UNIT - 5 DIAGNOSTIC TESTS AND TOOLS STRUCTURE

5.0 5.1 5.2 5.3 5.! 5.5 5.& 5.( 5.* 5.+ Introduction Objectives Diagnostic software Power-On-Self- ests "ird-#art$ diagnostics Dis% diagnostics Data 'ecover$ utilities S"areware and #ublic-do)ain diagnostics Software tools Su))ar$

5.10 ,uestions

5.0

INTRODUCTION

Diagnostic software #rovides t"e wa$ t"roug" w"ic" $ou can e-a)ine $our s$ste) "ardware and t"e wa$ $our co)#onents are wor%ing. It usuall$ co)es wit" $our co)#uter. and is vitall$ i)#ortant to $ou an$ ti)e $our co)#uter )alfunctions or $ou begin t"e #rocess of u#grading a s$ste) co)#onent or adding a new device. /ven w"en $ou atte)#t a si)#le #rocedure. suc" as adding a new ada#ter card. or begin t"e so)eti)es tedious #rocess of troubles"ooting a "ardware #roble) t"at causes a s$ste) cras" or loc%u# w"en $ou are wor%ing. $ou need to %now )ore about $our s$ste) t"an $ou can learn fro) t"e #ac%ing list sent wit" t"e s$ste). "is unit describes two levels of diagnostic software 0POS and general-#ur#ose1 included wit" $our co)#uter or

available fro) $our co)#uter )anufacturer. "e unit also e)#"asis on t"e effect of virus and its #revention.

5.1

OBJECTIVES

2t t"e end of t"is unit . $ou will be able to 3nderstand w"at a diagnostic software is 4a)e t"e t$#es of diagnostic software Describe t"e i)#ortance of POS 3nderstand t"e conce#t of t"ird-#art$ diagnosis /-#lain data recover$ )ec"anis) I)#ortance of software tools Define co)#uter virus. state different t$#es of co)#uter viruses 3nderstand t"e need of anti-virus

5.2

DIAGNOSTIC SOFTWARE

Several t$#es of diagnostic software are available for P5-co)#atible s$ste)s. "is software. so)e of w"ic" is included wit" t"e s$ste) w"en #urc"ased. assists users in identif$ing )an$ #roble)s t"at can occur wit" a co)#uter6s co)#onents. In )an$ cases. t"ese #rogra)s can do )ost of t"e wor% in deter)ining w"ic" P5 co)#onent is defective. can "el# $ou locate a #roble). "ere are t"ree #rogra)s t"at "e diagnostic #rogra)s include t"e following7

POS - "e Power-On Self est o#erates w"enever an$ P5 is #owered u# 0switc"ed on1.

8anufacturer su##lied diagnostics software - 8an$ of t"e larger )anufacturers--es#eciall$ "ig"-end. na)e-brand )anufacturers suc" as I98. 5o)#a:. ;ewlett Pac%ard. and ot"ers--)a%e s#ecial diagnostics

software t"at is e-#ressl$ designed for t"eir s$ste)s. "is )anufacturers#ecific software nor)all$ consists of a suite of tests t"at t"oroug"l$ e-a)ines t"e s$ste). "ese diagnostics can be downloaded fro) t"eir electronic bulletin boards. or it )a$ "ave to be #urc"ased fro) t"e )anufacturer. In so)e cases. t"e diagnostics are installed on a s#ecial #artition on t"e "ard drive and can be accessed during bootu#. 2fter-)ar%et diagnostics software or t"ird-#art$ diagnostic #ac%age- "ere are a nu)ber of )anufacturers )a%ing general #ur#ose diagnostics software for P5-co)#atible s$ste)s. ec"nician b$ <indsor "is includes utilities--S$)antec6s 4orton 3tilities. 8icrosco#e b$ 8icro 2000. ,a-Plus b$ Diagsoft. P5ec"nologies. and ot"ers--t"at #rovide detailed diagnostics of an$ P5-co)#atible s$ste)s.

5.3 THE POWER-ON SELF TEST (POST)

POS is a series of #rogra) routines #laced in t"e )ot"erboard 'O8-9IOS c"i# t"at tests all t"e )ain s$ste) co)#onents suc" as t"e 5P3. 'O8. )ot"erboard su##ort circuitr$. )e)or$. and )ajor #eri#"erals 0suc" as an e-#ansion c"assis1 etc. w"enever $ou start u# $our co)#uter. $ou turn on an I98-co)#atible s$ste)= 2lt"oug" t"e diagnostics #erfor)ed b$ t"e s$ste) POS )ot"erboard #roble)s. If t"e POS are not alwa$s ver$ "e POS is e-ecuted before t"e co)#uter loads t"e o#erating s$ste) so. t"is causes t"e dela$ w"en

t"oroug". t"e$ are t"e first line of defense. es#eciall$ in "andling severe encounters a #roble) severe enoug" to %ee# t"e s$ste) fro) o#erating #ro#erl$. it "alts bootu# of t"e s$ste) and #roduces an error )essage t"at often leads $ou directl$ to t"e cause of t"e #roble). Suc" POS -detected #roble)s are so)eti)es called fatal errors.

