Dell Inspiron Xpi Cd Service Guide

							System Overview 1-13
Environmental (Continued)
Maximum shock:4
Operating  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 152.4 cm/sec (60 inches/sec) (less than or 
equal to a pulse width of 2 ms) 
Storage  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  . 203.2 cm/sec (80 inches/sec)
(less than or equal to a pulse width of 2 ms)
Altitude (maximum):
Operating  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3048 m (10,000 ft)
Storage  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10,600 m (35,000 ft)
4Measured with the hard-disk drive in head-parked position.
Table 1-2.  Technical Specifications (Continued) 
						

							1-14 Dell Latitude XPi CD Service Manual 
						

							Initial Procedures 2-1
Chapter 2
Initial Procedures
T
his chapter describes initial procedures that can help you diagnose a com-
puter problem. These procedures can often reveal the source of a problem or 
indicate the correct starting point for troubleshooting the computer. Dell recom-
mends that you perform these procedures in the order they are presented in this 
manual.
Initial User Contact
When you first contact a user who has a computer problem, ask the user to 
describe the problem and the conditions under which it occurs. A verbal 
description can often indicate the cause of a problem or indicate the appropriate 
troubleshooting procedure to use. After the user describes the problem, follow 
these steps: 
1. Ask the user to back up any data on the hard-disk drive if the system’s 
condition permits.
See “Maintaining Your Computer” in the online System User’s Guide.
2. Ask the user to try to duplicate the problem by repeating the operations 
he or she was performing at the time the problem occurred.
Can the user duplicate the problem?
Ye s. Proceed to step 3.
No. Proceed to the next section, “Visual Inspection.”
3. Observe the user to determine whether he or she is making an error, 
such as typing an incorrect key combination or entering a command 
incorrectly.
Is the problem a result of user error?
Ye s. Instruct the user in the proper procedure, or direct him or her to the 
appropriate user documentation for a description of the correct procedure.
No. Proceed to the next section, “Visual Inspection.”
Visual Inspection
The visual inspection consists of a quick inspection of the exterior of the 
computer and any attached peripherals, including making any necessary correc-
tions. For information about the proper removal and installation of computer  
						

							2-2 Dell Latitude XPi CD Service Manual
components, as instructed in the following procedures, see Chapter 4, “Remov-
ing and Replacing Parts.” 
To perform a visual inspection, follow these steps:
1. Turn off any attached peripherals.
2. Determine the present power state of the computer. 
Look at the indicators to determine which of the following conditions apply, 
and then turn off the computer, taking the actions listed for that condition:
•Power/suspend indicator is blinking approximately every 8 seconds — 
The computer is in suspend mode. Open the display and press any key to 
return the computer to the power-on state. If the computer does not turn 
on, press  to return from battery-swap mode. Then slide the 
power button to turn off the computer. 
•Low-battery indicator is on or blinking — A low-battery warning 
occurred; open the display and slide the power button to turn off the 
computer.
•Low-battery and charging indicators are both blinking — A defective 
battery is detected or the computer is too warm; slide the power button 
to turn off the computer.
•All indicators remain off — The computer is already turned off or is in 
suspend-to-disk mode.
3. Verify that the exterior of the computer is free of any obvious physical 
damage.
4. If the computer is operating from an AC adapter, verify the following:
•The AC adapter’s AC power cable is connected to the AC adapter and 
the power source.
•The AC adapter’s DC power cable is properly connected to the com-
puter’s DC power input connector.
•The AC adapter and cables are free of any obvious physical damage.
NOTE: If the charging indicator and low-battery indicator flash continu-
ously while the computer is connected to AC power, disconnect the computer 
from AC power and move it to a cooler location. When the computer has 
cooled to room temperature, reconnect it to AC power and continue charging 
the battery. If the computer is not allowed to cool, the battery stops charging 
before it reaches full capacity. CAUTION: Before you proceed with the visual inspection, ensure that
the user has saved all open files and exited all open application programs
if possible. 
						

