Dell Precision 490: инструкция

Dell Precision™ Workstation 490

Quick Reference Guide

Model DCTA

www.dell.com | support.dell.com

Notes, Notices, and Cautions

NOTE: A NOTE indicates important information that helps you make better use of your computer.

NOTICE: A NOTICE indicates either potential damage to hardware or loss of data and tells you how to avoid

the problem.

CAUTION: A CAUTION indicates a potential for property damage, personal injury, or death.

Abbreviations and Acronyms

For a complete list of abbreviations and acronyms, see the Glossary in your

User’s Guide

.

®

®

If you purchased a Dell™ n Series computer, any references in this document to Microsoft

Windows

operating systems are not applicable.

____________________

Information in this document is subject to change without notice.

© 2006 Dell Inc. All rights reserved.

Reproduction in any manner whatsoever without the written permission of Dell Inc. is strictly forbidden.

Trademarks used in this text: Dell, the DELL logo and Dell Precision are trademarks of Dell Inc.; Intel, Xeon, and Pentium are registered

trademarks of Intel Corporation; Microsoft and Windows are registered trademarks of Microsoft Corporation.

Other trademarks and trade names may be used in this document to refer to either the entities claiming the marks and names or their products.

Dell Inc. disclaims any proprietary interest in trademarks and trade names other than its own.

Model DCTA

January 2006 P/N MD504 Rev. A00

Contents

Finding Information . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5

Setting Up Your Computer (Tower Orientation)

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9

Setting Up Your Computer (Desktop Orientation)

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14

About Your Computer

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19

Front View (Tower Orientation)

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19

Back View (Tower Orientation)

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21

Back Panel Connectors

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22

Front View (Desktop Orientation)

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24

Back View (Desktop Orientation)

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25

Inside View

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26

Inside View – Hard Drive Bay Rotated Out

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27

System Board Components

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28

Cable Colors

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 29

Locating Your User’s Guide

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 29

Removing the Computer Cover

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30

Caring for Your Computer

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 32

Solving Problems

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 32

Troubleshooting Tips

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 32

Resolving Software and Hardware Incompatibilities

. . . . . . . . . . . 32

®

®

Using Microsoft

Windows

XP System Restore . . . . . . . . . . . . . 33

Using the Last Known Good Configuration

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 34

Dell Diagnostics

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 35

Before You Start Testing

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 36

Beep Codes

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 36

Error Messages

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 38

Diagnostic Lights

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 38

Diagnostic Light Codes Before POST

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 38

Diagnostic Light Codes During POST

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 40

Frequently Asked Questions

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 43

Index . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 45

Contents 3

4 Contents

Finding Information

NOTE: Some features or media may be optional and may not ship with your computer. Some features or media may

not be available in certain countries.

NOTE: Additional information may ship with your computer.

What Are You Looking For? Find It Here

• A diagnostic program for my computer

Drivers and Utilities CD (also known as Resource CD)

• Drivers for my computer

Documentation and

• My computer documentation

drivers are already

• My device documentation

installed on your

computer. You can use

• Desktop System Software (DSS)

the CD to reinstall drivers,

run the Dell Diagnostics,

or access your

documentation. Readme

files may be included on

your CD to provide last-

minute updates about

technical changes to your computer or advanced technical-

reference material for technicians or experienced users.

NOTE: Drivers and documentation updates can be found

at support.dell.com.

• How to set up my computer

Quick Reference Guide

• How to care for my computer

• Basic troubleshooting information

• How to run the Dell Diagnostics

• Error codes and diagnostic lights

• How to remove and install parts

• How to open my computer cover

NOTE: This document is available as a PDF at

support.dell.com.

Quick Reference Guide 5

What Are You Looking For? Find It Here

• Warranty information

Dell™ Product Information Guide

• Terms and Conditions (U.S. only)

• Safety instructions

• Regulatory information

• Ergonomics information

• End User License Agreement

• How to remove and replace parts

User’s Guide

• Specifications

®

®

Microsoft

Windows

XP Help and Support Center

• How to configure system settings

1

Click the Start button and click

Help and Support

• How to troubleshoot and solve problems

2

Click User’s and system guides and click

User’s Guide

The User’s Guide is also available on the Drivers and

Utilities CD.