"e POS tests nor)all$ #rovide t"ree t$#es of out#ut )essages7 audio codes. dis#la$-screen )essages. and "e-adeci)al nu)eric codes to an I>O #ort address.

POST AUDIO ERROR CODES

POS audio error codes usuall$ are audio codes consisting of a nu)ber of

bee#s t"at identif$ t"e fault$ co)#onent. If $our co)#uter is functioning nor)all$. $ou "ear one s"ort bee# w"en t"e s$ste) starts u#. If a #roble) is detected. a different nu)ber of bee#s sound--so)eti)es in a co)bination of s"ort and long bee#s. "ese 9IOS-de#endent codes can var$ a)ong different 9IOS )anufacturers. able 5.1 lists t"e bee# codes for I98 s$ste)s and t"e #roble) indicated b$ eac" series of bee#s.

Ta !" 5.1 IB# POST A$%&' E(('( C'%") a*% I*%&+a,"% P(' !"A$%&' C'%" 1 s"ort bee# 2 s"ort bee#s 4o bee# 5ontinuous bee# 'e#eating s"ort bee#s One long. one s"ort bee# One long. two s"ort bee#s One long. t"ree s"ort bee#s "ree long bee#s . B s"ort bee# - B long bee# S'$*% . .. @@@@@@@@@@@@ @ ...... -. -.. -... --P(' !"- (Fa$!, D'-a&*) 4or)al POS -s$ste) O? POS error-error code Power su##l$. s$ste) board Power su##l$. s$ste) board Power su##l$. s$ste) board S$ste) board Dis#la$ ada#ter 08D2. 5A21 /n"anced Ara#"ics 2da#ter 0/A21 32(0 %e$board card

POST VISUAL ERROR CODES

On t"e C . 2 . PS>2. and )ost co)#atibles. t"e POS s$ste) )onitor t"e test of s$ste) )e)or$. dis#la$ t"e following7 32(&* ?9 O? also dis#la$s on t"e

"e last nu)ber dis#la$ed is t"e

a)ount of )e)or$ t"at tested #ro#erl$. Dor e-a)#le. a )odern s$ste) )ig"t

In )ost cases. t"e nu)ber dis#la$ed b$ t"e )e)or$ test s"ould agree wit" t"e total a)ount of )e)or$ installed on $our s$ste) )ot"erboard. including conventional and e-tended )e)or$. So)e s$ste)s dis#la$ a slig"tl$ lower total because t"e$ deduct all or #art of t"e 3*!? of 382 03##er 8e)or$ 2rea1 fro) t"e count. "e '28 on an e-#anded )e)or$ card is not tested b$ t"e POS and does not count in t"e nu)bers re#orted. ;owever. if $ou are using an e-#anded )e)or$ driver. suc" as /883*&./C/ or ,uarterdec%6s ,/88. to configure e-tended )e)or$ installed on t"e )ot"erboard as e-#anded. t"e POS e-ecutes before t"is driver is loaded so t"at all installed )e)or$ is counted. If t"e POS )e)or$ test sto#s s"ort of t"e e-#ected total. t"e nu)ber dis#la$ed often indicates "ow far into s$ste) )e)or$ a )e)or$ error lies. "is nu)ber alone is a valuable troubles"ooting aid. If an error is detected during t"e POS #rocedures. an error )essage is dis#la$ed on-screen. "ese )essages usuall$ are in t"e for) of a nu)eric code several digits long= for e-a)#le. 1(+0-Dis% 0 /rror. "e infor)ation in t"e "ardware-)aintenance service )anual identifies t"e )alfunctioning co)#onent.

I.O PORT POST CODES

2t t"e beginning of eac" POS . t"e 9IOS sends test codes to a s#ecial I>O #ort address. "ese POS codes can be read onl$ b$ a s#ecial ada#ter card #lugged into one of t"e s$ste) slots. <"en one of t"ese ada#ter cards is #lugged into a slot. during t"e POS $ou see two-digit "e-adeci)al nu)bers flas" on a dis#la$ on t"e card. If t"e s$ste) sto#s une-#ectedl$ or "angs. $ou can just loo% at t"e two-digit dis#la$ on t"e card for t"e code indicating t"e test in #rogress during t"e "ang. "is ste# usuall$ identifies t"e failed #art.

