Does my PC Need a Memory Test?

It goes without saying that computers have a mind of their own or so it seems. There are so many factors that determine how a computer will act and function. The overall performance of a computer can be improved by determining if there is a simple internal problem that needs adjustment. Much like a human being, computer systems are complex and when they get rundown or something is out of whack the way the system functions is compromised.

The amount of memory that a computer has determines how much information can be stored and processed successfully. When the amount of information starts to exceed the amount of memory that the computer has you may start to see problems with the overall functioning of your system.

Sometimes the computer will simply let you know that you are exceeding the amount of memory you have on your system with a prompt that states “virtual memory is too low or “your system is running low on virtual memory”. You can consider yourself lucky when the system is actually telling you what the problem is and allowing you to fix it.

Other ways that you might determine that you have a memory problem is if your computer does one or more of the following:

• Opens and/or closes programs very slowly.
• The system is delayed in responding to your commands.
• The system runs slower and slower.
• Web pages are not displaying quickly.

There are ways that you can determine if your PC needs a memory test.

You can determine the amount of RAM that is needed to run your operating system and then check your system for the amount of RAM you currently have. Windows 7 is one of the largest operating systems that require 1mg of RAM; others require this amount when large gaming applications are also installed.

Windows Vista and Windows 7 offer a memory diagnostics tool that can be used to check your memory. To get to this tool go to Start, type memory in the run line and run the command following the prompts. You can restart the computer to run the memory test. Adding memory will require the assistance of a computer technician.

Memtest86 and DocMemory are both free software solutions that can test the memory on your PC. There are other solutions that may charge a small fee to use but can help you determine if your memory needs an increase. There is a difference between bad memory and not enough memory. A test will help you to determine which course of action you need to improve the functioning of your computer system.