1. System does not goes on. Green LED is off, cooler in side computer does not spin..
| POSSIBLE CAUSE | DIAGNOSIS | SOLUTION |
| Power cable is not plugged | Check cable | Plug in cable in computer and in wall |
| There is no electricity in wall socket | Check by test lamp | Plug in computer in a different wall socket, repair socket or change fuse |
| Malfunction of power cord | Check cable visually, try another cable | Change power cord |
| Malfunction of computer power supply | All already mentioned is OK | Call technical support |
2. There is no picture on monitor. Green LED on computer case is on, cooler inside computer spines
| POSSIBLE CAUSE | DIAGNOSIS | SOLUTION |
| Power cord for screen is not plugged in | Green LED on monitor is not on and monitor is on | Plug in cable in computer and in wall |
| Signal cable is not plugged in computer properly | LED on monitor is on, or blinking and there is no picture on screen | Plug in signal cable |
| Brightness in on minimum level | turn level of brightness and contrast on highest level | |
| Computer blocked in program | Reset computer | |
| Computer malfunction | All already mentioned is OK | Call technical support |
3. There is no color on monitor or colors are not right
| POSSIBLE CAUSE | DIAGNOSIS | SOLUTION |
| You have no color monitor | Check user manual for your monitor | |
| You use program that has not color interface | Start program that you are sure that has color interface (WINDOWS) | |
| Computer SETUP is wrong | Call technical support | |
| Graphic system does not work properly | Call technical support |
4. Keyboard does not work or it is locked
| POSSIBLE CAUSE | DIAGNOSIS | SOLUTION |
| Keyboard is not plugged in | Plug in keyboard | |
| Keyboard is locked | Unlock keyboard | |
| Switch on keyboard is switched to XT * | Check the switch on keyboard | Switch to AT |
* This switch exists only on older keyboards
5. Mouse does not work or function improperly
| POSSIBLE CAUSE | DIAGNOSIS | SOLUTION |
| Mouse is not plugged in | There is no pointer in programs that work with mouse, Windows or any other program | Plug in mouse |
| Mouse is plugged on wrong COM port * | Try another COM port | Plug mouse on right COM |
| Mouse driver is not loaded ** | Load driver from disk that you get with computer and test it in diagnostic program | Start Install program from mouse driver disk or input line that calls mouse driver in autoexec.bat |
| You use program that do not use mouse | Start Windows or other program that uses mouse and check it | |
| Mouse get dirty *** | Pointer jumps on screen | Open mouse, get out ball from it and clean axles and wheels |
| Mouse cable is broken | Pointer jumps on screen | Change mouse |
| Wrong switch position on mouse | Pointer shows, but when you move mouse it disappears or goes in screen corner | Change switch position |
* Only if you have serial mouse
** Only in MS DOS-u
*** Optical mouse has no mechanical parts and can not be cleaned
6. Floppy disk do not read or write
| POSSIBLE CAUSE | DIAGNOSIS | SOLUTION |
| Bad disk | Try another disk | |
| Disk is not formatted | Try another disk | Format disk (in DOS type FORMAT A: and press ENTER |
7. Screen sometimes goes off
| POSSIBLE CAUSE | DIAGNOSIS | SOLUTION |
| Screen saver or power saving option is turned on in operating system or computer setup | Turn off power saving or screen saver |
8. Computer acts funny suddenly starts writing on hard disk, gives some strange notices ...
| POSSIBLE CAUSE | DIAGNOSIS | SOLUTION |
| Computer virus | Start some virus checker | Clean the virus |
| Computer malfunction | Call technical support |
9. Missing operating system message on booting from hard disk or computer not booting
| POSSIBLE CAUSE | DIAGNOSIS | SOLUTION |
| Computer setup is changed | Start BIOS Setup and choose appropriate HDD parameters | |
| Disk is formatted or ROOT is deleted | Start system from floppy disk and check is there system files on root | Copy system files to root |
| FAT table or boot record is damaged | Call technical support | |
| Computer malfunction | Call technical support |
If BIOS detects malfunction in POS testing, you will hear a few beeps from computer speaker. There is explanation of beeps meaning for AMI BIOS. You just have to count it...
Short beeps (fatal)
|
No of beeps |
Meaning |
| 1 beep | DRAM refresh error. Memory refresh is damaged. |
| 2 beeps | Memory parity error. Parity error detected in first 64KB RAM-a |
| 3 beeps | Base 64 KB of memory error. Error in first 64 KB RAM-a. |
| 4 beeps | System timer error. Timer #1 on motherboard malfunction. |
| 5 beeps | Processor error. CPU generated an error. |
| 6 beeps | Keyboard controller gate A20 error. Keyboard controller (8042) has gate A20 switch that enables virtual mode. BIOS can not switch CPU to protected mod |
| 7 beeps | Virtual mode exception error. CPU generated Interrupt Failure exception interrupt. |
| 8 beeps | Video memory error. Video adapter is not available or memory is damaged This error is not fatal. |
| 9 beeps | ROM BIOS checksum error. ROM control value is not same as one recorded in BIOS. This is indication that BIOS ROM is damaged. |
| 10 beeps | CMOS Shutdown Register. Shutdown register of CMOS memory Read/Write Error has failed. |
| 11 beeps | Cache Error. External cache is damaged |
Not fatal
1 long and 2 short beeps - Video error. This error is caused by one of two hardware causes :
Video BIOS ROM error, checksum error noticed.
