Mastering the Art of Running Hardware Diagnostics on Windows 10
As technology continues to advance, it's becoming increasingly important to keep your devices in top shape. Regular maintenance, including hardware diagnostics, can help you identify and fix potential problems before they turn into bigger issues. In this article, we'll show you how to run hardware diagnostics on Windows 10, so you can ensure the longevity and performance of your devices.
1. Prepare Your Device for Diagnostics
Before running any hardware diagnostics, make sure you have the necessary resources and permissions set up. Here are some steps to get started:
a. Update Your Device Drivers: Outdated or incompatible device drivers can cause performance issues and conflicts with hardware diagnostic tools. Visit the manufacturer's website and look for the latest drivers for your device. Install them using the built-in Driver Easy tool (if available) or manually.
b. Create System Restore Point: Before performing any hardware diagnostics, create a system restore point to safeguard against unexpected system failures or data loss. Go to Settings > Update & Security > Recovery > Create a Restore Point.
c. Close Unnecessary Programs and Services: Running hardware diagnostics can put a strain on your device's resources. Close any unnecessary programs and services before starting the diagnostic process. To do this, pressCtrl +Shift +Esc to open the Task Manager, and then close any non-essential processes or services.
2. Access the Hardware Diagnostics Tool
Once your device is prepared, access the hardware diagnostics tool by following these steps:
a. PressWin +X to open the Quick Link Tiles menu. Select "Device Manager" from the list, or search for "Device Manager" using the search bar at the top right corner of the window.
b. Expand the "System Devices" section in Device Manager. Look for a device category related to your hardware, such as "Network adapters" or "Printers." Right-click on the device you want to diagnose and select "Properties."
c. Click on the "Hardware IRQs" tab in the Properties window. Note the IRQ number(s) listed for your device. You'll need this information later to configure additional settings during the diagnostic process. If no IRQ numbers are listed, try restarting your computer and checking again later.
3. Run a Boot Test (Optional)
A boot test can help you identify issues that occur during startup or shutdown. It's recommended only if you're experiencing persistent issues with your device's boot process or suspect hardware failure. To run a boot test, follow these steps:
a. Insert a bootable USB drive with the Windows 10 installation media (such as an ISO file). Open File Explorer and navigate to the folder containing the ISO file. Right-click the ISO file and select "Mount Volume." A new window should appear with a mounted disk icon next to it.
b. Double-click on this disk icon and open its root directory (usually called "Windows"). Inside this directory, find and open an empty folder called "boottest" (or a similar name). Copy all files from this folder into a new empty folder named "boottest_backup" within the same directory. This will serve as a backup in case anything goes wrong during the boot test process.
c. Right-click on an empty space inside the root directory of the mounted volume and select "New -> Text Document." Name this document "boottest" (or similar), then right-click on it and select "Open With -> Notepad++" or another text editor of your choice. In Notepad++, pressCtrl +F to open a find/replace dialog, and enter "bootmgr" in the Find What field. Then click on the Replace All button to delete any existing references to "bootmgr" in the text file. Close Notepad++ without saving changes.
d. Open an administrative command prompt by pressingWin +X, then selecting "Command Prompt (Admin)" from the list. Typebcdedit at the command prompt and press Enter
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