Towards failure personal computer There can be a variety of reasons. We offer you a step-by-step methodology that will allow you to identify and correct most of the most common faults.

Of course, in order to put these tips into practice, a certain set of basic knowledge about the computer device. Therefore, before you start putting our advice into practice, read the article and evaluate the sufficiency of your knowledge.

If you realized that knowledge is not enough, contact us at. Our technicians will repair your computer in the shortest possible time, inexpensively, with a guarantee of the quality of the work performed.

Symptoms of PC failure can manifest themselves in a variety of ways. For example, you press the power button, but your computer does not react to it in any way. Or, for example, the computer turned on, but something was still wrong.

The malfunction can be hardware or software in nature, so by visual inspection you first need to determine what works on your computer and what doesn’t.

• Do the LEDs on the motherboard light up?
• Do coolers work?
• Is the monitor receiving an image signal?
• Are they displayed on the monitor (most often these are beeper sound signals)?

Based on these observations, most problems can be localized. We will highlight six main categories of possible faults (see below).

For each category, we offer instructions consisting of a sequence of actions, using which you can eliminate the simplest malfunctions in order to proceed with in-depth diagnostics in the future.

Move sequentially from one stage to another until you identify the problem.

1. The computer shows no signs of life

If the computer does not respond when you press the power button, check whether voltage is supplied to the computer and that the button itself is working properly.

1.1. WE CONDUCT AN EXTERNAL INSPECTION. Start by checking that the power cord is securely inserted into the socket and that it is turned on. network filter(if you have one). Check if the switch on the power supply on the back of the computer system unit is turned on.

1.2. CHECKING THE CASE CONNECTORS. Remove the side wall of the system unit and make sure that all connectors are well inserted into the connectors, and there is no damage to the wires between the switches and LEDs on the front panel of the case and the “FRONT PANEL” connector on the motherboard.

If necessary, take the motherboard manual and check how well and correctly the connectors are connected.

1.3. CHECKING THE POWER BUTTON. If the case connectors are connected correctly or their reconnection does not give a positive result, disconnect from the motherboard all connectors suitable for the “FRONT PANEL” connector, and close the two contacts labeled “Power Switch” on the “FRONT PANEL” connector using any metal object, for example a paper clip, or a screwdriver.

If after this your computer turns on, then two options are possible:

• The power button on the front panel is faulty. In this case, you can use the “Reset” button to turn on the computer. To do this, connect both connectors labeled “Reset Switch” to the pins labeled “Power Switch” of the “FRONT PANEL” connector on the motherboard. Now the computer will turn on with the “Reset” button.
• Short circuit in the "Reset" button. The power button will not work in this case, and you can turn on the computer by shorting two contacts on the motherboard. If the computer turns on with the “Reset” button disabled, then the assumption was correct.
• In this case, simply disconnect the connectors labeled “Reset Switch” from the connector on the motherboard.

After performing these operations, your computer will most likely start turning on again. If the previous actions did not lead to a positive result, you should proceed to checking the power system.

1.4. CHECKING THE POWER POWER OF THE MOTHERBOARD. It is necessary to check whether the 24-pin ATX connector and the 4 or 8-pin P4 connector supplying power to the processor are well connected.

1.5. CHECKING THE POWER SUPPLY. To check the health of the power supply. Connect a working power supply - for example, from another computer ( do not forget to check its power compliance). Connect the 24-pin ATX connector and the 4 or 8-pin P4 connector of the working computer's power supply to the motherboard of the faulty PC and try to turn it on. If the computer turns on after this, then the problem was in the power supply and it should be replaced.

If you don’t have a second, known-good power supply on hand (which is not at all uncommon at home), then you need to disconnect all power supply connectors from the motherboard.

Next, close two wires (black and green) on the wide 24-pin ATX connector with a paper clip, connect the power cord to the power supply and plug into the outlet. If the fan installed on the power supply is working, then we can assume with a high degree of probability that the power supply is in working condition.

If all of the above actions did not lead to a positive result, then most likely the motherboard has failed, which is best replaced, since repairs not under warranty are usually not economically feasible, except in cases of minor component repairs (for example, replacement "swollen with age" electrolytic capacitors).

But since replacing the motherboard means complete disassembly and assembling your computer, it is recommended to proceed with this procedure only when all other faults have been ruled out.

2. The computer turns on, but there is no image

After turning on the computer, the screen remains black, although the power supply, processor and video card coolers are working, and the LEDs on the motherboard are lit.

2.1. CHECKING THE MONITOR. First you need to understand whether the monitor turns on? If not, there may be a power problem: the cable is not connected to the monitor or the power switch on the monitor is not turned on. If the monitor turns on, check whether the video source is selected correctly in the monitor settings (VGA/D-Sub, DVI, HDMI).

2.2. SOUND AND LIGHT SIGNALS. If a video signal is not supplied to the monitor, the motherboard will report this by sending sound or light signals that will help you figure out the problem. Consult the motherboard manual to determine what the signals mean, or look at the "" article in the helpful tips section on our website.

