[ale] how do I test 4 GB or more of RAM

[Ron Frazier (ALE)]

Hi Allen, Scott, and Calvin,

Thanks for all the replies.  I did some more research on memtest.org.  I also decided to do another test on another machine.  The version of memtest I have is memtest86+ 4.20, which is apparently the latest.  I put it on a machine with 8 GB of RAM.  It's reporting and testing 8190 MB.  So, it's obviously testing more than 4 GB.  According to a FAQ on their forum, sometimes the video buffer uses some address space and the BIOS and certain other functions do as well.  They say, if those addresses are glitchy, then the computer will probably be freezing or acting strange.  So, I guess the memtest program is testing all the memory that is accessible.  The fact that it was almost 4 GB made me think it had something to do with 32 / 64 bit, but I guess that's not the case.

Thanks for the help so promptly.

Sincerely,

Ron


"Beddingfield, Allen" <allen at ua.edu> wrote:

>It is one of the boot menu options on the Finnix live cd.
>Allen B.
>--
>Allen Beddingfield
>Systems Engineer
>The University of Alabama
>
>________________________________________
>From: ale-bounces at ale.org [ale-bounces at ale.org] on behalf of Scott
>McBrien [smcbrien at gmail.com]
>Sent: Monday, October 29, 2012 7:37 PM
>To: Atlanta Linux Enthusiasts
>Subject: Re: [ale] how do I test 4 GB or more of RAM
>
>There is a version of the Linux kernel known as the 'memtest' kernel. 
>Redhat uses to include this on their installer media, maybe Fedora also
>has it?  In any event, it writes various data into all the memory
>registers.  Depending on your processor and amount of ram, it might
>take a long time.
>
>-Scott
>
>On Oct 29, 2012, at 8:27 PM, "Ron Frazier (ALE)"
><atllinuxenthinfo at techstarship.com> wrote:
>
>> I just upgraded my Dad's pc from 2 GB to 4 GB of RAM.  I want to test
>the RAM.  You can't easily get to the memory test or the md5 test any
>more from the Ubuntu Desktop live cd.  I booted the Ubuntu 11.10
>alternate 64 bit cd and selected memory test.  The CPU is an AMD Athlon
>64 chip.  Apparently, though, the MemTest86+ is running in 32 bit mode.
>It's only reporting 3.89 GB being tested.  I need to know how to test
>all the RAM, although it's unlikely that the last .11 GB has an error
>when the other didn't.  But, what if I had 8 GB, etc.  I want it all.
>>
>> Any help is greatly appreciated.
>>
>> Sincerely,
>>
>> Ron
>>
>>
>> --
>>
>> Sent from my Android Acer A500 tablet with bluetooth keyboard and K-9
>Mail.
>> Please excuse my potential brevity.
>>
>> (To whom it may concern.  My email address has changed.  Replying to
>former
>> messages prior to 03/31/12 with my personal address will go to the
>wrong
>> address.  Please send all personal correspondence to the new
>address.)
>>
>> (PS - If you email me and don't get a quick response, you might want
>to
>> call on the phone.  I get about 300 emails per day from alternate
>energy
>> mailing lists and such.  I don't always see new email messages very
>quickly.)
>>
>> Ron Frazier
>> 770-205-9422 (O)   Leave a message.
>> linuxdude AT techstarship.com
>>
>>
>> _______________________________________________
>> Ale mailing list
>> Ale at ale.org
>> http://mail.ale.org/mailman/listinfo/ale
>> See JOBS, ANNOUNCE and SCHOOLS lists at
>> http://mail.ale.org/mailman/listinfo
>
>_______________________________________________
>Ale mailing list
>Ale at ale.org
>http://mail.ale.org/mailman/listinfo/ale
>See JOBS, ANNOUNCE and SCHOOLS lists at
>http://mail.ale.org/mailman/listinfo
>
>_______________________________________________
>Ale mailing list
>Ale at ale.org
>http://mail.ale.org/mailman/listinfo/ale
>See JOBS, ANNOUNCE and SCHOOLS lists at
>http://mail.ale.org/mailman/listinfo


--

Sent from my Android Acer A500 tablet with bluetooth keyboard and K-9 Mail.
Please excuse my potential brevity.

(To whom it may concern.  My email address has changed.  Replying to former
messages prior to 03/31/12 with my personal address will go to the wrong
address.  Please send all personal correspondence to the new address.)

(PS - If you email me and don't get a quick response, you might want to
call on the phone.  I get about 300 emails per day from alternate energy
mailing lists and such.  I don't always see new email messages very quickly.)

Ron Frazier
770-205-9422 (O)   Leave a message.
linuxdude AT techstarship.com