Quick Reference Guide
Table Of Contents
- Contents
- About This Reference
- Checking Out Your Computer
- Setting Up and Getting Started
- Working safely and comfortably
- Preparing power connections
- Connecting to a broadband modem or network
- Connecting a dial-up modem
- Starting your computer
- Turning off your computer
- Restarting (rebooting) your computer
- Using the keyboard
- Using the mouse
- Using optical drives
- Using the memory card reader
- Using the diskette drive
- Adjusting the volume
- Installing a printer, scanner, or other device
- Upgrading Your Computer
- Preventing static electricity discharge
- Opening and closing the case
- Replacing the optical disc drive
- Replacing the diskette drive
- Replacing the memory card reader
- Replacing the hard drive
- Installing memory
- Adding or replacing an expansion card
- Replacing the heat sink and processor
- Replacing the system battery
- Replacing the power supply
- Replacing the system board
- Maintaining Your Computer
- Troubleshooting
- Safety guidelines
- First steps
- Troubleshooting
- Add-in cards
- Audio
- CD or DVD drives
- Diskette drive
- The diskette drive is not recognized
- You cannot save a file to diskette or you see the message “disk is full or write-protected”
- You see an “Access Denied” or “Write protect” error message
- You see a “Disk is full” error message
- You see a “Non-system disk” or “Disk error” error message
- The diskette drive LED is lit continuously
- Display
- DVD drives
- Ethernet
- Expansion cards
- File management
- Floppy drive
- Hard drive
- Internet
- Keyboard
- Media Center
- Memory
- Memory card reader
- Modem (cable or DSL)
- Modem (dial-up)
- Your modem does not dial or does not connect
- You cannot connect to the Internet
- Your 56K modem does not connect at 56K
- Your fax communications program only sends and receives faxes at 14,400 bps when you have a 56K modem
- The modem is not recognized by your computer
- The modem is noisy when it dials and connects
- Monitor
- Mouse
- Networks
- Passwords
- Power
- Printer
- Sound
- Recovering your Windows Vista system
- Recovering pre-installed software and drivers
- Using Microsoft System Restore
- Recovering your system to its factory condition
- Recovering your system using the Windows DVD
- Recovering your Windows XP system
- Telephone support
- Legal Notices
- Index
CHAPTER 6: Troubleshooting
90
Safety guidelines
While troubleshooting your computer, follow these safety
guidelines:
First steps
If you have problems with your computer, try these things
first:
• Make sure that the power cord is connected to your
computer and an AC power outlet and that the power
outlet is supplying power.
• If you use a power strip or surge protector, make sure
that it is turned on.
• If a peripheral device does not work, make sure that all
connections are secure.
• Make sure that your hard drive is not full.
• If an error message appears on the screen, write down
the exact message. The message may help Customer
Care in diagnosing and fixing the problem.
• If you added or removed peripheral devices, review the
installation procedures you performed and make sure
that you followed each instruction.
• If an error occurs in a program, see the program’s
printed documentation or the online help.
Warning
Never open your computer case while your computer is turned on and
while the modem cable, network cable, and power cord are connected.
Warning
Make sure that you are correctly grounded before accessing internal
components. For more information about preventing damage from static
electricity, see “Preventing static electricity discharge” on page 38.
Warning
To avoid bodily injury, do not attempt to troubleshoot your computer
problem if:
• Power cords or plugs are damaged
• Liquid has been spilled into your computer
•Your computer was dropped
•The case was damaged
Instead, unplug your computer and contact a qualified computer technician.
Help
For more information about troubleshooting, click Start, then
click Help and Support. Type the keyword/phrase troubleshooting
in the Search Help box, then press E
NTER.
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