Acer Extensa 600 Maintenance Manual

							                                                                                                  Troubleshooting Procedures  5-1
5
Troubleshooting Procedures
5.1 Introduction
This section provides an overview of the fault isolation process, provides guidelines for 
isolating 60x/65x Series computer malfunctions to replaceable subassemblies and 
provides instructions for executing diagnostics and interpreting error messages.
5.2 Overview of Fault Isolation Process
The fault isolation process  (summarized in Figure 5-1) consists of the following steps:
¨Notebook power system (including battery packs and AC adapter 
connections) - refer to Paragraph 5.4.
¨Switch settings (ensure Power is On)
¨Press the Shift key to ensure that Notebook is not in Suspend mode
¨Verify if computer is configured to boot from the A: Drive or C: Drive.
¨Check LCD brightness adjustment (press Fn-Up Arrow keys to increase 
brightness)
¨Ensure that computer is not set for external monitor (press Fn-F12 to select 
internal screen)
¨Record and attempt to resolve any displayed error messages  or error beeps 
(refer to Paragraph 5.2.3.1 and Tables 5-1 and 5-2)
¨Try rebooting the system (Ctrl-Alt-Del)
¨If the computer is capable of running the Setup program; check the serial 
and parallel port configurations, Sound System enable/disable, and other 
features that may affect system operation.
¨Run PC-Doctor Diagnostics to further isolate problem area (refer to  
Paragraph 5.4). For indicated hardware failures, cycle power and repeat self 
test to verify that a hard failure has occurred.
¨Remove and replace suspect hardware (as described in Section 6 of this 
manual) and retest the system using the diagnostic tests as described in 
Paragraph 5.4.5. 
						

							5-2   Troubleshooting Procedures
Figure 5-1  Notebook Computer Troubleshooting Flow Chart
START
COMPUTER
TROUBLE
INDICATION
?
DEA D
COMPUT ER
SYMPTOMS
?
RUN
SELF TEST
ERROR
MESSAGE
?
MODEM
PROBLEM
?
RUN
DIAGNOSTICS
DIAG NOSTI CS
E RROR MS G
?
NOYES NOYES
SEE PARAGRAPH
5.3.4
NO
YE SSee Paragraphs
5.3.3.1 and 5.3.3.2
NO
See Paragraphs
5.3.1 &  5.3.2 NO
YES
YES
See Paragraph
 5.4 
When Power button 
is pressed, no indication
of power is present (dark
LCD, no Status icons lit, 
no disk drive activity, etc.)
Press Power button; 
Selftest automatically
runs when power turned on. 
						

							                                                                                           Troubleshooting Procedures    5-3  
 
5.3 Troubleshooting Procedures
The built-in self test program and the disk resident diagnostics program (PC-Doctor) 
are useful tools in computer troubleshooting. However, if the computer has a power, 
keyboard or display problem, you must first solve this problem before running 
diagnostics. If the computer powers up and displays messages on the LCD or emits a 
series of beeps, skip to Paragraph 5.3.3 for further instructions.
5.3.1 Troubleshooting a Power Supply Problem
If the computer does not power up when the Power Switch is set to the ON position, 
you most likely have a malfunction in the power subsystem (loss of power at the AC 
outlet, faulty AC adapter, discharged Battery Packs, or faulty Power Supply on the Main 
Board). With a power problem, all LEDs are extinguished, the LCD screen is blank, the 
system does not respond when the suspend switch is pressed several times 
consecutively and no drive activity can be heard. The computer is unable to load 
software and displays no visible signs of activity.  To fault isolate a power problem, 
check the following:
¨AC adapter and Battery - Plug in the AC adapter and double-check all 
connections on the adapter and computer. Ensure that the Notebook Power 
switch is set to the On position and that the system is not in Suspend or 
sleep mode.
¨Measure the voltage at the AC outlet or plug in a known good appliance (e.g. 
a lamp) to verify that voltage is present. If the voltage is ok, try replacing the 
AC adapter.
¨Check to see that the battery packs are installed correctly and that the 
battery charge indicators on the front of the battery packs indicate the 
batteries are charged (try using a new battery pack if batteries are 
discharged).
¨If the AC outlet voltage, AC adapter, and battery packs test normal but the 
computer will not power up, try disconnecting the display cable from the 
base (refer to Section 6 for disassembly instructions) to see if a short in the 
display assembly has occurred.
¨If the display assembly appears to be normal, replace the Bottom Board as 
described in Section 6 and retest system.
5.3.2 Troubleshooting a Display Problem
If the LCD remains blank when you turn on the computer, and the status indicators  
						

