PURPOSE: To avoid an unnecessary inspection by a method wherein it is checked whether a contact condition between a measurement probe and a printed board is normal or abnormal based on a history of the defects and when there is an abnormality, the unnecessary inspection is stopped.

CONSTITUTION: A mechanism control section 17 moves a probe 18 to bring probe pins into contact with respective cells to be inspected. A measurement unit 19 calculates a resistance value RC between a designated electrode and a connector 22 and when the value is greater than an upper limitation value RCU or lower than a bottom limitation value RCL, it is judged that there is a conduction defect. A resistance value RS between the designated electrode and the adjacent electrode is calculated so that it is judged whether there is a short circuit between electrodes. The calculated values RC, RS are stored in a memory 12 or a magnetic disk 13. Historical data of the defects is renewed and, for example, the number of defective electrodes, number of continuous defective electrodes, number of defects of small resistance and number of defective fixing pins are counted and when the respective numbers become larger than respective upper limitation values, it is judged that there is a connection defect between the probe pin and the electrode so that the result is indicated on a display 14 and the inspection is stopped.