RAM checker needed

GJW

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Just upgraded the RAM in my laptop and so far I've had two blue screens of death.

Can anyone recommend a good RAM checker?

Thanks
 

Leeoniya

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software?

www.bootdisk.com

make a dos bootdisk and run memtest86 - this is best
otherwise get a proggie called
prime95 and do a stress test - second best

usually it's because the ram is mismatched. sometimes swapping banks solves things.

Leon
 

Lynx_Arc

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If you added extra chips try taking them out and using them seperately one at a time. If one has BSODs and the other doesn't you have a bad or incompatible chip. If neither have problems then it may be incompatibility between the two chips.

If the problem only happens with two chips in it them wait for a bsod sometimes they give addresses... get a few BSOD memory addresses... swap the chip locations and get another crash location and that may point to the bad chip of the two.

Not sure if this will work but unless someone else has a better idea it is something to try.
 

evan9162

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What Leeoniya said - use memtest86. You can find ISOs that you burn right to a CD to make a bootable CD that runs memtest86.
 

gadget_lover

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I use memtest86 too. It's one of the best because it does not use the OS. It's best to leave it running all night in stress mode.

If the BSOD stops when you swap chips the problem is still there, it's just no longer being used to run the OS. You'll probably see program crashes, corrupted data or other problems under heavy use.

Good luck.


Daniel
 

eluminator

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To make a bootable CD you'll need a fancy CD burner like Nero or Roxio. At least I think so. There are supposedly some free utility programs that can do it. In the meantime a floppy should do, assuming your computer has a floppy drive.

Most people seem to use memtest86. I somehow found Microsoft's memory tester more to my liking, but I don't remember why.
http://oca.microsoft.com/en/windiag.asp

The suggestion to remove the memory modules one (or more) at a time has worked for me also.

If I'm adding more modules I blow the dust out of the sockets first. Occasionally I seemed to find that cleaning the contacts with iso-propyl alcohol has helped, but it might have just been my imagination.
 

Unicorn

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Incompatible RAM from different manufacturers can cause problems, but some laptops only have a single replaceable slot. The other is not removeable. My Gateway is like this unfortunately.
 

GJW

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[ QUOTE ]
Unicorn said:
Incompatible RAM from different manufacturers can cause problems, but some laptops only have a single replaceable slot. The other is not removeable. My Gateway is like this unfortunately.

[/ QUOTE ]

That's the same boat I'm in -- one fixed chip, one replaceable.
The memory tests out good but when I replace my original chip all the problems stop.
/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/frown.gif

I guess you'll be seeing a 512MB PC2700 chip on B/S/T pretty soon.
 

eluminator

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A non-removable memory module! Well that's reason number 917 why I only have desktop machines. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif Well actually I sometimes envy you guys with the portables, but they just ain't for me.
 

Lynx_Arc

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I am not sure if it is possible with your laptop but perhaps lowering the memory timing in bios may work. I have read that on faster machines some computers/motherboards had problems running a second or third memory module at full speed or wide open because either timing issues or crosstalk in the motherboard design.
 

Leeoniya

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true, i don't know about laptops, but changing the RAM timings in the bios fixed blue screens for me many-a-time. i don't know if laptops would have that extensive a config in the bios seeing to the fact that laptops don't overclock well because of extreme heat issues and aren't designed with it in mind to begin with. i've seen many oled motherboards, if not most that dont support changing timings manually. especially on laptops.

Leon
 
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