How to Run the Dell Monitor Built-in Diagnostics

Monitors with a Joystick:

1. Ensure that the screen is clean. (That there are no dust particles on the surface of the screen.)

2. Press the joystick to launch the On-Screen Display (OSD) Menu Launcher.

   

   (Figure.1 The Joystick is situated on the rear of the Monitor)

3. Move the joystick up to select and open the Main Menu.

   

   (Figure.2 Navigation Arrows)

4. Move the joystick to navigate and select Others and then Self-Diagnostic to initiate the BID.

   

   (Figure.3 On-screen menu)

5. When a solid gray screen appears, inspect the screen for abnormalities.

6. Tap the joystick again. The color of the screen changes to solid red. When the red screen appears, carefully inspect the screen for abnormalities.

7. Repeat step six to inspect the display in solid green, solid blue, solid black, solid white, and then on-screen text.

8. Tap the joystick to exit the test.

9. If you do not detect any screen abnormalities during the BID pattern, the monitor is functioning properly. Go troubleshoot the graphics card and computer.

Monitors without a Joystick:

1. Ensure that the screen is clean. (That there are no dust particles on the surface of the screen.)

2. Press the Menu button to launch the OSD menu.

   

   (Figure.4 Menu buttons)

3. Use the front panel buttons to navigate to Diagnostics.

   

   (Figure.5 Front panel buttons)

4. Select Others then Self-Diagnostic to initiate the BID.

   

   (Figure.6 On-screen menu)

5. When the solid gray screen appears, inspect the screen for abnormalities.

6. Press the front panel button again. The color of the screen changes to solid red. Inspect the screen for abnormalities.

7. Repeat step six to inspect the display in solid green, solid blue, solid black, solid white, and then on-screen text.

8. Press the front panel button to exit the test.

9. If you do not detect any screen abnormalities during the BID pattern, the monitor is functioning properly. Go troubleshoot the graphics card and computer.

Alienware Monitors with a Joystick, without Function Buttons:

1. Ensure that the screen is clean. (That there are no dust particles on the surface of the screen.)

2. Press the joystick to launch the On-Screen Display (OSD) Menu Launcher.

   

   (Figure.7 The Joystick is situated under the Monitor)

3. Move the joystick up to select and open the Main Menu.

   

   (Figure.8 Navigation Arrows)

4. Move the joystick to navigate and select Others and then Self-Diagnostic to initiate the BID.

   

   (Figure.9 On-screen menu)

5. When a solid gray screen appears, inspect the screen for abnormalities.

6. Tap the joystick again. The color of the screen changes to solid red. When the red screen appears, carefully inspect the screen for abnormalities.

7. Repeat step six to inspect the display in solid green, solid blue, solid black, solid white, and then on-screen text.

8. Tap the joystick to exit the test.

9. If you do not detect any screen abnormalities during the BID pattern, the monitor is functioning properly. Go troubleshoot the graphics card and computer.

Portable Monitors with ComfortView:

1. Ensure that the screen is clean. (That there are no dust particles on the surface of the screen.)

2. The ComfortView button is marked with the icon of an eye. The button is on the left-hand side of the folding base.

   

   (Figure.10 The ComfortView button is situated on the folding base of the Monitor)

3. Press and hold the ComfortView button for about three seconds to launch the On-Screen diagnostic pattern.

   

   (Figure.11 The buttons on the left-hand side of the base)

4. When a solid gray screen appears, inspect the screen for abnormalities.

5. Use the brightness button + to change through the remaining test patterns.

6. Repeat steps four and five to inspect the display in solid red, solid green, solid blue, solid black, solid white, and then on-screen text.

7. Use the brightness button + again to exit the test screens.

8. If you do not detect any screen abnormalities during the BID pattern, the monitor is functioning properly. Go troubleshoot the graphics card and computer.

Monitors without a Joystick:

1. Ensure that the screen is clean. (That there are no dust particles on the surface of the screen.)

2. Press and hold the button to the left of the Power Button for four seconds until a menu appears.

   

   (Figure.12 Front panel buttons)

3. Select the diagnostic tool to start the BIST pattern.

   

   (Figure.13 On-screen Icon)

4. When a solid gray screen appears, inspect the screen for abnormalities.

5. Press the first button (one). (The button furthest away from the power button.) The color of the screen changes to solid red. When a solid red screen appears, carefully inspect the screen for abnormalities.

   

   (Figure.14 Front panel buttons)

6. Repeat step five to inspect the display in solid green, solid blue, solid black, solid white, and then on-screen text.

7. Press the first button (one) again, to exit the test.

8. If you do not detect any screen abnormalities during the BIST pattern, the monitor is functioning properly. Go troubleshoot the graphics card and computer.

Monitors with a Joystick: (Non-Gaming)

1. Ensure that the screen is clean. (That there are no dust particles on the surface of the screen.)

2. Tap and hold the joystick up, down, left, or right for about four seconds until a menu appears.

   

   (Figure.15 Joystick on the rear of the monitor)

3. Tap the joystick to highlight the Diagnostics icon. Press the center of the joystick to start the BIST pattern.

   

   (Figure.16 Navigation Arrows)

4. When the solid gray screen appears, inspect the screen for abnormalities.

5. Press the center of the joystick again. The color of the screen changes to solid red. Inspect the screen for abnormalities.