®

®

• Service Tag and Express Service Code

Service Tag and Microsoft

Windows

License

• Microsoft Windows License Label

These labels are located on your computer.

• Use the Service Tag to

identify your computer

when you use

support.dell.com

or

contact technical

support.

• Enter the Express

Service Code to direct your call when contacting

technical support.

6 Quick Reference Guide

What Are You Looking For? Find It Here

• Solutions — Troubleshooting hints and tips, articles

Dell Support Website — support.dell.com

from technicians, and online courses, frequently

NOTE: Select your region or business segment to view the

asked questions

appropriate support site.

• Community — Online discussion with other

NOTE: Corporate, government, and education customers

Dell customers

can also use the customized Dell Premier support website at

• Upgrades — Upgrade information for components,

premier.support.dell.com. The website may not be available

such as memory, the hard drive, and the

in all regions.

operating system

• Customer Care — Contact information, service call

and order status, warranty, and repair information

• Service and support — Service call status and

support history, service contract, online discussions

with technical support

• Reference — Computer documentation, details on

my computer configuration, product specifications,

and white papers

• Downloads — Certified drivers, patches, and

software updates

• Desktop System Software (DSS)— If you reinstall

the operating system for your computer, you should

reinstall the DSS utility prior to installing any of the

drivers. DSS provides critical updates for your

operating system and support for Dell™ 3.5-inch

USB floppy drives, optical drives, and USB devices.

DSS is necessary for correct operation of your Dell

computer. The software automatically detects your

computer and operating system and installs the

updates appropriate for your configuration.

• How to use Windows XP

Windows Help and Support Center

• How to work with programs and files

1

Click the

Start

button and click

Help and Support

.

• Documentation for devices (such as modem)

2

Type a word or phrase that describes your problem

and click the arrow icon.

3

Click the topic that describes your problem.

4

Follow the instructions on the screen.

Quick Reference Guide 7

What Are You Looking For? Find It Here

• How to reinstall my operating system

Operating System CD

The operating system is

already installed on your

computer. To reinstall

your operating system, use

the Operating System CD.

See your User’s Guide for

instructions. After you

reinstall your operating

system, use the Drivers and

Utilities CD (Resource CD)

to reinstall drivers for the

devices that came with your computer. Your operating

system product key label is located on your computer.

NOTE: The color of your CD varies based on the operating

system you ordered.

NOTE: The Operating System CD may be optional and may

not ship with your computer.

• How to use Linux

Dell Supported Linux Sites

• E-mail discussions with users of Dell Precision™

• Linux.dell.com

products and the Linux operating system

• Lists.us.dell.com/mailman/listinfo/linux-precision

• Additional information regarding Linux

and my Dell Precision computer

8 Quick Reference Guide

Setting Up Your Computer (Tower Orientation)

CAUTION: Before you begin any of the procedures in this section, follow the safety instructions

in the Product Information Guide.

You must complete all steps to properly set up your computer.

Connect the keyboard and the mouse.

1

Connect the modem or the network cable.

2

NOTICE: Do not connect a modem cable to the

network adapter. Voltage from telephone

communications can damage the network adapter.

NOTE: If your computer has a network card installed,

connect the network cable to the card.

Quick Reference Guide 9

For single- and dual-monitor capable cards with a single connector

VGA adapter:

VGA

Use the VGA adapter when you have a single monitor

graphics card and you want to connect your computer

to a VGA monitor.

Dual VGA Y cable adapter:

Dual DVI Y cable adapter:

VGA

DVI

VGA

DVI

Use the appropriate Y cable when your graphics card

Use the appropriate Y cable when your graphics card has a

has a single connector and you want to connect your

single connector and you want to connect your computer

computer to one or two VGA monitors.

to one or two DVI monitors.

The dual-monitor cable is color-coded; the blue connector is for the primary monitor, and the black

connector is for the second monitor. To enable dual-monitor support, both monitors must be attached

to the computer when you start your computer.

16 Quick Reference Guide

For dual-monitor capable cards with one DVI connector and one VGA connector

One DVI connector and one VGA connector:

Two VGA connectors with one VGA adapter:

DVI

VGA

VGA

VGA

Use the appropriate connector(s) when you want

Use the VGA adapter when you want to connect your

to connect your computer to one or two monitors.

computer to two VGA monitors.

