Your application programs, operating system, and computer can identify
problems and alert you to them. When a problem occurs, a message may appear on
your monitor screen, a beep code may sound, or a light code may be generated.
The following subsections present information about messages, beep codes, and
light codes.
If you receive a system message, see the following table for suggestions on
resolving problems indicated by the message. The system messages are listed
alphabetically.
The messages can help you determine what to do to resolve a problem. If a
problem resolution requires you to open the computer cover, refer to "Removing
and Installing Parts" for procedures you must complete before
performing the suggested resolution. If the problem persists after you perform
the suggested resolution, contact Dell for
technical assistance.
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System Messages
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Message
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Cause
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Action
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Address mark not found
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The BIOS found a faulty disk sector
or could not find a particular disk sector.
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See "Hard Drive Problems."
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Alert! Card-cage fan not detected.
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The expansion-card cooling fan is
not installed, has failed, or is not properly connected to the system
board.
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Ensure that an operational expansion-card cooling fan is installed and
connected to the system board.
To locate the expansion-card cooling fan, see "Inside
the Computer."
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Alert! Chipset heat sink not detected.
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The chip set heat sink is not
properly installed on the system board.
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Ensure that chip set heat sink is properly installed on the system
board.
To locate the system-board chip set heat sink, see "System
Board Components."
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Alert! Cover was previously removed.
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The computer cover was opened.
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Enter system setup and reset the Chassis
Intrusion option.
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Alert! CPU 0 failed Build- In Self Test (BIST).
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The microprocessor 0 is faulty or
improperly seated.
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See "Microprocessor Problems."
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Alert! CPU 1 failed Build- In Self Test (BIST).
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The microprocessor 1 is faulty or improperly seated.
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See "Microprocessor Problems."
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Alert! CPU 0 fan not detected.
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The microprocessor 0 cooling fan is not installed, has failed, or is
not properly connected to the system board.
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Ensure that an operational cooling fan for microprocessor 0 is
installed and connected to the system board. Also, ensure that the
microprocessor airflow shroud is properly installed.
See "Microprocessor Airflow Shroud."
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Alert! CPU 1 fan not detected.
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The microprocessor 1 cooling fan is not installed, has failed, or is
not properly connected to the system board.
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Ensure that an operational cooling fan for microprocessor 1 is
installed and connected to the system board. Also, ensure that the
microprocessor airflow shroud is properly installed.
See "Microprocessor Airflow Shroud."
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Alert! OS Install Mode enabled. Amount of available
memory limited to 256 MB.
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The OS Install Mode option in system setup is set to On.
This limits the amount of available memory to 256 MB because some OSs
will not complete installation with more than 2 GB of system memory.
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After the OS is installed, enter system
setup and set the OS Install Mode option to Off.
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Alert! Power supply fan failure.
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The power supply fan has failed or is blocked.
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Ensure an operational power supply fan is installed and that the power
supply airflow vents are not blocked.
To locate the power supply and airflow vents, see "Inside
the Computer."
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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.
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The computer failed to complete the boot routine three consecutive
times for the same error.
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Contact Dell for technical
assistance, and report the checkpoint code (nnnn) to the support
technician.
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Alert! Previous fan failure.
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One of the fans caused an error the last time you used the computer.
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Ensure that nothing is blocking the chassis airflow vents on the back
of the computer and that all fans inside the computer are working
properly.
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Alert! Previous processor thermal failure.
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One or both of the microprocessors overheated the last time you used
the computer.
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Ensure that nothing is blocking the chassis airflow vents on the back
of the computer and that all fans inside the computer are working
properly. Also, ensure that the microprocessor heat sinks are properly
installed.
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Alert! Previous reboot was due to voltage regulator
failure.
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One or both of the VRMs failed the
last time you used the computer.
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Contact Dell for technical
assistance.
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Alert! Previous shutdown due to thermal event.
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One of the microprocessors or hard drives overheated the last time you
used the computer.
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Ensure that nothing is blocking the chassis airflow vents on the back
of the computer and that all fans inside the computer are working
properly. Also, ensure that the microprocessor heat sinks are properly
installed.
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Alert! Previous voltage failure.
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Voltage used by the computer either exceeded or fell below acceptable
thresholds.
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See "Power Problems" and
"System Board Problems."
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Alert! Processor Cache Size Mismatch.
Install like processor or one processor.
System Halted!
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Two microprocessors with different cache sizes are installed.
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See "Microprocessor Problems."
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Alert! Processor Speed Mismatch.
Install like processors or one processor.
System Halted!
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Two processors with different speeds are installed.
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See "Microprocessor Problems."
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Alert! Processor Stepping Mismatch.
