Problem Testing Memory

  • Thread starter Thread starter dennisburke
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dennisburke

A few months ago I started having problems with BSOD's so I used Windows
Memory Diagnostic to test and it ran through the tests multiple times with no
errors. A month or so ago I started getting more BSOD's so I ran WMD again
and it found an error and the test stopped running. I rebooted and ran the
test again and the test ran through multiple times with no problems. I'm
still having problems with BSOD's so I decided to run WMD again and it found
an error again and stopped running. I rebooted and ran the test again and
this time it froze without finding an error and I was not allowed to exit the
program. I rebooted again and the test froze again. Does anybody have a clue
to what might be going on? Memory? BIOS? Program?
 
Dennis

Please post a copy of the latest BSOD. Are the BSOD occurring on booting
or later?

Disable automatic restart on system failure. This should help by
allowing time to write down the STOP code properly. Right click on
the My Computer icon on the Desktop and select Properties, Advanced,
Start-Up and Recovery, System Failure and uncheck box before
Automatically Restart.

Do not re-enable automatic restart on system failure. Check for variants
of the Stop Error message.

An alternative is to keep pressing the F8 key during Start-Up and select
option - Disable automatic restart on system failure.

Please post copies of all Error and Warning Reports appearing in the
System and Application logs in Event Viewer relating to the last boot in
normal mode . No Information Reports or Duplicates please. Indicate
which also appear in a previous boot.

You can access Event Viewer by selecting Start, Control Panel,
Administrative Tools, and Event Viewer. When researching the meaning
of the error, information regarding Event ID, Source and Description
are important.

A tip for posting copies of Error Reports! Run Event Viewer and double
click on the error you want to copy. In the window, which appears is a
button resembling two pages. Click the button and close Event
Viewer.Now start your message (email) and do a paste into the body of
the message. Make sure this is the first paste after exiting from
Event Viewer.


--



Hope this helps.

