December 2, 2025
Bit flips & hot takes
Memtest86+ v8.00 Released
Dark Mode for Your RAM? Fans cheer, vets grumble, brand mix-ups abound
TLDR: Memtest86+ v8.00 arrives with support for new chips, a single file that boots on old and new PCs, plus dark mode and DDR5 heat checks. Commenters urge everyone to run a RAM test, toss shade at UEFI, and warn it's different from PassMark’s MemTest86.
Memory nerds are celebrating as Memtest86+ v8.00 drops with support for the latest Intel and AMD chips, a single file that boots on both old and modern PCs, faster detection on many-core CPUs, DDR5 (newer memory) temperature readouts, plus bug fixes—and yes, optional dark mode. Because even your RAM wants to look goth at 2 a.m. The crowd vibes? A split between “finally maintained!” and “test your memory or prepare for chaos.” One veteran, neilv, flexed that he’s been running this on everything from bootable CDs to GRUB menus, with a spicy jab at modern systems as “not afflicted with UEFI” (UEFI = the newer way PCs start up). The biggest mood swing came from sfink, who ships code to hundreds of millions: stop blaming software—bit flips are real. Translation: mystery crashes might be your hardware acting haunted, so run a memory test. Then came the identity crisis: gblargg warns not to mix up Memtest86+ with MemTest86 (different teams, similar names). Cue the meme wave: “Dark mode for RAM checks? My DIMMs are emo now.” High drama, low-level bits—and a reminder that your computer might be fine… until it isn’t.
Key Points
- •Memtest86+ v8.00 adds Clang/LLD build support and ships as a single binary for both UEFI and legacy boot.
- •The release adds compatibility for the latest Intel and AMD CPUs and speeds up detection on many-core processors.
- •DDR5 improvements include temperature reporting and a fix for a DDR5 XMP 3.0 issue.
- •Diagnostics and reporting are improved with better BadRAM support and enhanced SPD detection on early ICHs.
- •Additional updates include better VTxxx serial console support, various Loongson microarchitecture refinements, and bug fixes/optimizations.