testing/removing bad memory

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pipspeak · #1 Post by **pipspeak** » Mon Nov 06, 2006 5:28 pm

I've started getting an extremely intermittent memory parity error along with the accompanying BSOD on my T43. The computer has also started occasionally freezing (without the error message and BSOD) and I presume this might also be related to memory issues. The machine is fully scanned for viruses, spyware and worms so I'm confident that's not the problem.

Is there an easy way to test my two 512MB sticks of RAM without having to resort to taking each one out and waiting a week to see if the error pops up again or the machine freezes?

If there is no easy way, can someone point me in the direction of instructions on how to get to the stick under the keyboard. Thanks.

#2 Post by **carbon_unit** » Mon Nov 06, 2006 7:26 pm

I would pull the memory that you can get without removing the keyboard and test it with memtest86+ overnight. Go get the Ultumated boot cd http://www.ultimatebootcd.com/ . It has memtest and many other good utilities on it
If that goes OK I would put the other one back in and test again.

Here are some movies that show how to get to the memory under the keyboard.
http://www-307.ibm.com/pc/support/site. ... MIGR-50233

Casper118 · #3 Post by **Casper118** » Tue Nov 07, 2006 12:59 am

For Hardware and Removal Instructions.

Use this.

MIGR-50233

That will show you how to remove the memory from the system.

When testing RAM. Run MEMTEST on each Ram Controller.

Sometimes Memory could be perfectly fine, but what is holding the memory is messed up.

Hope this helps.

pipspeak · #4 Post by **pipspeak** » Wed Nov 15, 2006 2:20 am

I took the second module out and my computer was fine for a week. I ran memtest (3.2) on the base 512MB and there were no errors (after 8 passes). I then put the second module back in and ran memtest. Again, no errors (though only 3 passes... I'll leave it running overnight).

So that makes me wonder if the BSOD/memory parity error could be software rather than hardware related. Is that possible?

pksw · #5 Post by **pksw** » Fri Nov 17, 2006 12:22 am

pipspeak, I'd recommend downloading memtest86 from www.memtest86.com

there is an ISO version available to download at:
http://www.memtest86.com/memtest86-3.2.iso.zip

Burn the image to a CDROM, and boot from that CD.

I use this program on all my systems (desktops, notebooks etc), especially when pushing the limit in overclocking RAM.

pipspeak · #6 Post by **pipspeak** » Fri Nov 17, 2006 5:20 pm

It was memtest86 that I used (forgot to put the "86" in my previous post). It was the version that's on the latest Ultimate Boot CD.

#7 Post by **carbon_unit** » Fri Nov 17, 2006 6:44 pm

I've seen times it took memtest86 over 8 hours to detect errors. Let it run at least over night. If it finds errors then pull one stick and try again.

pipspeak · #8 Post by **pipspeak** » Mon Nov 20, 2006 11:20 am

OK, I ran it for 8 hours 17 minutes (18 passes) and it found no error on either stick of memory. So I guess I'm back to square one trying to diagnose this.

I haven't had any more BSODs recently but my machine froze a couple of times over the weekend requiring a hard reboot. I'm still windering if it's a software issue.

Is there a way to enable detailed logging so I can perhaps nail it to a specific process? The regular Windows event logging is no help.

Chris001 · #9 Post by **Chris001** » Tue Nov 21, 2006 11:39 am

Have you tried Windows Memory Diagnostic:

http://oca.microsoft.com/en/windiag.asp

testing/removing bad memory

testing/removing bad memory

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