CAUTION: Before you begin any of the procedures in this section, follow the safety instructions located in the Product Information Guide.
To help you troubleshoot a problem, your computer has four lights labeled "A," "B," "C," and "D"on the front of the desktop computer and on the back of the mini-tower computer. The lights can be yellow or green. When the computer starts normally, the lights flash. After the computer starts, all four lights display solid green. If the computer malfunctions, the color and sequence of the lights identify the problem.
Diagnostic Light Codes During POST
Light Pattern
Problem Description
Suggested Resolution
A possible BIOS failure has occurred; the computer is in the recovery mode.
Run the BIOS Recovery utility, wait for recovery completion, and then restart the computer.
Determine if a conflict exists by removing a card (not the graphics card) and then restarting the computer.
If the problem persists, reinstall the card that you removed, remove a different card, and then restart the computer.
Repeat this process for each card. If the computer starts normally, troubleshoot the last card removed from the computer for resource conflicts (see "Resolving Software and Hardware Incompatibilities").
If the computer has a graphics card, remove the card, reinstall it, and then restart the computer.
If the problem still exists, install a graphics card that you know works and restart the computer.
If the problem persists or the computer has integrated graphics, contact Dell.
A possible floppy or hard drive failure has occurred.
Reseat all power and data cables and restart the computer.
A possible USB failure has occurred.
Reinstall all USB devices, check cable connections, and then restart the computer.
No memory modules are detected.
If you have one memory module installed, reinstall it and restart the
computer.
If you have two or more memory modules installed, remove the modules, reinstall one module, and then restart the computer. If the computer starts normally, reinstall an additional module. Continue until you have identified a faulty module or reinstalled all modules without error.
Determine if a conflict exists by removing a card (not a graphics card) and restarting the computer.
If the problem persists, reinstall the card that you removed, remove a different card, and then restart the computer.
Repeat this process for each card. If the computer starts normally, troubleshoot the last card removed from the computer for resource conflicts (see "Resolving Software and Hardware Incompatibilities").
The computer is in a normal operating condition after POST.
None.
Beep Codes
Your computer might emit a series of beeps during start-up if the monitor cannot display errors or problems. This series of beeps, called a beep code, identifies a problem. One possible beep code (code 1-3-1) consists of one beep, a burst of three beeps, and then one beep. This beep code tells you that the computer encountered a memory problem.
CAUTION: Before you begin any of the procedures in this section, follow the safety instructions located in the Product Information Guide.
If the message is not listed, see the documentation for the operating system or the program that was running when the message appeared.
A filename cannot contain any of the following characters: \ / : * ? " < > | Do not use these characters in filenames.
A required .DLL file was not found The program that you are trying to open is missing an essential file. To remove and then reinstall the program:
Click the Start button, click Control Panel, and then click Add or Remove Programs.
Select the program you want to remove.
Click the Change or Remove Program icon.
See the program documentation for installation instructions.
Alert! CPU Fan Not Detected Ensure that the cooling fan and airflow shroud are properly installed and working.
Alert! Previous attempts at booting this system have failed at checkpoint [nnnn ]. For help in resolving this problem, please note this checkpoint and contact Dell Technical Support Contact Dell and report the checkpoint code (nnnn) to the support technician.
Alert! Previous Fan Failures
Alert! Previous Processor Thermal Failure
Alert! Previous Shutdown Due to Thermal Event
Ensure that nothing is blocking the airflow vents and that all the fans are properly installed and operating correctly. Also, ensure that the processor heat sink is properly installed.
Alert! Previous Reboot Was Due to Voltage Regulator Failure Contact Dell for assistance.
If the floppy drive is your boot device, ensure that a bootable floppy disk is in the drive.
If the hard drive is your boot device, ensure that the cables are connected and that the drive is installed properly and partitioned as a boot device.
Enter system setup and ensure that the boot sequence information is correct.
No boot sector on hard-disk drive Enter system setup and ensure that the computer configuration information for the hard drive is correct.
If the message continues to appear after you ensure that the information in system setup is correct, see your operating system documentation for reinstallation information.
