Umm - I'm not quite sure what you're trying to do. Dell Diagnostics is not a Windows program - those files are either for creating bootable disks or updating the utility partition on your hard drive.
Dell Diagnostics is accessible either by pressing F12 on the boot screen (utility partition) or by booting directly from a disk with Diagnostics installed, such as your Dell Resource/Utilities disk, or a diagnostics disk you create yourself from the downloadable files.
If you back up and explain a bit what you want there may be better ways to do it.
1. Double-click the new icon on the desktop labeled ddup1224.exe. 2. The Dell Diagnostic Update dialog box will appear. Click on the Update button. Perhaps she does not have a Utility Partition set up?
Bottom line, my niece's laptop gets extremely hot, and slows down every hour or so. She then has to turn it off and let it cool down. I wanted to run tests to see if all the fans we're working, etc.
Again, try to get into the utility partition by tapping F12 in the Dell boot screen. Choose utility partition, then choose Diagnostics.
If it won't work, your next option is the Dell Utilities and Drivers CD for that laptop. You can boot directly from the CD and run the tests that way.
Beyond that, the Laptop General Hardware forum would probably be a better fit for handling the overall problem; they can advise you better on what to look for and any other ways to diagnose it.
Thank you very much for your time. Diagnostics ran some tests, then said there was no partition. I'll try to create a diagnostic boot CD.
We also followed the documentation on taking out the CPU Thermal-Cooling assembly and got out some big chunks of dust. Hopefully that was the big in the machine.
Thank you very much for your time. Diagnostics ran some tests, then said there was no partition.
I'll try to create a diagnostic boot CD.
It sounds like either the diagnostics partition was removed, or that notebook never had it. Either way, booting from the Dell Resource CD (or creating a diagnostics CD) will be the best way to run the actual diags.
@JBrune wrote:
We also followed the documentation on taking out the CPU Thermal-Cooling assembly and got out some big chunks of dust. Hopefully that was the big in the machine.
Thank you again.
Yeah, dust on the heatsink and in the fan assembly can really make a difference in cooling on notebook computers. If you haven't already done so, make sure the air vents are cleaned out as wel, as I have seen that alone make a significant difference.
I am trying to run diagnostics on my Inspiron 700m, which also does not have the utility partition. The Dell downloads only show floppy diagnostics (which 700m does not have).
Is it easier to create a utility partition on the hard drive, or is there a CD image that can be used to create a diagnostics CD?
Hi Wino: One of the members here (Bay Wolf) has a set of zipped ISO's to burn a bootable diagnostic CD - or if you want you can order a set of replacement disks from Dell, including the OS installation and bootable Resource/Utilities CD:
Wino: I think your best bet may be the Laptop General Hardware Forum. From reading here I know that laptops usually have power management/speedstep settings that may be the source of the problem, but can't give you any details myself. The laptop hardware folks should be able to help you better:
Thanks - I ended up writing the Dell floppy files to a bootable USB stick.
The Del CPU test seemed pretty light - is there one that you recommend to really give the CPU a thorough test? I am experiencing progressive slow downs in processor speed (1.8GHz CPU). When I look at Start- right click My Computer- Properties, I get 1.79GHz at boot up (running from mains), but after less than 30 minutes, it drops to 598MHz, then around 220, a once down to 71MHz! A reboot fixes it - I recently installed a new hard drive with clean XP install, added SP3 and the Dell 700m drivers. Microsoft says that it is a hardware problem.
Alexandra_P
3 Apprentice
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2.6K Posts
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June 15th, 2008 15:00
Umm - I'm not quite sure what you're trying to do. Dell Diagnostics is not a Windows program - those files are either for creating bootable disks or updating the utility partition on your hard drive.
Dell Diagnostics is accessible either by pressing F12 on the boot screen (utility partition) or by booting directly from a disk with Diagnostics installed, such as your Dell Resource/Utilities disk, or a diagnostics disk you create yourself from the downloadable files.
If you back up and explain a bit what you want there may be better ways to do it.
JBrune
3 Posts
0
June 15th, 2008 19:00
Thank you for your response.
The instructions say;
1. Double-click the new icon on the desktop labeled ddup1224.exe.
2. The Dell Diagnostic Update dialog box will appear. Click on the Update button.
Perhaps she does not have a Utility Partition set up?
Bottom line, my niece's laptop gets extremely hot, and slows down every hour or so. She then has to turn it off and let it cool down. I wanted to run tests to see if all the fans we're working, etc.
Alexandra_P
3 Apprentice
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2.6K Posts
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June 15th, 2008 21:00
Again, try to get into the utility partition by tapping F12 in the Dell boot screen. Choose utility partition, then choose Diagnostics.
If it won't work, your next option is the Dell Utilities and Drivers CD for that laptop. You can boot directly from the CD and run the tests that way.
Beyond that, the Laptop General Hardware forum would probably be a better fit for handling the overall problem; they can advise you better on what to look for and any other ways to diagnose it.
http://www.dellcommunity.com/supportforums/board?board.id=insp_general
JBrune
3 Posts
0
June 16th, 2008 02:00
Thank you very much for your time. Diagnostics ran some tests, then said there was no partition. I'll try to create a diagnostic boot CD.
We also followed the documentation on taking out the CPU Thermal-Cooling assembly and got out some big chunks of dust. Hopefully that was the big in the machine.
Thank you again.
Larry R
2 Intern
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1.7K Posts
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June 16th, 2008 15:00
Yeah, dust on the heatsink and in the fan assembly can really make a difference in cooling on notebook computers. If you haven't already done so, make sure the air vents are cleaned out as wel, as I have seen that alone make a significant difference.
wino
113 Posts
0
July 1st, 2008 13:00
I am trying to run diagnostics on my Inspiron 700m, which also does not have the utility partition. The Dell downloads only show floppy diagnostics (which 700m does not have).
Is it easier to create a utility partition on the hard drive, or is there a CD image that can be used to create a diagnostics CD?
Thanks
Alexandra_P
3 Apprentice
•
2.6K Posts
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July 2nd, 2008 15:00
Hi Wino: One of the members here (Bay Wolf) has a set of zipped ISO's to burn a bootable diagnostic CD - or if you want you can order a set of replacement disks from Dell, including the OS installation and bootable Resource/Utilities CD:
http://www.bay-wolf.com/downloads.htm
http://support.dell.com/support/topics/global.aspx/support/dellcare/en/backupcd_form?c=us&l=en&s=gen&redirect=1
Alexandra_P
3 Apprentice
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2.6K Posts
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July 2nd, 2008 17:00
Wino: I think your best bet may be the Laptop General Hardware Forum. From reading here I know that laptops usually have power management/speedstep settings that may be the source of the problem, but can't give you any details myself. The laptop hardware folks should be able to help you better:
http://www.dellcommunity.com/supportforums/board?board.id=insp_general
wino
113 Posts
0
July 2nd, 2008 17:00
Alexandra,
Thanks - I ended up writing the Dell floppy files to a bootable USB stick.
The Del CPU test seemed pretty light - is there one that you recommend to really give the CPU a thorough test? I am experiencing progressive slow downs in processor speed (1.8GHz CPU). When I look at Start- right click My Computer- Properties, I get 1.79GHz at boot up (running from mains), but after less than 30 minutes, it drops to 598MHz, then around 220, a once down to 71MHz! A reboot fixes it - I recently installed a new hard drive with clean XP install, added SP3 and the Dell 700m drivers. Microsoft says that it is a hardware problem.
Thanks for any suggestions
Wino