without disconnecting the power switch and LED assembly cable. 3. T o reinstall the fr ont bezel, align the plastic tabs on the right side of the front bezel with the corresponding holes in the chassis, then pivot[...]

T o install or replace a PCI car d: 1. Remove the computer cover . See “Removing the computer cover” on page 14. 2. At the rear of the computer , press the r elease button 1 to open the card latch 2 . Remove the appropriate slot cover . If you are r eplacing an old PCI card, remove the old car d that is currently installed. Notes: a[...]

b. If the card is held in place by a r etaining latch, press the card r etaining latch 1 as shown to disengage the latch. Grasp the card and gently pull it out of the slot. 3. Remove the new PCI card fr om its static-protective package. 4. Install the card into the appr opriate slot on the system board. See “Locating parts on the system boa[...]

Installing or replacing a memory module Attention Do not open your computer or attempt any repair befor e reading and understanding the “Important safety information” in the ThinkCentre Safety and W arranty Guide that came with your computer . T o obtain a copy of the ThinkCentre Safety and W arranty Guide ,g ot o : http://www .lenovo.com/suppo[...]

clips close. What to do next: v T o work with another option, go to the appropriate section. v T o complete the installation, go to “Completing the parts replacement” on page 44. Installing internal drives This section provides instr uctions on how to install the internal drives. Internal drives are devices that your computer uses to r ead and [...]

Figure 12 shows the locations of the drive bays. The following list describes the type and size of the drive that you can install in each bay: 1 Bay 1 - Maximum height: 43.0 mm (1.7 inches) v Optical drive such as CD drive or DVD drive (preinstalled in some models) v 5.25-inch hard disk drive v 3.5-inch hard disk drive (requir es a Universal [...]

Installing a drive in bay 1 or bay 2 Attention Do not open your computer or attempt any repair befor e reading and understanding the “Important safety information” in the ThinkCentre Safety and W arranty Guide that came with your computer . T o obtain a copy of the ThinkCentre Safety and W arranty Guide ,g ot o : http://www .lenovo.com/support [...]

6. Install the drive into the bay . 7. T o reinstall the fr ont bezel, align the plastic tabs on the right side of the front bezel with the corresponding holes in the chassis, then pivot the fr ont bezel inward until it snaps into position on the left side. 8. Continue at “Connecting a SA T A drive.” Connecting a SA T A drive A SA T A optical d[...]

4. Locate one of the extra five-wire power connectors and connect it to the drive. What to do next v T o work with another option, go to the appropriate section. v T o complete the installation, go to “Completing the parts replacement” on page 44. Figure 15. Connecting a SA T A drive 24 User Guide[...]

Replacing the battery Attention Do not open your computer or attempt any repair befor e reading and understanding the “Important safety information” in the ThinkCentre Safety and W arranty Guide that came with your computer . T o obtain a copy of the ThinkCentre Safety and W arranty Guide ,g ot o : http://www .lenovo.com/support Y our computer [...]

7. Use the Setup Utility program to set the date, time, and any passwor ds. See Chapter 4, “Using the Setup Utility,” on page 57. Replacing the power supply assembly Attention Do not open your computer or attempt any repair befor e reading and understanding the “Important safety information” in the ThinkCentre Safety and W arranty Guide tha[...]

6. Install the new power supply assembly into the chassis so that the screw holes in the power supply assembly align with those in the chassis. 7. Install the four screws to secur e the power supply assembly . Note: Use only screws pr ovided by Lenovo. 8. Reconnect the power supply assembly connectors to the system board. 9. Reconnect a power suppl[...]

5. Carefully r emove the four screws 1 that secure the heat sink and fan assembly to the system board. Note: Carefully r emove the four screws from the system boar d to avoid any possible damage to the system board. The four scr ews cannot be removed fr om the heat sink and fan assembly . 6. Lift the failing heat sink and fan assembly off the[...]

Replacing the primary hard disk drive Attention Do not open your computer or attempt any repair befor e reading and understanding the “Important safety information” in the ThinkCentre Safety and W arranty Guide that came with your computer . T o obtain a copy of the ThinkCentre Safety and W arranty Guide ,g ot o : http://www .lenovo.com/support[...]

5. Remove the hard disk drive cage fr om the chassis by simply sliding it outward. 6. Pull on the blue handle 3 to release and r emove the hard disk drive from the drive cage. 7. Remove the hard disk drive fr om the blue bracket by flexing the sides of the bracket enough to slide it free fr om the hard disk drive. 8. T o install a new hard di[...]

10. Align the drive cage pivot pin with the slot 1 in the upper drive cage and slide the hard disk drive cage into the chassis. 11 . Connect the signal cable and the power cable to the rear of the new har d disk drive. 12. Press down on the metal latch 2 and pivot the drive cage into place, and then slide it forward until it snaps into [...]

