thegizzard Posted March 7, 2017 Share Posted March 7, 2017 I have 48gb of RAM. There is a bad 8gb stick in there somewhere. Most of the time my system shows 40gb on boot and all is well. Occasionally the system shows 48gb and the system is slow as molasses. How do I identify the bad ram? Sent from my SM-N920V using Tapatalk Quote Link to comment
garycase Posted March 7, 2017 Share Posted March 7, 2017 I'd just do a binary search. e.g. install 3 of the modules (half of them), and run with those 3 until you're either convinced they're all okay or you have the same problem (i.e. one module isn't recognized). Also run MemTest overnight to confirm it doesn't find any issues. If those 3 are all good, install the other 3 and repeat the process -- this SHOULD find a bad module. Then you can try using 2 of those modules and see if the bad one is one of those -- or if the one you removed fixes the issue. When you're down to two modules, just run with one-at-a-time to isolate the bad module. Note: It's possible that you don't have a bad module, but a defective memory slot on your motherboard -- if that's the case, it will take more experimentation to isolate that ... essentially by removing one module at a time and running for a few days until you're confident that the problem has been resolved. Quote Link to comment
thegizzard Posted March 8, 2017 Author Share Posted March 8, 2017 So right now. My system is running perfectly. But it reports 40gb of RAM. Is there a tool that will tell me which slots the ram is in? Whichever one is not present should be the bad stick or slot, no? I just need something to tell me what slots my system thinks are currently in use. Sent from my SM-N920V using Tapatalk Quote Link to comment
garycase Posted March 8, 2017 Share Posted March 8, 2017 You should be able to shut down; pull one stick of RAM; boot again, and see if it still shows 40GB. If so, you probably pulled the "defective" module -- or perhaps you removed a module from a defective slot ... but either would do what you want to do. If not, shut down again; replace the module; and pull the next one ... and repeat the process until you find a module you can pull without reducing the memory size. This will work as long as your defective module (or slot) doesn't suddenly decide to report the additional 8GB (as you indicated it sometimes does). But any module you pull that REDUCES the memory by 8GB (to 32GB) is a good module. Quote Link to comment
thegizzard Posted March 8, 2017 Author Share Posted March 8, 2017 I think I have an approach. The following command gives this output. It shows I have 5 x 8GB sticks installed. But I know I have 6x 8gb sticks installed. The Locator field tells me the name of the DIMM Slot. So it looks like P1 DIMM 3A is either a bad slot or had a bad stick. Did I interpret this properly? I have attached a diagram of the motherboard. # dmidecode -t 17 # dmidecode 3.0 Getting SMBIOS data from sysfs. SMBIOS 2.6 present. Handle 0x0017, DMI type 17, 28 bytes Memory Device Array Handle: 0x0015 Error Information Handle: Not Provided Total Width: 72 bits Data Width: 64 bits Size: 8192 MB Form Factor: DIMM Set: None Locator: P1-DIMM1A Bank Locator: BANK0 Type: DDR3 Type Detail: Other Speed: 1066 MHz Manufacturer: Hyundai Serial Number: C9B4A928 Asset Tag: Part Number: HMT31GR7BFR4C-H9 Rank: Unknown Handle 0x0019, DMI type 17, 28 bytes Memory Device Array Handle: 0x0015 