HP OBXE2-DT User’s Guide

HP DiagTools

User’s Guide

Notice

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Edition History

Edition 1 (for Diagnostics ver. 2.x)

Edition 2 (for Diagnostics ver. 2.x)

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......................

November 1999

April 1999

Contents

Who Should Read This Book .......................................................................v

What is DiagTools?.........................................................................................v

Overview of DiagTools ..................................................................................v

Compatibility ................................................................................................ vi

Where to Get the Diagnostics Software..................................................... vi

Starting DiagTools .................................................................................. 1-1

Installing and Setting Up DiagTools ..............................................................1-2

Downloading the Latest Version from the Web .....................................1-2

Creating the DiagTools Floppy Diskette Locally.....................................1-3

Updating the DiagTools Files (For Network Administrators) ...............1-4

Before Running DiagTools..............................................................................1-5

Starting DiagTools ............................................................................................1-6

The Welcome Screen ......................................................................................1-8

Hardware Detection ...............................................................................2-1

Overview of Hardware Detection ..................................................................2-2

During Hardware Detection ......................................................................2-3

Hardware Detection Results......................................................................2-4

What is Detected ..............................................................................................2-5

If a PC Component is Not Detected...............................................................2-6

Basic System Test .................................................................................... 3-1

Overview of the Basic System Test ................................................................3-2

How to Run the Basic System Test ................................................................3-2

Test Result: PASS ..............................................................................................3-3

Test Result: FAIL ...............................................................................................3-4

What is Tested...................................................................................................3-6

Advanced System Tests ..........................................................................4-1

Overview of the Advanced System Tests ......................................................4-2

How to Enter the Advanced System Tests ....................................................4-2

Help on Advanced Tests .................................................................................4-3

How to Run an Advanced System Test.........................................................4-4

Batch Tests ........................................................................................................4-6

What to do if a Test Fails .................................................................................4-7

iii

The Support Ticket .................................................................................5-1

What is the Support Ticket? ............................................................................5-2

Creating a Support Ticket ...............................................................................5-2

Retrieving a Support Ticket ............................................................................5-3

Adding Comments to the Support Ticket .....................................................5-4

Hewlett-Packard Support and Information Services ........................... 6-1

Your HP Authorized Reseller..........................................................................6-2

Hewlett-Packard Information Services..........................................................6-3

HP Notebook World Wide Web................................................................6-3

HP Customer Care World Wide Web .......................................................6-3

Who Should Read This Book

This manual is for anyone who wants to:

Diagnose hardware problems on an HP notebook computer

•

Understand the purpose of DiagTools

•

Learn how to use DiagTools

•

Know what to do when a test fails

•

Provide HP-dedicated support agents with more information for solving

•

problems quickly and effectively

Find out where to get more information and support.

•

What is DiagTools?

The first step in solving a problem with a PC is diagnosis.

HP’s DiagTools helps you diagnose hardware-related problems on an HP notebook computer. It is a series of tools designed to help you to:

Verify the correct functioning of a notebook computer

•

Diagnose hardware-related problems

•

Prevent unneeded repair

•

Provide precise information to HP-dedicated support agents so that they can

•

solve any problem quickly and effectively.

DiagTools is not a repair tool.

Overview of DiagTools

The DiagTools utility has four parts:

Hardware Detection, which automatically detects the hardware configuration of

•

a notebook computer. Hardware detection is described in chapter 2.

The Basic Tests, which determine the correct functioning of the PC as a whole.

•

The basic test phase is described in chapter 3.

The Advanced Tests. These provide complete, in-depth testing and diagnosis of

•

the PC’s individual components. The advanced test phase is described in chapter 4.

• The Support Ticket, which is a complete record of the test results and the PC’s

configuration. The support ticket can be used to communicate the test results to your local or HP-dedicated support agent. This is described in chapter 5.

Compatibility

DiagTools version 2.x can run on the following HP notebook computers:

All HP notebook computers released after February, 1999.

•

OmniBook 900.

•

OmniBook 2100.

•

OmniBook 3100.

•

OmniBook 4100 series.

•

OmniBook 7100 series.

•

OmniBook XE series.

•

Pavilion N3100 series.

•

For other models, find the correct version of DiagTools and documentation on the HP notebook web site, http://www.hp.com/notebooks.

You should verify you use the correct version of DiagTools for the notebook you are testing.

Where to Get the Diagnostics Software

Note

Always use the latest version of DiagTools.

Verify that you are using the correct version of DiagTools for the notebook you are testing.

You can download the latest version of the DiagTools utility from the HP notebook web site in the Technical Support, Software area:

http://www.hp.com/notebooks

For more information about the HP notebook web site and for information about HP Electronic Information Services, refer to page 6-3.

Starting DiagTools

Installing and Setting Up DiagTools

There are two ways to run DiagTools – from a floppy diskette or from the hard disk drive (the F10 method). All HP notebook PCs have the capability to run DiagTools from a floppy diskette, and some of these notebook computers have the option to run DiagTools from the hard disk drive.

Floppy Diskette Method

•

The PC boots (or starts) from the floppy diskette. However, first you must create a DiagTools floppy diskette from the World Wide Web or locally from your hard disk or Recovery CD.

Hard Disk Drive Method (the F10 method)

•

If your computer supports this method, you press F10 during start up. Also, you need a special utility to view and retrieve the support ticket.

Note

DiagTools must not be run directly from your operating system. DiagTools will function correctly only under the DOS operating system and once the correct drivers have been loaded.

Downloading the Latest Version from the Web

You can download the latest version of the DiagTools utility from the HP notebook web site in the Technical Support, Software area:

http://www.hp.com/notebooks

For more information about the HP notebook website and for information about HP Electronic Information Services, refer to page 6-3.

