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How to test memory sticks in Macbook?

powerbook911

powerbook911

macrumors 601
Original poster
My sister's Macbook she thinks one of the memory sticks are bad she just upgraded it to 4GB, but she doesn't know which stick is bad. Is there a way to test or run some kind of RAM test?

Thanks so much.
 
richthomas said:
do the extended Apple Hardware Test by inserting the first install DVD and rebooting while holding the D key.
Click to expand...

ANy more instruction on how to get to that test? From the ulitilies menu after booting to the disk, I don't see hardware test. Just system profiler, disk utility, etc. Thanks.
 
Reboot with the install DVD in the drive while you're constantly holding down the option key as soon as you hear the startup chime. If you see the screen that asks you to pick your language, that means you didn't get into the hardware test for some reason.

And oh yeah, this must be done with the original OS install disk that actually came with your machine.
 
Instructions how to boot into AHT should be silkscreened on the surface of the DVD.

Another test, which you can download from Versiontracker.com is "Rember"
 
Thanks.

I finally got into the Apple hardware test.

First, I ran the test with one of the sticks only. It went through it in about 90 minutes and said everything was ok.

I put in the other stick, and the test just hung at 7 mins and some seconds, so that sounds like the stick that is the culprit wouldn't you think?

Does it make sense that a bad stick would hang the test like that?

Thanks.
 
scaredpoet said:
That would be a good indicator, I think.

What happens if you run the test with both memory modules installed?
Click to expand...

Ok, so I kept waiting, and the one ended up passing too! So all the memory she had ended up passing.

I guess she'll just have to use the machine with random sticks until she finds which one is bad? Since the problems don't start straight away from whichever one is bad.
 
powerbook911 said:
Ok, so I kept waiting, and the one ended up passing too! So all the memory she had ended up passing.

I guess she'll just have to use the machine with random sticks until she finds which one is bad? Since the problems don't start straight away from whichever one is bad.
Click to expand...

I would still venture to guess that the stick that the test hung on is the bad one. Bad sticks happen...I'd get a replacement for both from the company. But thats just me
 
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