laptop-genuineness

Check whether a Windows laptop is genuine and healthy before you buy it. It works for new laptops, store demo/display units, and second-hand laptops.

Everything runs on the laptop itself, so you see the results with your own eyes instead of trusting the seller. The scripts only read information. Nothing on the laptop is changed.

File	What it does
`check.ps1`	One script that checks model and serial, CPU, RAM, GPU (with real VRAM), display (exact max refresh rate), SSD health, battery health, Windows activation, crash/hardware-error history and faulty devices. It ends with a colour-coded SCORECARD showing every Result next to its Expected value with a verdict, and saves a report.
`screen-keyboard-test.html`	Full-screen colour test (dead pixels, backlight bleed, image retention), key-by-key keyboard test, and a refresh-rate check.
`EXTRA-COMMANDS.md`	Individual commands to run by hand, plus the CPU stress test and live GPU monitor, each explained.

Works on Windows 10 and 11 (any brand: Asus, MSI, Lenovo, HP, Dell, Acer…). It does not work on Windows 7/8 or Windows in S mode, which blocks PowerShell scripts.

Quick start (no USB needed)

The laptop only needs internet. Connect it to the store Wi-Fi or your phone’s hotspot.

Run it as Administrator. Without Admin the script still runs, but SSD wear/hours and some battery data will be missing.

Option A: one command from any PowerShell (easiest)

Open any PowerShell window (Start → type powershell → Enter), paste this, then click Yes on the Windows popup:

Start-Process powershell -Verb RunAs -ArgumentList '-NoExit','-ExecutionPolicy','Bypass','-Command','irm https://raw.githubusercontent.com/Dev010904/laptop-genuineness/main/check.ps1 | iex'

A new Administrator window opens, runs the full check, and stays open so you can read the scorecard.

Option B: open an Admin terminal yourself

Press Win + X, click Terminal (Admin) (on older Windows: Windows PowerShell (Admin)), then click Yes. The window title must say Administrator.
Paste and press Enter:

irm https://raw.githubusercontent.com/Dev010904/laptop-genuineness/main/check.ps1 | iex

irm (Invoke-RestMethod) downloads the script text from GitHub.
iex (Invoke-Expression) runs it in memory. Nothing is installed.
The report is saved to Desktop\laptop-test-report\, and the battery report opens in the browser.

Other ways to get an Admin PowerShell: Start → type powershell → right-click → Run as administrator, or Win + R → type powershell → Ctrl + Shift + Enter.

3. Open the screen and keyboard test

Open this link in the laptop’s browser:

https://dev010904.github.io/laptop-genuineness/screen-keyboard-test.html

4. Clean up when you’re done

Delete the laptop-test-report folder from the Desktop. Take a photo of the summary first, or copy the folder to your phone or USB.

Offline option (USB stick)

Download this repo: Code → Download ZIP. Extract it to a USB stick.
In an Admin PowerShell, run the command below, replacing E: with your USB letter:
```
powershell -ExecutionPolicy Bypass -File "E:\laptop-genuineness\check.ps1"
```
The report is saved next to the script, on the USB.
If Windows says the script is blocked (downloaded files get marked), run this once, then try again:
```
Unblock-File "E:\laptop-genuineness\check.ps1"
```
Double-click screen-keyboard-test.html to open it in the browser.

To find your USB drive letter:

Get-Volume | Where-Object DriveType -eq Removable

Reading the results

Scroll to the SCORECARD at the bottom. Every check is shown like this:

[FAIL ] Max refresh rate
         Result  : 144 Hz
         Expected: 240 Hz

Rows are sorted worst first:

Verdict	Colour	Meaning
FAIL	Red	Serious problem or doesn’t match the spec. Don’t buy until it’s explained or fixed.
WARN	Yellow	Check it, and use it to negotiate the price.
CHECK	Cyan	The script can’t know the right answer. Compare it with the box, the bill and the spec sheet.
OK	Green	Matches what’s expected.
INFO	Grey	Worth knowing, not a fault.

The last lines give TOTAL counts and an overall VERDICT.

Known models are compared automatically

If the laptop matches a built-in model profile, the script compares CPU, RAM, GPU + VRAM, resolution, refresh rate, SSD size and battery capacity against that model’s exact specs, and marks each row OK or FAIL.

Currently included:

MSI Crosshair 16 HX AI (D2XWFKG-067IN)

Other models get CHECK rows for those items, so you compare them with the spec sheet yourself. To add a model, copy the entry in $profiles at the top of check.ps1.

