Computer testing online. PC Diagnostics and Troubleshooting (Best Programs) Computer Hardware Health Checkers

Hardware diagnostics is a method for finding hardware problems in a computer system. These diagnostic systems can be started by the user using an internal program initiated by computer management systems or run a test from within the hardware itself. Basic hardware diagnostics of all computer systems, such as processor, chipset, and memory, are checked every time the system is booted. These hardware diagnostic systems often provide significant early warning of potential system failures.
Diagnostic systems equipment comes in two main types - single-purpose and multi-purpose. Diagnostic programs of one purpose check only a certain part of the equipment. The checks on this equipment are very specific and adapted to this system. Multi-purpose diagnostic programs will check several pieces of hardware and identify problems in them. Since these programs are not specific to a single piece of hardware, they will often be missing for small or strange problems that a single-purpose diagnostic program whose purpose is to find such problems can reveal.

User-initiated diagnostic programs have the widest range of types and functions. A single universal program will often test things that are unusual for other systems to test, such as a monitor or a network system. On the other hand, since they, as a rule, cannot work as a diagnostic program for one purpose - such programs may not notice the subtleties that they notice more specific programs. Specialized diagnostic programs are often supplied by hardware manufacturers and are a good first step in identifying strange computer behavior.

Internal diagnostic programs typically come from two places - hardware drivers or the operating system. Often they are designed for one single purpose. These programs usually run in the background when the computer is in use. Scanning the operating system can check for deviations in the responses it receives from hardware, most often finding them after hardware failures, when the computer has already begun to fail. Driver diagnostic systems get more attention and will more often report strange behavior in hardware as soon as it becomes apparent, but only some hardware has such drivers.

Hardware diagnostics of the computer management system works at a basic level. It typically monitors power levels and response times, not data validity. Most active programs scan the system and what happens in it during the boot sequence, when specialized programs are run to check on various computer systems. Once loaded, these hardware diagnostics tend to run in the background, only alerting the user when something very bad is happening.

The last type of equipment diagnostics is managed by the equipment itself. Since these internal programs are already built into the system, they always have the same purpose. These system monitoring programs are designed for anything outside of the hardware specification. When they find something, they alert the computer's internal system, which will alert the operating system to the problem.

Even the weakest Personal Computer is a complex digital system, often failing for a number of reasons. Like any other technique, a PC is subject to diagnostics, the main part of which is to check it with special programs. Some of them come with drivers for system components, but the bulk of this kind of software is unified with most device models, detects several diagnostic parameters at once, and is distributed on a free or shareware basis.

Today we will talk about 10 computer diagnostic programs that are available to every user.

The first program in the review in this article, Speccy, is the creation of the British IT company Piriform, which created the popular utility for cleaning your computer of garbage CCleaner. Speccy will help you diagnose your computer's hardware, displaying basic information about each device installed on board: processor, video card, motherboard, hard drive and other components. The software is distributed by the company free of charge for private use, and can be run on legacy and new operating systems. Windows systems, including XP.

After installation and the first launch of Speccy, without additional greetings, it immediately goes to the point - the analysis of installed equipment. The main indicators are instantly displayed on the screen in the General Information tab. In the left panel of tabs, the user selects the device of interest. In addition to the component data embedded in the firmware, Speccy displays the current temperature of the device, and can warn the owner of critically high values. For the convenience of exchanging diagnostic data, the program implements the function of snapshotting data in the form of an image or saving them in XML and TXT formats.

Advantages:

• displays information about the type, manufacturer, batch number, year of manufacture, firmware version, etc.;
• takes readings from temperature sensors;
• displays nominal and current frequency indicators;
• saves the received information in the form of a document or image;
• has a simple interface without frills;
• full-fledged free software in Russian.

Disadvantages:

• no diagnostic tools (tests) to check system stability;
• displays an incomplete list of component parameters.

CPU-Z

The CPU-Z program can be safely called the most popular Windows-based system analyzer in the world. It gives comprehensive information about the processor, random access memory and its subsystem, and graphics adapter. CPU-Z is completely free and compatible with all current versions of Windows.

