LegacySelect technology control permits the deployment of legacy full, legacy reduced, or legacy free solutions based on a common platform with common hard drive images and common help desk procedures. Control is provided to the administrator through the system setup program, Dell OpenManage™ IT Assistant, or Dell custom factory integration.
LegacySelect allows the administrator to electronically activate or deactivate specific connectors and media devices including: serial and USB connectors, parallel connector, floppy drive, PCI slots, and PS/2 mouse. When the connectors and media devices are deactivated, resources that they might have used are available. Any changes that are made will take place after you reboot the computer.
Dell OpenManage IT Assistant is the premier Dell™ systems management application for configuring, managing, and monitoring computers and other devices on a corporate network. IT Assistant employs the latest remote management technology to provide asset management, configuration management, event (alert) management, and security management for systems equipped with industry-standard management software. Software of this type is called system management instrumentation.
IT Assistant supports instrumentation that conforms to the following industry standards:
Simple Network Management Protocol (SNMP)
Desktop Management Interface (DMI)
Common Information Model (CIM)
The instrumentation available for your computer is Dell OpenManage Client instrumentation, which is based on DMI and CIM. For more information on IT Assistant, see the Dell OpenManage IT Assistant User's Guide available on the Dell website.
Dell OpenManage Client Instrumentation is software that enables remote management application programs such as IT Assistant to do the following:
Access information about your computer, such as how many processors it has and what operating system it is running
Monitor the status of your computer, such as listening for thermal alerts from temperature probes or hard drive failure alerts from storage devices
Change the state of your computer, such as updating its BIOS or shutting it down remotely
Dell OpenManage Client Instrumentation can be installed on computers like yours, which, when set up on a network with IT Assistant, are called managed systems. For more information about Dell OpenManage Client Instrumentation, see the Dell OpenManage Client Instrumentation User's Guide available on the Dell website.
Enabled — When the computer cover is opened with this setting, a DMI event is generated, the setting changes to Detected, and the following message appears during the boot routine at the next computer start-up:
Alert! Cover was previously removed.
To reset the Detected setting, enter system setup during the computer's power-on self-test (POST). In the Chassis Intrusion option, press the left- or right-arrow key to select Reset, and then choose Enabled, Enabled-Silent, or Disabled.
Enabled-Silent (default) — When the computer cover is opened with this setting, a DMI event is generated and the setting changes to Detected, but the alert message does not appear during the boot sequence at the next computer start-up.
Disabled — No intrusion monitoring occurs and no messages appear.
NOTE: When the setup password is enabled, you must know the setup
password before you can reset the Chassis Intrusion option.
Use one of the following methods to secure your computer:
Use a padlock alone or a padlock and looped security cable with the padlock ring.
A padlock alone prevents the computer from being opened.
A security cable looped around a stationary object and used in conjunction with the padlock can help prevent the unauthorized movement of the computer.
Attach a commercially available antitheft device to the security cable slot on the back of the computer to prevent the unauthorized movement of the computer.
Antitheft devices usually include a segment of metal-stranded cable with an attached locking device and key. Dell recommends that you use a Kensington lock. For instructions on installing this kind of antitheft device, see the documentation that accompanied the device.
NOTE: Before you
purchase an antitheft
device, make sure it
works with the security
cable slot on your
computer.
System passwords allow only those who know the password to have full use of the computer. Your Dell computer does not have the system password feature enabled when you receive it.
NOTICE: Although passwords provide security for the data on your computer,
they are not foolproof. If your data requires more security, it is your
responsibility to obtain and use additional forms of protection, such as data
encryption programs.
NOTICE: If you leave your computer running and unattended without having
a system password assigned, or if you leave your computer unlocked so that
someone can disable the password by changing a jumper setting, anyone can
access the data stored on your hard drive.
System Password settings in system setup:
Enabled — a system password is assigned
Disabled — system password feature is disabled by a jumper setting on the system board
NOTE: You cannot
change or enter a new
system password if either
of these options is
displayed.
Not Enabled — no system password is assigned and the password jumper on the system board is in the enabled position (its default setting)
NOTE: You can only
assign a system password
when System Password is
set to Not Enabled.
