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Enhanced Pre-Boot System Assessment (ePSA)
diagnostics
About this task
The ePSA diagnostics (also known as system diagnostics) performs a complete check of your hardware. The ePSA 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.
Running the ePSA diagnostics
Steps
1. Turn on your computer.
2. As the computer boots, press the F12 key as the Dell logo appears.
3. If no keyboard attached, Press and hold the volume up key to access the one time boot menu.
4. On the boot menu screen, select the Diagnostics option.
5. Click the arrow at the bottom left corner.
Diagnostics front page is displayed.
6. Click the arrow in the lower-right corner to go to the page listing.
The items detected are listed.
7. To run a diagnostic test on a specific device, press Esc and click Yes to stop the diagnostic test.
8. Select the device from the left pane and click Run Tests.
9. If there are any issues, error codes are displayed.
Note the error code and validation number and contact Dell.
Built-in self-test (BIST)
M-BIST
M-BIST (Built In Self-Test) is the system board's built-in self-test diagnostics tool that improves the diagnostics accuracy of
system board embedded controller (EC) failures.
NOTE:
M-BIST can be manually initiated before POST (Power On Self Test).
How to run M-BIST
NOTE:
M-BIST must be initiated on the system from a power-off state either connected to AC power or with battery only.
1. Press and hold both the M key on the keyboard and the power button to initiate M-BIST.
2. With both the M key and the power button held down, the battery indicator LED may exhibit two states:
a. OFF: No fault detected with the system board
b. AMBER: Indicates a problem with the system board
3. If there is a failure with the system board, the battery status LED will flash one of the following error codes for 30 seconds:
Troubleshooting
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