As practice shows, users are only satisfied with the capabilities of their own computer for the time being - sooner or later they have to resort to an upgrade. Everything is banally simple - new versions of the OS and applications used, as a rule, require more and more resources. The easiest way to upgrade your PC is to buy a new one system unit with modern “filling”, which is not difficult if you have money. However, this is not always reasonable - often to increase productivity it is enough to resort to replacing individual components.

To choose an upgrade strategy, you need to find out what hardware is installed and understand what the computer lacks to perform better. fast work- processor power, video system capabilities, memory capacity, hard drive read/write speed, etc. But this is only one side of the coin. After purchasing a new system unit or upgrading an old one, you will need to quickly find out whether the “filling” of the system unit corresponds to what was stated at the time of purchase (without opening the unit itself, since there may be a seal on it), evaluate how much the performance has increased, and understand whether the computer is really stable works.

Any professional assembler (and all overclocking enthusiasts) can easily solve the listed problems, since they have in their arsenal many diverse and highly specialized information and diagnostic tools. The average user has no need to acquire such solutions, but it is still necessary to install a simple comprehensive utility for obtaining information about the hardware and testing the computer. It is these programs that we will consider in this article.

Retrieving Hardware Data

Theoretically, any information diagnostic utility is capable of recognizing the “stuffing” of a system unit. However, not every program is able to identify new models of processors, video cards and other hardware (it all depends on the completeness of the database and the regularity of its updates), and the amount of information on the identified components can vary - from minimal to exhaustive.

Among the solutions considered, the program has the most detailed information AIDA64, which knows almost everything about any hardware, including the most latest news. For example, this utility will be able to recognize Intel 510 and 320 solid-state drives and video cards that have recently appeared on the market AMD Radeon HD 6790 and NVIDIA GeForce GT 520M, five new mobile video cards of the Quadro M series from NVIDIA, etc.

Using AIDA64, you can easily find out everything about the processor, motherboard, video card, network adapter, drives (including the latest SSDs) and input devices, multimedia, as well as ports, external connected devices and power management. The program is able to determine the type of flash memory, controller model (reading SMART information of controllers manufactured by Indilinx, Intel, JMicron, Samsung and SandForce is supported) and data transfer speed. Moreover, the utility recognizes USB controllers 3.0 and devices compatible with this new standard.

The volume of data provided by AIDA64 is impressive - access to it is provided from a tree-like menu of sections that combine the main modules of the program. Yes, through the section Computer it is easy to obtain aggregate information about hardware components, the system and BIOS, as well as data on processor overclocking, power supply features, the state of system hardware monitoring sensors, etc. (Fig. 1).

Rice. 1. Summary information about the computer (AIDA64)

Other “hardware” sections provide more detailed information - so in the section System board there is detailed information about the central processor, motherboard, memory, BIOS, etc. In the section Display it is easy to obtain information related to the graphical interface of the system (in particular, information about the video adapter and monitor - Fig. 2), and in the section Multimedia learn about the multimedia capabilities of the system (multimedia devices and installed audio and video codecs).

Rice. 2. Video card information (AIDA64)

In the section Data storage information about hard drives and optical drives, as well as the logical and physical structure of hard drives, the values ​​and statuses of SMART parameters. You can find information about network adapters in the section Net, and about buses, ports, keyboard, mouse, etc. - in the section Devices. In addition, from the menu Service panel opens AIDA64 CPUID(Fig. 3), which displays data about the processor, motherboard, memory and chipset in a compact form.

Rice. 3. AIDA64 CPUID panel

Program SiSoftware Sandra It is also very informative and allows you to obtain comprehensive information about almost all hardware components of a computer system. In particular, the utility displays summary data about the computer as a whole (Fig. 4) - that is, basic information about the processor, motherboard, chipset, memory modules, video system, etc. (tab Devices, pictogram System Information).

Rice. 4. Summary information about the computer (SiSoftware Sandra)

Along with summary information, in the tab Devices The utility also provides more detailed information about the motherboard and processor, display and video adapter (Fig. 5), memory, buses and devices installed in them, disks, ports, mice, keyboard, sound card, etc. As for the readings of various types of monitoring sensors, then to obtain them you will need to launch not the information module, but the diagnostic module Monitor environment (tab Tools). This module provides display of text and graphic information about processor temperature, fan speed, voltage, etc.

Rice. 5. Video system information (SiSoftware Sandra)

Utility PC Wizard provides access to information about the main hardware modules installed in the computer: motherboard, processor, video card, memory, I/O ports, drives, printers, multimedia devices, printers, etc. All this data is available on the tab Iron. By activating the icon on it General information about the system, you can determine in one click what exactly is in the system unit (Fig. 6) - which motherboard, which processor, etc. Other tab icons Iron will help you get more detailed information about components (Fig. 7); The amount of data provided is quite sufficient for the average user. In addition, through the menu Tools → Overclocking information you can find out whether any of the system components (processor, bus or memory) have been overclocked, and if so, to what limits, and also take readings from some sensors.

Rice. 6. General information about the computer (PC Wizard)

Rice. 7. Graphics subsystem data (PC Wizard)

Utility HWiNFO32 It will also allow you to learn a lot of interesting things about the hardware of the computer. Immediately after startup, it begins diagnostic tests and within seconds displays a window System Summary with compact display of data about the processor, motherboard, memory, chipset, disks, etc. (Fig. 8). This window can also be called up while working with the utility by clicking on the button Summary. In addition, HWiNFO32 displays detailed information about the processor, motherboard (Fig. 9), memory, video adapter, etc. in the corresponding tabs - Central Processors, Motherboard, Memory, Video Adapter etc. Data on the processor, memory modules, motherboard, buses and disks is quite detailed, information on other devices is more modest. If necessary, it is easy to obtain readings from the touch sensors installed on the motherboard (temperature, voltage, etc.) by clicking on the button Sensors.

Rice. 8. Summary information about the computer (HWiNFO32)

Rice. 9. Video card information (HWiNFO32)

Program Fresh Diagnosis allows you to find out information about any iron components, although not always detailed. For example, on the tab Hardware System you can find out about the motherboard, processor, cache memory, buses, BIOS, CMOS memory, etc. Section Device contains information about the video card (Fig. 10), peripheral devices(keyboard, printer, monitor, optical drives, etc.) and ports. In the section Multimedia combines data on various multimedia devices, DirectX, audio and video codecs.

Rice. 10. Video card data (Fresh Diagnosis)

Performance Evaluation

Before upgrading, you need to evaluate the performance of the computer and its individual components in order to understand which hardware needs to be replaced immediately, and which components can wait until better times (after all, in a crisis, not everyone decides to completely upgrade). This is quite simple to do by conducting a couple of specific benchmark tests in the environment of a suitable diagnostic utility. After buying a new computer or upgrading an old one, it also doesn't hurt to test it to make sure that the computer has become more productive. Of course, you can feel the effect of the upgrade while working normally in applications, but to complete the picture, it is better to verify the performance improvement using tools specifically designed for this purpose.

When conducting tests, to obtain a more objective assessment, it is better to close all applications, not use the mouse and keyboard, run the same test (in the same version of the utility) several times and focus on the average result. In addition, it is worth keeping in mind that the same synthetic tests in different utilities are implemented in a far from identical way, so the programs show different results. And you shouldn’t take the results obtained literally, since they do not reflect real performance, but only indicate the level of performance when performing strictly specific tasks. Nevertheless, conducting such testing makes it possible to understand how outdated the hardware components installed in your computer are in comparison with reference samples, as well as to evaluate the level of performance before and after the upgrade, which is what interests us in this article.

The programs of greatest interest from a testing point of view are AIDA64 and SiSoftware Sandra, some of whose benchmarks are used even by professionals in various hardware testing techniques. The capabilities of the other utilities discussed in the article are limited in this regard, although they also provide some test functionality.