Gerry
~~~~
FCA
Stourport, England
Enquire, plan and execute
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
 
dennisburke wrote (in
A few months ago I started having problems with BSOD's so I used Windows
Memory Diagnostic to test and it ran through the tests multiple times with…
Click to expand...

Try a copy of MemTest86+. That uses a floppy disk (or CD or whatever) to boot
and test right from the BIOS boot rather than running in Windows which can
complicate things (if there is bad memory, Windows may not even run to get you
to WMD).
 
Hello Gerry...

Thanks for responding. Sometimes I get BSOD's while booting and sometimes
while running applications such as: Surfing the web or checking e-mail (very
rare); Burning DVD's (not all the time); Playing games (almost all the time
now); Yesterday, after I experienced the problem with running Windows Memory
Diagnostic, I went into BIOS setup and changed the Boot Sequence back to
Windows first, rebooted, and experienced 6 BSOD's in a row at some point
while booting. The same thing happened a couple of weeks ago after using WMD
and changing the BIOS Boot Sequence (5 or 6 BSOD's in a row). After both
incidents I shut down the computer and left it off for quite awhile. When I
return it seemed to reboot normal and after sending multiple error reports to
Microsoft, with typical replys of check hardware/drivers/software/check
memory/etc. sometimes I get a reply that there is an error with the error
report, the computer seems to run fine for awhile until I try to do something
stressful like playing a game.

My friend who built my computer for me has been trying to help me out and I
turned off my Auto Restart awhile ago. Yesterday I got the following stop
errors after each BSOD. STOP: 0x50; 0x24; 0x7F; 0x8E; 0xFC; 0x0A. Here
is a list of other stop errors I have gotten in the past 3 weeks. STOP:
0x7E; 0x1A; 0x1...8e; 0x6F; 0xD1; 0xBE;

*******

Event Type: Error
Event Source: System Error
Event Category: (102)
Event ID: 1003
Date: 9/1/2008
Time: 9:02:01 PM
User: N/A
Computer: DENNIS-PC
Description:
Error code 10000050, parameter1 fffffffb, parameter2 00000000, parameter3
8062e455, parameter4 00000000.

For more information, see Help and Support Center at
http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/events.asp.
Data:
0000: 53 79 73 74 65 6d 20 45 System E
0008: 72 72 6f 72 20 20 45 72 rror Er
0010: 72 6f 72 20 63 6f 64 65 ror code
0018: 20 31 30 30 30 30 30 35 1000005
0020: 30 20 20 50 61 72 61 6d 0 Param
0028: 65 74 65 72 73 20 66 66 eters ff
0030: 66 66 66 66 66 62 2c 20 fffffb,
0038: 30 30 30 30 30 30 30 30 00000000
0040: 2c 20 38 30 36 32 65 34 , 8062e4
0048: 35 35 2c 20 30 30 30 30 55, 0000
0050: 30 30 30 30 0000


Event Type: Error
Event Source: System Error
Event Category: (102)
Event ID: 1003
Date: 9/1/2008
Time: 9:02:49 PM
User: N/A
Computer: DENNIS-PC
Description:
Error code 00000024, parameter1 001902fe, parameter2 bad2b720, parameter3
bad2b41c, parameter4 ba908ada.

For more information, see Help and Support Center at
http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/events.asp.
Data:
0000: 53 79 73 74 65 6d 20 45 System E
0008: 72 72 6f 72 20 20 45 72 rror Er
0010: 72 6f 72 20 63 6f 64 65 ror code
0018: 20 30 30 30 30 30 30 32 0000002
0020: 34 20 20 50 61 72 61 6d 4 Param
0028: 65 74 65 72 73 20 30 30 eters 00
0030: 31 39 30 32 66 65 2c 20 1902fe,
0038: 62 61 64 32 62 37 32 30 bad2b720
0040: 2c 20 62 61 64 32 62 34 , bad2b4
0048: 31 63 2c 20 62 61 39 30 1c, ba90
0050: 38 61 64 61 8ada



Event Type: Error
Event Source: System Error
Event Category: (102)
Event ID: 1003
Date: 9/1/2008
Time: 9:03:26 PM
User: N/A
Computer: DENNIS-PC
Description:
Error code 1000007f, parameter1 0000000d, parameter2 00000000, parameter3
00000000, parameter4 00000000.

For more information, see Help and Support Center at
http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/events.asp.
Data:
0000: 53 79 73 74 65 6d 20 45 System E
0008: 72 72 6f 72 20 20 45 72 rror Er
0010: 72 6f 72 20 63 6f 64 65 ror code
0018: 20 31 30 30 30 30 30 37 1000007
0020: 66 20 20 50 61 72 61 6d f Param
0028: 65 74 65 72 73 20 30 30 eters 00
0030: 30 30 30 30 30 64 2c 20 00000d,
0038: 30 30 30 30 30 30 30 30 00000000
0040: 2c 20 30 30 30 30 30 30 , 000000
0048: 30 30 2c 20 30 30 30 30 00, 0000
0050: 30 30 30 30 0000


Event Type: Error
Event Source: System Error
Event Category: (102)
Event ID: 1003
Date: 9/1/2008
Time: 9:06:11 PM
User: N/A
Computer: DENNIS-PC
Description:
Error code 000000fc, parameter1 b33fd514, parameter2 47c72963, parameter3
b33fd3b0, parameter4 00000001.

For more information, see Help and Support Center at
http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/events.asp.
Data:
0000: 53 79 73 74 65 6d 20 45 System E
0008: 72 72 6f 72 20 20 45 72 rror Er
0010: 72 6f 72 20 63 6f 64 65 ror code
0018: 20 30 30 30 30 30 30 66 000000f
0020: 63 20 20 50 61 72 61 6d c Param
0028: 65 74 65 72 73 20 62 33 eters b3
0030: 33 66 64 35 31 34 2c 20 3fd514,
0038: 34 37 63 37 32 39 36 33 47c72963
0040: 2c 20 62 33 33 66 64 33 , b33fd3
0048: 62 30 2c 20 30 30 30 30 b0, 0000
0050: 30 30 30 31 0001

*******

Only 4 out of the 6 system errors were recorded in the log. There is no
record of 0x8E and 0x0A. Following the 4 system errors is another error that
is listed about 200 times. Below is that log.

*******

Event Type: Error
Event Source: Service Control Manager
Event Category: None
Event ID: 7023
Date: 9/1/2008
Time: 9:08:35 PM
User: N/A
Computer: DENNIS-PC
Description:
The Application Management service terminated with the following error:
The specified module could not be found.

For more information, see Help and Support Center at
http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/events.asp.

*******

Since I started writing down the Stop Error codes (about 3 weeks and out of
frustration I have not recorded them all) their are some repeat offenders:
