- From what i understand, if one specific slot on a motherboard doesn't work, you'll likely get a signal in either a light or sound flashing on the motherboard to signal the fault. If not then the Ram is at fault not motherboard. Make sure its in the right slot and configuration and try resetting the CMOS.
- Second RAM slot is not working! I try put there 2 different DDR3 (original Samsung and Kingston). Both of them working fine in the first slot. But not working in the second one. Not working separate in second one, and not working together with the first slot. First slot separate working fin.
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Jul 19, 2007 I have seen this happen this happen to several machines lately. Look for these sympthoms as they are an indication of a failing RAM chip, or a bad DIMM socket on the mobo. The system freezes up at random times during bootup.
Signs of bad RAM are a PAIN to diagnose.
Partially because memory modules rarely fail.
But mostly because these crucial components never conk outon you at a good time.
And you can't just shrug off these warning signs either because– like a car – when a part malfunctions, it won't take much time to wreakshavoc on other segments of the system.
That's what happened to one of our laptops.
Roll up your sleeves.
We FIXED IT. And so CAN YOU (right now).
In this guide, you'll learn:
1. What happens when RAM fails.
2. Defective hardware that show up as symptoms of bad RAM.
3. How to use free diagnostic tools to see if RAM is working.
4. More ways to find out if RAM is working before replacing it.
5. We'll introduce you to RAM speed check tools.
6. How to replace memory modules.
WHAT HAPPENS WHEN RAM FAILS?
Before we dive in, if your laptop is still under warranty. We STRONGLY recommend letting the manufacturer find out what's wrong with it for you.
1. The BSoD Flashes Like a Beacon of Doom
One of the signs of bad RAM is the Blue Screen of Death. When it pops up you might even get some flashing error messages before the system automatically reboots itself. A BSoDs is an annoying warning sign because the text flashes so fast, you can hardly read the error codes.
But this could just be the result of a resource heavy app monopolizing the system memory. Try closing each app you're using until you isolate the one causing the BSoD.
2. The Amount of RAM Displays Incorrectly
Another one of the signs of bad RAM is that your laptop will report RAM incorrectly.
Why on Earth would the OS report less RAM than what's seated in the motherboard? You'll need to know how much memory your computer should have to fix this one. But checking the amount of RAM your system thinks it has is easy on Windows and Mac:
On Windows,type 'CONTROL PANEL' in Cortana. Click SYSTEMAND SECURITY, then SYSTEM. On the nextscreen you'll see your computer's statistics, including RAM.
On Mac,navigate to Apple > About This Mac > Overview tab. This number should reckon with the amount ofsystem memory your machine ought to have.
If something different displays, you can easily fix this by making sure the RAM modules are properly seated on the motherboard. Or by switching the slots the RAM sticks are seated in.
3. Sporadic Freezes
Your keyboard and mouse suddenly become unresponsive. No warning. The PC just freezes. Then the system reboots automatically. And the worst part, you haven't saved in fifteen minutes. (Yup, happened during grad school.)
4. Random Reboots
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While you're in the middle of a task, your computer randomly restarts. Irksome, we know. But this isn't always an indication of a RAM issue. Random restarts could also be the signs of a hard drive or SSD is going bad. Innocently, too, computers just sometimes restart. But if restarts happen frequently-especially after your desktop initializes-this could be an indication of RAM failure.
5. Corrupted Files
This is one of the signs of bad RAM that affects the files and documents you use most often (especially the ones you use regularly).
You'll find that they suddenly won't open. Or, they're inexplicably corrupted. We can already feel the beads of cold sweat forming just thinking about this one.
Unfortunately,friend, this is an iron-clad sign that your RAM is on the brink of totalfailure. The best part… if you don'ttake care of this now. Problems willworsen over time.
Act fast: The file structure of your hard drive is slowly degenerating to the point where you'll no longer be able to boot your machine. Another unmistakable sign is excessive uploading/downloading of files you didn't change.
6. Attempts to Install New Programs Fail
Possible symptoms are:
- The program you're using suddenly stops.
- Or throws up an error code without any obviouscause.
- As you try to install a program, you keepgetting odd messages.
- A small program hangs on the loading stage forlonger than normal.
- You even try reinstalling the operating systemand receive error messages.
You'll discover many reasons for this. But faulty RAM could be the underlying issue.
