Dell D266XT, D233XT, D233ST, M266XT, M233XT Service Manual
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____________________
Information in this manual is subject to change without notice.
1997-1998 Dell Computer Corporation. All rights reserved.
Reproduction in any manner whatsoever without the written permission of Del l Computer Corporation is strictly forbidden.
Trademarks used in this text: Dell and the DELL logo are registered trademarks and Inspiron is a trademark of Dell Computer Corporation; MS-DOS is a registered
trademark of Microsoft Corporation; Intel and Pentium are registered trademarks and MMX is a trademark of Intel Corporation ; IB M is a registered trademark of
International Busin ess Ma chines Corporation.
Other trademarks and tr ade names may be used in this document to refer to either the ent it ie s cl ai m ing the marks and names or their products. Dell Computer
Corporation disclai m s any pr oprietary interest in trademarks and trade name s other than its own.
July 1998 P/N 55900 Rev. A03
Contents
Chapter 1
System Overview. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-1
System Features . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-1
Physical Description . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-3
Status Display . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-4
Keyboard Indicators . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-4
CD-ROM/DVD-ROM/Hard-Disk Drive Indicator. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-4
Diskette-Drive Access Indicator. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-5
PC Card Indicator . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-5
AC Power Indicator . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-5
Battery Activity Indicator . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-5
Battery Status Indicator . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-5
Battery Charge Gauge . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-6
System Power . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-7
Power Conservation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-7
Interrupt Assignments. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-8
Technical Specifications. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-9
Chapter 2
Initial Procedures . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-1
Initial User Contact . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-1
Visual Inspection . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-1
Observing the Boot Routine . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-3
Eliminating Resource Conflicts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-4
Getting Help . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-5
v
Chapter 3
Beep Codes and Error Messages . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-1
POST Beep Codes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-1
System Error Messages . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-2
Running the Dell Diagnostics . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-4
Chapter 4
Removing and Replacing Parts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-1
Recommended Tools . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-1
Screw Identification and Tightening . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-2
Precautionary Measures . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-3
ZIF Connectors. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-9
Exploded Views of Components and Assemblies . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-10
Factory Repair Parts and Assemblies. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-15
Hard-Disk Drive. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-29
Diskette Drive. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-30
CD-ROM/DVD-ROM Drive . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-31
General Disassembly . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-32
Preparation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-32
Keyboard . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-33
Heat Sink . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-35
Status Display Panel. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-36
LCD Assembly. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-37
Palmrest Assembly. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-39
IR Board. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-41
Hard-Disk Drive Heat Sink . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-42
Touch-Pad Assembly . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-43
Speakers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-44
Base Assembly. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-45
IR Lens. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-47
Processor Board . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-48
LVDS Board. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-49
USB Board . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-50
Main Board. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-51
Audio Bezel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-52
Audio Board. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-53
vi
PC Card Cage . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-54
Latch Assembly . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-55
Kensington Lock Plate . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-56
12.1-Inch LCD Components. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-57
12.1-Inch LCD Front Bezel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-57
12.1-Inch LCD Panel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-59
12.1-Inch LCD Inverter Board . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-60
12.1-Inch LCD Hinges . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-61
12.1-Inch LCD Bracket. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-62
13.3-Inch LCD Components. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-63
13.3-Inch LCD Front Bezel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-63
13.3-Inch LCD Panel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-65
13.3-Inch LCD Inverter Board . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-67
13.3-Inch LCD Hinges . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-68
13.3-Inch LCD Bracket. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-69
Index
Figures
Figure 1-1. Front View of the Portable Computer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-3
Figure 1-2. Back View of the Portable Computer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-3
Figure 1-3. Status Display Panel. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-4
Figure 1-4. Battery Charge Gauge . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-7
Figure 4-1. Computer Orientation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-1
Figure 4-2. Screw Identification (Example) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-2
