Diagnostics of hardware and software performance. Diagnosing hardware problems Programs for diagnosing computer performance are related to


An important stage in computer repair is its diagnostics. After all, before making a correct diagnosis, it is necessary to conduct an examination. And this should be done by qualified specialists for whom providing computer assistance is their core service.

Fault determination consists of the following steps:

1. Primary diagnosis.

This type of computer performance assessment is carried out at the customer’s home. Primary diagnosis cannot be complete and is only suitable in some cases. This mainly includes an external inspection of the computer and its components.

2. Hardware diagnostics.

This stage is aimed at identifying damaged computer parts. System malfunctions may occur if a defective component is installed on the equipment. In addition, incorrect operation may be caused by worn parts. Another option that affects operation is overheating.

3. Software diagnostics.


At this stage, errors in the operation of the software are identified. The stability of the system is assessed. The computer operating system comes under close scrutiny, with the causes of the software failure analyzed.

4. Full diagnostics.

Based on the results of all types of diagnostics, the service engineer makes a verdict - the cause of the breakdown. After agreeing with the customer on the cost of repairs, the necessary computer assistance is provided.

If you have any problems with your computer, do not try to solve the issue yourself. Qualified diagnostics and professional repairs can only be performed by an experienced specialist.

Primary diagnosis

A complex electronic computing device, which is a computer, is based on a mass of microcircuits and printed circuit boards. It follows that computer repair by “amateurs” can be performed only in a limited number of cases. Even standard repair work requires theoretical and practical knowledge, as well as extensive experience. Before proceeding with the execution of the order, the craftsmen carry out initial, and in complex cases, hardware and software diagnostics.

Primary diagnostics of a computer consists of the following steps:


1. Superficial inspection of the software part of the equipment.

Superficial software diagnostics aims to check the functionality of the operating system and the correct functioning of programs. It is carried out at the customer’s home by a service engineer, without the use of diagnostic equipment.

2. Superficial inspection of the hardware of the equipment.

This is a visual check of the computer configuration and assessment:

Type of disks;

The amount of memory and the possibilities of its use;

The performance of computer devices (primarily hard drives).

Using a superficial inspection, you can identify a number of simple equipment malfunctions.

Hardware diagnostics

The first step in computer maintenance and repair work is diagnostics. As practice shows, most malfunctions and equipment failures are caused by neglect of regular prevention and diagnostics.

The purpose of diagnostic work is:

Determination of computer equipment malfunctions;

Finding out their character.

Hardware diagnostics are aimed at identifying mechanical (even externally invisible) damage to computer components.

Computer hardware diagnostics includes checking the temperature conditions of computer components and stability of operation:

Central processor;

Random access memory;

Hard drive;

Video adapter;

Chipset.

After this type of diagnosis, the client receives:

Report on the status of computer hardware;

Preliminary price calculation for troubleshooting work;

Modernization proposals.

Timely computer hardware diagnostics can significantly reduce system failures. If hidden problems are not identified at an early stage, your technique can be completely paralyzed at any time.

If a service engineer discovers damage to your computer components, replacement of parts and repairs will be required to restore its functionality.

Hardware diagnostics measures will allow you to carry out the necessary repair work in a timely manner, increase the performance of the equipment, and increase its performance. This is exactly the case when timely actions will prevent serious problems.

Software diagnostics of a computer is the detection of a defect and the causes of its occurrence. Wherein:

The operating system is reviewed taking into account the stability of the computer equipment;

The load resistance of individual components and the computer as a whole is checked;

The functionality of the motherboard is tested using special modules.

An amateurish approach to this process is fraught with a number of dangers. For example, if a motherboard malfunction is detected, the user replaces it without thinking about the causes of the failure.

Computer diagnostics at the software level will be required if:

1. The equipment does not turn on.

2. It turns off on its own.

3. Computer freezes.

4. Reboots for no reason.

5. Works slowly.

Software diagnostics of computer equipment includes:

1. Superficial inspection of the software part of the equipment.

2. Computer software testing, which includes:

Checking the file system for errors;

Checking the operating system registry and its status;

Checking for critical OS updates.

Full diagnostics

Diagnosing a computer or determining the reasons for its poor performance should be carried out by qualified specialists. As practice shows, only professionals can eliminate a number of typical problems in the operation of computer equipment.

Using a complete computer diagnostic, you can identify problems and identify opportunities for upgrading equipment.