7. Frequent Crashes
This is one of those trickier signs of bad RAM because it may point to another stumbling-block other than a faulty RAM module…
- Are the crashes consistent in any way?
- Does the computer crash every time you try toinstall something new?
If the crashes occur without warning, the RAM may be about to go. However, if the computer crashes every time you open a certain app, you've found your culprit.
8. Beep Codes
A major thing to listen for are beeps coming from the machine when you first turn it on. Usually, you'll hear a beep or a sequence of beeps. They indicate different problems, including RAM. Beep codes vary by the manufacturer of the computer's BIOS, which you'll have to look up to find what they mean. Keep reading to learn more.
9. Video Card Fails to Load
Thisusually results in a series of audible ‘beeps' as the system boots up. They let you know that the video and mediahardware was found and booted.
Macsproduce 3 successive beeps signifying a RAM error was detected.
Windows, however, has a single beep signifying the computer's video and media hardware have been recognized and booted. Here, no beeps, and an on-screen warning message as the OS attempts to boot that indicates bad RAM.
Asyou can see, keeping in mind that different manufacturers have different beepcodes is important; only a few signify RAM issues.
To eliminate much of the guess-work, Indiana University has kindly put together a list of the most common BIOS start tones for PCs and Macs to assist us all.
10. No Sound
We're talking when you boot your system orbring it out of sleep mode and the familiar chime isn't audible. Or, you load a sound file. And in lieu of the beats you're anticipating…silence. On Macs, this could be anythingfrom a bug to problems with NVRAM.
You can fix these nuisances like this on Mac machines.
And like this on Windows computers.
11. RAM Isn't Recognized by the Computer
Improper installation.
This is one of those signs of bad RAM that might actually be the fault of the computer manufacturer: the RAM module isn't seated properly in the slot provided on the mother-board.
Before you make that understandably irate callto customer support, try this…
Make sure the memory sticks are properly seated in their bay. And be sure the OS accepts the RAM installed: a 4GB maximum for 32-bit Windows installation, and 512GB maximum for 64-bit Windows OS. Check that the BIOS has been properly configured to receive the memory. If not, it may need an update.
12. Diminishing Performance
Andfinally, your system boots up normally. But as the day progresses, things flag down to an unusable crawl. It's enough to make the vein in anyone'sforehead pulsate with indignation.
In our experience, this could just be another memory hungry app like Photoshop slowing things down. Try restarting your computer without running any apps. If symptoms persist without running any apps, your computer will require new RAM.
FREE DIAGNOSTIC TOOLS
As you can see, troubleshooting the signs of bad RAM is a systematic process of elimination until you get down to the root cause. Below are FREE tools we've used to diagnose RAM issues. They're effortless to implement and don't cost a thing.
MemeTest86
This is by far the best tool for diagnosing signs of bad RAM.
It's a FREE open-source program that will run RAM diagnostics on your computer. It's been around since the 90's owing to its status as the industry standard for memory diagnostics.
We like that it works on PC, Mac and Linux operating systems. It takes longer than the Windows Memory and the Apple diagnostic tool to use because the tests run are more exhaustive and accurate.
Note: Depending on how much RAM is installed on your computer, or how severe the RAM issues are. This can take several hours to complete.
STEP1: Download the (FREE) version of MemTest86 or MemTest86+ from the Internet and burn it on a CD or USB drive.
STEP2: Next, you'll want to perform this test on one RAM module at a time to easily identify which one has the issue.
STEP3: With one memory stick inserted in the RAM slot, reboot your computer using either the CD or USB drive. (The utility should immediately load and start running.)
STEP4: Then, configure MemTest86 to do a deep testing and multiple loops.
STEP5: Let it run and log results for as long as possible. (Overnight if you can.)
STEP6: When examining the log, note the addresses where errors occurred.
STEP7: Finally, repeat this process with the remaining memory modules.
If the errorsoccur at the same or nearby addresses, the stick of RAM is defective.
But if the errors seem to occur at random addresses, more than likely the problem is power supply or higher than normal operating temperatures.
Higher system temperatures could be the result of running resource heavy programs, like gaming or graphics software which run the CPU and video card flat out.
Windows FREE Diagnostic Tool
Windows comes with a memory diagnostic program aptly named: Windows Memory Diagnostic Tool. It's a powerful built-in software that does acredible job of diagnosing memory problems.