Figure 4-3. AC Adapter Removal. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-4
Figure 4-4. Computer Removal From Replicator. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-4
Figure 4-5. Main Battery Removal. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-5
Figure 4-6. PC Card Removal. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-6
Figure 4-7. Hard-Disk Drive Removal . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-7
Figure 4-8. Removing a Memory Module . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-7
Figure 4-9. Diskette Drive, Secondary Battery, CD-ROM Drive, or
DVD-ROM Drive Removal. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-8
Figure 4-10. Releasing a ZIF Connector . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-9
Figure 4-11. Exploded View—Computer. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-10
Figure 4-12. Exploded View—12.1-Inch LCD Assembly . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-11
Figure 4-13. Exploded View—13.3-Inch LCD Assembly . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-12
Figure 4-14. Exploded View—Palmrest Assembly . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-13
Figure 4-15. Exploded View—Base Assembly . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-14
vii
Figure 4-16. Hard-Disk Drive Disassembly. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-29
Figure 4-17. Diskette Drive Disassembly . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-30
Figure 4-18. CD-ROM/DVD-ROM Drive Disassembly . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-31
Figure 4-19. Location Template. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-32
Figure 4-20. Keyboard Removal . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-33
Figure 4-21. Heat Sink Removal . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-35
Figure 4-22. Status Display Panel Removal. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-36
Figure 4-23. LCD Assembly Removal. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-37
Figure 4-24. Palmrest Assembly Removal . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-39
Figure 4-25. IR Board Removal. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-41
Figure 4-26. Hard-Disk Drive Heat Sink Removal . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-42
Figure 4-27. Touch-Pad Assembly Removal. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-43
Figure 4-28. Speaker Removal. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-44
Figure 4-29. Base Assembly . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-46
Figure 4-30. IR Lens Removal . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-47
Figure 4-31. Processor Board Removal . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-48
Figure 4-32. LVDS Board Removal . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-49
Figure 4-33. USB Board Removal. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-50
Figure 4-34. Main Board Removal . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-51
Figure 4-35. Audio Bezel Removal . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-52
Figure 4-36. Audio Board Removal . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-53
Figure 4-37. PC Card Cage Removal . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-54
Figure 4-38. Latch Assembly Removal . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-55
Figure 4-39. Kensington Lock Plate Removal . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-56
Figure 4-40. 12.1-Inch LCD Front Bezel Removal . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-57
Figure 4-41. 12.1-Inch LCD Panel Removal . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-59
Figure 4-42. 12.1-Inch Inverter Board Removal . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-60
Figure 4-43. 12.1-Inch LCD Hinges Removal . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-61
Figure 4-44. 12.1-Inch LCD Bracket Removal . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-62
Figure 4-45. 13.3-Inch LCD Front Bezel Removal . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-63
Figure 4-46. 13.3-Inch LCD Panel Removal . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-65
Figure 4-47. 13.3-Inch Inverter Board Removal . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-67
Figure 4-48. 13.3-Inch LCD Hinges Removal . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-68
Figure 4-49. 13.3-Inch LCD Bracket Removal . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-69
viii
Tables
Table 1-1. Interrupt Assignments . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-8
Table 1-2. Technical Specifications . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-9
Table 3-1. POST Beep Codes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-2
Table 3-2. System Error Messages . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-2
Table 4-1. Factory Repair Parts and Assemblies. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-15
ix
ead This First
R
A prerequisite for using this manual to service Dell portable computers is a
basic knowledge of IBM-compatible PCs and prior training in IBM-com patible
PC troubleshooting techniques. In addition to information provided in this manual and the online
Diagnostics and T roubleshooting Guide
the
instructions on using the Dell Diagnostics to test the computer system.
arnings, Cautions, and Notes
W
Throughout this manual, there may be blocks of text printed in bold type or in
italic type. These blocks are warnings, cautions, and notes, and they are used as
follows:
WARNING: A WARNING indicates the potential for bodily harm and
provides instructions for how to avoid the problem.
CAUTION: A CAUTION indicates either potential damage to hardware
or loss of data and provides instructions for how to avoid the problem.
System User’ s Guide
that came with the system, Dell provides
for troubleshooting procedures and
NOTE: A NOTE provides helpful information about using the computer system.
x
Chapter 1
y
System Overview
he Dell® Inspiron™ 3000 series is a family of expandable multimedia porta-
T
ble computers that use the Intel® Pentium® and Pentium II microprocessors
with MMX™ technology . This chapter provides an overview of the components
and subsystems of these computers.
The individual model names within the Inspiron 3000 series indicate the type
and operating frequency of the microprocessor and the display used in the computer. For example:
The Inspiron 3000 M166ST contains a 166-MHz Pentium microprocessor
•
with MMX technology and an SVGA (S) active-matrix (T) TFT LCD.
The Inspiron 3000 M200ST contains a 200-MHz Pentium microprocessor
•
with MMX technology and an SVGA (S) active-matrix (T) TFT LCD.
The Inspiron 3000 M233ST contains a 233-MHz Pentium microprocessor
•
with MMX technology and an SVGA (S) active-matrix (T) TFT LCD.
The Inspiron 3000 M233XT contains a 233-MHz Pentium microprocessor
•
with MMX technology and an XGA (X) active-matrix (T) TFT LCD.