In the program AIDA64 a wide range of benchmark tests is presented. Yes, in the section Test 13 synthetic tests are combined, the first four of which evaluate memory performance - read/write/copy speed (Fig. 11), and also measure latency (testing the average time the processor reads data from RAM). The rest of the tests in this section evaluate processor performance in integer and floating point operations, when creating ZIP archives, when performing encryption using the AES crypto algorithm, etc. (tests CPU Queen, CPU PhotoWorxx, CPU ZLib, CPU AES, CPU Hash, FPU VP8, FPU Julia, FPU Mandel, FPU SinJulia). All tests compare performance with other systems, including the latest ones.

Rice. 11. CPU performance evaluation (CPU Queen test; AIDA64)

Via the menu Service Three more benchmark tests are available: Disk test, Cache and memory test And Monitor diagnostics. The disk test measures the performance of hard drives, solid state drives, optical drives, etc. The cache and memory test measures the bandwidth and latency of the processor cache and memory (Figure 12). In the test Monitor diagnostics The display quality of LCD and CRT monitors is checked.

Rice. 12. Cache & Memory Benchmark; AIDA64

In terms of testing for a wide range of users, the program is even more interesting SiSoftware Sandra, with which you can not only evaluate the performance of your PC in comparison with other reference computer configurations, but also test your computer to see if it needs an upgrade. Modules designed for testing the most important computer subsystems are combined on the tab Benchmarks. A whole group of synthetic tests is designed to test the processor - arithmetic and multimedia tests, multi-core efficiency tests, power efficiency tests, cryptographic performance and GPGPU cryptography. Several tests are responsible for testing physical drives - including the test file systems, as well as testing modules for physical disks, removable/flash drives, CD-ROM/DVD and Blu-ray optical drives. Tests are provided to test memory: test bandwidth memory, memory latency test and cache and memory test. In addition, there are tests to evaluate rendering speed and video memory performance, audio/video encoding/decoding test, network bandwidth test, Internet connection speed test, etc. When testing a number of components (processor, RAM etc.) the results are given in comparison with reference models that are more or less similar in characteristics. At the same time, it is possible to independently select standards for comparison, including the most modern ones (Fig. 13), which is very convenient and allows you to quickly understand how outdated the hardware components installed in the computer are and which models are best to replace them with.

Rice. 13. CPU performance evaluation
(arithmetic test; SiSoftware Sandra)

Two interesting test modules are presented on the tab Tools- these are modules Performance index And Analysis and recommendations. Using the test Performance index The overall performance of the computer is assessed during arithmetic and multimedia tests of the processor, determination of memory bandwidth, as well as testing of physical disks and a video card (Fig. 14). Reference models components for comparison are selected by the program or the user. Module Analysis and recommendations provides a detailed analysis of the PC for possible upgrades. At the end of this analysis, the program produces a list of recommendations on which hardware components are best replaced in order to improve performance (Fig. 15), and draws attention to possible problems (for example, the difficulty of adding memory due to all slots being occupied, too high processor temperature (and suggests checking cooling), etc.).

Rice. 14. Assessing overall computer performance (SiSoftware Sandra)

Rice. 15. Computer analysis for upgrade (SiSoftware Sandra)

Utility PC Wizard also includes certain functionality for testing hardware (tab Test). With its help, you can clearly evaluate the overall performance of your computer (icon Global Performance) in comparison with other configurations and based on the test results, understand which of the subsystems in terms of performance significantly fall short of the selected (from a preset list) reference sample - that is, they need to be updated, and which are quite on par (Fig. 16).

Rice. 16. Assessing overall computer performance (PC Wizard)

PC Wizard also has a number of synthetic tests that allow you to evaluate the performance of the processor, L1/L2/L3 caches and memory in general (bandwidth, timing assessment), as well as the video subsystem, hard drive, optical drive etc. In particular, the processor is subject to basic tests Dhrystone ALU, Whetstone FPU and Whetstone SSE2, which allow us to evaluate its performance in integer and floating point operations. Test results are displayed in text and graphical form; in a number of tests, it is possible to compare the results obtained with the test results of the selected reference subsystem (Fig. 17).

Rice. 17. CPU testing (PC Wizard)

Utility HWiNFO32 is able to evaluate the performance of the processor (CPU, FPU, MMX), memory and hard drive during express testing (button Benchmark). Test results are presented in two versions - in numerical form and in the form of a comparative chart. The diagram contains many reference components, including modern ones, so it is easy to understand how the processor (or other component) installed in the computer is inferior in performance to modern models (Fig. 18).

Rice. 18. CPU performance evaluation (HWiNFO32)

Program Fresh Diagnosis has tools for determining the performance of individual system components. These are seven synthetic test modules in section Benchmarks. With their help, you can evaluate the performance of the processor (Whetstone, Dhrystone and multimedia tests), memory, video system, hard drives, optical drives and network adapter. Test results are presented in comparison with basic systems and presented in the form of visual histograms. True, in our opinion, there is not much benefit from them, since outdated reference systems are selected for comparison (Fig. 19).

Rice. 19. CPU testing (Fresh Diagnosis)

Checking your computer for stability

Unfortunately, it is not a fact that the updated computer will be stable in operation. Why? There are many reasons - for example, the power supply may not cope well with the increased load due to the replacement of the processor or video adapter with newer models.

If such a picture occurs, then the situation should be dealt with as soon as possible- that is, until obvious signs of instability appear in the form of a blue screen of “death”, etc. This means that you need to find out the temperature of the processor, motherboard and other important hardware and understand whether any component is overheating under load, and also evaluate how the computer generally behaves under stressful conditions. This can be done by conducting stress testing.

Most stability tests place intensive computational load on various blocks central processor, system memory, GPU and a set of system logic - that is, they force the computer to work under stressful conditions. Unfortunately, none of these tests by itself guarantees 100% system stability, but if the test reveals a failure in the system or was not completed, then this is a clear signal that you need to pay attention to the hardware.

Provided in AIDA64 system stability test (available through the menu Service) is intended for stress testing of the processor (testing cores separately is allowed), memory, local disks, etc. (Fig. 20). The test results are displayed on two graphs: the upper one shows the temperature of the selected components, the lower one shows the processor load level (CPU Usage) and the CPU Throttling mode. Mode CPU Throttling is activated only if the processor overheats, and it should be understood that activating this mode during testing is an alarm signal calling for attention to the operation of the cooling system. During testing, system heating is controlled by continuously monitoring the temperature.

Rice. 20. CPU stress testing (AIDA64)

In addition to temperature, the graphs of which are displayed on the first tab during stress testing, on other tabs the program presents another useful information- about fan rotation speed, voltage, etc. It should be borne in mind that the system stability test in AIDA64 can last indefinitely, so it is stopped manually after making sure that everything is working normally (after 30 minutes), or when suspicious results are detected ( For example, severe overheating one of the components).

Using stability test SiSoftware Sandra(tab Tools), stress testing can also be performed (Fig. 21). It will allow you to navigate the stability of the system and identify its weak points by analyzing the operation of the processor, memory, physical disks and optical drives, energy efficiency, etc. Testing lasts for a specified period of time or without taking it into account - in this case the number of times it is run is indicated selected test modules. During testing, the utility monitors the system state and stops the process if errors occur or in case of overheating (critical temperatures are set by default or manually).

Rice. 21. Stability test (SiSoftware Sandra)

Utility features PC Wizard in terms of system stability testing (test System Test Stability from the menu Tools) are limited to CPU and motherboard testing. During testing, the processor is maximally loaded and operates under such conditions for a long time, during which the temperatures of the processor and motherboard are measured at certain intervals, and the results are displayed on a graph (Fig. 22).

