Do you have an issue where your computer keeps crashing, and you're not sure why? If so, the problem could be due to having memory that has gone bad and creating a critical error that causes the computer to crash. Here is how you can test the RAM; it is very easy to test and repair if it's the problem. Follow these tips for how you can test the RAM on your own.
Test Each RAM Stick One at A Time
Your computer likely uses multiple sticks of RAM to make up the total amount of memory that it has. The problem is that the bad RAM could be a single stick of RAM, with the rest being perfectly fine. An easy way to test this is to remove all of the RAM from your computer and then test each stick one at a time.
Before you do this, it's important to research your specific computer and find out the position of the RAM sticks on the motherboard when using the bare minimum amount of RAM. It may need to go into a certain slot or be installed as a pair with two RAM sticks in two specific slots.
You'll then need to go through the manual process of booting your computer and using it with the single stick of RAM. If it consistently crashes with a specific RAM stick, then you've found the bad RAM. Consider replacing it with a similar sized stick of RAM so that your computer operates the same as before, or use this as an opportunity to increase your RAM.
Test The RAM Using Software
The other option is to use software to test the RAM, which will perform a diagnostic and report back any errors that the RAM is reporting. This process can be a bit complicated to do on your own if you are not a computer savvy person.
The process will involve downloading special software that is designed to test the RAM on your computer. It should be installed on a USB flash drive so that you can boot the computer and run that software outside of the normal operating system. The software is designed to write data to the RAM multiple times to test it, and then report errors caused from reading or writing to your RAM. You will then be able to identify which stick of RAM is causing errors so that you can replace it.
For help diagnosing and fixing RAM issues, reach out to a computer repair shop near you.
