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tboorman
14/02/2007, 13:02
Can anyone please recommend a good free hardware diagnostic tool? A friend has had numerous problems with her PC since she bought it (despite my nagging, she didn't follow up on a complaint she made to her credit card company about it), and I'm convinced it's a hardware problems, as I installed Windows XP on it originally. It could be a memory problem, but Microsoft's memory diagnostic tool did not find any issues. Any help would be appreciated.
Realist
14/02/2007, 13:18
Tim,

Could try these:

http://www.testmyhardware.com/computer_hardware_diagnostic_software.html

http://members.datafast.net.au/dft0802/downloads.htm

Regards,
tboorman
14/02/2007, 13:24
Thanks Brian, I'll take a look at them.
cliff
14/02/2007, 18:40
If your looking at a possible ram problem try the following

http://www.memtest.org/

http://www.memtest86.com/

Cliff:)
Robbie
14/02/2007, 18:42
Heres another Tim

http://www.sisoftware.co.uk/
tboorman
14/02/2007, 22:10
Thanks both.
tboorman
17/02/2007, 19:00
If your looking at a possible ram problem try the following

http://www.memtest.org/

http://www.memtest86.com/


The tester from www.memtest.org detected a memory fault, so we're trying some different memory in the PC. Thanks Cliff.
cliff
17/02/2007, 19:57
The tester from www.memtest.org detected a memory fault, so we're trying some different memory in the PC. Thanks Cliff.

Can be needle in a heystack, but memory is always the 1st one to look at.
Built a PC 2 years ago with 2x36 gig raptors in stripe raid config. The motherboard was a gigabyte 7nnxp. The local shop recommended some basic ram...It was that bad it was embarrassing to run the memtest. Replaced it with OCZ dual platinium 1gig ram.

Glad it sorted your problem:D


Cliff:)
tboorman
17/02/2007, 20:49
Looks like it's not the memory after all, as the PC has started reporting memory errors again. I guess the next suspect has got to be the motherboard.
captain slow
03/06/2007, 10:47
Heres another Tim

http://www.sisoftware.co.uk/

i have a computer shop and my technician uses sis soft on a regular basis, we do have hardware cards to test equipment but sisoft is a great free utility.
TimeRider
08/08/2007, 11:26
A bit late here since this thread was ages ago, and it's probably sorted, but.... for future reference and all.... :)

I often find 'memory errors' can be related to other problems. I had a laptop that regularly crashed, when I opened it up, it turned out the manufacturers had the CPU running at the wrong voltage (info on my site about this). This was a widescale problem with many laptops a few years ago. Symptom was bluescreen during windows install.

One thing I would check would be the powersupply, I see so many PC's from PC world and other similar places where they'll put an underrated powersupply in that won't give all the hardware enough juice to run properly. See what wattage it is.

Also give the memory slots a clean, could just be as simple as a speck of dust in there, try the memory in a different slot.

Steve
www.timerider.co.uk
tboorman
08/08/2007, 13:43
Thanks Steve, replacing the memory improved things, although I think she still has intermittent issues with her PC.