Memtest86 + RAM problems

So I just ran Memtest86 on my nice new 8GB DDR3 1066 and put simply, it fails.

With both modules in, Memtest runs for 7 seconds and stops at 4%. Doesn't do anything and is unresponsive with they keyboard. The cursor is blinking on the screen but it is otherwise frozen. I need to do a power button reset to get things back.

Then with both modules in separately, the program gets to 39% and then gives a black screen and starts the reboot process.

I took out the 8GB and replaced it with the stock Hynix 4GB the laptop came with (never tested it in the 1.5 yrs I've had it) and same thing. 39%, black screen, reboot.

I know how to burn an ISo, used MagicISO, got no errors while writing to a new Memorex CDR. Windows recognizes all 4 memory modules and I get no problems otherwise. I read about a fairly high failure rate in RAM sticks but I don't want to say yet that all 4 of mine are bad. Does anyone have any ideas what could be going on here? Other than Memtest, I'd have no hint that anything is wrong.

Thanks in advance.

 

Try booting windows with only one stick in at a time. If they all work separately there could be a problem but it just hasn't presented itself. What kind of warranty did they come with?

 

Great advice. It's annoying, but one stick at a time is the only way to find the bad stick.

Are you using memtest version 4.10?

 

When I test the 8GB sticks individually, they run to 39% of the first test (not first pass) and then black screen/reboot.

Both of the Hynix check out individually. Why would they then fail together?

I'm using Memtest 3.5, my DDR3 sticks show up as DDR2 and now with the 4GB stock stuff back in, Windows now only shows 2gigs of RAM. I shoulda just left things as is...

Over the weekend I'll do a BIOS update and try v4.1. Now I gotta get my lost module back.

 

Ok, 4GB up and running. I'll play with Memtest 4.1 and the Bios tomorrow. Thanks for the suggestions. To be continued...

 

Do not use MemTest86. It used to be the cream of the crop. Unfortunately, the developer forgot to keep up with the times and bugtest it on systems with 4GB or more of memory. I does exactly what you describe: hit some failure with the utility itself and reboot. If it were actually a memory error it would report and continue testing. It is not. MemTest86 is badly in need of repair and has been left in an unreliable state.

Use Memtest86+ v4.1 instead.

Note: The MemTest86+ guys skipped 3.5 to avoid confusion with MemTest86. There is no MemTest86+ 3.*

 

That was the problem, thank you. +rep. All 4 sticks are fine.