How do I check if a RAM has gone bad and which one is it?

[Redsama]

So yesterday random chrome tabs and extensions would occasionally crash. It happened more frequent today and I even got some bluescreens. Everything I download would get corrupted. My antivirus (bitdefender free) would keep crashing and telling me to restart. I tried system file checker and it said I had some missing or corrupt files so I did a system refresh but that didn't solve the problem. Then I used windows memory diagnostic and it immediately told me there was a hardware issue. I used quickscan with HDDTune on my SSD and HDD and found no problems. Could it be a RAM problem? If so, what are some steps to narrow down the problem? I have 2 4GB sticks.

 

[mrgnex]

So yesterday random chrome tabs and extensions would occasionally crash. It happened more frequent today and I even got some bluescreens. Everything I download would get corrupted. My antivirus (bitdefender free) would keep crashing and telling me to restart. I tried system file checker and it said I had some missing or corrupt files so I did a system refresh but that didn't solve the problem. Then I used windows memory diagnostic and it immediately told me there was a hardware issue. I used quickscan with HDDTune on my SSD and HDD and found no problems. Could it be a RAM problem? If so, what are some steps to narrow down the problem? I have 2 4GB sticks.

Try this: http://www.cnet.com/how-to/test-your-ram-with-windows-memory-diagnostic-tool/

 

[drtweak]

You can download and burn Memtest86 to a disk and boot off that (Link in my signature)

Then just test one stick of ram at a time. Most of the time a for sure bad still will error out within the first 30 seconds of the test (You will know by all the red that shows up) and then just test all the sticks then the one that is bad either leave out or replace.

 

[Redsama]

So yesterday random chrome tabs and extensions would occasionally crash. It happened more frequent today and I even got some bluescreens. Everything I download would get corrupted. My antivirus (bitdefender free) would keep crashing and telling me to restart. I tried system file checker and it said I had some missing or corrupt files so I did a system refresh but that didn't solve the problem. Then I used windows memory diagnostic and it immediately told me there was a hardware issue. I used quickscan with HDDTune on my SSD and HDD and found no problems. Could it be a RAM problem? If so, what are some steps to narrow down the problem? I have 2 4GB sticks.

Try this: http://www.cnet.com/how-to/test-your-ram-with-windows-memory-diagnostic-tool/

Um...I already tried that but I wasn't sure if it's only for RAM or other components so I guess that answers that. What I also want to know is what should I do after it says there's a problem. Should I take out one RAM first? Or just move them to different slots?

 

[Redsama]

You can download and burn Memtest86 to a disk and boot off that (Link in my signature)

Then just test one stick of ram at a time. Most of the time a for sure bad still will error out within the first 30 seconds of the test (You will know by all the red that shows up) and then just test all the sticks then the one that is bad either leave out or replace.

The downloads only have "Image for creating bootable CD (ISO format)/USB Drive" and not any exe in them. I'm not sure how to use this exactly.

 

[Redsama]

I think I found which ram is bad. I took one out and now everything is working fine. Another question: Since I "refreshed" windows while I had a bad ram in, would that mean some of the files are corrupted?

 

[drtweak]

I think I found which ram is bad. I took one out and now everything is working fine. Another question: Since I "refreshed" windows while I had a bad ram in, would that mean some of the files are corrupted?

No it won't corrupt anything.

And if you downloaded the ISO and opened it in windows it would ask you to put in a blank DVD/CD and burn it to the disk and then when you start up the PC you would want to boot off the disk. This is good because sometimes with bad ram you can't even get into windows to test the ram. This doesn't load up windows. It loads up its own super tiny OS that it runs off the CD and then test your RAM. Might still be helpful to download it and burn it to a disk to have on hand.