Can bad memory cause frequent lockups (results of memtest86)

[Brad Roy]

Over the last month, my computer will frequently just stop responding,
regardless of whether I am using it or not. It will just lock up in
whatever state its currently in. It's locked up in programs, such as excel.
Its locked up with nothing running and only the screensaver is shown. Its
locked up in stand by mode and only a black screen shows. The only way out
of it is to restart the computer each time. This happens several times a
day. I am wondering if this is a software or hardware problem. What can I
do?

Update: I ran the program Memtest86 and it ran overnight reporting a host
of errors to me. How do I interpret these error? Do these errors meant that
bad memory is causing these lockups? What can I do next?

Thanks

[Yves Leclerc]

Bad memory??
Defective motherboard??

I would repeat the memory tests to see if the same problems happens.

If you can, try to locate a repair center where you can take computer to
have it checked out completely.

Y.

"Brad Roy" > wrote in message
...
> Over the last month, my computer will frequently just stop responding,
> regardless of whether I am using it or not. It will just lock up in
> whatever state its currently in. It's locked up in programs, such as
excel.
> Its locked up with nothing running and only the screensaver is shown. Its
> locked up in stand by mode and only a black screen shows. The only way
out
> of it is to restart the computer each time. This happens several times a
> day. I am wondering if this is a software or hardware problem. What can
I
> do?
>
> Update: I ran the program Memtest86 and it ran overnight reporting a host
> of errors to me. How do I interpret these error? Do these errors meant
that
> bad memory is causing these lockups? What can I do next?
>
> Thanks
>
>

[Rich Barry]

Brad, it could be a faulty Power Supply, your Cpu overheating . memory.
You can swap out your memory and eliminate
that as a cause if you have more than one module.

"Brad Roy" > wrote in message
...
> Over the last month, my computer will frequently just stop responding,
> regardless of whether I am using it or not. It will just lock up in
> whatever state its currently in. It's locked up in programs, such as
excel.
> Its locked up with nothing running and only the screensaver is shown. Its
> locked up in stand by mode and only a black screen shows. The only way
out
> of it is to restart the computer each time. This happens several times a
> day. I am wondering if this is a software or hardware problem. What can
I
> do?
>
> Update: I ran the program Memtest86 and it ran overnight reporting a host
> of errors to me. How do I interpret these error? Do these errors meant
that
> bad memory is causing these lockups? What can I do next?
>
> Thanks
>
>

[Malke]

Brad Roy wrote:

> Over the last month, my computer will frequently just stop responding,
> regardless of whether I am using it or not. It will just lock up in
> whatever state its currently in. It's locked up in programs, such as
> excel. Its locked up with nothing running and only the screensaver is
> shown. Its
> locked up in stand by mode and only a black screen shows. The only
> way out
> of it is to restart the computer each time. This happens several
> times a
> day. I am wondering if this is a software or hardware problem. What
> can I do?
>
> Update: I ran the program Memtest86 and it ran overnight reporting a
> host
> of errors to me. How do I interpret these error? Do these errors
> meant that
> bad memory is causing these lockups? What can I do next?
>
> Thanks

Yes, it means your memory is bad. Replace it. You can also take the
machine to a local shop where they may have a RAM tester. Hardware RAM
testers are the best, but they are very expensive. Absolutely if
Memtest shows errors, you can rely on it being right.

Malke
--
Elephant Boy Computers
www.elephantboycomputers.com
"Don't Panic!"

[Travis King]

Yes... in fact, my memory is going bad. It makes my
computer COMPLETELY freeze up to the point where I can't
type or even move the cursor. I'm getting new memory to
fix it. Make sure that if you replace the memory itself
that you REPLACE it, not just upgrade it. Remove the old
module with the new one or the problems will continue to
occur.
>-----Original Message-----
>Bad memory??
>Defective motherboard??
>
>I would repeat the memory tests to see if the same
problems happens.
>
>If you can, try to locate a repair center where you can
take computer to
>have it checked out completely.
>
>Y.
>
>"Brad Roy" > wrote in message
...
>> Over the last month, my computer will frequently just
stop responding,
>> regardless of whether I am using it or not. It will
just lock up in
>> whatever state its currently in. It's locked up in
programs, such as
>excel.
>> Its locked up with nothing running and only the
screensaver is shown. Its
>> locked up in stand by mode and only a black screen
shows. The only way
>out
>> of it is to restart the computer each time. This
happens several times a
>> day. I am wondering if this is a software or hardware
problem. What can
>I
>> do?
>>
>> Update: I ran the program Memtest86 and it ran
overnight reporting a host
>> of errors to me. How do I interpret these error? Do
these errors meant
>that
>> bad memory is causing these lockups? What can I do
next?
>>
>> Thanks
>>
>>
>
>
>.
>