Diagnostics

Dell Precision™ T3500 Service Manual

  Dell Diagnostics

  Power Button Light Codes

  Diagnostic Light Codes

  Beep Codes


Dell Diagnostics

When to Use the Dell Diagnostics

It is recommended that you print these procedures before you begin.

NOTE: The Dell Diagnostics software works only on Dell computers.
NOTE: The Drivers and Utilities disc is optional and may not ship with your computer.

Enter system setup (see Entering 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 disc.

Starting the Dell Diagnostics From Your Hard Drive

  1. Turn on (or restart) your computer.

  2. 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 disc.

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 (see Turning Off Your Computer), and try again.

  1. When the boot device list appears, highlight Boot to Utility Partition and press <Enter>.

  2. When the Dell Diagnostics Main Menu appears, select the test that you want to run.

Starting the Dell Diagnostics From the Drivers and Utilities Disc

  1. Insert the Drivers and Utilities disc.

  2. Shut down and restart the computer.

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 startup, the computer boots according to the devices specified in the system setup program.
  1. When the boot device list appears, highlight Onboard or USB CD-ROM Drive and press <Enter>.

  2. Select the Boot from CD-ROM option from the menu that appears and press <Enter>.

  3. Type 1 to start the menu and press <Enter> to proceed.

  4. Select Run the 32 Bit Dell Diagnostics from the numbered list. If multiple versions are listed, select the version appropriate for your computer.

  5. When the Dell Diagnostics Main Menu appears, select the test you want to run.

Dell Diagnostics Main Menu

  1. After the Dell Diagnostics loads and the Main Menu 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 1 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.

  1. 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.
  1. 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.

  1. When the tests are completed, if you are running the Dell Diagnostics from the Drivers and Utilities disc, remove the disc.

  2. Close the test screen to return to the Main Menu screen. To exit the Dell Diagnostics and restart the computer, close the Main Menu screen.

Power Button Light Codes

The power LED located in the power button on the front of the computer illuminates and blinks or remains solid to indicate five different states:

Diagnostic Light Codes

Image - Illustrates the diagnostic lights.

Four (4) single color lights are incorporated on the front control panel to serve as a diagnostic aid for troubleshooting systems exhibiting No Post/No Video symptoms. The lights do not report runtime errors.

Diagnostic LED Patterns
LED pattern (1234) LED Description State description
Image showing a 4 diagnostic code 1 - Off
2 - Off
3 - Off
4 - On
BIOS checksum failure detected; system is in recovery mode.
Image showing a 3 diagnostic code 1 - Off
2 - Off
3 - On
4 - Off
Possible processor failure.
Image showing a 3 4 diagnostic code 1 - Off
2 - Off
3 - On
4 - On
Memory failure.
Image showing a 2 diagnostic code 1 - Off
2 - On
3 - Off
4 - Off
Possible expansion card failure.
Image showing a 2 4 diagnostic code 1 - Off
2 - On
3 - Off
4 - On
Possible video failure.
Image showing a 2 3 diagnostic code 1 - Off
2 - On
3 - On
4 - Off
Diskette drive or hard drive failure.
Image showing a 2 3 4 diagnostic code 1 - Off
2 - On
3 - On
4 - On
Possible USB failure.
Image showing a 1 diagnostic code 1 - On
2 - Off
3 - Off
4 - Off
No memory modules detected.
Image showing a 1 4 diagnostic code 1 - On
2 - Off
3 - Off
4 - On
System board failure.
Image showing a 1 3 diagnostic code 1 - On
2 - Off
3 - On
4 - Off
Memory configuration error.
Image showing a 1 3 4 diagnostic code 1 - On
2 - Off
3 - On
4 - On
Possible system board resource and/or system board hardware failure.
Image showing a 1 2 diagnostic code 1 - On
2 - On
3 - Off
4 - Off
Possible system resource configuration error.
Image showing a 1 2 3 diagnostic code 1 - On
2 - On
3 - On
4 - Off
Other failure.
Image showing a 1234 diagnostic code 1 - On
2 - On
3 - On
4 - On
End of POST - Hand off to boot.
Image showing a blank diagnostic code 1 - Off
2 - Off
3 - Off
4 - Off
The system is in a normal operating condition after POST.

Beep Codes

When errors occur during a boot routine that cannot be reported on the monitor, the 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, then followed by 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). If the system loses power and beeps constantly when you turn it back on, the BIOS is probably corrupted.

System Beep Codes
Beep
Code
Description Beep
Code
Description
1-1-2 CPU register test in progress 2-4-3 1st 64 K RAM chip or data line failure - bit E
1-1-3 CMOS read/write test in progress or failure 2-4-4 1st 64 K RAM chip or data line failure - bit F
1-1-4 BIOS ROM checksum in progress or failure 3-1-1 Slave DMA register test in progress or failure
1-2-1 Timer Test in progress or failure 3-1-2 Master DMA register test in progress or failure
1-2-2 DMA initialization in progress or failure 3-1-3 Master IMR test in progress or failure
1-2-3 DMA page register read/write test in progress or failure 3-1-4 Slave IMR test in progress or failure
1-3-1 RAM refresh verification in progress or failure 3-2-2 Interrupt vector loading in progress
1-3-2 1st 64 K RAM test in progress or failure 3-2-4 Keyboard controller test in progress or failure
1-3-3 1st 64 K RAM chip or data line failure (multi bit) 3-3-1 CMOS power fail and checksum test in progress
1-3-4 1st 64 K RAM odd/even logic failure 3-3-2 CMOS Config info validation in progress
1-4-1 1st 64 K RAM address line failure 3-3-3 RTC/Keyboard controller not found
1-4-2 1st 64 K RAM parity test in progress or failure 3-3-4 Screen memory test in progress or failure
1-4-3 Fail-safe timer test in progress 3-4-1 Screen initialization test in progress or failure
1-4-4 Software NMI port test in progress 3-4-2 Screen retrace tests test in progress or failure
2-1-1 1st 64 K RAM chip or data line failure - bit 0 3-4-3 Search for video ROM in progress
2-1-2 1st 64 K RAM chip or data line failure - bit 1 4-2-1 Timer tick interrupt test in progress or failure
2-1-3 1st 64 K RAM chip or data line failure - bit 2 4-2-2 Shutdown test in progress or failure
2-1-4 1st 64 K RAM chip or data line failure - bit 3 4-2-3 Gate A20 failure
2-2-1 1st 64 K RAM chip or data line failure - bit 4 4-2-4 Unexpected interrupt in Protected Mode
2-2-2 1st 64 K RAM chip or data line failure - bit 5 4-3-1 RAM test in progress or failure above address 0FFFFh
2-2-3 1st 64 K RAM chip or data line failure - bit 6 4-3-2 No memory in Bank 0
2-2-4 1st 64 K RAM chip or data line failure - bit 7 4-3-3 Interval Timer Channel 2 test in progress or failure
2-3-1 1st 64 K RAM chip or data line failure - bit 8 4-3-4 Time-Of-Day Clock test in progress or failure
2-3-2 1st 64 K RAM chip or data line failure - bit 9 4-4-1 Super I/O chip failure
2-3-3 1st 64 K RAM chip or data line failure - bit A 4-4-4 Cache test failure
2-3-4 1st 64 K RAM chip or data line failure - bit B    
2-4-1 1st 64 K RAM chip or data line failure - bit C    
2-4-2 1st 64 K RAM chip or data line failure - bit D