Memory- Dumping Error

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" And make sure you let it do a couple passes, especially if it passes the first time through."


Okay, THAT's a good one ... I don't see why run would ever run it again if it fails the first time...

Recently ran on MemTester86 test overnight. One night for each memory stick. Came out that all sticks had between 158-300 Errors.

Yipe. Painful. Time for new memory, possibly, or try swapping with sticks from other machines?

Some sticks can be marginal, depending on mobo/memory.

Most likely is that you really do have duff sticks, and replacing them is all you can do.

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Have you taken enough care when handling them? I'm one of these people who can seem to get away with handling chips without zapping them. I rarely use a wrist strap. However, I know some people who seem to be able to blow chips by looking at them hard.

I don't use gloves but I do use bubble-wrap when carrying memory

I'd not heard of using gloves, until you mentioned them. I don't recall seeing any in evidence in any of the shop floors I've been on - just wrist straps. There again, I may not have noticed them, and I've never been in a clean room.

Normal bubble wrap is an excellent way of destroying memory sticks. It carries static charges quite well - and as it is dry, better than skin, I would imagine.

Anti-static bubble wrap strikes me as an awkward way to try to carry memory, and extremely hard to use while inserting a stick.

Personally, I just try to avoid touching any copper, which seems to work for me, as I don't seem to be prone to building up any static, usually.

If I can't easily avoid touching any copper, I'll wear a wrist strap.

To my knowledge, even when I've accidentally stuck my fingers in the wrong place, I've not fried any components. However, static damage doesn't always kill a component straight off... it may just drastically reduce its MTBF.

Iau, I know this is funny to ask but why is it always the Pentium 4 Systems that have these problems. In particular the ones that take DDR Memory. The computer is a Gateway & it doesn't seem like the processor overheats when I open it. I also cleaned out the PSU w/ canned air and a tiny antistatic brush.

Its sad to see that old pentium II laptops & even old 386'es are outliving these machines less than 5 years old.

Oh, could that problem be overheating.

This is an early P4 (Medion), and I've never had any problems with it.

Opening up the box can cause overheating, as the air flow doesn't then work properly. Also having cables get in the way of the air flow can cause hassle.

I guess I'm mainly lucky.

Do you catch the error code ?

Mine is a Prescott @ 2.4 Ghz. The machine itself was released in 2003.

Is it properly patched up? Also try setting Windows to clear the page file at shutdown (It may/may not help)

Also update BIOS and device drivers

oh tried the memory out on another computer & it was just fine. in fact it had no errors. should i replace the power supply.

Replacing the power supply may/may not help. What is it rated, and how many of each component do you have in your computer?

What sort of RAM, CPU, chipset, and motherboard are you using as well?

Memory sticks?

Cause overheating with the computer opened up?

Bubble wrap for storage and handling?

1) RAM is not a stick
2) I've been forced to open my case to aid air-flow, with it closed up the processor overheats and does what it does when it overheats.
3) Bubblewrap can harbour approximately 20,000volts of static electricity which compared to a 2.2 ~ 3.0v memory module is enough to fry it.

I would check the temperature of the CPU. IF this is too high (varies according to model) then a new heatsink and fan will be required with thermal grease.
At the same time I would check the voltages of the PSU. If the BIOS supports voltage readouts I would make sure the voltages being delivered are 11.9 4.9 and 3.29 are roughly the lowest I would accept. I had 3.232v that was the problem. New PSU time if this is the case.

Hard drive maintenance is the last one. Clean up, checking the disc using an appropriate program.

Of course, what was the last thing you did when this happened? What do you do when it happens? If the memory is failing and it's on a P4 you may need to get RIMM's in pairs, perfect opportunity to upgrade the memory

Also remember the position of the RAM modules are very important. Check your motherboard documentation for those details.

I found that when I was upgrading my Intel Pentium PC from 64MB to 96MB (I am hoping to upgrade to 128MB in the near future)

Yes. Not discrete components.

Yes. By preventing the fans from doing what they are designed for.

Yes. Provided it is anti-static (which I hadn't known was available, until I checked).

... except when it is on a stick.

Opening a case does not aid air flow, unless you have placed things in your case that block the designed air flow route.
If merely opening your case stops your CPU overheating, either you have blocked the designed air flow route or your case fans are not working.
The only instance where I've seen an open case resulting in better cooling, the person had a large domestic fan blowing into the open case. That helped.

Anti-static bubble wrap doesn't.

A clean heatsink and fan is never a bad idea, but unless the fan is broken, I can see little point in replacing it.
I tend, personally, to get awfully lazy with thermal paste... but that is certainly one of the commonest causes of overheating. Just because there is a lovely, huge heatsink, with a cheerfully spinning fan, it doesn't prove that anyone put any thermal compound between it and the CPU (or that someone hasn't wiped it off, thinking it was messy!).
Air is such a bad conductor of heat!

(Or rather, check that the voltages match what they are supposed to, on your machine.)
Some manufacturers kit out their boxes with PSUs that supply exactly enough power for the rest of the components they put in the box. When you add a better video card, the PSU is not going to handle it.
So... if this is the problem, replace your power supply with one that is a good margin over the requirement of whatever you already have in your box (because you may add more goodies, later...).

What a strange concept - cleaning a hard drive.
I fail to see a connection between the state of a (not in use) hard drive and the memory errors reported by Memtest86.

Memory error -> BSD. No user intervention required.
RIP RIMM.

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If the sticks work on a different machine, I'd just leave it at that. I've known sticks from differing manufacturers to be marginal, depending on which motherboard they are plugged into.

However, a stick with an intermittent failure is still going to cause you headaches, and at some point in the future, when you weren't expecting it, will cause a disaster. E.g.when you lose a set of files that you just worked on for 11 hours straight (which was one of my most embarrassing moments).

well i know overheating isn't the problem. especially if i can touch the heat sink w/o being zapped.