N8152bk1.book Page 1 Wednesday, May 25, 2005 3:08 PM Dell Precision™ Workstation 380 Quick Reference Guide Model DCTA w w w. d e l l . c o m | s u p p o r t . d e l l .
N8152bk1.book Page 2 Wednesday, May 25, 2005 3:08 PM Notes, Notices, and Cautions NOTE: A NOTE indicates important information that helps you make better use of your computer. NOTICE: A NOTICE indicates either potential damage to hardware or loss of data and tells you how to avoid the problem. CAUTION: A CAUTION indicates a potential for property damage, personal injury, or death. Abbreviations and Acronyms For a complete list of abbreviations and acronyms, see the Glossary in your User’s Guide.
N8152bk1.book Page 3 Wednesday, May 25, 2005 3:08 PM Contents Finding Information . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9 Setting Up Your Computer (Tower Orientation) Setting Up Your Computer (Desktop Orientation) . About Your Computer. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19 Front View (Tower Orientation) . . Back View (Tower Orientation) . . Front View (Desktop Orientation) .
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N8152bk1.book Page 5 Wednesday, May 25, 2005 3:08 PM Finding Information NOTE: Some features may not be available for your computer or in certain countries. NOTE: Additional information may ship with your computer.
www.dell.com | support.dell.com N8152bk1.book Page 6 Wednesday, May 25, 2005 3:08 PM What Are You Looking For? Find It Here • • • • • • Warranty information Terms and Conditions (U.S.
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www.dell.com | support.dell.com N8152bk1.book Page 8 Wednesday, May 25, 2005 3:08 PM What Are You Looking For? Find It Here • How to reinstall my operating system Operating System CD The operating system is already installed on your computer. To reinstall your operating system, use the Operating System CD. See your User’s Guide for instructions. After you reinstall your operating system, use the optional Drivers and Utilities CD to reinstall drivers for the devices that came with your computer.
N8152bk1.book Page 9 Wednesday, May 25, 2005 3:08 PM Setting Up Your Computer (Tower Orientation) CAUTION: Before you begin any of the procedures in this section, follow the safety instructions in the Product Information Guide. You must complete all steps to properly set up your computer. 1 Connect the keyboard and the mouse. PS/2 or USB PS/2 or USB 2 Connect the modem or the network cable. NOTICE: Do not connect a modem cable to the network adapter.
www.dell.com | support.dell.com N8152bk1.book Page 10 Wednesday, May 25, 2005 3:08 PM 3 Connect the monitor. Depending on your graphics card, you can connect your monitor in various ways. NOTE: You may need to use the provided adapter or cable to connect your monitor to the computer.
N8152bk1.book Page 11 Wednesday, May 25, 2005 3:08 PM For single- and dual-monitor capable cards with a single connector One VGA adapter: VGA Use the VGA adapter when you have a single-monitor graphics card and you want to connect your computer to a VGA monitor.
www.dell.com | support.dell.com N8152bk1.book Page 12 Wednesday, May 25, 2005 3:08 PM For dual-monitor capable cards with one DVI connector and one VGA connector One DVI connector and one VGA connector: Two VGA connectors with one VGA adapter: DVI VGA VGA VGA Use the appropriate connector(s) when you want to connect your computer to one or two monitors. Use the VGA adapter when you want to connect your computer to two VGA monitors.
N8152bk1.book Page 13 Wednesday, May 25, 2005 3:08 PM 4 Connect the speakers. NOTE: If your computer has a sound card installed, connect the speakers to the card. LINE OUT 5 Connect the power cables and turn on the computer and monitor.
www.dell.com | support.dell.com N8152bk1.book Page 14 Wednesday, May 25, 2005 3:08 PM 6 Install additional software or devices. Before you install any devices or software that did not come with your computer, read the documentation that came with the software or device or contact the vendor to verify that the software or device is compatible with your computer and operating system. You have now completed the setup for your tower computer.
N8152bk1.book Page 15 Wednesday, May 25, 2005 3:08 PM 2 Connect the modem or the network cable. NOTE: If your computer has a network card installed, connect the network cable to the card. 3 Modem Network Connect the monitor. Depending on your graphics card, you can connect your monitor in various ways. NOTE: You may need to use the provided adapter or cable to connect your monitor to the computer.
www.dell.com | support.dell.com N8152bk1.book Page 16 Wednesday, May 25, 2005 3:08 PM For single- and dual-monitor capable cards with a single connector VGA adapter: VGA Use the VGA adapter when you have a single monitor graphics card and you want to connect your computer to a VGA monitor.
