Here we can see, “How to Test Your Computer’s RAM for Problems”
The RAM in your computer is crucial to its operation. Simply put, RAM is your computer’s short-term memory, which it uses to complete its current task. However, even the best RAM, like any other computer component, can fail, so you’ll want to know how to check whether your memory is stable.
Blue screens of death are one of the first signs that your memory is failing (BSODs). Memory problems are frequently visible due to their rapidly increasing severity. You’ll only have a few crashes at first, and the system will still function. However, the system will crash during startup before you know it. As a result, it’s critical to pinpoint the issue quickly.
You can test your computer’s memory in a variety of ways. Today, we’ll look at a few of them.
What is RAM and What Does it Do?
Random Access Memory (RAM) is the abbreviation for random access memory. RAM is volatile, which means that everything stored in it vanishes when the power is turned off. However, RAM is extremely fast; in a modern PC, a typical stick of DDR4 RAM can perform around 2,400,000,000 transfers per second, each transferring 64 bits of memory.
RAM is the fastest storage option available to your computer. A solid-state drive (a hard drive that uses a much less volatile form of memory called flash memory) is one or two orders of magnitude slower than a conventional hard drive (which stores data on a physical disc and is relatively permanent). In general, RAM in your computer is 1000 to 10,000 times faster than a hard drive at moving data around.
Why, then, isn’t everything made of RAM? There are two reasons for this: cost and persistence.
RAM, as previously stated, is highly volatile. When the power goes out, the data in RAM is lost as well. Although flash drives are relatively indestructible, a solid-state flash drive (SSD) that has been turned off for several years will begin to lose data. Hard drives, on the other hand, are capable of storing data for many years.
Furthermore, RAM is much more expensive than flash memory, which is more expensive than hard drive space. As a result, hard drives and SSDs are used for long-term storage, while RAM is used as the computer’s working memory when actively processing information.
What happens when all of this is put into action?
Let’s say you want to use your Windows 10 computer to check your email. So you double-click on your email client’s icon, and it opens. When you do this, what happens?
The client program, on the other hand, was saved on your hard drive or SSD. Windows instructs Windows to copy the program to your RAM and begin running it by double-clicking on it. The program runs hundreds or thousands of times faster in RAM than if executed from a storage location. When you click the “check mail” button in your client, the incoming email is first stored in RAM, then written to the hard drive or SSD so it will be available the next time you open it.
Using memory in this way speeds up your computer’s response time and allows you to copy quickly, paste, edit, and perform other tasks in a program. In addition, any saved permanent changes will be written to the disc.
What Can Go Wrong with RAM?
RAM can have a variety of problems, and diagnosing them isn’t always easy.
A stray electrical current can cause a short circuit, which can damage a RAM chip. This usually happens when the RAM chip is outside of a machine, so RAM should be stored and moved in static-proof bags.
RAM is highly dependent on coordination and timing, a more common error in a working machine. If one chip is rated to run at 2400 MHz and the other at 2666 MHz, and your computer tries to run them both at 2666 MHz, the slower chip will generate errors as it struggles to keep up. However, the software can be used to diagnose these issues.
How to Test RAM
HCI Design’s MemTest is one of our favorite options at Tom’s Hardware. The advantage is that there is no need for pre-booting, and there are no instructions. Instead, you have to run it.
How to Test RAM With Windows Memory Diagnostic Tool
- Go to your start menu and type “Windows Memory Diagnostic” into the search box.
- Select “Restart now and troubleshoot any issues.” Windows will restart automatically, run the test, and then reboot into Windows.
- Wait for the result message after the computer has been restarted. As the system boots up, this may take a few moments to appear. Patience is required. It will appear, but keep an eye out for it because it will vanish quickly.
How to Test RAM With Passmark Memtest86
Memtest86 from PassMark is a reliable tool for memory testing that doesn’t require an operating system to be used on both Windows and Linux machines. It runs from a bootable USB stick and, despite its complexity, is extremely easy to use.
- Get the Passmark Memtest86 software.
- Save the contents to your desktop in a folder.
- Plug a USB flash drive into your computer. Passmark’s tool will format the USB stick, so make a backup of any data on it.
- Execute the “imageUSB” program.
- At the top, select the correct USB drive and press ‘Write.’
- Before proceeding, double-check that everything is in order. Depending on the speed of your USB stick, writing will take a few moments.
- Restart your computer and press F2, Del, F8, F10, or whatever key your system uses to get to the boot menu. On your post screen, it will say so.
- Use the USB stick to start the computer.
- Select “Config.”
- From the Memtest86 home screen, select “(S)tart Test.”
Allow the application to run the test until it finishes or errors appear. Then, at the top of the screen, you can see how the test is progressing.
Testing can take anywhere from 20 minutes to several hours, depending on the size of your memory. Therefore, it is pointless to continue testing if errors appear.
Conclusion
I hope you found this information helpful. Please fill out the form below if you have any questions or comments.
User Questions:
- What happens if RAM fails?
Apps won’t run smoothly on your computer if your RAM isn’t working properly. As a result, your operating system will run at a snail’s pace. In addition, your web browser will slow down. As a result, it will take a little longer to open.
- Can bad RAM damage motherboard?
Even if the RAM module were to fail, the motherboard or other components would be spared. This is because a dedicated converter on the motherboard generates the RAM voltage. Before any damage is done, this converter should detect a short circuit in RAM and cut its power.
- Can RAM cause games to crash?
Defective RAM can lead to a slew of issues. For example, a bad RAM chip could be the source of your problems if you’re experiencing frequent crashes, freezes, reboots, or Blue Screens of Death. In addition, bad RAM is a very likely culprit if these annoyances occur when you’re using a memory-intensive application or game.
- PSA: Remember to test your RAM properly
- How to check with RAM is faulty?
