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Basic Troubleshooting
Dell™ PowerEdge™ 500SC Systems
Service Manual
This section describes basic troubleshooting procedures that can help you diagnose a
system problem. These procedures can often reveal the source of a problem or indicate the
correct starting point for servicing the system.
A brief explanation of how to load and start the system diagnostics can be found in
"Running the System Diagnostics."
We recommend that you perform the following procedures in the order presented.
When you first contact a user who has a problem, ask the user to describe the problem
and the conditions under which it occurs. After the user describes the problem, perform
the following steps:
- Ask the user to back up any data on the hard drive if the system’s condition
permits. See the documentation provided with the operating system or applications software
for information about backing up data.
- Ask the user to try to duplicate the problem by repeating the operations he or she was
performing at the time the problem occurred.
If the user can not duplicate the problem, proceed to "External Visual Inspection."
- Observe the user to determine if he or she is making an error, such
as typing an incorrect key combination or entering a command incorrectly.
If the problem is a result of user error, instruct the user in the proper procedure or
direct the user to the appropriate user documentation for the correct procedure. If the
user is performing the procedure correctly, proceed to "External Visual Inspection."
Improperly set switches and controls and loose or improperly
connected cables are the most likely source of problems for the system, monitor, or other
peripherals (such as a printer, keyboard, mouse, or other external equipment). A quick
check of all the switches, controls, and cable connections can easily solve these
problems.
The external visual inspection consists of a quick inspection of the exterior of the
system, the monitor (if attached), the keyboard (if attached), any peripherals, and
cables. While performing the visual inspection, make any necessary corrections. To perform
the external visual inspection, perform the following steps.
- Inspect the front panel LEDs for indication of component malfunction.
- Turn off the system, the monitor (if attached), and all peripherals.
- Verify that all power cables are properly connected to the system, the monitor and
peripherals, and their power sources.
- Inspect connections to any attached devices including network cables, keyboard, monitor,
mouse (if used), or keyboard/video monitor/mouse (KVM) switch (if used), as well as any
devices attached to the parallel and serial ports.
- Inspect all external monitor controls for any obvious damage or improper settings (if
used). For proper settings of the video monitor controls, see the documentation for the
monitor.
- Inspect the keyboard (if used) to ensure that no keys are sticking. If one or more keys
are sticking, it may be necessary to replace the keyboard.
- Inspect the exterior of the system, including all controls and indicators, and all
user-accessible data storage devices for any signs of physical damage.
If the inspection reveals any problems, proceed to the appropriate procedure in "Removing and Replacing Parts." Proceed to "Observing the Boot Routine," if the inspection
does not reveal any problems.
After you have performed an external visual inspection as described in "External Visual Inspection," you should boot
the system and, while the boot routine is running, observe the system for any indications
of problems.
 |
NOTE: Most of the steps in this procedure require observation
of system functions and indications, some of which can occur simultaneously. It may be
necessary to reboot the system several times to complete all of these steps. |
To perform the following procedure, you need a set of system
diagnostics diskettes created from the Dell OpenManage Server Assistant
CD.
|
NOTE: You can also run the system diagnostics from the utility partition by pressing
<F10> during power-up. |
To observe problem indications during the boot routine, perform the
following steps:
- If the system is off, turn on all peripherals and the system.
- Insert the bootable system diagnostics diskette
into the diskette drive and reboot the system. If you haven't created your set of
diagnostics diskettes, see "Using the Dell OpenManage Server
Assistant CD," in the User's Guide.
- Check the power supply fan.
If the fan is not operating properly, troubleshoot the system power supply.
- Watch the <Num Lock>, <Caps Lock>, and <Scroll
Lock> indicators on the upper-right corner of the keyboard. After all three indicators
flash momentarily, and following a long pause (approximately 30 seconds), the <Num
Lock> indicator should light up and remain on (unless the Num Lock
option is set to Off in the System
Setup program).
If these indicators do not flash on and off within approximately 10 seconds after the boot
routine starts, troubleshoot the system power supply. If the troubleshooting procedure
indicates that the system power supply is operational, troubleshoot the memory.
