detect bad ram windows
Image: saikorn/Adobe Stock

If your Windows machine is regularly crashing, freezing or giving you the dreaded blue screen of death, it could take defective physical memory. Luckily, Windows 7 through Windows 11 have a born tool to help you test for this.

If Windows detects that your RAM might be declining, information technology volition automatically run the Retentiveness Diagnostic tool when the car boots. However, you can likewise run the tool yourself if you want the most immediate results.

Run into: Google Workspace vs. Microsoft 365: A side-by-side assay westward/checklist (TechRepublic Premium)

For Windows x and 11, right-click the Kickoff icon and choose Run or click the Search icon, enter mdsched and press enter (Figure A).

Effigy A

Fig A Windows RAM
Paradigm: Scott Matteson/Tech Republic.

Select Restart Now And Check For Problems or select Check For Problems The Next Fourth dimension I Start My Calculator. If you opt to restart and run the tool now, remember to save your work and close any open up programs before doing so. Once the machine restarts, the tool will launch and run the memory test (Figure B).

Figure B

fig-b-windows-ram
Image: Scott Matteson/Tech Republic

Yous can press F1 to alter the test options or allow it run with the standard settings (Figure C).

Figure C

fig c windows ram
Paradigm: Scott Matteson/Tech Republic

The Standard examination should work for most troubleshooting scenarios. Allow the exam run, which can take upwards of 20 or 30 minutes depending on your memory configuration.

In one case the test is complete, Windows will keep to start and a popular-upward will somewhen appear showing the results.

You can as well view the results by right-clicking the Start icon, selecting Computer Management, expanding Event Viewer, expanding Windows Logs, clicking Organization and so selecting the nearly contempo log with MemoryDiagnostics-Results as the source (Effigy D).

Figure D

fig-d-windows-ram
Paradigm: Scott Matteson/Tech Commonwealth

If y'all're lucky, you won't meet whatsoever errors. If whatsoever errors are listed, your RAM might exist faulty. This may only require unseating and cleaning the memory and the related slots — compressed air works well for this — but if the problems persist, it may be fourth dimension to supersede your RAM.

If you have multiple RAM DIMMs, I recommend buying then swapping each in turn before re-running the memory test to isolate the lacking RAM. Y'all may not need to pay to supercede multiple DIMMs if simply ane is faulty.

If all else fails and you lot're not sure how to go on, contact your motorcar'southward manufacturer for more assist.