Systems and methods for providing technical support and exporting diagnostic data

1. An Information Handling System (IHS), comprising:

a processor; and

a memory coupled to the processor, the memory having program instructions stored thereon that, upon execution by the processor, cause the IHS to:

identify a video failure in response to executing a Basic I/O System (BIOS)/Unified Extensible Firmware Interface (UEFI) diagnostics routine prior to the booting of a main Operating System (OS), wherein the video failure renders the IHS incapable of providing a video interface; and

in response to the identification, provide an audio interface to a user, wherein the audio interface enables the user to perform a troubleshooting operation in the absence of the video interface.

2. The IHS of claim 1 , wherein the video failure includes a video card or controller failure.

3. The IHS of claim 1 , wherein the audio interface is configured to provide a series of one or more audio instructions to the user via a loudspeaker coupled to or part of the IHS, and wherein the audio instructions are part of the troubleshooting operation.

4. The IHS of claim 3 , wherein the one or more audio instructions include one or more error codes configured to be reproduced via the audio interface.

5. The IHS of claim 3 , wherein the audio interface is configured to receive a user command or response to the audio instructions via a microphone coupled to or part of the IHS.

6. The IHS of claim 3 , wherein the audio interface is configured to receive a user command or response to the audio instructions via a keyboard, touchscreen, or pointing device coupled to or part of the IHS.

7. The IHS of claim 1 , wherein the program instructions, upon execution by the processor, further cause the IHS to transmit a mayday beacon to a secondary device in physical proximity to the IHS via a wireless interface.

8. The method of claim 7 , wherein the mayday beacon includes at least a device identification, fault information, or warranty information.

9. The IHS of claim 7 , wherein the IHS is configured to transmit one or more instructions received from the user to the secondary device over the wireless interface.

10. The IHS of claim 7 , wherein to perform the troubleshooting operation, the program instructions, upon execution by the processor, further cause the IHS to use a user interface provided by the secondary device.

11. The IHS of claim 1 , wherein the program instructions, upon execution by the processor, further cause the IHS to initiate a connection with a backend service or support personnel via a network, and wherein the troubleshooting operation involves one or more audio interactions between the user and the backend service or support personnel.

12. A method, comprising:

identifying a video failure in response to executing a Basic I/O System (BIOS)/Unified Extensible Firmware Interface (UEFI) diagnostics routine prior to the booting of a main Operating System (OS), wherein the video failure renders the IHS incapable of providing a video interface; and

in response to the identification, providing an audio interface to a user, wherein the audio interface enables the user to perform a troubleshooting operation in the absence of the video interface.

13. The method of claim 12 , further comprising transmitting a mayday beacon to a secondary device in physical proximity to the IHS via a wireless interface.

14. The method of claim 13 , wherein at least one of: (a) the mayday beacon includes at least a device identification, fault information, or warranty information; or (b) the method further includes transmitting one or more instructions received from the user to the secondary device over the wireless interface or accessing a user interface provided by the secondary device.

15. The method of claim 12 , further comprising initiating a connection with a backend service or support personnel via a network, wherein the troubleshooting operation involves one or more audio interactions between the user and the backend service or support personnel.

16. A hardware memory device having program instructions stored thereon that, upon execution by a processor of an Information Handling System (IHS), cause the IHS to:

identify a video failure in response to executing a Basic I/O System (BIOS)/Unified Extensible Firmware Interface (UEFI) diagnostics routine prior to the booting of a main Operating System (OS), wherein the video failure renders the IHS incapable of providing a video interface; and

in response to the identification, provide an audio interface to a user, wherein the audio interface enables the user to perform a troubleshooting operation in the absence of the video interface.

17. The hardware memory device of claim 16 , wherein the program instructions, upon execution by the processor, further cause the IHS to transmit a mayday beacon to a secondary device in physical proximity to the IHS via a wireless interface.

18. The hardware memory device of claim 17 , wherein the mayday beacon includes at least a device identification, fault information, or warranty information.

19. The hardware memory device of claim 17 , wherein the program instructions further cause the IHS to: transmit one or more instructions received from the user to the secondary device over the wireless interface; or access a user interface provided by the secondary device.

20. The hardware memory device of claim 16 , wherein the program instructions further cause the IHS to initiate a connection with a backend service or support personnel via a network, and wherein the troubleshooting operation involves one or more audio interactions between the user and the backend service or support personnel.