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Appendix A Troubleshooting Checklist
Appendix A
Appendix A - Troubleshooting Checklist
Troubleshooting Checklist
This chapter of the manual is designed to help you with problems that you may encounter
with your personal computer. To efficiently troubleshoot your system, treat each problem indi-
vidually. This is to ensure an accurate diagnosis of the problem in case a problem has multiple
causes.
Some of the most common things to check when you encounter problems while using your
system are listed below.
1. The power switch of each peripheral device is turned on.
2. All cables and power cords are tightly connected.
3. The electrical outlet to which your peripheral devices are connected is working. Test the
outlet by plugging in a lamp or other electrical device.
4. The monitor is turned on.
5. The display’s brightness and contrast controls are adjusted properly.
6. All add-in boards in the expansion slots are seated securely.
7. Any add-in board you have installed is designed for your system and is set up correctly.
Monitor/Display
If the display screen remains dark after the system is turned on:
1. Make sure that the monitor’s power switch is on.
2. Check that one end of the monitor’s power cord is properly attached to the monitor and
the other end is plugged into a working AC outlet. If necessary, try another outlet.
3. Check that the video input cable is properly attached to the monitor and the system’s
display adapter.
4. Adjust the brightness of the display by turning the monitor’s brightness control knob.
The picture seems to be constantly moving.
1. The monitor has lost its vertical sync. Adjust the monitor’s vertical sync.
2. Move away any objects, such as another monitor or fan, that may be creating a magnetic
field around the display.
3. Make sure your video card’s output frequencies are supported by this monitor.
The screen seems to be constantly wavering.
1. If the monitor is close to another monitor, the adjacent monitor may need to be turned off.
Fluorescent lights adjacent to the monitor may also cause screen wavering.
Power Supply
When the computer is turned on, nothing happens.
1. Check that one end of the AC power cord is plugged into a live outlet and the other end
properly plugged into the back of the system.
2. Make sure that the voltage selection switch on the back panel is set for the correct type of
voltage you are using.
3. The power cord may have a “short” or “open”. Inspect the cord and install a new one if
necessary.
Floppy Drive
The computer cannot access the floppy drive.
1. The floppy diskette may not be formatted. Format the diskette and try again.
2. The diskette may be write-protected. Use a diskette that is not write-protected.
3. You may be writing to the wrong drive. Check the path statement to make sure you are
writing to the targeted drive.
4. There is not enough space left on the diskette. Use another diskette with adequate storage
space.
