Memory Diagnostics Tool

Brink · Sep 20, 2007

Updated to include multiple ways to start Memory Diagnostics Tool.

Shawn

chuckbam · Jul 31, 2008

I just keep the OS DVD in a drive. complete system backups and system restore is very EZ to get to. If you have the room for an extra DVD drive, that is the way to go.

Martin S · Dec 1, 2008

I ran this tool after a bsod indicated an issue with memory. The result confirms an issue but other than a message to contact the manufacturer tells me nothing else in the way of details. Am I missing something?

Any help appreciated

Martin

chuckbam · Dec 1, 2008

You can test your DIMMs one at a time to find the bad stick.

Brink · Dec 1, 2008

Hi Martin,

Unfortunately there is nothing you can do with a bad memory stick other than replace it. You will just need to narrow it down to which RAM stick is bad by testing them one at a time as Checkbam suggested.

You might reset the BIOS back to factory default settings if you have made any modifications to the RAM timings, or tried to overclock the RAM any. Afterwards, run the memory test again to see if you get the same report. This can easily cause problems with RAM if the settings were not properly set.

Sorry,

Shawn

Martin S · Dec 2, 2008

Thank you Shawn and Chuckbam.

Presumably I remove one of my three RAMs at a time, and rerun the tool until I don't get a bad report.

Is it normal that the only time I get the bsod is when I play a particular game? Otherwise there are no "symptoms".

Martin

Brink · Dec 2, 2008

It would be better to remove all but one stick, then retest on one stick at a time to see of you still get a bad report of one of them.

If you only get this memory issue with a game, then it may only be a problem with the game trying to access a memory level it should not have instead. See if running the game with Compatibility Mode can resolve the issue with it.

jfar · Jan 24, 2009

Hi Shawn, I ran the test and while i was watching I saw that it said [ no probs found ] so when it finished there was no result or small icon on the task bar ,am I missing something, also I have four gigs of ram but, in msconfig, in the tool section where you can change your Number of processors to show four or whatever the box beside Maximum memory,that only shows 3072 Hoping you can Help Thanks.

Brink · Jan 24, 2009

Hello Jfar,

Actually you should have the Maximum Memory box unchecked there. If you have a 32-bit Vista, then that would be the maximum amount of RAM that you can use. Only a 64-bit OS can use your full 4GB or more.

Hope this helps,
Shawn

TrDo · Oct 15, 2009

Hi Shawn,

Unfortunatelly my Vista Memory diagnostics tool stopped working, after I recovered my Vista (from the OEM recovery disc) last year. Since the recovery, I attempted 3-4 times to run it with no success.

When I hit the button to initialise the tool, from the control panel, my pc freaks out and asks me to insert the recovery cd. When I do, and try to follow the steps to fix the problem, it comes up with message that some file is missing or is corrupted (all this happens in the DVD-PE enviroment).

So, I cannot use it.

I have tried running the memtest from Microsoft (this is quite an old test, with the mtinst.exe). That went fine and well, after creating an iso image in a boot cd. No errors found.

Still I would appreciate if you would have any suggestions as to how I can make the Vista Default Memory test run again on my pc.

Thanks a lot in advance Shawn.

TrDo.

Brink · Oct 15, 2009

You might see if running a sfc /scannow command may be able to fix this corrupted file to allow it to run afterwards.

TrDo · Oct 15, 2009

Thanks Shawn for your prompt reply.

I did run an Sfc /verifyonly, and indeed it found some issues. But when I try to read the log file, it does not allow me to.

Why? I have admin priveleges. How can I read the CBS log?

Thanks in advance.

EDIT: NEW INFO: Have used the elevated command to bring the log file as a text file on my desktop. The [SR] related issues only.
Everything looks fine, except the "recdisc.exe" file. But if you remember, just earlier today I have created the recovery disc (see my other post, in the relevant thread).

LOL, the only error found then by SFC, was the fact that I had replaced the original recdisc.exe with the one downloaded from this forum in order to create my recovery disc. I have kept a copy of the original. I might as well, place it back. It looks as though it tried to repair it. Strange, cos it was only a verify scan. But in the txt file I can see that it attempted to repair it. Maybe I'm reading it wrong.

The good news is that no other file seems to have a problem.

Coming back to memtest, looking inside Windows\Boot\PCAT, I found the memtest.exe with creation date 28/7. That was the date that I had SP2 installed. Maybe the file was replaced with a "good" copy during SP2.

Still, I'm afraid to run the test in case the pc freaks out again with the BSOD and asks for the recovery disc. Like it did for the past months.

But I will never know unless I try it.

So, off I go. I'll report back. Wish me luck.

TrDo.

TrDo · Oct 15, 2009

Crap...the boot failed due to an error at \boot\memtest.exe.....

No luck..I'm trying to replace the memtest.exe at Windows\Boot\PCAT with another file a friend send me (from his Vista), but it does not allow me.

Any ideas?

Thanks alot.

TrDo.

Brink · Oct 15, 2009

The memtest.exe file is owned by TrustedInstaller, so you would need to make a backup copy of the file, take ownership of the file, give yourself full control (permission) of it, copy the replacement memtest.exe file into the folder, check and restore TrustedInstaller as the owner of the replacement file.

Memory Diagnostics Tool

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