The Inspiron 3000 M266XT contains a 266-MHz Pentium microprocessor
•
with MMX technology and an XGA (X) active-matrix (T) TFT LCD.
The Inspiron 3200 D233ST contains a 233-MHz Pentium II microprocessor
•
with MMX technology and an SVGA (S) active-matrix (T) TFT LCD.
The Inspiron 3200 D233XT contains a 233-MHz Pentium II microprocessor
•
with MMX technology and an XGA (X) active-matrix (T) TFT LCD.
The Inspiron 3200 D266XT contains a 266-MHz Pentium II microprocessor
•
with MMX technology and an XGA (X) active-matrix (T) TFT LCD.
S
stem Features
In addition to the standard features found in IBM®-compatible portable computers, the Dell Inspiron 3000 series computers include the following new and/
or advanced features:
32 MB of SDRAM consisting of 16 MB of nonremovable main memory on
•
the main board and a 16-MB memory module in one of the two memory
module sockets. The memory capacity can be increased up to 144 MB by
installing 16-, 32-, or 64-MB 3.3-V memory modules in the memory module sockets on the main board.
System Overview 1-1
A 12.1-inch active-matrix SVGA display on Inspiron 3200 D233ST and on
•
the Inspiron 3000 M166ST, M200ST, and M233ST; a 13.3-inch activematrix XGA display on the Inspiron 3000 M233XT and M266XT, and the
Inspiron 3200 D233XT and D266XT.
40-WH lithium ion battery (eight cells).
•
512-KB SRAM level-2 external cache and 32-KB internal cache. (The
•
Inspiron 3000 M166ST has a 256-KB SRAM level-2 external cache.)
NeoMagic 2160 video controller supporting all video features with a PCI
•
local bus on Inspiron 3000 M166ST, M200ST, M233ST, M233XT, and
M266XT. NeoMagic 2160B video controller supporting all video features
with a PCI local bus on the Inspiron 3200 D233ST, D233XT and D266XT.
Intel 430TX PCIset for system and PCI controller on the Inspiron 3000
•
M166ST, M200ST, M233ST, M233XT, and M266XT; Intel 440BX PCIset
for system and PCI controller on the Inspiron 3200 D233ST, D233XT and
D266XT.
Built-in microphone and jacks for connecting external speakers, micro-
•
phones, and headphones.
Two new diagnostics tests (infrared and audio).
•
An options bay that lets users replace the diskette drive with a secondary
•
lithium ion battery, CD-ROM drive, or DVD-ROM drive. If the computer is
booted with a diskette drive or battery in the options bay, you must reboot
after installing the CD-ROM or DVD-ROM drive in the options bay.
Built-in serial IrDA 1.1-compliant infrared transmitter/receiver, ef fective to
•
1 m (3.3 ft).
Support for connecting an external diskette drive to the parallel connector
•
on the I/O panel.
Universal Serial Bus (USB), which provides a single connection point for
•
multiple USB-compliant devices such as mice, printers, keyboards, and
computer speakers. These devices can be connected and disconnected while
the system is running.
1-2 Dell Inspiron 3000 Series Service Manual
P
hysical Description
display
status display panel
display
close/suspend button
speakers (2)
keyboard
touch pad
touch pad
buttons (2)
Figure 1-1. Front View of the Portable Computer
display latch
microphone
power/suspend
indicator
power button
options bay
main battery
infrared port
USB connector
serial connector
parallel connector
monitor connector
expansion connector
PS/2 connector
Figure 1-2. Back View of the Portable Computer
PC Card slots (2)
hard-disk drive
security cable slot
AC adapter
connector
audio jacks (3)
System Overview 1-3
Status Display
p
p
p
p
.
Figure 1-3. Status Display Panel
The status display panel is located directly above the keyboard. This panel
shows icons that indicate aspects of keyboard operation or save-to-RAM sus-
end mode; CD-ROM or DVD-ROM drive, hard-disk drive, diskette drive, and
PC Card activity; and status of the power source (AC power or batteries).
Keyboard Indicators
The following icons indicate the status of the keyboard and whether the com-
uter is in suspend mode.
Caps Lock Indicator
Press <Caps Lock> to activate this feature. Press
<Caps Lock> again to deactivate the feature.
Num Lock Indicator
Press <Num Lock> to activate this feature. Press
<Num Lock> again to deactivate this feature.
