RAM memory check?
in [Windows XP]
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From: Paul on 8 May 2010 17:24 Antares 531 wrote: > Is there an easy, straight forward way to check the RAM memory sticks > in my computer? This is an older computer, running Windows XP Pro with > SP3 installed. > > The computer has a Gigabyte S-Series motherboard...GA-P35-DS3L with an > Intel P35 Express chipset. > > I set it up with an Intel Core 2 Duo CPU, E6750l @ 2.66 GHz and two > 2.67 GHz, 2.0 GB RAM sticks. > > From time to time, when I try to start this computer it will beep a > series of beeps of about one second on and one second off. At this > time the CPU cooling fan will start and stop in sync with the beeps. > > I can press the OFF switch and do a restart and this usually clears > the problem for the time being, but it will show up again the next > time I do a cold start. This may indicate a thermally related problem, > but I don't know how to check this out. > > Sometimes, during shut-down, I see a very brief error message that > doesn't last long enough for me to read, but it seems to be indicating > a problem with writing or reading some RAM address. > > How is the best way to check the RAM out and verify that the problem > is in the RAM sticks, before I go buy replacements? > > Thanks, Gordon I'll add one other suggestion. Currently, your two RAM sticks are plugged in "dual channel". That doesn't guarantee complete test coverage. You can also install both the sticks, on the same channel. That is called "single channel mode". The advantage of doing that, is you can run two checks in single channel mode. For example, in single channel mode, the RAM sticks are "stacked" in the address space. Say the first time, you are unlucky, and the bad memory hides in the BIOS space below 1 megabyte. +---+ | | | | | | | | | | | | +---+ +---+ | | | | | | | | | | \___ Bad memory in BIOS 640KB area. Can't be tested. | X | / +---+ Now, swap the two sticks in their single channel configuration. The configuration is still single channel, but the DIMMs are now stacked differently in the address space. The bad memory is now "half way up". Running memtest86 this time, will show the error. +---+ | | | | | | | | | | | X | ___ Bad memory can be detected +---+ +---+ | | | | | | | | | | \___ BIOS 640KB area. | | / +---+ So if you aren't seeing any errors, without moving the DIMMs, you can reconfigure the memory sticks, and run a couple additional tests in single channel mode. Paul
From: Antares 531 on 8 May 2010 18:38 On Sat, 08 May 2010 14:22:46 -0500, Antares 531 <gordonlrDELETE(a)swbell.net> wrote: >Is there an easy, straight forward way to check the RAM memory sticks >in my computer? This is an older computer, running Windows XP Pro with >SP3 installed. > >The computer has a Gigabyte S-Series motherboard...GA-P35-DS3L with an >Intel P35 Express chipset. > >I set it up with an Intel Core 2 Duo CPU, E6750l @ 2.66 GHz and two >2.67 GHz, 2.0 GB RAM sticks. > >From time to time, when I try to start this computer it will beep a >series of beeps of about one second on and one second off. At this >time the CPU cooling fan will start and stop in sync with the beeps. > >I can press the OFF switch and do a restart and this usually clears >the problem for the time being, but it will show up again the next >time I do a cold start. This may indicate a thermally related problem, >but I don't know how to check this out. > >Sometimes, during shut-down, I see a very brief error message that >doesn't last long enough for me to read, but it seems to be indicating >a problem with writing or reading some RAM address. > >How is the best way to check the RAM out and verify that the problem >is in the RAM sticks, before I go buy replacements? > >Thanks, Gordon Thanks to all of you for your quick responses. I downloaded the memtest34a.zip file but could not unzip it because it requires a password. How may I get this password? Gordon
From: Paul on 8 May 2010 20:11 Antares 531 wrote: > On Sat, 08 May 2010 14:22:46 -0500, Antares 531 > <gordonlrDELETE(a)swbell.net> wrote: > >> Is there an easy, straight forward way to check the RAM memory sticks >> in my computer? This is an older computer, running Windows XP Pro with >> SP3 installed. >> >> The computer has a Gigabyte S-Series motherboard...GA-P35-DS3L with an >> Intel P35 Express chipset. >> >> I set it up with an Intel Core 2 Duo CPU, E6750l @ 2.66 GHz and two >> 2.67 GHz, 2.0 GB RAM sticks. >> >>From time to time, when I try to start this computer it will beep a >> series of beeps of about one second on and one second off. At this >> time the CPU cooling fan will start and stop in sync with the beeps. >> >> I can press the OFF switch and do a restart and this usually clears >> the problem for the time being, but it will show up again the next >> time I do a cold start. This may indicate a thermally related problem, >> but I don't know how to check this out. >> >> Sometimes, during shut-down, I see a very brief error message that >> doesn't last long enough for me to read, but it seems to be indicating >> a problem with writing or reading some RAM