20 Quick Reference Guide
Starting the Dell Diagnostics From Your Hard DriveThe Dell Diagnostics is located on a hidden diagnostic utility partition on your hard drive.
NOTE: If your computer cannot display a screen image, contact Dell (see "Contacting Dell" in your online User’s Guide
for details).
NOTE: If the computer is connected to a docking device (docked), undock it. See the documentation that came
with your docking device for instructions.
1
Ensure that the computer is connected to an electrical outlet that is known to be working properly.
2
Turn on (or restart) your computer.
3
Start the Dell Diagnostics in one of the following two ways:
• When the DELL™ logo appears, press <F12> immediately. Select Diagnostics from the boot
menu and press <Enter>.
NOTE: If you wait too long and the operating system logo appears, continue to wait until you see the
Microsoft® Windows® desktop; then, shut down your computer and try again.
• Ensure that the computer is powered down completely. Press and hold the <Fn> key while
powering the computer on.
NOTE: If you see a message stating that no diagnostics utility partition has been found, run the Dell
Diagnostics from the Drivers and Utilities media.
The computer runs the Pre-boot System Assessment (PSA), a series of initial tests of your system
board, keyboard, display, memory, hard drive, etc.
• During the assessment, answer any questions that appear.
• If failures are detected during the Pre-boot System Assessment, write down the error code(s)
and see "Contacting Dell" in your online
User’s Guide
.
If the Pre-boot System Assessment completes successfully, you will receive the message,
"
Booting Dell Diagnostic Utility Partition
.
Press any key to
continue"
.
4
Press any key to start the Dell Diagnostics from the diagnostics utility partition on your harddrive.
Starting the Dell Diagnostics From the Drivers and Utilities Media1
Insert the
Drivers and Utilities
media.
2
Shut down and restart the computer.
When the DELL logo appears, press <F12> immediately.
NOTE: If you wait too long and the operating system logo appears, continue to wait until you see the
Microsoft® Windows® desktop; then, shut down your computer and try again.
NOTE: The next steps change the boot sequence for one time only. On the next start-up, the computer boots
according to the devices specified in the system setup program.
3
When the boot device list appears, highlight
CD/DVD/CD-RW
and press <Enter>.