Error Information Handle: Not Provided Total Width: 72 bits Data Width: 64 bits Size: No Module Installed Form Factor: DIMM Set: None Locator: P1-DIMM1B Bank Locator: BANK1 Type: DDR3 Type Detail: Other Speed: Unknown Manufacturer: Serial Number: Asset Tag: Part Number: Rank: Unknown Handle 0x001B, DMI type 17, 28 bytes Memory Device Array Handle: 0x0015 Error Information Handle: Not Provided Total Width: 72 bits Data Width: 64 bits Size: No Module Installed Form Factor: DIMM Set: None Locator: P1-DIMM1C Bank Locator: BANK2 Type: DDR3 Type Detail: Other Speed: Unknown Manufacturer: Serial Number: Asset Tag: Part Number: Rank: Unknown Handle 0x001D, DMI type 17, 28 bytes Memory Device Array Handle: 0x0015 Error Information Handle: Not Provided Total Width: 72 bits Data Width: 64 bits Size: 8192 MB Form Factor: DIMM Set: None Locator: P1-DIMM2A Bank Locator: BANK3 Type: DDR3 Type Detail: Other Speed: 1066 MHz Manufacturer: Hyundai Serial Number: 59833027 Asset Tag: Part Number: HMT31GR7BFR4C-H9 Rank: Unknown Handle 0x001F, DMI type 17, 28 bytes Memory Device Array Handle: 0x0015 Error Information Handle: Not Provided Total Width: 72 bits Data Width: 64 bits Size: No Module Installed Form Factor: DIMM Set: None Locator: P1-DIMM2B Bank Locator: BANK4 Type: DDR3 Type Detail: Other Speed: Unknown Manufacturer: Serial Number: Asset Tag: Part Number: Rank: Unknown Handle 0x0021, DMI type 17, 28 bytes Memory Device Array Handle: 0x0015 Error Information Handle: Not Provided Total Width: 72 bits Data Width: 64 bits Size: No Module Installed Form Factor: DIMM Set: None Locator: P1-DIMM2C Bank Locator: BANK5 Type: DDR3 Type Detail: Other Speed: Unknown Manufacturer: Serial Number: Asset Tag: Part Number: Rank: Unknown Handle 0x0023, DMI type 17, 28 bytes Memory Device Array Handle: 0x0015 Error Information Handle: Not Provided Total Width: 72 bits Data Width: 64 bits Size: No Module Installed Form Factor: DIMM Set: None Locator: P1-DIMM3A Bank Locator: BANK6 Type: DDR3 Type Detail: Other Speed: Unknown Manufacturer: Serial Number: Asset Tag: Part Number: Rank: Unknown Handle 0x0025, DMI type 17, 28 bytes Memory Device Array Handle: 0x0015 Error Information Handle: Not Provided Total Width: 72 bits Data Width: 64 bits Size: No Module Installed Form Factor: DIMM Set: None Locator: P1-DIMM3B Bank Locator: BANK7 Type: DDR3 Type Detail: Other Speed: Unknown Manufacturer: Serial Number: Asset Tag: Part Number: Rank: Unknown Handle 0x0027, DMI type 17, 28 bytes Memory Device Array Handle: 0x0015 Error Information Handle: Not Provided Total Width: 72 bits Data Width: 64 bits Size: No Module Installed Form Factor: DIMM Set: None Locator: P1-DIMM3C Bank Locator: BANK8 Type: DDR3 Type Detail: Other Speed: Unknown Manufacturer: Serial Number: Asset Tag: Part Number: Rank: Unknown Handle 0x0029, DMI type 17, 28 bytes Memory Device Array Handle: 0x0015 Error Information Handle: Not Provided Total Width: 72 bits Data Width: 64 bits Size: 8192 MB Form Factor: DIMM Set: None Locator: P2-DIMM1A Bank Locator: BANK9 Type: DDR3 Type Detail: Other Speed: 1066 MHz Manufacturer: Hyundai Serial Number: A37F4026 Asset Tag: Part Number: HMT31GR7BFR4C-H9 Rank: Unknown Handle 0x002B, DMI type 17, 28 bytes Memory Device Array Handle: 0x0015 Error Information Handle: Not Provided Total Width: 72 bits Data Width: 64 bits Size: No Module Installed Form Factor: DIMM Set: None Locator: P2-DIMM1B Bank