CPU and mobo test software

[Softus]

Has anyone come across any utility software that will test CPU and motherboard functions to help track down what I believe to be a hardware fault?

I'm looking for something that doesn't require any operating system, i.e. which will boot and run (much like Microsoft's RAM tester, for example). This is because no operating system will run, hence I'm trying to eliminate probably causes first before replacing any hardware.

I'm not looking for anything free - I have no problem buying software if it will do what I need.

Tia

 

[eggplant]

Whats your budget

I use a range of things, a PHD PCI card is great for diagnostics but they aint cheap.
Pccheck is also good (havnt used later versions, mine is old) It comes with various cables to help test ports on the pc, mine doesnt do usb lol thats how old my one is! I might invest in the latest one at some stage.
The 2 above are both very good, and if you do a lot of repairs then IMO worth the money, for the odd pc at home though I would think the cost would be too much.


UBCD is a cd full of free test utils and stuff, I mainly use it for disk diags as has most major manufacturers diags on the cd and is easier than having one for each, it also has various other useful things on it. Do a search for UBCD, theres a few versions knocking about. Erm it has memory tests on but the only thing to do with CPU's is utils to identify them.
Another one is Tufftest, they do a free version but I think it runs out after a while, its not dear though and is pretty good.

Should give you a bit to go on, if you want any more let me know and I'll go through my stuff and get some more links, I forgets what I have till I come to need it if that makes sense!

 

[Igorian]

Checkit Pro used to be ok for that kind of stuff. I've also used Microscope, which is good, but like most of the pro stuff, a bit pricey.

What kind of problem are you getting, BSOD on install?

 

[Softus]

Thanks eggplant.

I'm almost at the end of the road without the use of an active test card.

The symptoms are that nothing appears on the display when booting various standalone utilities, Windows Setup CD, Bart PE, and Tufftest (on a floppy).

The only difference between this and a dead PC is that the MS standalone RAM tester (on a CD) runs, and shows RAM to be working fine, and the Dell Diagnostic CD. And you can change the CMOS settings. That's it though.

 

[Igorian]

Try a PCI graphic card, if you have one.

 

[Softus]

Thanks Igorian, for both of your posts.

I've narrowed down the misbehaviour - it now occurs only when either of the two hard disks is connected. One of these is brand new and the customer claims that he formatted is using the Dell utilities.

I've changed the IDE (80-pin) cable, and tried both IDE ports, but the consistent picture is that the IDE optical drives work, but not the IDE hard drives. I can now boot to Bart PE, and this shows another symptom, which is that the PC can't read any files from the floppy drive.

I don't know enough about the relationship between HDD and FDD controllers on the motherboard, but the only logical conclusion I can reach with the information that I do have is that the motherboard is faulty.

 

[eggplant]

Hi,

Can you confirm it happens when ANY hard drive is connected?
Might sound obvious but have you checked the bios to make sure that the HDD settings havnt been set manually and incorrectly, same for floppy (and of course the floppy cable and floppy power cable are on the right way!) . Also obvious but are the jumpers on the HDD's right, there are some odd ones where you need to remove (or set) a jumper if the mater has a slave present.
You could try booting from the disk manufacturers boot disk/cd (assuming you are able to boot from the disk of course)

 

[Softus]

Can you confirm it happens when ANY hard drive is connected?

Yup - when any HDD is connected the results are as follows:

1. Will not boot from HDD.
2. Is capable of booting from a bootable CD, but only some.
3. If the software on a CD (once booted) tries to access a HDD, then the machine locks.

Might sound obvious but have you checked the bios to make sure that the HDD settings havnt been set manually and incorrectly, same for floppy (and of course the floppy cable and floppy power cable are on the right way!).

Yes - I had already verified that all of those things were correct. BTW, this is a customer's machine that started exhibiting the symptoms out of the blue - he claims that the case hadn't been opened, and I have no reason to doubt him. All the indications, both before and after I collected it, are that a hardware component has failed. It's just that I don't know which component, so the next step is to replace the motherboard.

Also obvious but are the jumpers on the HDD's right, there are some odd ones where you need to remove (or set) a jumper if the mater has a slave present.

Only one HDD is installed at a time. I've tried different IDE cables, including CS types, and have set the jumper accordingly each time.

You could try booting from the disk manufacturers boot disk/cd (assuming you are able to boot from the disk of course)

It won't boot from the manufacturer's boot CD - it just hangs at an early stage.

 

[eggplant]

Have you tried a known working hard drive ? see if still locks when booting from a cd? or vice versa, put one of these drives in a working machine see if exhibits similar probs, just to get another thing out of the equation.

 

[Softus]

Have you tried a known working hard drive ? see if still locks when booting from a cd? or vice versa, put one of these drives in a working machine see if exhibits similar probs, just to get another thing out of the equation.

Indeed I have - both of those experiments!

 

[eggplant]

An I assume that the drives from the faulty machine didnt have any problems in a good machine and likewise a good drive had the same probs in the faulty one.
I also assume you dont have another board handy.
Obviously at some stage you have to say that too much time has been spent and before long the cost in time isnt going to be worth the repair or is going to be excessive to the customer.
What board/cpu is it? are we talking high spec board or a £30 Asrock? I think what I'd do is swap out PSU (I know - not likely bet thats then out of the equation for piece of mind) Ram, HDD and VGA cards been swapped out only leaves cpu and / or board. Out of the 2 I'd put my money on the board. Now depending on the spec, I'd either then replace the board, or if its an older machine, decide wheter or not a new board AND cpu would be a better option - this would do 2 things - give the customer an upgrade, and also eliminate sods law whereby if you bought a board it would be the cpu at fault!

 

[Igorian]

Yes, I too would isolate the board + CPU by using a new PSU, RAM, HD etc.
The lack of floppy drive is concerning, because this is part of the basic BIOS function, and is generally always available for flash purposes. Is there any physical damage to the board, in particular are the electrolytics around the CPU area showing signs of swelling?

What board, BIOS is it?

 

[Softus]

Thanks to both of you, once again, for your support.

I have no evidence that the floppy drive has ever worked, and I'm treating that problem with only marginal interest.

I've already tested the RAM, and I don't have any spares because they're RIMMs.

I've also tested the PSU - one of the first things that I did.

The PC is a Dell Dimension; there's no sign of physical damage on the mobo. I can't afford to spend any more time on it so I'm going to contact Dell to find out the cost of a replacement.

 

[Igorian]

I find just replacing m/bs can cause (yourself) some headaches, with other things starting to die shortly after and the customer insisting it was all ok before the m/b was changed. If it was a newer machine, I might consider it, but this sounds like an old baby.

New machine might be more economical in the long run.

 

[gcol]

I agree, when it's nothing obvious - just explain that it could cost a fair amount to correctly diagnose the fault and as such you recommend replacement. Saves the headache and gets the customer a shiney new PC.