How to diagnose and resolve common memory issues on a Dell Notebook PC

The following article provides information about what memory issues can be seen and how to troubleshoot them on a Dell notebook PC.

Table of Contents:

1. Notebook Memory Troubleshooting
2. Diagnostics
3. Hardware Troubleshooting
4. Software Troubleshooting

Notebook Memory Troubleshooting

This guide deals with memory issues in notebook systems and how to troubleshoot and resolve memory issues. Memory troubleshooting typically breaks down into three sections.

• Diagnostics
• Hardware
• Software

The common types of memory issues you may see are.

• No POST with memory error codes.

(Fig.1.1 Status LEDs)

(Fig.1.2 Status LEDs)

• System slow, freezing, or crashing, such as Blue Screen errors.

(Fig.2 Blue Screen NMI parity error)

• Onscreen error messaging about memory halts, overruns, size, or read issues.

Fig.3.1 Application error)

(Fig.3.2 Internal error)

(Fig.3.3 Applet error)

• Issues installing software or Operating Systems (OS).

Most of this troubleshooting will be done as part of a specific troubleshooting guide for a particular fault. This article is a General Overview that can go into a bit more detail than you would normally see.

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Diagnostics

This article takes you through the diagnostics LEDs and codes for the various models.

• Notebook Diagnostics LED codes and Battery LED codes

1. The first thing to do is to check if the Pre-Boot System Assessment (PSA) Diagnostics can run.

   With the system powered off, hold down the Fn key and the power button at the same time. Alternatively, tap rapidly at the F12 key as the system boots and select Diagnostics from the memory that appears. A Diagnostic Boot Selected message should appear in the top right-hand side corner of the screen.

   Notes:

   • When you can get online, you can run a memory-specific diagnostic, browse to the Online Memory Diagnostics page.
     Notes:

     • The test will start automatically.
     • You may be prompted to install or update the SupportAssist program, if so, follow the prompts.
     • The test may take 10-15 minutes depending on the hardware in your computer.
   • You can also run diagnostics from our support site.
     • "Quick test" - This test of your hardware may take 10-15 minutes depending on the hardware in your computer.
     • "Full Test" - This is an in-depth test. This may take 40 minutes or more depending on the hardware in your computer.
     • Custom Component Test - Select one or more specific hardware tests you want to run.

       To run a specific test, perform the following steps.

       1. Browse to the "Dell Support" website.
       2. You are given three options to identify your computer.

          Either:

          • Touch or click the listing for your computer under THIS PC.
            Note: When there is no listing for your computer under THIS PC, you can touch or click Download & Install SupportAssist, which will automatically identify your computer for you. Follow the prompts to download and install SupportAssist.
          • Enter the Service Tag, Dell EMC Product ID, or Model, and then touch or click the Search button, and select your computer from the list.
          • Touch or click Browse all products: You must select the type of device you have, the brand name, and then the product model.
            Note: For more information refer to Dell Knowledge Base article, "How to Determine the Model Number of Your Dell Computer."
       3. Touch or click the DIAGNOSTICS tab.
       4. Under Custom Component Test, touch or click Select individual components.
       5. Touch or click to check the box next to one or more components you want to test.
       6. Touch or click the Run Your Test, and follow the prompts.

    

2. The system will run through about 15-20 minutes worth of hardware self-checks. When these complete it will ask if you want to run the further memory tests which can take another 30 minutes+. If the PSAs pass, then run the further memory tests.

   1. If all tests pass, then you will want to skip to the software troubleshooting.

   2. If they fail, then take a note of the error code and go to the next step.

3. If you have an error code, then you will want to check the guide below to see if you can run the newer advanced diagnostics on your system as these diagnostics will identify the fault to a memory DIMM or slot on your system.

   1. If the diagnostics are possible and you have updated to them on your system, then contact your support with the results of the diagnostics to take this further.

   2. If the diagnostics are not possible for your system or you are unable to update to them, then you will want to go to the hard troubleshooting.

      • How to identify if your Dell PC supports the Memory DIMM Isolation diagnostics and what benefits this brings you

   Note: You can submit the Service Tag, ePSA error and validation code at the SupportAssist Pre-Boot System Performance Check page, to learn how to proceed.