For dual-monitor capable cards with two DVI connectors

Two DVI connectors:

Two DVI connectors

Two DVI connectors

with one VGA adapter:

with two VGA adapters:

DVI

DVI

DVI

VGA

VGA

VGA

Use the DVI connector(s)

Use the VGA adapter to connect

Use two VGA adapters to connect

to connect your computer

a VGA monitor to one of the DVI

two VGA monitors to the DVI

to one or two DVI monitors.

connectors on your computer.

connectors on your computer.

Quick Reference Guide 17

Connect the speakers.

4

NOTE: If your computer has a sound card installed, connect the speakers to the card.

Connect the power cables

and turn on the computer

5

and monitor.

Install additional software or devices.

6

Before you install any devices or software that did not come with your computer, read the documentation

that came with the software or device or contact the vendor to verify that the software or device is

compatible with your computer and operating system.

You have now completed the setup for your desktop computer.

18 Quick Reference Guide

About Your Computer

Front View (Tower Orientation)

1 upper 5.25-inch drive bay Holds a CD/DVD drive.

2 lower 5.25-inch drive bay You can use this bay for an optional CD/DVD drive.

3 FlexBay You can use this bay for an optional third hard drive (SATA or SAS), a floppy

drive or Media Card Reader.

4 hard-drive activity light The hard drive light is on when the computer reads data from or writes data to

the hard drive. The light might also be on when a device such as your CD player

is operating.

5 IEEE 1394 connector

Use the optional IEEE 1394 connector for high-speed data devices such as

(optional)

digital video cameras and external storage devices.

Quick Reference Guide 19

2

3

13

4

12

11

5

10

6

9

8

7

6 USB 2.0 connectors (2) Use the front USB connectors for devices that you connect occasionally, such as

flash memory keys or cameras, or for bootable USB devices (see

"System Setup"

in your User’s Guide for more information on booting to a USB device).

It is recommended that you use the back USB connectors for devices that

typically remain connected, such as printers and keyboards.

7 Dell™ rotatable badge To rotate the Dell badge for tower-to-desktop conversion; remove the

front

panel

, turn it over, and rotate the plastic handle behind the badge.

8 power button Press to turn on the computer.

NOTICE: To avoid losing data, do not use the power button to turn off the computer.

Instead, perform an operating system shutdown.

NOTE: The power button can also be used to wake the system or to place it into

a power-saving state. See "Power Management" in your User’s Guide for

more information.

9 power light The power light illuminates and blinks or remains solid to indicate different

states:

• No light — The computer is turned off.

• Steady green — The computer is in a normal operating state.

• Blinking green — The computer is in a power-saving state.

• Blinking or solid amber — See "Power Problems" in your

User’s Guide

.

To exit from a power-saving state, press the power button or use the keyboard or

the mouse if it is configured as a wake device in the Windows Device Manager.

For more information about sleep states and exiting from a power-saving state,

see your User’s Guide.

See "Diagnostic Lights" on page 38 for a description of light codes that can help

you troubleshoot problems with your computer.

10 headphone connector Use the headphone connector to attach headphones.

11 microphone connector Use the microphone connector to attach a personal computer microphone for

voice or musical input into a sound or telephony program.

12 network link light The network link light is on when a good connection exists between a 10-Mbps,

100-Mbps, or 1000-Mbps (or 1-Gbps) network and the computer.

13 diagnostic lights (4) Use these lights to help you troubleshoot a computer problem based on the

diagnostic code. For more information, see "Diagnostic Lights" on page 38.

20 Quick Reference Guide

Back View (Tower Orientation)

1

2

3

1 power connector Insert the power cable.

2 card slots Access connectors for any installed PCI, PCI-X, or PCI Express cards.

NOTE: The center four slots support full-length cards: one PCI-X slot, one PCI

Express x8 slot (wired as x4), one PCI Express x16 slot, and one PCI slot); and the top

and bottom slots support half-length cards: one PCI-X slot and one PCI Express x8

slot (wired as x4).

3 back panel connectors Plug serial, USB, and other devices into the

appropriate connectors

.

Quick Reference Guide 21

Back Panel Connectors

1 parallel connector Connect a parallel device, such as a printer, to the parallel connector. If you have

a USB printer, plug it into a USB connector.

