Dell C521 manual

Dell™Dimension™C521ServiceManual Before You Begin About Your Computer Technical Overview Removing the Computer Cover Specifications Troubleshooting System Setup Removing and Installing Parts Replacing the Computer Cover Notes, Notices, and Cautions Information in this document is subject to change without notice. © 2006Dell?[...]

Back to Contents Page  About Your Computer Dell™Dimension™C521ServiceManual  Front View  Back View of the Computer  Back Panel I/O Connectors  Front View 1 cover release latch Use this latch to remove the cover. See Removing the Computer Cover . 2 Service Tag Use to identify your computer when you access the [...]

 Back View of the Computer  Back Panel I/O Connectors NOTICE: Ensure that there is a minimum of two inches of space between all vents and any object near these vents. NOTICE: Keep the vent area clean and dust - free to ensure that the system is adequately ventilated. Use only a dry cloth to clean the vent area to avoid water damage to the sys[...]

Back to Contents Page  NOTE: 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. 3 network activity light Flashes a yellow light when the computer is transmitting or receiving network data. A high volume of network tr[...]

Back to Contents Page  Before You Begin Dell™Dimension™C521ServiceManual  Getting Started  Recommended Tools  Turning Off Your Computer  Before Working Inside Your Computer  Getting Started This manual provides procedures for removing and replacing the components in your computer. Unless otherwise noted[...]

 2. Disconnect any telephone or network cables 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. Follow the steps in Removing the Computer Cover . Back to Contents Page  NOTICE: To disconnect a network cable, first u[...]

Back to Contents Page  Replacing the Computer Cover Dell™Dimension™C521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 the Computer Cover Dell™Dimension™C521ServiceManual    1. Follow the procedures in Before You Begin .  2. If you have installed a padlock through the padlock ring on the back panel, remove the padlock.  3. Locate the cover release latch shown in the illustration. Then, slide the rele[...]

Back to Contents Page  Removing and Installing Parts Dell™Dimension™C521ServiceManual  Memory If your computer only has one memory module installed on the system board, you can increase your computer memory by installing an additional memory module. Your computer supports DDR2 memory. For additional information on the type of [...]

 Installing Memory   1. Follow the procedures in Before You Begin .  2. Press out the securing clip at each end of the memory module connector.  3. Align the notch on the bottom of the module with the crossbar in the connector.  4. Insert the module into the connector until the module snaps into position. If you insert the module [...]

 7. When a message appears stating that memory size has changed, press <F1> to continue.  8. Log on to your computer.  9. Right - click the My Computer icon, then click Properties .  10. Click the General tab.  11. To verify that the memory is installed correctly, check the amount of memory (RAM) listed.  Removing Memory [...]

Installing an Expansion Card  1. Follow the procedures in Before You Begin .  2. Gently push the release tab on the inside of the card retention door to pivot the door open. Because the door is captive, it will remain in the open position.  3. If you are installing a new card, remove the filler bracket to create a card - slot opening, then[...]

 8. Close the card retention door by snapping it into place.  9. Connect any cables that should be attached to the card. See the documentation for the card for information about the card's cable connections.  10. Replace the computer cover, reconnect the computer and devices to electrical outlets, and then turn them on.  11. If you[...]

 6. If you are removing the card permanently, install a filler bracket in the empty card - slot opening.  7. Before you close the card retention door, 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. C[...]

 General Installation Guidelines Connect the SATA hard drive to the connector labeled "SATA0." Connect the SATA CD or DVD drives to the connector labeled "SATA1" on the system board.  Connecting Drive Cables When you install a drive, you connect two cables — a DC power cable and a data cable — to the back of the drive [...]

 CD/DVD Drive    Removing a CD/DVD Drive  1. Follow the procedures in Before You Begin .  2. Pull up on the drive release latch and slide the drive towards the back of the computer. Then, lift up to remove the drive from the computer.  3. Disconnect the power and data cables from the back of the drive.  4. Replace the comput[...]

b.  Remove the three shoulder screws from the drive - panel insert.  4. If you are replacing an existing drive: a.  Remove the existing drive. b.  Remove the three shoulder screws from the existing drive.  5. Insert the three shoulder screws into the sides of the new drive and tighten them.  6. Connect the power and data cables to[...]

 4. Disconnect the power and data cables from the back of the floppy drive.  5. Replace the computer cover. See Replacing the Computer Cover .  6. Connect your computer and devices to electrical outlets, and turn them on.  Installing a Floppy Drive   1. Follow the procedures in Before You Begin .  2. Remove the floppy drive and[...]