							5-4   Troubleshooting Procedures
light, check the following controls on the display):
¨LCD suspend mode - press Shift to terminate Suspend mode.
¨Brightness set too low - press Fn-Up Arrow keys to increase screen 
brightness
¨Notebook Set for External Monitor - press Fn-F12 to switch to the internal 
screen.
¨Faulty LCD - Replace the cover-display assembly as described in Section 6 
of this manual.
¨Low battery - Use a fully charged battery and/or plug in the AC adapter.
Table 5-1 contains fault isolation information for Display Problems on the notebook. 
Symptoms are listed along the left side of the chart and the various Display FRUs are 
listed along the top of the chart. Within the body of the table are the probabilities of 
each of the FRUs causing that particular problem. For example, a single display line 
on the screen is most likely caused by the LCD Panel or Display Cable; other components 
have a low probability of causing the problem.
Table 5-1 Display Troubleshooting Guide
Problem Description Inverter
 BoardLCD 
PanelDisplay 
CableMother 
BoardBIOS
Single line on LCD display 
(horizontal or vertical)Low High Medium Low Low
Multiple lines on display 
(horizontal or vertical)Low Medium Medium Low Low
Sections of the display are 
missing charactersLow Medium Medium Low Low
Scrambled Display Low Medium Low Medium Medium
Intermittent characters on display Low Medium Medium Medium Low
Bright display, no visible 
charactersLow Medium Medium Medium Low
Brightness level fluctuating or 
display blinking on/offHigh Low Medium Low Low
Display goes dim over time High Medium Low Low Low
Dim display but characters very 
visibleMedium Medium Low Low Low 
						

							                                                                                           Troubleshooting Procedures    5-5  
5.3.3 Fault Isolation Using Self Test 
When the computer is first powered up, it automatically performs a self test of its central 
hardware and memory functions. During self test (which lasts for a few seconds), the 
display shows copyright and version number information.
Note: Some procedures in this paragraph require you to use keystroke 
sequences, such as Ctrl-Alt-Del. To execute a keystroke sequence such as this, 
you must press all three keys simultaneously.
5.3.3.1 Self Test Error Messages
Upon successful completion of the self test, the computer automatically loads its 
operating system and other built-in utilities. If the self test fails to complete successfully, 
the display shows one of the error messages described in Table 5-2.
Note: In the event of a hardware problem that affects the display, the Notebook 
also communicates errors via a series of beeps. The interpretation of the beep 
codes is provided in Table 5-3. Very dark display and characters 
are slightly visible when a light is 
directed at surface of the displayHigh Low Low Low Low
Very dark display and no 
characters are visibleLow High High Medium Low Table 5-1 Display Troubleshooting Guide
Problem Description Inverter
 BoardLCD 
PanelDisplay 
CableMother 
BoardBIOS 
						

