This tool is a godsend at the time when you suspect your RAM has developed a fault.
this post was submitted on 14 Jan 2024
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Even when I don't suspect it, I systematically run it on any new PC I build just to ensure I'm running with good RAM out-of-the-box. So far I've had this issue only once with a brand new pair but I'm glad I caught it early on.
I had a 6 month old Acer laptop that started misbehaving so I ran Memtest, it took hours, but found faults in the memory. So I took it back to the shop, they sent it on to Acer who sent it back saying Linux was the problem and I should only use windows. But they replaced the main board, "just in case"
Hello Memtest my old friend... 🎵
I've come to segfault with you again... 🎵
This is the best summary I could come up with:
If a computer becomes unreliable, a great first step, which doesn't even require opening the case, is to boot Memtest86+ from a USB key and leave it running – ideally, overnight or at least for several hours.
Version 7.0 has gained the ability to interrogate the integrated memory controller in Intel Core PCs (first to 14th generations) to find live memory timing information, as well as some preliminary support for obtaining error correction code (ECC) info on some models of AMD Ryzen.
However, support for memory error-checking is not a universal option across all PCs, which has been criticized by noted industry diplomat Linus Torvalds, but it seems like it might be staging a modest comeback – at least for AMD users.
It's still worth a try, and if it doesn't work, temporarily disable Secure Boot in the firmware settings before testing, and turn it back on afterwards.
Boot it, press one key to start a test, and if big red lines appear in the on-screen log saying ERROR, you have RAM issues.
If you don't have a recent Linux ISO to hand, the project offers its own (absolutely minuscule) downloads that you can simply copy onto a USB key formatted with Ventoy and put to work.
The original article contains 665 words, the summary contains 207 words. Saved 69%. I'm a bot and I'm open source!
I always keep memtest86+ in my grub in case I (rarely) need it
The article, while interesting feels like 3-4 articles copy/pasted together haphazardly