 8. Slide the drive into the bay until it clicks into place.  9. Connect the data cable to the connector labeled "FLOPPY" on the system board.  10. Replace the CD/DVD drive.  11. Check all cable connections, and fold cables out of the way to provide airflow for the fan and cooling vents.  12. Replace the computer cover. See[...]

 5. Replace the computer cover. See Replacing the Computer Cover .  6. Connect your computer and devices to electrical outlets, and then turn them on.  Installing a Media Card Reader   1. Follow the procedures in Before You Begin .  2. Remove the Media Card Reader and bracket from its packaging.  3. If you are installing a new [...]

 7. Slide the Media Card Reader into the bay until it clicks into place.  8. Connect the power and data cables to the back of the Media Card Reader.  9. Connect the data cable to the USB connector on the system board.  10. Replace the computer cover. See Replacing the Computer Cover .  11. Connect your computer and devices to electri[...]

 Installing a Hard Drive  1. Check the documentation for the drive to verify that it is configured for your computer.  2. Unpack the replacement hard drive, and prepare it for installation.  3. If your replacement hard drive does not have the plastic hard - drive bracket attached, remove the bracket from the existing drive by unsnapping[...]

 7. Gently slide the drive into the bay until it clicks into place.  8. Replace any drives or readers that you removed.  9. Check all connectors to ensure that they are properly cabled and firmly seated.  10. Replace the computer cover. See Replacing the Computer Cover .  11. Connect your computer and devices to electrical outlets, a[...]

To replace the battery:  1. Record all of the settings in system setup (see System Setup Options ) so that you can restore the correct settings in step8 .  2. Follow the procedures in Before You Begin .  3. Locate the battery socket.  4. Remove the battery by carefully pressing the battery release lever away from the battery. When th[...]

 4. Pull the release lever straight up until the processor is released.  5. Remove the processor from the socket. Leave the release lever extended in the release position so that the socket is ready for the new processor, and go to Installing the Processor .  Installing the Processor  1. Follow the procedures in Before You Begin . 1 hea[...]

 2. Unpack the new processor, being careful not to bend any of the processor pins.  3. If the release lever on the socket is not fully extended, move it to that position.  4. Align the pin - 1 corners of the processor and socket.  5. Set the processor lightly in the socket and ensure that the processor is positioned correctly.  6. Wh[...]

 10. Replace the computer cover. See Replacing the Computer Cover .  11. Connect your computer and devices to electrical outlets, and turn them on.  Power Supply  Replacing 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 [...]

 5. Slide the power supply toward the front of the computer and lift the power supply up and out of the computer.  6. Lower the replacement power supply into the computer.  7. Slide the replacement power supply toward the back of the computer until it snaps into place.  8. Replace the screws that secure the power supply to the back of t[...]

 6. Disconnect the cable attached to the front I/O panel.  7. Remove the screw that secures the front I/O panel to the chassis.  8. Rotate the I/O panel toward the back of the computer and remove and the I/O panel from the computer.  Installing the Front I/O Panel  1. Align the I/O panel connectors and lights with the openings in the[...]

 4. Disconnect the fan power cable from the FAN_CPU1 connector on the system board. See System Board Components .  5. While pressing the fan release lever, rotate the fan assembly toward the back of the computer and up to release the two fan tabs from the vent holes in the chassis.  6. Remove the fan assembly from the computer.  Install[...]

 5. Remove the memory. See Removing Memory . Make a note of where each memory module(s) is installed so that you can reinstall the memory module(s) in the same connector.  6. Remove the processor and heat sink assembly. See Removing the Processor .  7. Remove the fan assemble. See Removing the Fan Assembly .  8. Disconnect all cables fr[...]

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Back to Contents Page  Specifications Dell™Dimension™C521ServiceManual  Microprocessor Microprocessor type AMD™Athlon™64X2Dual - Core processor AMD Athlon 64 AMDSempron™ Internal L2 cache up to 1 MB per core up to 256 KB for Sempron  Memory Type 533 - MHz, 667 - MHz, 800 - MHz z (when available) DDR2 SD[...]

card size low profile connector size 124 pins connector data width (maximum) 32 bits PCI Express:  connectors one x1 and one x16 power 10 W (x1) and 25 W (x16) maximum connector size 36 pins (x1) and 164 pins (x16) connector data width (maximum) one PCI Express lane (x1) and 16 PCI Express lanes (x16)  Drives Externally accessible one 3.5 - i[...]

