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External Components: Dell Precision WorkStation 420 Systems User's Guide
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External Components: Dell Precision™ WorkStation 420 Systems
User's Guide
This section provides troubleshooting procedures for equipment that
connects directly to the input/output (I/O) panel of your computer, such as your monitor,
keyboard, mouse, or printer. Before performing any of the procedures in this section, see
"Checking
Connections and Switches." Then perform the troubleshooting procedures for the
equipment that is malfunctioning.
You need your Dell Precision ResourceCD to perform the
procedures in this section.
Troubleshooting video problems involves determining which of the
following is the source of the problem:
- Monitor or monitor interface cable
The procedures in this section troubleshoot problems with the
monitor and the monitor interface cable only.
If information on the monitor screen is displayed incorrectly or not
at all, perform each of the following steps in the order indicated until the problem is
resolved:
- Turn on the system, including any attached peripherals.
- Adjust the switches and controls as specified in the monitor's
documentation to correct the video image, including the horizontal and vertical position
and size.
- If your monitor is equipped with a self-test function, run the monitor self-test (refer
to your monitor manual to determine if your monitor has a self-test function).
- Insert the Dell Precision ResourceCD in the CD-ROM drive, reboot the system,
and run the Video test group in the Dell Diagnostics.
- Turn off the system and disconnect it from the electrical outlet.
Swap the monitor with one of the same type that is working, and reconnect the system to an
electrical outlet.
- Reboot the system and run the Video test group
again.
If the tests complete successfully, the original
monitor was faulty. If the tests still fail, the video controller on the system board may
be faulty. See "Getting Help"
for instructions on obtaining technical assistance.
This procedure determines what kind of keyboard problem you have. If
a system error message indicates a keyboard problem when you start the computer system or
if the keyboard does not operate as expected, perform the following steps in the order
indicated until the problem is resolved:
- If the keyboard or its cable shows signs of physical damage or if the
keys do not work, replace the keyboard with a working keyboard.
Insert the Dell Precision ResourceCD in the CD-ROM drive, reboot the system, and run the Keyboard test group in the Dell Diagnostics.
If the Keyboard Interactive Test fails, replace the
keyboard.
If the Keyboard Controller Test fails, the system
board may be faulty. See "Getting Help" for instructions on obtaining technical assistance.
This procedure determines what kind of mouse problem you have. If a
system error message indicates a mouse problem when you start the computer system or if
the mouse does not operate as expected, perform the following steps in the order indicated
until the problem is resolved:
- Clean the mouse as instructed in your mouse documentation.
Most mice have a ball that can be removed and cleaned of debris by turning
the mouse upside down and removing a cover on the bottom of the mouse. Also remove any
lint or other debris that has accumulated on the bottom of the mouse.
- If the mouse or its cable shows signs of physical damage or if the
buttons do not work, replace the mouse with a working mouse.
- Insert the Dell Precision ResourceCD in the CD-ROM drive, reboot the system, and run the Mouse Test
in the Dell Diagnostics.
- If the Mouse Test fails, the system board may be
faulty. See "Getting Help" for instructions on obtaining technical assistance.
This section provides a procedure for troubleshooting the ports on
your computer's I/O panel and the equipment connected to them, such as a printer, scanner,
or other peripheral device.
You can also use this procedure to test I/O ports on expansion
cards. However, you should first make sure that the card is configured
and installed correctly.
If a system error message indicates a port problem or if equipment
connected to a port seems to perform incorrectly or not at all, the source of the problem
may be any of the following:
- A faulty connection between the I/O port and the peripheral device
- A faulty cable between the I/O port and the peripheral device
- A faulty peripheral device
- Incorrect settings in the system's configuration files
- Faulty I/O port logic on the system board
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NOTE: With certain modems installed, the Serial
Port test group subtests may fail because the modem appears to the diagnostics as
a serial port, but it cannot be tested as a serial port. If you have a modem installed and
you experience a serial port test failure, remove the modem and run the diagnostic tests
again. |
If a system error message indicates an I/O port problem or the
device connected to the port does not function properly, follow these steps in the order
indicated until the problem is resolved:
- Enter System Setup and verify that the settings for the Serial Port 1, Serial Port 2, and Parallel Port options are set to Auto.
- Insert the Dell
Precision ResourceCD in the CD-ROM drive, reboot the system, and run the Serial/Infrared Ports test
group and/or the Parallel Ports test group in the Dell
Diagnostics.
If any of the tests fail, the system board may be faulty.
See "Getting Help" for instructions on obtaining
technical assistance.
If the problem persists, go to "Troubleshooting a Parallel Printer" or "Troubleshooting a Serial I/O Device,"
depending on which device appears to be malfunctioning.
If the information in "Troubleshooting Basic I/O Functions" indicates that the problem is with a parallel printer, perform the
following steps in the order indicated until the problem is resolved:
- Reinstall the printer device driver.
See the documentation for the printer and for your operating system for
instructions on reinstalling the printer driver.
- Turn off the parallel printer and computer, replace the
parallel printer interface cable with a known working cable, and turn on the parallel
printer and computer.
If the problem is resolved, the original printer cable was
faulty.
- Run the parallel printer's self-test.
If the test fails, the printer is faulty.
If the problem still is not resolved, the system board may be faulty. See "Getting Help"
for instructions on obtaining technical assistance.
If the information in "Troubleshooting Basic I/O Functions"
indicates that the problem is with a device connected to one of the serial ports, perform
the following steps in the order indicated until the problem is resolved:
- Attach the serial device to the other serial port (for example, if it is currently
connected to serial port 1, attach the device to serial port 2).
If the problem is resolved, the serial port on the system board is
faulty. See "Getting Help"
for instructions on obtaining technical assistance.
- If the faulty device has a detachable serial cable, replace
the serial cable.
If the problem is resolved, the
serial cable was faulty.
- Replace the faulty serial device.
If the problem is still not resolved, the system board may
be faulty. See "Getting Help"
for instructions on obtaining technical assistance.
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