Whenever your Windows PC starts encountering random issues like frequent crashes, sudden slowdowns or unexpected shutdowns, you most probably think of the root cause. Whether it’s a hardware problem or a software problem, you can take the necessary steps to fix it and prevent it from happening again.
If you find yourself with a similar question, then in this article, we will be guiding you on how to check if it’s a Hardware or Software problem in Windows.
How to check if it’s a Hardware or Software problem in Windows
To determine whether it was a software or hardware issue, you can use Windows’ built-in Event Viewer. This utility tool keeps a detailed log of warnings, errors, and critical events that can help you figure out the root cause of a problem.
- Press Windows Key + X to access the quick menu and select Event Viewer.
- From the sidebar, select Windows Logs.
Checking Hardware Issues
To check for hardware issues that can cause problems like system crashes, blue screens or frequent starts, check the following:
- From Windows Logs, go to System.
- Look for entries marked as Critical or Error.
- Focus on logs with sources such as:
- Kernel-Power: Indicates unexpected shutdowns due to power failure or overheating.
- Disk: Signifies potential hard drive issues.
- NTFS: Shows file system corruption, often linked to disk problems.
- WHEA-Logger: Displays Windows Hardware Error Architecture logs, which point to CPU, RAM, or motherboard failures.
Depending on your hardware issue, you will need to take additional steps. For instance, if the issue is with your disk, running the chkdsk command is helpful.
Checking Software Issues
- From Windows Logs, go to Application.
- Look for error logs related to:
- Application Error: Indicates a software crash.
- .NET Runtime: Shows issues with .NET applications.
- User Profile Service: Points to login and profile-related failures.
Apart from these, check for Event IDs to get additional quality. You can view the Event ID by clicking on any event, and then you can search for the Event ID online to find a detailed explanation and fix.
By using Event Viewer, you can quickly determine whether you have a hardware or software issue. Also, once you find an error, you can always search for it online to get a full explanation or find a suitable fix.
