Most Macintosh freeze-ups, crashes and other failures are easily found. Broken software, a bad drive or some other troubled peripheral problem can be solved with some simple detective work. But then there's that random, inexplicable problem that is never easily solved - a system that freezes when the computer is idle. Momentary lockups. The beachball that never goes away. Oddly-colored pixels that randomly appear or normal ones that inexplicably disappear. Even a random restart for no reason resulting in a loss of any unsaved work.
These problems are often the result of faulty memory. RAM is one of the few components that is handled by users, sold in bulk by the lowest bidders and is in such demand that many manufacturers don't test modules as extensively as they should. And while a truly bad memory module will often show its faults immediately after installation, a partially faulty one will not. Which can lead to hours of diagnosing what seems like a normal problem that in reality is not normal at all.
That's why Micromat has developed ATOMIC, the most advanced memory tester available for Macintosh. Two years in the making, we've created the most extensive RAM testing program ever made for Macintosh. Whether you're an experienced technician that works on multiple computers a day or an everyday-user wanting to troubleshoot your own machine, ATOMIC was made for you.
Check RAM Speed on MacOS Click on the Apple logo. Go to 'About this Mac'.
One click of your mouse and ATOMIC will perform a comprehensive test of your system's memory. You don't even need to read the manual. More extensive test options are available for those who want to dig deeper into potential problems. Read on for more information about this powerful program and order your copy today!
SAD MAC? It could be your RAM
While the sad Mac icon has been replaced with other, more modern, icons, it is still iconic as a symbol of technological limitations. The hardware in your Mac, despite ample marketing to the contrary, is prone to failure. This is particularly true of your Mac's memory. RAM modules - especially those that you can replace - are easily damaged when installed or replaced. Sudden slowdowns, unpredictable and unwanted glitches, and computer crashes, each may point to a problem with your Mac's memory.
Prevent Kernel Panic
Has your Mac ever done this? Even though everything seems normal, your Mac will suddenly restart or freeze and display a graphic like this one. Sometimes there is a corrupt extension, or your Mac received a bad packet from the network. Often though, these kernel panics are a result of bad memory. Some data went into your RAM one way, and came out differently - and the process that was waiting for that data didn't know what to do. If you've been seeing kernel panics, you should think about testing your Memory.
Solve Memory Problems
Memory is problematic enough that we felt that it needed a dedicated tool. Performing more tests on more of your memory with more control, ATOMIC is the most powerful and customizable memory tester available for your Mac. ATOMIC is a dedicated memory testing program that can detect problems with your memory by using a wide variety of memory testing techniques. By writing information to your Mac’s RAM in specific ways, problems can be detected before damaged RAM can damage your important files. By changing the data in your memory using these patterns, common errors can be detected before they occur. Once ATOMIC finds an error with your RAM you can take steps to replace it before the problem results in data loss.
