Download the program to determine the parameters of the PC. Programs for determining computer hardware. Stress test program OCCT - OverClock Checking Tool

Many PC owners are faced with various errors and failures in the computer, but cannot determine the cause of the problem. In this article, we will look at the main ways to diagnose a computer, allowing you to independently identify and fix various problems.

Keep in mind that high-quality computer diagnostics can take a whole day, allocate it 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 the possible nuances that can lead to problems.

1. Disassembling and cleaning the computer

When disassembling and cleaning the computer, do not rush, do everything carefully so as not to damage anything. Store the accessories in a safe place prepared in advance.

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.

Disable 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 the 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, CPU cooler, case fans, you can also leave the DVD drive if it works fine.

Gently blow out the system unit and all components individually 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 through without touching the electrical components and the board with your hands and metal parts, as there may be voltage in the capacitors!

If your vacuum cleaner does not work for blowing out, but only for blowing in, then it will be a little more difficult. Clean it well so that it pulls as hard as possible. We recommend using a soft bristle brush when cleaning.

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

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

Also make sure that the cooler mount is not broken, the clamp is not open and the heatsink is firmly pressed against the processor.

Be careful when cleaning the fans, do not let them spin too much and do not bring the vacuum cleaner nozzle close if it is without a brush, so as not to beat off the blade.

At the end of cleaning, do not rush to collect everything back, but proceed 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 for motherboard and at the same time I 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 by itself.

After that, you need to measure its voltage with a multimeter, optimally if it is in the range of 2.5-3 V. The initial voltage of the battery is 3 V.

If the battery voltage is below 2.5 V, then it is advisable to change it already. 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, prompting you to press F1 or some other key to continue booting.

If you do not have a multimeter, you can take the battery with you to the store and ask them to check it or just buy a replacement battery in advance, it is standard and very inexpensive.

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

The battery needs to be changed in a timely manner, but if you don’t have a replacement on hand 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 fly off, but problems can 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 inCMOSare often the cause of the following problems:

• computer does not turn on
• turns on once
• turns on and nothing happens
• turns on and off

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 PSU and nothing will work.

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

A sign that the reset has occurred will be a lost date and time that will need to be set in the BIOS the next time the computer boots.

4. Visual inspection of components

Carefully inspect all capacitors on the motherboard for swelling and leakage, especially in the area of ​​\u200b\u200bthe processor socket.

Sometimes capacitors do not bulge up, but down, which causes them to tilt as if they were just slightly bent or unevenly soldered.

If some capacitors are swollen, then you need to send the motherboard for repair as soon as possible and ask to re-solder all the capacitors, including those that are next to the swollen ones.

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

Inspect the disc contacts for oxidation.

They can be cleaned with an eraser and after that it is imperative to replace the cable or power adapter with which this disk was connected, since it is already damaged and oxidation has most likely occurred due to it.

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

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

It is important that the polarity is observed (plus to plus, minus to minus), since there is a total mass on the front panel and non-observance of the polarity will lead to a short circuit, due to which the computer may behave inappropriately (turn on every other time, turn itself off or reboot) .

Where the plus and minus in the contacts of the front panel 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. On the wire contacts from the front panel, it is also indicated where the plus and minus are. Usually the white wire is negative, and the positive connector can be indicated by a triangle on the plastic connector.

Many even experienced builders 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, the first thing to do is check the power supply. However, in any case, it won’t hurt to check the PSU, maybe it’s because of it that the computer fails.

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

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

Then turn the power supply into the surge protector and press the button on it. Do not forget that the power supply itself may also have an on / off button.

A spinning fan should be a sign of turning on the power supply. If the fan does not spin, then it may have failed 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 during PC operation.

Use a multimeter to measure the voltage between the pins 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 goes far beyond 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, PSUs lend themselves to this easily and inexpensively.

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

6. Checking the power contacts

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

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

If you have a suspicion of a power outlet, surge protector, power cable for a system unit or monitor, then change them as soon as possible to avoid damaging your computer. Do not delay and do not skimp on this, as repairing a PC or monitor will cost significantly more.

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

More failures can 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 can occur even when the computer is idle. Try to measure the voltage at the outlet immediately after a spontaneous shutdown or reboot of the computer and observe the readings for a while. So you can identify long-term drawdowns, from which a linear-interactive UPS with a stabilizer will save.

