Compaq Presario
                        Compaq Diagnostics            Faxback Doc. # 50321

Compaq Diagnostics for Windows provides a wealth of data about your
computer, from a broad system overview to the smallest details.  The
following list of information that Compaq Diagnostics provides is just
the tip of the iceberg.

Processor Type and Speed
Memory Type, Amount, and Configuration
Storage Devices Present and Their Sizes
Operating System
Input Devices
Ports Used and Available
Monitor Type

NOTE: Hardware diagnostic testing has been added to version 2.00 and
later of Compaq Diagnostics for Windows and is available starting with
1998 Compaq Presario personal computers.

How to Access Compaq Diagnostics

Compaq Diagnostics for Windows is always just a few clicks away.  You can
access Compaq Diagnostics from your Windows desktop in one of two
different ways.

1.  Click on Start.  Highlight Settings, then click on Control Panel.  In
    the Control Panel window, click on the Compaq Diagnostics icon.

  -or-

2.  If available, click on the Presario Support icon.  In the Presario
    Support window, click on the Compaq Diagnostics icon.

After a brief period of 'checking out' your computer, Compaq Diagnostics
displays the Overview screen listing important general information about
your computer.

The Main Window

After you launch Compaq Diagnostics for Windows, the main window appears.

This window is divided into three important areas.

The menu bar, located along the top, is similar to the menu bar found in
any Windows software application. 

The tool bar is a row of icons located just below the menu bar.

The overview display is the largest area of the main window.

This area displays an overview of your computer's hardware and software.
Hardware is shown on the left side, and software is shown on the right
side.

Using the Menu Bar

Within the menu bar are various tools for using the Compaq Diagnostics
utility.

Each menu item contains several functions as detailed below.

File           Save the diagnostics data, Print the data, 
               Printer Setup, or Exit the program.

Categories     View more detailed data for a specific 
               category, also available from the Tool Bar.

Navigation     View detailed data in the Previous Category 
               or the Next Category, also available from the 
               Tool Bar.

Level          View Less or More detailed data.

Tab            Choose between the Overview, Test, Status,
               Log, or Error tabs in the main window.

Help           View the Help Contents, How to Use Help, and
               About Help for Compaq Diagnostics.

Within the tool bar are various icons representing data categories.

When a category is selected, a secondary window pops up over the main
window showing details about your computer in the chosen category.  The
categories and their corresponding icons are listed below.

System - product type, processor, coprocessor, and ROM in your computer.

AssetControl - your computer's serial number.

Input Devices - keyboard, mouse, and other input devices connected to 
  your computer.

Communication - modem, parallel (LPT) ports, and serial (COM) ports in
  your computer.

Storage - hard drives, floppy drives, CD drives, and other storage 
  devices connected to your computer.

Video - video card, video mode, and video ROM in your computer.

Memory - memory type and amount installed in your computer.

Multimedia - any multimedia devices and drivers installed in your 
  computer.

Operating System - operating system installed in your computer and its 
  configuration.

Windows - version of Windows installed in your computer and its 
  configuration.

Architecture - type of bus your computer uses.

Health - error logs and other health issues of your computer.

Miscellaneous - configuration memory (CMOS), BIOS data area, Interrupt
  Vector table, and System Information Table (SIT) of your computer.

Previous and Next - view detailed data in the previous or next category.

Using the Test Tabs 

In the overview display area of the main window of Compaq Diagnostics,
there are four extra tabs: Test, Status, Log, and Error.

To run a test on your computer's components, click on the Test tab.

The test window is divided into three areas:

The test window menus allow you to make choices on the type of test to
run.  The test window component list allows you to choose exactly what
components to test.  The test window buttons allow you to begin testing
and to check or uncheck all component tests.

(RDS-09/21/98)