An automatic DIMM tester?

[Bateluer]

I'm looking for a device that I can plug several unregistered DDR2 DIMMs into that can perform diagnostics to verify whether or not they're good sticks. Just a method of testing several sticks of desktop DDR2 RAM without installing them into a working computer and using MemTest86 or similar.

A system with DDR3 capability would be nice too.

I found a few, but they seem geared for the industrial use and are designed with automatic handlers for 'Place and Drop', speed bin by tested frequencies, and cost 6 figures.

Any diagnostic device that I could plug in more than 1 or 2 DIMMs are a time for testing? Something like the Logicube 10Xi, but for RAM.
http://www.logicube.com/products/hd_duplication/omniclone10xi.asp

 

[Blain]

I'm looking for a device that I can plug several unregistered DDR2 DIMMs into that can perform diagnostics to verify whether or not they're good sticks. Just a method of testing several sticks of desktop DDR2 RAM without installing them into a working computer and using MemTest86 or similar.

It only costs a little more to fly first class. Here you go...

 

[Bateluer]

It only costs a little more to fly first class. Here you go...

Youtube blocked here. Is that the Roboflex 2 device?

http://www.simmtester.com/page/products/handler/hnlinfo.asp

 

[Blain]

The RoboFlex Mini

 

[RebateMonger]

Twenty years ago I used to see small memory testing devices at local computer shops. They'd start the test at low frequency and then ramp up the frequency until the memory failed. I haven't seen any of these testers since then.

 

[Bateluer]

The RoboFlex Mini

Looks like just a handler though, a device that pushes RAM into a separate tester/diagnostic unit.

Twenty years ago I used to see small memory testing devices at local computer shops. They'd start the test at low frequency and then ramp up the frequency until the memory failed. I haven't seen any of these testers since then.

I vaguely recall seeing those. What happened? RAM get too complex with DDR1, 2, 3, RDRAM, etc?

 

[Blain]

There are still small memory testers, but they test single DIMMs, not the multi-DIMM tester you're looking for.

 

[RebateMonger]

There are still small memory testers, but they test single DIMMs, not the multi-DIMM tester you're looking for.

I hadn't looked lately, but, yeah, I guess there are still small testers:
http://www.memorytesters.com/

And, yeah, the cheap ones likely only test a single module at a time.

 

[tcsenter]

The cheapest modern DIMM testers are a couple thousand bucks.

 

[0roo0roo]

isn't memtest more thorough then some dedicated tester?

 

[Bateluer]

isn't memtest more thorough then some dedicated tester?

Is it?

We've got several hundred DDR1 and 2 sticks sitting at work that need to be tested, and the 'test bench' is essentially a naked PC with the bios set to boot to a USB CD ROM with a MemTest86 cd in it. Problem is, it only tests 2 DDR1 sticks at a time, and desk space is limited. Setting up a DDR2 tester, means we have to take down the DDR1 tester.

Was thinking if we could find a good bench bulk tester, we could test all the sticks relatively quickly and avoid the backlog in the future. My employer wouldn't have a problem with a thousand or so price tag, would just need more approval process. But I can't take a proposal with a 6 figure price tag to the table, they'd conclude, and rightly so, that'd it be cheaper to just buy more RAM.

 

[tcsenter]

isn't memtest more thorough then some dedicated tester?

No. Software testers need to use a more extensive set of (software) testing approaches because they're so inferior to hardware testers.

 

[bryanl]

Youtube blocked here. Is that the Roboflex 2 device?

http://www.simmtester.com/page/products/handler/hnlinfo.asp

I used Simmtester's equipment years ago and found it passed many defective DIMMs, just like their free Docmem diagnostic software:

http://www.realworldtech.com/page.cfm?ArticleID=RWT052001232443&p=2

Ultra-X RST testers are much better and no more expensive.

 

[tcsenter]

I used Simmtester's equipment years ago and found it passed many defective DIMMs, just like their free Docmem diagnostic software:

http://www.realworldtech.com/page.cfm?ArticleID=RWT052001232443&p=2

Ultra-X RST testers are much better and no more expensive.

The RealWorldTech article doesn't test or include any hardware DIMM testers. They're all software-based, including the PCI cards from Ultra-X. Hardware DIMM testers are several times more expensive than the Ultra-X R.S.T. Pro3.

 

[*kjm]

Is it?

My employer wouldn't have a problem with a thousand or so price tag, would just need more approval process. But I can't take a proposal with a 6 figure price tag to the table, they'd conclude, and rightly so, that'd it be cheaper to just buy more RAM.

We use a Ramcheck at work and if I remember right the main unit was around $2500 and some of the adapters were over $1000 each... just FYI. It works great though and to go from DDR1 to DDR2 is a snap. Each stick of ram would test out in a little over a minute.

 

[lxskllr]

Not what you're looking for, but I'd setup a test center on the wall. Get a couple good mbs for the ram types you need to test, screw them to a wall, and use bootable flash to run memtest. That solves your space problem, but not the time problem. If this ram is just for replacement purposes when a client's ram goes bad, you should be able to keep ahead of need by doing it the slow way.

 

[bryanl]

The RealWorldTech article doesn't test or include any hardware DIMM testers. They're all software-based, including the PCI cards from Ultra-X. Hardware DIMM testers are several times more expensive than the Ultra-X R.S.T. Pro3.

That's true, but RST's PCI card worked better than Simmtester's standalone hardware tester.