Rice. 22. Testing the processor for stability (PC Wizard)

Brief overview of utilities

AIDA64 (Extreme Edition) 1.60

Developer: FinalWire Ltd

Distribution size: 11.7 MB

Price:$39.95

AIDA64 program - updated version well-known information diagnostic solution EVEREST, designed for diagnosing hardware and software computer resources and various computer testing. The utility can be launched from a hard drive, CD/DVD/BD disks, as well as from flash drives. The program is presented in two editions: AIDA64 Extreme Edition and AIDA64 Business Edition; the AIDA64 Extreme Edition is designed for home users. The utility is regularly updated and supports the vast majority of modern models.

SiSoftware Sandra 2011 (Lite)

Developer: SiSoftware

Distribution size: 53.3 MB

Price: free (for personal and educational use)

SiSoftware Sandra Lite is the best of the free information diagnostic programs. It provides detailed information about the computer and any of its hardware and software components, and also allows you to test the PC for performance, the need for an upgrade, etc. The utility can be used to analyze, diagnose and test a PDA or smartphone. The program is available in several editions; for home use, the free edition of SiSoftware Sandra Lite is sufficient. The utility is updated quite regularly and supports the vast majority of modern models.

PC Wizard 2010.1.961

Developer: CPUID

Distribution size: 5.02 MB

Price: for free

PC Wizard is an information diagnostic utility used to diagnose hardware and software components and conduct various tests. In the basic version, the program is launched from a hard drive; it can be loaded from portable devices, for example from a flash drive (a special version of Portable PC Wizard). The utility is not updated as often as we would like (the last update was from August 2010), although it supports many modern models(of course, we are not talking about new products).

HWiNFO32 3.71

Developer: Martin Malik

Distribution size: 2.26 MB

Price: for free

HWiNFO32 is an information diagnostic utility that allows you to obtain detailed information about hardware PC and test the performance of the processor, memory and hard drives. The program is updated monthly - as a result, all new products that appear on the market are included in its database in a timely manner. There is a special portable edition of the utility that can be launched from a removable USB drive or other portable device.

Fresh Diagnosis 8.52

Developer: FreshDevices.com

Distribution size: 2.08 MB

Distribution method: freeware (http://www.freshdiagnose.com/download.html)

Price: free (registration required; tests cannot be used in the unregistered version)

Fresh Diagnose is an information diagnostic utility designed to obtain information about all hardware and software components of a PC, as well as testing it. The program is regularly updated and supports many modern models, but its shortcomings include a poorly designed interface and poor-quality Russian localization (therefore, it is wiser to use it with an English interface).

Many PC owners encounter various errors and malfunctions in their computer, but cannot determine the cause of the problem. In this article, we will look at the main methods for diagnosing a computer, allowing you to independently identify and fix various problems.

Keep in mind that high-quality diagnostics of a computer can take the whole day; set aside a day in the morning specifically for this, and do not start everything in the late afternoon.

I warn you that I will write in detail as for beginners who have never disassembled a computer, in order to warn about all possible nuances that can lead to problems.

1. Disassembling and cleaning the computer

When disassembling and cleaning your computer, do not rush, do everything carefully so as not to damage anything. Place components in a pre-prepared safe place.

It is not advisable to start diagnostics before cleaning, since you will not be able to identify the cause of the malfunction if it is caused by clogged contacts or the cooling system. Additionally, diagnostics may fail to complete due to repeated failures.

Unplug the system unit from the outlet at least 15 minutes before cleaning so that the capacitors have time to discharge.

Perform disassembly in the following sequence:

1. Disconnect all wires from the system unit.
2. Remove both side covers.
3. Disconnect the power connectors from the video card and remove it.
4. Remove all memory sticks.
5. Disconnect and remove cables from all drives.
6. Unscrew and remove all discs.
7. Disconnect all power supply cables.
8. Unscrew and remove the power supply.

There is no need to remove the motherboard, processor cooler, or case fans; you can also leave the DVD drive if it works normally.

Carefully blow off the system unit and all components separately with a powerful stream of air from a vacuum cleaner without a dust bag.

Carefully remove the cover from the power supply and blow it out without touching the electrical parts and the board with your hands or metal parts, as there may be voltage in the capacitors!

If your vacuum cleaner does not work on blowing, but only on blowing, then it will be a little more difficult. Clean it well so that it pulls as hard as possible. When cleaning, it is recommended to use a soft bristled brush.

You can also use a soft brush to remove stubborn dust.

Thoroughly clean the processor cooler heatsink, having first examined where and how much it is clogged with dust, as this is one of the common causes of processor overheating and PC crashes.

Also make sure that the cooler mount is not broken, the clamp has not opened and the radiator is securely pressed to the processor.

Be careful when cleaning fans, do not let them spin too much and do not bring the vacuum cleaner attachment close if it does not have a brush, so as not to knock off the blade.

At the end of cleaning, do not rush to put everything back together, but move on to the next steps.

2. Checking the motherboard battery

The first thing after cleaning, so as not to forget later, I check the battery charge on the motherboard, and at the same time reset the BIOS. In order to pull it out, you need to press the latch with a flat screwdriver in the direction indicated in the photo and it will pop out on its own.

After this, you need to measure its voltage with a multimeter, optimally if it is within 2.5-3 V. The initial battery voltage is 3 V.

If the battery voltage is below 2.5 V, then it is advisable to change it. The voltage of 2 V is critically low and the PC is already starting to fail, which manifests itself in resetting the BIOS settings and stopping at the beginning of the PC boot with a prompt to press F1 or some other key to continue booting.

If you don’t have a multimeter, you can take the battery with you to the store and ask them to check it there, or just buy a replacement battery in advance, it’s standard and very inexpensive.

A clear sign of a dead battery is the date and time on the computer constantly disappearing.

The battery needs to be changed in a timely manner, but if you don’t have a replacement on hand right now, then simply do not disconnect the system unit from the power supply until you change the battery. In this case, the settings should not be lost, but problems may still arise, so do not delay.

Checking the battery good time For full reset BIOS. In this case, not only are they reset BIOS settings, which can be done through the Setup menu, but also the so-called volatile CMOS memory, which stores the parameters of all devices (processor, memory, video card, etc.).

Errors inCMOSoften cause the following problems:

• computer won't turn on
• turns on every other time
• turns on and nothing happens
• turns on and off by itself

I remind you that before resetting BIOS system the unit must be unplugged from the outlet, otherwise the CMOS will be powered by the power supply and nothing will work.

To reset the BIOS, use a screwdriver or other metal object to close the contacts in the battery connector for 10 seconds; this is usually enough to discharge the capacitors and complete cleaning CMOS.

A sign that a reset has occurred will be an erroneous date and time, which will need to be set in the BIOS the next time you boot the computer.

4. Visual inspection of components

Carefully inspect all capacitors on the motherboard for swelling or leaks, especially in the processor socket area.

Sometimes capacitors swell down instead of up, causing them to tilt as if they were just slightly bent or unevenly soldered.

If any capacitors are swollen, then you need to send the motherboard for repair as soon as possible and ask to resolder all the capacitors, including those located next to the swollen ones.

Also inspect the capacitors and other elements of the power supply; there should be no swelling, drips, or signs of burning.

Inspect the disc contacts for oxidation.

They can be cleaned with an eraser and after that be sure to replace the cable or power adapter that was used to connect this disk, since it is already damaged and most likely caused oxidation.

In general, check all the cables and connectors so that they are clean, have shiny contacts, and are tightly connected to the drives and motherboard. All cables that do not meet these requirements must be replaced.

Check that the wires from the front panel of the case to the motherboard are connected correctly.

It is important that the polarity be observed (plus to plus, minus to minus), since there is a common ground on the front panel and failure to observe the polarity will lead to a short circuit, which is why the computer may behave inappropriately (turn on every other time, turn off itself or reboot) .

