The first way is to rely on your PC to do it for you; see
Appendix A for the BIOS setting that disables ???quick start,??? which is necessary
to perform a full memory test each time you boot your PC.
The second is to use the Windows Memory Diagnostic Tool, mentioned in
???What to Do When Windows Won??™t Start,??? earlier in this chapter.
The third method of testing for bad memory is to go to your local computer
store and just buy more. It may only be necessary to buy a single additional
module, because most likely only one module in your system is actually
faulty (make sure you get the right kind). Next, systematically replace each
module in your computer with the one you??™ve just acquired, and test the
system by turning it on. If the problem seems to be resolved, you??™ve most
likely found the culprit??”throw it out immediately. If the system still
crashes, try replacing the next module with the new one, and repeat the process.
If you replace all the memory in your system and the problem persists,
there may be more than one faulty memory module, or the problem may lie
Dealing with Drivers and Other Tales of Hardware Troubleshooting | 327
Troubleshooting
elsewhere, such as a bad CPU or motherboard (or you may even find that
you??™re not using the correct memory in the first place).
You can, of course, also take this opportunity to add more memory to your
system (possibly replacing all your existing modules). Adding memory is one
of the best ways to improve overall system performance; see the ???How to
Buy Memory??? sidebar, next, for more information.
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