hp vectra vl410

professional and cost effective for your office environment

versatile

The HP Vectra vl410 is a desktop PC designed to provide office/productivity environments with a professional solution at an affordable price. With the HP Vectra vl410, you get configuration flexibility, full expandability, and a system that is easy to manage, deploy and support in your IT environment. Built around the Intel CeleronTM (256Kbytes-cache) processor and the tried-and-tested Intel i815e chipset, the HP Vectra vl410 brings you performance and quality at a price you dont have to think twice about.

flexibility

The wide choice of technologies available with the HP Vectra vl410 makes the system particularly attractive for the office/productivity environment. In addition to the choice of hard disk drive capacities (20 or 40 GB) and optical devices, a full selection of operating systems is available: Windows98, Windows 2000 Professional, Windows NT Workstation 4.0, Windows XP Home and Pro from January 2002, Linux. The HP Vectra vl410 also comes, on selected models, with Office XP Small Business version 2002 application from Microsoft, a USB e-modem, and with a multimedia USB keyboard. Please also notice the choice of graphics solutions to ensure outstanding 2D or 3D performance and visual quality.

expandability

With the HP Vectra vl410s expandability features, its easy to upgrade to meet changing needs. Simply add another hard drive, optical device, memory module, or any PCI or AGP cards through the easy-to-access slots, shelves and bays. With the HP Vectra vl410, your investment is protected, so youre ready for the future!

Intel Celeron

(256Kbytes-cache) processor
With the launch of Pentium4, Intel has transferred its Pentium III technology to its Celeron processors, so you now get the performance of 256Kbytes-cache technology at a Celeron price. HP benchmark tests have also shown that the Celeron 1.2GHz, introduced in October 2001, performs 10 per cent better than its Pentium III 1.0GHz predecessor on the HP Vectra vl410. With higher Celeron frequencies (1.3 to 1.5GH), the HP Vectra vl410 performance is even more outstanding! With the HP Vectra vl410 you can therefore be sure of getting application performances in line with todays office requirements, at an affordable price.

serviceability

The HP Vectra vl410 has been designed with platform serviceability in mind. With instant opening, screwless I/O release and easily extractable drive trays, the HP Vectra vl410 provides easy access for servicing and quick upgrades. In this way, uptime is increased and your support costs are kept to a minimum.

cost effective

stable and flexible PCs to reduce lifecycle cost
HP professional PCs innovative features and tools let you reduce PC lifecycle cost through comprehensive deployment, management and support solutions.

professional line

easy to deploy
HP professional PCs help you reduce cost of deployment and IT workload, thanks to:
long life cycles, 9 months minimum, customer image testing service,
to avoid frequent platform rolls.
software image stability, to prevent
providing tests of your image in HP before each hardware roll, a customized notification, and if necessary image patching.
Rembo auto-deployTM, to easily deploy
software image changes along the platform life.
proactive notification via e-mail of
hundreds of PCs or laptops simultaneously.
Rembo auto-backupTM, to instantly
any change on the platform.
image creation and recovery CD-ROM,
backup or restore your PC or laptop software.
to recover your pre-installed software.
image library and diagnostics CD-ROM,

make your life easy

containing HP drivers and system software for easy install, and a hardware diagnostic utility (e-diagtools).

easy to manage

HP professional PCs with HP Toptools provide the inventory information you need, and the most efficient way to decrease desk-side visits, thanks to:
remote inventory management to get

easy to support

HP professional PCs are easy to diagnose, troubleshoot and service, greatly empowering your help desk resources and providing a better user experience, thanks to:
e-diagtools for hardware diagnostic

save money

complete and detailed information about your hardware (HP and non-HP PCs and servers, printers and more). remote boot control and password administration. remote system software updates (BIOS, drivers,.). performance management and alerts reporting. integration with complementary management applications such as HP OpenView and Microsoft SMS.