Where the plus and minus in the front panel contacts is indicated on the board itself, in the paper manual for it and in the electronic version of the manual on the manufacturer’s website. The contacts of the wires from the front panel also indicate where the plus and minus are. Typically the white wire is the negative wire, and the positive connector may be indicated by a triangle on the plastic connector.

Many even experienced assemblers make a mistake here, so check.

5. Checking the power supply

If the computer did not turn on at all before cleaning, then do not rush to assemble it; first of all, you need to check the power supply. However, in any case, it won’t hurt to check the power supply; maybe it’s because of it that the computer is crashing.

Check the power supply fully assembled to avoid electric shock, short circuit, or accidental fan failure.

To test the power supply, connect the only green wire in the motherboard connector to any black one. This will signal to the power supply that it is connected to the motherboard, otherwise it will not turn on.

Then plug the power supply into the surge protector and press the button on it. Don't forget that the power supply itself may also have an on/off button.

A spinning fan should be a sign that the power supply is turned on. If the fan does not spin, it may be faulty and needs to be replaced.

In some silent power supplies, the fan may not start spinning immediately, but only under load; this is normal and can be checked while operating the PC.

Use a multimeter to measure the voltage between the contacts in the connectors for peripheral devices.

They should be approximately in the following range.

• 12 V (yellow-black) – 11.7-12.5 V
• 5 V (red-black) – 4.7-5.3 V
• 3.3 V (orange-black) – 3.1-3.5 V

If any voltage is missing or greatly exceeds the specified limits, then the power supply is faulty. It is best to replace it with a new one, but if the computer itself is inexpensive, then repairs are allowed; power supplies can be done easily and inexpensively.

Starting the power supply and normal stress a good sign, but in itself does not mean that the power supply is good, since failures can occur due to voltage drops or ripples under load. But this is already determined at subsequent stages of testing.

6. Checking power contacts

Be sure to check all electrical contacts from the outlet to the system unit. The socket must be modern (suitable for a European plug), reliable and not loose, with clean elastic contacts. The same requirements apply to the surge protector and the cable from the computer's power supply.

Contact must be reliable, plugs and connectors must not dangle, spark, or be oxidized. Pay close attention to this, since poor contact is often the cause of failure of the system unit, monitor and other peripheral devices.

If you suspect the quality of the outlet, surge protector, power cable of the system unit or monitor, then change them as quickly as possible to avoid damage to the computer. Do not delay or save on this, as repairing a PC or monitor will cost much more.

Also, poor contact is often the cause of PC malfunctions, which are accompanied by a sudden shutdown or reboot with subsequent failures on the hard drive and, as a result, disruption of the operating system.

Failures can also occur due to voltage drops or ripples in the 220 V network, especially in the private sector and remote areas of the city. In this case, failures may occur even when the computer is idle. Try measuring the voltage in the outlet immediately after the computer spontaneously turns off or restarts and watch the readings for a while. This way you can identify long-term drawdowns, from which a linear-interactive UPS with a stabilizer will save you.

7. Assembling and turning on the computer

After cleaning and inspecting the PC, carefully reassemble it and carefully check that you have connected everything you need. If the computer refused to turn on before cleaning or turned on only once, then it is advisable to connect the components one by one. If there were no such problems, then skip the next section.

7.1. Step-by-step PC assembly

First, connect the motherboard power connector and the processor power connector to the motherboard with the processor. Do not insert RAM, video card or connect disks.

Turn on the power of the PC and if motherboard everything is fine, the processor cooler fan should spin up. Also, if a beeper is connected to the motherboard, a beep code usually sounds indicating a lack of RAM.

Memory installation

Turn off the computer with a short or (if that doesn’t work) long press of the power button on the system unit and insert one stick of RAM into the colored slot closest to the processor. If all the slots are the same color, then just go to the one closest to the processor.

Make sure that the memory stick is inserted evenly until it stops and that the latches snap into place, otherwise it may be damaged when you turn on the PC.

If the computer starts up with one stick of memory and there is a beeping sound, then a code usually sounds indicating that there is no video card (if there is no integrated graphics). If the beep code indicates problems with the RAM, then try inserting another stick in the same place. If the problem continues or there is no other bracket, then move the bracket to another nearby slot. If there are no sounds, then everything is probably fine, continue further.

Turn off the computer and insert the second memory stick into the slot of the same color. If the motherboard has 4 slots of the same color, then follow the instructions for the motherboard so that the memory is in the slots recommended for dual-channel mode. Then turn it on again and check whether the PC turns on and what sound signals it makes.

If you have 3 or 4 memory sticks, then simply insert them one by one, turning the PC off and on each time. If the computer does not start with a certain stick or produces a memory error code, then this stick is faulty. You can also check the motherboard slots by moving the working strip into different slots.

Some motherboards have a red indicator that lights up in case of memory problems, and sometimes a segment indicator with an error code, the explanation of which is in the motherboard manual.

If the computer starts, then further memory testing occurs at another stage.

Installing a video card

It's time to test the video card by inserting it into the top PCI-E x16 slot (or AGP for older PCs). Don't forget to connect additional power to the video card with the appropriate connectors.

With a video card, the computer should start normally, without sound signals, or with a single sound signal, indicating the normal completion of the self-test.

If the PC does not turn on or emits a video card error code, then it is most likely faulty. But don't rush to conclusions, sometimes you just need to connect a monitor and keyboard.

Connecting a monitor

Turn off the PC and connect the monitor to the video card (or motherboard if there is no video card). Make sure that the connector to the video card and monitor is connected tightly; sometimes tight connectors do not go in all the way, which is the reason for the absence of an image on the screen.

Turn on the monitor and make sure that the correct signal source is selected on it (the connector to which the PC is connected, if there are several of them).

Turn on the computer and a graphical splash screen and text messages from the motherboard should appear on the screen. Usually this is a prompt to enter the BIOS using the F1 key, a message about the absence of a keyboard or boot devices, this is normal.

If the computer silently turns on, but there is nothing on the screen, there is most likely something wrong with the video card or monitor. The video card can only be checked by moving it to a working computer. The monitor can be connected to another work PC or device (laptop, player, tuner, etc.). Don't forget to select the desired signal source in the monitor settings.

Connecting a keyboard and mouse

If everything is fine with the video card and monitor, then move on. Connect the keyboard first, then the mouse, one at a time, turning the PC off and on each time. If the computer freezes after connecting a keyboard or mouse, it means they need to be replaced - it happens!

Connecting drives

If the computer starts with a keyboard and mouse, then we begin to connect the hard drives one by one. First, connect the second drive without the operating system (if you have one).

Do not forget that in addition to connecting the interface cable to the motherboard, you also need to connect the connector from the power supply to the drive.

Then turn on the computer and if it comes to BIOS messages, then everything is fine. If the PC does not turn on, freezes or turns itself off, then the controller of this disk is faulty and needs to be replaced or repaired to save the data.

Turn off the computer and connect the DVD drive (if any) with an interface cable and power supply. If problems arise after this, then the drive has a power failure and needs to be replaced; repairing it usually makes no sense.

At the end we connect the main system disk and getting ready to enter the BIOS for initial setup before starting the operating system. We turn on the computer and if everything is fine, move on to the next step.

When you turn on your computer for the first time, go to the BIOS. Typically used for this Delete key, less often others (F1, F2, F10 or Esc), which is indicated in the prompts at the beginning of the boot.

On the first tab, set the date and time, and on the "Boot" tab, select first boot device your hard drive with the operating system.

On older motherboards with a classic BIOS it may look like this.

On more modern ones with a UEFI graphical shell it is a little different, but the meaning is the same.

To exit the BIOS and save the settings, press F10. Don't be distracted and watch the operating system load completely to notice possible problems.

