dell inspiron 8200 User Manual

							Solving Problems: Dell Inspiron 8200
A filename cannot contain any of the following characters:  / : * ? 
< > |— 
Do not use these characters in filenames.
Insert bootable media— 
The operating system is trying to boot to a nonbootable floppy disk or C\
D. 
Insert a bootable floppy disk or CD.
Non-system disk or disk error— 
A floppy disk is in the floppy drive. Remove the floppy disk and restart\
 the 
computer.
Not enough memory or resources. Exit some programs and try 
again— 
You have too many programs open. Close all windows and open the 
program that you want to use.
Operating system not found— 
Contact Dell (see Contacting Dell in the Dell Owners Manual that came 
with your computer).
A required .DLL file was not found— 
The program that you are trying to open is missing an essential file. 
Remove and then reinstall the program.1.  Click the Start button. 
2.  Click Control Panel. 
3.  Click Add or Remove Programs. 
4.  Select the program you want to remove. 
5.  Click the Change or Remove Program icon. 
6.  See the program documentation for installation instructions. 
x: is not accessible. The device is not ready— 
Insert a disk into the drive and try again.
file:///F|/Service%20Manuals/Dell/Inspiron/8200/solving.htm (21 of 26)\
 [2/28/2004 7:40:15 AM] 
						

							Solving Problems: Dell Inspiron 8200
General Program Problems
A program crashes 
HINT: Software usually includes installation instructions in its documentation\
 or 
on a floppy disk or CD. 
See the software documentation— 
Many software manufacturers maintain websites with information that may \
help you solve the problem. Ensure that you properly installed and 
configured the program. Reinstall the program if necessary.
A program stops responding 
End the program 
1.  Simultaneously press 
   . 
2.  Click the Applications tab, and then select the program that is no 
longer responding. 
3.  Click End Task. 
A solid blue screen appears 
Turn the computer off— 
If the computer does not respond to a keystroke or a proper shutdown, 
press the power button until the computer turns off. Press the power but\
ton 
again to restart the computer. The solid blue screen appears because you\
 
were not able to perform a proper Windows® shutdown. ScanDisk 
automatically runs during the start-up process. Follow the instructions \
on 
the screen.
file:///F|/Service%20Manuals/Dell/Inspiron/8200/solving.htm (22 of 26)\
 [2/28/2004 7:40:15 AM] 
						

							Solving Problems: Dell Inspiron 8200
Error messages appear 
Review Error Messages— 
Look up the message and take the appropriate action. See 
Check the drive 
for errors and the software documentation.
E-Mail Problems
Ensure that you are connected to the Internet— 
With the Outlook Express e-mail program open, click File. If Work Offline 
has a check mark next to it, click the check mark to remove it and conne\
ct 
to the Internet.
Resolving Other Technical Problems
Go to the Dell Support website— 
Go to support.dell.com for help with general usage, installation, and 
troubleshooting questions.
E-mail Dell— 
Go to support.dell.com and then click E-Mail Dell in the Communicate 
list. Send an e-mail message to Dell about your problem; you can expect \
to 
receive an e-mail message from Dell within hours.
Contact Dell— 
If you cannot solve your problem using the Dell™ support website or e\
-mail 
service, contact Dell for technical assistance (see Contacting Dell i\
n the 
Dell Owners Manual that came with your computer).
file:///F|/Service%20Manuals/Dell/Inspiron/8200/solving.htm (23 of 26)\
 [2/28/2004 7:40:15 AM] 
						

							Solving Problems: Dell Inspiron 8200
If Your Computer Gets Wet
 CAUTION: Perform this procedure only after you are certain that it is 
safe to do so. If the computer is connected to an electrical outlet, Del\
l 
recommends that you turn off AC power at the circuit breaker before 
attempting to remove the power cables from the electrical outlet. Use 
the utmost caution when removing wet cables from a live power source.
1.  Turn off the computer, disconnect the AC adapter from the computer, \
and then  disconnect the AC adapter from the electrical outlet. 
2.  Turn off any attached external devices, and disconnect them from the\
ir power  sources and then from the computer. 
3.  Ground yourself by touching one of the metal connectors on the back \
of the  computer. 
4.  Remove the module bay device and any installed PC Cards, and place t\
hem in a  safe place to dry. 
5.  Remove the battery. 
6.  Wipe off the battery and put it in a safe place to dry. 
7.  Remove the hard drive. 
8.  Remove the memory module(s). 
9.  Open the display and place the computer right-side up across two boo\
ks or  similar props to let air circulate all around it. Let the computer dry f\
or at least 
24 hours in a dry area at room temperature. 
NOTICE: Do not use artificial means, such as a hair dryer or a fan, to speed the\
 