This type of diagnostic work is performed only by experienced service engineers using specialized equipment and includes several stages:

1. Superficial inspection by a master of the software part of computer equipment.

2. Testing computer software using special utilities.

3. Superficial inspection of the hardware by a technician.

4. Testing additional computer hardware components.

5. Testing the main components of a computer hardware device.

A complete PC diagnostic includes testing activities:

Software and operating system;

Motherboard;

Processor;

Hard drive;

Memory slots;

Information reading devices (floppy disks, drives, card readers);

TV tuners, network and Wi-Fi equipment, modems;

Video cards;

Circuits, unit and power controller;

Monitor.

All owners of personal computers should remember: complete diagnostics should be carried out regularly, without waiting for the equipment to fail. In this case, your PC will serve you for a long time, and there will be no need for computer repair or replacement of components.

If your computer has broken down or is malfunctioning, then it’s time to do some self-diagnosis! How to produce diagnose your computer yourself? Necessary knowledge!

You have probably encountered failures, lags and used the services of a service center more than once! It would be easier if you yourself could correctly recognize the malfunction of your PC. In order to identify a malfunction, sometimes you do not need specific education and deep PC skills. It is enough to know the basic concepts, have information about the hardware and understand a little about programs!

Self-diagnosis of your personal computer!

All of us have once been to a doctor and gone through the stage of a pre-medical check; this check can be called a diagnosis. They will not give you an exact diagnosis in the pre-medical office, but they will perform an examination and perform those procedures that will help the doctor make the correct diagnosis. A correct diagnosis is more than half the battle! So why don't you acquire the knowledge that will help you diagnose a computer problem. This way you can protect yourself from unnecessary expenses and it will be more difficult to deceive you! Want to learn the basics of diagnostics? Take 10 minutes of your precious time!

10 minutes to the honorary title “Computer Doctor”

The starting point for PC diagnostics is the state of your PC. Is your computer even ? There is a high probability that the problem lies in the computer hardware! In general, all computer malfunctions are usually divided into groups. The first such group will be software faults, the second group is considered to be hardware faults.

Computer software diagnostics

Finding the source of a software malfunction will be quite difficult. What will it be: non-working, the absence of one small Windows file, and of course, the work may well cause your entire system to crash. The only reason that most people find it difficult to identify a software malfunction is that they do not know how and where to look for it. Oddly enough, the best way to diagnose such a malfunction is using programs, both built-in (task manager) and special ones (AIDA, PC Wizard). Study the task manager, download several diagnostic programs, having studied them, you will make a leap towards knowing and understanding your computer.

It is worthwhile to diagnose the software part if you have:


- unstable PC operation;
- slow PC operation;
- ;
- several programs do not work correctly;
- settings are lost;
- critical BSOD errors.

Computer hardware diagnostics

Software diagnostics is complicated by the lack of basic knowledge, but hardware diagnostics often comes down to visual observation and logic where you do not need to have special knowledge. When carrying out such diagnostics, basic knowledge of computer architecture will be sufficient!

PC hardware faults:


The computer does not turn on and the indicator does not even light up:
no power or faulty
a short circuit has occurred
motherboard problem
may have malfunctioned

The computer turns off spontaneously:
motherboard failure
dust has accumulated

no image on the monitor:
out of order
The monitor or power adapter is faulty

USB ports do not work:
lost their way
there is a problem with the motherboard

The operating system has stopped loading:
hard drive is faulty
corrupted files appeared

LAN, Wi-fi does not work
wi-fi module is faulty
the driver is malfunctioning

If you cannot determine the malfunction yourself. You can always turn to a friend or acquaintance, in addition, you can always count on getting a free consultation from a professional in one of!

Currently, there are a huge number of programs that help the user test a computer, as well as obtain, summarize and analyze information about the system. With similar purposes, such utilities often differ quite significantly in their implementation, interface convenience, set of diagnostic tools and functionality in general. Among such programs there are both highly specialized ones, designed for a detailed examination of one of the computer subsystems, and those that make it possible to diagnose and test the system as a whole and all its subsystems separately. Often, developers include test modules in diagnostic and monitoring utilities that allow, based on simple and, most importantly, short synthetic tests, to get a more complete picture of the computer system and make a thoughtful decision regarding ways to increase its performance. And a simple collection of systematic, detailed information about the system can sometimes open the user’s eyes to the causes of certain problems that arise when working with a PC.

