How to test memory

Hello
I am wanting to test the memory on my computer.
I understand that something called MemTest86 will do that.
I have found a site where I can download it for free. Would that be genuine
Please can you tell me exactly how it is implemented. This is my understanding. Please tell me if it is correct or otherwise.
The computer to be tested is not online.
On this site, I can choose to download for USB.
Can I download on to my online laptop running Windows 7.
And when that is done ,do I put the file on to a usb stick which I can then put in my offline XP computer to check the memory?
Sorry for seeming dumb on this but I haven’t done this before.
Thanks

 

It runs as a live disk (or live usb stick) meaning it runs without operating system being loaded.

It performs a range of tests: takes a while, and some people like to run it a number of times.

It is usually free, I think it is public domain, as it is often bundled with Linux distros. (not 100% certain though)

Never heard of anyone having a problem with download, but you can always scan the file with AV before you run it.

When you have memtest86 on a usb stick, check in bios that this is the first choice for device from which to boot, and when you do it will execute the tests.

 

Thank you for that. Going into the bios…….brrrr
Will give all that some thought.
Since posting this, I think my problem has moved into the realms of Pagefile.
I need views on that so I’ll start a different thread.

 

Should you need to use it, it is quite possible that you do not need to make any change in BIOS. Systems are often set up that attempt first to boot from a removable device before moving on to boot from HDD, from where they load the operating system.

However, this is not always so, and people often change boot order in BIOS to make the HDD holding the operating system the first boot device.

Also, in the XP era, it was more common for this removable device to be an optical drive, rather than a USB attached device. (Optical drive being CD/DVD) That may also be the case for you Windows 7 laptop.

If you find you have to enter BIOS, at first make no changes and then if necessary you can exit with BIOS settings unchanged. If what you see is not obvious, you can always ask on here about BIOS settings before making any change.

 

Some XP machines allow you to tap a key to select a boot menu when you power up.
The first screen (e.g. DELL) press F10 for settings press F2 for boot menu.
This way you can choose what to boot from without messing with the BIOS and it will always reset to the default boot method after.
Menu reads something like:
1 Floppy Drive
2 CD Drive
3 Hard Drive
4 USB

next time you boot it will automatically revert to what the BIOS is set for as default UNLESS you choose the boot menu again.

 

Memtest86 was originally a totally free program. When the original development stopped it was taken over by someone else who renamed it Memtest86+. It is still actively developed.

The original MemTest86 was taken over by a company call PassMark. They sell a paid version but also offers free versions for both UEFI and BIOS computers.

MemTest86+
https://www.memtest.org/

Download MemTest86
https://www.memtest86.com

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I suggest you get the appropriate version of MemTest86 V4. Which download depends upon whether you want to boot from CD, or USB, or floppy. Note you can't just copy something to the chosen media. You have to create it using the directions provided.

Download MemTest86
https://www.memtest86.com/download.htm

Scroll down to Older Versions

As MemTest86 V10.6 supports only the newer UEFI platform, older PCs without UEFI support would be unable to boot MemTest86. In order to run MemTest86, PCs with legacy BIOS platform must use the older V4 release of MemTest86.

V4 Windows Downloads:

Image for creating bootable CD
https://www.memtest86.com/downloads/memtest86-4.3.7-iso.zip

Image for creating bootable USB Drive
https://www.memtest86.com/downloads/memtest86-4.3.7-usb.img.zip

Image for creating bootable Floppy Drive
https://www.memtest86.com/downloads/memtest86-4.3.7-floppy.img.zip

 

Cough, Cough (showin' my age) I use the floppy version on my USB floppy drive. I love this app.
My USB floppy, bought it off a guy in a room full of bikers (friends). They all looked at me like I was nuts spending $5.00 on a brand new "second hand" floppy drive.
Best single piece of hardware I ever bought. Saved my bacon plenty of times.
Love floppy drives, so convenient I put them on all my larger workstation computers.

 

I keep an old floppy drive on a long data cable and power cable.

For kit designed when this was preferred technology, it is still by far the easiest way to update BIOS, do F6 installs of RAID, etc etc.

I have even still got a five and a half inch floppy drive. It clanks and shudders: but it still works.

Don't really have a use for it any longer, but when I found some old 5.5" disks, it helped satisfy my curiosity about just what they contained.