My computer has been crashing regularly, usually by freezing completely while the same split second of audio loops loudly through my headphones. I've only seen a blue screen a few times, and the stop code is usually IRQL_NOT_LESS_OR_EQUAL. I'm trying to determine whether the problem is faulty RAM, a damaged memory slot, or unstable power from the PSU.
Windows Memory Diagnostic reports no problems, but MemTest86 has produced inconsistent results: one test crashed after about five minutes with 33 errors, another ran for over an hour with no errors, and a third ran for about an hour with two errors. I've also reinstalled my graphics drivers without any improvement. I can provide screenshots of the blue screens and memory tests, along with the crash dump files, if that helps identify the cause.
1 Answer
The screenshots and crash dump files would definitely help narrow this down. IRQL_NOT_LESS_OR_EQUAL can be caused by memory, drivers, or other hardware, so it doesn’t prove that the RAM itself is defective. The inconsistent MemTest86 results are still suspicious, though. Try running each RAM stick by itself, testing it in the recommended slot and then in another slot, with BIOS settings returned to defaults and any XMP/overclocking disabled. If errors follow one stick, the stick is likely bad; if they only occur in one slot, the motherboard may be the issue. Also check the PSU and its connections if the memory passes individually.
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