Dell 8400 manual

Dell™Dimension™8400ServiceManual Before You Begin Opening the Computer Cover Technical Overview Specifications Advanced Troubleshooting System Setup Removing and Installing Parts Closing the Computer Cover Notes, Notices, and Cautions Abbreviations and Acronyms For a complete list of abbreviations and acronyms, see the Dell Dimensio[...]

Back to Contents Page  Advanced Troubleshooting Dell™Dimension™8400ServiceManual  Power Lights  Diagnostic Lights  Beep Codes  System Messages  Power Lights  The power button light located on the front of the computer illuminates and blinks or remains solid to indicate different states: l  If the [...]

 Beep Codes Your computer might emit a series of beeps during start - up if the monitor cannot display errors or problems. This series of beeps, called a beep code, identifies a problem. One possible beep code (code 1 - 3 - 1) consists of one beep, a burst of three beeps, and then one beep. This beep code tells you that the computer encountered [...]

 System Messages  Code  Cause 1-1-2 Microprocessor register failure 1-1-3 NVRAM 1-1-4 ROM BIOS checksum failure 1-2-1 Programmable interval timer 1-2-2 DMA initialization failure 1-2-3 DMA page register read/write failure 3-1-1 Slave DMA register failure 3-1-2 Master DMA register failure 3-1-3 Master interrupt mask register failure 3-1-4 S[...]

Back to Contents Page  CMOS Time and Date Not Set Diskette Boot Failure Drive A or B is present but has failed the BIOS POST. Ensure that the drive is installed correctly in the computer and defined correctly in the system setup program. Check the interface cable at both ends. DMA Error DMA 1 Error DMA 2 Error Error in the DMA controller on the [...]

Back to Contents Page  Before You Begin Dell™Dimension™8400ServiceManual  Getting Started  Recommended Tools  Turning Off Your Computer  Before Working Inside Your Computer  Getting Started This section provides procedures for removing and installing the components in your computer. Unless otherwise not[...]

 2. Disconnect any telephone or telecommunication lines from the computer.  3. Disconnect your computer and all attached devices from their electrical outlets, and then press the power button to ground the system board.   4. Open the computer cover . Back to Contents Page  NOTICE: To disconnect a network cable, first unplug the cable[...]

Back to Contents Page  Opening the Computer Cover Dell™Dimension™8400ServiceManual    1. Follow the procedures in " Before You Begin ."  2. Lay the computer on its side so that the arrow on the bottom of the computer points up.  3. Open the cover: a.  Facing the back of the computer, press the release [...]

Back to Contents Page  Closing the Computer Cover Dell™Dimension™8400ServiceManual   1. Ensure that all cables are connected, and fold cables out of the way. Gently pull the power cables toward you so that they do not get caught underneath the drives.  2. Ensure that no tools or extra parts are left inside the computer. [...]

Back to Contents Page  Removing and Installing Parts Dell™Dimension™8400ServiceManual  Memory  Cards  Drives  Hard Drive  Front - Panel Inserts  Floppy Drive  CD/DVD Drive  Airflow Shroud  Processor  System Board  Power Supply  Battery  Memory You can incr[...]

 Addressing Memory With 4 - GB Configurations Your computer supports a maximum of 4 GB of memory when you use four 1 - GB DIMMs. Current operating systems, such as Microsoft ® Windows ® XP, can only use a maximum of 4 GB of address space; however, the amount of memory available to the operating system is less than 4 GB. Certain component[...]

 5. Insert the module into the connector until the module snaps into position. If you insert the module correctly, the securing clips snap into the cutouts at each end of the module.  6. Close the computer cover .  7. Connect your computer and devices to electrical outlets, and turn them on.  8. Right - click the My Computer icon and cl[...]

If you are installing or replacing a card, follow the procedures in the next section. If you are removing but not replacing a PCI card, see " Removing a PCI Card ." If you are replacing a card, remove the current driver for the card from the operating system. If you are installing or replacing a PCI Express card, see " Installing a P[...]

 7. Before you lower the retention arm, ensure that: l  The tops of all cards and filler brackets are flush with the alignment bar. l  The notch in the top of the card or filler bracket fits around the alignment guide.  8. Press the retention arm into place, securing the card(s) in the computer.  9. Connect any cables that should be [...]

Removing a PCI Card  1. Follow the procedures in " Before You Begin ."  2. Press the lever on the card retention arm and raise the retention arm.  3. If necessary, disconnect any cables connected to the card.  4. Grasp the card by its top corners, and ease it out of its connector.  5. If you are removing the card permanentl[...]

2. Press the lever on the card retention arm and raise the retention arm.  3. If you are installing a new card, remove the filler bracket to create a card - slot opening. Then continue with step5 .  4. If you are replacing a card that is already installed in the computer, remove the card. If necessary, disconnect any cables connected to th[...]