drying process. 
 CAUTION: To help prevent electrical shock, verify that the computer is 
thoroughly dry before continuing with the rest of this procedure.
10.  Ground yourself by touching one of the metal connectors on the back\
 of the  computer. 
file:///F|/Service%20Manuals/Dell/Inspiron/8200/solving.htm (24 of 26)\
 [2/28/2004 7:40:15 AM] 
						

							Solving Problems: Dell Inspiron 8200
11.  Replace the memory module(s), the memory module cover, and the sc\
rew(s). 
12.  Replace the hard drive. 
13.  Replace the module bay device and any PC Cards you removed. 
14.  Replace the battery. 
15.  Turn on the computer and verify that it is working properly. 
If the computer does not start, or if you cannot identify the damaged co\
mponents, 
contact Dell (see Contacting Dell in the Dell Owners Manual that came with your 
computer).
If You Drop or Damage Your Computer
1.  Save and close any open files, exit any open programs, and shut down\
 the  computer. 
2.  Disconnect the AC adapter from the computer and from the electrical \
outlet. 
3.  Turn off any attached external devices, and disconnect them from the\
ir power  sources and then from the computer. 
4.  Remove and reinstall the battery. 
5.  Turn on the computer. 
If the computer does not start, or if you cannot identify the damaged co\
mponents, 
contact Dell (see Contacting Dell in the Dell Owners Manual that came with your 
computer).
Back to Contents Page
 
 
file:///F|/Service%20Manuals/Dell/Inspiron/8200/solving.htm (25 of 26)\
 [2/28/2004 7:40:15 AM] 
						

							Solving Problems: Dell Inspiron 8200
 
file:///F|/Service%20Manuals/Dell/Inspiron/8200/solving.htm (26 of 26)\
 [2/28/2004 7:40:15 AM] 
						

							Using Dell Diagnostics: Dell Inspiron 8200
Back to Contents Page 
Using Dell Diagnostics 
Dell™ Inspiron™ 8200
  When to Use the Dell Diagnostics
  Features of the Dell Diagnostics
  Starting the Dell Diagnostics
  Advanced Testing
  Confirming the System Configuration Information
When to Use the Dell Diagnostics
Whenever a major component or device in your computer does not function \
properly, 
you may have a component failure. If you are experiencing a problem with\
 your 
computer, Dell recommends that you perform the checks in 
Solving Problems and 
run the 
Dell Diagnostics before you call Dell for technical assistance.
As long as the microprocessor and the display, keyboard, and CD or DVD d\
rive are 
working, you can use the Dell Diagnostics. Running the Dell Diagnostics \
may help you 
to resolve the problem yourself quickly without having to contact Dell f\
or assistance.
If you are experienced with computers and know what component(s) you n\
eed to test, 
simply select the appropriate diagnostic test group(s) or subtest(s)\
. If you are unsure 
about how to begin diagnosing a problem, see 
Starting the Dell Diagnostics and 

Advanced Testing.
Features of the Dell Diagnostics
The Dell Diagnostics helps you check your computers hardware without an\
y additional 
equipment and without destroying any data. By using the diagnostics, you\
 can have 
confidence in your computers operation. And if you find a problem you c\
annot solve 
file:///F|/Service%20Manuals/Dell/Inspiron/8200/diag.htm (1 of 8) [2/2\
8/2004 7:40:16 AM] 
						

							Using Dell Diagnostics: Dell Inspiron 8200
by yourself, the diagnostic tests can provide you with important informa\
tion you will 
need when talking to Dells service and support personnel. If you are ex\
periencing a 
problem with your computer, Dell recommends that you perform the checks \
in 

