Learn how to scan your computer’s memory (RAM) for errors with Windows Vista’s Memory Diagnostics tool.
Introduction
If your computer is having odd errors you can’t figure out or it sporadically shuts down will the blue screen of death you might have a problem with your memory (RAM).
This guide shows you how to use Windows Memory Diagnostic Tool (included with Windows Vista or as a download) to check your computer’s RAM for errors.
Starting Memory Diagnostic
From The Desktop
- Click the Start button.
- Type cmd in the Start Menu’s search box.
- Right-click cmd.exe in the search results and then select Run as administrator.
- Type mdsched.exe in the command prompt and then press enter.
- Click the option to restart your computer now and run the memory diagnostics test or to schedule the memory diagnostic test to run at your next reboot.
From The Windows Vista DVD
- Insert your Windows Vista DVD and then restart your computer.
- Make sure to press any key when asked if you want to boot to the DVD when the computer is booting up.
- Once your computer has been booted up with the Vista DVD select your language.
- Click Repair your computer in the next window.
- Select an operating system (it really doesn’t matter with the memory diagnostics tool) and then press Next.
- Click Windows Memory Diagnostic Tool.
- Click Restart now and check for problems and wait for your computer to restart.
From The Windows Boot Manager
- Restart your computer.
- Start pressing F8 on your keyboard every second as soon as your computer starts up again.
- You’ll eventually see an advanced boot options screen.
- Click Esc on your keyboard while you’re in the advanced boot options screen.
- You’ll be taken to the Windows Boot Manager screen.
- Press Tab on your keyboard to move to the Tools section of the boot manager screen and then press enter to start the Memory Diagnostics.
Download the Memory Diagnostic Tool
You can download the Memory Diagnostic tool here. Don’t forget to read up on how to use the downloaded version on the users guide.
Using Memory Diagnostic
When the Memory Diagnostic Tool starts it immediately starts scanning your memory for errors with the default scan.
If you have any errors they will show up while it scans and a report will be given to you the next time your computer boots up.
If you want to stop the memory diagnostic scan at any time press Esc on your keyboard.
If memory diagnostic finds errors in your memory it’s time to replace your computer’s memory.
You can download the memory diagnostic tool and read much more about it on the Windows Memory Diagnostic Tool Users Guide.
Still need help? Ask Your Computer Question Now.
Explore other guides about: All • Misc • Vista • Windows.
Memory diagnostic starts every start-up and there is no way to discontinue this, causing vista to take a long time to load. I can ‘Esc’ to stop memory diagnostic but its annoying to have to do this when I did not have to do so before I used this diagnostic tool.
How did you run Memory diagnostic the first time?
Open command prompt as Admistrator: by typing in start ”cmd” right click the .exe file and then clicking on adminstrator.
- Then typing in the console: ”bcdedit /bootsequence {memdiag} /remove” press enter, after that you can restart your com. and it wont start
Somashekar–Brilliant! This is obviously a problem, but there is no mention of how to stop the memory test anywhere in the Microsoft site. Thanx!
I tried it, it executed, hopefully when I reboot it will be gone.