Computer diagnostics software. Computer testing programs. The need to check
09.09.2016
The article contains programs that allow both comprehensive testing of a computer and individual subsystems. All programs support modern hardware and software including Windows 8.1.
In some cases, evaluating the performance of a PC is not enough of the results provided by the built-in test tools of the computer. Then you need to apply professional testing tools. They perform a more detailed assessment of the performance of a computer's hardware and provide detailed information about the system.
Despite the similarity in the purpose of such utilities, there is a significant variety of them, differing in implementation, usability, a set of diagnostic tools and software functionality. There are both highly specialized, designed for a detailed study of one of the computer subsystems, and those that make it possible to carry out complex diagnostics of the system, and subsystems separately.
Test modules allow you to determine the composition of a computer system and decide on ways to improve its performance. The analysis of the systematized information displayed on the screen about the existing system is able to give the user a specific answer to the causes of the problems that appear during his work with the computer.
It offers the most popular computer test utilities today, providing the user with information about the functioning of the hardware and software. At the same time, the main requirements were accessibility, a high degree of information content and functionality.
These are the programs (to download the program, click on it):
AIDA64
A complete computer test is carried out using the professional utility AIDA64, which presents the user with system information, as well as configuration and diagnostic data for the equipment used. Modern versions of the program are produced by FinalWire Ltd, Budapest, Hungary. The last build of products 5.00.3300 dates back to December 2014. The company releases products on a commercial basis, but the version of AIDA64 Network Audit or AIDA64 Business can be tested within a month with a free license by filling out the order form presented on the developer's website, and having received a key for use and e-mail download link. The AIDA64 v5.00 utility is currently also available for smartphones and tablets.
The program allows you to check your computer completely, detailed information about the check results is presented in an opening report, which can be saved in html, csv or xml formats. Computer test results contain information about the hardware and the full composition of the software, namely the operating system, drivers, startup, installed and run programs under the Microsoft Windows operating system. The AIDA64 utility shows all running processes, as well as hot fixes (patches) and licenses, extracts information about equipment at a relatively low level, using its own database, which contains information about approximately 21,000 devices. The program can collect information from remote computers over a TCP / IP network.
The utility interface allows you to install the Russian language, which makes it available to the Russian-speaking population.
AIDA64 v5.00 start page 
Graphics test AIDA64 v5.00 
System stability test AIDA64 v5.00 (click to enlarge) 
Processor test AIDA64 v5.00 (click to enlarge)
Hard disk testing
PC3000DiskAnalyzer
The performance of the PC also depends on the health of the hard disk. Testing the hard disk of a computer can be performed, for example, using the freeware utility PC3000DiskAnalyzer.
The program names of the PC3000DiskAnalyzer.exe, PrfChartView.exe, and ReportViewer.exe executable files.
The utility supports popular storage media such as HDD, SATA, SCSI, SSD, external USB HDD / Flash.
The utility is launched by the PC3000DiskAnalyzer.exe file, the window that opens offers to select the type of hard disk to be checked. Then the main window of the program appears.
PC3000DiskAnalyzer window for selecting the disk type Start testing the disk by pressing the test / run button or by pressing the F9 key. Next, it is proposed to choose one of the testing options:
- Verification;
- Reading;
- Recording;
- HDD RAM cache test.
Testing window The "verification" and "read" options are quite safe, while the "write" and "test HDD RAM cache" modes can lead to data loss. To check the disk in a sparing mode, “verification” is quite enough. The mode allows you to check the speed indicators of the hard disk, find bad sectors, determine which of them react quickly, and which with errors. The output diagram shows the errors present on the disk and the sectors responding with delay.
RAM testing
MemTest
The MemTest utility tests the RAM of computers running on x86 and x86-64 platforms. Two versions of the program are distributed: MemTest86 and MemTest86 +. The versions were written by different authors, but the idea of the test is the same: compare the read and write data, this is done in two passes. The check is carried out from the least significant bits to the most significant ones and vice versa.
The utility does not require an operating system and is performed by its own bootloader. The utility is easy to use and has a high speed of work. The program detects deviations, instability of the computer and helps to debug the system after changes are made related to replacement or overclocking, bringing the equipment to the maximum operating mode. The latest version 5.01 was released in 2013, although the authors made changes a little later. The utility can be downloaded from the official website.
Monitor Testing
Nokia Monitor Test
The most famous set of computer tests used to check the quality of TFT and CRT monitors is the Nokia Monitor Test. Tests allow you to check and configure:
- Focusing degree;
- Lack of geometric distortion;
- Image saturation;
- Brightness and contrast of the picture;
- The presence of dead pixels;
- And some other parameters.
The program is accompanied by reference information, the program is free, its most popular version is 2.0, you can download it from the site.
Nokia Monitor Test main window Testing video cards
FurMark
Window for starting FurMark program FurMark program is designed to test personal computer video cards. It determines whether the overclocked video card is working stably, what is the efficiency of the cooling system. A distinctive feature of FurMark is the use of the stress test function, which ensures the maximum load of the card.
Its features:
- Free product;
- Compactness, tests are fast;
- Testing for the required resolution, up to 4K;
- Measuring the parameters of the video card and determining the load for the cooling system;
- Almost all video cards are supported.
FurMark Test Window Testing graphics
3DMark
Computer tests 3DMark 11, developed by the Finnish company Futuremark, are aimed at determining the performance of graphic components and a comprehensive assessment of a personal computer when playing computer games. Its main purpose is stability testing and performance evaluation of a personal computer video card. The program is developed for hardware and software platforms that support the family of MS Windows operating systems, in particular, it supports Windows 8.1.
The latest versions of the program, in addition to the video card, also test the central processor for tasks of game artificial intelligence and the physics engine. It essentially represents a computer game that is non-interactive for the user.
Most releases of the program divide tests into two groups: game and specific synthetic. The first is a non-interactive, almost complete computer game that runs in real time and uses a game engine. Unlike a full-fledged one, the user does not affect the gameplay and does not control the course of the game or the virtual camera, his task is to observe. The test measures the number of frames and the frame rate per second. The next type of tests is computationally based and evaluates only those GPU units that perform specific operations such as shaders, texturing, rasterization, etc.