Highlight SystemPassword and then press the left- or right-arrow key.
The option heading changes to EnterPassword, followed by an empty 32-character field in square brackets.
Type your new system password.
You can use up to 32 characters.
As you press each character key (or the spacebar for a blank space), a placeholder appears in the field. The password assignment operation recognizes keys by their location on the keyboard, without distinguishing between lowercase and uppercase characters. For example, if you have an M in your password, the computer recognizes either M or m as correct.
Certain key combinations are not valid. If you enter one of these combinations, the speaker emits a beep.
To erase a character when entering your password, press <Backspace> or the left-arrow key.
NOTE: To escape from
the field without assigning
a system password, press
<Tab> or the
<Shift><Tab>
combination to move to
another field, or press
<Esc> at any time prior
to completing step 5.
Press <Enter>.
If the new system password is less than 32 characters, the whole field fills with placeholders. Then the option heading changes to Verify Password, followed by another empty 32-character field in square brackets.
To confirm your password, type it a second time and press <Enter>.
The password setting changes to Enabled. Your system password is now set; you can exit system setup and begin using your computer. Password protection takes effect when you reboot the computer by turning the computer off and then on again.
When you turn on your computer, or when you reboot the computer by pressing the <Ctrl><Alt><Del> combination, the following prompt appears on the screen when Password Status is set to Unlocked:
Type in the password and
- press <ENTER> to leave password security enabled.
- press <CTRL><ENTER> to disable password security.
Enter password:
If PasswordStatus is set to Locked, the following prompt appears:
Type the password and press <Enter>.
NOTE: If you have
assigned a setup
password, the computer
accepts your setup
password as an alternate
system password.
If you enter a wrong or incomplete system password, the following message appears on the screen:
** Incorrect password. **
Enter password:
If you again enter an incorrect or incomplete system password, the same message appears on the screen. The third and subsequent times you enter an incorrect or incomplete system password, the computer displays the following message:
** Incorrect password. **
Number of unsuccessful password attempts: 3
System halted! Must power down.
Even after your computer is turned off and on, the previous message is displayed each time an incorrect or incomplete system password is entered.
NOTE: You can use
Password Status in
conjunction with System
Password and Setup
Password to further
protect your computer
from unauthorized
changes.
To delete or change an existing system password, perform the following steps:
Enter system setup program, and verify that Password Status is set to
Unlocked.
Reboot your computer to force it to prompt you for a system password.
When prompted, type the system password.
Press <Ctrl><Enter> to disable the existing system password,
instead of pressing <Enter> to continue with the normal operation of
your computer.
Confirm that Not Enabled is displayed for the System Password
option.
If Not Enabled appears in the System Password option, the system password has been deleted. If you want to assign a new password, continue to step 6. If Not Enabled is not displayed for the System Password option, press <Alt><B> to reboot the computer, and then repeat steps 3 through 5.
Setup passwords allow only those who know the password to have full use of system setup. Your Dell computer does not have the setup password feature enabled when you receive it.
Setup Password options in system setup:
Enabled — does not allow assignment of setup passwords; users must enter a setup password to make changes to system setup
Not Enabled — allows assignment of setup passwords; password feature is enabled but no password is assigned
Enter system setup, and verify that Setup Password is set to Not
Enabled.
Highlight Setup Password and press the left- or right-arrow key.
The computer prompts you to enter and verify the password. If a character is illegal for password use, the computer emits a beep.
Type in and then verify the password.
After you verify the password, the Setup Password setting changes to Enabled. The next time you attempt to enter system setup, the computer prompts you for the setup password.
NOTE: The setup
password can be the same
as the system password.
NOTE: If the two
passwords are different,
the setup password can be
used as an alternate
system password.
However, the system
password cannot be used
in place of the setup
password.
A change to Setup Password becomes effective immediately (rebooting the computer is not required).
Close the computer cover and reconnect the computer and devices to
an electrical outlet and turn them on.
Booting your computer with the PSWD jumper installed reenables the password feature. When you enter system setup, both password options appear as Not Enabled, meaning that the password feature is enabled but that no password is assigned.
