Are you having errors with any other application as well? If RAM was the problem, you would be having a lot more trouble than just trying to start FF XIV.
If you do suspect a bad DIMM, the faster way to find it besides a memory scan is to remove all but one DIMM from the computer, then start it up and try playing the game. If it doesn't work, shut down, replace it with the next DIMM and try again. Keep going till all DIMMS have been tested.
If you suspect Windows system corruption, any version after Windows XP SP3 has a handy command-line tool called "System File Check". Run a command prompt as administrator and type "sfc /scannow". This will do an in-depth file comparison of Windows core DLLs versus those in the WinSxS folder and attempt to repair any damaged files. In Windows 8 and later, it may also attempt to download missing or damaged files direct from Microsoft.
You may also want to do an in-depth disk scan to make sure your hard drive isn't failing. If the game files are written over a bad block, then data will be corrupted whenever it tries to load. Run "chkdsk C: /f" and reboot. You may also want to find an application to read the SMART errors on the drive. Even if no bad blocks are found, something else may be wrong.
Finally, check the Windows Event Log under "Application" and see if the launcher is throwing an AppCrash error. If so, it may reference a specific dll file that is causing the failure. In either case, it's a good idea to view these logs every month or so just to make sure the computer isn't throwing a ton of hidden errors you never see.
If you do suspect a bad DIMM, the faster way to find it besides a memory scan is to remove all but one DIMM from the computer, then start it up and try playing the game. If it doesn't work, shut down, replace it with the next DIMM and try again. Keep going till all DIMMS have been tested.
If you suspect Windows system corruption, any version after Windows XP SP3 has a handy command-line tool called "System File Check". Run a command prompt as administrator and type "sfc /scannow". This will do an in-depth file comparison of Windows core DLLs versus those in the WinSxS folder and attempt to repair any damaged files. In Windows 8 and later, it may also attempt to download missing or damaged files direct from Microsoft.
You may also want to do an in-depth disk scan to make sure your hard drive isn't failing. If the game files are written over a bad block, then data will be corrupted whenever it tries to load. Run "chkdsk C: /f" and reboot. You may also want to find an application to read the SMART errors on the drive. Even if no bad blocks are found, something else may be wrong.
Finally, check the Windows Event Log under "Application" and see if the launcher is throwing an AppCrash error. If so, it may reference a specific dll file that is causing the failure. In either case, it's a good idea to view these logs every month or so just to make sure the computer isn't throwing a ton of hidden errors you never see.
