Blackwire Hardware Diagnostics boots directly through UEFI so home users, builders, technicians, and IT professionals can test supported PC hardware without depending on Windows, installed drivers, startup files, or the condition of the operating system. The initial public release is available with Free Personal and Home license options.
Licenses and editions
The current application remains completely offline and does not require an account, subscription, online activation, or a network connection while testing.
For personal, noncommercial use on computers owned by the user or household.
An affordable paid personal and household license that supports continued Blackwire development.
Planned for independent technicians and commercial repair work.
Planned for repair shops, IT departments, refurbishers, and multi-technician teams.
Important boot requirement
Blackwire Hardware Diagnostics is a custom bootable UEFI application. Most computers will not start an unsigned or independently distributed UEFI diagnostic while Secure Boot is enabled. Disable Secure Boot temporarily, run the diagnostic, then enable it again after testing.
Strongly recommended: before changing Secure Boot, suspend BitLocker protection or turn off and decrypt Windows Device Encryption. Save and verify the recovery key first, even when protection has been suspended.
Why boot outside Windows?
Testing from UEFI helps separate repeatable hardware faults from Windows corruption, driver problems, malware, failed updates, damaged startup files, or an operating system that cannot boot.
Investigate random freezes, blue screens, unexpected restarts, failed installations, file corruption, overheating, and unexplained crashes.
Check a newly built, upgraded, used, or refurbished computer before relying on it or returning it to a customer.
Use guided profiles for a quick starting point or select individual tests, categories, and custom presets for deeper technical work.
Automatic profiles and presets
Core, Standard, and Extended Test profiles provide progressively broader coverage. Built-in presets and Preset Builder make repeatable technician workflows easy to save and reuse.
| Profile | Best for | Coverage | Important note |
|---|---|---|---|
| Core Test | First checks and common problems | Focused major hardware areas | Fastest starting point; does not run every deeper diagnostic |
| Standard Test | Crashes, instability, RAM, and storage concerns | Broader supported hardware coverage | A practical general-purpose diagnostic pass |
| Extended Test | Intermittent faults, used systems, repair verification | Additional and longer supported tests | Longer testing improves fault exposure but cannot guarantee every problem will be found |
Preset Builder records which supported tests should run or be skipped. Restart-required Full Memory testing is scheduled separately when selected.
Diagnostic coverage
Tests run only when the platform exposes the required hardware, protocol, service, sensor, or firmware interface. Unsupported or unavailable functions are reported honestly rather than treated as a pass.
UEFI environment, hardware inventory, SMBIOS, NVRAM, firmware services, timers, real-time clock, security devices, and platform consistency.
Identification, integer, floating-point, SIMD, multicore, timing, random-number instructions, sustained workload, temperature, and throttling observations where supported.
Address, pattern, coupling, boundary, unaligned-access, repeated traversal, composite verification, Full Memory scheduling, and ECC evidence where exposed.
Read-only identification, SMART and health data where available, self-tests, read consistency, distributed and linear scans, random and 4K reads, throughput, and timeouts.
Graphics-output detection, modes, framebuffer access, color and pattern tests, tiled readback, display-memory patterns, and visual inspection.
Keyboard, mouse movement and buttons, touch or touchpad where supported, speaker or tone tests, display inspection, and user confirmations.
ECC capability reporting, validation, corrected or uncorrected evidence where available, server inventory, long-duration stress options, and technical reports.
Presence, accessibility, basic information, firmware security-device status, and repeated consistency reads. The application does not clear the TPM or delete keys.
Dedicated stress test
Choose a timed run or continuous mode for difficult intermittent problems. The Stress Test tracks CPU workload, memory-pattern throughput, available power information, temperature where supported, elapsed time, passes, and confirmed faults.
Run controls and progress
The active diagnostic window shows the current item, next item, current-test progress, overall progress, elapsed time, estimated time, autosave checkpoints, errors, and Pause, Skip, and Stop controls.
Use the on-screen Screenshot button or press F12 to capture the active graphical screen as a 24-bit BMP.
Results and reports
Autosave checkpoints begin before testing and continue after tests. A final report bundle can include printable and machine-readable formats for customers, repair records, troubleshooting, and technical review.
Professional US Letter report for home users, customers, repair records, printing, and easy sharing.
Self-contained browser report that opens without an internet connection.
Detailed evidence for technicians, advanced troubleshooting, data review, and importing results into other systems.
Understand the result
A Pass means the specific test did not detect a fault during that run. It is not a guarantee that a component is perfect or that an intermittent problem cannot appear later.
Boot options and requirements
No Windows installation is required on the computer being tested. The target system must provide compatible 64-bit UEFI firmware and Secure Boot must be disabled before launch.
Legacy-BIOS-only computers are not supported unless they also provide a compatible 64-bit UEFI boot mode. Secure Boot-signed Professional and Business models are planned after certificate and signing approval.
Home-user quick start
What it can do
What it cannot do
Frequently asked questions
No. It boots directly through compatible 64-bit UEFI firmware and runs independently from Windows or another installed operating system.
The current Free and Home releases are not yet signed for broad Secure Boot trust. Most computers block unsigned or independently distributed UEFI applications while Secure Boot is enabled. Disable Secure Boot temporarily, run the diagnostic, and enable it again afterward.
Disabling Secure Boot does not normally erase files, but changing firmware settings can cause BitLocker or Device Encryption to request the recovery key. Blackwire strongly recommends suspending BitLocker protection or turning off and decrypting Device Encryption before the change. Save and verify the recovery key, and do not clear the TPM, delete keys, or change unrelated firmware settings.
Yes, that is strongly recommended. Suspend BitLocker protection, or turn off and decrypt Windows Device Encryption, before changing Secure Boot. Confirm that the recovery key is saved somewhere accessible before restarting.
No. Normal storage diagnostics are designed to be read-only and do not intentionally erase, overwrite, format, partition, repair, or modify user files.
Core is a good first check. Use Standard for broader investigation. Use Extended Test for intermittent problems, used-system evaluation, or when shorter testing did not reproduce the issue.
Yes. A Pass means that specific test did not detect a fault during that run. Intermittent problems may require repeated, extended, or manufacturer-specific testing.
It is designed to apply controlled load rather than intentionally damage healthy hardware. Already-failing hardware may crash, shut down, or expose faults under load. Use adequate cooling and stop for any unsafe physical condition.
It can report and test ECC-related information when the motherboard, processor, memory controller, and firmware expose the required evidence. It cannot report correction data that the platform does not make available.
No. It tests supported UEFI graphics output and framebuffer behavior, but it does not replace a full Windows 3D benchmark or every vendor-specific GPU diagnostic.
They are saved to the selected writable report destination. Screenshots are stored in a Screen Shots folder. Read-only ISO or optical media cannot be used as the writable destination.
Save the report, repeat the test when safe, check related hardware and settings, and consider testing modules or components individually. One failed test may involve more than one component.
It can help identify hardware faults that may contribute to blue screens, but it does not analyze Windows drivers, applications, registry configuration, or every software cause.
Available now and coming next
Home is available for users who want to support continued development. Professional and Business models are coming soon with advanced tests, commercial-use options, expanded workflows, and planned Secure Boot-signed releases after certificate approval. Current Free and Home builds still require Secure Boot to be disabled.