How to test a laptop or a desktop computer memory modules
A lot of laptop and desktop computer problems are caused by a failed memory or a failing memory module. As a laptop repair technician I test memory modules every time I get a laptop for repair. I have tried many different memory testing utilities but finally I stopped on Memtest 86+. So far it is one of the best free memory test utilities and I use it everyday. You can find this utility on the Memtest 86+ homepage.
To test your memory modules you have to do next:
- download Memtest 86+.
Choose Download - Pre-Compiled Bootable ISO (.zip) if you want to burn it on CD.
Choose Download - Pre-Compiled package for Floppy (DOS - Win) if you want to place the utility on a floppy disk. I usually use CD because most computers have a CD drive and it’s much faster to start the test from a CD disc.
- Change the boot order on your computer to boot from a floppy drive or from a CD/DVD drive.
- Insert the floppy disk or the CD disc with Memtest 86+ into the computer.
- Start the computer.
If you did everything right, you computer will start from the floppy or the CD and the memory testing utility will start automatically.
If your memory passed the test, you will not see any red error messages.
I usually allow a memory module pass the test 4-5 times. I’ve seen many times that a failing memory doesn’t fail the test on the firs pass and then fails on the second or third pass.
If your memory failed the test you will see red error messages.
Entry Filed under: Hardware Test Utilities
81 Responses to “How to test a laptop or a desktop computer memory modules”
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Pages: « 9 8 7 6 5 4 [3] 2 1 » Show All
January 2nd, 2007 at 11:36 am
In the end I had to change my motherboard: really expensive (550 €, not much less than a new laptop), it’s not worth it unless you have insurance/warranty/whatsoever that can give you part of the money back.
December 31st, 2006 at 6:17 pm
Robert Doherty,
I’ve seen the same problem with Toshiba Satellite A65 onboard memory many times before. I think it’s not a personal problem; apparently something is wrong with this laptop model. I guess the memory that Toshiba integrated into the system board wasn’t very good. Unfortunately you cannot disable onboard memory in the BIOS settings and if it goes bad you have to replace the motherboard.
December 27th, 2006 at 7:03 am
Have the exact same problem on my Toshiba A65-S1062 as BoRis has. I’m beginning to wonder now if this is really a personal problem or something wrong in the Toshiba A60/65Series competers!
November 30th, 2006 at 8:08 am
Hi, I have a Toshiba A60 and I guess I fried the onboard RAM (blue screen of death, win doesn’t boot, linux boots just with mem=384M option - although with graphic problems - and so on).
Moreover I noticed ACPI doesn’t work anymore: I mean, before this ACPI worked well, I could see the temperature and stuff like that, but now it isn’t even able to detect ACPI (so no /proc/acpi folder) and with dmesg I found out that it complains about fatal errors caused by pnp bios. Using option pnpbios=off I don’t get that message, but ACPI doesn’t work anyway…
Any ideas? Nix, did you find a way to disable onboard RAM?
October 24th, 2006 at 3:42 pm
Sam,
What do you mean by “reload CD/disk drive”? Are you looking for a recovery DVD so you can reimage the hard drive back to original factory defaults? If yes, then you cannot download this image from Toshiba website, but I think you can call them and purchase it. It shouldn’t be very expensive.
October 24th, 2006 at 5:29 am
LOOKING FOR DISK TO RELOAD CD/DISK DRIVE FOR TOSHIBA PSA60U LAPTOP WHICH MADE IT THRU THE FLOOD. IS THERE A DOWNLOAD ON THE NET? HAVING DIFFICULTY FINDING ONE. THANK YOU.
September 7th, 2006 at 8:51 pm
I’ll try that, thanks!
September 7th, 2006 at 8:46 pm
One more thing to try. Remove the wireless card and run the laptop for a while without it.
September 7th, 2006 at 8:42 pm
Hi, I have a Toshiba A65 laptop. I used memtest 86, and I got no errors (I ran it through multiple times). I have also reloaded windows from several different disks (to be sure that it wasn’t the copy of windows that was the problem). I also surface scanned the hard drive. There are no system conflicts, but I still get BSOD shortly after startup (not every time, but enough to make the laptop pretty much useless). I am on Windows XP Pro with SP2. I have tried everything I can think of. Any help would be greatly appreciated. Thanks!
July 18th, 2006 at 4:14 am
A suggestion.. currently if onboard RAM is gone then the mother board is to be replaced.. but if somehow onboard RAM can be disabled or bypassed and laptop is made to work on externel slot memory only!!! is it possible??? may be with BIOS flashing??? new mother board is of the same cost as new laptop!!! also if my previous suggestion can work… :))
If someone can get Toshiba upgrade BIOS software version to cop with “ONBOARD RAM problems”.. it would be great… as such i couldn’t find any link on their entire website for our feedback..im already our of warranty :((