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How to test Notebook RAM
Fort1tude
Registered User regular
Registered User regular
I've got a IBM T40 2373 Thinkpad with 256MB of DDR266 (PC 2100)
I'd had it for awhile when it started freezing up on me. I opened it up and blew it out with compressed air to make sure it wasn't a heat problem caused by dust (I know what I'm doing enough to know that I didn't break anything in doing this). When that didn't work I just put it in my closet cause I didn't feel like messing with it at the time.
So I finally get around to playing with it again and at first the fans turned on but I got no power to the monitor. I performed a power drain (Holding the power button for 60 seconds with all sources of power unplugged) and I was able to get it to boot.
I immediately went into the IBM Diagnostic utility built in and started a quick test. It got as far as 49% of testing the RAM when the monitor went blank (not black, its as if it shut off completely). Now the test had been going on for about 8 minutes at this point so I doubt it is power related. As of now I haven't been able to get it back on, it powers on but the monitor doesn't turn on like before. Sometimes I hear a single beep after its turned on. I'm pretty sure its bad RAM and I found some for about 50 bucks on newegg but I would like to conclusively know if it is the RAM before I purchase more.
Is there anyway of testing the RAM, short of finding another laptop that accepts this type?
EDIT: Just to clarify, I'm looking for a piece of hardware that I can plug RAM into to check if its valid or not. We had one at the college I used to work at but it was for RIMM. I'm looking for the same type of thing but my google-fu is weak.
I'd had it for awhile when it started freezing up on me. I opened it up and blew it out with compressed air to make sure it wasn't a heat problem caused by dust (I know what I'm doing enough to know that I didn't break anything in doing this). When that didn't work I just put it in my closet cause I didn't feel like messing with it at the time.
So I finally get around to playing with it again and at first the fans turned on but I got no power to the monitor. I performed a power drain (Holding the power button for 60 seconds with all sources of power unplugged) and I was able to get it to boot.
I immediately went into the IBM Diagnostic utility built in and started a quick test. It got as far as 49% of testing the RAM when the monitor went blank (not black, its as if it shut off completely). Now the test had been going on for about 8 minutes at this point so I doubt it is power related. As of now I haven't been able to get it back on, it powers on but the monitor doesn't turn on like before. Sometimes I hear a single beep after its turned on. I'm pretty sure its bad RAM and I found some for about 50 bucks on newegg but I would like to conclusively know if it is the RAM before I purchase more.
Is there anyway of testing the RAM, short of finding another laptop that accepts this type?
EDIT: Just to clarify, I'm looking for a piece of hardware that I can plug RAM into to check if its valid or not. We had one at the college I used to work at but it was for RIMM. I'm looking for the same type of thing but my google-fu is weak.
Steam ID - Fort1tude
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Edit: Oh, you specifically want a hardware tester. Nevermind I guess.
Yea, its not getting past BIOS, I doubt its even POSTing. So I have to do a hardware test.
I put an add on craigslist asking for someone who has the same model notebook to contact me so I can see if my RAM in their system gives the same problem. If I dont hear back I can just buy the RAM, and return it if it doesnt fix the problem.
This usually indicates bad capacitors on the motherboard.