and remote pre-boot diagnostic. fault management through HP Toptools. instant support for Web-based diagnosis. highly serviceable packages to speed up upgrades.
the hp vectra vl410 at a glance
package processor and chipset
Desktop Celeron with 256KBytes-cache from 1.2GHz to 1.5GHz Celeron with 128KBytes-cache from 900MHz to 1.1GHz Intel i815e step B chipset Fast boot capacity: - less than 10 seconds from sleep mode - less than 30 seconds from OFF state Non-ECC PC133 SDRAM, 2 slots, 64MB to 512MB Ultra ATA/100; 20GB (5400-rpm) or 40GB (7200-rpm) IDE HDDs with SMART II technology DVD-ROM 16X, CD-ROM 48X, optional Zip 250MB Integrated AC97 audio solution; optional internal amplified speaker or headphone Microsoft Windows XP Professional and Home Edition (available from January 2002), Windows 2000 Professional, Windows NT Workstation 4.0, Windows 98 SE, Linux (availability will vary by country), Linux and minimum OS for special builds at customers request, Microsoft Office XP Small Business version 2002 (available in English, French, German, Spanish and Italian) as an optional application Intel embedded 2D/3D Graphics (8MB to 14MB of system memory are allocated to Graphics) or NVIDIA GeForce2 MX , 32MB TwinViewTM dual-display architecture (AGP 4X Add On Board) Standard PS/2 or optional multimedia USB keyboard with hot keys, PS/2 scrolling mouse or optional USB scrolling optical mouse Four USB ports Integrated Intel Pro/100 VE Network connection or optional 3Com 10/100BT PCI card, optional external USB modems HP Toptools, HP e-diagtools, Ultraflow: silent and reliable
hp monitors optimized for hp PCs
HP monitors have optimized the latest display technologies and are thoroughly tested for complete and seamless compatibility with your HP business desktop PC, giving you complete peace of mind and ease of support. And choosing the right HP monitor for your HP desktop has never been easier, with the new Web-based monitor advisor tool: http://www.hp.com/cgi-bin/ desktops/monitor/index.cgi
memory HDD other drives audio OS
enrich your computing experience with hp accessories
HP business desktop accessories are designed to bring power, flexibility, and expandability to your desktops, enabling you to be more effective in your business. HPs wide range of attractively priced accessories come with legendary HP quality and are thoroughly tested to guarantee seamless compatibility with your HP desktop PC. For more information, go to: http://www.hp.com/desktops/

graphics

input devices digital hub LAN manageability and reliability

products/accessories/

HP PCs use genuine Windows Operating Systems. www.microsoft.com/piracy/howtotell
Intel and Pentium are U.S. registered trademarks and Celeron is a U.S. trademark of Intel Corporation. Windows and Windows NT are U.S. registered trademarks and Microsoft is a U.S. trademark of Microsoft Corporation. NVIDIA, GeForce2 MX and TwinView are registered trademarks or trademarks of NVIDIA Corporation in the U.S. and/or other countries. Rembo Auto-Deploy and Auto-Backup are trademarks of Rembo Technology sarl in the U.S. and other countries. All certifications may not be completed at product introduction. Please check with your HP reseller for certification status. In a continuing effort to improve the quality of our products, technical and environmental information in this document is subject to change without notice. All rights reserved. Reproduction, adaptation, or translation without prior written permission is prohibited except as allowed under the copyright laws.

For the latest information on HP Vectra vl410 go to: http://www.hp.com/go/ desktops
Or, for specific information on HP Vectra PCs go to: http://www.hp.com/go/ vectrasupport
Copyright Hewlett-Packard Company 2001 Printed in EU 11/01 5980-6655ENE Printed on recycled paper

hp vectra vl410

troubleshooting guide
www.hp.com/go/vectrasupport

Notice

The information contained in this document is subject to change without notice. Hewlett-Packard makes no warranty of any kind with regard to this material, including, but not limited to, the implied warranties of merchantability and fitness for a particular purpose. Hewlett-Packard shall not be liable for errors contained herein or for incidental or consequential damages in connection with the furnishing, performance, or use of this material. This document contains proprietary information that is protected by copyright. All rights are reserved. No part of this document may be photocopied, reproduced, or translated to another language without the prior written consent of Hewlett-Packard Company. Adobe, Acrobat and Acrobat Reader are trademarks or registered trademarks of Adobe Systems Incorporated. Microsoft, MS-DOS, Windows and Windows NT are U.S registered trademarks of Microsoft Corporation. HP France Business Desktop Division 38053 Grenoble Cedex 9 France 2001 Hewlett-Packard Company

