Online Dell diagnostics

If I remember correctly, that tests video streaming, hence the pipe image.

And it may take several minutes to run, so be patient...

Might I suggest that Dell make this a little more obvious either during the test or before the commencement of the test. 

I encountered the same issue and took the same preventative measures described here (immediately shut down the computer, ran a virus scan, etc).

I understand that for many years, video card diagnostics have altered the display (normally very briefly), however there is almost always a warning which states that the screen may flicker, etc during the test. Dell should include a screenshot of this diagnostics test to warn users a) that this is expected, and; b) how long it is expected to take to complete. 

Same here. I'm waiting for my factory reset on my dell because I saw this and panicked. If someone runs this app, it's probably because they already are experiencing some sort of error or looking for a virus. Probably not the best time to wipe the screen and show this image.

Hello, My friend also had this happen. Let me start at the beginning. We wanted to play a video game but then their laptop kept shutting off unexpectedly. We tried a couple of different things with no luck. And then I decided they go DELL.COM, to fix the issue. They found a diagnostic tool which they ran to try to fix the problem. They ran the program and the scariest rusty plumbing things I've ever laid eyes on appeared. A green goo seeped from the plumbing things and ran up and down between them like it was loading but it wasn't. This went on for several minutes in which we gasped in horror. We both started to freak out and we thought it was over but then the spaceships came. It was straight out of a retro-style spaceship game with gray spaceships and flashing lights. My friend was convinced they got hacked so quickly turned off their laptop to escape the hacker. DELL needs to warn people of this sci-fi horror show. I hated everything about the experience and we never ended up playing the game.

Wow. It's 2021 and that scary as h3ll rusty pipes coming straight from a horror movie is still there making more victims of quasi-heart attacks. The aesthetics of this image is one you would expect from malevolent individuals who have hacked your machine. Not from a computer manufacturer. Why is it still there??

I totally agree with several of the people here. I have used Support Assist on several occasions and for once I tried the diagnostics and freaked out when i saw the screen go black and the pipes and green goo appear. I was sure that  the next thing i would see would be a ransom demand. I did the same as others - shut down, turned off my router and restarted and carried out several scans. Are the people at Dell so dense that they do not realise that the user will think something is seriously wrong when this nonsense happens!? Utterly idiotic!