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Dell™ Dimension™ 5100C
front-panel door (open)
optional floppy drive or
media card reader*
diagnostic lights
headphone connector
CD or DVD drive light
front-panel
door (push to
microphone connector USB 2.0 connectors (2)
open)
IEEE 1394 connector
power button
hard-drive light
voltage selection switch
power connector
line-out connector
line-in connector
microphone connector
center/LFE connector
surround sound
connector
S/PDIF-out connector
integrated video connector
modem connector
USB 2.0 co
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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. ® ® If you purchased a Dell™ n Series computer, any references in this document to Microsoft Windows operating systems are not applicable. ____________________ Info
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Contents Finding Information . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9 1 Setting Up and Using Your Computer Setting Up a Printer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13 Printer Cable . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13 Connecting a USB Printer. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14 Using a Media Card Reader (Optional) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14 Connecting a TV (Optional) . . . . .
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2 Solving Problems Troubleshooting Tips. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27 Battery Problems. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27 Drive Problems. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27 CD and DVD drive problems . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28 Hard drive problems . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 29 E-Mail, Modem, and Internet Problems . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
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3 Troubleshooting Tools Diagnostic Lights. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 43 Dell Diagnostics . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 46 When to Use the Dell Diagnostics . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 46 Dell Diagnostics Main Menu . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 46 Drivers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 47 What Is a Driver? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
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Drives. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 71 Connecting Drive Cables . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 72 Drive Interface Connectors. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 72 Power Cable Connector . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 72 Connecting and Disconnecting Drive Cables. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 73 Hard Drive . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 73 Removing a
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Cleaning Your Computer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 105 Computer, Keyboard, and Monitor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 105 Mouse. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 105 CDs and DVDs. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 106 Dell Technical Support Policy (U.S. Only). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 106 Definition of "Dell-Installed" Software and Peripherals . . . . . . . . . 106 Definition of "Th
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8 Contents
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Finding Information NOTE: Some features may not be available for your computer or in certain countries. NOTE: Additional information may ship with your computer. What Are You Looking For? Find it Here Warranty information Dell™ Product Information Guide Terms and Conditions (U.S. only) Safety instructions Regulatory information Ergonomics information End User License Agreement How to set up my computer Setup Diagram Finding Information 9
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What Are You Looking For? Find it Here Service Tag and Express Service Code Service Tag and Microsoft Windows License Microsoft Windows License Label These labels are located on your computer. Use the Service Tag to identify your computer when you use support.dell.com or contact technical support. Enter the Express Service Code to direct your call when contacting technical support. Solutions — Troubleshooting hints and tips, articles Dell Support Website — support.dell.com from t
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What Are You Looking For? Find it Here How to use Windows XP Windows Help and Support Center Documentation for my computer 1 Click the Start button and click Help and Support. Documentation for devices (such as a modem) 2 Type a word or phrase that describes your problem and click the arrow icon. 3 Click the topic that describes your problem. 4 Follow the instructions on the screen. Finding Information 11
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12 Finding Information www.dell.com | support.dell.com
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Setting Up and Using Your Computer Setting Up a Printer NOTICE: Complete the operating system setup before you connect a printer to the computer. See the documentation that came with the printer for setup information, including how to: Obtain and install updated drivers. Connect the printer to the computer. Load paper and install the toner or ink cartridge. Contact the printer manufacturer for technical assistance. Printer Cable Your printer connects to your computer with a USB cable. Y
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Connecting a USB Printer NOTE: You can connect USB devices while the computer is turned on. 1 Complete the operating system setup, if you have not already done so. 2 Install the printer driver if necessary. See the documentation that came with your printer. 3 Attach the USB printer cable to the USB connectors on the computer and the printer. The USB connectors fit only one way. USB connector on computer USB printer cable USB connector on printer Using a Media Card Reader (Optional) Use the me
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For information on installing a Media Card Reader, see "Installing a Media Card Reader" on page 81. xD-Picture Card and SmartMedia (SMC) CompactFlash Type I and II (CF I/II) and MicroDrive Card Memory Stick (MS/MS Pro) SecureDigital Card (SD)/ MultiMediaCard (MMC) To use the media card reader: 1 Check the media or card to determine the proper orientation for insertion. 2 Slide the media or card into the appropriate slot until it is completely seated in the connector. If you encounter resis
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Changing the Display Settings 1 After you connect the TV, turn on the computer. ® ® The Microsoft Windows desktop displays on the monitor. 2 Enable clone mode or extended desktop mode in the display settings. In clone mode, the monitor and TV 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 i
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Network Setup Wizard ® ® The Microsoft Windows XP operating system provides a Network Setup Wizard to guide you through the process of sharing files, printers, or an Internet connection between computers in a home or small office. 1 Click the Start button, point to All Programs→ Accessories→ Communications, and then click Network Setup Wizard. 2 On the welcome screen, click Next. 3 Click Checklist for creating a network. NOTE: Selecting the connection method This computer connects directly t
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If you do not have an MSN Explorer or AOL icon on your desktop or if you want to set up an Internet connection with a different ISP: 1 Save and close any open files, and exit any open programs. 2 Click the Start button and click Internet Explorer. The New Connection Wizard appears. 3 Click Connect to the Internet. 4 In the next window, click the appropriate option: If you do not have an ISP and want to select one, click Choose from a list of Internet service providers (ISPs). If you have a
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4 Press the eject button or gently push in the tray. To format CDs for storing data, to create music CDs, or to copy CDs, see the CD software that came with your computer. NOTE: Ensure that you follow all copyright laws when you create CDs. Setting Up and Using Your Computer 19
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A CD player includes the following basic buttons: Play. Move backward within the current track. Pause. Move forward within the current track. Stop. Go to the previous track. Eject. Go to the next track. A DVD player includes the following basic buttons: Stop. Play. Fast forward. Pause. Fast reverse. Go to the next title or chapter. Go to the previous title or chapter. For more information on playing CDs or DVDs, click Help on the CD or DVD player (if available). 20 Setting Up and Using Your Comp
