How To Check Ram Speed

09.09.2019

On Windows 10, if applications keep crashing or they're running very slowly, or you're experiencing weird things, such as random reboots, freezes, or sudden Blue Screens of Death (BSOD), it could be difficult to pinpoint the root of the problem because it could be a software or hardware-related issue.

How To Check Ram Speed On Windows 10

However, usually, the memory is the first thing you want to check. This is because if it's a problem with one of the modules, you'll need to take care of the issue quickly, as it cannot only cause your computer to misbehave, but a bad memory module can also corrupt files, which is not a good thing.

It’s also possible that your RAM can’t reliably run at its current speeds, so you may want to adjust your RAM speed to a lower setting in your UEFI or BIOS settings screen. After making a change, you can run the RAM test again to see if there’s a problem.
RAM tests include: single/multi core bandwidth and latency. Reports are generated and presented on userbenchmark.com. Identify the strongest components in your PC. See speed test results from other users. Compare your components to the current market leaders. Explore your best upgrade options with a virtual PC build.

Generally, the more RAM you have installed, the more programs you can run at once. The amount you can install, however, is determined by both your hardware and your computer's operating system. You will need to check both to figure out how much RAM you can add to your computer.

While there are a number of tools you can download off the internet, Windows 10 includes its own Windows Memory Diagnostic tool to check if your computer has memory problems.

In this Windows 10 guide, we walk you through the steps to use the Windows Memory Diagnostic tool to find out if you have a faulty memory stick.

How to diagnose memory problems on Windows 10

Using these steps requires you to restart your computer, so make sure to save any files you may have open and close any running applications before proceeding. Here goes:

Open Control Panel.
Click on System and Security.
Click on Administrative Tools.
Double-click the Windows Memory Diagnostic shortcut.
- Quick tip: Alternatively, you can also use the Windows key + R keyboard shortcut, type mdsched.exe, and click OK to launch the tool.
Click the Restart now and check problems option. (The tool also offers an option to schedule a test in the next reboot, if you can't afford to close your applications and restart immediately.)

Once your computer reboots, it will start in the Windows Memory Diagnostics environment, and the tests will kick in the Standard mode right away. In this mode, the tool will run all the scans available in the Basic mode, in addition to LRAND, Stride6 (cache enabled), CHCKR3, WMATS+, and WINVC tests.

You can simply let the Standard mode test your computer's memory, or you can also press the F1 key at any time to open the Windows Memory Diagnostic page to change the scan options.

On the options page, you can change the scan mode to Basic, which runs the MATS+, INVC, and SCHCKR (cache enabled) tests.

Or you can also select the Extended mode, which includes every test available using Standard mode, plus MATS+ (cache disabled), Stride38, WSCHCKR, WStride-6, CHCKR4, WCHCKR3, ERAND, Stride6 (cache disabled), and CHCKR8.

If necessary, you can navigate the different options using the TAB key to change cache settings. If you disable the cache, it'll allow the tool to access the data in RAM directly, which ensures a complete test. In addition, you can also set a number of times the scan will be repeated to test your system's memory modules.

After you're done selecting your options, just press the F10 key to go back to the main page, and the scan will restart automatically.

Checking test results

While you can see the status during the scan process, as soon as the test completes your computer will restart automatically, and you'll need to use the Event Viewer to see the test results to find out if you have a bad RAM module.

Open Start.
Search for eventvwr.exe and press Enter to open Event Viewer.
Expand the Windows Logs folder.
Right-click System, and click on Find.
Type MemoryDiagnostics-Results, and click the Find Next button.
Close the Find dialog.
On Event Viewer, double-click the MemoryDiagnostics-Results source, and see the message. If the result reads 'The Windows Memory Diagnostic tested the computer's memory and detected no errors,' then you can discard memory as the root of the problem.

If the result shows one or more errors, you can try running an extended memory test, and recheck the results. If you continue to see at least one error, one of the RAM modules probably has problems, and it may need to be replaced.

Sometimes, when the test fails, the tool will be able to indicate which module has the problem with the results. However, if it's unable to provide that information, you may need to remove and test each memory module until you find out the one that is faulty.

