Dell Latitude E6420 Troubleshooting

Device does not power on.

There may not be a problem with the laptop, the battery could just be drained. Plug the laptop in to the charger. According to Dell, the battery should take about 2 hours to charge.

A Dell laptop battery will begin to show a noticeably shorter run time after 18-24 months of use according to Dell. Plug the laptop into a charger that works. If the laptop does not charge, this is a sign of a faulty battery and the battery needs to be replaced. Replace the battery using this guide.

When a Dell laptop charging cable is plugged in, a blue light will turn on. Ensure that the power adaptor is fully plugged in. If this light is not on and the adapter is fully inserted, this is a sign of a faulty charging cable. A new charging cable should be purchased.

If the computer suddenly starts running slowly while loading or running a program, close all unnecessary programs and windows, as that uses needed RAM space.

Check the RAM card. If it appears damaged, it needs to be replaced. If it is unsecured, tighten it into place with a screwdriver.

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Unusual images appear on the screen.

If the screen displays strange or distorted images, has unusual color variations or hazy "static" on the screen, the graphics card may be malfunctioning or damaged. The graphics card may need to be replaced.

Overheating will be the most noticeable after rendering 3D models for a long time. The fan may sound louder than usual. If this happens, remove the graphics card and clean it using compressed air.

If the graphics card seems loose or not fully seated in the slot, ensure that they are screwed in tightly. If this doesn't fix the problem, the card should be replaced.

The device turns off after you power it on.

When a computer turn off immediately after you power it on, it usually has a really old CPU that limits the computer and you must replace it with a new CPU.

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Overclocking means making your CPU run faster . It will cause the CPU to increase the voltage, and will gradually damage the CPU by heat generated from the voltage, which means it will reduce the CPU's lifespan. Reduce the setting of the CPU to run slower, ideally to the standard official speed rating.

Screen does not display images.

The screen may have been accidentally disabled. It can usually be enabled by holding down the Fn key, to the left of the spacebar, and pushing the F5 key.

This is liquid crystal display. Check for physical damage to the screen. If there’s no screen damage, plug an external monitor into the laptop, and, if there’s images on the external monitor, there is probably damage to the LCD panel. This panel should be replaced. Replace the LCD screen using this guide.

Keyboard does not register typing.

The Dell Laptop’s existing keyboard driver may be outdated. To solve the issue, try restarting the computer by removing the battery and holding down the power button for 12 seconds. When it restarts, the driver will should be restarted. If this still doesn’t work, you must then connect your laptop to an external keyboard and test it. If the external keyboard is working, then the keys are the main issue.

The key’s hinges may have been damaged which have caused them to be misplaced. They are located under each key and look similar to a plastic clip. You must look up your hinge style and replace it with a new one.

A Dell laptop keyboard will begin to jam after crumbs have been inside the keyboard. To check for crumbs inside the keyboard, face the keyboard down and gently shake the keyboard. You should also blow into the keyboard, this will remove any dust that’s causing the keys to jam.

Battery does not maintain a charge.

When a Dell Laptop battery is damaged, while charging it you will see a bright amber light flashing with a blue light. This means that there's a battery failure and you must purchase a new battery with an adapter. Replace the battery using this guide.

There may not be a problem with the laptop, the BIOS system is outdated. Power off the laptop and then turn it on again. Once the Dell home screen pops up, repeatedly tap “F2”. This will bring you to the BIOS default settings. From there you can update the BIOS system.

The entire cooling system of the Dell Laptop needs to replaced. Once the cooling system begins to slow down, it affects the CPU. A new cooling system should be purchased.

The device does not permit the access to the internet.

Sometimes the WiFi is deactivated by the Operating System (OS). In order to enable it, perform the following steps:

1. Search and click on Control Panel in the start menu
2. Make sure that Categories is selected in the arrow menu next to the text View by at the top right corner
3. Under the heading Network and Sharing Center, select View Network Status and Tasks
4. On the left side of the window, select Change Adapter Settings
5. Right click on the WiFi (or Wireless Network Connection) icon
6. Lastly, click on Enable

If you cannot get onto the internet, you may want to check your modem/router. It might be faulty. To fix it, power off and then turn back on the modem/router. Determine if the internet is enabled. If this happens to not be the case, a replacement will be needed. Contact your internet provider for a new one.

When there are object obstructing the path of the WiFi signals, the connection may be loss. To avoid this, make sure that there is a clear path between you device and modem/router.

The computer is hot to the touch on the bottom.

A number of viruses and spyware will cause extreme strain on your CPU. Your fan will not be able to move fast enough to cool down your strained device. In this event, you should contact your local computer repair business so that you can free your system of the various amounts of spyware that could be causing it to overheat. In the event that air has stopped flowing, your cooling fan must be replaced. Consult our easy to follow replacement guide here.

The first thing you need to do is check and see if your fan is running. If it is, you should feel and hear air blowing through your exhaust vent. One of the main reasons why your fan is not running or running slowly is the buildup of dust and other debris around the fan, motherboard, as well as other internal components of the laptop. In this event, you can follow our disassembly guide [here]. You should follow the step up until the point of fan removal, once you have reached this step, you can easily clean the inner components with a soft microfiber cloth. Reassemble your computer and let it run for at least a half an hour. In the event that the computer continues to overheat, your fan must be replaced. Follow our replacement guide Dell Latitude E6420 Fan Replacement to do so.

The disc tray will not move in/out of the laptop or the drive will not read discs.

The motors that force the drive in and out are not functioning. The first thing to try is to eject the drive within the computer’s applications. You can usually right click on the CD/DVD drive in the “My Computer” section and click the eject option. If that does not work, the best option is to force eject the drive. There is a larger button on the Dell Latitude E6420 to the right of the eject button on the CD/DVD Drive. Clicking this button will unlock the whole drive and it can be easily slid out of the socket by pulling lightly.

The CD/DVD will not boot up a disc inserted. Refer to the troubleshooting page on the Dell support website linked here. https://www.dell.com/support/article/us/... Another problem that might be causing this is that your disc is damaged or has not properly been cleaned. Remove your disc and gently clean your disc with a soft microfiber cloth. Reinsert your disc and allow it time your computer to process the disk. If this does not work, your best option is to replace the CD/DVD drive. You can do this by following our replacement guide Dell Latitude E6420 CD/DVD Drive Replacement