7. Assembling and turning on the computer

After cleaning and inspecting the PC, carefully assemble it and carefully check that you have connected everything you need. If the computer refused to turn on before cleaning or turned on every other time, then it is advisable to connect the components in turn. If there were no such problems, then skip the next section.

7.1. Step by step PC build

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

Power on the PC and if motherboard Everything is fine, the CPU cooler fan should spin. Also, if a buzzer is connected to the motherboard, a beep code usually sounds, indicating the absence random access memory.

Memory installation

Turn off the computer with a short or (if not possible) 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 slots are the same color, then just the one closest to the processor.

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

If the computer starts up with one memory bar and there is a beep, then a code usually sounds, signaling 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 bar in the same place. If the problem continues or if there is no other bar, then move the bar to another nearest slot. If there are no sounds, then everything is probably fine, continue on.

Turn off the computer and insert the second stick of memory 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 if the PC turns on and what beeps it makes.

If you have 3 or 4 sticks of memory, then just insert them in turn, each time turning off and on the PC. If the computer does not start with a certain bar or gives a memory error code, then this bar is faulty. You can also check the motherboard slots by rearranging the work bar in different slots.

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

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

Installing a graphics card

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

With a video card, the computer should start normally, without beeps, or with a single beep, indicating a normal self-test.

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

Monitor connection

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 the monitor is connected tightly, sometimes tight connectors do not go all the way, which is the reason for the lack of 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).

Turn on the computer and a graphic splash screen and motherboard text messages should appear on the screen. Usually this is a suggestion 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 turns on silently, 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 working PC or device (laptop, player, tuner, etc.). Do not forget to select the desired signal source in the monitor settings.

Keyboard and mouse connection

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

Connecting Drives

If the computer starts with a keyboard and mouse, then we start connecting in turn hard drives. Connect a second drive without an operating system (if any) first.

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 disk.

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 off by itself, then the controller of this disk is out of order and needs to be changed or taken in for repair to save data.

Turn off the computer and connect the DVD drive (if any) with an interface cable and power supply. If after that problems arise, then the drive fails in power supply and needs to be changed, it usually does not make sense to repair.

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

When you turn on your computer for the first time, enter 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 download.

On the first tab, set the date and time, and on the "Boot" tab, select yours as the first boot device. HDD with the operating system.

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

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

To exit the BIOS and save the settings, press F10. Do not get distracted and watch the operating system fully boot to notice possible problems.

After the PC has finished booting, check if the fans of the processor cooler, power supply and video card are working, otherwise it makes no sense to carry out 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 are not working, then this is not a problem, just plan to replace it in the near future, do not be distracted by it now.

8. Error analysis

Here, in fact, diagnostics begin, and all of the above was only preparation, after which many problems could go away and without it it made no sense to start testing.

8.1. Enabling memory dumps

If blue screens of death (BSOD) appear during computer operation, this can greatly facilitate the identification of a malfunction. 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 key combination "Win + R" on the 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 "Startup and Recovery" section, click the "Options" button.

The "Write debug information" field should be "Small memory dump".

If so, then you should already have previous error dumps 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 are repeated.

Memory dumps may not be able to be created during severe crashes such as rebooting or shutting down the PC. Also, some system cleaning utilities and antiviruses can remove them, you must disable the system cleaning function for the duration of the diagnosis.

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

8.2. Memory dump analysis

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

This utility shows the files that have failed. These files belong to the operating system, device drivers or some program. Accordingly, by the ownership of the file, you can determine which device or software was the cause of 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 disappearance of the motherboard graphic splash screen or BIOS text messages.

Go through the dumps and see which files appear most often as the culprits of the crash, 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, in some dumps, the file "dxgkrnl.sys" appeared, even from the name of which it is clear that it refers to DirectX, which is directly related to 3D graphics. So, 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 cause of the failure is a sound card, network card, hard drive, or some kind of program that gets deep 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 name of the file.

If failures occur in the driver sound card, it's most likely out of order. If it is integrated, then you can disable it through the BIOS and install another discrete one. The same can be said about the network card. However, network failures can be caused, which often resolves 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 completed, maybe your Windows just crashes or a virus has climbed, which is 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 a possible cause of the problem on the Internet, but it is easier and more reliable to do this by file ownership. You can use the F6 key to return to the previous view.