A typical defect reported would therefore be faulty memory modules, which the motherboard reports with sound signal or lit LEDs.

2.3. RESET BUTTON. A short circuit in the reset button can also cause these symptoms. Carry out the check in accordance with the recommendation in paragraph 1.3.

2.4. BIOS. Sometimes the cause of startup problems lies in incorrect BIOS settings. To reset the BIOS settings, locate the Clear CMOS jumper on the motherboard. We are talking about three contacts, two of which are connected by a jumper (jumper), pull it out and connect another pair of contacts with it, for at least ten seconds. After this, return it to its original position.

If there is a reset button on the motherboard, press it; if there is no reset button, just turn off the computer, and after a few seconds turn on the computer again. If the computer turns on, check BIOS settings. In most cases, you will need to select the correct operating mode of the SATA controller, which, starting with Windows XP, is “AHCI” rather than “IDE”. If the problem was due to incorrect BIOS settings, then after performing the described steps it should disappear. One of possible reasons The BIOS settings may become confused due to the motherboard battery being discharged over time - this will be discussed in paragraph 3.1.

2.5. RAM. Most motherboards report faulty memory using sound or light (LED) signals (see paragraph 2.2). Most often, at least two memory modules are installed on the motherboard - try removing one and trying to boot the computer.

If the computer does not turn on with this module, try starting the system with another module. If the computer turns on with only one memory module, this means that the other one is faulty or incompatible with this one. motherboard.

2.6. VIDEO CARD. Among computer components, the video card is one of the most problematic components. If your computer has built-in video, remove the discrete video card and test the system with the built-in GPU by connecting the VGA cable coming from the monitor to the corresponding connector on the motherboard.

Otherwise, check if the PC works with another known good video card. If after this the image appears, then your discrete or integrated video card is faulty.

2.7. CPU. A faulty processor can also be the reason why the computer works but does not produce an image signal. Therefore, if possible, test the computer's performance with another compatible processor before the next step.

2.8. MOTHERBOARD. Now that other possible sources of problems have been ruled out, what remains is a faulty motherboard. Possible faults there can be quite a lot, for example, in the CMOS chip in which the BIOS is stored, or in the PCIe bus to which video cards are connected.

But something else is more important; troubleshooting the motherboard in most cases does not pay off, so the best solution it will be easy to replace it.

3. BIOS stops working

The abbreviation BIOS, translated into Russian, means Basic Input/Output System. The main job of the BIOS is to prepare the computer to boot operating system. If problems arise during the operation of the BIOS, error messages appear, the explanation of which can be found in the article “BIOS signals” in the “Helpful tips” section.

3.1. BIOS SETTINGS. Computers that are more than four to five years old often experience situations where they suddenly refuse to boot due to the loss of BIOS settings, and the message “Please enter Setup to recover BIOS setting | CMOS Date/Time Not Set."

In this case, you need to enter the BIOS by pressing the “F1”, “F2” or “Del” buttons at the initial stage of booting the computer and restore all the basic settings - date, boot device sequence, or such important parameter, as the operating mode of the SATA controller (AHCI). After restoring the settings, there should be no problems booting the PC.

However, first eliminate the root cause of the failure. Replace the round coin battery on the motherboard, most often it is a CR2032 type element, which is an “emergency” power supply for the CMOS chip so that the latter does not lose settings while the computer is disconnected from the power supply.

If the battery is discharged (checked with a multimeter, the voltage should be more than three volts), it must be replaced, otherwise the BIOS settings will be lost every time the PC is turned off.

3.2. BOOT DEVICE SEQUENCE. If the BIOS reports that it cannot find bootable media, then there are several possible reasons. First, check the boot sequence from different devices in the BIOS settings.

In modern motherboards To do this, you need to perform two operations. In the boot options you will find the item “Boot priority”, which lists components such as hard disks, removable media or optical drives. The hard drive must have the highest boot priority, or be in second position after the DVD drive.

3.3. DISK FAILURE. If the drive is not in the BIOS media selection menu, open system unit computer and check that the power cables are securely connected and interface cables between the hard drive and the motherboard. If this doesn't help, test the hard drive with a different cable.

If this does not help, test the hard drive in an HDD enclosure with USB interface or on another computer. If the hard drive is still not detected, then most likely the HDD has failed as a result of damage to the controller.

In this case, only a specialist can recover data, but the cost of this operation is very high and can only be justified by the presence of very valuable information on the faulty hard drive.

To insure against such problems, we recommend regularly creating system images and backups data on external media. Otherwise, you will have to completely reinstall the system.

3.4. LOAD SECTOR. If the HDD from which the operating system should be loaded is displayed in the BIOS and its partitions are available for viewing when connected to another computer as a hard drive, then it is most likely damaged boot sector.

This often happens after an unsuccessful attempt to reallocate disk space or after Linux removal, which was installed on the computer as a second OS.

To resolve this error, boot from the installation DVD or rescue disc. During the boot process, select “Repair your computer” or “PC recovery options”, then click on “System Restore”, then follow the wizard’s instructions.

