Dell Latitude Xpi CD - Manual (Page 53)

Troubleshooting Your Computer 3-13
F
inding Software Solutions
Because most computers have several application pro-
grams installed in addition to the operating system,
isolating a software problem can be confusing. Software
errors can also appear to be hardware malfunctions at
first. Software problems can result from the following
circumstances:
• Improper installation or configuration of a program
• Input errors
• Device drivers that may conflict with certain appli-
cation programs
• Memory conflicts resulting from the use of termi-
nate-and-stay-resident (TSR) programs, such as
device drivers
• Interrupt conflicts between devices
You can confirm that a computer problem is caused by
software by first running the System Set Test Group as
described in Chapter 4, “Running the Dell Diagnostics.” If
all tests in the test group complete successfully, the error condi-
tion is most likely caused by software.
The following subsections provide some general guide-
lines for analyzing software problems. For detailed
troubleshooting information on a particular program, see
the documentation that accompanied the software or con-
sult the support service for the software.
Installing and Configuring Software
When you obtain software, check it for viruses with
virus-scanning software before installing it on your com-
puter’s hard-disk drive. Viruses, which are pieces of code
that can replicate themselves, can quickly use all avail-
able system memory, damage and/or destroy data stored
on the hard-disk drive, and permanently affect the perfor-
mance of the programs they infect. Several commercial
virus-scanning programs are available for purchase, and
most bulletin board services (BBSs) archive freely dis-
tributed virus-scanning programs that you can download
with a modem.
Before installing a program, read its documentation to
learn how the program works, what hardware it requires,
and what its defaults are. A program usually includes
installation instructions in its accompanying documenta-
tion and a software installation routine on its program
diskettes.
The software installation routine assists you in transfer-
ring the appropriate program files to your computer’s
hard-disk drive. Installation instructions may provide
details about how to configure your operating system to
successfully run the program. Always read the installa-
5-1-3 Video BIOS shadowing failure. Call Dell for technical assistance. (For instructions, see Chap-
ter 5, “Getting Help.”)
5-2-1 Keyboard controller download
failure. Call Dell for technical assistance. (For instructions, see Chap-
ter 5, “Getting Help.”)
5-2-2 CPU stepping failure. Call Dell for technical assistance. (For instructions, see Chap-
ter 5, “Getting Help.”)
5-2-3 System board failure. Call Dell for technical assistance. (For instructions, see Chap-
ter 5, “Getting Help.”)
5-2-4 Setup decompression and shadow-
ing failure. Call Dell for technical assistance. (For instructions, see Chap-
ter 5, “Getting Help.”)
Table 3-3. Beep Codes
Message Cause Action
NOTE: For the full name of an abbreviation or acronym used in this table, see the Glossary in the online System User’s Guide.