What does HP's built-in diagnostics tool primarily help with?

HP's built-in diagnostics tool is specifically designed to identify hardware failures within HP desktops, workstations, and notebooks. This tool runs a series of tests on various components such as the hard drive, memory, and other critical hardware elements to detect any malfunctions. When users face issues with their devices, rather than manually troubleshooting or guessing what might be wrong, they can use this tool to efficiently pinpoint underlying hardware problems.

In contrast, the other options present functionalities that do not fall within the primary purpose of the diagnostics tool. Reinstalling the operating system and installing software updates are processes that require different tools and methods, typically through recovery partitions or external media rather than a diagnostic tool. Cleaning the device is more of a maintenance task that involves physical cleaning and does not pertain to diagnostics or troubleshooting hardware issues. Thus, the capability to detect hardware failures makes the built-in diagnostics tool an invaluable resource for troubleshooting effectively.