Instruction manual

Eagle 450 Installation and Technical Manual, Rev. 00
Chapter 5 - Troubleshooting
As with previous Alpha Micro models, we expect the great majority of Eagle 450 installations to go
smoothly, and the computers to work properly and reliably. However, there will be instances where
something doesn’t work correctly after installation, or problems arise sometime afterward. When this
happens, what do you do?
The number of variables involved in isolating and correcting a problem with a computer installation
makes it almost impossible to give specific instructions which will apply to even a majority of situations.
So, instead, this chapter discusses some general troubleshooting procedures and strategies which could
help you diagnose and fix a wide range of possible problems.
The
Eagle 450 Owner’s Manual
contains instructions for the end user on what he or she should do
in the event of a problem. This includes giving you, the dealer, detailed information about who
was affected, error messages and other symptoms, and what each user was doing when the
problem occurred. Getting complete and accurate information from the problem site is the first
step toward fixing the problem. This discussion assumes you have worked with the end user to get
this information
Once you have information about the error or other system problem, here are some possible ways to find
and correct it. Not all of these strategies will apply to any specific problem, and you won’t necessarily
perform them in the order they are given here. Your experience with Alpha Micro computers and your
application software can probably get you started in the right direction.
Some of these procedures require you to open the computer chassis and check or change
components.
This should be done only by qualified service personnel;
the high voltage present
creates a risk of electric shock.
•
If a status code (anything other than 0) appears on the front panel, check the list later in this
chapter to see what it indicates.
•
If the problem occurs more than once, look for patterns: what was happening when the problem
occurred that’s different than at other times. This could be almost anything: a particular program
or combination of programs being used, particularly heavy use of the computer or the network,
even a cleaning crew vacuuming near the computer, causing static electricity.
•
Especially if the computer won’t boot, run the system self test to check the operation of the
hardware involved in booting. See the
System Self Test User’s Guide
, DSO-00156-00.
•
Make sure all software and hardware in the computer is up to the latest revision. Check the patch
area of TABBs (Alpha Micro’s Technical Assistance Bulletin Board) to see if there are any
patches outstanding for any software that may be involved, especially any that describe a
problem similar to the one you’re trying to solve.
•
If any hardware or software was recently added to the system, it’s an obvious suspect. Make sure
all programs and hardware components are mutually compatible. Try removing the recent
addition (or returning to the previous version) and see if the problem goes away.