Surface Pro 8 Memory Errors

[b3nb123]

I bought a surface Pro 8, rather stupidly, used (apparently it was open box but unused) some months back, and it occasionally had a blue screen problem.
I've had it too long to complain to the seller now, and although there are times it behaves well, there are plenty of times where I'm asking a little too much of the device and it tells me it is 'just gathering some information and will reboot when ready'.
There's a Stop Code on the bluescreen for Memory Management. So I ran Windows memtest and it came back clear.

Is there anything else I should try? To test where the problem lies?

 

[GreyFox7]

It looks like the Windows memtest is incomplete.
Try running Memtest86 A Full Review of MemTest86, a Free RAM Testing Software Program

 

[b3nb123]

Thanks for your reply. That looks exactly like what I need to do - further Memory Tests for sure.
I've created a bootable USB using the Memtest guide, but I can't get the Surface to boot from USB.

I noticed the guide says you don't actually boot from USB, you go into the BIOS (UEFI) and boot to the USB from there - but I can't get into a real BIOS on the Surface - just a Windows-looking version, with no Boot from USB option.

Any ideas?
(You may have noticed I don't quite know what I'm on about here!!)

 

[GreyFox7]

arg ... apologies ... it looks like their USB doesn't boot on a Surface Pro 8 for some reason ... let me see if I can figure out a workaround ... I'll post my findings later

 

[jnjroach]

You can boot from USB using the Under the Updates - Recovery - Advanced Startup and then choose to boot from USB.

 

[GreyFox7]

so I messaged the support for MemTest86 and they said... try turning off Secure Boot.

 

[b3nb123]

So I went to the EUFI settings, turned of secure boot, and it locked me out of even booting - BitLocker asking me to enter my recovery key to get it going again - I found the key in my MS account, unlocked the drive, and I'm now trying to boot to USB again...

And- now it does boot from the USB! I'll see how Memtest86 does now...

Thanks so much for the help guys! If it does find errors, is it possible to get the system to stop using the bad sectors or whatever? As the RAM is soldered to the board? Or, if it finds bad ones is it just proof that I need to get it sent off and repaired?

 

[GreyFox7]

yeah, there's no zoning out memory segments it would have to be replaced.

 

[b3nb123]

Well, it's most of the way through pass 3 of 4, and there are no errors yet. So I have no idea why I've gotten bluescreens with memory messages so often!

 

[b3nb123]

I appreciate the help with getting the Memtest working!
Well, my Surface 8 Pro passed the tests with no errors. Which is great of course, but doesn't help with why I have so many bluescreens with Memory Management messages!?!

 

[GreyFox7]

try running from an administrative command prompt or Windows Terminal (admin)

DISM.exe /Online /Cleanup-image /Restorehealth​

Followed by

SFC /SCANNOW​

if these don't fix it I'd try either a Clean Install or Restoring the Recovery Image. either of these will wipe any files on the local drive so perform necessary backups first.

given that the Memory test passed it would seem to be a software problem. That said some hardware issues can be particularly stealthy but you've done all the right things.

 

[b3nb123]

Thanks Have run both of those successfully, the SFC scan said it found corrupt files and successfully repaired them! So that could well have been it!

I'll see if it behaves itself now, otherwise, I'll consider a fresh install, but that sounds promising!