Diagnosing Windows isn't just something that IT analysts have to worry about.
Anyone who owns a computer should know the Windows diagnostic and repair tools to perform basic troubleshooting.
With the right programs and tools for Windows it is possible to solve, alone and without asking for interventions from technicians or expert friends, most of the problems on a PC, free of charge and without having to have advanced computer skills.
With the right tools, any computer owner should be able to limit the appearance of errors and, if necessary, restore the functioning of the PC.
Below we see the most useful portable Windows tools to keep on the USB stick or on any PC, to be used for repair, diagnostics and analysis of problems that a computer can have (for Windows 10 and Windows 7).
READ ALSO: Find out what's wrong with your computer when it doesn't work well
1) Process Explorer
The first tool is one of those apps to keep always at hand, which improves the functions of the Windows task manager.
In addition to having a detail on the processes and programs that occupy the resources of the computer (memory and CPU), it makes it easy, with the tree structure, to identify even the most hidden processes.
It also offers an indication of the possible danger of a background process and of looking for information on the internet about it.
This tool is a favorite of programmers who try to make sure that their application processes do not have memory leaks or CPU usage problems.
Process Explorer is a portable tool that should only be run without installation
READ ALSO: Check if the processes are safe on Windows
2) CPU-Z
CPU-Z is a powerful tool to view everything you need to know about the CPU inside the computer.
You can get information about the processor model, speed, temperatures, fans, motherboard brand and version, memory size, video card (GPU) information and benchmarking tools.
The portable version of CPU-Z to download is the one in ZIP without installation.
3) Angry IP Scanner
If you want to check all the resources that are using the home or office ADSL network, you can use this particular scanner to see all the devices connected to the network.
Actively connected devices are displayed with IP addresses and blue dots, the device's host name and the current ping status.
This tool can be run in EXE version, without needing to be installed.
READ ALSO: IP scanning programs to find computers on the network
4) CrystalDiskInfo
This is a useful tool for analyzing disks and finding out if drives are healthy and working well.
It displays temperatures, error rates, power problems, graphs, and error notifications.
You can download the EXE version to get the portable tool.
READ ALSO: Check the status of the disk (HDD and SSD) with health, performance and speed tests
5) SpaceSniffer
To get a global overview of all the files on your computer and their size and to know how much space they occupy on your PC, this is the ideal, portable and easy-to-use tool.
Alternatively there is also WinDirStat, more famous, among the best programs to see the space occupied on the disk by each folder and file
6) Nirlauncher
This is a package that includes several Windows repair tools on the Nirsoft website.
instead it can be copied to a USB stick and has been designed with the aim of having a complete portable repair set.
7) Windows Repair Toolbox
This is another package of portable tools aimed at correcting system errors.
Windows Repair Toolbox is truly a tool for professionals and normal users that includes many portable tools, capable of transforming a USB stick into a complete diagnostic, emergency, management, hacking and virus removal tool.
For example, among the programs available in Windows Repair Toolbox there are, in addition to the aforementioned CPU-Z and CrystalDisk:
- Recuva to recover files deleted by mistake
- Combofix as antivirus if the PC no longer turns on
- rKill which terminates dangerous or suspicious processes
- ADWCleaner to eliminate advertising software
- Fixwin one of the programs to correct Windows errors
Windows Repair Toolbox also includes buttons to run already integrated Windows tools, such as checkdisk or regedit.
In the lower part of the interface there is information on the status of the PC, the version of Windows, the RAM, the CPU, the disk and also the temperature of the processor.
In the Test tab there are buttons to try to see if the main functions of the PC are correctly configured, then trying to open common files such as videos and music, trying to open Word and Excel, trying the Flash Player, running the updating Windows or doing a Stress Test.
The Malware Removal tab is perhaps the most useful, for downloading and starting the main virus scanning programs such as MalwareBytes or Hitman Pro.
8) WSCC
Windows System Control Center (WSCC) is a collection of tools under one package, both Nirsoft and Sysinternals from Microsoft and it really becomes the Swiss army knife of PC administrators.
9) NoVirusThanks Scanner
To check for malware, on the fly and without installing another program, you can use this particular portable scanner, very powerful, free, fast and reliable.
READ ALSO: Portable antivirus for emergency scans: best 10
10) ESET SysInspector
This free, portable all-in-one tool scans your system and attempts to identify problems in Windows.
The software detects suspicious processes and services, suspicious documents and software, incompatible hardware, outdated or problematic drivers, operating system files that require updates, registry problems.
READ ALSO: Laptop security programs
11) HWiNFO
This extraordinary diagnostic utility combines many tools in one package.
It provides detailed information on the entire system, including information on hardware components, real-time monitoring of all parts of the computer, with the possibility of recording and exporting detailed reports on the computer.
READ ALSO: Know the computer hardware and the individual pieces of the Windows PC
12) Hijack Hunter is a portable tool from NoVirusThanks that is very effective against Hijacking, the hacker technique of infecting a PC by hijacking the internet connection to sites other than those you want to visit.