The Tests
Stuck Address — On the first pass, this test writes the address of each memory cell to that cell itself. On the second pass, the address is read and verified to ensure address space uniqueness. |
| Checkerboard — This test makes four passes. The first writes a pattern (different for each run). The second pass reads/verifies the pattern and writes the inverse of the original pattern, repeating for the remaining two passes. This checks for adjacent bit sensitivity - a situation in which addresses other than the one being modified are affected. |
| Extended March C — This test uses a complex algorithm consisting of six passes through memory. It moves upwards through memory during the first three passes, writing and reading/verifying either 0s or 1s. The next two passes move downward, reading/writing 1s and 0s again (alternatively). The final pass may travel either direction, verifying that the last write was successful. This test detects address faults, coupling faults, stuck-at faults, stuck-open faults, and transition faults. |
| Random Values — This test first writes a series of random numbers into memory. Then, on the second pass, the initial pattern is verified. Testing with random values can help locate intermittent problems. This test is also helpful in checking for neighborhood pattern sensitivity. Over multiple runs, it can help identify temperature sensitivity. |
Solid Bits — This test writes a solid bit pattern into memory, for example all 1s. The initial pattern is checked and then complemented - switched to all 0s - and checked again. This checks that all addresses are both readable and writeable. |
Bit Spread — This test moves a 101 pattern through a field of 0s. The test detects changes in adjacent cells by looking for 1s where 0s are expected. |
Walking Ones — Starting with the bit pattern 00000001, each memory cell is written and read to verify the pattern. The 1 is moved over by one address and then the test is repeated for each position. This test ensures that each bit can maintain a value opposite of its neighboring bits, known as an intra-word coupling fault. It can also find stuck address faults. |
Walking Zeroes — The inverse of Walking Ones. A pattern of 11111110 is the starting pattern, and the 0 is moved through memory. Useful for detecting intra-word coupling faults and stuck address faults. |
Bit Flip — Combines the Walking Ones and Zeros with an alternating 10101010 pattern. Each bit (either a 1 or a 0) is changed to its compliment as the test moves through memory, testing to ensure that the pattern isn’t broken. This test is also useful for detecting intra-word coupling faults and stuck address faults. |
Block Sequence —This test is similar to the Walking Ones and Zeros tests. It moves an exhaustive series of patterns through a field of either 1s or 0s. In addition to locating intra-word coupling faults, it is also useful for detecting if RAM is susceptible to neighborhood pattern sensitivity. |
System Requirements:
Intel-based Macs
OS X 10.9 and newer
Random Access Memory (RAM) is a vital component of any computer. When you launch an app on your Mac, it requires a portion of your available memory to run. Serious problems can arise if there are problems with your computer’s memory.
Today we’ll look at how to find out how much memory you have, what’s using it, and how you can perform thorough testing to ensure it’s working correctly. If you recently installed a new stick of RAM and you’re encountering problems, testing is a vital part of troubleshooting your issue.
Find Out How Much Memory You Have
To find out how much memory your Mac has, click on the Apple logo in the top-left corner of your screen and select About This Mac. On the Overview tab, the Memory line lists the amount of RAM in GB, the speed of the RAM in MHz, and the generation of double data rate (DDR) you’re currently using.
This is important if you intend to add more RAM to your machine How to Upgrade the RAM on Your MacLearn how to check if you can replace your Mac's RAM, where to buy RAM, and how to upgrade it in this Mac RAM upgrade guide. Read More , since you’ll want to match your existing RAM with any you install. This is mostly advice for owners of iMacs and older MacBooks, since the RAM on Apple’s newer laptops is soldered to the logic board.
Click System Report and navigate to the Memory section to find out even more information. Here you can see how many sticks of RAM you have installed, which is another important piece of information to keep in mind if you want to upgrade. macOS will also give you a status report of your memory’s current condition (though you’ll need further testing to isolate problems).
Find Out What’s Using Your Memory
Activity Monitor is a small app that lives in your Applications > Utilities folder (launch it with Spotlight 7 Good Habits Every Mac User Should Get Used ToToday we're going to share our favourite good Mac habits, while desperately trying to forget the bad ones. Read More ) that provides information about what’s currently running on your machine. You can also use it to find out which apps are using your available memory, and how much they’re using.
Launch Activity Monitor, then click on the Memory tab. Sort the Memory column by descending order (it will show a downwards pointing arrow) to see processes that are using the most memory at the top. If you see “kernel_task” using a lot of memory, that’s the operating system ticking along in the background.
You can kill any processes by selecting it, then clicking on the X at the top of the window. Keep in mind this will close the corresponding app or browser tab. To avoid data loss, quit the application as you normally would, or by selecting it and using the Cmd + Q shortcut.
Pdf-shuffler alternatives for mac. At the bottom of this screen, you’ll see a summary of your total memory, the amount you’re currently using, and a graph showing memory “pressure” over time. Try opening a few apps to see how they affect performance.
Learn the Symptoms of Faulty Memory
There are a few telltale signs that suggest your memory may not be working correctly. Watch out for any of these problems:
- Apps crash unexpectedly, more often than they used to.
- Your operating system freezes or restarts with no warning.
- Poor performance means your computer gets slower the longer you use it.
