Dell Latitude XPi Reference Guide - Page 88

Subtests, IDE CD ROM Drives Test Group, Why Run an IDE CD ROM Drives Test?

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amount (over five percent of the possible total), should not be regarded as a cause for testing the hard-disk drive. These are the most common symptoms that might prompt you to test the hard-disk drive: • The hard-disk drive fails during the boot routine. • Seek errors are reported by the operating system or application programs. • An error message appears on the screen stating that the computer cannot read from or write to the harddisk drive. • Data on the hard-disk drive is corrupted or lost; these problems may be intermittent. Once saved by a program, files cannot be properly recalled. Subtests The five subtests in the Hard-Disk Drives (Non-SCSI) Test Group confirm the following drive functions: • Disk Controller Test Checks the internal microcode of the hard-disk drive controller • Forced Error-Correction-Code Test Checks the ability of the hard-disk drive to identify and correct errors • Seek Test Checks the drive's ability to search for a specified track on the drive 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 drive and verifies that all tracks on the drive can be read correctly • Write Test Positions the read/write heads at each cylinder of the drive and verifies that all tracks on the drive can be written to correctly IDE CD ROM Drives Test Group The subtests in the IDE CD ROM Drives Test Group check the functionality of the integrated drive electronics (IDE) CD-ROM drive. Before conducting an IDE CD ROM test, insert into the CD-ROM drive a CD with audio and data tracks (such as a multimedia CD). NOTE: The Audio Output Test requires a CD with audio tracks; all other subtests in this test group require a CD with data tracks. If the CD-ROM drive contains a CD that does not have the required data or audio tracks, the subtest fails. Why Run an IDE CD ROM Drives Test? If you encounter a problem while using an application program on a CD, the problem could result from the disc or from the drive. When you encounter problems, first try using a different CD. If the problem recurs, run the IDE CD ROM Drives Test Group. These are the most common symptoms that might prompt you to test an IDE CD-ROM drive: • Seek errors are reported by the operating system or application programs. • An error message appears on the screen stating that the computer cannot read from an IDE CD-ROM drive. Subtests The five subtests in the IDE CD ROM Drives Test Group confirm the following drive functions: • Drive Controller Test Causes the drive to execute its internal self-test. • Seek Test Checks the drive's ability to search for each block on the device. • Read Test Positions the read heads at each block of the device for reading data and verifies that all blocks on the device can be read correctly. 4-18 Dell Latitude XPi CD Reference and Troubleshooting Guide

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4
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18
Dell Latitude XPi CD Reference and Troubleshooting Guide
amount (over five percent of the possible total), should
not be regarded as a cause for testing the hard-disk drive.
These are the most common symptoms that might prompt
you to test the hard-disk drive:
•
The hard-disk drive fails during the boot routine.
•
Seek
errors are reported by the operating system or
application programs.
•
An error message appears on the screen stating that
the computer cannot
read
from or
write
to the hard-
disk drive.
•
Data on the hard-disk drive is corrupted or lost; these
problems may be intermittent. Once saved by a pro-
gram, files cannot be properly recalled.
Subtests
The five subtests in the Hard-Disk Drives (Non-SCSI)
Test Group confirm the following drive functions:
•
Disk Controller Test
Checks the internal microcode of the hard-disk drive
controller
•
Forced Error-Correction-Code Test
Checks the ability of the hard-disk drive to identify
and correct errors
•
Seek Test
Checks the drive’s ability to search for a specified
track on the drive 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
drive and verifies that all tracks on the drive can be
read correctly
•
Write Test
Positions the read/write heads at each cylinder of the
drive and verifies that all tracks on the drive can be
written to correctly
I
DE CD ROM Drives Test Group
The subtests in the IDE CD ROM Drives Test Group
check the functionality of the integrated drive electronics
(IDE) CD-ROM drive. Before conducting an IDE CD
ROM test, insert into the CD-ROM drive a CD with
audio and data tracks (such as a multimedia CD).
N
OTE
:
T
he Audio Output Test requires a CD with audio
tracks; all other subtests in this test group require a CD
with data tracks. If the CD-ROM drive contains a CD
that does not have the required data or audio tracks, the
subtest fails.
Why Run an IDE CD ROM Drives Test?
If you encounter a problem while using an application
program on a CD, the problem could result from the disc
or from the drive. When you encounter problems, first try
using a different CD. If the problem recurs, run the IDE
CD ROM Drives Test Group.
These are the most common symptoms that might prompt
you to test an IDE CD-ROM drive:
•
Seek
errors are reported by the operating system or
application programs.
•
An error message appears on the screen stating that
the computer cannot read from an IDE CD-ROM
drive.
Subtests
The five subtests in the IDE CD ROM Drives Test Group
confirm the following drive functions:
•
Drive Controller Test
Causes the drive to execute its internal self-test.
•
Seek Test
Checks the drive’s ability to search for each block on
the device.
•
Read Test
Positions the read heads at each block of the device
for reading data and verifies that all blocks on the
device can be read correctly.