Hi, I'm Chip! Let's check your computer.
Hardware Troubleshooter
A bootable USB stick that checks a computer's hardware and explains the results in plain language: what was found, what it means and what to do next. It runs entirely from the stick and never writes to the computer's disks.
How to use it
Write it to a USB stick
Use balenaEtcher, Rufus (DD mode), Ventoy or
dd.Boot from the stick
Usually F12, F11, F9, Esc, or Option on a Mac. If it isn't accepted, turn off Secure Boot.
Pick a profile
Answer a few on-screen prompts, then leave it to run. Chip explains every result.
What it checks
- System information
- Graphics driver
- Screen colours and backlight (hands-on)
- Keyboard (every key lights up) (hands-on)
- Touchpad and mouse (hands-on)
- Webcam (hands-on)
- Speakers and microphone (hands-on)
- Battery wear and charging
- Wi-Fi and Ethernet
- Bluetooth
- Drive health (SMART)
- Memory (RAM)
- CPU stress and cooling
- Hardware error log
The hands-on tests come first, so after a few minutes you can walk away while the long automatic tests run.
Test profiles
| Profile | Time | What's in it |
|---|---|---|
| Quick check | ~5 min | Screen, keyboard, touchpad, webcam, battery, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, drive health, 512 MB of RAM, 1 min of CPU stress |
| Standard | 20–40 min | Everything, plus audio, a drive self-test, a read test, half the RAM and 5 min of stress |
| Full / overnight | 1–3 h+ | 85% of RAM twice, 20 min of stress, a drive self-test and a 4 GB read test |
| Custom | – | Choose individual tests |
Results you can act on
Storage: "Interface CRC errors… almost always the cable, not the drive."
Each test comes with an explanation and concrete next steps. Save an HTML and text report to any USB drive, or to the troubleshooter's own stick.
Chip's Arcade
Play while the automatic tests run, with the progress bar still on screen. All the music and sound effects are made in code.
- Maze Runner 3D, Turbo Road and Star Pilot 3D
- Snake, 2048 and Minesweeper
- Plus real open-source tools: PhotoRec, TestDisk, Clonezilla, GParted, Firefox and SuperTuxKart
Good to know
Detection, not repair. A pass doesn't guarantee a fault-free machine; some faults only show with specific software, temperatures or timing.
x86-64 PCs only. No Apple Silicon or ARM. Intel Macs boot, but often lack Wi-Fi and sound drivers.