Each time you start your computer, it compares the installed hardware with the computer configuration information stored in nonvolatile random access memory (NVRAM). If the computer detects a discrepancy, it generates an error messages for each incorrect configuration setting.
You can use computer settings as follows:
To set user-selectable options such as date and time, or system password
To read the current amount of memory or set the type of hard drive installed
You can view the current settings at any time. Dell recommends that you print the system setup screens (by pressing <Print Screen>) or record the information for future reference.
Before you use system setup, you need to know the kind of floppy drive(s) and hard drive(s) installed in your computer. If you are unsure of this information, see the Manufacturing Test Report that was shipped with your computer and is located in the Dell Accessories folder.
When Press <F2> to Enter Setup appears in the upper-right
corner of the screen, press <F2> immediately.
If you wait too long and the Microsoft® Windows® Windows logo appears, continue to wait until you see the Windows desktop. Then shut down your computer and try again.
NOTE: To ensure an orderly computer shutdown, consult the
documentation that accompanied your operating system.
The system setup screens display the current configuration information for your computer. Information on the screen is organized into four areas:
Title — the box at the top of all screens lists the computer name.
Computer data — two boxes below the title box that display your computer processor, level 2 (L2) cache, service tag, and the version number of the basic input/output system (BIOS.)
Options — a scrollable box listing options that define the configuration of your computer, including installed hardware, power conservation, and security features.
Fields to the right of the option titles contain settings or values. Those you can change appear bright on the screen. Those you cannot change (because they are set by the computer) appear less bright. When <Enter> appears to the right of an option title, press <Enter> to access a popup menu of additional options.
Key functions — a line of boxes across the bottom of all screens that lists keys and their functions within system setup.
Help — press <F1> for information in the currently highlighted option.
When F2 = Setup appears in the upper-right corner of the screen,
press <Ctr><Alt><F8>.
NOTE: This feature
changes the boot sequence
for one time only. On the
next start-up, the
computer boots according
to the devices specified in
system setup. This is
helpful when you need to
change the boot devices
quickly. For example, you
can cause the computer to
boot from the CD drive to
run the Dell Diagnostics,
but the computer boots
from the hard drive when
the diagnostic tests are
complete.
The Boot Device Menu appears.
NOTE: If you wait too
long and the Windows
logo appears, continue to
wait until you see the
Windows desktop. Then
shut down your computer
and try again.
Option settings:
Normal — The computer attempts to boot from the sequence of devices specified in system setup.
Diskette Drive — The computer attempts to boot from the floppy drive. If the computer finds a floppy in the drive that is not bootable, an error message will appear. If no floppy is in the drive, an error message appears.
Hard Drive — The computer attempts to boot from the primary hard drive. If the computer does not find an operating system on the drive, an error message appears.
IDE CD Drive — The computer attempts to boot from the IDE CD drive. If the computer does not find a CD in the drive or if there is not an operating system on the CD, an error message appears.
Use the arrow keys to highlight the Boot Sequence menu option and
press <Enter> to access the pop-up menu.
NOTE: Write down your current boot sequence in case you want to
restore it.
Press the up- and down-arrow keys to move through the list of devices.
Press the spacebar to enable or disable a device (enabled devices
appear with a check mark).
Press plus (+) or minus (–) to move a selected device up or down the
list.
Option settings:
Diskette Drive — The computer attempts to boot from the floppy drive. If the computer finds a floppy in the drive that is not bootable, an error message appears. If no floppy is in the drive, the computer attempts to boot from the next device in the list.
Hard Drive — The computer attempts to boot from the primary hard drive. If the computer does not find an operating system on the drive, it attempts to boot from the next device in the list.
CD Drive — The computer attempts to boot from the CD drive. If the computer does not find a CD in the drive or if there is not an operating system on the CD, the computer attempts to boot from the next device in the list.
MBA — The system prompts you to press <Ctrl><Alt><b> at the Dell logo screen during boot. A menu appears that allows you to select a method for booting from a network server. If a boot routine is not available from the network server, the system attempts to boot from the next device in the list.