CPU-Zet favorably stands out among competitors in two qualities: a great depth of computer analysis and the simplicity of the shell. With its help, you will learn about such parameters of your processor as the type and technical process of the chip, its heat dissipation, core voltage, revision and stepping, as well as the level and capacity of the cache. The same detailed report is available for RAM and motherboard chipset. This data is indispensable for both overclocking enthusiasts and ordinary users who are fond of upgrading and customizing their computer. However, information about the video system is presented here in a compressed form, and the hard drive is not affected at all.

In addition to a dry text layout in CPU-Z, you can conduct simple stress tests of the system to check its stability under load. Test reports and PC status reports are saved as a TXT and HTML document.

Appearance The utility is extremely simple and has not changed since the beginning of its development. Items are navigated through the tabs on the top panel. There is also portable version to run from a flash drive or other media.

Advantages:

• maximum information about the CPU, RAM and chipset;
• works on a computer with any version of Windows;
• undemanding to resources;
• has the simplest interface (including in Russian);
• saves reports in text form;
• free software.

Disadvantages:

• does not display status information hard drive;
• meager video card report.
• Does not show the temperature of the system components.

GPU-Z

The video card is almost a full-fledged "computer in a computer" with its own subsystems and modes of operation. Therefore, the developers from TECHPOWERUP have developed a separate program for checking the video system of a computer - GPU-Z. Its basic principles are the same as those of CPU-Z - complete information content and ease of use. It is available online for free.

GPU-Z is an indispensable and necessary tool for anyone who is interested in what their computer consists of. The utility will report to you about all the parameters of the video core, video memory and power subsystem, up to the device identification code and BIOS version. In addition, GPU-Z scans the current readings of the temperature and frequency of the chip, the frequency of memory chips, the speed of the cooling fan, the load and voltage on the core, etc. All these values ​​are fixed at the request of the owner in a text file or a screenshot.

The utility has earned special recognition for its ability to identify "fake" video cards that do not meet the specifications stated in the BIOS. Near the name of such a card, you will notice the status "", and instead of the image of the vendor, an exclamation mark will appear.

Advantages:

• a full report on the characteristics of the video card and its current state;
• simple interface shell;
• saving the report as a document or screenshot;
• the ability to send a problem report;
• a large site database for checking your adapter and comparing it with similar cards;
• does not require payment.

Disadvantages:

• the interface is not fully translated into Russian;
• no built-in stress tests and performance tests;

HWMonitor

The HWMonitor program from CPUID is used for complete computer diagnostics, determining its operating parameters and operating modes. Unlike the well-known CPU-Z product from the same company, Hardware Monitor provides a comprehensive real-time check of the hardware status, but without providing data on the characteristics and firmware. The software is available in free and paid PRO versions.

HWMonitor is a single table that displays the devices installed in the system, and indicates their voltage and operating frequency, heat pack, cooler rotation speed, temperature on the sensors and the percentage of workload (work) or occupied memory. Since the utility does not display firmware data, it is better to use it in conjunction with other products, for example, CPU-Z, for overclocking and tuning. Available readings can be written by the user to a TXT notepad file at any time.

The HWMonitor PRO version is equipped with additional functions for remotely checking the readings of the computer's sensors via a smartphone or other PC. It also has a temperature panel folded into a tray for working in the "background" during overclocking and controlling the heating of electronic components.

The interface of the program is minimalistic and does not have additional functions and decorations.

Advantages:

• full PC check including video system and HDD;
• taking all available readings from device sensors;
• extremely simple and intuitive interface;
• remote check of the computer status from a smartphone (on the PRO version);
• free product.

Disadvantages:

• there is no official localization in Russian;
• characteristics of components are not provided;
• there is no detailed information about the performance of the hard drive according to S.M.A.R.T .;

furmark

The FurMark utility has been the unspoken "benchmark" for testing high-performance graphics cards and integrated computer video systems for many years. It is a set of stress tests for testing the graphics subsystem for stability and maximum performance in 3D with support for the OpenGL API. FurMark receives regular updates and is free.

Fur Mark consists of a settings dialog box and a test window, in which a complex render of a toroidal object rotates (or, in popular terms, “hairy donut”). Before starting testing, you must select the graphics level and operating mode. In addition to resolution and anti-aliasing, the user can enable full screen instead of windowed mode. An important point is the indication of the time of the test, since a long stay of the video accelerator under 100% load can disable the device.

After pressing the button « GPU stress test» a rotating object appears on the screen, the drawing of which consumes the entire resource of the video card. The upper part shows a graph of the temperature of the video core. Depending on the set parameters, the test is terminated automatically after a certain time or manually by the user.

