Memtest86+ Guide/How To's

[avalanche83]

I vote sticky.

Memtest86+ is one of the most important parts of overclocking. I have never used it myself, but in the near future (when I get my DFI) I will be coming back to this post just to get a heads up on this software.

 

[RedDragonXXX]

Good Post RedDragon
I saw you hit on the bit about Chris Brady and the original memtest. You might want to add what the different types of memtest are, i.e. MemTest, Memtest86, Memtest86+, Memtest|OSX, and provide a link to the actual Memtest86+. The link you provide is called 'Boot Disk Maker' and that could be confusing. The only reason I say this is because if you google memtest you get many different versions from many different places and authors.

Thanx, basically all memtest are the same but the latest revisions are user created/modified since they never actually updated the originall version. Also the boot disk maker contains the memtest which you can either extract yourself but it will automatically do a write-on on your floppy. Yeah I know it can be little confusing since there are many but I indicated two that are needed for making boot floppy and one with ISO for the CD. Another thing I will update the list as requested with all memtest revisions and what each one of them has done/improved.

There is some other info in this thread you may want to add on. Has info about what causes errors in each of the tests

Brought to you by Mr Eva2000

Thanx Steve I'll be sure to add that to the originall thread, great find

 

[masterwoot]

Just for note, I've used test #5 a ton for stability testing and now find my ram has a hard time w/ test #8 only. Eva says "test #8 is a more intensive version of test #5" which makes sense why I pass #5 but not #8. So now I run test #8 when tweakin' ram.

-thought it might help out to note this.

 

[NoteUser]

I was not aware there was a Memtest86"+" at the time when downloaded the "Standard" version of Memtest, the non +.

I'll give test 8 a shot after playing around with the Omega 5.7 The 1.6 Version of M86+.

 

[McFlyinCA]

Help!!!!

Ok here's my problem. I just got some Geil 1GB dual channel ram PC3200 2.5-4-4-8 timings. I'm running a AMD 2600+ Mobile at 400FSB with an 11 multiplier @ 1.575 volts on an Asus A7N8X Deluxe mobo. I put the ram in and ran it at stock timings. System was running fine until I was having trouble unraring stuff. Then I started to get blue screens with mem dump errors. So I ran MemTest86+ and I am getting a ton of errors on test #5. So I ran EACH ram stick by itself in each dimm slot on my mobo and no errors at all. I then put the ram back in my computer in both dual channel and single channel and I get the errors again. I have also tried different timings and different volts on both cpu and ram. I thought it was the ram so I rma'd it. Got the new ram and same problem. Is there something I am doing wrong or what? Someone please help .

 

[johan851]

Is there a CPC setting or a 1T/2T setting in your BIOS? Set CPC to off or set it to 2T if there is. That may help...it sounds like the motherboard is having a problem with just having two sticks of RAM.

 

[McFlyinCA]

Is there a CPC setting or a 1T/2T setting in your BIOS? Set CPC to off or set it to 2T if there is. That may help...it sounds like the motherboard is having a problem with just having two sticks of RAM.

Thanks for the info. I will try that and let you know how it goes. To the best of my knowledge I dont think there is a setting for either of those but ill look again.

 

[McFlyinCA]

Is there a CPC setting or a 1T/2T setting in your BIOS? Set CPC to off or set it to 2T if there is. That may help...it sounds like the motherboard is having a problem with just having two sticks of RAM.

I was able to find this
http://www.digital-daily.com/documents/3454/asus-a7n8x-bios_memory.jpg

 

[johan851]

Nope, those won't do it. You've got it set at CAS 2, Precharge Delay (often called TRD) at 2, RAS to CAS Delay (often called TRCD) at 2, and active precharge delay (tRAS) at 5. Have you tried setting those to 2.5-4-4-8?

