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Head-to-head · Hardware Diagnostic Software

HP PC Hardware Diagnostics vs Ultimate Boot CD

  • Updated Oct 2026
  • Both researched from official sources
  • 7 checks side by side
Higher score HP PC Hardware Diagnostics #1 in Hardware Diagnostic Software 9.3/10 Free plan Free plan✓ 4 of 6 features Visit HP
Ultimate Boot CD #6 in Hardware Diagnostic Software 8.2/10 Free plan Free plan✓ 5 of 6 features Try Ultimate Boot CD

HP PC Hardware Diagnostics leads on 0 checks, Ultimate Boot CD on 0, and 7 are even. Who comes out ahead on the 7 yes/no, price and count checks where we have data for both products. The editor score weighs everything else too.

Our verdict

  • Highest scoreHP PC Hardware Diagnostics · 9.3/10
  • Free planboth
  • Most featuresUltimate Boot CD · 5 of 6

HP PC Hardware Diagnostics scores higher on our rubric for hardware diagnostic software: 9.3 against 8.2 out of 10; our editors rank them #1 and #6.

On platform support, Ultimate Boot CD gives you Multi-platform where HP PC Hardware Diagnostics offers Windows.

HP PC Hardware Diagnostics is the better fit for free Windows and UEFI system testing. Ultimate Boot CD is the better fit for free bootable diagnostic toolkit.

  • HP PC Hardware Diagnostics fits best

    Free Windows and UEFI system testing

  • Ultimate Boot CD fits best

    Free bootable diagnostic toolkit

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Side by side

Feature HP PC Hardware Diagnostics 9.3/10 Visit ↗ Ultimate Boot CD 8.2/10 Visit ↗
At a glance
Editor score 9.3 8.2
Ranking #1 in Hardware Diagnostic Software #6 in Hardware Diagnostic Software
Best for Free Windows and UEFI system testing Free bootable diagnostic toolkit
Pricing model Free Free
Starting price Free plan Free
Free plan ✓ ✓
Free trial — —
Deployment Desktop Self-hosted
Platforms Windows Windows, Linux
Support Docs Community, Docs
Built for Solo, Small business, Mid-market, Enterprise Solo, Small business, Mid-market, Enterprise
Features HP PC Hardware Diagnostics 4/6 · Ultimate Boot CD 5/6
Stress testing Not checked yet ✓ (best)
Memory testing ✓ ✓
Disk health checks ✓ ✓
GPU testing Not checked yet ✓ (best)
Bootable diagnostic media ✓ ✓
Diagnostic reports ✓ (best) Not checked yet
Specs
Platform support Windows Multi-platform
Our review
Pros
  • Covers processor, memory, storage SMART, video memory, battery, and power tests
  • UEFI diagnostics can run when Windows does not start
  • Bootable USB media, saved logs, and 24-digit failure IDs support troubleshooting
  • Covers CPU, RAM, drives, SMART, video memory and hardware detection
  • Runs diagnostics independently of the installed operating system
  • Includes partitioning, disk-management and data-recovery utilities
Cons
  • Designed for HP desktop and notebook computers
  • Windows application support is limited to Windows
  • Available component tests can vary by computer model
  • UEFI boot requires enabling CSM
  • USB boot support is described as experimental
  • The project is in hibernation, with version 5.3.9 dated August 2020
Our verdict

HP PC Hardware Diagnostics is a free hardware-testing utility for HP desktop and notebook computers. It provides a Windows application for testing hardware while the operating system is active, alongside UEFI diagnostics that can run…

Read the review →

Ultimate Boot CD is a free bootable ISO that consolidates hardware diagnostics and system-maintenance utilities into one image. It is intended for troubleshooting Intel-compatible PCs and includes CPU stress and burn-in tools, RAM testing,…

Read the review →
  1. HP PC Hardware DiagnosticsHardware Diagnostic Software 9.3Free plan
  2. Ultimate Boot CDHardware Diagnostic Software 8.2Free plan

Strengths and trade-offs

  • HP PC Hardware Diagnostics — where it wins

    • Covers processor, memory, storage SMART, video memory, battery, and power tests
    • UEFI diagnostics can run when Windows does not start
    • Bootable USB media, saved logs, and 24-digit failure IDs support troubleshooting

    Where it doesn't

    • Designed for HP desktop and notebook computers
    • Windows application support is limited to Windows
    • Available component tests can vary by computer model

  • Ultimate Boot CD — where it wins

    • Covers CPU, RAM, drives, SMART, video memory and hardware detection
    • Runs diagnostics independently of the installed operating system
    • Includes partitioning, disk-management and data-recovery utilities

    Where it doesn't

    • UEFI boot requires enabling CSM
    • USB boot support is described as experimental
    • The project is in hibernation, with version 5.3.9 dated August 2020
  • HP PC Hardware Diagnostics9.3/10 · Free plan

    Free Windows and UEFI diagnostics with stress tests, logs, and failure IDs.

    Visit HPFull verdict →
  • Ultimate Boot CD8.2/10 · Free plan

    A broad, no-cost bootable toolkit for diagnosing PC hardware outside the installed OS.

    Try Ultimate Boot CDFull verdict →

More comparisons

All hardware diagnostic software comparisons → · Full ranking →

Reviewed by iTechGuides Editors · Editorial team · Updated Oct 2026

Last updated · How we research and update