It goes without saying that a defective RAM can cause lots of problems. Some of these include Blue Screens of Death, reboots, freezes and frequent crashes too.

In fact, if you are using a memory-intensive game or application and these issues occur, bad RAM will most likely be the cause for this to take place. However, it would be a bad idea to assume this and try and fix the problem according to this assumption.

However, if you are sure that a bad RAM is truly the problem, then you will have to identify the bad module as the next step.

For this, one can use a free, diagnostic tool called MemTest86 which can loaded on both a CD as well as a USB drive. Both these versions are bootable, and once installed on either type of removable media, you can run the test.

Now before you do that, shut down your computer, unplug the power cable and open your laptop or PC. If you’re not sure how to do that, then look through your user manual for help.

Next, remove one RAM module. Now close your computer and run the memory test at least three times. It will take at least an hour to do so.

(You might have to go into Setup because of the change in RAM before you run the test, and while you’re there, check if it is showing the right amount too or else make the right changes.)

Repeat this process for all the modules too see which one is faulty and replace it with a new module.