How to detect PC component failures
However, in today’s tutorial we are going to see how we can diagnose which hardware component is And it is that diagnosis a hardware failure is not as simple At first glance, it may seem.
At the time of writing this tutorial, I thought it would be better to divide it into sections. Each of these sections describes what is possible. Problem that specific component There is a way to check if this problem is related to a component and the best way to fix it. But in many cases, finding a defective component is ruling out problems along with the rest of the components on your computer.
The typical hardware failure in a PC
As in any component that has electronics, there are a series of typical failures that occur. These can be of various kinds or sources, but normally the basic solution goes through the same parameters as its diagnosis.
We are not going to offer magical solutions, they do not exist as such, but we are going to address the most common and generic problems and resolutions that occur in this sector such as the PC. For this reason and with what has been said, we will divide it into the following sections:
- Processor
- Motherboard
- RAM
- Graphic card
- storage
- power supply
We hope you find your bug and if you can’t fix it at least you can briefly diagnose it.
What’s wrong with the processor?
It is very rare for a processor to cause problems on its own. Most commonly, the components that cause these problems are hardware associated with it . For example, if the processor overheats, this may be due to not using a suitable heatsink for this processor, or that the heatsink itself is making poor contact with the processor’s IHS. But the fault, per se, is usually not the processor.
Normally, a catastrophic processor failure will prevent the system from booting. The rest of the system is component work correctly, then the only solution is to throw out the defective processor and replace it with a new one, compatible with the socket on the motherboard .
The main problems are usually OS crashes, system slowdowns, or complete freezes. If the processor is damaged, the system will not boot normally and will be marked with QCode as 00 (if it is on the motherboard).
We recommend the first one because it is more realistic both in terms of load and oscillation of the same, it also tests different buses that other more specific programs in extracting maximum performance and stress to the processor do not do.
You should always have the temperature CPU controlled as well as its voltage.
Most common motherboard failures
Problems related to motherboards are more often due to overheating of the motherboard’s stable issues. But it is also true that most of these problems usually occur when overclocking them. That is, under normal circumstances, temperatures tend to remain. in a more or less normal range.
To check if we have a temperature problem with our motherboard, it is best to use the HWinfo program and, using Prime95 x64 (if you have a 64-bit version of Windows ), see the temperature fully reached load .
Another common motherboard problem is due to poor insertion. Processor in socket Where it goes, it can result in bent pins . In this case, you can always try to straighten them with the help of a wooden toothpick or a bank card (and a lot of patience) ) so that they make good contact again. Otherwise, you only have to throw the motherboard in the trash.
This is caused by excessive pressure in the processor retention system or excessive weight in key components such as the graphics card.
The heat-to-heat cycle deforms the straightness of the board after months or years of use, causing small energy leaks in the PCB and preventing the processor from touching the socket pins on the PCB.
It is not something that can be repaired unless we apply prolonged heat Try straightening the plate. This is not guaranteed in any case, as damage and breakage at the microscopic level has already taken place. In any case, it is very difficult to find a specific hardware failure because it is such a common component that includes many buses, ports and small management systems.
RAM memory and blue screens
RAM memory can cause several types of failures. The most common is the slots become misaligned , after cleaning inside the computer. In this case, it is enough to remove and reinsert all the RAM modules to solve the problem.
Another thing is when one of the RAM modules suddenly stops working properly. These types of failures are shown as constant unstable of the computer, that the graphics card does not start when you start the computer, files that get corrupted or wrong. Amount of information RAM Available on your computer.
In this case, to make sure it’s really a RAM issue, you need to do the following: MemTest86 program , which is capable of subjecting the RAM modules to a series of tests , to find out if they are the culprits of the problem. Issue. In this case of hardware failure, then you must To. If all RAM modules fail, it is very rare for all modules to fail at the same time, so it is possible that the motherboard has failed
The graphics card, the problem that usually generates the most fear
Failures with the graphics card are usually presented as the system not recognizing it when starting it. Or that the performance in games drops quite unexpectedly. Or that it gets too hot and causes the computer to shut down due to excessive temperatures.
If the computer is not able to detect the graphics card when starting up, you can directly throw it away, unless the power in the problem , course.
When there is an unexpected drop in performance games, it is likely that the temperature is too high, which can significantly reduce the operating frequency. The best way to know the temperature data is to use the HWinfo program and a program that can run in a long loop.
In this regard, with this hardware failure in mind, it is the perfect program to stress the Unigine Heaven or Unigine Valley graphics card and observe the temperature reached during operation. If the problem is that the original heatsink has stopped working properly, you can look for a third- party heatsink to replace the original.
The most common failure of a storage unit
In mechanical storage units, this type of problem is the SMART protocol that can inform us that the hard drive is not working as well as it should. We might also hear the drive giving a lot of internal knocks (“clack, clack,” clack ”) because the pickup arm cannot be positioned correctly on the drive.
In the case of solid storage units, the first news that we will have of a failure with them will be a Sudden decline in performance when it comes to storing and reading those data.
In both cases, CrystalDiskInfo is very useful because it can read the SMART protocol and notify you of any problems you may have with your drive on your computer.
If this program detects that there is a problem with one of the drives, the best way is to move all the data on the hard drive to another drive that does not have these problems and use the problematic drive. Is to stop. If the unit no longer allows you to do this, it will delete the data from inside the HDD playback program .
Power problem
To conclude the list, power issues often appear as unexpected computers restart , both when the computer is under low load and under high load. They can also manifest as certain hardware components of our computer cannot be started when it starts.
In this case, check the voltage using the HWinfo program Provided by each of the 12 main channels of the power supply: + 5, + 3.3, and + XNUMXV. Tolerance ± 5% of these channels . If the voltage is very far from its intended nominal value, it is best to remove the faulty power supply and replace it with a new one before the problem occurs.
Diagnosing this type of hardware failure is not easy. This requires amperage, frequency, voltage, voltage measurement and control systems, and very expensive equipment, but fortunately, voltage clamps they are affordable and what happens per cable. You will be able to check in real time.
Also, many high-end motherboards have voltage checkpoints to measure with a multimeter. The problem is that if it is a hardware failure in the components or PCB from the same source, we will only see the result of the failure, not where the problem is or even be able to diagnose it, since this implies a scout of values in all the components of the PSU.