Solving Problems and run the Dell Diagnostics before you call Dell for technical 
assistance.
NOTICE: Use the Dell Diagnostics to test only your Dell™ computer. Using this\
 
program with other computers may cause incorrect computer responses or 
result in error messages. 
The diagnostic test groups or subtests also have these helpful features:\
l     Options that let you perform quick checks or extensive tests on one or a\
ll 
devices
l     An option that allows you to choose the number of times a test group or \
subtest 
is repeated
l     The ability to display test results or to save them in a file
l     Options to temporarily suspend testing if an error is detected, or to te\
rminate 
testing when an adjustable error limit is reached
l     Extensive online Help screens that describe the tests and how to run the\
m
l     Status messages that inform you whether test groups or subtests were 
completed successfully
l     Error messages that appear if any problems are detected
Starting the Dell Diagnostics
HINT: Dell recommends that you print these procedures before you begin. 
Before you can start the Dell Diagnostics you need to reset your boot se\
quence and 
boot from the Drivers and Utilities CD for your computer.
file:///F|/Service%20Manuals/Dell/Inspiron/8200/diag.htm (2 of 8) [2/2\
8/2004 7:40:16 AM] 
						

							Using Dell Diagnostics: Dell Inspiron 8200
HINT: You can only boot from a CD, CD-RW, or DVD drive installed as a fixed 
drive. You cannot boot from a drive installed in the module bay. 
1.  Turn off the computer. 
2.  If the computer is docked, undock the computer. 
3.  Ensure that the computer is connected to an electrical outlet. 
4.  Turn on the computer with the Drivers and Utilities CD in the CD, CD-RW, or  DVD drive. 
5.  Press 
 to enter the system setup program as soon as the Dell logo screen 
appears, and before the Microsoft® Windows® logo screen appears. 
6.  Select the Boot Order page of the system setup program. Make a note of the  device currently set as the first (top) boot device, and then set the \
first three 
devices in the boot sequence in the following order: 
l     Diskette Drive
l     CD/DVD/CD-RW drive
l     Internal HDD
7.  Save your changes and press 
 to exit the system setup program and 
restart the computer to boot from the CD. 
The computer starts and automatically begins to run the Dell Diagnostics\
.
8.  When you have completed running diagnostics, remove the Drivers and Utilities  CD. 
9.  When the computer restarts, press 
 as soon as the Dell logo screen 
appears, and before the Windows logo screen appears. 
10.  In the system setup program, select the Boot Order page and reset the boot  sequence to the original order. 
11.  Press 
 to exit the system setup program and restart Microsoft Windows. 
file:///F|/Service%20Manuals/Dell/Inspiron/8200/diag.htm (3 of 8) [2/2\
8/2004 7:40:16 AM] 
						

							Using Dell Diagnostics: Dell Inspiron 8200
12.  Remove the CD from the CD, CD-RW, or DVD drive. 
When you start the diagnostics, the Dell logo screen appears, followed b\
y a message 
telling you that the diagnostics is loading. After the diagnostics loads\
, the 
Diagnostics Menu appears.
To select an option from this menu, highlight the option and press 
 , or 
press the key that corresponds to the highlighted letter in the option y\
ou choose.
Diagnostics Menu
Option Function
Test All Devices Performs extensive diagnostic tests or quick diagnostic 
tests on all devices.
Test One Device Performs extensive diagnostic tests or quick diagnostic 
tests on one device after you select it from a list of device 
groups. After you select Test One Device, press 
 for 
more information about a test.
Advanced Testing Allows you to modify the parameters of a test and select a 
group of tests to perform. You can access online Help for 
more information about Advanced Testing.
Information and Results Provides test results, test errors, version numbers of the 
subtests used by the Dell Diagnostics, and additional help 
on the Dell Diagnostics.
Program Options  Allows you to change the settings of the Dell Diagnostics.
Exit to MS-DOS Exits to the MS-DOS® prompt.
For a quick check of your computer, select Quick Tests from the Test All Devices or 
Test One Device option. Quick Tests runs only the subtests that do not require user 
interaction and that do not take a long time to run. Dell recommends tha\
t you choose 
Quick Tests first to increase the odds of tracing the source of the problem quickly\
.
For a thorough check of your computer, select Extended Tests from the Test All 
Devices option.
file:///F|/Service%20Manuals/Dell/Inspiron/8200/diag.htm (4 of 8) [2/2\
8/2004 7:40:16 AM]