As IT professionals, we've all been there: you're troubleshooting a client's computer, performing routine maintenance, or trying to quickly assess a system's health before handing it back to a customer. Traditional diagnostic tools often require installation, leave traces on the system, or produce verbose outputs filled with technical jargon that clients don't need to see.
Enter the Portable Sysinternals Suite System Tester! A game-changing PowerShell toolkit that transforms how we approach Windows system diagnostics. This thumb-drive friendly solution combines the power of Microsoft's renowned Sysinternals Suite with built-in Windows tools to deliver comprehensive system health reports without leaving a footprint on the target machine.
https://github.com/Pnwcomputers/SystemTester
What Makes This Tool Special?
Unlike traditional diagnostic software that requires installation or complex setup, this PowerShell-based solution runs entirely portable. Simply copy it to a USB drive, plug it into any Windows 10 or 11 machine, and you're ready to perform comprehensive system diagnostics.Key Features That Set It Apart:
- 🖱️ One-Click Operation: Choose between an interactive menu or fully automated runs
- 🧹 Intelligent Output Cleaning: Automatically removes banners, EULA text, and verbose usage information
- 🧠 Comprehensive Testing Suite: Covers CPU, RAM, disk health, running processes, security configurations, and network status
- 🗂️ Dual Reporting System: Generates both a clean summary for clients and detailed technical logs for IT professionals
- 📦 Zero Installation Required: Runs completely portable from USB drives or network locations
- 🧰 Graceful Tool Detection: Automatically detects missing Sysinternals tools and skips them without errors
- 🔐 Smart Elevation Handling: Uses advanced SID-based admin detection that works reliably across different Windows configurations
Technical Deep Dive:
The System Tester leverages a carefully curated selection of Sysinternals utilities combined with Windows Management Instrumentation (WMI) and built-in Windows commands. Here's what runs under the hood:System Information Gathering:
- PSInfo: Comprehensive system configuration details
- ClockRes: System timer resolution analysis
- WMI Queries: Operating system and computer hardware overview
CPU Performance Analysis:
- CoreInfo: Detailed processor architecture and feature detection
- Performance Counters: Real-time CPU utilization monitoring
- Process Analysis: Identification of CPU-intensive applications
Memory Health Assessment:
- WMI Memory Details: Physical and virtual memory configuration
- TestLimit: Memory stress testing and allocation verification
- Performance Counters: Memory paging and performance metrics
Storage System Evaluation:
- WMI Disk Overview: Drive configuration and health status
- DU (Disk Usage): Detailed directory space analysis
- Streams: NTFS alternate data stream detection
- Contig: File fragmentation analysis
- I/O Testing: Basic read/write performance verification
Getting Started!
Setting up the System Tester is straightforward and takes just a few minutes:Required Folder Structure:
Multiple Ways to Run:
Option A - Easy Launch: Simply run RunSystemTester.bat for an interactive menu.
Option B - Automated Classic Mode: Choose option 2 in the launcher for traditional full-system scanning.
Option C - Device-Grouped Testing: Select option 3 for structured diagnostics organized by hardware components.
Option D - Direct PowerShell Execution:
- Interactive mode:
powershell -ExecutionPolicy Bypass -File .\SystemTester.ps1 - Automated run:
powershell -ExecutionPolicy Bypass -File .\SystemTester.ps1 -AutoRun - Device-grouped:
powershell -ExecutionPolicy Bypass -File .\SystemTester.ps1 -AutoRunByDevice - Custom output location:
powershell -ExecutionPolicy Bypass -File .\SystemTester.ps1 -AutoRun -OutputPath "E:\Reports"
📊 Understanding Your Reports:
The System Tester generates two complementary reports:Clean Summary Report (SystemTest_Clean_YYYYMMDD_HHMMSS.txt)
This human-readable report is perfect for sharing with clients. It includes:
- System specifications in plain English
- Performance summary with easy-to-understand metrics
- Health status indicators
- Actionable recommendations when issues are detected
Detailed Technical Report (SystemTest_Detailed_YYYYMMDD_HHMMSS.txt)
The technical report provides comprehensive diagnostic data for IT professionals:
- Complete tool outputs with technical details
- Raw performance metrics and system counters
- Detailed process and service information
- Security configuration analysis (when Autoruns is available)
Ideal/Example Use Cases:
Field Service Technicians
Quickly assess customer systems on-site without installing diagnostic software. Generate professional reports that demonstrate thoroughness and build customer confidence.
IT Support Teams
Establish baseline system health documentation before and after maintenance. The portable nature means you can use the same tool across your entire fleet without deployment concerns.
Computer Repair Shops
Provide customers with detailed "health certificates" for their repaired systems. The clean summary reports are perfect for explaining technical findings in customer-friendly language.
System Administrators
Perform quick health checks during routine maintenance windows. The device-grouped testing mode helps focus on specific subsystems when troubleshooting targeted issues.
Security and Privacy Considerations:
The System Tester is designed with security awareness in mind:- Administrative Rights: While optional, some checks benefit from elevation. The tool clearly indicates which tests require admin access.
- Information Disclosure: Reports include computer names and usernames - review before sharing outside your organization.
- Sensitive Path Information: Autoruns and Streams can reveal executable paths - treat detailed reports as sensitive artifacts.
- No Installation Footprint: The tool runs entirely in memory and doesn't modify the target system.
Future Roadmap:
The System Tester continues to evolve with planned enhancements including:- Version 1.1: Optional GPU and SMART drive checks, skip flags for selective testing, and tunable summary verbosity
- Version 1.2: HTML report export, compressed output folders, and improved parsing algorithms
- Version 2.0: WPF/WinUI graphical interface, pluggable module system, and JSON configuration support
Conclusion
The Portable Sysinternals Suite System Tester represents a significant step forward in field diagnostics tools. By combining the reliability of Microsoft's Sysinternals Suite with intelligent automation and clean reporting, it addresses real-world challenges faced by IT professionals daily.Whether you're a field service technician needing quick system assessments, a repair shop owner wanting to provide professional diagnostic reports, or a system administrator performing routine health checks, this tool adapts to your workflow while maintaining the highest standards of portability and professionalism.
Ready to streamline your diagnostic workflow? Download the System Tester from the GitHub repository and experience the difference that thoughtful tool design can make in your daily IT operations.
The System Tester is released under the MIT license and welcomes community contributions. Found a bug or have a feature request? Open an issue on GitHub or submit a pull request to help make this tool even better for the IT community.
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