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When it comes to troubleshooting computer problems, sometimes it can be very difficult because you won’t always get a specific error message that tells you the problem or gives you an error code that you can look up online.
Hardware problems can be especially difficult to diagnose because they have many symptoms such as random freezing and crashing and powering off your computer. And many hardware components can have the same symptoms when they are failing. Random access memory (RAM) errors are one of the more common components to fail on a computer. In this article, we will be showing you how to use the Windows Memory Diagnostic tool to check for problems with your ram.
The Windows Memory Diagnostic tool is a built-in feature in Windows that helps you check for memory (RAM) problems and diagnose issues related to your computer’s memory. It works by performing a series of tests on your system’s RAM to identify and report any memory-related problems, such as errors or hardware issues.
To run the tool, go to the Windows Control Panel and then open Windows Tools and look for the Windows Memory Diagnostic icon and double click it to start the process.
You will be notified that you need to restart the computer to have the Windows Memory Diagnostic run its tests.
Once the tool is running, you will see a status bar indicating its progress.
Pressing F1 on your keyboard will allow you to configure the options if you do not want to use the default settings.
Here are what the different Windows Memory Diagnostic Tool options do.
Test mix
This option allows you to choose what type of tests you want to run. The choices are Basic, Standard, and Extended. The Basic test runs the fastest, but it is also the least comprehensive. The Standard test takes longer to run, but it is more comprehensive than the Basic test. The Extended test takes the longest to run, but it is the most comprehensive test.
Basic Test Mix
- The “Basic” test mix is the default option. It includes a series of standard tests that aim to detect common memory issues and errors.
- These tests are designed to provide a quick assessment of your computer’s memory and are generally suitable for most users.
- The basic tests check for common memory problems, such as issues with data integrity, memory corruption, and general stability.
- This test mix is typically faster to complete and provides a reasonable level of confidence in the health of your system’s memory.
The Standard Test Mix
This runs a more comprehensive series of tests than the basic test mix, but they take longer to run. The standard test mix includes the following tests:
- Address test: This test checks for addressing errors in RAM.
- Data pattern test: This test checks for data corruption in RAM.
- March test: This test checks for a variety of errors in RAM, including bad sectors and bit flips.
- Inverse march test: This test is similar to the March test, but it runs in the opposite direction.
- Random number test: This test checks for errors in RAM by writing and reading random numbers.
Extended Test Mix
- The “Extended” test mix is a more comprehensive and intensive set of memory tests. It involves a wider range of tests that examine memory more thoroughly.
- The extended tests are particularly useful if you suspect severe or hard-to-detect memory issues or if you want to perform a more exhaustive examination of your RAM.
- These tests take more time to complete because they perform additional, more detailed checks on your memory modules.
- The extended test mix is recommended if you have encountered persistent and hard-to-diagnose memory-related problems or if you want to ensure that your memory is thoroughly tested.
Cache
This option allows you to choose the cache setting for each test. The choices are Default, On, and Off. The Default setting uses the system cache settings. The On setting enables the cache for the test. The Off setting disables the cache for the test.
Pass count
This option allows you to enter the number of times you want to repeat the test. The more times you repeat the test, the more likely it is to detect errors. However, repeating the test more times will also take longer.
When the test has been completed, your computer will then restart so you can see the results. If there were no issues, you should see a notification similar to the one shown below.
If there were any issues found, you can open the Windows Event Viewer tool and navigate to the Windows Logs and then System.
Then you can look for an event with a source named “MemoryDiagnostics-Results.” The event will provide information about the test, including whether any issues were detected.
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