Introduction 1-1

Chapter 1

IntroductionD
ell®
OptiPlex® GXa mini tower systems are high-
speed, expandable personal computers designed around
the Intel® Pentium® II microprocessor. Each system uses
a high-performance Peripheral Component Interconnect
(PCI) design that allows you to configure the computer
system to your initial requirements and then add Dell-
supported upgrades as necessary. These systems also
support the Industry-Standard Architecture (ISA) bus for
older expansion devices.
This chapter describes the major hardware and software
features of your system, provides information about
accessing the online documentation, and tells you where
to find help if you need it.
S

ystem Features

Your system offers the following features:
•An Intel Pentium II microprocessor that runs at an
internal speed of 233, 266, or 300 megahertz (MHz)
and an external speed of 66MHz.
The Intel Pentium II microprocessor includes
MMX™ technology designed to handle complex
multimedia and communications software. This
microprocessor incorporates new instructions and
data types as well as a technique called Single
Instruction, Multiple Data (SIMD) that allows the
microprocessor to process multiple data elements in
parallel, thereby improving overall system
performance.
The Pentium II microprocessor has a 16-kilobyte
(KB) internal data cache and a 16-KB internal
instruction cache, an internal math coprocessor, and
other advanced internal logic.
•A keyboard command (<Ctrl><Alt><\>) that lets
you switch between the microprocessor’s rated
speed and a slower compatibility speed.
NOTE: This keyboard command is not available
under the Microsoft® Windows NT® and IBM®
OS/2®operating systems.
•A secondary cache of 512 KB of static random-
access memory (SRAM) included within the single-
edge contact (SEC) cartridge, which also contains
the microprocessor.
•System memory that can be increased up to
384 megabytes (MB) by installing 16-, 32-, 64-, or
128-MB synchronous dynamic random-access
memory (SDRAM) dual in-line memory modules
(DIMMs) in the three DIMM sockets on the system
board. The system also supports both error checking
and correction (ECC) and non-parity DIMMs. See
“Adding Memory” in Chapter 6 for details.
•Self-Monitoring Analysis Reporting Technology
(SMART) support, which warns you at system start-
up if your hard-disk drive has become unreliable. To
take advantage of this technology, you must have a
SMART-compliant hard-disk drive in your com-
puter. All hard-disk drives shipped with OptiPlex
GXa systems are SMART-compliant.
•A basic input/output system (BIOS), which resides
in flash memory and can be upgraded by diskette if
required.
•Full compliance with PCI specification 2.1.
•Full Plug and Play version 1.0a capability, which
greatly simplifies the installation of expansion cards.
Plug and Play support included in the system BIOS
allows you to install Plug and Play expansion cards
without setting jumpers or switches or performing
other configuration tasks. The ISA Configuration