The latest version 1.0.5 of the program was released on April 19, 2013. The basic version of the program with unlimited test time can be downloaded for free from the official website of the program.
3DMark 11 Launch Window Outcome
Having tested the computer with these means, the user is able to independently assess how efficient his computer is, whether his computer is capable of playing powerful games, video editing, and working with 3D graphics.
The main task performed by the program for diagnosing a computer is to obtain as much information as possible 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 state.
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. Determine how much memory is installed on your computer, its type and number of slots. After that, it will be much easier to choose a new suitable RAM or draw conclusions that it is worth replacing the entire motherboard or computer (laptop);
CPU-Z
The CPU-Z program distributed free of charge has an unassuming 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 (size, type and frequency);
- Video card (name, volume, volume, type and frequency).
The main advantages of the application is the ability to obtain detailed and accurate information in Russian about all the components of the system, which can be useful for professional users and amateurs.
Among the disadvantages is the inability to determine the temperature of the processors.
Speccy
Another free program gives you the opportunity to get detailed information about all the main components and software, from the processor and board, to RAM and optical disks.
In addition, with the help of Speccy, you can get data from temperature measurement sensors, finding ways to correct errors in connection or installation of a 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 the device for sale, Speccy can be used to quickly compile a list of components - after all, although the built-in utilities allow you to do almost the same, it will take more time for this, and you will not be able to find out some data.
It should be noted that the developers of the program are the authors of such useful software as CCleaner and Defraggler.
And among its pluses they note:
- Clear and practical interface;
- Quick access to important information;
- No need to install the application, which may be needed, for example, if you do not have access to the administrator account;
- The 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 the HWiNFO system application, you can get the most useful information about the system, compare the performance of individual hardware components with template 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, however, it concerns only the equipment - you will not be able to find out about the drivers with its help.
However, this drawback is practically the only one, since the application is able to collect data on 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 the tray icons, which change periodically.
AIDA64 Extreme
Using the AIDA64 Extreme application gives the user the opportunity to:
- Receive information about hardware components;
- Determine which drivers are installed on the computer and, if necessary, search for their latest versions;
- Monitor the temperature of the processor, reacting to malfunctions and correcting them;
- Test 64-bit operating systems (for 32-bit there is a special version - AIDA32) and hardware using unique utilities;
- Diagnose and monitor fan blade speed and voltage;
- Save the received data as a document of any format.
The advantages of the program are getting almost all useful information about the system and the computer.
Among the disadvantages are the limited demo version distributed for free and the high cost of the application, especially for a domestic user.
PassMark Performance Test
The PerformanceTest application is a set of tests that measure the performance of your computer against other devices.
The latest version of the utility has 27 built-in programs, each of which is responsible for defining its own data category.
Among them are tests for:
- Processor (for encryption, data compression and computation speed);
- Video cards (for the ability to bitwise display 2D and 3D graphics, animation, compatibility with graphics packages such as DirectX);
- Hard disk (for writing, reading and data search speed);
- Optical drives (read speed, data storage;
- RAM (access to data, speed of work).
Results are saved in most popular formats, from HTML to Word, and can then be emailed, pasted into website code, edited with a text editor, or printed.
And the tests themselves can be imported into the application, adding new features.
The main tasks of the PerformanceTest are:
- Determination of PC capabilities for comparison with the minimum or optimal requirements of the games;
- Checking components to eliminate hardware malfunction;
- Assistance in making decisions when updating the configuration of a computer or buying a new one;
- Creating your own tests.
Meanwhile, the program is not distributed free of charge. Some of its capabilities, including the improvement of graphical tests, are available only for the option that you have to buy.
Although the application, which is freely available, is quite functional and allows you to use many settings. Back to the menu
CrystalDiskMark
Small in size and therefore quickly downloadable from the network, the program was created in order to carry out tests with hard drives of any type (HDD or SSD) and with all types of interface.
The main parameters, which are determined by the utility, are the read and write speed.
The result is an extended countdown that is unlikely to be useful to the layman, but for the power user and the person determining what problem your drive has, it is nearly ideal.
In this case, testing can be carried out several times in a row, automatically averaging the results.
SpeedFan
An application suitable for finding problems with a computer - malfunctions of motherboards and graphics cards, disks, processors and coolers with different types of interfaces.
A small drawback is the difficulty in reading data from some hard drives connected via an IDE connector.
However, the functionality of this software is sufficient for:
- Fan speed and voltage settings;
- Setting the limit values of processor temperatures, the exceeding of which the application informs the user;
- Decoding memory of various types (from SDRAM to DDR4).
The latest versions of the utility support Windows 10. The application is multilingual, including works in Russian.
And its main advantages include not only a warning so that the user responds to malfunctions (which not every similar program can do), but also the display of the controlled temperature in the tray.
At the same time, SpeedFan is distributed free of charge.
SIW
PC users who want to determine the parameters of the system and the components of the device can also use an application such as SIW, the name of which can be deciphered as System Info for Windows.
It has a small size and a simplified interface that resembles the standard Windows utilities and is capable of displaying all the information the user needs most.
For example, using SIW, you can find out about the latest system updates, get 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.
For commercial or corporate use, a license must be purchased.
conclusions
The number of programs for checking hardware and operating system is quite large.
New applications are almost constantly being created to help control computer parameters and hardware malfunctions.
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 dozen - saving time and not downloading unnecessary files from the network, risking accidentally injecting a virus onto your computer.
In addition, if there is no network access, Windows has a number of utilities that will also allow you to find out some parameters.
Video material:
And ending with the expansion or replacement of components.
Photo source: Jeff Hester / CC BY-NC-SA
Diagnostic program useful, for example, if you need to expand memory - this is one of the simplest and most common computer upgrades. If you don't know what memory do I need to buy, then the advice is simple - the same as you already have, and this will be prompted by the programs presented below.
For example, Speccy will tell you, in addition, how many free slots for additional memory are in the computer, and if all of them are already occupied, in which case we will have to replace the current memory with modules of higher capacity.