							Initial Procedures 2-3
5. If the computer is operating from battery power, remove the main bat-
tery assembly, verify that it is free of any obvious physical damage, and 
then reinsert the battery assembly into its compartment.
6. Turn off the computer. Remove the hard-disk drive, verify that it is free 
of any obvious physical damage, and then reinsert the drive into its 
compartment.
7. Remove any installed PC Cards from the PC Card slot, verify that they 
are free of any obvious physical damage, and then reinsert the card(s) 
into the PC Card slot.
8. Remove any memory modules from the memory compartment, verify 
that they are free of any obvious damage, and then reinstall the mem-
ory modules.
9. Open the display assembly, and verify that it is free of any obvious 
physical damage.
10. Verify that the internal keyboard is free of any obvious physical dam-
age and that its keys operate freely.
11. Verify that the trackball and its associated switches operate freely.
12. If an external monitor is connected, verify the following: 
•The monitor’s interface cable is properly attached to the VGA connector 
on the I/O panel.
•The monitor’s power cable is attached to a power source and is free of 
any obvious physical damage.
•The monitor’s controls are set according to the instructions in the docu-
mentation for the monitor.
•The monitor and its interface cable are free of any obvious physical 
damage.
13. If an external mouse is connected, verify the following:
•The mouse is properly connected to the keyboard/keypad/mouse con-
nector on the computer’s I/O panel.
•The mouse and its cable are free of any obvious physical damage.
•The mouse’s ball and push buttons operate freely.
14. For any attached serial or parallel devices, verify the following:
•The device’s interface cable connector is correctly attached to the appro-
priate port connector on the computer’s I/O panel.
•The captive screws that secure the connectors at each end of the inter-
face cable are secure enough to ensure a firm connection.
•The attached device and its interface cable are free of any obvious phys-
ical damage. 
						

							2-4 Dell Latitude XPi CD Service Manual
15. Turn on any attached peripherals and then the computer.
Does the problem reoccur?
Ye s. Proceed to the next procedure, “Observing the Boot Routine.”
No. No further steps are necessary.
Observing the Boot Routine
After you perform a visual inspection as described in the previous section, boot 
the computer from a diagnostics diskette and, while the boot routine is running, 
observe the computer for any indications of problems.
NOTE: To prevent possible damage to the original diagnostics diskette, always 
use a backup copy of the diagnostics diskette when servicing a user’s computer. 
Dell recommends that users make copies of the Dell diagnostics diskette. For 
instructions, see “Before You Start Testing” in Chapter 4 of the Reference and 
Troubleshooting Guide.
To observe the boot routine, follow these steps:
1. Turn off the computer and any attached peripherals.
2. Insert a diagnostics diskette into the diskette drive. Turn on all periph-
erals and then the computer.
3. Watch the indicators on the top of the keyboard. After all three indica-
tors flash momentarily, the Num Lock indicator should light up and 
remain on.
Do these indicators light up within approximately 10 seconds after the boot 
routine starts?
Ye s . Proceed to step 4.
No. Troubleshoot the power subsystem.
4. While the boot routine is running, observe the computer for any of the 
following:
•Diskette-drive and hard-disk drive access indicators — These indicators 
light in response to data being transferred to or from the drives. If either 
of these indicators fail to light during the boot routine, troubleshoot the 
diskette-drive or hard-disk drive subsystem, as appropriate.
•Beep codes — A beep code is a series of beeps that indicates an error 
condition. If the computer emits a beep code, go to Table 3-1.
NOTE: The computer beeps once during the boot routine. This single 
beep is normal and is not a beep code. 
•System error messages — These messages can indicate problems or 
provide status information. If a system error message displays, go to 
Table 3-2.  
						

