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Help Overview: Dell™ PowerEdge™ 8450 Systems Installation
and Troubleshooting Guide
Technical Assistance
• Help Tools • Problems
With Your Order • Product Information
• Returning
Items for Warranty Repair or Credit • Before
You Call
Technical Assistance
If you need assistance with a technical problem, perform
the following steps:
-
Complete the troubleshooting checks in "Checking
the Equipment" and "Checking Inside the Computer."
-
Run the Dell Diagnostics as described in "Running
the Dell Diagnostics."
-
Make a copy of the Diagnostics
Checklist and fill it out.
-
Use Dell's extensive suite of online services available
at Dell's World Wide Web site (http://www.dell.com) for help with
installation and troubleshooting procedures.
-
If the preceding steps have not resolved the problem
and you need to talk to a Dell technician, call Dell's technical support
service.
When prompted by Dell's automated telephone
system, enter your Express Service Code to route the call directly to the
proper support personnel. If you do not have an Express Service Code, open
the Dell Accessories folder, double-click the Express Service
Code icon, and follow the directions.
 |
NOTE: Dell's Express Service Code
system may not be available in all countries |
For instructions on using the technical support service,
first refer to Technical Support Service
and Before You Call and then call the number
for your country as listed in Contacting Dell.
Help Tools
Dell provides a number of tools to assist you. These
tools are described in the following sections.
 |
NOTE: Some of the following tools
are not always available in all locations outside the continental U.S.
Please call your local Dell representative for information on availability. |
World Wide
Web on the Internet
The Internet is your most powerful tool for obtaining
information about your computer and other Dell products. Through the Internet,
you can access most of the services described in this file, including AutoTech,
TechFax, order status, technical support, and product information.
 |
From Dell's World Wide Web home page (www.dell.com),
click the Support icon, and click Support Your Dell. Enter
your service tag number (or, if you have one, your Express Service Code)
and click Submit. If you don't have your service tag number or Express
Service Code available, you can also select support information by system. |
Everything you need to know about your system is
presented on the system support page, including the following tools and
information:
-
Technical information — Details on every aspect of your
system, including hardware specifications.
-
Self-diagnostic tools — A system-specific troubleshooting
application for resolving many computer-related issues by following
interactive flowcharts.
-
Drivers, files, and utilities — The latest drivers and
basic input/output system (BIOS) updates to keep your system functioning
at its best.
-
Component support — Technical information, documentation,
and troubleshooting tips for different system components.
-
Online communications center — Tool for submitting requests
for both technical and nontechnical information on Dell products. Avoid
telephone delays by receiving an e-mail response to your request for information
if your computer is not functioning properly or if you have questions regarding
your computer's hardware or operation.
Dell can be accessed electronically using the following
addresses:
www.dell.com/
www.dell.com/intl/apcc/ (for Asian/Pacific
countries only)
www.euro.dell.com (for Europe only)
-
Anonymous file transfer protocol (FTP)
ftp.dell.com/
Log in as user: anonymous,
and use your e-mail address as your password.
-
Electronic Support Service
support@us.dell.com
apsupport@dell.com (for Asian/Pacific countries
only)
support.euro.dell.com (for Europe only)
sales@dell.com
apmarketing@dell.com (for Asian/Pacific countries
only)
-
Electronic Information Service
info@dell.com
AutoTech Service
Dell's automated technical support service—AutoTech—provides
recorded answers to the questions most frequently asked by Dell customers.
When you call AutoTech, you use your touch-tone telephone
to select the subjects that correspond to your questions. You can even
interrupt an AutoTech session and continue the session later. The code
number that the AutoTech service gives you allows you to continue your
session where you ended it.
The AutoTech service is available 24 hours a day,
seven days a week. You can also access this service through the technical
support service. For the telephone number to call, refer to Contacting
Dell.
TechFax Service
Dell takes full advantage of fax technology to serve
you better. Twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week, you can call the
Dell TechFax line toll-free for all kinds of technical information.
