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

---

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

---

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:

---

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

---

• 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

 

[pmshah]

@Britton30

The graphic capture that you have posted is quite revealing. This is the first time I have seen such detailed info on the ram. I have a Zotac Mini-ITX motherboard with dual core Atom cpu and nVidia chipset. My display is nowhere close to this. May be it is the chipset that is the passing on the fardware information.

 

[Britton30]

That's right, AMD and Intel will have different memtest data shown. The chipset will also have some different ones too.

 

[smoledman]

Question - does the memtest program write a log result to the USB stick once it's done so I can send it to tech support?

 

[maxseven]

I don't believe it does. At least, I have always taken screen shots of the results for communicating errors to Mfr's tech support...

 

[aohatsu]

This was so easy to understand and follow, even for people like me who know basically nothing about how computers actually work. Thank you so much!!

 

[Rain08]

Have a question for Memtest, is the program just for diagnosing the RAM and show us the errors or it diagnoses the RAM, tells us the results and fixes it?

 

[VistaKing]

It only diagnosing the RAM . To fix Ram issues is replacing the ram that is giving the errors . If you have more than one ram installed you test each ram until you find the problematic RAM stick . If you have a kit then you replace both of the sticks .

 

[AMRITBABINA]

thanks jk

 

[arsene]

Hi to everyone in the forum, and thanks for the tutorial Jonathan_King, it was extremely useful to me.

Well, there´s another reason for me posting right now, and that is that I experienced some problems when trying to boot from an usb pendrive, but I managed to boot from it and I´d like to share what I did for that to happen.
Like many at first I couldn´t get it to boot, even after putting the usb device as 1st boot unit. But I realize my Bios, in advance mode, has an option called "boot override", there I just selected the usb with the bootable memetest+86 and it started running inmediatly.
I hope this can help some people out there.

So, thanks again for the great guide. Good bye.

Arsene.
http://www.sevenforums.com/members/jonathan_king.html

 

[tinkertron]

I don't know if anyone noticed, but in the latest Memtest86+ - Advanced Memory Diagnostic Tool, there's no boot file.

In the Download - Auto-installer for USB Key (Win 9x/2k/xp/7)

 

[Britton30]

I don't know if anyone noticed, but in the latest Memtest86+ - Advanced Memory Diagnostic Tool, there's no boot file.

In the Download - Auto-installer for USB Key (Win 9x/2k/xp/7)

Did you try it? It uses Syslinux for booting and it work, I just tried it.

Here's the Read Me file from the installer package.

View attachment Readme.txt

 

[tinkertron]

I boot from the USB drive abd I get a message that says Missing Operating System. What am I missing?

 

[Britton30]

Did you let the installer format the USB pendrive?

 

[tinkertron]

yes

 

[Britton30]

Very odd, open the USB stick, it should have the same files as in the snip.

 

[tinkertron]

I used another USB stick and it worked! I don't know why, but it did. Thanks

 

[Britton30]

Great, I'm happy you got it to work. The 1st USB stick has some sort of issue it seems.

 

[Britton30]

Here's a look at the newer 5.01 version.

 

[redditor]

I have an issue when boot from the burned iso. I know the disc is fine because I tried it on another pc and no prob. Now when I boot with the pc in question the memtest interface flickers for a fraction of a second then immediately restarts.

 

[Britton30]

I have an issue when boot from the burned iso. I know the disc is fine because I tried it on another pc and no prob. Now when I boot with the pc in question the memtest interface flickers for a fraction of a second then immediately restarts.

Does this PC run fine normally? Which version of memtest are you trying to use?