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Troubleshooting Error messages

Troubleshooting


Problem

Error messages for the IBM IntelliStation

Resolving The Problem

This document is intended for trained servicers who are familiar with IBM Personal Computer products. Use this document along with advanced diagnostic tests to troubleshoot problems effectively. Before servicing an IBM product, be sure to review the safety information. Click here to review safety information.

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 drive
  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. 		System board
DMA page register failed. DMA page register error 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 drives failed. Hard disk drive test error.
  1. Hard disk drive
  2. Hard disk drive adapter (if installed)
  3. System board
Incorrect DOS version 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. Diagnostic diskette
No loopback 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. System board
Numeric processor failed. NPU test error.
  1. Microprocessor
  2. System board
Parallel ports failed. Test report summary message. 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 (TSR) programs in memory. 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. SerialpPort 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 - Diagnotics 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. Go 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 loopback test failure.
  1. Serial port cable
  2. System board
Video adapter failed. Test result summary, displayed if "Fail" was at the Quit/Fail/Pass (if installed) menu of any video test.
  1. Video adapter
  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 thelLocate bad chips option.
  1. Make the correct selection.
  2. Memory module
  3. System board
  4. Processor

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Document Location

Worldwide

Operating System

IntelliStation Pro:All operating systems listed

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Document Information

Modified date:
28 January 2019

UID

ibm1GSMH-3F6HQA

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