Advice needed on Memtest failure

[freebooter]

I have had some stability and corrupt files issues recently. Tested my hd and that is fine. I ran memtest and it failed test 7. I have tried each stick separately and in different slots and the result is the same. All tests pass except test 7 which fails immediately and continues failing until I get bored and esc.

However I suspect it may be the cpu instead of the memory. I fitted a new cpu cooler a while ago. It was an awkward fit and I have never been confident that the heat goo was applied very well. A few weeks ago I decided to refit it with new goo. As I said it is a very awkward clamp and the old goo turned out to have formed a strong bond with the cpu. When I tried to remove the heat sink it pulled the cpu out of the socket and some of the pins were bent. When I refitted it I had to bend the pins back.

The problems started after this. The memory tested fine when I built the pc about a year ago and has been run at stock and I didn't get any problems until after I messed up taking the cpu out.

Could the failing test 7 in memtest be a fault with the cpu instead of the memory? Is there any tests I can run that could determine whether the fault is the ram,cpu or motherboard?

thanks

 

[Rooster212]

You might have bent one of the pins to the point that once of the traces to the memory is faulty, meaning that the CPU can't access parts of the RAM, which would give you errors. You should test one stick at a time in a separate computer if you can.

You might want to loosen your cooler a little bit too, a cooler that is too tight can bend the motherboard a bit.