Pad Lock Indicator
Appears when the embedded numeric keypad is active. Press
<Num Lock> to activate the embedded numeric keypad. Then
ress and hold <Fn> and press <Num Lock > to l o ck the k eypad. Press and hold
<Fn> to toggle between the letter and the number keys. To deactivate the key-
ad, press <Num Lock>. Then press and hold <Fn> and press <Num Lock> to
unlock the keypad.
Scroll Lock Indicator
Press <Scroll Lock> to activate this feature. Press
<Scroll Lock> again to deactivate this feature.
Suspend Mode
When all indicators are present and appear in sequence, the
computer is in save-to-RAM suspend mode.
CD-ROM/DVD-ROM/Hard-Disk Drive Indicator
1-4 Dell Inspiron 3000 Series Service Manual
This indicator blinks when data is being transferred to or from the
CD-ROM, DVD-ROM, or hard-disk drive.
Diskette-Drive Access Indicator
This indicator blinks when data is being transferred to or from the
diskette drive in the options bay.
PC Card Indicator
This indicator blinks when the computer is accessing data from an
installed PC Card or Cards.
AC Power Indicator
This indicator appears when the computer is receiving power through
an AC power adapter.
If the icon is present but not blinking, the computer is on but the battery
•
is not charging.
If the icon is blinking, the computer is on and the battery is charging.
•
Battery Activity Indicator
This indicator appears when there are batteries in the computer. If a
battery is installed in the main battery compartment, the upper triangle
appears. If a secondary battery is installed in the options bay, the lower triangle
appears. If either triangle is blinking, the battery is in use or charging. If one of
the triangles is not blinking, the battery it represents is installed but not in use.
Battery Status Indicator
The battery status indicator reflects the state of the main or secondary battery in
the computer when the computer is off.
No indicator means there is no battery (main or secondary) in the computer, or
if present, the battery has been discharged.
System Overview 1-5
•
The AC power indicator with the battery status in-
dicator means the battery is defective.
•
An indicator with one bar on the left means a battery is
too hot. Allow the battery to cool to room temperature.
The AC power indicator with the battery status in-
dicator and one bar means that the battery is too
hot (60
°
C [140
°
F] or more) to start charging. Charg-
ing starts automatically when the battery cools to
below 45
°
An indicator with no bars means that battery power is
low (about 90 percent depleted). This is the first low-
battery indication and the computer warns the user
with three short, audible beeps. There are about
10 minutes of battery life remaining.
A blinking indicator with no bars means that battery
power is critically low (about 95 percent depleted) and
needs recharging. There are about 5 minutes of battery
life remaining.
An indicator with bars on the right side of the icon
indicates the percentage of battery life remaining.
Each bar equals 10 percent of battery life.
•
C.
•
•
•
Battery Charge Gauge
CAUTION: If only one or none of the charge-level indicator lights are lit,
the battery is almost completely discharged. Do not use the battery
unless the comput er is c onn ec ted to AC p ower or un less you install a second charged battery.
There is a battery charge gauge on the main and secondary battery. The charge
gauge has four charge-level indicator lights that indicate how much battery
charge remains. Each light indicates approximately 25 percent battery charge.
Press the status button to the right of the lights to check the total battery char ge.
If none of the lights are on, the battery has no charge left.
1-6 Dell Inspiron 3000 Series Service Manual
p
g
status button
indicator lights
Figure 1-4. Battery Charge Gauge
NOTE: Figure 1-4 shows a main battery. For the secondary battery, the same
button and lights are present, but are located on top of the battery and can be
seen only when the secondary battery is out of the computer.
S
ystem Power
The power button controls power to the system. The computer receives power
from either the AC adapter connected to an AC power source or from up to two
batteries. If you use the AC adapter, constant power is available to the com-
uter. If you use one or two batteries, the system has built-in power
management features that extend battery life by removing power from parts of
the computer that are not being used.
Power Conservation
Attach the AC power adapter to the computer, whenever possible, to conserve
battery power. When the AC adapter is attached, th e battery is charged while the
computer uses AC power.
The Power Menu of the Setup program has power conservation features. To
open the Main Menu of the S etup program, Press <F2> during the boot process.
When activated, each power conservation feature turns off or slows down one
or more functions while the computer is idle. The power conservation features
are as follows:
•
Standby mode — To activate this feature, select the Standby Time-Out
option in the Power Menu of the Setup program. To deactivate the feature,
move the cursor or press any key on the built-in or external keyboard.
