Even though it is quite rare, you can sometimes run into some cryptic errors on your Windows out of nowhere. While some errors might be simple and easy to fix, others like “Memory Cannot Be Read” can be a bit frustrating. However, do not panic. This article shares some tips to help you get rid of the issue.
What is ‘Memory Cannot Be Read Error,’ and What Causes It?
To solve the error, you first need to understand what it is. If you were to observe the text of that error, you would know that the issue is with the RAM, as it is the only place where information is stored. When the software requires information stored at a particular address, and it is not able to receive it, this is where the error jumps in. The error simply states that the address is invalid for some reason.
And now that we have discussed what this error is, you should know ‘Why’ it occurs. There could be several reasons for that. It could be a software or hardware issue. However, you are likely to solve the error by observing a few things.
The first thing you should do is to check if the error occurs when you launch a specific application. Make sure that it does not while the computer is idle. Or, is it occurring randomly or at intervals? If you can observe, you will likely end up with the right solutions as well. For instance, if the error shows up upon running an application, you will know that it is the source of the problem.
You can also try uninstalling and reinstalling the app to see if that fixes the issue.
How To Fix the Error?
Add More RAM
Adding more RAM can also help. The thing is that Virtual memory is a reserved part of your hard drive that acts as an overflow when the physical RAMs are full. So, when memory-hungry apps run out of RAM and have no extra space to store additional information, it just gets lost.
Today, memory management in modern operating systems has become so advanced that virtual memory is hardly ever needed. However, programs with poor management memory can lead to frequent errors and crashes. So, you should try adding more physical RAM to prevent the error from popping up in the future.
Close Background Applications
Another way of fixing the issue is by closing memory-hungry background apps. Your Internet browser is the biggest culprit here. Why? Whenever you launch your browser, it eats a big chunk of your RAM. It is easy for someone to leave the browser open while they are working or playing a game. So, if you are short on memory, you should close the apps that are eating your memory.
Remove Software Leftovers
If you are using multiple software and apps daily, it might be that some useless software data or information is causing the problem. In such a case, you should try using cleaner utilities to remove the leftover junk. Many utilities are there to ensure your computer is free of the problem causing junk. But make sure that you check the software for malware before installing it.
Update Everything
Sometimes, memory errors can occur due to update mismatches. Your Windows is designed to download and install the updates automatically. But if the software packages and hardware drivers have not been updated at the same time, it may result in instability (aka the error).
Final Words
The “fixes” discussed might seem a daunting task. However, once you grab the solution, it won’t take time to fix it if it occurs in the future. The reason is that you will likely end up solving the issue for good.