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

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.

Running a memory test from a boot disk is a must, as it is difficult to get accurate results on a Windows operating system on a failed PC.

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

You can download the "Hiren's BootCD" image in the same place as everything else - in the "" section. If you do not know how to burn such an image to a CD or DVD, refer to the article where we reviewed, everything is done in the same way.

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

Testing can last from 30 to 60 minutes, depending on the speed and amount of RAM. One full pass should be completed and the test will go for 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 that, testing can be interrupted using the "Esc" key and the computer will restart.

If there were errors, then you will have to test each bar separately, taking out 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 a broken memory and carry out further diagnostics before replacing it, as various incomprehensible errors will pour in.

10. Preparation for component tests

Everything else, except for RAM, is tested from 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 most.

If this is difficult for you or there is no time, then you can try testing on the old system. But, if failures occur due to malfunctions in the operating system, some kind of driver, program, virus, antivirus (i.e., in the software part), then testing the hardware will not help determine this and you may go the wrong way. 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 right from start to finish as described in this article. Yes, it takes a whole day, but neglecting my advice, you can fight for weeks without determining 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, say, in the video card, which we will discuss below.

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

At the stage of cleaning and visual inspection, you should have made sure that the CPU cooler is not clogged with dust, its fan rotates, and the heatsink is firmly pressed against the processor. I also hope you didn't take it off when you cleaned it, as that requires replacing the thermal paste, which I'll talk about later.

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

To begin with, it would be nice to know the maximum allowable thermal package 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. Don't confuse it with the temperature of the cores, 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 work at 70 ° C, which is also critical for them. You can find out the real stable temperature of your processor from tests on the Internet.

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

If after 10-15 minutes of the test the temperature is 2-3 degrees lower than the critical one 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 during testing the PC freezes or reboots, then you should think about improving the cooling.

Keep in mind that a lot also depends on the temperature in the room, it is possible that in cooler conditions the problem will not manifest itself, but in hotter conditions it will immediately make itself felt. So you always need cooling with a margin.

In case of CPU overheating, check if your cooler complies with . If not, then you need to change it, no tricks will help here. If the cooler is powerful enough, but can't cope a little, then you should change the thermal paste for a more efficient one, and at the same time the cooler itself may be installed more successfully.

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

It should be applied in a thin layer, after removing the old paste dry 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 case fans, at least the most inexpensive ones.

14. Drive testing

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

Look at the SMART options, where "disk health" is displayed, there should be no red lines and the overall status of the disk should be "OK".

You can download the 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 utilities from under Windows. The process can take 2-4 hours depending on the size and speed of the disk (about 1 hour for every 500 MB). At the end 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 verdict for the disk and a 100% guarantee case. Save your data faster and change the drive, just don't tell the service that you dropped your laptop

You can check the surface of both conventional hard drives (HDD) and solid state drives (SSD). The latter really do not have any surface, but if the HDD or SSD drive will hang every time during the check, which means that the electronics most likely will fail - you need to change or repair (the latter is unlikely).

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

Problems with the controller (electronics) and the disk surface lead to windows with errors in the operating system, short-term and complete freezes of the computer. Usually these are messages about the impossibility 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 vice versa, return 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 to completely copy its contents on another computer. If the disc is readable and the drive reads other discs (except for poorly readable ones), then everything is fine.

Drive problems I've encountered include electronic failures that completely hung up or prevented the computer from turning on, breakage of the retractable mechanism, contamination of the laser head lens, and breakage of the head as a result of improper cleaning. In most cases, everything is solved by replacing the drive, since they are inexpensive and even if they have not been used for several years, they die from dust.

16. Hull check

The case also sometimes breaks, then the button sticks, then the wiring from the front panel falls off, then it closes in the USB connector. All this can lead to unpredictable behavior of the PC and is solved by a thorough inspection, cleaning, tester, soldering iron and other improvised means.

The main thing is that nothing is short, which may be indicated by a broken light bulb or connector. If in doubt, disconnect all wires from the front of the case and try to work at the computer for a while.

17. Checking the motherboard

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

The exception is the crash of a sound or network card, which is solved by disabling them in the BIOS and installing separate expansion cards. You can solder the capacitors in the motherboard, but let's 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 nothing helps

Of course, it is always better to discover the problem yourself and determine The best way solutions, as some unscrupulous repairmen strive to hang noodles on your ears and tear off three skins.