Non-system disk or disk error Replace the floppy disk with one that has a bootable operating system or remove the floppy disk from drive A and restart the computer.
Not a boot diskette Insert a bootable floppy disk and restart your computer.
Not enough memory or resources. Close some programs and try again Close all windows and open the program that you want to use. In some cases, you might have to restart your computer to restore computer resources. If so, run the program that you want to use first.
Operating system not found Contact Dell.
Please Connect USB Keyboard/Mouse to USB Ports on the Back of the Computer Turn your computer off, connect the USB keyboard and/or mouse to the USB connectors on the back of the computer, and then restart your computer.
Plug and Play Configuration Error
Turn your computer off, unplug it from the electrical outlet, and then remove all but one of the cards.
Plug in your computer and reboot it.
If the message reappears, the installed card might be malfunctioning. If the message does not reappear, turn off the computer and reinsert one of the other cards.
Repeat this process until you identify which card is malfunctioning.
Unexpected interrupt in protected mode Run the Dell Diagnostics.
WARNING: Dell's Disk Monitoring System has detected that drive [0/1] on the [primary/secondary] IDE controller is operating outside of normal specifications. It is advisable to immediately back up your data and replace your hard drive by calling your support desk or Dell
If no replacement drive is immediately available and the drive is not the only bootable drive, enter system setup and change the appropriate drive setting to None. Then remove the drive from the computer.
<drive letter>:\ is not accessible. The device is not ready The floppy drive cannot read the disk. Insert a floppy disk into the drive and try again.
Dell Diagnostics
CAUTION: Before you begin any of the procedures in this section, follow the safety instructions located in the Product Information Guide.
When to Use the Dell Diagnostics
If you experience a problem with your computer, perform the checks in "Solving Problems" and run the Dell Diagnostics before you contact Dell for technical assistance.
It is recommended that you print these procedures before you begin.
NOTICE: The Dell Diagnostics works only on Dell computers.
Enter 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 CD (also known as the ResourceCD).
Starting the Dell Diagnostics From Your Hard Drive
Turn on (or restart) your computer.
When the DELL logo appears, press <F12> 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 CD.
If you wait too long and the operating system logo appears, continue to wait until you see the Microsoft® Windows® desktop. Then shut down your computer, and try again.
When the boot device list appears, highlight Boot to Utility Partition and press <Enter>.
When the DELL logo appears, press <F12> immediately.
If you wait too long and the Windows logo appears, continue to wait until you see the Windows desktop. Then shut down your computer, and try again.
NOTE: The next steps change the boot sequence for one time only. On the next start-up, the computer
boots according to the devices specified in system setup.
When the boot device list appears, highlight IDE CD-ROM Device and press <Enter>.
Select the IDE CD-ROM Device option from the CD boot menu.
Select the Boot from CD-ROM option from the menu that appears.
Type 1 to start the ResourceCD menu.
Type 2 to start the Dell Diagnostics.
Select Run the 32 Bit Dell Diagnostics from the numbered list. If multiple versions are listed,
select the version appropriate for your computer.
After the Dell Diagnostics loads and the MainMenu screen appears, click the button for the
option you want.
Option
Function
Express Test
Performs a quick test of devices. This test typically takes 10 to 20 minutes and requires no interaction on your part. Run Express Test first to increase the possibility of tracing the problem quickly.
Extended Test
Performs a thorough check of devices. This test typically takes an hour or more and requires you to answer questions periodically.
Custom Test
Tests a specific device. You can customize the tests you want to run.
Symptom Tree
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. Write down the error code and problem description and follow
the instructions on the screen.
If you cannot resolve the error condition, contact Dell.
NOTE: The Service Tag for your computer is located at the top of each test screen. If you contact Dell,
technical support will ask for your Service Tag.
If you run a test from the Custom Test or Symptom Tree option, click the applicable tab
described in the following table for more information.
Tab
Function
Results
Displays the results of the test and any error conditions encountered.
Errors
Displays error conditions encountered, error codes, and the problem description.
Help
Describes the test and may indicate requirements for running the test.
Configuration
Displays your hardware configuration for the selected device.
The 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. The device list may not display the names of all the components installed on your computer or all devices attached to your computer.
