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Dell Vostro 3681 SFF Desktop Usage and Troubleshooting Guide

Summary: Learn how to use and troubleshoot issues related to networking, Windows, drivers, input devices, and more on your Dell Vostro 3681 SFF Desktop.

This article applies to This article does not apply to This article is not tied to any specific product. Not all product versions are identified in this article.
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Symptoms

SLN321961_en_US__1I_Dell Vostro 3681 SFF Desktop_TM_v1

Quick Links

Getting Started with your Dell Vostro 3681 SFF desktop Dell Vostro 3681 SFF desktop Setup, Specifications and Service Manual Dell Drivers & Downloads Warranty & Support Services Frequently asked questions

Cause

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Specifications

Description Values
Dimension
  • Height - 290 mm (11.42 in.)
  • Width - 92.6 mm (3.65 in.)
  • Depth - 292.8 mm (11.53 in.)
  • Weight - 4.66 Kg (10.28 lb)
Chipset
  • B460
Processor
  • 10th Generation Intel Core i3
  • 10th Generation Intel Core i5
  • 10th Generation Intel Core i7
  • 10th Generation Intel Core i9
  • Intel Pentium Gold G-6400
  • Celeron G-5900
PCIe bus
  • Up to Gen3
Memory (RAM)
  • Slots - 2 UDIMM slots
  • Type - Dual-channel DDR4
  • Speed - 2666 MHz/2933 MHz (supported on Core i7-10700 processor)
NOTE: Memory speed may be subject to change by regions.
  • Maximum memory - 64 GB
  • Minimum memory - 4 GB
  • Memory per slot - 4 GB, 8 GB, 16 GB, 32 GB
Operating system
  • Windows 10 Home (64-bit)
  • Windows 10 Professional (64-bit)
  • Ubuntu 18.04
 

Ports

Description Values
Audio
  • One Universal audio jack (front)
  • One Line-out re-tasking Line-in audio jack (rear)t
Video
Note: Depending on the graphics card(s) installed on the computer, the video ports on the computer may vary.
Network
  • One RJ-45 Port 10/100/1000 Mbps
USB
  • Four USB 3.2 Gen 1 Type-A ports
  • Four USB 2.0 Type-A ports
PCIe expansion card slots (internal)
  • One half-height PCIe x1 slot
  • One half-height PCIe x16 slot
SATA 3.5 inch HDD:
  • 500 GB 7200 rpm Hard Drive
  • 1 TB 7200 rpm Hard Drive
  • 2 TB 7200 rpm Hard Drive
M.2/NVMe SSD M.2 PCIe x4 NVMe, Class 35 SSD:
  • M.2 PCIe x4 NVMe128 GB Solid State Drive
  • M.2 PCIe x4 NVMe 256 GB Solid State Drive
  • M.2 PCIe x4 NVMe 512 GB Solid State Drive

  1. Connect the keyboard and mouse to the computer.
  2. Connect the Ethernet cable to the computer, or connect to a wireless network (if applicable).
  3. Connect the monitor using the VGA, DVI, HDMI, or DisplayPort cable provided with the monitor.
  4. Connect the power cable to the computer.
  5. Press the power button and turn on the computer.
  6. Follow the instructions on the screen to complete the setup procedure.
SLN321961_en_US__4I_New_Desktop_Setup_TM_v1

Dell desktops come with pre-boot or built-in diagnostics which can help diagnose hardware issues and capture error codes. Built-in or pre-boot diagnostics are run outside the operating system. Running a built-in or pre-boot diagnostics does not require the computer to be connected to the internet.

How to run pre-boot or built-in diagnostic test

Dell SupportAssist Pre-boot (also called ePSA or PSA) diagnostics are available on Dell laptops, desktops, servers and Windows-based tablets.

  1. Restart the Dell computer.
  2. When Dell logo appears, press F12 key to enter One-time Boot Menu.
  3. Select Diagnostics and press Enter key on the keyboard.
  4. Follow the on-screen prompts and respond appropriately to complete the diagnostics.
    If the test fails, make a note of the error code and validation code.
Note: Some diagnostic tests are interactive and requires the user to respond. If no response is provided, the test results may be inaccurate.