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Hardware Troubleshooting

The concept behind hardware troubleshooting memory is simple. It comes down to part substitution and access to known good working parts.

All notebooks with removable memory will have access to the memory through the base of the unit. Either the bottom panel comes off or there will be a removable hatch cover. You will find the specific method for your system in the Service Manuals and User Guides for your Dell System.

1. If you are experiencing a No Post situation, the first step is to remove the memory altogether from the system. Does the fault change?

   1. If yes then go to step 2.

   2. If it does not, then you will want to follow the No Post Guide below.

      • How to Troubleshoot a No POST Issue on a Dell Notebook PC

2. Do you have a known good similar system or known good working memory that you could swap into this system?

   1. Yes, then please swap the known good memory with the memory from this unit and see where the fault goes. Contact your support and take this further with them.

   2. No, proceed to the next step.

3. Most notebooks systems currently ship with 1 or 2 memory modules. Most typically it is 2 because most memory is designed to work better in matched pairs. Regardless of how many modules you have, the next step is the same. Take 1 DIMM and test it in either memory socket. Note the results and do the same thing with the second DIMM if you have one. Does the issue change depending on which DIMM or which socket is in use?

   1. Yes. If the fault follows a DIMM or stays with a particular slot on the motherboard, then you have identified the fault. The good news is you can run the machine with reduced memory until you have got in touch with your support to report the fault.

   2. No. If the fault is the same regardless of which DIMM or which slot the memory is fitted to, then either the fault is not with the memory or both the memory and the slots are faulty. This is why we suggest carrying out step 2. I would recommend contacting your support at this point to take this further.

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Software Troubleshooting

Software troubleshooting steps for memory issues are pretty brief and mostly deal with virtual memory instead of physical memory.

1. You can run further memory diagnostics in windows. There are several well-known tests to pick from such as Memtest. However, we would most likely go on the results that are already run in the PSA diagnostics. Especially as the PSA's incorporate the Memtest diagnostics in its tests. If you get an error from third-party diagnostics, then, we would need to check they are compatible and that the key to the error codes is available. You would be better to skip this and move to the next step.

2. To rule out a virtual memory fault, I'd recommend checking a couple of quick things on your PC. The first is to confirm that windows is handling your virtual memory? Go to control panel and performance in the hardware window and check your settings. Reset it if needed. Confirm which partition the virtual memory is being allocated from? The Computer assigns space on your Hard Drive to swap memory from your physical memory. The information will be located at the same place you confirm that the PC is handling the memory. Check that partition and ensure at least 6-10 GB is free on that partition. Most paging files are only 2-4 GB, but if the PC is handling this it can change the size as needed. Once you set this test the system to see if the fault returns. If it does go to the next step.

   Virtual Memory

   If your computer lacks the random access memory (RAM) needed to run a program or operation, Windows uses virtual memory to compensate.

   Virtual memory combines your physical RAM with temporary space on your hard disk. When RAM runs low, virtual memory moves data from RAM to a space called a paging file. Moving data to and from the paging file frees up RAM to complete its work.

   The more RAM your computer has, the faster your programs will generally run. If a lack of RAM is slowing your computer, you might be tempted to increase virtual memory to compensate. However, your computer can read data from RAM much more quickly than from a hard disk, so adding RAM is a better solution.

3. You can monitor the memory usage through Task Manager and event log exceptions. This would let you track if there was a particular program, process, or device that coincided with the errors. Alternatively is your memory usage high? If you can get into the windows environment to monitor these, then it cuts down on the number of issues you need to check. I have included a link below to a jump page with how-to guides on these methods for each of the different OS's.

   1. If Task Manager shows high memory usage, then you may simply need more memory that is installed to do all the work you want to do on your system. Normally this would mean replacing the original memory with larger sized DIMMs that you have purchased.

   2. If Task manager shows that the issue is with the OS, a program or with a process, then you may want to run a free third-party malware checker like Malwarebytes and if the problem continues then restore or reinstall your version of the OS to resolve the issue.

   • How to identify and troubleshoot potential OS Reinstall or Drivers issues on my Dell notebook computer?

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