Table of Contents

If You Have a Problem
What to Do First. 8 My PC Doesnt Start Properly. 9 My PC Isnt Working Properly. 11 Hardware Problems. 12 Software Problems. 16 My PC Has an Audio (Sound) Problem. 17 Startup Errors. 19 Frequently Asked Questions. 24 Need More Help?. 25 Diagnose Your Hardware (e-Diagtools). 26 Recovery CD-ROMs. 26 HP Setup Program. 27 Clearing Your PCs CMOS (BIOS) Settings. 29 Your PCs BIOS. 30 Accessing Components in the PC. 32 Support and Information Services. 40 HP Customer Care Center Phone Numbers. 41
Important Safety Information
If you are in any doubt that you can lift the equipment safely, do not try to move it without help. For your safety, never remove the PC's cover without first removing the power cord from the power outlet and any connection to a telecommunications network. If a Power Protection Device is fitted to your PC, you must shut down your computer using the on/off switch, then remove the power cord before removing the PCs cover. Remove the Power Protection Device cables before any servicing operation. Always replace the cover before switching the PC on again. To avoid electric shock, do not open the Power Supply Unit. There are no serviceable parts inside. For your safety only replace with a Power Supply Unit provided by HP Support Services. Ensure that the electrical power requirements of your PC (refer to the label on the Power Supply Unit) can be suitably provided by your electrical installation. There is a danger of explosion if the battery is incorrectly installed. For your safety, never attempt to recharge, disassemble, or burn an old battery. Only replace the battery with the same or equivalent type, as recommended by the manufacturer. The battery in this PC is a lithium battery which does not contain any heavy metals. Nevertheless, in order to protect the environment, do not dispose of batteries in household waste. Please return used batteries either to the shop from which you bought them, to the dealer from whom you purchased your PC, or to HP so that they can either be recycled or disposed of in the correct way. Returned batteries will be accepted free of charge. If you have a modem: Do not attempt to connect this product to the phone line during a lightning storm. Never install telephone jacks in wet locations unless the telephone line has been disconnected at the network interface. Never touch uninsulated telephone wires or terminals unless the telephone line has been disconnected at the network interface. Use caution when installing or modifying telephone lines. Avoid using a telephone (other than a cordless type) during an lightning storm. There may be a risk from lightning. Do not use the telephone to report a gas leak in the vicinity of the leak. Never touch or remove the communications board without first removing the connection to the telephone network. Use minimum N 26 AWG wire for telephone cable. Warning: Some parts inside the computer may be hot, please wait for them to cool down before touching them.

The PC will not shut down if you press the power button

Hardware Problems

This section provides information on how to solve problems with your keyboard, monitor, drives or printer.

WARNING

Be sure to disconnect the power cord and any telecommunication cables from your computer before you remove the cover to check the cable connections or jumper settings. To avoid electrical shock and harm to your eyes by laser light, do not open the laser module of the CD-ROM. The laser module should only be serviced by service personnel. Do not attempt to make any adjustment to the laser unit. Refer to the label on the CD-ROM for power requirements and wavelength. This PC is a class 1 laser product.
The Keyboard Doesnt Work Properly
The keyboard cable is correctly connected The keyboard is clean and no keys are stuck down The keyboard itself is not defective The keyboard settings are not causing a problem You are using the latest BIOS for your PC You didnt spill anything on the keyboard
Plug the cable into the correct connector on the back of the PC. Color coding is used for easy matching. Check all keys are at the same height, and none are stuck Either replace the keyboard by a known working unit or try the keyboard with another PC Select Settings Control Panel Keyboard from the Start menu to view your keyboard settings Download the latest BIOS and instructions for its installation from HPs Web at: www.hp.com/go/vectrasupport Clean the keyboard with a damp cloth. Do not wet it.
Theres a Problem with the Hard Disk
The disk is not damaged in some way
You have not disabled the option to boot your PC from the hard drive in the Boot menu of the Setup program The hard disk drive has been detected
Run ScanDisk and Disk Defragmenter to see if they detect a problem with the hard disk drive. To access these utilities, select Programs Accessories System Tools from the Start menu. Press F8 when the HP logo appears at startup, then select Enter Setup and go to the Boot menu. Press F8 when the HP logo appears at startup, then select Enter Setup and go to the Advanced menu. You should see a hard disk drive declared in the Primary Master field of the IDE Devices submenu. Such alerts can appear on your screen a t startup or while the PC is running. If you receive such an alert, carry out an immediate data backup, then contact HP at www.hp.com/go/vectrasupport to ask for a replacement hard drive.
You have not received a S.M.A.R.T. alert from the HP Toptools Agent indicating that your hard disk drive is defective

