RAM - Test with Memtest86+

How to Test and Diagnose RAM Issues with Memtest86+​

Contents

• Preparing the Media
• Testing
• If you have errors

Part 1: Preparing the Media

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Method 1: With a USB Memory Stick​

1. Download the latest version of the "Auto-installer for USB Key (Win 9x/2k/xp/7)" from this link: Memtest86+ - Advanced Memory Diagnostic Tool​

2. Plug in an empty USB key drive. Size is no concern, as the actual files take up 180 KB of space.​

3. Go into the .zip folder you downloaded, and double-click on the .exe file inside.​

4. Follow the setup utility. To reduce the risk of problems, it is advised to format the drive.​

​

Method 2: With a CD​

1. Download the latest version of the "Precompiled Boot ISO (.zip) from this link: Memtest86+ - Advanced Memory Diagnostic Tool​

You want the "Precompiled Boot ISO (.zip)".​

2. Open the .zip file you downloaded, and then drag the .ISO file inside onto the Desktop.​

3. Right-click on the ISO, and select Open with>Windows Disc Image Burner.
4. Insert a blank CD into the CD drive, and make sure the correct Disc burner is selected.
5. Click on "Burn".

Now the CD is ready to use.



Part 2: Testing

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1. With the CD in the drive, or the USB key inserted, reboot your computer. If Memtest does not automatically boot, go into the BIOS and change the CD drive or USB drive to be the first to boot.​

2. Memtest will immediately start testing as soon as it boots. No attendance is needed.​

3. Let it run until at least 8 passes are completed, or errors are found (whichever comes first). The longer you run it, the better.
Seven passes will take several hours, depending on your amount of RAM. It is advised to leave it running overnight.





Part 3: If You Have Errors:

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The goal is to test all the RAM sticks and all the motherboard slots.​

Check your motherboard manual to ensure the RAM sticks are in the recommended motherboard slots. Some motherboards have very specific slots required for the number of RAM sticks installed.​

If you get errors, stop the test and continue with the next step.​

​

1. Remove all but one stick of RAM from your computer (this will be RAM stick #1), and run Memtest86 again, for 7 passes.​

Be sure to note the RAM stick, use a piece of tape with a number, and note the motherboard slot.
If this stick passes the test then go to step #3.

2. If RAM stick #1 has errors, repeat the test with RAM stick #2 in the same motherboard slot.​

If RAM stick #2 passes, this indicates that RAM stick #1 may be bad. If you want to be absolutely sure, re-test RAM stick #1 in another known good slot.
If RAM stick #2 has errors, this indicates another possible bad RAM stick, a possible motherboard slot failure or inadequate settings.
3. Test the next stick of RAM (stick #2) in the next motherboard slot.If this RAM stick has errors repeat step #2 using a known good stick if possible, or another stick.
If this RAM stick has no errors and both sticks failed in slot#1, test RAM stick #1 in this slot.
4. If you find a stick that passes the test, test it in all the other motherboard slots.

If Part 2 testing shows errors, and all tests in Part 3 show errors, you will need to test the RAM sticks in another computer and/or test other RAM in your computer to identify the problem.​

In this way, you can identify whether it is a bad stick of RAM, a bad motherboard, or incompatibility between the sticks.​

Thanks to Dave76 for his assistance in this part.​

   Note

While the same concept is completely valid for other operating systems, a different image burner will be needed. A good free program is ImgBurn.

Related Tutorials

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• http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/100352-hardware-stress-test-prime95.html
• http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/100356-video-card-stress-test-furmark.html
• http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/715-memory-diagnostics-tool.html
• Test your CPU Stability with IntelBurnTest
• Download Debug Diagnostic Tool v2 Update 1

 

[xxxdannyxxx]

Looks good Jon, I tried the USB installer method and was impressed with the ease of the process.
This can easily be put on a USB and removed when no longer needed.

This led to making a USB rescue drive, which quickly led to approximately 400 apps on 1.44GB.
Including the Windows 7 System Repair Disc and MS Sysinternals Suite.
Most of these will never get used but, it's better to have something when needed than have to look for it.

Hi Dave

Im interested in what you have done here.I have about 7-8 1 gig usb sticks with various boot programs on like partition wizard, killdisk, now memtest but its always bothered me that especially in the memest case that it uses only 200kb of space on a 1 gig flash drive.
How do you install more than 1 boot program on 1 flash drive and how does the pc recognise which program you want to use at boot.
I would be very interested in making something along the lines of what you have done.

Danny

Hi Danny,
I am using this:
How to Create the Ultimate Bootable USB Flash Drive
You can add as many ISO programs as you have room for, then edit the loader file to add it to the start list. Works great.

The other one is Liberkey, has a lot of useful apps that come with it, as far as I remember you can't add apps to it, but you can use the free space to store any files you want. I just made a folder for the misc files.

USB doesn'n worked for me either. However, with a rewritable CD the program works. Maybe there is a bug in the latest version of the program or there is some kind of security proram which doesn't allows our machines to boot from an USB. I'm only guessing...

Make sure you have your BIOS set to boot from a USB device, there are usually a couple of choices, try them until you find the right one.

Thanks for posting back Dave. Looks like ive got a nice little project on for an easter sunday now.Will have a look at the links you supplied and give it a go.

Thanks again

Danny

 

[Dave76]

Your welcome, it's actually pretty easy.

Have to search for the appropriate programs in ISO format.

 

[xxxdannyxxx]

Your welcome, it's actually pretty easy.

Have to search for the appropriate programs in ISO format.

Yes got it.All boot programs on 1 USB genius.Thanks mate

Danny

 

[Dave76]

Glad it worked for you, it makes a very nice USB flash drive multi tool device.