•
Save-to-RAM suspend mode — To activate this feature, press <Fn><Esc>
or set the Suspend Time-Out option in the Power Menu of the Setup pro-
ram. When save-to-RAM suspend mode is activated, the icons cycle
through the keyboard indicators area of the status display panel. To deactivate this feature, press the power button. The computer may take several
seconds to return to normal operation. Use the Resume On Modem Ring
option in the Power Menu of the Setup program to enable the computer to
automatically answer calls to external modems attached to the computer’s
serial port or to determine how long the computer remains in save-to-RAM
suspend mode before resuming normal operation.
System Overview 1-7
Save-to-disk suspend mode — To activate this feature, press <Fn><a> (or
•
<Fn><q> on the French keyboard) or set the Suspend Time-Out option in
the Power Menu of the Setup program. To resume using the computer, press
the power button. The computer may take several seconds to return to normal operation. If you connect or remove devices while the computer is in
save-to-disk suspend mode, the computer automatically recognizes the
newly connected devices when it resumes normal operation. If you encounter problems with a PC Card after resuming from save-to-disk suspend
mode, remove and reinsert the PC Card. When the battery is nearly
depleted, the computer enters save-to-disk suspend mode to preserve system
data.
I
nterrupt Assignments
Table 1-1. Interrupt Assignments
IRQ Line Used/Available
IRQ0 Generated by the system timer
IRQ1 Generated by the keyboard controller to signal that the keyboard
output buffer is full
IRQ2 Cascade to second interrupt controller
IRQ3 Reserved
IRQ4 Reserved
IRQ5 Used by the audio controller
IRQ6 Generated by the diskette drive controller to indicate that the dis-
kette drive requires the attention of the microprocessor
IRQ7 Used by the parallel port
IRQ8 Generated by the system RTC
IRQ9 Software redirect to INT0A
IRQ10 Reserved
IRQ11 Reserved
IRQ12 Generated by the keyboard controller to indicate that the output
buffer of the integrated touch pad or external PS/2 mouse is full
IRQ13 Used by the math coprocessor on the microprocessor
IRQ14 Generated by the hard-disk drive to indicate that the drive
requires the attention of the microprocessor
IRQ15 Reserved
1-8 Dell Inspiron 3000 Series Service Manual
T
echnical Specifications
Table 1-2. Technical Specifications
Microprocessor
Microprocessor type Inspiron 3000 M166ST, M200ST, M233ST,
M233XT, and M266XT: Intel Pentium microprocessor with MMX technology
Inspiron 3200 D233XT and D266XT: Intel
Pentium II microprocessor with MMX
technology
Microprocessor speed Inspiron 3000 M166ST, M200ST, M233ST,
M233XT, and M266XT: 166, 200, 233, or
266 MHz
Inspiron 3200 D233ST, D233XT, and
D266XT: 233 or 266 MHz
Internal cache memory 32 KB
External cache 512-KB write-back SRAM (256-KB write-back
SRAM for the M166ST)
Math coprocessor internal to the microprocessor
Chip Set and Bus
System chip set Inspiron 3000 M166ST, M200ST, M233ST,
M233XT, and M266XT: Intel 430TX PCIset
Inspiron 3200 D233ST , D233XT , and D266XT:
Intel 440BX PCIset
Data bus width 64 bits
DRAM bus width 64 bits
Address bus width 32 bits
Flash EPROM 2 Mbits
PC Card
PCI controller Texas Instruments PCI 1131 cardbus controller
PC Card connectors two (supports two type I or type II cards or one
type III card)
Cards supported 3.3- and 5-V
System Overview 1-9
Table 1-2. Technical Specifications
(continued)
PC Card
(continued)
PC Card connector size 68 pins
Data width (maximum) 32 bits
Memory
Architecture SDRAM
Memory module
16-, 32-, and 64-MB SODIMMs
capacities
Standard RAM 32 MB (16 MB of nonremovable memory on the
main board and a 16-MB 3.3-V memory module
in one of the two memory module sockets on the
main board).