Although we're focusing this guide on Windows 10, the Windows Memory Diagnostic tool has been available for years, which means that you can also use it on previous versions, including Windows 8.1 and Windows 7.

More Windows 10 resources

For more helpful articles, coverage, and answers to common questions about Windows 10, visit the following resources:

Is your computer unstable? There may be a problem with its RAM. To check, you can either use a hidden system tool included with Windows or download and boot a more advanced tool.

RELATED:10+ Useful System Tools Hidden in Windows

Both of the below tools function by writing data to each sector of your computer’s RAM and then reading it back in turn. If the tool reads a different value, this indicates that your RAM is faulty.

Option 1: Run the Windows Memory Diagnostic

To launch the Windows Memory Diagnostic tool, open the Start menu, type “Windows Memory Diagnostic”, and press Enter.

You can also press Windows Key + R, type “mdsched.exe” into the Run dialog that appears, and press Enter.

You’ll need to reboot your computer to perform the test. While the test is happening, you won’t be able to use your computer.

To agree to this, click “Restart now and check for problems (recommended)”. Be sure to save your work first. Your computer will immediately restart.

Your computer will restart and the Windows Memory Diagnostics Tool screen will appear. Just leave it be and let it perform the test. This may take several minutes. During this process, you’ll see a progress bar and a “Status” message will inform you if any problems have been detected during the process.

However, you don’t need to watch the test–you can leave your computer alone and come back to see the results later.

RELATED:What Is the Windows Event Viewer, and How Can I Use It?

How To Check Ram Speed On Windows 10

When it’s done, your computer will automatically reboot and return to the Windows desktop. After you log in, the test results will appear.

At least, that’s what the tool says is supposed to happen. The results didn’t automatically appear for us on Windows 10. But here’s how to find them, if Windows doesn’t show you.

First, open the Event Viewer. Right-click the Start button and select “Event Viewer”. If you’re using Windows 7, press Windows Key + R, type “eventvwr.msc” into the Run dialog, and press Enter.

Navigate to Windows Logs > System. You’ll see a list of a large number of events. Click “Find” in the right pane.

Type “MemoryDiagnostic” into the find box and click “Find Next”. You’ll see the result displayed at the bottom of the window.

Option 2: Boot and Run MemTest86

RELATED:How to Boot and Install Linux on a UEFI PC With Secure Boot

If you’re looking for a more powerful testing tool, you can download and use MemTest86. It performs a wider variety of tests and may find issues that the included Windows test won’t. The latest releases of this tool offer a paid version with more feature, although the free version should do everything you need. You don’t need to pay for anything. MemTest86 is signed by Microsoft, so it will work even on systems with Secure Boot enabled.

You could also try the free and open source MemTest86+. However, this tool doesn’t seem to be actively developed anymore. We saw reports that it didn’t work properly on some newer PCs.

Both of these are bootable, self-contained tools. MemTest86 provides both an ISO image you can burn to a CD or DVD and a USB image you can copy to a USB drive. Just run the .exe file included with the download and provide a spare USB drive to create a bootable USB drive. This will erase the contents of the drive!

RELATED:How to Boot Your Computer From a Disc or USB Drive

Once you’ve created bootable media, restart your computer and have it boot from the USB drive or disc you copied the memory test tool to.

The tool will boot and automatically start scanning your memory, running through test after test and informing you if it finds a problem. It will keep running tests until you choose to stop it, allowing you to test how the memory behaves over a longer period of time. Information about any errors will be displayed on your screen. When you’re done, you can just press the “Esc” key to exit it and restart your computer.

If memory tests give you errors, it’s very possible that your RAM–at least one of the sticks–is faulty and needs to be replaced.

However, it’s also possible that the RAM isn’t compatible with your motherboard for some reason. It’s also possible that your RAM can’t reliably run at its current speeds, so you may want to adjust your RAM speed to a lower setting in your UEFI or BIOS settings screen.

After making a change, you can run the RAM test again to see if there’s a problem.