And :focus: Memtest86+ works on it also.

 

[FredeGail]

This fixed my BSOD.

Best tutorial of all time. I owe you.

Best Regards,
FredeGail

 

[Jonathan_King]

So glad to hear it FredeGail, thanks for posting an encouraging message!

 

[FredeGail]

Anytime

 

[carisch]

After running the memtest is there a way to pull up past tests, or do you have to see the screen as it finishes? I just ran it for 5 hours, and had a power failure in the building before I could get back to it. Not sure if it logs the data somewhere, but I couldn't find it.

Thanks,

 

[Jonathan_King]

Hello carisch,

Unfortunately, there are no logs generated by Memtest86. The only report given is the one displayed on the screen. I'm afraid you'll have to run the test over again.

 

[Bunford]

Hi,

I recently began getting BSOD for no apparent reason. I did a total system reset, wiping and formatting all hard drives and even did a CMOS jumper reset and took battery out to reset CMOS. Also, I installed the latest Asus BIOS, which is 0801 for my board.

The BSOD I got initially had the "Page Fault in Nonpaged Area" error. But then when I tried to reinstall Windows it gave me the c000021a BSOD, putting me in a loop to the recovery module, but then failing to be able to anything and restarting, and round and round I went.

Read up and saw it could be RAM issues. I've downloaded the latest Memtest86+, being 4.20 I think. I burnt the iso and loaded up the PC, and as it should it ran straight into Memtest. With all 4 RAM sticks in, it threw up errors immediately. It brought up a total of about 700 errors after 3 trials of 10 passes, all errors in the 3200-3300MB range.

I then followed this tutorial and took all sticks out. I put a single stick back in Bay 1 and ran 10 passes with no errors. Proceeded to this with the other 3 sticks, all using Bay 1. They all returned with no errors at all. This led me to think it must one of the RAM bays that's damaged then.

So I then proceeded to use one of the RAM sticks (as all seem to work fine from previous test) in Bay 2, 3 and 4, running 10 passes on each Bay. All Bays passed with no errors.

I'm now confused as it seems all sticks are error-free and all Bays are error-free. However, when I stick all 4 RAM sticks in again, I get the errors coming up again.

Any ideas???

 

[Jonathan_King]

Hello Bunford!

It sounds as if there may be an incompatibility between the RAM going on. Did you buy all RAM at the same time? Is it all the same brand, speed, size, and latency? If not, I'd expect that's the problem.

You might also try running Memtest on two sticks; see what results.

 

[Dave76]

Hello Bunford,

Usually when you have more than 4GB RAM, 2GB cards or larger, 4 RAM cards, you will need to adjust the RAM settings, most of the time a voltage bump is needed.


Can you download CPUZ and post a snip of the CPU, Mainboard, Memory, and SPD tabs.
For posting the information , enter 'Snipping tool' in the Start button > Search box, hit enter. Select the area you want to post and save to a convenient place.
How to Post a Screenshot in Seven Forums

Have you been checking your temperatures?
Use Speed Fan or Real Temp(for Intel CPU) , run one of these and check the CPU temps when at idle, under load and/or testing.
Let us know the minimum and maximum temps you get.

Go to your BIOS and tell us what the CPU, RAM and the CPU integrated memory controller voltages are.

 

[Bunford]

Hello Bunford!

It sounds as if there may be an incompatibility between the RAM going on. Did you buy all RAM at the same time? Is it all the same brand, speed, size, and latency? If not, I'd expect that's the problem.

You might also try running Memtest on two sticks; see what results.

All RAM was bought same time, is fine and has been working harmoniously for about 2 years without any issues so it's definitely not incompatability issues.

There was one that was not seated right last night, which I realised after posting. Reseated it and it's done 6 passes so far overnight without any errors.

 

[Bunford]

Hello Bunford,

Usually when you have more than 4GB RAM, 2GB cards or larger, 4 RAM cards, you will need to adjust the RAM settings, most of the time a voltage bump is needed.


Can you download CPUZ and post a snip of the CPU, Mainboard, Memory, and SPD tabs.
For posting the information , enter 'Snipping tool' in the Start button > Search box, hit enter. Select the area you want to post and save to a convenient place.
How to Post a Screenshot in Seven Forums

Have you been checking your temperatures?
Use Speed Fan or Real Temp(for Intel CPU) , run one of these and check the CPU temps when at idle, under load and/or testing.
Let us know the minimum and maximum temps you get.

Go to your BIOS and tell us what the CPU, RAM and the CPU integrated memory controller voltages are.

Cheers for this. With latest Memtest run having now done 6 passes without errors. I'm planning to trying to reinstall Windows now and see where it gets me. If I BSOD, I'll do all the above and then post back here as I'll be stumped by then :sarc:

 

[Trinni100]

Thanks

 

[yousaf465]

Hello Bunford!

It sounds as if there may be an incompatibility between the RAM going on. Did you buy all RAM at the same time? Is it all the same brand, speed, size, and latency? If not, I'd expect that's the problem.

You might also try running Memtest on two sticks; see what results.

This is what we used to call "Suukaan" problem, (meaning two wives of a person), I had install windows xp every week just bcz of two different ram present.

 

[Thorekong]

Just a question I got 16gb ram how long time should it take?

 

[maxseven]

To do a complete pass might take a couple of hours or more--I'd plan on a morning, or an afternoon at least.

You must do the full test, though. IIRC last time I had problems it was with Test #8--the memory was bad...

 

[Thorekong]

how many passes does it use?

 

[maxseven]

It will keep going forever if you let it, but iirc after one pass (11 tests) it will give you a message at the bottom saying you've completed successfully.

Memtest86.com - Memory Diagnostic