How to test RAM before selling it
Faulty memory rarely looks faulty: a bad stick shows up as occasional crashes, not a dead computer. A proper memory test finds it in an hour or two, most of it waiting, and tells you exactly what you’re selling.
1. Turn off XMP or EXPO
Test at the memory’s standard settings first. In the BIOS, turn off the XMP (Intel) or EXPO (AMD) profile, or load the defaults. An unstable overclocked profile can throw errors on perfectly good memory.
2. Run MemTest86
- Download the free edition of MemTest86 and write it to a USB stick with its image tool.
- Boot the computer from the USB stick.
- Let it run its full set of passes — the default of four is enough. With a lot of memory, that can take a few hours.
- A result of zero errors means the memory is good.
Or use Windows Memory Diagnostic
Windows has a basic test built in: press Windows + R, type mdsched.exe and choose to restart and check for problems. The result appears after Windows starts again. It’s less thorough than MemTest86, so use it as a quick first check.
3. If you get errors
- Reseat every stick and clean the contacts with a dry, lint-free cloth, then test again.
- Test one stick at a time to find which one is faulty — the rest may be fine to sell.
- An error on a single stick, in any slot, means that stick is faulty.
After the test
We pay for memory that works: a stick that fails a memory test gets no offer, but if you’re shipping other parts, put it in the box and we’ll recycle it responsibly. For the sticks that pass, find exactly what you have and see what it’s worth. Pack each in an anti-static bag.