Windows provides a tool called Reliability Monitor that shows the System Stability Index, highlighting stability issues for users. This index, scored from 1 to 10, indicates the condition of a PC by analyzing crashes, errors, and other system failures.
Understanding the System Stability Index
The System Stability Index measures system robustness by factoring in recent crashes, update failures, driver problems, and unexpected shutdowns, with recent events having a greater influence. A lower score often results from application crashes, Blue Screen of Death (BSOD) events, and driver failures.
The index is updated over a running historical period and serves as a practical metric of your PC's health. Users can access this score via the Reliability Monitor, available directly through Windows by typing "reliability" in the Start menu or by running 'perfmon /rel'.
Using the Reliability Monitor
The Reliability Monitor presents a timeline graph of stability levels and an event log that uses symbols—red Xs for critical errors, yellow triangles for warnings, and blue icons for informational events—to detail potential issues on specific dates. By clicking these entries, users are provided with additional technical insights.
While the Reliability Monitor keeps approximately a year’s worth of data, for more in-depth analysis, Windows Event Viewer can be utilized. To improve PC performance, users should identify and address problematic software or outdated drivers as flagged by the monitor.
- Open Reliability Monitor from the Start menu by searching for "reliability".
- Review historical stability data and event icons for detailed diagnostics.
- Identify and resolve system issues proactively to prevent major failures.