This review makes an attempt to describe the most popular diagnostic and testing utilities today, while in addition to such requirements as the most friendly, convenient and intuitive interface, ensuring a high degree of information content and functionality, when choosing utilities we set the condition that the programs be free and available for free download on the Internet. So, the following programs received our attention:

  • EVEREST Home Edition v. 2.0;
  • SiSoftware Sandra Lite 2005.SR1;
  • PC Wizard 2005;
  • CPU-Z Version 1.28;
  • PCMark04 Build 1.3.0.

Before proceeding to a detailed description of these utilities, we will give them a general description. The first two utilities EVEREST Ultimate Edition v. 2.0 and SiSoftware Sandra 2005 are similar in many ways. The SiSoftware Sandra 2005 utility is a classic of the genre. It provides a huge set of diagnostic tools, allowing you to collect comprehensive information about the system, and in addition, it includes a number of tests with which you can compare the performance of individual computer subsystems and the system as a whole with the performance of reference configurations.

EVEREST Ultimate Edition v. 2.0 has a lot in common with the SiSoftware Sandra utility, especially in terms of tools for collecting system information.

The PC Wizard 2005 utility, as well as the SiSoftware Sandra 2005 and EVEREST Ultimate Edition v. utilities. 2.0, is a PC diagnostic tool, and in addition, contains a number of built-in benchmarks with which you can evaluate the performance of individual PC subsystems.

The CPU-Z Version 1.28 utility is intended primarily for diagnosing the operation of the processor subsystem. It is capable of initializing almost all x86 processors existing today (including processors with AMD 64 architecture) and most modern chipsets.

The PCMark04 utility is a synthetic benchmark that allows for fairly detailed testing of various PC subsystems. This package is primarily intended for express PC testing at home.

EVEREST Home Edition v. 2.0

The EVEREST utility is the successor to the well-known AIDA32 utility, written at one time by Tamas Miklos. As a rule, everything good is quickly taken away, which, in fact, is what happened with the AIDA32 utility. Now, in a slightly updated version, this utility is known under the name EVEREST and is today one of the most successful PC diagnostic and monitoring programs. It allows you to obtain detailed information both about the computer as a whole and about all its subsystems, and also contains a number of additional tests.

There are three versions of the EVEREST program: EVEREST Corporate Edition, EVEREST Ultimate Edition and EVEREST Home Edition. For home users, the EVEREST Home Edition is most suitable (especially considering the fact that it is free).

Let's take a closer look at the capabilities of this software product. The EVEREST Home Edition utility is relatively small in size (2.58 MB). This program has a traditional window interface and supports the Russian language (however, at this point the program has serious flaws and some of the text is displayed as unreadable characters). The working area of ​​the program is divided into two windows: the main information window and the auxiliary window (located on the left), in which, thanks to a hierarchical structure similar to the tree structure of directories, you can select one or another monitoring tool, allowing you to obtain comprehensive information about any component of the computer system (Fig. 1).

Rice. 1. Main window of the EVEREST Home Edition v. utility. 2.0

Let's briefly look at what information about the system can be obtained using the EVEREST Home Edition v utility. 2.0. When you select the “Computer” item in the auxiliary window, it becomes possible to obtain general information about the system, BIOS, battery status (relevant for laptops or UPS), information from system hardware monitoring sensors, and even information about overclocking the processor, memory and graphics controller.

By selecting other items in the auxiliary window, you can get more detailed information about the components of the system, both hardware and software.

The Motherboard category provides detailed information about the CPU, chipset, system memory, basic input/output system (BIOS), and the motherboard itself. It is difficult to name another utility that would provide such complete information!

The “Display” category provides the opportunity to obtain information about everything that is in any way related to the visual (graphical) interface of the system. It contains complete information not only about the video card and monitor, but also about the desktop settings.

The "Multimedia" category contains information about the system's multimedia capabilities. All installed audio and video codecs, MCI devices (Media Control Interface) and, of course, audio devices are listed here.

The “Data Storage” category includes a lot of useful information about the computer’s disk subsystem, providing information about the storage devices used, their logical and physical structure, and, which is very useful, displays SMART information on the system’s hard drives, if, of course, this technology is supported by the existing ones HDD. In addition, this category displays hard drive characteristics such as spindle speed, buffer size, average seek time, spin-up time, average spin-up latency, number of platters in the drive, and even the physical size and weight of the hard drive.

