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Question

How to tell if my RAM is bad?

May 1, 2019 12:49PM PDT

So my Acer Aspire XC-780 has been acting strange for the past few weeks. Firstly, I was just just minding my business and the Blue screen of death occurred. It said Memory exception stored, I can't remember what it said exactly. And yes I did lose my work.

I thought it may have been a hard drive problem so I checked on crystal Disk and it said "Cautious" I checked on other software and every other software said Ok or healthy.

A few more weeks later, problems started rising. I got the blue screen of death again and if I leave my computer idle for too long it freezes. Sometimes the start menu and the task bar won't be clickable at all.

I think this may be a ram problem but I'm not sure. It could be a hard drive problem. How can I check my RAM's health status? Or is it my hard drive?

Discussion is locked

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Answer
Let's check out that HDD some more.
May 1, 2019 12:59PM PDT

The usual and hard for some to accept cause I'm running into are HDDs with high values in Smart 01 and 07 registers. You can see those in Crystal and Speccy. If you can, tell me those values.

As to RAM, the usual is to run MEMTEST for as long as you can. Passing is "no errors."

The idle and freezes has been traced to so many causes so we'll have to do better on clues.

For example, how long has it been since you used the canned air and checked the fans? My criteria for fans is pretty high. That is "works like new."

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PC condition
May 1, 2019 11:37PM PDT

My PC is just over 2 years old. It has not collected much dust but I still had cleaned it a few months ago.
I ran windows memory test and it said no problems detected. I also ran a hard drive test and every single software even the offical Western digital one said my drive is healthy.

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I wish it was that simple.
May 2, 2019 12:36AM PDT

Let's see that Web Speccy report as it can reveal things quite often.

About the HDD, it's not suspect yet but folk are really upset about drives that pass but have high values in 01 and 07 then we share what that means. Sluggish performance, many issues as well as BSODs. Just because it passes isn't good enough today. Let's see the test data.

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Answer
Speccy
May 1, 2019 2:54PM PDT

Download and run this.
https://www.ccleaner.com/speccy

After it runs navigate to the storage section.

Copy and paste the S.M.A.R.T attribute chart for each disk into a post.

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Answer
SMART results
May 2, 2019 9:06AM PDT

I ran Speccy and here are the results...

Status Warning

Temperature 24 °C

Temperature Range OK (less than 50 °C)

S.M.A.R.T attributes
Attribute name Real value Current Worst Threshold Raw Value Status
01 Read Error Rate 0 198 198 51 00000079E6 Good
03 Spin-Up Time 5750 ms 185 178 21 0000001676 Good
04 Start/Stop Count 2,382 98 98 0 000000094E Good
05 Reallocated Sectors Count 831 172 172 140 000000033F Good
07 Seek Error Rate 0 200 197 0 0000000001 Good
09 Power-On Hours (POH) 173d 7h 95 95 0 000000103F Good
0A Spin Retry Count 0 100 100 0 0000000000 Good
0B Recalibration Retries 0 100 100 0 0000000000 Good
0C Device Power Cycle Count 2,379 98 98 0 000000094B Good
C0 Power-off Retract Count 31 200 200 0 000000001F Good
C1 Load/Unload Cycle Count 65,961 179 179 0 00000101A9 Good
C2 Temperature 24 °C 126 91 0 0000000018 Good
C4 Reallocation Event Count 41 159 159 0 0000000029 Good
C5 Current Pending Sector Count 172 200 200 0 00000000AC Good
C6 Uncorrectable Sector Count 182 200 200 0 00000000B6 Good
C7 UltraDMA CRC Error Count 0 200 200 0 0000000000 Good
C8 Write Error Rate / Multi-Zone Error Rate 906 198 198 0 000000038A Good

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That drive is showing some errors.
May 2, 2019 9:50AM PDT

All it takes is for the error to happen at the wrong time and Windows will BSOD. We've seen this before. I wish the entire report was available but the HDD could be why. The HDD has not failed but isn't in perfect shape either.

If this is it, you won't know until you clone this drive to a drive with say zero in the 01 Read Error Rate and other areas.

As it stands I suggest you turn on auto-save in your Office apps and try to find a way to get the link to the Web Speccy report to us.

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So it's the hard drive...
May 2, 2019 9:55AM PDT

Any Idea how long it will take until the hard drive fails forever?

