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ROUBLESHOOTING
cables. When this Y-cable male LFH connector is attached to the SideCar chassis female
LFH connectors, adjacent pins (particularly at the edges and corners of the pin grid) on
the Y-cable connector can very easily be bent and forced into adjacent holes on the
female connector on the SideCar chassis . This can in turn distort the thin plastic walls
between adjacent rows of pins, so even after straightening a pin, a bent wall can bend it
back out of position.
The most common symptom of a bent pin is a single display receiving no signal
while the other displays perform correctly.
Troubleshooting a “dead” display caused by bent cable pins:
o First, confirm that some of the SideCar monitors are working correctly. (If no
monitors are working, the problem is not likely to be bent cable pins.)
o Second, to differentiate from other possible problems, confirm that the
notebook’s Display Properties dialog box indicates that the “dead” display is
active and attached. (See chapter 6 for more on using Display Properties.)
o Third, confirm that the problem is not a bad display (independent of the
SideCar). Try attaching the “dead” display to another SideCar output or other
working computer display output connector.
o If the display is confirmed to be working, the problem may be bent cable pins in
the LFH connection between the Y-cable and the SideCar chassis. Detach the Y-
cable and carefully examine the male pins on the Y-cable base connector.
If you find the pins on one of your connectors are bent, carefully and
gently bend them back into position with a small tweezer, very small
screwdriver or straight pin. Then check the female connector on the card
and bend the wall back into position carefully and gently.
If at all possible, leave the Y-cable connected to the SideCar during
transport. Normal DVI and analog connectors are not as susceptible to
this problem, but it is a good idea to keep all male video connectors
covered with their included protective plastic cups whenever they are not
in use. Above all, exercise care in attaching the Y-cable, and tighten the
thumbscrews securely.
Note: Common operational issues (after successful installation) are addressed in
Chapter 12, “Frequently asked questions (FAQs)”.