Advantages:

• checking the video card under the maximum allowable load for stability, performance, power consumption;
• several modes of "running" the test;
• simple interface without unnecessary elements;
• includes GPU-Z and GPU Shark utilities;
• free software.

Disadvantages:

• FurMark gives the maximum load on the video adapter, which can lead to the failure of the graphics chip, memory chips and other "unpleasant" consequences;
• The interface is not Russified in the official version.

A warning! We do not recommend downloading this program for those who have just begun to get acquainted with the device of the computer. FurMark has caused many computer breakdowns due to incorrect testing and overheating of radio components. Before starting Fur Mark, make sure that your video card has a powerful cooling system. We do not recommend testing for more than 5 minutes.

speedfan

A simple and undemanding SpeedFan utility will help you monitor the main indicators of computer devices, such as cooler rotation speed, voltage, frequency on the CPU core, component temperature, etc. For almost 20 years, this software has been the favorite tool of many overclocking enthusiasts and ordinary users. SpeedFan can be downloaded for free from the developer's website.

Speed ​​Fun is a universal tool for real-time computer control. With it, you can change the speed of the fan impellers, control the processor frequencies, monitor the temperature sensors and check the voltage at the power supply outputs along the 3.3V, 5V and 12V lines. In addition, it displays the S.M.A.R.T. about the status of the hard drive. Knowing these indicators, the user can increase the heat dissipation or vice versa, reduce the noise of the system unit.

The program interface, in addition to the standard Windows shell, includes many graphs for a visual representation of changes in indicators. There is also a warning function when the temperature thresholds are exceeded, and the “CPU Usage” scale will tell you about the load on each CPU core.

Advantages:

• takes readings from temperature sensors, voltage, frequency, etc.;
• control of the state of the hard drive;
• displays the voltage on the PSU supply lines;
• the simplest interface in the style of Windows 2000;
• support for most modern microcontrollers;
• free software with localization.

Disadvantages:

• there is no presentation of the characteristics of RAM, chipset and other equally important information.

AIDA64 Extreme

As the heir to the famous EVEREST, AIDA64 is the most powerful utility for comprehensive computer diagnostics today. In addition to the information stored in the BIOS memory, Aida provides statistics from the Internet and other useful information regarding the selected device. It contains many different tests to test performance and stability under load, and to compare with other models. AIDA64 Extreme is a shareware product, as the user is given only 30 days for trial use with limited features.

The usefulness of AIDA64 Extreme can hardly be overestimated, because it is one of the few programs that provides comprehensive information about all the characteristics of each component device, and even each microcircuit on the board. By installing it on your PC, you will learn about all available frequency and temperature indicators, device pin voltage, cooler rotation speed, power consumption, etc. In addition to the hardware component, Aida 64 displays data on operating system and installed components (for example, DirectX).

In mode "Test" AIDA64 Extreme tests and compares your configuration with other devices from its own database, thus creating a rating. It is worth noting the ability to check network devices and connections over a local and global network.

Advantages:

• provides the maximum possible list of characteristics about the computer;
• comparison with other systems from the database;
• takes readings from all available sensors of the system;
• checks RAM for errors;
• there are tests for video cards;
• at the same time simple and beautiful design in classic Windows style.

Disadvantages:

• the program is not free - only a 30-day trial version is available.

3DMark

At the moment, it's hard to find a better and more beautiful tester than 3DMark from Futuremark (now UL Benchmark). Its tasks include checking the performance of the bundle of the central processor + video card. The developer offers several versions of the benchmark: a free Basic Edition with limited features, an Advanced Edition with a large number of tests and settings, and a Professional Edition (available for commercial use).

The main feature of this tester is the increased requirements for the computer hardware, so even on mid-range systems, the user may be surprised at the small number of points received. The second "visiting card" of 3DMark is colorful, well-designed three-dimensional scenes that simulate games during the test. The tests are carried out not only by qualitative, but also by quantitative scenes, which load the CPU more. 3DMark supports all modern graphics processing technologies, including DirectX 12 and NVIDIA RTX and DLSS.

At the end of the test, you will see the result in the form of points scored for the system as a whole and for each device separately. You can publish your result and compare it with others in a rating created by other users.

