Back to Contents Page
Checking the Equipment: Dell™ PowerEdge™ 8450 Systems Installation and
Troubleshooting Guide
Overview • Troubleshooting
the Monitor • Troubleshooting the
Keyboard • Troubleshooting I/O Ports
• Troubleshooting the Basic I/O
Functions • Troubleshooting a
Parallel Printer • Troubleshooting
a Serial I/O Device
This section provides troubleshooting procedures for equipment that connects directly
to the input/output (I/O) panel of the computer, such as the monitor, keyboard, mouse, or
printer. Before performing any of the procedures in this section, see Checking Connections and Switches.
Then perform the troubleshooting procedures for the equipment that is malfunctioning.
 |
NOTE: When you see the question
"Is the problem resolved?" in a troubleshooting procedure, perform the operation
that caused the problem. |
Troubleshooting video problems involves determining which of the following items is the
source of the problem:
- Monitor and monitor interface cable
- Video memory
- Video logic of the computer or a video expansion card
If information on the monitor screen is displayed incorrectly or not at all, perform
the following steps to solve the problem:
- Turn on the system, including any attached peripherals.
- Adjust the switches and controls including the horizontal and vertical position and
size, as specified in the monitor's documentation, to correct the video image.
Is the problem resolved?
Yes. You have fixed the problem.
No. Go to step 3.
- Run the Dell Diagnostics.
Is the monitor displaying text properly?
Yes. Go to step 4.
No. If a video expansion card is installed in the computer,
see Troubleshooting Expansion Cards.
If no video expansion card is installed, the integrated video controller is faulty; see Getting Help for instructions on obtaining technical assistance.
- Run the VESA/VGA Interface
tests in the Dell Diagnostics.
Did the tests run successfully?
Yes. You have fixed the problem, or the problem is
software-related. For information about installing video drivers, see "Using the Dell
OpenManage Server Assistant CD," in the User's Guide.
No. Go to step 5.
- Turn off the system and disconnect it from the electrical outlet.
Swap the monitor with one of the same type that is working, and reconnect the system
to the electrical outlet.
- Run the VESA/VGA Interface
tests in the Dell Diagnostics again.
Did the tests run successfully?
Yes. The monitor must be replaced. See Getting
Help for instructions on obtaining technical assistance.
No. If a video expansion card is installed in the computer,
see Troubleshooting Expansion Cards.
If no video expansion card is installed, the integrated video controller is faulty; see Getting Help for instructions on obtaining technical assistance.
This procedure determines what kind of keyboard problem you may have. If a system error
message indicates a keyboard problem when you start the computer system or while the Dell
Diagnostics is running, perform the following steps:
- Look at the keyboard and the keyboard cable for any signs of damage.
Press and release each key on the keyboard.
Do the keyboard and its cable appear to be free of physical damage, and do the keys
work?
Yes. Go to step 3.
No. Go to step 2.
- Swap the faulty keyboard with a working keyboard.
To swap a faulty keyboard, unplug the keyboard cable from the computer's back panel
and plug in a working keyboard.
Is the problem resolved?
Yes. The keyboard must be replaced. See Getting
Help for instructions on obtaining technical assistance.
No. Go to step 3.
- Run the PC-AT Compatible Keyboards
tests in the Dell Diagnostics.
Can you use the keyboard to select the PC/AT Compatible Keyboards
test?
Yes. Go to step 5.
No. Go to step 4.
- Swap the faulty keyboard with a working keyboard.
- Did the PC/AT Compatible Keyboards tests run successfully?
Yes. The keyboard must be replaced. See Getting
Help for instructions on obtaining technical assistance.
No. The keyboard controller on the system board is faulty.
See Getting Help for instructions on obtaining technical
assistance.
This procedure troubleshoots the ports on the computer's I/O panel and the equipment
connected to them, such as a printer, scanner, or other peripheral device.
You can also use this procedure to test I/O ports on expansion cards. However, you
should first complete the procedures in Troubleshooting Expansion Cards to
verify that the card is configured and installed correctly.
