Dell Alienware M11x (Early 2010) - Manual (Page 73)

CHAPTER 5: TROUBLESHOOTING
73
Software Diagnostic Tools
Pre-Boot System Assessment (PSA)
The computer runs the Pre-boot System Assessment (PSA), a series of initial tests of your
system board, keyboard, display, memory, hard drive, etc.
To invoke PSA:
Turn on (or restart) your computer. 1.
Shut down and restart the laptop. When the Alienware logo appears, press <F12> 2.
immediately.
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.
Select
3. Diagnostics from the menu and press <Enter>.
During the assessment, answer any questions that appear.
If a failure is detected, the computer stops and beeps. To stop the assessment and •
restart the computer, press <n>; to continue to the next test, press <y>; to retest the
component that failed, press <r>.
If failures are detected during the Pre-boot System Assessment, write down the error
•
code(s) and contact Alienware (for more information, see “CONTACTING ALIENWARE“ on
page 99).