Parameters
Allows you to customize the test by changing the test settings.
When the tests are completed, if you are running the Dell Diagnostics from the Drivers and
Utilities CD, remove the CD.
Close the test screen to return to the MainMenu screen. To exit the Dell Diagnostics and
restart the computer, close the MainMenu screen.
Drivers
What Is a Driver?
A driver is a program that controls a device such as a printer, mouse, or keyboard. All devices require a driver program.
A driver acts like a translator between the device and any other programs that use the device. Each device has its own set of specialized commands that only its driver recognizes.
Dell ships your computer to you with required drivers already installedno further installation or configuration is needed.
NOTICE: The Drivers and Utilities CD may contain drivers for operating systems that are not on your
computer. Ensure that you are installing software appropriate for your operating system.
Many drivers, such as the keyboard driver, come with your Microsoft® Windows® operating system. You may need to install drivers if you:
Upgrade your operating system.
Reinstall your operating system.
Connect or install a new device.
Identifying Drivers
If you experience a problem with any device, identify whether the driver is the source of your problem and, if necessary, update the driver.
Windows XP
Click the Start button and click Control Panel.
Under Pick a Category, click Performance and Maintenance.
Click System.
In the System Properties window, click the Hardware tab.
Click Device Manager.
Scroll down the list to see if any device has an exclamation point (a yellow circle with a [!]) on
the device icon.
If an exclamation point is next to the device name, you may need to reinstall the driver or install a new driver.
Windows 2000
Click the Start button, point to Settings, and then click Control Panel.
Double-click System.
In the System Properties window, click the Hardware tab.
Click Device Manager.
Scroll down the list to see if any device has an exclamation point (a yellow circle with a [!]) on
the device icon.
If an exclamation point is next to the device name, you may need to reinstall the driver or install a new driver.
Reinstalling Drivers and Utilities
NOTICE: The Dell Support website at support.dell.com and your Drivers and Utilities CD provide
approved drivers for Dell computers. If you install drivers obtained from other sources, your computer
might not work correctly.
Using Windows XP Device Driver Rollback
If a problem occurs on your computer after you install or update a driver, use Windows XP Device Driver Rollback to replace the driver with the previously installed version.
Click the Start button and click Control Panel.
Under Pick a Category, click Performance and Maintenance.
Click System.
In the System Properties window, click the Hardware tab.
Click Device Manager.
Right-click the device for which the new driver was installed and click Properties.
Click the Drivers tab.
Click Roll Back Driver.
If Device Driver Rollback does not resolve the problem, then use System Restore to return your computer to the operating state that existed before you installed the new driver.
Using the Drivers and Utilities CD
If using Device Driver Rollback or System Restore does not resolve the problem, then reinstall the driver from the Drivers and Utilities CD (also known as the Resource CD).
Using Microsoft® Windows® XP System Restore
The Microsoft® Windows® XP operating system provides System Restore to allow you to return your computer to an earlier operating state (without affecting data files) if changes to the hardware, software, or other system settings have left the computer in an undesirable operating state. See the Windows Help and Support Center for information on using System Restore.
NOTICE: Make regular backups of your data files. System Restore does not monitor your data files or
recover them.
Creating a Restore Point
Click the Start button and click Help and Support.
Click System Restore.
Follow the instructions on the screen.
Restoring the Computer to an Earlier Operating State
NOTICE: Before you restore the computer to an earlier operating state, save and close any open files
and exit any open programs. Do not alter, open, or delete any files or programs until the system
restoration is complete.
Click the Start button, point to All Programs→ Accessories→ System Tools, and then click
System Restore.
Ensure that Restore my computer to an earlier time is selected and click Next.
Click a calendar date to which you want to restore your computer.
The Select a Restore Point screen provides a calendar that allows you to see and select restore points. All calendar dates with available restore points appear in boldface type.
Select a restore point and click Next.
If a calendar date has only one restore point, then that restore point is automatically selected. If two or more restore points are available, click the restore point that you prefer.
Click Next.
The Restoration Complete screen appears after System Restore finishes collecting data and then the computer restarts.
After the computer restarts, click OK.
