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March 6th, 2020 11:00

Latitude 5401 blinking 2 amber, 8 white

Hi, looking for a diagnostic code for a Latitude 5401 - it's blinking 2 amber then 8 white. Dell's diagnostic codes stop at 2 amber, 7 white. Thanks in advance!

Community Manager

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2.3K Posts

January 3rd, 2023 06:00

The blinking pattern you’re observing (2 amber, 8 white) points to an LCD failure. Here are some steps to consider:

    • Check the Screen: Even if the screen appears to be working fine, there might be underlying issues with the LCD panel itself. Sometimes, subtle problems can cause this error code.

    • Reseat the LCD Cable: Open up your laptop (if you’re comfortable doing so) and reseat the LCD cable. Sometimes, loose connections can trigger false error codes.

    • Hold the Power Button: Try holding down the power button for about 30 seconds while the laptop is in Windows. This action can sometimes reset certain components and resolve the issue.

    • CMOS Battery: If the problem persists, check the CMOS battery. A dead CMOS battery can sometimes cause unexpected errors. If you need to replace it, ensure you have your Bitlocker key handy if you’re using Bitlocker authentication.

    • Motherboard: If none of the above steps work, it’s possible that the issue lies with the motherboard. You might need to consider replacing it.

If you still need assistance, please contact support by clicking the ‘Get Help Now’ button located at the bottom right corner of the page. The button is marked with a help icon for easy recognition as per the picture below: 

(edited)

9 Legend

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47K Posts

March 6th, 2020 11:00

 

1 System Board: BIOS ROM failure System board, covers BIOS corruption or ROM error
2 Memory No memory/RAM detected
3
  • System board failure
  • Chipset Error
  • Clock failure
  • Gate A20 failure
  • Super I/O failure
  • Keyboard controller failure
System board failure
4 Memory Memory/RAM failure
5 Real-time clock failure
  1. Reseat the CMOS battery connection
  2. If the problem persists, possible battery failure or system board failure
6 Video BIOS Video card/chip failure
7 CPU Processor failure
8 LCD LCD failure

2 Posts

March 6th, 2020 11:00

Thanks for the info. The screen seems to be working fine, is there something else that might make the computer think the LCD is failing? 

 

ETA: those codes are from the second link - those are error codes for tablets.

1 Message

August 17th, 2020 07:00

I have latitude 7400 . Faced same problem so dell changed motherboard but after 2 weeks same problem came.

1 Message

August 28th, 2020 11:00

I have the same problem as you, but my device is precision 7540. I also contacted dell and got an answer that this is the motherboard fault.

Screenshot_20200829-014654.jpg

And the solution to this problem is to replace a different motherboard (but I'm not sure these refurbished boards won't continue to have the same problem).

1 Message

April 6th, 2022 10:00

Hi All, I had a similar issue (2 amber and 8 white flashes) with my Latitude 5410, I thought I was going to need a new motherboard, but after holding the power button for about 30 seconds (Dell tech advised), this is while in Windows, the error code/lights when away. I hope they stay off. Thanks!

1 Message

April 12th, 2022 05:00

This also worked for me. The laptop had no other symptoms and was working fine. It just had the blinking lights. Dell latitude 5500. 

189 Posts

October 17th, 2022 17:00

be careful doing the 20 seconds power button hold.  this resets the bios.. if you have Bitlocker authentication on, you will need your bitlocker key or you will be in trouble..   Also your bios will need to be fully reconfigured to the way it was, so if you are running a custom setup (eg, forcing descrete graphics, etc) then you will need to reconfigure this also

1 Message

October 25th, 2022 13:00

After trying everything above, I even tried removing the base and unplug and re-plug in the LCD cable.   Still has the same issue.   

November 8th, 2022 09:00

I found this Diagnostic LED guide from the Dell website very helpful for a similar issue I was experiencing. Some of the links others have posted in this thread helped me find it. Here's a direct link: https://www.dell.com/support/kbdoc/en-us/000127927/a-reference-guide-for-latitude-notebook-and-tablet-diagnostic-indicators

 

1 Message

December 1st, 2022 09:00

That is not entirely true. That will only happen if your cmos battery is dead already. your essesntially draining residual power when you hold the button down. 

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