"ese cards originall$ were designed to be used b$ t"e s$ste) )anufacturers for burn-in testing of t"e )ot"erboard during s$ste) )anufacturing wit"out t"e need for a video dis#la$ ada#ter or dis#la$. Several co)#anies now )a%e t"ese cards available to tec"nicians. 8icro 2000. ED' 8icrodevices. Data De#ot. 3ltra-C. ,uarterdec%. and rinitec" are just a few )anufacturers of t"ese POS cards.

5./

THIRD-PART0 DIAGNOSIS

2 large nu)ber of general-#ur#ose diagnostics #rogra)s or t"ird-#art$ diagnostics #rogra)s are available for P5-co)#atible s$ste)s. S#ecific #rogra)s are available to test )e)or$. flo##$ drives. "ard dis%s. video boards. and )ost ot"er areas of t"e s$ste). ;owever. t"ese #rogra)s test all t$#es of )e)or$. including conventional 0base1 )e)or$. e-tended )e)or$. and e-#anded )e)or$. Dailures can usuall$ be identified down to t"e individual c"i# or SI88 0ban% and bit1 level. 8an$ #roducts. )ade to tailor )ore towards end users. lac% t"e accurac$. features. and ca#abilities needed b$ tec"nicall$ #roficient #eo#le w"o are serious about troubles"ooting. 8ost of t"e better diagnostics on t"e )ar%et offer several advantages over t"e I98 diagnostics. "e$ usuall$ are better at deter)ining w"ere a #roble) lies wit"in a s$ste). es#eciall$ in I98-co)#atible s$ste)s. 8an$ of t"ese #rogra)s can be run in a batc" )ode. w"ic" enables a series of tests to be run fro) t"e co))and line wit"out o#erator intervention. Fou t"en can set u# auto)ated test suites. w"ic" can be es#eciall$ useful in burning in a s$ste) or e-ecuting t"e sa)e tests on )an$ s$ste)s.

So)e e-a)#les include 1

A#ID&a2

28I 02)erican 8egatrends. Inc.1 )a%es t"e )ost #o#ular P5 'O8 9IOS software in use toda$. "e 28I 9IOS can be found on t"e )ajorit$ of newer I98 co)#atible s$ste)s t"at are currentl$ being sold. 28IDiag. as t"e #rogra) is called. "as nu)erous features and en"ance)ents not found in t"e si)#ler 'O8 version. 28IDiag is a co)#re"ensive. general #ur#ose diagnostic t"at is designed for an$ I98 co)#atible s$ste). not just t"ose wit" an 28I 'O8 9IOS.

C3"+4&, P('
ouc"stone Software 5or#oration6s 5"ec%it #roducts offer an e-cellent suite of testing ca#abilities. including tests of t"e s$ste) 5P3= conventional. e-tended. and e-#anded )e)or$= "ard and flo##$ drives= and video card and )onitor 0including G/S2-Standard cards and )onitors. )ouse. and %e$board1. Several versions of t"e 5"ec%it #roduct are available suc" as 5"ec%it Pro. 5"ec%it Pro 2nal$st. 5"ec%it Plus.

#ICROSCOPE
8icrosco#e b$ 8icro 2000 is a full-featured. general #ur#ose diagnostic #rogra) for I98 co)#atible s$ste)s. It "as )an$ features and ca#abilities t"at can be ver$ "el#ful in troubles"ooting or diagnosing "ardware #roble)s.

NORTON UTILITIES DIAGNOSTICS

"e 4orton Diagnostics 04DI2AS1 co)es wit" t"e 4orton 3tilities. w"ic" is a collection of s$ste) data safeguarding. troubles"ooting. testing. and re#airing utilities. 4DI2AS #robabl$ is one of t"e best values in diagnostic #rogra)s. It includes ot"er utilities suc" as S#eedis%. Dis% Doctor. and 5alibrate. diagnostics and software-level re#air. "ese t"ree "ard drive utilities basicall$ re#resent t"e state of t"e art in "ard drive

4DI2AS adds diagnostic ca#abilities. w"ic" includes co)#re"ensive infor)ation about t"e overall "ardware configuration of t"e s$ste)--t"e 5P3. s$ste) 9IOS. )at" co#rocessor. video ada#ter. %e$board and )ouse t$#e. "ard and flo##$ drive t$#es. a)ount of installed )e)or$ 0including e-tended and e-#anded1. bus t$#e 0IS2. /IS2. or 8521. and t"e nu)ber of serial and #arallel #orts. 4DI2AS t"oroug"l$ tests t"e )ajor s$ste) co)#onents and enables $ou to c"ec% )inor details suc" as t"e 4u)Hoc%. 5a#sHoc%. and ScrollHoc% H/Ds on $our %e$board. 4DI2AS also #rovides an on-screen grid $ou can use to center t"e i)age on $our )onitor and test for various %inds of distortion t"at )a$ indicate a fault$ )onitor.