N8152bk1.book Page 17 Wednesday, May 25, 2005 3:08 PM For dual-monitor capable cards with one DVI connector and one VGA connector One DVI connector and one VGA connector: Two VGA connectors with one VGA adapter: DVI VGA VGA VGA Use the appropriate connector(s) when you want to connect your computer to one or two monitors. Use the VGA adapter when you want to connect your computer to two VGA monitors.
www.dell.com | support.dell.com N8152bk1.book Page 18 Wednesday, May 25, 2005 3:08 PM 4 Connect the speakers. LINE OUT NOTE: If your computer has a sound card installed, connect the speakers to the card. 5 Connect the power cables and turn on the computer and monitor. Your desktop computer has an optional front IEEE 1394 connector. This connector is only available if you purchased an IEEE 1394 card. To purchase a card, contact Dell.
N8152bk1.book Page 19 Wednesday, May 25, 2005 3:08 PM About Your Computer Front View (Tower Orientation) 1 14 2 13 3 4 5 12 11 6 1 2 3 4 10 7 9 8 1 upper 5.25-inch drive bay Holds a CD/DVD drive. 2 lower 5.25-inch drive bay Holds a CD/DVD drive or an optional third hard drive. 3 upper 3.5-inch drive bay Holds an optional fourth hard drive (serial ATA). 4 lower 3.5-inch drive bay You can use the bay for an optional floppy drive or an optional Media Card Reader.
www.dell.com | support.dell.com N8152bk1.book Page 20 Wednesday, May 25, 2005 3:08 PM 6 IEEE 1394 connector (optional) Use the optional IEEE 1394 connectors for high-speed data devices such as digital video cameras and external storage devices. 7 USB 2.0 connectors (2) Use the front USB connectors for devices that you connect occasionally, such as flash memory keys or cameras, or for bootable USB devices (see system setup for more information on booting to a USB device).
N8152bk1.book Page 21 Wednesday, May 25, 2005 3:08 PM Back View (Tower Orientation) 1 2 3 4 1 power connector Insert the power cable into this connector. 2 voltage selection switch See the safety instructions in the Product Information Guide for more information. 3 back-panel connectors Plug serial, USB, and other devices into the appropriate connector. 4 card slots Access connectors for any installed PCI or PCI Express cards.
N8152bk1.book Page 22 Wednesday, May 25, 2005 3:08 PM www.dell.com | support.dell.com Front View (Desktop Orientation) 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 4 3 2 1 12 11 10 9 8 1 upper 5.25-inch drive bay 2 lower 5.25-inch drive bay This bay holds an optional CD/DVD drive or an optional third hard drive (serial ATA or SCSI). 3 3.5-inch drive bay You can use the bay for a floppy drive or an optional Media Card Reader.
N8152bk1.book Page 23 Wednesday, May 25, 2005 3:08 PM 6 USB 2.0 connectors (2) Use the front USB connectors for devices that you connect occasionally, such as flash memory keys or cameras, or for bootable USB devices (see system setup for more information on booting to a USB device). It is recommended that you use the back USB connectors for devices that typically remain connected, such as printers and keyboards. 7 power button Press to turn on the computer.
N8152bk1.book Page 24 Wednesday, May 25, 2005 3:08 PM www.dell.com | support.dell.com Back View (Desktop Orientation) 1 2 3 4 1 card slots Access connectors for any installed PCI or PCI Express cards. 2 power connector Insert the power cable into this connector. 3 voltage selection switch See the safety instructions in the Product Information Guide for more information. 4 back-panel connectors Plug serial, USB, and other devices into the appropriate connector.
N8152bk1.book Page 25 Wednesday, May 25, 2005 3:08 PM 1 mouse connector Plug a standard mouse into the green mouse connector. Turn off the computer and any attached devices before you connect a mouse to the computer. If you have a USB mouse, plug it into a USB connector. If your computer is running the Microsoft® Windows XP operating system, the necessary mouse drivers have been installed on your hard drive. 2 parallel connector Connect a parallel device, such as a printer, to the parallel connector.
www.dell.com | support.dell.com N8152bk1.book Page 26 Wednesday, May 25, 2005 3:08 PM 6 line-in connector Use the blue line-in connector to attach a record/playback device such as a cassette player, CD player, or VCR. On computers with a sound card, use the connector on the card. 7 line-out connector 8 microphone connector Use the green line-out connector to attach headphones and most speakers with integrated amplifiers. On computers with a sound card, use the connector on the card.
N8152bk1.book Page 27 Wednesday, May 25, 2005 3:08 PM Inside View CAUTION: Before you begin any of the procedures in this section, follow the safety instructions in the Product Information Guide. 1 2 3 10 9 4 5 8 6 7 1 power supply 6 card fan 2 optional additional fan 7 processor fan 3 system board 8 lower 3.5-inch drive bay 4 hard drive 9 upper 5.
N8152bk1.book Page 28 Wednesday, May 25, 2005 3:08 PM www.dell.com | support.dell.
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N8152bk1.book Page 30 Wednesday, May 25, 2005 3:08 PM www.dell.com | support.dell.com To access the User’s Guide from your hard drive: Click the Start button and click Help and Support. To access your User’s Guide from the Dell Support website: 1 Go to support.dell.com. 2 Follow the prompts on the website that ask you for information specific to your computer. 3 At the Dell Support website home page, click Reference, click User’s Guides, click Systems, and then select your computer.