This section provides instr uctions on how to replace the secondary hard disk drive. Important When you receive a new har d disk drive, you also receive a set of Product Recovery discs . The set of Product Recovery discs enables you to r estore the contents of the hard disk drive to the factory default settings. For mor e information on recovering [...]

8. T o install a new hard disk drive into the blue bracket, flex the bracket and align pin 1 , pin 2 , pin 3 , and pin 4 on the bracket with the holes in the hard disk drive. Do not touch the cir cuit board 5 on the bottom of the hard disk drive. 9. Slide the new hard disk drive into the har d disk drive cage until it [...]

10. Install the hard disk drive cage into the chassis until it snaps into position underneath the metal tab. Make sure that the har d disk drive cage is secured in the chassis. 11 . Connect the signal cable and the power cable to the rear of the new har d disk drive. 12. Go to “Completing the parts replacement” on page 44. Replacing the optical[...]

4. Press the blue r elease button and remove the optical drive out of the front of the computer . 5. Remove the retainer fr om the optical drive being replaced and install it on the new optical drive. 6. Slide the new optical drive into the bay from the fr ont until it snaps into position. 7. Connect the signal cable and the power cable to the new [...]

Replacing the diskette drive Attention Do not open your computer or attempt any repair befor e reading and understanding the “Important safety information” in the ThinkCentre Safety and W arranty Guide that came with your computer . T o obtain a copy of the ThinkCentre Safety and W arranty Guide ,g ot o : http://www .lenovo.com/support This sec[...]

5. Remove the retainer fr om the failing diskette drive and install it on the new diskette drive. 6. Slide the new diskette drive into the drive bay until it snaps into position. 7. Connect the signal cable and the power cable to the new diskette drive. 8. Reinstall the front bezel. 9. Go to “Completing the parts replacement” on page 44. Figure[...]

Replacing the front fan assembly Attention Do not open your computer or attempt any repair befor e reading and understanding the “Important safety information” in the ThinkCentre Safety and W arranty Guide that came with your computer . T o obtain a copy of the ThinkCentre Safety and W arranty Guide ,g ot o : http://www .lenovo.com/support This[...]

6. Pull on the tips of the rubber mounts until the fr ont fan assembly is in place. 7. Connect the front fan assembly cable to the power fan connector on the system board. 8. Go to “Completing the parts replacement” on page 44. Replacing the rear fan assembly Attention Do not open your computer or attempt any repair befor e reading and understa[...]

4. The rear fan assembly is attached to the chassis by four r ubber mounts. Remove the rear fan assembly by br eaking or cutting the rubber mounts and gently pulling the rear fan assembly out of the chassis. 5. Install the new rear fan assembly by aligning the new r ubber mounts of the new rear fan assembly with the holes on the chassis and push th[...]

6. Pull on the tips of the rubber mounts until the r ear fan assembly is in place. 7. Connect the rear fan assembly cable to the system fan connector on the system board. 8. Go to “Completing the parts replacement” on page 44. Replacing the internal speaker Attention Do not open your computer or attempt any repair befor e reading and understand[...]

4. Push the metal tab on the top of the internal speaker outward and slide the internal speaker upward to completely r emove it from the chassis. 5. Position the new internal speaker into the metal clips and push downward on the internal speaker until it snaps into position. 6. Connect the internal speaker cable to the system board. See “Locating[...]

7. Go to “Completing the parts replacement” on page 44. Replacing the keyboard Attention Do not open your computer or attempt any repair befor e reading and understanding the “Important safety information” in the ThinkCentre Safety and W arranty Guide that came with your computer . T o obtain a copy of the ThinkCentre Safety and W arranty G[...]

Replacing the mouse Attention Do not open your computer or attempt any repair befor e reading and understanding the “Important safety information” in the ThinkCentre Safety and W arranty Guide that came with your computer . T o obtain a copy of the ThinkCentre Safety and W arranty Guide ,g ot o : http://www .lenovo.com/support This section prov[...]

2. Position the computer cover on the chassis so that the rail guides on the bottom of the computer cover engage the rails. Then push the computer cover closed until it snaps into position. 3. If the computer cover is secured with thumbscr ews, install them. 4. If a cover lock is installed, lock the cover . 5. Reconnect the external cables and powe[...]

Make sure that any security cables you installed do not interfer e with other computer cables. Integrated cable lock An integrated cable lock (sometimes referr ed to as the Kensington lock) can be used to secure your computer to a desk, table, or other non-permanent fixtur e. The cable lock attaches to a security slot at the rear of your computer a[...]

Padlock Y our computer is equipped with a padlock loop such that the cover cannot be removed when a padlock is installed. Password protection T o deter unauthorized use of your computer , you can use the Setup Utility program to set a passwor d. When you turn on your computer , you ar e prompted to type the password to unlock the keyboar d for norm[...]

