Dell Latitude C640: Running the Dell Diagnostics

Running the Dell Diagnostics

Dell provides a number of tools to help you if your computer does not perform as expected.

For information on these help tools, see "Getting Help" in your online User’s Guide.

If you have a computer problem and are unable to access the online User’s Guide, use the

Dell Diagnostics to help you determine the cause of the problem and to help you solve it.

The Dell Diagnostics are located on your hard drive.

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

Diagnostics before you call Dell technical support; the diagnostic tests provide information you

may need when you call.

1

Turn off the computer.

2 If the computer is docked, undock it.

3 Connect the computer to an electrical outlet.

4 Press and hold down the Dell AccessDirect™ button while you turn on the computer.

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 ; to continue to the

next test, press ; to retest the component that failed, press .

• If failures are detected during the Pre-boot System Assessment, write down the

error code(s) and then 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

.

5 Press any key to start the Dell Diagnostics from the Diagnostics Utility partition on

your hard drive.

System Information Guide 23