Using a touch-tone phone, you can select from a full
directory of topics. The technical information you request is sent within
minutes to the fax number you designate. For the TechFax telephone number
to call, refer to Contact Numbers.
TechConnect BBS
Use your modem to access Dell's TechConnect bulletin
board service (BBS) 24 hours a day, seven days a week. The service is menu-driven
and fully interactive. The protocol parameters for the BBS are 1200 to
19.2K baud, 8 data bits, no parity, 1 stop bit.
Automated Order-Status System
You can call this automated service to check on the
status of any Dell products that you have ordered. A recording prompts
you for the information needed to locate and report on your order. For
the telephone number to call, refer to Contacting
Dell.
Technical Support
Service
Dell's industry-leading hardware technical support service
is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week, to answer your questions
about Dell hardware.
Our technical support staff pride themselves on their
track record: more than 90 percent of all problems and questions are taken
care of in just one toll-free call, usually in less than 10 minutes. When
you call, our experts can refer to records kept on your Dell system to
better understand your particular question. Our technical support staff
use computer-based diagnostics to provide fast, accurate answers to questions.
To contact Dell's technical support service, first
refer to Before You Call and then call the
number for your country as listed in Contacting Dell.
Problems With
Your Order
If you have a problem with your order, such as missing
parts, wrong parts, or incorrect billing, contact Dell Computer Corporation
for customer assistance. Have your invoice or packing slip handy when you
call. For the telephone number to call, refer to Contacting
Dell.
Product Information
If you need information about additional products available
from Dell Computer Corporation, or if you would like to place an order,
visit Dell's World Wide Web site at www.dell.com. For the telephone
number to call to speak to a sales specialist, refer to Contacting
Dell.
Returning
Items for Warranty Repair or Credit
Prepare all items being returned, whether for repair
or credit, as follows:
-
Call Dell to obtain an authorization number, and write
it clearly and prominently on the outside of the box.
For the telephone number to call, refer to Contacting
Dell.
-
Include a copy of the invoice and a letter describing
the reason for the return.
-
Include a copy of the Diagnostics Checklist indicating
the tests you have run and any error messages reported by the Dell Diagnostics.
-
Include any accessories that belong with the item(s)
being returned (power cables, software diskettes, guides, and so on) if
the return is for credit.
-
Pack the equipment to be returned in the original (or
equivalent) packing materials.
You are responsible for paying shipping expenses. You
are also responsible for insuring any product returned, and you assume
the risk of loss during shipment to Dell Computer Corporation. Collect
On Delivery (C.O.D.) packages are not accepted.
Returns that are missing any of the preceding requirements
will be refused at our receiving dock and returned to you.
Before You Call
 |
NOTE: Have your Express
Service Code ready when you call. The code helps Dell's automated-support
telephone system direct your call more efficiently. |
Remember to fill out the Diagnostics
Checklist. If possible, turn on your system before you call
Dell for technical assistance and call from a telephone at or near
the computer. You may be asked to type some commands at the keyboard, relay
detailed information during operations, or try other troubleshooting steps
possible only at the computer system itself. Make sure the system documentation
is available.
 |
WARNING: If you need to remove the
computer covers, be sure to first disconnect the computer system's power
and modem cables from all electrical outlets. |
Diagnostics Checklist
Date: |
Name: |
Address: |
Phone number: |
Service tag (bar code on the back of the computer): |
Express Service Code: |
Return Material Authorization Number (if provided
by Dell support technician):
|
Operating system and version: |
Peripherals:
|
Expansion cards: |
Are you connected to a network? Yes No |
Network, version, and network card: |
Programs and versions:
|
Refer to your operating system documentation to
determine the contents of the system’s start-up files. If the computer
is connected to a printer, print each file. Otherwise, record the contents
of each file before calling Dell. |
Error message, beep code, or diagnostic code: |
Description of problem and troubleshooting procedures
you performed:
|
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