1-2

Starting DiagTools

Installing and Setting Up DiagTools

There are two files available for downloading:

The DiagTools utility. A compressed file (with the extension .EXE) which

•

contains all the files necessary for running DiagTools.

The User’s Guide for DiagTools – the document you are reading. It is a PDF file

•

which can be viewed and printed using Adobe’s Acrobat Reader. (The Adobe Acrobat Reader can be downloaded free of charge from HP’s World Wide Web site.)

After you have downloaded the DiagTools file, follow the instructions included with the file:

Creating the DiagTools Floppy Diskette Locally

Depending on your notebook computer software, you may be able to create the DiagTools floppy diskette locally. After inserting a formatted floppy diskette in the floppy drive, do one of the following to create an DiagTools floppy diskette:

On an HP notebook computer with a factory software installation, run

•

if it is present in the \Dmi\Hpdiags directory on the hard disk. To do this in Windows, double-click the file. –or– For an HP notebook PC with TopTools installed, check whether the DiagTools tab can create the diskette.

On any computer with a CD-ROM drive, run

•

Drivers\Hputils or Dmi\Hpdiags directory on the Recovery CD that came with the notebook PC. To do this in Windows, double-click the file.

diaginst

if it is present in the

diaginst

1-3

Starting DiagTools

Installing and Setting Up DiagTools

Updating the DiagTools Files (For Network Administrators)

To know if you have TopTools in Windows 95, Windows NT 4.0, or Windows 98, click the Start button and look for HP DMI or HP TopTools in the Programs menu.

If you are a network administrator, you can update the DiagTools files on remote client PCs.

Using TopTools Integrated Device Manager Ver. 4.1

To update the Diagnostics files on remote PCs, open the TopTools Integrated Device Manager in Internet Explorer (version 4.01 or above). Right-click on Devices, Device Types, and select Personal Computers in the window that appears. Use shift-click or control-click to select the DMI 2.x compliant PCs you want to update and right-click. Select Distribute Diagnostics from the menu that appears and follow the onscreen instructions.

For more information about using TopTools, refer to the TopTools online help in the

Help menu and to HP’s Web site at http://www.hp.com/toptools.

1-4

Starting DiagTools

Before Running DiagTools

Before you run the DiagTools, consider whether you need to make any changes in the HP BIOS Setup program. Hardware devices that are disabled in Setup cannot be tested by the DiagTools.

If you want to test the current hardware configuration, do not change any

•

settings in the Setup program.

If you want to perform a more complete test, you can run the Setup program

•

and enable devices that you want to test.

More Information About the PC’s Setup Program

Setup is an integrated (ROM-based) program that displays the PC’s configuration and allows you to change the configuration parameters.

Setup changes system behavior by modifying the power-on initialization parameters. Setting incorrect values may cause the PC to fail at start-up. If this occurs, enter the Setup program and use the Restore Defaults command to restore the Setup default values, allowing the PC to recover.

To enter the PC’s Setup program, restart the PC and press F2 when the HP logo screen (or the Summary screen) appears.

1-5

Starting DiagTools

Starting DiagTools from a Floppy Diskette

Once you have created the diskette, you can start the DiagTools. To do this:

Insert the diskette into the flexible disk drive.

Quit all applications, shut down the operating system, and restart your PC. To

do this in Windows 95, Windows NT 4.0, or Windows 98, click the Start button

then select Shut Down – Restart PC.

The PC will then start from the diskette. After loading the system files, it will

decompress the necessary files. Then DiagTools will start automatically, displaying the Welcome screen (refer to page 1-8).

You may experience one of the following problems:

PC does not boot (start) from the diskette.

This happens when the PC ignores the diskette and starts from the hard disk drive as normal, running your operating system. The problem could be:

The BIOS Setup program of your PC may not be correctly configured. Ensure

•

that the option to start from the flexible disk is enabled and that it is the first boot device. (Refer to “More Information About the PC’s Setup Program” on page 1-5.)

There may be problem with the flexible disk drive or the internal cable

•

connections. Contact your local or HP-dedicated support agent.

A message such as Non-System disk or disk error. Replace and press any key when ready

This means that the PC cannot find the system files on the diskette. The problem could be:

The diskette may be damaged or corrupted. Select another diskette and create

•

another DiagTools diskette (refer to page 1-2).

1-6

appears when the PC starts.

Starting DiagTools

Starting DiagTools from the Hard Disk Drive (the F10 Method)

Starting DiagTools

Note

To run DiagTools from the hard disk drive, you must have an HP notebook PC that displays a prompt to press F10 after the HP logo appears during startup.

To identify whether you have the correct configuration to run DiagTools from the hard disk drive, do the following:

Quit all applications, shut down the operating system, and restart your PC. To

do this in Windows 95, Windows NT 4.0, or Windows 98, click the Start button

then select Shut Down – Restart PC.

When the PC starts, after the HP logo appears, you are prompted to press F10 to

run the DiagTools. This message appears quickly, so pay attention. Press F10. DiagTools will start automatically, displaying the Welcome screen (refer to page 1-8).

You may experience the following problem:

F10 prompt does not appear after the HP logo appears.

•

This happens when the PC is starting from the Hibernate mode. You will need to shut down Windows and restart the computer.

Your computer may not support this method, or you may have deleted the

•

Hibernate partition from your hard disk. If this happens, you will need to run DiagTools from a floppy diskette (refer to page 1-2).

1-7

Starting DiagTools

The Welcome Screen

When you start the DiagTools utility, you will see the following screen:

Press F2 to continue and follow the instructions on the screen to run the diagnostic tests. You can quit the diagnostic utility at any time, except during the execution of the basic system test which takes several minutes. In general, the progression of each test is displayed on the screen.

1-8

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