Have you owned any electronics devices that lasted for 9 years?
Clearly, it is quite unique to be able to own an item for so long, and have it not break on you. It really is quite a feat for something to be chugging along day in and day out without any hiccups, and still able to be productive on some level. I am of course talking about my desktop PC, where it's been going strong since December of 2014. My first gaming rig so far, and for the past decade it has been with me through ups and downs.
What struck me was that by running minimal maintenance, and not doing anything too risky, these products can live well past their rated warranty of 2 - 5 years. When diagnosing issues for PC hardware, it can always be a daunting challenge, since we might not have the right knowledge on how to even begin debugging such hardware issues.
Here are my go-to tips for diagnosing traditional desktop PCs. As always, before doing any form of self-maintenance, you must ensure that you are aware of the risks of handling sensitive electronics, such as grounding yourself appropriately and being careful not to touch sensitive and potentially dangerous components such as capacitors.
For no boot scenarios (systems which do not immediately boot into Operating System)
-
Always consult the motherboard's manual for bootcode errors & led indicators. Sometimes, these built-in indicators can diagnose such boot problems in seconds without much issue. Another way to know is via boot code beeps reference in the motherboard manual as well. And as always, ensure that you are referencing the latest digital copy of the motherboard which you have on hand.
-
Reseat and remount easily accessible components first. Usual targets for these are RAM, GPU and any data drives connected to the motherboard.
-
Clear the system timer to prevent any cached boot errors from remaining in the system. Follow the specific instructions on the motherboard for doing so, which usually involves repeating some jumpers temporarily on the motherboard. Else, reseat the system timer battery to make sure that the system clock is fully flushed.
For systems which is able to POST (Able to enter BIOS and Operating System)
-
Ensure that all wired connections have been attached securely.
-
If the system continually restarts on boot, make sure that only the essential hardware is plugged in (monitor display & keyboard).
Tips for PC care
Usually doing these steps and hopefully resolve any issues relating to a previously functional desktop PC. Of course, running year / bi-yearly maintenance helps with the overall longevity of the system, so here are some tips for that as well!
-
Make sure to place the desktop in a location where there's sufficient airflow if possible so that the system is able to take in air and exhaust air properly.
-
Cleaning the fans of dust using canned air is one of the easiest ways to ensure that the system will not have any build up of dust which can hamper thermal performance and longevity.
-
When deploying a new system, ensure that it is stable by running stress testing on CPU and GPU.
-
For CPU testing, test with Prime95 with small FFTs settings.
-
For GPU testing, run 3DMark stress test.
Preferably, run both loads at the same time for 4 hours if possible under the desired operating configurations to confirm that the system runs without crashing. Be aware that running such a stress test will consume large amounts of power for extended periods of time, ensure that you are monitoring the system for temperature & power consumption via programs such as CPU-Z.