The programs from this section will be of invaluable help if we are waiting for the release of our favorite game with stunning graphics and want to check if the computer will meet its technical requirements. The applications presented here display detailed information about the components of the computer.
Some measure the temperatures of devices during operation and are able to display information in the tray. Some of them are testing programs that allow you to check the operation of computer components under a certain load.
Possibility monitoring the status of your computer and getting information about its configuration without resorting to paper instructions, this is a tremendous advantage of modern electronics. When we only need to monitor the temperature and fan speeds, it is enough to use SpeedFan, which, by the way, will help in diagnosing the hard drive and SSD.
CPU-Z and GPU-Z are simple applications that provide comprehensive information about the processor, video card, and memory - this data will be appreciated by people planning to replace hardware or want to compare their computer with other machines.
To find out all the secrets of your computer: Not only the main components, but also the peripherals, operating system and software, use programs such as Speccy, AIDA64 Extreme or HWiNFO. The latter is also a great alternative to SpeedFan, so you don't have to install multiple tools at the same time.
The last group of diagnostic applications, to which we refer to Passmark Performance Test and CrystalDisk Info, allows you to check the performance of components of our computer.
Diagnostics CPU-Z / GPU-Z
Diagnostic programs that display additional information about the components of your computer.
pros:
- Accurate information about processor, memory, motherboard BIOS.
- The current clock speed of the processor and memory.
- Useful for beginners and advanced overclockers.
- Exact GPU specification.
Minuses:
- Lack of temperature measurements
English language
Price: free
Speccy - component details
pros:
- Accurate node information.
- Elegant and intuitive interface.
- The selected variable can be displayed as a tray icon.
- Available in portable version.
- Bypasses the UAC window, can start with the system.
Russian language
Distribution Type: freeware
Price: free
Information about computer nodes in HWiNFO
A program that displays information about nodes. Generates reports and allows you to check and compare the performance of computer components.
pros:
- Shows a lot of data.
- Supports temperature sensors.
- Displays operating parameters as dynamically changing icons in the system tray.
- Supports old and new hardware versions, including server configurations.
English language
Distribution Type: freeware
Price: free
AIDA64 Extreme is a powerful diagnostic tool
AIDA64 Extreme has long been known as a powerful computer diagnostic tool. Displays information about components, programs and drivers, temperature. Allows you to run tests.
pros:
- Complete information about the entire hardware and software configuration of the computer.
- Convenient wizard for creating reports.
- Allows you to test stability under heavy load.
- Basic set of tests.
Minuses:
- In the demo version, some of the results are hidden.
Russian language
Distribution Type: trial
Price: approx. 40 $
PassMark Performance Test - Component Testing
A program for testing computer components. You can get a detailed analysis of them. The test results can be compared with the results of other users.
pros:
- Shows the basic facts.
- Extensive comparison of test results.
- Lots of tests for various components.
- The ability to customize tests.
- You can copy the equipment summary to the clipboard.
English language
Distribution Type: trial
Price: approx. 27 $
CrystalDiskMark - Simple Disk Testing Tool
CrystalDiskMark is a compact and easy-to-use hard drive testing tool. Checks in a short test the speed of writing and reading data. Presents measurement results in a convenient and attractive way.
pros:
- Takes measurements for various sizes of test pieces.
- You can set the number of test passes, the results are average.
- Tests read and write speed: continuous, sequential.
English language
Distribution Type: freeware
Price: free
SpeedFan - Monitoring Legend
This legendary application focuses on monitoring voltages, component temperatures and fan speeds, as well as monitoring cooling system performance.
pros:
- Displays component temperatures in the system tray.
- Signals visually exceeding the permitted operating parameters.
- Knows how to control the fan speed when the equipment allows such adjustment.
- Equipped with a tool to monitor SMART hard disk data.
Russian language
Distribution Type: freeware
Price: free
Even the weakest personal computer is a complex digital system that often fails for a number of reasons. Like any other technique, a PC is subject to diagnostics, the main part of which is to check it with special programs. Some of them are bundled with drivers for system components, but the bulk of this kind of software is unified with most device models, detects several diagnostic parameters at once and is distributed on a free or shareware basis.
Today we will tell you about 10 computer diagnostic programs that are available to every user.
The first on the review in this article, the Speccy program is the creation of the British IT company Piriform, which created the popular utility for cleaning the computer from the junk CCleaner. Speccy will help diagnose computer hardware, displaying basic information about each installed device on board: processor, video card, motherboard, hard drive and other components. The software is distributed by the company free of charge for private use, and can run on old and new Windows operating systems, including XP.
After installing and launching Speccy for the first time, without additional greetings, it immediately gets down to business - the analysis of the installed equipment. Key indicators are instantly displayed in the "General information" tab. In the left tab bar, the user selects the device of interest. In addition to the hardware data included in the firmware, Speccy displays the current temperature of the device, and can warn the owner about critically high values. For the convenience of exchanging diagnostic data, the program implements the function of snapshot data in the form of an image or saving them in XML and TXT formats.
Advantages:
- displays information about the type, manufacturer, batch number, year of manufacture, firmware version, etc .;
- takes readings from temperature sensors;
- displays nominal and current frequency indicators;
- saves the received information in the form of a document or image;
- has a simple no-frills interface;
- full-fledged free software in Russian.
Disadvantages:
- there are no diagnostic tools (tests) to check the stability of the system;
- displays an incomplete list of component parameters.
CPU-Z
CPU-Z can be safely called the world's most popular Windows-based system analyzer. It provides comprehensive information about the processor, RAM and its subsystem, and the graphics adapter. CPU-Z is completely free and compatible with all versions of Windows available today.
CPU-Zet favorably stands out among competitors in two qualities: a great depth of computer analysis and the simplicity of the shell. With its help, you will learn about such parameters of your processor as the type and technical process of the chip, its heat dissipation, core voltage, revision and stepping, as well as the level and capacity of the cache. The same detailed report is available for the RAM and motherboard chipset. This data is indispensable for both overclocker enthusiasts and ordinary users who are fond of upgrading and customizing their computer. However, information about the video system is presented here in a compressed form, and the hard drive is not affected at all.
