Troubleshooting Dell Dock Issues
There are times where the Dell docking station might seem like it has failed or does not work. There are common steps to consider, and one last step that might resolve it.
- Are all of the cables plugged in?
- Make sure the power adapter is plugged into a surge bar or in a wall outlet (most have a green light to indicate power).
- Check that the cable from the power source to the power brick is plugged in.
- Verify that the power adapter is fully plugged into the docking station, and then plugged into the laptop.
- Does the laptop battery icon indicate it is charging?
- If no, and all of the above seems to be fully powered up until the laptop - it could be that the dock itself needs to be reset.
- Are you getting a dock fan failed message?
- It could be a physical failure, or it could be that the dock itself needs to be reset.
How to reset the docking station
Resetting the docking station is fairly simple, but does require you to unplug all of the cables connected to it.
- Unplug the dock from the laptop
- Unplug the power cable going into the dock
- Unplug all other cables (monitor cables and USB devices like mouse/keyboard)
- Once the docking station is fully disconnected from everything,
- Press and Hold the power button on the dock for about one minute. This will discharge any residual power in the capacitors within the device.
- Plug the power cable back into the dock
- Plug the dock into the laptop
- Does the power LED on the cable plugged into the laptop light up?
- Does laptop seem to be charging? If not, let ITS know .
- If yes, plug in all remaining cables.
- Do the monitors and other devices seem to work like normal? If not, let ITS know.
Update the Drivers
Updating the drivers for the dock and your laptop is another good step to avoid or fix issues.
- Click on Start menu button
- Start typing or find: Dell Command Update
- Check for updates and install them (might require a reboot)
- If it doesn't seem to launch, contact ITS for assistance.