"John@Smith.com" wrote:
>
.... snip ...
>
> Anyway, what happened was I didnt know it at first that it was my
> memory --- my system acted BIZARRE. Overtime my system acted flakier
> and flakier and windows would get corrupted eventually and start
> rebooting my system and freezing. I would reinstall and everything
> would be fine and then two weeks later crash ! I thought it was
> drivers or my HD. My HD was a primary suspect cause I assume my
> memory effected every piece on my system. My WD actually after the
> initial usual partitioning and formatting for a new WIN XP install ,
> started clicking and eventually refusing to bootup. And I developed a
> partially bad pixel on my LCD ! One pixel was stuck on blue ! After
> finally DUHHHHH testing everything else I decided to really test my
> mem.
>
> The thing I found in this case -- unlike a few times in the past with
> neighbors systems etc where I found errors right away , these were
> more subtle and took overnight or even two days !!!!! It was
> maddening. I must have tested it 2o times cause it would come out OK
> for hours then ZING error. Sometimes within 4 hours, other times 10
> hours or longer. So like Kony says the odds are usually theyll show up
> right away but its no guarantee. If you still have problems do it
> overnight. Or always do it overnight to be more confident about it.

This is the sort of problem you will never have if you simply
install ECC memory (assuming the chipset can handle it). That sort
of thing would have been corrected and the actual correction
logged, so that you can take steps long before serious data damage
occurs.

However, you should turn off ECC operation before using a memory
tester.

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