NOTE: The integrated parallel connector is automatically disabled if the computer

detects an installed card containing a parallel connector configured to the same

address. For more information, see your User’s Guide.

2 line-out/ headphone

Use the green line-out connector to attach headphones and most speakers with

connector

integrated amplifiers.

On computers with a sound card, use the connector on the card.

3 PS/2 mouse connector Plug a standard mouse into the green mouse connector. Turn off the computer

and any attached devices before you connect a mouse to the computer. If you

have a USB mouse, plug it into a USB connector.

®

®

If your computer is running the Microsoft

Windows

XP operating system,

the necessary mouse drivers have been installed on your hard drive.

4 link integrity light

• Green — A good connection exists between a 10-Mbps network and

the computer.

• Orange — A good connection exists between a 100-Mbps network and

the computer.

• Yellow — A good connection exists between a 1000-Mbps (or 1-Gbps) network

and the computer.

• Off — The computer is not detecting a physical connection to the network.

22 Quick Reference Guide

11 10 9 8 7

5 network adapter

To attach your computer to a network or broadband device, connect one end

connector

of a network cable to either a network jack or your network or broadband device.

Connect the other end of the network cable to the network adapter connector

on your computer. A click indicates that the network cable has been

securely attached.

NOTE: Do not plug a telephone cable into the network connector.

On computers with an additional network connector card, use the connectors

on the card and on the back of the computer when setting up multiple network

connections (such as a separate intra- and extranet).

It is recommended that you use Category 5 wiring and connectors for your

network. If you must use Category 3 wiring, force the network speed to 10 Mbps

to ensure reliable operation.

6 network activity light Flashes a yellow light when the computer is transmitting or receiving network

data. A high volume of network traffic may make this light appear to be in a

steady "on" state.

7 USB 2.0 connectors (5) It is recommended that you use the front USB connectors for devices that you

connect occasionally, such as flash memory keys or cameras, or for bootable

USB devices.

Use the back USB connectors for devices that typically remain connected,

such as printers and keyboards.

8 PS/2 keyboard connector If you have a standard keyboard, plug it into the purple keyboard connector.

If you have a USB keyboard, plug it into a USB connector.

9 line-in connector Use the blue line-in connector to attach a record/playback device such

as a cassette player, CD player, or VCR.

On computers with a sound card, use the connector on the card.

10 serial connector Connect a serial device, such as a handheld device, to the serial port. If necessary,

the address for this port can be modified through system setup. See your

User’s Guide for more information.

11 serial connector Connect a serial device, such as a handheld device, to the serial port. If necessary,

the address for this port can be modified through system setup. See your

User’s Guide for more information.

Quick Reference Guide 23

Front View (Desktop Orientation)

1 23 56 7

4

910111213

8

1 upper 5.25-inch drive bay Holds a CD/DVD drive.

2 lower 5.25-inch drive bay You can use the bay for an optional CD/DVD drive, or a SATA hard drive.

3 FlexBay You can use the bay for a floppy drive, or a Media Card Reader.

4 IEEE 1394 connector

Use the optional IEEE 1394 connector for high-speed data devices such as digital

(optional)

video cameras and external storage devices.

5 USB 2.0 connectors (2) Use the front USB connectors for devices that you connect occasionally, such as

flash memory keys or cameras, or for bootable USB devices (see

"System Setup"

in your

User’s Guide

for more information on booting to a USB device).

It is recommended that you use the back USB connectors for devices that

typically remain connected, such as printers and keyboards.

6 hard-drive activity light The hard drive light is on when the computer reads data from or writes data to

the hard drive. The light might also be on when a device such as your CD player

is operating.

7 Dell™ rotatable badge To rotate the Dell badge for tower-to-desktop conversion; remove the

front panel

,

turn it over, and rotate the plastic handle behind the badge.

8 power button Press to turn on the computer.

NOTICE: To avoid losing data, do not use the power button to turn off the computer.

Instead, perform an operating system shutdown.

NOTE: The power button can also be used to wake the system or to place it into

a power-saving state. See your User’s Guide for more information.

24 Quick Reference Guide

9 power light The power light illuminates and blinks or remains solid to indicate

different states:

• No light — The computer is turned off.