Anyone who owns a computer should know the Windows diagnostic and repair tools to perform basic troubleshooting.
With the right programs and tools for Windows it is possible to solve, alone and without asking for interventions from technicians or expert friends, most of the problems on a PC, free of charge and without having to have advanced computer skills.
With the right tools, any computer owner should be able to limit the appearance of errors and, if necessary, restore the functioning of the PC.
Below we see the most useful portable Windows tools to keep on the USB stick or on any PC, to be used for repair, diagnostics and analysis of problems that a computer can have (for Windows 10 and Windows 7).
READ ALSO: Find out what's wrong with your computer when it doesn't work well
1) Process Explorer
The first tool is one of those apps to keep always at hand, which improves the functions of the Windows task manager.
In addition to having a detail on the processes and programs that occupy the resources of the computer (memory and CPU), it makes it easy, with the tree structure, to identify even the most hidden processes.
It also offers an indication of the possible danger of a background process and of looking for information on the internet about it.
This tool is a favorite of programmers who try to make sure that their application processes do not have memory leaks or CPU usage problems.
Process Explorer is a portable tool that should only be run without installation
READ ALSO: Check if the processes are safe on Windows
2) CPU-Z
CPU-Z is a powerful tool to view everything you need to know about the CPU inside the computer.
You can get information about the processor model, speed, temperatures, fans, motherboard brand and version, memory size, video card (GPU) information and benchmarking tools.
The portable version of CPU-Z to download is the one in ZIP without installation.
3) Angry IP Scanner
If you want to check all the resources that are using the home or office ADSL network, you can use this particular scanner to see all the devices connected to the network.
Actively connected devices are displayed with IP addresses and blue dots, the device's host name and the current ping status.
This tool can be run in EXE version, without needing to be installed.
READ ALSO: IP scanning programs to find computers on the network
4) CrystalDiskInfo
This is a useful tool for analyzing disks and finding out if drives are healthy and working well.
It displays temperatures, error rates, power problems, graphs, and error notifications.
You can download the EXE version to get the portable tool.
READ ALSO: Check the status of the disk (HDD and SSD) with health, performance and speed tests
5) SpaceSniffer
To get a global overview of all the files on your computer and their size and to know how much space they occupy on your PC, this is the ideal, portable and easy-to-use tool.
Alternatively there is also WinDirStat, more famous, among the best programs to see the space occupied on the disk by each folder and file
6) Nirlauncher
This is a package that includes several Windows repair tools on the Nirsoft website.
instead it can be copied to a USB stick and has been designed with the aim of having a complete portable repair set.
7) Windows Repair Toolbox
This is another package of portable tools aimed at correcting system errors.
Windows Repair Toolbox is truly a tool for professionals and normal users that includes many portable tools, capable of transforming a USB stick into a complete diagnostic, emergency, management, hacking and virus removal tool.
For example, among the programs available in Windows Repair Toolbox there are, in addition to the aforementioned CPU-Z and CrystalDisk:
- Recuva to recover files deleted by mistake
- Combofix as antivirus if the PC no longer turns on
- rKill which terminates dangerous or suspicious processes
- ADWCleaner to eliminate advertising software
- Fixwin one of the programs to correct Windows errors
Windows Repair Toolbox also includes buttons to run already integrated Windows tools, such as checkdisk or regedit.
In the lower part of the interface there is information on the status of the PC, the version of Windows, the RAM, the CPU, the disk and also the temperature of the processor.
In the Test tab there are buttons to try to see if the main functions of the PC are correctly configured, then trying to open common files such as videos and music, trying to open Word and Excel, trying the Flash Player, running the updating Windows or doing a Stress Test.
The Malware Removal tab is perhaps the most useful, for downloading and starting the main virus scanning programs such as MalwareBytes or Hitman Pro.
8) WSCC
Windows System Control Center (WSCC) is a collection of tools under one package, both Nirsoft and Sysinternals from Microsoft and it really becomes the Swiss army knife of PC administrators.
9) NoVirusThanks Scanner
To check for malware, on the fly and without installing another program, you can use this particular portable scanner, very powerful, free, fast and reliable.
READ ALSO: Portable antivirus for emergency scans: best 10
10) ESET SysInspector
This free, portable all-in-one tool scans your system and attempts to identify problems in Windows.
The software detects suspicious processes and services, suspicious documents and software, incompatible hardware, outdated or problematic drivers, operating system files that require updates, registry problems.
READ ALSO: Laptop security programs
11) HWiNFO
This extraordinary diagnostic utility combines many tools in one package.
It provides detailed information on the entire system, including information on hardware components, real-time monitoring of all parts of the computer, with the possibility of recording and exporting detailed reports on the computer.
READ ALSO: Know the computer hardware and the individual pieces of the Windows PC
12) Hijack Hunter is a portable tool from NoVirusThanks that is very effective against Hijacking, the hacker technique of infecting a PC by hijacking the internet connection to sites other than those you want to visit.
