bad RAM under xp pro, workaround?

[mrleachy]

ive been having trouble with the box lately, lockups for no reason and totally random, so i ran memtest86:

errors in RAM from 0000f079934 to 0000f002934
(240.1 MB - 240.6 MB)

i know you can tell a linux kernel not to use certain bits of RAM if you install a component, can you do this kind of thing with XP pro? or is there a proggie u can use to tell xp not to use a certain part of your RAM, the frrrezes are annoying and its only just started, can RAM just start to die like this for no real reason?

and yes i do ground myself properly when working on the PC, like touch the metal bit of that case to ground myself, ive never stuffed anything up doing grounding this way before...

[slarty]

Originally posted here by mrleachy
i know you can tell a linux kernel not to use certain bits of RAM if you install a component,

I think the feature is intended for very old very weird boxes where getting replacement RAM is tricky. In any case, it's an experimental kernel patch.

Also, RAM failures aren't always confined to a specific area. They often happen dotted around all over the place. Just because memtest86 finds it in one place doesn't mean it isn't somewhere else too. And if it's started going, it may get worse.

can you do this kind of thing with XP pro?

There is a very slight possibility that it is possible to tell it to use less than all of the RAM. If this were the case, you would have to pass it as a parameter in boot.ini or somewhere. But I'm guessing.

There is probably no equivalent of the Linux badram patch.

can RAM just start to die like this for no real reason?

Yes, it has happened to me.

You should really replace the RAM.

If there are several modules, try them with memtest86 on their own - perhaps you can isolate the duff module.

If there's only one, you'll have to swap the lot.

Slarty

[mrleachy]

thanks slarty for the quick reply

i think the RAM will still be under warranty like the rest of the box, will take it back to the place i got it from and get them to put a new stick in, hopefully without too much fuss.... just hope they can still get DDR 2100 RAM

and yes, it is only 1 stick