In this article we’ll teach you how to use Memtest86 and create a bootable USB/DVD for it. The Memtest86 USB is a preferred RAM testing method of many experts around the world.
Memtest86 is a free online tool that you can use to test the RAM of your PC. There are a lot of different issues that you machine might experience with your computer, such as system errors and BSOD crashes. Oftentimes the problem might be related to your RAM. Since Windows does not have an integrated function that allows you to test the RAM, you’d need to use a third-party tool such as Memtest. Luckily, it is easy to use and is free for download. Therefore, if you have a certain PC problem and think it might have something to do with your PC’s memory or if you simply want to have the RAM checked, go ahead and use the following guide which will teach you how to do it.
How to make a bootable Memtest86 USB/DVD
Since the testing process does not happen in the Windows interface, you’d need to burn the tool onto a separate device, such as a CD or a USB device. The next guide will show you how to create a bootable CD using the free burning program called BurnAware. You can use any other burning program. If you already have one, you can burn the disk with it instead of needlessly downloading BurnAware. If you want to burn the testing tool on USB, you can use this guide on how to create a bootable USB device using a free software tool called Rufus.
- Download BurnAware from this link.
- Use this link to download Memtest86. Make sure you download the version that corresponds to your system’s architecture (32-bit or 64-bit). If you do not know how to check what your system is, go to this article(32/64-bit article link).
- Open the executable and install the program following the prompts.
- Once BurnAware is installed, put a new, empty CD inside your PC’s CD/DVD drive and open the program.
- In the program’s window, select the option Burn ISO.
- In the next window, either click on browse and go to the place where you downloaded Memtest. When you find it, click on the Memtest iso file and select Open.
- Now, click on the Burn button and wait for the disk to get burned.
After the process is finished, you’d have a bootable Memtest disk, ready for use.
How to use Memtest86
The testing tool itself does all the work for you. All you really have to do is sit back and wait for the testing to finish. Here is what you need to do in order to test your RAM via the bootable CD you’ve just created:
- Put the disk in your PC and restart the computer.
- Once your machine starts again, it will boot from your CD drive and you will be displayed the Memtest screen.
- As soon as you see the blue screen of Memtest, the testing will commence. Depending on your system and computer parameters the duration of the scanning might vary – be patient, it may take a while to complete.
- Once the upper percentage bar reaches hundred percent, the test is finished. If any errors get detected, their number will be displayed in the lower right part of your screen.
- After the testing has finished and you now know whether or not there is a problem with your RAM, you can press Esc to exit Memtest. You can also do that at any given time during the testing if you so desire.
- In some cases, it is possible that the Esc key does not work and does not get you out of the program interface. If this happens, you can do a hard-restart (pressing the restart button on your PC case or holding the power button if you’re using a laptop) – your RAM won’t get damaged by that. Still, it is inadvisable, so always opt for the Esc key first.
If you need any more help with setting up Memtest86 please write us in the comment section below! We’ll be happy to help!