But it may be that you follow all the recommendations, but you will not be able to determine the problem, it happened to me. In this case, the matter is more often in the motherboard or in the power supply, maybe there is a microcrack in the textolite and it makes itself felt from time to time.

In this case, nothing can be done, bring the entire system unit to a more or less well-established computer company. No need to wear parts in parts, if you are not sure what the matter is, then the issue will never be resolved. Let them figure it out, especially if the computer is still under warranty.

Computer store specialists usually do not worry, they have a lot of different components, they just change something and see if the problem is gone, thus fixing the problem quickly and simply. 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

Whatever role is assigned to your computer, it should work stably and without failures. Whether it is a gaming computer, a laptop for office tasks, or just a means of communication, in any case, symptoms such as "freezing", "brakes", " blue screen death of Windows" and other unpleasant things should not bother the user. It is not uncommon for a user to have the same characteristic "iron" problem for years, for example, in the middle of work, a "hot" reboot suddenly occurs. Finding out its cause is quite difficult - it can be the problem of the motherboard, video card, RAM, etc. One cannot completely exclude the error of the operating system, to which, by the way, many are accustomed to write off all the flaws in the PC. software, then this assumption can only be checked by reinstalling the system, as well as using fresh drivers (recall that the newest drivers can always be found in the file archive). If after that the computer problems do not go away, you need to check all the components step by step. The programs that will help to do this will be discussed in today's review.

7Byte Hot CPU Tester 4.4.1 - CPU testing

Developer: 7Byte Computers
Distribution size: 1.7 MB
Spreading: shareware The processor is the heart of the computer. With careful handling of this part, there should not be any problems with it. Errors can appear only in non-standard situations, for example, when the cooler is stopped or when trying to force the processor to work in non-standard mode, i.e. during acceleration. In the second case, errors are not excluded when performing arithmetic calculations, for example, when the computer will give errors when trying to extract files from archives. But even when trying to overclock, you need to "try hard" to disable the processor. Motherboard manufacturers usually use various technologies that provide "intelligent" overclocking that is safe for the operation of the device. In addition, many models have protection against failures that occur in critical modes. At the same time, the status of the processor and RAM is checked at the hardware level, which eliminates the possibility of failure of components. And yet, from time to time, it becomes necessary to check the status of the processor. The processor check utility may be needed if you want to check the characteristics and condition of a non-new chip, for example, when assembling a computer from old components. 7Byte Hot CPU Tester works with multi-core and multi-processor systems. Using the program, you can test all processors or only some.

During testing, the program checks most of the functions of the processor: it tests the use of the cache of the first and second levels, checks the state of the processor during complex calculations (determining the number "Pi", Fourier transform), when using sets of multimedia instructions SSE, SSE2, SSE3, MMX and 3DNow !, system bus and memory bus, etc.

It is assumed that during the verification process, the processor is subjected to maximum load. If all the tests are passed successfully, during many hours of testing the computer does not freeze, does not turn off, does not reboot, does not give a blue screen, we can assume that the device is functioning normally. When the program runs various tests, the 7Byte Hot CPU Tester window displays a graph for monitoring the load of the processor (processors). The testing itself takes a lot of time and can take several hours. The default program settings include testing the current configuration for six hours. If necessary, you can reduce this time. In the process of checking the equipment, the hardware is so loaded that there can be no talk of any work on the PC at this moment. However, if you wish, you can change the test execution priority to a lower one. In addition, for each of the testing methods, you can choose your task execution priority: for example, you can set a low priority for memory testing, and, on the contrary, high priority for testing a chipset.

RivaTuner 2.24 - video card monitoring

Developer: Alex Unwinder
Distribution size: 2.6 MB
Spreading: free of charge One of the most convenient utilities for checking and monitoring the performance of video cards is RivaTuner. Usually, it is used by overclockers, but it may well be useful for more "peaceful purposes", for example, to adjust the image quality.

