Memory testers

vext01 · July 2015

Hi,

Just wondering which software people are using to test the memory in their spectrum. I have been using Zorn's memory tester as described here:
http://www.worldofspectrum.org/forums/discussion/41027/diagnosing-a-strange-software-fault-in-a-48k#latest

(Zorn's hosting has since disappeared, but I pulled the file from my personal archive on my server)

I wanted to use this with picodivsd, but I don't seem to be able to reliable make a tap or snapshot without getting warnings from the emulator. The snapshot does seem to work but I am not 100% confident.

Perhaps someone knows a better utility? (I don't want to replace the ROM to test the ram).

Cheers.

balford · July 2015

I do a tape based version of zx-diagnostics (TAP image here). It relies on somewhat working RAM though, so it's only useful in certain modes of failure. Try it out and let me know if it's useful to you.

B

Pegaz · July 2015

You can also try this Russian mem test utils.

http://vtrdos.ru/system/AUMT.zip (Another Universal Memory Test)
http://vtrdos.ru/system/MEMT1_03.ZIP (Memory Test)
http://vtrdos.ru/system/RAMD2_0.ZIP (Ram Doctor)
http://vtrdos.ru/system/IRAMTEST.ZIP

RamDoctor v2.0 work good with spectrum 48/128k models, others worked only on Russian models or at least I couldnt starting them with original Spectrums.

vext01 · July 2015

@balford, thanks, looks great. I like the way you report which IC may be busted. It's also quicker than Zorn's tester. Hopefully it's as thorough(?). I just tried it in an emulator for now, but I will try on real systems tomorrow.

@pegaz, yeh I saw those, but I don't speak Russian.

vext01 · July 2015

@balford, thanks. Your tester found issues on a 48k board I was working on. :)

Antmota · November 2015

Hello,

Just used the amazing balford tester onde me timex tc2068 and the first 16k are ok but the upper RAM is failing as I presumed.
I can play "manic miner" and original "PAC man" but not newer and bigger games.

The bad IC's are mentioned. Are they easy to find and replace?
Is this problem Just the ram ic's? Nothing more?

Regards
Antonio

balford · November 2015

The tester won't know about the TC2068, so will have identified faulty RAM IC's based on the assumption that it's running on a standard 48K Spectrum.

Can you post up which IC's are being reported as faulty, and I can cross reference the bits to the actual RAM IC's in the 2068. (I didn't think anyone would actually use this on such a machine, so it doesn't include the required mappings).

B

Memory testers

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