Advantages:

• the benchmark loads the system at 100% without causing breakdowns;
• reference tester for high performance systems;
• beautiful 3D models and scenes;
• eat free version 3DMark Basic Edition;
• intuitive interface.

Disadvantages:

• no Russian language in the demo version settings;

PCMark

Another product from the Finnish company Futuremark, focused on checking the performance of the system as a whole. It differs from 3DMark in a wider coverage of subsystems to be tested. With its help, the user will determine the capabilities of his PC in rendering and editing video, complex calculations, storing and transferring data from ROM and other tasks. Free Basic and paid Advanced Edition are available for download.

Computer performance analysis follows the same principle as in 3DMark, but now taking into account all the main components. For example, PCMark checks the read and write speed of RAM and permanent memory ( hard HDD or solid-state SSD drive), the performance of each processor core, the speed of drawing objects on the screen by the video card. It also performs performance tests while browsing, watching videos, and while talking through VoIP voice clients, as well as for time Windows startup. To determine the suitability of a PC for games, the developers have implemented some tests from 3DMark here.

At the end of the test run, the user will see the result on the screen in points, which can be used to judge the performance of the PC, based on the rating. If problematic slow devices are identified, the tester will report the need to upgrade them.

Advantages:

• general performance test of the entire computer with explanations of problems;
• analysis of the state of the operating system;
• reconciliation of the result with the “live” rating of other users;
• very convenient and beautiful interface;
• there is a free version.

Disadvantages:

• there is no Russian-language interface (in the Basic version).

HWiNFO

A small HWiNFO utility is able to display all the main parameters of a computer and its components, as well as monitor temperature and voltage from device sensors in real time. According to the developers, it is distinguished by increased stability of operation and high accuracy of measurements of diagnostic parameters. It is not necessary to pay for the utility, the developer accepts only donations.

The main quality of HWiNFO is the stability of work on weak systems with outdated versions of Windows. This software will run even on Win XP, not to mention the modern "dozens". The second advantage is detailed reporting on the state of the PC at the time of the check and the provision of detailed information about its parameters. A simple search for each device is provided by a hierarchical structure of icons with descriptions on the left side of the window. The available data can be easily saved to a test file by clicking the "Save Report" button. In addition to checking the computer, HWiNFO has a routine for BIOS updates motherboard and device drivers.

The interface of the HWiNFO software is made in the usual Windows style and is easy to use. At the top of the window is a panel with icons of the most frequently used functions. The “Program” tab has a large number of settings for checking and managing driver modes.

Advantages:

• simplicity and detail of the report;
• convenient management and configuration;
• high measurement accuracy of sensor readings;
• updating BIOS and drivers;
• completely free software.

Disadvantages:

• there are no tests to check the stability and performance of the system.

Conclusion

Among the ten programs we have considered for diagnosing a computer, there is no ideal option - each has its own set of pros and cons. However, we can advise you to make a choice in a given situation for specific tasks set by the user himself.

For a standard and comprehensive computer check, we would choose Speccy, HWMonitor, HWiNFO and PCMark. They provide detailed data on the characteristics and current state of the hardware and operating system, and PCMark will help you safely load and test your PC for performance.

For more demanding users, overclockers and gamers, AIDA64 Extreme, 3DMark and FurMark will do. The first program displays data about the PC at the highest possible level, and the other two are great for testing video adapters.

CPU-Z, GPU-Z and SpeedFan will fit any of the groups, but they are more similar in features to the above options.

Every computer user at least once in his life had to turn to software whose task is to diagnose a computer and troubleshoot. However, on the Internet you can find dozens, if not hundreds of different programs for this purpose. Which of them is worth paying attention to?

In today's article, we will look at eight of the best programs that will undoubtedly come in handy when identifying problems with your PC. Let's get started.

CPU-Z is free software whose function is to display technical information about the user's computer hardware. This program was developed by the CPUID company, which also has other interesting programs in its assortment, but CPU-Z is perhaps the most useful for many users.

With CPU-Z you can get a complete list of information about:

• central processing unit;
• motherboard;
• random access memory;
• graphics accelerator.

When we talk about a complete list of information, we mean information such as CPU architecture, motherboard model, BIOS / UEFI version, amount of RAM and its frequency, and so on and so forth. With CPU-Z, you can get a really huge amount of really useful information.

