Dell Inspiron 3000 Reference And Troubleshooting Manual

Also see for Inspiron 3200: Installing Utilities and Drivers Service manual User guide Specifications

Contents

Dell Inspiron 3000 Reference And Troubleshooting Manual Manual pdf 43 page image

Troubleshooting Your Computer 3-1Chapter 3Troubleshooting Your ComputerIf your Dell Inspiron 3000 is not working as expected,this chapter provides initial checks for solving basic com-puter problems as well as detailed troubleshootingprocedures. It lists system messages and beep codes, theirpossible causes, and actions you can take to resolve anyproblems indicated by a message or code. This chapteralso offers general guidelines for analyzing some soft-ware problems.NOTES: When you see the question “Is the problemresolved?” in a troubleshooting procedure, repeat theoperation that caused the problem to see if it still occurs.Before you begin any of the troubleshooting procedures,make sure the Quiet Boot option is set to Disabled in theMain menu of the Setup program. See Chapter 2, “Cus-tomizing Features,” for information on using the Setupprogram.Backing Up Your FilesYou can lose data when a computer failure occurs. If yourcomputer is behaving erratically, back up your filesimmediately. See your operating system documentationfor instructions on backing up files.Basic ChecksThe following procedure leads you through the checksnecessary to solve some basic computer problems.NOTE: Before you begin any of the troubleshooting pro-cedures, make sure the Quiet Boot option is set toDisabled in the Main menu of the Setup program. SeeChapter 2, “Customizing System Features,” for informa-tion on using the Setup program.1. Is your computer wet or damaged?Yes. Go to “Troubleshooting a Wet Computer” or“Troubleshooting a Damaged Computer” found laterin this chapter.No. Go to step 2.2. Perform the steps in the next subsection, “Check-ing Connections.”Is the problem resolved?Yes. A connection to your computer was loose. Theproblem is resolved.No. Go to step 3.CAUTION: The only time you should ever accessthe inside of your computer is when you are install-ing memory modules.Wait 5 seconds after turning off the computerbefore disconnecting a peripheral device or remov-ing a memory module to help prevent possibledamage to the system board.CAUTION: See “Protecting Against ElectrostaticDischarge” in the safety instructions at the front ofthis guide.55899BK1.BK : 55899c31.fm Page 1 Wednesday, February 4, 1998 1:20 PM