If a system error message indicates a port problem or if equipment connected to a port
seems to perform incorrectly or not at all, the problem may stem from any of the following
sources:
- A faulty connection between the I/O port and the peripheral device
- A faulty cable between the I/O port and the peripheral device
- A faulty peripheral device
- Incorrect settings in the system setup program
- Incorrect settings in the system's configuration files
- Faulty I/O port logic on the system board
|
NOTE: With certain modems installed,
the Serial Ports Test
may fail because the diagnostics recognizes the modem as a serial port device, but cannot
test the modem as a serial port device. If you have a modem installed and you experience a
serial-port test failure, remove the modem and run the diagnostic tests again. |
This procedure determines whether the computer's basic I/O functions
are operational. If a system error message indicates an I/O port problem or the device
connected to the port does not function properly, perform the following steps:
- Enter the system setup program, and check the Serial Port A, Serial
Port B, and Parallel Port settings.
Are the communications ports set to Enabled?
Yes. Go to step 3.
No. Go to step 2.
- Change the Serial Port A, Serial Port B, and Parallel
Port settings to Enabled; then reboot the system.
Is the problem resolved?
Yes. You have fixed the problem.
No. Go to step 3.
- Check the contents of the start-up files.
See Installing and
Configuring Software.
Are the port configuration commands correct?
Yes. Go to step 5.
No. Go to step 4.
- Change the necessary statements in the start-up files.
If the port problem is confined to a particular application program, see the
application program's documentation for specific port configuration requirements.
Is the problem resolved?
Yes. You have fixed the problem.
No. Go to step 5.
- Reboot the system from the diagnostics diskette, and run the Serial Ports test and/or the Parallel Ports test group in the
Dell Diagnostics.
The Serial Ports and Parallel Ports tests check the
basic functions of the system board's I/O port logic. Also, if a parallel printer is
connected to the parallel port, the Parallel Ports test group checks the
communications link between the system board's I/O port logic and the printer.
Did the tests run successfully?
Yes. Go to step 6.
No. See Getting Help for instructions
on obtaining technical assistance.
- If the problem persists, go to Troubleshooting
a Parallel Printer or Troubleshooting a
Serial I/O Device depending on which device appears to be malfunctioning.
If the procedure in Troubleshooting
the Basic I/O Functions indicates that the problem is with a parallel printer, perform
the following steps:
- Turn off the parallel printer and computer.
- Swap the parallel printer interface cable with a known working cable.
- Turn on the parallel printer and computer.
- Attempt a print operation on the parallel printer.
Did the print operation run successfully?
Yes. The interface cable must be replaced. See Getting Help for instructions on obtaining technical assistance.
No. Go to step 5.
- Run the parallel printer's self-test.
Did the self-test run successfully?
Yes. Go to step 6.
No. The printer is probably defective. If the printer was
purchased from Dell, see Getting Help for instructions on obtaining
technical assistance.
- Attempt another print operation on the parallel printer.
Did the print operation run successfully?
Yes. You have fixed the problem.
No. See Getting Help for instructions
on obtaining technical assistance.
If the procedure in Troubleshooting
the Basic I/O Functions indicates that the problem is with a device connected to one
of the serial ports, perform the following steps:
- Turn off the computer and any peripheral devices connected to the serial ports.
Are two serial devices connected to the computer?
Yes. Go to step 2.
No. Go to step 4.
- Disconnect the devices from serial ports 1 and 2, and connect the malfunctioning serial
device to the opposite port.
- Turn on the computer and the reconnected serial device.
Is the problem resolved?
Yes. The serial port may be defective. See Getting Help for instructions on obtaining technical assistance.
No. Go to step 4.
- Swap the interface cable (that connects the device to the serial port) with a known
working cable.
Is the problem resolved?
Yes. The interface cable must be replaced. See Getting Help for instructions on obtaining technical assistance.
No. Go to step 5.
- Turn off the computer and the serial device, and swap the device with a comparable
working device.
For example, if the serial mouse has a problem, swap it with a serial mouse that you
know is working properly.
- Turn on the computer and the serial device.
Is the problem resolved?
Yes. The serial device must be replaced. See Getting Help for instructions on obtaining technical assistance.
No. See Getting Help for instructions
on obtaining technical assistance.
Back to Contents Page