Dell 745 User Manual 2

Solving Problems: Dell OptiPlex 745 User's Guide

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Solving Problems

Dell™ OptiPlex™ 745 User's Guide

Troubleshooting Tips Battery Problems Card Problems Drive Problems E-Mail, Modem, and Internet Problems Keyboard Problems Fan Problems Lockups and Software Problems Media Card Reader Problems

Memory Problems Mouse Problems Network Problems Power Problems Printer Problems Restoring Default Settings Serial or Parallel Device Problems Sound and Speaker Problems Video and Monitor Problems

Troubleshooting Tips

Follow these tips when you troubleshoot your computer:

● If you added or removed a part before the problem started, review the installation procedures

and ensure that the part is correctly installed.

● If a peripheral device does not work, ensure that the device is properly connected.

● If an error message appears on the screen, write down the exact message. This message may

help technical support personnel diagnose and fix the problem(s).

● If an error message occurs in a program, see the program's documentation.

Battery Problems

Fill out the Diagnostics Checklist as you complete these checks.

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Solving Problems: Dell OptiPlex 745 User's Guide

CAUTION: There is a danger of a new battery exploding if it is incorrectly installed.

Replace the battery only with the same or equivalent type recommended by the manufacturer. Discard used batteries according to the manufacturer's instructions.

CAUTION: Before you begin any of the procedures in this section, follow the safety

instructions in the Product Information Guide.

Replace the battery — If you have to repeatedly reset time and date information after

turning on the computer, or if an incorrect time or date displays during start-up, replace the battery (see

Battery). If the battery still does not work properly, contact Dell (see

Contacting Dell).

Card Problems

Fill out the Diagnostics Checklist as you complete these checks.

CAUTION: Before you begin any of the procedures in this section, follow the safety

instructions in the Product Information Guide.

CAUTION: To guard against electrical shock, always unplug your computer from the

electrical outlet before opening the cover.

NOTICE: To prevent static damage to components inside your computer, discharge static

electricity from your body before you touch any of your computer's electronic components. You can do so by touching an unpainted metal surface on the computer.

Check the card seating and cable —

1. Turn off the computer and devices, disconnect them from their electrical outlets, wait 10 to 20 seconds, and then remove the computer cover (see the appropriate "Removing the Computer Cover" section).

2. Ensure that each card is firmly seated in its connector. Reseat any loose cards.

3. Ensure that all cables are firmly connected to their corresponding connectors on the cards. If any cables appear loose, reconnect them.

For instructions on which cables should be attached to specific connectors on a card, see the card's documentation.

4. Close the computer cover reconnect the computer and devices to electrical outlets, and then turn them on (see

Replacing the Computer Cover).

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Solving Problems: Dell OptiPlex 745 User's Guide

Test the graphics card —

2. Remove all cards except the graphics card. See the appropriate "Cards" section for your computer.

If your primary hard drive is connected to a drive controller card and not to one of the system board IDE connectors, leave the drive controller card installed in the computer.

3. Close the computer cover (see

Replacing the Computer Cover), reconnect the

computer and devices to electrical outlets, and then turn them on.

4. Run the Dell Diagnostics. See

Dell Diagnostics.

Test the cards —

2. Reinstall one of the cards that you removed previously. See see appropriate "Cards" section for your computer.

3. Close the computer cover, reconnect the computer and devices to electrical outlets, and then turn them on (see

Replacing the Computer Cover).

4. Run the Dell Diagnostics. See

Dell Diagnostics.

If any of the tests fail, the card you just reinstalled is faulty and needs to be replaced.

5. Repeat this process until you have reinstalled all cards.

Drive Problems

CAUTION: Before you begin any of the procedures in this section, follow the safety

instructions in the Product Information Guide.

CAUTION: To guard against electrical shock, always unplug your computer from the

electrical outlet before opening the cover.

NOTICE: To prevent static damage to components inside your computer, discharge static

electricity from your body before you touch any of your computer's electronic components. You can do so by touching an unpainted metal surface on the computer.

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Solving Problems: Dell OptiPlex 745 User's Guide

Fill out the Diagnostics Checklist as you complete these checks.

Test the drive —

● Insert another floppy disk, CD, or DVD to eliminate the possibility that the original

one is defective.

● Insert bootable media and restart the computer.