The Network category allows you to get information about everything that is in any way connected to the network interface. Here you can find information about the network controller and the speed of the established network connection, current statistics of this connection (number of bytes received and transmitted), information about TCP/IP settings and the network environment.

The “DirectX” category gives the user the opportunity to obtain detailed information about the installed version of DirectX, namely about the DirectX files and dynamic libraries available in the system and their settings when working with video, sound, music and input-output interfaces.

The “Devices” category provides information about the devices installed in the system, and information about them can be obtained both in the traditional form for the Windows system, and in a more detailed form, which allows you to get an idea of ​​the physical interface of the devices and the system resources they use.

The last item that can be seen in the auxiliary window is “Test”. Here you can run one of three tests that evaluate the throughput of the memory subsystem: memory read, memory write, and memory latency. In this case, the test results are displayed in the form of a diagram and compared with the results obtained in other configurations.

Another interesting feature of the EVEREST Home Edition v. 2.0 is the ability to create reports according to a predefined scenario. Thus, you can determine in advance what data to include in the generated report and in what format to create it.

SiSoftware Sandra Lite 2005.SR1

The long-known and well-known SiSoftware Sandra utility has now become a truly universal program that allows you to work with a wide range of modern computer systems, ranging from Pocket PC ARM platforms (PDAs and smartphones) to Win64 IA64 platforms (Itanium/Itanium2-based systems), AMD 64 (systems based on AMD Athlon 64/Athlon 64 FX/Opteron processors) and, of course, the most common Win32 x86 platform today.

The SiSoftware Sandra utility is a kind of example of information and diagnostic software. The essence and purpose of this program is reflected in its name: Sandra is not a feminine name at all, but an abbreviation for System ANalyser, Diagnostic and Reporting Assistant. This software is available in several versions, which differ in license terms, or, more simply, in price and, as a result, functionality. In our review, we will focus only on the free version (Lite), intended for personal use and does not require registration. This utility supports a Russian-language interface, and, unlike EVEREST Home Edition, without any “glitches”.

SiSoftware Sandra Lite 2005 has a traditional window interface (Fig. 2).

Rice. 2. Main window of the SiSoftware Sandra Lite 2005 utility

All program monitoring and diagnostic tools are divided into five categories according to their intended purpose:

  • wizards (Wizard Modules);
  • Information Modules;
  • Benchmarking Modules;
  • Listing Modules;
  • Testing Modules.

Let's briefly look at the diagnostic and monitoring tools provided to the user by the SiSoftware Sandra Lite 2005 utility.

  • Add Modules Wizard allows you to add new modules to the utility;
  • environment monitoring wizard;
  • generalized performance index wizard tests the main computer subsystems: processor (arithmetic performance and multimedia performance), memory subsystem, disk subsystem and network interface, on the basis of which a generalized performance index is set. But the greatest interest, in our opinion, is the graphical presentation of the results in the form of a pentagonal coverage matrix, which allows you to visually evaluate the performance of the system under test in comparison with other configurations (Fig. 3). At the same time, the user has the opportunity to create a reference configuration of a computer system, the performance of which he would like to compare with his own PC;
  • Stress Testing Wizard (Burn-in Wizard) allows you to test the endurance of a computer system by repeatedly running tests in a cyclic manner (which can be found in the “Benchmarking Modules” category). It is important that the system can be protected from the consequences of such severe loads by setting a condition for stopping the test in case of overheating or errors, while critical temperatures and limiting parameters for the operation of cooling systems (cooling fan speed) can also be defined by the user. In addition, it is possible to select the tests that will be launched and the number of runs, and you can even set the priority of a given application;
  • update wizard allows you to perform online updates of the utility version;
  • Performance Improvement Wizard launches all active information modules and, based on the information received, gives advice on optimizing and upgrading the system to improve the performance of the computer system. Please note that you should not completely trust all the advice, although the wizard also gives quite useful advice, especially regarding the possibility of disabling various services;
  • Report Creation Wizard helps to save the received information in the most convenient format for the user, and in addition, provides the ability to select the delivery location for the received report.

In the Information Modules category you can find tools that allow you to obtain comprehensive information about almost all hardware and software components of a computer system.

