Windows Memory Diagnostic Tool Stuck: Quick Fixes

Windows 10 and older systems come with a Windows memory diagnostic tool to verify and test the RAM. When launched, it will check the RAM for any issues while working on your system.

Unfortunately, some users have reported the Windows memory diagnostic tool stuck problems after running the tool.

How long should a Windows Memory Diagnostic take?

The Windows Memory Diagnostic tool in extended mode can take anywhere from 15 minutes to 20+ hours, depending on the RAM size.

When run in extended mode, Windows Memory diagnostics can take a couple of hours to finish the testing process. Also, the Windows Memory Diagnostic tool is known to get stuck at 1% and 21% progression for hours.

However, if the tool is stuck for an entire day or more than 10 hours, this problem can be due to a system glitch.

In this article, we have listed a few troubleshooting steps to help you resolve the Windows memory diagnostic tool stuck/frozen issue on your Windows system.

How can I fix the Windows Memory Diagnostic tool stuck issue?

1. Wait for the tool to complete the process

When run in extended mode, the Windows Memory Diagnostic tool can take more than 8 hours to complete the process. At times the tool may get stuck at 21%, 88%, 89%, and 90% progression for hours. You may see no progress for more than 4 hours as well.

However, this is normal with the Windows Memory Diagnostic tool. Unless the tool is stuck at 21% for an entire day, you can let the tool run a few hours and let the process complete without any interruption. 

If the tool has been stuck for more than a day without any progression, you may try other troubleshooting steps listed in this article.

2. Run the tool after performing a clean boot

1. Press the Windows key + R to open Run.
2. Type msconfig.msc and click OK. This will open the System Configuration window.
3. In the System Configuration window, open the Services tab.
4. Check Hide all Microsoft services box. This will hide all the Microsoft Windows services required by the system.
5. Next, click the Disable All button.
6. Click Apply to save the changes.
7. Right-click on the Taskbar and select Task Manager.
8. In Task Manager, open the Startup tab.
   
   
9. Select all the services one by one and click the Disable button. Make sure you have disabled all the services under the Startup tab.
10. Close Task Manager, and in the System Configuration window, click OK.
11. Restart your computer.
12. Your system will start in Clean Boot mode. 
13. Rerun Windows Memory Diagnostic tool and check if the issue is resolved.

If third-party software prevents the Windows Memory Diagnostic tool from completing the test, then running the tool in Clean Boot mode should help. In Clean Boot mode, Windows starts with a minimal set of drivers and startup programs, allowing you to determine if a background program is interfering with other programs.

3. Test with MemTest86

1. Make sure you have a working USB Drive to use as a bootable drive. Make sure the drive is empty, as
2. Download MemTest86 from the website.
3. Right-click on the downloaded folder and select Extract All.
4. Click on Extract.
5. Connect your USB drive to the computer.
6. From the recently extracted folder, run the imageUSB.exe file.
7. Make sure your connected drive is detected in the ImageUSB window and click on the Write button.
8. Once done, click the Exit button to close the ImageUSB tool.
9. Next, shut down your computer. Insert the USB flash and restart the system.

In most cases, the tool will automatically run after restart. If your system fails to boot from the USB flash drive, change the boot priority drive by changing the BIOS setting. 

Using the Memtest86 will help you determine if the issue is with your RAM or Windows Memory Diagnostic tool. If the test completes without any error, run the diagnostic tool again to check for any improvements.

It is common for the Windows Memory Diagnostic Tool to get stuck at 21% or 29% without any progression for hours.

However, if the tool is frozen for more than 20 hours, try these troubleshooting tips to fix the problem.

Let us know in the comments section below which solution helped you solve the Windows Memory Diagnostic Tool stuck issue on your PC, to help out other fellow users.