Download Mac Hardware Test



Mac can be conveniently purchased from the Apple store and most of configuration allows you to upgrade the memory so that you don’t need to open the case and take the risk in using an incompatible memory which would cause system lockups.

Download Slack for free for mobile devices and desktop. Keep up with the conversation with our apps for iOS, Android, Mac, Windows and Linux. How to start up your Mac in Apple Diagnostics or Apple Hardware Test mode by Christian Zibreg on March 7, 2016 — 1 comment Apple gives you a number of options if you need to troubleshoot software and hardware issues that might be plaguing your Mac. Apple Hardware Test for Xserve v1.0 CD for use with the Apple Xserve. It will not work with any other computer. Other AHT CD's for download on this page: AHTG411.ZIP: AHT for Power Mac G4 v1.1; AHTG412.ZIP: AHT for Power Mac G4 v1.2; AHTG4Cube11.ZIP: AHT for Power Mac G4 Cube v1.1 (691-2910-A) AHTiBook12.ZIP: AHT for iBook v1.2.

The only thing is the upgrade from Apple store cost a lot more money if compared to the one that it purchased from a computer store. For example, an additional 2GB of memory cost $50 at Apple Store while it only cost less than $10 if you search in Pricewatch. If you’re willing to take the risk in adding extra memory in your Mac either to save money or perhaps you have a few lying around, it is best to run a memory test to make sure that the RAM is fully compatible and won’t make your Mac unstable.

Here we suggest 3 different methods to easily run a memory test on your Mac OS X including the latest Mountain Lion 10.8.

1. Rember

Rember is actually a GUI for the popular command line memory testing tool called Memtest OS X. Instead of typing commands in terminal, you can run the test by clicking a button. You are able to test a selected amount or all of the memory, specify the number of times the tests should run and also viewing of the log. Rember includes Memtest OS X in the package so there is no need to manually download and install the memtest. Running Rember will show a table displaying the detected memory on your Mac. Select the amount of memory to test, number of loops and click the Test button to start checking the memory. When the tests is finished, Rember will show the test results.

Rember runs in Mac OS X which means that not all of the ram can be tested due to a portion of RAM being reserved for housekeeping.

Download Rember

2. Memtest86+

If your Mac has a SuperDrive, you can burn the pre-compiled bootable ISO image of the Memtest86+ and boot up the Mac with the disc. Just press and hold the C key when starting up Mac to boot from the disc.

The good thing about Memtest86+ is it runs by itself without relying on the operating system, giving you a more accurate memory test result.

Download Memtest86+

3. Apple Hardware Test

This is the recommended way by Apple to test your memory using their diagnostic tool. If you have an installation disc, insert the disc, restart your Mac, press and hold the C key. Select the language for the Apple Hardware Test and click the Test button to start testing. You can also tick the “Perform extended testing” option which would perform a more thorough test that takes considerably more time to complete. On the latest Mac OS X Mountain Lion, the Apple Hardware Test is already pre-installed and it doesn’t come with an installation disc. Simply boot up, press and hold the D key to start the Apple Hardware Test.

You can also see the amount of memory installed on your Mac at the Hardware Profile tab to confirm that the memory is correctly installed and detected. There are some Apple Hardware Test images that can be downloaded for older models. Do note that the Apple Hardware Test images are machine specific meaning that you cannot use the iBook version on a Mac Mini.

Check

Download Apple Hardware Test

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Night3 months ago

‘Closing all apps’ is an option which can be set or disabled in the Rember preferences.

Reply

I’m trying to test DRAM one bank at a time in mid-2010 Mac mini with 2 banks of 4GB Kingston DRAM each.

Rember run overnight on max cycles (255) showed when both banks were full (8GB total), there was a DRAM failure. But run overnight on max cycles (255), Rember is so slow it’s completed less than 30 cycles. I tried this twice.

Is it not possible to check one 4GB stick at a time? (Mid-2010 Mac mini standard RAM is 1GB module in each bank for total 2GB.)

HardwareReply
Charlzm10 months ago

I have several DDR3 DIMMs I want to install, but the memory timing is not printed on them. Is there an app for Macs that can tell you what the timing is on installed DIMMs?

Reply

Rember doesn’t shut down existing programs… you do that yerself

Reply
Rakiki1 year ago

Rember is an amazing app! In regards to the comment above:

it closes all windows because to free-up whole RAM memory for tests.
It’s understandable that you must save your work before you open any diagnostic app.

Works great on latest 2019 iMac where Memtest failed and Apple Diagnostic Tool is a JOKE

Reply

Rember

I ran this app and it closed all open windows and running apps without asking or warning me. That is bad software. Who knows what data I lost as a result, let alone time in reopening what I can remember was running. memtest does not do this.

Reply
Ron Helgerson5 years ago

Hope this works well, thanks!

Reply

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We only check our devices whenever we notice unusual activity or they perform unsatisfactorily. Rarely do we take the time to check our computers and other devices for issues and the problem with checking your computer only when you notice a problem is that sometimes, it’s already too late.

