One of the most common issues with vintage computers is faulty RAM. For whatever reason, certain manufacturers and part numbers seem to fail at a much higher rate than others. Being able to test suspect RAM can be hugely helpful. This DRAM Tester supports a wide range of common parts – the 4116, 4164, 41256, 4332, 4132 and many more.
Sometimes the parts fail completely and it’s obvious that they are damaged. But in many cases, you’ll have intermittent faults or strange behaviour that comes and goes. Some software diagnostic cartridges can do RAM checks but if you regularly repair or test vintage computers, having a hardware RAM tester on hand can make the job a lot easier — especially if you’re unable to get software to load due to RAM issues.
With four different test modes, you can find out if there are faulty cells, issues with dynamic refresh, or intermittent faults. It can also be handy to test purchased RAM chips before installing them to make sure you’re not installing faulty parts! If you deal with any of these older dynamic RAM chips this tester will make a great addition to your toolkit.