• Steady green — The computer is in a normal operating state.

• Blinking green — The computer is in a power-saving state.

• Blinking or solid amber — See "Power Problems" in your

User’s Guide

.

To exit from a power-saving state, press the power button or use the keyboard or

the mouse if it is configured as a wake device in the Windows Device Manager.

For more information about sleep states and exiting from a power-saving state,

see your User’s Guide.

See "Diagnostic Lights" on page 38 for a description of light codes that can help

you troubleshoot problems with your computer.

10 headphone connector Use the headphone connector to attach headphones.

11 microphone connector Use the microphone connector to attach a personal computer microphone for

voice or musical input into a sound or telephony program.

12 network link light The network link light is on when a good connection exists between a 10-Mbps,

100-Mbps, or 1000-Mbps (or 1-Gbps) network and the computer.

13 diagnostic lights (4) Use these lights to help you troubleshoot a computer problem based on the

diagnostic code. For more information, see "Diagnostic Lights" on page 38.

Back View (Desktop Orientation)

1 2 3

1 back panel connectors Plug serial, USB, and other devices into the

appropriate connector

.

2 card slots Access connectors for any installed PCI, PCI-X, or PCI Express cards.

NOTE:

The slot farthest to the left and the two slots on the right support half-length

cards: one PCI Express x8 slot (wired as x4) and two PCI-X slots. The center three slots

support full-length cards: one PCI Express x16 slot, one PCI Express x8 slot (wired as x4)

and one PCI slot.

3 power connector Insert the power cable.

Quick Reference Guide 25

Caring for Your Computer

To help maintain your computer, follow these suggestions:

• To avoid losing or corrupting data, never turn off your computer when the hard drive light is on.

• Schedule regular virus scans using virus software.

• Manage hard drive space by periodically deleting unnecessary files and defragmenting the drive.

• Back up files on a regular basis.

• Periodically clean your monitor screen, mouse, and keyboard (see your

User’s Guide

for more information).

Solving Problems

Troubleshooting Tips

Perform the following checks when you troubleshoot your computer:

• If you added or removed a part before the problem started, review the installation procedures

and ensure that the part is correctly installed.

• If a peripheral device does not work, ensure that the device is properly connected.

• If an error message appears on the screen, write down the exact message. The message may help

technical support personnel diagnose and fix the problem(s).

• If an error message occurs in a program, see the program’s documentation.

• If the recommended action in the troubleshooting section is to see a section in your

User’s Guide

,

go to

support.dell.com

(on another computer if necessary) to access your

User’s Guide.

Resolving Software and Hardware Incompatibilities

If a device is either not detected during the operating system setup or is detected but incorrectly configured,

you can use the Hardware Troubleshooter to resolve the incompatibility.

To resolve incompatibilities using the Hardware Troubleshooter:

1

Click the

Start

button and click

Help and Support

.

2

Ty p e

hardware troubleshooter

in the

Search

field and click the arrow to start the search.

3

Click

Hardware Troubleshooter

in the

Search Results

list.

4

In the

Hardware Troubleshooter

list, click

I need to resolve a hardware conflict on my computer

,

and click

Next

.

32 Quick Reference Guide

®

®

Using Microsoft

Windows

XP System Restore

The Microsoft Windows XP operating system provides System Restore to allow you to return your

computer to an earlier operating state (without affecting data files) if changes to the hardware, software,

or other system settings have left the computer in an undesirable operating state. See the Windows Help

and Support Center for information about using System Restore (see "Finding Information" on page 5

for information about accessing the Windows Help and Support Center).

NOTICE: Make regular backups of your data files. System Restore does not monitor your data files or recover them.

Creating a Restore Point

1

Click the

Start

button and click

Help and Support

.

2

Click

System Restore

.

3

Follow the instructions on the screen.

Restoring the Computer to an Earlier Operating State

NOTICE: Before you restore the computer to an earlier operating state, save and close any open files and exit any

open programs. Do not alter, open, or delete any files or programs until the system restoration is complete.

1

Click the

Start

button, point to

All Programs

→

Accessories

→

System Tools

, and then click

System Restore

.

2

Ensure that

Restore my computer to an earlier time

is selected and click

Next

.

3

Click a calendar date to which you want to restore your computer.

