If your laptop screen is not displaying video properly, you need to run what is called the Built-in Self Test (BIST) to determine if there is a problem with the screen itself or some other issue that is preventing your LCD laptop from displaying an normal image. The BIST will help you isolate problems such as lines on the screen, fuzzy text and images or poor color resolution. This test is important, as it helps run diagnostics outside of the Operating System.If no video is being displayed on the screen, then you can try an external monitor to see if that works. This test, however, is to determine if there is a physical problem with the LCD screen or if this is a problem that can be corrected within software.

Run the BIST Test On Your Dell Laptop

To begin the BIST test, you should hold down the FN key and press the power button. Release them both, and this should begin the BIST test. You should see two colored bars appear on the screen, then text asking if you saw them. Select NO to begin the test. You will see several different screens displayed along with beeping and an error screen at the end. The error message is normal. During the test, you should be looking for the same symptoms you’re getting within Windows, such as lines on the LCD screen, poor color, etc.

If you do not see these problems, then the issue is likely with a bad Windows driver. You should visit the Dell support site and get the latest driver for your graphics card and update the system’s BIOS.

If you did see the same issues you experience within Windows, then you have a physical problem with the LCD screen and it will likely need to be replaced.

If you receive a message stating The AC adapter type cannot be determined. This will prevent optimal system performance.
Strike F3 key ( before F1 or F2 key) if you don’t want to see power warning messages again then there are a few things you can try before replacing the laptop power adapter. Before you begin, however, you should first double-check to make sure you are using the same power adapter that came with your Dell laptop. Once you have confirmed that, try the following:

1. Unplug the power adapter from both the laptop and the wall and leave it unplugged for a couple of minutes.
2. Remove the laptop battery. The battery compartment is on the bottom of the laptop case.
3. Plug the adapter back in to the wall and the laptop.

If you continue to receive that error message, try a different outlet in the house. If you are still having issues after you have tried al of that, you can try updating the Dell laptop’s BIOS. To download a new BIOS for you Dell, go to the Dell support website and look up your computer’s model or enter the service tag number. You can find all driver downloads–including a new BIOS–for your computer at the Dell Drivers and Downloads site.

If you continue to receive that error message, or if your Dell laptop develops other power issues, you should consider replacing the power adapter.

We get questions all the time regarding reinstalling the Operating System on a Dell computer. Usually a user will have lost their recovery disks, or worse, never created them using the recovery disks creation wizard. Dell now allows users to order a set of recovery disks to perform a system restore of their computer. Users can only do this once, so if you need a set of disks shipped to you from Dell, be sure you keep them in a safe place, as this is the only time you will be able to send away for them.

There are a couple of things you’ll need to do depending on the age of your computer. If you get the recovery disks, you might want to go to the Dell Drivers and Downloads page to make sure you have the very latest drivers for your computer, as the recovery disks you get might not contain the latest updates.

To order the recovery disks from Dell, have your service tag number (located on the back of your computer) ready and proceed to the Dell Recovery Disk order page and fill out the request form.

Most newer models of Dell computers now have a diagnostic LED surrounding the power button on the from of the computer. When you press the power button to boot the PC, the light should be green and remain green under normal circumstances. Any other lights will help you troubleshoot the power issue you are having.

A solid green light means the computer is operating normally.

A solid yellow light indicates the power supply is operating normally but the computer is not processing data. This could mean there is a problem with the CPu or another component on the motherboard.

A blinking yellow light indicates the power supply is receiving power from the wall, but not functioning properly. This generally means the power supply itself is bad and should be tested or replaced.

A blinking green light means the computer is in standby mode.

So use the LED power light codes if your Dell computer has them. Also pay attention to any unusual beeps or sounds coming from the computer. Then join us in our free computer tech support forums and we’ll try and help you solve your PC problem. Sometimes, however, a service call to Dell will be required. If your system is still under warranty, you should always just call them first, as tampering with your computer may void your warranty.

Performing a factory System Recovery with Dell.

