Dell Inspiron 7000 Dell Inspiron 7000 Reference and Troubleshooting Guide - Page 101

Change Line Test

Page 101 highlights

The subtests in the Diskette Drives test group allow you to test diskette drives of all capacities. Very often, a diskette drive problem may first appear to be a diskette problem. A box of defective diskettes might produce faulty-drive error messages. The test results can be confusing, so you should run the subtests in the Diskette Drives test group more than once using diskettes from different sources. Another possible cause of diskette drive problems is human error-for example, typing a command in an incorrect form (usually called a syntax error). Be sure you have entered the command properly. When the diskette and command syntax are eliminated as causes, the following symptoms usually suggest a drive problem and warrant running a subtest in the Diskette Drives test group: An error message appears on the screen stating that the computer cannot read from or write to a diskette. A diskette cannot be properly formatted, or format error messages appear on the screen. Data on diskettes is corrupted or lost; these problems may be intermittent. The four diskette drive subtests available in the Diskette Drives test group confirm the following drive functions: Change Line Test Checks for bent pins on the diskette drive controller and for defective lines on the diskette cable. Seek Test Checks the drive's ability to search for a specified track on the diskette and to position the read/write heads of the drive to all tracks. Read Test Positions the read/write heads at each cylinder of the diskette and verifies that all tracks on the diskette can be read correctly. Write Test Positions the read/write heads at each cylinder of the diskette and verifies that all tracks on the diskette can be written to correctly. Running the Dell Diagnostics 4-21

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Running the Dell Diagnostics
4-21
’LVNHWWH±’ULYHV±7HVW±*URXS
±±±±±±±±±±±±±±±±±
The subtests in the Diskette Drives test group allow you to test diskette drives of all
capacities.
:K\±5XQ±D±’LVNHWWH±’ULYHV±7HVW"
Very often, a diskette drive problem may first appear to be a diskette problem. A box
of defective diskettes might produce faulty-drive error messages. The test results can
be confusing, so you should run the subtests in the Diskette Drives test group more
than once using diskettes from different sources.
Another possible cause of diskette drive problems is human error—for example, typ-
ing a command in an incorrect form (usually called a
syntax
error). Be sure you have
entered the command properly.
When the diskette and command syntax are eliminated as causes, the following
symptoms usually suggest a drive problem and warrant running a subtest in the Dis-
kette Drives test group:
²
An error message appears on the screen stating that the computer cannot
read
from or
write
to a diskette.
²
A diskette cannot be properly formatted, or format error messages appear on the
screen.
²
Data on diskettes is corrupted or lost; these problems may be intermittent.
6XEWHVWV
The four diskette drive subtests available in the Diskette Drives test group confirm the
following drive functions:
²
Change Line Test
Checks for bent pins on the diskette drive controller and for defective lines on the
diskette cable.
²
Seek Test
Checks the drive’s ability to search for a specified track on the diskette and to
position the read/write heads of the drive to all tracks.
²
Read Test
Positions the read/write heads at each cylinder of the diskette and verifies that all
tracks on the diskette can be read correctly.
²
Write Test
Positions the read/write heads at each cylinder of the diskette and verifies that all
tracks on the diskette can be written to correctly.