 

[McFlyinCA]

Nope, those won't do it. You've got it set at CAS 2, Precharge Delay (often called TRD) at 2, RAS to CAS Delay (often called TRCD) at 2, and active precharge delay (tRAS) at 5. Have you tried setting those to 2.5-4-4-8?

that isnt a screen shot of my bios thats just a screen shot of the bios, sorry I should have said that when I posted the link. I have tried the stock settings that you said and all other timings I could think of from 2.5-4-4-(6-12) and 2-3-3-(6-12) all these at 2.6, 2.7 and 2.8 volts on the ram. I still get errors.

 

[RedDragonXXX]

See if you can do 3 CAS Latency so it looks something like this: 3-4-4-8.

 

[johan851]

CAS latency to 3 might do it, but then you're running timings looser than manufacturer spec. If it's not running spec, the memory is bad. Maybe it's just Geil sucking. Can you RMA for a refund and pick up something else? Newegg won't charge a restocking fee if the item is defective...

 

[McFlyinCA]

See if you can do 3 CAS Latency so it looks something like this: 3-4-4-8.

I tried cas latency 3 and still got errors. I ended up setting the ram to 83% so it would run at 333mhz instead of 400mhz that it is rated to do and all the errors went away. I e-mailed Geil to let them know of all the problems I am and how I rma'ed it and it still isnt working. I also let them know that the ram runs fine at 333mhz but sucks at 400mhz that it should run at. Lets see what happens. I knew I should have got OCZ ram.

 

[NoteUser]

Is there a burst lengh setting McFly.

Don't expect too much out of "value ram".

I hope this isn't once of those "binned" cases or even bad practice.

 

[RedDragonXXX]

Just wanted to notify you guys that I found another great RAM tester that can be run in the Windows.

RightMark RAMTester Utility

The new tool works only with free available physical memory at runtime, so you can check any amount of memory that doesn't exceed this limit. For the amount of currently free available memory you can check Windows Task Manager ("Physical Memory Available" in the Performance tab). The new utility works with SMP and HTT systems as well as various memory types, including SDRAM, DDRAM, RDRAM, etc.

Changes to this version include:

* Testing methods improved
* Memory compacting function added
* UI a bit changed
* New i18n resources added
* Full source code released with i18n kit




You can get it here

 

[McFlyinCA]

Is there a burst lengh setting McFly.

Don't expect too much out of "value ram".

I hope this isn't once of those "binned" cases or even bad practice.

Expecting my ram to run at its advertise speeds sure is requiring a lot out of my "Value Ram" now isnt it. BTW the ram runs fine with no errors at 333mhz and I can set any timings I want currently I am running it at 2-3-3-6 at 333mhz and get no errors. but if I run it at its stock 2.5-4-4-8 or 3-4-4-8 at 400mhz errors up the ***. I contacted Geil and they told me to ship it to them for an rma. I hate having to pay for shipping for a bad product I received.

 

[g0dM@n]

I'm about to sit and read this now. I skimmed it, but I'm going to read the specifics on each test a little more carefully.

Thanks, RedDragon.

 

[g0dM@n]

Okay, I think you should mention the difference in the looping shortcuts between different versions of memtest.

The newer versions are:
Push C + Push 1 + Push 3 + Push Test#

Older versions (which Eva showed shortcuts for) are:
Push C + Push 2 + Push 5 + Push Test#

1, 3, test# doesn't work on the older memtests. I noticed this when I got my DFI NF4 the first time. I tried C, 2, 5, 5 for test#5 and it wasn't working out until I noticed that it was set up differently.

 

[hooflung]

Great thread!

 

[RedDragonXXX]

Glad you guys like it

Okay, I think you should mention the difference in the looping shortcuts between different versions of memtest.

The newer versions are:
Push C + Push 1 + Push 3 + Push Test#

Older versions (which Eva showed shortcuts for) are:
Push C + Push 2 + Push 5 + Push Test#

1, 3, test# doesn't work on the older memtests. I noticed this when I got my DFI NF4 the first time. I tried C, 2, 5, 5 for test#5 and it wasn't working out until I noticed that it was set up differently.

I'll update that sometimes tonight Godman, didn't see this till now

Thanx