Locator: BANK10 Type: DDR3 Type Detail: Other Speed: Unknown Manufacturer: Serial Number: Asset Tag: Part Number: Rank: Unknown Handle 0x002D, DMI type 17, 28 bytes Memory Device Array Handle: 0x0015 Error Information Handle: Not Provided Total Width: 72 bits Data Width: 64 bits Size: No Module Installed Form Factor: DIMM Set: None Locator: P2-DIMM1C Bank Locator: BANK11 Type: DDR3 Type Detail: Other Speed: Unknown Manufacturer: Serial Number: Asset Tag: Part Number: Rank: Unknown Handle 0x002F, DMI type 17, 28 bytes Memory Device Array Handle: 0x0015 Error Information Handle: Not Provided Total Width: 72 bits Data Width: 64 bits Size: 8192 MB Form Factor: DIMM Set: None Locator: P2-DIMM2A Bank Locator: BANK12 Type: DDR3 Type Detail: Other Speed: 1066 MHz Manufacturer: Hyundai Serial Number: 16373101 Asset Tag: Part Number: HMT31GR7BFR4C-H9 Rank: Unknown Handle 0x0031, DMI type 17, 28 bytes Memory Device Array Handle: 0x0015 Error Information Handle: Not Provided Total Width: 72 bits Data Width: 64 bits Size: No Module Installed Form Factor: DIMM Set: None Locator: P2-DIMM2B Bank Locator: BANK13 Type: DDR3 Type Detail: Other Speed: Unknown Manufacturer: Serial Number: Asset Tag: Part Number: Rank: Unknown Handle 0x0033, DMI type 17, 28 bytes Memory Device Array Handle: 0x0015 Error Information Handle: Not Provided Total Width: 72 bits Data Width: 64 bits Size: No Module Installed Form Factor: DIMM Set: None Locator: P2-DIMM2C Bank Locator: BANK14 Type: DDR3 Type Detail: Other Speed: Unknown Manufacturer: Serial Number: Asset Tag: Part Number: Rank: Unknown Handle 0x0035, DMI type 17, 28 bytes Memory Device Array Handle: 0x0015 Error Information Handle: Not Provided Total Width: 72 bits Data Width: 64 bits Size: 8192 MB Form Factor: DIMM Set: None Locator: P2-DIMM3A Bank Locator: BANK15 Type: DDR3 Type Detail: Other Speed: 1066 MHz Manufacturer: Hyundai Serial Number: 3F7F6001 Asset Tag: Part Number: HMT31GR7BFR4C-H9 Rank: Unknown Handle 0x0037, DMI type 17, 28 bytes Memory Device Array Handle: 0x0015 Error Information Handle: Not Provided Total Width: 72 bits Data Width: 64 bits Size: No Module Installed Form Factor: DIMM Set: None Locator: P2-DIMM3B Bank Locator: BANK16 Type: DDR3 Type Detail: Other Speed: Unknown Manufacturer: Serial Number: Asset Tag: Part Number: Rank: Unknown Handle 0x0039, DMI type 17, 28 bytes Memory Device Array Handle: 0x0015 Error Information Handle: Not Provided Total Width: 72 bits Data Width: 64 bits Size: No Module Installed Form Factor: DIMM Set: None Locator: P2-DIMM3C Bank Locator: BANK17 Type: DDR3 Type Detail: Other Speed: Unknown Manufacturer: Serial Number: Asset Tag: Part Number: Rank: Unknown 1 Quote Link to comment
thegizzard Posted March 8, 2017 Author Share Posted March 8, 2017 Ok. I replaced P1 DIMM 3A with a spare 8 GB stick and it seems to be running fine and reporting 48 GB of Ram. Thanks again GC. Quote Link to comment
garycase Posted March 8, 2017 Share Posted March 8, 2017 Slap face with palm -- hadn't even thought of using dmidecode ... and yes, I was aware of it. I was thinking "what would identify an individual memory module" ... but all you needed was "which slots have memory installed in them" -- since the defective module clearly wasn't being recognized Quote Link to comment
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.
Note: Your post will require moderator approval before it will be visible.