New Laptop Docs: POST troubleshooting flowchart
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<graphviz>
digraph D {
rankdir = TB
it_dont_post [label="It don't POST !"] BIOS_access [label="Can you access the BIOS ?"] screen_activity [label="IS there any screen activity ? Does it just stay dark ?"] indicator_lights [label="Are the indicator lights active ? Do they just remain dark?"] bad_LCD [label="The LCD panel could be bad"] bad_GPU [label="The GPU could be dead"]
it_dont_post -> bad_LCD it_dont_post -> bad_GPU screen_activity -> bad_LCD [label="Maybe ?"] /* If indicator lights = No */ not_enough_power [label="The system isn't getting enough power"] remove_battery [label="Remove the primary battery"] check_power_get_adapter [label="Check the needed power level and get the appropriate adapter"] test_adapter [label="Test the adapter, Check the lights again"] adapter_DIDNT_work [label="It's dead; recycle or parts machine"] adapter_DID_work [label="The System May Be Failing The POST"]
/* If indicator lights = Yes */ maybe_failing_POST [label="Connect to A/C power"] feel_HDD_spin [label="Can you feel the HDD spinning ?"] can_feel_HDD [label="It appears to be passing POST, so a video issue then."] cant_feel_HDD [label="The system is failing the POST: \n *Remove any PCMCIA, PCI-E cards \n *Remove the RAM, note the speed type \n *Get 4-6 sticks of the same speed & type"]
/* Bad LCD */ connect_external_video [label="While the laptop is powered off, connect it to an external monitor via its VGA port. \n Make sure the external monitor is turned on, \n and is set to display analog input (consult the Instructor if you have any questions)"] test_external_vid_auto [label="Did the laptop automatically use the external monitor ?"] /* laptop does NOT auto-detect */ confirm_anolog_input_setting [label="Confirm the monitor is set to display analog output."] try_softkeys [label="Look for a SoftKey combination to switch displays; \n usually an icon that shows a laptop next to a screen, \n or something to that effect."] try_autodetect_again [label="Power off the machine and try again"] cant_auto_detect [label="The laptop is unabel or unwilling to export its video to an external monitor while POSTing. \n This means the screen cannot be tested with out swapping it on to a known-good system, \n which is a complex & time conumsing process, and usually not worth it. \n Consolt the instructor if the machine should be recycled or a parts machine."]
/* laptop auto-detect DOES work */ needs_screen_swap [label="Use some masking tape to label it as needing a screen swap."]
it_dont_post -> BIOS_access BIOS_access -> screen_activity [label="N"] screen_activity -> indicator_lights [label="N"] indicator_lights -> not_enough_power [label="N"]
/* Indicator lights = No */ not_enough_power -> remove_battery remove_battery -> check_power_get_adapter check_power_get_adapter -> test_adapter test_adapter -> adapter_DIDNT_work [label="N"] test_adapter -> adapter_DID_work [label="Y"]
/* Indicator lights = Yes */ indicator_lights -> adapter_DID_work [label="Y"] adapter_DID_work -> maybe_failing_POST maybe_failing_POST -> feel_HDD_spin feel_HDD_spin -> can_feel_HDD [label="Y"] feel_HDD_spin -> cant_feel_HDD [label="N"]
/* Bad LCD */ bad_LCD -> connect_external_video connect_external_video -> test_external_vid_auto test_external_vid_auto -> needs_screen_swap [label="Y"] test_external_vid_auto -> confirm_anolog_input_setting confirm_anolog_input_setting -> try_softkeys try_softkeys -> try_autodetect_again try_autodetect_again -> cant_auto_detect [label="N"] try_autodetect_again -> needs_screen_swap [label="Y"]