							5-6   Troubleshooting Procedures
Table 5-2  Self Test Error Messages
Diskette drive 0 failure
This message indicates the internal floppy disk (drive A) has failed (or is not 
installed on the computer). Press Ctrl-Alt-Esc to ensure that drive type is 
correctly set (3.5 inch, 1.44 MB).
Run the Diagnostics to check Drive A as described in Paragraph 5.4.  Also try 
using a new, correctly formatted disk.
Diskette read failure - strike F1 to try to retry boot
This message indicates the disk is defective or not formatted.
Try another known good formatted disk and press F1. Fixed disk failure
This message indicates the system disk drive failed to complete the self test or 
that the nonvolatile random-access memory (NVRAM) is configured incorrectly 
for the installed drive type.
Ensure that the notebook is configured to boot from the C: Drive.
Press Ctrl-Alt-Esc to ensure that the hard disk drive type is correctly identified 
in Setup (should be default for the internal hard disk drive).
Press the Ctrl-Alt-Del keys to attempt to reboot the system. If the error occurs 
a second time, run the diagnostics as described in Paragraph 5.4.
Fixed disk read failure - strike F1 to retry boot
This message indicates that the hard disk drive improperly formatted, or that 
a hardware failure has occurred in the hard disk drive subsystem.
Press Ctrl-Alt-Esc to ensure that the hard disk drive type is correctly identified 
in Setup (should be default for the internal hard drive).
If the booting process still fails, run the diagnostics as described in Paragraph 
5.4.
Invalid configuration information
This message indicates the computer has been configured incorrectly. Check 
the settings in the Setup program menu. Also, NVRAM battery failure (resulting 
in loss of configuration data) can generate this error message.  Install an AC 
adapter and recharge the system.  If the problem persists, replace Top Board.
Keyboard clock/data line failure
This message indicates either the keyboard or the external keyboard (if one is 
installed) is defective. If the computer has an external keyboard connected, 
check the connection to ensure that it is connected correctly. If the problem 
still exists, run the diagnostics as described in Paragraph 5.4.
Keyboard stuck key failure
This message indicates the self test has detected a stuck key on the  keyboard.  
						

							                                                                                           Troubleshooting Procedures    5-7  
Table 5-2  Self Test Error Messages (Continued)
Try the keyboard keys to determine if they appear to be working properly and 
reboot the computer.
Note: Also, ensure that no key is pressed during power up and that no keys are 
jammed.
If the self test still fails, execute the diagnostics as described in Paragraph 5.4.
No boot device available - press F1 to retry boot
This message indicates the system disk, the disk drive, or the disk is defective 
(if loading MS-DOS
â from disk) or that the NVRAM is not correctly configured 
for the installed disk drive type. Replace the disk and reboot the computer. If 
the self test still fails, run the diagnostics as described in Paragraph 5.4.
No boot sector on system disk - press F1 to retry boot
This message indicates the system disk is not formatted. Try powering down 
the system and re-running the self test. Press Ctrl-Alt-Esc to ensure that the 
drive type is correctly set in Setup.  Also, press F1 to try loading MS-DOS from 
the hard disk drive again.  If the message persists, the disk must be reformatted 
and software reloaded from disks (refer to Section 3).
Non-System Disk or Disk error. Replace and press any key when ready.
This message indicates the disk installed in floppy disk Drive A is not a bootable 
disk. Format an MS-DOS bootable disk and install the disk in Drive A,  Reboot 
the computer. Also try pressing Ctrl-Alt-Esc to ensure the disk drive type is 
correctly set in Setup.
Time-of-day clock stopped
This message indicates that the battery sustaining the system configuration 
has failed. Reset the configuration.
Note: The following messages are informational messages that do not necessar-
ily indicate a self test failure.
NNN Main Memory, NNN Extended
This message lists the amount of standard memory and optional extended 
memory that has tested successfully during self test execution.  This message 
is only displayed if Quick Boot is off in System Setup. 
						

							5-8   Troubleshooting Procedures
Table 5-2  Self Test Error Messages (Continued)
Memory tests terminated by keystroke
This message tells you that you have pressed the Space Bar while the memory 
tests were running. Pressing the Space Bar during memory testing stops the 
tests.
Press F1 to continue
This message tells you that an error was found during self test execution. Press 
F1 to attempt to reboot the computer.
Save-to-Disk file is too small
This message occurs when you add memory. Use the MS-DOS program 
PHDISK to increase the size of the save-to-disk file.
Save-to-disk file is missing
Use the MS-DOS program PHDISK to create a new save-to-disk file.
Swap File is missing
Use the MS-DOS program PHDISK to create a new swap file.
5.3.3.2 Self Test Beep Error Messages
In the event of a hardware problem that affects the display, the Notebook also 
communicates errors via a series of beeps. These codes may be heard over the systems 
speaker as three bursts of beeps. The interpretation of the beep codes is provided in 
Table 5-3.
To recover from a self test error, try cycling power to the computer.  Also, press 
Ctrl-Alt-Esc to ensure that the Setup configuration is correct. In general, most of the 
failures are associated with the Upper and Lower Electronics Boards and may require 
board removal/replacement.
Try running PC-Doctor (Paragraph 5.4) if possible to verify the source of problem. 
						