Understand that every computing device, may it be your desktop computer, laptop, or mobile phone, consists of both hardware and software components. And if you are a Mac user, you’re probably under the impression that you have a very secure and reliable machine, think again because while this is true for the most part, a lot of things can still go wrong with your device’s components. All you need to keep in mind is that just because everything seems to be running smoothly, it does not necessarily mean that everything is problem-free.

Before You Begin: An Important Reminder

With this article, we will guide you to performing a Mac hardware test that checks to verify if your Mac’s hardware components are all working correctly, even if it’s not showing any signs of problems but bear in mind that testing your Mac for hardware errors can put stress on your system. It’s imperative that you have one or more backups of your computer so you can recover all of your data if any of it gets lost during the process. We also suggest scanning your Mac through Tweakbit MacRepair first, to reduce junk files and get an extra RAM boost.

The First Step: Apple Diagnostics

Apple Diagnostics is a built-in utility available for Macs introduced in June 2013 and later. This is mainly designed to help determine which specific hardware component may be needing attention. To get started, launch Apple Diagnostics by doing the following:

Mac
  • Disconnect all external devices aside from the mouse, keyboard and display (for Mac desktops), Ethernet connection (if applicable), and AC power connection.
  • Make sure your Mac is on a flat, stable, and hard surface. Make sure the area has sufficient ventilation.
  • Shut down your computer.
  • Once completely turned off, turn your Mac on again.
  • Immediately press and hold D on your keyboard. Keep holding the key until the option to select language appears.
  • Use the navigation/arrow keys on your keyboard to select your language, then press Return/Enter.
  • If you don’t have an Ethernet connection, you might be asked to connect to a Wi-Fi network if the diagnostic image can’t be pulled itself. However, the system may automatically connect to a known and secure network, and this step will be skipped altogether if you do have an Ethernet connection.
  • Once the language is successfully selected, testing will begin.
  • The diagnostics will run for 2 to 3 minutes.
  • You will get either a “No issues found” message or a list of issues with their corresponding codes. Take note of the reference codes before you proceed.
  • At this point, you can choose to “Run the test again” by pressing Command + R; get more information, including service and support options, by clicking “Get started” or pressing Command + G; restart your Mac normally by clicking Restart or pressing R; or shut down your Mac by clicking Shut Down or pressing S.

If your test came back with issues and reference codes, you could cross-reference the codes with the codes on this list. Only by checking the meaning of the codes will you know what to do next. Some will tell you to rerun the test, contact Apple Support, or take your Mac to the nearest Apple Store or Apple Service Provider for assistance.

Furthermore, for devices launched before June 2013, use the Apple Hardware Test instead, which is basically the older version of Apple Diagnostics*. Launching this also follows the same procedures as with launching Apple Diagnostics. But after the language selection, the test will not automatically run. You need to click the Test button.

*Apple Diagnostics and Apple Hardware Test are basic and generic tests. You can also perform other tests that target specific hardware components.

Download apple hardware test mac pro 5 1

Checking the Hard Drives (HDD/SSD)

As you use your Mac, you create different types of files and data and save them on the hard drive. While Mac’s hard drive is made sturdy and highly capable of doing its job, it is bound to fail sooner or later due to years of use.

Some of the most common symptoms of hard disk failure are computer slowing down, freezing, strange noise, and corrupted data. But many users tend to ignore these symptoms, especially when restarting the unit usually seems to solve the problem.

Fortunately, you won’t have to wait before your hard disk completely breaks down. Every hard drive uses S.M.A.R.T. or the Self-Monitoring, Analysis, and Reporting Technology. You can check your hard drive’s S.M.A.R.T. status to know if it’s doing fine or already failing. In a previous article, we discussed in detail what S.M.A.R.T. status and how to check for it on a Mac.

Mac Hardware Test Utility

By running the standard check on your Mac, you will get two basic results: verified or failing. A verified status means your drive is in excellent condition, while a failing state should be enough to encourage you to back up your computer immediately and most probably, get a replacement. And there’s another way to interpret S.M.A.R.T. data. You can use third-party programs, such as SMART Utility and DriveDx, to look into specific of S.M.A.R.T. data. And while they are installed on your Mac, the apps can give you warnings regarding changes in the hard drive’s health and show you more advanced info about the state of your hard drive.

Mac Hardware Diagnostic

Checking the Memory or RAM

Mac Hardware Check

Now, here’s where it gets tricky. When testing the unit’s RAM, you’d want as little of it in use during the test. However, your computer already uses several GBs of your RAM and when you test your Mac, only the portion not used by the OS will be examined. Better than nothing, though, right? Aside from using Apple or Mac Diagnostics, you can use two other utilities to check your RAM’s status.