To change the restore point, you can either repeat the steps using a different restore point, or you can undo the restoration.
Undoing the Last System Restore
NOTICE: Before you undo the last system restore, save and close all open files and exit any open
programs. Do not alter, open, or delete any files or programs until the system restoration is complete.
Click the Start button, point to All Programs→ Accessories→ System Tools, and then click
System Restore.
Click Undo my last restoration and click Next.
Click Next.
The System Restore screen appears and the computer restarts.
After the computer restarts, click OK.
Enabling System Restore
If you reinstall Windows XP with less than 200 MB of free hard-disk space available, System Restore is automatically disabled. To see if System Restore is enabled:
Click the Start button and click ControlPanel.
Click Performance and Maintenance.
Click System.
Click the System Restore tab.
Ensure that Turn off System Restore is unchecked.
Resolving Software and Hardware Incompatibilities
If a device is either not detected during the operating system setup or is detected but incorrectly configured, you can use the Hardware Troubleshooter to resolve the incompatibility. In the Microsoft® Windows® 2000 operating system, you can also use Device Manager to resolve incompatibilities.
Windows XP
To resolve incompatibilities using the Hardware Troubleshooter:
Click the Start button and click Help and Support.
Type hardware troubleshooter in the Search field and click the arrow to start the search.
Click Hardware Troubleshooter in the Search Results list.
In the Hardware Troubleshooter list, click I need to resolve a hardware conflict on my
computer, and click Next.
Windows 2000
To resolve incompatibilities using Device Manager:
Click the Start button, point to Settings, and then click Control Panel.
In the Control Panel window, double-click System.
Click the Hardware tab.
Click Device Manager.
Click View and click Resources by connection.
Double-click Interrupt request (IRQ).
Incorrectly configured devices are indicated by a yellow exclamation point (!) or a red X if the device has been disabled.
Double-click any device marked with an exclamation point to display the Properties window.
The Device status area in the Properties window reports the cards or devices that need to be reconfigured.
Reconfigure the devices or remove the devices from the Device Manager. See the
documentation that came with the device for information on configuring the device.
To resolve incompatibilities using the Hardware Troubleshooter:
Click the Start button and click Help.
Click Troubleshooting and Maintenance on the Contents tab, click Windows 2000
troubleshooters, and then click Hardware.
In the Hardware Troubleshooter list, click I need to resolve a hardware conflict on my
computer and click Next.
Reinstalling Microsoft® Windows® XP
NOTICE: You must use Windows XP Service Pack 1 (SP1) or later when you reinstall Windows XP.
Before You Begin
If you are considering reinstalling the Windows XP operating system to correct a problem with a newly installed driver, first try using Windows XP Device Driver Rollback. If Device Driver Rollback does not resolve the problem, then use System Restore to return your operating system to the operating state it was in before you installed the new device driver.
To avoid critical setup issues when you reinstall the Microsoft Windows XP operating system on your computer, you must also reinstall the device drivers located on the ResourceCD that was shipped with your computer.
NOTICE: Before you reinstall the device drivers and the Windows XP operating system, back up all data
files on your primary hard drive. For conventional hard drive configurations, the primary hard drive is the
first drive detected by the computer.
To reinstall the drivers and Windows XP, you need the following items:
One blank floppy disk
Dell Operating System CD
Dell Drivers and Utilities CD
NOTE: The Drivers and Utilities CD contains drivers that were installed during assembly of the computer.
Use the Drivers and Utilities CD to load additional required drivers, including the drivers required if your
computer has a RAID controller.
Creating an Intel SATA Drivers Floppy Disk
Save and close any open files and exit any open programs.
Insert the ResourceCD.
Turn on (or restart) your computer.
Press <F12> immediately after the DELL logo appears.
If the operating system logo appears, wait until you see the Windows desktop, and then shut down the computer and try again.
Use the up- and down-arrow keys to select IDE CD drive from the menu or enter the
associated menu option number.
After the system boots using the ResourceCD, select the number associated with the Create a
SATA RAID driver diskette menu option.
Follow the instructions on the screen to create the floppy disk.
After you create the floppy disk, exit to DOS.
Remove the ResourceCD.