If this does not solve the problem, then try restoring manually. Reboot your computer as described above, and in the system recovery settings, open the window command line. Enter the following commands in it:

bootrec/fixmbr
bootrec/fixboot

Reboot your system. If this does not help, you will have to create a new boot sector. To do this, boot the system repair disk again, and in the command prompt window, run the following commands:

bcdedit /export C:cd_1
c:
cd boot
attrib bcd -s -h -r
ren bcd bcd_2
bootrec /RebuildBcd

After this, Windows should boot. If this does not solve the problem, follow the instructions described below.

4. OS cannot boot (Windows logo appears, but system does not start)

If your computer freezes during the boot process at the final boot stage, before the desktop appears, then this eliminates many problems with the hardware and BIOS and the problem is localized at the software level.

4.1. REMOVING PROGRAMS. If the problems started after installing some software, then the last program you installed is the first to come under suspicion, but removing it without Windows running will not be an easy task. To do this you need to boot into safe mode.

During the boot process, after the BIOS system messages disappear, press the “F8” key until a menu of additional Windows boot options appears.

From the menu that appears, select “Boot in Safe Mode.” Usually, this method allows you to load the OS, although the price for this will be limited functionality, and attempts to remove the program may be unsuccessful, since the service required for this Windows Installer It usually doesn't work in safe mode.

To work around this issue and start the Windows Installer system service, open the Registry Editor using Win+R, type "regedit" and press Enter. Find the HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINESYSTEMCurrent ControlSetControlSafe BootMinimal key in the registry. Right-click the folder icon next to "Minimal", then select "New | Chapter".

Enter "MSI Server" as the partition name. Right-click on the “Default” line and select “Change”. Enter the word "Service" as the value.

After that, launch the “Management” snap-in by right-clicking on the computer icon in the “Start” menu. Double-click on “Services and Applications | Services" and find "Windows Installer". Then right-click on it and select “Properties”.

Here you need to specify “Automatic” as the startup type, and then click on the “Run” button. Now you can remove any programs in safe mode through the Control Panel.

4.2. CHECKING EQUIPMENT. New hardware or its drivers can also cause problems starting and loading the operating system. Disable the latter installed device and uninstall its drivers, if necessary, do this in safe mode.

If this turns out to be the problem, try installing the device by checking again for the latest drivers on the manufacturer's website.

4.3. RECALL. If the previous steps do not resolve the problem, boot your computer again into Safe Mode, open Control Panel, and restore your operating system to its last working state. In this case, programs and updates will be removed, and all settings will be restored as of the date the restore point was created.

The assistant will show which programs will be affected during the recovery process, while personal data will remain unchanged. This measure also helps with infections with ransomware that lock the PC, demanding a certain fee to unlock it.

If malware was the cause of your failed boot attempts, be sure to check your system for viruses after recovery.

4.4. CHECKING SYSTEM FILES. If the computer still refuses to work, boot as described in paragraph 3.4 from the rescue disk Windows recovery and open a command prompt window. The command “chkdsk c: /f /r” will check and restore file system.

4.5. REINSTALLING THE SYSTEM. If all previous actions did not lead you to success, the only option left is to restore from a backup image (if you took care to create it) or . We recommend that you regularly perform backup system and install the HDD monitoring program.

If the OS reinstallation fails, then the culprit in most cases is HDD and you have no choice but to purchase a new HDD.

5. PC malfunctions

If malfunctions occur unexpectedly, detecting the malfunction may not be an easy task, because the cause may be either hardware or software in nature. You may have to spend a lot of time and effort, but a systematic approach and a consistent search for the source of problems are important here.

5.1. SOFTWARE PROBLEM. Make sure that your computer has the latest updates for the system and all programs - this not only ensures stability, but also increases security.

System update. Free utility Personal Software Inspector allows you to update all programs installed on your computer

5.2. MEMORY CHECK. The cause of system failures during operation can be RAM. A memory malfunction is not necessarily fatal; sometimes the contact simply disappears and then it is enough to remove the module from the slot on the motherboard and carefully install it back.

If the memory module is faulty, data can be written to the defective areas of memory and then read back with errors, causing programs or even the entire operating system to malfunction. To test the performance of RAM, there is special diagnostic software that can be used to detect defective modules.

We recommend using the Memtest86 utility (available for download from our website: www.memtest86.com). It works as a miniature operating system and runs from a USB flash drive, thanks to which it takes up very little memory and has direct access to modules. Immediately after downloading, Memtest86+ begins testing.

The only drawback of this utility is the long time it takes to carry out tests; it took 70 minutes to test 8 GB of DDR3-1333 memory on our test machine. The program will test the memory "in a circle" until you restart the PC. Since multiple passes increase the chances of finding errors, Memtest86+ should run for at least four hours or even overnight.

If it finds errors, replace the faulty module. If this program does not detect any errors in memory operation, then with a high degree of probability we can assume that RAM is not the cause of system failures.

5.3. CHECKING THE HARD DISK. Test the file system of your hard drive as described in paragraph 4.4, so that you can then restore it if necessary.