Installed video adapter has an error in horizontal retrace.
1 long and 3 short beeps - Video error. This error is caused by one of three hardware causes :
1 long and 8 short beeps - Memory problem
Other POST codes
2 short beeps - POST failed. This error is caused by error in some testing procedure.
This is short list of messages that BIOS can give on screen in case that computer has installed AMI BIOS. Errors on your system does not have to have same meaning. If you see any of this errors be sure You have a problem...
| Gre¹ka | Obja¹njenje |
| 8042 Gate - A20 Error | Gate A20 on keyboard controller (8042) does not work |
| Address Line Short! | Error in address decoding circuit |
| Cache Memory Bad, Do Not Enable Cache! | Bas cache memory |
| CH-2 Timer Error | Error on second timer. Only on systems with two timers. |
| CMOS Battery State Low | Battery loose power. Replace battery. |
| CMOS Checksum Failure | CMOS RAM-a checksum is wrong. |
| CMOS System Options Not Set | Content of CMOS RAM is destroyed or bad. |
| CMOS Display Type Mismatch | Type of video adapter recorded in CMOS RAM is not same as detected. |
| CMOS Memory Size Mismatch | Amount of installed memory on motherboard is different than that in CMOS RAM. |
| CMOS Time and Date Not Set | Date and time is not set |
| Diskette Boot Failure | Boot disk in floppy drive A: is damaged (virus?).Do you have operating system on disk ? |
| Display Switch Not Proper | Video switch on motherboard has to be set to color or monochrome. |
| DMA Error | Error - DMA controller. |
| DMA #1 Error | Error on first DMA channel |
| DMA #2 Error | Error on second DMA channel. |
| FDD Controller Failure | Floppy disk controller does not report properly to BIOS. |
| HDD Controller Failure: | Floppy disk controller does not report properly to BIOS. |
| INTR #1 Error | Interrupt channel 1does not pass the test. |
| INTR #2 Error | Interrupt channel 1does not pass the test. |
| Keyboard Error | Error in keyboard timing. |
| KB/Interface Error | Keyboard connector is wrong. |
| Parity Error ???? | Parity error in system memory on unknown address. |
| Memory Parity Error at xxxxx | Error in memory on address xxxxx. |
| I/O Card Parity Error at xxxxx | Expansion card reported error on address xxxxx |
| DMA Bus Time-out | Device uses bus signal longer than it is assigned (about 8 microseconds). |
It seems that you have overheating problem. This problem is very frequent on systems with processor Cyrix 6x86 ST that works on single voltage 3,52 V, but all other Cyrix (IBM) processors has same problem. AMD Duron processors has same problem too. Check processor cooler and replace it if slows down or stops. Notice that this types of CPU needs big coolers. If this does not help maybe you have to put another cooling fan inside case. If you have HDD in a rack slowing down check cooling fans on the rack. If you do not have ventilated rack - replace it. Other solution can be to buy air-condition...
If you can work on system but can not use BIOS SETUP program you can use two short programs that should help you. You have to start programs from disk and they will give you pass that you can use.
For AMI (American Megatrends) BIOS use amidecod.exe (2368 bytes)
For AWARD BIOS use aw.com - it is compressed in file aw.zip(1886 bytes)
If you put the password to use of computer you will have to discharge CMOS memory. Find jumper marked discharge CMOS in mainboard userbook and follow the instructions.
Important: If you discharge CMOS you will reset all data in CMOS memory to default including parameters of hard disk !!!
Your computer has a small battery for internal clock and CMOS memory. This battery powers CMOS and clock when computer is off. Your battery may almost dead. Replace battery.
Did you put second HDD or CDD to be slave ? If you put two devices on same EIDE data cable one of them has to be configured as master and second has to be slave. Put jumpers on devices to appropriate positions. On hard disk that you want to boot operating system from you have to put jumpers to master position and on another to slave.
If you can hear sound in Windows-u and games but can't listen audio CD-s you can have small hardware problem. There is cable that leads from your CD drive to sound card. If this cable is not plugged regularly you will not hear sound from CDD. Just plug in cable.
If you do not hear only one of sound channels check connection. Red wire is right, white left channel and black wire is GND).
On Windows XP operating systems you do not have to have this cable because it can use data cable for same purpose.
Cause of this problem can cause frequency of monitor. Adjust frequency to value between 75 and 85 Hz if your graphics adapter and screen can use it.
Screen can flicker if you have speakers to near to it.
If your mouse moves cursor up and down and do not move horizontally or opposite and you cleaned it, pad is new and you checked all reasons that can cause it sun can be real reason for your mouse to act strange.
All IR mousses (and other IR devices) most of optical mousses and some of standard mousses do not function on direct sun light. If you have this problem when mouse is on direct light try it in a shadow. If it works you do not have to buy a new one...
