Why Run A Serial/Infrared Ports Test; Parallel Ports Test Group; Subtests; Why Run A Parallel Ports Test - Dell PowerEdge 4200 Installation And Troubleshooting Manual

Why Run a Serial/Infrared Ports Test?

If the diagnostics does not recognize the computer's
serial or infrared ports, enter the System Setup program
and check the Serial/Infrared Port category to see
whether the port has been disabled. The subtests in the
Serial/Infrared Ports Test Group cannot test a port unless
it is enabled.
When a port is faulty, it may not be immediately evident
that the port, and not the device connected to the port, is
faulty. Instead, the peripheral might behave erratically or
not operate at all. If the external device is not properly
installed through the software, it also may not function
properly. Try operating the peripheral from different pro-
grams or through the operating system. If it still does not
work, you can eliminate the software configuration as the
cause of the problem.
Another possible cause for errors is the external device.
Use the documentation that came with the peripheral to
troubleshoot the device and confirm that it is working
properly.
After you eliminate incorrect system configuration
information settings, peripheral malfunctions, and soft-
ware errors as potential causes of port problems, you can
run the subtests in the Serial/Infrared Ports Test Group to
check the hardware. Although the following symptoms
can be caused by faulty peripherals or software errors,
they might also suggest a port problem:
•
If a peripheral works intermittently or produces
intermittent errors, the port may be faulty.
•
If the computer displays an error message that is
related to the external device connected to a port but
corrections to the device do not resolve the error, run
the appropriate subtest in the Serial/Infrared Ports
Test Group.
•
If the software and the diagnostics do not recognize
that you have a serial or infrared port, you should
check the Serial/Infrared Port category in the System
Setup program and, if necessary, run the appropriate
subtest in the Serial/Infrared Ports Test Group.
5-16 Dell PowerEdge 4200 Systems Installation and Troubleshooting Guide
P
arallel Ports Test Group
The subtests in the Parallel Ports Test Group check the
computer's interface with external devices, such as a
printer, that are connected to the computer through a par-
allel port. The subtests in this test group are not intended
as diagnostic tests for the actual peripheral attached to
each port. (The only exception is a printer, as described in
the following subsection.)
NOTE: If an external loopback connector is not attached
to the parallel port, the Parallel External Loopback Test
will fail for that port and the results of the test should be
ignored.

Subtests

The four subtests in the Parallel Ports Test Group and the
port functions they test follow:
•
Parallel Internal Test
Checks several internal functions of the parallel port
•
Parallel External Loopback Test
Tests the functionality of the control lines through an
external loopback connector, if an external loopback
connector is available
•
Parallel External Interrupt Test
Tests the parallel port's ability to generate interrupts
from all possible sources, if an external loopback
connector or printer is available
•
Parallel Printer Pattern Test
Tests a printer and tests the parallel port's ability to
send a pattern to the printer, if a printer is connected

Why Run a Parallel Ports Test?

If the diagnostics does not recognize the computer's par-
allel port, enter the System Setup program and check the
Parallel Port category to see if the port has been disabled.
The subtests in the Parallel Ports Test Group cannot test a
port unless it is enabled.