- Files and settings become corrupted easily.
- Problems occur even after you have reinstalled macOS How to Reinstall macOS for a Fast and Squeaky Clean MacNeed to restore your Mac to factory settings? Here's how to install a fresh copy of macOS and erase everything. Read More .
- Boot problems, including three beeps on startup.
The best way to check your Mac’s memory for problems is to perform memory testing while using as little of it as possible. Since the operating system uses quite a bit of RAM in the background, testing memory by booting into a lightweight testing environment is recommended.
There are two methods of testing that we’ll look at today: Apple’s own set of user diagnostics How to Identify Mac Issues With Apple's Hardware Diagnostics TestsIf your Mac isn't working right, you can try Apple's built-in diagnostic tests to find out what's wrong with your battery, processor, and more. Here's how to use Apple Hardware Test and Apple Diagnostics. Read More , and a third-party tool called MemTest86.
Check Your Memory Using Apple Diagnostics
Testing your RAM with Apple’s user diagnostics tools is easy. Simply restart your Mac, then hold down D as soon as it restarts. If you did it correctly, your computer will either boot into Apple Diagnostics or Apple Hardware Test, depending on the age of your machine.
Follow the prompts and let the test complete. It can take a while, particularly on older computers. When you’re done, you should see a report giving you a brief overview of any detected issues. Unfortunately, the test will only tell you whether or not problems were detected. You won’t be able to tell which stick of RAM is faulty.
Problems running the test? Holding down Option + D at startup will run this test from the internet. It will take longer to gather the required files, but it should work just as well once the download completes.
Check Your Memory Using MemTest86
If you want to learn more about any problems Apple’s diagnostics detected, or you want to run another test for peace of mind, MemTest86 is one of the best tools for the job. There are a few memory testing tools that use similar names, but MemTest86 is still regularly maintained and updated.
In order to test your machine, you’re going to need to make a bootable USB drive How to Create and Boot From a Linux USB Drive on MacThere are a few ways to get a create a live Linux USB drive that will boot on your Mac: you can do it with freeware, or get your hands dirty with the command line. Read More from which to run the test. The first step is to find a suitable USB drive and make sure there are no important files on there, since the whole drive will be erased. Insert the USB drive into a free port.
Now download free drive creation tool Etcher, mount the DMG, and install it to your Applications folder. Head to the MemTest86 Downloads page and grab the Image for creating bootable USB Drive under Linux/Mac Downloads.
Once MemTest86 has downloaded, extract the archive and launch Etcher. Click Select image, navigate to the extracted archive you previously downloaded, and choose the memtest-usb.img file. Now click Select drive and choose the USB drive you want to use. When you’re ready, click Flash! and wait for the process to complete.
Next, shut down the Mac you want to test and insert the USB drive you just created. Press and hold the Option key and power on your Mac. When prompted, select the external drive you created (it may show up as EFI Boot) by clicking the arrow to boot into MemTest. Don’t select Macintosh HD, since this is your internal drive.
Wait for MemTest86 to initialize. Testing should begin after a short pause, but if it doesn’t, select Config then Start Test. Allow time for the test to complete; it took around 40 minutes on our test machine. At the end you’ll be given a summary, and an option to save a report to the USB drive in HTML format.
Save the report if you find anything unusual and use it to seek help Need Mac Tech Support? Here Are Your Options'Tech support' — two words that strike fear into the hearts of all but the most competent computer users out there. Where do you begin to look when things start to go wrong? Read More on message boards like Apple Support Communities, or from a technician.
Free Up Disk Space on Your Mac
Some people use “memory” as a catch-all term for free space, but macOS specifically refers to this as “storage.” You can find more information about this by clicking the Apple logo, selecting About This Mac, then clicking on the Storage tab.
Don’t forget to try out a few of our recommended free tools to inspect how much free space you have on your Mac 3 Free Apps to Analyze & Inspect Your Mac's Hard Disk SpaceWondering where all of your Mac's storage has gone? These free apps will let you know. Read More , and remedies to create as much free space as possible.
Recent News