Troubleshooting and fixing your Dell system are not straightforward tasks, as there are a number of issues to contend with. Narrowing down the possibilities for your Dell errors is important to fixing the machine, whether it is a hard drive error, video problem or something else entirely.
Instructions
1. Check the power supply. This should always be your first step in diagnosing a problem for a Dell laptop. Is the computer power light illuminated? Check the power source (power brick) and see if it is correctly plugged into the wall. If it is, and there is no power going to the Dell, unplug the power adapter and plug in another electrical device to this same socket. If this electrical device also isn't powered, the problem is with the socket.
2. Check the battery indicator light on your laptop. It should be on the underside or on the side of the PC. It may be that your battery needs to be swapped. Dell batteries typically are good for 1000 partial/full charges. After that point and leading up to it, they begin to hold their charge for less and less time.
3. Check the laptop screen. Is the LCD display cracked in any way? If so, attend to it as soon as possible. If the screen is flickering, it is likely a failed or failing backlight. It is not recommended that you attempt to replace a display on your own. Take it into your local computer shop or ship the unit to Dell.
4. Look over your computer and further check the power status. It may be possible to ascertain if there is a video failure. Listen closely to your computer. Do you hear the Dell computer fan running? If you can no longer hear the fan running, the problem does not lie with video but with the main board or power system. To see if it is indeed a video problem, use a VGA cable to hook up another, outside monitor to your Dell. If this monitor does not at least light up when you power up your system, you can count that this is not a fan-related problem, but a video failure to same degree. Seek professional help for your Dell.
5. If accessing files seems to be a problem and you have eliminated the above possibilities, it is likely a hard drive issue. Fortunately, unlike the other problems, replacing or fixing a hard drive on a Dell is a fairly straightforward task. A new hard drive can be obtained from a number of different vendors. Seagate is a company with a track record for reliable hard drives (see Resources below). Irrespective of company, however, a hard drive running at 7200RPM rather than 5400RPM is desirable but not a necessary upgrade. If you are a power user, a hard drive of 500GB to over 1TB (1000 GB) may be very desirable. Some such large hard drives can be found for a bargain and as low as $100. To install your new hard drive, flip over the main computer unit after you have made sure to cut all power to the system. Locate the two screws that are over the hard drive casing. For reference, with most Dell laptops, such as the Inspiron 5100, there will be two 2.5 x 5 millimeter screws to unscrew with a small screwdriver. Then, remove the hard drive cover and gently slide out the hard drive, being sure not to bump it. Slide the new drive in and replace the screws. Reinstall the operating system.
Tags: hard drive, your Dell, Check power, electrical device, hard drives