After the PC has finished booting, check whether the fans of the processor cooler, power supply and video card are working, otherwise there is no point in further testing.

Some modern video cards may not turn on the fans until a certain temperature of the video chip is reached.

If any of the case fans does not work, then it’s not a big deal, just plan to replace it in the near future, don’t be distracted by it now.

8. Error analysis

This is where diagnostics essentially begins, and everything described above was just preparation, after which many problems could go away and without it there was no point in starting testing.

8.1. Enabling Memory Dumps

If blue screens of death (BSOD) appear while your computer is running, this can make troubleshooting much easier. A prerequisite for this is the presence of memory dumps (or at least self-written error codes).

To check or enable the dump recording function, press the “Win ​​+ R” key combination on your keyboard, enter “sysdm.cpl” in the line that appears and press OK or Enter.

In the window that appears, go to the “Advanced” tab and in the “Boot and Recovery” section, click the “Options” button.

The “Record debugging information” field should be “Small memory dump”.

If so, then you should already have dumps of previous errors in the "C:\Windows\Minidump" folder.

If this option was not enabled, then dumps were not saved, enable it at least now to be able to analyze errors if they recur.

Memory dumps may not be created in time during serious failures that involve rebooting or shutting down the PC. Also, some system cleaning utilities and antivirus programs can remove them; you must disable the system cleaning function during diagnostics.

If there are dumps in the specified folder, then we proceed to their analysis.

8.2. Memory dump analysis

To analyze memory dumps in order to identify what leads to failures, there is a wonderful utility “BlueScreenView”, which you can download along with other diagnostic utilities in the “” section.

This utility shows files in which a failure occurred. These files belong to the operating system, device drivers, or some program. Accordingly, based on the file’s ownership, you can determine which device or software caused the failure.

If you cannot boot your computer in normal mode, then try booting into safe mode by holding down the “F8” key immediately after the motherboard’s graphical splash screen disappears or text messages BIOS.

Go through the dumps and see which files appear most often as the culprits of the failure, they are highlighted in red. Right-click on one of these files and view its Properties.

In our case, it is easy to determine that the file belongs to the nVidia video card driver and most of the errors were caused by it.

In addition, some dumps contained the “dxgkrnl.sys” file, even from the name of which it is clear that it refers to DirectX, which is directly related to 3D graphics. This means that it is most likely that the video card is to blame for the failure, which should be subjected to thorough testing, which we will also consider.

In the same way, you can determine that the fault is caused by a sound card, network card, hard drive, or some program that penetrates deeply into the system, such as an antivirus. For example, if a disk fails, the controller driver will crash.

If you cannot determine which driver or program a particular file belongs to, then look for this information on the Internet by the file name.

If failures occur in the driver sound card, then most likely it has failed. If it is integrated, then you can disable it through the BIOS and install another discrete one. The same can be said about the network card. However, network failures can be caused, which is often resolved by updating the driver network card and connecting to the Internet via a router.

In any case, do not make hasty conclusions before complete completion diagnostics, maybe your Windows is simply faulty or a virus has entered, which can be solved by reinstalling the system.

Also in the BlueScreenView utility you can see the error codes and inscriptions that were on the blue screen. To do this, go to the “Options” menu and select the “Blue Screen in XP Style” view or press the “F8” key.

After that, switching between errors, you will see how they looked on the blue screen.

You can also find by error code possible reason problems on the Internet, but depending on the ownership of the files, this is easier and more reliable. To return to the previous view, you can use the “F6” key.

If errors always appear different files and various error codes, then this is a sign possible problems with RAM in which everything crashes. We will diagnose it first.

9. Testing RAM

Even if you think that the problem is not in the RAM, still check it first. Sometimes a place has several problems, and if the RAM fails, then diagnosing everything else is quite difficult due to frequent PC failures.

Carrying out a memory test with boot disk is a prerequisite to obtain accurate results in the operating room Windows system It’s difficult on a faulty PC.

In addition, “Hiren’s BootCD” contains several alternative memory tests in case “Memtest 86+” does not start and many more useful utilities for testing hard drives, video memory, etc.

You can download the “Hiren’s BootCD” image in the same place as everything else – in the “” section. If you do not know how to properly burn such an image to CD or DVD disc, refer to the article where we looked at, here everything is done exactly the same.

Set BIOS to boot from DVD drive or use " Boot Menu"as described in, boot from Hiren's BootCD and run Memtest 86+.

Testing can last from 30 to 60 minutes, depending on the speed and amount of RAM. One full pass must be completed and the test will go around the second round. If everything is fine with the memory, then after the first pass (Pass 1) there should be no errors (Errors 0).

After this, testing can be interrupted using the “Esc” key and the computer will reboot.

If there were errors, you will have to test each strip separately, removing all the others to determine which one is broken.

If the broken bar is still under warranty, then take a photo from the screen using a camera or smartphone and present it to the warranty department of the store or service center(although in most cases this is not necessary).

In any case, it is not advisable to use a PC with broken memory and carry out further diagnostics before replacing it, since various incomprehensible errors will appear.

10. Preparation for component tests

Everything else, except RAM, is tested under Windows. Therefore, in order to exclude the influence of the operating system on the test results, it is advisable to do, if necessary, temporarily and the most.

If this is difficult for you or you don’t have time, you can try testing on an old system. But, if failures occur due to problems in the operating system, some driver, program, virus, antivirus (i.e. in the software part), then testing the hardware will not help determine this and you may go down the wrong path. And on a clean system, you will have the opportunity to see how the computer behaves and completely eliminate the influence of the software component.

Personally, I always do everything as expected from start to finish as described in this article. Yes, it takes a whole day, but if you ignore my advice, you can struggle for weeks without identifying the cause of the problem.

The fastest and easiest way is to test the processor, unless of course there are obvious signs that the problem is in the video card, which we will discuss below.

If your computer starts to slow down some time after turning it on, freezes when watching videos or playing games, suddenly reboots or turns off under load, then there is a possibility of the processor overheating. In fact, this is one of the most common causes of such problems.

At the cleaning and visual inspection stage, you should have made sure that the processor cooler is not clogged with dust, its fan is spinning, and the radiator is securely pressed against the processor. I also hope that you did not remove it when cleaning, as this requires replacing the thermal paste, which I will talk about later.

We will use “CPU-Z” for a stress test with warming up the processor, and “HWiNFO” to monitor its temperature. Although, it is better to use for temperature monitoring proprietary utility motherboard, it is more precise. For example, ASUS has “PC Probe”.

To begin with, it would be a good idea to find out the maximum allowable thermal envelope of your processor (T CASE). For example, for my Core i7-6700K it is 64 °C.

You can find out by going to the manufacturer’s website from an Internet search. This is the critical temperature in the heat spreader (under the processor cover), the maximum allowed by the manufacturer. Do not confuse this with core temperature, which is usually higher and is also displayed in some utilities. Therefore, we will focus not on the temperature of the cores according to the processor sensors, but on the overall temperature of the processor according to the readings of the motherboard.

In practice, for most older processors, the critical temperature above which failures begin is 60 °C. The most modern processors can operate at 70 °C, which is also critical for them. You can find out the actual stable temperature of your processor from tests on the Internet.

So, we launch both utilities – “CPU-Z” and “HWiNFO”, find the processor temperature sensor (CPU) in the motherboard indicators, run the test in “CPU-Z” with the “Stress CPU” button and observe the temperature.

If after 10-15 minutes of the test the temperature is 2-3 degrees below the critical temperature for your processor, then there is nothing to worry about. But, if there were failures under high load, then it is better to run this test for 30-60 minutes. If your PC freezes or reboots during testing, you should consider improving cooling.

Please note that a lot also depends on the temperature in the room; it is possible that in cooler conditions the problem will not appear, but in hotter conditions it will immediately make itself felt. So you always need cooling with a reserve.