In addition to dry text layout, CPU-Z can carry out simple stress tests of the system to check its stability under load. Test reports and PC health reports are saved as TXT and HTML document.
The appearance of the utility is extremely simple and has not changed since the beginning of its development. Moving through the points is done through the tabs in the upper panel. There is also a portable version for launching from a flash drive or other media.
Advantages:
- maximum information content about CPU, RAM and chipset;
- works on a computer with any version of Windows;
- undemanding to resources;
- has the simplest interface (including in Russian);
- saves reports in text form;
- free software.
Disadvantages:
- does not display information about the state of the hard disk;
- meager video card report.
- Does not display the temperature of system components.
GPU-Z
A video card is almost a full-fledged "computer in a computer" with its own subsystems and operating modes. Therefore, the developers from TECHPOWERUP have developed a separate program for checking the computer's video system - GPU-Z. Its basic principles are the same as those of CPU-Z - complete information content and ease of use. It is available online for free.
GPU-Z is an indispensable and essential tool for anyone interested in what their computer is made of. The utility will inform you about all the parameters of the video core, video memory and power subsystem, down to the device identification code and BIOS version. In addition, the GPU-Zet scans the current readings of the temperature and frequency of the chip, the frequency of the memory chips, the rotation speed of the cooling fan, the load and voltage per core, etc. All these values are recorded at the request of the owner in a text file or a screenshot.
The utility has earned special recognition for its ability to identify "fake" video cards that do not meet the characteristics stated in the BIOS. You will notice the status "" next to the name of such a card, and an exclamation mark will appear instead of the vendor's image.
Advantages:
- a full report on the characteristics of the video card and its current state;
- simple interface shell;
- saving the report as a document or a screenshot;
- the ability to send a problem report;
- a large database of the site to check your adapter and compare it with similar maps;
- does not require payment.
Disadvantages:
- the interface is not fully translated into Russian;
- no built-in stress tests and performance tests;
HWMonitor
The HWMonitor program from CPUID is used for complete computer diagnostics, determining its operating parameters and operating modes. Unlike the well-known product CPU-Z from the same company, the Hardware Monitor provides a comprehensive check of the hardware status in real time, but without providing data on characteristics and firmware. The software is presented by a free and paid PRO version.
HWMonitor is a single table that displays the devices installed in the system, and indicates their voltage and operating frequency, heat pack, cooler rotation speed, temperature on the sensors and the percentage of workload (work) or occupied memory. Since the utility does not display firmware data, it is better to use it in conjunction with other products, for example, CPU-Z, for overclocking and tuning. The available readings can at any time be written by the user to the TXT notepad file.
The HWMonitor PRO version is equipped with additional functions for remotely checking the readings of computer sensors via a smartphone or another PC. It also has a roll-up temperature panel for working in the background during overclocking and heating control of electronic components.
The program interface is minimalistic, and does not have additional functions and decorations.
Advantages:
- complete PC check, including video system and hard drive;
- taking all available readings from device sensors;
- extremely simple and intuitive interface;
- remote check of the state of the computer from a smartphone (on the PRO version);
- free product.
Disadvantages:
- no official localization in Russian;
- characteristics of components are not provided;
- there is no detailed information about the performance of the hard drive according to S.M.A.R.T .;
FurMark
FurMark has been the unspoken benchmark for testing high-performance graphics cards and embedded video systems in a computer for many years. It is a set of stress tests for testing the graphics subsystem for stability and maximum performance in 3D with support for the OpenGL API. FurMark receives regular updates and is distributed free of charge.
Fur Mark consists of a settings dialog box and a test window, in which a complex render of a toroidal object (or in the popular way - "hairy donut") rotates. Before starting the test, you must select the graphics level and mode of operation. In addition to resolution and anti-aliasing, the user can enable full screen instead of windowed mode. An important point is the indication of the time of the test, since a long-term presence of the video accelerator under one hundred percent load can disable the device.
After pressing the button « GPU stress test» a rotating object appears on the screen, for which the entire resource of the video card is consumed. The upper part shows a graph of changes in the temperature of the video core. Depending on the set parameters, the test is terminated automatically after a certain time or manually by the user.
Advantages:
- checking the video card under the maximum permissible load for stability, performance, power consumption;
- several modes of "running" the test;
- simple interface without unnecessary elements;
- includes utilities GPU-Z and GPU Shark;
- free software.
Disadvantages:
- FurMark puts extreme stress on the video adapter, which can lead to dumping of the graphics chip, memory chips and other "unpleasant" consequences;
- the interface is not Russified in the official version.
A warning! We do not recommend downloading this program to those who have just started to get acquainted with the computer device. FurMark has caused many computer breakdowns due to improper testing and overheating of radio components. Before starting Fur Mark, make sure that your video card has a powerful cooling system. We do not recommend running the test for more than 5 minutes.
SpeedFan
A simple and undemanding utility SpeedFan will help you monitor the main indicators of computer devices, such as the rotational speed of the cooler, voltage, frequency on the CPU core, temperature of components, etc. For almost 20 years, this software has been the favorite tool of many overclocking enthusiasts and ordinary users. SpeedFan can be downloaded for free on the developer's website.
Speed Fan is a universal tool for real-time computer monitoring. With its help, you can change the speed of the fan impeller, control the processor frequencies, monitor the readings of temperature sensors and check the voltage at the terminals of the power supply along the 3.3V, 5V and 12V lines. In addition, it displays the S.M.A.R.T. report. the status of the hard disk. Knowing these indicators, the user can increase the heat dissipation, or vice versa, reduce the noise of the system unit.
The program interface, in addition to the standard Windows shell, includes many graphs for a visual representation of changes in indicators. There is also a warning function when the set temperature thresholds are exceeded, and the "CPU Usage" scale will tell you about the load of each CPU core.
Advantages:
- takes readings from sensors of temperature, voltage, frequency, etc .;
- control of the state of the hard drive;
- displays the voltage on the power supply lines;
- the simplest interface in the style of Windows 2000;
- support for most modern microcontrollers;
- free software with a crack.
