How to Check If Your Computer Hardware is Failing (Simple Guide)

 

🛠️ How to Check if Your Computer Hardware is Failing | Simple Guide for Beginners

 

🧠 Why Checking Hardware Matters

Computer hardware can fail due to age, overheating, power issues, or manufacturing defects. If your system behaves strangely — slow speed, crashes, or overheating — it may be due to failing hardware.

In this article, you’ll learn how to check if your computer hardware is failing, including RAM, hard drive, power supply, GPU, and motherboard.

 

🔍 Common Signs of Hardware Failure

Here are general symptoms that may signal hardware problems:

Problem	Possible Hardware Issue
Random crashes or blue screens	RAM or CPU
Slow loading or file corruption	Hard drive
No display or beeping on startup	GPU, RAM, or Motherboard
Frequent restarts	Power Supply or Overheating
Burning smell or clicking sounds	PSU or Hard drive

 

If you notice any of these, it’s time to run some checks.

 

 

 
💾 1. How to Check if RAM is Failing

🔹 Common Signs:

• Blue screen errors (BSOD)
• Random reboots
• Apps crashing often
• System won’t boot properly

🛠 How to Test:

• Use Windows Memory Diagnostic Tool
1. Press Windows + R
2. Type mdsched.exe and press Enter
3. Choose “Restart now and check for problems”
• Use MemTest86 (Advanced Users)
  Create a bootable USB and test each RAM stick.

Tip: Try removing one RAM stick at a time to test if one is faulty.

 

💽 2. How to Check if Hard Drive is Failing

🔹 Common Signs:

• Very slow system performance
• Clicking or grinding noises
• Files disappearing or getting corrupted
• System not booting

🛠 How to Test:

• Use Windows CHKDSK
1. Open Command Prompt as admin
2. Type: chkdsk C: /f /r
3. Press Enter (may ask to restart)
• Use CrystalDiskInfo (Free Tool)

• Shows drive health using SMART data (Good, Caution, Bad)

Tip: Always back up important data if your drive shows any errors.

 

🔌 3. How to Check if Power Supply (SMPS) is Failing

🔹 Common Signs:

• Computer shuts down randomly
• Won’t turn on at all
• Fan doesn’t spin
• Burning smell or electric buzz

🛠 How to Test:

• Use a PSU tester (or multimeter for advanced users)
• Try replacing with another working PSU

Tip: Cheap power supplies can damage other components too. Always invest in a good-quality one.

 

🧱 4. How to Check if Motherboard is Failing

🔹 Common Signs:

• Computer not turning on
• No power to keyboard/mouse
• Beeping sounds (BIOS error codes)
• USB ports or RAM slots not working

🛠 How to Test:

• Visual Inspection: Look for burnt areas, bulging capacitors
• Listen for Beep Codes:
  Different patterns indicate different problems (RAM, GPU, etc.)
• Check with Minimum Boot:
  Remove all components except CPU, 1 RAM stick, and power. See if it boots.

Tip: Beep codes vary by BIOS (AMI, Award, etc.), so check your motherboard manual or website.

 

🎮 5. How to Check if GPU is Failing

🔹 Common Signs:

• No display on screen
• Artifacts (weird colors or shapes)
• Crashes when opening games or videos
• Fan spinning abnormally

🛠 How to Test:

• Use a different GPU if available
• Try integrated graphics (if your CPU has it)
• Use GPU stress test tools like FurMark (for advanced users)

Tip: Clean dust from GPU and check for overheating issues before replacing it.

 

🧯 6. Extra Tips for Diagnosing Hardware Issues

• Check Event Viewer
• Type eventvwr in Run (Windows + R)
• Look under “System” for hardware-related errors
• Temperature Monitoring Tools:
• Use HWMonitor, CoreTemp, or Speccy to check for overheating
• BIOS/UEFI Health Tools
• Some motherboards show fan speed, temperature, and voltage issues in BIOS

 

✅ What to Do If You Suspect Hardware Failure

1. Back up your important data immediately
2. Try to isolate the issue by testing one component at a time
3. Replace the faulty part if possible
4. Take it to a technician if unsure — don’t risk permanent damage

 

🔚 Conclusion

Detecting hardware issues early can save your data, prevent damage, and reduce repair costs. You don’t have to be an expert — just watch for signs and use the tools mentioned above.

Your computer gives warning signs before it fails — listen to them, and you’ll avoid big problems later.

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