The

Select a Restore Point

screen provides a calendar that allows you to see and select restore points.

All calendar dates with available restore points appear in boldface type.

4

Select a restore point and click

Next

.

If a calendar date has only one restore point, then that restore point is automatically selected.

If two or more restore points are available, click the restore point that you prefer.

5

Click

Next

.

The

Restoration Complete

screen appears after System Restore finishes collecting data

and then the computer restarts.

6

After the computer restarts, click

OK

.

To change the restore point, you can either repeat the steps using a different restore point, or you can

undo the restoration.

Quick Reference Guide 33

Undoing the Last System Restore

NOTICE: Before you undo the last system restore, save and close all open files and exit any open programs.

Do not alter, open, or delete any files or programs until the system restoration is complete.

1

Click the

Start

button, point to

All Programs

→

Accessories

→

System Tools

, and then click

System Restore

.

2

Click

Undo my last restoration

and click

Next

.

3

Click

Next

.

The

System Restore

screen appears and the computer restarts.

4

After the computer restarts, click

OK

.

Enabling System Restore

If you reinstall Windows XP with less than 200 MB of free hard-disk space available, System Restore

is automatically disabled. To see if System Restore is enabled:

1

Click the

Start

button and click

Control

Panel

.

2

Click

Performance and Maintenance

.

3

Click

System

.

4

Click the

System Restore

tab.

5

Ensure that

Turn off System Restore

is unchecked.

Using the Last Known Good Configuration

1

Restart your computer and press <F8> when the message

Please select the operating

system to start

appears.

2

Highlight

Last Known Good Configuration

, press <Enter>, press <l>, and then select your

operating system when prompted.

Other Options to Help Resolve Additional Device or Software Conflicts

NOTICE: The following processes erase all of the information on your hard drive.

• Reinstall your operating system using the operating system installation guide and

Operating System

CD.

During the operating system reinstallation, you can select to delete the existing partitions and reformat

your hard drive.

• Reinstall all drivers, beginning with the chipset, using the

Drivers and Utilities

CD

.

34 Quick Reference Guide

Dell Diagnostics

CAUTION: Before you begin any of the procedures in this section, follow the safety instructions

in the Product Information Guide.

When to Use the Dell Diagnostics

If you experience a problem with your computer, perform the checks in "Solving Problems" on page 32

and run the Dell Diagnostics before you contact Dell for technical assistance.

It is recommended that you print these procedures before you begin.

NOTICE: The Dell Diagnostics works only on Dell™ computers. Using this program with other computers

can cause incorrect computer responses or result in error messages.

The Dell Diagnostics allow you to:

• Perform quick checks or extensive tests on one or all devices

• Choose how many times a test is run

• Display or print test results or save them in a file

• Suspend testing if an error is detected or terminate testing if a certain number of errors occur

• Access online

Help

screens that describe the tests and how to run them

• Read status messages that tell you whether tests completed successfully

• Receive error messages if problems are detected

Starting the Dell Diagnostics From Your Hard Drive

1

Turn on (or restart) your computer.

2

When the DELL™ logo appears, press <F12> immediately.

NOTE: If you see a message stating that no diagnostics utility partition has been found, see "Starting

the Dell Diagnostics From the Drivers and Utilities CD" in your User’s Guide

If you wait too long and the operating system logo appears, continue to wait until you see the

Microsoft Windows desktop. Then shut down your computer and try again. For more information

on shutting down your computer, see your

User’s Guide.

3

When the boot device list appears, highlight

Boot to Utility Partition

and press <Enter>.

4

When the Dell Diagnostics

Main Menu

appears, select the test you want to run. For more information

on the tests, see your

User’s Guide.

Quick Reference Guide 35

Starting the Dell Diagnostics From the Drivers and Utilities CD

1

Insert the

Drivers and Utilities

CD.

2

Shut down and restart the computer.

When the DELL logo appears, press <F12> immediately.

If you wait too long and the Windows logo appears, continue to wait until you see the Windows

desktop. Then shut down your computer and try again.

NOTE: The next steps change the boot sequence for one time only. On the next start-up, the computer boots

according to the devices specified in the system setup program.

3

When the boot device list appears, highlight

Onboard or USB CD-ROM Drive

and press <Enter>.

