How To Troubleshoot Memory (Random Access Memory)

Problems with your PC’s memory, or RAM (Random Access Memory), can result in a variety of issues, including seemingly random freezes, crashes, and system errors. When you’re seeing these types of issues, there are no obvious error messages that indicate something is wrong with the memory in your computer. Here, we’ll show you how to discover if your RAM is the problem and give you some ways to fix it.

Is It A Memory Issue?

The most common manifestations of RAM problems are operating system crashes or applications that hang or won’t respond. If you’re experiencing these issues, try running an antivirus scan with your security software just to be safe, because a virus can cause similar symptoms.

Memory Analysis

Windows 7 includes the Windows Memory Diagnostics Tool, which will help you detect problems with your computer’s RAM;. To manually run the utility, click the Start button, select Control Panel, and type memory into the search box. Select Diagnose Your Computer’s Memory Problems under Administrative Tools, and you’ll see two options. You can choose to have Windows restart right now and check the memory, or you can tell it to wait until the next time you reboot your PC.

If the Windows Memory Diagnostic finds errors, you’ll see a pop-up that tells you where the memory failed. In this case, you’ll likely need to replace the memory to fix the problem. If the utility detects no errors, no message will be displayed and Windows will go ahead and load your Desktop.

Quick Fix

Nearly all PCs contain more than one memory module. It’s possible that only one of the sticks of RAM is causing the problem, so try removing one and see if that fixes the issue. Continue switching out the memory until you find the memory stick that’s causing the problem.

Prevention

Some memory errors can occur when the modules are not securely placed in the socket. Therefore it’s a good idea to occasionally open up your case and ensure that each stick is securely seated in its slot.