Expected values for every check

Check	Expected	Verdict rules
Run as Administrator	Yes	No = WARN (SSD data missing)
Model	Exact model code on box + bill	CHECK (OK when a profile matches)
Serial number	Same as sticker, box, bill	Missing/generic (“To be filled by O.E.M.”) = FAIL, board replaced
CPU	Spec sheet processor + thread count	Profile mismatch = FAIL
RAM	Spec sheet size + speed	Profile mismatch = FAIL. Running below rated speed = WARN
RAM channels	2 modules (dual channel)	1 module = WARN
Dedicated GPU	Spec sheet GPU + VRAM (e.g. RTX 5060 = 8 GB)	Profile mismatch = FAIL
Graphics drivers	All OK	“Microsoft Basic Display” or error = FAIL
NVIDIA driver	nvidia-smi works	Missing = WARN
Screen resolution	Spec sheet (e.g. 2560 x 1600)	Profile mismatch = FAIL
Max refresh rate	Spec sheet (e.g. 240 Hz)	Profile mismatch = FAIL
Current refresh rate	Same as max	Lower = INFO (change it in Settings, or plug in charger)
SSD size	Spec sheet (1 TB shows ~931–954 GB)	Profile mismatch = FAIL
SSD health	Healthy	Anything else = FAIL
SSD wear	0–2 %	3–10 % = WARN, over 10 % = FAIL
SSD power-on hours	New: under ~50 h	INFO (high is normal on a demo unit)
SSD temperature	Under 70 °C idle	70–80 = WARN, 80+ = FAIL
SSD read/write errors	0	Any = FAIL
Battery health	90 %+	85–90 % = WARN (negotiate), under 85 % = FAIL
Battery design capacity	Profile value (e.g. 90 Wh)	Off by more than 5 % = WARN (non-original battery?)
Battery cycles	Under 50 for new/demo	50–300 = WARN, 300+ = FAIL
Windows activated	Yes	No = WARN
User accounts	1	More = CHECK (someone used it)
Hardware errors (WHEA)	0	Any = FAIL
Blue screens	0	Driver codes (e.g. 0x9F) = WARN. Hardware codes (0x124, 0x7A, 0x1A) = FAIL. The code and its meaning are shown
Unexpected shutdowns	0–5	More = WARN
Internal disk errors	0	Any = FAIL. Errors from USB drives are listed separately and ignored
Devices with problems	None	Any = WARN
Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, webcam, speakers, mic	Present	Missing = FAIL

Things that can show blank (not a fault)

SSD wear / power-on hours: some laptops hide these (Intel RST/VMD mode, some SSD brands). Use CrystalDiskInfo portable from its official site instead.
Battery cycle count: some brands don’t report it to Windows. Check the battery report HTML.
nvidia-smi: only exists on laptops with an NVIDIA GPU.

Reading the battery report (the HTML that opens)

Installed batteries: compare DESIGN CAPACITY with FULL CHARGE CAPACITY, and check the CYCLE COUNT.
Battery capacity history: how fast capacity has been dropping.
Usage history: how much it has been used. A store display unit is plugged in almost all the time.

Screen and keyboard test

Screen test

Click Start screen test. The page goes full screen.
Click, or press Space / arrow keys, to change colour. Press Esc to exit.
What to look for on each colour:
- White, red, green, blue: black dots (dead pixels) or always-coloured dots (stuck pixels). Scan slowly, section by section.
- Black: set brightness to 100%, and stand somewhere dim if you can. Look for light glowing from the edges (backlight bleed). A little is normal on IPS; big bright patches are not.
- Grey 50%: faint ghost shapes of a store demo loop (image retention), or blotchy areas.
- Dark grey: cloudy or uneven patches.
- Gradient: should be smooth, with no stripes.
Shine your phone flashlight at an angle on the screen to find scratches.

Keyboard test

Click Start keyboard test and press every key. Each one turns green when it registers.

Keys like Fn, the Copilot key and some media keys can’t be seen by a browser. Test those by using them, for example brightness and volume.

Refresh rate

The menu shows Browser refresh rate ≈ … Hz. Plugged in, it should match the advertised refresh rate (for example 144, 165 or 240).

If it shows 60, check Settings → System → Display → Advanced display → Choose a refresh rate.

Stress test (fans and stability)

See EXTRA-COMMANDS.md. It runs every CPU thread at 100 % for 5 minutes while you watch the temperatures and listen to the fans.

Physical checks (no software can do these)

Battery swelling: this is the most important physical check on demo or used laptops.
- Put the laptop on a flat surface and press each corner. It should not rock.
- The touchpad should not be raised.
- The bottom panel should not bulge.
- There should be no gap between the keyboard deck and the body.
Body:
- Look for scratches and dents.
- Look for shiny keycaps (W, A, S, D, Space).
- The hinge should be firm with no wobble.
- Look for glue or holes from anti-theft tags.
Screws: scratched screw heads mean it has been opened.
Vents: shine your flashlight in. There should be no heavy dust.
Ports:
- Test every USB port.
- Test HDMI on a monitor.
- Test USB-C / Thunderbolt.
- Test LAN.
- Test the 3.5 mm audio jack.
Camera / mic / speakers:
- Open the Camera app.
- Use Sound Recorder to test the mic.
- Play a video to test the speakers.
Charger: should be the original adapter, with the correct wattage on its label.
Warranty: type the serial number into the manufacturer’s warranty check page on your own phone. If it’s a demo unit, ask for the warranty to start from your invoice date, written on the bill.

Walk away if

The battery is swollen, or its health is below 85 %
There are dead pixels or clear image retention
Model, CPU, RAM, GPU or serial don’t match what you’re paying for
There are WHEA hardware errors, or many crashes
The seller won’t let you run these checks

Example: MSI Crosshair 16 HX AI (D2XWFKG-067IN)

What a correct result looks like for this model:

Check	Expected
Model	`Crosshair 16 HX AI D2XWFKG…`
CPU	Intel Core Ultra 9 275HX, 24 cores / 24 threads
RAM	2 × 8 GB DDR5, 5600
GPU	NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5060 Laptop GPU, 8 GB + Intel graphics
Display	2560 × 1600, 240 Hz
Storage	1 TB NVMe (about 931–954 GB shown)
Battery	About 90,000 mWh design capacity

Read-only checks. Use at your own risk. Always confirm the warranty directly with the manufacturer.