Diagnostic tools for computer problems are divided into hardware and software. Hardware tools include power supply testers, POST boards, and loop-back plugs. Software tools include antivirus programs and system monitoring software. Both types of tools are often used together to diagnose and repair computers.
A wide variety of diagnostic tools are needed to diagnose and repair computer problems. Diagnostic tools are divided into two main types, hardware and software. Hardware diagnostic tools are usually physical devices designed to determine the condition of various hardware components in your computer. Software diagnostic tools are computer programs used, inside or outside a system, to determine the causes of software and hardware malfunctions within the computer software and hardware. Both software and hardware tools must often be used in diagnosing and repairing computers.
A power supply tester is a hardware diagnostic tool used to determine if a computer’s power supply is functioning properly. There are several types that not only work in different ways, but are sometimes only built for specific types of power supplies. By connecting the tester directly to the power supply, the user can test computer power supplies and diagnose specific faults, usually via an LCD screen.
Another hardware diagnostic tool is the power-on self test (POST) board or the basic input-output system (BIOS) POST board. These are mostly used to figure out why a computer won’t boot. The user can insert the card into a computer’s expansion slot, through which it receives a two-digit error code from the computer’s BIOS. These tools will not work if your computer’s BIOS is malfunctioning.
Loop-back plugs, or adapters, are another type of hardware tool. These simple devices are sockets designed for many of a computer’s specific ports. Once connected, they will emit simple electronic signals that the user can decode to find various computer bugs while performing electronic tests. There are many more specialized hardware tools, some of which only work with certain computer systems.
An important example of a software diagnostic tool is a type of program used on most computers today, the antivirus program. This is a type of tool that is used to continuously monitor a computer system for viruses and other computer problems and attempt to fix them should they arise. Anti-spyware programs are similar and diagnose computers to see if they contain unwanted programs primarily designed to cause harm.
Many other computer software diagnostic tools are built to test and adjust many aspects of a computer system. Some, for example, will monitor the temperature of various hardware components and let you know when they’re overheated, or increase various fan speeds to compensate. Many similar diagnostic tools run on computers from the time they are started up until they are shut down and many of these are referred to as computer services.
These other system monitoring software tools can check your hard drives, RAM, system logs, and more for errors. When a malfunctioning computer needs to be tested with software, it is often done from an external computer, such as a laptop. A repair technician’s laptop is typically loaded with several of these diagnostic tools, so that the diagnostic computer can itself be a diagnostic tool.
Protect your devices with Threat Protection by NordVPN