If your CPU is overheating, check if your cooler is compatible. If not, then you need to change it; no tricks will help here. If the cooler is powerful enough, but can’t handle it a little, then you should change the thermal paste to a more effective one; at the same time, the cooler itself may be installed more successfully.

Among inexpensive but very good thermal pastes, I can recommend Artic MX-4.

It must be applied in a thin layer, having first removed the old paste with dry material and then with cotton wool soaked in alcohol.

Replacing thermal paste will give you a gain of 3-5 °C; if this is not enough, then simply install additional case fans, at least the most inexpensive ones.

14. Disk testing

This is the longest step after the RAM test, so I prefer to leave it for last. To begin with, you can conduct a speed test of all drives using the “HDTune” utility, for which I give “”. This sometimes helps to identify freezes when accessing the disk, which indicates problems with it.

Look at the SMART parameters, where the “disk health” is displayed, there should be no red lines and the overall disk status should be “OK”.

You can download a list of the main SMART parameters and what they are responsible for in the “” section.

A full surface test can be performed using the same Windows utilities. The process may take 2-4 hours depending on the size and speed of the disk (about 1 hour for every 500 MB). Upon completion of the test, there should not be a single broken block, which are highlighted in red.

The presence of such a block is an unambiguous verdict for the disk and a 100% guarantee case. Save your data faster and change the disk, just don’t tell the service that you dropped your laptop

You can check the surface of both regular hard drives (HDD) and solid-state drives (SSD). The latter really don’t have any surface, but if the HDD or SSD drive will freeze every time during the test, which means that the electronics are most likely faulty - it needs to be replaced or repaired (the latter is unlikely).

If you are unable to diagnose a disk under Windows, the computer crashes or freezes, then try doing this using the MHDD utility from the Hiren’s BootCD boot disk.

Problems with the controller (electronics) and the disk surface lead to error windows in the operating system, short-term and complete freezes of the computer. Typically these are messages about the inability to read a particular file and memory access errors.

Such errors can be mistaken for problems with the RAM, while the disk may well be to blame. Before you panic, try updating the disk controller driver or, conversely, returning the original one Windows driver as described in .

15. Testing the optical drive

To check an optical drive, it is usually enough to simply burn a verification disc. For example, using the “Astroburn” program, it is in the “” section.

After burning a disc with a message about successful verification, try copying its entire contents on another computer. If the disk is readable and the drive reads other disks (except for hard-to-read ones), then everything is fine.

Some of the problems I have encountered with the drive include electronics failures that completely freeze or prevent the computer from turning on, failures of the retractable mechanism, contamination of the laser head lens, and breakage of the head as a result of improper cleaning. In most cases, everything is solved by replacing the drive; fortunately, they are inexpensive and even if they have not been used for several years, they die from dust.

16. Body check

The case also sometimes breaks, sometimes the button gets stuck, sometimes the wiring from the front panel falls off, sometimes it shorts out in the USB connector. All this can lead to unpredictable behavior of the PC and can be solved by thorough inspection, cleaning, a tester, a soldering iron and other available means.

The main thing is that nothing short-circuits, as evidenced by a non-working light bulb or connector. If in doubt, disconnect all wires from the front panel of the case and try working on the computer for a while.

17. Checking the motherboard

Often, checking a motherboard comes down to checking all components. If all components individually work normally and pass tests, the operating system is reinstalled, but the computer still crashes, the problem may be with the motherboard. And here I can’t help you; only an experienced electronics engineer can diagnose it and identify a problem with the chipset or processor socket.

The exception is the failure of the sound or network card, which can be solved by disabling them in the BIOS and installing separate expansion cards. You can resolder the capacitors in the motherboard, but let's say replace north bridge, as a rule, it is not advisable to produce, since it is expensive and there are no guarantees, it is better to immediately buy a new motherboard.

18. If all else fails

Of course, it is always better to discover the problem yourself and determine best way solutions, since some unscrupulous repairmen try to pull the wool over your eyes and rip off your skin.

But it may happen that you follow all the recommendations, but cannot identify the problem, this has happened to me. In this case, the problem is most often in the motherboard or in the power supply; there may be a microcrack in the PCB and it makes itself felt from time to time.

In this case, there is nothing you can do, take the entire system unit to a more or less well-established computer company. There is no need to carry components in parts if you are not sure what is wrong, the issue will never be resolved. Let them sort it out, especially if the computer is still under warranty.

Computer store specialists usually don’t worry, they have a lot of different components, they just change something and see if the problem goes away, thus quickly and easily fixing the problem. They also have enough time to conduct tests.

19. Links

Transcend JetFlash 790 8GB
Hard drive Western Digital Caviar Blue WD10EZEX 1 TB
Transcend StoreJet 25A3 TS1TSJ25A3K

How to identify the components located inside the computer and view their parameters? How to check a processor or video card for performance and absence of overheating? It is enough to use testing and diagnostic software.

Alternative programs: Catzilla, Unigine Superposition, Unigine Heaven, 3D Mark 11

PCMark is, in turn, a popular tool for checking the overall performance of a computer. The tests include, but are not limited to, applications such as office worksheet operations, 2D graphics operations, Internet browsing, and video conferencing.

IN latest version However, they refused to test the media (SSD or HDD). Only the Basic version is free.

If you want to check how your computer copes with the task of virtual reality and serves games designed for Oculus Rift or HTC Vive glasses, VR Mark will come in handy. As with other Futuremark programs, only the Basic version is free.

The tool is equipped with three tests, of which one is basic (Orange), for VR games using DirectX 12 (Cyan) and the most demanding ones (Blue).

Alternative program: SteamVR Performance Test

CPU-Z – for hardware identification

The main and most popular program for identifying processors, motherboards (including UEFI BIOS versions), memory (including SPD) or graphics cards. We get an accurate preview of the hardware data.

You can also test the processor in mono- and multi-threaded applications, and compare the results with other processors in the database. If you want to know what exactly is on your computer and how it works, this is the first application you should install.

Thanks to CPU-Z you can easily check, for example, at what frequency and delays the RAM operates, as well as clock frequency processor in real time. It is worth noting the fact that an Android version is available.

Alternative programs: Crystal CPU ID, Speccy

GPU-Z is the main program for identifying video cards and their characteristics, including their current frequency. A basic test is available in the application, which allows you to “quickly” verify that the video card is working correctly.

It is worth noting, however, that the test in this program will not give confidence that, for example, when overclocked, the video card will work completely stably. To do this, it is worth using more advanced products, for example, a stress test in the 3D-Mark program.

Alternative program: GPU Caps Viewer

Cinebench is a benchmark tool based on the Cinema 4D engine to test CPU performance. It does this by creating a 3D scene - the test can be run using all CPU threads or just one thread. This gives a good idea of ​​the capabilities of the processors.

Cinebench also has a built-in graphics card test that uses a complex 3D scene that, using a car chase example (made by renderbaron), measures the performance of the graphics card in OpenGL mode.

Alternative programs: LuxMark (3D graphics rendering using CPU or GPU), CompuBench (3D graphics rendering using GPU)

OCCT 4.5.1 – stability and temperature check

Alternative programs: FurMark, Prime95 or for temperature monitoring SpeedFan, RealTemp and CoreTemp.

MemTest86 is an excellent program for checking whether your RAM is working correctly. This is one of those components stable work which is very important for computer performance.

The program runs from a bootable USB flash drive (or CD/DVD if someone else uses them).

Alternative program: Prime95

Prime95 – stability or temperature test under load

Another great program for testing the stability or temperatures of computer components under high load. We can choose between tests that load the most, for example, RAM or CPU.

