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C A N T H E C O M P U T E R F O R S P Y W A R E
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.
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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 15 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 media is optional and may not ship with your computer.
Enter system setup (see "System Setup Program" in your User's Guide), 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 media.
Starting the Dell Diagnostics From Your Hard Drive
The Dell Diagnostics is located on a hidden diagnostic utility partition on your hard drive.
NOTE:
If your computer cannot display a screen image, contact Dell (see "Contacting Dell" in your User's Guide).
1 Shut down the computer. Turn on (or restart) your computer.
2 If the computer is connected to a docking device (docked), undock it. See the documentation that
came with your docking device for instructions.
3 Connect the computer to an electrical outlet.
4 Diagnostics can be invoked in one of two ways:
Turn on the computer. When the DELL™ logo appears, press <F12> immediately. Select
a
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
Press and hold the <Fn> key while powering the computer on.
b
NOTE:
If you see a message stating that no diagnostics utility partition has been found, run the Dell
Diagnostics from the Drivers and Utilities media.
If you are experiencing slow computer performance, you
—
See "Dell Diagnostics" on page 17. If all tests run successfully, the error
—
.
®
desktop. Then shut down your computer and try again.
Quick Reference Guide
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