Refer to Dell Knowledge Base article Resolve Hardware Issues With Built-in and Online Diagnostics (SupportAssist ePSA, ePSA or PSA Error Codes) for information on how to look up the error code for additional help.
Alternatively, see the SupportAssist Pre-Boot System Performance Check page to get more information about pre-boot diagnostic error codes.

To learn more about Dell pre-boot diagnostics, see the Dell knowledge-base article Resolve Hardware Issues With Built-in and Online Diagnostics (ePSA or PSA Error Codes).

ePSA Pre-boot System Assessment (Official Dell Tech Support) (english only) - 02:00

SupportAssist proactively checks the health of the computer hardware and software. When an issue is detected, SupportAssist notifies you. SupportAssist is preinstalled on all new Dell computers and tablets.

Note: If SupportAssist is not installed, download and install SupportAssist for PCs and Tablets.

How to run SupportAssist default test

  1. Click Start.
  2. Open Dell SupportAssist.
  3. Click Start Now.
  4. The default Scan Hardware test should run.

How to run SupportAssist thorough test

  1. Click Start.
  2. Open Dell SupportAssist.
  3. Click Troubleshooting.
  4. Click I want to scan my entire PC.
  5. Click Start.

To learn more about SupportAssist, see SupportAssist for PC's and Tablets page.

Scan the computer and automatically download the latest drivers

  1. Browse to the Dell Drivers & downloads page.
  2. Identify your Dell product:
    • Click Detect PC.
    • Or, Enter the Service Tag, Express Service Code or Serial number for your Dell product and click Submit.
    • Or, Click Browse all products to select the Dell product manually.
  3. Click Detect Drivers to allow Dell to automatically scan your computer and identify compatible drivers.
  4. After your computer has been analyzed, click Download and Install.
  5. Follow the instructions on the screen to complete the installation process.
Note: Certain drivers may require you to download and install manually.

Manually download and install drivers

  1. Browse to the Dell Drivers & downloads page.
  2. Identify your Dell product:
    • Click Detect PC.
    • Or, enter the Service Tag, Express Service Code or Serial number for your Dell product and click Submit.
    • Or, click Browse all products to select the Dell product manually.
  3. Select the Operating System.
  4. Locate the drivers using the driver list or keyword search box (enter a keyword of the device driver you are looking for, example - BIOS, Chipset, Audio, Video, etc.)
    Note: To view drivers for a specific Dell product, toggle the "Show drivers for Service Tag".
  5. Click the Download next to the device driver of your choice and save the file.
  6. Using File Explorer (also known as Windows Explorer), browse to the location where the downloaded file was saved.
  7. Double-click on the .exe device driver installation file and follow the instructions on the screen to complete the installation process.
  8. Restart the computer when required.

The Dell Download Center provides information about software you may have bought and software that is already installed on your computer, such as Dell Backup Solutions and Dell SupportAssist for PCs and tablets.

Some of the software sold at the time of purchase has to be downloaded once you receive your computer. You can download and install those programs by using Dell Digital Delivery, for more information refer to the following links:

A free PDF reader (Acrobat Reader DC) is available for free from AdobeThis hyperlink is taking you to a website outside of Dell Technologies.. You will need this program to view any PDF files such as the Quick Start Guides or Owner's Manuals.

This article provides help with Microsoft Office programs, A Guide to the various Microsoft Office programs available on your Dell PC.

  • The Skype software can be downloaded from the Skype websiteThis hyperlink is taking you to a website outside of Dell Technologies.. This website also offers instructional videos on how to use the Skype program.
 
  • To uninstall Skype, perform the following steps:
    1. Close Skype and make sure it is not running in the background.
    2. In the Search bar type appwiz.cpl
    3. Touch or click on appwiz.cpl (Control panel item) to open the Programs and Features window.
    4. Touch and hold or right-click on Skype from the list and select either Remove or Uninstall.
    5. Reboot your computer and check to make sure the application has been uninstalled.

To access the Dell Security and Virus Support Page click on the following link:

Your computer will come pre-installed with an Anti-virus program. For more information refer to the Dell Knowledge Base article Useful Information about the Third Party Anti-virus programs that ship with a Dell PC.