0x8E x 6; 0x50 x 5; 0x0A x 4; 0x1A x 2; 0x24 x 2; 0x7E x 2.

If you need any more information please let me know and thanks again for
taking a look.

Dennis from Minnesota...
 
Hello Alec...

Thanks for responding. I have used both WMD and MemTest 86+ and, of course,
I change the Boot Sequence in BIOS setup so Windows does not start. I have
also had the same experience with MT as with WMD in that sometimes it find
errors and sometimes it does not find errors. The mystery to me is why WMD
stops running before any error is found when Windows is not running.

I'm in the process of upgrading my computer including a new graphics card, a
better psu, and I also picked up new memory. When I do the upgrade I will
swap out the memory and see if that helps. I'm currently using Corsair 2x1GB
XMS2 DDR2 800 and will replace it with the same thing because the price is
very good. If it turns out one of the original memory sticks is bad I will
send it in to Corsair for a replacement.

I don't have a lot of experience with MemTest and I was wondering if there
is a way to determine whether the memory or the MB is at fault. Does an error
during the test always indicate the memory is at fault?

Thanks again for you reply...Dennis from Minnesota
 
dennisburke wrote (in
I don't have a lot of experience with MemTest and I was wondering if there
is a way to determine whether the memory or the MB is at fault. Does an error
during the test always indicate the memory is at fault?
Click to expand...

Despite what a lot of people say about bad memory this and bad memory that, bad
memory is not nearly that common. What’s much more common is a bad connection.

Before throwing your sticks of RAM against the wall or using them as doorstops,
try simply cleaning the contacts. Most of the time, when a test comes up with
memory errors, you can just clean the contacts on the RAM and it will be fine.
(Hardware may sometimes be very fragile, but it is often more resiliant than you
’d think; I sometimes scrub it with a wet toothbrush.) Sometimes you may need to
clean the contacts on the RAM socket—in which case, putting in new RAM won’t
help. I find the easiest way to do that is to use an old, damp (but not wet)
toothbrush and just brush the socket a bit. (I keep an old tootbrush in my
toolbox.)

One thing to look out for is to make sure that the stick is free and clear
before you put it back in. One time after cleaning a stick of RAM, there was a
tiny bit of toilet paper left stuck to it, covering a single pin. When I powered
up, the BIOS enumerated a full 512MB more memory than there was. I was excited
but kept my hopes low, because not surprisingly, the mem test showed it was no
good. I found and took off the bit, put it back in, and the tests were fine
again. :)
 
Hello Alec...

That is some of the best advice I have seen yet on the forums. I know that
sometimes when my remote control stops working all I have to do is take out
the batteries, wipe them down, and it's back in business. I have not done the
upgrade yet and my friend recommends getting a can of spray air for cleaning
the inside, my room is very dusty.

My friend built my computer 8 months ago and the only time I have been
inside it was to install an ATI tuner card. This is my first computer so
doing these upgrades is going to be a bit of an adventure. Shortly I will be
going out to Radio Shack to see if I can pick up those anti-static wrist
straps and some spray air.

Thanks again...Dennis
 
dennisburke wrote (in
That is some of the best advice I have seen yet on the forums. I know that
sometimes when my remote control stops working all I have to do is take out
the batteries, wipe them down, and it's back in business. I have not done the
upgrade yet and my friend recommends getting a can of spray air for cleaning
the inside, my room is very dusty.
Click to expand...

No problem. Your remote example is exactly right. Electrical contacts tend to
grow a patina on them, or sometimes even corrode. Electricty, metal, and
chemicals cause reactions that make poor connections over time, especially in
bad environments (dusty, humid, etc.) A little care and cleaning is often all
that’s needed to get them working fine again.
 
I had a computer freezing problem and was told it was the memory chip. Turns
out it wasn't actually the chip but somewhere in the slot it sits in. After
inserting a new chip the computer might run for a day or two before freezing.
As I have a laptop there doesn't seem to be much I can do beyond avoiding
that slot (which reduces me to the only other slot and 512MB max). I bought a
MemTest-86 bootable CD-Rom memory diagnostic program from BradyTech Inc;
haven't tried to boot up with it yet though (with a chip in the slot that has
the bad spot in it somewhere) partly because I would probably have to run the
thing days and then all I would get is conformation of what I already know. I
wish there was a way to ignore/bypass whatever is bad in the slot (like can
be done on hard drives) but I don't think that is possible. Anyone know
differently?? So I am posting this mostly just in case someone else's problem
is the same, yet the possibility of a bad slot rather than the chip in it
never occured to them. I suppose it could be repaired in a PC but I am told
it can not be done in a notebook.
 
I had a computer freezing problem and was told it was the memory chip. Turns
out it wasn't actually the chip but somewhere in the slot it sits in. After
inserting a new chip the computer might run for a day or two before freezing.
As I have a laptop there doesn't seem to be much I can do beyond avoiding
that slot (which reduces me to the only other slot and 512MB max).
Click to expand...


It depends on what apps you run, but with XP 512MB might be fine for
you and worth a try. Especially with a laptop, there's a good chance
that what you run will do fine with 612MB.
 
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