Hardware diagnostics tools for desktops.

[Ratsalad]

Hi
I'm looking for platform independent (preferably) diagnostic test that can test memory, peripherals (if possible), motherboard, chip, network card etc to troubleshoot desktop PC's that goes slow, freezes or shows other signs that something is wrong.
Any suggestions?

 

[noswal]

Spinrite (www.grc.com) will diagnose your Bios, drive temp, and of course the integrity of your hard disk.
Memtest (www.memtest.org) does an extensive test of memory
Freshdiagnose (www.freshdevices.com/downfiles.html) lots of tests, benchmarks etc.

 

[kilos]

Checkout http://www.micro2000.co.uk they offer
a range of software and hardware based devices
ie the PostProbe

 

[wizzard]

http://www.sisoftware.co.uk/ has a nice tool that tests a whole range of stuff too, and they let you check your results against preset alternatives (ie checking your processor against the AMD or Intel equilevant). Free and paid versions, although the free one is fine for most people's needs.

 

[Conspirator]

Memtest rocks like nothing else. I ran it on a PC today (not mine) and got 131000 errors. In my infinite wisdom I concluded that the RAM must be fvcked. I'll check out spinrite and grc too.

 

[bwana]

Spinrite (www.grc.com) will diagnose your Bios, drive temp, and of course the integrity of your hard disk.
Memtest (www.memtest.org) does an extensive test of memory
Freshdiagnose (www.freshdevices.com/downfiles.html) lots of tests, benchmarks etc.

Does Spinrite fully support SATA yet? It saved my bacon wrt a failed sata laptop drive recently but iirc there was a message saying it would be supported in a later version?

 

[killadoob]

pcmark is pretty good for alot of different tests

 

[Aqox]

Ultimate Boot CD - download for free, got about 40 hardware testing applications on it, boot from CD

 

[spiderz]

for memory test, just boot a kubuntu cd and use their memory test. very good

 

[Conspirator]

The Ultimate Boot CD sounds interesting.

 

[Ratsalad]

Yes, thanks.
Found it here http://www.ultimatebootcd.com
Looks like a collection of utilities inside an ISO.
Thanks for all the help, I'm working my way through them all.