More information about Viruses, Spyware and Malware can be found at the following links:

When your computer is unable to boot to the operating system even after repeated attempts, it automatically starts Dell SupportAssist OS Recovery.

Dell SupportAssist OS Recovery is a standalone tool that is preinstalled in all Dell computers installed with Windows 10 operating system. It consists of tools to diagnose and troubleshoot issues that may occur before your computer boots to the operating system. It enables you to diagnose hardware issues, repair your computer, back up your files, or restore your computer to its factory state.

Caution:
  • Dell recommends backing up your data before you begin the system recovery process.
  • Manually formatting or deleting the partitions on the hard drive of the computer deletes the SupportAssist OS Recovery environment.

Manually start SupportAssist OS Recovery

  1. Turn on or restart the computer.
  2. When the Dell logo is displayed, press F12 to access the one time boot menu.
    Note: If you wait too long and the operating system logo is displayed, wait until you see the Windows desktop, restart the computer, and try again.
  3. Select SupportAssist OS Recovery, and then press Enter.
  4. Follow the instructions on the screen to scan, repair, backup files and reset the computer.

To learn more about, see the Dell knowledgebase article Restore your system using Dell SupportAssist OS Recovery Local Restore.

This section covers the latest new features and utilities installed on your computer; read the following article to find out more information.

To learn more about how to view or download the User Guide or Manual for a Dell product, see the Dell knowledgebase article Manuals and Documentation for your Dell Product.


Frequently asked questions

Warning: Dell recommends disconnecting any external devices like external hard disk drives, printers, scanners before updating the BIOS.
 
Note: To learn more about updating the BIOS on a Dell desktop or laptop, see the Dell knowledgebase article Dell BIOS Updates.
  1. Browse to the Dell Drivers & downloads page.
  2. Select the Operating System.
  3. Under Category, select BIOS.
  4. Locate the latest System BIOS.
  5. Click Download and save the file to your computer.
  6. Open File Explorer and browse to the location where the downloaded file is saved.
  7. Double-click the BIOS setup file and follow the instructions on the screen to complete the BIOS update.

  1. Browse to the Dell Drivers & downloads page.
  2. Select the Operating System.
  3. Under Category, select BIOS.
  4. Locate the latest System BIOS.
  5. Click Download and save the file to your computer.
  6. Create a bootable USB drive. To learn more, see the Dell knowledgebase article How to Create a Bootable USB Flash Drive using Dell Diagnostic Deployment Package.
  7. Copy the BIOS setup to the bootable USB drive.
  8. Connect the bootable USB drive to the computer that needs the BIOS update.
  9. Restart the computer and press F12 when the Dell logo is displayed on the screen.
  10. Boot to the USB drive from the One Time Boot Menu.
  11. Type the BIOS setup program filename and press Enter.
  12. The BIOS Update Utility appears. Follow the instructions on the screen to complete the BIOS update.

Hardware diagnostic tests can identify any potential hardware issues with the components like hard disk drive, memory (RAM), chipset, audio or sound card, graphics or video card, etc.

The Diagnostics section of this Dell knowledgebase article provides instructions on how to run pre-boot and/or SupportAssist diagnostic tests on Dell Vostro 3681 SFF desktop desktop.

The Troubleshooting section of this Dell knowledgebase article provides self-help resources on troubleshooting common issues on Dell Vostro 3681 SFF desktop desktop.

Performing a hard reset usually fixes many problems and also drains any residual power that maybe causing the problem.

  1. Turn off the computer.
  2. Disconnect the power cord.
  3. Disconnect all external devices like USB drives, printer cables and media cards (SD/xD).
  4. Press and hold the power button for 15-20 seconds to drain residual power.
  5. Connect the power cord and turn on the computer.

Resolution

 
Out of Warranty support  Out of warranty? No problem click here, enter your Service Tag and view our offers. 
 
Currently, offers are only available for US, Canada, UK, and France PC Customers. Server and Storage not applicable.

Affected Products

Vostro 3681
Article Properties
Article Number: 000177593
Article Type: Solution
Last Modified: 28 Nov 2023
Version:  10
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