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Dell XPS /Dimension Gen 5 Owner's Manual - Page 18

Changing the Display Settings, About Serial ATA Drives, About Your RAID Configuration

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www.dell.com | support.dell.com Changing the Display Settings 1 After you connect the monitor(s) or TV, turn on the computer. The Microsoft® Windows® desktop displays on the primary monitor. 2 Enable clone mode or extended desktop mode in the display settings. • In clone mode, both monitors display the same image. • In extended desktop mode, you can drag objects from one screen to the other, effectively doubling the amount of viewable work space. For information on changing the display settings for your graphics card, see the user's guide in the Help and Support Center (click the Start button, click Help and Support, click User and system guides, click Device guides, and then click the guide for your graphics card). About Serial ATA Drives Your computer supports up to three serial ATA hard drives. Serial ATA drives provide the following benefits by transferring data using serial technology and flexible cables that are thinner and longer than IDE cables: • Improved cable routing facilitates more efficient airflow inside the chassis. • Compact cable connectors save space on the system board and on the hard drive. Combined with the improved cable routing, this allows a more efficient utilization of space inside the chassis. See "Hard Drive" on page 94 for information on serial ATA drive connections. About Your RAID Configuration This section provides an overview of the RAID configuration that you might have selected when you purchased your computer. Although several RAID configurations are available, Dell offers either a RAID level 0 configuration or a RAID level 1 configuration for its Dimension™ computers. A RAID level 0 configuration is recommended for high-performance gaming, and a RAID level 1 configuration is recommended for the data integrity requirements of digital photography and audio. The Intel® RAID controller on your computer can only create a RAID level 0 configuration using two or three physical drives. If a third drive is present, then that drive can be made part of a RAID level 0 configuration using the Intel RAID configuration program, or it can be used as a spare drive in a RAID level 1 configuration (see "Creating a Spare Hard Drive" on page 26). The drives should be the same size in order to ensure that the larger drive does not contain unallocated (and therefore unusable) space. NOTE: RAID levels do not represent a hierarchy. A RAID level 1 configuration is not inherently better or worse than a RAID level 0 configuration. 18 Setting Up and Using Your Computer

