Memory test program that runs under NT?

I’ve been looking for a RAM tester that runs under Windows NT while it is
running. Note: NOT a program that runs under DOS or whatever like every
memory tester I could find does…

My motivation is to test the RAM of a system while it is running. I don’t
want to bring these systems down due to them being both mission-critical and
remote. Clearly, just the remote aspect eliminates the ability to boot off
a DOS floppy or whatever.

Does anyone know of a program like this? Has anyone written one?

Failing that, I might write my own. I’m thinking that perhaps I could just
do a bit of the RAM at a time (so that the system remains responsive), and
disable interrupts while I’m doing it. Does anyone see a problem with this
approach? I also assume that I can track down IEEE specs for memory testing
algorithms and that they are straight-forward.

While NT and the BIOS do simple checks on the RAM when they boot, I have had
two systems that have had faulty RAM that was not detected. I only noticed
after the systems would crash for no apparent reason. I used the funky
RAMexam, which found the problem in both cases – however, it only runs
under DOS and takes a while to run.

Thanks for any assistance!

You probably have to write your own. This has to be a device driver as you
will be hard pressed to associate physical ram with virtual memory
otherwise.

One of the many problems you are going to run into is how to lock out access
to physical memory segments that you are testing. The problem can be solved,
but the solution cost is high.

Another problem is simply finding all of physical memory. It isn’t like NT
makes this readily available to you.

-----Original Message-----
From: Taed Nelson [mailto:xxxxx@vertical.com]
Sent: Tuesday, June 27, 2000 2:09 PM
To: NT Developers Interest List
Subject: [ntdev] Memory test program that runs under NT?

I’ve been looking for a RAM tester that runs under Windows NT
while it is
running. Note: NOT a program that runs under DOS or
whatever like every
memory tester I could find does…

My motivation is to test the RAM of a system while it is
running. I don’t
want to bring these systems down due to them being both
mission-critical and
remote. Clearly, just the remote aspect eliminates the
ability to boot off
a DOS floppy or whatever.

Does anyone know of a program like this? Has anyone written one?

Failing that, I might write my own. I’m thinking that
perhaps I could just
do a bit of the RAM at a time (so that the system remains
responsive), and
disable interrupts while I’m doing it. Does anyone see a
problem with this
approach? I also assume that I can track down IEEE specs for
memory testing
algorithms and that they are straight-forward.

While NT and the BIOS do simple checks on the RAM when they
boot, I have had
two systems that have had faulty RAM that was not detected.
I only noticed
after the systems would crash for no apparent reason. I used
the funky
RAMexam, which found the problem in both cases – however, it
only runs
under DOS and takes a while to run.

Thanks for any assistance!


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What would happen if you actually found an error? Depending upon hardware
setup you would likely NMI and blue screen. I can’t imagine a useful and
safe memory test in a live “mission critical” system. this is MHO only of
course.

Dan Hickey

-----Original Message-----
From: Taed Nelson [mailto:xxxxx@vertical.com]
Sent: Tuesday, June 27, 2000 11:09 AM
To: NT Developers Interest List
Subject: [ntdev] Memory test program that runs under NT?

I’ve been looking for a RAM tester that runs under Windows NT while it is
running. Note: NOT a program that runs under DOS or whatever like every
memory tester I could find does…

My motivation is to test the RAM of a system while it is running. I don’t
want to bring these systems down due to them being both mission-critical and
remote. Clearly, just the remote aspect eliminates the ability to boot off
a DOS floppy or whatever.

Does anyone know of a program like this? Has anyone written one?

Failing that, I might write my own. I’m thinking that perhaps I could just
do a bit of the RAM at a time (so that the system remains responsive), and
disable interrupts while I’m doing it. Does anyone see a problem with this
approach? I also assume that I can track down IEEE specs for memory testing
algorithms and that they are straight-forward.

While NT and the BIOS do simple checks on the RAM when they boot, I have had
two systems that have had faulty RAM that was not detected. I only noticed
after the systems would crash for no apparent reason. I used the funky
RAMexam, which found the problem in both cases – however, it only runs
under DOS and takes a while to run.

