Dell Diagnostics Power Button Light Codes Beep Codes Diagnostic Lights
Dell Diagnostics When to Use the Dell Diagnostics It is recommended that you print these procedures before you begin. NOTE: he Dell Diagnostics software wor!s only on Dell computers. NOTE: he Drivers and Utilities media is optional and may not ship with your computer. "nter system setup #see "ntering System Setup$% review your computer&s configuration information% and ensure that the device you want to test displays in System Setup and is active. Start the Dell Diagnostics from either your hard drive or from the Drivers and Utilities media. Starting the Dell Diagnostics From o!r "ar# Dri$e '. urn on #or restart$ your computer. (. )hen the D"LL logo appears% press *+'(, immediately. NOTE: If you see a message stating that no diagnostics utility partition has been found% run the Dell Diagnostics from your Drivers and Utilities media. If you wait too long and the operating system logo appears% continue to wait until you see the Microsoft- )indows- des!top. hen shut down your computer and try again. .. )hen the boot device list appears% highlight %oot to Utilit& Partition and press *"nter,. /. )hen the Dell Diagnostics 'ain 'en! appears% select the test that you want to run. Starting the Dell Diagnostics From the Dri$ers an# Utilities Disc '. Insert the Drivers and Utilities disc. (. Shut down and restart the computer. )hen the D"LL logo appears% press *+'(, immediately. If you wait too long and the )indows logo appears% continue to wait until you see the )indows des!top. hen shut down your computer and try again. NOTE: he ne0t steps change the boot se1uence for one time only. 2n the ne0t startup% the computer boots according to the devices specified in the system setup program. .. )hen the boot device list appears% highlight On(oar# or US% )D*+O' Dri$e and press *"nter,. /. Select the %oot ,rom )D*+O' option from the menu that appears and press *"nter,. 5. ype 1 to start the menu and press *"nter, to proceed. 3. Select +!n the -. %it Dell Diagnostics from the numbered list. If multiple versions are listed% select the version appropriate for your computer. 4. )hen the Dell Diagnostics 'ain 'en! appears% select the test you want to run. Dell Diagnostics 'ain 'en! '. 5fter the Dell Diagnostics loads and the 'ain 'en! screen appears% clic! the button for the option you want. Option F!nction "0press est Performs a 1uic! test of devices. his test typically ta!es '6 to (6 minutes and re1uires no interaction on your part. 7un Express Test first to increase the possibility of tracing the problem 1uic!ly. "0tended est Performs a thorough chec! of devices. his test typically ta!es ' hour or more and re1uires you to answer 1uestions periodically. Custom est ests a specific device. 8ou can customi9e the tests you want to run. Symptomree Lists the most common symptoms encountered and allows you to select a test based on the symptom of the problem you are having. (. If a problem is encountered during a test% a message appears with an error code and a description of the problem. )rite down the error code and problem description and follow the instructions on the screen. .. If you run a test from the )!stom Test or S&mptom Tree option% clic! the applicable tab described in the following table for more information. Ta( F!nction 7esults Displays the results of the test and any error conditions encountered. "rrors Displays error conditions encountered% error codes% and the problem description. :elp Describes the test and may indicate re1uirements for running the test. Configuration Displays your hardware configuration for the selected device. he Dell Diagnostics obtains configuration information for all devices from system setup% memory% and various internal tests% and it displays the information in the device list in the left pane of the screen. he device list may not display the names of all the components installed on your computer or all devices attached to your computer. Parameters 5llows you to customi9e the test by changing the test settings. /. )hen the tests are completed% if you are running the Dell Diagnostics from the Drivers and Utilities disc% remove the disc. ;. Close the test screen to return to the 'ain 'en! screen. o e0it the Dell Diagnostics and restart the computer% close the 'ain 'en! screen. Po/er %!tton 0ight )o#es he diagnostic lights give much more information about the system state% but legacy power light states are also supported in your computer. he power light states are shown in following table. Po/er 0ight State Description O,, Power is off% light is blan!. %lin1ing 2m(er Initial state of light at power up. Indicates system has power% but the P2)"7<=22D signal is not yet active. If the :ard Drive light is o,,% it is probable that the power supply needs to be replaced. If the "ar# Dri$e light on% it is probable that an onboard regulator or >7M has failed. Loo! at the diagnostic lights for further information. Soli# 2m(er Second state of the light at power up. Indicates the P2)"7<=22D signal is active and it is probable that the power supply is fine. Loo! at the diagnostic lights for further information. %lin1ing 3reen System is in a low power state% either S' or S.. Loo! at the diagnostic lights to determine which state the system is in. Soli# 3reen System is in S6 state% the normal power state of a functioning machine. he BI2S will turn the light to this state to indicate it has started fetching op?codes. %eep )o#es If the monitor cannot display error messages during the P2S% the computer may emit a series of beeps that identifies the problem or that can help you identify a faulty component or assembly. he following table lists the beep codes that may be generated during the P2S. Most beep codes indicate a fatal error that prevents the computer from completing the boot routine until the indicated condition is corrected. )o#e )a!se '?'