AC Power Recovery determines what happens when AC power is restored to the computer.
When Off is selected, the computer remains off when AC power is restored. When On is selected, the computer starts up when AC power is restored.
When Last is selected, the computer returns to the AC power state existing at the time that AC power was lost. If the computer is on when AC power is lost, the computer starts up when AC power is restored. If the computer is off when AC power is lost, the computer remains off when AC power is restored.
Asset Tag displays the customer-programmable asset tag number for the computer if an asset tag number is assigned. You can use the Asset Tag utility, which is included with your software support utilities, to enter an asset tag number up to ten characters long into nonvolatile random-access memory (NVRAM).
Auto Power On allows you to set the time and days of the week to turn on the computer automatically. You can set Auto Power On to turn on the computer either every day or every Monday through Friday.
NOTE: This feature does not work if you turn off your computer using a
power strip or surge protector.
Time is kept in a 24-hour format (hours:minutes). To change the start-up time, press the right-arrow key to increase the number in the highlighted field or press the left-arrow key to decrease the number. If you prefer, you can type numbers in both the date and time fields.
The default for Auto Power On is Disabled.
CPU ID provides the manufacturer's identification code for the installed microprocessor.
CPU Information
CPU Speed indicates the processor speed at which your computer boots.
Press the left- or right-arrow key to toggle the CPU Speed option between the resident microprocessor's rated speed (the default) and a lower compatibility speed, which lets you accommodate speed-sensitive application programs. A change to this option takes effect immediately (rebooting the computer is not required).
To toggle between the rated processor speed and the compatibility speed while the computer is running in real mode, press <Ctrl><Alt><\>. (For keyboards that do not use American English, press <Ctrl><Alt><#>.)
Bus Speed indicates the speed of the microprocessor's system bus, or front-side bus (FSB).
Processor ID provides the manufacturer's identification code(s) for the installed microprocessor.
Clock Speed indicates the core speed at which the microprocessor(s) operates.
Cache Size displays the size of the microprocessor's level 2 (L2) cache.
Diskette Drive A identifies the type of floppy drives installed in your computer. With the standard cabling configuration, Diskette Drive A (the boot floppy drive) is the 3.5-inch floppy drive installed in the top externally accessible drive bay.
The Diskette Drive A option has the following possible settings:
3.5 Inch, 1.44 MB
Not Installed
NOTE: Tape drives are not reflected in the Diskette Drive A option. For
example, if you have a single floppy drive and a tape drive attached to the
floppy drive interface cable, set Diskette Drive A to match the
characteristics of the floppy drive.
Fastboot allows your computer to boot in 10 seconds or less. The default setting is On. If you do not want your computer to skip certain configurations and tests during boot, you may set this option to Off.
Integrated Devices. This option configures the following devices integrated with the system board:
Press <Enter> to configure these options as explained in the following subsections.
Sound determines whether the integrated audio controller is On or Off. The default is On.
USB Controller enables or disables the onboard USB controller. The onboard USB controller is always enabled during the BIOS boot process. When set to On, the onboard USB controller remains enabled when control is passed to the operating system. When set to Off, the USB controller is disabled when control is passed to the operating system.
Network Interface Controller determines whether the integrated network adapter is On, Off, or Onw/ MBA. The default is On. If you select On w/ MBA, you are prompted to press <Ctrl><Alt><b> at the Dell logo screen during computer boot. A menu then appears that allows you to select PXE, RPL, BootP, or NetWare as the active boot mode.
Mouse Port enables or disables the computer's integrated Personal System/2 (PS/2)-compatible mouse port. Disabling the mouse allows an expansion card to use interrupt request (IRQ)12.This setting is used to control the use of this legacy device.
Serial Port 1 and Serial Port 2 configure the computer's integrated serial connectors. You can set these options to Auto (the default) to automatically configure a connector, to a particular designation (COM1 or COM3 for Serial Port 1; COM2 or COM4 for Serial Port 2), or to Off to control the use of this legacy device or to disable the connector.
