Memory problems can lead to catastrophic errors right away, or manifest in a very subtle way. Any overclocking enthusiast understands that they must watch the behavior and stability of their RAM very closely, but there are cases where a module can fail even under its factory configuration. That's when applications like HCI MemTest come into play, helping you test RAM from Windows easily.
Previously, I shared an article recommending HWiNFO for measuring temperature and voltages on your PC, and there I explained that I had been left without a computer. The good news is that the monster is back, but the bad news is that one memory seems to have thrown in the towel. It took me a few hours to isolate the defective module; however, the computer came back from the shadows once it was removed.
If you find yourself in a similar situation or feel that one of your modules may be failing, you will need a program to test RAM. Two classic recommendations are MemTest86 and MemTest86+. However, I have discovered that some errors are not correctly detected by either tool. An alternative is to test RAM from Windows, placing additional pressure on the entire process, and for that, we have HCI MemTest.
How to test RAM from Windows with HCI MemTest
HCI MemTest is a small 32-bit executable that takes up exactly 40 kilobytes. Its free edition can test a maximum of 3-3.5 gigabytes, and to evaluate the rest of the RAM, we only need to load multiple processes. For example: Suppose your computer has 16 GB of RAM, and 3 GB are in use. If you want to test those 13 free GB, you can open HCI MemTest five times, set a ceiling of 2.5 GB on four processes, and leave the rest of the RAM for the fifth.
If HCI MemTest cannot reserve the configured RAM for diagnostics, it will show an error message and ask you to reduce the number. Progress is measured with a coverage/percentage indicator at the bottom of the interface, but since it is a stress test, we must go beyond 100 percent. Many HCI MemTest users on the Web recommend a minimum baseline of 400 percent per process to confirm whether our memory is stable, or if there is an error waiting.
HCI MemTest works wonderfully in its free version, but the Pro edition allows you to control the number of threads and the amount of RAM assigned to each one, instead of opening multiple processes. It also includes support for logging, command-line control, low-priority threads (to test memory in the background and keep using the computer), and it avoids pauses in case of error, something that can help us identify if the failure is associated with a secondary event (temperature spike, extreme GPU load, and more). Don't hesitate, download a copy!
Official site and download: Click here