5.4. COOLING SYSTEM. System failures that occur when there is a high load on the processor or video card can often indicate insufficient efficiency of the cooling system of individual computer components. During operation, the CPU cooler gradually becomes clogged with dust and stops supplying a sufficient amount of cool air necessary for effective cooling of the chip.

Overheat central processor causes errors that lead to system failure. A similar problem can occur with a video card. In addition, the thermal paste between the radiator and the processor dries out over time and loses its heat-dissipating properties.

There are many programs that allow you to control the temperature of various computer components. To find the source of the problems, you can use the Prime95 program. After launching it, select “Just Stress Test”, then the “In-Place Large FFTs” option. If an application crashes while running, the reason most likely lies in a faulty processor cooler.

Open the system unit, clean the cooling system of dust and replace the thermal paste on the CPU. If this does not help, you need to replace the processor cooler with a more efficient one.

If system crashes regularly occur during any game, test your video card under maximum load, to do this, download and install the FurMark program, which tests the graphics processor under maximum load. Set it to the maximum resolution of your monitor, then run the stress test by clicking on “Burn-in test”.

The program displays, among other things, the fan rotation speed. If it rises to 100% and the temperature GPU, despite this, remains above the critical level of 90°C and the computer then freezes or crashes with an error, then the reason is most likely due to the insufficiently efficient cooling system of the video card.

5.5. LAST RESORT. If so far no measures have brought the desired result, then replacing individual PC components will cost less time and effort than further troubleshooting. But before replacing the motherboard, processor and memory, try to solve the problem by reinstalling the operating system.

6. PC components do not work: problems with image, sound, ports and connectors

There are situations when the computer works, but defects appear at the level of individual components - for example, sound or picture disappears, or USB devices do not function correctly.

6.1. IMAGE PROBLEMS. If your monitor displays incorrect colors, this problem is usually resolved quite simply. The reason is that the cable plug on the display or computer has poor contact. Check the connection and tighten the fixing screws if necessary.

If this does not help, you should look at the video card to find the cause. The cause of image defects may be problems with the cooling system of the video card or insufficient power of the power supply, so test the video card as described in paragraph 5.4.

6.2. NO SOUND. If the computer has stopped playing sound, then the first question that arises in this case may seem strange: did you install a new video card or update the drivers of your graphics chip? The fact is that modern video cards are capable of outputting sound via an HDMI output, and this output means, as a rule, displaces the previous sound device.

Right-click the speaker icon on the taskbar, then select Playback Devices. Here, right-click on the playback devices one by one, selecting them as the default hardware until you hear sound.

Judging by the experience of our computer repair and maintenance service, people most often complain about:

• no image on the screen when the computer starts;
• lines appear on the screen during startup with parameters for English language and the image either hangs in this position for a long time, or the computer freezes altogether;
• signs of loading the operating room appear on the screen windows systems, but loading does not occur completely;
• Windows loads before loading the desktop, but then freezes or starts to slow down very much.

Most correct conduct self-diagnosis computer in the following way:

1. First, we determine the signs of a problem, i.e. We correctly interpret the information we receive from the “behavior” of our computer.
2. We make an assumption that something went wrong.
3. Let's check our assumption.

We will assume that we can identify the signs of various problems. Those. we know at what stage the initialization occurs bios motherboard board, at what stage the devices connected to it are checked, and when the operating system itself begins to launch. Therefore, we will not dwell on this - there is plenty of material on this subject on the Internet. I would like to note that, to put it very simply, everything that happens during the first five seconds after turning on the computer is written in white at the very beginning letters and numbers on a black background - everything can be attributed to the initialization of the motherboard bios. If there is no image at all on the monitor when you try to start the computer, the light on the monitor lights up yellow - it will be difficult to do it yourself at home (even more difficult with such signs). Most likely you will have to call a specialist - we also provide such services.
As for the breakdown, in this case you can assume the presence of a malfunction in the motherboard, power supply, RAM, less often in the processor or discrete video card, but check your assumptions about what exactly failed at home, without spare, known-good components will be problematic.
If the computer started and an image appeared on the screen, we can get quite a lot of information about the state of the computer, even if it immediately froze at the initial stage.

If this happens, the first thing to do is reset the bios memory by removing the battery that powers the bios chip on the motherboard. It’s impossible to make a mistake - she’s the only one there.

Most often, freezes (or an increased duration of this stage) occur at the very beginning when trying to access the hard drive. Thus, it can be assumed that it will fail. You can check either using a LIVE CD build - run a test of the hard drive, or throw in a known good one.
There are also stops in the process bios download with characteristic messages containing the words:

• BIOS ROM Checksum Errors - bios error. Perhaps quite serious.
• CMOS battery (has) failed - the bios battery has died. Replacement is simple and cheap.
• CMOS checksum error - defaults loaded - if the motherboard fails and external devices, or incorrect user settings in the motherboard BIOS, overclocking.
• Disk boot failure, insert system disk and press Enter - problem hard drive, or (a happier option) the bootloader crashed windows entry. Check the hard drive, replace it, or simply.
• Floppy disk(s) fail - the system did not find the floppy drive. You need to go into the bios settings using the DEL key and disable this high-tech throwback.
• Keyboard error - the computer keyboard may be faulty or simply disabled. Check - connect.
• Operating system not found - there is no operating system. There may be a problem with the sections and files required for downloading. Be careful - you may lose information from other partitions of your hard drive!

