Memory stick has a tiny scratch, does it matter?

[ironk]

Have a old DDR-1 ram stick and it has a tiny "line" or scratch in the middle green area (circuit board) of it. If it passes memtest86+, is it ok to use or will it eventually fail? The scratch doesn't look deep at all.

Also, whats a good number of hours to run memtest?

 

[Zap]

pass = good

Personally I usually run a single pass, however long it takes. With a small amount of fast DDR3, can take around 20 min. Note that RAM gets hot when running memtest, so you may want active cooling on it (stick a fan blowing over it). In the past I've had memory which seemed flaky, but really it was failing after getting too hot. It would do first pass fine, but on second or third pass would start erroring, and finally be constant errors. I would interrupt it, then test again and it would pass... and then start erroring. WTF?!?!

 

[ironk]

I ran memtest for 4-5 hrs yesterday, and it passed all the passes (I think it was 8 passes, but I forget).

Lets say it does start to fail, what are some of the signs? Will it start corrupting data right away or does Windows (XP PRo) usually gives a warning like a bsod? I don't want to copy over corrupt data into another computer from this one in case that happens.

 

[Charles Kozierok]

Picture would help. It's probably fine, though.

 

[Elixer]

I ran memtest for 4-5 hrs yesterday, and it passed all the passes (I think it was 8 passes, but I forget).

Lets say it does start to fail, what are some of the signs? Will it start corrupting data right away or does Windows (XP PRo) usually gives a warning like a bsod? I don't want to copy over corrupt data into another computer from this one in case that happens.

If you want, just test it overnight, and if you want to be thorough than in addition to memtest86+ (note the +) used MS's memory checker as well, and let it run overnight also, extended tests. Here is the win7 docs: http://windows.microsoft.com/en-us/windows7/diagnosing-memory-problems-on-your-computer

As for what happens when it fails, it can be VERY hard to detect, since random things can happen. It might cause BSOD, it might corrupt something, and so on.
It just depends on what is using the defected part of the RAM chip, and there is just no way to know besides doing memory testing on it.

 

[ironk]

Pic here:

http://oi48.tinypic.com/15oxu7l.jpg

Its in the center bottom, just under the little metal device.

If you want, just test it overnight, and if you want to be thorough than in addition to memtest86+ (note the +) used MS's memory checker as well, and let it run overnight also, extended tests. Here is the win7 docs: http://windows.microsoft.com/en-us/w...-your-computer

I am using win xp pro, not sure if there are other ones besides memtest.

As for what happens when it fails, it can be VERY hard to detect, since random things can happen. It might cause BSOD, it might corrupt something, and so on.
It just depends on what is using the defected part of the RAM chip, and there is just no way to know besides doing memory testing on it.

Well, thats no good. I suppose that can happen to any RAM then, but the scratch may make it happen sooner.

 

[Charles Kozierok]

It's shallow and doesn't cross any traces. I'd be very surprised if that, by itself, ever caused a problem.

 

[ironk]

Alright, thanks. I may just leave it then after some testing.

 

[Elixer]

I am using win xp pro, not sure if there are other ones besides memtest.

Both memtest86+ and MS's version don't care what OS, since they take over your machine at boot.
You can call it a memory testing OS, that won't let you do anything else except check the RAM.

 

[ironk]

thanks, I thought it was a windows internal program rather than a bootable iso.

 

[blastingcap]

memtest86+ by itself is insufficient and there are TONS of reports on forums over the years about how a stick will pass several hours or even days of memtest86+ and fail to detect anything wrong. I'd run it for at least 24 hours, then HCI Memtest for at least 1000% coverage, then Prime95's mixed test which also stresses memory. Throw in MS's test as well. Each program stresses RAM in different ways so it's good to use a blend of tests.

 

[Rvenger]

Looks like no traces exist in that area. Your good to go.