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I can't tell if it's that.
May 2, 2019 11:04AM PDT

But the numbers suggest this PC could have issues such as almost unexplainable delays to BSODs.

The thing that the lockup while idle is often something else.

For now, TURN THE FOLLOWING OFF to lesson the work the HDD has to do:
https://www.howtogeek.com/224981/how-to-stop-windows-10-from-uploading-updates-to-other-pcs-over-the-internet/

Without more clues and especially the full report (link to the Web Speccy) I can't see much else to point at.

Here's an example Web Speccy: http://speccy.piriform.com/results/eGBYcOVhXg3d4WE2zSmumiy

Notice the values for 01 and 07? While I don't worry when the value is low such as 1 to 10 on these the 01 on your drive is quite high and most likely why Crystal gave a warning. The makers don't consider these fails because you and I know why.

Even if you replace the HDD the lock up while idle points to something else.

For now, disable that update sharing since that does happen when idle.

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What do you need to know more?
May 2, 2019 12:05PM PDT

Unfortunately, I can't share the link as the web site contains personal information. Tell me what would be useful and I will send. Here are my desktop specs just in case they would be useful.

Operating System
Windows 10 Home 64-bit
CPU
Intel Core i5 6400 @ 2.70GHz 46 °C
Skylake 14nm Technology
RAM
8.00GB Single-Channel Unknown @ 1064MHz (15-15-15-35)
Motherboard
Acer Aspire XC-780 (U3E1) 43 °C
Graphics
S241HL (1920x1080@59Hz)
Intel HD Graphics 530 (Acer Incorporated [ALI])
Storage
2794GB Western Digital WDC WD30EZRX-22D8PB0 (SATA ) 45 °C
Optical Drives
Slimtype DVD A DA8AESH
Audio
Realtek High Definition Audio

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The Speccy report.
May 2, 2019 1:18PM PDT

But we have a partial along with Crystal calling the same item out. The only way to tell is to look deeper PLUS change to a HDD or SSD without those issues showing in the SMART values.

There are folk that want 100% assurance that "this is the problem." The only way to do that is to change out the suspect part.

You have the data, you have Crystal's warning and other folk that have seen when 01 and 07 (in your HDD 07 was OK) go to large numbers there are complaints from the owner.

What you will encounter are owners that want more than this. There is only one way forward and they want to not believe which isn't made any easier by techs (myself included) that won't put their rep on the line. I've seen this, know what to do next but you have been asked more than once for the report but it's not showing up.

That's your choice so if you missed how to share the link, here's how:
https://www.piriform.com/docs/speccy/using-speccy/publishing-a-speccy-profile-to-the-web

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Specy
May 2, 2019 1:33PM PDT

The report link contains all personal information which I will not share. It includes my IP address along with many other information.

I'm not sure this is anything else apart from the hard drive. The screen being stuck if left idle may just be all the clutter and junk on this PC. I might reset windows and start fresh again. If that does not help then I'm going to switch my hard disk drive for a cheap SSD under $30

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That's good to know.
May 2, 2019 1:45PM PDT

A tech would need access to the PC to work the issue. I respect your choice and have to leave you with my best guess given the details.

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Answer
If your PC frequently freezes, reboots
May 3, 2019 1:20AM PDT

Random Access Memory (RAM) wears out over time. If your PC frequently freezes, reboots, or brings up a BSOD (Blue Screen Of Death), bad RAM just might be the problem. Corrupt files can be another sign of bad RAM, especially when the corruption is found in files that you’ve used recently. Another possible symptom: The PC slows down considerably as you use it, but seems re-energized after a boot.

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I agree with this
May 3, 2019 1:45AM PDT

RAM with problems affect it's refresh and freezes happen. I think it's the main first suspect on this.

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Answer
So far with the info you have provided
May 3, 2019 2:20AM PDT

You have a shaky hdd.
Not sure how your going to replace a 3TB unit for 30 bucks but that's your business.
Perhaps reseat the sata cable both ends a couple of times and test.

Reseat the ram a couple of times and test.

If no help from either load up a copy of memtest and let it fly for 5-6 hrs....no errors allowed.

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Answer
MemTest86
May 4, 2019 9:08AM PDT

The freeware application MemTest86 is pretty much the industry standard memory testing tool. Get this and follow the instructions to run it. You will want to make multiple passes.

Note that ANY errors indicates faulty memory -- you need to get "0 Errors" to pass.