Troubleshoot Adapter Cards

Troubleshoot Adapter Cards
In the last topic, you resolved problems with input devices. Adapter cards can also have problems. In this topic, you will troubleshoot adapter cards.
Your mechanic often knows just what component in your car is acting up based on your description of the way your vehicle is acting. Knowing the common problems associated with adapter cards will enable you to quickly correct the problems your users encounter. Being able to quickly resolve problems for your users will make them more productive.
Common Adapter Card Issues
Other than hardware or system resource conflicts, there are several common problems you will encounter with adapter cards.
Symptom Possible Causes and Solutions

Adapter works until you replace the system case.
Card works in all slots but one.

• ●  Possible cause: Adapter card is damaged or grounded against the case, or the cables are pinched, compressed, or pulled out if there is not enough room for all components in a low-profile or compact case.
  
• ●  Solution: Visually inspect card and case for bent or damaged areas. If the card is in contact with the case, it can cause electrical shorts or other faults.
  
• ●  Possible cause: Bus slot damaged.
  
• ●  Solution: Visually inspect the bus slot. Test the bus slot with a multimeter; voltages should be within prescribed ranges for the slot and adapter card. Take care when testing voltages on a PCI slot; if you short pins you can damage the system board or other components. If the damage is confirmed, use another slot or replace the system board.
  
• ●  Possible cause: Grounding or heat-related problems due to proximity to another card. This is very likely with the larger video cards with large heat sink/fan assemblies. Some cards can take up two slots and will generate considerable heat, which can overheat a card fractions of an inch away and with little if any airflow.
  
• ●  Solution: Move the cards to slots that are further apart.
  
• ●  Possible cause: Certain cards can conflict with cards in other slots.
  This is more common in older systems.
  
• ●  Solution: Check the manufacturer’s recommendations for spacing out cards, or using a specific recommended slot (for example, install a par- ticular card in the slot closest to the processor).
  
• ●  Possible cause: Cables not connected, loose, or damaged.
  
• ●  Solution: Visually inspect cards and cables and reconnect if necessary.
  

Card tests fine and slot tests fine, but services are unavailable.

Symptom
Services or devices work intermittently.

Possible Causes and Solutions
Possible causes:

• ●  Adapter card (or cards) not seated properly.
  
• ●  Hardware resource conflict.
  
• ●  Adapter card physically damaged.
  
• ●  Adapter card electronically damaged. Solutions:
  

• ●  Reseat adapter card (or cards).
  
• ●  Resolve any hardware resource conflicts.
  
• ●  Replace any adapter card that is physically damaged.
  
• ●  Replace any adapter card that is electronically damaged.
  

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How to Troubleshoot Adapter Cards
Procedure Reference: Troubleshoot PC Adapter Card Problems
To troubleshoot some of the most common problems with adapter cards:
see if this fixed the problem.

2. If a video card is having troubles, determine if it is in a PCI, ISA, or AGP slot. If it is not in the AGP slot, try moving the card to another slot. Because there is only one AGP slot on the system board, you cannot move an AGP card to a different slot.
   
3. Remove the card and press down on all four corners of socketed chips to verify that they are fully seated, and then reinstall the card.
   
4. If another hardware device has recently been added to the system, check Device Manager and verify that there is not a resource conflict between the device and the adapter card.
   
5. Verify that the drivers are properly installed. You could use the Add/Remove Hard- ware Control Panel utility to remove all the drivers for the card, then restart the system. It should detect the ′′new′′ hardware and install the drivers again. You can also remove the card, then restart to remove the drivers. Then, reinstall the cards. When you restart, the drivers should be installed. If you’re servicing a legacy system that doesn’t support PnP configuration, consult your adapter card’s documentation to determine how to verify, remove, or install the necessary drivers.
   