If you own a Dell computer system, you will be able to quickly and easily restore your Dell PC to factory condition in a few quick and easy steps.  This article will discuss some of the methods Dell uses in making sure its clients are able to revert their system in the event the operating system, drivers or settings become corrupt beyond repair.

Back up your data.

First and foremost, it is absolutely necessary to backup any data you want to save.  Usually, reformatting and recovering a Dell system will result in the complete loss of any data added to the hard drive after it shipped from the factory.  The usual place for personal data to reside in the My Documents folder. You can burn this info to CD/RW, or if you’re on a LAN network, you can transfer the data from the Dell PC to another computer nearby.  Do not forget to backup your Favorites folder and your Outlook or Outlook Express files–otherwise your address book and contacts will be lost.

Locate the Recovery Media

Most Dell computers will also have shipped with a software box that contains several types of media. This is the Windows CD and the various application CDs you will use to revert the system.  If you cannot find these CDs, you’ll need to visit the Dell website and navigate to the support section. Drivers are normally stored on their online database for quick recovery.

Installing XP on a Dell System

When you reboot with the Dell XP CD in the drive, you will come to this screen.  It gives you the option to repair the installation or continue reinstalling a fresh copy of the Operating System.  The repair will generally preserve your data and attempt to fix any corrupt or missing data.  If you decide to proceed with reinstalling the Operating System, all data will be wiped from the drive.

To perform the repair, simply press R and the system will attempt to replace those corrupt files.

To install a fresh copy of Windows on your Dell computer, press the ESC key.

Once the install is complete, you will need to add the the driver disks one at a time until all hardware has been successfully installed.

You will then need to use the application CDs to recover any applications that came pre-installed on the system–such as MS Works, MM Office, Quicken, etc…

If you need further assistance in recovering your Dell System, please visit us at our computer message boards here.

Related Dell Links:

Dell’s Driver’s Page

If you have damaged or misplaced your Dell driver disk that shipped with your Dell PC, you can still download the drivers necessary to run the hardware on your computer.  Dell makes it easy to obtain this information via their website.  You will need to know the model and possibly the serial number of your PC.  This information can normally be found on the faceplate of the case, or on a sticker located on the side of the Dell computer.

Finding Dell Drivers for your PC

What are Device Drivers? A driver is a piece of software that controls hardware, such as a printer, sound card, network adapter, etc.  When you receive your new Dell, you probably received a couple of disks.  One would contain the Operating System and the other would contain the Applications and Drivers. Some newer model Dells may have their recovery software on a hidden partition on the hard drive.

Roll Back a Driver
Occasionally, you may need to roll-back a driver if you install updates to the current driver and you suddenly have problems with your computer.

If you continue to have problems with your drivers, you’ll need to either use your Dell driver disk or go to the dell website and download the drivers for your specific computer.
If you need more help with your Dell Drivers, visit us at http://www.pctechbytes.net/forums/

Before you reformat your PC, or if you realize you have misplaced the the Dell driver disk that came with your computer, you should visit Dell’s website and download the software drivers.

Visit The Dell Support Page Here. You will be asked to input your system’s model number or serial number.  You will then be taken to a page where you will have access to the device drivers for all of the hardware located on the PC.  Download these files and burn them to a disk or flash thumb drive so you can access them easily when you need them.

Installing Dell Drivers

If you have formatted the disk, you may realize that nothing is working the way it should.  While Windows will do its best to located and install a suitable driver to match up with the hardware, usually Windows will give up and classify the hardware as an Unknown Device in the Device Manager.  The Device Manager is located in the Control Panel under the System icon.

You should install the drivers you have downloaded, then remove those unknown devices from the Device Manager.  Once done you can reboot the computer.  Upon reboot, Windows will find the new hardware and then immediately load the driver for it.

Remember to keep your drivers and other software from Dell in a safe place.  You will eventually need to reinstall these drivers due to a reinstall or spyware or virus infection.

If you need more help with Dell Recovery, visit our Dell Recovery page.