Clean the drive or disk — See

Cleaning Your Computer.

Check the cable connections Check for Software and Hardware Conflicts — See

Resolving Software and Hardware

Incompatibilities.

Run the Dell Diagnostics — See

Dell Diagnostics.

Optical drive problems

NOTE: High-speed Cd or DVD drive vibration is normal and may cause noise, which does not

indicate a defect in the drive or the CD or DVD.

NOTE: Because of different regions worldwide and different disc formats, not all DVD titles work

in all DVD drives.

Adjust the Windows volume control —

● Click the speaker icon in the lower-right corner of your screen.

● Ensure that the volume is turned up by clicking the slidebar and dragging it up.

● Ensure that the sound is not muted by clicking any boxes that are checked.

Check the speakers and subwoofer — See

Sound and Speaker Problems.

Problems writing to a CD/DVD-RW drive

Close other programs — The CD/DVD-RW drive must receive a steady stream of data

when writing. If the stream is interrupted, an error occurs. Try closing all programs before you write to the CD/DVD-RW.

Turn off Standby mode in Windows before writing to a CD/DVD-RW disc — See

your computer documentation for information on Power Management modes. See

Advanced Features.

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Solving Problems: Dell OptiPlex 745 User's Guide

Hard drive problems

Run Check Disk —

1. Click the Start button and click My Computer.

2. Right-click Local Disk C:.

3. Click Properties.

4. Click the Tools tab.

5. Under Error-checking, click Check Now.

6. Click Scan for and attempt recovery of bad sectors.

7. Click Start.

E-Mail, Modem, and Internet Problems

CAUTION: Before you begin any of the procedures in this section, follow the safety

instructions in the Product Information Guide.

CAUTION: To guard against electrical shock, always unplug your computer from the

electrical outlet before opening the cover.

NOTICE: To prevent static damage to components inside your computer, discharge static

electricity from your body before you touch any of your computer's electronic components. You can do so by touching an unpainted metal surface on the computer.

NOTE: Connect the modem to an analog telephone jack only. The modem does not operate

while it is connected to a digital telephone network.

Run the Modem Helper diagnostics — Click the Start button, point to All Programs,

and then click Modem Helper. Follow the instructions on the screen to identify and resolve modem problems. (Modem Helper is not available on all computers.)

Verify that the modem is communicating with Windows —

1. Click the Start button and click Control Panel.

2. Click Printers and Other Hardware.

3. Click Phone and Modem Options.

4. Click the Modems tab.

5. Click the COM port for your modem.

6. Click Properties, click the Diagnostics tab, and then click Query Modem to verify that the modem is communicating with Windows.

If all commands receive responses, the modem is operating properly.

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Ensure that you are connected to the Internet — Ensure that you have subscribed

to an Internet provider. With the Outlook Express e-mail program open, click File. If Work Offline has a checkmark next to it, click the checkmark to remove it and connect to

the Internet. For help, contact your Internet service provider.

Keyboard Problems

CAUTION: Before you begin any of the procedures in this section, follow the safety

instructions located in the Product Information Guide.

Check the keyboard cable —

● Ensure that the keyboard cable is firmly connected to the computer.

● Shut down the computer, reconnect the keyboard cable as shown in the Quick

Reference Guide for your computer, and then restart the computer.

● Check the cable connector for bent or broken pins and for damaged or frayed

cables. Straighten bent pins.

● Remove keyboard extension cables and connect the keyboard directly to the

computer.

Test the keyboard — Connect a properly working keyboard to the computer, and try

using the keyboard. If the new keyboard works, the original keyboard is faulty.

Run the Dell Diagnostics — See

Dell Diagnostics.

Check for software and hardware conflicts — see

Resolving Software and Hardware

Incompatibilities.

Fan Problems

CAUTION: Before you begin any of the procedures in this section, follow the safety

instructions in the Product Information Guide.

CAUTION: To guard against electrical shock, always unplug your computer from the

electrical outlet before opening the cover.

NOTICE: To prevent static damage to components inside your computer, discharge static

electricity from your body before you touch any of your computer's electronic components. You can do so by touching an unpainted metal surface on the computer.

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Dell 745 User Manual 2

Specifications and Main Features

Frequently Asked Questions

User Manual

Solving Problems: Dell OptiPlex 745 User's Guide