5.5 DIS5 DIAGNOSTICS

2ll t"e general-#ur#ose diagnostics #rogra)s can test bot" flo##$ and "ard dis% drives. ;owever. because t"ese #rogra)s are general-#ur#ose in nature. t"e drive tests are not alwa$s as co)#lete as one would li%e. Dor t"is reason. t"ere are a nu)ber of s#ecific #rogra)s designed e-#ressl$ for #erfor)ing diagnostics and servicing on dis% drives. So)e of t"e dis% diagnostic and testing #rogra)s available in on t"e )ar%et are given below7

DRIVE PROBE
8an$ #rogra)s on t"e )ar%et evaluate t"e condition of flo##$ dis% drives b$ using a dis% created or for)atted on t"e sa)e drive. 2 #rogra) t"at uses t"is tec"ni:ue cannot )a%e a #ro#er evaluation of a dis% drive6s align)ent. 2 s#eciall$-created dis% #roduced b$ a tested and calibrated )ac"ine is re:uired. "is t$#e of dis% can be used as a reference standard b$ w"ic" to judge a drive. 2ccurite. t"e #ri)ar$ )anufacturer of suc" reference standard flo##$ dis%s. "el#s

s#ecif$ flo##$ dis% industr$ standards. 2ccurite #roduces t"e following t"ree )ain t$#es of reference standard dis%s used for testing drive function and align)ent7 Digital Diagnostic Dis% 0DDD1 2nalog 2lign)ent Dis% 022D1 ;ig"-'esolution Diagnostic Dis% 0;'D1

DIS5 #ANAGER
Dis% 8anager b$ Ontrac% stands toda$ as t"e )ost co)#re"ensive and ca#able "ard dis% test and for)at utilit$ available. t$#es. "is #rogra) wor%s wit" #racticall$ ever$ "ard dis% and controller on t"e )ar%et. including t"e newer S5SI and ID/

5.6 DATA RECOVER0 UTILITIES

"ere are several #rogra)s designed for data recover$ rat"er t"an just "ardware troubles"ooting and re#air. "ese data recover$ #rogra)s can troubles"oot and re#air dis% for)atting structures 0boot sectors. file allocation tables. directories1 as well as files and file structures 0database files. s#reads"eet files. and so on1. "e 4orton 3tilities b$ S$)antec stands as #er"a#s t"e #re)ier data recover$ #ac%age on t"e )ar%et toda$. "is #ac%age is ver$ co)#re"ensive and will auto)aticall$ re#air )ost t$#es of dis% #roble)s. It "as a fantastic Dis% /ditor #rogra) ca#able of editing dis%s at t"e sector level. "e 4orton 3tilities version *.0 and above #rovides auto)atic recover$ facilit$ for data. It is done t"roug" so)e useful )odules li%e Dis% Doctor and 5alibrate. oget"er. t"ese two utilities #rovide e-"austive testing of t"e data structures and sectors of a "ard drive.

Dis% Doctor wor%s wit" bot" "ard dis%s and flo##ies and tests t"e ca#abilit$ of t"e drive to wor% wit" t"e s$ste) in w"ic" it is installed. including t"e drive6s boot sector. file allocation tables 0D2 1. file structure. and data areas. 5alibrate. w"ic" is used for t"e )ost intensive testing of t"e data area of a drive. also tests t"e "ard drive controller electronics. It can be used to #erfor) dee##attern testing of ID/. S5SI. and S -50&>!12-interface drives. writing literall$ )illions of b$tes of data to ever$ sector of t"e drive to see w"et"er it can #ro#erl$ retain data= )oving data if t"e sector w"ere it is stored is flawed= and )ar%ing t"e sector as bad in t"e D2 .

5.7 SHAREWARE AND PUBLIC-DO#AIN DIAGNOSTICS

8an$ e-cellent #ublic-do)ain diagnostic #rogra)s are available. including #rogra)s for diagnosing #roble)s wit" )e)or$. "ard dis%s. flo##$ dis%s. )onitors and video ada#ters. as well as virtuall$ an$ ot"er #art of t"e s$ste). "ese #rogra)s are e-cellent for users w"o do not #erfor) fre:uent troubles"ooting or w"o are on a budget.

