Troubleshooting
Problem
Messages generated by the software--the operating system or application programs--generally are text messages, but they also can be numeric. Basically, there are five types of error messages. - POST error messages - POST beep codes - Diagnostic err
Resolving The Problem
Messages generated by the software--the operating system or application programs--generally are text messages, but they also can be numeric. Basically, there are five types of error messages.
- POST error messages
- POST beep codes
- Diagnostic error messages
- Software generated messages
- Multiple messages
| Error Message | Description |
| POST Error Messsages | Displayed when POST finds problems with the hardware or detects a change in the hardware configuration. |
| POST Beep Codes | Sounds emitted from the speaker if POST finds a problem. One beep indicates POST completed successfully. Multiple beeps indicate a problem was found by the POST. |
| Diagnostic Error Messages | Displayed when a test program finds a problem with a hardware option. |
| Software Generated Error Messages | Displayed if a problem or conflict is found by an application program, the operating system, or both. For an explanation of these messages, refer to the information supplied with that software package. |
| Multiple Messages | The first error that occurs can cause additional errors. Follow the suggested action of the first error displayed. In this case, the system displays more than one error message. Always follow the suggested action instructions for the first error message displayed. |
| Error Message/Symptom | FRU/Action |
| Address Exceeds the Size Of Your Memory An invalid memory address was entered. Diagnostics Tests display this message during the Locate Bad Chips option. |
1. Enter the correct address. 2. Memory Module 3. System Board |
| Arithmetic Functions Failed An error was detected during the CPU Test. |
1. Microprocessor 2. System Board |
| Base Memory Test Failed An error was detected in base memory. |
1. Memory Module 2. System Board |
| Boot Sector Unreadable A boot sector read error was detected on the hard disk drive. |
1. Hard Disk Drive 2. Hard Disk Drive Cable. 3. Hard Disk Drive Adapter(if installed) 4. System Board |
| Bus Noise Test Failed RAM Test detected an error in the memory bus. |
1. Memory Module 2. System Board |
| Butterfly Cylinder Access Test Failed Hard Disk Drive Test detected mismatch between the data read and the data stored on the drive. |
1. Hard Disk Drive 2. Hard Disk Drive Cable 3. Hard Disk Drive Adapter (if installed) 4. System Board |
| Clock Stopped Real-time clock has stopped working. |
1. Real-Time Clock Assembly 2. System Board |
| CMOS Clock Test Failed Time and Date Settings for CMOS and DOS do not Match. |
1. Real-Time Clock Assembly 2. System Board |
| Controller Diagnostic Test Failed An error was detected while testing the Hard Disk Controller (Adapter). |
1. Hard Disk Drive Adapter (if installed) 2. Hard Disk Drive 3. System Board |
| Cylinder 0 Errors Test detected an error reading the first cylinder of the hard disk drive. |
1. Hard Disk Drives 2. Hard Disk Drive Adapter (if installed) 3. System Board |
| Device is not Ready Ready the Device... or Press Any Key |
1. Ensure the device is powered-on. 2. Replace failing device 3. Device Adapter ( if installed) 4. System Board |
| Disk Error Encountered Opening Output File Press Any Key To Continue. | 1. Hard Disk Drive 2. Hard Disk Drive Adapter (if installed) 3. System Board |
| DMA #X Failed Main Components Test detected an error while testing the DMA controller. |
1. System Board |
| DMA Page Register Failed DMA page register error |
1. System Board |
| Drive(x) Media(y) Mismatch FAT ID mismatch with installed drive. |
1. Check diskette and diskette drive capacity. 2. Diskette Drive 3. System Board |
| Error in video buffer. Bad bits. Video memory test error. |
1. Video Adapter (if installed) 2. System Board 3. Display |
| Exception Interrupt in Protected Mode Diags Cannot Continue Server error, remove one adapter at a time until the symptom goes away. |
1. Any Adapter 2. System Board 3. Processor |
| Extended Memory Test Failed Extended memory error |
1. Memory Module 2. System Board |
| Floppy Drive Failed Diskette drive(s) failed. |
1. Diskette Drive 2. System Board 3. Diskette Drive Cable |
| General Function Failed Remove one adapter at a time until the symptom goes away. |
1. Any Adapter 2. System Board 3. Processor |
| Hard Drive Failed Hard Disk Drive test error. |
1. Hard Disk Drive 2. Hard Disk Drive Adapter( if installed) 3. System Board |
| Incorrect DOS version | 1. Ensure you are using DOS version 3.0 or higher. |
| INT Mask Register Failed INT Mask Register error. |
1. Microprocessor 2. System Board |
| Invalid Date Clock/DOS date mismatch. |
1. Real-Time Clock Assembly 2. System Board |
| Invalid Time Clock/DOS time mismatch. Back-up clock and DOS time of day settings do not match. |
1. Real-Time Clock Assembly 2. System Board |
| Linear Cylinder Access Test Failed Hard disk drive error. |
1. Hard Disk Drive 2. Hard Disk Drive Cable 3. Hard Disk Drive Adapter (if installed) 4. System Board |
| Logic Function Failed CPU Logic test error |
1. Microprocessor 2. System Board |
| Loopback Error COM Port Test or Parallel Port error. A wrap plug must be installed to successfully complete these tests. |
1. System Board 2. Wrap Plug |
| Main Components Failed System board error. |
1. System Board 2. Processor |
| Memory test cannot run at this location in memory Not enough free memory available to start the memory test. |
1. Memory Module 2. System Board |
