OT RAM dying a slow death?

rdolishny wrote on 10/20/2004, 2:55 PM
Does anyone have any experience with RAM failing on a computer? My Vegas suite experienced two BSOD "memory parity error" and totally hung up once. Is that even a RAM problem? I was using Vegas but I'm sure it's not Vegas causing any trouble: just right clicking or jogging when it dies.

I haven't added any hardware or software ... just wondering if like drives RAM just dies a slow and cruel death.

I'm going to reseat all the cards and RAM and see if that helps but wondering if anyone has had any stories to tell regarding sick computer that have gotten well again after swapping RAM. W2K.

- R

Comments

johnmeyer wrote on 10/20/2004, 3:31 PM
RAM seldom goes bad. Intermittent RAM problems are often caused by mixing RAM from different manufacturers. However, you say you haven't upgraded or added RAM, so that is ruled out. There are many free memory test utilities you can run that will attempt to find bad memory cells. Look at Download.com in their utility section. If there is truly a bad memory cell in your RAM one of these simple programs will probably find it.

I have never had a computer actually have RAM go bad, but I'm sure it must happen. Just not very common.
farss wrote on 10/20/2004, 3:46 PM
From my experience it's a wonder we don't have more RAM problems than we do. Also you're lucky the hardware / software picked up a parity error, a lot of RAM doesn't have parity so errors go unnoticed until the the spirals out of control.
Several possible simple things to try:
The connections, take the RAM out and wipe the contacts with a tissue a few times. Other possibility is a bad power supply.
Bob.
wdormann wrote on 10/20/2004, 4:02 PM
Do you have an AMD 760-based MB with an nVidia Geforce3 or later graphics card? If so, you may want to consider running detonator 22.x or earlier drivers.

Otherwise, check your ram overnight with memtest86.
Sunfox wrote on 10/20/2004, 4:17 PM
Other common causes of issues like this: bad motherboard, failing power supply, corrupt O/S installation, overheating.

And, believe it or not, a failing CPU. I recently had a TON of problems that caused BSODs and random reboots, all with memory related causes. Replaced power supply, replaced motherboard, replaced memory, replaced hard drive, replaced video card, clean installation of XP, no difference. Turned out to be a bad CPU - one that had worked for a year already.