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I have tried memtest86 version 6.1.x as well as downloading the latest available on this website (version 7) in order to run it on my Lennovo thinkpad t410 running windows 7 pro. Upon booting into bios, as well as in Windows 7, i see the entire 4GB reported. But upon booting from USB stick with memtest86, i see that it loads only Memtest version 4.3.7 and it starts testing. But the reported memory by memtest is only 2996MB !! I did prepare the USB stick, by running the ImageUSB.exe as instructed in the read me.txt file. So, what am i doing wrong and how should i proceed ? Thanks for the help. Next i need to install the new 8GB upgrade and test it, but i am stuck with current setup, unable to run memtest.
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As this is an older laptop it might not support UEFI BIOS? In which case it is normal that V4 of MemTest86 runs instead of V6/V7.
It is likely that Windows doesn't see the full 4GB either, you'll find various different numbers reported in various places in Windows. It is normal that other devices use some of the available RAM (like the video card). Normally the amount lost if is less than 1GB however.
It seems other people have the same complaint with the Lenovo laptops. See,
https://forums.lenovo.com/t5/ThinkPad-T61-and-prior-T-series/T61-only-recognizes-3-GB-ram/td-p/345721
https://forums.lenovo.com/t5/ThinkPad-T61-and-prior-T-series/T60p-4gb-but-3-gb-available/td-p/11078
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Thanks for the reply. I am quite familiar with Windows memory structure and limitations, and in this case the 3GB memory limit of windows does not apply; and the threads you quoted are running earlier version of windows which can not see beyond 3GB. In any case, OS is not the issue here, since BIOS clearly reports 4GB or 8GB (if i upgrade and try). I am not sure if it is a UEFI BIOS - i will check soon. But, even if it is running V4 of memtest, isn't memtest supposed to see and test the entire memory range that BIOS is reporting ?
On a side note, i should mention that i ran into the same problem a while ago, with another laptop of mine, and at that time, someone from Passmark, told me to use another version of memtest - and it worked. Unfortunately, i seem to have lost that version that was given to me. It was not a standard download that i got from this website, but was given separately in a link or email to me. I am hoping that someone from Passmark tech support reads this thread.Comment
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Figured out the issue. Apparently, memtest86 v4.3.7 only works with newer BIOS. On the lennovo thinkpad T410 my BIOS date is 2010 april - not a UEFI system, and i deduce that even though BIOS shows the presence of 4GB in settings, it is unable to present all of the 4GB to memtest86. When i installed the same memory on another laptop that has UEFI, i am able to see all of the memory reported in memtest V4.3.7 and my tests on the 8GB are running on the other laptop now. When memory tests are finished, i am planning to move the memory to the Thinkpad T410 running the Windows 7 64-bit version.Comment
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This is not true. Vista (even the 32bit release) can use more than 3GB.I am quite familiar with Windows memory structure and limitations, and in this case the 3GB memory limit of windows does not apply; and the threads you quoted are running earlier version of windows which can not see beyond 3GB
No. In fact it is exactly the opposite. V4 of MemTest86 works on very old BIOSs.Figured out the issue. Apparently, memtest86 v4.3.7 only works with newer BIOS
V5 to V7 of MemTest86 only work on newer UEFI BIOS.
You seem to have miss my point. Other hardware devices use (or hide) some of the available RAM. It is called memory mapped IOBut, even if it is running V4 of memtest, isn't memtest supposed to see and test the entire memory range
This is a normal situation. Except to say that 1GB of missing RAM seems slightly excessive, but it is likely bad design from Lenovo.Comment
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I would consider this a bug in memtest86. I was trying versions 6 and 7, which apparently work only on UFEI (it did run on the other laptop that has both BIOS and UEFI). But, when running on the Thinkpad T410 (which does not have UEFI and is running a 2010 BIOS), these higher versions gave indication that they were running the older version. (The title in red color said memtest86 Version 4.3.7). But even though it said it is running an older version that is compatible with this older BIOS, it failed to detect the full memory range and kept running the tests on the lower range of memory (3GB). So, i am guessing that this is a problem in newer versions that emulate the older version (4.3.7) when running on BIOS. I don't have the patience to report it, and i hope someone from passmark notices this thread.Comment
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Yes, that would be us. You are posting on the PassMark web site after all....i hope someone from passmark notices this thread
No, it is not a software problem. It is the way computers are designed and manufactured. I suggest you do some more research, starting with the memory mapped IO link posted above.So, i am guessing that this is a problem in newer versions that emulate the older version (4.3.7) when running on BIOS.
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Is the GPU in your laptop using part of your system's RAM? I had a similar issue in a desktop PC with 16GB of RAM where Memtest86 would show 1-2GB less memory. Turns out it was because I had set the GPU to use the max amount of memory possible. When I changed the settings to the minimum allowed, Memtest reported 16GB.Comment
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I am having the same problem, not all memory recognised. I will start a new thread, as old ones often don't get noticed, just a brief comment here. Essentially, using a boot CD on a 2014 Clevo laptop with 8GB, v4.3.7 (BIOS, not UEFI) version loads. Memtest86 shows memory as ~3500MB (3617? I didn't take a note). Memtest+ 5.1 (a different fork) finds all 8GB. It looks as if PAE is not being invoked properly.Comment
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2014 isn't that long ago. You should be able to get V7 running (rather than worrying about V4).
See,
https://www.memtest86.com/technical.htm#uefi
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