User's Manual

53
Troubleshooting
Locating a Problem
Problems with your computer can be caused by something as minor as an unplugged power cord – or
as major as a damaged hard disk. The information in this chapter is designed to help you find and
solve minor problems. If you try all the suggested solutions and you still have a problem, make a list
of what steps you have taken to correct the problem and contact your dealer.
Successful troubleshooting is the result of careful observation, deductive reasoning, and an organized
approach to solving the problem.
The problems that you will encounter can be divided into two basic categories: hardware problems
and software problems. Hardware problems can be further divided into electrical and mechanical
problems. You will know you have a hardware problem if the screen is dark, the computer cannot read
the disk drives, or you get an error message during the Power-On Self Test (POST).
Software errors can occur at several levels. The ROM BIOS and the operating system can give you a
large number of error messages. On top of this, each application software package has its own set of
error messages. It is important to determine whether the software error message you are getting is
from the application or the operating system. Once you know this, you can look in the respective
manual for a solution to the problem.