Test the computer's RAM

It's always a good idea to test your memory periodically, especially if you have only just installed Vista, or if you are reading this article because you are having performance or stability issues with the operating system.

Fortunately, Vista has a built in memory testing application which will do the job quite well. You will have to restart and leave the computer system alone for 30 minutes or so though.

To test your memory with the windows Vista memory testing tool:

Open the 'start' menu and type 'memory' in the search bar and hit Enter.

Choose the 'restart now and check for problems' option.

The computer will restart and run through a full memory test. There are other ways to test and diagnose bad system memory.