Identify hardware-related problems
Hardware problems occur when a failure occurs in a hardware device or the device driver that the hardware device uses. When you troubleshoot hardware-related problems, you first must determine the underlying cause of the hardware failure.
Failure of physical hardware
A computer contains several hardware components, such as hard disk drives, a power supply, a motherboard, a video controller, and externally connected devices, such as removable disks or a webcam. Manufacturers could combine these devices into a single physical component, such as a video controller that is integrated on the motherboard. If a single component or a combination of components fails, this can prevent the computer from functioning correctly. Each hardware component has a set lifetime, and eventually, these components will fail. However, you can take preventive measures to extend the lifetime of your components and minimize the possibility of failure. These preventative measures include ensuring that you operate hardware components in the environmental conditions that the component’s vendor recommends. For example, you should avoid using hardware components in areas with high volumes of dust or high temperatures, unless the hardware is designed specifically for such environments.
Some components are more prone to failure than others, and often the components with moving parts, such as hard disk drives, cooling fans, power supplies, and optical drives, are the most susceptible to failure.
Note
Many tablet devices are equipped with solid-state drives (SSDs), which have no moving parts and are less susceptible to physical failure. However, be aware that SSDs might become less reliable after a significant number of write operations.
Failure of device drivers
A device driver can fail for three primary reasons:
Version incompatibility with the operating system. Drivers designed for Windows 8.1 may not be compatible with Windows 10 or later. While most drivers are likely compatible between Windows 10 and Windows 11, this shouldn't be assumed. To avoid incompatibility issues, always check for with the manufacturer for which drivers support which version.
Driver bugs. Although hardware vendors use every precaution to ensure that device drivers are free from error, problems can occur. Ensure that you obtain the latest driver version from the manufacturer, particularly if the new version fixes previous driver issues. Verify that the device driver has a digital signature from a trusted certificate-signing authority.
While new devices with Windows 10 are no longer installed with a 32-bit version, and 32-bit installations are generally rare, some manufactures may still provide 32-bit drivers. It's important to be aware that drivers developed for the 32-bit edition do not work with the 64-bit editions, and vice-versa. Make sure that you obtain the appropriate device driver from the hardware vendor. Windows 11 is only 64-bit.
Incorrect driver. While unlikely through typical driver installation methods that are automated, it is possible to incorrectly assign the wrong driver. Users may take it upon themselves to update a driver and apply an incorrect driver.
You can detect some issues with device drivers, such as version incompatibility with an operating system, when you try to install a device driver. Some other issues, such as driver bugs or lack of support for advanced device functionality, might take longer to detect.