?( Microprocessor register failure '?'?. @>75M readAwrite failure '?'?/ 72M BI2S chec!sum failure '?(?' Programmable interval timer failure '?(?( DM5 initiali9ation failure '?(?. DM5 page register readAwrite failure '?. >ideo Memory est failure '?.?' through (?/?/ Memory not being properly identified or used .?'?' Slave DM5 register failure .?'?( Master DM5 register failure .?'?. Master interrupt mas! register failure .?'?/ Slave interrupt mas! register failure .?(?( Interrupt vector loading failure .?(?/ Beyboard Controller est failure .?.?' @>75M power loss .?.?( Invalid @>75M configuration .?.?/ >ideo Memory est failure .?/?' Screen initiali9ation failure .?/?( Screen retrace failure .?/?. Search for video 72M failure /?(?' @o timer tic! /?(?( Shutdown failure /?(?. =ate 5(6 failure /?(?/ Cne0pected interrupt in protected mode /?.?' Memory failure above address 6++++h /?.?. imer?chip counter ( failure /?.?/ ime?of?day cloc! stopped /?/?' Serial or parallel port test failure /?/?( +ailure to decompress code to shadowed memory /?/?. Math?coprocessor test failure /?/?/ Cache test failure Diagnostic 0ights o help troubleshoot a problem% your computer has four lights labeled '% (% .% and / on the ban! panel. )hen the computer starts normally% the lights flash before turning off. If the computer malfunctions% the se1uence of the lights help to identify the problem. NOTE: 5fter the computer completes P2S% all four lights turn off before booting to the operating system. 0ight Pattern Pro(lem Description S!ggeste# +esol!tion he computer is in a normal off condition or a possible pre?BI2S failure has occurred. he diagnostic lights are not lit after the computer successfully boots to the operating system. Plug the computer into a wor!ing electrical outlet. If the problem persists% contact Dell. 5 possible processor failure has occurred. 7eseat the processor #see Processor information for your computer$. If the problem persists% contact Dell. Memory modules are detected% but a memory failure has occurred. If two or more memory modules are installed% remove the modules% then reinstall one module and restart the computer. If the computer starts normally% continue to install additional memory modules #one at a time$ until you have identified a faulty module or reinstalled all modules without error. If available% install wor!ing memory of the same type into your computer. If the problem persists% contact Dell. 5 possible graphics card failure has occurred. 7eseat any installed graphics cards. If available% install a wor!ing graphics card into your computer. If the problem persists% contact Dell . 5 possible floppy drive or hard drive failure has occurred. 7eseat all power and data cables. 5 possible CSB failure has occurred. 7einstall all CSB devices and chec! all cable connections. @o memory modules are detected. If two or more memory modules are installed% remove the modules% then reinstall one module and restart the computer. If the computer starts normally% continue to install additional memory modules #one at a time$ until you have identified a faulty module or reinstalled all modules without error. If available% install wor!ing memory of the same type into your computer. If the problem persists% contact Dell. Memory modules are detected% but a memory configuration or compatibility error has occurred. "nsure that no special re1uirements for memory moduleAconnector placement e0ist. "nsure that the memory you are using is supported by your computer #see the DSpecificationsD section for your computer$. If the problem persists% contact Dell. 5 possible e0pansion card failure has occurred. Determine if a conflict e0ists by removing an e0pansion card #not a graphics card$ and restarting the computer. If the problem persists% reinstall the card you removed% then remove a different card and restart the computer. 7epeat this process for each e0pansion card installed. If the computer starts normally% troubleshoot the last card removed from the computer for resource conflicts. If the problem persists% contact Dell. 5nother failure has occurred. "nsure that all hard drive and optical drive cables are properly connected to the system board . If there is an error message on the screen identifying a problem with a device #such as the floppy drive or hard drive$% chec! the device to ma!e sure it is functioning properly. If the operating system is attempting to boot from a device #such as the floppy drive or optical drive$% chec! system setup to ensure the boot se1uence is correct for the devices installed on your computer. If the problem persists% contact Dell. Bac! to Contents Page