Maximum RAM 144 MB
Memory access time/
clock frequency 83 MHz
BIOS address F000:0000
Connectors
Serial (DTE) one 9-pin connector; 16,550-compatible UAR T,
16-byte buffer
Parallel one 25-hole connector; normal (unidirectional),
bidirectional, EPP 1.9, or ECP
Monitor one 15-hole connector
PS/2 keyboard/mouse one 6-pin mini-DIN
Infrared one IrDA 1.1-compliant port
Expansion connector 240 pins
Audio microphone; headphones/speaker; line-in
USB one 4-pin connector
1-10 Dell Inspiron 3000 Series Service Manual
Table 1-2. Technical Specifications
Audio
(continued)
Audio type Sound Blaster Pro-compatible voice and
music functions
Audio controller Crystal 4237B
Conversion 16 bit (stereo analog-to-digital and
digital-to-analog)
FM music synthesizer 20-voice, 72-operator
Interfaces:
Internal ISA bus
External microphone (minijack, mono);
headphones/speaker (minijack);
line-in
Internal speaker amplifier 1.5 W
Controls volume can be controlled through key combina-
tions and software application menus
Video
Video type 64-bit (128-bit hardware accelerated) PCI
Video controller (M166ST,
M200ST , M233ST, M233XT ,
M266XT) NeoMagic 2160
Video controller (D233ST,
D233XT, D266XT) NeoMagic 2160B
Video memory 2 MB equivalent
12.1-Inch Display
Type (M166ST, M200ST,
M233ST, D233ST) active-matrix color (TFT)
Dimensions:
Height 184.5 mm (7.3 inches)
Width 246.0 mm (9.7 inches)
Diagonal 307.5 mm (12.1 inches)
Maximum resolution 800 x 600 pixels; 16 million colors
Response time (typical) 30 ms
System Overview 1-11
Table 1-2. Technical Specifications
(continued)
12.1-Inch Display
(continued)
Operating angle 0° (closed) to 180°
Dot pitch 0.264 mm
Power consumption 2.35 W
Controls brightness can be controlled through key
combinations
13.3-Inch Display
Type (M233XT, M266XT,
D233XT, D266XT) active-matrix color (TFT)
Dimensions:
Height 203 mm (8.0 inches)
Width 271 mm (10.7 inches)
Diagonal 338 mm (13.3 inches)
Maximum resolution 1024 x 768 pixels; 64,000 colors
Response time (typical) 30 ms
Operating angle 0° (closed) to 170°
Dot pitch 0.264 mm
Power consumption 3.9 W
Controls brightness can be controlled through key
combinations
Keyboard
Number of keys 87 (U.S. and Canada); 88 (Europe); 88 (Japan)
Key travel 3.0 ± 0.5 mm (0.12 ± 0.02 inch)
Key spacing 19.1 mm (0.75 inch)
Layout QWERTY/AZERTY/Kanji
Touch Pad
Interface PS/2-compatible
X/Y position resolutions
(graphics table mode) 20 points/mm (500 points/inch)
1-12 Dell Inspiron 3000 Series Service Manual
Table 1-2. Technical Specifications
(continued)
Touch Pad
(continued)
Size:
Thickness 4.65 mm (0.18 inch) at highest component
Width 64-mm (2.52-inch) sensor-active area
Height 47.0-mm (1.85-inch) rectangle
with 0.5-mm (0.02-inch) tabs
Weight 15 g (0.52 ounce) ± 0.5 g (0.001 ounce)
Power:
Supply voltage 5 V ± 10%
Supply current 4 mA (maximum operating)
Main Battery
Type lithium ion
Dimensions:
Height 23.0 mm (0.9 inch)
Depth 161.5 mm (6.4 inches)
Width 73.4 mm (2.9 inches)
Weight 0.41 kg (0.9 lb)
Voltage 14.4 VDC
Capacity 39 WH
Charge time (approximate):
1
Computer on 2.5 hours
Computer off 1.5 hours
Operating time (approximate,
with no power management
features enabled)
1
2.5 to 3.5 hours with one battery;
5 to 7 hours with two batteries
Life span (approximate)
1
500 discharge/charge cycles
Temperature range:
Charge 0° to 40°C (32° to 104°F)
Discharge 0° to 60°C (32° to 140°F)
Storage –20° to 50°C (–4° to 122°F)
1
Battery performance features such as charge time, operating time, and life span can vary according to
the conditions under which the computer and ba ttery are used.
System Overview 1-13
Table 1-2. Technical Specifications
AC Adapter
(continued)
Input voltage 90 to 264 VAC
Input current (maximum) 1.5 A at 90 VAC, full load
Input frequency 47 to 63 Hz
Output current 2.4 A (continuous)
Output power 45 W
Rated output voltage 19 VDC
Physical:
Height 29.6 mm (1.17 inches)
Width 60.0 mm (2.36 inches)
Depth 105 mm (4.13 inches)
Weight (with cables) 0.3 kg (0.66 lb)
Temperature range:
Operating 5° to 35°C (41° to 95°F)
Storage –20° to 50°C (–4° to 122°F)
Physical (Computer)
M166ST, M200ST,
M233ST, D233ST:
Height 42 mm (1.65 inches)
Width 299 mm (11.77 inches)
Depth 234 mm (9.21 inches)
Weight
2
2.8 kg (6.2 lb)
M233XT, M266XT,
D233XT, D266XT:
Height 51.5 mm (2.03 inches)
Width 303 mm (11.93 inches)
Depth 234 mm (9.21 inches)
Weight
2
Includes hard-disk drive, diskette drive, battery, and two PC Card blanks.
