Dell PowerEdge 860: Running the System Diagnostics
Running the System Diagnostics: Dell PowerEdge 860
Running the System Diagnostics
If you experience a problem with your system, run the diagnostics before calling for technical assistance.
The purpose of the diagnostics is to test your system's hardware without requiring additional equipment
or risking data loss. If you are unable to fix the problem yourself, service and support personnel can use
diagnostics test results to help you solve the problem.
Using Dell PowerEdge Diagnostics
®
®
To assess a system problem, first use the online Dell
PowerEdge
Diagnostics. Dell PowerEdge
Diagnostics is a suite of diagnostic programs, or test modules, that include diagnostic tests on chassis
and storage components such as hard drives, physical memory, communications and printer ports,
NICs, CMOS, and more. If you are unable to identify the problem using the PowerEdge Diagnostics,
then use the system diagnostics.
®
®
The files required to run PowerEdge Diagnostics for systems running supported Microsoft
Windows
and Linux operating systems are available at
support.dell.com
and on the CDs that came with your
system. For information about using diagnostics, see the
Dell PowerEdge Diagnostics User's Guide
.
System Diagnostics Features
The system diagnostics provides a series of menus and options for particular device groups or devices.
The system diagnostics menus and options allow you to:
• Run tests individually or collectively.
• Control the sequence of tests.
• Repeat tests.
• Display, print, or save test results.
• Temporarily suspend testing if an error is detected or terminate testing when a user-defined error
limit is reached.
• View help messages that briefly describe each test and its parameters.
• View status messages that inform you if tests are completed successfully.
• View error messages that inform you of problems encountered during testing.
Running the System Diagnostics 93
When to Use the System Diagnostics
If a major component or device in the system does not operate properly, component failure may be
indicated. As long as the microprocessor and the system's input/output devices (monitor, keyboard, and
diskette drive) are functioning, you can use the system diagnostics to help identify the problem.
Running the System Diagnostics
The system diagnostics can be run either from the utility partition on your hard drive or from removable
bootable media. You can create this media using the CDs that came with your system
or from the
diagnostic utility that you can download from support.dell.com.
NOTICE: Use the system diagnostics to test only your system. Using this program with other systems may cause
invalid results or error messages. In addition, use only the program that came with your system (or an updated
version of that program).
From the Utility Partition
1
As the system boots, press <F10> during POST.
2
From the utility partition main menu under
Run System Utilities
, select
Run System Diagnostics
.
From Removable Bootable Media
You can create a bootable diagnostic partition on a recordable CD, a USB flash drive, or on diskettes
using the CDs that came with your system, or the diagnostic utility that you can download from
support.dell.com.
1
Insert a recordable CD, USB flash drive, or writable diskette into your system.
2
Run the self-extracting diagnostic utility package from the diagnostic CD that came with your system
or the file you downloaded from
support.dell.com
.
3
Run the diagnostic utility and follow the on-screen instructions to create the diagnostic partition on
the removable media.
4
Restart the system, enter the System Setup program, and set the removable media type as the default
boot device.
See "Using the System Setup Program" on page 29
for instructions.
5
Ensure that the removable bootable media is inserted or attached to the system and reboot the system.
If the system fails to boot, see "Getting Help" on page 103.
When you start the system diagnostics, a message is displayed indicating that the diagnostics are
initializing. Then the
Diagnostics
menu appears. This menu allows you to run all or specific diagnostics
tests, or to exit the system diagnostics.
NOTE: Before you read the rest of this section, start the system diagnostics so that you can see the utility on your
screen.
94 Running the System Diagnostics
System Diagnostics Testing Options
Click the testing option in the
Main
Menu
window. Table 5-1 provides a brief explanation of testing
options.
Table 5-1. System Diagnostics Testing Options
Testing Option Function
Express Test Performs a quick check of the system. This option runs device tests
that do not require user interaction. Use this option to quickly identify
the source of your problem.
Extended Test Performs a more thorough check of the system. This test can take an
hour or longer.
Custom Test Tests a particular device.
Information Displays test results.
Using the Custom Test Options
When you select
Custom Test
in the
Main
Menu
window, the
Customize
window appears and allows you
to select the device(s) to be tested, select specific options for testing, and view the test results.
Selecting Devices for Testing
The left side of the
Customize
window lists
devices that can be tested. Devices are grouped by device type
or by module, depending on the option you select. Click the
(+)
next to a device or module to view its
components. Click
(+)
on any component to view the tests that are available. Clicking a device, rather than
its components, selects all of the components of the device for testing.
Selecting Diagnostics Options
Use the
Diagnostics Options
area to select how you want to test a device. You can set the following options:
•
Non-Interactive Tests Only
— When checked, runs only tests that require no user intervention.
•
Quick Tests Only
— When checked, runs only the quick tests on the device. Extended tests will not
run when you select this option.
•
Show Ending Timestamp
— When checked, time stamps the test log.
•
Test Iterations
— Selects the number of times the test is run.
•
Log output file pathname
— When checked, enables you to specify where the test log file is saved.
Running the System Diagnostics 95
Viewing Information and Results
The tabs in the
Customize
window provide information about the test and the test results. The following
tabs are available:
•
Results
— Displays the test that ran and the result.
•
Errors
— Displays any errors that occurred during the test.
•
Help
— Displays information about the currently selected device, component, or test.
•
Configuration
— Displays basic configuration information about the currently selected device.
•
Parameters
— If applicable, displays parameters that you can set for the test.
96 Running the System Diagnostics