							Initial Procedures 2-5
5. Observe the display for the Diagnostics Menu.
Does the Diagnostics Menu display?
Ye s . See “Running the Dell Diagnostics” in Chapter 3.
No. Proceed to step 6.
6. Insert another copy of the diagnostics diskette into the diskette drive, 
and reboot the computer.
Does the Diagnostics Menu display?
Ye s . See “Running the Dell Diagnostics” in Chapter 3.
No. Proceed to the next section, “Eliminating Resource Conflicts.”
Eliminating Resource Conflicts
Devices within the computer may require dedicated memory spaces, interrupt 
levels, or DMA channels, all of which must be allocated during installation of 
the devices. Because a device may be installed at a different time, it is possible 
that the same resource is assigned to two or more devices. 
Resource conflicts can result in disorderly or erratic computer operation or fail-
ure of the computer to operate at all. If you suspect that resource conflicts might 
exist, check the computer and reassign the resources as necessary. 
For more information about resolving conflicts, see Chapter 3, “Troubleshoot-
ing Your Computer,” in the Reference and Troubleshooting Guide.
Getting Help
If none of the procedures in this chapter reveal the source of the problem or lead 
to the proper troubleshooting steps for determining the source of the problem, 
call Dell for technical assistance. For instructions, see Chapter 5, “Getting 
Help,” in the Reference and Troubleshooting Guide. 
						

							2-6 Dell Latitude XPi CD Service Manual 
						

							Beep Codes and Error Messages 3-1
Chapter 3
Beep Codes and Error Messages
T
his chapter describes beep codes and system error messages that can occur 
during computer start-up or, in the case of some failures, during normal com-
puter operation. The tables in this chapter list faults that can cause a beep code 
or system error message to occur and the probable causes of the fault in each 
case.
If a faulty computer does not emit beep codes or display system error messages 
to indicate a failure, use the Dell diagnostics to help isolate the source of the 
problem. See “Running the Dell Diagnostics” found later in this chapter.
POST Beep Codes  
If the display cannot display error messages during the POST, the computer 
may emit a series of beeps that identifies the problem or that can help you iden-
tify a faulty component or assembly. The following table lists the beep codes 
that may be generated during POST. Most beep codes indicate a fatal error that 
requires replacement of the system board or other corrective actions before the 
computer can operate.
Table 3-1.  POST Beep Codes
Beep Code Error Probable Causes
1-1-3 NVRAM write/read 
failureBIOS corrupted; system board 
faulty
1-1-4 ROM BIOS checksum 
failureBIOS corrupted; system board 
faulty
1-2-1 Programmable interval 
timer failureSystem board faulty
1-2-2 DMA initialization 
failureSystem board faulty
1-2-3 DMA page register 
write/read failureSystem board faulty
1-3-1
through
2-4-4Installed memory 
module(s) not being 
properly identified or 
usedMemory module improperly seated 
or system memory controller faulty 
(system board faulty) 
						

							3-2 Dell Latitude XPi CD Service Manual
3-1-1
3-1-2Slave DMA register 
failure
Master DMA register 
failureSystem board faulty
3-1-3
3-1-4Master interrupt mask 
register failure
Slave interrupt mask 
register failureSystem board faulty
3-2-4 Keyboard controller test 
failureKeyboard assembly faulty or system 
board faulty 
3-3-4
3-4-1
3-4-2Display memory test 
failure
Display initialization 
failure
Display retrace test 
failureSystem board faulty
4-2-1
4-2-2
4-2-3
4-2-4No timer tick
Shutdown failure
Gate A20 failure
Unexpected interrupt in 
protected modeSystem board faulty
4-3-1 Memory failure above 
address 0FFFFhMemory module improperly seated 
or system memory controller faulty 
(system board faulty)
4-3-3 Timer chip counter 2 
failureSystem board faulty
4-3-4 Time-of-day clock 
stoppedReserve battery faulty or system 
board faulty
4-4-1 Serial port failure System board faulty
4-4-2 Parallel port test failure System board faulty
4-4-3 Math coprocessor 
failureSystem board faulty
Table 3-1.  POST Beep Codes (Continued)
Beep Code Error Probable Causes