Most Prefered Diagnostic portable software is...

[MarkIT]

Greetings Techies,

I was wondering what other techs use as far as diagnostic software. Currently I use either TuneUp Utilities or my recent one called Advance System Care which I'm trying out. Both are portable!

Any other ideas to find the 'best' one. Not looking for cheap but thorough.

thanks

 

[Xander]

I won't touch anything by ioBit since they stole MalwareBytes database a year or so ago. It's not really diagnostic as it is end-user level maintenance.

I don't know "Tuneup Utilities" but it sounds like the same kind of stuff.


The best diagnostic tool is learning how to diagnose it yourself. A crapbasket full of temp file cleaners and "registry defraggers" is not diagnostics.
Learn what affects what and why.

 

[Knightsman]

I use:
http://www.pc-diagnostics.com/

 

[MobileTechie]

I won't touch anything by ioBit since they stole MalwareBytes database a year or so ago. It's not really diagnostic as it is end-user level maintenance.

I don't know "Tuneup Utilities" but it sounds like the same kind of stuff.


The best diagnostic tool is learning how to diagnose it yourself. A crapbasket full of temp file cleaners and "registry defraggers" is not diagnostics.
Learn what affects what and why.

Yeah I wouldn't consider those products diagnostics but really just the usual cleanup. I don't see much evidence that reg cleaners do anything to be honest. If I use that sort of tool then I'll use CCleaner or Glary's.

 

[xzbackup]

Unless there is a problem that indicates the hard drive could be in danger, I dont run diagnostics on site with any programs/scripts. This is why :

Diagnostic scripts and programs simply take too long to deploy in the On Site Business IT arena. Customers want their workstations fixed quickly and efficiently so they experience the least amount of downtime possible. It also installs a large amount of faith when you can tell the customer over the phone what you think could be wrong with the workstation while your taking the service request.

The best diagnostic is experience and repetition. Most of the problems I encounter in the On Site arena are generally routine. Anything I cannot quickly fix onsite, I try to schedule a time during off hours to come back or take the machine to my shop for an overnighter.

 

[drickyd]

I have to agree with comments above that say experience is the best diagnostic, however, to that I will add that I also like to talk to the customer and ask what they were last doing before the problems started to appear. Generally they say 'nothing much', but a little gentle questioning usually reveals something like - "browsing xxxx websites"; "changing some settings"; "adding a programme"; "downloading xxxx"; looking at some files on my friends USB stick" etc etc. The more you can find out about even the most unlikely (to the customer at least) reasons/causes for what might have triggered a fault, the more clues you will have to where the problem may have its solution. It wont allways work for you, but sometimes it will pay dividends in time and effort.

 

[pcpickup]

I use an ubuntu live CD/USB to test computers all the time. I use it to check the smart status of the hard drive, confirm the hardware is working and the readability of the files on their hard drive.

I also get a lot of people who have brought in computers that have no signs of malware/virus but the NIC and or Wireless isn't working. A quick boot with ubuntu to confirm the network is working fine lets me know that their hardware is fine and that they have a windows problem. It is also good for solving the same issue with sound cards as it supports most all of them.

 

[Martyn]

I use an ubuntu live CD/USB to test computers all the time. I use it to check the smart status of the hard drive, confirm the hardware is working and the readability of the files on their hard drive.

I also get a lot of people who have brought in computers that have no signs of malware/virus but the NIC and or Wireless isn't working. A quick boot with ubuntu to confirm the network is working fine lets me know that their hardware is fine and that they have a windows problem. It is also good for solving the same issue with sound cards as it supports most all of them.

+1 for testing H/W with Ubuntu and showing up Windows driver issues.

 

[RegEdit]

PC Check 6.5 off Hiren's Boot CD

 

[ekrizon]

PC Check 6.5 off Hiren's Boot CD

I hope you have a paid license.

 

[J-Bob]

I won't touch anything by ioBit since they stole MalwareBytes database a year or so ago. It's not really diagnostic as it is end-user level maintenance.

I don't know "Tuneup Utilities" but it sounds like the same kind of stuff.


The best diagnostic tool is learning how to diagnose it yourself. A crapbasket full of temp file cleaners and "registry defraggers" is not diagnostics.
Learn what affects what and why.

Whoa, it was ioBit?
I remember that whole episode- glad you posted that.

I'm adding them to my blacklist, then, no company of quality would stoop to such a level.

 

[pauln375]

I also like PC Check and i do have the lic. Actually I still have the pci diagnostic card that the software originally came with. I always found it easier to diagnose most manually. But PC Check does an awesome in depth hard drive , memory and motherboard scan I.M.H.O.

 

[iisjman07]

I don't use an all in one package because they can often be expensive, but I use these diagnostic softwares frequently:

• Seagate SeaTools - for hard drive diagnostics
• MHDD - Low level hard drive diagnostic/repair software
• Hitachi Drive Fitness Test - for more hard drive diagnostics
• Memtest - memory diagnostics
• Ubuntu Live CD - linux distribution, can be used for various diagnostic purposes

 

[Rosco]

i use stopmau it is a bit expensive but it is a great tool!

 

[FoolishTech]

I have to agree with comments above that say experience is the best diagnostic, however, to that I will add that I also like to talk to the customer and ask what they were last doing before the problems started to appear. Generally they say 'nothing much', but a little gentle questioning usually reveals something like - "browsing xxxx websites"; "changing some settings"; "adding a programme"; "downloading xxxx"; looking at some files on my friends USB stick" etc etc. The more you can find out about even the most unlikely (to the customer at least) reasons/causes for what might have triggered a fault, the more clues you will have to where the problem may have its solution. It wont allways work for you, but sometimes it will pay dividends in time and effort.

I have to agree with this 100% customers themselves are often the best diagnostic. Combined with experience it's unstoppable.

EDIT to add that I agree with the above sentiments that IOBit is essentially crapware. I personally remove anything from that brand from customer's systems as part of my own tune up. Heh.

 

[PaulRome]

I use:
http://www.pc-diagnostics.com/

Do you also use their remote software?

If so your thoughts on it.


Thanks

 

[ISUStech]

I used to use PC Doctor... switched to Ultra X.

Sent from my Desire HD using Tapatalk

 

[adam12]

MHDD and MEMTEST for hardware diagnostics, as for the OS, just look at eventvwr and run a Malwarebytes quickscan.

Every computer that comes into our shop is required to have the hard drive and memory tested. When onsite we only test those items if we feel they could be causing the problem. I would love to test hard drives onsite, but people are not willing to pay per hour to have you watch a cursor go back and forth on a screen for 1-2 hours.

 

[qingpool]

For HDDs is also use the HDD tools on Hirens, it's convenient, i always know i have all the HDD testing tools in one place.

Mostly it's "eventvwr" + google first, keep an eye out for System and Application warnings and errors.