PowerEdge Utility Partition & Utilities

Dell Diagnostics

Overview

Dell Diagnostics can check the functionality of a server's hardware without any additional equipment and without destroying any data. Diagnostics can verify the hardware is working properly or isolate the problem if it is not. If an issue arises that requires Dell assistance, the diagnostics tests can provide important information that will be helpful when speaking with a Dell technical support representative.

Features of Dell Diagnostics

Dell Diagnostics may be configured to run in many different ways through a series of menus and options:

• Options for running tests individually or collectively
  
  
• An option that allows selection of the number of times a test is repeated (useful for pinpointing intermittent problems)
  
  
• The ability to display or print test results or to save them in a file
  
  
• Options to temporarily suspend testing if an error is detected or to terminate testing when an adjustable error limit is reached
  
  
• Help messages that briefly describe each test and its parameters
  
  
• Status messages that inform you whether device group or device tests are completed successfully
  
  
• Error messages that appear if any problems are detected

When to Use Dell Diagnostics

Whenever a major component or device in the server does not function properly, a component failure could be to blame. As long as the microprocessor and the input and output components of the system (the monitor, keyboard, and diskette drive or hard drive if run from the utility partition) are working, Dell Diagnostics should function. If a particular component is suspected at fault, the appropriate diagnostics device group(s) or subtest(s) may be selected.