From time to time, for troubleshooting ongoing issues, or to have peace of mind in the equipment status, Dell offers a built-in diagnostic utility on servers to check and verify the functionality of all server modules. This guide will walk you through the process of starting the Dell Diagnostic utility on a Dell PowerEdge server. 


Throughout these tests, especially during the Fan test, for the fans to vary in speed and intensity. This is normal operation under diagnostics.


Step-by-step guide

  1. If you are currently booted into Windows, go to Start → Restart to restart the computer. If the server is offline, hit the power button on the front side to turn the server on.

  2. During the BIOS boot screen, you will be presented with four options in the upper-right corner. You will want to hit the F11 key to enter BIOS Boot Manager. After hitting the F11 key, the text will change to Entering BIOS Boot Manager.
  3.  The BIOS Boot Manager menu will start up. You will want to select System Utilities at the bottom by clicking on it.
     
  4. Once inside the System Utilities menu, select the option Launch Diagnostics.
  5. After a few moments, the Pre-boot System Assessment utility will run and begin to automatically test all major components of the PowerEdge server.The left-side column lists the various components and current testing status. The right side column will list details regarding the Fans, Thermals, and Power.

    Status Icons

    Green Checkmark = Component passes all Dell baselines for acceptable ranges

    Blue Circle = The utility is currently testing that component

    Red X = Component has failed Dell baseline


    If any component fails the Dell baseline, the diagnostic will immediately display an alert. This alert contains the details of the failure, including server tag, error code, and validation code. You will need to provide this information to an EII Support representative for further assistance.

  6. During the last portion of the diagnostic tests, the server memory will be tested. This process can take several minutes to complete.
  7. If all components pass their Dell baseline test, you will receive a confirmation screen reporting that all tests have passed.
  8. Click on the Exit button in the lower right corner to exit the diagnostic utility.
  9. Press OK to the prompt asking if you really want to Exit and Reboot.