							                                                                                           Troubleshooting Procedures    5-9  
Table 5-3   Self Test Beep Messages
Beep Code Port 80h Description
None 01h  CPU Register Test in Progress
1-1-3  02h  CMOS Write/Read Failure
1-1-4 03h  ROM BIOS Checksum Failure
1-2-1 04h Programmable Interval Timer Failure
1-2-2 05h DMA Initialization Failure
1-2-3 06h DMA Page Register Write/Read Failure
1-3-1 08h DRAM Refresh Verification Failure
None 09h  1ST 64K RAM Test in Progress
1-3-3 0Ah 1ST 64K RAM Chip or Data line Failure
1-3-4 0Bh 1ST 64K RAM Odd/Even Logic Failure
1-4-1 0Ch Address Line Failure, 1ST 64K RAM
1-4-2 0Dh Parity Failure, 1ST 64K RAM
2-1-1 10h Bit 0, 1ST 64K RAM Failure
2-1-2 11h Bit 1, 1ST 64K RAM Failure
2-1-3 12h Bit 2, 1ST 64K RAM Failure
2-1-4 13h Bit 3, 1ST 64K RAM Failure
2-2-1 14h   Bit 4, 1ST 64K RAM Failure
2-2-2 15h Bit 5, 1ST 64K RAM Failure
2-2-3 16h  Bit 6, 1ST 64K RAM Failure
2-2-4  17h  Bit 7, 1ST 64K RAM Failure
2-3-1 18h Bit 8, 1ST 64K RAM Failure
2-3-2 19h Bit 9, 1ST 64K RAM Failure
2-3-3 1Ah Bit A, 1ST 64K RAM Failure
2-3-4 1Bh Bit B, 1ST 64K RAM Failure
2-4-1 1Ch Bit C, 1ST 64K RAM Failure
2-4-2 1Dh  Bit D, 1ST 64K RAM Failure
2-4-3 1Eh Bit E, 1ST 64K RAM Failure
2-4-4 1Fh Bit F, 1ST 64K RAM Failure
3-1-1 20h Slave DMA Register Failure
3-1-2 21h Master DMA Register Failure
3-1-3 22h  Master Interrupt Mask Register Failure 
						

							5-10   Troubleshooting Procedures
Table 5-3   Self Test Beep Codes (continued)
Beep Code Port 80h Description
3-1-4 23h Slave Interrupt Mask Register Failure
None 25h Interrupt Vector Loading In Progress
3-2-4 27h Keyboard Controller Test Failure
None 28h CMOS Power Failure and Checksum in 
   Progress
None 29h CMOS Configuration Validation in Progress
3-3-4 2Bh Screen Memory Test Failure
3-4-1 2Ch Screen Initialization Failure
3-4-2 2Dh Screen Retrace Test Failure
None 2Eh  Search for Video ROM in progress
1-2 2Eh  Cirrus Video Chip Failure
1-3 2Eh  Cirrus RAM DAC or Video RAM Failure
None 30h Screen Believed Operable; running with 
   Video ROM
None 31h Monochrome Monitor Believed Operable
None 32h Color Monitor (40 Column) Believed
   Operable
None 33h Color Monitor (80 Column) Believed 
                                                        Operable
4-2-1 34h No Time Tick
4-2-2 35h Shutdown Failure
4-2-3 36h Gate A20 Failure
4-2-4  37h Unexpected Interrupt in Protected Mode
4-3-1 38h Memory High Address Line Failure at 
   010000h-0A0000h
4-3-3 3Ah Timer Chip Counter 2 Failed
4-3-4  3Bh Time of Day Clock Stopped
4-4-1 3Ch Serial Port Failure
4-4-2 3Dh Parallel Port Failure
4-4-3 3Eh Math Coprocessor Failure
5.3.4 PCMCIA Modem Problems
If an optional PCMCIA modem does not work properly, check the following items: