Anyway to test Video RAM?

[Mark R]

My brother's PC has malfunctioned and will now only boot into Safe mode.

The BIOS boot screen is all screwed up with lines and distortion, as is windows in Safe mode. Interestingly, the distortion is always the same. It will BSOD if attempting to boot normally, but in safe mode is quite happy running stress tests, etc. So, the problem is almost certainly a failed VRAM chip.

My issue is easy enough to diagnose by swapping, etc. But I was wondering if a dedicated utility exists. The only way I can see to do it is to use a 3D testing program and check for artifacts, but that's hardly a reliable way of testing.

 

[xtknight]

ATITool has a picture window where a box is rendered and it tries to check for artifacts automatically. That's the only thing I know of.

If you did find out it was the VRAM would you be replacing the video RAM?

 

[Mark R]

No. But it would prove conclusively that the graphics card was faulty, or I suppose, it may be a more sensitive test to determine overclockability.

 

[LTG]

There's nothing like memtest+ for video card vram.

Even with the utilities that do exist nothing will be easier or more conclusive than swapping it out temporarily.

Of course that's easier if like most of us you have a few PCs that can help provide the parts to test with.

 

[waffleironhead]

video memory stress test

I came across this awhile ago. I have never used it but it may be worth a try.