Fix Windows Hardware Issues

A straightforward guide to help you fix hardware issues in Windows.

Device Manager shows all your computer’s hardware. Look for devices with a yellow exclamation mark, which indicates a problem.

Open Device Manager: Press Win + X, then select "Device Manager".
Identify Issues: Right-click on devices with issues and select "Properties" to see details.

Outdated drivers can cause hardware malfunctions. Use PowerShell to update them:

Update Drivers: Open PowerShell (Win + X and select "Windows PowerShell (Admin)").

# List installed drivers
Get-WindowsDriver -Online

# Update a specific driver
Update-WindowsDriver -Name "DriverName"

Ensure your hardware is compatible with your version of Windows. Check manufacturer specifications and compatibility lists.

Improper power settings can affect hardware performance. Set a suitable power plan:

Manage Power Plans: Open PowerShell as administrator.

# List power plans
powercfg /l

# Set active power plan (replace GUID with desired plan's GUID)
powercfg /setactive GUID

If you suspect hardware issues, testing components can help identify problems:

Check Disk Health: Use PowerShell to monitor disk health.
```
Get-PhysicalDisk | Get-StorageReliabilityCounter
```

Check RAM: Verify RAM details.

Get-CimInstance Win32_PhysicalMemory | Format-Table Capacity, Manufacturer, Speed

Check CPU: Get CPU information.

Get-WmiObject -Class Win32_Processor | Select-Object -Property *

Event Viewer logs system events, including hardware errors or warnings.

Overheating can cause hardware issues. Use tools or PowerShell to monitor temperatures:

Check System Temperature: Monitor temperatures to ensure components aren’t overheating.

Get-WmiObject -Namespace root\wmi -Class MSStorageDriver_ATAPISmartData | Select-Object -ExpandProperty VendorSpecific

Inspect hardware for physical damage or loose connections. Ensure everything is properly connected.

As a last resort, reinstall hardware components if issues persist.