Running the Memory Diagnostics Tool
Few computer problems are as maddening as those related to physical memory defects because they tend to be intermittent and they tend to cause problems in secondary systems, forcing you to waste time on wild goose chases all over your system.
Therefore, it is welcome news indeed that Vista ships with a new Windows Memory Diagnostics tool that works with Microsoft Online Crash Analysis to determine whether defective physical memory is the cause of program crashes. If so, Windows Memory Diagnostics lets you know about the problem and schedules a memory test for the next time you start your computer. If it detects actual problems, the system also marks the affected memory area as unusable to avoid future crashes.
Windows Vista also comes with a Memory Leak Diagnosis tool that’s part of the Diagnostic Policy Service. If a program is leaking memory (using up increasing amounts of memory over time), this tool will diagnose the problem and take steps to fix it.
To run the Memory Diagnostics Tool yourself, follow these steps:
1. Select Start, Control Panel, System and Maintenance, Administrative Tools to open the Administrative Tools window.
2. Double-click Memory Diagnostics Tool and enter your UAC credentials to display the Windows Memory Diagnostics Tool window.
3. Click one of the following options:
* Restart Now and Check for Problems— Click this option to force an immediate restart and schedule a memory test during startup. Be sure to save your work before clicking this option.
* Check for Problems the Next Time I Start My Computer— Click this option to schedule a memory test to run the next time you boot.
After the test runs (it takes 10 or 15 minutes, depending on how much RAM is in your system), Vista restarts and you see (for a short time) the Windows Memory Diagnostic Tool icon in the taskbar’s notification area. This icon displays the results of the memory test.
Tip:If you’re having trouble starting Windows Vista and you suspect memory errors might be the culprit, boot your machine to the Windows Boot Manager menu (refer to Chapter 2). When the menu appears, press Tab to select the Windows Memory Diagnostic item, and then press Enter. If you can’t get to the Windows Boot Manager, you can also run the Memory Diagnostic Tool using Vista’s new System Recovery Options. See “Recovering Using the System Recovery Options,” later in this chapter.
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Tags: Computer, computer problems, diagnosis tool, Diagnostic, Diagnostic Tool, Maintenance, memory errors, memory leak, memory test, physical memory, restart, startup, Windows
stooge on 22 Feb 2008 at 6:44 am #
You will have to reactivate windows if you do this ,even the DELL version
Chan on 15 Sep 2008 at 1:40 am #
Dear Editor,
I tried the memory diagnostics tool in my Lenovo notebook but the test preformed again and again everytime I use the notebook.
How can I stop this diagnostics unless I call for it?
Regards