Disadvantages:
- there is no presentation of the characteristics of RAM, chipset and other equally important information.
AIDA64 Extreme
As the successor to the famous EVEREST, AIDA64 is the most powerful utility for comprehensive computer diagnostics to date. In addition to the information stored in the BIOS memory, Aida provides statistics from the Internet and other useful information regarding the selected device. It contains many different tests for checking performance and stability under load, and for comparison with other models. AIDA64 Extreme is a shareware product, as the user is given only 30 days of trial use with reduced features.
The usefulness of AIDA64 Extreme can hardly be overestimated, because it is one of the few programs that provides comprehensive information about all the characteristics of each component device, and even each microcircuit on the board. By installing it on your PC, you will learn about all available frequency and temperature indicators, voltage at the device pins, fan speed, power consumption, etc. In addition to the hardware component, Aida 64 displays information about the operating system and installed components (for example, DirectX).
In the mode "Test" AIDA64 Extreme tests and compares your configuration with other devices from its own database, thus creating a rating. It is worth noting the ability to check network devices and connections over the local and global network.
Advantages:
- provides the largest possible list of characteristics about the computer;
- comparison with other systems from the database;
- takes readings from all available sensors in the system;
- checks RAM for errors;
- there are tests for video cards;
- at the same time simple and beautiful design in the classic Windows style.
Disadvantages:
- the program is not free - only a 30-day trial version is available.
3DMark
At the moment, it's hard to find a better quality and better looking tester than 3DMark from Futuremark (now UL Benchmark). Its tasks include checking the performance of the central processor + video card link. The developer offers several versions of the benchmark: the free Basic Edition with reduced features, the Advanced Edition with a large number of tests and settings, and the Professional Edition (available for commercial use).
The main feature of this tester is the increased requirements for the computer hardware, therefore, even on mid-level systems, the user may be surprised at the low number of points received. The second “calling card” of 3DMark is colorful, well-developed three-dimensional scenes that simulate games during testing. The tests are carried out not only with qualitative, but also with quantitative scenes, which load the CPU more. 3DMark supports all modern graphics processing technologies, including DirectX 12 and NVIDIA RTX and DLSS.
At the end of the test, you will see the result obtained in the form of the scores of the system as a whole and for each device separately. Your result can be published and compared with others in the rating created by other users.
Advantages:
- the benchmark loads the system by 100% without leading to breakdowns;
- reference tester for high-performance systems;
- beautiful 3D models and scenes;
- there is a free version of 3DMark Basic Edition;
- intuitive interface.
Disadvantages:
- there is no Russian language in the demo version settings;
PCMark
Another product from the Finnish company Futuremark, focused on testing the performance of the system as a whole. It differs from 3DMark in a wider coverage of subsystems to be checked. With its help, the user will determine the capabilities of his PC in rendering and editing video, complex calculations, storing and transferring data from ROM and other tasks. Free Basic and paid Advanced Editions are available for download.
Computer performance analysis follows the same principle as in 3DMark, but now taking into account all major components. For example, PCMark checks the read and write speed of RAM and permanent memory (hard HDD or solid-state SSD), the performance of each processor core, and the speed at which objects are drawn on the screen by a video card. It also conducts performance tests when using the browser, watching videos and talking over voice VoIP clients, as well as during Windows startup. To determine the suitability of the PC for games, the developers implemented some tests from 3DMark here.
At the end of the test run, the user will see the result on the screen in points, which can be used to judge the performance of the PC, based on the rating. If it identifies problematic slow devices, the tester will inform you about the need to upgrade them.
Advantages:
- general performance test of the entire computer with explanations of the problems;
- analysis of the state of the operating system;
- reconciliation of the result with the "live" rating of other users;
- very user-friendly and beautiful interface;
- there is a free version.
Disadvantages:
- there is no Russian-language interface (in the Basic version).
HWiNFO
A small utility HWiNFO is able to display all the main parameters of a computer and its components, as well as monitor temperature and voltage from device sensors in real time. According to the developers, it is distinguished by increased stability of operation and high accuracy of measurements of diagnostic parameters. You don't have to pay for the utility, the developer only accepts donations.
The main quality of HWiNFO is the stability of work on weak systems with outdated versions of Windows. This software will run even on Win XP, not to mention the modern "dozens". The second advantage is detailed reporting on the state of the PC at the time of inspection and the provision of detailed information about its parameters. A simple search for each device is provided by a hierarchical structure of icons with descriptions on the left side of the window. The available data can be easily saved to a test file by clicking the “Save Report” button. In addition to checking the computer, HWiNFO has a routine to update the motherboard BIOS and device drivers.
The HWiNFO software interface is made in the familiar Windows style and is easy to use. In the upper part of the window there is a panel with icons of the most frequently used functions. In the "Program" tab there is a large number of settings for checking and controlling drivers.
Advantages:
- simplicity and detail of the report;
- convenient control and configuration;
- high accuracy of measurement of sensor readings;
- BIOS and driver update;
- completely free software.
Disadvantages:
- there are no tests to check the stability and performance of the system.
Conclusion
Among the ten programs we have considered for diagnosing a computer, there is no ideal option - each has a set of its pros and cons. However, we can advise you to make a choice in a particular situation for specific tasks set by the user himself.
For a standard and comprehensive computer scan, we would choose Speccy, HWMonitor, HWiNFO, and PCMark. They provide detailed data on the characteristics and the current state of the hardware and operating system, and PCMark will help you load and test your PC for performance without risk.
For more demanding users, overclockers and gamers, AIDA64 Extreme, 3DMark and FurMark are the best options. The first program displays data about the PC at the highest possible level, and the other two are perfect for testing video adapters.
CPU-Z, GPU-Z, and SpeedFan will work with any of the groups, but they are more likely to have similar capabilities to the above options.