Moreover, this program is even fully translated into Russian. However, we cannot fail to mention one extremely big minus, which can be found out almost immediately after examining all the functionality. And this minus is the lack of a function for reading the temperature of the CPU, GPU and motherboard elements.

If CPU-Z had such functionality, then it would not have a price. However, for temperature measurement, you will need to resort to other programs, some of which we will consider later in this article.

Speccy

Speccy is another free and quite functional program with which users can get various technical information about their computer. It is worth noting that the well-known company Piriform is behind the development of the Speccy utility, which also developed such popular programs as CCleaner, Defraggler and Recuva.

By opening the Speccy program, you can access a number of information on:

• operating system;
• the central processor;
• random access memory;
• system board (i.e. motherboard);
• graphics devices (discrete and integrated video cards);
• storage devices (HDD, SSD, etc.);
• optical drives;
• sound devices;
• peripheral devices;
• network devices.

In general, using the Speccy program, you can get a fairly wide range of information about your computer. Also, do not forget that Speccy has a function for reading temperature from various sensors installed on the computer. You can see the temperature of your PC, motherboard, video card and even HDD/SSD drives.

A couple more advantages of the Speccy program - it is completely localized into Russian and has an extremely simple user interface. We click on the desired tab on the left side of the window and look at the available information on the right - there is simply nowhere easier.

HWiNFO

The next program on our list is already somewhat more difficult to use than the previous two, but it can provide users with even more detailed information about the computer. As soon as you start scanning the system using HWiNFO, several windows will immediately appear in front of you: general information about the entire system, the main HWiNFO window, where you can find specific information on certain components of your computer, as well as a small window for monitoring the processor's performance (multiplier, frequency, number of cores, etc.).

Among other things, the HWiNFO program can also read information from various sensors located on the computer. Virtual and physical memory, paging file usage, voltage on each of the CPU cores, frequency of each CPU core, northbridge, system bus, RAM, data from temperature sensors in the system - whatever you want. However, it's worth noting that the user interface in HWiNFO can be a little confusing for inexperienced PC users, so you may have to sit in front of the program for a while to understand what it has to offer.

AIDA64

AIDA64 is an extremely powerful tool from FinalWire Ltd. for diagnosing and performing various checks on the hardware of the user's computer. Quite an interesting fact: AIDA64 is a direct follower of software Everest from the company, which in turn is a follower of the AIDA32 program.

Here is such an unusual origin of this program. She knows how to do everything that previous programs can, plus a set of stress tests with which you can identify various problems with your computer. It is worth noting that AIDA64 has an extremely rich set of functions, but, unlike the same HDiNFO, the user interface is much simpler, which is definitely a huge plus. Well, here's the downside: the program is not free.

Pass Mark Performance Test

If previous programs could offer the user similar functionality, then the PassMark Performance Test utility is a slightly different tool. The task of this program is to evaluate the performance of a computer using a set of various specialized tests, after which the user can compare the results with the results of other computers.

With the PassMark Performance Test utility, you can perform various tests for:

• CPU;
• graphics accelerator;
• hard disk;
• optical drives;
• random access memory.

With PassMark Performance Test, you can easily understand whether your computer provides the appropriate performance or not. And if not, then through multiple tests you will understand what the problem is. Unfortunately, this utility is not free: in order to access certain functionality, you will need to buy it.

CrystalDiskMark

CrystalDiskMark comes in handy when you need to test your hard drive (HDD) or solid state drive (SSD). The program is able to work with all currently available interfaces for connecting disks. For the most part, with CrystalDiskMark, many users will find out the write and read settings of their discs. Nevertheless, at the end of the program, you will see an extensive report on the tests performed, which, unfortunately, will tell little about unprepared users, but experienced users will understand a lot if they are looking for some problems.

speedfan

SpeedFan is a rather interesting program created by a developer named Alfredo Milani Comparetti, which is designed to read information from sensors on the motherboard, HDD and SSD drives, CPU, RAM and video card, and also has functions for adjusting the rotation speed (RPM) coolers present in the computer. Fortunately, the user interface of the SpeedFan application is extremely simple and even translated into Russian, and it is also distributed completely free of charge.

System Information for Windows

And the last program on our list is System Information. for Windows(SIW). This program was also designed by one man - and his Gabriel Topala. The utility is an extremely powerful tool with which you can get detailed information about the hardware configuration of your computer.

