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Basic Checks: Dell™ OptiPlex™ GX300 System User's Guide
If your Dell computer system is not working as expected, and if you
are not sure what to do, start your troubleshooting with the procedures in this section.
This section guides you through basic steps to solve basic computer problems. It also
directs you to further detailed troubleshooting information and procedures to solve more
complex problems.
If your system is behaving erratically, back up your files
immediately. If your system has a tape drive installed, see the documentation that came
with the tape backup software for instructions on performing a backup operation.
Otherwise, see your operating system documentation for information on backing up data
files.
See the following sections in the order indicated until the problem
is resolved:
- If your system did not complete the boot (start-up) routine, see
"Getting Help."
 |
NOTE: The boot routine is the operating system's
attempt to load its files into memory from the boot-up sector on the hard-disk drive or
another bootable device. |
Improperly set switches and controls and loose or improperly
connected cables are the most likely source of problems for your computer, monitor, or
other peripheral (such as a printer, keyboard, mouse, or other external equipment).
Complete the following steps in the order indicated to check all the
connections and switches:
- Turn off the system, including any attached peripherals (such as the
monitor, keyboard, printer, external drives, scanners, or plotters).
Disconnect all the AC power cables from their electrical outlets.
- If your computer is connected to a power strip, turn the power strip
off and then on again. If the problem is not resolved, try another power strip or connect
the system directly to an electrical outlet to see if the original power strip is faulty.
- Connect the system to a different electrical outlet.
If doing so corrects the problem, the original outlet is faulty.
- Reconnect the system to an electrical outlet. Make sure that all
connections fit tightly together, and turn on the system.
- If the problem is resolved, you have corrected a faulty connection.
- If your monitor is not operating properly, see
"Troubleshooting the
Monitor."
- If your keyboard is not operating properly, see
"Troubleshooting the
Keyboard."
- If your mouse or printer is not operating properly, see
"Troubleshooting I/O Ports."
Otherwise, see "Look and Listen."
Looking at and listening to your system is important
in determining the source of a problem. Look and listen for the indications
described in Table 1.
If after looking and listening to your computer you have not
resolved the problem, continue with the recommendations in
"System Setup."
Table 1. Boot
Routine Indications
| Look/Listen for: |
Action |
| An error message |
See "Messages and Codes." |
| The monitor's power indicator |
Most monitors have a power indicator (usually on the
front bezel). If the monitor's power indicator does not light up, see
"Troubleshooting the
Monitor." |
| The power and hard-disk drive indicators |
Use the power
and hard-disk drive indicators to help you identify a system problem when you press the
power button to turn on the computer but the system does not boot. |
| The keyboard indicators |
Most keyboards have one or more indicators (usually in
the upper-right corner). Press <Num Lock>, <Caps Lock>, and <Scroll
Lock> to toggle the keyboard indicators on and off. If the keyboard indicators do not
light up, see "Troubleshooting the
Keyboard." |
| The diskette-drive access indicator |
The diskette-drive access indicator should quickly
flash on and off when you access data on the diskette drive. On a system running a
Microsoft® Windows® operating system, you can test the drive by opening Windows Explorer
and clicking the icon for drive A. If the diskette-drive access indicator does not light
up, see "Troubleshooting Drives." |
| The hard-disk drive access indicator |
The hard-disk drive access indicator should quickly
flash on and off when you access data on the hard-disk drive. On a system running a
Windows operating system, you can test the drive by opening Windows Explorer and clicking
the icon for drive C. If the hard-disk drive access indicator does not light up, see
"Troubleshooting Drives." |
| A series of beeps |
See "Messages and Codes." |
| An unfamiliar constant scraping or grinding sound when
you access a drive |
Make sure the sound is not caused by the application
program you are running. The sound could be caused by a hardware malfunction. See
"Getting Help" for
instructions on getting technical assistance from Dell. |
| The absence of a familiar sound |
When you turn on your system, you can hear the
hard-disk drive spin up, and the system tries to access the boot files from the hard-disk
drive or the diskette drive. If your system boots, see "Dell
Diagnostics." If your system does not boot, see "Getting
Help." |
You can easily correct certain system problems by verifying the
correct settings in System Setup. When you boot your system,
your system checks the system configuration information and compares it with the
current hardware configuration. If your system hardware configuration does not match
the information recorded by System Setup, an error message may appear on your screen.
This problem can happen if you changed your system's hardware
configuration and forgot to run System Setup. To correct this problem, enter System Setup,
correct the setting for the corresponding System Setup program option, and reboot your
system.
If after checking the settings in System Setup you have not resolved
the problem, see "Dell Diagnostics."
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