All the hard drives internal connections and both ends of the status panel are correctly connected The jumpers on the hard drive are set correctly Check that the drives power and data cables are correctly connected at both ends (hard drive and system board). Refer to the HP Vectra XE310 Upgrade Guide (details on page 5). Check that the jumpers on the hard drive are in CS (cable select) mode.
The Monitor Doesnt Work Properly
The PCs power indicator light works but the monitor remains blank Have you checked that.
The monitor is switched ON (LED is on) The monitors power cord is correctly connected The monitor (video) cable is correctly connected The monitors brightness and contrast settings are correctly set
Refer to the monitor manual for an explanation of the LED signals (green, orange, or blinking) Connect the power cord ensure it is plugged into a working grounded power outlet and into the monitor Connect the monitor (video) cable ensure it is properly connected to both the PC and the monitor Check the settings using the monitors OSD (on-screen display) or using controls on the front of the monitor
There is an image during boot but then the screen goes blank Have you checked that.
The monitor settings in your PC are compatible with your monitor
Windows 98 & Windows 2000: Restart the PC. The PC opening
screen is displayed. For Windows 98, when you hear a beep, press F8 and then start the PC in safe mode. For Windows 2000, when prompted, press F8 and then start the PC in VGA mode. When the PC has started, double-click on the Display icon in your PCs Control Panel, then click on the Settings button. Use the sliding control to reset the resolution.
For other operating systems, refer to your operating systems

documentation. v

The picture breaks up, rolls, shudders or blinks Have you checked that.
The monitor is correctly connected or set up All the hardware is working correctly
Check the video cable connections to the PC Check that there is no interference from a fluorescent light or fan
Run e-Diagtools (refer to page 26)
A Newly Installed Device Is Not Recognized
The device is installed or connected properly

Expansion cards:

Check that expansion cards are properly seated in their slots

Internal devices:

Check any internal cables for bent pins and poor connection

External devices:

Check any connections to external devices for bent pins or poor connection If it is an external device, that it is switched on
Press the devices power button if there is one, and check that the
power cable is correctly connected
Theres a Problem with the Floppy Drive
You are using a formatted floppy disk and it is inserted correctly The floppy disk is clean The Setup program is correctly configured for your floppy drive
You will receive an on-screen error if the diskette is not properly formatted Use a floppy disk cleaning kit (see your PC dealer) Press F8 when the HP logo appears at startup, then select Enter Setup and go to the Advanced menu. You should see 1.44/1.25 MB 3. in the Legacy Diskette A field of the Flexible Disk Drives submenu. Run e-Diagtools to see if it detects a problem with the floppy drive (refer to page 26)
The hardware is working properly
The drives power and data cables are correctly connected Check that the drives power and data cables are correctly connected at both ends (floppy drive and system board). Refer to the HP Vectra XE310 Upgrade Guide (details on page 5).
Theres a Problem with the CD-ROM Drive
There is a CD-ROM inserted in the drive
Click on the drive letter assigned to your drive in Windows Explorer.
If you receive a message such as D:\ is not accessible/device is not ready, this means there is no disc in the drive. Open the drive and check whether there is a disc inside. Press F8 when the HP logo appears at startup, select Enter Setup and then: Go to the Advanced menu. You should see a CD-ROM drive declared in the Secondary Master or Secondary Slave field of the IDE Devices submenu. Go to the Boot menu. If you intend to boot from the CD-ROM drive, you should place CD-ROM Drive before Hard Drive in the Setup Boot Device Priority submenu. Run e-Diagtools to see if it detects a problem with the drive (refer to page 26). Press F8 when the HP logo appears at startup, then select Enter Setup and go to the Advanced menu. Make sure you have selected both in the Local Bus IDE Adapter field.