4. Replace the computer cover and connect the power cord. See “Completing the parts replacement” on page 44. 5. Restart the computer , leave it on for approximately 10 seconds. T urn off the computer by holding the power switch for approximately five seconds. The computer will turn off. 6. Repeat step 1 and step 2. 7. Move the Clear CMOS/Recove[...]

Chapter 3. Recovery information This chapter will help you get familiar with recovery solutions pr ovided by Lenovo. This chapter explains when and how to use the following recovery methods: v Creating and using r ecovery media v Performing backup and recovery operations v Using the Rescue and Recovery workspace v Creating and using r escue media v[...]

Using recovery media This section provides instr uctions on how to use recovery media on differ ent operating systems. v T o use recovery media on W indows 7 or W indows V ista, do the following: Attention: When you use recovery media to r estore the computer to the factory default settings on W indows 7 or W indows V ista, all the files curr ently[...]

After you have backed up the contents on the hard disk drive, you can r estore the complete contents of the hard disk drive, r estore only the selected files, or restor e only the W indows operating system and applications. Performing a backup operation This section provides instr uctions on how to perform a backup operation using the Rescue and Re[...]

Using the Rescue and Recovery workspace The Rescue and Recovery workspace resides in a pr otected, hidden area of your hard disk drive that operates independently fr om the W indows operating system. This enables you to perform recovery operations even if the W indows operating system cannot be started. Y ou can perform the following recovery opera[...]

Notes: 1. After restoring a har d disk drive to the factory default settings, you might have to reinstall device drivers for some devices. See “Installing or r einstalling device drivers” on page 55. 2. Some computers come with Microsoft Of fice or Microsoft W orks preinstalled. If you need to recover or r einstall your Microsoft Office or Micr[...]

Note: Make sure your r escue device (optical drive, USB device, or the secondary internal hard disk drive) is set as the first boot device in the startup device sequence before doing this pr ocedure. See “Selecting a startup device” on page 59. T o use the rescue medium you have cr eated, do one of the following: v If you have created the r esc[...]

Notes: 1. If the repair operation completes without any err or , you will be able to access the Rescue and Recovery workspace by repeatedly pr essing the F1 1 key while you restart your computer . When you hear beeps or see a logo screen, r elease the F1 1 key . Y ou will also be able to access the W indows environment after the repair operation co[...]

Setting a rescue device in the startup sequence Before you start the Rescue and Recovery pr ogram from an internal hard disk drive, a disc, a USB hard disk drive, or other external devices, you must first make sure that your r escue device is set as the first boot device in the startup device sequence in the Setup Utility program. Refer to “Selec[...]

Chapter 4. Using the Setup Utility The Setup Utility program is used to view and change the configuration settings of your computer , regardless of which operating system you ar e using. However , the operating-system settings might override any similar settings in the Setup Utility program. Starting the Setup Utility program T o start the Setup Ut[...]

Password considerations A password can be any combination of up to 64 alphabetic and numeric characters. For security reasons, it is r ecommended to use a strong password that cannot be easily compromised. T o set a strong password, use the following guidelines: v Have at least eight characters in length v Contain at least one alphabetic character [...]

Enabling or disabling a device This section provides information on how to enable or disable user access to the following devices: Serial A T A When this feature is set to Disabled , all devices connected to the SA T A connectors (such as hard disk drives or the optical drive) are disabled and will not be displayed in the system configuration. Exte[...]

Selecting or changing the startup device sequence T o view or permanently change the configured startup device sequence, do the following: 1. Start the Setup Utility program. See “Starting the Setup Utility pr ogram” on page 57. 2. Select Startup → Startup Sequence . See the information displayed on the right side of the screen. 3. Select the[...]

Chapter 5. Updating system programs This chapter contains information about updating POST/BIOS and how to recover from a POST/BIOS update failur e. Using system programs System programs ar e the basic layer of software built into your computer . System programs include the POST , the BIOS code, and the Setup Utility program. POST is a set of tests [...]

Note: If you want to change the machine type/model, press Y when prompted. T ype in the machine type/model and then press Enter . 6. Follow the instructions on the scr een to complete the update. Updating (flashing) BIOS from your operating system Note: Because Lenovo makes constant improvements to the W eb site, the W eb page contents are subject [...]

11 . Repeat steps 2 through 5. 12. Move the Clear CMOS/Recovery jumper back to the standard position (pin 1 and pin 2). 13. Reconnect any cables that were disconnected and r einstall the PCI card if removed. 14. Close the computer cover and reconnect any cables that wer e disconnected. 15. T urn on the computer to restart the operating system. Chap[...]

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Chapter 6. T roubleshooting and diagnostics This chapter describes some basic troubleshooting and diagnostic pr ograms. If your computer problem is not described her e, see Chapter 7, “Getting information, help, and service,” on page 71 for additional troubleshooting r esources. Basic troubleshooting The following table provides information to [...]

