What do you recommend to test your system's memory?

[DrewKaree]

I have a PC that seems to be having either memory, processor, or motherboard issues.  I'd like to be using this for a jukebox, so if it's the motherboard, it's shot. 

I want to test the memory, because swapping out the processor didn't change a thing, and most every other testing program seems to say "it's the memory or the motherboard".

I am looking for a specific memory testing program that will tell me if it's bad or not, and naturally, preferably free.

Tips, hints, kick in the pants, rant at me....all are welcome (although the rants will probably be ignored and you'll have to catch me for the kick in the pants )

[Buddabing]

I have a PC that seems to be having either memory, processor, or motherboard issues.

[Gunstar Hero]

Flash cards.

Word games work nice too.

 

[DrewKaree]

Gunstar, that kind of jack-assery is...appreciated 

Buddabing, I'ma give that a whirl.  I'm assuming the newer version for 64-bit machines is for way newer machines than this one.  I'm working with a Socket A AMD machine...1400, I believe.

Thanks!

[Gunstar Hero]

We aim to please here on BYOAC. 

[markb]

Here's a thread on testing/stressing memory on overclockers.com

http://www.ocforums.com/showthread.php?t=123908

I used prime 95 recently and it showed a problem with the memory so I RMA'd it. Also SISsoft Sandra is quite good as well and tests/benchmarks other things as well as memory.

[Harry Potter]

If you're getting random system hangups within 5 minutes of boot up, then memory is definitely shot. Had something similar happen about 1 month ago.

[RayB]

Memtest86, but be prepared for it to take HOURS...

Also, note that it will report memory failures even if your problem is something else, such as wrong clock speed. Make sure you have all yoru clock speed BIOS settings absolutely correct. Then test the memory.

[Crazy Cooter]

SISsoft Sandra is a good program, I've used it for a few years.

[DrewKaree]

BuddaBINGO!

It was the memory.

The issue I was having was that I was ripping music on this PC (to save me the hassle of burning to disc and copy/paste-ing all the files).  I had done this before, but was using a different format and version of the programs, and THIS time, each and every time, I was getting BSOD's and mysterious reboots when LAME was encoding. 

First thing I checked were mobo settings, and this one has no settings other than CAS latency settings, which had no effect.  Two of the LAME dev's recommended testing the mobo and memory, and one also mentioned Prime95.

Prime95 brought up errors, but that program is non-specific.  It alerts to problems with the CPU, RAM, cache, & mobo, but it doesn't report which one, unless there's a forum I don't know about where you report your findings and they interpret them for you.

I had heard of Sandra, but was under the impression that it was for sale, and more money than I was willing to spend just to find out if this old system was shot.

I'm willing to bet that testing old systems before putting them together for MAME or jukebox purposes is something folks would like to do, so if there's other suggestions too, we can point to this thread.

[Sephroth57]

so, you ended up using memtest86 then?

[DrewKaree]

My bad!  Yes, I did end up using Memtest86....I don't know how long the tests go, but I got an error message pile of info ~33 minutes into the test.

FWIW, none of these kinds of tests seem to be particularly fast, nor would I expect/want them to be, but I don't know just how long memtest86 actually takes.