The parallel port is configured correctly in the PCs Setup program
The Printer Prints Garbled Information
The correct printer driver is installed Check that the correct driver is installed on your PC by clicking on the Start menu, then selecting Settings Printers. The driver for your printer should be displayed in the Printers window that appears. Check the cables and, if it still does not work, check the product documentation
The printers data cables are connected properly

Software Problems

My Software Wont Run
There is no information about what is going on in the accompanying documentation The software has been correctly installed
Refer to the application software documentation and/or the operating system documentation for guidance 3 Check for any error messages when you try to run the software. Remove and then reinstall the software. If the problem continues, contact the software manufacturers support services.
The Date and Time are Wrong
The battery has not become discharged. This may happen when the PC has been unplugged for too long.
Change the date and time, by selecting Settings Control Panel Date/Time from the Start menu or use the Setup program, accessed by pressing F8 when the HP logo appears at startup, then select Enter Setup. If necessary, install a new battery. Refer to the HP Vectra XE310 Upgrade Guide (details on page 5).
You Get the Message Some necessary system files are corrupted
You didnt delete any system files
Reinstall the operating system or return the PC to its original factory configuration by using the HP Image Creation & Recovery CD-ROM. Refer to page 26 for more information.
Forgotten Your PCs BIOS Password
You have forgotten the password that has been set in the Setup program to prevent unauthorized users from starting your PC Ask your system administrator, if you have one, to remind you of the password. If you cannot find out the password, clear passwords (see page 29). This will allow the PC to start without a password.
Problems Using the Euro Symbol
Your operating system and applications support this feature
Only the latest operating systems such as Windows 98 and Windows 2000, provide integrated support for the Euro symbol (in certain languages only). For more information on how to enable support of the Euro symbol, refer to Microsofts website at: www.microsoft.com/windows/euro.asp. If the symbol is supported by a particular font, you will see it in the Character Map, accessible by selecting Programs Accessories Charmap in the Windows Start menu (Windows 98) or Programs Accessories System Tools Character Map (Windows 2000). Select Settings Control Panel in the Windows Start menu, then doubleclick on Keyboard and select the Language or Input Locales tab in the Keyboard Properties Window. Click on Add and select the country that corresponds to your keyboard, and click OK to exit the Control Panel.

The microphone specifications meet the requirements of the 16-bit sound components. The microphone should be a 600-ohm electret type.
Check the documentation that came with your microphone

Startup Errors

Power-on Self Test
When your PC starts it performs a Power-on Self Test (POST) to test your hardware configuration for any problems. If a problem is detected during the POST, an error is displayed on your PCs monitor.

Pre-boot Diagnostics

If, however, your PC is unable to display an error message (for example, when you graphics controller has failed), it will emit a buzzing sound. This is the pre-boot diagnostics feature. Immediately after the buzzing sound, a series of beeps is emitted. If you hear a series of beeps, you should count them as this will help you detect the cause of the problem.

Number of Beeps

System OK

Meaning

Processor absent, not correctly connected or ZIP socket not closed Power supply is in protected mode No memory, bad memory modules, incompatible memory module Graphics card problem PnP/PCI initialization problem Corrupted BIOS. You need to activate crisis recovery procedure (refer to Updating Your PCs BIOS on pag e30). Defective system board
Please note that for Memory (code 3), Video Card (code 4), and PnP/PCI (code 5) errors, e-Buzzer will only detect them after a 15-second timeout. If you miss the beep code, turn off the PC by pressing the on/off power button for five seconds or more, then listen for the signal again. The e-Buzzer, as well as emitting a beep sequence, also encodes troubleshooting information (such as the PC models, serial number, and failing component) into a coded audio signal. During a support call, this coded signal can then be decoded by the HP Service Provider to provide immediate and effective assistance. For more information on BIOS beep codes and BIOS error codes, refer to the Technical Reference Manual for the HP Vectra XE310 PC, available in PDF (Adobe Acrobat) format on the HP support web site at: www.hp.com/go/vectrasupport.

Memory Test Error

Note: this error is indicated by a series of beeps while the screen remains blank Have you checked that.
The PCs memory modules are installed correctly
Disconnect the power cord. Remove the PCs cover (see page 32). Check the memory modules are correctly installed, of the correct type and in the correct sockets. Refer to the HP Vectra XE310 Upgrade Guide (details on page 5). Close the PC, reconnect the power cord and check that the PC boots (starts). Disconnect the power cord. Remove the PCs cover (see page 32). Replace the memory modules by known working memory modules from the same model of PC. Refer to the HP Vectra XE310 Upgrade Guide (details on page 5) Close the PC, reconnect the power cord and check that the PC boots (starts).

