5.3 How to Start Windows Memory Diagnostics When Windows Vista is Installed
If
Windows Vista is already installed, you can start Windows Memory
Diagnostics from the Windows Boot Manager menu. To do this, follow
these steps:
1. | Remove all floppy disks and CDs from your computer, and then restart your computer.
|
2. | If
the Windows Boot Manager menu does not normally appear, press the space
bar repeatedly as the computer starts up. If you are successful, the
Windows Boot Manager menu will appear. If the Windows Vista progress
bar appears, restart your computer, and try again to interrupt the
startup process by pressing the space bar.
|
3. | On the Windows Boot Manager menu, press the Tab button on your keyboard to select Windows Memory Diagnostics, as shown in Figure 6, and then press Enter.
|
Windows
Memory Diagnostics will start and automatically begin testing your
computer’s memory.
5.4 How to Start Windows Memory Diagnostics from the Windows Vista DVD
If Windows Vista is not installed, you can run Windows Memory Diagnostics from the Windows Vista DVD by following these steps:
Note
Some
computers have System Recovery Tools pre-installed by the computer
manufacturer. On these computers, you can start System Recovery Tools
faster by pressing F8 before the Windows logo appears, and then
choosing Repair Your Computer from the Advanced Boot Options screen. |
1. | Insert the Windows Vista DVD into your computer.
|
2. | Restart
your computer. When prompted to boot from the DVD, press any key. If
you are not prompted to boot from the DVD, you may have to configure
your computer’s startup sequence.
|
3. | Windows Vista setup loads. When prompted, select your regional preferences, and then click Next.
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4. | Click Repair Your Computer.
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5. | Select your keyboard layout, and then click Next.
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6. | System
Recovery scans your hard disks for Windows Vista installations. If the
standard Windows Vista drivers do not detect a hard disk because the
drivers were not included with Windows Vista, click the Load Drivers
button to load the driver. Select an operating system to repair, and
then click Next.
|
7. | The Choose A Recovery Tool page appears. Click Windows Memory Diagnostic Tool.
|
Windows
Memory Diagnostics will start and automatically begin testing your
computer’s memory. For information on how to configure the automated
tests, read the next section.
5.5 How to Configure Windows Memory Diagnostics
As shown in Figure 7,
you can configure different options for Windows Memory Diagnostics. You
can use these options to configure more thorough (and more
time-consuming) diagnostics.
To
view Windows Memory Diagnostic options, start Windows Memory
Diagnostics, and then press F1. You can configure three different
settings, which you select by pressing the Tab key:
Test Mix
The default set of tests, Standard, provides efficient testing while
catching most common types of memory failures. To reduce testing time
(and the types of failures that might be caught), choose Basic. To
increase the types of failures that might be caught (as well as testing
time), choose Extended.
Cache
Some tests use the cache, while others disable the cache. Tests are
specifically designed to use or disable the cache to identify problems
with different memory components. Therefore, you should typically leave
this as the default setting.
Pass Count
This defines the number of iterations. Increase this number to provide
more thorough testing, and to increase the likelihood that you will
identify any existing problems. The higher the Pass Count, the more
likely you are to find problems.
After you have configured settings, press F10 to apply your changes. Windows Memory Diagnostics will then restart the tests.
