How to find out which of the computer components is causing the problem

 

Finding out if your computer problem is hardware or software is only the first step. In the event that you discover that the problem is in the software, you can intervene in solving it thanks to the existence of many ways that lead to this, for example, reinstalling Windows or whatever operating system it is.

 

If you are dealing with a hardware issue that is not related to the operating system or a specific program, the next step is to determine which piece of computer hardware is the cause to work on fixing it and making the computer operate normally.

 

You don't need to worry about this. If you bought a new laptop or pre-assembled desktop computer from HP, Dell, or Lenovo and it's still under warranty, you can ask the manufacturer to fix that computer.

 

If not and you've assembled a computer yourself or the hardware is old and out of warranty, finding out which component of the computer is causing the problem is your concern.

 

And if you need help, you're in the right place as we list a range of ways to thoroughly test your computer's components and check which parts are generating problems and errors.

 

Facing blue screen? Find the error code

 

It is possible that the causes of the blue screen problem in recent versions of Windows are caused by a defect in one of the hardware components of the computer.

 

This may seem like a well-known piece of information, but searching online for the blue screen error message can go a long way in solving the problem, or at least figuring out which of your computer components is causing it to appear in the first place.

 

Let's say, for example, that you encounter a blue screen while working on the computer and then find that the problem code in front of the Stop code part is "SYSTEM_THREAD_EXCEPTION_NOT_HANDLED", this indicates a problem with identifying the graphics card, and by doing a quick search on Google using this code through any other device It will enable you to find out exactly the real cause and how to solve it. As a result, you will now have a place to start solving the problem.

 

Check hard disk status

 

Hard disks contain a technology called S.M.A.R.T (short for Self-Monitoring, Analysis, and Reporting Technology) that aims to monitor and measure many factors and warn the user if the hard disk is about to fail so that he has the opportunity to save his priceless data from loss. Still, like any other technology, it's not perfect, as the hard drive can crash even if I tell you that everything is fine.

 

However, suppose you suspect that the problem you are experiencing on your computer is related to the hard disk. In that case, you can use tools that specialize in reading the information provided by S.M.A.R.T to see if it is in good enough condition or if it has problems that may be the root cause of your trial now and thus You should plan to replace it with another one.

 

Perhaps the best of these tools is the free CrystalDiskInfo. After running it, it will give you a complete and detailed report on the status of the hard drive, as well as information on the operating power and supported technologies...etc. Note that it works on all types of fixed storage units, whether SSD, M.2, or HDD.

 

RAM test

 

Any failure or corruption in the random access memory, or as it is known as "RAM" can lead to a range of different problems, which of course hinder the normal operation of the computer.

 

This can be done if the computer writes data to the RAM, but this data is not returned as required due to a defect in it, then you may see an error message when you run a program, a blue screen may appear, or the operating system files are corrupted, preventing it from booting as it is usual.

 

But how can you be sure of that? One way is to test the RAM by writing the data to each memory sector and reading it again, if they match, that means the memory is working correctly.

 

Check the temperature levels of each piece

 

One of the things that you should also take into account is the temperature level of the computer because overheating results in too many problems such as a blue screen, complete device failure, or sudden shutdown while working.

 

There are many reasons that cause overheating, such as your computer being in a very hot place and not having proper ventilation, because the internal cooling fan has stopped working, or it is full of dust and dirt.

 

Fortunately, computers can monitor the internal temperature of the components and the user can access this information either by entering the BIOS or through external programs such as SpeedFan or Speccy, where they show you the actual temperature level of the most important parts of the computer, and in turn, you should Keep these degrees not close to the manufacturer's recommended limit so you don't kill your computer completely!

 

If your computer is overheating, problems may start to appear when you are doing heavy work like playing a video game that puts a lot of load on the processor and graphics card. So be sure to constantly monitor the temperature rise whenever you do massive work and not just when the device is idle.

 

Perform a stress test on the processor

 

You can use Prime95 to perform a pressure test on the processor in your device and see its tolerance and the maximum performance that can be reached.

 

The program will not be able to perform any tests. The principle of operation of this program is based on directing the processor to perform complex calculations to work at maximum speed and generate heat.

 

If the processor temperature exceeds the permissible limit, you will start seeing errors, system crashes, and shutdowns involuntarily. This program is usually used after performing the process of overclocking the processor so that it is ensured that the new operating frequency maintains the stability of the processor, and if this is not the case, it is returned to the last frequency where the processor was working without a problem. However, it is a good way to check if your CPU is stable and working properly or if it is outdated and you should consider upgrading.

 

Run a stress test on the graphics card

 

We do not rule out the graphics card as one of the reasons for the occurrence of the problem you are experiencing on your computer, especially if it is related to playing games.

 

For example, if the graphics card driver crashes while playing games, or it crashes itself, or you see cracks in the frames and the graphics look weird, you can run a test on the graphics card to check its efficiency, with the help of a tool called 3DMark where you will run some tasks that require high effort from the graphics card.

 

If it overheats or fails to complete the test, you will see errors such as 3DMark stuck or a blue screen appearing. Whereas, if the test finishes without problems but you still can't run a particular game, the problem may be with that game.

 

This is not a complete guide on the problems caused by computer components and how to check them, one can make a whole book on identifying which hardware components are failing and how to diagnose them, and still, it does not cover everything. But we have at least tried to list all the tips enough to give you a chance to know where to start to deal with the most common hardware problems.