memtest 86 ??

[oymd]

How long do i have to run memtest86 before i can conclude that mymemory is ok??

Same for prime95...how long does it need to run to conclude that my rig is 100% stable??

-------------------------------
Gigabyte GA-8Ik1100/ P4C 3.0GHZ
2x256Mb Kingston Value PC3200
BBA 9800Pro 380/340
Maxtor 120GB ATA/133 2MB
Chieftec Dragon case w/ Chieftec 420W PSU

 

[Coyote]

Well, thats kinda subjective. I2 to 24hrs should do you though.

Mobile XP 2600+ (11X200)
Abit NF7-S v 2.0
Maxtor 60GB ATA 133 7200RPM
512MB Corsair Twinx 3200LL
BBA 9800 Pro
Enermax Noisetaker 420 watts
Win98SE

 

[CrucialLabs]

With memtest86 if you have not gotten any errors in a hour then I would conclude the memory is fine. Ususally you will get errors in the first few passes. As far as prime95, I would let it run for 3 or 4 hours to ensure all is well.

Crucial Performance Lab

www.crucial.com
The Memory Experts(SM) at Crucial Technology is now on board to give you straight answers to your memory-related questions.
cpl@micron.com

 

[Zeekfu]

It looks like you guys answered his question so I am just gonna give this post a bump instead of starting a new thread.

Memtest starts loading but then my computer just reboots. This is exactly what it does:

Loading................
then memtest screen (I guess) flashes for a split second and gone-reboot.

-------------
The computer in question works fine-but it an old computer (duron 700 with 128mb 168 pin-windows 98)

I tried putting the same disk in an xp computer I am building that I am troubleshooting and got the same thing.

My assumption is a I am doing something wrong when I format the floppy. When I right click on a drive and click format I get three check box options (win 98):

quick (erase)
full
copy system files only

Which one should I be doing? I tried different ways with both the newest version of memtest and the last one back.

Would it matter if the boot floppy was made on 98 and put in an xp computer? It seems to do exactly the same thing in either case.

Also since I now have made about 5 or more of the silly emergency boot disk while setting up a new system I am having errors with, if I use the quick (erase) option does that give me a perfectly good blank floppy? I am of the opinion floppys are regular cheap. I have tried formating then erasing then formating again for the mem test so I wouldn't keep using up floppys. Is this acceptable?

I seem to be getting the memtest itself on the floppy ok..it just doesn't seem to be doing its thing though.


<font color=black>Why is the only thing that actually offers "help" on my computer is that silly arse paper clip in word...and he is hopelessly inept.....<font color=black><P ID="edit"><FONT SIZE=-1><EM>Edited by zeekfu on 07/08/04 02:25 AM.</EM></FONT></P>

 

[Guest]

lol @ the paper clip!
You can make boot disk with WINXP the option was gone in 2K but its back in XP. format /s /q a: <--Should put the sys files and doesnt ask for confirmation.
Otherwise you can go on www.bootdisk.com

Using WIn98 Bootdisk should be a problem at all with WInXP.
I say get a WIn98 bootdisk with the ramdrive from bootdisk.com , copy mem test on the same or a separate floppy. Copy memtest in the ramdrive and run it from there.

Floppy are cheap most of the time but I reused some realllly often and never was a problem.

Try this and if memtest aint running from the ramdrive youll know its no floppy issue.

Asus P4P800DX, P4C 2.6ghz@3.25ghz, 2X512 OCZ PC4000 3-3-3-8, Leadtek FX5900 w/ FX5950U bios@500/1000, 2X30gig Raid0

 

[etp777]

Maybe you use a different version of Memtest than I do, but the download uses rawrite to write it's own floppy, as Memtest consists of a bootimage that's a small linux kernel and the testing fsoftware(which starts automatically).

I'd try burning the ISO to a CD, and don't even mess with the floppies.

 

[Zeekfu]

cool, I'll have to try these two suggestions out when I get home this evening. So you think I should try using a blank floppy that I have not done anything to?

The other newbie question is this.. Ok so most floppys now a days already come "formated". Is making it a "bootable floppy a seperate step? Or should I just be taking a new floppy (ibm formated) out of the box and putting memtest on it without doing anything else to it?

When I have tried to recycle a floppy I think I had to format it with my comp before I could erase it or something. I guess that is because the startup disk must be protected or something? Sorry to sound like such a newb but I really don't understand...is a bootable floppy just a formated floppy with a program on it that will make it boot from floppy? Or does the second step put some kind of system files on it so it jives with my computer?

