Diagnostic LED
This section details the diagnostic features of the battery LED in a notebook.
Instead of beep codes errors are indicated via the bicolor Battery Charge LED. A specific blink pattern is followed by flashing a pattern of
flashes in amber, followed by white. The pattern then repeats.
NOTE:
The diagnostic pattern will consist of a two digit number being represented by a first group of LED blinks (1 through 9) in
amber, followed by a 1.5 second pause with the LED off, and then a second group of LED blinks (1 through 9) in white. This is
then followed by a three second pause, with the LED off, before repeating over again. Each LED blink takes 0.5 seconds.
The system will not shutdown when displaying the Diagnostic Error Codes. Diagnostic Error Codes will always supersede any other use of
the LED. For instance, on Notebooks, battery codes for Low Battery or Battery Failure situations will not be displayed when Diagnostic
Error Codes are being displayed:
Table 3. LED pattern
Blinking pattern
Problem Description
Suggested Resolution
Amber White
2
1
processor
processor failure
2
2
system board, BIOS ROM
system board, covers BIOS corruption or ROM error
2
3
memory
no memory/no RAM detected
2
4
memory
memory failure/RAM failure
2
5
memory
invalid memory installed
2
6
system board; chipset
system board/ chipset error
2
7
display
display failure
3
1
RTC power failure
coin-cell battery failure
3
2
PCI/Video
PCI/Video card/chip failure
3
3
BIOS recovery 1
recovery image nor found
3
4
BIOS recovery 2
recovery image found but invalid
Battery status lights
If the computer is connected to an electrical outlet, the battery light operates as follows:
Alternately blinking
amber light and
white light
An unauthenticated or unsupported non-Dell AC adapter is attached to your laptop. Re-plug battery connector,
replace battery if the issue reoccurs.
Alternately blinking
amber light with
steady white light
Temporary battery failure with AC adapter present. Re-plug battery connector, replace battery if the issue
reoccurs.
Constantly blinking
amber light
Fatal battery failure with AC adapter present. Fetal battery, replace the battery.
Light off
Battery in full charge mode with AC adapter present.
White light on
Battery in charge mode with AC adapter present.
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Troubleshooting
