Test for hardware failures in a computer
Computer HDD (hard disk drive)
A bad hard drive can cause an assortment of different issues on your computer. Below are a few of the possible issues you may encounter. It is important to remember that the issues below can also be caused by more than a bad disk drive.
Errors when reading, copying, moving, or deleting data on the computer.
Extremely slow.
Operating system is unable to boot.
Other random errors or computer reboots.
Software solutions
Below is a listing of software programs available designed to test your computer's hard drive for errors and determine if it's faulty.
ScanDisk - Users running Microsoft Windows who's still able to get into Windows can utilize the already installed disk checking tool ScanDisk to find and repair any errors on their hard drive.
Chkdsk - Another Windows command-line utility to test the hard drive. If you're unable to boot into Windows, boot from the Windows CD, enter the Recovery Console and run chkdsk /f to fix errors.
TestDisk - Fantastic, free, and open-source utility to test and fix different hard drive errors.
Crucial Storage Executive - Excellent tool for Crucial hard drives and SSDs that gives complete information about the drive, all S.M.A.R.T. information, firmware updates, self-tests, and more.
Seagate SeaTools - Fantastic and free program that is used to test Seagate and all other computer hard drives.
HDD health - Another great program that utilizes S.M.A.R.T technology to display a hard drive's statistics, such as the temperature of the drive, its overall health, and every other SMART attribute.
Another option is to download the files to make an Ultimate Boot CD. The Ultimate Boot CD contains multiple tools for testing computer hardware, including hard drives, and helps fix some of those issues as well.
Replace the hard drive
If the hard drive appears to be bad or is generating SMART errors indicating it's bad even after trying the above suggestions, we suggest replacing it.
Often hard drives have a several-year warranty. If the drive or the computer the drive is in is relatively new, it may still be under warranty (even if the computer isn't).
If you're concerned about recovering lost data from a defective drive, consider using a company that specializes in data recovery.
Computer RAM (random access memory)
Bad memory can cause an assortment of different issues on your computer. Below are a few of the possible issues you may encounter. It is important to remember that the below issues can also be caused by more than a bad memory.
The computer does not boot, and you are getting a beep code.
Random computer crashes causing BSoD, general protection fault error messages, illegal operations, fatal exceptions, etc.
Random computer reboots.
Software installation failure.
Note
Before testing your memory, if you have recently added any new memory to the computer, we suggest you temporarily remove it to make sure it's not causing your issue.
Software
Several software programs can test your computer's hardware, including the computer's memory:
Windows Vista, Windows 7, and Windows 10 have a Windows Memory Diagnostics Tool that can be accessed by clicking the Start and typing "memory" in the run line. Running this command opens the Memory Diagnostics Tool with two options: "Restart now and check for problems" or "Check for problems the next time I start my computer." Choosing either of these options runs the computer through a memory test the next time it starts up.
Memtest86 - Our recommendation for testing computer memory, Memtest86 is an x86 compatible, free memory tester.
DocMemory - Another great software solution to test the status of your computer's memory.
Below is a listing of some other great products for you to check out.
Memory testers - Companies offer different hardware solutions for testing computer memory. These are the highest quality methods for testing memory but are likely only used at a computer service center due to their cost.
PC-doctor - A fantastic, but not cheap solution often used by service centers and technicians to diagnose computer hardware issues including memory issues.
PC Diagnostics - A company that offers both hardware and software solutions for testing the majority of computer hardware in your computer, including memory.
Ultra-X - A great collection of products that helps test computer hardware, including memory.
Swap and remove memory
If you have access to compatible memory from another computer, you can swap that memory into your computer to see if it's the issue. Using memory known to be functional in a computer that may have a memory problem is a good method of checking.
If your memory works in another computer without issues, you're likely encountering a motherboard, power supply, or other hardware issues.
Replace memory
If you have found the memory to be bad, we suggest replacing the memory with new memory. Additional information and buying tips on computer memory are on our memory buying tips page.
Computer motherboard & CPU (central processing unit)
A bad computer motherboard or CPU can cause an assortment of different issues on your computer. Below are a few of the possible issues you may encounter. It is important to remember that the issues below can also be caused by more than a bad motherboard and CPU.
The computer does not boot, instead, you get a beep code.
Random computer crashes causing general protection fault error messages, illegal operations, or fatal exceptions, etc.
Computer randomly reboots.
There are different ways to test and troubleshoot your computer's motherboard and CPU to determine if it's bad or has flaws. Below is a listing of these recommendations.
Visual hardware check
The first thing to do is a visual check of the motherboard. A common cause of motherboard issues or failure is bulged or blown capacitors. Check the top of each capacitor to see if it's bulging or leaking, which is an indication the capacitor is blown. If you find any bulging or blown capacitors, that's very likely causing computer motherboard problems.
For the CPU, a visual check requires you to remove the CPU from the computer. Once the CPU is removed, check for bent pins on the side that is inserted into the motherboard. If you find a bent pin, that's likely causing issues with the CPU and computer.
It may be possible to replace a bulging or blown capacitor, but it requires precision soldering to install a new capacitor. Bent pins on a CPU can be bent back into place, but very carefully. However, can break off when trying to bend it back, and if that happens, the CPU needs to be replaced.
If a visual check shows there are no obvious visible issues, use a software utility or hardware tools to diagnose the problem.
Software and hardware solutions
Below are a couple software programs designed to test your computer's motherboard and CPU. However, with the complexity and wide variety of computer motherboards and CPUs, these programs may not detect every possible failure.
Intel Processor Diagnostic Tool - If you have an Intel processor the Intel Processor Diagnostic Tool is a great free utility for testing variety of Intel processors.
There are also some excellent hardware tools for testing and diagnosing motherboards and CPUs. Below are a few of these tools.
PC-doctor - A fantastic, but not cheap, solution often used for service centers and technicians to diagnose computer hardware issues including motherboard issues.
Ultra-X - Another great collection of products to test computer hardware, including the motherboard.
Replace the motherboard and CPU
If the tools listed above used to test the motherboard or CPU show that either or both are bad, then replace them. There is no easy or cheap way to fix either piece of hardware.
Note
If the bad motherboard or CPU is in a laptop, you likely need to take your laptop to a licensed computer repair shop for help. Trying to replace the motherboard or CPU yourself may void the laptop warranty.
If you have not tried a software or hardware tool to analyze the motherboard or CPU, you may want to take your computer to a computer repair shop. Be aware that they may also recommend replacing the motherboard or CPU if they find one or both to be defective.