This small utility opens up great opportunities for setting up and testing a video adapter. Firstly, the program allows you to control the frequencies of the video memory and the core. Secondly, RivaTuner can control the speed of coolers, while it is possible to use separate profiles of cooling systems. The program allows you to set video modes - image resolution, screen refresh rate, etc. The utility allows you to control color reproduction through low-level settings. In addition, this utility allows you to track the temperature of the core in real time, builds a graph of temperature changes. Also, the program automatically generates a report on the state of the hardware. In the diagnostic report, the utility collects all information regarding the parameters of the video card - from the model name, manufacturer, amount and type of memory used to the error of the thermal diode and the version of the graphics core.

Video Memory stress Test 1.7 - bitwise test of video memory

Developer: Mikhail Cherkes
Distribution size: 650 kb
Spreading: free If the previous utility is used mainly for monitoring, then a small program Video Memory stress Test is designed to test the "stress resistance" of the video card. Its goal is to create a boundary mode of operation of the video adapter, in which the video memory of the tested model would be completely occupied.

The utility tests the video memory bit by bit, similar to how RAM tests are performed. Video memory is accessed using DirectX, so the test is not tied to specific hardware and can be used on any DirectX-compatible video card. During testing, running third-party processes can use the resources of the video card and interfere with the test. Therefore, the program provides for the use of a bootable CD to check the video memory without loading Windows. A floppy version of the boot image, along with an installation script, can be downloaded. In addition to testing video memory using DirectX, the program allows you to test video memory using NVIDIA's CUDA interface.

RightMark Audio Analyzer 6.2.3 - analysis of sound card performance

Developer: iXBT.com/Digit-Life
Distribution size: 1.7 MB
Spreading: free of charge Identifying problems associated with the operation of a sound card is often difficult. In most cases, sound problems do not affect the operation of the computer as a whole, rarely lead to the BSOD screen and other characteristic symptoms that are usually symptoms of computer hardware problems. Checking the operation of this component "by eye" (more precisely, "by ear") is a method so subjective that it can hardly be considered reliable. Not everyone can hear the difference in the sampling rate between 44 and 96 kHz, let alone other sound characteristics. Therefore, to check the operating modes of the sound card and the sound quality, you should trust software testing. To examine the quality of a sound card, you can use the RightMark Audio Analyzer utility. This program allows you to evaluate the frequency characteristics of a sound card by testing the analog and digital paths. RightMark Audio Analyzer can test in several modes. First, you can check the equipment in the recording mode, when a test signal (for example, from an external generator) is applied to the input of the sound card being tested. Another way to check is the opposite of the first - RightMark Audio Analyzer sends a test signal, which is recorded on the second sound card, the characteristics of which are known in advance and high enough to neglect the distortions it introduces into the signal. After that, the recorded version is analyzed by the program, and the differences in the waveform caused by distortion are determined. And, finally, the last option for testing a sound card is a universal one that does not require any additional equipment.

Many similar utilities for testing sound cards are limited only to the last method of testing. However, in fact, this measurement method cannot be considered accurate, since the recorded signal distortions in this case will not be due to total distortions at the input and output of the sound card. A necessary condition for checking the state of the equipment is the presence of a duplex mode of operation of the tested sound card. Similarly, the digital inputs and outputs on the sound card are checked. With RightMark Audio Analyzer, you can also check any audio equipment in asynchronous mode: record the signal from the analog or digital output of a DVD/CD/MP3 player as a WAV file, then burn the file to a disc or portable player and re-record it from the output devices. Further, with the help of the program, you can draw a conclusion about the quality of the audio path - see the graphs, as well as familiarize yourself with the report generated by the program. In the next article in this series, we will talk about testing memory, optical drive, hard drive, monitor and network interface.

A computer is made up of many interconnected components. Thanks to the work of each of them, the system functions normally. Sometimes problems arise or the computer becomes obsolete, in which case it is necessary to select and update certain components. Special programs will help to test the PC for malfunctions and stability of operation, several representatives of which we will consider in this article.

The PCMark program is suitable for testing office computers that are actively working with text, graphic editors, browsers and various simple applications. There are several types of analysis, each of which is scanned using built-in tools, for example, a web browser is launched with animation or a calculation is made in a table. This kind of test allows you to determine how well the processor and video card cope with the daily tasks of an office worker.

The developers provide the most detailed test results, which display not only average performance indicators, but also present the corresponding graphs of load, temperature and frequency of components. For gamers in PCMark, there is only one of four analysis options - a complex location is launched and there is a smooth movement through it.

