Bad RAM? Just started getting these erorr messages.

matts5074

I'm thinking bad RAM. CPU temp is normal. I have 2 sticks of 512MB DDR 2700 off brand RAM that is about 3 years old. Just curious what you guys think before I take the RAM out and start troubleshooting because the system is water cooled, so it's not the quickest thing to get to.

These warnings pop up after I close the application, they seem to run fine other than that.

This is what it writes in the event log:

Application popup: steam.exe - Application Error : The instruction at "0x011125b3" referenced memory at "0x012323e0". The memory could not be "read".

Application popup: XPCOM:EventReceiver: firefox.exe - Application Error : The instruction at "0x015e25b3" referenced memory at "0x017023e0". The memory could not be "read".

Application popup: Acrobat IEHelper: iexplore.exe - Application Error : The instruction at "0x019525b3" referenced memory at "0x019723e0". The memory could not be "read".

RussS

Fire it up and run memtest as your first port of call - that should tell you if you have a faulty memory stick.

matts5074

Hmm, it passes memtest and I tried BurnInTest with CPU and Memory tests also. Passed all of those too... still getting the errors.

TheShadow

Three years is about the time that the bad caps were floating around. Look at the capacitors around your CPU (tall can shaped componets with silver tops). The caps normally have a k or x shaped groove in the top to allow controlled explosion. The tops should be perfectly flat as in totally flat. Any bluge at all indicates a defect so do brown stains around them on top or near them on the motherboard.

Problems with a motherboard with bad caps show as intermittant memory errors for several months progressing to random reboots to finally a motherboard short which keeps it from turning on. MEMTEST generally passes unless you have a test that runs for hours. The error is caused by extreme current swings from memory switching the randomness of which is not tested well by test routines. The caps are there to buffer those current swings. Even Dell has finally had to admit to the problem causing their stock dive last week. IBM has been quietly replacing system boards for a year as has motherboard makers like MSI, Asus etc.

JDMurray

I vote for spyware program(s) interfering with the operation of these processes. The thing that really makes me suspicious is that these memory read errors only occur after an application is closed down. It sounds like some spyware is hooking into your apps and trying to record what you are doing and report back to the "mothership." FF, IE, and Steam are all apps that use login names and passwords, and they are typical spyware targets.

Run the usual cleaners, like Adaware and Spybot Search & Destroy. Also run rootkit revealer from sysinternals.com. You might try an offline scan of the drive in case you have a spyware program that's very resistant to being removed.

matts5074

jdmurray hit it on the head!

I installed some LSP software when I logged into a Juniper secure portal for work. Removed that and my problem is gone. Thanks!

mobri09

Jdmurray you have been nailing the questions lately! Way to go

JDMurray

Yup, it looks like I'm a one-man Geek Squad!

mobri09

hahah good stuff!

Red Zebra

Just wanted to chime in and say that jdmurray and matts5074 saved me a complete reinstall Talked to my warranty provider this morning about matts5074 firefox problem and in no time they were telling me to wipe and reinstall.

Needless to say, keeping your nose to the grind stone really pays off....

Thanks again!!

Good posts never die......when they continue to help out others