Applications, operating systems, and the computer itself are capable
of identifying problems and alerting you to them. When a problem occurs, a message may
appear on the monitor screen or a beep code may sound during the boot process before the
operating system loads.
Several different types of messages can indicate when the system is
not functioning properly:
System messages
System beep codes
Warning messages
Diagnostics messages
Alert log messages
Small computer system interface (SCSI) hard-disk drive indicator
codes
This topic describes each type of message and code. It also lists
the possible causes and actions you can take to resolve any problems indicated by a
message.
System Messages
System messages alert you to a possible operating system problem or
to a conflict between the software and hardware. Table 1 lists the
system error messages that can occur and the probable cause for each message.
NOTE: If you receive a system message
that is not listed in Table 1, check the documentation for the application program that is
running when the message appears or check the operating system documentation for an
explanation of the message and recommended action.
Faulty
diskette/tape drive subsystem or hard-disk drive subsystem (defective system board)
Replace the
system board.
Alert!
Unsupported memory in DIMM slot(s) n
Unsupported
DIMM(s) installed in specified slot(s)
Replace one or
more DIMMs so that all DIMMs are the correct type. Make sure
that the RAID DIMM is not in a system memory slot, and that a system memory DIMM is not in
the RAID DIMM slot.
Amount of
available memory limited to 256 MB!
The
operating system install mode field in System Setup is enabled
Disable the
operating system install mode field in System Setup. See "Using the System Setup
Program" in the User's Guide for instructions.
Attachment
failed to respond
Diskette drive or
hard-disk drive controller cannot send data to associated drive
Replace the
drive's interface cable.
Auxiliary
device failure
Mouse cable
connector loose or improperly connected, defective mouse
Check the mouse
cable connection. If the problem persists, replace the mouse.
Bad
error-correction code(ECC) on disk read
Controller has
failed
Faulty
diskette/tape drive subsystem or hard-disk drive subsystem (defective system board)
Replace the
system board.
CPUs with different level 2 cache sizes detected
Two different
types of microprocessors are installed.
Install a correct
version of the microprocessor so both microprocessors
have the same level 2 cache size.
Data error
Faulty diskette,
diskette drive, or hard-disk drive
Replace the
diskette, diskette drive, or hard-disk drive.
Incorrect
configuration settings in System Setup program, loose diskette/tape drive interface cable,
or loose power cable
Replace the
diskette. Run the System Setup program to correct the diskette drive type. See "Using
the System Setup Program" in the User's Guide for instructions. Check the
diskette/tape drive interface cable and power cable connections to the drive.
Diskette
read failure
Faulty diskette,
faulty or improperly connected diskette/tape drive interface cable, or loose power cable
Check the
diskette/tape drive interface cable and power cable connections to the drive. See "Externally-Accessible Drives."
Replace the diskette drive interface cable.
Diskette
subsystem reset failed
Faulty
diskette/tape drive controller (defective system board)
Replace the
system board.
Diskette
write
protected
Diskette
write-protect feature activated
Move the
write-protect tab on the diskette.
Drive not
ready
Diskette missing
from or improperly inserted in diskette drive
Reinsert or
replace the diskette.
Embedded
server management error
Embedded server management is
not present
Embedded server
management memory may be temporarily corrupted
Shut down the
system to clear the memory, and then restart the system.
Gate A20
failure
Faulty keyboard
controller (defective system board)
Replace the
system board.
General
failure
Operating system
corrupted or not installed properly
Reinstall the
operating system.
Hard disk
controller failure
Incorrect
configuration settings in System Setup program, improperly connected hard-disk drive,
faulty hard-disk drive controller subsystem (defective system board)
Check the
hard-disk drive configuration settings in the System Setup program. See "Using the
System Setup Program" in the User's Guide for instructions. Reinstall the
hard-disk drive. Check the interface cable and power cable connections to the backplane
board. See "SCSI Hard-Disk
Drive Replacement."
Invalid
configuration information - please run SETUP program
Incorrect
configuration settings in System Setup program, or faulty battery
Remove the plug
from the CLEAR NVRAM jumper. See "Jumpers, Switches, and
Connectors" for instructions. Check the System Setup configuration settings.
See "Using the System Setup Program" in the User's Guide for
instructions. Replace the battery. See "Installing System Board
Options."
POST memory test
terminated by pressing the <spacebar>
No action is
required.
No boot
device available
Faulty diskette,
diskette/tape drive subsystem, hard-disk drive, hard-disk drive subsystem, or no boot disk
in drive A
Replace the
diskette or hard-disk drive. If the problem persists, replace the system board.
No boot
sector on hard-disk drive
Incorrect
configuration settings in System Setup program, or no operating system on hard-disk drive
Check the
hard-disk drive configuration settings in the System Setup program. See "Using the
System Setup Program" in the User's Guide for instructions.
No timer
tick interrupt
Defective system
board
Replace the
system board.
Non-system
disk or disk error
Faulty diskette,
diskette/tape drive subsystem, or hard-disk drive subsystem
Replace the
diskette or hard-disk drive. If the problem persists, replace the system board.
