Dell Latitude XPiCD Reference Manual

Also see for Latitude XPi CD: Manual User guide Service manual

Contents

Dell Latitude XPiCD Reference Manual Manual pdf 89 page image

Running the Dell Diagnostics 4-19• Audio Output TestCauses the drive to begin playing the first audiotrack on an audio CD. (To determine if the testpassed, listen to the audio output of the drive.)NOTE: The Audio Output Test does not run automat-ically as part of the IDE CD ROM Drives TestGroup; you must select the subtest individually.• Eject Removable MediaChecks the drive’s ability to eject the CD tray.Serial/Infrared Ports Test GroupThe subtests in the Serial/Infrared Ports Test Groupcheck the computer’s interface with external devices(such as a serial mouse or a printer). The subtests in this testgroup are not intended as a diagnostic test for the externaldevice itself.Why Run a Serial/Infrared Ports Test?It may not be immediately evident whether the port or theexternal device is faulty. In both cases, the externaldevice (such as a serial mouse or a printer) might behaveerratically or not operate at all. Eliminate incorrect sys-tem configuration information settings, peripheralmalfunctions, and software errors as potential causes ofinfrared (IR) port problems, before you run the subtestsin the Serial/Infrared Ports Test Group to check yourhardware.If the diagnostics do not recognize the computer’s serialor infrared port, check the SERIAL PORT or INFRAREDDATA PORT option in System Setup program to see if the porthas been disabled. For instructions, see “Serial Port,” “Infra-red Data Port,” or “Parallel Mode” in Chapter 2. The subtestsin the Serial/Infrared Ports Test Group cannot test a portunless it is enabled.Another possible cause for errors is a problem with theexternal device itself. Use the documentation that came withthe peripheral to troubleshoot it and confirm that it is work-ing properly.If the external device is not properly installed throughsoftware, the device also may not function properly. Tryoperating the device from different programs or throughthe operating system. If it still does not work, you caneliminate the software configuration as the cause of theproblem.Although the following symptoms can be caused byfaulty peripherals or software errors, these symptomsmight also suggest a port problem:• If a peripheral works intermittently, or producesintermittent errors, the port may be faulty.• If the computer displays an error message that isrelated to the external device connected to a port, butcorrections to the device do not resolve the error, runthe appropriate subtest in the Serial/Infrared PortsTest Group.SubtestsThe four subtests in the Serial/Infrared Ports Test Groupconfirm the following port functions:• Serial/IR Baud Rate TestChecks the baud rate generator in each serial com-munications chip against the computer’s clock• Serial/IR Interrupt TestChecks the serial port’s ability to send IRQs to themicroprocessor• Serial/IR Internal Transmission TestChecks several internal functions of the serial portusing the internal loopback mode of the serial com-munications chip• Serial External Transmission TestIf a loopback device is attached, checks the line con-trol bits of the serial port and sends a test pattern atseveral baud rates, checking the returned valuesParallel Ports Test GroupThe subtests in the Parallel Ports Test Group check thecomputer’s interface with external devices, such as aprinter, that are connected to the computer through the paral-lel port. The subtests in this test group are not intended as adiagnostic test for the actual peripheral attached to each port.