Dell 4691901 owner manual Timing Key Sequences, Beep Codes and Text Error Messages, Navigation

Since the one-time boot menu only affects the current boot, it has the added benefit of not requiring the technician to restore the customer's boot order after completing troubleshooting.

Timing Key Sequences

The keyboard is not the first device initialized by Setup. As a result, if you press a keystroke too early, you lock out the keyboard. When this happens, a keyboard error message appears on the monitor, and you cannot restart the system with the <Ctrl><Alt><Del> keys.

To avoid this scenario, wait until the keyboard is initialized before pressing the keystroke. There are two ways to know that this has happened:

•The keyboard lights flash.

•The "F2=Setup" prompt appears in the top right-hand corner of the screen during boot.

The second method is good if the monitor is already warmed up. If it is not, the system often passes the window of opportunity before the video signal is visible. If this is the case, rely on the first method—the keyboard lights—to know the keyboard is initialized.

Beep Codes and Text Error Messages

The OptiPlex BIOS is capable of displaying error messages in plain English, along with beep codes. If the BIOS determine the previous boot was unsuccessful, it displays an error message similar to the following:

Previous attempts at booting the system have failed at checkpoint ______. For

help resolving this problem, please note this checkpoint and contact Dell Technical Support.

Navigation

The computer setup can be navigated by either the keyboard or the mouse.

Use the following keystrokes to navigate the BIOS screens:

Action	Keystroke
Expand and collapse field	<Enter>, left- or right-arrow key, or +/–
Expand or collapse all fields	< >

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