- During the boot routine, observe the system for any of the following
indications:
- Beep codes — A beep code is a series of beeps that indicates an
error condition. See "System Beep Codes."
- System error messages — These messages can indicate
problems or provide status information. If a system error message appears, see "System Messages."
- Diskette-drive and hard drive access indicators — These
indicators light up in response to data being transferred to or from the drives. If either
of these indicators fails to light up during the boot routine, troubleshoot the diskette
drive or hard drive subsystem, as appropriate.
- Observe the monitor screen for the Diagnostics menu.
If the Diagnostics menu appears, see "Running the System Diagnostics."
- Insert another copy of the system diagnostics diskette into
the diskette drive, and reboot the system.
If the Diagnostics menu appears, see "Running the System Diagnostics." If the Diagnostics
menu does not appear, proceed to "Internal Visual Inspection."
 |
NOTICE: Before you proceed with the internal visual inspection described in
this section, ensure that the user has saved all open files and exited all open
application programs, if possible. |
A simple visual inspection of a system’s interior hardware can often lead to the
source of a problem, such as a loose expansion card, cable connector, or mounting screw.
When you perform the visual inspection, see "System
Features" to locate components referenced in the inspection procedure.
To perform the internal visual inspection, perform the following steps:
- Turn off the system, including any attached peripherals, and disconnect all the power
cables from electrical outlets.
 |
CAUTION: Before beginning to work inside the
system, disconnect the power supply from the power source and the power supply cables from
the power supply. |
- Remove the system cover as described in "System
Cover and Support Beam."
|
CAUTION: The microprocessor and heat-sink assembly can get
extremely hot during system operations. Be sure that it has had sufficient time to cool
before touching it.
|
|
CAUTION:
When handling the microprocessor and heat-sink assembly,
take care to avoid sharp edges on the heat-sink.
|
- Verify that the chip sets, memory modules, expansion cards, and
microprocessor and heat-sink assembly are fully seated in their sockets or connectors.
- To ensure that the chip sets are fully seated in their sockets, press
firmly on the top of each chip.
- To remove and reseat a microprocessor and heat-sink assembly, perform
the steps described in "Microprocessor."
- To remove and reseat a memory module, perform the steps described in
"Memory Modules."
- If you need to remove and reseat an expansion card, remove the card
as described in "Expansion Cards," and
carefully reinsert the card in its connector until fully seated.
- Verify that all jumpers are set correctly.
For information about jumper settings, see "System Board Jumpers."
- Check all cable connectors inside the system to verify that they are firmly attached to
their appropriate connectors.
- Replace the system cover and support beam.
- Reconnect the system and any attached peripherals to their power sources, and turn them
on.
If the problem persists, proceed to "Getting Help."
The system diagnostics contain tests that aid in troubleshooting all major components
of the system. These diagnostics can be run from the utility partition or from a set
of diagnostics diskettes.
To create a set of diagnostics diskettes, see
"Using the Dell OpenManage Server Assistant CD," in the User's
Guide.
To start the system diagnostics, turn off the system, insert a bootable system
diagnostics diskette into the diskette drive, and then turn on the system (you can
also activate the system diagnostics installed on the utility partition of your hard drive
by pressing <F10> during power-up).
Starting the diagnostics causes the Dell logo to appear on the monitor, followed by a
message indicating that the diagnostics is loading. Before the diagnostics loads, a
program tests the portion of main memory (RAM) required for loading the diagnostics. If a
RAM error is detected, a message telling you which memory module has failed appears on the
screen.
If no errors are found in RAM, the diagnostics loads and a Diagnostics
menu appears. This menu lets you choose different options or exit the diagnostics.
See "Running the System Diagnostics" in the system Installation and
Troubleshooting Guide for detailed information about the system diagnostics.
If none of the troubleshooting procedures in this section or the tests in the system
diagnostics reveals the source of the problem or leads to the proper troubleshooting steps
for determining the source of the problem, see the Support pages at http://support.dell.com.
For instructions on contacting Dell, see "Getting Help" in the system's Installation
and Troubleshooting Guide.
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