 8. If you replaced a card that was already installed in the computer and you removed the top of the retention mechanism, you may reinstall the top.  9. Before you lower the retention arm, ensure that: l  The tops of all cards and filler brackets are flush with the alignment bar. l  The notch in the top of the card or filler bracket fit[...]

b.  Connect the network cable to the add - in network adapter's connectors. Do not connect the network cable to the integrated connector on the back panel.  16. Install any drivers required for the card as described in the card documentation.  Removing a PCI Express Card  1. Follow the procedures in " Before You Begin ." [...]

When you install a drive, you connect two cables — a DC power cable and a data cable — to the back of the drive and to the system board. Some drives may also have an audio connector; one end of the audio cable attaches to the drive connector and the other end attaches to the system board.  Drive Interface Connectors  Serial ATA Connector [...]

 2. Press in on the tabs on each side of the drive and slide the drive up and out.  Installing a Hard Drive  1. Unpack the replacement hard drive, and prepare it for installation.  2. Check the documentation for the drive to verify that it is configured for your computer.  3. If your replacement hard drive does not have the bracket r[...]

 6. Check all connectors to be certain that they are properly cabled and firmly seated.  7. Close the computer cover .  8. Connect your computer and devices to electrical outlets, and turn them on. See the documentation that came with the drive for instructions on installing any software required for drive operation.  9. If the drive yo[...]

a.  Disconnect the power and the data cable from the back of the first hard drive. b.  Press in the two rail tabs and pull the first hard drive out of the upper bay. c.  Gently slide the first hard drive into the lower bay until you hear a click. d.  Reconnect the power and data cable to the back of the first hard drive.  6. Gently s[...]

4. From the outside of the computer, pull the insert away from the computer's front panel.  5. Remove the insert from the insert frame by pressing on the four tabs.  6. Reattach the empty insert frame over the front of the drive bay. The insert frame fits only one way. a.  Face the front of the computer and slip the left side of the i[...]

 3. Press inward on the two tabs on the sides of the drive, slide the drive upward, and then remove it from the floppy - drive bay.  Installing a Floppy Drive  1. If you are replacing a drive and the new drive does not have the bracket rails attached, remove the rails from the old drive by removing the two screws that secure each rail to t[...]

 8. Connect your computer and devices to their electrical outlets, and turn them on. See the documentation that came with the drive for instructions on installing any software required for drive operation.  9. Enter system setup and select the appropriate Diskette Drive option.  10. Verify that your computer works correctly by running the [...]

Installing a CD/DVD Drive  1. If you are installing a new drive, unpack the drive and prepare it for installation. Check the documentation that accompanied the drive to verify that the drive is configured for your computer. If you are installing an IDE drive, configure the drive for the cable select setting.  2. Connect the new drive to the s[...]

 Airflow Shroud  Removing the Airflow Shroud   1. Follow the procedures in " Before You Begin ."  2. Disconnect the cooling fan power cable from the fan connector on the system board.  3. Disconnect the power cable from the power connector on the system board.  4. Lift up the airflow shroud.  Processor   1. F[...]

b.  On the retention base locate the tab opposite the power supply. Press on the retention base tab until the heat sink pops up slightly. c.  Press out on the second retention tab while lifting the heat sink up and out of the retention base.  3. Push down and out on the socket release lever.  4. Open the processor cover. NOTICE: Lay the[...]

 5. To remove the processor from the socket, lift the processor vertically in one motion. Leave the release lever extended in the release position so that the socket is ready for the new processor.  Installing the Processor  1. Unpack the new processor.  2. If the release lever on the socket is not fully extended, move it to that positi[...]

6. Pivot the socket release lever back toward the socket and snap it into place to secure the processor. If you installed a processor replacement kit from Dell, return the original heat sink assembly and processor to Dell in the same package in which your replacement kit was sent.  7. Install the heat sink: a.  Slide one end of the heat sink [...]

2. Open the computer cover .  3. Remove any components that restrict access to the system board.  4. Disconnect all cables from the system board.  5. Before you remove the existing system board assembly, visually compare the replacement system board to the existing system board to make sure that you have the correct part.  6. Remove the[...]

9. Connect your computer and devices to electrical outlets, and turn them on.  Power Supply  Removing the Power Supply   1. Follow the procedures in " Before You Begin ."  2. Disconnect the DC power cables from the system board and the drives. Note the routing of the DC power cables underneath the tabs in the computer frame[...]

 7. Connect your computer and devices to electrical outlets, and turn them on.  Battery  Replacing the Battery  A coin - cell battery maintains computer configuration, date, and time information. The battery can last several years. If you have to repeatedly reset time and date information after turning on the computer, replace the batte[...]