Dacris Benchmarks

Dacris Benchmarks - simple but very useful program to test each computer device separately. The capabilities of this software include various checks of the processor, RAM, hard drive and video card. Test results are displayed instantly, and then saved and available for viewing at any time.

In addition, the main window displays basic information about the components installed in the computer. A comprehensive test deserves special attention, in which each device is checked in several stages, so the results will be as reliable as possible. Dacris Benchmarks is distributed for a fee, but the trial version is available for download on the official website of the developer for free.

Prime95

If you are only interested in checking the performance and status of the processor, then Prime95 is the perfect option. It collects several different CPU benchmarks, including a stress test. The user does not need any additional skills or knowledge, just set the basic settings and wait for the process to end.

The process itself is displayed in the main window of the program with real-time events, and the results are displayed in a separate window, where everything is described in detail. This program is especially popular with those who overclock the CPU, because its tests are as accurate as possible.

Victoria

Victoria is intended solely for analyzing the physical state of the disk. Its functionality includes checking the surface, actions with bad sectors, deep analysis, reading the passport, testing the surface, and many more different features. The downside is complex management, which may be beyond the power of inexperienced users.

The disadvantages also include the lack of the Russian language, the termination of support from the developer, an inconvenient interface, and the test results are not always correct. Victoria is distributed free of charge and is available for download on the official website of the developer.

AIDA64

One of the most famous programs on our list is AIDA64. Ever since the time old version it is wildly popular among users. This software is ideal for monitoring all computer components and conducting various tests. The main advantage of AIDA64 over competitors is the availability of maximum complete information about the computer.

As for tests and troubleshooting, there are some simple analyzes of the disk, GPGPU, monitor, system stability, cache and memory. With all these tests, you can find out detailed information about the status of the required devices.

furmark

If you need to analyze a graphics card in detail, FurMark is ideal for this. Its capabilities include a stress test, various benchmarks and the GPU Shark tool, which displays detailed information about the graphics adapter installed in the computer.

There is also a CPU Burner that allows you to check the processor for maximum heat. The analysis is performed by gradually increasing the load. All test results are stored in the database and will always be available for viewing.

Passmark Performance Test

Passmark Performance Test is designed specifically for comprehensive testing of computer components. The program analyzes each device according to several algorithms, for example, the processor is tested for power in floating point calculations, when calculating physics, when encoding and compressing data. There is an analysis of one processor core, which allows you to get more accurate test results.

As for the rest of the PC hardware, many operations are also carried out with them, which allow you to calculate the maximum power and performance in different conditions. The program has a library where all test results are saved. The main window also displays basic information for each component. The beautiful modern interface of Passmark Performance Test draws even more attention to the program.

Novabench

If you want to quickly, without checking each detail separately, get an assessment of the state of the system, then Novabench is exactly for you. She takes turns conducting individual testing, after which she moves to a new window where the estimated results are displayed.

If you want to save the obtained values ​​somewhere, then you need to use the export function, since Novabench does not have a built-in library with saved results. Along with this, this software, like most on this list, provides the user with basic information about the system, up to the BIOS version.

SiSoftware Sandra

SiSoftware Sandra includes many utilities that are used to diagnose computer components. There is a set of benchmarks here, each one needs to be run separately. You will get different results all the time, because, for example, the processor is fast with arithmetic operations, but it is difficult for it to play multimedia data. Such a separation will help to carry out a more thorough check, identify the weaknesses and strengths of the device.

In addition to checking your computer, SiSoftware Sandra allows you to configure some system settings, for example, change fonts, manage installed drivers, plug-ins and software. Distributed by this program for a fee, so before buying we recommend that you familiarize yourself with the trial version, which you can download on the official website.

Last on our list is a program from Futuremark. 3DMark is the most popular computer testing software among gamers. Most likely, this is due to fair measurements of the power of video cards. However, the design of the program, as it were, hints at the game component. As for the functionality, there are a large number of different benchmarks here, they test the RAM, processor and video card.

The program's interface is intuitive and the testing process is simple, so it will be extremely easy for inexperienced users to get used to 3DMark. Owners of weak computers will be able to pass a good honest check of their hardware and immediately get results about its condition.

Conclusion

In this article, we have reviewed the list of programs that test and diagnose a computer. All of them are somewhat similar, but the principle of analysis for each representative is different, moreover, some of them specialize only in certain components. Therefore, we advise you to carefully study everything in order to choose the most suitable software.

