10
Troubleshooting Tools
Diagnostic Lights
CAUTION: Before you begin any of the procedures in this section, follow the safety instructions in the Product Information Guide.
Your computer has three keyboard status lights located above the keyboard (see "Front View" on page 19). During normal operation, the keyboard status lights display the current status (on or off) of the Num Lock, Caps Lock, and Scroll Lock features. If the computer starts without error, the lights flash, and then turn off. If the computer malfunctions, however, you can use the status of the lights to help identify the problem.
NOTE: After the computer completes POST, the Num Lock light may remain on, depending on your BIOS settings (see "Commonly Used Options" on page 102).
Diagnostic Light Codes During POST
To troubleshoot a problem with your computer, read the sequence of the keyboard status lights in order from left to right (Num Lock, Caps Lock, and then Scroll Lock). If the computer malfunctions the individual lights display a status of either On 
, Off 
, or Flashing 
.
Light Pattern | Problem Description Suggested Resolution |
The microcontroller is handing control of the system to the Pentium controller. If no processor is installed, or there is no FWH/ROM, this code persists.
•Reseat the processor (see your Service Manual).
•If the problem persists, contact Dell (see "Contacting Dell" on page 129).
Troubleshooting Tools
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