Even more information in English on download errors can be found.
This way you can diagnose your computer or laptop yourself.

Many modern users do not know that at one moment, absolutely suddenly, their computer can turn off forever, and this can happen to absolutely any PC. It is worth noting the fact that quite often various problems arise due to the fact that even a completely new computer stops functioning normally.

The worst thing is when such problems arise completely unexpectedly for the user. In such situations, it is important first of all to correctly identify the problem, because quite often you can solve everything on your own, without the need for physical repairs. It is in this case that it is extremely important that the user knows how to diagnose the computer. For the average person this problem can be solved using specialized utilities, which are selected depending on the type of diagnostics you need.

In this article, we will try to consider several utilities so that the user can independently determine which computer diagnostic program is suitable for him. It should be said right away that, if necessary, you can select several programs.

Why is diagnostics needed?

Nowadays, not all users correctly understand that in fact it is not in any case necessary to contact qualified specialists who will physically repair the drive. In most situations, problems can be solved independently using programs that are freely available. However, unauthorized actions in some cases can only bring harm, and therefore, in order to understand whether it is possible to start “treating” the computer on your own, the computer must initially be diagnosed for malfunctions.

As you know, if a computer is operated in unfavorable conditions or in a dusty room, then over time it begins to work slower and slower, as the condition of certain elements in its design deteriorates. Thus, among the most common causes of malfunction modern computers the following should be highlighted:

• Dust on all kinds of connectors or microcircuits and, as a result, their overheating.
• Excessive oxidation of contacts.
• Overheating of components due to strong cooling.
• Burnout of contacts or components due to too strong a power surge.
• Unstable operation of the installed power supply.
• Incorrect grounding.

Why are programs needed and what do they do?

A very useful thing - a program for diagnosing a computer, getting complete information about its condition and characteristics of all installed equipment. Carrying out PC diagnostics, as well as identifying emerging faults, is an extremely important element in the operation of any PC, because it determines how effectively and timely the user can respond to various problems that arise during the operation of his hardware.

Let's consider situations when a computer diagnostic program can be useful.

Upgrade/sale

If you need to upgrade your own personal computer in the near future, carry out a major overhaul, update certain components, or, conversely, sell the device, you will need to know everything about your computer and make sure that it does not have any faults.

Functionality check

Computer diagnostics allows you to determine all sorts of problems, system failures, and, more importantly, the cause of the problem. Determining all possible causes of a malfunction in most cases is quite difficult; the only way out in such a situation may be the use of diagnostic utilities.

If you initially make sure that the computer diagnostic program is separately recorded on a special disk, then even if your operating system is rolled back, you will be able to independently determine which specific component malfunctions led to such malfunctions.

It is worth noting that quite often the program that will be used to diagnose the computer will not only be able to inform the user about what components are used in his PC and what condition they are in, but also check individual elements for the presence of possible causes of future malfunctions. Among other things, some utilities not only diagnose the computer, but also give certain advice on working with it.

In this regard, in order not to suffer from the fact that the “iron friend” suddenly began to work too slowly, suddenly turn off, function unstably, or exhibit any other vagaries, timely diagnostics and repair of computers must be carried out.

Comparison

Certain utilities initially contain the characteristics of reference systems, so the user, if necessary, can compare whether the results of testing the performance of his personal computer match the ideal results. After the on-board computer or PC is diagnosed, the user independently decides whether it is necessary to further upgrade certain components, buy any new equipment, update software, or perform other actions.

Helpful information

Many people who do not know how to diagnose a computer miss a large number of necessary and useful information useful for him efficient work. In particular, quite often diagnostic utilities notify the PC owner that, for example, certain drivers installed on his computer are outdated, since the developer has released a more modern version.

In this regard, it is best to carefully study the functionality of the programs you download, since the utility you choose will directly determine how effective and useful diagnostics of your computer for malfunctions will be.

Diagnostic programs

Below we provide a list of necessary utilities, each of which has its own functionality and purpose:

What to use?

As mentioned above, if necessary, you can use more than one program. Diagnosing a computer for malfunctions is an extensive procedure; it is not enough to carry out only a specific action, because the computer consists of a number of components.

As you can notice, different programs They have completely different and not similar functionality. It should be said that in most cases it is better to install several utilities that specialize in monitoring the operation of a specific element of your computer than to simply install some universal software that will simultaneously monitor everything. Not only the reliability and effectiveness of diagnostics depends on this, but also your awareness.

It is for this reason that in the vast majority of cases, qualified specialists use several programs simultaneously, one of which monitors the video card, the second monitors the processor, etc. Particular attention should be paid to choosing a program that will monitor the activity of your hard drive.

Why a hard drive?