(I know I just asked the same question 3 different ways-looking for a patient explaination of the theory here) Anyone who use to use the giganticomongus floppys reading this? The ones bigger than the 5" ones?

<font color=black>yippie ki ya, m..........<font color=black>

 

[Guest]

giganticomongus floppys reading this? The ones bigger than the 5" ones?

If thats what you are using that might be your problem ;-).

Ok a Win98 boot disk is a blank disk containing at least these files : IO.sys , command.com, Himem.sys and I think autoexec.bat altough im not sure you need the last oen and maybe some other are mandatory too.
Anyway win98 bootdisk contain other files too like ramdrive.sys, fdisk.exe also some stuff for cdrom support etc.

Now formated floppy only specify what file system to use bootable is completly different.(HAve you ever notice you 2mb floppies are 1.44 mb, a two meg floppy is not formated formating it takes 560kb...)

Formating = erasing the whole content, you should be able to erase some stuff without formating...

Anyhow put memtest on a seperate floppy, use one to boot you system and the other to run memtest.

And I was too young to use anything bigger tahn the 5 1/4'' hehe




Asus P4P800DX, P4C 2.6ghz@3.25ghz, 2X512 OCZ PC4000 3-3-3-8, Leadtek FX5900 w/ FX5950U bios@500/1000, 2X30gig Raid0

 

[etp777]

You're obviously not paying attention and haven't used Memtest86

Memtest is NOT a dos program. You don't boot off of a 98 floppy and then use it.

Memtest is a Linux kernel, bootable all by it's pretty little lonesome, that boots up the kernel, and loads a memory testing program.

What you need to do, original poster, is get a new formatted floppy(floppies are crappy technology,a nd quality control has gone down hill since no one uses them anymore, so a used one is more likely to be bad, in my experience). Don't erase anything, as there should be nothign on there. Don't put anythign on there yourself. jsut run the little Install.bat or whatever memtest86 calls it, and have it install itself to the floppy drive.

Or jsut burn a cd already, makes life so much easier.

 

[Zeekfu]

Naw, I am using the 3 1/2" floppy. I just joked about that because I was looking for someone who knew something about the seemingly obsolete (but obviously still usefull) floppy. :>)

<font color=black>yippie ki ya, m..........<font color=black>

 

[Zeekfu]

ok I think that finally got it. I tried it twice and the second time I think it is working now. Apparently, the zip has to be unzipped into a seperate place and then installed only onto the floppy. I was unzipping it onto the floppy and then installing it on to that same floppy. For what ever reason that seemed to be keeping it from working. Yea, I saw the linux instructions on the read me and that had me all confused too. That is why I tried the older version thinking perhaps the link was messed up and I was downloading the linux file instead of windows. Thanks for breaking the linux kernel thing down a bit for me.

Anyway, on this old comp it ran this time for a bit. I can hear the floppy ticking then it seems to just stop. At that point there doesn't seem to be any keyboard control. This is about a 7 year old system with a single stick of 128 mb 168 pin ram so... On the other hand the system seems to work fine for the most part.

I want to try it in this other system I am troubleshooting and see what it does now. I am learning the key to computers is patience. Reading carefully is a plus but the instructions often don't quite make sense or something gets lost in the translation. Provided I don't hulk out and throw the thing out the window in the mean time most things can be figured out with help, I suppose. Thanks again.

<font color=black>yippie ki ya, m..........<font color=black>

 

[Zeekfu]

oh yea, ps--what do i want to do to make these 5-8 floppys I have crapped up "new" again? Use the format quick(erase) option?

<font color=black>yippie ki ya, m..........<font color=black>

 

[Guest]

Actually choice B I havent used memtest...Was trying to be helpful to zeekfu im sure I tought him a few thing =).

But thanks for clarifying that.

Asus P4P800DX, P4C 2.6ghz@3.25ghz, 2X512 OCZ PC4000 3-3-3-8, Leadtek FX5900 w/ FX5950U bios@500/1000, 2X30gig Raid0

 

[Zeekfu]

That's why I was looking for a user of the giagatomongus floppys from way back....so I could get the straight dope since floppys seem almost obsolete now (but still extremely useful apparently) he he:>)

Yea, I learned a bit from all of it. Thanks guys.

ok what do a I do to make the floppys just like I had bought an ibm "formated" disk from the store? Use the format quick (erase) option?

<font color=black>yippie ki ya, m..........<font color=black>

 

[Guest]

yup

Asus P4P800DX, P4C 2.6ghz@3.25ghz, 2X512 OCZ PC4000 3-3-3-8, Leadtek FX5900 w/ FX5950U bios@500/1000, 2X30gig Raid0