Dell Inspiron 9300 Troubleshooting

The touch pad is having trouble recognizing gestures and/or the left/right buttons are not working.

• If the touch pad still recognizes gestures and the buttons are functional, yet some gestures have stopped working, this may be a driver issue. Try downloading and installing this driver.

• If the touch pad fails to recognize ANY gestures or if the left/right buttons do not work, then replace the touchpad using this guide.

The monitor on the Dell Inspiron 9300 doesn’t show anything, and the computer is powered on.

• If the screen is black, yet the mouse/cursor is still visible on the screen, then the video driver(s) may need to be updated. Locate the service tag on the bottom of the computer and type it in here to identify and download the correct driver for the laptop.

• If the screen is black and the backlight appears to be lit, then try to adjust the dimmer settings by holding the "Fn" key and pressing the up arrow multiple times. If this brightens the display, then the problem was that the screen was dimmed too much. If this did not brighten the display, then the video driver(s) may need to be updated. Locate the service tag on the bottom of the computer and type it in here to identify and download the correct driver for the laptop.

• If the screen is black and there is no backlight, the LCD may be unplugged from the motherboard. Try reseating the LCD display cable.

• If the Inspiron 9300's screen is black or the screen is not functioning properly, the video card may need to be replaced. Make sure the new video card is compatible with the Inspiron 9300. To replace the video card, follow this guide.

The keys on the keyboard fail to respond or are broken/missing.

• If individual keys are sticky or missing, then try replacing the individual keys.

• If the keyboard as a whole is not responding when buttons are pressed, then the keyboard may need to be replaced by following these steps.

The computer will not start up properly when the power button is pressed.

• If the laptop will not turn on and seems unresponsive, then attempt a hard reboot. To perform a hard reboot, hold down the power button for 10-12 seconds to turn off the laptop, then wait about 10 more seconds. Next, attempt to turn on the computer as normal.

• If the computer is beeping instead of powering on, take note of the beeping pattern and use this website to further diagnose the issue.

• If the laptop will not power on and the lights on the hinge cover of the keyboard are blinking, then take note of the pattern and use LED Light Codes to further diagnose the issue.

• Sometimes the computer will not turn on because the power cord or battery are faulty. Make sure the power cord is properly plugged into the a power source and the computer, then check to see if the light on the AC Power Adapter is lit up. If the light is not on, then the power cord may need to be replaced. If the light is on, then the power cord is working properly, so verify that the battery is also working properly by removing the battery. Again, make sure the power cord is properly plugged into the computer, then attempt to turn on the computer without the battery. Now, if the computer powers on, then the battery is faulty and needs to be replaced.

• If the computer components are too hot, then the laptop will not boot up to protect itself from thermal damage. A good indicator that this is the issue is if the computer feels hot-to-touch, although, it does not need to feel hot to be encountering this issue. Does the computer restart after allowing it time to cool off? If yes, then the computer was not turning on due to extreme heat. Try keeping the laptop in an air conditioned environment and try to avoid leaving it outside or in vehicles for extended periods of time. If the computer continually shuts down abruptly due to overheating, then see this section.

• Verify that the correct RAM is installed in the laptop. If the laptop turns on, but a blue screen pops up with the BIOS in it, and the operating system will not boot up, then the cause of the problem might be a damaged RAM, and it may need to be replaced. Follow this guide to replace the RAM.

• If the laptop will not turn on, then the hard drive might have failed, and may need to be replaced. Replace the hard drive using this guide.

• If the laptop will not turn on, then it may be due to a failing motherboard, which would need to be repaired or replaced. Try repairing or replacing the motherboard.

The computer shuts itself off without warning.

Overheating is a common cause of abrupt shutdown and is arguably the most common issue with the Inspiron 9300. The 9300 is programmed to shutdown when it is too hot to prevent thermal damage to its parts. The computer can have overheating issues even if it is not hot-to-touch.

• Over time, and debris can build up inside the computer, causing it to overheat. To remove the dust and debris, use a compressed air duster to blow air through the laptop's vents, fans, and inner compartments.

• The computer may not have enough contact between the heat sink and processor. This can be caused by insufficient thermal paste or air pockets within the thermal paste. To fix this, completely clean all old thermal paste with alcohol, then reapply a new bead of thermal paste in the center of the processor. Gently press down on the heat sink and tighten the screws in an alternate pattern making sure not to over tighten.

• The Inspiron 9300 has two fans inside the computer. Attempt to listen to the fans and determine if one is not working properly. The fans are located on the back corners of the computer. It is possible to feel air blowing out of the ports located on the backside of the computer, so perform this action to verify the fans are functioning. If a fan is not functioning properly, then it may need to be replaced.

One or more components of the computer are not functioning properly.

• To help diagnosis any faulty hardware, restart the computer, then press and hold the F12 as the laptop turns on. This should lead to the diagnostic partition. Run diagnostic tests on all of the components (ie. hard drive, memory (RAM), motherboard, etc.) until the issue is found. If the diagnostic partition cannot be accessed or does not isolate the issue, then review the potential causes below. (Note: These diagnostics may take a significant amount of time.)

• Faulty Memory (RAM) can cause abrupt shutdown. Try replacing the RAM using this guide.

• If the battery drains extremely fast or cannot hold a charge on its own, then it could cause abrupt shutdowns. Plug the computer into a direct power source and remove the battery, then attempt to start up the computer. Alternatively, one could replace the current battery with a different battery to determine if the current battery was faulty. If the battery is faulty, replace the battery.

• A bad motherboard can cause abrupt shutdown. Overheating can cause significant damage to the motherboard, causing it to fail. Try replacing or repairing the motherboard.

• A faulty video card can cause abrupt shutdown. If internet access is possible, then attempt to run a Dell diagnostic test. If the video card is faulty, then it may need to be replaced.
• Another possibility is that the video card's drivers need to be updated (or rolled-back). Enter the service tag of the laptop on this website to re-download and install the correct drivers.

• If the laptop shuts down abruptly when moved, then it may have loose components or loose connectors inside the computer. To fix this issue, re-seat all of the computer components and reconnect all of the connectors.

• Sometimes a program can monopolize the computer's CPU and memory usage, which can cause the laptop to overheat and shut down. To determine if this is the issue, open the Task Manager by pressing Ctrl+Shift+Esc and review the computer's CPU and memory usage. This issue could also be cause by malware. If malware is suspected to be the cause, then try running a full scan of the computer with an antivirus software and remove any malicious files.

The laptop is having trouble connecting to the internet.

• If the computer is having trouble connecting to the internet try reinstalling Wifi Card drivers and the Network Connection drivers. If the problem continues, then contact your internet service provider (ISP) for further assistance.

Dell External Links:

1. Dell Inspiron 9300
2. Drivers & Additional Support