If you set a serial connector to Auto and add an expansion card containing a connector configured to the same designation, the computer automatically remaps the integrated port to the next available connector designation that shares the same IRQ setting as follows:
COM1 (input/output [I/O] address 3F8h), which shares IRQ4 with COM3, is remapped to COM3 (I/O address 3E8h).
COM2 (I/O address 2F8h), which shares IRQ3 with COM4, is remapped to COM4 (I/O address 2E8h).
NOTE: When two COM connectors share an IRQ setting, you can use
either connector as necessary, but you may not be able to use them both at
the same time. If you are running the Microsoft® Windows® 95 or IBM®
OS/2® operating system, you cannot use both serial connectors at the
same time. If the second connector (COM3 or COM4) is also in use, the
integrated connector is turned off.
Parallel Port configures the computer's integrated parallel connector. Press <Enter> to configure the Parallel Port options explained in the following subsections.
Mode: You can set this option to PS/2, EPP, ECP, AT, or Off to control the use of this legacy device or to disable the connector. Set this option according to the type of device connected to the parallel connector. To determine the correct mode to use, see the documentation that came with the device.
I/O Address: This option determines the I/O address used by the parallel connector and appears except when Mode is set to Off. You can set I/O Address to 378h (the default), 278h, or 3BCh.
NOTE: You cannot set the parallel connector to 3BCh if Mode is set to
EPP.
DMA Channel: This option determines the direct memory access (DMA) channel used by the parallel connector and appears only when Mode is set to ECP. The available options are DMA 1, DMA 3, and Off.
IDE Drive Interface: enables or disables the computer's integrated device electronics (IDE) hard drive interface. With Auto (the default) selected, the computer turns off the IDE interface when necessary to accommodate a controller card installed in an expansion slot. As part of the boot routine, the computer first checks for a primary hard drive controller card installed in an expansion slot. If no card is found, the computer enables the IDE interface to use IRQ14 and IRQ15. If a primary controller is detected on the expansion bus, the IDE interface is disabled. Selecting Off disables the IDE interface.
Diskette Interface: controls the operation of the computer's integrated floppy drive controller. With Auto (the default) selected, the computer turns off the integrated floppy drive controller when necessary to accommodate a controller card installed in an expansion slot.
With Read Only selected, nothing can be written to any floppy drive using the computer's integrated floppy drive controller. (The computer can still read from the drives.) When Read Only is selected, Auto is also in effect, meaning that the computer turns off the integrated floppy drive controller as necessary.
Selecting Off turns off the integrated floppy drive controller; this setting is used to control the use of this legacy device or for troubleshooting purposes.
USB Emulation: determines whether the computer's basic input/output system (BIOS) controls Universal Serial Bus (USB) keyboards and mice. When On is selected (the default), the BIOS controls USB keyboards and mice until a USB driver is loaded by the operating system. When Off is selected, the BIOS does not control USB keyboards and mice, although they function during the boot routine. Set USB Emulation to Off if you are using a PS/2-compatible keyboard and mouse.
NOTE: For Windows NT®, Off is the default setting.
Primary Video Controller: determines which video controller to use when the computer boots. When Auto is selected, the computer searches first for a PCI expansion card and then for an AGP expansion card. If the computer has only an AGP expansion card installed, the computer uses the AGP card; if the computer has only a PCI expansion card installed, the computer uses the PCI card; and if the computer has both AGP and PCI expansion cards installed, the computer will use both cards. When AGP (the default) is selected, the computer uses the AGP expansion card.
NOTE: For Windows NT,
if Primary Video
Controller is set to Auto
and the computer has
both AGP and PCI
expansion cards installed,
the computer will use the
PCI expansion card.
Video DAC Snoop: lets you correct video problems that may occur when you use certain video expansion cards. The default is Off. If you are using a video expansion card and problems such as incorrect colors or blank windows occur, set Video DAC Snoop to On.
Keyboard NumLock determines whether your computer boots with the Num Lock mode activated on 101- or 102-key keyboards (it does not apply to 84-key keyboards). When Num Lock mode is activated, the rightmost bank of keys on your keyboard provides the mathematical and numeric functions shown at the top of each key. When Num Lock mode is turned off, these keys provide cursor-control functions shown by the label on the bottom of each key.