Back to Contents Page  Specifications Dell™Dimension™8400ServiceManual  Processor Processor type Intel ® Pentium ® 4 with HT Technology  NOTE: Not all Pentium 4 processors support Hyper - Threading technology. Level 1 (L1) cache 16 KB Level 2 (L2 or L3) cache 512 KB, 1 MB, or 2 MB (depending on your computer configu[...]

x16 slot bidirectional speed — 8 GB/s   PCI  connector three connector size 120 pins connector data width (maximum) 32 bits   PCI Express  connector one x1 connector size 36 pins connector data width (maximum) 1 PCI Express lane   PCI Express  connectors one x16 connector size 164 pins connector data width (maximum) 16 [...]

Back to Contents Page  orange light — A good connection exists between a 100 - Mbps network and the computer. yellow light — A good connection exists between a 1 Gb (or 1000 - Mbps) network and the computer. off (no light) — The computer is not detecting a physical connection to the network. Activity light (on integrated network adapter) y[...]

Back to Contents Page  System Setup Dell™Dimension™8400ServiceManual  Overview  Entering System Setup  System Setup Screens  System Setup Options  Boot Sequence  Clearing Forgotten Passwords  Clearing CMOS Settings  Overview Use system setup as follows: l  To change the system confi[...]

NOTE: If you insert a boot device and restart the computer, this option appears in the system setup menu. To boot from a USB memory device, select the USB device and move it so it becomes the first device in the list. Drives Diskette Drive Identifies and defines the floppy drive attached to the FLOPPY connector on the system board as Off , USB , In[...]

 Boot Sequence This feature allows you to change the boot sequence for devices.  Option Settings l  Diskette Drive — The computer attempts to boot from the floppy drive. If the floppy disk in the drive is not bootable, if no floppy disk is in the drive, or if there is no floppy drive installed in the computer, the computer generates an e[...]

4. Press the spacebar to enable or disable a device (enabled devices have a checkmark).  5. Press plus (+) or minus ( – ) to move a selected device up or down the list.  Clearing Forgotten Passwords   1. Follow the procedures in " Before You Begin ."  2. Locate the 3 - pin password jumper (PASS) on the system board , and [...]

a.  Locate the 3 - pin CMOS jumper (CLR CMOS) on the system board. b.  Remove the jumper plug from pins 2 and 3. c.  Place the jumper plug on pins 1 and 2 and wait approximately 5 seconds. d.  Replace the jumper plug on pins 2 and 3.  3. Close the computer cover .  4. Connect your computer and devices to electrical outlets, and tu[...]

Back to Contents Page  Technical Overview Dell™Dimension™8400ServiceManual  Inside Your Computer  System Board Components  Power Supply DC Connector Pin Assignments  Inside Your Computer  Follow the procedures in " Before You Begin ."  System Board Components CAUTION: Before you begin any of t[...]

 Power Supply DC Connector Pin Assignments  DC Power Connector P1[...]

 DC Power Connector P2  DC Power Connectors, P3 and P5  Pin Number  Signal name  Color  Wire Gauge 1 +3.3 VDC Orange 16 - AWG 2 +3.3 VDC Orange 16 - AWG 3 COM Black 18 - AWG 4 +5 VDC Red 18 - AWG 5 COM Black 18 - AWG 6 +5 BDC Red 18 - AWG 7 COM Black 18 - AWG 8 POK Gray 18 - AWG 9 +5 VFP Purple 18 - AWG 10 +12 VB DC White 18 - AWG[...]

 DC Power Connector P4  DC Power Connector P6  DC Power Connector P7  DC Power Connectors, P8 and P9 2 COM Black 3 +5 VDC Red 4 COM Black 5 +12 VB DC White  Pin Number  Signal Name  18 - AWG Wire 1 N/C N/C 2 COM Black 3 COM Black 4 +3.3 VDC Orange 5 +5 VDC Red 6 +12B VDC White  Pin Number  Signal Name  18 - AWG Wire 1 [...]

 DC Power Connector P10 Back to Contents Page  1 +12 VB DC White 2 COM Black 3 COM Black 4 +5V DC Red  Pin Number  Signal Name  18 - AWG Wire 1 +12 B VDC White 2 +12 B VDC White 3 +12 B VDC White 4 COM Black 5 COM Black 6 COM Black NOTE: The P10 connector is intended for use with PCI Express graphics cards that have power requirement[...]

Back to Contents Page Dell™Dimension™8400SystemsServiceManual  Notes, Notices, and Cautions  Abbreviations and Acronyms For a complete list of abbreviations and acronyms, see the Dell Dimension Owner's Manual . IfyoupurchasedaDell™nSeriescomputer,anyreferencesinthisdocumentto[...]