How do you find out if your ram is faulty?

[Ciaran]

My computer has been crashing very frequently since i installed some new ram (256meg ddr). I downloaded a prog from

http://www.teresaudio.com/memtest86

and the ram came up as faulty. However so did the ram that worked before (64meg pc100 ram). If i send my ram back for a replacement i will have to pay if it is not faulty. What is a reliable way of testing it?

I have winxp pro - athalon 1600xp

 

[Guest_imported]

I don't know if this will a help but..
If you look at

http://www.teresaudio.com/memtest86/#trouble

you will see Please be aware that not all errors reported by Memtest86 are due to bad memory.
Can you go to safe mode with the original stick of memory? Remember to ground yourself to the case for static discharge.
The only sure way I know of testing ram is to try each card
by itself.

 

[Ciaran]

I can go into safe mode with my original ram. I did test each card by itsself.

 

[jmatt]

http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;EN-US;q186909

Method 1
Remove or replace memory chips in the computer to see if the problem is resolved.

Method 2
Try limiting the amount of memory that Windows uses. If limiting the amount of memory that
Windows uses resolves the issue, the problem is a defective memory chip. To limit the amount of
memory Windows uses, follow these steps:

Restart Windows in Safe mode. To do so, restart your computer, press and hold down the CTRL key
until the Windows 98 Startup menu appears, and then choose Safe Mode.

Click Start, point to Programs, point to Accessories, point to System Tools, and then click
System Information.

On the Tools menu, click System Configuration Utility.

On the General tab, click Advanced.

Click to select the Limit Memory To <n> MB check box, and set the value to 16 megabytes (MB).

NOTE: Limiting memory to less than 16 MB may prevent Windows from loading. If you are unable to
start Windows normally, start Windows in Safe mode and then disable this option by pressing and
holding down the SHIFT key throughout startup.

Click OK, and then click OK.

Restart your computer normally.

For more information about troubleshooting memory, please see the following articles in the
Microsoft Knowledge Base:

ARTICLE-ID: Q134503
TITLE : Parity Error Messages May Indicate Bad Memory

ARTICLE-ID: Q142546
TITLE : How to Use a RAM Drive to Troubleshoot Memory

 

[Ciaran]

I use winxp pro not win98. I could not create a ramdrive beacuse i do not have a ramdrive.sys file. I could not limit the ram that winxp uses either. (editing system.ini manually). System configuration utility was not there.

 

[edfair]

You could get a boot floppy and load himem.sys with testmem on.
Gives a fairly robust test. Ed Fair
unixstuff@juno.com
Any advice I give is my best judgement based on my interpretation of the facts you supply. Help increase my knowledge by providing some feedback, good or bad, on any advice I have given.

 

[craigey]

One thing to note.

Software testing Memory is not the best way to check for faulty memory. Ideally you need a dedicated hardware memory checker.

Unfortunately I don't know where you would get one from!

 

[FatesWebb]

Here is what you do...

Create a ramdrive using most of your ram, you will have to leave some for the os to boot. then run scandisk on the ramdrive. no errors? switch the dimms or simms if you have more than one. repeat process... no errors? good ram..

if you find bad sectors you have bad ram....

that simple... js error; 67 on line; 36 of signature.class

 

[FatesWebb]

oh, you can create a ramdrive from a dos disk, or older dos disk etc... that is the best way to test it... js error; 67 on line; 36 of signature.class

 

[Ciaran]

I tried to create a ramdisk using &quot;AR Soft RAM Disk
Version 1.20&quot;. The default 1meg drive worked but when i set it higher (to 30 meg) it failed to start.
How would i obtain a dos disk with a ramdrive? I kno the win98 has a 2meg ram drive (which is easily changed) but i cant get hold of a win98 startup disk. Also would scandisk work because it doesnt show up as a harddrive?

 

[jmatt]

ARTICLE-ID: Q142546

http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;Q142546

TITLE : How to Use a RAM Drive to Troubleshoot Memory

---------------------------------------------------------

http://www.startdisk.com/Web2/ubd/ubd.htm

http://www.startdisk.com/Web2/ubd/Clean.htm

http://www.bootdisk.com/

http://support.micronpc.com/file_lib/boot.html

This is reported to be the best for all ages of rom's .

http://download.cnet.com/downloads/0-10106-100-8329548.html?tag=st.dl.10001-103-1.lst-7-1.8329548