Among other things, with the help of SIW you can find out network information, information about installed software, including drivers, as well as system components. The interface of the system is a little intricate, but you can still get used to it, after which you will have access to the extremely wide functionality of the program, for which, by the way, there is no need to pay.

Found a typo? Select the text and press Ctrl + Enter

TOP programs for computer diagnostics

Again the computer became faulty, but you do not know what the problem is? Maybe you are considering selling your hardware, but it takes a very long time to collect information with built-in applications, and you would like to find a solution faster and easier? Then you can pay attention to programs for computer diagnostics. We have compiled a small rating, all of them have already shown themselves to be reliable and fast help, so we can recommend them for work.

pivot table

Why is it necessary to monitor your PC system?

Any computer and laptop is a complex machine that performs many processes every second from displaying a picture on the screen to writing a letter pressed on the keyboard. That is why it is important to constantly monitor the status of your device, noticing problems that arise in work in time, because one incorrectly working element can break the operation of the entire machine.

Programs that conduct a complete diagnosis of the entire PC help track incorrect operation.. As an example, they can determine how much memory is installed on your laptop, as well as the type of memory and the number of slots. Why do you need this information?

The computer wizard will say that this will help find a new, more suitable RAM. With the new data, you will be able to understand whether you need to change the motherboard, whether to add memory, whether to install a more powerful processor, whether to buy an additional hard drive. Some utilities will monitor processor temperatures to tell you if thermal paste needs replacing to prevent overheating. In general, all diagnostic type applications will help you find out why your PC or any particular installed program is not working. To understand which utility to install for you, it remains to learn more about each of our ratings.

Diagnostic Highlights

Inexperienced PC users are sure that they cannot cope with the problems that have arisen, and they immediately run to computer wizards and service centers without trying to figure it out on their own. However, it is enough to find out what problems may occur with your computer in order to find out what the problem is and solve it on your own.

The following can interfere with the operation of a computer or laptop:

• Overheating of microcircuits and connectors due to their dusting
• Strong oxidation of contacts
• Incorrect grounding
• Unstable power supply
• Overheating of PC components due to excessive cooling
• Burnout of components due to overvoltage or power surge

The reports that any utility will issue will tell you exactly where non-standard parameters are observed. Also, if the situation is clearly beyond your power, you can take the diagnostic result to the master or send it by e-mail.

If you have observed incorrect operation of only one element, then it is worth downloading a utility whose work is aimed at analyzing its performance. For example, for video cards, it is important that the benchmark still evaluates the performance of the PC. And to analyze the operation of hard drives, you will have to compare the results with the characteristics of drives on other devices.

Description of programs for diagnostics: top 12 leaders

We have selected all the necessary tools presented on the Internet. Programs have different purposes and diverse functionality, you just have to find the best option for you. Remember that sometimes you need to install several programs at once in order to conduct not only a general scan of the computer, but testing and comparison with analogues.

AIDA64

Tariff plans utility

AIDA64

It often stands on the devices of specialists and computer masters, because it provides comprehensive and reliable information about components, OS, and other installed programs, network and external devices. This program conducts both a complete computer diagnostics, collecting the necessary system data, but tests individual elements, including RAM, helping to configure the settings for optimal operation.

This utility will be very convenient for those who are not too versed in hardware: all the information provided is located on the right side of a separate panel, besides, it is intuitively structured according to the main parameters.

This utility is good because it performs the functions of a benchmark – that is, it determines the power of the processor and video card and gives a comparison with the data of other models. She also knows how to determine the installed drivers and even look for their latest versions, if necessary.

AIDA64 gives you the ability to monitor the system in real time to monitor the load on the key nodes of the system. Review reports are issued as a document that can be saved in any format. The reports themselves, as well as the program interface, are translated into Russian, which will allow even an amateur to work with the program. By the way, you can install AIDA64 not only on any version of Windows, but also on mobile gadgets on Android, iOS and other platforms. Windows phone. Unfortunately, the utility is not free, but it has a demo version, albeit a rather limited one.

Speccy

Official site

Speccy

Now Speccy is the most effective program for obtaining detailed reports on the operation of the system, although it has not yet gained much popularity on the Internet. It is free and supported on all Windows models from XP to 10. This utility allows you to find out the necessary data about the processor, memory, video card, hard drive and installed operating system, and it provides information complete and in an extremely convenient form, so that even a beginner will figure it out. For example, you can use it to see the number of RAM slots and decide if you need to upgrade your PC.

