Memtest86 or Memtest86+ to test new build's memory?

[bgc99]

Googling memtest86 I found the original and a newer memtest86+. Which should I use to test my new build?

Thanks,
BGC

 

[subby]

Originally posted by: bgc99
Googling memtest86 I found the original and a newer memtest86+. Which should I use to test my new build?

Thanks,
BGC

Hi bgc99,

Use memtest86+ at http://www.memtest.org/

It's ported from the original memtest, and memtest86+ is updated regularly to support the latest chipsets and cpus.

Personally I use the latest version (1.65 at the time of writing) for work related purposes (testing faulty units) and for my recently assembled rig.

Just download the latest pre-compiled bootable ISO file, burn the ISO to a disc with a software like Nero (remember to burn it as an image, rather than writing the file itself to the disc) and boot from it to run the test.

Hope this helps!

 

[WhoBeDaPlaya]

memtest86+. Let it run at least 3 rounds, though serious errors usually show up before even 1 round is finished.

 

[LOUISSSSS]

theres a windows based memtest, not sure if it works as well but if you let it run for a while your system should be fine...
http://hcidesign.com/memtest/

 

[the cobbler]

memtest86+ is good mostly to check RAM stability before loading Windows for the first time on fresh sticks. It will not guarantee any sort of stability in the Windows environment.

for that, you should follow Louissss's suggestion and use HCI memtest for Windows....much more sensitive to errors than memtest in DOS. I always find RAMs lose about 3-5mhz from DOS to Windows memtest.

another very, very quick and effective tool is S&M v1.7.6, available for download at BenchmarkHQ.

turn CPU test to "disabled", set memory test to "loop", disable "safe mode", and loop tests 3 and 4 a couple times. S&M usually picks up errors in a few seconds that can take HCI memtest hours to catch, and are never caught by memtest86+ at all. example: I can run my sticks @ 3,4,3,8 275mhz ~500 passes of memtest86+ test #5 and 3 full runs of the whole test (many hours total time), and no errors come up. HCI memtest picks up errors at those settings after ~250% coverage (almost two hours). S&M starts registering errors after about TWO MINUTES of test #4.

S&M has saved me a LOT of time