Users Guide

6. If the problem is resolved, you have corrected a faulty connection.
7. If your monitor is not operating properly, see "Troubleshooting the Monitor."
8. If your keyboard is not operating properly, see "Troubleshooting the Keyboard."
9. 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
System Setup
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:
l 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.
l 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.
l 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.
l 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.
l 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."