Memory Information indicates the amount of installed memory detected in your computer, the computer memory speed, the amount of video memory, and the size of the display cache. After you add memory, check this option to confirm that the new memory is installed correctly and is recognized by the computer.
PCI IRQ Assignment specifies which IRQ lines are assigned to the Peripheral Component Interconnect (PCI) devices installed in the computer. Press <Enter> to configure these devices. Then select the device whose IRQ line you want to change, and press the plus (+) or minus (–) key to scroll through the available IRQ lines. Normally you do not need to change the IRQ lines assigned to PCI devices unless a particular device, device driver, or operating system requires a specific IRQ line already in use by a PCI device.
Primary Drive n and Secondary Drive n
Primary Drive n identifies drives attached to the primary IDE interface connector (labeled "IDE1") on the system board; Secondary Drive n identifies drives connected to the secondary IDE interface connector (labeled "IDE2"). Use the secondary IDE interface connector for IDE CD, DVD, and tape drives.
NOTE: For all devices obtained from Dell that use the integrated IDE
controller, set the appropriate Drive option to Auto.
NOTE: You must have an IDE device connected to the primary IDE
interface if you have an IDE device connected to the secondary IDE
interface.
The following settings identify the type of IDE devices installed in the computer:
Auto (use this setting for all IDE devices from Dell)
Off
To choose a setting for each option, press <Enter> to access the field's pop-up settings menu. Then type characters from the keyboard or press the left- or right-arrow key to cycle through the settings.
NOTE: Operating
systems that bypass the
computer BIOS may not
obtain optimum hard
drive performance.
If the computer generates a drive error message the first time you boot your computer after you install an IDE drive, your drive may not work with the automatic drive-type detect feature. Press <Alt><d> in any hard drive field to set the hard drive autoconfiguration feature.
During POST the computer scans the IDE channels for supported devices and generates a summary message. For example, if it finds that a hard drive is connected to the Primary channel and a CD drive is connected to the Secondary channel, it generates the following message:
Performing automatic IDE configuration...
Primary Master: IDE Disk Drive
Secondary Master: CD-ROM Reader
If it detects a device during the scan, it sets the device to Auto in system setup. If no device is listed, it sets the device setting to Off in system setup.
If your computer does not reset after you perform these steps, enter system setup and reset the computer to its original Dell settings.
Restart your computer.
As the system reboots, press <F2> to enter system setup.
When the system setup screen appears, press <Alt><F> to load the
Dell default settings.
The computer beeps when the settings are restored.
NOTE: Verify that
the time, date, and year
are corect and that the
Secondary Drive 0 option
is set to Auto.
Press <Esc> and then press <Enter> to save your changes and exit.
The following figure shows the jumpers on the system board.
System Board Jumpers
NOTICE: Make sure that your computer is turned off and unplugged before
you change the jumper settings. Otherwise, damage to your computer or
unpredictable results may occur.
To change a jumper setting, pull the plug off its pin(s) and carefully fit it down onto the pin(s) indicated.
When you obtain software, check it for viruses with virus-scanning software before installing it on your computer's hard drive. Viruses can quickly use all available computer memory, damage or destroy data stored on the hard drive, and permanently affect the performance of the programs they infect. Several commercial virus-scanning programs are available for purchase, and most bulletin board services (BBSs) on the Internet archive freely distributed virus-scanning programs that you can download with a modem.
Before you install a program, read its documentation to learn how the program works, what hardware it requires, and what its defaults are. A program usually includes installation instructions in its accompanying documentation and a software installation routine on its program floppy disks or CD(s).
The software installation routine assists you in transferring the appropriate program files to your computer's hard drive. Installation instructions may provide details about how to configure your operating system to successfully run the program. Always read the installation instructions before running a program's installation routine. You may be instructed to modify some operating system start-up files, such as config.sys and autoexec.bat, or the installation routine may modify start-up files automatically.
When you run the installation routine, be prepared to respond to prompts for information about how your computer's operating system is configured, what type of computer you have, and what devices are connected to your computer.
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