Install like processors or one processor.
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Two processors with different steppings are installed.
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See "Microprocessor Problems."
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Alert! Processor Type Mismatch.
Install like processors or one processor.
System Halted!
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Two processors with different types are installed.
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See "Microprocessor Problems."
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Alert! System battery voltage is low.
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System battery is providing inadequate voltage.
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See "Battery Problems."
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Alert! Unable to initialize all installed memory.
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One or more memory modules may be faulty or improperly seated.
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See "System Memory Problems."
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Alert! Uncorrectable memory error previously detected
...
Address XXXXXXXXh,
Device RIMM_Y
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One or more memory modules may be faulty or improperly seated, or the
system board may be faulty.
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See "System Memory Problems"
and "System Board Problems."
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Attachment failed to respond
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The diskette drive or hard drive controller cannot send data to the
associated drive.
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See "Diskette Drive Problems"
and "Hard Drive Problems."
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Bad command or file name
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The command you entered does not exist or the file name you specified
is faulty.
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Ensure that you have spelled the command correctly, put spaces in the
proper place, and used the correct pathname.
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Bad error-correction code (ECC) on disk read
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The diskette drive or hard drive controller detected an uncorrectable
read error.
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See "Diskette Drive Problems"
and "Hard Drive Problems."
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Controller has failed
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The hard drive or the associated controller is defective.
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See "Hard Drive Problems."
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Data error
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The diskette or hard drive cannot read the data.
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Run the chkdsk utility to check the file structure of the
diskette or hard drive. See your operating system documentation for more
information.
If you are using a different operating system, run the appropriate
utility to check the file structure of the diskette or hard drive. See
your operating system documentation.
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Decreasing available memory
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One or more memory modules may be faulty or improperly seated.
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See "System Memory Problems."
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Diskette drive 0 seek failure
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A cable may be loose, or the system configuration information may not
match the hardware configuration.
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See "Diskette Drive Problems."
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Diskette read failure
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A cable may be loose, or the diskette may be faulty.
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See "Diskette Drive Problems."
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Diskette subsystem reset failed
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The diskette drive controller may be faulty.
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Run the Dell Diagnostics.
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Diskette write protected
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The diskette write-protect feature is activated.
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Remove the diskette from drive A and move the write-protect tab to the
unlocked position.
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Drive not ready
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No diskette is in the drive. The operation requires a diskette in the
drive before it can continue.
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Put a diskette in the drive or close the drive latch.
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Gate A20 failure
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One or more memory modules may be loose.
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See "System Memory Problems."
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General failure
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The operating system is unable to carry out the command.
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This message is usually followed by specific informationfor example,
PRINTER OUT OF PAPER. Respond by taking the
appropriate action.
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Hard disk configuration error
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The hard drive failed initialization.
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See "Hard Drive Problems."
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Hard disk controller failure
Hard disk failure
Hard drive read failure
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The hard drive failed initialization.
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See "Hard Drive Problems."
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Invalid configuration information - please run SETUP
program
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The system configuration information does not match the hardware
configuration.
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Enter system setup and correct the
system configuration information.
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Keyboard controller failure
Keyboard failure
Keyboard stuck key failure
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A cable or connector may be loose, or the keyboard or keyboard/mouse
controller may be faulty.
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See "Keyboard Problems."
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Memory address line failure at address, read value
expecting value
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One or more memory modules may be faulty or improperly seated.
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See "System Memory Problems."
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Memory allocation error
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The software you are attempting to run is conflicting with the
operating system or another application program or utility.
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Turn off the computer, wait 30 seconds, and turn it on. Try to run the
program again. If the problem persists, contact the software company.
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Memory data line failure at address, read value
expecting value
Memory double word logic failure at address, read
value expecting value
Memory odd/even logic failure at address, read value
expecting value
Memory write/read failure at address, read value
expecting value
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One or more memory modules may be faulty or improperly seated.
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See "System Memory Problems."
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Memory size in CMOS invalid
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The amount of memory recorded in the system configuration information
does not match the memory installed in the computer.
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Reboot the computer. If the error appears again, see "System
Memory Problems."
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No boot device available
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The computer cannot find the diskette or hard drive.
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Enter system setup, check the system
configuration information for the diskette and hard drive, and if
necessary, correct the information.
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No boot sector on hard drive
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The system configuration information in system setup may be incorrect,
or the operating system may be corrupted.
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Enter system setup, check the system
configuration information for the hard drive, and if necessary, correct
the information.
If the message persists, reinstall your operating system. See the
documentation that came with your operating system.
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No timer tick interrupt
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A chip on the system board might be malfunctioning.
