Troubleshooting
Dell SupportAssist Pre-boot System Performance Check
diagnostics
About this task
SupportAssist diagnostics (also known as system diagnostics) performs a complete check of your hardware. The Dell SupportAssist
Pre-boot System Performance Check diagnostics is embedded with the BIOS and is launched by the BIOS internally. The embedded
system diagnostics provides a set of options for particular devices or device groups allowing you to:
● Run tests automatically or in an interactive mode
● Repeat tests
● Display or save test results
● Run thorough tests to introduce additional test options to provide extra information about the failed device(s)
● View status messages that inform you if tests are completed successfully
● View error messages that inform you of problems encountered during testing
NOTE: Some tests for specific devices require user interaction. Always ensure that you are present at the computer terminal
when the diagnostic tests are performed.
For more information, see the knowledge base article 000180971.
Running the SupportAssist Pre-Boot System Performance Check
Steps
1. Turn on your computer.
2. As the computer boots, press the F12 key as the Dell logo appears.
3. On the boot menu screen, select the Diagnostics option.
4. Click the arrow at the bottom left corner.
Diagnostics front page is displayed.
5. Click the arrow in the lower-right corner to go to the page listing.
The items detected are listed.
6. To run a diagnostic test on a specific device, press Esc and click Yes to stop the diagnostic test.
7. Select the device from the left pane and click Run Tests.
8. If there are any issues, error codes are displayed.
Note the error code and validation number and contact Dell.
System-diagnostic lights
The power-status light indicates the power status of the computer. These are the power states:
Solid white—Computer is in S0 state. This is the normal power state of the computer.
Blinking white—Computer is in a low-power state, S3. This does not indicate a fault.
Solid amber—Computer is experiencing a boot failure, including the power-supply unit.
Blinking amber—Computer is experiencing a boot failure but the power-supply unit is functioning correctly.
Off—Computer is in hibernation mode or turned off.
The power-status light may also blink amber or white according to predefined "beep codes" indicating various failures.
For example, the power and battery-status light blinks amber two times followed by a pause, and then blinks white three times
followed by a pause. This 2,3 pattern continues until the computer is turned off, indicating no memory or RAM is detected.
The following table shows different power and battery-status light patterns and associated problems.
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