DECpc 320P Troubleshooting Guide
Fault-finding for the DECpc 320P, using GRiD's user guide for the GRiD 1755, the same design; the 320P's rating label carries the number 1755.[1][2] Battery faults are covered on DECpc 320P Battery Replacement.
Power and battery symptoms
[edit | edit source]| Symptom | Probable cause | Action |
|---|---|---|
| BATT indicator red with a continuous tone | Battery too low for normal operation; the machine switches off in about 2 minutes | Save work, connect the adapter or a charged pack. Fn+F5 silences the tone[3] |
| BATT indicator orange and blinking | Battery removed while on AC, or battery damaged | Refit or replace the pack[3] |
| BATT indicator red only during disk activity | Normal under heavy load | No action if it goes out when the drive stops[3] |
| Battery drains while the adapter is plugged into the computer but not the mains | Expected | Plug the adapter into the mains[4] |
| Power indicator orange | Processor switched to 10 MHz | Press Fn+F3 to return to 20 MHz[5] |
| Display dark but the machine is running | Display timeout, Standby, or Fn+F7 pressed | Press a key, or press Fn+F7[6][5] |
| Display blank with an external monitor connected | Output switched to the external port | Press Fn+F2[5] |
Resume problems
[edit | edit source]- Some applications lock up when Resume is used. Press the RESET button on the left side of the computer with the tip of a pen; unsaved data is lost.[7]
- Software that uses the 386's virtual 8086 mode conflicts with Resume. GRiD lists Windows 3.0 in its 386 mode and EMM386.SYS; Resume cannot be used with them.[8]
- An expanded memory manager other than GRiD's TEMM1755.SYS or EMM386.SYS may not recognise the video ROM. Exclude the area from C600 to C800 in its configuration.[8]
- If the machine has been off longer than the resume battery can hold, it starts normally and unsaved work is lost. The resume battery recharges only from a fitted, charged main pack.[7]
Diagnostics
[edit | edit source]GRiD supplied a diagnostics program, DIAG1755, on the 1755's utilities diskette. Started with a:diag1755, it offers to print its output, then presents a menu of tests: main board, base and extended RAM, keyboard, floppy disk drive, hard disk drive, video, printer port and serial ports. The serial port test includes internal and external loopback tests; the external test needs a loopback plug.[9]
Disk drives
[edit | edit source]For the 3.5-inch diskette drive see Floppy Drive Repair; for the 2.5-inch hard disk, Hard Drive Maintenance and Repair. Fn+F4 spins the hard disk down until it is next accessed.[5]
Related pages
[edit | edit source]References
[edit | edit source]- ↑ GRiD Systems Corporation, GRiD 1755 Users Guide, 1991 (File:GRiD 1755 User Guide.pdf). Catalogued on archive.org as covering the GRiD 1755, DECpc 320p and Tandy 3820HD.
- ↑ Maynard Historical Society Archives, "DECpc 320p Notebook Portable Computer", item 2023.52, rating label photograph, collection.maynardhistory.org.
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 GRiD, GRiD 1755 Users Guide, pp. 11 to 12, "Low-Battery Indications".
- ↑ GRiD, GRiD 1755 Users Guide, p. 10. Charging notes.
- ↑ 5.0 5.1 5.2 5.3 GRiD, GRiD 1755 Users Guide, pp. 36 to 37, "Special Key Combinations".
- ↑ GRiD, GRiD 1755 Users Guide, pp. 30 to 34, Setup parameters and timeouts.
- ↑ 7.0 7.1 GRiD, GRiD 1755 Users Guide, pp. 15 to 16, "Using Resume".
- ↑ 8.0 8.1 GRiD, GRiD 1755 Users Guide, pp. 131 to 132, Appendix C, "Configurations".
- ↑ GRiD, GRiD 1755 Users Guide, pp. 121 to 130, Appendix B, "Diagnostics".