# memtest86/windows memory diagnostic



## buccaneer (Mar 3, 2005)

Hi everyone:wave: 
Um I have this problem with my computer which I think, might be a RAM problem.Kindly, do read through and advise.
I can boot into windows and run programs without any problem(as yet), but if I use the puter for a bit of time and I want to shut down,I am able to click on the start button and then the "turn off computer" option.But, after clicking the "turn off puter"option, my puter just hangs.I can bring up the windows task manager but cant do anything else.So I usually end up using task manager to disconnect and then power off my puter.I can boot right back in afterwards though.And,if I try to shut down soon after booting up, it does work!
Anyway, I ran memtest86 and on the first try when I ran all the tests in memtest,I got 19 errors in test#6.It showed bad memory locations(0X08a333d4, 0x08e033d4,etc etc).
I then ran the test#6 for two times and the first time it showed 7 errors and in the second pass it brought up 18 errors.I dun have a clue why the number of errors vary coz I havent done anything to the memory(which are installed in two sticks-256MB in A0slot and 1GB inA1 slot).
Anyhow,I then ran "windows memory diagnostic" but it came up with not even a single error.Could someone explain this please?Which program is more reliable?
And,um, the errors were spotted at 138.1 MB,141.1MB etc.Does that mean that the 256MB memory stick on A0 is the culprit?(I mean,does memtest start measuring memory fromA0 ?All errors were shown below 256MB so can I take it that it's the 256MB that's faulty?)Please do help


----------



## chauffeur2 (Feb 7, 2006)

Hello again corsair,

As far as which one of the two utilities is more reliable, I have found _both_ to be very reliable.

The errors that you are receiving indicate that the RAM sticks are not fully compatible with each other.

As an experiment,try swapping the two sticks of RAM around, so that the 1Gb stick is in DIMM0, and the 256Mb is in DIMM1, and see what the result is.

Then, as a final experiment, remove the 256Mb stick all together and just use the 1 Gb stick in DIMM0 and see if that cures your problem. [If the first experiment fails.]

Please post back with the results.


----------



## buccaneer (Mar 3, 2005)

Uh,Sir,umm,if both of those mem check programs are good, why is it that only memtest86 is showing me the error?Frankly,I am baffled:4-dontkno .
Btw sir,I have been using both memory sticks for a lotta months now and this shutdown freeze thingy has started happening only from 2 days ago.
Sir,about your instructions- am I to do the swapping/removing of sticks and then run memtest86 or did you want me to try using the puter and see whether it hangs on shut down again?


----------



## chauffeur2 (Feb 7, 2006)

corsair said:


> Sir,about your instructions- am I to do the swapping/removing of sticks and then run memtest86 or did you want me to try using the puter and see whether it hangs on shut down again?


*Just try swapping them in the two experiments and see if it still hangs on shutdown.*


----------



## buccaneer (Mar 3, 2005)

Sir,I have just completed testing the modules individually using memtest86.I ran test#6 on the 256Mb stick and in the first pass it gave me 19 errors,in the second pass it showed a total of 45.I removed that stick and inserted the IGb stick and ran both test#6 and then the complete battery of tests and got no errors.I guess that shows the 256Mb stick is the problem?


----------



## chauffeur2 (Feb 7, 2006)

I would say so....
Does the computer operate alright with just the !Gb stick in?


----------



## buccaneer (Mar 3, 2005)

Yes sir, it did work okies.Right now I am running on both sticks,just swapped the positions so's 1Gb is in A0 and the 256Mb is in A1.Uptil now,it's working fine.If I run into any glitches I'll post it.(I guess if the 256 is the faulty one, then it'll only play up now if some program uses all that 1GB memory and starts using the 256 stick?).(Errr,I feel like I am being kinda annoying here,please forgive me sending in a lot of replies in one day-thing is, I have net only late at night on weekdays and fullday on sundays-so I'm trying to get in as much as I can today itself)


----------



## buccaneer (Mar 3, 2005)

Okies here's me back again cryin' about me memory 
I am running both memory sticks and the shutdown freeze still happens.But one thing that I have noticed just now is-if I leave the puter alone for some time it does eventually "unfreeze" and the shut down option menu does pop up.Um,does that sound like a memory problem?*a bit confused *.
Now I'll have to try running this machine on just one stick at a time I guess.Boy, am I getting muddled up:sigh:
A coupla other observations:If I cancel the shutdown option menu and again try to bring it up through startmenu>turn off puter,it again freezes for sometime.If,on the other hand,I do choose to shut down, it goes to the 'windows is shutting down" screen and stays put for some time before closing.


