Number Of Times To Repeat Test(S); Maximum Errors Allowed; Pause For User Response; Output Device For Status Messages - Dell PowerEdge 4200 Installation And Troubleshooting Manual

Number of Times to Repeat Test(s)

This parameter specifies the number of times the tests run
when you select Run. To change the default, type the
desired value. If you type 0 (zero), the tests will run
indefinitely.

Maximum Errors Allowed

This parameter specifies the maximum number of errors
that can occur before testing is stopped. The error count
begins from zero each time you run a subtest or test
group individually or each time you select All to run all
of them. To change the default, type the desired value. If
you type 0 (zero), you are specifying that there be no
limit on the number of errors that can occur—testing will
not be stopped, regardless of the number of errors.

Pause for User Response

If this parameter value is set to Yes, the diagnostics
pauses when one of the following occurs:
•
Your interaction is needed to verify the Video Test
Group screens or the Keyboard Test Group key func-
tions, or another type of interaction, such as inserting
a diskette, is required.
•
The maximum error limit is reached.
If the Pause parameter is set to No, the diagnostics
ignores some subtests that require your interaction; cer-
tain subtests can run only if this option is set to Yes
because they require user interaction. Use the Pause
parameter in situations where you may want to prevent
subtests that require user interaction from running—such
as when you run the diagnostics overnight.

Output Device for Status Messages

Ordinarily, all status messages appear only on the screen.
This parameter allows you to direct status messages to
either a printer or a file, in addition to the screen. If you
choose the File option, status messages are written to a
file named result. This file is automatically created on a
diskette in drive A when you run the diagnostics. If the
result file already exists on the diskette, then new status
messages are added to it.
The result file is an ordinary American Standard Code
for Information Interchange (ASCII) text file. You can
access the result file with the MS-DOS
as follows:
1. Select Quit to exit the diagnostics and return to
the operating system prompt.
2. At the operating system prompt, type the appro-
priate command and press <Enter>:
type result
The contents of the file appear on the screen.
After running particular diagnostic tests and viewing the
status messages generated by the tests in the result file, you
can erase the contents of the file so that it is clear for the
next set of messages generated. Otherwise, the next mes-
sages are added at the end of the previous ones in the file.

Output Device for Error Messages

Ordinarily, all error messages appear only on the screen.
The Output Device for Error Messages parameter allows
you to direct error messages to either a printer or a file, in
addition to the screen. If you choose the File option, error
messages are written to the result file used for status mes-
sages. This file is automatically created on a diskette in
drive A when you run the diagnostics. If the result file
already exists on the diskette, then new error messages
are added to it.
The result file is an ordinary ASCII text file. You can
access and review the result file with the MS-DOS type
command as described in the previous subsection, "Out-
put Device for Status Messages."
After running particular diagnostic tests and viewing the
error messages generated by the tests in the result file, you
can erase the contents of the file so that it is clear for the
next set of messages generated. Otherwise, the next mes-
sages are added at the end of the previous ones in the file.

Test Limits

NOTE: The diagnostics program sets default limits on all
tests. The only reason to change the default would be to
limit the amount of testing done.
The RAM Test Group, the Video Test Group, the Diskette
Drives Test Group, the Hard-Disk Drives (Non-SCSI)
Test Group, the Serial/Infrared Ports Test Group, the Par-
allel Ports Test Group, and the SCSI Devices Test Group
allow you to designate limits. Whether you select Test
Limits for a highlighted test group (from the Main Menu)
Running the System Diagnostics
®
type command
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