4

Select the

Boot from CD-ROM

option from the menu that appears and press <Enter>.

5

Ty p e

1

to start the menu and press <Enter> to proceed.

6

Select

Run the 32 Bit Dell Diagnostics

from the numbered list. If multiple versions are listed,

select the version appropriate for your computer.

7

When the Dell Diagnostics

Main Menu

appears, select the test you want to run.

Before You Start Testing

CAUTION: Before you begin any of the procedures in this section, follow the safety instructions in the

Product Information Guide.

• Turn on your printer if one is attached.

• Enter system setup, review your computer’s configuration information, and enable all of your

computer’s components and devices, such as connectors.

Beep Codes

Your computer might emit a series of beeps during start-up if the monitor cannot display errors or problems.

This series of beeps, called a beep code, identifies a problem. One possible beep code (code 1-3-1)

consists of one beep, a burst of three beeps, and then one beep. This beep code tells you that the

computer encountered a memory problem.

If your computer beeps during start-up:

1

Write down the beep code on the "Diagnostics Checklist" in your

User’s Guide

.

2

Run the Dell Diagnostics to identify a more serious cause.

3

Contact Dell for technical assistance.

36 Quick Reference Guide

Code Cause

1-1-2 Microprocessor register failure

1-1-3 NVRAM read/write failure

1-1-4 ROM BIOS checksum failure

1-2-1 Programmable interval timer failure

1-2-2 DMA initialization failure

1-2-3 DMA page register read/write failure

1-3 Video Memory Test failure

1-3-1 through 2-4-4 Memory not being properly identified or used

1-3-2 Memory problem

3-1-1 Slave DMA register failure

3-1-2 Master DMA register failure

3-1-3 Master interrupt mask register failure

3-1-4 Slave interrupt mask register failure

3-2-2 Interrupt vector loading failure

3-2-4 Keyboard Controller Test failure

3-3-1 NVRAM power loss

3-3-2 Invalid NVRAM configuration

3-3-4 Video Memory Test failure

3-4-1 Screen initialization failure

3-4-2 Screen retrace failure

3-4-3 Search for video ROM failure

4-2-1 No timer tick

4-2-2 Shutdown failure

4-2-3 Gate A20 failure

4-2-4 Unexpected interrupt in protected mode

4-3-1 Memory failure above address 0FFFFh

4-3-3 Timer-chip counter 2 failure

4-3-4 Time-of-day clock stopped

4-4-1 Serial or parallel port test failure

4-4-2 Failure to decompress code to shadowed memory

4-4-3 Math-coprocessor test failure

4-4-4 Cache test failure

Quick Reference Guide 37

Error Messages

NOTE: If the message is not listed, see the documentation for either the operating system or the program that was

running when the message appeared.

If an error occurs during start-up, a message may be displayed on the monitor identifying the problem.

See "Error Messages" in your User’s Guide for suggestions on resolving any problems.

Diagnostic Lights

CAUTION: Before you begin any of the procedures in this section, follow the safety instructions in the

Product Information Guide.

To help you troubleshoot a problem, your computer has four lights labeled "1," "2," "3," and "4" on the

front. The lights can be "off" or green. When the computer starts normally, the lights flash. If the

computer malfunctions, the pattern of the lights and also that of the power button help to identify the

problem.These lights also indicate sleep states.

Diagnostic Light Codes Before POST

Diagnostic Lights Power

Problem Description Suggested Resolution

Light

off No electrical power is

Connect the computer to an electrical outlet.

supplied to the computer.

Ensure that the front-panel power light is on.

If the power light is off, ensure that the

computer is connected to a working electrical

outlet and then press the power button.

If the problem is still not resolved, contact

Dell for technical assistance.

off The computer is in a normal

Press the power button to turn the computer on.

off condition; the computer is

If the computer does not turn on, ensure that

connected to an electrical

the front-panel power light is on. If the power

outlet.

light is off, ensure that the computer is

connected to a working electrical outlet and

then press the power button.

If the problem is still not resolved, contact

Dell for technical assistance.

38 Quick Reference Guide

Diagnostic Lights Power

Problem Description Suggested Resolution

Light

blinking

The computer is in a reduced

Use one of the appropriate methods to "wake

green

power or "sleep" state.

up" the computer. See "Advanced Features"

in your User’s Guide.

