User Guide

Basic Checks: Dell Precision WorkStation 420 Systems User's Guide

Basic Checks: Dell Precision™ WorkStation 420 Systems User's Guide

	Overview		Checking Connections and Switches
	Backing Up Your Files		Look and Listen
	Basic Checks		System Setup

Overview

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.

Backing Up Your Files

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.

Basic Checks

See the following sections in the order indicated until the problem is resolved:

If your computer is wet or damaged, see "Troubleshooting a Wet Computer" or "Troubleshooting a Damaged Computer."

Perform the steps in "Checking Connections and Switches."

Perform the steps in "Look and Listen."

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.

If your system displayed a message or emitted a beep code, see "Messages and Codes."

Verify the settings in System Setup.

Run the Dell Diagnostics.

Checking Connections and Switches

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).

NOTE: See "Hardware Configuration Features" for the location of your computer's external connections and switches.

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."

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 indicator	Use the power indicator to help you identify a system problem when you press the power button to turn on the computer but the system does not boot: A blinking yellow power indicator before power-on self-test (POST) indicates that the power supply may be faulty. In rare cases, the system board may be faulty. See "Getting Help" for instructions on getting technical assistance from Dell. A solid yellow power indicator before POST indicates that a device on the system board may be faulty or is incorrectly installed. Be sure that the microprocessor is properly seated, remove all expansion cards, and then reboot. If the system does not boot, see "Getting Help" for instructions on getting technical assistance from Dell. A solid green power indicator and a beep code during POST indicate that a Rambus in-line memory module (RIMM) may be faulty or is not properly seated. Remove all RIMMs and reinstall or pair with Rambus continuity modules (C-RIMMs) in the empty sockets, and then reboot. Repeat this procedure until you identify the faulty or improperly seated RIMM. A solid green power indicator and no beep code and no video during POST indicate that the monitor or the integrated video controller may be faulty. See "Troubleshooting the Monitor." If the monitor is operating properly and is correctly connected, see "Getting Help" for instructions on getting technical assistance from Dell. A solid green power indicator and no beep code with video during POST indicate that an integrated system board device may be faulty. See "Getting Help" for instructions on getting technical assistance from Dell.
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 that 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."

System Setup

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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