how to test your PC for hardware failure Run an SFC Scan

 

You must be an administrator running a console session in order to

use the sfc utility.

C:\Windows\System32>sfc/scannow

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Running an SFC scan is a good step to check and repair Windows system files that might be causing issues. However, note that SFC (System File Checker) focuses on system file integrity, not on testing your PC hardware like RAM, CPU, or drives directly.

Here’s how to run an SFC scan on Windows:

How to Run an SFC Scan

1. Open Command Prompt as Administrator:

   • Press Windows Key, type cmd.

   • Right-click on Command Prompt and select Run as administrator.

2. Run the SFC command:

   • Type this command and press Enter:

     bash
     sfc /scannow
     

3. Wait for the scan to complete:

   • The scan will check the integrity of system files.

   • It may take several minutes.

   • If corrupt files are found, it will attempt to repair them automatically.

4. Review results:

   • After completion, you’ll see a message:

     • No integrity violations found.

     • Found corrupt files and repaired them.

     • Found corrupt files but couldn’t repair some/all.

If repairs fail, you might need to use DISM commands or perform further troubleshooting.

---

Other Hardware Testing Tools

Since SFC only checks Windows system files, if you want to test hardware for failure, consider:

• RAM: Use Windows Memory Diagnostic or MemTest86.

• Hard Drive/SSD: Use CHKDSK or manufacturer-specific tools like CrystalDiskInfo or drive manufacturer’s diagnostic tools.

• CPU: Use stress-testing software like Prime95.

• GPU: Use stress tests like FurMark.