From time to time there is a need to find out what kind of hardware is on the computer (video card, hard drives, processor, etc.) and brief information about the system (how much is there, how much memory it takes). For the sake of such a thing, it makes no sense to open the computer case, especially if it is under warranty, since there are a lot of all kinds of utilities, including a large number of free ones that will tell almost everything about your computer. The main thing here is not to get confused by the abundance of possible options and find a suitable utility for yourself. If you do not need detailed information about each component of the computer and all installed programs, then pay attention to free program.

Immediately after starting the installation of Speccy, we are immediately offered to choose the language that the application will use by default, in a large list of several dozen options, there was a place for Russian localization. Then there are more familiar questions, where to place icons to launch the program and whether it is necessary to automatically check for updates. Well, in the end, as a dessert, they are trying to offer to install a browser Google Chrome(by the way, quite good) and make Google search engine by default, which I advise you to refuse, if necessary, you can set it manually. Next, you have to wait until required files will be unpacked and the program will be ready to work. Although I was very surprised by the lack of the ability to choose the directory where the Speccy will be located.

Alternatively, Speccy can be used as a portable program that can be run from a USB flash drive on any computer, you just need to unpack it into a suitable folder.

By launching Speccy, we get a nondescript gray window, where the left column displays a list of all found devices and hardware where you can switch between individual items with a mouse click, and on the right side detailed information about the selected item. The program gives out quite detailed information about the processor, RAM, motherboard, video card, hard drives, optical drives, external peripherals and network connections. I almost forgot, according to the fads where the temperature and frequency are indicated, you can click the mouse, after which a beautiful plate will pop up, with a graph clearly showing how the temperature of a particular device changed over time.

It makes no sense to describe each item in particular, the name speaks for itself, and no one has yet canceled experiments on poking into all the buttons that can only be pressed.

Users are offered a minimum set of settings, where the most useful items are the choice of language and in what units the temperature will be displayed.

If you need to quickly find out what kind of hardware is on your computer and basic information about the Speccy system, it will be an excellent choice. The program knows everything even about the newest hardware, so even a very tricky computer configuration will not confuse it. The best part is that there is nothing superfluous here Speccy just does its job without asking too many questions.

The program works great on 32-bit and 64-bit operating systems. Interface localization is available in several dozen languages, including Russian.

In order to measure the performance of a computer using tests, it is not necessary to download any third-party applications and utilities.

It is enough to use the resources already built into the operating system.

Although for more detailed information, the user will have to find a suitable program.

Based on the test results, one can draw conclusions which of the parts of a PC or laptop need to be replaced before the rest - and sometimes just understand the need to buy a new computer.

The need for verification

Performing a computer speed test is available to any user. The check does not require any specialized knowledge or experience with certain versions of Windows OS. And the process itself is unlikely to take more than an hour.

Reasons why you should use the built-in utility or third-party application include:

• unreasonable slowdown of the computer. Moreover, not necessarily the old one - a check is needed to identify problems with new PCs. So, for example, the minimum results and indicators of a good video card indicate incorrectly installed drivers;
• checking the device when choosing several similar configurations in a computer store. Usually they do this before buying laptops - running a test on 2-3 devices that are almost identical in parameters helps to find out which one suits the buyer better;

• the need to compare the capabilities of the various components of a progressively upgraded computer. So, if the HDD has the lowest performance value, then it should be replaced first (for example, with an SSD).

According to the results of testing, which revealed the speed of the computer performing various tasks, you can detect driver problems and incompatibility of installed devices. And sometimes even poorly functioning and failed parts - for this, however, you will need more functional utilities than those that are built into Windows by default. Standard tests show a minimum of information.

Checking by means of the system

You can check the performance of individual computer components using the built-in capabilities of the operating system. Windows systems. Their principle of operation and information content are approximately the same for all versions of the platform from Microsoft. And the differences are only in the way of launching and reading information.

Windows Vista, 7 and 8

In the 7th and 8th versions of the platform, as well as Windows Vista, the performance counter of computer elements can be found in the list of basic information about the operating system. To display them on the screen, just right-click on the "My Computer" icon and select properties.

If testing has already been conducted, information about its results will be available immediately. If the test is running for the first time, it will have to be launched by going to the performance test menu.

