User's Guide

Starting the Dell Diagnostics

The Dell Diagnostics is located on a hidden Diagnostic utility partition on your hard drive.

1. Shut down the computer.

2. If the computer is connected to a docking device (docked), undock it. See the documentation that came

with your docking device for instructions.

3. Connect the computer to an electrical outlet.

4. Turn on the computer. When the DELL™ logo appears, press <F12> immediately. If you wait too long

and the Microsoft® Windows® logo appears, continue to wait until you see the Windows desktop. Then

shut down your computer and try again.

5. When the boot device list appears, highlight Diagnostics and press <Enter>.

The computer begins to run the Pre-boot System Assessment, a series of embedded diagnostics that

perform initial testing on your system board, keyboard, hard drive, and display.

During the assessment, answer any questions that appear.

If a component failure is detected, the computer stops and beeps. To stop the assessment and

reboot to the operating system, press <N>; to continue to the next test, press <Y>; to retest

the component that failed, press <R>.

If failures are detected during the Pre-boot System Assessment, write down the error code(s)

and contact Dell

before continuing on to the Dell Diagnostics.

If you receive a message stating that no Diagnostics utility partition has been found, follow the

instructions on the screen to run the Dell Diagnostics from your Drivers and Utilities CD.

If the Pre-boot System Assessment completes successfully, you receive the message

Booting Dell

Diagnostic Utility Partition. Press any key to continue

6. Press any key to start the Dell Diagnostics from the Diagnostics utility partition on your hard drive.

7. After the Dell Diagnostics loads and the Main Menu screen appears, click the button for the option you

want.

NOTE: If your computer cannot display a screen image, contact Dell.

NOTE: If you cannot see anything on your display, you can hold down the mute button and press the

power button (instead of F12) to begin the Dell Diagnostics. You do not need to highlight Diagnostics

and press <Enter>. The computer automatically runs the Pre-boot System Assessment.

NOTE: The Service Tag for your computer is located in the title bar of each screen.

Option Function

Express

Test

Performs a quick test of devices. The test typically takes 10 to 20 minutes and

requires no interaction on your part. Run Express Test first to increase the

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