Back to Contents Page  Power DC power supply: Wattage 280 W Heat dissipation 955.39 BTU/hr maximum  NOTE: Heat dissipation is calculated based upon the power supply wattage rating. Voltage manual selection power supply — 90 to 135 V at 50/60Hz;180to265Vat50/60Hz Backup battery 3- V CR2032 lithium coin cell  Physi[...]

Back to Contents Page  System Setup Dell™Dimension™C521ServiceManual  Overview  Clearing Forgotten Passwords and CMOS Settings  Flashing the BIOS  Overview  Overview Use system setup as follows: l  To change the system configuration information after you add, change, or remove any hardware in your compu[...]

 System Setup Options and lists keys and their functions within the active system setup field. NOTE: Depending on your computer and installed devices, the items listed in this section may not appear, or may not appear exactly as listed. System System Info Lists the computer name, BIOS Version , Service Tag , Express Service Code , (if applicable[...]

( Auto default)  NOTE: A PCI Express graphics card will override the integrated video controller. Video Memory Size ( 64MB default) This setting configures the amount of system memory that is reserved for the integrated video controller. The settings are Auto, 16MB, 32MB, 64MB, 128MB, or Off. Performance HDD Acoustic Mode ( Bypass default) l [...]

 Boot Menu This feature allows you to change the boot sequence for devices.  Option Settings l  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. l  Onboard Floppy Drive — The computer attempts to boot from the floppy driv[...]

 1. Enter system setup, select Boot Sequence from the System group. See System Setup Options .  2. Press <Enter> to access the menu.  3. Press the up - and down - arrow keys to highlight the appropriate Boot Sequence option.  4. Press the U or D key to move the option up or down in the boot sequence.  5. Press <Enter> to [...]

 Clearing CMOS Settings   1. Follow the procedures in Before You Begin .  2. Reset the current CMOS settings: a.  Locate the 2 - pin CMOS jumper (RTCRST) on the system board. See Jumper Locations . b.  Remove the jumper plug from pin 1. c.  Place the jumper plug on pins 1 and 2 and wait approximately five seconds. d.  Replac[...]

Back to Contents Page  Technical Overview Dell™Dimension™C521ServiceManual  Inside View of Your Computer  System Board Components  Power Supply DC Connector Pin Assignments  Inside View of Your Computer    System Board Components CAUTION: Before you begin any of the procedures in this section, follow[...]

 Jumper Settings The jumper locations are shown below. 1 fan connector (FAN_CPU1) 2 processor socket (CPU) 3 memory module connectors (DIMM_1, DIMM_2, DIMM_3, DIMM_4) 4 power connector (PW_12V_A1) 5 power connector (POWER1) 6 SATA drive connectors (SATA0, SATA1) 7 front - panel connector (FRONTPANEL) 8 CMOS reset (RTCRST) 9 battery socket (BT1) [...]

-  Power Supply DC Connector Pin Assignments  DC Power Connector P1  The real - time clock is being reset (jumpered temporarily).  jumpered  unjumpered  Pin Number  Signal name  18 - AWG Wire 1 +3.3 VDC Orange 2 +3.3 VDC Orange 3 GND Black 4 VCC (+5 V) Red 5 GND Black 6 VCC (+5 V) Red 7 GND Black 8 PS_PWRGOOD Gra[...]

 DC Power Connector P2  DC Power Connector P3  DC Power Connector P4  DC Power Connector P5 and P6 23 VCC (+5V) Red 24 GND Black *Use 22 - AWG wire instead of 18 - AWG wire.  Pin Number  Signal Name  18 - AWG Wire 1 COM Black 2 COM Black 3 +12 VDC Yellow 4 +12 VDC Yellow  Pin Number  Signal name  18 - AWG Wire 1 +12VDC[...]

Back to Contents Page  3 +5 VDC Red 4 COM Black 5 +12 VDC Yellow[...]

Back to Contents Page Dell™Dimension™C521ServiceManual  Notes, Notices, and Cautions 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[...]

Back to Contents Page  Troubleshooting Dell™Dimension™C521ServiceManual  Dell Diagnostics  System Lights  Diagnostic Lights  Beep Codes  Dell Diagnostics   When to Use the Dell Diagnostics If you experience a problem with your computer, perform the checks in this section and run the Dell Diagnosti[...]

Close the test screen to return to the Main Menu screen. To exit the Dell Diagnostics and restart the computer, close the Main Menu screen.  System Lights Your power button light and hard - drive activity light may indicate a computer problem.  Diagnostic Lights  To help you troubleshoot a problem, your computer has four lights labeled &qu[...]

 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 consists of one long beep and then two short beeps. This beep code tells you that the computer encountered a memory test failure. If your[...]