Importantly, Speccy not only helps to obtain information from temperature sensors, but also suggests ways to correct connection errors or simply install a ventilation system.

The program works in such a way that when it starts, it scans the entire computer. It weighs very little, so we recommend downloading it, even if you don’t need it right now: it will allow you to control PC heating, quickly make a list of components, and even monitor the list of drivers you need to install.

The data, by the way, is saved in TXT and XML formats, so in case of a breakdown, you can show the report to the master. Do not forget that the Speccy developers are the creators of CCleaner and Defraggler, which in itself is a guarantee of quality and stable operation.

HWiNFO

Program website

HWiNFO

HWiNFO is a program used mainly by professionals and hardware experts. It is necessary for anyone who digs into the depths of the hardware, because it gives out all the information about each important element. In addition to PC analysis, it is suitable for obtaining data on outdated equipment, old BIOSes, video cards, and more. It also helps to compare the performance of hardware components not only with standard indicators, but also with the characteristics of popular analogues.

The main functionality of the utility includes:

• Recognition of microprocessors with the definition of their parameters
• FSB Frequency Calculation
• Processor, memory and disk testing
• Getting information about the motherboard and BIOS
• Reading information from SPD
• Identification of a large set of video accelerators

And this is not a complete list of features. In general, HWiNFO allows you to get information about almost everything except, perhaps, drivers. She saves all received data in a log. so that they can be retrieved and used later. By the way, you can constantly track the parameters of some element by setting the icons in the tray.

CPU-Z

Official site

CPU-Z

It's simple free program , which allows you to quickly obtain important technical information about the main elements of your computer. The utility is distributed in two versions, which differ in the need for installation, but in terms of performance, they are approximately the same.

CPU-Z can determine:

• Model, number of cores, architecture and processor socket
• CPU voltage, frequency, cache and multiplier
• Make and model of the motherboard
• BIOS version and memory type
• Volume, type and frequency of RAM
• Name, type and volume of video card

The main plus for Russian speakers is the ability to obtain accurate characteristics in Russian. Of course, the design of CPU-Z is quite poor, but for applications of this type it is not important, and minimalism does not complicate the perception of information.

The only real disadvantage is the inability to determine the temperature of the processors. But in contrast, there is a good computer scanning speed and the reliability of the utility.

HWMonitor

Program website

HWMonitor

Simple, clear and most importantly absolutely free utility.

With which you can monitor the readings of temperature sensors motherboard, CPU temperature, hard disk temperature, circuit voltage.

As well as the capacity of the battery and the degree of wear. The program shows three graphs minimum, average and peak value.

performance test

Official site

performance test

This tool is slightly different from the previous options - this is a set of tests for evaluating PC performance. As a result of each test, the program collects characteristics that it compares with those of similar devices. latest version This utility contains 27 functions that differ in relation to a specific category. Several can be distinguished:

• For the processor - compression, encryption and calculation speed
• For a video card where the display quality of two-, 3D graphics and animation, as well as compatibility with DirectX and its analogues
• For a hard drive, where you can test writing, reading and speed of information retrieval
• For disk drives
• For RAM

There are many more functions, in addition, the user can create five of his own tests. By the way, the program saves test reports in many standard formats from HTML to Docx. They can be sent to an email address, or pasted into any text editor and print.

The ability to import tests into another application and insert them into the site code is also very remarkable.. It is important to note that PerformanceTest is only shareware, but it can be easily downloaded and activated on many file hosting sites. It works on all versions of Windows from XP to 10.

CrystalDiskMark

Program website

CrystalDiskMark

Another program designed to conduct tests, analyze the read and write speed of a hard drive. CrystalDiskMark uses test files ranging in size from 50 MB to 32 GB, and by running them, the utility reveals the average disk speed. To identify accurate performance indicators, it makes several checks at once, the number of which you personally specify before starting testing. In the settings section, you can choose the type of data, intervals between tests, queue sizes, and the number of threads.

The program is free, Russified and suitable for any Windows versions. It is quite small in size, so it downloads quickly and takes up almost no space.

CrystalDiskMark gives the results in a convenient way. Of course, the data on the average read and write speed of the "hard" is unlikely to be of interest to an amateur, but a professional can easily understand the reporting. By the way, the more tests the program conducts, the more average results you will get.

