If your computer hardware is not working properly, software programs are available that allow you to test the efficacy and performance of your hardware. These hardware testing tools allow you to check your computer's motherboard, graphics cards and memory systems. All of these programs require a fee to use.
R.S.T. Pro 3
The R.S.T. Pro 3 program allows you to test and validate your RAM (random access memory) that you have on your desktops, workstations and servers. The tool is compatible with Intel and AMD x86 single- or multi-core processors, and it also works with 32- and 64-bit computers. The program will search your RAM and find areas where memory failures have occurred, and you can use this as a bootable disk. A bootable disk is one that does not need an operating system to run. It uses a GUI (graphical user interface), which means that you do not need to know code to run this program. The GUI lets you see where the memory issues occurred. The R.S.T. Pro 3 is also Flash upgradable, which means that you can use this program for future upgrades.
Desktop Motherboard Diagnostic Card
This tool plugs into your computer and runs diagnostic tests on your motherboard. It will output error codes, which you can look up to figure out what is actually wrong with your system. The card comes with a code manual, which will assist you with this process. The Desktop Motherboard Diagnostic Card plugs into your computer's ISA (industry standard architecture) or PCI slot. The card must be plugged into these slots before you turn on your computer. Once on, the card will run the test on the computer. The program will let you know why your system will not start, and it will also figure out why your motherboard is dead. Codes will display on both sides of the diagnostic card.
PerformanceTest
The PerformanceTest comes with a 30-day trial version so that you may try the software before you buy it. It is compatible with Windows 2000, Server 2003, Server 2008, Windows XP and Windows 7, and it supports both 32- and 64-bit computer systems. The program runs tests on encrypted files, data compression (source codes) and math functions. It also performs tests on 2D and 3D graphics, CD-ROM drives, DVD drives and hard disks. The PerformanceTest runs tests on memory systems to determine how well they are performing and at what speed. The program will output information in graphs, and it also allows you to print out the results. You can also export information in the following formats: HTML (HyperText Markup Language), BMP (bitmap) and GIF (graphics interchange format).