Few people know that the hard drive is the most complex and fragile component of a personal computer. Despite the fact that various components such as a processor or video card look like an ordinary thin board, and the hard drive outwardly appears as a large and externally protected unit, in fact it is a fragile element, inside of which there are miniature magnetic heads. At the same time, the drive is susceptible to both software and physical malfunctions. And even if the computer vibrates during operation, the hard drive may be completely broken.

It’s a shame when, at the most inopportune moment, your computer produces some kind of sound or message and instead of the usual desktop you see a blue or black screen with letters and numbers. And having brought the system unit to the service, a local craftsman deftly climbs into it, picks something, and lo and behold, it works!!! In many answers to questions on this blog, one could see advice - take the computer to service center for diagnostics. It turns out that if you approach the issue of diagnosis wisely, almost everyone can do it at home! So, today we will deal with such simple miracles.

First of all, I think it wouldn’t hurt to look inside the system unit of a typical computer to figure out where and what is installed there. Don’t rush to develop your system unit, but study the internal structure of your computer at a basic level from this article:

1 - power supply, 2 - motherboard, 3 - processor, 4 - memory, 5 - video adapter, 6 - hard drive, 7 - optical drive

All manipulations. which will be described in this article “how to diagnose a computer” relate to the design of a “typical” system unit, your computer may have differences not described here, if you are not sure that you correctly understood the meaning of the action and its result, do not perform any manipulations yourself. All procedures for disassembling and assembling the system unit described in this article “how to diagnose a computer” can only be carried out on COMPLETELY de-energized equipment. The author of the article “how to diagnose a computer” does not bear any guarantees for the actions you perform and their consequences.

how to diagnose a computer?

And now for those who are not scared and have nothing to lose, let’s continue.

Computer diagnostics begin with turning it on, because... All switched off computers behave the same way, whether working or not. To turn on the system unit, we must check that it is connected to a working outlet with a voltage corresponding to the operating range of the power supply; the switch on the power supply is set to “on” or “on”,

Keep in mind that some power supplies do not have a switch, then it is enough that the power cable is inserted into it

on the front panel of the system unit, press the Power key and wait... So, what should happen when you turn it on working computer? The voltage supply indicator should light up (usually a green “light”), the cooling system fans make an initial start, the motherboard devices and everything connected to it are tested and the diagnostic result is given in the form of one beep from the speaker, which means “everything is turned on” Fine".

But this is not our case. If there is a malfunction in the power supply, depending on the degree of damage, when you press the Power button, most often nothing happens (the computer does not turn on) or the power light comes on, but no fans make noise and the diagnostics do not pass, i.e. in response there is silence. This is where our tool comes in handy. We disconnect the system unit from the network, turn its back towards you towards the “forest” in front and unscrew the two screws on the cover to your right, then pull it towards you and remove it. If you have a non-typical case design, read the instructions for opening it; all actions should take place without excessive effort. Now all the insides of the system unit are in front of us. For convenience further actions It is advisable to place the system unit on its side with the open side up. We find a block to which all the wires converge in the form of a “harness”, this is the power supply, the power cable is connected to it from the outside, I hope it is now disconnected. We check that all connectors are connected securely, are inserted all the way and have no backlash; if a loose connection is detected, we eliminate it by pressing the connection tightly, some force may be required. Reconnect the power cable and try to turn it on again. If there are no changes, then turn off the power and begin to disconnect the power supply for further diagnostics. Please note that the connectors connected to the motherboard (the largest board in the computer) have latches that must be opened before removing the connector; this is done by pressing the top part of the latch. Rock the connector from side to side and pull the connection; if you open the latch, the connector should come out of the socket. Then we disconnect the connectors connected to the drives: the hard drive and the drive; on older computers, 3.5″ FDD drives can still be connected; these connectors also have latches, so do not pull too hard without opening the latch.

Resetting the BIOS and testing motherboard

Now it's the turn of the motherboard and processor. We disconnect from the motherboard the interface cables IDE (a wide flat 40-80 core cable), SATA (red, yellow or black, about 1 cm wide), power supply to the fans standing on the case (we leave the processor fan connected), unscrew the screws and open the latches that hold the boards installed in the connectors of the motherboard, remove the memory by spreading the memory holders away from the module and pull them towards you. Now we have almost disassembled the computer. Scary? Of course, now is the most crucial moment; if a miracle does not happen, then repairs may turn out to be very expensive. Now you need to connect only two connectors from the power supply to the motherboard: the main 24-pin and 4-pin additional processor power. There is no need to connect anything else, after that we connect the power cable and try to turn it on. If you heard long signals from the motherboard speaker, then you are lucky, there is a chance that everything is not running properly, at least The motherboard and processor turned on. although this does not mean that they are absolutely serviceable. For those who have started the processor fan, but in response there is silence, we will use an attempt to reset the BIOS settings to factory settings. We are looking for a battery on the motherboard, it looks like a silver coin, 18-20 mm in diameter, and next to it is a jumper with the signature JBAT, if you don’t find one, take out the book from the motherboard and look for the Clear CMOS section, there should be a jumper for resetting there BIOS settings. As a rule, the jumper should be in position 1-2, and in order to reset the settings, you need to move it to the opposite position, for example, 2-3 and briefly turn on the system unit for 3-4 seconds, and then turn it off. After this, return the jumper to its initial position and try to turn it on again. If sound signals appear, you can gradually assemble the system unit. Otherwise, we have one last chance to check whether the contact in the processor socket has disappeared.

