What tools can I use to check that my memory and hard drive are still working correctly?
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Boot with Ubuntu Live CD/USB stick (or press & hold Shift before the splash screen, to enter GRUB menu), and select TEST MEMORY with memtest86+! See this illustration, don't wait for graphical UI!
Illustration:
To test HDD, you can use S.M.A.R.T. data reader, palimpsest disk utility, press Super/Dash button, start typing Disk Utility (for Gnome: System > Administration > Disk utility), and check your S.M.A.R.T. data (YOU MUST UNMOUNT THAT DISK FIRST, YOU WANT TO CHECK ITS FILESYSTEM - that's why, use a Live CD/USB stick - for S.M.A.R.T. reading, the disk could be mounted/used)!
Illustration: 
Seth
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antivirtel
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Hi! You say, that your root partition doesn't checkable with "Check filesystem" button? – antivirtel Nov 23 '10 at 22:27
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Yeah, you might be in a live system. Use a Live CD, and if it requires, use "Unmount Volume" button! – antivirtel Nov 25 '10 at 17:45
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These are some old screenshots. Has anything changed since 2010? – Knowledge Cube Mar 01 '15 at 17:45
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For HDD, you can use badblocks program which is installed with the e2fsprogs program. It's a command-line program and a read-only scan can be performed with:
sudo badblocks -v /dev/sda
-v causes verbose information to be displayed, /dev/sda is the device name of the disk.
For RAM, you can find memtest86+ on any live CD or USB. It'll prompt you if there's something wrong with your RAM.
frontsideair
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1just type
$ which badblocksto see if you have it installed, but by sure you will. – Robert Vila Nov 09 '12 at 04:27
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Hard disk:
open up a command line, (Applications → Accessories → Terminal) and type
sudo touch /forcefsckthen reboot your computer. The operating system will perform a hard disk check (fsck) for you during the boot.
Ram:
When the system is booting, just after the POST (power-on self test) screen, hit the ESC key a few times until you see the GRUB boot menu.
You should see a list of different Linux kernels. Right at the bottom, there's an option captioned somethimg like Memtest86, this will thoroughly test your memory for corruption (also, it will take ages).
Jorge Castro
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Stefano Palazzo
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Your suggestion for hard disk work for me. Suggestion for Ram doesn't work. – vrcmr Nov 23 '10 at 19:48
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1Clarification: the "hard disk check" with
fsckis actually a filesystem integrity check, not a hard disk surface check or something. – Lekensteyn Jul 21 '11 at 10:35
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My solution for 10.04 (That works for me):
To test RAM I'm using Live CD 10.04:
- I reboot my computer with it in cd drive;
- then I choose my language;
- then I choose Test Ram.
For testing HDD works:
sudo touch /forcefsck
Found also this tutorial on youtube with additional information.
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Boot from an install CD, press Esc while it's booting, and you should have the option to check both memory and the hard disk. You can do this whether or not you have Ubuntu already installed.
If you do have it installed, you can run memcheck from the grub menu.
poolie
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sudo /touch/forcefsckcheck all my HDD's/parrtion's or just the one where Ubuntu is installed? – Miroslav Ranković Nov 23 '10 at 22:47touchis an application. Usesudo touch /forcefsck– antivirtel Jul 21 '11 at 11:02