Information about the hard disk

If you notice any interruptions in your computer, then you need to know how to diagnose your computer yourself.

In case of any serious damage, you will need to contact the repair service. . However, before that, you can check the computer yourself using special utilities.

Both third-party developers and standard Windows tools have a large list of utilities for various tests.

Hard disk check

According to statistics, the hard drive is one of the fastest breaking components in the computer. Hard drive problems are indicated by errors such as freezes on the desktop, for example, when you try to open a folder.

It also takes a long time to launch and load games and other applications. If you want to check your hard drive for possible errors, there are several utilities that can do this.

Windows has a built-in hard drive check utility. To do this, go through the explorer to the list of disks, then go to “properties” and select “service”. There will be a check disk item. This process is usually long, if you are using a laptop, then it is worth connecting it to the network before draining the battery.

With the help of this check, you can fix the errors found, for this you need to select the item “check and repair bad sectors”.

In addition, there is a large list of utilities from the manufacturers themselves. hard drives. For example, SeaTools from Seagate or Drive Fitness Test from Hitachi. They can also be used for initial diagnosis and error correction.

Checking the video card

Problems with the video card are indicated by problems such as the appearance of graphic artifacts or stripes on the screen, the appearance blue screen death, flickering or freezing of the image on the screen.

To check the video card, benchmarks are usually used. To do this, you can use the FurMark utility. With its help, you can run the test, at the end of which, a window with the results will appear.

The temperature, the parameters of the video card will be written there, and it will show how stable it works. You can find out about all the malfunctions and errors in the operation of the video card.

For the same purposes, you can use the AIDA 64 diagnostic program. You can see the fan speed, temperature, and also run a stress test.

Checking RAM

RAM is also a very important part of a computer. If there are problems with it, there will be freezes when launching games or demanding programs. Also, with prolonged use of the computer, freezes begin and various errors occur.

To diagnose RAM, you can use standard remedy Windows, which is called “Windows Memory Checker” and is present in versions 7, 8 and 10.

After its launch, the reboot and search for errors will begin. If no errors are found as a result of the check, the system message “No memory errors found” will appear. If errors are found and you have several RAM modules installed, then you should try disabling one of them and try testing the modules one by one.

So you will find the problem bar. However, if the program finds errors in each of the modules, then perhaps the problem is not in the RAM, but is faulty motherboard.

Processor check

For diagnostics, you can also use the AIDA 64 program. There you can see the temperature, fan speed, and core voltage. You can run a stress test, but it's better to use the Linx program to check the processor.

Normally, the temperature should be less than 45 degrees at low load, and 65 degrees during the start of resource-intensive processes.

In addition to this program, you can use the Linx program. Running a stress test will show how the processor can handle high loads. This test is one of the most revealing when checking the processor. It shows how stable your processor is running under heavy loads.

Checking the motherboard

The list of problems that arise when a motherboard malfunctions is extensive:

• the computer may freeze or not turn on at all;
• USB ports may not work. The system will not see connected external hard drives and flash drives
• the computer may spontaneously shut down or restart;
• overall slow system performance.

AIDA 64 can also be used for motherboard diagnostics. The diagnostic test lasts about 20 minutes, during this time you also need to monitor the temperature of the motherboard (this is also monitored in the program).

Based on the results of the test, a window will appear with information about whether the motherboard is working or not. If the temperature is too high, then you will need to check the cooling system.

Checking the power supply

Most often, if there is a problem with the power supply, the computer will not turn on at all. Or it may turn on for a few minutes and then turn off automatically. Unnatural fan noise may be heard from the system unit.

To diagnose the operation of the power supply, use OCCT program. Diagnostics includes several tests, during which a high load on all batteries drops.

Therefore, initially, it is better to consider the power supply inside the system unit. It is possible that dust has simply clogged on the fans - in this case, it is worth cleaning them. Also, with various damages, burnt elements of the power supply may appear and a burning smell may be felt. In this case, a repair will be needed.

Outcome

As you can see, there are many programs for diagnostics. It is recommended to run computer diagnostics from time to time to avoid breakdowns. AIDA 64 turned out to be especially useful, with its help you can see the temperature and conduct tests for almost any part of the computer.

Now, in the event of a malfunction, you can carry out diagnostics yourself, before contacting a service center.