  • Rember – This is a small utility that has a simple interface. With this utility, instead of typing commands in the Terminal to activate the memory testing tool called Memtest OS X, you can run the test with just a click of a button. Rember allows you to specify the amount of RAM to test, as well as the number of times to run the test.
  • Memtest86+ – Memtest86 is actually based on Rember, but it has other options. To run this test, you need to first create or burn the pre-compiled ISO image on a disc or flash drive. Then, you need to boot up the Mac using that bootable image. When starting up the Mac, press and hold C to boot from the disc or drive. Don’t be intimidated by the interface, though. Even though it’s text-based, making it look primitive, memtest86+ is a potent and accurate one. Since you will boot your Mac from an external drive, little to no RAM is used so most of it will be available for testing. Memtest86 will test your RAM with different algorithms. If your RAM survives these tests, then it’s in absolutely good shape.

Checking the Processor or Central Processing Unit (CPU)

Your CPU essentially works in sync with your RAM, so while testing the RAM, the CPU also had a workout. However, some tests specifically target CPUs and processors.

  • Benchmarking – In this testing method, the CPU performance is tested using a range of algorithms. Benchmark utilities, such as Geekbench, throw the CPU a certain amount of data to process under the varying algorithms. Since the tests are short, we suggest that you restart the test a couple of times within an hour to see how good the CPU is at handling a semi-continuous workload. In the end, you will have a benchmark score, which you can compare with other Macs that have the same specs as yours. This way, you will know if your Mac’s CPU is performing as expected from its class.
  • Stress testing – These tests aim to really push your CPU to its limit, putting it under stress that it probably won’t go through in real-world conditions. If you’re worried that these tests might unnecessarily wear out your Mac’s CPU, know that it’s okay not to do them. But if you’re interested to know its real capacity, you might want to try the “Yes” test. In this test, the CPU is given a command that elicits the response “yes” over and over again, until it makes the CPU run at 100% utilization.

Checking the Graphics Card or GPU (Graphics Processing Unit)

Contrary to common notion, the graphics chip or card doesn’t only work for games. It’s responsible for showing practically everything you see on your Mac. Without the graphics card, you’ll be staring at a blank screen. MacOS relies on the GPU to render visuals, windows, and effects. Your Mac’s GPU works as hard as your CPU, primarily when you usually perform visual-intensive tasks. If you rely a lot on your Mac’s GPU power, it’s best if you’d perform a GPU test to see if yours can keep up with your needs. Here’s how to test a GPU:

  • Benchmarking – Yes, you’re reading this right. GPU tests are similar with CPU tests, only that the tools to be used are different. Just like with CPU benchmarking, the tests for GPU are also short, so you’d have to run them again and again to gather sufficient and accurate results. Some of the excellent programs for GPU benchmarking are Cinebench, LuxMark, and Geekbench.
  • Stress testing – Just like in CPU stress testing, this will involve putting your GPU to excessive work. This means throwing a sizable workload at it for an extended period of time. For this, the best program to use is Heaven, which is technically a benchmark tool. Heaven is different from others in a way that it can be set to put maximum pressure on the GPU. Heaven tests the GPU by rendering game scenes at quality and resolution that you will specify during setup. Since Heaven is a benchmark tool, the tests will also be short, so you have to restart every test to get a few loops.

Checking the Sensors

The sensors in your Mac are among the most difficult to accurately test at home. While there are utilities that can test the sensors, only Apple really knows the correct value ranges to determine if a sensor passes the test or not. Basically, when you run Apple Diagnostics, and the result didn’t note any problem, it means that your Mac’s sensors are working just fine. But if you want to take a closer look into how your Mac’s sensors are doing, you have some options. The top tool for reading the different sensors on your Mac is TechTool Pro. This test has quite a comprehensive system that includes the testing of temperature, voltage, current, power, and light sensors.

Checking the Physical or External Aspects of Your Mac

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Of course, when we talk about hardware, we don’t talk about what’s inside alone. Hardware also includes the ports, keyboard, and optical drive. Testing these are pretty easy.

To test the ports (USB, FireWire, and headphone jack), just connect the external devices and wires to the ports to verify if they are working fine. For older Macs that still have an optical drive, see if it can read a CD or DVD. Meanwhile, to test the keyboard, just directly open a TextEdit file and test every key in your keyboard. You can also use Mac’s built-in Keyboard Viewer tool. Open System Preferences > Keyboard. Check “Show keyboard and emoji viewers in the menu bar.” The option “Show Keyboard Viewer” should now be available in the menu bar. Click on that, then press the keys on your keyboard. If the keys register with a gray color, then they are working as they should.

Checking the Cooling System

Download Mac Hardware Test Windows 10

There’s no tool that tests Mac’s cooling system explicitly yet, but if you’ve used your Mac to extreme benchmarking and stress testing without it overheating or crashing, then it’s a good indicator that its cooling system is very much capable. Indeed, your Mac is a complex system made up of various components that work well to make sure that the entire system works well.

Hardware Test Mac Startup

We hope that this article gave you an idea on how to verify if your Mac’s hardware components are in excellent condition, and help you take care of your computer better.

Apple Hardware Test Online

If you’re running into errors and your system is suspiciously slow, your computer needs some maintenance work. Download Outbyte PC Repair for Windows, Outbyte Antivirus for Windows, or Outbyte MacRepair for macOS to resolve common computer performance issues. Fix computer troubles by downloading the compatible tool for your device.
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