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Dell™ Dimension™ 4300
Technical Overview
Controls and Lights
Solving Problems
System Codes and Messages
Technical Specifications
System Setup Program
Adding Parts
Documentation
Hints, Notices, and Cautions
HINT: A HINT 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, person
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Back to Contents Page System Codes and Messages Dell™ Dimension™ 4300 Diagnostic Codes POST Beep Codes System Messages Diagnostic Codes Your computer is equipped with four diagnostic lights, which are labeled "A," "B," "C," and "D" on the back of the computer. Each of the four lights can be yellow, green, or off as shown in the following table. When the computer is turned on or restarted and it is functioning normally, the lights flash during POST. After the computer starts, t
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Other failure. See "Contacting Dell" in the Solutions Guide for instructions on obtaining technical assistance. Computer has started and No action is necessary. turned over control to the operating system. POST Beep Codes If the monitor cannot display errors or problems, during POST the computer might emit a series of beeps, or beep code, that identifies the problem. The POST beep codes are listed below. Beep Codes Possible Cause Corrective Action 1 A memory refresh
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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 Error in the DMA controller on the system board. The keyboard or system board may need to be replaced. DMA 1 Error DMA 2 Error FDD Controller BIOS cannot communicate with the floppy drive or Ensure that the floppy drive or the
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Back to Contents Page Documentation Dell™ Dimension™ 4300 Printed Documentation Online Documentation Printed Documentation HINT: You must right-click the link for a portable document format (PDF) file and save the file to your hard drive. Attempting to open large PDF files through your browser causes your system to freeze. To save PDF files (files with an extension of .pdf) to your hard drive, right-click the document title, click Save Target As in Microsoft® Internet Explorer o
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Back to Contents Page Adding Parts Dell™ Dimension™ 4300 Safety Instructions Adding a Second Hard Drive Shutting Down the Computer Adding Other Drives Reattaching the Front Door and Hinge Arms Replacing the Microprocessor Opening the Computer Cover Removing the Front I/O Panel Adding Cards Replacing the Power Supply Removing Cards Replacing the System Board Adding Memory Closing the Computer Cover Replacing an AGP Card Safety Instructions Use the fo
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2. Ground yourself by touching an unpainted metal surface at the back of the computer before touching anything inside your computer. While you work, periodically touch an unpainted metal surface on the computer to dissipate any static electricity that might harm internal components. 3. Disconnect any devices connected to the computer, including the monitor, from their electrical outlets to reduce the potential for personal injury or shock. Also, disconnect any telephone or telecommunicat
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Reattaching the Hinge Arms 1. Shut down the computer. 2. Disconnect the power cable from your computer. 3. Remove the front door, if it is attached. The front door snaps off of the two hinge arms. 4. Remove the front-panel insert above the front-door bay area. Pull the bottom of the insert with your fingers to remove it. 5. Lift both hinge arms to the horizontal position. 6. Use the two view slots to align the pivot bar with the two pivot-bar slots.
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7. Pull the arms toward you until they snap into place. NOTICE: Using excessive force to pull the hinge arms into place may damage the arms or the front panel. If the hinge arms don't snap back into place on the first attempt, slightly reposition the arms and try again. 8. After the hinge arms clip into place, lower and raise the arms two or three times to properly seat them. 9. Reattach the front-panel insert. 10. Reconnect the power cable to your computer. 11. Reatta
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5. Press the two release buttons as you lift the cover. The release buttons are located on the right and left sides of the computer as it is laying on its side. Adding Cards CAUTION: Before you begin any of the procedures in this section, follow the safety instructions in "Safety Instructions." 1. Shut down the computer. 2. Turn off any attached devices and disconnect them from their electrical outlets. NOTICE: To disconnect a network cable, first unplug the cable fro
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7. Ensure that the card is fully seated in the connector. 8. Lower the plastic securing lever. 9. Connect any cables that should be attached to the card. See the documentation that came with the card for information about the card cable connections. 10. Close the computer cover. 11. Connect your computer and devices to their electrical outlets, and turn them on. NOTICE: To connect a network cable, first plug the cable in to the network wall jack and then plug it
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7. To remove the card, grasp the card by the top corners and lift it out. If the card is difficult to remove, gently ease the card back and forth to remove it from the connector. HINT: Installing filler brackets over empty card- slot openings is necessary to maintain Federal Communications Commission (FCC) certification of the computer. The brackets also keep dust and dirt out of your computer. 8. If you are not replacing the card, install a filler bracket in the empty card-slot
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4. Open the computer cover. 5. If necessary, remove a memory module: a. Press out the securing clip at each end of the memory module connector. b. Grasp the module and pull up. If the module is difficult to remove, gently ease the module back and forth to remove it from the connector. 6. To insert a module, press out the securing clip at each end of the memory module connector. 7. Align the notches on the bottom of the module with the crossbars in the connector.
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6. To replace the AGP card, gently press it down into the slot connector until it clicks into place. Press the card clip lever while inserting the card into the slot connector. Adding a Second Hard Drive CAUTION: Before you begin any of the procedures in this section, follow the safety instructions in "When Working Inside Your Computer." Your computer includes one hard drive. To add a second hard drive: 1. Shut down the computer. 2. Turn off any attached devices and discon
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10. Connect a power cable to the drive. NOTICE: Match the colored strip on the cable with pin 1 on the drive. 11. Locate the extra connector on the drive cable that is attached to your first hard drive and attach the connector to the second hard drive. HINT: Your computer uses cable-select drive cables. This means that the device connected to the end connector of the drive cable is the master device and the device connected to the middle connector is the slave device. Be sure that
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1. Shut down the computer. 2. Turn off any attached devices and disconnect them from their electrical outlets. NOTICE: To disconnect a network cable, first unplug the cable from your computer and then unplug it from the network wall jack. 3. Disconnect the computer power cable from the wall outlet, and then press the power button to ground the system board. 4. Unpack the drive and prepare it for installation. See the documentation that came with the drive to ensure that the
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12. Connect your computer and devices to their electrical outlets, and turn them on. NOTICE: To connect a network cable, first plug the cable in to the network wall jack and then plug it in to the computer. 13. See the documentation that came with the drive for instructions on installing any software required for drive operation. 3.5-Inch Devices CAUTION: Before you begin any of the procedures in this section, follow the safety instructions in "Safety Instructions." 1. Shut do
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11. Carefully replace the drive bay cover. You do not need to replace the cover insert. 12. Connect a power cable to the drive. 13. See the documentation that came with the drive for instructions on connecting a drive cable to the drive. HINT: Your computer uses cable-select drive cables. This means that the device connected to the end connector of the drive cable is the master device and the device connected to the middle connector is the slave device. Be sure the jumper s
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8. For each of the metal securing clips that secure the heat sink to the microprocessor, press down on the clip's latch to release the clip from the retention base. Then lift each clip out of the tabs on the retention base and away from the heat sink. NOTICE: Gently rock the heat sink and then lift it to remove it. 9. Lift the heat sink away from the microprocessor. NOTICE: Do not discard the original heat sink and securing clips unless you are installing a microprocessor upg
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11. Remove the microprocessor from the socket. Leave the release lever extended in the release position so that the socket is ready for the new microprocessor. Installing the Microprocessor NOTICE: You must position the microprocessor package correctly in the socket to avoid permanent damage to the microprocessor and the computer. 1. If the release lever on the ZIF socket is not extended to the release position, move it to that position. 2. Align pin-1 (the beveled corner) of t