The maximum score that Windows 7 and 8 allow you to get is 7.9. It’s worth thinking about the need to replace parts if at least one of the indicators is below 4. For a gamer, values ​​\u200b\u200bhigher than 6 are more suitable. Windows Vista has a better indicator of 5.9, and a “critical” one of about 3.

Important: To speed up performance calculations, you should turn off almost all programs during the test. When testing a laptop, it is advisable to turn it on to the network - the process noticeably consumes battery power.

Windows 8.1 and 10

For more modern operating systems, finding information about computer performance and starting its calculation is no longer so easy. To run a utility that evaluates system parameters, should take these steps:

1Go to command line operating system(cmd via menu "Run", called by pressing the keys simultaneously Win + R);

2Enable evaluation process, leading the team winsat formal –restart clean;

3Wait for completion of work;

4Go to folder Performance\WinSAT\DataStore located in the Windows system directory on the system drive of the computer;

5Find and open in text editor file "Formal.Assessment(Recent).WinSAT.xml".

Among a lot of text, the user must find WinSPR block, where approximately the same data is located that is displayed on the screen and Windows 7 and 8 systems - only in a different form.

Yes, under the name SystemScore the general index calculated by the minimum value is hidden, and MemoryScore, CPUScore And GraphicsScore stand for memory, processor, and graphics card metrics, respectively. GamingScore And DiskScore- performance for the game and for reading / writing the hard disk.

The maximum value for Windows 10 and version 8.1 is 9.9. This means that the owner of an office computer can still afford to have a system with numbers less than 6, but for the full operation of a PC and a laptop, it must reach at least 7. And for a gaming device - at least 8.

Universal way

There is a way that is the same for any operating system. It consists in launching the task manager after pressing the Ctrl + Alt + Delete keys. A similar effect can be achieved by right-clicking on the taskbar - there you can find an item that launches the same utility.

You can see several graphs on the screen - for the processor (for each thread separately) and RAM. For more details, go to the "Resource Monitor" menu.

From this information, you can determine how heavily loaded individual PC components. First of all, this can be done by the percentage of loading, secondly - by the color of the line ( green means normal operation of the component, yellow- moderate Red- the need to replace the component).

Third Party Programs

Via third party applications It's even easier to test your computer's performance.

Some of them are paid or shareware (that is, requiring payment after the end of the trial period or to increase functionality).

However, these applications also conduct testing in more detail - and often give out a lot of other useful information for the user.

1.AIDA64

As part of AIDA64, you can find tests for memory, cache, HDDs, SSDs, and flash drives. And when testing the processor, 32 threads can be checked at once. Among all these pluses, there is a small drawback - you can use the program for free only during the "trial period" of 30 days. And then you have to either switch to another application, or pay 2265 rubles. for a license.

2. SiSoftware Sandra Lite

3.3DMark

4. PC Mark 10

The application allows not only to test the operation of computer elements, but also to save the results of tests for further use. The only drawback of the application is the relatively high cost. You will have to pay $30 for it.

5. CINEBENCH

The test images consist of 300,000 polygonal images that add up to more than 2,000 objects. And the results are given in the form PTS indicator - the larger it is, the more powerful the computer. The program is distributed free of charge, which makes it easy to find and download it on the network.

6.ExperienceIndexOK

Information is displayed on the screen in points. The maximum number is 9.9, as for the last Windows versions. It is for them that the work of ExperienceIndexOK is intended. It is much easier to use such a program than to enter commands and search the system directory for files with results.

7. Crystal DiskMark

To test a disk, select a disk and set the test parameters. That is, the number of runs and the size of the file that will be used for diagnostics. After a few minutes, the average read and write speed for the HDD will appear on the screen.

8 PC Benchmark

After receiving the test results, the program offers to optimize the system. And after improving the work in the browser, a page opens where you can compare the performance of your PC with other systems. On the same page, you can check if the computer can run some modern games.

9.Metro Experience Index

10. Pass Mark Performance Test

conclusions

Using various ways to check the performance of your computer allows you to check how your system is performing. And, if necessary, compare the speed of individual elements with the performance of other models. For a preliminary assessment, such a test can also be carried out using the built-in utilities. Although it is much more convenient to download special applications for this - especially since among them you can find several fairly functional and free ones.

Video: