Thumb-drive friendly, Windows hardware health check toolkit using Sysinternals applications
A no-install PowerShell solution that runs a curated set of Sysinternals and Windows hardware diagnostics tools, then produces: Clean Summary Report (human-readable, de-noised) and Detailed Report (cleaned tool outputs). Perfect for field diagnostics, baseline health checks, and handoff reports to clients.
- 🖱️ One-click Menu or Autorun — interactive menu or
-AutoRunparameter - 🧹 Output Cleaner — removes banners, EULA text, usage blocks for readable reports
- 🧠 Comprehensive Tests — CPU, RAM, Disk, GPU, Network, OS Health, Windows Update status
- 🎮 Enhanced GPU Testing — Multi-GPU support, NVIDIA/AMD vendor tools, display configuration
- 🗂️ Smart Reporting — timestamped Summary + Detailed TXT reports with actionable recommendations
- 📦 Fully Portable — run from USB; no installation required
- 🧰 Graceful Degradation — missing tools detected and skipped automatically with helpful messages
- 🔐 Robust Elevation Handling — reliable admin detection (Windows Home compatible)
- 📥 Auto-Download Tools — built-in Sysinternals Suite downloader (no manual setup needed!)
- 🔄 Windows Update Integration — checks pending updates, history, and service status
- ⚡ Modern PowerShell — uses CIM instances (not deprecated WMI) for better performance
- 🛡️ Tool Integrity Verification — digital signature checking for Sysinternals tools
- OS: Windows 10/11 (Windows Server supported)
- PowerShell: 5.1+ or PowerShell 7
- Permissions: Administrator rights recommended (some tests require elevation)
- Internet: Only needed for auto-download feature (optional)
- Sysinternals Tools: Auto-downloadable via launcher or manual installation
- GPU Tools (Optional): NVIDIA drivers (nvidia-smi), AMD drivers, GPU-Z
📂 SystemTester/
├── 📄 SystemTester.ps1 # Main PowerShell script
├── 📄 SystemTester.bat # Batch launcher (recommended)
├── 📄 README.md # This file
├── 📄 LICENSE # MIT License
├── 📂 Sysinternals/ # Auto-created by launcher
│ ├── psinfo.exe
│ ├── coreinfo.exe
│ ├── pslist.exe
│ ├── handle.exe
│ ├── autorunsc.exe
│ └── ... (60+ other tools)
├── 📂 Tools/ # GPU testing tools (optional)
│ └── GPU-Z.exe # Downloaded via Option 6
└── 📂 Reports/ # Created when tests run
├── SystemTest_Clean_20250103_143022.txt
└── SystemTest_Detailed_20250103_143022.txt
- Download or clone this repository
- Run
SystemTester.bat(will request admin elevation) - Choose Option 5 to auto-download Sysinternals Suite (first time only)
- Choose Option 6 to set up GPU testing tools (optional)
- Choose Option 1 for interactive menu or Option 2 to run all tests
- Reports are saved in the script directory
# Interactive menu
powershell -ExecutionPolicy Bypass -File .\SystemTester.ps1
# Run all tests automatically
powershell -ExecutionPolicy Bypass -File .\SystemTester.ps1 -AutoRunIf Sysinternals tools are missing:
- Automatic: Use launcher Menu Option 5 to download (~35 MB)
- Manual: Download from live.sysinternals.com, extract to
.\Sysinternals\
For enhanced GPU testing:
- NVIDIA GPUs: Install latest NVIDIA drivers (includes nvidia-smi)
- AMD GPUs: Install latest AMD drivers
- GPU-Z (Optional): Use launcher Menu Option 6 → 1 to download
| # | Category | Description | Key Tools Used |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | System Information | OS details, computer info, clock resolution | psinfo, clockres, CIM queries |
| 2 | CPU Testing | Architecture, performance benchmarks, top processes | coreinfo, stress test, process analysis |
| 3 | RAM Testing | Memory capacity, modules, usage patterns | CIM queries, testlimit, performance counters |
| 4 | Storage Testing | Drives, fragmentation, performance, SMART data | du, contig, streams, read/write tests |
| 5 | Process Analysis | Running processes, handles, process tree | pslist, handle |
| 6 | Security Analysis | Autorun entries, startup items | autorunsc |
| 7 | Network Analysis | Active connections, adapter info | netstat, Get-NetAdapter |
| 8 | OS Health | System file integrity, component store | DISM, SFC |
| 9 | Storage SMART | Drive health, reliability counters | Get-PhysicalDisk, WMI SMART |
| 10 | SSD TRIM | TRIM enablement status | fsutil |
| 11 | Network Adapters | Link status, speed, IP addresses | Get-NetAdapter, Get-NetIPConfiguration |
| 12 | GPU (Enhanced) | Multi-GPU info, vendor tools, memory | CIM, dxdiag, nvidia-smi, GPU-Z |
| 12a | Basic GPU Info | Details, displays, drivers, DirectX, OpenGL | CIM queries, dxdiag |
| 12b | Vendor-Specific | NVIDIA/AMD metrics, temperatures, utilization | nvidia-smi, AMD registry |
| 12c | GPU Memory | VRAM capacity, usage, performance counters | CIM, performance counters |
| 13 | Power/Battery | Battery health, energy report | powercfg, WMI Battery |
| 14 | Hardware Events | WHEA error logs (last 7 days) | Event Viewer (WHEA-Logger) |
| 15 | Windows Update | Pending updates, history, service status | Windows Update COM API |
=========================================
SYSTEM TEST REPORT v2.1
CLEAN SUMMARY
=========================================
Date: 2025-01-03 14:30:22
Computer: DESKTOP-ABC123
Admin: YES
SUMMARY:
Total Tests: 32
Success: 30
Failed: 0
Skipped: 2
Success Rate: 93.8%
KEY FINDINGS:
-------------
SYSTEM:
OS: Microsoft Windows 11 Pro 10.0.22631
Architecture: 64-bit
Computer: DESKTOP-ABC123
Manufacturer: Dell Inc.
Model: XPS 15 9520
RAM: 32 GB
MEMORY:
Total RAM: 32 GB
Available: 18.5 GB
Used: 13.5 GB
Usage: 42.2%
DISK PERFORMANCE:
Write: 487.3 MB/s
Read: 523.1 MB/s
GPU:
Name: NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3060
Adapter RAM: 12 GB
Driver Version: 31.0.15.4601
RECOMMENDATIONS:
----------------
• GOOD: Low memory usage (42.2%) - plenty of RAM available
• INFO: GPU drivers are over 1 year old
→ Update to latest drivers for best performance
→ NVIDIA: GeForce Experience or nvidia.com
• WARNING: 15 pending Windows Updates
→ Install updates soon for security and stability
→ Schedule during non-working hours
• EXCELLENT: All tests passed successfully
→ System is operating normally
For detailed output, see: SystemTest_Detailed_20250103_143022.txt
The batch launcher (SystemTester.bat) provides:
- Run Interactive Menu — Select individual tests (includes GPU sub-options)
- Run ALL Tests Automatically — Complete system scan with auto-report
- Fix PowerShell Execution Policy — Set CurrentUser to RemoteSigned
- Verify Tool Integrity — Check digital signatures and file sizes
- Download/Update Sysinternals Suite — Auto-download from Microsoft (~35 MB)
- GPU Testing Tools Manager — NEW! Download and manage GPU testing tools
- GPU-Z installation assistant
- NVIDIA tools verification (nvidia-smi)
- AMD driver detection
- Tool recommendations (FurMark, 3DMark, etc.)
- Help / Troubleshooting — Comprehensive troubleshooting guide
- Exit — Close launcher
When you select GPU testing in the PowerShell menu, you can:
- 12 - Run all GPU tests (comprehensive)
- 12a - Basic GPU info only (fastest, ~3-5 seconds)
- 12b - Vendor-specific tools (NVIDIA-SMI, AMD)
- 12c - GPU memory testing
Solution: Use launcher Menu Option 5 to auto-download, or manually download from live.sysinternals.com
Solution: Use launcher Menu Option 3, or run: Set-ExecutionPolicy RemoteSigned -Scope CurrentUser -Force
Solution: Right-click launcher and choose "Run as administrator"
Solution: Ensure Windows Update service is running; may require administrator rights
Solution:
- For NVIDIA: Install latest drivers from nvidia.com
- For AMD: Install latest drivers from amd.com/support
- nvidia-smi is included with NVIDIA drivers
- Some GPU tests don't require special tools and should always work
Expected: Some tests are intentionally slow:
- CPU Performance: 10 seconds
- Power/Energy Report: 15 seconds (admin only)
- Windows Update Search: 30-90 seconds
- DISM/SFC Scans: 5-15 minutes each (admin only)
- DirectX Diagnostics (dxdiag): Up to 45 seconds
- Admin Rights: Required for DISM, SFC, energy reports, SMART data, Windows Update queries
- Report Contents: Includes computer name, username, installed software paths, hardware details
- Data Sensitivity: Reports may reveal system configuration—review before sharing
- No Telemetry: Script does not send data anywhere; purely local operation
- Auto-Download: Only downloads from official Microsoft servers (download.sysinternals.com)
- GPU Tools: GPU-Z must be downloaded manually from techpowerup.com (launcher opens browser)
- Multi-GPU Support - Detects and tests all installed graphics cards
- Display Configuration - Monitor details, manufacturer, model, serial numbers
- Enhanced Driver Info - Provider, signer, INF files, installation date
- DirectX Diagnostics - Improved parsing of dxdiag output
- OpenGL Detection - Registry-based OpenGL driver information
- GPU Capabilities - DWM composition, hardware-accelerated GPU scheduling, DirectX feature levels
- NVIDIA Integration - nvidia-smi metrics (temperature, utilization, memory, power, clocks)
- AMD Support - Registry-based AMD GPU and driver detection
- GPU Memory Testing - VRAM capacity and usage via performance counters
- GPU-Z Integration - Optional integration with GPU-Z for detailed monitoring
- GPU-Z download assistant with browser launcher
- NVIDIA nvidia-smi verification and testing
- AMD driver detection and information
- Comprehensive tool recommendations (FurMark, 3DMark, Unigine, etc.)
- Safety warnings for stress testing tools
- Storage Health - SMART warnings, drive failure detection
- Storage Performance - Speed analysis (< 50 MB/s = critical, < 100 MB/s = warning)
- Storage Capacity - Free space warnings (< 10% = critical, < 20% = warning)
- SSD TRIM - Detection and fix commands for disabled TRIM
- Network Speed - Slow adapter detection (10/100 Mbps warnings)
- Network Connectivity - No active adapter detection
- Windows Update - Pending update counts with severity levels
- OS Health - DISM/SFC corruption detection with fix commands
- Hardware Errors - WHEA event log analysis
- CPU Performance - Slow performance detection
- GPU Drivers - Outdated driver warnings (> 1 year old)
- Battery Health - Energy report references for laptops
- Overall Health - Multiple test failure detection
- Digital signature verification for all Sysinternals tools
- File size validation to detect corrupt downloads
- Distinguishes Microsoft-signed vs. other valid signatures
- Summary statistics with actionable recommendations
- Launcher awareness detection (knows if launched via batch file)
- Fixed memory usage calculation bug (KB to GB conversion)
- Improved error messages throughout
- Better path length warnings (Windows 260 character limit)
- Enhanced help system with troubleshooting guide
- Dual report system (Clean Summary + Detailed)
- Temperature monitoring (CPU, GPU, drives via WMI)
- Advanced GPU stress testing integration
- Report history viewer in launcher
- Old report cleanup functionality
- Configuration file support (JSON) for test customization
- Performance comparison mode (vs. previous tests)
- HTML report export with charts and graphs
- Baseline comparison mode (compare current vs. previous tests)
- Skip flags (
-SkipCPU,-SkipNetwork, etc.) - CSV export for data analysis
- Network throughput testing
- Memory leak detection
- Audio device testing
- WPF/WinUI graphical interface option
- Pluggable module system for custom tests
- Real-time monitoring dashboard
- Email report functionality
- Task Scheduler integration for automated testing
- Multi-computer report aggregation
- Signed releases with code signing certificate
- Pester test suite for CI/CD
- Docker container for testing (Windows containers)
Basic GPU Info (Option 12a):
- All installed GPUs with detailed specs
- Display/monitor configuration
- Driver details with digital signatures
- DirectX version and capabilities
- OpenGL registry information
- Hardware-accelerated GPU scheduling status
Vendor-Specific Tests (Option 12b):
- NVIDIA: Real-time metrics via nvidia-smi
- Temperature, utilization, memory usage
- Power draw, clock speeds
- Full detailed GPU query
- AMD: Registry-based driver detection
- Driver version and date
- GPU identification
GPU Memory (Option 12c):
- Total VRAM capacity
- Active GPU process detection
- Performance counter integration
| Tool | Required For | Included With |
|---|---|---|
| CIM/WMI | Basic info | Windows (always available) |
| dxdiag | DirectX info | Windows (always available) |
| nvidia-smi | NVIDIA metrics | NVIDIA drivers |
| Registry | AMD detection | Windows (always available) |
| GPU-Z | Advanced monitoring | Manual download (optional) |
The launcher's GPU Tools Manager (Option 6) provides recommendations for:
- FurMark - GPU stress test (generates significant heat!)
- 3DMark - Industry standard benchmarking
- Unigine Heaven/Valley - Graphics stress testing
- OCCT - Error detection and stability testing
Contributions welcome! Areas of interest:
- Parsers: New tool output cleaners
- Tests: Additional diagnostic modules (audio, peripherals, temperatures)
- GPU Tools: Additional vendor integrations (Intel Arc, etc.)
- Performance: Optimization of slow operations
- Documentation: Tutorial videos, screenshots, wiki articles
- Testing: Pester unit tests, integration tests
- Internationalization: Multi-language support
Before contributing:
- Open an issue to discuss large changes
- Follow existing code style and patterns
- Test on Windows 10 and Windows 11
- Test with multiple GPU types if possible
- Update README and help text
- Run PSScriptAnalyzer if possible
MIT License - See LICENSE file for details
Copyright (c) 2025 Pacific Northwest Computers
Permission is hereby granted, free of charge, to any person obtaining a copy of this software and associated documentation files (the "Software"), to deal in the Software without restriction, including without limitation the rights to use, copy, modify, merge, publish, distribute, sublicense, and/or sell copies of the Software, and to permit persons to whom the Software is furnished to do so, subject to the following conditions:
The above copyright notice and this permission notice shall be included in all copies or substantial portions of the Software.
- Download Sysinternals: live.sysinternals.com
- Sysinternals Documentation: docs.microsoft.com/sysinternals
- PowerShell Documentation: docs.microsoft.com/powershell
- GPU-Z Download: techpowerup.com/gpuz
- NVIDIA Drivers: nvidia.com/drivers
- AMD Drivers: amd.com/support
- Report Issues: GitHub Issues
- Feature Requests: GitHub Discussions
For security vulnerabilities or sensitive findings:
- Email: support@pnwcomputers.com
- Response Time: Within 48 hours for critical issues
- Disclosure: Responsible disclosure appreciated (30-90 day window)
Please include:
- Detailed reproduction steps
- Affected versions
- Potential impact assessment
- Suggested remediation (if any)
- Documentation Issues: Open a GitHub issue
- Feature Requests: Start a GitHub discussion
- General Questions: Check the Help section in launcher (Option 7)
- GPU Testing Help: See GPU Tools Manager (Batch Menu Option 6)
- Commercial Support: Contact support@pnwcomputers.com
- Microsoft Sysinternals Team - For the incredible suite of diagnostic tools
- Mark Russinovich - For creating and maintaining Sysinternals
- NVIDIA & AMD - For providing diagnostic tools and APIs
- TechPowerUp - For GPU-Z, an excellent GPU monitoring tool
- PowerShell Community - For modules, patterns, and best practices
- Contributors - Everyone who has reported issues, suggested features, or contributed code
Last Updated: January 2025 | Version: 2.1 | Status: Production Ready