Alternative programs: OCCT, MemTest86

It is difficult to point out one, the best program for checking the performance of storage media (HDD and SSD hard drives), but if you already have to do so, then CrystalDiskMark will be your favorite. It allows you to check the performance of media, both in the case of reading/writing sequential data and for small files.

It gives a good idea of real characteristics node being tested. If you are interested not only in performance (but, for example, also in SMART readings, the ability to download new firmware or perform Secure Erase operations), it is worth taking an interest in the applications included with the manufacturer's drives. For example, in the case of SanDisk, the SanDisk SSD Dashboard program is available, and in the case of Samsung, Samsung Magician is available.

Alternative programs: AS, AS SSD, manufacturer's programs included

The main task that a computer diagnostic program performs is to obtain as much information as possible about the software and hardware of the device.

With its help, they determine whether there are enough resources to run a certain application, check the characteristics of the system, components and their condition.

Such programs are especially important for a person who, for whatever reason, needs to know the parameters of someone else’s computer and to correct errors.

The need for system monitoring

Applications that can help you diagnose your system are necessary to obtain important information that will help:

1. Determine how much memory is installed on your computer, its type and number of slots. After this, it will be much easier to choose a new suitable RAM or conclude that it is worth replacing the entire motherboard or computer (laptop);
2. Understand exactly how to prepare for the release of the expected game - add memory, install a more powerful processor, purchase an additional hard drive or video card;
3. Determine the temperature of the graphics and central processor, identifying the need to replace thermal paste;
4. Find out why they don't work installed programs and the computer freezes - due to incorrect drivers, insufficient video memory or hardware failure.

CPU-Z

The program, distributed free of charge, has an unpretentious interface and allows you to receive technical information about almost all elements of a computer:

• Processor (including its model, architecture, socket, voltage, frequency, multiplier, cache size and number of cores);
• Motherboard (brand, model, BIOS version, supported memory types);
• RAM (volume, type and frequency);

The main advantages of the application are the ability to obtain detailed and accurate information in Russian about all components of the system.

This can be useful for professional users and hobbyists.

Among the disadvantages is the inability to determine the temperature of the processors.

Speccy

One more free program makes it possible to obtain detailed information about all the main components and software, starting from the processor and board, ending with RAM and optical disks.

In addition, using Speccy, you can obtain data from temperature measurement sensors, finding ways to correct connection errors or installation of the ventilation system.

Naturally, the application also determines the number of RAM slots, which can be an important factor in determining the need and possibilities for upgrading a computer.

And when preparing a device for sale, Speccy can be used to quickly compile a list of components.

After all, although built-in utilities allow you to do almost the same thing, it will take more time, and you won’t be able to find out some data.

It is worth noting that the program developers are the authors of such useful software as .

And among its advantages they note:

• Clear and practical interface;
• Quick access to important information;
• No need to install an application, which may be necessary, for example, if you do not have access to account administrator;
• Ability to monitor the selected parameter in real time by setting it as a tray icon;
• Launch simultaneously with the system;
• Free access.

HWiNFO

Thanks to the HWiNFO system application, you can get maximum useful information about the system.

And also compare the performance of individual hardware components with standard parameters and indicators of popular analogues.

In addition, the program allows you to create reports that can be used to compare the performance of individual PC elements.

All the information is quite detailed, but only concerns the equipment - you won’t be able to find out about the drivers using it.

However, this drawback is practically the only one, since the application is capable of collecting data about any devices, including even outdated equipment (for example, IDE and dial-up modems), old BIOS and video cards of any type.

In addition, the application can also test processors, memory and disks. The data obtained as a result of the test can be stored in logs.

And you can control individual parameters using tray icons, which change periodically.

AIDA64 Extreme

Its name can be deciphered as System Info for Windows.

It has a small size and a simplified interface, reminiscent of standard Windows utilities and is capable of providing all the information most necessary for the user.

For example, using SIW you can find out about latest updates systems, obtain data about system files or folders, as well as about drivers, running processes and services.

Moreover, in a more detailed form than the “Task Manager” allows you to do.

For commercial or enterprise use, a license must be purchased.

Conclusions

The number of programs for checking hardware and operating systems is quite large.

New applications are almost constantly being created to help monitor computer parameters and hardware faults.

But the programs presented in the list allow you to do this as efficiently as possible by installing only 2-3 applications, and not a whole dozen.

This saves time and avoids downloading. extra files from the network, risking accidentally introducing a virus onto your computer.

In addition, if there is no access to the network, Windows has a number of utilities that will also allow you to find out some parameters.

Video material:

Hi all. In today's article we will talk about a complete diagnosis of all devices in your computer. I will show and tell you how to independently diagnose a computer and all its component devices:

• Hard drive.
• RAM.
• Video card.
• Motherboard.
  
• CPU.
• Power unit.

We will check all this in this article and for each of the computer devices I will make a video in which I will clearly show how to diagnose a particular device.

In addition, using diagnostics, you will be able to determine whether you should completely replace the device or whether you can repair it; we will also analyze the main problems of devices that can be determined without diagnostics. Well, let's start with the most important question that interests everyone - HDD/SSD disk diagnostics.

HDD and SSD disk diagnostics.

Disk diagnostics are done in two directions: they check the Smart system of a hard or solid-state drive and check the disk itself for bad or slow sectors. In order to check the SMART HDD and SSD, we will use the program. You can download it from our website in the download section.

Well, now let’s go directly to the disk diagnostics itself, after downloading the program, run the file of the required bit depth and look at the main window if you see a blue icon with the caption good or in English good means with yours SMART disk everything is in order and further diagnostics need not be carried out.

If you see a yellow or red icon with the words carefully, bad, then there are some problems with your disk. You can find the exact problem below in the list of essential SMART diagnostic items. Wherever there are yellow and red icons opposite the inscription, it will indicate that it is in this part that your disk was damaged.

If your disk has already exhausted its lifespan, then there is no point in repairing it. If you have found several bad sectors, then there is still a possibility of repair. I will talk about repairing bad sectors further. If there are many bad sectors on the disk, more than 10, or many very slow sectors, then it is not worth restoring such a disk. After some time, it will still crumble further, it will need to be constantly restored/repaired.

Software disk repair.

By repair I mean the relocation of bad and slow sectors on the disk. This instruction only suitable for HDDs, that is, only hard drive. For SSD this operation will not help anything, but will only worsen the condition of the solid-state drive.

Repairing will help extend the life of your hard drive a little more. To restore bad sectors we will use the HDD regenerator program. Download and run this program, wait until the program collects data about your drives; after the data has been collected, you will see a window in which you will need to click on the inscription - Click here to bad sectors on demaget drive surfase directly under Windows XP, Vista, 7, 8 and 10. Click You need to quickly click on the inscription in OS 8 and 10, so the window will quickly disappear, in 7 everything is fine. Next, click NO. Then select your drive from the list. Click the start process button. A window will appear like command line in which you will need to press 2, Enter, 1, Enter.

After the completed operations, the system will begin scanning for bad sectors and moving them to unreadable disk partitions. In fact, bad sectors do not disappear, but in the future they do not interfere with the operation of the system and you can continue to use the disk. The process of checking and restoring the disk may take a long time, depending on the size of your disk. When the program is finished, press button 5 and Enter. If you encounter any errors while testing and fixing bad sectors, it means that your disk cannot be recovered. If you have found more than 10 bads - bad sectors, then restoring such a disk does not make sense, there will always be problems with it.

The main signs of disk failure are:

departures to blue screen.

Windows interface freezes.

There may be other problems, but it is not possible to tell about them all.

