Fix the problem easily
P.H.D PCI2 will work with any Intel x86 motherboards with an empty PCI slot. When a troubleshooting session is conducted, diagnostic P.H.D PCI2 card of Ultra-X tests many parts of the system in a short time. In the first 5 minutes, the card will complete basic assessment on the motherboard, look for any damaged part. After 15 minutes, P.H.D PCI2 usually completes a full evaluation (Systems with large memory may need more time for P.H.D PCI2 to check and complete the full assessment).
diagnostic P.H.D PCI2 card of Ultra-X tests many parts of the system in a short time
As an additional advantage, you can choose specific components in the system which you want to check to help save much time. In general, PHD PCI2 can check following system components:
- DMA controllers and DMA page tests
- Graphic card
- Keyboard and keyboard controller
- Interrupting controller and real-time clock of the motherboard
- PCI specification, PCI bus and PCI slots
- Extras, including hard drive and optical drive.
- System RAM
Diagnostic modes of P.H.D PCI2
P.H.D PCI2 card gives you 4 modes to diagnose problems of the system.
Standard Diagnostics. With the standard diagnostic mode, P.H.D PCI2 card conducts a series of tests without input from the last user (the system needs to make use of Standard Diagnostics mode)
The card will automatically skip tests for any components which are not installed on the system. Also, if there are errors, it will note the mistake on pass/fail area of the screen, as it is shown here. It will add special notes to help you point out the right problem.
Extended Diagnostics. You can choose from several options by using Extended Diagnostics mode, allowing you to select specific tests, leading to providing additional information on selected system components. For example, you can request information on system RAM, as it is shown here. Almost any system components which may go through an extended tests, including memory, CPU, hard drive, etc.. This type of test also requires a system that it can POST.
Forced Start Diagnostics. With Forced Start Diagnostics mode, P.H.D PCI2 can pass the system BIOS. It enables P.H.D PCI2 to work with a system which can’t POST or only POST uncontinuously. As long as you have a motherboard, CPU and power, you can make P.H.D PCI2 work in Forced Start Diagnostics mode.
In this mode, the system will run through many components in the system, list each component if it passes or fails. When a component fails, PHD PCI2 has found the problem. In the screenshot here, the keyboard controller was broken.
“For older systems, PHD PCI2 provides a test mode that allows a motherboard which looks like dead already to boot and perform diagnostics without the system memory, BIOS, outside boot devices, keyboard, or available video”, CEO Anoop Singh said. “The main purpose of this mode is to help you isolate failed components preventing the system from booting.”
POST Monitoring. In POST Monitoring mode, the card can easily identify issues related to the boot process. LED POST display, as the picture here, presents startup errors and POST codes. PHD PCI2 sometimes needs the system to POST before it can run diagnostics. ”
P.H.D PCI2 card gives you 4 modes to diagnose problems of the system.
Customer base of Ultra-X
In addition to saving a lot of time diagnosing hardware problems individually, PHD PCI2 is ideal for different usage scenarios. Those who rebuilt and refurbished computers are also natural clients for diagnosis card, Singh said. Also, for those who assemble the PC, PHD PCI2 provides the ability to check the computer before sale to ensure that all of them work appropriately.
Singh said individual users can’t take advantage of PHD PCI2 card, which makes you difficult to justify spending much money on such a choice. Of course, those who have advanced computer or the self-assembly system can benefit from a troubleshooting tool, but other options in diagnosis hardware of Ultra-X will certainly meet their needs better.
“Mainly, PHD PCI2 is a bit too much for what the last user is trying to achieve. In this case, we guide them to QuickTech Series products which can boot from our USB “.
Those who prefer to buy PHD PCI2 must contact the company to get the price. Ultra-X has released the first version of PHD PCI2 card in 1997, and it announced an important update for the card about 6 to 8 months since then. Ultra-X also regularly announced small updates every month.
Do more with diagnoses
Another option for repairing staff is to work with one of the Ultra-X’s POST cards. These types of card will show POST error codes, but they do not have the additional capability to diagnose important issues that can be detected by PHD PCI2.
“PHD PCI2, the first and only diagnostic test card for 15 consecutive years, provides a plentiful feature system to help technicians troubleshoot,” Singh said. “At the time when the chipset was simple, it was not hard, and it was easy to access more fully. Nowadays, the style among some manufacturers, designs and models has madeus very busy. ”
However, the time that Ultra-X spent to provide updated diagnostic PHD PCI2 card was refunded to its customers on fixing breakdown, especially while comparing with methods to overcome other incidents.
“The fixing system can be a frustrating and time-wasting process without appropriate test facilities. Methods of trial and error, such as swapping components, don’t guarantee that problems have been resolved, and it could create new problems. On the other hand, PHD PCI2 is similar to a Swiss army knife, a multipurpose, a tool rich of features.”
A case study of P.H.D PCI2
PHD PCI2 is useful in many situations, including following situations:
Problem No. 1. The computer system can’t boot after power failure, and the screen does not open.
Solution No. 1. POST code is not available because the system does not boot, technical employee has been limited options to diagnose the problem. Instead of swapping components, technical staff can use PHD PCI2 to find the problem in some seconds. In this case, there is a stuck reset command, pointing to problems with the source or main bus of the motherboard. Now, technicians can narrow the range in these areas. After changing the source, the system continues working.
“With free software, shareware or any tools of opponents, such as diagnostic CD which can boot, technical staff needs to guess, because the disk will not boot if the computer does not start”, said Singh.
Problem No. 2. Computer, a high-end system aiming at editing photos and video, is hanging intermittently throughout the video rendering. It also has a slow response from hibernation mode.
Solution No. 2. You can get an idea of where the problem is, so you can narrow the work of card for these components. With PHD PCI2, you can run special tests on the hard drive and memory. If the hard drive has any problem, the card will recognize in several seconds. To run a test on the memory, PHD PCI2 will simulate a set of large data transmission, which is similar to what happens with video rendering, find the bad memory components and inform the technical staff of any memory that need to be replaced.
“The next time when you face these types of symptoms, split system and fix areas that need attention,” Singh said.
The P.H.D card line
Ultra-X offers several different solutions to diagnose problems with a computer system, although there is no other solution which is as strong as PHD PCI2. PHD and PHD MiniPCI and Mini PCI Express are two of the other solutions of the Ultra-X.
These options do not work with motherboards that seem to have died, because MiniPCI and PCI Express Mini do not have the Boot Forced mode of PHD PCI2.
“The built-in LED lights, the extended mode, and POST still help technical staff to troubleshoot faster than traditional methods,” said CEO Anoop Singh.
Singh said that Mini PCI Express’ aimed more to the notebook.
“Because it uses the PCI Express Mini bus, directly accessing to the PCU and the chipset is limited,” Singh explained. In fact, laptop manufacturers actually hinder technical staff, because POST is not provided via Mini PCI Express bus. However, something is better than nothing. PHD Mini PCI Express provides built-in LED for reset problems that are jammed and extended test mode “.
Each type of card includes error code display; 8MB flash ROM for firmware on the card, along with the LEDs to monitor the clock, reset and power. ”
