Dell™ Optiplex™ 960
Setup and Quick Reference Guide
This guide provides a features overview, specifications, and quick setup,
software, and troubleshooting information for your computer. For more
information about your operating system, devices, and technologies, see
the Dell Technology Guide at support.dell.com.
Models DCSM, DCNE, DCCY
w w w . d e l l . c o m | s u p p o r t . d e l l . c o m

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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.
Macrovision Product Notice
This product incorporates copyright protection technology that is protected by
method claims of certain U.S. patents and other intellectual property rights
owned by Macrovision Corporation and other rights owners. Use of this
copyright protection technology must be authorized by Macrovision
Corporation, and is intended for home and other limited viewing uses only
unless otherwise authorized by Macrovision Corporation. Reverse engineering
or disassembly is prohibited.
____________________
Information in this document is subject to change without notice.
© 2008 Dell Inc. All rights reserved.
Reproduction of these materials in any manner whatsoever without the written permission of Dell Inc.
is strictly forbidden.
Trademarks used in this text: Dell, the DELL logo, OptiPlex, and DellConnect are trademarks of Dell
Inc.; Bluetooth is a registered trademark owned by Bluetooth SIG, Inc., and is used by Dell under
license; Intel, Pentium, iAMT, Core, and Celeron are registered trademarks of Intel Corporation in the
U.S. and other countries; Blu-ray Disc is a trademark of the Blu-ray Disc Association; Microsoft,
Windows, Windows Server, MS-DOS, Windows Vista, and the Windows Vista start button logo are either
trademarks or registered trademarks of Microsoft Corporation in the United States and/or other
countries; AMD, ATI, and ATI Mobility Radeon are trademarks of Advanced Micro Devices, Inc.
Other trademarks and trade names may be used in this document to refer to either the entities claiming
the marks and names or their products. Dell Inc. disclaims any proprietary interest in trademarks and
trade names other than its own.
Models DCSM, DCNE, DCCY
August 2008
P/N K080D
Rev. A00

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Contents
1
About Your Computer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7
Mini Tower — Front View . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7
Mini Tower — Back View . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8
Mini Tower — Back Panel Connectors . . . . . . . . . . 9
Desktop — Front View. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10
Desktop — Back View . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11
Desktop — Back Panel Connectors. . . . . . . . . . . 12
Small Form Factor— Front View . . . . . . . . . . . . 13
Small Form Factor— Back View . . . . . . . . . . . . 14
Small Form Factor— Back Panel Connectors . . . . . 15
2
Setting Up Your Computer . . . . . . . . . . . . 17
Quick Setup . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17
Installing Your Computer in an Enclosure. . . . . . . . 22
Connecting to the Internet . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24
Setting Up Your Internet Connection . . . . . . . . 24
Contents
3

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Transferring Information to a New Computer . . . . . . 25
Microsoft® Windows Vista® Operating
System. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25
Microsoft Windows® XP . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25
3
Specifications . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 29
4
Troubleshooting Tips . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 39
Using the Hardware Troubleshooter. . . . . . . . . . . 39
Tips . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 39
Power Problems . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 39
Memory Problems . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 47
Lockups and Software Problems . . . . . . . . . . 48
Dell Technical Update Service . . . . . . . . . . . 49
Dell Diagnostics. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 49
5
Reinstalling Software . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 51
Drivers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 51
Identifying Drivers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 51
Reinstalling Drivers and Utilities . . . . . . . . . . 51
Restoring Your Operating System . . . . . . . . . . . . 53
Using Microsoft® Windows® System Restore . . . 54
Using Dell Factory Image Restore . . . . . . . . . 54
Using the Operating System Media. . . . . . . . . 55
4
Contents

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6
Finding Information . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 57
7
Getting Help . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 59
Obtaining Assistance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 59
Fast Call for Help . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 60
Loading iAMT drivers on installation . . . . . . . . 60
Technical Support and Customer Service . . . . . 61
DellConnect™ . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 61
Online Services . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 61
AutoTech Service . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 62
Automated Order-Status Service. . . . . . . . . . 62
Problems With Your Order . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 62
Product Information . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 63
Returning Items for Warranty Repair or Credit . . . . . 63
Before You Call . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 64
Contacting Dell . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 66
Index . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 67
Contents
5

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6
Contents

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About Your Computer
Mini Tower — Front View
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
12
11
1
hard drive activity light
2
link integrity light
3
WiFi (optional) light
4
diagnostic lights
5
power button, power light
6
optical drive
About Your Computer
7

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7
optical-drive eject button
8
optical-drive filler panel
9
flex bay (for optional floppy drive
10
USB 2.0 connectors (4)
or memory card reader)
11
headphone connector
12
microphone connector
Mini Tower — Back View
4
3
2
5
1
6
7
1
power supply check button
2
power supply check light
3
cover-release latch and padlock ring 4
security cable slot
(security screw also an option)
8
About Your Computer

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5
power connector
6
back-panel connectors
7
expansion-card slots (4)
Mini Tower — Back Panel Connectors
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
14
13
12
11
10
1
PS2 mouse connector
2
parallel (printer) connector
3
serial connector
4
network-activity light
5
network adapter connector
6
link-integrity light
7
space for optional wireless
8
line-out connector
connector
9
line-in/microphone connector
10
USB 2.0 connectors (6)
11
VGA video connector
12
eSATA connector
13
DisplayPort connector
14
PS2 keyboard connector
About Your Computer
9

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Desktop — Front View
1
2
3
4
12
11
10
9
8
7
6
5
1
power button, power light
2
optical drive
3
optical-drive tray eject button
4
Dell™ badge
5
USB 2.0 connectors (2)
6
microphone connector
7
headphone connector
8
flex bay (for optional floppy drive,
memory card reader, or second
3.5-inch hard disk drive)
9
hard drive activity light
10
link integrity light
11
WiFi (optional) light
12
diagnostic lights
10
About Your Computer

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Document Outline

• Contents
• About Your Computer
  • Mini Tower - Front View
  • Mini Tower - Back View
  • Mini Tower - Back Panel Connectors
  • Desktop - Front View
  • Desktop - Back View
  • Desktop - Back Panel Connectors
  • Small Form Factor- Front View
  • Small Form Factor- Back View
  • Small Form Factor- Back Panel Connectors
• Setting Up Your Computer
  • Quick Setup
  • Installing Your Computer in an Enclosure
  • Connecting to the Internet
    • Setting Up Your Internet Connection
  • Transferring Information to a New Computer
    • Microsoft® Windows Vista® Operating System
    • Microsoft Windows® XP
• Specifications
• Troubleshooting Tips
  • Using the Hardware Troubleshooter
  • Tips
    • Power Problems
    • Memory Problems
    • Lockups and Software Problems
    • Dell Technical Update Service
    • Dell Diagnostics
• Reinstalling Software
  • Drivers
    • Identifying Drivers
    • Reinstalling Drivers and Utilities
  • Restoring Your Operating System
    • Using Microsoft® Windows® System Restore
    • Using Dell Factory Image Restore
    • Using the Operating System Media
• Finding Information
• Getting Help
  • Obtaining Assistance
    • Fast Call for Help
    • Loading iAMT drivers on installation
    • Technical Support and Customer Service
    • DellConnect’
    • Online Services
    • AutoTech Service
    • Automated Order-Status Service
  • Problems With Your Order
  • Product Information
  • Returning Items for Warranty Repair or Credit
  • Before You Call
  • Contacting Dell
• Index

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