Understanding the processor(how to diagnose a computer)

To do this, we need to remove the fan from the processor along with the radiator. Intel and AMD processors have various systems attaching the radiator to the processor. In the case of Intel processors with socket S775, S1155/56, we need a flat-head screwdriver and we need to turn the plastic posts that hold the radiator counterclockwise 90 degrees. After which it should come out with a little effort. In the case of an AMD processor, you need to turn the lever upwards on one side near the radiator 180 degrees and loosen the pressure plate, then release the latches holding the radiator in a pressed position and remove the radiator. On one side of the connector there is a metal lever that presses the processor to the connector; you need to open it, press the processor tightly and snap it into place again. Sometimes there is a miscontact of the processor in the socket, this action will help eliminate it. The design of the processor cooling system may differ from the standard one, in which case you will have to read the instructions for removing and installing your processor cooling system. To make a final conclusion about the inoperability of the motherboard, you need to connect a known-good power supply and a compatible, working processor to it; if the self-diagnosis of the board is “silent”, then this is the reason. If the motherboard is more than 5 years old, then most likely you will have to fork out not only to replace the motherboard, but also the processor with RAM, although they can also offer an option with a used motherboard.

Insert memory and video card(how to diagnose a computer)

We hope that after our manipulations, the self-diagnosis worked and you heard a “victorious” squeak indicating that the motherboard detected missing memory modules in the connectors. It's time to put them in place. If the memory modules or connector are covered with dust, it is very advisable to remove it and make sure that it does not get into the memory module connector. Contacts on memory modules can be cleaned with a regular eraser if dirt particles are stuck to them. Just be careful not to scrape off the electronic components soldered to the module with an eraser and carefully inspect the memory module itself to see if there are any traces of broken components or overheating. To install the memory in place, you need to move the latches apart, orient the module so that the slot on the module coincides with the protrusion inside the connector, install it in the latches and press it simultaneously from both sides to the connector so that the latches close. Then check how tightly the module fits into the connector and whether there are any gaps. Avoid excessive force when installing modules so as not to unnecessarily bend the motherboard, otherwise internal cracks may occur in the electrical tracks of the board, which will lead to its inoperability. After installing the modules, turn on the system unit again. Something must change in the nature of the board's squeak. If you hear a new long sound and three short beeps, or one long beep if there is a built-in video adapter on board the motherboard, then we already have 4 potentially serviceable components: power supply, motherboard, processor and memory. If you hear silence after installing the memory or the nature of the sound signal has not changed (a long, repeating squeak), then the memory is not working and needs to be replaced. Just in case, you should try installing the module in a different slot or changing the order of installed modules, but such an operation may not yield anything. After installing the memory, you need to insert the video adapter into place, it can be an AGP or PCI-E 16x connector, if necessary, connect additional power to the video adapter (8 or 6 pin connector), connect the monitor and wait for the video signal to appear on the monitor. If after installing the video adapter the signal does not appear on the monitor and the character of the sound signal looks like one long, three short or complete silence, then the cause of the malfunction is most likely in the video adapter. If you have a case where you have both a built-in adapter and an external one in the form of a board, then you can restore the computer to working order without connecting the external one if it is not working.

We hope that the image has finally appeared and we can gradually continue to assemble our disassembled system unit. If you know the memory capacity of the memory modules and their total volume corresponds to what the BIOS testing program wrote, then we are on the right track. If the BIOS saw only half or the volume of only one module, then it is worth calculating the module whose volume is not visible by removing the memory modules one by one. Just don’t forget to turn off the computer before any manipulations. Do not leave a non-working module in the motherboard, replace it with a new one compatible with your motherboard, or continue working without it if the remaining capacity suits you.

Connecting drives(how to diagnose a computer)

And we move on to the next stage of assembly, connecting the drives. Hard disk drives, or in common parlance “hard drives,” come in several standards; the most common are SATA or IDE hard drives. Visually, they can be distinguished by the width of the connector for connecting the interface cable: IDE is a wide 40-pin connector, SATA is a small connector about 12 mm in the shape of an elongated letter L with 7 pins on a leg. Next to the interface connector there is a power connector, a 4-pin rectangular one with two cut corners for IDE drives and a flat multi-pin connector similar to the interface connector, only longer (23 mm) for SATA drives. You need to connect both connectors, the interface connector to the cable leading to the motherboard, the power connector to the corresponding connector from the power supply. Two devices can be connected to the IDE interface cable, but this requires additional configuration of the device using jumpers located next to the interface connector. We will not discuss this topic here. If you have not changed anything in the order of connecting the devices, then all that is up to you What is required is to insert the cables into the connectors as they were connected before disassembly. All of the above is relative hard drives This also applies to optical drives. After connecting, you need to turn on the computer and check whether the BIOS has enabled our devices. To do this, you need to enter the BIOS by pressing the DEL key when booting the computer, go to the section Standard CMOS Features or MAIN, depending on the manufacturer of the BIOS program.