----------



## Done_Fishin (Oct 10, 2006)

Sinve you know the 256 is bad don't use it!
Memeoery is not just used at the bottom of the ladder it's also used at the top.
There is a thing called the stack, which is a temporary memory, and holds all the subroutine calls, its always put at the top of memeory and works downwards.
Then there are the running programs which use the bottom end of memory, as you open a new program or new web page , it fills uop the bootom area of memory, So whichever way you put those cards you're gonna run into problems. So far you have been lucky, but once it starts to go bad anything can happen. Suppose one of the faulty locations changes the data from a read operation to a write operation when accessing your hard drive. You'll end up corrupting your your data and might even end up not being able to boot windows without a re-install


----------



## buccaneer (Mar 3, 2005)

Yikes!!Ty,Sir,for warning me about that faulty 256 stick.Honestly,I didnt know the memory could corrupt my data and disk.Tyvm indeed.Btw,um,is memtest86 a widely accepted test?I mean,if I have to go get the memory changed,I'd have to tell 'em that the fault doesnt show up in the BIOS self test,but that it shows up in memtest86.I hope they accept memtest86 results as proof enough of faulty memory.But frankly,right now, I am kinda befuddled.Trying to shut down still causes the freeze but I can run games and stuff okies.Also,I did a fresh boot and left the puter on for around 40 mins without actually giving it any workload and the shutdown freeze problem still appears.Could that be an indication of corrupted OS?Or will a bad memory show that sorta problem?


----------



## Done_Fishin (Oct 10, 2006)

Once you have removed that faulty module, run a disk check by right clicking on your hard drive, 
select properties 
select tools 
select error checking
check both boxes in the window that will pop up. It may tell you that it can't check right now but do you want it to run a full check on your next start up. Click OK.
shut down and restart your PC so that it can check the drive on restart.

What I said about the faulty memory and the effects it can have are just a worst case scenario. That is not to say it can't happen. 
Once memory locations start to play up there is no guarantee what can happen. One pC might not boot at all, yours hung at power off. It depends upon what the location is being used for when it decides to fail and give wrong data.
I just want to make you aware of the *possible *dangers ..

A knife in the hands of a butcher is a very handy tool ... until he loses his sense of reasoning and then anything can happen!:4-dontkno

fForgot to mentionabout that memory stick and memtest. I should think that your local stockist will understand when you say that you have been having problems which have been proven by removal to relate to that item and also running memeory tests with different software have also shown that it's faulty. Memtest86 is fairly well known so he should recognise it, but in case he doesn't tell him he should learn about it and use it! Insist that the memory is faulty and requires replacement if it's under warranty. if he refuses take him to trading standards but make sure that you are covered by warranty first.


----------



## chauffeur2 (Feb 7, 2006)

Hi corsair,

My collegue, *Done_Fishin* has given you excellent advice here, and I agree with it 100%.

Only use the one RAM stick or you _will_ have more problems than you bargained for. :upset: 

RMA the faulty stick as soon as possible so as to get the full benefit of the warranty.
Most RAM sticks have a life time warranty.

Post back and tell us how you get on with the exchange/replacement.

:4-cheers:


----------



## buccaneer (Mar 3, 2005)

Gawd!This puter is gonna drive me bonkers.sigh!I tried running the puter on the 256 alone and after the puter runs for around 40 mins,the shutdown freeze problem happened.Then I tried the 1Gb stick and that TOO shows the same durn problem!If I wait for some minutes,the shutdown menu does eventually pop up.Choose to shutdown and it again takes its own sweet time to shut down.One workaround I do now is to just bring up the task manager and end task "svchost"and that brings up a "yer puter is gonna be restarted" message AND the shutdown menu.Choose shutdown and it does so promptly without gallivanting around.
I am still going on with returning the 256.I guess I'll take my memtest floppy with me and give a live demonstration if required.(I'll get back and inform you about whether I got kicked outta the shop or not).
Thank you for explaining stuff to me.


----------



## Done_Fishin (Oct 10, 2006)

Sounds like your mobo could also do with a defrag, cleanout and disk surface test.