5.8

SOFTWARE TOOLS

"ese are #rogra)s w"ic" are re:uired to deal wit" P5 #roble)s. "is tool %it generall$ include: DOS boot dis%s. bac%u# software. anti-virus #rogra)s. and diagnostic utilities.

UTILITIES DIS5
S)all te-t editor /D. E/ . S/D etc. 5"ec% configuration I DOSI4DO. DOS82P. I4DOPH3S etc Dis% cleaning utilit$ I 5H/24

DOS DIS5

2 bootable DOS dis%. containing 7

925?3P.5O8. 5O4DIA.SFS. 5O34 'F.SFS. D/93A.5O8. DDIS?.5O8. DO'82 .5O8. ?/F9.5O8. SFS.5O8. '/S O'/.5O8 etc.

DIS5 UTILITIES
4ortan 3tilities. ;D est . P5 tools and test drives

DIAGNOSTICS
5"ec%It . 92SI5 diagnostics

ANTI-VIRUS
2nti-virus #rotects $our co)#uter fro) viruses b$ scanning $our co)#uterJs )e)or$ and dis% drives. 2nti-virus offers two )et"ods of detecting co)#uter viruses 7 1. D","+, I scans for viruses and dis#la$s infor)ation about eac" virus it finds. "is )et"od does not auto)aticall$ re)ove viruses fro) $our co)#uter. 2. D","+, a*% C!"a* I Scans for viruses and re)oves an$ t"at it finds. So)e e-a)#les of anti-virus include 7 8c2fee S524. 4/ S524. 5H/24 etc.

WHAT ARE CO#PUTER VIRUSES 9

5o)#uter viruses are #rogra)s designed to re#licate and s#read in t"e s$ste) wit"out indicating t"at t"e$ e-ist. "e$ can #roduce a variet$ of s$)#to)s on $our co)#uter. So)e viruses )ulti#l$ wit"out causing obvious c"anges. So)e can issue rando) sounds or greet $ou wit" une-#ected screen )essages. 8ore "ar)ful is t"at t"e$ can da)age files and "ard dis%s. 5o)#uter viruses can be classified b$ "ow t"e$ infect s$ste)s 7 B'', )"+,'( :&($) I t"e boot sector is t"e #ortion of a "ard dis% t"at controls "ow $our o#erating s$ste) starts w"en $ou turn on $our co)#uter. 2 boot

sector virus re#laces t"e dis%Js original boot sector wit" its own. and loads t"e virus into t"e )e)or$. Once in )e)or$. virus can s#read to ot"er dis%s. F&!" &*;"+,'( I 2 file infector virus adds virus code to files t"at run #rogra)s. so t"e virus is activated w"enever $ou run t"e #rogra). <"en t"e virus is activated. it s#reads to ot"er #rogra) files. T('<a* 3'()" I t"is is disguised as a legiti)ate #rogra). <"en $ou run a #rogra) infected wit" t"is t$#e of virus. $our co)#uter )a$ be da)aged. "e$ are li%el$ to destro$ files or da)age dis%s t"an ot"er viruses. "e files or dis%s infected wit" t"is virus cannot be recovered. 4ew viruses are discovered regularl$. So. infor)ation about t"e) "as to be trac%ed and vaccine for its re)oval "as to be read$.

5.=

SU##AR0

"is unit "as e-a)ined t"e need for diagnostic tests w"ile using a P5. Diagnostic tests "el# to find out t"e faults in t"e s$ste). t"ere b$ )ini)iKing t"e failure. "e #ower-on self-test #erfor)ed b$ a P5 at t"e boot-ti)e give an indication of a #roble) :uite earl$. Dor )ore intense #roble)s. diagnostics su##lied eit"er b$ t"e )anufacturer or t"e t"ird-#art$ is used. So)e #o#ular co))ercial diagnostic software include 4orton utilities.. P5 ools etc. So)e software are also available as s"areware or #ublic do)ains. Software tools are ver$ )uc" "el#ful in dealing wit" P5 #roble)s li%e bac%u# and recover$. viruses etc. Giruses are "ar)ful #rogra)s t"at tend to destro$ valuable data and s$ste). So. anti-virus is re:uired to cure t"e).

5.10 >UESTIONS
1. w"at are diagnostics softwareL /-#lain briefl$. 2. <"$ is POS an i)#ortant t$#e of diagnosisL 3. <"at are t"e advantages of t"ird-#art$ diagnosisL 9riefl$ describe. !. 9riefl$ "ig"lig"t t"e i)#ortant features of 4orton utilities. 5. <"at are co)#uter virusesL ;ow to diagnose itL