# How to quickly get the specs on a computer. **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [November 6, 2007, 3:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-to-quickly-get-the-specs-on-a-computer/425379 "2007-11-06T03:45:05Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 10\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Muad\_Dib](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/35a633/32.png) [@Muad\_Dib](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Muad_Dib)\ **Post date:** [November 6, 2007, 3:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-to-quickly-get-the-specs-on-a-computer/425379/1 "2007-11-06T03:45:05Z")
Is there a free ware program that will quickly give the make and model of all of the different components of my computer? ---
**Author:** ![Dystinct](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ecae2f/32.png) [@Dystinct](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dystinct)\ **Post date:** [November 6, 2007, 3:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-to-quickly-get-the-specs-on-a-computer/425379/2 "2007-11-06T03:50:48Z")
Im not sure that such a thing exists. Sometimes the actual parts will be labeled well enough for you to find that sort of information out. Im guessing you don’t have a receipt from when you bought it? ---
**Author:** ![lazybratsche](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/ba8739/32.png) [@lazybratsche](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lazybratsche)\ **Post date:** [November 6, 2007, 3:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-to-quickly-get-the-specs-on-a-computer/425379/3 "2007-11-06T03:58:32Z")
[CPUID](http://www.cpuid.com/) will give all the information you could want about your CPU and memory, along with a decent amount about your motherboard. There’s also a freeware version of Sisoft’s [Sandra](http://www.sisoftware.co.uk/index.html?dir=dload&location=sware_dl_3264&langx=en&a=) , which will ID more bits of hardware. I’m not sure how much that version will do, however. ---
**Author:** ![Q.E.D](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/51bf81/32.png) [@Q.E.D](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Q.E.D)\ **Post date:** [November 6, 2007, 4:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-to-quickly-get-the-specs-on-a-computer/425379/4 "2007-11-06T04:04:26Z")
The [Belarc Advisor](http://www.belarc.com/free_download.html) is the industry standard for this sort of thing. ---
**Author:** ![psychonaut](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/psychonaut/32/4655_2.png) [@psychonaut](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/psychonaut)\ **Post date:** [November 6, 2007, 4:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-to-quickly-get-the-specs-on-a-computer/425379/5 "2007-11-06T04:05:31Z")
Most of this information can be gleaned from whatever sort of control panel your operating system provides. In Microsoft Windows 95 and later, press Win+Pause to bring up the System Information dialog; the Device Manager will give you the model of all your system components. In MS-DOS, use the msd.exe command. In openSUSE, go to YaST, select Hardware, and then Hardware Information. It would really help things if you could tell us what operating system you are running. ---
**Author:** ![psychonaut](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/psychonaut/32/4655_2.png) [@psychonaut](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/psychonaut)\ **Post date:** [November 6, 2007, 4:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-to-quickly-get-the-specs-on-a-computer/425379/6 "2007-11-06T04:06:54Z")
[QUOTE=Q.E.D.] The [Belarc Advisor](http://www.belarc.com/free_download.html) is the industry standard for this sort of thing. [/QUOTE] There is no such standard. ---
**Author:** ![drachillix](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/48db29/32.png) [@drachillix](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/drachillix)\ **Post date:** [November 6, 2007, 4:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-to-quickly-get-the-specs-on-a-computer/425379/7 "2007-11-06T04:14:34Z")
[QUOTE=psychonaut] There is no such standard. [/QUOTE] In this case, there might as well be. Damn near every shop I have been around uses it..kinda like memtest. ---
**Author:** ![kferr](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/71e660/32.png) [@kferr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kferr)\ **Post date:** [November 6, 2007, 12:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-to-quickly-get-the-specs-on-a-computer/425379/8 "2007-11-06T12:32:21Z")
[3DMark06](http://www.futuremark.com/products/3dmark06/) will report all that info and includes a benchmark as well. ---
**Author:** ![tonedef](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/f05b48/32.png) [@tonedef](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tonedef)\ **Post date:** [November 6, 2007, 12:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-to-quickly-get-the-specs-on-a-computer/425379/9 "2007-11-06T12:52:35Z")
[QUOTE=kferr] [3DMark06](http://www.futuremark.com/products/3dmark06/) will report all that info and includes a benchmark as well. [/QUOTE] You beat me to it. I would recommend this program. Most computer magazines use it when posting stats on computers they tested. ---
**Author:** ![Dewey\_Finn](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dewey_finn/32/4222_2.png) [@Dewey\_Finn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dewey_Finn)\ **Post date:** [November 6, 2007, 2:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-to-quickly-get-the-specs-on-a-computer/425379/10 "2007-11-06T14:55:31Z")
[QUOTE=kferr] [3DMark06](http://www.futuremark.com/products/3dmark06/) will report all that info and includes a benchmark as well. [/QUOTE] I’m downloading it now, but it’s a 580MB file. The OP asked for something that will give results quickly, so in that case Belarc Advisor (under 1.5MB) is probably a better choice.