If the problem is not resolved and you are trying

to wake the computer with a USB mouse or

keyboard, substitute the mouse or keyboard

with a working PS/2 mouse or keyboard and

then try to wake the computer.

blinking

The computer is in a reduced

Use one of the appropriate methods to "wake

green

power or "sleep" state.

up" the computer. See "Advanced Features"

in your User’s Guide.

If the problem is not resolved and you are trying

to wake the computer with a USB mouse or

keyboard, substitute the mouse or keyboard

with a working PS/2 mouse or keyboard and

then try to wake the computer.

amber The BIOS is not executing. Ensure that the processor is seated correctly and

restart the computer. See "Processor" in your

User’s Guide.

(blinking)

If the problem is still not resolved, contact Dell

for technical assistance.

blinking

A possible power supply or

Perform the procedure in "Power Problems"

amber

power cable failure has

in your User’s Guide.

occurred.

If the problem is still not resolved, contact Dell

(blinking)

for technical assistance.

amber A possible system board

Contact Dell for technical assistance.

failure has occurred.

(blinking)

amber A processor mismatch exists. Perform the procedure in "Processor Problems"

in your User’s Guide.

(blinking)

Quick Reference Guide 39

Diagnostic Lights Power

Problem Description Suggested Resolution

Light

amber A possible failure has been

Verify that any required power cables are

detected in a plug-in

connected to the memory and graphics

component such as a graphics

riser cards.

(blinking)

riser card or memory

Perform the procedure in "Power Problems"

riser card.

in your User’s Guide.

amber A possible power supply

Verify that both power supply cables are

failure has occurred.

plugged in to the motherboard.

(blinking)

Diagnostic Light Codes During POST

The power light displays a solid green for diagnostic light codes during POST.

Light Pattern Problem Description Suggested Resolution

A possible processor failure has

Reinstall the processor and restart the computer.

occurred.

A possible expansion card failure

1

Determine if a conflict exists by removing a card

has occurred.

(not the graphics card) and then restarting the computer.

2

If the problem persists, reinstall the card that you

removed, remove a different card, and then restart the

computer.

3

Repeat this process for each card. If the computer starts

normally, troubleshoot the last card removed from the

computer for resource conflicts (see "Resolving Software

and Hardware Incompatibilities" on page 32).

4

If the problem persists, contact Dell

.

A possible graphics card failure

1

If the computer has a graphics card, remove the card,

has occurred.

reinstall it, and then restart the computer.

2

If the problem still exists, install a graphics card that

you know works and restart the computer.

3

If the problem persists or the computer has integrated

graphics, contact Dell

.

A possible floppy or hard drive

Reseat all power and data cables and restart the computer.

failure has occurred.

40 Quick Reference Guide

Light Pattern Problem Description Suggested Resolution

A possible USB failure

Reinstall all USB devices, check cable connections,

has occurred.

and then restart the computer.

No memory modules

1

Reseat the memory modules to ensure that your computer

are detected.

is successfully communicating with the memory.

2

Restart the computer.

3

If the problem still exists, remove all the memory modules

and install one memory module in memory module

connector DIMM_1.

4

Restart the computer.

A message appears stating that because your memory

is not paired, the system will operate with reduced

performance and reduced error-correction capability

5

Press <F1> to boot to the operating system.

6

Run the Dell Diagnostics. See your

User’s Guide

for more

information.

7

If the memory module passes, shut down the computer,

remove the memory module, and then repeat the process

with the remaining memory modules until a memory error

occurs during start-up or diagnostic testing.

If the first memory module tested is defective, repeat the

process with the remaining modules to ensure that the

remaining modules are not defective.

8

When the defective memory module is identified, contact

Dell for a replacement

.

No memory modules

• If you have one memory module installed, reinstall it

are detected.

and restart the computer.

• If you have two or more memory modules installed,

remove the modules, reinstall one module, and then

restart the computer). If the computer starts normally,

reinstall an additional module. Continue until you have

identified a faulty module or reinstalled all modules

without error.

• If available, install properly working memory of the same

type into your computer.

• If the problem persists, contact Dell.

System board failure

Contact Dell

for technical assistance

.

has occurred.

Quick Reference Guide 41