■ chapter 2 trouble shooting C H A P T E R ▼ F I V E TROUBLE SHOOTING In this chapter, you will learn how to solve common hardware and software problems.
■ chapter 2 trouble shooting Your computer has been fully tested and complies with the system specifications before shipping. However, incorrect operations and/or mishandling may cause problems. This chapter provides a reference for identifying and correcting common hardware and software problems that you may encounter. When you encounter a problem, you should first try to go through the recommendations in this chapter.
■ chapter 2 trouble shooting hardware devices in the BIOS Setup utility. A faulty setting may cause the system to misbehave. If you are not sure of the changes you made, try to restore all the settings to factory defaults. Be sure all the device drivers are installed properly. For example, without the audio driver properly installed, the speakers and microphone will not work.
■ chapter 2 trouble shooting Audio Problems No speaker output Turn up the volume dial located at the right edge of the computer. See Chapter 1 for its location. Software volume control is turned down in Microsoft Sound System or is muted. Double-click the speaker icon on the lower right corner of the taskbar to see if the speaker has been muted or turned down all the way. Most audio problems are software-related. If your computer worked before, chances are software may have been set incorrectly.
■ chapter 2 trouble shooting Hard Disk Problems The hard disk drive does not work or is not recognizable If you had just performed a hard disk upgrade, make sure the hard drive connector is not loose and the hard disk drive is also correctly seated. Remove it and reinsert it firmly, and restart your PC. (Refer to Chapter 4 for details.) The new HDD may need to be partitioned and reformatted. O/S and drivers will need to be re-installed as well. Check the hard disk indicator LED.
■ chapter 2 trouble shooting for instructions on decreasing the cache size or on removing temporary Internet files. Empty the Recycle Bin to create more disk space. When you delete files, Windows saves them to the Recycle Bin. The hard disk takes longer to read a file If you have been using the drive for a period, the files may be fragmented. Go to [Start > Programs > Accessories > System Tools > Disk Defragmenter] to perform a disk defragmentation. This operation may take a while.
■ chapter 2 trouble shooting CD-ROM, DVD-ROM, CD-RW, Combo Drive or DVD±R/±RW Problems The CD-ROM, DVD-ROM, or Combo drive does not work Try rebooting the system. The disk is damaged or files are not readable. After you have inserted a CD-ROM disk, it may take a moment before you can access its content. The drive dose not read any disks The CD may not be properly seated in the tray. Make sure the disk is firmly seated onto the spindle. The disk is damaged or not readable.
■ chapter 2 trouble shooting Display Problems The display panel is blank when the system is turned on Make sure the computer is not in the Standby or Hibernate suspend modes. The display is turned off to conserve energy in these modes. The screen is difficult to read The display resolution should at least be set to at least1024x768 for optimal viewing. 1. Go to [Start > Settings > Control Panel] and double-click the Display icon. 2.
■ chapter 2 trouble shooting Keyboard and Mouse Problems The built-in touch pad performs erratically Make sure there is no excess perspiration or humidity on your hand when using the touch pad. Keep the surface of the touch pad clean and dry. Do not rest your palm or wrist on the surface of the touch pad while typing or using the touch pad. The built-in keyboard accepts no input If you are connecting an external keyboard to the system, the built-in keyboard may not work. Try restarting the system.
■ chapter 2 trouble shooting CMOS Battery Problem A message “CMOS Checksum Failure” displays during the booting process or the time (clock) resets when booting Try to reboot the system. If the message “CMOS Checksum Failure” appears during the booting procedure even after rebooting, it may indicate failure of the CMOS battery. If so, you need to replace the battery. This battery normally lasts two to five years. The battery is of type CR2032 (3V). You may replace it by yourself.
■ chapter 2 trouble shooting Memory Problems The POST does not show an increased memory capacity when you have already installed additional memory Certain brands of memory module may not be compatible with your system. You should ask your vendor for a list of compatible DIMM. The memory module may not be installed properly. Go back to Chapter 4 to review the details of this operation. The memory module may be defective.
■ chapter 2 trouble shooting Modem Problems The built-in modem does not respond Make sure the modem driver is loaded properly. Go to [Start > Settings > Control Panel > Phone and Modem Options] and go to Modems tab. Make sure SmartLink 56K Voice Modem or Uniwill V.90 Modem is listed. Otherwise, click the Add button to add the modem drive, which is located in the factory CD-ROM (or floppy diskette).
■ chapter 2 trouble shooting Network Adapter / Ethernet Problems The Ethernet adapter does not work Go to [Start > Settings > Control Panel > System > Hardware > Device Manager]. Double-click on Network Adapters and check if SiS PCI 10/100M Fast Ethernet Adapter appears as one of the adapters. If it does not exist, Windows has not detected the National Semiconductor Fast Ethernet adapter or the device driver has not been installed properly.
■ chapter 2 trouble shooting PC Card / PCMCIA Problems Note: Some system may not have the PC Card Slot option. PC Cards do not functionMake sure you have properly installed the driver for the card. Consult the card’s manual or contact the vendor for trouble-shooting. The PC card cannot be recognized Windows NT4.0 does not support PCMCIA (PC Card) function. You may need an external program for this. Make sure the card is fully inserted; the outer end of the card should be even with the edge of the computer.
■ chapter 2 trouble shooting Performance Problems The computer becomes hot In a 35oC environment, the certain areas of the computer’s back case are expected to reach 50 degrees. Make sure the air vents are not blocked. If the fan does not seem to be working at high temperature (50 degrees Celsius and up), contact the service center.
■ chapter 2 trouble shooting Printer Problems The printer does not print Make sure the cable connection is secured and the printer is powered up, if the printer is connected via the parallel port. and make sure the parallel port setting in CMOS is correct. Run the printer self-test to see if it reports any problem. Check if the printer displays any error messages. A paper jam may have occurred. Make sure you have already installed the printer driver.
■ chapter 2 trouble shooting Firewire (IEEE1394) and USB2.0 Problems The USB device does not work Windows NT 4.0 does not support USB protocols Check the settings in the Windows Control Panel. Make sure you have installed the necessary device drivers. Contact the device vendor for additional support. The IEEE1394 port does not work Go to [Start > Settings > Control Panel > System > Hardware > Device Manager]. You should see an entry which reads “IEEE 1394 Bus host controllers”.
