A51, M51e Series ThinkCentre Deskop PC Quick Reference Guide

Chapter 5. Troubleshooting and diagnostics

This chapter describes some basic troubleshooting and diagnostic tools. If your

computer problem is not described here, use Access IBM for more detailed

troubleshooting information or see “Additional help” on page xv.

Basic troubleshooting

Symptom Action

The computer does not

start when you press the

power button.

Verify that:

v The power cord is plugged into the rear of the computer

and into a working electrical outlet.

v If your computer has a secondary power switch on the

back of the computer, ensure that it is switched on. Check

the power indicator on the front of the computer to ensure

that the power is on.

v The power supply and system board are working. See

“Power supply and system board Diagnostic LEDs” on

page 25

you cannot correct the problem, have the computer

serviced.

The monitor screen is

blank.

Verify that:

v The monitor cable is securely attached to the rear of the

monitor and to the rear of the computer.

v The monitor power cord is plugged into the monitor and

into a working electrical outlet.

v The monitor is turned on, and the brightness and contrast

controls are set correctly.

v The monitor signal cable is securely connected to the

monitor and to the monitor connector on the computer.

v The power supply and system board are working. See

“Power supply and system board Diagnostic LEDs” on

page 25.

Note:

If your computer has two monitor connectors, verify

that your monitor is connected to the one in the PCI-express

(PCI-e) option connector rather than the one in the rear of

the system board. See Step 4 on page 3.

If you cannot correct the problem, have the computer

serviced.