Users Guide

be reversed with these utilities.
If the system is running the MS-DOS
®
operating system, many apparent data loss problems are due to corruption or
erasure of the hard-disk drive's master boot record (MBR), MS-DOS boot sector, or file allocation table (FAT); that is,
accidental deletion of files or accidental reformatting of the hard-disk drive alters the MS-DOS boot sector, the FAT,
and the root directory.
However, such accidents do not actually erase the contents of the hard-disk drive files until new data is written to the
sectors containing these files. With software such as the Norton Utilities, Mace Utilities, or PC-Tools Deluxe, the data
stored in these areas can often be restored, meaning that you can recover most, if not all, of the data.
Unlike using the format command on a hard-disk drive, using format on a diskette completely erases all the data on the
diskette unless you use the diskette format program included in the Mace Utilities.
For a complete description of data recovery procedures and the software needed to perform them, see The Paul Mace
Guide to Data Recovery, published by Brady.
Cleaning System Components
An exhaust fan in the power supply cools the power supply and system by drawing air in through various openings in
the system and blowing it out the back. However, the fan also draws dust and other particles into the system, causing
contaminant buildup, which results in an increase in the system's internal temperature and interferes with the operation
of various system components.
To avoid these conditions, Dell recommends keeping your work environment clean to reduce the amount of dust and
dirt around the system, thereby reducing the amount of contaminants drawn into the system by the power supply fan. In
particular, you should keep the exterior of your system and monitor clean, and you should use a commercially available
diskette-drive head-cleaning kit to remove contaminants inside your diskette drives.
Recommended Tools and Accessories
Dell recommends that you use the following tools and accessories when you clean the system:
A wrist-grounding strap — The proper use of a wrist-grounding strap reduces the effect of electrostatic
discharge (ESD), which can damage certain system components. To use a wrist-grounding strap, place the strap
around your wrist and attach the other end of the strap to an unpainted metal surface in the chassis, such as the
power supply bracket, that is connected to chassis ground.
A liquid dishwashing detergent — Use a mixture of one part liquid dishwashing detergent and three parts water
to clean the exterior of the system, monitor, and keyboard. You can also add fabric softener to produce an
antistatic solution that prevents dust from being attracted to the monitor screen.
A soft, lint-free cleaning cloth — Moisten the cleaning cloth with the dishwashing detergent solution to clean
the exterior of the system.
A nonabrasive diskette-drive head-cleaning kit — Dell recommends that you use a kit that contains pretreated
diskettes in individually sealed packages. These kits ensure that the cleaning solution is applied evenly over the
entire diskette-drive head surface, and they prevent contamination of the heads by exposure to foreign
substances.
A small vacuum cleaner with a brush attachment — Use the vacuum cleaner to remove dust and dirt from the
exterior of the system and keyboard.
Cleaning the System, Monitor, and Keyboard Exteriors
A conventional monitor or keyboard cover minimizes the accumulation of dust and other debris inside the monitor and