Refer to page 14 for more information on troubleshooting floppy drives. If the problem persists, contact your authorized support provider
Hard Disk or CD-ROM Drive Test Error
The drive is correctly configured in the PCs Setup program The hard disk or CD-ROM drive is working
Switch the PC OFF then ON. Press F8 when the HP logo appears, then select Enter Setup. Check the drive is enabled and the correct type is selected.
To test your hard drive, run e-Diagtools from the HP Image Creation & Recovery CD-ROM. To test your CD-ROM drive, run e-Diagtools from the Utility Partition on your hard drive. Refer to page 26. Download the latest BIOS and instructions for its installation from HPs Web at: www.hp.com/go/vectrasupport
The drive cables are correctly connected The drive cable is working The drive itself has not failed 3 4
Disconnect the power cord. Remove the PCs cover (see page 32). Check the drives power and data cables are correctly connected. Refer to the HP Vectra XE310 Upgrade Guide (details on page 5). Close the PC then switch it on and check it works. Disconnect the power cord. Remove the PCs cover (see page 32). Replace the drive cable by a known working cable from the same model of PC, if possible. Close the PC then switch it on and check it works. Disconnect the power cord. Remove the PCs cover (see page 32). Replace the drive by a known working drive from the same PC model, if possible. Refer to the HP Vectra XE310 Upgrade Guide (see page 5). Close the PC then switch it on and check it works.

CMOS Test Error

The internal battery is working
Set the PC to the correct time (refer to the operating system manual). Switch off and unplug the PC for an hour. Restart the PC and check the time is correct. If the time is incorrect, replace the PCs battery. Refer to the HP Vectra XE310 Upgrade Guide (details on page 5).
You are using the latest BIOS for your PC The CMOS is not corrupted
Clear your PCs CMOS in the PCs Setup program (the recommended
method) if you have access to this option. Press F8 when the HP logo appears at startup, then select Enter Setup. Clear your PCs CMOS manually. Refer to page 29.
Power is correctly connected to the system board 3 4

Disconnect the power cord. Remove the PCs cover (see page 32). Check the power connector is correctly attached to the system board. Close the PC, reconnect the power cord and check the PC starts. Switch the PC OFF then ON. Press F8 when the HP logo appears at startup, then select Enter Setup. Press F9 to restore default values. Press F10 to exit the Setup program saving changes.
You dont need to restore the default configuration settings
Serial or Parallel Port Test Error
The port is correctly configured in the PCs Setup program
Switch the PC OFF then ON. Press F8 when the HP logo appears at startup, then select Enter Setup. Check the port is enabled and the correct setting is selected under I/O Device Configuration in the Advanced menu. Switch off the PC. Plug the cables into the correct connectors on the back of the PC. Switch on the PC and the external devices.
You have not connected a device incorrectly or forgotten to switch it on You have installed the correct device drivers There is not a hardware problem You are using the latest BIOS for your PC
Refer to the documentation for your serial or parallel device. Run e-Diagtools. Refer to page 26. Download the latest BIOS and instructions for its installation from HPs Web at: www.hp.com/go/vectrasupport
Other Configuration Problems
If the POST produces an error not covered in this section. Have you checked that.
The Setup program settings are correct
Turn on or restart the PC. Press F8 when the HP logo appears at startup, then select Enter Setup.
If the problem persists, contact your authorized support provider ppo
Frequently Asked Questions

General problems

How can I reinstall my PCs operating system? Why is my PC running slowly/producing strange messages?

Use the HP Image Creation & Recovery CD-ROM provided with your PC (refer to page 26)
If you are connected to a network, the slowness of your PC may
be caused by the network.
Your PC may be infected by a virus. Use an antivirus utility to
erase any viruses. Or, update your PCs BIOS. You can download the BIOS and updating instructions from www.hp.com/go/vectrasupport. Ive been experiencing problems with my PC ever since I installed some new software. What can I do? Can I use USB hardware devices with the operating system preloaded on my PC? How can I find out what hardware and BIOS version are used in my PC? Where can I get information about the latest HP drivers? My PC runs Scandisk when I boot under Windows 98 SE even if the previous shutdown appeared to finish normally. Why? Uninstall the software to see whether this solves the problem. If the problem continues, contact the software manufacturer for help or information on known compatibility problems. Yes. USB is supported by both Windows 98 and Windows 2000. Restart the PC and press Esc during the Power-On-Self-Test (POST). The BIOS version will be displayed at the top of the screen. From HPs website: www.hp.com/go/vectrasupport Sometimes your PC may appear to shutdown successfully when it has not. In these cases the operating system thinks that Windows has been shutdown incorrectly and runs Scandisk. A solution for this problem can be found at:

