Start Up and Memory BIOS Test Failed

[Alexandra73]

I recently tested my start up and memory in the BIOS advanced system diagnostics, and it said they both failed. My computer still works normally. How can I fix this?

FAILURE ID: 9JL9B1-5NE6AC-MFPV56-407003

PRODUCT NUMBER: LUW342UA#ABA

OS: WINDOWS 7 64 BIT

[AttackofZaq]

Hello Alexandra73. Are you receiving any errors during boot? What about during the normal operating of the notebook?

I'm just trying to understand if you're only receiving this error when you test the memory--but you haven't actually experienced any issues yet?

Try hard resetting the notebook.

1. Shut down the notebook.
2. Remove the battery and AC power.
3. Hold the power button for 10-15 seconds.
4. Replace battery and AC power.
5. Boot notebook and verify that the problem is(n't) resolved.
6. Post the result.

i will await your response; have a great evening.

[Alexandra73]

What prompted me to do those scans was 2 blue screen errors, the first being memory management, and the second system service exemption. And no, I don't have any errors when starting up. The errors happened out of the blue, during normal operation.

[AttackofZaq]

Hello again Alexandra73. I understand what you meant now. The combination of the blue screen errors and a fail on the memory test implies that the memory is failing or damaged. The notebook may work fine right up to the point when one or both (depending on the configuration of the notebook) fails.

If you believe the notebook is still in warranty (check here) I suggest you contact HP Support directly to inquire about a repair. If you're in the US/Canada just give them a call at 1-800-474-6836. If you're in another region of the world you'll need to visit HP Support Worldwide to locate your country's contact information.

If your notebook is out of warranty or you'd like to look into the repair yourself I'll need your product number to gather the information. This document can show you how to locate the product number.

Have a great morning!

[Alexandra73]

It is out of warranty and I would like to fix it myself. The product number is LW342UA#ABA.

[AttackofZaq]

Hello Alexandra73. I can certainly provide you with the needed information. Replacing the memory is a very simple repair for most notebooks.

Here is a link to your notebook's Maintenance and Service Guide. This guide gives detailed instructions on disassembling and repairing the notebook. Page 53 of this guide contains the instructions and part information for the memory. The memory module's part numbers are 621569-001 (4GB), 621565-001 (2GB), and 639736-001 (1GB). These parts can be ordered from the HP Part Surfer page.

If you have any further questions feel free to ask. If you feel this answers your question please make sure to mark it solved.

Have a great week!

[Alexandra73]

I have one concern. I don't feel like the memory should be failing, since my notebook is less than 2 years old. Do you think that it could be something else causing this problem?

[AttackofZaq]

In my own personal experience I have had memory fail during every time frame. I've had memory be dead on arrival, die after a few months, and even had some survive longer than the rest of the internal components in the PC. So, the memory could fail at any time.

I do understand your reluctance and wanting to make sure that it is the correct solution before continuing. So, I have a few suggestions.

Thought it is very unlikely for the memory test to throw a false positive it is always possible. You could get a second opinion from another memory testing application. I suggest Memtest86 as this is pretty much the standard for memory tests. Here is a link to their site

Another option is to follow the instructions in the maintenance guide that I posted above to locate the memory module(s). Do you have two sticks of RAM or just one? If you have two you can remove one, reassemble the notebook, and again test the memory. If one stick passes remove it and repeat the process with the other memory module. This will show conclusively that the issue is with the memory. If you only have one memory module you could reseat it to ensure it is properly installed and run the test again.

In short there really aren't many other possibilities here. The only other cause I can think of would be the actual part which the RAM connects to but there is not a good way to determine that without replacing the RAM anyway. So, really the best thing to do would be to try removing the modules individually and testing them to figure out which part is causing the problem and replace it.

I hope this is helpful!

[Alexandra73]

I would like to use Memtest86, but I'm not really good with ISO and binary. Do you think you could tell me how to use it?

[AttackofZaq]

Luckily Windows 7 (unlike previous versions of Windows) has a built in tool for burning an ISO. I have a good document to walk you through the process but I want to type out some steps to fill in the gaps.

1. Download this image.
2. Locate the file on your hard drive, right click it, and select "Extract." This will give you a folder with an ISO file in it. If you don't extract the file it won't work.
3. After you have the ISO extracted follow these directions.
4. Once the CD is burned you'll need to reboot your notebook and press F10 until you enter the BIOS. 
5. Once in the BIOS navigate to the "System Configuration" section and select "Boot Order."
6. You want the CD-Drive to be the first boot device. The second should be the hard drive.
7. Save these changes and reboot the notebook.
8. The notebook should boot from the CD-Drive and allow you to run the test. 
9. Post the result.