N8152bk1.book Page 31 Wednesday, May 25, 2005 3:08 PM cover latch release computer cover hinge tabs (3) 6 Locate the three hinge tabs on the edge of the computer. 7 Grip the sides of the computer cover and pivot the cover up, using the hinges as leverage points. 8 Release the cover from the hinge tabs and set it aside in a secure location.
N8152bk1.book Page 32 Wednesday, May 25, 2005 3:08 PM www.dell.com | support.dell.com Solving Problems Troubleshooting Tips Perform the following checks when you troubleshoot your computer: • If you added or removed a part before the problem started, review the installation procedures and ensure that the part is correctly installed. • If a peripheral device does not work, ensure that the device is properly connected. • If an error message appears on the screen, write down the exact message.
N8152bk1.book Page 33 Wednesday, May 25, 2005 3:08 PM Restoring the Computer to an Earlier Operating State NOTICE: Before you restore the computer to an earlier operating state, save and close any open files and exit any open programs. Do not alter, open, or delete any files or programs until the system restoration is complete. 1 Click the Start button, point to All Programs→ Accessories→ System Tools, and then click System Restore.
N8152bk1.book Page 34 Wednesday, May 25, 2005 3:08 PM www.dell.com | support.dell.com 4 Click the System Restore tab. 5 Ensure that Turn off System Restore is unchecked. Using the Last Known Good Configuration 1 Restart your computer and press when the message Please select the operating system to start appears. 2 Highlight Last Known Good Configuration, press , press , and then select your operating system when prompted.
N8152bk1.book Page 35 Wednesday, May 25, 2005 3:08 PM Starting the Dell Diagnostics From Your Hard Drive 1 Turn on (or restart) your computer. 2 When the DELL™ logo appears, press immediately. NOTE: If you see a message stating that no diagnostics utility partition has been found, see "Starting the Dell Diagnostics From the Drivers and Utilities CD" on page 35. If you wait too long and the operating system logo appears, continue to wait until you see the Microsoft Windows desktop.
N8152bk1.book Page 36 Wednesday, May 25, 2005 3:08 PM www.dell.com | support.dell.com Before You Start Testing CAUTION: Before you begin any of the procedures in this section, follow the safety instructions in the Product Information Guide. • Turn on your printer if one is attached. • Enter system setup, review your computer’s configuration information, and enable all of your computer’s components and devices, such as connectors.
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www.dell.com | support.dell.com N8152bk1.book Page 38 Wednesday, May 25, 2005 3:08 PM Light Pattern Problem Description Suggested Resolution A possible BIOS failure has occurred; the Run the BIOS Recovery utility, wait for computer is in the recovery mode. recovery completion, and then restart the computer. A possible processor failure has occurred. Reinstall the processor and restart the computer. Memory modules are detected, but a memory failure has occurred.
N8152bk1.book Page 39 Wednesday, May 25, 2005 3:08 PM Light Pattern Problem Description A possible expansion card failure has occurred. Suggested Resolution 1 Determine if a conflict exists by removing a card (not the graphics card) and then restarting the computer. For more information on removing a card, see your User’s Guide. 2 If the problem persists, reinstall the card that you removed, remove a different card, and then restart the computer. 3 Repeat this process for each card.
www.dell.com | support.dell.com N8152bk1.book Page 40 Wednesday, May 25, 2005 3:08 PM Light Pattern Problem Description No memory modules are detected. Suggested Resolution 1 Reseat the memory modules to ensure that your computer is successfully communicating with the memory. 2 Restart the computer. 3 If the problem still exists, remove all the memory modules and install one memory module in memory module connector 4. 4 Restart the computer.
N8152bk1.book Page 41 Wednesday, May 25, 2005 3:08 PM Light Pattern Problem Description Suggested Resolution Memory modules are detected, but a memory configuration or compatibility error exists. • Ensure that no special memory module/memory connector placement requirements exist. • Verify that the memory modules that you are installing are compatible with your computer. • Reinstall the memory modules and restart the computer. • If the problem persists, contact Dell.
www.dell.com | support.dell.com N8152bk1.book Page 42 Wednesday, May 25, 2005 3:08 PM Light Pattern Problem Description Suggested Resolution The computer is in a normal operating None. condition after POST. NOTE: The diagnostic lights turn off after a short time if the computer is in a normal operating condition after POST. Frequently Asked Questions How Do I...
N8152bk1.book Page 43 Wednesday, May 25, 2005 3:08 PM How Do I... Solution Where to Find Additional Information Find the right connectors for my USB or IEEE 1394 devices? Your tower computer has eight USB connectors (two on the front, one internal, and five on the back). See "About Your Computer" on page 19 for illustrations of the front and back views of your computer.
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