2
3.1 kg (6.8 lb)
1-14 Dell Inspiron 3000 Series Service Manual
Table 1-2. Technical Specifications
Environmental (Computer)
(continued)
Temperature:
Operating 5° to 35°C (41° to 95°F)
Storage –20° to 50°C (–4° to 122°F)
Relative humidity 10% to 90% (noncondensing)
Maximum vibration:
Operating 0.5 GRMS using a random-vibration spectrum
that simulates air/truck shipment
Storage 1.1 GRMS using a random-vibration spectrum
that simulates air/truck shipment
Maximum shock:
3
Operating 1.52 m/sec (60 inches/sec)
(less than or equal to a pulse width of 2 ms)
Storage 2.03 m/sec (80 inches/sec)
(less than or equal to a pulse width of 2 ms)
Altitude:
Operating 0 to 3048 m (0 to 10,000 ft)
Storage 0 to 12,192 m (0 to 40,000 ft)
3
Measured with the hard-disk drive in head-parked position.
System Overview 1-15
1-16 Dell Inspiron 3000 Series Service Manual
Chapter 2
Initial Procedures
his chapter describes initial procedures that can help you diagnose a com-
T
puter problem. These procedures can often reveal the source of a problem or
indicate the correct starting point for troubleshooting the computer. Dell recommends that you perform these initial procedures in the order they are presented.
I
nitial User Contact
When you first contact a user who has a problem, ask the user to describe the
problem and the conditions under which it occurs. A verbal description can
often indicate the cause of a problem or indicate the appropriate troubleshooting
procedure to use. After the user describes the problem, follow these steps:
1. Ask the user to back up any data on the hard-disk drive if the computer’s
condition permits.
See the “Maintaining Your Computer” section of the online System’s User’s
Guide.
2. Ask the user to try to duplicate the problem by repeating the operations he
or she was performing at the time the problem occurred.
Can the user duplicate the problem?
Yes. Proceed to step 3.
No. Proceed to the next section, “Visual Inspection.”
3. Observe the user to determine whether he or she is making an error, such as
typing an incorrect key combination or entering a command incorrectly.
Is the problem a result of user error?
Yes. Instruct the user in the proper procedure or direct him or her to the
appropriate user documentation for a description of the correct procedure.
No. Proceed to the next section, “Visual Inspection.”
V
isual Inspection
The visual inspection consists of a quick inspection of the exterior of the computer and any attached peripherals, including making any necessary corrections.
For information about the proper removal and installation of computer
Initial Procedures 2-1
components, as instructed in the following procedure, see Chapter 4, “Removing and Replacing Parts.”
CAUTION: Before you proceed with the visual inspection, ensure that
the user has saved all open files and exited all open application programs
if possible.
To perform a visual inspection, follow these steps:
1. Determine the power state of the computer.
If the display is on, go to step 2.
Check the status display window to determine the status of the computer. If
the display is off, press the power key to verify that the computer is not in
suspend or standby mode. Then go to step 2.
2. Turn off any attached peripherals, and then shut down the computer.
3. Verify that the exterior of the computer is free of any obvious physical
damage.
4. If the computer is operating from an AC adapter, verify the following:
a. The AC adapter’s AC power cable is connected to both the AC adapter
and the wall outlet. The AC adapter’s LED should be on.
b. The AC adapter’s DC power cable is properly connected to the com-
puter’s AC adapter connector.
c. The AC adapter and cables are free of any obvious physical damage.
5. If the computer is operating from battery power, remove any installed batteries, verify that they are free of any obvious physical damage, and then
reinsert the batteries into their respective compartments. Press the test button located on each battery to see if there is a charge.
6. Remove the diskette drive (if installed), verify that it is free of any obvious
physical damage, and then reinsert the drive into its compartment.
7. Remove any installed PC Cards from the PC card slot, verify that they are
free of any obvious physical damage, and then reinsert the card(s) into the
PC card slot.
8. If there is a memory area problem and the computer has memory modules,
remove the memory modules from the main board, verify that they are free
of any obvious physical damage, and then reinstall the modules.
9. Raise the LCD display, and verify that the computer is free of any
obvious physical damage.
10. Verify that the keyboard is free of any obvious physical damage and that its
keys operate freely.
