Troubleshooting Tools 49
Troubleshooting Tools

Diagnostic Lights

CAUTION: Before you begin any of the procedures in this section, follow the safety instructions in the
Product Information Guide.

To help you troubleshoot a problem, your computer has four lights labeled "1," "2," "3," and "4" on

the front panel (see "Front View of the Computer" on page11). When the computer starts normally,

the lights flash. If the computer malfunctions, the color and sequence of the lights identify the

problem.

Light Pattern Problem Description Suggested Resolution
The computer is in a normal "off"
condition, or a possible pre-BIOS
failure has occurred.
The diagnostic lights are not lit
after the computer successfully
boots to the operating system.
Plug the computer into a working electrical
outlet and press the power button.
A possible processor failure has
occurred.
Contact Dell (see "Contacting Dell" on
page122).
Memory modules are detected,
but a memory failure has
occurred.
• If you have two or more memory modules
installed, remove the modules, reinstall
one module (see "Installing Memory" on
page68), and then restart the computer. If
the computer starts normally, reinstall an
additional module. Continue until you
have identified a faulty module or
reinstalled all modules without error.
• If available, install properly working
memory of the same type into your
computer (see "Installing Memory" on
page68).
• If the problem persists, contact Dell (see
"Contacting Dell
" on page122).
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