As practice shows, the capabilities of their own computer suit users only for the time being - sooner or later they have to resort to an upgrade. Everything is trite and simple - new versions of the OS and the applications used, as a rule, require more and more resources. The easiest way to update your PC is to purchase a new system unit with modern "stuffing", which, if you have money, is not difficult. However, this is not always wise - often it is enough to resort to replacing individual components to increase productivity.
To choose an upgrade strategy, you need to find out what hardware is installed and understand what the computer lacks for faster operation - processor power, video system capabilities, memory size, hard disk read / write speed, etc. But this is only one side of the coin. After purchasing a new system unit or upgrading an old one, you will need to quickly find out whether the “filling” of the system unit corresponds to the one declared at the time of purchase (without opening the unit itself, since there may be a seal on it), assess how much the performance has increased, and understand whether the computer is really stable works.
Any professional collector (and all overclocking enthusiasts) can easily solve the listed tasks, since he has in his arsenal a lot of various and highly specialized information and diagnostic tools. An ordinary user does not need to acquire such solutions, however, it is still necessary to install a simple complex utility to obtain information about the hardware and test the computer. It is these programs that we will consider in this article.
Retrieving hardware data
Theoretically, any information and diagnostic utility is capable of recognizing the "stuffing" of the system unit. However, not every program is able to identify new models of processors, video cards and other hardware (it all depends on the completeness of the database and the regularity of its updating), and the amount of information on the identified components can be different - from minimal to exhaustive.
Among the solutions considered, the program has the most detailed information. AIDA64, which knows almost everything about any hardware, including the latest innovations. For example, this utility will be able to recognize recently appeared on the market solid-state drives Intel 510 and 320, video cards AMD Radeon HD 6790 and NVIDIA GeForce GT 520M, five new mobile video cards of the Quadro M series from NVIDIA, etc.
Using AIDA64, you can easily find out everything about the processor, motherboard, video card, network adapter, storage devices (including the most modern SSDs) and input devices, multimedia, as well as ports, external connected devices and power management. The program is able to determine the type of flash memory, controller model (it supports reading SMART information from controllers manufactured by Indilinx, Intel, JMicron, Samsung and SandForce) and data transfer rate. Moreover, the utility recognizes USB 3.0 controllers and devices that are compatible with this new standard.
The amount of data provided by AIDA64 is impressive - access to them is provided from the tree-like menu of the sections that unite the main modules of the program. So, through the section A computer It is easy to get aggregate information about hardware components, system and BIOS, as well as data on processor overclocking, power supply features, state of system sensors, hardware monitoring, etc. (Fig. 1).
Rice. 1. Summary information about the computer (AIDA64)
In other "iron" sections, more detailed information is provided - so in the section Motherboard there is detailed information about the central processor, motherboard, memory, BIOS, etc. Display it is easy to get information related to the graphical interface of the system (in particular, data on the video adapter and monitor - Fig. 2), and in the section Multimedia learn about the multimedia capabilities of the system (multimedia devices and installed audio and video codecs).
Rice. 2. Graphics card data (AIDA64)
In chapter Data storage provides information about hard drives and optical drives, as well as about the logical and physical structure of hard drives, the values and statuses of SMART parameters. You can find information about network adapters in the section Network, and about buses, ports, keyboard, mouse, etc. - in the section Devices... Also from the menu Service the panel opens AIDA64 CPUID(Fig. 3), which displays data on the processor, motherboard, memory and chipset in a compact form.
Rice. 3. Panel AIDA64 CPUID
Program SiSoftware Sandra It is also very informative and allows you to get comprehensive information about almost all hardware components of a computer system. In particular, the utility displays summary data about the computer as a whole (Fig. 4) - that is, basic information about the processor, motherboard, chipset, memory modules, video system, etc. (tab Devices, pictogram System information).
Rice. 4. Computer Summary (SiSoftware Sandra)
Along with summary information, in the tab Devices The utility also provides more detailed information about the motherboard and processor, display and video adapter (Fig. 5), memory, buses and devices installed in them, about disks, ports, mouse, keyboard, sound card, etc. sensors, then to obtain them you will need to run not an information, but a diagnostic module Environment Monitor(tab Instruments). This module provides display of text and graphic information about processor temperature, fan speed, voltage, etc.
Rice. 5. Video System Data (SiSoftware Sandra)
Utility PC Wizard provides access to information about the main hardware modules installed in the computer: motherboard, processor, video card, memory, I / O ports, drives, printers, multimedia devices, printers, etc. All this data is available on the tab Iron... By activating the pictogram on it General information about the system, you can determine in one click what exactly is in the system unit (Fig. 6) - which motherboard, which processor, etc. Other tab icons Iron help you get more detailed information about the components (Fig. 7); the amount of data provided is sufficient for the average user. Also, through the menu Instruments → Overclocking information you can find out if some of the system components (processor, bus or memory) were overclocked, and if so, to what limits, and also take readings from some sensors.
Rice. 6. Aggregate information about the computer (PC Wizard)
Rice. 7. Data on the graphics subsystem (PC Wizard)
Utility HWiNFO32 will also allow you to learn a lot of interesting things about the iron "stuffing" of the computer. Immediately after launch, it starts diagnostic studies and in a matter of seconds displays a window System Summary with a compact display of data on the processor, motherboard, memory, chipset, disks, etc. (Fig. 8). This window can also be called on the screen while working with the utility - by clicking on the button Summary... In addition, HWiNFO32 displays detailed information about the processor, motherboard (Fig. 9), memory, video adapter and more in the appropriate tabs - Central Processors, Motherboard, Memory, Video Adapter etc. The data on the processor, memory modules, motherboard, buses and disks are quite detailed, information on other devices is more modest. If necessary, it is easy to get the readings of the sensor sensors installed on the motherboard (temperature, voltage, etc.) by clicking on the button Sensors.
Rice. 8. Summary information about the computer (HWiNFO32)
Rice. 9. Graphics card data (HWiNFO32)
Program Fresh diagnose allows you to find out information about any iron components, however, not always detailed. For example, in the tab Hardware System you can find out about the motherboard, processor, cache memory, buses, BIOS, CMOS memory, etc. Section Device contains information about the video card (Fig. 10), peripheral devices (keyboard, printer, monitor, optical drives, etc.) and ports. In chapter Multimedia combined data on various multimedia devices, DirectX, audio and video codecs.
