Windows Memory Diagnostic

[Peter]

I downloaded the Diagnostic to a diskette but nothing happens! All I get is
a black screen and nothing moving. Is this meant for XP SP3?
http://oca.microsoft.com/en/windiag.asp

Thank you

JB

 

[db.·.. >]

wouldn't matter what sp
you have, since the diagnostic
utility analyzes the physical
hardware and runs
independently and before
the o.s. launches.

double check your download
and utilization of it:

http://oca.microsoft.com/en/windiag.asp#top

perhaps if your memory simply
has gone to mars, then perhaps the
issue you posted "are" the results.

maybe you can provide more
feedback after you double check
the above.

 

[MowGreen [MVP]]

I downloaded the Diagnostic to a diskette but nothing happens! All I get is
a black screen and nothing moving. Is this meant for XP SP3?
http://oca.microsoft.com/en/windiag.asp

Thank you

JB

Yes. Did you read the " Quick Start Information " section, create the
startup disk, and then set the boot sequence correctly ?


MowGreen [MVP 2003-2008]
===============
*-343-* FDNY
Never Forgotten
===============

 

[Peter]

Thanks

I've tried again.

I did as instructed and have a diskette with the file Windiag (252,912
bytes)

I went into setup and, yes, it should read drive a: first.

In any case when I reboot with the diskette I get a black screen that at the
beginning shows 'Loading.....'

But then nothing happens. The screen remains black. I waited 10 minutes
and turned off the laptop before restaring normally.

How long should the check take? Should there be anything on screen more or
less immediately, or do I now look for the resilts elsewhere in the hard
disk?

Thank you for your help.

Incidentally, the computer has been very slow, but over the last few days I
got rid of some prograns and now it runs fine. So, I would be very
surprised if there was anything very wrong with the memory.

JB

 

[Peter]

Hi, I've just replied to the other message with info of what I did.

Any help, much appreciated.


JB

I downloaded the Diagnostic to a diskette but nothing happens! All I get
is a black screen and nothing moving. Is this meant for XP SP3?
http://oca.microsoft.com/en/windiag.asp

Thank you

JB

Yes. Did you read the " Quick Start Information " section, create the
startup disk, and then set the boot sequence correctly ?


MowGreen [MVP 2003-2008]
===============
*-343-* FDNY
Never Forgotten
===============

 

[Peter]

I've just tried the diskette in my other computer (PC Desktop). It works
fine. So, why does it not work in the laptop?

It does not work in laptops
It does not work in Toshiba laptops
It needs more than 256 Mb of memory to work


Any ideas on how I can check it with other software?

Thank you

JB

I downloaded the Diagnostic to a diskette but nothing happens! All I get
is a black screen and nothing moving. Is this meant for XP SP3?
http://oca.microsoft.com/en/windiag.asp

Thank you

JB

Yes. Did you read the " Quick Start Information " section, create the
startup disk, and then set the boot sequence correctly ?


MowGreen [MVP 2003-2008]
===============
*-343-* FDNY
Never Forgotten
===============

 

[John]

I've just tried the diskette in my other computer (PC Desktop). It works
fine. So, why does it not work in the laptop?

It does not work in laptops
It does not work in Toshiba laptops
It needs more than 256 Mb of memory to work


Any ideas on how I can check it with other software?

Try memtest86+
http://www.memtest.org/

 

[db.·.. >]

what you might try is
to do a visual diagnosis
of the hardware, in
particular the ram
memory modules.

you will need to disconnect
everything from the computer
and open up one of the panels
to gain access to the motherboard.

then you might try to re seat
the ram module or if you have
two modules, you will have the
opportunity to switch them
around.

in addition, if you do have
a set of two modules or more,
then this can be helpful to you
because you can pull all the
modules out except for one
and then try the diagnostics
on just it.

afterwards you can do the
same on each of the others.

what you should also do
is to ensure your bios is
registering/detecting the
memory module, as it should
also be detecting your drives
and other components.

if the bios does not detect
them, then this is a clue and
the memtest diagnostics
can not work

incidentally, while you are
visually inspecting the modules,
you should jot down its specs
so that you can do additional
research on that brand.

let us know what you find.

it is not uncommon that
ram modules go bad but
if you have a set of them,
then it could be just one
of the modules that is causing
an issue.

 

[Peter]

Thank you very much

Problems... the computer in question is a laptop (Toshiba Satellite
1900-303) and I don't know where the memory modules are and if they are
accessible. I certainly don't want to strip out the laptop as I would never
be able to put it back together.

