PCI Diagnostic Card questions

HawkHawk Fla Icrontian
edited August 2009 in Hardware
Seems like a stupid question here with 12000+ members, but here goes.
Has anyone used diagnostic test cards. If so, What should I look for in one?
I've got a power supply tester, which works great and would like to get a MB diagnostic tester also. Can anyone point me in the right direction?
Here's one I found but I'm not sure if there's others out there that do more testing.... Soyo TechAid PCI Diagnostic Card
Thnx in advance for the replys friends.

Comments

  • ClutchClutch North Carolina New
    edited February 2005
    Never used one, but I have to say that seems to be pretty sweet. Not to bad of a price either.

    btw: Which power supply tester do you use?
  • Park_7677Park_7677 Missouri Member
    edited February 2005
    The only ones I've personally used were the ~$1,500 ones with onboard video and a whole lot of features. I'd also like to see what other people think about this if anyone has used it. It's cheap.. if it works it'd be a nice addition to my toys/tools.

    Geeks.com: $28.75

    Tiger Direct: $29.99
  • HawkHawk Fla Icrontian
    edited February 2005
    Clutch, I got the Ultra Power Supply Tester.... ultraproducts.com
    It works great.
    Park, Wheeeooww, I don't think I want to spend that much!
    When your done with the $1,500 model, I'll buy it from you for a yardsale price!
    :D
    Hehehe. I'd like to just see one of the biggie testers they use in the factory or tech shops.
    And, That was my thought exactly-- (It's cheap.. if it works it'd be a nice addition to my toys/tools.)
  • ClutchClutch North Carolina New
    edited February 2005
    Thanks Hawk. I might have to pick one of those power supply testers up.
  • HawkHawk Fla Icrontian
    edited February 2005
    OK, Let me ask a different way. What do you all use to test out your MB's? I know there's got to be some members that do their own custom pc work, modding,testing etc.
    NP, Clutch, It's a good tester.
  • TheSmJTheSmJ
    edited February 2005
    My brain I guess.
  • BlackHawkBlackHawk Bible music connoisseur There's no place like 127.0.0.1 Icrontian
    edited February 2005
    Parts swapping. If you have none to swap, then I guess that would come in handy. I might have to get one if I ever start working in that field.
  • Straight_ManStraight_Man Geeky, in my own way Naples, FL Icrontian
    edited February 2005
    What a Tech-Aid or other POST card does is to display the POST codes as they happen. BIOSes differ as to what POST codes they use, so you might get codes that you need the mfr's manual for the motherboard or at least the code docs for the BIOS publisher to get any real good results on other than Soyo boards unless the company that makes the board gives you the codes for the BIOS. Fortuantely, AMI and Phoenix\Award codes are given in a manual that is mostly code result tables. I'm talking about the same POST card-- the Soyo Tech-AID-- that is baing talked about.in this thread, have one,. and give it alot of use. BUT, for some BIOSes I still use the BIOS code EX-ref in Scott Mueller's Upgrading and Repairing PCs 16th edition-- that book plus CD of older material has a plethora of BIOS codes and helps make up for the need to match output to motherboard in some cases, or to publisher at time BIOS was relased, at least.

    PCI POST cards need to be teamed with BIOS output data matched to BIOS on motherboard, and I do not know of a BIOS output code encyclopedia that is as solid as Soctt Mueller's tables given CD and the book itself. What you get from a purchase of the 16th edition is the inclusion of the 10th-15th ditions also on the CD-ROM or DVD (there are two editions as far as what is not pirinted in book but incleded, and for a newer bouilder with aDVD drive I recommend the DVD version instead of the CD-ROM edition. In my case, I have and teasure 4 editions of the Upgrading and Repairing PCs book-- plus the CDs from each.
  • HawkHawk Fla Icrontian
    edited February 2005
    Thnx Straight_Man, That's one of the books I've been looking at when I hit Barnes & Noble! Wifey likes to go there, get a coffee, wander around checkin out books to buy. Me too actually. They have a few of his books & editions there that I've been checkin out. Think I will pick up the latest edition of Scott Muellers though. I've had others tell me his books are good also. Thnx again SM
  • kcameronkcameron
    edited August 2009
    I've used the TechAID and it is okay for testing the motherboards.
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