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memoryrambios

PC startup memory test


When a PC starts up it will perform a memory test, is it possible to determine the result of this test or access the test results after boot?

I need to test a systems memory and return the results to a connected module to determine the health of a CPU board, in this case a PC 104 module.

I've been looking at application such as MemTest86+, but this has to be run on bootable media. It is also way over the top for our requirements.


Solution

  • The result of this test is "success", otherwise your computer would stop booting. It doesn't really "test" memory, it's more like a discovery that has a chance of detecting faulting modules.

    In contrast, memory tests usually check the memory for many common failure patterns. This takes quite a bit longer, and usually means you overwrite the same physical location multiple times, check for parity errors etc. You'll need a specialized tool for that.