support.microsoft.com/support/kb/articles/Q 273/0/17.ASP
Why doesnt my PC start when using a console switch? Why does my PC emit a long series of beeps during the boot process when my screen remains blank? How can I use the LEDs on the front panel to troubleshoot my PC?
This only applies to switches that internally connect both power lines of the PS/2 mouse and keyboard.To solve the problem, use one mouse for each PC connected to the console switch. The beeps are created by the HP e-Diagtools pre-boot diagnostics utility. For more information, see page 19. The LEDs on the front panel indicate the various states your PC is in. The On/Off LED indicates the power modes status of your PC. The three states are: green (PC is on), blinking green (PC is suspended) and off (PC is off). The Lock LED indicates whether your PC is locked or not. The two states are: orange (PC is locked) and off (PC is not locked). This is because Windows NT SP6a uses 99% of the CPU. This issue has been acknowledged in the Microsoft knowledge base (Ref Q266208 available on:
support.microsoft.com/support/kb/articles/Q 266/2/08.ASP?LN=EN-US&SD=SO&FR=0)
I have an event log that says that the RPC hung. What can I do?
Why are the beep codes from the e-DiagTools pre-boot diagnostics feature reporting a null serial number and PCID on my PC?
If the PC is unplugged and then plugged in again, both the serial number and PCID are lost (reset to zero). If, subsequently, a pre-boot failure occurs before the BIOS has been able to boot the PC (and refresh the serial number and PCID in the micro-controller), you will see a null serial number and PCID in the Virtual Call Assistant. The suggested workaround to this issue is to communicate the serial number and model information over the telephone.
Problems with power management
My PC hangs when coming back from suspend under Windows 98. What should I do?
Occasionally, under Windows 98 SE, the PC does not wake from standby mode. To solve the problem, open the power management window by clicking Start Settings Control Panel Power Management. In the System Standby field, enter a value that is smaller than the value in the Turn Off Monitor field. This is a known issue with Windows 98 ACPI. See
support.microsoft.com/support/kb/articles/Q 242/9/39.ASP?LNG=ENG&SA=AL
My parallel port did not work after waking up from standby mode S1 under Windows 98 Hitting a key on my keyboard does not always wake up the PC. Why?
Your PC may be in a deep sleep mode. Normally, you can wake the PC by pressing any key or the On/Off button. However, the operating system can disable the keyboard. To enable the keyboard, right-click My Computer and select Properties > Hardware > Device Manager. Right-click on Keyboard, select Properties and check the Allow this device to bring the computer out of standby checkbox.

Problems with recovery cd-roms
When using the Image Creation and Recovery CDROM, the PC stops. Why? Why is my PC not booting from the CD-ROM?
When the BIOS setup field "State after power failure" is set to "Off" the PC stops and does not reboot correctly. To solve the problem, manually power on the PC and continue the recovery process. It is likely that some BIOS-level settings (boot device order, security settings etc.) do not have correct values. Restart your PC and enter the Setup program by pressing F8 and then selecting the option to enter Setup). Change the incorrect settings, then try booting from the CD-ROM again. It is also possible that the CD-ROM drive is not connected properly.

Problems with LANs

I get an error message in Windows 98 when changing the name of the workgroup. What can I do? After changing the Workgroup Name in the Network Properties window your computer will prompt you to reboot. After rebooting, reboot a second time to fix the problem.
Problems with storage devices
I have a problem when I try to boot on my ZIP device. What can I do? The Zip device attached to the parallel port of my PC doesnt work under Windows 98. What should I do? Your Zip device must be installed on the secondary IDE channel as master and your CD driver as slave. In addition, in the BIOS setup, it must be placed before the floppy drive in the boot order. This is due to an incompatibility problem between the Iomega driver and a patch released by Microsoft for another problem. If you experience this problem, you need to uninstall the Microsoft patch by typing the following command at a DOS command prompt: Start Programs MS-DOS prompt
%windir%\rundll.exe% windir%\system\setupx.dll,InstallHinf SectionDefaultInstall 132 %windir%\inf\qfe\win98.se\242939un.inf

Need More Help?

