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Checking the Equipment 6-3
•
A faulty cable between the I/O port and the periph-
eral device
•
A faulty peripheral device
•
Incorrect settings in the System Setup program
•
Incorrect settings in the system’s configuration files
•
Faulty I/O port logic on the system board
NOTE: With certain modems installed, subtests in the
Serial Port Test Group may fail because the modem
appears to the diagnostics as a serial port, but it cannot
be tested as a serial port. If you have a modem installed
and you experience a serial-port test failure, remove the
modem and run the diagnostic tests again.
Troubleshooting the Basic I/O
Functions
This procedure determines whether the computer’s basic
I/O functions are operational. If a system error message
indicates an I/O port problem or the device connected to
the port does not function properly, follow these steps:
1. Enter the System Setup program, and check the
settings for the
SERIAL PORT
1
,
SERIAL PORT
2
,
PARALLEL PORT
, and
MOUSE
categories.
Are the communications port categories set to
AUTO
,
and is the
MOUSE
category set to
ENABLED
?
Ye s . Go to step 3.
No. Go to step 2.
2. Change the setting for the
SERIAL PORT
1
,
SERIAL
PORT
2
, and
PARALLEL PORT
categories to
AUTO
,
and change the setting for the
MOUSE
category to
ENABLED
; then reboot the system.
Is the problem resolved?
Ye s . You have fixed the problem.
No. Go to step 3.
3. Check the contents of the start-up files.
See “Installing and Configuring Software” in Chap-
ter 4.
Are the port configuration commands correct?
Ye s . Go to step 5.
No. Go to step 4.
4. Change the necessary statements in the start-up
files.
If the port problem is confined to a particular appli-
cation program, see the application program’s
documentation for specific port configuration
requirements.
Is the problem resolved?
Ye s . You have fixed the problem.
No. Go to step 5.
5. Reboot the system from the Dell Server Assistant
CD, and run the Serial Port Test Group and/or
the Parallel Port Test Group in the system
diagnostics.
See Chapter 5, “Running the System Diagnostics.”
The Serial Port Test Group and the Parallel Port Test
Group test the basic functions of the system board’s
I/O port logic. Also, if a parallel printer is connected
to the parallel port, the Parallel Port Test Group tests
the communications link between the system board’s
I/O port logic and the printer.
Do the tests complete successfully?
Ye s . Go to step 6.
No. See Chapter 11, “Getting Help,” for instructions
on obtaining technical assistance.
6. If the problem persists, go to “Troubleshooting a
Parallel Printer” or “Troubleshooting a Serial
I/O Device” found later in this chapter, depending
on which device appears to be malfunctioning.