Thanks for any assistance!


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To unsubscribe send a blank email to $subst(‘Email.Unsub’)

I agree. “Mission-Critical” systems should be running high-quality ECC RAM.
Compaq systems (and others, I’m sure) allow their “Insight Manager” to
report via email/pager when a RAM module is using error-correction to fix
memory errors – a sure sign of a bad module.

Regards,

Paul Bunn, UltraBac.com, 425-644-6000
Microsoft MVP - WindowsNT/2000
http://www.ultrabac.com

-----Original Message-----
From: Daniel Hickey [mailto:xxxxx@bluekite.com]
Sent: Tuesday, June 27, 2000 12:10 PM
To: NT Developers Interest List
Subject: [ntdev] RE: Memory test program that runs under NT?

What would happen if you actually found an error? Depending upon hardware
setup you would likely NMI and blue screen. I can’t imagine a useful and
safe memory test in a live “mission critical” system. this is MHO only of
course.

Dan Hickey

-----Original Message-----
From: Taed Nelson [mailto:xxxxx@vertical.com]
Sent: Tuesday, June 27, 2000 11:09 AM
To: NT Developers Interest List
Subject: [ntdev] Memory test program that runs under NT?

I’ve been looking for a RAM tester that runs under Windows NT while it is
running. Note: NOT a program that runs under DOS or whatever like every
memory tester I could find does…

My motivation is to test the RAM of a system while it is running. I don’t
want to bring these systems down due to them being both mission-critical and
remote. Clearly, just the remote aspect eliminates the ability to boot off
a DOS floppy or whatever.

Does anyone know of a program like this? Has anyone written one?

Failing that, I might write my own. I’m thinking that perhaps I could just
do a bit of the RAM at a time (so that the system remains responsive), and
disable interrupts while I’m doing it. Does anyone see a problem with this
approach? I also assume that I can track down IEEE specs for memory testing
algorithms and that they are straight-forward.

While NT and the BIOS do simple checks on the RAM when they boot, I have had
two systems that have had faulty RAM that was not detected. I only noticed
after the systems would crash for no apparent reason. I used the funky
RAMexam, which found the problem in both cases – however, it only runs
under DOS and takes a while to run.

Another solution could be writing an application that holds as much memory
as possible (Committed pages). The amount of memory that can be locked can
be increased by using the calls like SetWorkingSize etc. After reserving
Committed pages access the buffer and perform the memory operations to do
that. The only problem with this is, we can test only a percentage of the
total memory based on the programs that are running in the system.

-----Original Message-----
From: Roddy, Mark [mailto:xxxxx@stratus.com]
Sent: Tuesday, June 27, 2000 2:59 PM
To: NT Developers Interest List
Subject: [ntdev] RE: Memory test program that runs under NT?

You probably have to write your own. This has to be a device driver as you
will be hard pressed to associate physical ram with virtual memory
otherwise.

One of the many problems you are going to run into is how to lock out access
to physical memory segments that you are testing. The problem can be solved,
but the solution cost is high.

Another problem is simply finding all of physical memory. It isn’t like NT
makes this readily available to you.

-----Original Message-----
From: Taed Nelson [mailto:xxxxx@vertical.com]
Sent: Tuesday, June 27, 2000 2:09 PM
To: NT Developers Interest List
Subject: [ntdev] Memory test program that runs under NT?

I’ve been looking for a RAM tester that runs under Windows NT
while it is
running. Note: NOT a program that runs under DOS or
whatever like every
memory tester I could find does…

My motivation is to test the RAM of a system while it is
running. I don’t
want to bring these systems down due to them being both
mission-critical and
remote. Clearly, just the remote aspect eliminates the
ability to boot off
a DOS floppy or whatever.

Does anyone know of a program like this? Has anyone written one?

Failing that, I might write my own. I’m thinking that
perhaps I could just
do a bit of the RAM at a time (so that the system remains
responsive), and
disable interrupts while I’m doing it. Does anyone see a
problem with this
approach? I also assume that I can track down IEEE specs for
memory testing
algorithms and that they are straight-forward.

