memtest86 help

[ivar]

After experiencing instabilities in windows and while installing Linux on a new notebook system (especially problems with X windows), I started to search for a cause.

So I made memtest86+ (in BIOS mode). This is for the first time I had to do it.

Does someone know if it is acceptable to have some failure messages,
if these messages can point to a specific bad RAM chip, and what is an acceptable number of failure messages? Well, I received like 29000 failure messages during one full 9 test cycle (that takes long time!).

I am checking a system with 2x512MB RAM, and all failure messages have, among others, the numbers like 293.5MB (from 260 or like till 350 or like). Does it point to the fact that a specific 128MB memory cheap is bad while the others are OK?

So far I spent an hour googling and haven't found an answer.

How one interprets the results of memtest86???

[ivar]

Found smth relevant here, here and HERE.


Sounds like bad news for me.

[ivar]

bump (just in case if someone still has a comment).

[Sidicas]

So I made memtest86+ (in BIOS mode). This is for the first time I had to do it.

Does someone know if it is acceptable to have some failure messages,
if these messages can point to a specific bad RAM chip, and what is an acceptable number of failure messages? Well, I received like 29000 failure messages during one full 9 test cycle (that takes long time!).

Any error messages in memtest86 in unacceptable.
The test should be able to be run for years, and never have an error. If you don't get errors, until running the test for several hours straight, then chances are its an overheat problem.. Pretty cool huh? But if you get error right away, then clearly, you have bad RAM.

I am checking a system with 2x512MB RAM, and all failure messages have, among others, the numbers like 293.5MB (from 260 or like till 350 or like). Does it point to the fact that a specific 128MB memory cheap is bad while the others are OK?

You need to identify which is bad (either one 512MB, the other, or both)
Test them individually. Remove one of the 512 MB sticks of RAM, run the test for 10 minutes having (1x512MB installed, if there are any errors, then clearly the stick that is still in the compueter is bad.... Remove it, and put the other one in.. Run the test again.

I have never had memtest86 fail to identify bad ram.
I've never had memtest86 falsly say there are errors when good RAM has been installed. (Though people with overclocked systems and people with overheating problems will say they will pick up a few errors (10-20) now and then in a 5 pass test... But 28,000 sure as heck isn't "a few" errors...

...and all failure messages have, among others, the numbers like 293.5MB (from 260 or like till 350 or like). Does it point to the fact that a specific 128MB memory cheap is bad while the others are OK?

You have 2x512 MB right? Then between 1MB and 512MB would be slot #1 and between 512MB and 1024MB would be slot #2
Might be hard determining which slot is which though.. I still recommend that you do the full "swap out and test individually" process. That's always what I do.

My guideline is generally:
Starting from a cold computer...
Errors within 10 minutes indicates bad RAM.
No errors until after 10 minutes indicates CPU overheating problems.. It will not detect graphics card & Hard disk overheating problems.