Dell OptiPlex E1 Troubleshooting Manual

Also see for OptiPlex E1: Documentation update Service manual Reference and installation guide Service manual Reference and installation guide

Contents

Dell OptiPlex E1 Troubleshooting Manual Manual pdf 55 page image

Running the Dell Diagnostics 4-19Another possible cause for errors is the external device.Use the documentation that came with the peripheral totroubleshoot it and confirm that it is working properly.(Most printers have a self-test.)After you eliminate incorrect system configurationinformation settings, peripheral malfunctions, and soft-ware errors as potential causes of port problems, you canrun the subtests in the Serial/Infrared Ports Test Group tocheck your hardware. Although the following symptomscan be caused by faulty peripherals or software errors,they might 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.• If your software and the diagnostics do not recognizethat you have a serial or infrared port, you shouldcheck the Serial/Infrared Port category in the SystemSetup program, and if necessary, run the appropriatesubtest in the Serial/Infrared Ports Test Group.Parallel 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 a par-allel port. The subtests in this test group are not intendedas a diagnostic test for the actual peripheral attached toeach port. (The only exception is a printer, as described inthe Parallel Internal Test.)NOTE: If an external loopback connector is not attachedto the parallel port, the Parallel External Loopback Testwill fail for that port and the results of this test shouldtherefore be ignored.SubtestsThe four subtests in the Parallel Ports Test Group confirmthe following port functions:• Parallel Internal TestChecks several internal functions of the parallel port• Parallel External Loopback TestTests the functionality of the control lines through anexternal loopback connector, if an external loopbackconnector is available• Parallel External Interrupt TestTests the parallel port’s ability to generate interruptsfrom all possible sources, if an external loopbackconnector or printer is available• Parallel Printer Pattern TestTests a printer and tests the parallel port’s ability tosend a pattern to the printer, if connectedWhy Run a Parallel Ports Test?If the Dell Diagnostics does not recognize your com-puter’s parallel port, enter the System Setup program andcheck the Parallel Port category to see if the port has beendisabled. The subtests in the Parallel Ports Test Groupcannot test a port unless it is enabled.When a port is faulty, it may not be immediately evidentthat the port, and not the device connected to the port, isfaulty. Instead, the peripheral (such as a printer) mightbehave erratically or not operate at all. If the externaldevice is not properly installed through your software, italso may not function properly. Try operating the periph-eral from different programs or through the operatingsystem. If it still does not work, you can eliminate thesoftware setup as the cause of the problem.Another possible cause for errors is the external device.Use the documentation that came with the peripheral totroubleshoot it and confirm that it is working properly.(Most printers have a self-test.)After you eliminate incorrect system configuration infor-mation settings, peripheral malfunctions, and softwareerrors as potential causes of port problems, you can runthe subtests in the Parallel Ports Test Group to check yourhardware. Although the following symptoms can becaused by faulty peripherals or software errors, theymight 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, run