Subtests - Dell PowerEdge 4300 Installation And Troubleshooting Manual

5-22 Dell PowerEdge 4300 Systems Installation and Troubleshooting Guide
NOTE: If an external loopback connector is not attached to the parallel port, the Paral-
lel External Loopback Test will fail for that port and the results of the test should be
ignored.
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 connec-
tor, 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
If the diagnostics does not recognize the computer's parallel port, enter the System
Setup program and check the Parallel Port option to see if the port has been disabled.
(See Chapter 4, "Using the System Setup Program," in the User's Guide for instruc-
tions.) The subtests in the Parallel 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 soft-
ware, it also may not function properly. Try operating the peripheral from different
programs or through the operating system. If it still does not work, you can eliminate
the software setup as the cause of the problem.
Another possible cause of errors is the external device. Use the documentation that
came with the peripheral to troubleshoot the device and confirm that it is working
properly. (Most printers have a self-test.)