Ultra-X P.H.D. PCI2
Troubleshoot PC Problems With Ease
ven as power users, it’s only a
matter of time before a difficult
computer troubleshooting sit-
uation rears its ugly head; we’ve all been
there countless times. Most people may
try a few easy troubleshooting options,
but they ultimately become frustrated
after a few minutes. But the true PC
problem solvers are a more stubborn
breed. We’ll stick with a problem for
E hours until our system is running
smoothly once again.
But between swapping components
and taking time to figure out POST
error codes, even a few hours might
not be enough time to solve your
troubleshooting issues. Simply put,
sometimes PC troubleshooting is a task
best left to the professionals . . . or at least
professional equipment.
That’s where an advanced diagnostic
card can be extremely helpful, such as the
P.H.D. PCI2 card from Ultra-X. Granted,
this type of advanced diagnostic card isn’t
going to be a common item in average
users’ toolkits, but it can be indispensable
for extreme tweakers. And if you’ve taken
enough tech support calls from friends
and family to consider starting your own
computer repair business, the P.H.D.
P.H.D. PCI2 Card Components
Here are the primary components that you’ll find on the
Ultra-X P.H.D. PCI2 card.
1. The RS-232 serial port allows for remote data logging.
2. The LED display includes POST monitoring and
diagnostic test and sub-test monitoring.
3. The P.H.D. PCI2’s critical LEDs include reset, PCI
clock, and auxiliary power (both 5V and 3.3V), along
with pass, fail, and skip LEDs for diagnostic testing.
4. The onboard memory lets the P
.H.D. PCI2 run diag-
nostics even if the PC’s memory is malfunctioning.
The card’s noise pattern generator plays a role in the
troubleshooting process by generating a heavy load
of traffic between the CPU, RAM, and PCI bus.
Updates that Ultra-X issues to the P.H.D. PCI2 card
are stored in the card’s flash firmware ROM.
7 .
9. The onboard VGA port works with the Forced Start
Diagnostics mode, providing support for graphics.
6. The P.H.D. PCI2 connects to your system through a
legacy PCI slot.
These blocks let users select between each of
the P.H.D. PCI2’s four testing modes: Standard
Diagnostic, Extended Diagnostic, Forced Start
Diagnostic, and POST monitoring.
5. 8.
10. These temperature sensors let you connect 6- or 12-
inch probes to the card that can measure the external
ambient temperature of any area of your system. ¦
Source: Ultra-X
CPU / March 2012
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