The Benchmarking Modules category includes a number of well-known and fairly frequently cited synthetic tests that allow you to evaluate the performance of the most important computer subsystems (with the exception of the video subsystem). This category contains the following test utilities:

  • CPU Arithmetic Benchmark allows you to evaluate the performance of arithmetic calculations and floating point operations in comparison with other reference computer systems;
  • multimedia processor test (CPU Multi-Media Benchmark) makes it possible to evaluate the system performance in working with multimedia data when using sets of SIMD instructions supported by the processor in comparison with other reference computer systems;
  • test of removable/flash drives (Removable Storage/Flash Benchmark) makes it possible to evaluate system performance (read, write and delete speed, on the basis of which the generalized index is calculated) when working with removable drives in comparison with other reference computer systems;
  • file system test (File System Benchmark) allows you to determine the performance of the computer's disk (file) subsystem in comparison with other reference computer systems;
  • CD-ROM/DVD test (CD-ROM/DVD Benchmark) allows you to evaluate the performance of optical drives (CD-ROM/DVD) in comparison with other reference computer systems;
  • memory bandwidth test (Memory Bandwidth Benchmark) allows you to determine the bandwidth of the memory subsystem (processor chipset memory combination) when performing integer and floating point operations in comparison with other reference computer systems;
  • Cache & Memory Benchmark makes it possible to determine the bandwidth of the memory subsystem (processor cache chipset memory combination) in comparison with other reference computer systems;
  • network bandwidth test (Network/LAN Bandwidth Benchmark) allows you to determine the bandwidth of a network connection with a selected network node.

In addition, among the test modules you can find two test utilities that evaluate the speed of the Internet. The first one, “Internet Connection Benchmark,” allows you to evaluate the speed of your connection to your Internet provider, and the second, “Internet Peerage Benchmark,” allows you to evaluate the speed of your connection to various Internet sites. We also note that based on the results of each test performed, the user is given recommendations on how to improve system performance.

Modules of the “Test modules” category are not available in the Lite version, and the information they provide (information about system interrupts used by devices, the allocation of system memory resources, etc.) will probably be useful mainly to advanced users and professionals.

The Viewers category provides access to tools for viewing the most important system files that define the configuration of the system environment. However, in the Lite version, most modules in this category are not available to users.

PC Wizard 2005

The PC Wizard 2005 utility is in many ways similar to the EVEREST Home Edition utility and is intended primarily for collecting information about the PC. However, unlike the EVEREST Home Edition and SiSoftware Sandra Lite 2005 programs, it does not have a Russian-language interface. The program has a window interface, and the working area of ​​the program is divided into two windows: informational and auxiliary (located on the left), in which you can select one or another monitoring tool (Fig. 4).

The program's auxiliary window has five tabs: Hardware; configuration; System Files; Resources and Benchmark, grouping information modules by topic. The first tab (Hardware) allows you to access information regarding the PC hardware. By selecting the icons System Summary, Mainboard, Processor, Video, IO Ports, etc., you can access the corresponding detailed information.

The Configuration tab allows you to access information modules that display information about the operating system, Web browser, installed applications, services, etc.

The System Files tab allows you to view (but not change) various system files.

The Resources tab allows you to view information about the interrupts used and controllers installed in the system.

The Benchmark tab contains a fairly large number of simple synthetic tests that allow you to evaluate the performance of individual PC subsystems: processor, L1 cache, L2 cache, L3 cache, memory as a whole, hard drive, optical drive, video card, as well as compression of audio files in MP3 format.

CPU-Z v. 1.28

The CPU-Z utility is a small, installation-free program with a user-friendly interface that provides the user with access to information grouped into categories.

The first tab CPU as you might guess, contains detailed information about the central processor of the computer system (Fig. 5). This window displays information about the processor core, as well as information about the current supply voltage, system bus frequency, FSB, installed processor multiplier and the current clock frequency of the processor core. Here you can also find data on the size of the cache of the first (L1), second (L2) and third (L3) levels.

The second tab Cache contains more detailed information about the structure and operating parameters of the cache memory.

The Mainboard tab includes information related to the motherboard (information about the motherboard manufacturer, the name of the chipset, the name of the south bridge chip, the name of the input/output controller chip used (Super I/O), etc.).

On the Memory tab, you can get information about RAM: its size, installed timings, as well as the current memory frequency.

The SPD tab displays information about each installed memory module (manufacturer, memory type, as well as the contents of the SPD table).

And the last tab About , in addition to traditional information about the author, allows you to save the report in an HTML document.

Another useful tool that comes with the CPU-Z utility is the Latency test, which can be used to determine memory latency.