Rice. 10.Video card data (Fresh Diagnose)
Performance evaluation
Before upgrading, you need to assess the performance of the computer and its individual components in order to understand which hardware needs to be replaced immediately, and which components can wait until better times (after all, in times of crisis, not everyone decides on a complete upgrade). It is quite easy to do this by performing a couple of specific benchmarking tests in the environment of a suitable diagnostic utility. After buying a new computer or upgrading an old one, it also does not hurt to conduct testing to make sure that the computer has become more productive. Of course, you can feel the result of the upgrade in the course of normal work in applications, but for the sake of completeness, it is better to make sure that the performance is improved with the help of specially designed tools for this purpose.
When conducting tests, in order to obtain a more objective assessment, it is better to close all applications, do not use the mouse and keyboard, run the same test (in the same version of the utility) several times and focus on the average result. In addition, it should be borne in mind that the same synthetic tests in different utilities are implemented in a far from identical way, so the programs show different results. And the results obtained should not be taken literally, since they do not reflect real performance, but only indicate the level of performance when performing strictly specific tasks. Nevertheless, conducting such testing allows us to understand how outdated the hardware components installed in your computer are in comparison with the reference samples, as well as assess the level of performance before and after the upgrade, which we are interested in within the framework of this article.
Of greatest interest from the testing point of view are the AIDA64 and SiSoftware Sandra programs, some benchmakers of which are used even by professionals in different hardware testing methods. The capabilities of the other utilities considered in this article are limited in this regard, although they also provide some test functionality.
In a programme AIDA64 a wide range of benchmarking tests is presented. So, in the section Test 13 synthetic tests are combined, the first four of which evaluate memory performance - read / write / copy speed (Fig. 11), and also measure latencies (testing the average time the processor reads data from RAM). The rest of the tests from this section evaluate the processor performance in integer and floating point operations, when creating ZIP archives, when performing encryption using the AES encryption algorithm, etc. (CPU Queen, CPU PhotoWorxx, CPU ZLib, CPU AES, CPU Hash, FPU tests VP8, FPU Julia, FPU Mandel, FPU SinJulia). All benchmarks compare performance against other systems, including the newest ones.
Rice. 11. Assessment of processor performance (CPU Queen test; AIDA64)
Through the menu Service three more benchmarking tests are available: Disc test, Cache and memory test and Monitor diagnostics... The Disk Test measures the performance of hard drives, solid state drives, optical drives, and more. The Cache and Memory Test measures the bandwidth and latency of the processor and memory caches (Figure 12). In the test Monitor diagnostics the quality of display of LCD and CRT monitors is being checked.
Rice. 12. Test cache and memory (Cashe & Memory Benchmark; AIDA64)
In terms of testing for a wide range of users, the program is even more interesting. SiSoftware Sandra, with which you can not only evaluate the performance of a PC in comparison with other reference computer configurations, but also test the computer for the need to upgrade it. Modules designed for testing the most important computer subsystems are grouped under the tab Benchmark tests... A whole group of synthetic benchmarks are designed to test the processor - arithmetic and multimedia benchmarks, multi-core efficiency benchmarks, power efficiency benchmarks, cryptographic performance, and GPGPU cryptography. Several tests are responsible for testing physical drives - including the file system test, and modules for testing physical disks, removable / flash drives, CD-ROM / DVD, and Blu-ray optical drives. Tests for testing memory are provided: memory bandwidth test, memory latency test, and cache and memory test. In addition, there are tests to assess the speed of rendering and video memory performance, an audio / video encoding / decoding test, a network bandwidth test, an Internet connection speed assessment test, etc. When testing a number of components (processor, RAM, etc.), the results are given in comparison with reference models that are more similar in characteristics. At the same time, it is possible to independently select standards for comparison, including the most modern ones (Fig. 13), which is very convenient and allows you to quickly understand how outdated the hardware components installed in the computer are and which models are better to replace them with.
Rice. 13. Assessment of processor performance
(arithmetic test; SiSoftware Sandra)
Two interesting test modules are presented in the tab Instruments are modules Performance Index and Analysis and recommendations... Using a test Performance Index the overall performance of the computer is assessed during the arithmetic and multimedia tests of the processor, the determination of the memory bandwidth, as well as testing of physical disks and a video card (Fig. 14). Reference models of components for comparison are selected by the program or by the user. Module Analysis and recommendations provides a detailed analysis of the PC for a possible upgrade. At the end of this analysis, the program gives a list of recommendations on which of the hardware components is best to replace in order to improve performance (Fig. 15), and draws attention to possible problems (for example, the complexity of adding memory due to the occupancy of all slots, too high CPU temperature (and suggests checking cooling), etc.).
Rice. 14. Assessment of the overall performance of the computer (SiSoftware Sandra)
Rice. 15. Analysis of the computer for an upgrade (SiSoftware Sandra)
Utility PC Wizard also includes certain functionality for testing hardware (tab Test). With its help, you can visually assess the overall performance of your computer (icon Global Performance) in comparison with other configurations and according to the test results, to understand which of the subsystems in terms of performance significantly falls short of the selected (from the pre-installed list) reference sample - that is, they need updating, and which turn out to be quite at the level (Fig. 16).
Rice. 16. Assessment of the overall performance of the computer (PC Wizard)
There is also a number of synthetic tests in the arsenal of PC Wizard that allow you to evaluate the performance of the processor, L1 / L2 / L3 caches and memory in general (bandwidth, timing), as well as the video subsystem, hard disk, optical drive, etc. The processor provides baseline tests for Dhrystone ALU, Whetstone FPU and Whetstone SSE2 to evaluate its performance in integer and floating point operations. The test results are displayed in text and graphical form, in a number of tests it is possible to compare the results obtained with the test results of the selected reference subsystem (Fig. 17).
