Service Manual

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Basic Troubleshooting: Dell™ PowerEdge™ 350 Systems Service
Manual
Overview Internal Visual Inspection
Initial User Contact Running the Dell Diagnostics
External Visual Inspection Getting Help
Observing the Boot Routine
Overview
This section describes basic troubleshooting procedures that can help you diagnose a Dell PowerEdge 350
system problem. These procedures can often reveal the source of a problem or indicate the correct starting
point for servicing the system. For a brief explanation of how to load and start the system diagnostics, see
"Running the Dell Diagnostics" in the system Installation and Troubleshooting Guide. Dell recommends that
you perform the following procedures in the order presented.
Initial User Contact
NOTE: The PowerEdge 350 system is a "headless" system that operates without keyboard, monitor,
or mouse. While it is possible to connect these peripherals to the system, it is generally not
necessary unless troubleshooting the system.
When you first contact a user who has a problem, ask the user to describe the problem and the conditions
under which it occurs. After the user describes the problem, perform the following steps:
1. Ask the user to back up any data on the hard-disk drive if the system’s condition permits.
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?
Yes. Proceed to step 3.
No. Proceed to "External
Visual Inspection."
3. Observe the user to determine if 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?