----------



## buccaneer (Mar 3, 2005)

'ello nice people
Well*cough*,the guy I got my puter from said the warranty period for everything including the memory was over.I got me a new 512Mb stick and thankfully,running memtest86 on it didnt show any problems.Btw the manufacturer is "transcend".Wonder how that company is rated?
Um,sir,I'll do a defrag and see whether it makes any difference.Thank you for being patient(I imagine I must be driving you all crazy with my noobish queries):grin:


----------



## Done_Fishin (Oct 10, 2006)

I've got 1GB in 4*256MB cards & I'm happy but then I'm not a speed fanatic or a gamer .. 
they have other criteria and I don't how Transcend rate in their books. Thinking about it, they'd have better machines, more memory and overclocked so .. I'll leave them to answer ..


----------



## buccaneer (Mar 3, 2005)

mhm another query coming up about memory(sorry,but I dont have anybody else to ask things like this to).My memory is DDR 400 right?that 400 means it runs at 400mhz doesnt it?And on my machine it runs at 333mhz.I looked into the BIOS settings and it only supports 200 and 333 mhz speeds.:sigh: I suppose I cant do anything about it aye?


----------



## Done_Fishin (Oct 10, 2006)

corsair said:


> mhm another query coming up about memory(sorry,but I dont have anybody else to ask things like this to).My memory is DDR 400 right?that 400 means it runs at 400mhz doesnt it?And on my machine it runs at 333mhz.I looked into the BIOS settings and it only supports 200 and 333 mhz speeds.:sigh: I suppose I cant do anything about it aye?


That 400 means it runs on a system that has an FSB *UP TO *400MHz

Cure is to buy a new motherboard but do you really need that?

there just might be a cure in the form of BIOS upgrade but it's unlikely since it would probably also require hardware changes on your Motherboard to cope with the much faster speed.



> FSB
> Short for Front Side Bus, FSB is also known as the Processor Bus, Memory Bus, or System Bus and connects the CPU with the main memory and is used to connect to other components within the computer. The FSB can range from speeds of 66 MHz, 133 MHz, 100 MHz, 266 MHz, 400 MHz, and upwards as technology changes.


----------



## buccaneer (Mar 3, 2005)

Ah!Thank you sir,for that lucid explanation.Well,I guess I'll live with 333Mhz.Cant really afford a new system.*wallowing in penury,me is!*


----------



## Done_Fishin (Oct 10, 2006)

corsair said:


> Ah!Thank you sir,for that lucid explanation.Well,I guess I'll live with 333Mhz.Cant really afford a new system.*wallowing in penury,me is!*


ssshhhh!!! look around and see who luv's yer .. xmas is coming!!

but then you might want to get different CPU, RAM , ......:grin:


----------



## buccaneer (Mar 3, 2005)

*sniff*I used up my Christmas wish already:sigh: .I asked my cuz(the only one who ever gives me gifts) for a particular game and in lieu of that I got Civ3 complete edition.


----------



## Kalim (Nov 24, 2006)

*Corsair*

Try this. Switch off Windows Automatic Updating (in Control panel). Then go into Start > Run > services.msc find under "Name" in the right-side pane and look for "Automatic Updates".

Then right-click on it and choose properties. In properties, change it to "manual" and stop it for now.

Reboot and see how it goes now. IIRC your problem should go away.


----------



## buccaneer (Mar 3, 2005)

Thank you, sir.But I managed to mess up my puter real good*sheepish grin*.I had to reinstall windows(and I had to install all my programs again too) and now the problem is gone.I'll note down your directions though-I am sure I'll manage to muck up windows again(butterfingers)
Umm,how do I tell whether my agp card is 4x/8x?also how do I find if I have USB 1 or 2?


----------



## Kalim (Nov 24, 2006)

You're welcome. 

Which motherboard and card do you have?


----------



## buccaneer (Mar 3, 2005)

Sorry for being late with my reply,sir.My motherboard is asus p4gemx and my card is geforce 4 mx 4000.Um,if I install belarc advisor or something would that tell me about the agp/usb versions?


----------



## Kalim (Nov 24, 2006)

You have AGP 4x only and the USB interface is version 2.0 which also supports version 1. 
The GeForce4 MX series is 8x only: http://www.nvidia.com/page/geforce4mx.html

Here's your motherboard: http://www.superwarehouse.com/Asus_P4GE-MX_Motherboard/P4GE-MX/pf/431717


----------