PCMark04 Build 1.3.0

Unlike all the previously discussed utilities, PCMark04 from Futuremark Corporation is focused specifically on PC testing. This utility includes a variety of synthetic tests that allow you to test your PC's processor subsystem, memory subsystem, graphics subsystem, and hard drive performance. Perhaps, among the testing utilities available to home users, PCMark04 is the most universal and at the same time very powerful tool.

So, the PCMark04 utility allows you to evaluate the performance of the PC as a whole (System), calculating a certain integral performance result, performance of the processor subsystem (CPU), memory performance (Memory), performance of the graphics subsystem (Graphics) and performance of the storage subsystem (HDD).

Note that the PCMark04 utility is available in several versions: the free version PCMark04 Free and two commercial versions PCMark04 Professional and PCMark04 Business Edition.

The free version makes it possible to perform PC tests as a whole, displaying the final result and the ability to view details of the test results, and the PCMark04 Professional and PCMark04 Business Edition versions, in addition, allow you to conduct separate tests of memory, graphics subsystem, hard drive and create your own test script (select tests and number of runs).

For correct operation, the PCMark04 utility requires that the following applications be installed on the system:

  • Internet Explorer 6;
  • Media Player 9;
  • Media Encoder 9;
  • DirectX 9.0.

Moreover, the correct operation of this test package is ensured only for the Windows XP operating system.

Working with the utility is very simple. After starting the program, we find ourselves in the main dialog box (Fig. 6). In the simplest case, all you have to do is click the Run PCMark button and wait for the test results.

In the main dialog window of the program, you can also view information about the system by clicking on the Details... button, and to create a testing script, you must click on the Select... button (Fig. 7).


overall system performance
and its individual subsystems

PCMark04 includes a total of 44 tests, of which 10 are used to measure overall system performance, 7 to measure processor performance, 16 to measure memory performance, 7 to measure graphics performance, and 4 to measure hard drive performance.

It is important that the PCMark04 utility was specifically designed for testing home computers, and in this sense, the selection of tasks and the methodology for calculating the integral test result are based on the assumption that the computer is used at home (Home PC Usage).

Typical tasks solved using the PCMark04 utility and their weighting coefficients are presented in the table.

Based on typical tasks performed on a home PC, PCMark04 uses tests whose priority is medium to high. The benchmark uses third-party utilities: Crypto+ 5.0 for file encryption, a virus scanner from F-Secure, Grammar Parser v4 for spell checking, Havok physics engine v 2.1 for working with graphics, etc.

When testing overall system performance, 13 tests are used, with three pairs of tests running in multi-threaded mode. The order of running tests is shown in Fig. 8.

As you can see, the tests that measure the integrated performance of the entire system as a whole do not include tests that measure the performance of the hard drive. That is, it is necessary to take into account that for both a PC with a high-performance hard drive and a PC with a slow drive, the integral performance result will be approximately the same.

The integral performance result is calculated as the geometric mean of the results (execution time) of individual tasks:

PCMark Score= 66 x (File Compression x File Encryption x File Decompression x Image Processing x File Decryption x Virus Scanning x Grammar Check x Audio Conversion x Web Page Rendering x WMV Video Compression x DivX Video Compression x Physics and 3D x Graphics Memory) 1/13 .

When testing the processor, nine tests are used, and two pairs of tests are run in multi-threaded mode. The order of running tests is shown in Fig. 9.

As you can see, the set of tests in this case is similar to the set of tests used to measure the integral performance of the system as a whole, with the exception of Virus Scanning, Grammar Check, Physics and 3D and Graphics Memory.

The general result of processor testing is calculated as a geometric mean using the formula:

CPU Score= 110 x (File Compression x File Encryption x File Decompression x Image Processing x File Decryption x Grammar Check x Audio Conversion x WMV Video Compression x DivX Video Compression) 1/9 .

To test memory, a set of tests is used, which allows you to get a result that does not depend on the performance of all other PC subsystems. The PC memory subsystem includes random access (main) memory, first-level processor cache (L1), and second-level processor cache (L2). The set of tests used includes reading, writing and copying memory data blocks and random data access. Depending on the size of the data block, either main memory, L1 cache, or L2 cache is used. Before launching each next test, the cache is cleared. Read, write and copy operations use data blocks of 4 and 8 MB in size, which allows you to use main memory, as well as data blocks of 4 and 192 KB in size, which makes it possible to use cache memory of the first and second levels, respectively. Each memory test is performed continuously for 5 seconds, and the data transfer speed expressed in megabytes per second (MB/s) is used as the result.

