PC Diagnostics

No matter how well built your PC is and how well written its software, something is eventually going to go wrong, and you might not always have a support system available to resolve the problem. Diagnostic software can be vitally important to you anytime your computer malfunctions or you are in the process of upgrading a system component or especially building an entirely new system from scratch. This chapter examines the types of diagnostics software available, and particularly those utilities you might already own because they are included with common operating systems and hardware products.

You also might find that your system problems are caused by a hardware malfunction and that you must open the computer case to perform repairs. This chapter also examines the tools and testers used to upgrade and repair PCsboth the basic items every user should own and some of the more advanced devices.

Of course, the best way to deal with a problem is to prevent it from occurring in the first place. The preventive maintenance sections of this chapter describe the procedures you should perform on a regular basis to keep your system in good working order. This chapter describes several levels of diagnostic software that are either included with your system or available from your system manufacturer and third parties. This chapter describes how you can get the most from this software. It also details the various ROM BIOS audio codes and error codes and examines aftermarket diagnostics and public-domain diagnostic software.