While NT and the BIOS do simple checks on the RAM when they
boot, I have had
two systems that have had faulty RAM that was not detected.
I only noticed
after the systems would crash for no apparent reason. I used
the funky
RAMexam, which found the problem in both cases – however, it
only runs
under DOS and takes a while to run.

Thanks for any assistance!


You are currently subscribed to ntdev as: xxxxx@stratus.com
To unsubscribe send a blank email to $subst(‘Email.Unsub’)


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And even worse, this may or may not touch each discrete memory component,
which would make your testing less than reliable. Note also that large
chunks of memory (e.g. NonPagedPool ) are simply never going to get touched
from any user space approach.

Mark Roddy
Windows 2000/NT Consultant
Hollis Technology Solutions
www.hollistech.com

-----Original Message-----
From: xxxxx@lists.osr.com
[mailto:xxxxx@lists.osr.com]On Behalf Of Neela Syam Kolli
Sent: Tuesday, June 27, 2000 4:29 PM
To: NT Developers Interest List
Subject: [ntdev] RE: Memory test program that runs under NT?

Another solution could be writing an application that holds as much memory
as possible (Committed pages). The amount of memory that can be locked can
be increased by using the calls like SetWorkingSize etc. After reserving
Committed pages access the buffer and perform the memory operations to do
that. The only problem with this is, we can test only a percentage of the
total memory based on the programs that are running in the system.

-----Original Message-----
From: Roddy, Mark [mailto:xxxxx@stratus.com]
Sent: Tuesday, June 27, 2000 2:59 PM
To: NT Developers Interest List
Subject: [ntdev] RE: Memory test program that runs under NT?

You probably have to write your own. This has to be a device driver as you
will be hard pressed to associate physical ram with virtual memory
otherwise.

One of the many problems you are going to run into is how to lock out access
to physical memory segments that you are testing. The problem can be solved,
but the solution cost is high.

Another problem is simply finding all of physical memory. It isn’t like NT
makes this readily available to you.

-----Original Message-----
From: Taed Nelson [mailto:xxxxx@vertical.com]
Sent: Tuesday, June 27, 2000 2:09 PM
To: NT Developers Interest List
Subject: [ntdev] Memory test program that runs under NT?

I’ve been looking for a RAM tester that runs under Windows NT
while it is
running. Note: NOT a program that runs under DOS or
whatever like every
memory tester I could find does…

My motivation is to test the RAM of a system while it is
running. I don’t
want to bring these systems down due to them being both
mission-critical and
remote. Clearly, just the remote aspect eliminates the
ability to boot off
a DOS floppy or whatever.

Does anyone know of a program like this? Has anyone written one?

Failing that, I might write my own. I’m thinking that
perhaps I could just
do a bit of the RAM at a time (so that the system remains
responsive), and
disable interrupts while I’m doing it. Does anyone see a
problem with this
approach? I also assume that I can track down IEEE specs for
memory testing
algorithms and that they are straight-forward.

While NT and the BIOS do simple checks on the RAM when they
boot, I have had
two systems that have had faulty RAM that was not detected.
I only noticed
after the systems would crash for no apparent reason. I used
the funky
RAMexam, which found the problem in both cases – however, it
only runs
under DOS and takes a while to run.

Thanks for any assistance!


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> You probably have to write your own. This has to be a device driver as you

will be hard pressed to associate physical ram with virtual memory
otherwise.

One of the many problems you are going to run into is how to lock out
access
to physical memory segments that you are testing. The problem can be
solved,
but the solution cost is high.

I don’t think there is a decent way of doing this without messing with
MmPfnDatabase and grabbing MmPfnLock. Both are not exported from the kernel.

Max

> What would happen if you actually found an error? Depending upon hardware

setup you would likely NMI and blue screen. I can’t imagine a useful and

Intercept the NMI and move the page to the “bad” list.
This will degrade the RAM amount a bit - but will prevent from more serious
crashes.

Max