address. >> >> How is the best way to check the RAM out and verify that the problem >> is in the RAM sticks, before I go buy replacements? >> >> Thanks, Gordon > > Thanks to all of you for your quick responses. I downloaded the > memtest34a.zip file but could not unzip it because it requires a > password. How may I get this password? > > Gordon This is the MD5 sum for the download I got. 3a1054b84b996b57f77ec685fec8aa2e *memtest34a.zip 67,514 bytes I had no trouble extracting that with 7-ZIP. There is no evidence here of a password. install.bat memtest.bin rawrite.exe README.txt The README.txt file accompanying the download, should be opened with Wordpad. If you upload the file in question to virustotal.com, you should end up on this page. I got here using the hash search function. If you don't have a copy of the MD5sum program or equivalent, uploading the file, will compute the MD5sum for you. http://www.virustotal.com/analisis/47b051d8e29000fb8ac57ebcd5cb744c92b4abdf567b02603c609c8ca3a98f17-1268488951 It could be the file is corrupted, or your version of Winzip is old or something. Paul
From: HeyBub on 9 May 2010 13:02 Antares 531 wrote: > Is there an easy, straight forward way to check the RAM memory sticks > in my computer? This is an older computer, running Windows XP Pro with > SP3 installed. > > The computer has a Gigabyte S-Series motherboard...GA-P35-DS3L with an > Intel P35 Express chipset. > > I set it up with an Intel Core 2 Duo CPU, E6750l @ 2.66 GHz and two > 2.67 GHz, 2.0 GB RAM sticks. > > From time to time, when I try to start this computer it will beep a > series of beeps of about one second on and one second off. At this > time the CPU cooling fan will start and stop in sync with the beeps. > > I can press the OFF switch and do a restart and this usually clears > the problem for the time being, but it will show up again the next > time I do a cold start. This may indicate a thermally related problem, > but I don't know how to check this out. > > Sometimes, during shut-down, I see a very brief error message that > doesn't last long enough for me to read, but it seems to be indicating > a problem with writing or reading some RAM address. > > How is the best way to check the RAM out and verify that the problem > is in the RAM sticks, before I go buy replacements? > > Thanks, Gordon In spite of another's assertion that thermal problems cannot be fixed, there is at least one that can. If one (or more) of the contacts for your RAM is bent, slightly corroded, crooked, or otherwise making a poor contact when cold, the chip might just make sufficient contanct when slightly warmed as the metal contacts bend or expand. Here's a cheap (possible) fix. Remove the RAM modules. Go over the contacts lightly with a pencil eraser. Re-seat the sticks. Also, prayer doesn't cost anything.
From: Paul on 9 May 2010 16:45
Antares 531 wrote: > > I still haven't gotten the MemTest software to work. I read the Readme > text file that came with the download and this seems to indicate that > it is a Linux software. This may mean that it won't work on a Windows > XP setup. > > Gordon Have your blank floppy ready. Double click install.bat . Install.bat uses rawrite.exe to prep the floppy. The contents of the floppy should be removed in the process, and the copy of memtest.bin will be put in its place. Note that, this installer, does not place a file system on the floppy. You cannot use "dir" in DOS and list the contents of the floppy. And yet, the floppy will be bootable, after it has been prepared. install.bat memtest.bin rawrite.exe README.txt As long as your boot order has the floppy first, you can then insert the floppy, shutdown and reboot, and the floppy should start to boot. This is the contents of the install.bat file. You can view the ..bat file, by dropping it on an open notepad window. So this installer, uses the rawrite program, to write the memtest.bin code into the floppy, destroying the previous contents of the floppy in the process. ******* @echo off REM Memtest86 DOS/Windows install script echo ############################################################## echo # # echo # Memtest-86 Installation # echo # This installation creates a bootable floppy disk. # echo # # echo # Memtest is a standalone memory test and must be booted # echo # from a floppy disk. Memtest cannot be executed under # echo # DOS or Windows. # echo # NOTE: Windows will not be able to read the floppy after # echo # the test is installed. This is normal. # echo # # echo ############################################################## echo . REM Are both files here? if not exist .\rawrite.exe goto NO_PGM if not exist .\memtest.bin goto NO_BIN rawrite -f memtest.bin if ERRORLEVEL == 1 goto ERROR echo Done! echo To run Memtest86, leave the floppy in the drive and reboot. goto EXIT :NO_PGM echo Error: Can't find "rawrite.exe". This program must be in the echo same directory as the install script. goto ERROR :NO_BIN echo Error: Can't find "memtest.bin". This file must be in the echo same directory as the install script. goto ERROR :ERROR echo Installation failed! :EXIT ******* HTH, Paul |