For more detailed help refer to:
HP Instant Support at www.hp.com/go/instantsupport. For automated diagnostics and solutions, software solutions, and the troubleshooting knowledge base. The HP Vectra support web site at: www.hp.com/go/vectrasupport. For downloads, documentation, support and troubleshooting information.

If You Have a Problem 1 Insert the HP Image Creation & Recovery CD-ROM in your CD-ROM drive and restart your PC. 2 Follow the onscreen instructions. You will be instructed to insert the HP Image Library & Diagnostics CD-ROM at some point. 3 Reinstall drivers for any devices that were not part of your PCs original configuration. 4 Restore all data files and software applications that were not part of your PCs original configuration. If you received any software CDs with your PC in addition to the HP Image Creation & Recovery CDROM and HP Image Library & Diagnostics CD-ROM, you must also reinstall these applications.
Manually Reinstalling Drivers
Note The most up-to-date drivers are available on HPs Vectra support website at www.hp.com/go/vectrasupport. 1 Insert the HP Image Library & Diagnostics CD-ROM in the CD-ROM drive while your operating system is running. 2 Using Windows Explorer, select the driver(s) you need to reinstall. 3 Follow the installation instructions contained in the whats new file accompanying the driver.

Running HP e-Diagtools

1 Insert the HP Image Library & Diagnostics CD-ROM in the CD-ROM drive and restart the PC. 2 In the menu that appears, select the option to run hardware diagnostics. 3 Follow the onscreen instructions in the e-Diagtools screen that appears.

HP Setup Program

The HP Setup program allows you to view and change the configuration of your PC. Sometimes you may also need to enter the Setup program to reconfigure your PC after installing new hardware components. The Setup program has online help to guide you through any changes you have to make.
Entering the Setup Program
To enter the Setup program, press F8 when the HP logo appears on screen at startup, then select Enter Setup from within the list of options.

Setup Program Menus

Your PCs Setup program contains a series of menus, which are selected with the right and left arrow keys on your keyboard. You can select an item within a menu with the up and down arrow keys. When an item is selected, Setup displays a description of its function on the right of the screen. The Setup program contains the following menus:

Main - for basic information on your configuration including processor speed, the amount of installed RAM, BIOS version, installed drives, time and date. Advanced - for setting Advanced Features.
Security - for controlling booting from the network, protecting hardware and setting passwords to restrict access to your computer. It is possible to set an Administrator and/or a User password. The Administrator can change all settings and the User can only change the date and time. Setting a password will, by preventing access to the Setup menus, protect your computer's configuration. Boot - for enabling/disabling quick boot and booting from the network, or choosing your boot device order and priority. You can select the order of the devices from which the BIOS (Basic Input Output System) attempts to boot the operating system. During the POST (Power On Self-Test), if the BIOS is unsuccessful at booting from one device, it will try the next one on the Boot Device Priority list until an operating system is found. The default boot device is the floppy disk. Power - for selecting power-management modes to reduce the amount of energy used after specified periods of inactivity (for non-ACPI operating systems only). If your computer stays idle for a certain amount of time, your system switches from Full Power Mode to Sleep Mode in order to reduce power consumption. In Sleep Mode, graphics, the processor and hard disks are stopped. A user event, such as from the mouse or keyboard, can cause the system to resume to Full Power Mode within a few seconds. Other events may also wake up the system: a ring on an external modem, a signal sent by an expansion card (network card etc.). Exit: for leaving the Setup program.

Setting System Defaults

The Setup program changes system behavior by modifying the power-on initialization parameters. Setting incorrect values may cause system boot failure. If this occurs, press the F9 key while you are in the Setup program to load the Setup program's default values or select Load default values for all settings in the Exit menu of the Setup program. This should enable the computer to boot properly. Note If an Administrator password is set, you need to enter the password to set system defaults. HP strongly recommends you make a note of any changes you make while in the Setup program.