The highlighted lines show what an entry for correctly identified disk devices should look like.

The highlighted lines show what an entry for correctly identified disk devices should look like. Only the names of the devices must be those installed on your computer. If records about disk devices do not appear, this may indicate a malfunction of the drives or disks, or a malfunction of the interface cables with which these devices are connected. It is also worth double-checking the tightness and reliability of the power connectors. When turned on, the hard drive should make a low, high-pitched sound of an electric motor spinning up, and if you put your hand on it, a slight vibration will be felt. Optical drive, when power is applied, the LED on the front panel of the device should blink. The absence of signs of power supply also indicates a faulty drive. For those whose disk devices have been identified correctly, let's continue.

It's time to try to boot your computer. If the reason was some kind of non-contact, then as a result of our procedures we could eliminate it. If the download was successful, then you can stop there, but for those who still have problems loading the OS, you should wait for the next article about software diagnostics of your computer.

Omelchenko Ruslan

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The main task that a computer diagnostic program performs is to obtain as much information as possible more information about the software and hardware of the device.

With its help, they determine whether there are enough resources to run a certain application, check the characteristics of the system, components and their condition.

Such programs are especially important for a person who, for whatever reason, needs to know the parameters of someone else’s computer and to correct errors.

The need for system monitoring

Applications that can be used to diagnose the system are necessary to obtain important information which will help:

1. Determine how much memory is installed on your computer, its type and number of slots. After this, it will be much easier to choose a new suitable RAM or conclude that it is worth replacing the entire motherboard or computer (laptop);
2. Understand exactly how to prepare for the release of the expected game - add memory, install a more powerful processor, purchase an additional hard drive or video card;
3. Determine the temperature of the graphics and central processor, identifying the need to replace thermal paste;
4. Find out why they don't work installed programs and the computer freezes - due to incorrect drivers, insufficient video memory or hardware failure.

CPU-Z

The program, distributed free of charge, has an unpretentious interface and allows you to receive technical information about almost all elements of a computer:

• Processor (including its model, architecture, socket, voltage, frequency, multiplier, cache size and number of cores);
• Motherboard (brand, model, BIOS version, supported memory types);
• RAM (volume, type and frequency);

The main advantages of the application are the ability to obtain detailed and accurate information in Russian about all components of the system.

This can be useful for professional users and hobbyists.

Among the disadvantages is the inability to determine the temperature of the processors.

Speccy

Another one free program makes it possible to obtain detailed information about all the main components and software, starting from the processor and board, ending with RAM and optical disks.

In addition, using Speccy, you can obtain data from temperature measurement sensors, finding ways to correct connection errors or installation of the ventilation system.

Naturally, the application also determines the number of RAM slots, which can be an important factor in determining the need and possibilities for upgrading a computer.

And when preparing a device for sale, Speccy can be used to quickly compile a list of components.

After all, although built-in utilities allow you to do almost the same thing, it will take more time, and you won’t be able to find out some data.

It is worth noting that the program developers are the authors of such useful software as .

And among its advantages they note:

• Clear and practical interface;
• Quick access to important information;
• No need to install an application, which may be necessary, for example, if you do not have access to account administrator;
• Ability to monitor the selected parameter in real time by setting it as a tray icon;
• Launch simultaneously with the system;
• Free access.

HWiNFO

Thanks to system application HWiNFO, you can get maximum useful information about the system.

And also compare the performance of individual hardware components with standard parameters and indicators of popular analogues.

In addition, the program allows you to create reports that can be used to compare the performance of individual PC elements.

All the information is quite detailed, but only concerns the equipment - you won’t be able to find out about the drivers using it.

However, this drawback is practically the only one, since the application is capable of collecting data about any devices, including even outdated equipment (for example, IDE and dial-up modems), old BIOS and video cards of any type.

In addition, the application can also test processors, memory and disks. The data obtained as a result of the test can be stored in logs.

And you can control individual parameters using tray icons, which change periodically.

AIDA64 Extreme

Its name can be deciphered as System Info for Windows.

It has a small size and a simplified interface, reminiscent of standard Windows utilities and is capable of providing all the information most necessary for the user.

For example, using SIW you can find out about latest updates systems, obtain data about system files or folders, as well as about drivers, running processes and services.

Moreover, in a more detailed form than the “Task Manager” allows you to do.

For commercial or enterprise use, a license must be purchased.

conclusions

The number of programs for checking hardware and operating systems is quite large.

New applications are almost constantly being created to help monitor computer parameters and hardware faults.

But the programs presented in the list allow you to do this as efficiently as possible by installing only 2-3 applications, and not a whole dozen.

This saves time and avoids downloading unnecessary files from the network, risking accidentally introducing a virus onto your computer.

In addition, if there is no access to the network, Windows has a number of utilities that will also allow you to find out some parameters.

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