Then, as I think I mentioned before the computer is working fine now; so, it
is puzzling as to why the memtest does not work.

You mentioned the Bios. Could the Bios be wrongly set and the computer run
properly? Could I not have alook at the Bios first (if I knw what I was
looking for...)

Any help, appreciated


JB

 

[db.·.. >]

your laptops homesite
has technical data/info
and the users manual that
you can download and
review.

on my laptop, the modules
can be accessed from a
trap door underneath
the unit and perhaps
yours is not too different.

but because mine is on
the bottom, then i try
to keep the laptop on a flat
surface for air circulation.

but i reckon that those
toshiba satellites are like
japanese cars and are
better engineered.

you might try sending
an email to the toshiba
tech's.

usually, there is no cost
for friendly replies to
questions.

perhaps, you may be
experiencing an issue with
over heating.

 

[Peter]

Thanks

Should there be any mention of memory in Device Manager, or any way of doing
some checking in Bios Setup?

Thank you for your help


JB

 

[Peter]

Well, I tried memtest 86+ and it worked, returning a Pass for the memory.
So, it seems all is well. I have just one doubt and wonder if you could
explain:

In Memtest it shows lines for L1 cache, L2 cache, memory with sizes and
speeds; and then another line that reads:

Chipset: Intel i845 (ECC: Disabled) / FSB : 321 MHz

What is ECC and why is it disabled?

Thank you very much

JB

 

[Paul]

Well, I tried memtest 86+ and it worked, returning a Pass for the memory.
So, it seems all is well. I have just one doubt and wonder if you could
explain:

In Memtest it shows lines for L1 cache, L2 cache, memory with sizes and
speeds; and then another line that reads:

Chipset: Intel i845 (ECC: Disabled) / FSB : 321 MHz

What is ECC and why is it disabled?

Thank you very much

JB

Memory comes in 64 bit wide and 72 bit wide sticks. The extra width
carries checksum bits, making it possible to detect an error when
the 72 bits are read. To work, the chipset must support ECC (do
the checksum thing). It must also be enabled in the BIOS. And all
installed sticks, have to have the extra memory chip, that makes
the array 72 bits wide.

So disabled can just as easily mean, "not present". Mine says
that too, but it is because my memory is only 64 bits wide.

Both memory formats have the same number of pins on the edge, and
the 64 bit one just doesn't use the other signals for anything.

The first stick has nine chips (ECC), and the second has eight chips (no ECC).

http://www.upgradecomputermemory.co...ddr333-ecc-ram-memory-p-n-am33070-am33070.jpg
http://www.upgradecomputermemory.co...1gb-ddr333-ram-memory-p-n-am33031-am33031.jpg

The coding used, allows both checking and correction. If
just one bit is in error, when the computer reads the memory, it
can be corrected and written back. The chipset may include a
"scrubbing" function, where the chipset slowly scrolls through
memory, correcting any 1 bit errors it finds. This reduces
error accumulation in the memory array. If there are too many
errors in a single 64 bit location, the chipset cannot
fix that.

Paul

 

[Peter]

Many, many thanks for your reply. Now, I know!

JB

 

[db.·.. >]

glad you finally ran
your memtest successfully.

L1 and L2 are caches and
some bios can enabled
them or disable them.

there is a lot that you can
google for on the above.

however it is always best
to start with the experts for
you computer, ie the laptops
homesite and they should have
more fyi on the cache.

------------------

incidentally, there is a little
utility that i use for my laptop
from here and engineered for
memory:

http://www.amsn.ro/

if you choose to try it, my
suggestion is to run it when
needed and not have it
constantly monitoring your
system.

 

[John John (MVP)]

glad you finally ran
your memtest successfully.

L1 and L2 are caches and
some bios can enabled
them or disable them.

Those are processor memory caches, they don't really have anything to do
with RAM. You don't want to disable those unless you are doing trouble
shooting or unless the cache is actually damaged... or unless you want
your computer to run like a turtle!

there is a lot that you can
google for on the above.

however it is always best
to start with the experts for
you computer, ie the laptops
homesite and they should have
more fyi on the cache.

------------------

incidentally, there is a little
utility that i use for my laptop
from here and engineered for
memory:

http://www.amn.ro/

Absolutely useless snake oil that is engineered for nothing more than to
enrich others and bug up your computer! The most useless, good for
nothing kind of programs that anyone could ever run on an NT type
operating system! These things actually hamper performance rather than
improve it, they serve no usefull purpose on modern operating systems.

John