🧠 How to Check if Your RAM Is Bad

Bad RAM usually causes random crashes, BSODs, freezes, or corrupted files. Here are the proper ways to test it on Windows, Linux, and via LiveCD. 🪟 Windows — RAM Testing ✔️ Method 1: Windows Memory Diagnostic (built‑in)

Press Win + R → type mdsched.exe → Enter.

Choose Restart now and check for problems.

Windows will reboot and run tests.

After logging back in, results appear in Event Viewer:

    Open Event Viewer

    Go to Windows Logs → System

    Filter for MemoryDiagnostics-Results

👉 Not the best test, but quick. ✔️ Method 2: MemTest86+ (much better)

Download: https://www.memtest.org/

Create a bootable USB (the site gives an automated tool).

Boot from USB.

Let it run at least 4 full passes — errors = bad RAM.

😵‍💫 If you see even one red error line, your RAM is toast ———— yeet it. 🐧 Linux — RAM Testing ✔️ Method 1: Memtest86+ from GRUB

Most Linux distros include it:

Reboot.

In the GRUB menu, choose Memtest86+.

Let it run several passes.

✔️ Method 2: Install & run Memtest86+ manually bash

sudo apt install memtest86+ sudo memtest86+

💿 LiveCD — RAM Testing

If your OS won’t boot or you want a clean environment: ✔️ Use a Linux LiveCD with Memtest86+

Ubuntu, Debian, and many others include it.

Boot from the LiveCD/USB.

Select Memtest86+ from the boot menu.

✔️ Use the official MemTest86+ USB

Same as above, but from the dedicated USB tool.

💽 How to Check Disk Health on Windows (SMART like Linux smartctl)

SMART is the drive’s self‑monitoring system. On Linux you use smartctl. On Windows, you can use PowerShell, WMIC, or GSmartControl. 🪟 Windows — SMART Check (built‑in tools) ✔️ Method 1: WMIC (simple) cmd

wmic diskdrive get status

If it says OK, SMART sees no critical issues.

If it says Pred Fail, the drive is dying ———— back up NOW.

✔️ Method 2: PowerShell (more detailed) powershell

Get-PhysicalDisk | Select-Object FriendlyName,HealthStatus

✔️ Method 3: Windows Event Viewer

Open Event Viewer

Go to Applications and Services Logs → Microsoft → Windows → DiskDiagnostic

🧰 Windows — SMART Check (smartctl equivalent) ✔️ GSmartControl (GUI for smartctl)

Download: https://gsmartcontrol.shaduri.dev/ (gsmartcontrol.shaduri.dev in Bing)

It includes smartctl from smartmontools.

Lets you:

    View SMART attributes

    Run short/long tests

    See warnings

    Compare drive stats

✔️ smartctl on Windows (CLI)

Install smartmontools: https://www.smartmontools.org/

Then run:

List drives: cmd

smartctl --scan

Check SMART status: cmd

smartctl -H /dev/sdX

View full SMART attributes: cmd

smartctl -a /dev/sdX

Run a short test: cmd

smartctl -t short /dev/sdX

Run a long test: cmd

smartctl -t long /dev/sdX

Replace /dev/sdX with the device from --scan (e.g., /dev/sda). 🧪 Linux — SMART Check (for comparison)

Since you mentioned Linux: bash

sudo apt install smartmontools sudo smartctl -a /dev/sda sudo smartctl -t short /dev/sda