Troubleshooting; Dell Technical Update Service; Dell Diagnostics; When To Use The Dell Diagnostics - Dell Inspiron 640M Owner's Manual

Troubleshooting

Dell Technical Update Service

The Dell Technical Update service provides proactive e-mail notification of software and hardware
updates for your computer. The service is free and can be customized for content, format, and how
frequently you receive notifications.
To enroll for the Dell Technical Update service, go to support.dell.com/technicalupdate.

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 93 and run the Dell Diagnostics before you contact Dell for technical assistance.
NOTICE:
The Dell Diagnostics works only on Dell computers.
NOTE:
The Drivers and Utilities CD is optional and may not ship with your computer.
Start the Dell Diagnostics from either your hard drive or from the Drivers and Utilities CD (also
known as the ResourceCD).

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
1 Shut down the computer.
2 Connect the computer to an electrical outlet.
3 Diagnostics can be invoked 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
®
desktop. Then shut down your computer and try again.
"Contacting Dell" on page 135
Troubleshooting
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