Confusing Dell SupportAssist Test Results

Greetings:

I own a new Dell XPS13 (9350). Seems to work properly, but I have questions about Dell SupportAssist Test results. When I ran the Simplified System test series (10 minutes), I got a test result: "Module Failed to Start", but Passes for all components listed.

But when I next ran the Extended System Tests (Manual) (15 minutes), I got an Overall Test Result of "Internal Error", with several reported failures:

1. The L2 Cache Module Failed to Start
2. The Math Register Test Module Failed to Start
3. The MMX Module Failed to Start
4. The Prime Number Generator Test reported an Abnormal Exit
5. TCP/IP Internal Loopback Test Failed to Start
6. The PCI Bus Subsystem Configuration Test reported an Abnormal Exit

Can someone help me to understand these errors and whether they represent a problem that I should have fixed under warranty? It's hard to believe that my brand-new XPS13 is so broken...

Thanks,

Airpilot

Simrick... Thanks for your guidance. I'll try your suggestions today and get back to you.

Kyhi... From the SupportAssist program on my XPS13, not online, thanks.

Airpilot

simrick said:

Hi Airpilot and welcome to Tenforums.

The Dell SupportAssist may need to be updated, or completely uninstalled and reinstalled. Sounds like there are problems with the program.

To be quite honest, most people get rid of all that OEM "bloatware", but in your case, it might be best to leave it until your system is out of warranty. Should you have a hard drive failure or something else go wrong, Dell will ask you to run that collection of tests and provide failure mode results before replacing any warranty parts.

You can open an administrative command prompt (right-click the start button) and type sfc /scannow and press ENTER to run the system file checker. If it returns with "no integrity violations found", you know your W10 OS is fine.

You can also check the system specs, monitor temps, and see hard drive health with Speccy (free program).

Hope that helps! :)

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Simrick:

I've had inconsistent luck with your suggestions, unfortunately:

1. I uninstalled and re-installed SupportAssist. When trying to use my Premium coverage, the system attempted to download DellSystemDetectLauncher, which was already installed on my system, and failed to download and install it. So I have no online recourse to my online Premium support.

2. I ran the newly installed SupportAssist twice, with differing results. In both passes, the Default (10 min) and Stress (15 min) Text Results PASSED. But when I ran the Extended test the first time, it reported the Level 2 Cache Test - Module failed to start, and the Math Register Test Module failed to Start. When I repeated the Default and Stress tests again, they PASSED again, but repeating the Extended Test resulted in the Level 2 Cache reporting an Internal Error, and a new one: Random Seek Test Abnormal Exit. No mention of the Math Register Test failure from the first run.

3. I ran sfc /scannow, and the Verification Phase of the test completed with Corrupt Files,, some of which it could not fix. The test did not proceed to next phases. All the errors discussed directory ownership issues for such directories as: \PowerShell, \CHT, \DesktopTileResources, etc. - some directories having duplicate owners, others no owners. Should this be fixed, and if so, how?

4. I attempted to download Speccy, but the download failed several times, from both mirror sources. Bummer.


So, what I'm sensing is that I'm testing test applications!

What I really need to know is: Is there a problem with my laptop or not, specifically with the L2 Cache, the Math processor, and/or the 512 gig SSD hard drive? Or are these spurious results just test application issues? If it turns out that I need Dell Support assistance under my Premium warranty, how do I get the support I need when I can't download the software they'll want me to install?

Lastly, is any of the Dell diagnostic software self-signed, which would potentially allow exploits into my laptop? I've already deleted eDellRoot root certificate.

Thanks again, Airpilot

Slartybart said:

POTS - Plain Old Telephone System

Call Dell and work with them over the phone.

Home/Consumer Customer Support
1-800-624-9897

Monday-Friday: 7:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. (CST)
Saturdays/Sundays Closed
Christmas/New Year – Closed
Closed on July 3 for US Independence Day

Yep, forget the bloatware for now and call them.
It may or may not be worth reinstalling.
And it's hard to believe that a new laptop is already so messed up, unless you've been doing weird/wonky/ill-advised stuff. Or unless it was/is defective, out of the box.

The critical "support" component for your under-warranty hardware is the F12 "pre-boot" hardware diagnostics.
I would not obsess about the bloatware.

Dell Support has been up and down over the past few years. It's a bit of a crap-shoot.
And it's no longer 24/7, even with Premium support.
But I agree, it's your best option.
If you want and agree to it, they can remote in to your system (yeah, that has advantages and disadvantages, of course).
Do not hesitate to escalate your case to Tier 2, especially if the first/only thing they recommend -- without trying other steps -- is a factory reset.
(OTOH if the system is new and does not have a lot of data or 3rd-party software installed, a factory reset may not be unreasonable.)

You'll need either your Service Tag and/or your Express Service Code to get through from the "concierge" to Tech Support.

Let us know how it goes,
MM

Simrick, Slartybart and MoxieMomma (love these handles!):

So, I've taken your advice, at least part of it.

I ran the F12 extended hardware testing, and everything passed. I've also run ChkDsk, with no problems/fixes. Only sfc /scannow resulted in some unfix-able issues, all related to directory ownership - some owned by more than one process, others owned by none.

So, I'm inclined to disregard the so-called "bloatware". (I'm not sure why it's considered bloatware when it's a part of the Dell service process, but maybe it's because its test results are so flaky?) and stop stressing about failed tests.

I am not a fan of Dell Support unless I have an obvious failure. I'm tired of the "Bill Gates" solution to every problem - "just format"... In the Dell Support case, their equivalent is the Factory Reset, which I'm absolutely NOT going to do - I've got lots of software and data in this machine, so that's not an option. Neither is doing the reset, then restoring the SSD from my backups...

So, I will call them, and I agree - always escalate to Tier 2, at least. Let's see what they say...

Yes, I have done some weird stuff with this laptop. I tried to install Win7 Pro after backing up the entire SSD image. Numerous attempts to install Win7 using a Dell Win7 Pro OEM CD, including DiskPart reassignment of the 512 Gb SSD file configuration to MBR vs. GPT, failed, probably because of the NVMe configuration in the 512 Gb SSD. So, I restored the SSD to its original GPT config, and restored the O/S to its original Win10 Pro level.

Other than the previously mentioned Dell SupportAssist test failures, I've had no issues with this fast little laptop.

Thanks, all, for your guidance.

Airpilot