6. If necessary, update the firmware or drivers associated with the device.
   
   2. If
   

   you suspect a resource conflict between devices:
   

   1. Open Device Manager and display the Resources By Connection view.
      
   2. Determine if there is a conflict between any devices. ISA cards cannot use the same
      IRQ as another card. IRQs have been set aside for PCI cards to share with each other. However, the PCI cards cannot share that IRQ with ISA cards.
      
   3. Change the conflicting resource to an unused setting. This might be the IRQ, DMA, or I/O address.
      
   4. Verify that both devices now work properly.
      

   you suspect a card was damaged due to electrostatic discharge (from improper han- dling, power surges, or a lightning storm):
   

   3. If
   a. Check whether the card in question is listed in Device Manager.
   

   4. If
   

   2. Display Properties for the card and verify whether the Device Status indicates that it is working properly.
      
   3. If the device is not working properly, click Troubleshoot and follow the Troubleshoot Wizard steps.
      
   4. If the problem is not resolved, replace the card and verify that the problem has been resolved.
      you have a problem with a device, and replacing the device, device cable, and device
      

   power cord doesn’t fix it, then you should suspect the adapter card. This applies to any adapter card, including ISA, PCI, AGP, and others. To test if this is the problem:
   

   1. Remove the problem device from the port.
      
   2. Connect a replacement device to the port.
      
   3. If necessary, install drivers for the new device. If it works, then the adapter card is okay. If it doesn’t work, then try replacing the cable between the device and the port.
      
      Troubleshoot Multimedia Devices
      In the last topic, you resolved problems with adapter cards. Another group of peripheral devices that you need to be able to troubleshoot is multimedia devices. In this topic, you will troubleshoot multimedia devices.
      Although multimedia devices typically aren’t critical for a user to complete his or her work, they are usually the devices that give the user the most satisfaction while working. As an A+ technician, you can keep your users happy by making sure they’re able to take full advantage of the multimedia components included with their computers.
      Common Multimedia Device Issues
      
      There are common symptoms that you can encounter when troubleshooting multimedia devices.
      
      Symptom
      No sound coming out of the speakers. The speakers have never worked.
      

      Possible Problem and Solution
      Problem:
      

      • ●  The drivers are not installed or are corrupt.
        
      • ●  The speakers, sound card, or both are bad.
        Solution:
        

      • ●  Verify that the speakers are plugged into the correct port, turned on, and connected to the computer.
        
      • ●  Check the volume settings within Windows using Control Panel or the Volume System Tray icon.
        
      • ●  Verify that you’ve configured the sound card properly within Win- dows by using the Sounds And Audio Devices Properties dialog box.
        
      • ●  Check Device Manager to make sure it is reporting any problems with the sound card and its drivers.
        
      • ●  Install or reinstall the most current drivers for the sound card and computer operating system.
        
      • ●  Try plugging the speakers into a sound card that you know works to determine if they’re bad.
        
      • ●  Try plugging a known good pair of speakers into the suspect sound card to determine if it is bad.
        Problem:
        

      • ●  The microphone is plugged into the wrong port on the sound card.
        
      • ●  The microphone is muted within Volume Control.
        
      • ●  The microphone is bad.
        
      • ●  The microphone is not selected as the input device.
        
      • ●  The microphone is not sensitive enough, or the microphone came from another system and its sensitivity does not match the sound device’s specifications.
        Solution:
        

      • ●  Verify that the microphone is connected to the correct port on the sound card.
        
      • ●  Check the microphone volume settings by choosing Start→All Programs→Accessories→Entertainment→Volume Control.
        
      • ●  Test the microphone on a computer with a properly functioning sound card and microphone.
        
      • ●  Connect a known good microphone to the computer.
        
      • ●  Switch the audio mixer software to Recording and verify that the microphone is selected as the input device. In Windows, you can use the Sounds And Audio Devices Control Panel application to manage audio settings.
        
      • ●  In Windows, you can enable Mic Boost in the Sounds And Audio Devices Control Panel application.
        

      The microphone doesn’t work or is too low.
      

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