Section	Page
Contents	3
Finding Information	9
Setting Up and Using Your Computer	13
Opening the Drive Door	13
Changing the Front-Panel Light Color	13
Using a Media Card Reader (Optional)	15
Connecting Two Monitors	16
Connecting Two Monitors With VGA Connectors	16
Connecting One Monitor With a VGA Connector and One Monitor With a DVI Connector	17
Connecting a TV	17
Changing the Display Settings	18
About Serial ATA Drives	18
About Your RAID Configuration	18
RAID Level 0 Configuration	19
RAID Level 1 Configuration	19
Configuring Your Computer for RAID	20
Configuring for RAID Using the Intel® RAID Option ROM Utility	21
Configuring for RAID Using the Intel® Application Accelerator	23
Transferring Information to a New Computer	26
Playing CDs and Movies	27
Playing a CD or DVD	27
Adjusting the Volume	29
Adjusting the Picture	29
Copying CDs and DVDs	30
How to Copy a CD or DVD	30
Using Blank CD-Rs, CD-RWs, DVD+Rs, and DVD+RWs	31
Helpful Tips	31
Network Setup Wizard	32
Power Management	32
Overview	32
Standby Mode	32
Hibernate Mode	33
Power Options Properties	33
Optimizing Performance	37
Hyper-Threading	37
Overclocking	37
PCI Express Cards	38
Solving Problems	39
Troubleshooting Tips	39
Battery Problems	39
Drive Problems	39
CD and DVD drive problems	40
Hard drive problems	41
E-Mail, Modem, and Internet Problems	41
Error Messages	42
IEEE 1394 Device Problems	43
Keyboard Problems	44
Lockups and Software Problems	44
The computer does not start up	44
The computer stops responding	44
A program stops responding	45
A program crashes repeatedly	45
A program is designed for an earlier Windows operating system	45
A solid blue screen appears	45
Other software problems	46
Memory Problems	46
Mouse Problems	47
Network Problems	48
Power Problems	48
Printer Problems	49
Scanner Problems	50
Sound and Speaker Problems	51
No sound from speakers	51
No sound from headphones	52
Video and Monitor Problems	52
If the screen is blank	52
If the screen is difficult to read	53
Advanced Troubleshooting	55
Diagnostic Lights	55
Dell Diagnostics	58
When to Use the Dell Diagnostics	58
Drivers	60
What Is a Driver?	60
Identifying Drivers	60
Reinstalling Drivers	61
Using Microsoft® Windows® XP System Restore	62
Creating a Restore Point	63
Restoring the Computer to an Earlier Operating State	63
Undoing the Last System Restore	63
Resolving Software and Hardware Incompatibilities	64
Reinstalling Microsoft® Windows® XP	64
Before You Begin	64
Reinstalling Windows XP	65
Removing and Installing Parts	69
Before You Begin	69
Recommended Tools	69
Turning Off Your Computer	69
Before Working Inside Your Computer	70
Front and Back View of the Computer	71
Front View	71
Front View (Doors Open)	72
Back View	73
Opening the Computer Cover	75
Inside View of Your Computer	76
System Board Components	77
Memory	78
Installing Memory	79
Removing Memory	81
Cards	81
PCI Cards	82
PCI Express Cards	85
Serial Port Adapters	89
Installing a Serial Port Adapter	89
Removing a Serial Port Adapter	90
Drives	91
General Installation Guidelines	92
Connecting Drive Cables	92
Hard Drive	94
Removing a Hard Drive	94
Installing a Hard Drive	95
Adding a Second Hard Drive	98
Floppy Drive	99
Removing a Floppy Drive	100
Installing a Floppy Drive	101
Media Card Reader	103
Removing a Media Card Reader	103
Installing a Media Card Reader	104
CD/DVD Drive	105
Removing a CD/DVD Drive	106
Installing a CD/DVD Drive	107
Processor Airflow Shroud	109
Removing the Processor Airflow Shroud	109
Installing the Processor Airflow Shroud	110
Processor	110
Removing the Processor	110
Installing the Processor	113
Front Panel	115
Removing the Front Panel	116
Replacing the Front Panel	116
Drive Door	117
Removing the Drive Door	117
Replacing the Drive Door	118
Battery	120
Replacing the Battery	120
Closing the Computer Cover	121
Appendix	123
Specifications	123
System Setup	127
Overview	127
Entering System Setup	128
System Setup Options	129
Boot Sequence	132
Clearing Forgotten Passwords	134
Clearing CMOS Settings	135
Cleaning Your Computer	135
Computer, Keyboard, and Monitor	135
Mouse	136
Floppy Drive	136
CDs and DVDs	136
Dell Technical Support Policy (U.S. Only)	137
Definition of \	137
Definition of \	137
FCC Notices (U.S. Only)	137
Class A	138
Class B	138
FCC Identification Information	139
Contacting Dell	139

Match case Limit results 1 per page

Setting Up and Using Your Computer

www.dell.com | support.dell.com

Changing the Display Settings

After you connect the monitor(s) or TV, turn on the computer.

The Microsoft

Windows

desktop displays on the primary monitor.

Enable clone mode or extended desktop mode in the display settings.

•

In clone mode, both monitors display the same image.

•

In extended desktop mode, you can drag objects from one screen to the other, effectively

doubling the amount of viewable work space.

For information on changing the display settings for your graphics card, see the user’s guide in

the Help and Support Center (click the

Start

button, click

Help and Support

, click

User and

system guides

, click

Device guides

, and then click the guide for your graphics card).

About Serial ATA Drives

Your computer supports up to three serial ATA hard drives. Serial ATA drives provide the

following benefits by transferring data using serial technology and flexible cables that are

thinner and longer than IDE cables:

•

Improved cable routing facilitates more efficient airflow inside the chassis.

•

Compact cable connectors save space on the system board and on the hard drive. Combined

with the improved cable routing, this allows a more efficient utilization of space inside the

chassis.

See "Hard Drive" on page 94 for information on serial ATA drive connections.

About Your RAID Configuration

This section provides an overview of the RAID configuration that you might have selected when

you purchased your computer. Although several RAID configurations are available, Dell offers

either a RAID level 0 configuration or a RAID level 1 configuration for its Dimension™

computers. A RAID level 0 configuration is recommended for high-performance gaming, and a

RAID level 1 configuration is recommended for the data integrity requirements of digital

photography and audio.

The Intel

RAID controller on your computer can only create a RAID level 0 configuration

using two or three physical drives. If a third drive is present, then that drive can be made part of

a RAID level 0 configuration using the Intel RAID configuration program, or it can be used as a

spare drive in a RAID level 1 configuration (see "Creating a Spare Hard Drive" on page 26). The

drives should be the same size in order to ensure that the larger drive does not contain

unallocated (and therefore unusable) space.

NOTE:

RAID levels do not represent a hierarchy. A RAID level 1 configuration is not inherently better or

worse than a RAID level 0 configuration.