Video on how to diagnose HDD/SSD:

RAM diagnostics

This time we will conduct diagnostics of RAM. There are several options in which you can check the RAM, this is when your computer is still turning on and working somehow, and when you can no longer turn on the computer, Only the BIOS loads.
The main signs that the RAM is not working:

• When loading resource-intensive applications, the computer freezes or restarts.
• When using the computer for a long time, more than 2 hours, Windows begins to slow down, and as time increases, the slowdown increases.
• When installing any programs, you cannot install them, the installation fails with errors.
• Sound and video jamming.

The first thing we will look at is how to check the RAM if your Windows boots. Everything is very simple, in any of operating systems starting from Windows Vista You can search for a checker Windows memory. The shortcut that appears is launched as administrator and we see a message stating that you can reboot and start the scan right now or schedule a scan the next time you turn on the computer. Select the value you need. After the computer restarts, the RAM test will automatically start immediately. It will be carried out in standard mode, wait until the end of the test and you will find out if everything is okay with your RAM. In addition, after you have already loaded Windows, in the event viewer you can open the Windows logs, select the System item and find the memory diagnostic event in the list on the right. In this event you will see all the information about the diagnostics performed. Based on this information, you can find out whether the RAM is working.
The next option for diagnosing RAM if you cannot boot Windows. To do this, you need to burn it to disk or bootable USB flash drive program and run it from BIOS. In the window that appears, a test to check random access memory (RAM) will be automatically launched. Wait until the test is completed and if there are any problems with your memory, the test window will change from blue to red. This will indicate defects or failure of the RAM. That's all, you have learned how to diagnose RAM.

Video on how to check the RAM:

Video card diagnostics

The main signs of a video card defect:

• The computer hits the blue screen of death.
• Artifacts appear on the screen - multi-colored dots, stripes or rectangles.
• When loading games, the computer freezes or restarts.
• When using a computer for a long time in a game, performance decreases and the game begins to lag.
• Video jamming, video playback failure, problems with flash player.
  
• No smoothing in text or when rewinding documents or web pages.
• Changing the color scheme.

All these are signs of some kind of video card defect. Testing a video card should be divided into two stages: checking the graphics chip and checking the video card memory.

Checking the graphics chip of the video card (GPU)

To check the graphics chip, you can use various programs that put a load on this chip and identify failures under critical load. We will use the program, and FurMark.
Launch Aida at the bottom of the tray near the clock, right-click and select system stability test. In the window that appears, check the box next to GPU Stress Test. The test will be launched below and you will see a graph of temperature changes, fan speed, and current consumption. To check, a 20-minute test is enough; if at this time the lower field with the graph turns red or the computer reboots, then there are problems with your video card.
Let's launch OCCT. Go to the GPU 3D tab, do not change the settings and press the ON button. Next, a window will appear with a furry donut, which is a visual test. The test will take 15-20 minutes. I recommend monitoring the temperature and monitoring the power readings; if multi-colored dots, stripes or rectangles appear on the screen, this will indicate that there is a problem with the video card. If the computer turns off spontaneously, this will also indicate a defect in the video card.
Now we have analyzed the diagnostics of the video card processor, but sometimes there are also problems with the video card memory.

Diagnostics of video card memory

For this diagnostic we will use the program. Unpack the program and run it as administrator. In the window that appears, put a checkmark next to the inscription signal if there are errors and press the start button. A check of the video card's RAM will be launched; if any errors are detected with the memory, the program will emit a characteristic beep, on some computers the signal will be a system one.
That's all, now you can diagnose the video card yourself. Check the GPU and video card memory.

Video card testing video:

Motherboard diagnostics

The main signs of a motherboard malfunction:

• The computer hits the blue screen of death, reboots and turns off.
  
• The computer freezes without rebooting.
  
• The cursor, music and video (freezes) get stuck.
  
• Connected devices disappear - HDD/SSD, drive, USB drives.
  
• Ports, USB and network connectors do not work.
• The computer does not turn on, does not start, does not boot.
• The computer works slowly, often slows down or freezes.
• The motherboard makes various sounds.

Visual inspection of the motherboard

The first thing you need to do to diagnose a motherboard is to conduct a visual inspection of the motherboard. What you need to pay attention to:

• Chips and cracks - if such damage is present, the motherboard will not turn on at all or will turn on only once.
• Swollen capacitors - due to swollen capacitors, the computer can turn on after 3, 5, 10 attempts or after a certain time, it can also go out for no reason and slow down.
  
• Oxidation - the computer may turn on every once in a while and slow down. It may not turn on at all if the tracks are completely oxidized.
• Warmed up chips, there will be small burnt spots or holes on the microchips - because of this, the computer may not turn on or the ports, network cards, sound or USB will not work.
• Scratches on paths are the same as with chips and cracks.
• Burnt around chips and ports leads to complete inoperability of the motherboard or its individual parts.

Software diagnostics of the motherboard

If your computer turns on and boots into Windows, but there are strange glitches and slowdowns, it’s worth doing software diagnostics of the motherboard using the program. Download and install the program, launch it, right-click on its icon at the bottom of the tray near the clock and select “service” - “system stability test”. Check the boxes next to Stress CPU, Stress FPU, Stress cache, and uncheck the rest. Press the "Start" button, the computer will freeze, and the test will begin. During the test, monitor the temperature of the processor and motherboard, as well as power. We carry out the test for a minimum of 20 minutes and a maximum of 45 minutes. If during the test the bottom field turns red or the computer turns off, then the motherboard is faulty. Also, the shutdown may be due to the processor, uncheckStress CPU and check again. If you find overheating, then you need to check the cooling system of the motherboard and processor. If the power supply fluctuates, problems may occur with both the motherboard and the power supply.

If the computer starts but Windows does not load, you can check the mainland through a boot test. It needs to be written to a disk or flash drive. I will show you in more detail how to use it in the video.

Diagnostics of the power supply unit (PSU)

The main signs of a faulty power supply:

• The computer does not turn on at all.
• The computer starts for 2-3 seconds and stops working.
• The computer turns on 5-10-25 times.
• When under load, the computer turns off, reboots, or displays a blue screen of death.
• When under load, the computer slows down a lot.
• Devices connected to the computer spontaneously disconnect and connect (screws, drives, USB devices).
• Squeak (whistle) when the computer is running.
• Unnatural noise from the power supply fan.

Visual inspection of power supply unit

The first thing to do if the power supply is faulty is to do a visual inspection. We disconnect the power supply from the case and disassemble the power supply itself. We check for:

• Burnt, melted elements of the power supply unit - make sure that all the elements are intact; if you find burning or something obviously melted, we take the power supply unit for repair or replace it with a new one.
• Swollen capacitors - replace swollen capacitors with new ones. Because of them, the computer may not turn on the first time or may die under load.
• Dust - if dust is clogged in the fan and radiators, it must be cleaned; because of this, the power supply under load may turn off due to overheating.
• Burnt fuse - when there is a voltage drop, the fuse often burns and needs to be replaced.

We checked everything but the power supply is behaving badly, let's see.

Software diagnostics of power supply

Software diagnostics of the power supply can be carried out using any test program that gives the maximum load on the power supply. Before doing such a check, you need to determine whether all elements of your PC have enough power from the power supply. You can check this like this: run the AIDA 64 program link above and go to the site for calculating the required power of the power supply. On the website, we transfer the data from Aida to the appropriate fields and click the Calculate button. This way we will be sure exactly how much power the power supply will be enough for the computer.

Let's proceed to the diagnosis of PD itself. Download the program. We install and launch it. Go to the Power Supply tab. Check the box to use all logical cores (does not work on all computers) and press the ON button. The test lasts an hour, and if during this time the computer turns off, reboots, or displays a blue screen, there are problems with the power supply (Before checking the power supply, you must first check the video card and processor to avoid the test being incorrect).

I won’t show you how to diagnose a power supply with a multimeter, because there is a ton of this information on the Internet, and it’s better for professionals to do such diagnostics. I will show you testing the power supply in more detail in the video below:

Bluetooth