Symptom Action The keyboard does not work. The computer does not respond to the keyboard. V erify that: v The computer is turned on. v The monitor is turned on and the brightness and contrast controls ar e set correctly . v The keyboard is secur ely connected to the keyboard connector on the computer . v No keys are stuck. If you cannot correct the[...]

Diagnostic programs Diagnostic programs ar e used to test hardware components of your computer and report operating-system-contr olled settings that can cause hardware failur es. There are two pr ograms preinstalled on your computer to help you diagnose computer problems: v Lenovo ThinkV antage T oolbox or Lenovo System T oolbox, depending on your [...]

PC-Doctor for Rescue and Recovery The PC-Doctor for Rescue and Recovery diagnostic program is part of the Rescue and Recovery workspace on each Lenovo computer . Use the PC-Doctor for Rescue and Recovery if you are unable to start the W indows operating system. T o run the PC-Doctor for Rescue and Recovery from the Rescue and Recovery workspace, do[...]

2. Make sure the computer is turned on and then insert the disc into the optical drive. The diagnostic program opens. Note: Y ou can insert the disc into the optical drive when you are setting the startup device sequence. However , if you insert the disc into the optical drive when you have already enter ed the operating system, you need to restart[...]

T o clean a non-optical mouse: Note: The following illustration might be slightly differ ent from your mouse. 1 Retainer ring 2 Ball 3 Plastic rollers 4 Ball cage 1. T urn off your computer . 2. Disconnect the mouse cable from the computer . 3. T urn the mouse upside down. T wist the retainer ring 1 to the unlocked pos[...]

Chapter 7. Getting information, help, and service This chapter contains information about help, service, and technical assistance for products manufactur ed by Lenovo. Information resources This section describes how to access useful resour ces relating to your computing needs. Note: The Online Books folder , ThinkV antage Productivity Center , Len[...]

T o access the Lenovo ThinkV antage T ools program, click Start → All Programs → Lenovo ThinkV antage T ools . ThinkV antage Productivity Center The ThinkV antage Productivity Center guides you to a host of information sour ces and provides easy access to various tools to help you work mor e easily and securely . Note: The ThinkV antage Product[...]

Safety and W arranty The ThinkCentre Safety and W arranty Guide that is provided with your computer contains information on safety , setup, warranty , and notices. Read and understand all safety information before using this pr oduct. Lenovo W eb site (http://www .lenovo.com) The Lenovo W eb site provides up-to-date information and services to help[...]

v Hardware repair - If the problem is caused by har dware under warranty , trained service personnel are available to pr ovide the applicable level of service. v Engineering Change management - There might be changes that ar e required after a product has been sold. Lenovo or your r eseller will make selected Engineering Changes (ECs) that apply to[...]

For technical assistance with the installation of or questions related to Service Packs for your preinstalled Micr osoft W indows product, refer to the Micr osoft Product Support Services W eb site at http://support.microsoft.com/directory or you can contact the Customer Support Center . Some fees might apply . Purchasing additional services During[...]

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Appendix. Notices Lenovo may not offer the pr oducts, services, or features discussed in this document in all countries. Consult your local Lenovo repr esentative for information on the products and services curr ently available in your area. Any refer ence to a Lenovo product, program, or service is not intended to state or imply that only that Le[...]

vary significantly . Some measurements may have been made on development-level systems and there is no guarantee that these measur ements will be the same on generally available systems. Furthermore, some measur ements may have been estimated through extrapolation. Actual results may vary . Users of this document should verify the applicable data f[...]

Index A Access Help 72 Administrator , password 58 antivirus software 6 audio line-in connector 9 audio line-out connector 9 audio subsystem 2 B backup and recovery operations 50 basic troubleshooting 65 battery , replacing 25 bay 1, installing 22 bay 2, installing 22 BIOS, updating (flashing) 61, 62 boot-block recovery 62 C cable lock, security 46[...]

installing options (continued) security features 45 internal drives 1 internal speaker , replacing 41 K keyboard connector 9 keyboard, r eplacing 43 L Lenovo System T oolbox 67 Lenovo ThinkV antage T oolbox 67 Lenovo ThinkV antage T ools 71 Lenovo W eb site 73 Lenovo W elcome 72 locating components 10 M media, creating and using r ecovery media 49 [...]

setting (continued) rescue device 56 settings changing 57 viewing 57 Setup Utility 57 Setup Utility program, starting 57 Setup Utility , exiting 60 software recovering 49 solving recovery pr oblems 56 starting the Setup Utility program 57 startup device 59 sequence, changing 60 temporary , selecting 59 static-sensitive devices, handling 13 system m[...]

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Part Number: 53Y9906 Printed in USA (1P) P/N: 53Y9906[...]