Check RAM Health on your PC
Check RAM Health: This guide includes tools and advice on how to check your PC’s RAM to make sure it runs smoothly and prevents crashes and sluggish performance.
My computer has been experiencing issues recently, displaying sluggish performance, app freezes, and occasional crashes. I initially dismissed it, assuming that I needed a Windows update or had too many Chrome tabs open. However, despite the cleanup, the issues persisted.
That’s when I started to wonder if the RAM, or any other hardware, was defective. Your computer’s performance is significantly influenced by RAM, or Random Access Memory. Everything slows down or crashes without warning if it is defective. I realised that I had never actually examined the health of my RAM before. So, I decided to figure out how to do it safely and without causing damage to the electrical parts. After doing some digging, I discovered that you can check the condition of your RAM by using a few distinct indicators and tools. It’s not as hard as it sounds, and being able to spot problems early can save you a lot of time and effort, especially in terms of performance. Based on my own experience, I’ll show you how to check the health of your PC’s RAM in this guide.
How to Find if RAM Memory is in Good Condition on your Computer?
If you’ve also been wondering why your computer system feels slower than usual, or if random crashes are becoming more frequent, it might be a good time to check your RAM’s health. Regularly checking your RAM with the right tools can help you catch problems early and save you from future headaches.
Here is a checklist I have prepared by searching multiple articles, forums, and blog posts over the internet regarding RAM health & its maintenance.
Step 1: Clean RAM Connection Points
- First, make sure to open your CPU or Laptop back panel to access the RAM slot area.
- Here, carefully remove the RAM from the slots. These slots are very fragile, so make sure you do not put excessive pressure while removing out RAM chips.
- Clean RAM connecting points (golden colored) using a Q-tip dipped in either Nail polish remover, thinner solution, or isopropyl alcohol solution.
- Once cleaned, dry the RAM chips thoroughly to ensure no moisture remains.
- Now, clean the RAM slot by blowing air into it, and then reinsert the RAM chips in their original position.
Step 2: Run Windows Memory Diagnostic
- Open the Windows Start menu, type “Windows Memory Diagnostic“, and click on the “Run as administrator” option.
- Click on the “Restart now and check for problems” option. This will restart your computer/laptop and will start scanning RAM for issues. Please note that you won’t be able to use your computer while the test is running.
- Your computer will restart, and a screen for the Windows Memory Diagnostics Tool will show up. You don’t need to do anything; just let it run the test.
- While the test runs, you’ll see a progress bar and a message showing if any problems are found.
If at any point in time you see any errors, it means there is a hardware fault with your RAM and it needs to be replaced. If you don’t see any errors, then move on to step 3 below.
Step 3: Run MemTest86 Diagnostic
- Download and launch the MemTest86 Diagnostic software.
- Insert a flash drive into your computer and choose the “Write image to USB drive” option.
- Then select the “Post image verification” option from the left and click on the “Write” button.
- Restart your computer and boot from this newly created media disk.
- MemTest86 will launch on its own and begin testing your computer’s memory. The test may take several hours, depending on how much RAM your computer has.
- Once finished, you will see the faulty RAM stick details, such as vendor & Part number, on the result page as highlighted. You must remove or replace the faulty RAM sticks.
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