Remove the floppy disk.
Label it Intel SATA Drivers.
Restart your computer.
Reinstalling Windows XP
To reinstall Windows XP, perform all the steps in the following sections in the order in which they are listed.
The reinstallation process can take 1 to 2 hours to complete. After you reinstall the operating system, you must also reinstall any additional device drivers, the virus protection program, and other software.
NOTICE: The Operating System CD provides options for reinstalling Windows XP. The options can
overwrite files and possibly affect programs installed on your hard drive. Therefore, do not reinstall
Windows XP unless a Dell technical support representative instructs you to do so.
NOTICE: To prevent conflicts with Windows XP, disable any virus protection software installed on your
computer before you reinstall Windows XP. See the documentation that came with the software for
instructions.
Booting From the Operating System CD
Save and close any open files and exit any open programs.
Insert the Operating System CD. Click Exit if Install Windows XP message appears.
Restart the computer.
Press <F12> immediately after the DELL logo appears.
If the operating system logo appears, wait until you see the Windows desktop, and then shut down the computer and try again.
Press the arrow keys to select CD-ROM, and press <Enter>.
When the Press any key to boot from CD message appears, press any key.
Installing the SATA RAID Drivers Using the Intel SATA Drivers Floppy Disk
Press <F6> when you see the following prompt at the bottom of the screen.
Press F6 if you need to install a third party SCSI or RAID
driver...
When prompted, type s to select Specify Additional Device.
NOTE: If your system is unable to find a drive for installation, go back to step 3 and try again. Make sure
you follow each step.
When prompted, insert the Intel SATA Drivers floppy disk you created and press <Enter>.
Highlight Intel(R)82801ER SATA RAID Controller and press <Enter>.
Press <Enter> again to continue.
Leave the Intel SATA Drivers floppy disk in the computer.
Windows XP Setup
When the Windows XP Setup screen appears, press <Enter> to select To set up Windows
now.
Read the information on the Microsoft Windows Licensing Agreement screen, and press
<F8> to accept the license agreement.
If your computer already has Windows XP installed and you want to recover your current
Windows XP data, type r to select the repair option, and remove the CD.
If you want to install a new copy of Windows XP, press <Esc> to select that option.
Press <Enter> to select the highlighted partition (recommended), and follow the
instructions on the screen.
The Windows XP Setup screen appears, and the operating system begins to copy files and install the devices. The computer automatically restarts multiple times.
NOTE: The time required to complete the setup depends on the size of the hard drive and the speed of
your computer.
NOTICE: Do not press any key when the following message appears: Press any key to boot
from the CD.
When the Regional and Language Options screen appears, select the settings for your
location and click Next.
Enter your name and organization (optional) in the Personalize Your Software screen, and
click Next.
At the Computer Name and Administrator Password window, enter a name for your
computer (or accept the one provided) and a password, and click Next.
If the Modem Dialing Information screen appears, enter the requested information and click
Next.
Enter the date, time, and time zone in the Date and Time Settings window, and click Next.
If the Networking Settings screen appears, click Typical and click Next.
If you are reinstalling Windows XP Professional and you are prompted to provide further
information regarding your network configuration, enter your selections. If you are unsure of
your settings, accept the default selections.
Windows XP installs the operating system components and configures the computer. The computer automatically restarts.
NOTICE: Do not press any key when the following message appears: Press any key to boot
from the CD.
When the Welcome to Microsoft screen appears, click Next.
When the How will this computer connect to the Internet? message appears,
click Skip.
When the Ready to register with Microsoft? screen appears, select No, not at this time and
click Next.
When the Who will use this computer? screen appears, you can enter up to five users.
Click Next.
Click Finish to complete the setup, and remove the CD.
NOTE: When Windows Setup completes, remove the Intel SATA Drivers floppy disk and store it in a safe
place.
Reinstall the appropriate drivers with the Drivers and Utilities CD.
Reinstall your virus protection software.
Reinstall your programs.
NOTE: To reinstall and activate your Microsoft Office or Microsoft Works Suite programs, you need the
Product Key number located on the back of the Microsoft Office or Microsoft Works Suite CD sleeve.