Rice. 17. Testing the processor (PC Wizard)
Utility HWiNFO32 is able to evaluate the performance of the processor (CPU, FPU, MMX), memory and hard disk during express testing (button Benchmark). Test results are presented in two versions - in numerical form and in the form of a comparative diagram. The diagram contains many reference components, including modern ones, so it is easy to understand how much the processor (or other component) installed in the computer is inferior in performance to modern models (Fig. 18).
Rice. 18. Processor Performance Assessment (HWiNFO32)
Program Fresh diagnose has a toolkit for determining the performance of individual components of the system. These are seven synthetic test modules in the section Benchmarks... They can be used to evaluate the performance of the processor (Whetstone, Dhrystone and multimedia tests), memory, video system, hard drives, optical drives and network adapter. The test results are compared with the base systems and presented in the form of visual histograms. However, in our opinion, they are not very useful, since outdated reference systems are selected for comparison (Fig. 19).
Rice. 19. Processor Testing (Fresh Diagnose)
Checking your computer for stability
Unfortunately, it is not a fact that the updated computer will be stable in operation. Why? There are many reasons - for example, the power supply unit may not cope well with the increased load due to the replacement of the processor or video adapter with newer models.
If such a picture takes place, then the situation should be dealt with as soon as possible - that is, before there are obvious signs of instability in the form of a blue screen of "death", etc. This means that you need to find out the temperature of the processor, motherboard and other important hardware and understand whether any component overheats under load, and also evaluate how the computer generally behaves under stress conditions. This can be done by stress testing.
Most stability tests place an intensive computational load on various blocks of the CPU, system memory, GPU, and system logic set - that is, they make the computer work under stressful conditions. Unfortunately, none of these tests by themselves guarantee 100% system stability, but if the test detects a failure in the system or was not completed, then this is a clear signal that you need to pay attention to the hardware.
Provided in AIDA64 system stability test (available through the menu Service) is intended for stress testing of the processor (testing of cores separately is allowed), memory, local disks, etc. (Fig. 20). The test results are displayed on two graphs: the upper one records the temperature of the selected components, the lower one - the processor load level (CPU Usage) and the clock skip mode (CPU Throttling). Mode CPU Throttling it is activated only in case of overheating of the processor, and it should be understood that activating this mode during testing is an alarm signal that calls for attention to the operation of the cooling system. During testing, the heating of the system is monitored by continuously monitoring the temperature.
Rice. 20. Processor stress testing (AIDA64)
In addition to the temperature, the graphs of which are displayed on the first tab during stress testing, the program provides other useful information on other tabs - about the fan speed, voltage, etc. It should be borne in mind that the system stability test in AIDA64 can last indefinitely, so it is stopped manually, making sure that everything works fine (after 30 minutes), or when suspicious results are detected (for example, severe overheating of one of the components).
Using the stability test SiSoftware Sandra(tab Instruments), you can also conduct stress testing (Fig. 21). It will allow you to orient yourself regarding the stability of the system and identify its weaknesses by analyzing the operation of the processor, memory, physical disks and optical drives, power efficiency, etc. selected test modules. During testing, the utility monitors the state of the system and stops the process when errors appear or in case of overheating (critical temperatures are set by default or manually).
Rice. 21. Stability test (SiSoftware Sandra)
Utility features PC Wizard in terms of testing the system for stability (test System Test Stability from the menu Instruments) are limited to CPU and motherboard testing. During testing, the processor is maximally loaded and in such conditions it works for a long time, during which the temperatures of the processor and motherboard are measured at certain intervals, and the results are displayed on the graph (Fig. 22).
Rice. 22. Testing the processor for stability (PC Wizard)
A quick tour of the utilities
AIDA64 (Extreme Edition) 1.60
Developer: FinalWire Ltd
Distribution size: 11.7 MB
Price: US $ 39.95
The AIDA64 program is an updated version of the well-known information and diagnostic solution EVEREST, designed for diagnostics of hardware and software computer resources and versatile computer testing. The utility can be run from hard disk, CD / DVD / BD disks, as well as from flash drives. The program is presented in two editions: AIDA64 Extreme Edition and AIDA64 Business Edition, AIDA64 Extreme Edition is designed for home users. The utility is regularly updated and supports the vast majority of modern models.
SiSoftware Sandra 2011 (Lite)
Developer: SiSoftware
Distribution size: 53.3 MB
Price: free (for personal and educational use)
SiSoftware Sandra Lite is the best free diagnostic information software. It provides detailed information about the computer and any of its hardware and software components, and also allows you to test your PC for performance, the need for an upgrade, etc. The utility can be used to analyze, diagnose and test a PDA or smartphone. The program is released in several editions; for home use, the capabilities of the free edition of SiSoftware Sandra Lite are sufficient. The utility is updated regularly enough and supports the vast majority of modern models.
PC Wizard 2010.1.961
Developer: CPUID
Distribution size: 5.02 MB
Price: is free
PC Wizard is an information and diagnostic utility used to diagnose hardware and software components and conduct versatile testing. In the basic version, the program is launched from a hard disk; it can be loaded from portable devices - for example, from a flash drive (a special version of the Portable PC Wizard). The utility is updated not as often as we would like (the last update was from August 2010), although it supports many modern models (of course, there is no talk of new products).
HWiNFO32 3.71
Developer: Martin Malik
Distribution size: 2.26 MB
Price: is free
HWiNFO32 is an information diagnostic utility that allows you to get detailed information about the PC hardware and test the performance of the processor, memory and hard drives. The program is updated monthly - as a result, all new items that have appeared on the market are included in its database in a timely manner. There is a special portable edition of the utility that can be run from a removable USB drive or other portable device.
Fresh Diagnose 8.52
Developer: FreshDevices.com
Distribution size: 2.08 MB
Distribution method: freeware (http://www.freshdiagnose.com/download.html)
Price: free (registration is required; in the unregistered version, the use of tests is impossible)
Fresh Diagnose is an information diagnostic utility designed to obtain information about all hardware and software components of a PC, as well as to test it. The program is regularly updated and supports many modern models, but among its shortcomings is a poorly thought-out interface and poor-quality Russian-language localization (therefore, it is wiser to use it with an English-language interface).