Toopen the Windows Memory Diagnostic toolto check for memory errors:
First: Type ‘Windows Memory Diagnostic' into Cortana and press ENTER; it will pull up immediately.
Second: Select RESTART NOW to run the test or select to run next time you boot up.
Third: You'll see a blue screen. Use the default Standard memory test. Let the test proceed until finished (the time it takes depends on the speed of your PC and available RAM).
OPTIONAL: Press F1 and select Extended test for more comprehensive information. You'll need A LOT of time to leave WMDrunning to completion.
Finally: The Windows Memory Diagnostic tool will show you the results once complete. Any errors will be written in the Windows Event Log.
As wells as what the test found, WMD will show the RAM stickcausing hiccups. From here you cansimply remove the faulty memory module and replace with a new one.
For due diligence, we like to run the test again afterreplacing the faulty RAM module.
Mac FREE Diagnostic Tool
Apple computers have their own built-in tool to check forfaulty RAM. Restart the system and holddown the 'D' key to load the diagnostic suite. This will take you to the diagnostics screen, which varies depending onthe age of your Mac and OS.
On older systems, the diagnostic page will have a blue background. Select Hardware Tests, which is the middle tab. Then put a tick next to Perform extended testing and hit the Test button.
On newer systems,the test begins automatically with a grey or black background. If the program doesn't pull up, hold downOPTION + D. Your Mac will look onlinefor a set of tests to download.
When the tests are complete, the diagnostic tool will tell you if there are any problems with memory.
We recommend trying more than one RAM-checker and compareresults for further confirmation. Onetool can miss a problem that another will detect.
If the memory sticks need replacing you should know that someolder models of Macs allow you to access the RAM modules while many new Macs donot.
If your machine is still under warranty, we HIGHLY recommend taking it in to an Apple store. Otherwise seek the help of a professional, unless you feel comfortable working on it yourself.
USE A SIMPLE RAM SPEED TEST TOOL TO DETECT BAD RAM SYMPTOMS
Few people know this. But to gain additional insight into the health of your computer's RAM, you can use a benchmark tool to diagnose signs of bad RAM.
They're designed to test several factors so you can measureyour RAM's performance against other similar brands to find out if the one inyour computer operates below standard and needs replacing.
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Use them NOW by clicking on the name of the tool below, which will take you directly to the website where you can download the app.
PassMark Memory Benchmarks lets you compare the performance of RAM in your system against the results of others for a base-line of where you should be operating.
Maxxmem2is a freeware app for the Windows operating system designed to help you measure memory performance.
AIDA64uses a set of 64-bit benchmarks to measure how fast your computer performs various data processing tasks to analyze system RAM bandwidth.
Geekbench 4measures your hardware's power to give you the strength of your computer system.
HOW TO FIX BAD RAM SYMPTOMS BY REPLACING THE MEMORY MODULE
Fortunately, RAM is one of the least expensive pieces of hardware to replace on your computer. Pick up a stick of 8GB DDR4 RAM for your laptop on Amazon for less than $50.
Replacing RAM modules will require opening yourmachine. We only recommend doing this ifyour comfortable working on your computer yourself. If not, PLEASE take it to a professional.
Melanie Pinolafrom Laptopmag.com has a great step-by-step on how to upgrade the RAM on your laptop.
Daniel S. Evansprovides atutorial on how to upgrade the Memory on your desktop.
Again, we STRONGLY recommend contacting the computer manufacturer's customer support if your machine under warranty. If it's expired, take your system to an expert computer technician.
CONGRATULATIONS
YOU'VE MADE IT.
This was a lengthy post, but you got through to the end.
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Why?
Because you're so over the frustration of RAM issues holdingyour computer hostage even though you've been diligent about maintaining your system.
But that's not you anymore.
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Now you can spot signs of bad RAM like an IT boss. You know what causes memory failure. The difference between issues dealing with RAM and those involving hardware. You've learned how to fix them. And you even know the free tools to use to diagnose RAM issues.
We expect you to now be able to easily pinpoint the memoryheadaches that dare plague your computer. Try the method that best works for you to determine if RAM really is theunderlying factor. Then let us know whatsymptom of malfunctioning RAM was affecting your computer and how you fixed it.
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You now have the power to stop issues with RAM fromdevouring your machine. Go SAVE yourcomputer.
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It's counting on you.