20 Setup and Quick Reference Guide
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Dell Diagnostics
When to Use the Dell Diagnostics
If you experience a problem with your computer, perform the checks in "Solving Problems"
in the User’s Guide and run the Dell Diagnostics before you contact Dell for technical
assistance. Running the Dell Diagnostics may help you resolve the problem without
contacting Dell. If you do contact Dell, the test results can provide important information
for Dell's service and support personnel.
NOTICE: If your hard drive fails, run the Dell IDE Hard Drive Diagnostics (see "Running the
Dell IDE Hard Drive Diagnostics" on page 21).
Starting the Dell Diagnostics
Enter system setup as explained in the User’s Guide, review your computer’s configuration
information, and ensure that the device you want to test displays in system setup and is
active.
Start the Dell Diagnostics from either your hard drive or from the Drivers and Utilities CD
(also known as the ResourceCD).
Starting the Dell Diagnostics From Your Hard Drive
1Shut down and restart the computer.
2When the DELL™ logo appears, press <F12> immediately.
NOTE: If you receive a message stating that no Diagnostics utility partition has been found,
follow the instructions to run the Dell Diagnostics from your Drivers and Utilities CD.
If you wait too long and the Windows logo appears, continue to wait until you see the
Windows desktop. Then shut down your computer through the Start menu and try
again.
3When the boot device list appears, highlight Boot to Utility Partition and press
<Enter>.
4When the Dell Diagnostics Main Menu appears, select the test you want to run.
5Close the test screen to return to the Main Menu screen. To exit the Dell Diagnostics
and restart the computer, close the Main Menu screen.
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