User’s Manual 8-2
Troubleshooting
■ Inspect all connecting cables for loose wires and all connectors for 
loose pins.
■ Check that your diskette is correctly inserted and that the diskette’s 
write protect tab is correctly set.
Make notes of your observations and keep them in a permanent error log. 
This will help you describe your problems to your dealer. If a problem 
recurs, the log will help you identify the problem faster.
Analyzing The Problem
Sometimes the system gives clues that can help you identify why it is 
malfunctioning. Keep the following questions in mind:
■ Which part of the system is not operating properly: keyboard, diskette 
drives, hard disk drive, printer, display. Each device produces different 
symptoms.
■ Is the operating system configuration set properly? Check the 
configuration options.
■ What appears on the display screen? Does it display any messages or 
random characters? Print a copy of the screen if you have a printer 
attached. Look up the messages in the software and operating system 
documentation. 
■ Check that all connecting cables are correctly and firmly attached. 
Loose cables can cause erroneous or intermittent signals.
■ Do any icons light? Which ones? What color are they? Do they stay on 
or blink? Write down what you see.
■ Do you hear any beeps, if so how many, are they long or short and are 
they high pitched or low pitched? In addition, is the computer making 
any unusual noises? Write down what you hear. Record your 
observations so you can describe them to your dealer.
Software The problems may be caused by your software or 
diskette. If you cannot load a software package, the 
media (usually a diskette) may be damaged or the 
program might be corrupted. Try loading another copy 
of the software.
If an error message appears while you are using a 
software package, check the software documentation. 
These documents usually include a problem solving 
section or a summary of error messages.
Next, check any error messages in the OS 
documentation.
Hardware If you cannot find a software problem, check your 
hardware. First run through the items in the preliminary 
checklist above. If you still cannot correct the problem, 
try to identify the source. The next section provides 
checklists for individual components and peripherals.