6. Repeat step five to inspect the display in solid green, solid blue, solid black, solid white, and then on-screen text.

7. Press the center of the joystick again to exit the test.

8. If you do not detect any screen abnormalities during the BIST pattern, the monitor is functioning properly. Go troubleshoot the graphics card and computer.

Monitors with a Joystick and Function buttons that support Freesync: (S-series, Gaming, and Alienware)

1. Ensure that the screen is clean. (That there are no dust particles on the surface of the screen.)

2. Press and hold the fifth button (five) for four seconds until a menu appears.

   

   (Figure.17 Joystick and menu buttons)

3. Tap the joystick (button 1) to highlight the Diagnostics icon. Press the center of the joystick to start the BIST pattern. A solid gray screen is displayed.

   

   (Figure.18 Joystick and menu buttons)

4. When the solid gray screen appears, inspect the screen for abnormalities.

5. Press the center of the joystick again. The color of the screen changes to solid red. Inspect the screen for abnormalities.

6. Repeat step five to inspect the display in solid green, solid blue, solid black, and solid white.

7. Press the center of the joystick again to exit the test.

8. If you do not detect any screen abnormalities during the BIST pattern, the monitor is functioning properly. Go troubleshoot the graphics card and computer.

Monitors with a Joystick and Function buttons that support G-sync: (S-Series, Gaming, and Alienware)

1. Ensure that the screen is clean. (That there are no dust particles on the surface of the screen.)

2. Press and hold the third button (three) for five seconds to start the BIST pattern. A solid gray screen appears after one second.

   

   (Figure.19 Joystick and menu buttons)

3. When the solid gray screen appears, inspect the screen for abnormalities.

4. Press the third button (three) again. The color of the screen changes to solid red. Inspect the screen for abnormalities.

5. Repeat step four to inspect the display in solid green, solid blue, solid black, and solid white.

6. Press the third button (three) to exit the test after the solid white screen appears.

7. If you do not detect any screen abnormalities during the BIST pattern, the monitor is functioning properly. Go troubleshoot the graphics card and computer.

Large Interactive Monitors:

1. Ensure that the screen is clean. (That there are no dust particles on the surface of the screen.)

2. Touch and hold the seventh button (seven) for five seconds in lock Select Option.

   

   (Figure.20 Monitor settings touch buttons)

3. Touch the self-inspection icon. A solid gray screen appears.

   

   (Figure.21 Self-inspection Icon)

4. When the solid gray screen appears, inspect the screen for abnormalities.

5. Touch the front panel. The color of the screen changes to solid red. Inspect the screen for abnormalities.

6. Repeat step five to inspect the display in solid green, solid blue, solid black, solid white, and then on-screen text.

7. Press the front panel to exit the test after the text screen appears.

8. If you do not detect any screen abnormalities during the BIST pattern, the monitor is functioning properly. Go troubleshoot the graphics card and computer.

Alienware:

1. Ensure that the screen is clean. (That there are no dust particles on the surface of the screen.)

2. Unplug all video cables from the rear of the monitor. The monitor goes into the self-test mode.

3. Press and hold the third button (three) for five seconds to start the BIST pattern.

   

   (Figure.22 Front panel buttons)

4. When the solid gray screen appears, inspect the screen for abnormalities.

5. Press the third button (three) again. The color of the screen changes to solid red. Inspect the screen for abnormalities.

6. Repeat step five to inspect the display in solid green, solid blue, solid black, solid white, and then on-screen text.

7. Press the third button (three) to exit the test.

8. If you do not detect any screen abnormalities during the BIST pattern, the monitor is functioning properly. Go troubleshoot the graphics card and computer.

Monitors manufactured from March 2016 through 2019:

1. Ensure that the screen is clean. (That there are no dust particles on the surface of the screen.)

2. Unplug all video cables from the rear of the monitor. The monitor goes into the self-test mode.

3. Press and hold the first button (one) for five seconds to start the BIST pattern.

   

   (Figure.23 Front panel buttons)

4. When the gray screen appears, inspect the screen for abnormalities.

5. Press button one again. The color of the screen changes to red. Inspect the screen for abnormalities.

6. Repeat step five to inspect the display in green, blue, black, white, and text.

7. Press the button one to exit the test.

8. If you do not detect any screen abnormalities during the BIST pattern, the monitor is functioning properly. Check the graphics card and computer.

Monitors manufactured before March 2016:

1. Ensure that the screen is clean. (That there are no dust particles on the surface of the screen.)

2. Unplug all video cables from the rear of the monitor. The monitor goes into the self-test mode.

3. Press and hold both the first button (one) and the fourth button (four) simultaneously for two seconds to start the BIST pattern.

   

   (Figure.24 Front panel buttons)

4. When a solid gray screen appears, inspect the screen for abnormalities.

5. Press the first button (one). The color of the screen changes to solid red. When a solid red screen appears, carefully inspect the screen for abnormalities.

6. Repeat step five to inspect the display in solid green, solid blue, solid black, solid white, and then on-screen text.

7. Press the first button (one) to exit the test.

8. If you do not detect any screen abnormalities during the BIST pattern, the monitor is functioning properly. Go troubleshoot the graphics card and computer.