[JohnWill]

I provided the exact link to the ZIP file, right?

Use the ZIP file and burn the disk using the image option in Nero. Then, boot from the CD and make sure it boots and starts the memory test, it should run on any system and doesn't affect any files at all, perfectly safe to test it before you take it with you.

[LauraMJ]

Actually, I did not see your second link. Got it now.

Have to go out for a while, again, but I'll create the MemTest CD this evening and boot from it and make sure it works.

[LauraMJ]

Okay, I'm here at my sister's house on her laptop. I'm currently running MemTest86 on the problem computer. The first pass is only 64% done and there are 14,132 errors at last count. I'm assuming this is bad memory.

Dell had told my sister that reinstalling Windows was going to fix the problem.

[LauraMJ]

Eighty percent done, and 32,575 errors.

[LauraMJ]

First pass ended with 35,785 errors. I think it might be the memory.

[Frank4d]

That isn't good. If your sisters PC has two sticks of RAM, try running Memtest with one installed at a time (maybe one is bad). Or try removing both and re-seating them both at once (bad contacts).

These things are hard to troubleshoot without a boat load of spare parts as it could be RAM, motherboard, CPU or power supply.

[LauraMJ]

Well, she's got four modules. Two 1GB and two 512MB. I've tested the two 1GBs and they passed, the two 512s have not.

[LauraMJ]

I've taken the two 512s out and left the two 1GBs in. I'm working off of the problem computer right now, and it seems to be fine. I'm going to let it run all evening and all night and see what happens.

I"ll update this tomorrow and let everyone know if there are any more errors.

[LauraMJ]

Well, we left the computer on all night, and did a lot of work on it this morning.......absolutely NO errors or glitches........in fact, my sister said that it hasn't run so fast and brisk in weeks.

Last thing I did before I left was to run sfc /scannow. So, I think I can mark this solved.