testing motherboard

[jasglover]

hi, I'm new to using the PC-Doctor v7.5 and I have yet to find a problem using this kit.

so i've decided to try again.
I've plugged in the PCI POST Card in one of my motherboards.

this is what is read on the card:

MHz: 33
-12V: -12.3
+12V: 11.7
I/O: 4.9
Auxiliary: 3.4
+3.3V: 3.3
+5V: 5

can someone tell me what these numbers mean?
thanks.
what does this information

[fwilson]

jasglover,

These are the voltages and speed of your PCI bus.  The card will also display POST codes as the machine is booting.

-Fred

[jasglover]

Thanks,

the computer doesn't boot or run through POST

are the values i'm receiving on the card correct?

[fwilson]

jasglover,

The values are whithin tollerance.  If it does not POST or display any POST codes this system is dying earlu on in the process.  You should check and reseat all socketed chips including the CPU and retest.  If it won't even start to POST there is little any diagnostics software or hardware can do.

-Fred

[jasglover]

ok, so basically, what can this kit test?
i have the 7.5 version.

a couple days ago, I had a computer telling me that the hard drive had Bad blocks.  I ran tests on a hard drive using the kit, but no errors came up.

[fwilson]

jasglover,

I cant test dead computers that won't even begin to POST, nothing can, at least for less money than a small car. I'm not sure how to answer the "ok, so basically, what can this kit test?" question, all the tests are listed in the documentation.

Applying deductive reasoning, the POST card tells us the voltages are correct on the PCI BUS and that it's running at the proper speed.  The system doesn't even begin to post so a look at the vendors site on BIOS recovery methods may be in order.  If it did start to POST but hung at a particular POST code you would start looking into what could cause that.

As far as the hard drive issue.  I'm not sure how the computer told you it had bad blocks. If it was during a chkdsk the block would have been marked as bad and avoided.  PC-Doctor runs physical tests on the drive as well as queries the SMART log portion of the drive.  If no errors were uncovered during the PC-Doctor read sector by sector tests and the hard drive SMART logs have not been tripped the drive is OK.

PC-Doctor is a tool and like any tool it will help you fix problems.

-Fred

[jasglover]

ok thanks.

I'll continue to test this kit.  I guess what i expected out of this kit was that it would tell exactly what was wrong (any problem), but I guess nothing does that.

the computer kept giving the blue screen of death at random times in windows, so i ran checkdisk, it found bad blocks and fixed them, but i tried to clone the disk, and then ghost gave me an error saying there was a problem with the drive and will not continue.

as for the motherboard that wouldn't post, I knew it was bad because it was a dell machine and it had the blinking amber light when i turned it on, so I just wanted to see what the card would tell me.

[fwilson]

jasglover,

Try running a windows defragment on the drive.  Dos chkdsk will remap blocks but windows may not be happy about it.  I would also run a complete memory test, in DOS. I have seen times when the Disk and controller are fine but data is scrambled im memory causing apparent disk issues whe in fact it is memory related.

-Fred