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Run the Dell Diagnostics.
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Non-system disk or disk error
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The diskette in drive A or your hard drive does not have a bootable
operating system installed.
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A nonbootable diskette is in drive A. Either replace the diskette with
one that has a bootable operating system, or remove the diskette from
drive A and restart the computer.
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Not a boot diskette
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There is no operating system on the diskette.
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Boot the computer with a diskette that contains an operating system.
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Please connect USB Keyboard/Mouse to USB port(s) on the
back of the computer.
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The USB keyboard and/or mouse must be connected to the USB connectors
on the back of the computer.
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Turn your computer off, connect the USB keyboard and/or mouse to one of
the USB connectors on the back of the computer, and restart your computer.
See "Back-Panel Features."
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Plug and Play Configuration Error
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The computer has encountered a problem in trying to configure one or
more expansion cards.
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See "Expansion-Card Problems."
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Read fault
Requested sector not found
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The operating system cannot read from the diskette or hard drive.
The computer could not find a particular sector on the disk, or the
requested sector is defective.
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See "Diskette Drive Problems"
and "Hard Drive Problems."
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Reset failed
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The disk reset operation failed.
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See "Diskette Drive Problems"
and "Hard Drive Problems."
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Sector not found
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The operating system is unable to locate a sector on the diskette or
hard drive.
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See "Diskette Drive Problems"
and "Hard Drive Problems."
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Seek error
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The operating system is unable to find a specific track on the diskette
or hard drive.
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If the error is on the diskette drive, try a different diskette in the
drive.
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Shutdown failure
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A chip on the system board might be malfunctioning.
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Run the Dell Diagnostics.
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Time-of-day clock stopped
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The battery may be dead.
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Enter system setup and correct the
date or time.
If the problem persists, see "Battery
Problems."
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Time-of-day not set
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The time or date displayed in the system configuration information does
not match the system clock.
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Enter system setup and correct the
date or time.
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Timer chip counter 2 failed
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A chip on the system board might be malfunctioning.
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Run the Dell Diagnostics.
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Unexpected interrupt in protected mode
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The keyboard controller might be malfunctioning, or one or more memory
modules may be loose.
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Run the Dell Diagnostics.
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WARNING: Dell's Disk Monitoring System has detected that
drive [0/1] on the [primary/secondary] EIDE 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
Computer Corporation.
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POST has queried the EIDE
drive for status information. The drive has indicated it has detected
possible error conditions for its operating specifications.
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When your computer finishes booting, immediately back up your data and replace
your hard drive. Restore the data to the replacement drive.
Back up the data on your hard drive. If a replacement drive is not
immediately available and the drive is not the only bootable drive, enter system
setup and change the appropriate drive setting to None. Remove
the drive from the computer.
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Write fault
Write fault on selected drive
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The operating system cannot write to the diskette or hard drive.
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See "Diskette Drive Problems"
and "Hard Drive Problems."
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If an error occurs during startup that cannot be reported on the monitor,
your computer may emit a beep code that identifies 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 NVRAM.
If the computer loses power and beeps constantly when you turn it back on,
the BIOS is probably corrupted. See "BIOS
Recovery Utility" for information on restoring the BIOS.
Your application programs or operating system generate warning messages to
alert you to a possible problem and ask you to take an action before you
continue. For example, before you format a diskette, a message may warn you that
you can 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 a y
(yes) or n (no).
Your computer has a series of lights that can help you analyze and solve
problems with your computer. To locate these lights, see "Front
View of the Computer (Doors Open)."
The lights can help you determine what to do to resolve a problem. If a
problem resolution requires you to open the computer cover, refer to "Removing
and Installing Parts" for procedures you must complete before
performing the suggested resolution. If the problem persists after you perform
the suggested resolution, contact Dell for
technical assistance.
The following table lists the codes for the system lights, gives probable
causes, and suggests corrective actions.
When you turn on your computer, it performs a series of self-diagnostic
checks. A successful POST ends with a single beep that signifies the start of
normal operation. If the computer fails to complete the POST, a series of lights
located on the computer can help you understand which test failed or why the
computer stopped responding. These lights communicate problems encountered
before and during POST only, not during normal operation. To locate the
diagnostic lights, see "Front View of the
Computer (Doors Open)."
The following tables lists the codes for the diagnostic lights, gives
probable causes, and suggests corrective actions. The lights are labeled to help
you match the pattern on your computer with one shown in the tables:
The following table lists the codes for the diagnostic lights that occur
before the computer begins the POST.
The following table lists the codes for the diagnostic lights that occur
while the computer is performing the POST.
The following table lists the SNMP platform event traps your computer
generates.
