Memory problems on Windows can be diagnosed quickly and easily using a number of tools available. In this article, we will cover several methods for diagnosing memory problems on Windows, from the Event Viewer to Performance Monitor to Task Manager and more.
Event Viewer:
The Event Viewer provides detailed information about system events, such as application crashes, hardware malfunctions, or unexpected shutdowns. System logs are available from the Windows NT family (Windows 7,8 and 10) and later. Memory-related issues are typically recorded in the Application, System, and Security event logs.
To open the Event Viewer, navigate to Run > type eventvwr.msc, then press Enter. Once the Event Viewer opens, you can view the system log by expanding Windows Logs > System. Look for any entries marked with red warnings, which may indicate a memory issue.
Performance Monitor:
Performance Monitor is a free utility provided with Windows that you can use to monitor various aspects of system performance, including memory usage. To open Performance Monitor, navigate to Start > Administrative Tools > Performance Monitor.
Once open, click on the Add button and select Memory from the list. You can then select the counters you want to track, such as Page File Usage, Available Mbytes, or Commit Limit. The Memory section is also useful for tracking virtual memory performance.
Task Manager:
Task Manager is a useful tool for viewing system resource usage, including memory. It allows you to see which processes are using the most memory so you can identify the source of a potential problem.
To open Task Manager, press Ctrl + Shift + Esc. Go to the Performance tab and select Memory from the list. Here you will see an overview of your system’s memory usage and the processes using memory. If you see a process using an excessive amount of memory, you may need to end it or uninstall it.
Windows Memory Diagnostic Tool:
Windows Memory Diagnostic is a free tool provided by Microsoft that you can use to scan your machine’s RAM for errors. To use it, press Win+R and type mdsched.exe, then press Enter.
Choose Restart Now and check for problems. A results page will be displayed at the end of the scan. If errors are reported, you might need to replace or upgrade the faulty RAM module.
System File Checker:
Windows System File Checker (SFC) is a tool that scans Windows system files and replaces any corrupted or missing files. This can help resolve many types of memory-related issues, including blue screens and slow downs.
To run SFC, open Command Prompt (run > cmd.exe) and type sfc /scannow, then press Enter. SFC should take a few minutes to complete and provide a report on whether any system files were replaced.
Conclusion
Diagnosing memory problems on Windows is relatively straightforward. The Event Viewer, Performance Monitor, Task Manager, Windows Memory Diagnostic Tool, and System File Checker are all free tools that you can use to diagnose and fix memory problems. However, if these tools don’t resolve the issue, you may need to contact your system administrator or a professional IT service for further assistance.