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The computer has several keystroke options available during the POST process at theDell Logo screen. These keystrokes make several options available.Keystroke Function Description EnterSystemSetupUse System Setup to make changesto the user-definable settings. or Enter BootMenuOne-time boot and diagnostics utilitymenu. NetworkBootBypass the BIOS boot sequence andboot directly to the network.Timing Key SequencesThe keyboard is not the first device initialized by Setup. As a result, if you press akeystroke too early, you lock out the keyboard. When this happens, a keyboard errormessage appears on the monitor, and you cannot restart the system with the keys.To avoid this scenario, wait until the keyboard is initialized before pressing the keystroke.There are two ways to know that this has happened:• The keyboard lights flash.• The "F2=Setup" prompt appears in the top right-hand corner of the screen duringboot.The second method is good if the monitor is already warmed up. If it is not, the systemoften passes the window of opportunity before the video signal is visible. If this is thecase, rely on the first method—the keyboard lights—to know the keyboard is initialized.Dell DiagnosticsFactory-installed platforms include 32-bit system diagnostics on the installed utilitypartition. Access these diagnostics using the keystroke during system boot andselect Diagnostics.After pressing the keystroke, the appropriate modules load and the PSA diagnostics run.If this passes, the standard Dell Diagnostics main menu appears. When exiting thediagnostics, the system reboots and returns to the installed operating system. Restartingthe computer with the keystroke also returns the system to the normalboot sequence as well.Drives sent for service replacement do not have the utility partition and therefore do nothave this capability. If pressed, the keystroke is ignored on these drives.68
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