Need Help With Memtest86

[JayRich]

Hey Everyone,

I am trying to use memtest86 but it isn't booting. I used the Memtest86+ USB Installer to set up the drive and set my BIOS to boot from USB but am still having no luck. It is just booting straight to windows. I am sure this is something dumb I am doing but i couldn't seem to find an answer anywhere. Thanks in advance for any help!

 

[alexoiu]

Hi, Is the USB stick bootable?

 

[JayRich]

To my knowledge, the USB Installer file makes it bootable.

 

[alexoiu]

Try making a bootable USB using a different method just to check if the system would boot from.
If tapping F8 at restart and bringing the boot menu, is the removable listed there?

 

[JayRich]

Try making a bootable USB using a different method just to check if the system would boot from.
If tapping F8 at restart and bringing the boot menu, is the removable listed there?

This worked. I kept hitting F8 until the list of Bootable devices appeared. Memtest is running now. I imagine you will be hearing from me again shortly asking what this information means lol

 

[JayRich]

Is it normal for my computer to just restart at 21%? Nothing is displaying at the moment, but my keyboard/mouse and one my main monitor leds are all on as if they are drawing power from the PC. Should I manually restart myself, or is there something running in the background?

This is the last image I grabbed... I am guessing red is bad? :\

http://img837.imageshack.us/img837/6139/20130211190239.jpg


Edit: I manually restarted my computer (holding in power button then pressing). I am running the test again now.

 

[alexoiu]

It could be a bad stick. Try testing the other module also, if using a kit.
http://discountu.co.uk/memtest86.php

What motherboard, CPU and RAMs?

 

[JayRich]

It could be a bad stick. Try testing the other module also, if using a kit.
http://discountu.co.uk/memtest86.php

What motherboard, CPU and RAMs?

I am not sure if I am allowed to link to another post or not. But for simplicity sake: I have a thread in another sub-forum detailing my problem(s) in more detail if you care to take a look.

http://www.tomshardware.com/forum/forum2.php?config=tomshardwareus.inc&cat=73&post=4062&page=1&p=1&sondage=0&owntopic=1&trash=0&trash_post=0&print=0&numreponse=0&quote_only=0&new=0&nojs=0

 

[alexoiu]

Hard to make a connection between Windows 8 upgrade and memory errors.
Try testing the other RAM module too. If no errors after 1-2 passes, restart the PC and boot to Windows. See if you get the same issues with only one RAM stick (the good one) installed.

 

[JayRich]

Hard to make a connection between Windows 8 upgrade and memory errors.
Try testing the other RAM module too. If no errors after 1-2 passes, restart the PC and boot to Windows. See if you get the same issues with only one RAM stick (the good one) installed.

Okay, so by this you mean: Once this memory test finishes (I will most results). I should remove my second memory stick (2x4gb) and run again with just the one.

If no errors result, take the good one out and try with just the second one?

If errors show again, try removing this stick, putting the second one back in and running a test with just that one?

Does that make sense?

I am 60% through my second cycle of testing in my current memtest and will be posting the results within the next 20-30 minutes.

 

[JayRich]

The memtest is still going (running on 3hours). It is currently on its 3rd round of testing. Should I just keep letting it go until it manually stops? If it means anything... allt he errors popped up during the first round of tests. Here is a picture of what I see right now.
http://img585.imageshack.us/img585/5931/20130211220934.jpg

 

[fkr]

1. run memtest with all memory installed
2. if you get fails then leave only one stick in slot one and test it.
3. if it passes then put ram in slot 2 and test, this way you know if it is ram or motherboard. If it fails in slot 2 after passing in slot one your ram slot is shot. If it passes in slot 2
4. then try other ram stick in slot one and test.
5 if it fails at all return it or buy a new stick of ram.

memtest will run forever and if you get any errors just stop right then and return it. The only reason people let it run for 2-3 passes is to just make sure it is good. Any fail on memtest means your ram is garbage. sorry happens to everyone sooner or later

 

[JayRich]

1. run memtest with all memory installed
2. if you get fails then leave only one stick in slot one and test it.
3. if it passes then put ram in slot 2 and test, this way you know if it is ram or motherboard. If it fails in slot 2 after passing in slot one your ram slot is shot. If it passes in slot 2
4. then try other ram stick in slot one and test.
5 if it fails at all return it or buy a new stick of ram.

memtest will run forever and if you get any errors just stop right then and return it. The only reason people let it run for 2-3 passes is to just make sure it is good. Any fail on memtest means your ram is garbage. sorry happens to everyone sooner or later

Thanks, I just stopped it. Wish I would have known it ran forever. I would have stopped it 3 hours ago.... lol. Oh well live and learn. So there is definitely issues then (given the picture I previously included). I will do further testing when I have time. Thanks for the detailed step by step!

 

[JayRich]

Best answer selected by JayRich.