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Please Recommend PC Hardware Diagnostic Tools

A

Aztech

Golden Member
We used to keep copies of a program called "Troubleshooter" around the office. It's no longer available and the versions we have can't diagnose all the new hardware. Well, we need another package to replace it. If computers don't boot, how do you know what the problem is? Troubleshooter used to make a boot floppy that runs tests on the CPU, memory, hard drives, motherboard, etc. Can anyone recommend another product that's good for this purpose?

I would think many folks on these boards could use (or do use) a product like this. Also, if it was a combination diagnostic and benchmarker, that may be even better. Otherwise, maybe you guys could recommend a good overall benchmarking program too. Or separate ones for testing the various components. I've seen some programs listed around here, but not all in one place. Boy, if someone could consolidate that information, including maybe some links to the various products, that would make a great sticky!

Thanks.
 
The Ultimate Boot CD for DOS is a good one that is downloadable via MajorGeeks.com. It has many testing programs on it. There is also the UBCD for Windows but you have to have an original Windows XP CD to build it with or order a pre-built one (boots into a limited version of XP). It also has lots of diagnostic utils on it. There is another similar CD that is well-liked - it has a strange name that I forget right now. Among those three, there should be something.

.bh.
 
Nope, that's not it - everyone knows Bart's - that helps you create your own diagnostic CDs. The one I'm thinking of is maintained by some guy who lives in a country that doesn't necessarily respect US copyright laws, so some things on the disc may be there w/o permission of the copyright owner(s) and it bears his name... Hard to find it w/o someone telling you the name - if you forget the name it is unlikely you'll remember it.

.bh.
 
Norton Utilities used to have diagnostic tools, but the NUs are defunct. I'm not sure if CheckIt is still sold. I also saw a professional offering for around $150. while I was doing a search on diagnostics. Don't know if it is any better than a good set of freeware tools though like on the UBCD. And MajorGeeks.com gives a list of their top choices in some freeware categories.

.bh.
 
You might give this a look, I've used it a couple of times
http://wiki.djlizard.net/Dial-a-fix

For no-boot, find out which keyboard key your motherboard uses in order toforce its bios to load standard default settings. That will sometimes get you going. You can find that info in your motherboard's manual, probably availableon the web.

 
Originally posted by: Aztech
Originally posted by: JackMDS
What exactly you need to test?

There are general programs likr this thta provide info and some General bench marking.

Examples.

http://crystalmark.info/?lang=en

or this, http://www.cpuid.com/pcwizard.php
Click to expand...

I like the looks of that PC Wizard 2008 in your second link. That first page looked too amateur.

Arent' there any well-known commercial products in this category?
Click to expand...

I made a mistake in the first one, it should be, http://crystalmark.info/softwa...ystalMark/index-e.html

As for interface look, let me give an example.

These are very good free utilities they look different because they do not come from the USA.

In the USA visual Design and Marketing are as important as the computer essence of the Application (sometime even more).

Freeware from elsewhere can afford to pay High level Visual Designers to make the interfce look fashionable, but that does not mean that the application is No good.

As an example Norton that was mentioned above.

Norton core Firewall wall was bought by Symantec from a company name At-Guard.

At-Guard excellent Firewall was about 3.2MB (in setuo size)..

Today Norton?s Firewall is 80 MB, it is Not much better (if at all), big part of the extra 75MB goes to GUI design and elaborate menus to satisfy the ignorant consumers.
 
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