Not a boot
diskette
No operating
system on diskette
Use a bootable
diskette.
Processor
or terminator card not installed!
No microprocessor
or terminator card installed in secondary microprocessor connector
Make sure that
you have the latest BIOS update from Dell. Install a terminator card or microprocessor in
the secondary microprocessor connector. See "Installing System
Board Options" for instructions.
Processors with different speeds detected. System halted!
Microprocessors
with different internal operating speeds are installed.
Install a correct
version of the microprocessor so all microprocessors have the
same internal operating speed.
Read fault
Requested sector not found
Faulty diskette,
diskette/tape drive subsystem, or hard-disk drive subsystem (defective system board)
Replace the
diskette or hard-disk drive. If the problem persists, replace the system board.
Reset
failed
Improperly
connected diskette/tape drive, hard-disk drive, or power cable
Check the
diskette/tape drive interface cable and power cable connections to the diskette drive. See
"Installing Drives in the External Bays." Replace the
diskette/tape drive interface cable. Reinstall the hard-disk drive. Check the interface
cable and power cable connections to the backplane board. See "Installing
Hard-Disk Drives."
Defective battery
or faulty chip (defective system board)
Replace the
system battery. If the problem persists, replace the system
board.
Time-of-day
not set - please run SETUP program
Incorrect Time
or Date settings or defective system battery
Check the Time
and Date settings. See "Using the System Setup Program" in the User's
Guide for instructions. If the problem persists, replace the system battery. If the problem persists, replace the I/O board.
Timer chip
counter 2 failed
Defective system
board
Replace the
system board.
Unexpected
interrupt in protected mode
Improperly seated
DIMMs or faulty keyboard/mouse controller chip (defective system board)
Remove and reseat the DIMMs. If the problem persists, replace the
DIMMs. If the problem still persists, replace the system board.
Unsupported
CPU combination. System halted!
Two different
types of microprocessors are installed.
Install a correct
version of the microprocessor so both microprocessors are the
same type.
Unsupported
CPU detected in SLOT n
Microprocessor
not supported by system
Install a correct
version of the microprocessor in the specified microprocessor
connector.
Unsupported
CPU speed in CMOS
Microprocessor
not supported by BIOS
Upgrade the BIOS.
See "Using the System Setup Program" in the User's Guide for
instructions.
Unsupported
DIMM detected in the RAID DIMM slot!
RAID DIMM not
supported by system
Install a correct
version of the RAID DIMM. Make sure that the RAID DIMM is not in a system memory slot, and that a
system memory DIMM is not in the RAID DIMM slot.
Warning!
Detected mode switch from RAID to SCSI on channel B of embedded RAID subsystem. Data loss
will occur! Press Y to confirm the change; press any other key to cancel.
Type of
controller has changed since previous system boot.
Back up
information on the drives before changing the type of controller used with the hard-disk
drives.
Warning!
Detected mode switch from SCSI to RAID on channel B of embedded RAID subsystem. Data loss
will occur! Press Y to confirm the change; press any other key to cancel.
Type of
controller has changed since previous system boot.
Back up
information on the drives before changing the type of controller used with the hard-disk
drives.
Warning:
Embedded RAID firmware is not present!
The integrated
RAID hardware is not present or is corrupted
Replace the
system board.
Write fault
Write fault on selected drive
Faulty diskette
or hard-disk drive
Replace the
diskette or hard-disk drive.
System Beep Codes
When an error that cannot be reported on the monitor occurs during a boot routine, the
computer may emit a series of beeps that identify the problem. The beep code is a pattern
of sounds; for example, one beep followed by a second beep and then a burst of three beeps
(code 1-1-3) means that the computer was unable to read the data in nonvolatile
random-access memory (NVRAM). This information is valuable to the Dell technical support
representative if you need to call for technical assistance.
When a beep code is emitted, look it up in Table 2. If you are unable to resolve the problem by
looking up the meaning of the beep code, use the Dell Diagnostics to identify a more
serious cause (see your Installation and Troubleshooting Guide for complete
information).
Table 2. System Beep Codes
Code
Cause
Corrective Action
1-1-3
CMOS write/read failure
Replace the system board.
1-1-4
BIOS checksum failure
This fatal error usually
requires that you replace the BIOS firmware.
1-2-1
Programmable interval-timer failure
Replace the system board.
1-2-2
DMA initialization failure
1-2-3
DMA page register write/read failure
1-3-1
Main-memory refresh
verification failure
Remove
and reseat the DIMMs. If the problem persists, replace the DIMMs. If the problem still
persists, replace the system board.
1-3-2
No memory installed
Remove
and reseat the DIMMs. If the problem persists, replace the DIMMs. If the problem still
persists, replace the system board.
1-3-3
Chip or data line failure in the first 64
KB of main memory
Remove
and reseat the DIMMs. If the problem persists, replace the DIMMs. If the problem still
persists, replace the system board.
1-3-4
Odd/even logic failure in the first 64 KB
of main memory
1-4-1
Address line failure in the first 64 KB
of main memory
1-4-2
Parity failure in the first 64 KB of main
memory
2-1-1 through
2-4-4
Bit failure in the first 64 KB of main
memory
3-1-1
Slave DMA-register failure
Replace the system board.
3-1-2
Master DMA-register failure
3-1-3
Master interrupt-mask register failure
3-1-4
Slave interrupt-mask register failure
3-2-4
Keyboard-controller test
failure
Check the keyboard cable and
connector for proper connection. If the problem persists, run the keyboard test in the
Dell Diagnostics to determine whether the keyboard or keyboard controller is faulty. If
the keyboard controller is faulty, replace the system board.
3-3-1
CMOS failure
Run the system board test in
the Dell Diagnostics to isolate the problem.
3-3-2
System configuration check
failure
Replace the system board.
3-3-3
Keyboard controller not
detected
Replace the system board.
3-3-4
Screen initialization failure
Run the video test in the
Dell Diagnostics.
3-4-1
Screen memory test failure
3-4-2
Screen-retrace test failure
3-4-3
Search for video ROM failure
4-2-1
4-2-2
No timer tick
Shutdown failure
Replace the system board.
4-2-3
Gate A20 failure
Replace the system board.
4-2-4
Unexpected interrupt in
protected mode
Ensure that all expansion
cards are properly seated, and then reboot the system.
Replace the battery. If the problem persists, replace the system board.
4-4-1
Super I/O chip failure
(defective system board)
Replace the system board.
4-4-2
Parallel-port test failure
(defective system board)
Replace the system board.
4-4-3
Math coprocessor failure
(defective microprocessor)
Remove and reseat the microprocessor(s). If the
problem still persists, replace each microprocessor until you find the defective
microprocessor.
4-4-4
Cache test failure (defective
microprocessor)
Remove and reseat the microprocessor(s). If the
problem still persists, replace each microprocessor until you find the defective
microprocessor.
Warning Messages
A warning message alerts you to a possible problem and asks you to
take corrective action before the system continues a task. For example, before you format
a diskette, a message may warn you that you may lose all data on the diskette, as a way to
protect against inadvertently erasing or writing over the data. These warning messages
usually interrupt the procedure and require you to respond by typing y (yes) or n (no).
NOTE: Warning messages are generated
by either the application or the operating system. See "Finding Software
Solutions" in your online Installation and Troubleshooting Guide and the
documentation that accompanied the operating system and application program for more
information on warning messages.
Diagnostics Messages
When you run a test group or subtest in the Dell Diagnostics, an
error message may result. These particular error messages are not covered in this section.
Record the message on a copy of the Diagnostics Checklist in your online Installation and Troubleshooting Guide and then follow the
instructions in that section for obtaining technical assistance.
The Dell Hardware Instrumentation Package (HIP) server management
application generates alert messages that appear in the Simple Network Management Protocol
(SNMP) trap log file. To see the trap log, or for more information about the Alert Log
window and options, see the Dell HIP online help.
Alert log messages consist of information, status, warning, and
failure messages for drive, temperature, fan, and power conditions. They can assist you
with identifying a problem and may provide you with information to help you resolve the
problem.
SCSI Hard-Disk
Drive Indicator Codes
If a redundant array of independent disks (RAID) controller such as
the integrated PERC 3/Di or PERC 2 controller is activated or installed in the system,
three light-emitting diode (LED) indicators on each of the hard-disk drive carriers
provide information on the status of the SCSI hard-disk drives (see Figure 1). The SCSI
backplane firmware controls the drive online and drive failure indicators.
Figure 1. Hard-Disk Drive Indicators
1
Drive online indicator
2
Drive activity indicator
3
Drive failure indicator
Table 3 lists the drive indicator patterns
established by the SCSI backplane firmware. Different patterns are displayed as drive
events occur in the system. For example, in the event of a hard-disk drive failure, the
"drive failed" pattern appears. After the drive is selected for removal, the
"drive being prepared for removal" pattern appears, followed by the "drive
ready for insertion or removal" pattern. After the replacement drive is installed,
the "drive being prepared for operation" pattern appears, followed by the
"drive online" pattern.
NOTE: If you do not have a RAID
controller installed, you will see only the "drive online" and "drive bay
empty" indicator patterns.
Table 3. SCSI Hard-Disk Drive Indicator
Patterns
Condition
Indicator Code
Identify drive
All three drive status
indicators blink simultaneously.
Drive being prepared for
removal
The three drive status
indicators flash sequentially.
Drive ready for insertion or
removal
All three drive status
indicators are off.
Drive being prepared for
operation
The drive online indicator is
on. The drive activity light may flash briefly.
Drive bay empty
All three drive status
indicators are off.
Drive predicted failure
The drive online indicator is
on. The drive failure indicator blinks on briefly each second.
Drive failed
The drive online indicator
turns off. The drive failure indicator blinks off briefly each second.
Connectors PCI1 through PCI4 support hot-plug replacement of PCI
expansion cards. Pairs of light-emitting diodes (LEDs) adjacent to each expansion slot
display the expansion card connectors' current status. Table 4 lists the various codes for
the hot-plug LED indicators.
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