| Missing QAPlus/PRO Files(s) One or more diagnostic support files are missing. |
1. Diagnostic Diskette |
| No LOOP-BACK PLUG. Skipping External loopback test. No wrap plug installed. |
1. Install wrap plug on the serial port, rerun test. 2. System Board |
| Not ready Printer not on-line or not ready. |
1. Ready Printer 2. Printer 3. Printer Cable 4. System Board |
| No 'type-amatic' repeat. At least one repeat key must be tested during this test or an error will occur. Type-amatic test error. |
1. Keyboard 2. System Board |
| Not used by any standard device IRQ is not currently being used by a non-standard device. |
1. System Board |
| Numeric Proc Failed NPU test error. |
1. Microprocessor 2. System Board |
| Parallel Ports Failed Test Report Summary messages. |
1. System Board |
| Pass (N): **Errors** Drive (X) Failed Diskette drive read/write test error. |
1. Diskette Drive 2. System Board 3. Diskette Drive Cable |
| Pass (N) Drive Not Ready Diskette drive door is open or defective. |
1. Ensure diskette drive is ready. 2. Diskette Drive 3. System Board 4. Diskette Drive Cable |
| Pass (N): Drive (X) Write Protected or Unformatted | 1. Insert a non-write protected, formatted diskette into the diskette drive; then rerun the test. 2. Diskette Drive 3. System Board 4. Diskette Drive Cable |
| Pass (N): Unknown Media Drive (X) Diskette Drive Test error. |
1. Diskette 2. Diskette Drive 3. System Board 4. Diskette Drive Cable |
| Place Hi-density Media in Drive Media/drive mismatch. |
1. Diskette 2. Diskette Drive 3. System Board 4. Diskette Drive Cable |
| Printer Failed Printer powered-on and ready? |
1. Printer 2. Printer Cable 3. System Board |
| Printer Fault Printer powered-on and ready? |
1. Printer 2. Printer Cable 3. System Board |
| Printer Not Selected Ensure the printer is powered-on and ready. |
1. Printer 2. Printer Cable 3. System Board |
| Program or File Not Found. Press Any Key Diagnostics cannot find the USER(N).COM file. |
1. Diagnostic Diskette 2. Diskette Drive 3. System Board |
| Program Too Big To Fit in Memory Too many Terminate and Stay Resident programs in memory. |
1. Reboot the system from the Diagnostic Diskette. |
| QAPlus/PRO Cannot Be Re-run Because Of Error in Relocating program. Diagnostics failed to relocate the Diagnostics Test programs so the memory space it resides in was not tested. |
1. Diagnostic Diskette 2. Memory Module 3. System Board |
| RAM Memory Error in Block n. Bad bits n Memory error. |
1. Memory Module 2. System Board |
| RAM Test Failed Memory Error. |
1. Memory Module 2. System Board |
| Read error on cylinder n Hard disk drive format error. |
1. Hard Disk Drive 2. Hard Disk Drive Adapter (if installed) 3. System Board |
| Read Errors Diskette drive read error. |
1. Diskette 2. Diskette Drive 3. System Board 4. Diskette Drive Cable |
| Receive Error Serial Port loopback test error. |
1. Serial Port cable. 2. System Board |
| Refresh Failure Diagnostics Test detected an error while testing the DMA controller's RAM refresh cycle. |
1. Memory Module 2. System Board |
| RTC Interrupt Failure Diagnostics Test cannot detect the Real-Time clock interrupt. |
1. Real-Time Clock Assembly 2. System Board |
| Serial Chip Error COM Port error, general. |
1. Serial Port Cable 2. System Board |
| Serial Compare Error COM Port error, information transmitted is not the same as information received. |
1. Serial Port Cable 2. System Board |
| Serial Time-out Error COM Port error, time interval is too long between transmitted and received data. |
1. Serial Port Cable 2. System Board |
| Serious Memory Error - Diags Cannot Continue. Memory Test error. |
1. Memory Module 2. System Board |
| Sorry You Need A Mouse Mouse or mouse driver was not detected. |
1. Mouse 2. System Board |
| System Hangs Refer to Undetermined Problem. |
1. Any device 2. Any adapter 3. System Board |
| The Address Exceeds The Size Of Your Memory. An invalid memory address was entered. The Diagnostics Tests display this message during the Locate Bad Chips option under the interact menu if an invalid memory address was entered at the " Enter Memory Address Of Bad Chip" prompt. |
1. Enter correct address 2. Memory Module 3. System Board |
| That Number is Out Of Range An invalid bit number was entered. Diagnostics Tests display this message during the Locate Bad Chips option. |
1. Enter the correct number. 2. Memory Module 3. System Board |
| Too Many Errors - Test Aborted Too many errors, the Diagnostics Test cannot continue. |
1. Microprocessor 2. System Board |
| Transmit Error Internal or external serial port looback test failure. |
1. Serial Port Cable 2. System Board |
| Video Adapter Failed Test Result Summary, displayed if "Fail" was at the Quit/Fail/Pass menu of any video test. |
1. Video Adapter (if installed) 2. System Board 3. Display |
| Write error on cylinder n Hard disk drive write error. |
1. Hard Disk Drive 2. Hard Disk Drive Adapter (if installed) |
| Write Errors Diskette drive write error. |
1. Diskette 2. Diskette Drive 3. System Board 4. Diskette Drive Cable |
| Write Protected or Unformatted Diskette is Write Protected or not formatted. |
1. Insert a non-write protected, formatted diskette into the diskette drive; then rerun the test. 2. Diskette Drive 3. System Board 4. Diskette Drive Cable |
| You cannot Delete the Motherboard "Remove Board" option was selected. The Diagnostics Tests display this message during the Locate Bad Chips option. |
1. Make the correct selection. 2. Memory Module 3. System Board 4. Processor |
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Modified date:
28 January 2019
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ibm1DDSE-452JP4