Random memory access uses data of 64 bytes, and the access itself is performed within 4 and 8 MB, which allows the use of main memory, or within 4 and 192 KB, which allows the use of the first and second level cache.

The generalized memory performance result is calculated using the formula:

Memory Score= 0.9 x (Read 8M x Read 4M x ((Read 192k + ​​Read 4k)/2) x Write 8M x Write 4M x ((Write 192k + ​​Write 4k)/2) x Copy 8M x Copy 4M x (( Copy 192k + ​​Copy 4k)/2)) x Random Access 8M x Random Access 4M x ((Random access 192k + ​​Random access 4k)/2)) 1/12 .

When testing the PC graphics subsystem, a set of tests is used to minimize the influence of all other PC subsystems on the final result. Testing uses both 2D and 3D tests.

The 2D benchmark suite includes benchmarks that measure typical windowing performance, video memory performance, and video file playback performance.

The 3D test suite includes tests that measure the speed of polygon filling and processing. Fill rate is the speed at which textures are drawn on 3D objects. Fill rate is measured in millions of texels per second (MTexels/s) (a texel is a texture element (set of pixels)). The speed of processing polygons determines the performance of the video card when reproducing three-dimensional primitives - triangles. Polygon processing speed is measured in millions of triangles per second (MTriangles/s).

The generalized performance result of the graphics subsystem is calculated using the formula:

Graphics score= 0.5 x transparent windows + 0.4 x ((video memory 16 lines + video memory 32 lines)/2) + 0.6 x ((fill rate single texture + fill rate multitexture)/2) + 50 x ( (polygon throughput single light + polygon throughput multiple lights)/2).

When testing hard drive performance, a set of four tests is used, created based on the RankDisk utility from Intel. These tests include measuring boot time of the Windows XP operating system, loading time of applications (Microsoft Word, Adobe Acrobat Reader 5, Windows Media Player, 3DMark 2001SE, Leadtek Winfast DVD, Mozilla Internet Browser), typical file copying operations (400 MB of copied files) and measuring hard drive load for tasks such as opening a Word document, checking spelling, saving and closing a document, zipping and unzipping files using the Winzip archiver, etc.

The generalized performance result is calculated using the formula:

HDD Score= (XP Startup Trace x 120) + (Application Load trace x 180) + (File Copy Trace x 28) + (General Usage x 265).

In conclusion of the description of the PCMark04 test utility, we once again emphasize that it is today one of the best for express PC testing at home. However, one cannot help but note the drawback of this utility, which is a kind of consequence of express testing. We are talking about poor repeatability of results, which is inevitable with such a short testing time. Therefore, in order to ensure at least some acceptable reliability of the result obtained using the PCMark04 utility, it is necessary to repeat the test at least five times and consider the average test result.

No matter who you are, a beginner or a professional, your Windows will eventually encounter problems that are not so easy to diagnose. You can hire someone to fix the problem, but this should be a last resort. First, we recommend giving the tools discussed in this article a chance first. computer health checks.

System diagnostics

Hardware problems most often occur when you are using an outdated version of the operating system ( Vista, 7 or 8 ) or the most modern version.

But sometimes you just want to know what equipment is being used. Here are the tools that will help with this:

1. CPU-Z

A small program that scans the PC hardware configuration. This is necessary if you want to update your computer components and avoid compatibility problems:

2. Performance Monitor

Like earlier versions of the operating system, Windows 10 has " System Monitor", only now it is available as an application. Once launched, look at the sidebar. In chapter " Surveillance equipment" You should see " System Monitor»:

By default, the monitor only displays the " % CPU load" It shows how much the processor is currently being used. But you can add more counters, such as disk usage, power, paging file size, search index size, and other metrics that are important to check your computer's health.

3. Reliability Monitor

Stability Monitor is a hidden tool that has been around since the days of Windows Vista, but many have never even heard of it. It is located in the control panel under " system and safety" - "Support Center" - "Maintenance" - " Show stability log»:

Here you will see a timeline of events and errors that occurred during a given period of time. The blue line is the estimate ( on a scale from 1 to 10) how stable the operating system is over time.

If something often fails, it’s worth looking at the stability monitor: select the error and click “Search for a solution" ( Check for a solution).