11. Verify that the touch pad and its associated buttons operate freely.
12. If an external monitor is connected, verify the following:
a. The monitor’s interface cable is properly attached to the external-
monitor connector on the computer’s I/O panel.
2-2 Dell Inspiron 3000 Series Service Manual
b. The monitor’s power cable is attached to a power source and is free of
any obvious physical damage.
c. The monitor and its interface cable are free of any obvious physical
damage.
d. The monitor’s controls are set according to the instructions in the docu-
mentation for the monitor.
13. If an external mouse is connected, verify the following:
a. The mouse is properly connected to the keyboard/keypad/mouse con-
nector on the computer’s I/O panel.
b. The mouse and its cable are free of any obvious physical damage.
c. The mouse’s ball and pushbuttons operate freely.
14. For any attached serial or parallel devices, verify the following:
a. The device’s interface cable connector is correctly attached to the appro-
priate port connector on the computer’s I/O panel.
b. The captive screws that secure the connectors at each end of the inter-
face cable are secure enough to ensure a firm connection.
c. The attached device and its interface cable are free of any obvious phys-
ical damage.
15. Turn on any attached peripherals and then the computer.
Does the problem recur?
Yes. Go to the next section, “Observing the Boot Routine.”
No. No further steps are necessary.
O
bserving the Boot Routine
After you perform a visual inspection as described in the previous section, boot
the computer from a diagnostics diskette and, while the boot routine is running,
observe the computer for any indications of problems.
NOTE: To prevent possible damage to the original diagnostics diskette, always
use a backup copy of the diagnostics diskette when servicing a user’s computer.
Dell recommends that users make copies of the Dell Diagnostics Diskette. For
instructions, see “Before You Start Testing” in Chapter 4 of the Dell Inspiron
3000 Reference and Troubleshooting Guide.
To observe the boot routine, follow these steps:
1. Turn off the computer and any attached peripherals.
2. Insert a diagnostics diskette into the diskette drive. Turn on all peripherals
and then the computer.
3. Watch the indicators at the top of the keyboard. Depending on how your
computer is configured, after various indicators flash momentarily in the
status display panel, some indicators should light up and remain on.
Initial Procedures 2-3
Do these indicators light up within seconds after the boot routine starts?
Yes. Go to step 4.
No. Troubleshoot the power subsystem.
4. While the boot routine is running, observe the computer for any of the
following:
Diskette-drive and hard-disk drive access indicator activity
•
These indicators light in response to data being transferred to or from the
drives. If either of these indicators fails to light during the boot routine,
troubleshoot the diskette drive or hard-disk drive subsystem, as
appropriate.
System error messages
•
These messages can indicate problems or provide status information. If a
system error message is displayed, refer to Table 3-2.
Beep codes
•
A beep code is a series of beeps that indicates an error condition. If the
computer emits a beep code, refer to Table 3-1.
NOTE: The computer beeps once shortly after the system boots . T his be ep
is normal and not part of a beep code.
Any unusual sounds
•
5. Observe the display for the Diagnostics Menu of the Dell Diagnostics.
Does the Diagnostics Menu appear on the display?
Yes. See “Running the Dell Diagnostics” in Chapter 3.
No. Go to step 6.
6. Insert another copy of the diagnostics diskette into the diskette drive, and
reboot the computer.
Does the Diagnostics Menu appear on the display?
Yes. See “Running the Dell Diagnostics” in Chapter 3.
No. Go to the next section, “Eliminating Resource Conflicts.”
E
liminating Resource Conflicts
Devices within or connected to the computer may require dedicated memory
spaces, interrupt levels, and/or DMA channels. Because different devices can be
configured at different times, it is possible that the same resource is assigned to
two or more devices.
Disconnect all peripherals and remove all PC Cards to make sure that the computer failure is not caused by faulty devices.
2-4 Dell Inspiron 3000 Series Service Manual
If you suspect that resource conflicts might exist, check the computer and reassign the resources as necessary. For more information about resolving conflicts,
see Chapter 3, “Troubleshooting Your Computer,” in the Reference and Tr ouble-
shooting Guide.
G
etting Help
If none of the procedures in this chapter reveal the source of the problem or lead
to the proper troubleshooting steps for determining the source of the problem,
contact Dell for technical assistance. For instructions, see Chapter 5, “Getting
Help,” in the Reference and Troubleshooting Guide or the “Contacting Dell”
section of the online System User’s Guide.
Initial Procedures 2-5
2-6 Dell Inspiron 3000 Series Service Manual
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