A method for auxiliary signal design for active failure detection based on a multi-model formulation of normal and failed systems is developed which allows for a priori information about initial conditions and the possibility of having a known input in addition to the test signal. These results permit the consideration of additional types of failures, such as biases, that a previous approach could not handle. Both theoretical results and computational algorithms are developed. (c) 2005 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.