Network diagnostics

Regardless of whether you are using Wi-Fi or Ethernet, there is a possibility of network problems. That's why these tools are needed.

4. WiFi Analyzer

A free tool that analyzes your Wi-Fi network settings to see if your wireless channel is interfering with other nearby networks:

Once the analysis is complete, WiFi Analyzer will recommend channel settings that are suitable for you. This program is not perfect, especially in apartment buildings and densely populated cities, but in some cases it can increase Wi-Fi speeds by up to 5 times. Worth a try.

5. Angry IP Scanner

Angry IP Scanner is a great tool that scans your network to find out which IP addresses and ports are being used by which devices:

You can use this program to find out how many devices are connected to yours or find the IP address of a specific device ( for example, a smartphone) when fully checking the computer for functionality.

Hard drive diagnostics

6.CrystalDiskInfo

Have you ever wondered what the state of your hard drive or solid state drive is? This is not easy to figure out, especially with new SSD drives:

This simple program provides a complete overview of the status of the HDDs and USB drives in use. Detailed information includes temperature, uptime, error rates, and more. The program also calculates the overall health of the hard drive.

Please note that there is a similar program called CrystalDiskMark that can be used to benchmark your drives.

7.WinDirStat

I've used it regularly for years and have never been disappointed. The name of this program stands for " Windows Directory Statistics»:

It scans your drives and tells you how much space is occupied by various folders and files. All of them are displayed in a concise tree hierarchy and a detailed diagram. Which is convenient when checking your computer for functionality in Windows 7.

Memory diagnostics

RAM problems are another common problem with home computers. It's all too easy to run out of RAM these days, which can cause your OS to slow down and even crash. Fortunately, diagnosis is not difficult.

8. Resource Monitor

Windows includes " Resource Monitor", which appeared in Vista. In Windows 10, this is a separate application that can be launched through the Start menu:

Resource Monitor is an advanced way to view real-time data about your system, usually used in conjunction with the "Resource Monitor" tool. System Monitor" However, I mainly use it to view detailed information about running processes and memory usage.

9. Windows Memory Diagnostic

Did you know that Windows has a built-in tool that can physically test your RAM modules to see if they contain errors? This application is called Windows Memory Diagnostic:

Using it will restart your computer. The tool will then run several health tests on your computer, and if it finds any errors or glitches, it will do its best to let you know which module is causing the problem.

Screen diagnostics

10. JScreenFix

Look carefully at the screen. Do you see any spots that are not caused by dust particles? If this is the case, you may have a "hot" pixel, which is a pixel that is stuck on a specific color. These pixels can be very annoying:

JScreenFix paints the hot pixel area of ​​the screen with hundreds of different colors every second. This should revive the pixel in about ten minutes.

Does this always work? No. Sometimes a "hot" pixel gets stuck permanently due to a physical defect on the screen. But JScreenFix has an success rate of over 60%, so give it a chance.

Malware diagnostics

11. AdwCleaner

A simple malware scanner, but it's fast, effective and free.

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 is 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.

After 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 is a good time to completely reset the BIOS. This resets not only the 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 the BIOS, the system 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 completely clear the 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.

The startup of the power supply and normal voltages is 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 socket, surge protector, power cable of the system unit or monitor, then change them as quickly as possible to avoid computer failure. 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 to the PC and if everything is fine with the motherboard, 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 drive and prepare to enter the BIOS for the 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. Usually, the Delete key is used for this, 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 your hard drive with the operating system as the first boot device.

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 begin, 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 screen saver or BIOS text messages disappear.

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 sound card driver, then most likely it is faulty. 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 by updating the network card driver and connecting to the Internet through a router.

In any case, do not make hasty conclusions until the diagnostics are completely completed; 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.

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

If the errors always include different files and different error codes, then this is a sign of possible problems with the 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.

Conducting a memory test from a boot disk is a must, as it is difficult to get accurate results in the Windows operating system 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 don’t know how to properly burn such an image to a CD or DVD, refer to the article where we looked at it, here everything is done exactly the same.

Set the BIOS to boot from the DVD drive or use the 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, then 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 the proprietary motherboard utility for temperature monitoring, it is more accurate. 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 unequivocal death sentence for the disk and is a 100% guaranteed 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 freezes every time during the test, then most likely the electronics are faulty and need 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 native 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 damage to 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 crash of a 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, say, replacing the north bridge is usually not advisable, 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’s always better to discover the problem yourself and determine the best solution, 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


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