Dell Precision M90: Dell Diagnostics When to Use the Dell Diagnostics Starting the Dell Diagnostics From Your Hard Drive
Dell Diagnostics When to Use the Dell Diagnostics Starting the Dell Diagnostics From Your Hard Drive: Dell Precision M90
Table of contents
- Notes, Notices, and Cautions Abbreviations and Acronyms
- Contents
- Finding Information What Are You Looking For? Find It Here
- What Are You Looking For? Find It Here
- What Are You Looking For? Find It Here
- Setting Up Your Computer
- About Your Computer Front View
- Left Side View Right Side View
- Back View
- Bottom View
- Using a Battery Battery Performance
- Checking the Battery Charge Dell™ QuickSet Battery Meter Microsoft Windows Power Meter Charge Gauge Check the Battery Charge
- Check the Battery Health Low-Battery Warning Conserving Battery Power
- Charging the Battery Replacing the Battery
- Storing a Battery Troubleshooting Lockups and Software Problems The computer does not start up The computer stops responding
- A program stops responding or crashes repeatedly A program is designed for an earlier Microsoft Windows operating system A solid blue screen appears Other software problems
- Dell Diagnostics When to Use the Dell Diagnostics Starting the Dell Diagnostics From Your Hard Drive
- Starting the Dell Diagnostics From the Drivers and Utilities CD Dell Diagnostics Main Menu Option Function
- Tab Function
BACK UP YOUR FILES IMMEDIATELY
USE A VIRUS-SCANNING PROGRAM TO CHECK THE HARD DRIVE, FLOPPY DISKS, OR CDS
SAVE AND CLOSE ANY OPEN FILES OR PROGRAMS AND SHUT DOWN YOUR COMPUTER THROUGH THE Start MENU
SCAN THE COMPUTER FOR SPYWARE — If you are experiencing slow computer performance, you frequently
receive pop-up advertisements, or you are having problems connecting to the Internet, your computer
might be infected with spyware. Use an anti-virus program that includes anti-spyware protection (your
program may require an upgrade) to scan the computer and remove spyware. For more information, go to
support.dell.com and search for the keyword spyware.
RUN THE DELL DIAGNOSTICS — See "Dell Diagnostics" on page 19. If all tests run successfully, the error
condition is related to a software problem.
Dell Diagnostics
CAUTION: Before you begin any of the procedures in this section, follow the safety instructions in the Product
Information Guide.
When to Use the Dell Diagnostics
If you experience a problem with your computer, perform the checks in "Lockups and Software
Problems" on page 17 and run the Dell Diagnostics before you contact Dell for technical assistance.
It is recommended that you print these procedures before you begin.
NOTICE: The Dell Diagnostics works only on Dell computers.
NOTE: The Drivers and Utilities CD is optional and may not ship with your computer.
Enter system setup, 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
1
Turn on (or restart) your computer.
a
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.
b
Press and hold the <Fn> key while powering the system 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 CD.
2
See "Contacting Dell" in your
User’s Guide
.
Quick Reference Guide 19
